Jesus us on his way to Jerusalem. He has a gathering of diverse disciples with twelve designated as Apostles marking them as the New Israel. As the reader, you know that heading to Jerusalem means his is heading to his death. Along the way, Jesus gives hard teachings about what it means to follow him. He is preparing his followers, including you as the reader, not only for Jesus’ passion (his death and burial) but also for discipleship to and beyond the events in Jerusalem. He gives lots of teachings about joy, table fellowship, the cost of following him, and money. Why money? Luke 16:13, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
Using a variety of methods, Luke places the subject of wealth in front of his readers all throughout the gospel: the song of Mary (1:46–55), the sermons of John the Baptist (3:10–14), the prophecy of Isa. 61:1–2 (4:16–30), blessings and woes (6:20–25), the parable of the rich fool (12:13–21), warnings about anxiety (12:22–31), advice to guests and hosts (14:7–14), and the two parables in chapter 16.
People often try to simplify Jesus’ message in Luke. If you have wealth, you’re sinful. If you are poor, Jesus loves you. Luke doesn’t present it so simply when you read the whole of his book. Jesus pronounces woes on the rich and yet the rich are saved (19:1–10). When Jesus sent out missionaries to prepare villages for his arrival, they are told to take nothing with them, and yet those who have the means to give food and lodging to them are blessed. The poor receive “beatitudes” from Jesus, and yet possessions can be used for good (8:1–3; 10:29–37; 12:32–34). We see this continued in Acts, in the early church where those who had shared voluntarily with those who did not.
This Sunday, we will look more specifically at the two parables in chapter 16. These parables present positive and negative uses of material things. Preparing for this sermon has been a struggle this week and I want to advise some caution as you prepare to receive a word from God. There are two wrong ways to receive teachings on wealth: First, do not receive these teachings with a nod of accusation towards those who have more wealth than you. It is easy to ignore how wealthy we are while looking to those who have more. Second, it is easy to be dismissive when a teaching makes us uncomfortable. Sit with the discomfort for a bit and listen to what God might be calling you.
Luke understood that the issues of wealth and poverty are complex. The anxiety we have about money, the obsession for wealth, is a disease which plagues both those who have it and those who do not. Luke also shows that generosity around sharing your possessions can free you from the danger to the soul, which lies coiled in the possession of things. The looser of a grip you have on your possessions the looser of a grip your possessions have on you. Jesus, in Luke’s Gospel, gives an understanding that prosperity casts a shadow over human life and that it is the poor who are the focus of God’s special concern. The second of our two parables in chapter 16 shows this conviction powerfully.
Read Luke 16 and sit with it for a bit. Where is God challenging you in your life? Who are the people you need to have your eyes opened to? What things are you holding too tightly? Ask God to reveal to you a natural way of responding to this teaching. I would love to hear what you’re being challenged by in this text.