Bible Study - Hard (7) - Exploit Your Friends - Luke 16:1-12 - May 26, 2019

Bible Study – Hard (7) – Exploit Your Friends – May 26, 2019



This is our seventh and final lesson in our series entitled: “HE Said What? Hard Sayings of JESUS.”


Our focus scripture is Luke 16:1-12.


Be wise with resources and opportunities.


Where does wisdom come from? Wisdom is knowledge applied to GOD’S plan.


Our title “Exploit Your Friends” is certainly an attention getter. When I first read it, it hit me the wrong way.


The overarching banner “Be wise with resources and opportunities” gave me a clue about the direction of the lesson JESUS was teaching.


Parables are earthly stories with heavenly meanings and applications.


JESUS knew that the time for HIS passion was ever closer. We have seen this in our previous lessons leading up to this lesson.


JESUS used parables in the first century that reflected everyday life in that period of time. Since JESUS’ desire was to communicate a Spiritual message using an earthly example, HE used examples that the people of that time period would understand. HE taught HIS disciples, individuals, large crowds, Jewish leaders, etc. using parables. When JESUS told a parable, HE had a purpose. We need to identify that purpose and how it applies to us and others. How does JESUS explain the parable and its application? What is the main point or points JESUS was making?


This parable is a challenge. Let’s explore!


Let’s read Luke 16:1-2:

The Parable of the Dishonest Manager

1 He also said to the disciples: "There was a rich man who received an accusation that his manager was squandering his possessions.

First, we read that JESUS was teaching all who professed to be HIS disciple. There was a rich man who had an agriculture business and he hired someone to manage this business. Someone informed the rich man that the manager of his ag business was mismanaging or wasting his goods. It was an accusation that needed to investigated and either confirmed or found to be false.

2 So he called the manager in and asked, 'What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you can no longer be [my] manager.'

So, the owner called the manager on the carpet, so-to-speak. The manager got wind of what this called meeting was all about. So, the manager swung into action and began exploring his options. The actions of the manager gave the appearance of wrong doing.

This is the heart of the parable. There will be pay-day someday when all of us face the creator of earth, GOD. HE will ask us for an accounting. How did we use our time and resources while we lived upon earth? Keep this in mind, Christians are secure in their salvation. The question is, “Have they been obedient to what GOD desired for them to do with their time and resources?”

As you may recall 1 Corinthians 3:11-16:

11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

12 If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw,

13 their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work.

14 If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward.

15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.

16 Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst?

When life is over upon earth there will be a test by fire. The building materials we have used to build upon the foundation of JESUS will be tested by fire. Armed with this knowledge, wouldn’t it make sense for all Christians to get their brain working and ask the LORD to reveal to them what they need to do to be prepared for that day?

Life is a gift and every person who has been or will ever be has this gift. We are stewards of the time and resources GOD has made available to us. The question is, how will we use them according to HIS will and purpose during our lifetime?

JESUS revealed how this circumstance in the manager’s life resulted in him doing some quick creative thinking.

JESUS was not implying that Christians are to be crooked but to think outside the box when it comes to the serious issues they encounter, to figure out how to meet the needs of others. Often, when we see others, especially Christian brothers or sisters in need and our resources have been used up, what do we do? Often, we say, “If I had the resources I would do so and so. JESUS was saying think outside the box and figure it out because when you do, it has Heavenly rewards.

JESUS was teaching HIS disciples, who would, in turn, teach others by example and instruction. Christians are the light and salt to those with whom they come into contact.

Let’s read Luke 16:3-9:

3 "Then the manager said to himself, 'What should I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I'm not strong enough to dig; I'm ashamed to beg.

As each of us face this day of accounting, what do we say to ourselves? JESUS taught in Matthew 25:14-30 another parable regarding talents. In this scripture, JESUS gave an example of a wealthy man giving various talents to his servants. The wealthy man went away. When the wealthy man returned, he expected a return on his investment. GOD expects a return on HIS investment. All but the person with the one talent did have a return on his investment.

The person with the one talent could have invested it in a secure bank and received interest. That is a vital teaching of our lesson. When Christians exercise faith and see what GOD can do their faith grows. But faith cannot grow until we take a step of faith. A caution here: Do not test GOD. Let your faith be a natural outflow of your faith in GOD. That sounds a little circular. It is much like Moses using his staff to get water. There were times when GOD told Moses to use his staff but one time, GOD told Moses to speak to the rock. Instead Moses struck the rock. We often like the tried and true over the step of faith.  

GOD does not want us to hide our trust in HIM. HIS desire is for every Christian to bloom where he or she is planted and to grow.

In this parable, the manager said to himself he was not strong enough to dig and he was ashamed to beg. JESUS was saying when you encounter difficulties that demand a solution, think outside the box.

JESUS was not saying to be dishonest or deceitful. It means when Christians encounter things beyond their ability to provide e.g.                                                                                                            seeing others in need, especially Christians, think of ways that you can help them. Today, we see Go-Fund-Me accounts. That is one way to think outside the box to meet a need. Often, we can provide seed money in our churches or Bible Study groups to start a fund where others can contribute to meet the needs of others. There are bake sales and car washes and many other ways to raise money for others who are in need. Our part may be to be the spark to get things moving.

Christians need to keep in mind that there are both physical and Spiritual needs.

We may see that we have not been faithful in the stewardship of our time or resources, what can we do? We may realize that our time upon earth is about to run out, what can we do? That is a moment to rejoice because GOD’S Word reveals in Ephesians 5:16:

16 redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

Once you realize you need to take action and in doing so, you have redeemed time to obediently serve our LORD. What is in the past is still in the past. When we realize that we have not devoted our time or resources to obedient service, that is a defining moment. Ask the LORD to reveal to you what HE would have you to do with the time you have remaining. If you have not used your resources wisely, then ask GOD to reveal to you how to use your resources wisely. Resources are more than material resources. Wisdom, encouragement, forgiveness, a kind word and many other things we can do are all resources. The greatest resource is our relationship with GOD through faith in JESUS and the indwelling Holy Spirit. Christians must allow the Holy Spirit to work through us.

Our next verse reveals what that the manager, in our parable, did when he realized that he was getting fired. The manager had a wow moment.

4 I know what I'll do so that when I'm removed from management, people will welcome me into their homes.'

The manager knew he was going to get fired so he put on his thinking cap. He would build relationships with those who could help him after he was terminated.

5 "So he summoned each one of his master's debtors. 'How much do you owe my master?' he asked the first one.

6 " 'A hundred measures of oil,' he said. " 'Take your invoice,' he told him, 'sit down quickly, and write 50.'

[A hundred measurers (A measure was considered to be about 9 gallons) would be between 975 and 900 gallons of olive oil worth about 1,000 denarii or about 3 years salary for a common laborer.]

7 "Next he asked another, 'How much do you owe?' " 'A hundred measures of wheat,' he said. " 'Take your invoice,' he told him, 'and write 80.'

[Roughly it would take 100 acres to yield a hundred measures of wheat. The estimated value is between 2,500 and 3,000 denarii or about 8-10 years salary for a common laborer.]

8 "The master praised the unrighteous manager because he had acted astutely. For the sons of this age are more astute than the sons of light [in dealing] with their own people.

9 And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of the unrighteous money so that when it fails, they may welcome you into eternal dwellings.

JESUS was not teaching Christians to be dishonest or connivers but to seek guidance from GOD realizing that one day they will enter eternity and stand before GOD and others who they could have helped physically and Spiritually. Notice “when it fails” is a certainty. It is not if but when “unrighteous money” will fail. The Jews thought when a person was wealthy, they were blessed by GOD. The true blessing by GOD is eternal life through faith. Seek friends that know the truth and will tell you the truth of salvation through faith in JESUS. It is faith in JESUS Who gives eternal life to those who place their faith and trust in HIM.

Bible scholars have considered that the amounts the manager reduced from the customer’s bill was:

-         Reducing the bill by the managers commission

-         Reducing the bill by interest or excessive interest the manager may have charged (According to Jewish law charging interest to fellow Jews was illegal and immoral (Exodus 22:25))

-         Or simply the manager reduced their bills because he could.

JESUS addressed two groups “the children of this age” and “the children of sons of light.” The “children of this age” are the world and the “children of sons of light” are those who know the truth of salvation and have a personal relationship with GOD.

JESUS expounded on this as it relates to what we have done with both our time and resources as we read the next part of this parable ----

Let’s read Luke 16:10-12:

10 Whoever is faithful in very little is also faithful in much, and whoever is unrighteous in very little is also unrighteous in much.

11 So if you have not been faithful with the unrighteous money, who will trust you with what is genuine?

12 And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to someone else, who will give you what is your own?

JESUS brings this around to admonishing us to examine our lives to determine what have we done with our time and resources. Have we used them wisely or not? Have we been faithful in the little or much we have had? How we have used what GOD has provided for us is a reflection of the attitude of our heart toward HIM and others. Have we thought outside of the box to meet the needs that GOD has revealed to us? We need to keep in mind when we give to others to give them a hand-up and not a hand-out. GOD does not want us to be stingy but to be wise and seek HIS wisdom as we obediently give as we serve.

When we see a need, how do we handle it? When we see a need, physical or Spiritual, what does it mean to us? Does it mean that GOD has revealed the need to us because HE expects us to take action? Yes! But suppose we do not have the resources, what are we to do? What did the manager do in our story? He got creative. What does GOD want us to do? Get creative. Seeing a need is a calling for us to take action using HIS guidance and trusting HIM to direct our path as we seek a solution.

We, as Christians, are the salt and light. Often physical needs need to be met before we can meet Spiritual needs. We may have said to ourselves, “I wish I could do something but I just cannot.” As Christians, we have a great resource, the indwelling Holy Spirit. Ask HIM how are we to proceed and then follow the path HE reveals. It will be an awesome journey and the rewards will be eternal.

When GOD reveals to us where HE is working, that is our invitation for us to join HIM. What we see may or may not be beyond our ability to join in but in either case we should let others, especially our friends, know how they can participate in GOD’S work. When we keep opportunities to ourselves, we rob others of blessings.

Blessings!!!