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Message Notes
“The Kingdom of God is God’s active and sovereign reign through history, bringing about His purpose in the world through Jesus Christ. Simply put, the Kingdom of God is what the world looks like when Jesus gets His way.” —Jeff Christopherson (The Kingdom Matrix)
“The Kingdom of God is what our lives should look like when Jesus is ruling and reigning over everything.” —Brian Bloye
“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” —Matthew 6:33
I) Right Thinking Comes from Having a Right Perspective.
“The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it. The world and all its people belong to him.” —Psalm 24:1
- Everything belongs to God.
- Everything comes from God.
- Everything is distributed by God.
What is a parable? “Parables are subversive stories that challenge listeners to break free from worldly values and embrace the radical teachings of Jesus” —Dallas Willard
A parable is a story that compares a known truth and an unknown truth; it throws them alongside each other.
A parable is a story that teaches a spiritual truth by making earthly comparisons.
II) What Does Jesus Have to Say About Our Perspective About Stuff?
“He also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’” —Luke 16:1-2
“And the manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.” —Luke 16:3
“I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.’” —Luke 16:4
“So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness.” —Luke 16:5-8
“For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.” —Luke 16:8b
“And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.” —Luke 16:9
Unrighteous Wealth – Stuff that is in your possession today and gone tomorrow.
III) What Can We Take Away from the Parable of the Shrewd Manager?
Takeaway #1 - Everything we have is a Tool.
“One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own?” —Luke 16:10-12
Takeaway #2 - Everything We Have is a Test.
“No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” —Luke 16:13
Takeaway #3 - Everything We Own is a Trademark.
Key statement: You have a little bit of time and a little bit of opportunity.