We are looking again at the parable of the unrighteous steward, where Jesus is challenging His disciples to be much more shrewd and wise than their worldly counterparts in securing their eternal future. Worldly people are shrewd for earthly security, but we ought to be much more shrewd to gain eternal security. It matters because there is an afterlife. This life is much shorter than our next life. We know this because Jesus proved eternal life is real when He died and rose again. Our eternal future, portrayed as “eternal dwelling,” “true riches,” and “your own,” is real and will not be disappointing. Jesus emphasizes His message using the phrase “I say to you”, a phrase Jesus used to declare truth with full divine revelation and authority, similar to His “I am” statements. When Jesus uses this “I,” He declares Himself as God (Isaiah 46:9). Ultimately, Luke 16:13 mandates that you must serve Jesus, the true master, instead of money. As John Wesley observed, the last part of a person to be converted is his wallet. If you have not surrendered your wallet, you have not fully converted in your surrender to Jesus Christ.
Jesus is addressing the believer. A believer is both a disciple and a steward. Discipleship is following Jesus as Lord, which requires not just believing but obeying, and it changes who you are. Stewardship is managing what belongs to God — your time, money, body, and all the resources He has entrusted to you. While discipleship is internal, stewardship is external. Stewardship is the expression of your discipleship; the two go hand in hand. A mature disciple is a wise steward. The unrighteous steward in the parable was shrewd in securing his earthly future, but Christians must be even more shrewd and wise in eternal matters. This parable does not refer to being saved, as every Christian is saved, but about being a good steward to gain a future reward. If you are not shrewd, you might be saved but still miss out on future rewards.
How do we prepare for our eternal future, especially when dealing with money? Money, or “mammon: in Aramaic, refers to wealth, possessions, or anything we might put our trust in, meaning it easily becomes an idol. Jesus wants disciples to secure their eternal future by using their money wisely and faithfully. We are commanded to “make friends” using the “wealth of unrighteousness. Money is worldly and has caused much wickedness, making it the “wealth of unrighteousness”. This command does not mean buying friendship, but it means to evangelize, advance the kingdom of God, and make friends who will dwell with you in heaven one day. This involves using all our resources, whether it be time or money, helping unbelievers know Jesus and getting close to them. For example, taking an unbeliever out to lunch to build a relationship and share the gospel with them.
Remember, you are a steward, and it is God’s money, not yours. Use your money as a tool, not an end. We must invest in people, avoid unnecessary debt, keep an eternal view, and be charitable and generous. Spending money for the glory of God is not wasteful; it is heavenly investing. This investment is a channel to draw rewards from heaven, ensuring that when you “make your friends for yourselves,” it benefits you eternally. How wise, wonderful, and necessary it is to use what God has given us for His glory and our eternal reward. It is shameful and foolish to invest in earthly things like the world does. We have a greater promise, therefore, even more so, we must be diligent and shrewd stewards of what God has given us.
Everyone is equal in salvation and will enter heaven, but not all are equal in reward, which is based on faithful stewardship. The Apostle Paul labored to gain a reward, not satisfied with salvation alone. The phrase “When it fails” (Luke 16:9) reminds us that one day, we will die, and all our money, accomplishments, and memories will vanish. Only our eternal investment will remain. The friends we make with our finances—those whom we have evangelized and rescued—are the “they” who will take us into eternal dwellings. Imagine those you helped reach glory before you, waiting to welcome you into heaven. What a joyful thought. If you are worried you have not made any friends yet, start today with just one sinner. Heaven rejoices over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:7). The Lord encourages us to diligently, sacrificially, and faithfully invest in others for Him, and we will be rich in heaven.
BIBLE COMMUNITY CHURCH 
Leave a comment