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Commendable Crooks?

Read: Luke 16

“The rich man had to admire the dishonest rascal for being so shrewd. And it is true that the children of this world are more shrewd in dealing with the world around them than are the children of the light.” (Luke 16:8-9, NLT)

This opening story in Luke 16 has been referred to as “The Parable of the Shrewd Manager”.  The plot centers around a high level supervisor of a company whose boss informs him that he is going to get the ax for mismanaging funds, either out of gross incompetence if not outright embezzlement. But before the day of his dismissal, the manager goes behind his boss’ back to people who owe the company money, and using some “creative accounting”, illegally reduces the money these debtors owed to his employer.  He does this to build some good will with these debtors so when he is unemployed, they will look favorably on him.

The kicker to this story: This shady manager gets commended for his innovation and audacity—by the boss in the story, and, so it seems, by the story-teller, Jesus.

Upon first reading this parable, one has to wonder if Jesus is advocating underhanded business practices or manipulation to maneuver out of problems?  Of course, Jesus would never do that. So what is going on? Jesus is simply commending this manager’s dedication to dealing with reality. Reality is, he’s got a problem; he’s going to lose his job, and he has no early retirement plan, no stock options, and no other employment opportunities. So he says, “I have a problem, I will take responsibility, I will form a realistic plan, and I will take action.”

That is what Jesus is commending, not the dishonesty.  Jesus is impressed with how he shrewdly takes advantage of the situation to deal with his crisis.  Now the question is, why is Jesus so impressed with this willingness to face reality? Because he knows how few tend to do it.

Jesus is also impressed with the manager because the man knew his master’s character and he formed his entire plan around that. He knew he was dealing with a generous, gracious man, and he bet everything on the belief that the master would respond magnanimously—which the master did!

Without commending dishonesty, Jesus is using this parable to teach us about the character of God. Jesus is saying if this unethical manager had the courage to face his problem by relying on the generosity and mercy of his master, how much more can you, and should you, face any reality, problem or crisis, confident that your gracious and merciful God can be trusted to generously help you.

Now in this parable, Jesus says some seemingly confusing things that when properly understood in context, provides a sense of urgency to this message.

First, Jesus says, “Use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into the eternal dwellings.” (Luke 16:9) He is not saying that you can buy your way into eternal favor, but he is saying that what you do now affects who you are in eternity, which is exactly why you ought to deal with your problems with a sense of urgency.

Second, Jesus says, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.” (Luke 16:10) He is saying that you need to understand how much is riding on your diligent attention. What you do now to deal with your challenging realities matters to God.

Third, Jesus says, “No one can serve two masters.” (Luke 16:13)  Your life is not your own; you belong to God.  In light of that, Jesus is challenging you to take resolute action to overcome any personal problem so you can present yourself to God in such a way that on that day when you stand before him, you will hear him say, “well done!”

You and I belong to God; we are children of the King.  And since Jesus is our Lord, we ought to deal with financial flaws and moral issues and personality weaknesses immediately and boldly and successfully. If this unjust manager did it knowing his generous master would back him up, how much more should you get after it knowing your gracious Father will help you!

I think what Jesus is really saying is, “what are you waiting on? It’s time to step up to the plate!”

“What we think or what we know or what we believe is, in the end, of little consequence, The only consequence is what we do.” ~John Ruskin

What If God Took Over?

William Jennings Bryan said, “Destiny is not a matter of chance, it is a matter of choice; it is not a thing to be waited for, it is a thing to be achieved.” What personal matter needs your attention ASAP? Get after it today—the destiny God desires for you will be affected by your action, or inaction.

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Weekend Meditation: The Searching Father

Read: Luke 14-15

And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. (Luke 15:20, NLT)

The parable of the Prodigal Son is a story for the ages.  It is one of Jesus’ most revered stories, even in non-Christian societies. People of all faiths love this parable because of its profound and moving message of love, forgiveness and reconciliation.  But Jesus’ story is not so much about the prodigal son, or the even the elder brother, this is a story meant to give us a look inside the heart of God.  So a more appropriate title would be “the searching father”.

You know the story well: A selfish son demands his inheritance from his father—in essence, declaring that he wishes to live as if his father were already dead.  The son spends all the inheritance money on wasteful living.  Finally, at the end of his ropes, the desperate son comes back home utterly crushed, knowing he will face humiliation from his father, hostility from his family and hatred from his scandalized community. Maybe he will be mocked—and rightly so—perhaps even beaten for the embarrassment he has caused his loved ones. As the prodigal reaches the outskirts of the village, word spreads in the community that this foolish boy has come back.

Then, something very dramatic happens as Jesus tells this story.  As the people gather to watch his return, “while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.” (Luke 15:20, NLT)

Don’t quickly pass by those words: “He ran to his son.” That is a stunning statement. A nobleman in the ancient Middle East would never run.  It would be a violation of his dignity.  Aristotle wrote, “Great men never run…Great men are run to.” People run to them.  Children run, those who are desperate or afraid may run.  So Jesus has the wrong person running in this story.

Or does he?  No, Jesus is revealing something very important about the heart of God. The heart of this prodigal son’s father—which represents God’s heart—is so full that he forgets everything: he forgets his dignity, he forgets everybody is watching, and he sees only the starving, exhausted, beaten down figure of a boy he had given up for dead, and the father takes off running toward his son like a homesick angel. And when he reaches him, he starts kissing him over and over again. The father then wants everyone to know that he will fully restore his son, so he has the servants dress the boy in his finest robe, he puts his ring on him as a sign of his authority, he gives him new shoes, and he has his servants prepare a feast.

The Jesus offers these amazing words in Luke 15:24, “So the party began”

That is the heart of God.  That is why Jesus told this story. That is what Jesus wants you to know.  Whoever you are, wherever you have been, whatever you’ve done, the Father doesn’t want you to be distanced from him or to return to him only to live under a cloud of guilt and a burden of regret. He wants you as his fully loved, fully accepted daughter or son.

Jesus wants you to know that whenever you return to God in heartfelt repentance, you are not returning to an unmoved deity, you are coming to a God who is scanning the horizon, looking for any sign that you are on your way home.  And when he sees you, he doesn’t sit, he doesn’t wait, he doesn’t send his servants out to escort you home.  No, he gets up and runs to you. When he reaches you, he throws his arms around you and kisses you and holds you like he will never let you go.

Then he says to all of heaven, “let’s party!” That is how much you mean to your searching Father.

“This is the portrayal of God, whose goodness, love, forgiveness, care, joy and compassion have no limits at all.” ~Henri Nouwen

What If God Took Over?

Do you need to “come home” to the Father? Don’t keep him waiting!

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Narrow and Intolerant

Read: Luke 13

“Work hard to enter the narrow door to God’s Kingdom, for many will try to enter but will fail.” (Luke 13:24, NLT)

Christianity is often accused these days of being a narrow and intolerant religion.  Guilty as charged!  You can come up with no other verdict.  After all, just look at the overwhelming verbal evidence offered by its founder, Jesus Christ.  Here are just a few of his outrageous claims from the Gospel of John:

“For it is my Father’s will that all who see his Son and believe in him should have eternal life. I will raise them up at the last day.” (John 6:40, NLT)

“Only insofar as you eat and drink flesh and blood, the flesh and blood of the Son of Man, do you have life within you. The one who brings a hearty appetite to this eating and drinking has eternal life and will be fit and ready for the Final Day.” (John 6:53-54, The Message)

“I tell you the truth, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me were thieves and robbers. But the true sheep did not listen to them. Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved.” (John 10:7-9, NLT)

“I am the one who raises the dead to life! Everyone who has faith in me will live, even if they die. And everyone who lives because of faith in me will never really die.” (John 11:25-26, CEV)

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.” (John 14:16, NLT)

We could fill page after page with Jesus’ claims about himself and the exclusive authority he possessed to grant eternal life only to those who follow him solely.  For anyone who takes the time to actually read Jesus’ own words, the truth is abundantly evident:  Jesus is unequivocally exclusive, narrow and intolerant about the way to eternal life.  Of course, he loves and died for the whole world (John 3:16). And of course he didn’t stand on a street corner condemning those who refused to believe in him. (John 3:17)  Yet the unavoidable truth about Jesus is that he was very clear that there was one, and only one way, to forgiveness of sin and life forever with the Father.

Does that sound narrow?  It most definitely is—but so is a runway, and landing exclusively on it is the only way to get the airplane you are on safely to its destination. When it is the only way, thank God for narrowness and intolerance!

“If you look for truth, you may find comfort in the end; if you look for comfort you will not get either comfort or truth only soft soap and wishful thinking to begin, and in the end, despair.” ~C.S. Lewis

What If God Took Over?

Have you ever taken the time to pray the most important prayer—really, the one prayer that empowers all other prayers—to acknowledge that Jesus is both Lord and Savior, to confess your sins and ask him to forgive you, and invite him into your life as your one and only Master and Commander?  If not, I hope you will do that right now!

 

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Rich Fools

Read: Luke 12

“But God said to him, ‘You fool! You will die this very night. Then who will get everything you worked for?’ Yes, a person is a fool to store up earthly wealth but not have a rich relationship with God.” (Luke 12:20-21, NLT)

Even if you manage to keep your stuff safe to the end of your life, you will certainly take it no further than the grave. That is why you will never see a hearse pulling a U-Haul or a casket with a trunk for all your junk! Death is the great equalizer that turns millionaires into paupers and paupers into millionaires.

No—you can’t take it with you; but you can send it on ahead. That is what Jesus is reminding us of here in this story of a very wealthy man who spent it all right here with no thought of over there! (Luke 12:13-21, NLT) The point Jesus is making is that those who are not rich toward the things of God in this life will be exposed as fools when they stand before the Great Judge. “Rich fools” now—that is what they really are; simply “fools” on the day of reckoning.

We need to lean into that truth, because that day will come sooner than we think.  The great preacher, G. Campbell Morgan said it so well:

“You are to remember with the passion burning in you that you are not a child of today. You are not of the earth, you are more than dust; you are the child of tomorrow, you are of the eternities, you are the offspring of Deity…You belong to the infinite. If you make your fortune on earth—poor, sorry, silly soul—you have made a fortune, and stored it in a place where you cannot hold it.  Make your fortune, but store it where it will greet you in the dawning of the new morning.”

That is what Jesus was teaching: To break the spell of that which holds our vision and our loyalties here on earth, we need send our investments in advance to heaven. According to Jesus, whatever we generously invest in God’s kingdom on earth will always produce treasure in heaven:

“Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and he will give you everything you need. So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to those in need. This will store up treasure for you in heaven! And the purses of heaven never get old or develop holes. Your treasure will be safe; no thief can steal it and no moth can destroy it. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be.” (Luke 12:21-24, NLT)

Don’t be a rich fool!  Store up treasure in heaven by making investments in God’s work here on earth. That is what will break the spell of money, power and things in your life—and invest in that which will never lose its value—the eternal things of heaven.

“There is no such merchant as the charitable man; he gives trifles which he could not keep, to receive treasure which he cannot lose.” ~Francis Quarles

What If God Took Over?

John Calvin said, “where riches hold the dominion of the heart, God has lost his authority.” What holds the dominion of your heart?  There is no more important question you will be asked today.

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The Big, Scary “E” Word

Read: Luke 10

“Now go, and remember that I am sending you out as lambs among wolves.” (Luke 10:3, NLT)

The assignment is still the same today as it was when Jesus commissioned the first disciples.  And it is just as clear: “Go!” We have been called to go into the world and give them what we have been given: The Good News of forgiveness of sins and eternal life by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.

It we don’t go and give, no one else will.  We are God’s “Plan A” for proclaiming his message to people, and there is no “Plan B”.  There is a name for the plan, by the way.  It is not in the Bible, but it has come to be known as “evangelism”.

Unfortunately, the “E” word has become quite intimidating, even scary to most Christians.  But since there is no “Plan B”, you and I need to reexamine our fear and reluctance so we can get busy doing what disciples do: going and giving the Good News to people who are lost.

As big and scary as the word “evangelism” may sound to you, it simply comes from a compound Greek word: “eu”, which means “good”, as in “euphoria”, and “aggelos”, which means “angel”, as in “Los Angeles”.  “Euaggelos” is literally, a “good angel” or a “good messenger”. A messenger with good news—there is nothing big or scary about that. In fact, that is quite appealing.

You and I have been given the job of translating God’s message of reconciliation through the example of our lives in such a way that it comes alive and connects with people. Evangelism, then, is simply embodying the Good News by loving proactively, living purely, acting graciously, working joyfully, serving creatively and even suffering redemptively. When we have lived in such a way—by being living proof of a loving God before a lost world—then proclaiming the Good News is simply the natural next step.

St Francis of Assisi once said, “preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words.” So go be the good messenger today; be the good news and when the opportunity presents itself, share it boldly!

“This is the new evangelism we need. It is not better methods, but better men and women who know their Redeemer from personal experience… who see his vision and feel his passion for the world…who want only for Christ to produce his life in and through them according to his own good pleasure.” ~Robert E. Coleman

What If God Took Over

Sharing the Good News is your assignment.  It will be a whole lot easier—and more effective—if you will first be the Good News.  Are you?  If you are not, do some talking with God before you head out the door.  I hear he loves to help us when we ask.

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Why Do I Need To Ask?

Read: Luke 11

“Give us each day the food we need.” (Luke 11:3, NLT)

If your house is like mine, your refrigerator is full—of both known food substances as well as new and developing life forms. Likewise, your pantry is probably stocked, maybe even with leftovers from Y2K. It is likely that you have never gone without a meal, except by choice. We live at a time where two-thirds of Americans are overweight, according to the Surgeon General, so why pray, as Jesus taught, for more daily food?

Jesus knew something that we forget: It is not daily food that we need; we need God each and every day. The issue is not just about having a full stomach, it is primarily about having a full heart. Jesus is teaching us about the contentedness that comes from connecting with a Father who will take care of his children—something far more satisfying than a full stomach! Praying for bread and food reminds us that God will not only provide the answer we need in that moment; he is the answer to all of our life!

In a very real sense, the greatest answer to our prayers is actually praying this prayer. How is that?  It connects us to the God who cares for us.  A few verses later, in Luke 11:11-13, Jesus frames it in this context:

“You fathers—if your children ask for a fish, do you give them a snake instead? Or if they ask for an egg, do you give them a scorpion? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him?”

Of course, if a child asks his parent for a necessity, any good parent will provide the child’s need. It is simply a natural part of a healthy parent-child relationship. If you are a parent, you get that because God has hardwired into your genetic code the desire to meet the needs of your children. Because you love them, you will do everything you can to meet their needs. When they are confident of that, they are on their way to emotional well being, peace of mind, and contentedness in life.

If that is true of you, an imperfect parent with incomplete knowledge and limited resources, how much more true is it of your Heavenly Father who is pure in love, complete in wisdom and unlimited in power?  He not only gives us what we need, he gives himself: “How much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask?”

Do you see what Jesus is showing? Prayer not only produces a result, it produces something far better: a relationship.  That is why Jesus taught us to come back every day to ask God. He wanted us to be ever mindful that our Heavenly Father is not only the answer to our momentary need, he, himself, is the source of our very life.

Yes, even more satisfying than a full stomach is a full heart!

“None but God can satisfy the longing of the immortal soul; as the heart was made for Him, He only can fill it.” ~Richard Trench

What If God Took Over?

Pray the prayer Jesus taught us to pray in Luke 11:2-4—The Lord’s Prayer.  Try offering it with the focus on relationship more than result.  Your Father will be pleased!

“Father, may your name be kept holy. May your Kingdom come soon. Give me each day the food I need, and forgive my sins, as I forgive those who sin against me. And don’t let me yield to temptation.”

 

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The Question

Read: Luke 9

“But what about you?” Jesus asked. “Who do you say I am?” (Luke 9:20, NLT)

“Who do you say that I am?” Can you think of a more important question in life? Jesus asked that question of his disciples back then, and he asks the same pointed question of all his followers today—including you!

And what about the answer? Literally, one’s eternal life hangs in the balance, depending on the response. By the way, it is not multiple-choice.  There is only one correct answer—and it is the same simple two-word response Peter gave to Jesus:  “God’s Messiah.”

When you answer Jesus’ question correctly—assuming the answer flows from a heart that believes, a mouth that confesses, a life that matches both heart belief as well as creedal confession, and a faith that ruthlessly entrusts every precious breath you take and every split second you live to the messianic claims of Christ—there you gain access to the abundance of God now and entrance to eternal life forever.

Offer any of the many other palatable and politically correct alternate answers and you miss out on the greatest offer you’ll ever get but never deserve: The free gift of peace with God through the forgiveness of sins by Jesus’ death and resurrection and the added bonus of heaven after this life ends.

Jesus asks you, “who do you say that I am?” I like how C.S. Lewis forces the issue:

“You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool, you can spit at him and kill him as a demon or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God, but let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to.”

So what is your answer?

“Now that I am a Christian I do have moods in which the whole thing looks improbable: but when I was an atheist I had moods in which Christianity looked terribly probable.” ~C.S. Lewis in Mere Christianity

What If God Took Over?

If you call Jesus “God’s Messiah”, that is, Lord and Savior of your life, then does your confession flow from a heart that believes? Is it matched by a God-honoring lifestyle?  Do you exhibit a faith that ruthlessly entrusts your every breath to Christ’s messianic claims?  If not, spend some time talking to Jesus until you and he can get things straightened out.