Readings for Sunday September 19, 2010

Summary of the Gospel from YM Central

At first glance, it appears that Jesus is approving the accumulation of dishonest wealth, even by His followers. A closer look at the reading shows us that Jesus is teaching us to pursue our salvation intelligently, with the same diligence a person of the world would pursue their wealth. Jesus uses a financial metaphor to explain to us the purpose of being trustworthy with the gifts He has given us. The steward is accused of wasting the money of his master, and begins to panic when he thinks of being kicked out on the streets without a job. So what does he do? While he still has his job, he goes to all the people who owe his master money, and reduces their debt to him. Why does the steward do this? So the debtors will take care of him when he gets fired. Jesus shows us that the steward, even though he had wasted his master’s money and cut the debtors’ loans, was wise enough to take care of himself and act carefully with his own neck on the line. What if the steward had been dumb enough to dig himself so deep that he had no options? He’d be a beggar on the street. If the steward didn’t do ‘the little things’ (helping to reduce the debt of a few people), then he’d be homeless, without any friends. What does Jesus mean by ‘make friends with dishonest wealth’? First, Jesus is not calling us to live a life of crime. Second, He’s not saying that we should accumulate wealth in any way possible, even if that means we are dishonest. The best way to understand what Jesus means by ‘dishonest wealth’ is to compare it with what He calls ‘true’ wealth. True wealth, for Jesus, is the Kingdom of heaven. If we really want to have real wealth, we have to live for our heavenly reward. In contrast to this is ‘dishonest wealth’, the wealth of this world that, compared to the wealth of heaven, is dishonest because it lures us to making this world ‘heaven’. If we can’t manage the wealth of this world, if we get too attached to it or if we neglect it completely, then we will not be ready for the real wealth of the next world. We are called to be smart in both the matters of our daily lives and the matters of our salvation. Jesus is calling us to learn how to think on our feet, and to be smart about our own salvation. The ‘smartness’ we need to have about our own salvation is this: If we can take care of the small matters, living our Christianity in the small things of life, then we will be trusted to take care of the big matters. God wants to give us everything He has, but won’t just give it to us without preparing us for it. God’s method of teaching is to give us a little bit of Himself at a time, and once we have mastered it, He gives us a little bit more. So let’s examine our lives and what we need to do to live what God has already given us in a more faithful way.

Reading 1 Amos 8:4-7

4 Hear this, you who trample upon the needy and destroy the poor of the land! 5 "When will the new moon be over," you ask, "that we may sell our grain, and the Sabbath, that we may display the wheat? We will diminish the ephah, add to the shekel, and fix our scales for cheating! 6 We will buy the lowly for silver,and the poor for a pair of sandals; even the refuse of the wheat we will sell!" 7 The LORD has sworn by the pride of Jacob: Never will I forget a thing they have done!

Reading 2 1 Timothy 2:1-8

1 Beloved: First of all, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, 2 for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity. 3 This is good and pleasing to God our savior, 4 who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth. 5 For there is one God. There is also one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,6 who gave himself as ransom for all. This was the testimony at the proper time. 7 For this I was appointed preacher and apostle — I am speaking the truth, I am not lying —, teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth. 8 It is my wish, then, that in every place the men should pray, lifting up holy hands, without anger or argument.

Gospel Luke 16:1-13

1 Jesus said to his disciples, "A rich man had a steward who was reported to him for squandering his property. 2 He summoned him and said, 'What is this I hear about you? Prepare a full account of your stewardship, because you can no longer be my steward.' 3 The steward said to himself, 'What shall I do, now that my master is taking the position of steward away from me? I am not strong enough to dig and I am ashamed to beg. 4 I know what I shall do so that, when I am removed from the stewardship, they may welcome me into their homes.' 5 He called in his master's debtors one by one. To the first he said, 'How much do you owe my master?' 6 He replied, 'One hundred measures of olive oil.' He said to him, 'Here is your promissory note. Sit down and quickly write one for fifty.' 8 Then to another the steward said, 'And you, how much do you owe?' He replied, 'One hundred kors of wheat.' The steward said to him, 'Here is your promissory note; write one for eighty.' And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently. "For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light. 9 I tell you, make friends for yourselves with dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. 10 The person who is trustworthy in very small matters is also trustworthy in great ones; and the person who is dishonest in very small matters is also dishonest in great ones. 11 If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you with true wealth? 12 If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours? 13 No servant can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon."

Discussion Questions

1. Describe the ‘wisdom’ of the steward? Why do you think the master praised him when he heard what the steward had done?

2. Who, in your life, is an example of being wise? Why? Describe that person’s wisdom.

3. On a scale of 1-10, how well have you cultivated the gifts God has given you? What is God calling you to ‘master’ in your life right now? What makes it difficult for you to ‘master’ that part of your life?