“The Coming Crisis: The Parable of the Shrewd Manager” - Part 4

Introduction

Each of us at some point in life faces a major crisis. That thing that brings life to a standstill, makes every other thing seem trite, and focuses all of your attention like a laser on that one thing. Whether it’s the loss of a job, the diagnosis of a health issue, some terrible news about a friend or loved one, or even the death of a family member, each of us faces these crises in life. And some people are better in a crisis than other.

Some crises require immediate action while some crises are less immediate.

We all face crises in life. Sometimes we respond well and sometimes we don’t. And in a very particular and nuanced way, this is the point of the parable that appears in Luke 16.

Israel’s Coming Crisis

One of the main themes of the latter half of Jesus’ ministry is that there is a major crisis coming to Israel.

“I must go about my business today and tomorrow, for on the third day I will reach my goal. For surely no prophet can die outside of Jerusalem.” (Lk. 13:33).

“Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.” (Lk. 11:50-51).

The Parable of the Shrewd Manager (Luke 16):

1 “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. 2 So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’

3 “The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my

job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg— 4 I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their dwellings.’

5 “So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’

6 “‘Nine hundred gallons [a] of olive oil,’ he replied. “The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.’

7 “Then he asked the second, ‘And how much do you owe?’ “‘A thousand bushels [b] of wheat,’ he replied.

“He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’

8 “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. 9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

In this story the manager has been fired (crisis) and begins to go through the process of responding to the crisis that has come upon him. First he reasons with himself: “I’m too weak to do manual labor, and I’m too proud to beg.” (And here comes one of the most important lines in the whole parable) “I know—I’ll get

people to welcome me into their dwellings.” (vv. 3-4).

The next verse brings a bit of a translation dilemma. The text of the NIV reads, “The master praised the dishonest steward,” (v. 8), and the translation dilemma has to do with who “the master” is." I tend to think that this is Luke’s interpretive comment: “The Lord (Jesus) commended this man for acting shrewdly—for RESPONDING WELL TO HIS CRISIS!” Now for the part that’s wildly misunderstood. Jesus, after describing a man who responded well to the crisis, basically says, “Be like this guy!” Of course, this parable really isn’t

about money, and it’s not about someone losing a job. It’s a story told in order to get his people to listen to him about the crisis that is quickly coming upon them. They need to respond well.

Respond Well!

I want to lay out for you very briefly three scenarios in which the crisis of Jesus’ presence forces us all into a major life decision.

1. The Crisis of Conversion. The crisis of conversion occurs when we have to make a decision about what to do with this man, Jesus of Nazareth. If you’re here this morning and you’re meeting Jesus for the first time, the crisis is upon you. If Jesus has appeared to you (in the persons and teaching of his people),

and you’ve come to a point when a decision has to be made about whether you will embrace Jesus, or shrink back into something more comfortable, I implore you…RESPOND WELL TO THIS CRISIS.

2. The Crisis of Commitment. The crisis of commitment occurs when Jesus appears you to in a profound way to call you from a lackadaisical Christian life to a life that is fully committed to Jesus. It might also be called the Crisis of Repentance. If you’re here this morning and Jesus is calling you to those higher levels, the crisis is upon you. If you’ve come to a point when a decision has to be made about whether you will live the Jesus-life more fully, or shrink back into something more comfortable, I implore you … RESPOND WELL TO THIS CRISIS.

3. The Crisis of Commission. The crisis of commission—God commissioning you for ministry, drafting you into service in his army. The crisis of commission can include an invitation to serve here in the local church, to lead an existing ministry, to start a brand new ministry, or to begin something in the community or your neighborhood that will help advance the cause of Christ and his Kingdom. Perhaps it’s an unseen service, something that you do without recognition. If Jesus has appeared to you and asked you to serve, and if the options are to “go where you want me to go, Dear Lord,” or to shrink back into something more comfortable, I implore you … RESPOND WELL TO THIS CRISIS.

Conclusion:

Let’s take a moment to reflect on how Christ might be calling each of us to action. “Father, through your Spirit, guide us in this moment.”