Jesus's Teaching on the use of money (Luke 16:1-13)

I was trying to measure in terms of proximity: how close is the unrighteous mammon (v9) to each of us?  Money as you know is the means of exchange of goods and services, so intuitively, it is very close to each of us. Say, on a scale of 1 to 10, certainly, your self-consciousness would be 10, unless you are neurotic. God would perhaps be 9 if you are godly; perhaps money would rank 8th. There is however one problem, it is that money has a corrupting influence given our sin, as the love of money is the root of all evil (1 Tim 6:10). Therefore, it is not surprising that Jesus spoke the most about the corrupting influence of money more than sex, more than power, even more than heaven and hell! Given its very close proximity to every individual and the corrupting influence of the money, or rather our deceitful heart, it is no wonder that someone said that, “Money is a powerful revealer of the human soul”, in that it offers a terrible, objectifying glimpse into one’s heart. It is therefore not surprising that our Saviour ended the parable of the “Unjust Manager” with three important teachings pertaining to the use of money in the life of a Disciple!

Firstly, the Life of a disciple must demonstrate faithfulness and honesty in the use of the unrighteous mammon for his kingdom (v10 and v11): “He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?” Secondly, the Life of a disciple must be faithful with things that do not belong to him but God, then God will give us true riches from himself in Grace, Faith and Service down here and in our eternal abode, v11. Indeed, everything is from God, and therefore Jesus put this truth in a paradoxical way in v12: “And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own?” In other words, if as a disciple you are not faithful in the financial resources that God has given you in your earthly abode to extend his Kingdom, how can you expect to receive what is due to you, which is true riches in heaven?  The latter true riches that belong to God’s elect and will be given to them in heaven is echoed in Matt 25:34 on the final judgement by Jesus: “Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world”. Finally, therefore, the life of the disciple must be whole-hearted and with a single master. a A slave can only serve one master (v13): “No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.” I suppose it would perhaps be clear how you and I can apply the above truths to yourself. Firstly, it is a call to self-examination in two areas, namely, keep our life free from love of money; be contented (1 Tim 6:8) and be ready to share (1 Tim 6:18). Secondly, to reorganize our financial Goals in line with seeking first the kingdom of God and making plans for our eternal abode (see v 9). Why lines our lives with Gold when copper will do? Why Mercedes when Toyota will do? Why Condo when HDB will do? Why Rolex when Seiko will do?...

Then we can look forward to God’s Praise and Glory and even having a sense of it now as the power of money on us is being disarmed and we can instead be filled with his grace and service for his kingdom! We will have no fear when the great reckoning of the judgement of our earthly work comes, when our work will be judged and be certain that it would not be found wanting and that we will receive a reward (1 Cor 3:14)! And when we finally arrive in the heavenly mansion, God will be there and all those who we, by His grace, has been instrumental in their salvation and growth in faith. What a day of joy and blessing it would be! Amen.