August 16, 2015 | Bob Bartlett
Passage: Luke 16:1-15
“5 Secrets to Long Term Investing”
Luke 16: 1-15
Matthew 25:27 “Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.”
5 Secrets to Long Term Investing
Vs 1: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions.”
- A rich man is God. How rich? Psalm 24:1 “The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it."
Secret #1: God has entrusted the investment of His resources to managers.
- Steward principle: God owns it; I manage as He desires.
- Steward principle is far reaching? Deuteronomy 8:17-18
Unwise steward: Handles his finances as if he owns them and is unfaithful toward God.
- Matthew 25:27 “Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.”
Wise steward: Handles his finances as if God owns them and is faithful toward God.
- God is expecting a (spiritual) return on His investment – His resources.
Vs 2: “Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.”
- “You cannot be manager any longer” We all will die! Ecclesiastes 7:2 “It is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, for death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart. “
Secret #2: God will require each steward to give an accounting of his investments.
- 1Cor 4:2 “Now it is req’d that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.”
Unwise steward: Has made no preparation for his accounting of God’s resources.
- 1Cor 3:8 “The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor.”
Wise steward: Has made every preparation for his accounting of God’s resources.
- The test: “it burns or it stands” 1Corinthians 3:14-15 “If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss;”
Vs 3-9: “The master commended the dishonest manager because he acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.”
Secret #3: Investing in God’s kingdom (purposes) is the steward’s highest priority.
- Matthew 6:19-20 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy… But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven…”
Unwise steward: Invests God’s resources for earthly gains and possessions.
- Vs 9: “I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.”
Wise steward: Invests God’s resources for eternal gains and possessions.
Vs. 10-12 “Whoever can be trusted with very little can be trusted with much.”
Secret #4: Stewards know money is the least of God’s investments but the greatest test of his faithfulness.
- Vs 11: “So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?”
Unwise steward: Thinks wealth and money are the greatest measure of God’s faithfulness.
- Matthew 6:24: “No one can serve two masters, either he will hate the one and love the other or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other.” Secret #5: A steward’s investment of God’s resources, ultimately reveals his heart.
- Vs. 13-15 “No servant can serve two masters…You cannot serve both God and Money.”
Wise steward: Knows wealth and money are the greatest test of his faithfulness.
- Vs 15: “The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. He said to them, "You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts.”
Unwise steward: Money is his master and his Money masters him.
- Matthew 6:21 “For where your treasure, is there your heart will be also.”
- The best, long term invest strategy is spiritual – investing in the kingdom of God.
Wise steward: Christ is his master and he masters His money.
The best, long term invest strategy is spiritual – investing in the kingdom of God.