The Parables of Jesus:

"Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, 'Come at once and recline at table'?  Will he not rather say to him, 'Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink'?  Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded?  So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.'" - Luke 17:7‭-‬10 ESV

Rev. Dan Whang

Our heavenly home should shape our day to day life. This parable is no different. The are many things where our sense of love and desire are not aligned with what we should do. This is where our sense of duty should kick in.

Our service and obedience to our Master, Jesus, is not to be looked as a cause of merit.

For all followers of Christ, we are called to serve Christ. Maybe not in official capacity, but we are all called to serve.

The Master comes first; His food, comfort, and desires. It is common sense. Servants are not thanked after doing their duty, that is what they were hired for...

For those who serve, we desire immediate rewards. For example, we want thanks and expressions of appreciation. This desire is not bad in itself. But it speaks about our heart, especially when we don't get appreciation for our service. We are used to getting things done, and getting them done well. It makes us feel important and accomplished. Or feeling like God owes you something for our service. That God should bless us or give us comfort for our service.

Character of servanthood

Unworthiness of the servant/service. It can be seen as being of little worth. That the work is of little impact. It is a sober view that all things we did for God does not really give us grounds to make a claim on Him.

God has given us the resources and talent to serve, what do we really contribute? Not much in the great scheme of things.

Inspiration of servanthood

Jesus served. The king of kings laid it all down to serve the sinner. That is our servant king. This is our Muse in service. Serve people, worship God. One who deserved all to serve Him, came to serve. We, as servants, can make no outright demands of God. Your kingdom come, your will be done.

The Parables of Jesus: Holy Shrewdness

He also said to the disciples, "There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions.  And he called him and said to him, 'What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.'  And the manager said to himself, 'What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg.  I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.'  So, summoning his master's debtors one by one, he said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'  He said, 'A hundred measures of oil.' He said to him, 'Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.'  Then he said to another, 'And how much do you owe?' He said, 'A hundred measures of wheat.' He said to him, 'Take your bill, and write eighty.'  The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.  And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.  "One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much.  If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches?  And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own?  No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money." - Luke 16:1‭-‬13 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

This is a very challenging passage. In this story, Jesus appears to commend dishonest behavior. How do we handle this? It is a very difficult story to accept. Is Jesus telling us to be like Bernie Madoff? Why is this dishonest manager commended for shrewdness?

Here's an interpretation that seems​ to best fit what we know of Jesus. Charging interest was sinful. Usury was held up with adultery as sinfulness. So how did this work? Money managers were hired by the rich. And managers were blamed, if the charging of interest was discovered.

So why does this matter? The manager probably cut the interest from these debts. Since charging interest is sinful, the rich man cannot claim the interest without incriminating himself. Not only that, but the rich man looks generous. And the dishonest manager curries favor with the people around him since he was about to be fired. This is some Oceans Eleven type of thinking. The manager was using the resources around him to secure his future.

The world is so much better than Christians in being shrewd. We look at it as negative, but that isn't how we should see it. Shrewdness is insight, foresight, and diligence. We are called to be shrewd as snakes, innocent as doves.

The application of holy shrewdness

How to apply this in our lives? Firstly, we cannot allow money to master our lives. We cannot look to money for security. Money masters us quietly and quietly. We are very much like the Pharisees. We can look like God fearing and spiritual people, but what will Jesus see inside our hearts?

We need to examine our hearts in regards to finances. Consider tithing. We do eGiving here. It can easily be a set it and forget it, kind of thing. But we can think that just by tithing, we are being obedient financially. But we should consider everyday, what we spend, what we save, what we spend money on.

We should be creatively and diligently considering everything we do to maximize the impact for God's kingdom and His glory. Examine the passions, strengths, stewardship, and opportunities that God has given us.

The result of holy shrewdness

If you have invested your money and resources well, may those who you have served and ministered to... be the ones to welcome you into heaven. Generosity done well points to Christ. But not only that, but it points to Christ in you. If you can't handle earthly riches well, then you cannot handle heavenly riches. Shrewd stewardship doesn't save, but it shows that we know Jesus, who poured out all his resources in our behalf. If we are gripped by Christ, who gave his all for us, then we will desire to pour ourselves out for others.

The Parable of Jesus: A Lifestyle of Readiness

"Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning,  and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks.  Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them.  If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants!  But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into.  You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect."  Peter said, "Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?" And the Lord said, "Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time?  Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes.  Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions.  But if that servant says to himself, 'My master is delayed in coming,' and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk,  the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful.  And that servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating.  But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more. - Luke 12:35‭-‬48 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

Many of the parables spoke of what it is required to be a disciple. It is freely given, but it will cost everything. It is not a nice comfortable coast into heaven. Jesus spoke of daily taking up our cross. It is difficult. We don't need grace only to start a relationship with Jesus, but rather we need grace for our daily Christian walk. Our Christian walk begins with, is sustained by, and is finished by the grace of God.

Reason for readiness

Stay dressed for action. People of that day wore robes. In order to run or fight, they had to wear a belt to hold their robe out of the way.

Keep your lamp ready. In an age without electricity, they had to prepare. The lamp had to have oil. It has to be lit before night comes.

Servants had to be prepared for the Master of the house. They had to keep watch during ungodly hours of night. They could be caught sleeping or slacking off at any time.

Jesus was speaking of the kingdom of God. It comes unexpectedly. So are we distracted, spiritually asleep, or otherwise unready for the second coming of Jesus?

The second coming is not something that only cult leaders focus on. We are not to try and predict it. Jesus says we cannot predict it. But the New Testament speaks of the second coming once every 13 verses in the Epistles. It is a central doctrine in Jesus' message.

Lifestyle of readiness

Some servants stop working and start drinking and feasting for themselves. But other faithful servants keep focused on their tasks and the desires of their master. It is a proactive waiting. The second coming is spiritually sobering. We see with clarity how some things are so petty and not worth our attention. We don't want to waste our time.

Readiness is found in steadfast prayer. They are loving others in sincerity. They are working faithfully for the kingdom of God by the grace of God.

Response of the Master

Those who are found not living for Jesus, eating and feasting, are cut into pieces and put with the unfaithful. Those who only pay lip service to Christ will be judged. The servants' punishment differs depending upon those who are blatantly disobedient, consciously disobedient, or unknowingly disobedient. We will be judged by the time, talent, and ability we have been given from God.

This is not directed to unbelievers. This is spoken to Christians. So what does that mean for those who are dependent​ upon grace and faith alone? The life and resurrection of Jesus secures our salvation. So then how do we reconcile this? Heavenly reward for living rightly. There is a reward for lives lived out fully and completely for the kingdom of God. The ones who don't will still make it to heaven, but only as "one escaping through the games". So there is a sense of loss for the one who lives unready for the coming kingdom. It is opportunity cost. Not living urgently for the kingdom of God will bring eternal regret.

The Parables of Jesus: The Cost of Discipleship

Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to them, "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.  Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.  For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?  Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,  saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.'  Or what king, going out to encounter another king in war, will not sit down first and deliberate whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand?  And if not, while the other is yet a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace.  So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. - Luke 14:25‭-‬33 ESV

Rev. Dwight Yoo

Forgiveness is available to everyone. Salvation is not by what we have done, but a gift from God. It is freely accepted, but it will cost us everything.

Salvation is not a thing that happens to us, but it is someone. Consider marriage, we don't pay others for their love. We freely choose to live each other. But there is a weighty cost, our money/time is no longer our own.

The context of the call

Jesus had become popular. Crowds had started to follow him. But many people were following him for the wrong reasons. Some wanted healing and miracles. Others heard about free food. Still others thought he was going to Jerusalem to set up a new earthly kingdom.

But Jesus does not gloss over things. He says what constitutes discipleship. He was not about just being popular.

The building of the tower was about considering whether a person starting a task has what is required to complete the project.

The king being attacked must see whether he can handle the cost of war. He must use foresight and wisdom. He is outnumbered. It is not a choice, the war is coming. If he cannot fight off the other army, he must ask for terms of peace. Regardless, there is a cost of either direction.

Choosing discipleship or not has a cost either way. The king in the parable was forced to choose. Both choices have a cost.

Crowd followers are not disciples. They are not useful for the kingdom of God. So the following passage on salt that losses saltiness speaks to this. A church that looks and acts like the world is worthless. It dilutes the witness of Christ.

Cost to be counted

These are the marks of salvation. Giving these up will not save, but they mark a true disciple of Christ.

One can be both wealthy and a true follower of Christ. They prize Jesus over possessions. If God so calls us to it, they would give up everything they have. A Christian can have possessions, but those possessions shall not possess us. They are not where we find our security, our worth, and our ultimate possession. Jesus is what we treasure most.

Jesus is prized above all other relationships. He says we should hate our family. But at the same time, he tells us to love our enemies. He also says that he was not here to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. So what does it mean? Jesus must be loved much more than family and friends. A true Christian must choose to offend family and friends rather than Jesus. Who has the most control and influence over your finances, your thought life, & the way you spend your time? Married folks, do you love Jesus more than your spouse? Parents, do you love Jesus more than your kids?

Jesus is worth more than our own lives. Jesus brought up the cross. It was clear as day to the crowds that day what Jesus meant. The cross meant death and humiliation. And a disciple cannot be above their teacher. We are to die to ourselves. We are to go against our personal preferences, desires, and dreams. We must submit to the Lord's will in all areas of our lives... our wishes, dreams & personal inclinations.

The comfort in the call

For a man to ask these things is insane. This is what a cult leader would sound like. But Jesus is God. And so all of this is perfectly appropriate. But in taking up our cross and following Jesus, we are given more than what we leave behind and give up. God will give so much more than anything we can get from following our personal dreams and desires. He will give us life and eternal glory.

But Jesus is not a cold unfeeling leader. He gave up so much to come to save us. He experienced all these things himself. And if we also take up our cross daily and follow Christ, we also will be lifted into glory as He was.