What Jesus Did

[Jesus continued the story of the rich man and Lazarus:] "Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to sit beside Abraham at the heavenly banquet. The rich man also died and was buried, and he went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side."

—Luke 16:22-23 NLT

Key Thought​

We spend a lot of time investing in "things" that don't ultimately matter. "Things" give us a facade of importance in our earthly...

 

Jesus said, "There was a certain rich man who was splendidly clothed in purple and fine linen and who lived each day in luxury. At his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus who was covered with sores. As Lazarus lay there longing for scraps from the rich man's table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores."

—Luke 16:19-21 NLT

Key Thought​

This image is disgustingly repellent — in cornbread English, it makes me want to throw up. However, what makes us sick is probably the...

 

[Jesus continued,] "For example, a man who divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery. And anyone who marries a woman divorced from her husband commits adultery."

—Luke 16:18 NLT

Key Thought​

God hates divorce and its damage, but he still loves people who have been divorced. [1] It splits families. It breaks covenants. It destroys people. It hurts children. It dishonors God's plan for marriage. He wants us to understand that his grace does not lessen his call...

 

[Jesus continued,] "Until John the Baptist, the law of Moses and the messages of the prophets were your guides. But now the Good News of the Kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is eager to get in. But that doesn't mean that the law has lost its force. It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the smallest point of God's law to be overturned."

—Luke 16:16-17 NLT

Key Thought​

The intent of God's law was to form a holy people who reflected the character of the...

 

[Jesus continued,] "Until John the Baptist, the law of Moses and the messages of the prophets were your guides. But now the Good News of the Kingdom of God is preached, and everyone is eager to get in."

—Luke 16:16 NLT

Key Thought​

Jesus helps us understand that the Good News of the Kingdom began with John's preaching about the Christ. Moses and the prophets were the guides God had given for his people. However, with the coming of Jesus, a new time had begun. Jesus spoke of the...

 

The Pharisees, who dearly loved their money, heard all [of Jesus' teaching] and scoffed at him. Then he said to them, "You like to appear righteous in public, but God knows your hearts. What this world honors is detestable in the sight of God."

—Luke 16:14-15 NLT

Key Thought​

Who switched the price tags? Our world values things very differently than God does. The Pharisees loved their money, and they tried to look righteous in public. They were honored for their apparent...

 

[Jesus continued,] "And if you are not faithful with other people's things, why should you be trusted with things of your own?
"No one can serve two masters. For you will hate one and love the other; you will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and be enslaved to money."


—Luke 16:12-13 NLT

Key Thought​

Money can be our master, but we must not let it. If we aren't careful, we can covet money, sell our virtue for money, be manipulated for money, and...

 

[After the story of the dishonest manager, Jesus continued,] "If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won't be honest with greater responsibilities. And if you are untrustworthy about worldly wealth, who will trust you with the true riches of heaven?"

—Luke 16:10-11 NLT

Key Thought​

"It's just a little thing. It doesn't hurt if I fudge a little, does it?" Jesus says, "Yes, it does matter." Why...

 

[Concluding the story about the unscrupulous manager, Jesus said,] "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. Here's the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home."

—Luke 16:8-9 NLT

Key Thought​

Some worldly...

 

[Continuing the story about the unscrupulous manager, Jesus said,] "The manager thought to himself, 'Now what? My boss has fired me. I don't have the strength to dig ditches, and I'm too proud to beg. Ah, I know how to ensure that I'll have plenty of friends who will give me a home when I am fired.'
"So he invited each person who owed money to his employer to come and discuss the situation. He asked the first one, 'How much do you owe him?' The man replied, 'I owe him 800 gallons of olive...