Tuesday, October 11, 2011

What Jesus Said about Your Money, Part 18 of 31

TEXT: "So the master commended the unjust steward because he had dealt shrewdly. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light. And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home" (Luke 16:8-9).

IDEA: We can make friends for heaven by using our position and possessions shrewdly.

PURPOSE: To get listeners to think creatively about how they can use their funds to make friends for heaven.

When you think of heaven, what comes to your mind?

Jesus tells us that one of the things that we can look forward to is meeting friends in heaven. We see that in Luke 16:9—

I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.

I. Jesus seems to picture a welcoming committee that will meet us at heaven’s gates with a huge sign saying, “welcome home!”

Some of those holding the sign will be old friends who have gone on ahead. Can you think of any?

Some may be new friends that you have made indirectly through your investment in the ministry of others. Who might they be?

Some of those holding the WELCOME HOME! sign may be folks that we have won more directly through the shrewd use of our position and possessions.

II. How can we use our position in life and our possessions to make friends for heaven?

Leaving a good tip with a tract.

Physicians put out tapes and leaflets in their waiting rooms.

Chris Riley and his Christmas letter to people who couldn’t pay their bills.

Taking food to a sick friend.

Hospitality to international students.

There was an old hymn that isn’t sung much any more, but it raises a question that comes out of this teaching of Jesus:
Will anyone then at the beautiful gate, Be waiting and watching for me?

By a wise use of our funds, we can look forward to a happy welcome from friends who are in heaven because of us.