Title Year-end statement/Luke 16:1-8
Contents
year-end statement
Bible: Luke 16:1-8
In a rich house there was a steward. He was crafty, dishonest and dishonest. He misappropriated and wasted his master's possessions and deceived him.
The owner, who found out about this belatedly, called him to verify the truth of the rumors, had him bring all the books, and then started an audit. So he was kicked out of the house.
The steward pondered. He thought about what he could do after being kicked out at that age, but there was nothing he could do.
It was hard to get a job, and it was hard to work hard, but I couldn't even fucking say it.
After thinking about it, he set out to find those who owed his master.
And he carried the debt papers and forgave him. He forgave the person who owed a hundred pounds of oil by fifty words, and the one who owed one hundred pounds of wheat for 80 suk.
This story is a parable given by the Lord.
What is important is verse 8. "The master praised this unrighteous steward for doing things wisely, for the sons of this generation are wiser than the sons of light in their time."
The steward was a lazy and dishonest man who had lost his stewardship qualifications. However, his wisdom itself has received positive reviews.
"Steward" (oikovouos) means to manage (veuw) a house (oikos).
The steward was appointed by the master to manage the master's property or servants, and in some cases even the education of his children.
In some cases, stewards were appointed or released from among the servants, and in others, free men were chosen and appointed.
The steward in the text was a man selected as a steward among free people.
We should note that the master did not commend the steward for fraud or injustice, but his master commends careful wisdom.
We can find the following lessons from this text.
1. Everything is revealed.
In verse 1, it says, "It was heard by the master that he was wasting his master's possessions." It is not revealed exactly how he wasted his master's possessions, but it is as obvious as seeing fire. He is at least not mine. He must have wasted his master's property for a reason and wasted it on bad things.
If you look at the major financial incidents that have caused a stir in the market, it really wasn't because there was nothing to eat.
Most of them were accidents caused by luxury, vanity, debauchery, and greed.
People have a habit of valuing their own and dealing with other people's things.
The more developed countries are, the more training and attitude they have to protect public property, and the more underdeveloped, the worse the attitude to protect public property.
If you look around toilets, public telephones, and public facilities, you can guess the mindset of the people of that country.
Whether it is your own, someone else's, or public property, you need a mind and attitude to cherish and look after a drop of water, a sheet of paper, and a ballpoint pen as if it were your own.
The steward of the text must have thought that his actions would seldom be revealed because of the careful script of the master. However, that was a misunderstanding. In 1 Corinthians 4:5, “He reveals things hidden in darkness and reveals the will of his heart. At that time, every man will receive praise from God.” In 1 Corinthians 3:13, it says, “The day will reveal his work.”
From the presence of Almighty God, there is nothing to hide or hide. It is revealed as it is. Adam and Eve covered their lower body with leaves to cover their shame, but it is only the efforts of the criminal, and it does not hide the shame.
Everything is revealed. Even if you put on a coat, it will be revealed, even if you put on an apron, and even if you put on a blanket, everything is revealed before God.
We must not forget that fact every moment.
2. We need a wise life.
In verse 8, it says, "He praised them for being wise," and "The sons of this generation were wiser than the sons of light in their time."
We can think of the sons of this generation as unbelievers and the sons of light as believers.
The Lord commands us to be wise. The saying, “Be wise as serpents and innocent as doves” (Matthew 10:16) should be understood in the same context.
Under the same conditions, a wise person will be successful in studies, business, and life.
What matters is where the source of that wisdom lies.
Proverbs 9:10 says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," and Colossians 2:3 says, "In him are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."
And in 1 Kings 3:12, God gave Solomon wisdom.
When Solomon ascended to the throne as the third king of Israel, he offered a thousand burnt offerings to God. God, who received the burnt offering, asked Solomon his wish. Then Solomon did not seek wealth or honor, but the wisdom he needed as a ruler. God gave Solomon great wisdom when he said, "You did not ask for number or riches, but for wisdom, so I will give you even what you did not ask for."
At that time, even the surrounding kings could not follow Solomon's wisdom, and his wisdom played a decisive role not only in his own life but also in his ability to rule.
All the great men in the Bible were people of wisdom rather than people of knowledge. Joseph, Joshua, Solomon, Ezra, Daniel, the seven deacons of the early church, and Paul were all full of God-given wisdom.
Proverbs 3:13 says, "Blessed are those who find wisdom and those who find understanding." According to 1 Corinthians 12, wisdom is a gift of the Holy Spirit.
And in James 1:5, it says that if you ask for wisdom from God, it will be given to you generously.
There are limits and errors in the wisdom that people make by squeezing their heads, but the wisdom God gives is perfect and eternal.
Let's seek wisdom.
Wisdom is needed by both the teacher and the learner.
Suppliers and consumers also need wisdom.
Civil servants and housewives also need wisdom.
Entrepreneurs, large or small, need wisdom.
Evil wisdom will lead a person to ruin. But good wisdom from God will bring happiness and prosperity to that person.
3. You must settle the account.
In verse 2, it says, “Count what you have seen, and you will not be able to continue your stewardship.”
The unjust steward was expelled after counting his deeds and injustices because of the injustice he had committed.
In other words, you were rewarded for what you did.
Companies and churches have different fiscal year-ends depending on circumstances, but it is usually the end of December. At that time, the books are organized, reviewed, and audited through the procedures under the Accounting Act. There should be no errors, whether small or large. You must accurately weigh your income and expenses and settle them.
Life and faith are no different. One day we will all have to count our lives and our faith. There must be no negativity.
At the end of the 80's, there were two events that shocked us.
One is the case in which former President Chun Doo-Hwan testified before the National Assembly hearing, and the other is the dismissal and execution of Romania's former President Ceaucescu.
It is said that there are very few examples in world history where a former president has stood before a hearing because of some mistake.
We mourn the political reality and climate that has forced the ex-president to stand before the hearings. At the same time, we feel the historical justification that even the president should and will be punished if he has done something wrong.
What about Ceaucescu? During his 24 years of Tekken reign, he lived a life of luxuries and vanity that reached the peak of luxury.
According to reports, the house he lived in had a gold ceiling, and all the necessary steps were taken to cover up his life as well as a secret underground passage.
And he said he started building the Communist Party Memorial 5 years ago.
On a total site of 7.58 million pyeong, 8-story apartments for 30,000 households were being built on the left and right sides of the road, 80 fountains would spray water on the left and right sides of the road. that it was planned.
It is said that the total cost of construction alone, excluding the mobilization of manpower, is said to be 8 billion dollars.
He said that he demolished several churches and demolished countless ordinary houses for this project. When the project was completed, it was said that Ceaucescu and his loyal high-ranking Communist Party officials would move into offices and houses.
Perhaps he could not have imagined that December 25, 1989 was the day that would put an end to his dictatorial life.
I have felt and confirmed something while watching the democratization craze in the Eastern Bloc and the collapse of dictators.
It is the fact that earthly governments, atheistic regimes, regimes that persecute the church, dictatorships, and morally corrupt regimes are tragic. And it is a fact that they do not last very long.
There will come a time when we too will reckon with God the way we live our lives.
Now, you need to decorate the financial statements according to your actions and traces for this year.
I can't help but feel terrified whenever I see data or bills squeaking out of computers and calculators.
The reason is the thought that the contents of my life before God will pour out like that.
How about our financial statements? What should I do with a statement filled with things I'm not proud of?
Let's give it as it is to the Lord and receive a new book.
And let's make a new record.