Stewarding Wealth for Eternal Impact and Generosity

Devotional

Day 1: Use Temporal Wealth for Eternal Impact

Jesus teaches that the money and resources we have now are temporary, but they can be used to make an eternal difference in the lives of others. The parable of the dishonest manager in Luke 16 shows a man who, facing the loss of his job, uses his position to secure his future by helping others. Jesus flips this example, urging us to use our worldly wealth not just for self-preservation, but to benefit others—especially in ways that have eternal significance. The call is to prioritize people and their spiritual future over personal gain, recognizing that money will eventually fail, but the impact we make on others can last forever. [16:09]

Luke 16:1-9 (ESV)
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.”

Reflection: Who is one person you could bless today with your resources—time, money, or encouragement—in a way that points them toward Christ and eternity?

Day 2: Faithfulness in Little Leads to Faithfulness in Much

Jesus emphasizes that faithfulness is not about the amount we have, but about our heart and actions with whatever we possess. Whether we have a little or a lot, God calls us to be trustworthy stewards, using what He has given us to bless others and honor Him. Developing habits of generosity and faithfulness now, even with small resources, prepares us for greater opportunities in the future. The true test is not how much we give, but whether we are consistently generous and faithful with what is already in our hands. [24:28]

Luke 16:10 (ESV)
“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.”

Reflection: What is one small way you can practice generosity or faithfulness with what you have today, regardless of the amount?

Day 3: God Owns Everything—We Are Stewards

Everything we have—our money, possessions, opportunities—ultimately belongs to God, not to us. Recognizing God as the true owner changes our perspective and motivates us to use our resources for His purposes, not just our own comfort or advancement. When we acknowledge that our abilities, connections, and even our hard work are gifts from God, we become more open-handed and willing to use what we have for His glory and the good of others. [32:27]

Psalm 24:1 (ESV)
“The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein.”

Reflection: As you look at your possessions and resources today, how might your decisions change if you truly believed they all belong to God?

Day 4: Don’t Let Possessions Own You

It’s easy to become so attached to our possessions that they begin to control us, making us protective and less willing to share. Jesus warns that we cannot serve both God and money; our hearts must be devoted to the Giver, not the gifts. When we hold our resources loosely and are willing to use them for others, we break the power that possessions can have over us and open ourselves to greater generosity and joy. [35:34]

Matthew 6:24 (ESV)
“No one 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.”

Reflection: Is there something you own that you are reluctant to share or use for others? What would it look like to offer it to God for His purposes today?

Day 5: Christ’s Generosity Is Our Example

Jesus is the ultimate model of generosity—He gave up everything for our sake, becoming poor so that we might become rich in Him. Our motivation for giving and serving others flows from the grace we have received in Christ. When we remember His sacrifice and faithfulness, we are inspired to be bold, prayerful, and generous, using our resources to further God’s kingdom and bless others, just as He has done for us. [41:02]

2 Corinthians 8:9 (ESV)
“For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich.”

Reflection: How does Christ’s sacrificial generosity toward you inspire you to be generous with others this week? What specific step can you take in response?

Sermon Summary

In Luke 16, Jesus tells a parable that challenges us to examine what truly motivates the way we use our money. Everyone has something they’re willing to spend money on, but the deeper question is: what are the guardrails that guide our financial decisions? Two key principles emerge—future orientation and faithfulness.

The parable of the shrewd manager is not about commending dishonesty, but about recognizing the wisdom of using present resources with an eye toward the future. The manager, facing the loss of his job, acts decisively to secure his future by reducing the debts of others, thereby making friends who might help him later. Jesus flips this example, urging us to use our temporal resources for the eternal good of others. Money is fleeting, but people are eternal. Therefore, our spending should be motivated not just by self-preservation, but by a desire to invest in the spiritual future of others. Generosity, especially when it helps others encounter the gospel or relieves their burdens, is a way to use what is temporary for what is eternal.

Faithfulness is the second guardrail. Jesus teaches that the amount we have is not the main concern; rather, it’s our faithfulness with whatever we’ve been given. Whether we have much or little, the call is to be generous and to use our resources for God’s purposes. This is not about legalistic giving or hitting a certain percentage, but about cultivating a heart that is open-handed and willing to bless others. The real test is not how much we give, but whether we recognize God as the true owner of all we possess, and whether our possessions own us.

Ultimately, the example of Christ is our motivation. Jesus gave everything for our sake, holding nothing back. His generosity was both future-oriented—securing salvation for all who believe—and perfectly faithful to the Father’s plan. As we reflect on his sacrifice, we are called to mirror that same spirit of generosity, using our money not just for ourselves, but for the good of others and the advancement of God’s kingdom.

Key Takeaways

1. Use Temporal Resources for Eternal Impact The parable teaches that money is temporary, but people are eternal. We are called to use our financial resources in ways that have lasting, spiritual impact—investing in the lives and futures of others, especially in ways that help them encounter Christ. This means prioritizing generosity and kingdom-minded giving over self-preservation or personal gain. [16:09]
2. Generosity Must Be Motivated by Love, Not Manipulation Jesus warns against using people as a means to financial ends. True generosity seeks the good of others, not personal advantage. Our giving should be marked by a sincere desire to bless, relieve burdens, and further the gospel, rather than leveraging relationships for profit or recognition. [15:01]
3. Faithfulness Begins with Small Things The call to faithfulness is not about the size of our bank account, but about our willingness to be generous with whatever we have. Developing habits of generosity early—whether as children, young adults, or with modest means—prepares us to be faithful stewards if entrusted with more. God values the heart behind the gift, not just the amount. [24:28]
4. Recognize God as the True Owner Everything we have is ultimately a gift from God, and we are stewards, not owners. This perspective transforms how we view our possessions and money, freeing us from the grip of materialism and enabling us to use our resources for God’s purposes. Regularly asking, “Who owns what I have?” helps keep our hearts aligned with God’s priorities. [31:31]
5. Generosity is Essential to Godliness While it’s possible to be generous without being godly, it is impossible to be godly without being generous. Christ’s sacrificial giving is our model—he gave everything for our sake. Our generosity should flow from gratitude for his grace, and a desire to reflect his character in how we use our money and possessions. [41:02]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[04:31] - What Motivates Your Money?
[07:28] - The Shrewd Manager’s Dilemma
[10:32] - The Owner’s Surprising Commendation
[15:01] - Jesus Flips the Parable: Investing in Eternity
[16:09] - Using Temporal Wealth for Eternal Good
[17:43] - Avoiding Manipulation in Generosity
[19:22] - Practical Ways to Prioritize Others
[24:28] - Faithfulness with Little and Much
[29:01] - The True Owner of Our Resources
[31:31] - Who Owns What I Have?
[32:27] - God’s Sovereignty in Our Success
[34:54] - Do Our Possessions Own Us?
[35:34] - The Heart of Generosity
[37:42] - The Pattern and Principle of Giving
[39:10] - Generosity in the New Testament
[41:02] - Christ: The Ultimate Example of Generosity

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

Luke 16:1-13 (ESV) —
> 1 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. 2 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.’ 3 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. 4 I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.’ 5 So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 He said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ 7 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.’ 8 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. 9 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.
>
> 10 “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. 11 If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? 13 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.”

Observation Questions

What was the main problem the manager faced in the parable, and what did he do to try to solve it? ([07:28])
According to Jesus, what is the difference between how “the sons of this world” and “the sons of light” use their resources? ([10:32])
In verses 10-13, what does Jesus say about faithfulness with little versus much? How does this connect to the rest of the parable? ([24:28])
What two “guardrails” did the sermon say should guide our use of money? ([04:31])

Interpretation Questions

Why does Jesus use the example of a dishonest manager to teach about money? What is he commending, and what is he not commending? ([10:32])
The sermon says that Jesus “flips” the parable to focus on the eternal good of others. What does it mean to use “temporal resources for eternal impact”? ([16:09])
How does recognizing God as the true owner of everything we have change the way we view our possessions and money? ([31:31])
The sermon mentions that it’s possible to be generous without being godly, but not possible to be godly without being generous. Why is generosity so closely tied to godliness? ([41:02])

Application Questions

The manager in the parable acted with urgency to secure his future. Are there areas in your life where you need to be more future-oriented with your resources, especially in light of eternity? What might that look like for you? ([16:09])
Think about your recent financial decisions. Would you say they are more motivated by self-preservation or by a desire to bless others and invest in their spiritual future? What is one change you could make this month? ([15:01])
The sermon encourages us to look for needs we can meet in others’ lives, even if we can’t meet the whole need. Is there someone you know right now who could use encouragement or help—financial or otherwise? What’s a practical step you could take this week? ([19:22])
Jesus says that faithfulness starts with small things. If you have only a little, how can you practice generosity right now? If you have more, how can you guard against letting your possessions “own” you? ([24:28])
The sermon asks, “Who owns what I have?” and “Do my possessions own me?” How would you honestly answer those questions? Are there specific possessions or financial habits that have too strong a grip on your heart? ([31:31])
The sermon says that generosity should be motivated by love, not manipulation or guilt. When you give, what is your usual motivation? How can you cultivate a more open-handed, loving approach to giving? ([15:01])
Jesus is described as the ultimate example of generosity—he gave everything for us. How does reflecting on Christ’s sacrifice motivate you to be more generous? Is there a specific way you want to mirror his generosity this week? ([41:02])

Sermon Clips

What should motivate you to spend those dollars that you have? Well, it should be about the best interest of other people. Be generous, give to other people, help other people so that, and he's making a parable, a parallel in the parable, he's saying just like this servant or this manager wanted to be welcomed into people's homes, he's saying you want to use the gifts that God has given you, you want to use the money that God has given you to benefit other people, to help them so that they have a future as well, and so they welcome you into eternity. [00:15:25] (35 seconds) #GenerosityForEternalGood

This is what I believe is the main point in this parable, he's saying use what is temporal to affect what is eternal, okay? So what should motivate our money is, listen, the temporal money that we have should be used for the good of the future and the good of other people here. [00:16:36] (18 seconds) #TemporalToEternalImpact

It's not wrong to spend money on ourselves. That's not what Jesus is saying. He's not saying you should never spend money on ourselves. But it is wrong to only spend money on ourselves. And we should never, ever, ever make money at the expense of other people, okay? [00:16:57] (20 seconds) #BalanceSelfAndOthers

We have to meet our needs. We have to spend money on things. It's not wrong to spend money on temporal things. Of course, we need to buy those type of things. But it is wrong to not have any future orientation associated with our money, right? [00:19:43] (16 seconds) #FutureFocusedSpending

Look for a need you can meet in someone else's life, okay? I would say look for a need that you can meet in someone else's life. Now, this could be, you know, a financial need. This could be something else. That's having the good of other people in mind. [00:20:39] (16 seconds) #MeetNeedsWithGenerosity

Generosity should be, no matter how much is in that bank account or in that wallet, there should be a generosity of like, how can I be a blessing to someone else? Maybe it's something as simple of, you know, I really have very little money. Things are so tight, but you know, I want to be a blessing to this person. I'm going to, I'm going to buy them a coffee or something like that. [00:26:36] (22 seconds) #BlessWithWhatYouHave

Either the love of money is going to rule our hearts or the love of God is. And the push here is use what God's given to you. Don't let the gift become the thing that you're devoted to. We're not devoted to the gift. We're devoted to the giver of the gift. [00:29:24] (16 seconds) #LoveGodNotMoney

Who owns what I have? It's a question I ask, like, okay, so my possessions that I have, who's really the owner of that? Am I the owner of it? My house, my vehicles, you know, all that. Am I the owner of it? Well, my name is on the title and all that stuff. Okay, but am I really the owner of it? Or have these been gifts given to me for another purpose? [00:31:07] (25 seconds) #TrueOwnershipIsGods

Does what you have own you? So who owns what I have? But then it's, do what I do have, does it own me? Okay, so we've got, you know, new set of golf clubs. You're on the course, brand new set of golf clubs. They're really nice. I don't play golf a whole lot, so I don't know, but, you know, so they're really nice. I think Ping is a nice brand, so we'll pick on Ping. So you've got these golf clubs and you're out there with your buddy, your work buddy, and then it's like, you know, you pull out this driver that's the size of a basketball and, you know, you're getting ready to tee off there. And, you know, your buddy's like, hey, can I try that driver out? Can I try it? What do you do? [00:33:46] (54 seconds) #PossessionsDontOwnUs

Why do you have your home? Is it only for you to live in? What about having people to it? What about having people to your house? Do you realize that the person here that has the worst home in this room is in the top 1 % of the best homes in the world? I've been in so many different countries. Let me tell you, people live totally different. Why do you have your home? [00:34:59] (23 seconds) #HomeForHospitality

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