Luke 16
Main Theme
Followers of Jesus will fix their hearts on God’s Kingdom.
Outline
- Our resources should be leveraged for God’s Kingdom. (1-13)
- Key Verse - 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. (v. 13)
- In this parable, Jesus teaches us to use all the resources God blesses us with not for this life, not to comfort ourselves, and not to build our own castle but for the Kingdom of God. Jesus does not approve of the dishonesty of the manager. He illustrates the need for his followers to be wise in preparing themselves and others for eternity.
- Our hearts should be fixed on God’s Kingdom. (8-10)
- Key Verse - But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the Law to become void. (v. 14-18)
- God’s law and the gospel both point to the fact that we are to pursue faithfulness to God and fix our hearts on God’s Kingdom. They both reveal to us what God values and teach us what we are to value if we are going to fix our hearts on God’s Kingdom.
- Pursuing God’s Kingdom involves blessing others with our resources. (11-32)
- Key Verse - But Abraham said, “Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish. (v. 25)
- We need to always be mindful that this life is not all there is. It is a drop in the ocean compared to eternity. Rather than continuing to pursue our own comforts, pleasures, and luxuries to the neglect of others, followers of Jesus must find delight and joy in blessing others with what God has given them.
Gospel Connection
Jesus gave up the comforts of Heaven to dwell among sinful men. He gave up perfect unity with God the Father to be punished by God the Father for the sins of others. In his flesh, when he would have rather avoided the pain and suffering of the cross, Jesus put aside that temptation to fulfill the will of God the Father. And he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours be done.”
Whole Bible Connection
God reveals Himself through His Word and communicates to us what is valuable to Him. What is most valuable to God is His glory and the people He created. In all creation, only people were created in the image of God, and they were created to glorify and enjoy Him. The amount of money we have, the amount of influence we have, the amount of fame we have, none of that is of value to God. This is illustrated in God choosing the nation of Israel to be His people (Read Deuteronomy 7). They were not powerful. They had no land. They were not wealthier than the other nations. However, God set His love upon them so that through them, He would be glorified. Let us fix our hearts on God’s glory and set our minds on building His Kingdom rather than seeking to exalt ourselves and build a kingdom for ourselves.
Key Takeaways
What do you treasure? Do we treasure possessions, money, comforts, splurges, and luxuries over God’s Kingdom? Do we value using the resources God has given us on ourselves or to build God’s Kingdom? To be clear, God doesn’t need anything because everything is already His, but His people ought to make it evident they treasure God’s Kingdom rather than their own.
Where do you find comfort and joy? Is it in what you own? Your bank account? Your investments? Your achievements? Or, is it in being a child of God adopted through the grace and love of God through Christ?
Be a blessing to others. If you have been saved by God's grace through faith in Jesus, you have received the greatest blessing! Christians must desire to bless as many people as they can. Host people. Befriend people. Care for people. Serve others as Jesus has served you.