April 26 2025

Saturday April 26

Luke 16:3-13 – “Make Friends” for Eternity

3 Then the steward said within himself, 'What shall I do? For my master is taking the stewardship away from me. I cannot dig; I am ashamed to beg. 4 I have resolved what to do, that when I am put out of the stewardship, they may receive me into their houses.' 5 So he called every one of his master's debtors to him, and said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?' 6 And he said, 'A hundred measures of oil.' So he said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.' 7 Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?' So he said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.' And he said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.' 8 So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light. 9 And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home. 10 He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. 11 Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own? 13 No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."

In Luke 16:1-3, Jesus tells the parable of the unjust steward, a man who, facing the loss of his job, cleverly secures his future by reducing the debts of his master’s debtors. Jesus uses this story to teach about stewardship, faithfulness, and our relationship with wealth. This parable challenges us to consider how we use the resources God has given us—our time, talents, and money.

The steward, though dishonest, was commended for his shrewdness, not his ethics. Jesus points out that worldly people often act with more urgency and ingenuity in securing their future than God’s people do in pursuing eternal priorities. As “sons of light,” we’re called to live with eternity in view, using temporary resources to make an eternal impact. In this parable Jesus offers three key lessons.

First, use wealth wisely for eternal purposes. Money, or “unrighteous mammon,” is not evil in itself, but it’s temporary and deceptive. We’re urged to use it to “make friends” for eternity. We can do this by supporting ministries, giving to missions, helping the needy, and spreading the Gospel. Imagine meeting someone in heaven who says, “I’m here because you gave to that mission.” That’s the kind of investment Jesus calls us to make.

Second, be faithful in little to receive much. Faithfulness in small things, like how we handle money, reflects our trustworthiness for greater spiritual responsibilities. If we’re careless with earthly wealth, how can God entrust us with “true riches” like spiritual influence or heavenly rewards? Every dollar we spend is a chance to show our priorities—whether we’re serving God or chasing fleeting pleasures.

Third, we must choose our master: God or money. Verse 13 is clear: we cannot serve both God and mammon. Money is a terrible master, demanding our loyalty and distracting us from God’s purposes. But when God is our Master, money becomes our servant, a tool to advance His kingdom. This calls for single-minded devotion, where every decision aligns with God’s will.

Today, I challenge you to evaluate your stewardship by considering these three steps:

• Assess your spending. Look at your bank account or budget. Where is your money going? Does it reflect eternal priorities, like giving to God’s work or helping others? Commit to redirecting one expense this week toward a kingdom purpose, maybe a donation to a ministry or a gift to someone in need.

• Practice faithfulness in small things. Choose one area of stewardship, your time, a talent, or a small financial decision, and be intentional about honoring God with it. For example, set aside 10 minutes daily for prayer or use a skill to serve your church.

• Declare God as your Master. Write down or pray this affirmation: “God, You are my Master, not money. I will use what You’ve given me to serve You.” Let this guide your decisions, especially when tempted to prioritize wealth over faith.

Prayer

Lord, thank You for entrusting us with Your resources. Forgive us for times we’ve served money instead of You. Help us to be shrewd for Your kingdom, faithful in the little, and wholly devoted to You. Empower us to live for eternity this week. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

God bless!