Luke 16:1-13 Pentecost 15
Pastor Ron Koehler
Grace—Tucson, AZ
September 21, 2025
Okay, right up front, I’m going to tell you that this can be a tricky little parable that we read a few minutes ago. Maybe you noticed that. There a few things that will be helpful to know before we start taking a close look at it. First, there’s the word mammon. Odd word and not one we use. It had a good run through the Middle Ages and even into the 1800s, but ask people on the street today, and unless they know certain translations of the Bible, they’re not going to know. That may be the same with many of us. It’s a word that often just gets translated money, but it actually means worldly wealth, which can include money and possessions. Then there’s the word shrewd. It has a negative connotation sometimes, but what it really means is to have this sharp mind, a keen intellect that finds clever ways to achieve a goal. It can be used to do something bad (the dishonest manager) or something very good, which is how Jesus wants us to be. So, the huge thing to keep in mind about this parable is that what it is applauded by the master—and also by Jesus—is not the manager’s dishonesty. It’s his cleverness in getting himself out a jam and providing for his future. When Jesus uses him as an example, he’s not talking about the cheating; he’s talking about the shrewdness. Now we’re set up to think about Jesus’ parable that teaches us a very simple truth that can be really tough for us to apply to our lives: YOU CANNOT SERVE TWO MASTERS The Shrewd Man’s Laser Focus This manager was in trouble. He had misused and wasted his master’s wealth, and he was about to get fired. He was facing a future with no income, no safety net, no retirement plan. He was totally unprepared to be out of a job and not equipped or trained to do anything else. And there was no way he was getting a letter of recommendation from his employer for his next job! Minus the dishonesty part, what would you do? You’d have to look at what you had available to you and get creative, right? If you’ve ever lost a job or been without work, you know what this is like. It’s tough and scary and the uncertainty is terrible. He was feeling that, so he started scheming. He reduced debts people owed his master. But it was a totally selfish move, right? He gives them big discounts to get them to pay off their account. He planned to go to those people when he needed help. Here’s something to notice about that guy—his laser focus. Without hesitation, he used the resources that were still in his control for a short time to secure his future.