Luke 16:1-31 Comments by Stephen Ricker
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Jesus' Riches
Comments for Study 29

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Memory Verse: 16:9
Questions
Outline
A MAP OF JESUS' LATER MINISTRY TRAVELS
A MAP OF GALILEE
A MAP OF PALESTINE IN JESUS' TIME
A CHART COMPARING JESUS' PARABLES

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I. Use Worldly Wealth to Gain Friends (1-18)

Jesus' Late-Ministry Travels

>1. Why did the rich master summon his manager and intend to fire him?

* Luke 16:1-2 "Jesus told his disciples: "There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. So he called him in and asked him, 'What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.'"

* Luke is in the middle of his recording many events unique to his gospel. This unique record started in Luke 9:51 (or 10:1) and continues to Luke 18:14 (i.e., the sending of the seventy-two in 10:1-23, a unique visit to Martha and Mary's house in 10:38-42, ten healed of leprosy in 17:11-19). Much in these eight plus chapters are parables unique to Luke's gospel. (See a chart comparing Jesus' parables by using the link above.) Luke 18:15, Matthew 19:13, and Mark 10:13 record the same event, people bringing little children to Jesus. The events only recorded in Luke's mid-chapters seems to document events that happened during Jesus' trip to Jerusalem for the Feast of Dedication (winter) as John 10:22 records. Jesus was crucified during the Feast of Passover (spring). If these facts are true than its possible that Luke 13:22, 31, 14:25 or Luke 17:11 or Luke 18:31 documents the start of Jesus' final trip to Jerusalem. (See chart to the right.)

* Luke is the only one to record the parable of the Shrewd Manager.

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>How did the manager assess his situation?

* Luke 16:3 "The manager said to himself, 'What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I'm not strong enough to dig, and I'm ashamed to beg--"

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>2. What did he do to prepare himself for his possible future unemployment? (4-7)

* Luke 16:4-7 "I know what I'll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.' So he called in each one of his master's debtors. He asked the first, 'How much do you owe my master?' 'Eight hundred gallons of olive oil,' he replied. "The manager told him, 'Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred.' Then he asked the second, 'And how much do you owe?' "'A thousand bushels of wheat,' he replied. "He told him, 'Take your bill and make it eight hundred.'"

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>In what respect was he shrewd?

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>3. What commendable point did the master find in this manager?

* Luke 16:8 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."

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>What spiritual lesson does Jesus teach us from this shrewd manager's worldly wisdom?

* Luke 16:9 "Here's the lesson: Use your worldly resources to benefit others and make friends. Then, when your earthly possessions are gone, they will welcome you to an eternal home."

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>How can we use our worldly wealth to prepare ourselves for eternity?

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>How can we be trustworthy in handling worldly wealth so as to be entrusted with true riches?

* Luke 16:10-12 "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? And if you are not faithful with other people's things, why should you be trusted with things of your own?"

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>5. Why can't we serve two masters at one time?

* Luke 16:13 "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 both God and money."

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>Why did the Pharisees sneer at Jesus?

* Luke 16:14 "The Pharisees, who dearly loved their money, heard all this and scoffed at him."

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>How did they justify themselves, and how did God look at them?

* Luke 16:15 "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."

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>How is God's value system different from man's?

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>6. How did people force their way into the kingdom of God during the time of John the Baptist's ministry?

* Luke 16:16-18 "'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. '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."

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>Inspite of the rejection of the influential Pharisees, how was God working to proclaim his kingdom?

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II. The Rich Man and Lazarus (19-31)

>7. Compare the life of the rich man with that of Lazarus. Describe their respective situations after they died.

* Luke 16:19-23 "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. Finally, the poor man died and was carried by the angels to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried, and his soul went to the place of the dead. There, in torment, he saw Abraham in the far distance with Lazarus at his side."

* Luke is the only one to record the parable of The Rich Man and Lazarus.

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>8. What did the rich man ask of Father Abraham?

* Luke 16:24 "The rich man shouted, "Father Abraham, have some pity! Send Lazarus over here to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue. I am in anguish in these flames.'"

* Luke 16:27-28 "Then the rich man said, "Please, Father Abraham, at least send him to my father's home. For I have five brothers, and I want him to warn them so they don't end up in this place of torment.'"

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>Why couldn't Abraham grant his request?

* Luke 16:25 "But Abraham said to him, 'Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted, and you are in anguish. 26And besides, there is a great chasm separating us. No one can cross over to you from here, and no one can cross over to us from there.’"

* Luke 16:29 "But Abraham said, 'Moses and the prophets have warned them. Your brothers can read what they wrote.'"

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>How had the rich man failed to be a shrewd manager?

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>9. Why is listening to God's words and obeying them be so important?

* Luke 16:30-31 "The rich man replied, 'No, Father Abraham! But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will repent of their sins and turn to God.' But Abraham said, 'If they won't listen to Moses and the prophets, they won't listen even if someone rises from the dead.'"

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>How can Bible study help us make preparations for eternity?

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