1. OK…story time…
2. So…this guy was apparently mismanaging the rich guys assets. Uh oh…time to meet with the boss…
3. This manager apparently all of a sudden gets smart. He’s scared because he’s too wimpy to beg and too ashamed to beg. That’s kind of funny.
4. So then, the guy discounts how much everyone owes the rich guy so that he’s at least getting SOME money back. Not a bad idea, I guess…
5. Then again, why would the rich guy be happy that he’s not going to get everything that he’s owed?
6. Then we get into Jesus’ conclusion: use our wealth to gain friends, eternal friends. What does this mean? Is this a parable about sharing?
7. I’ve always loved this part about being entrusted to use what God has given you. It kind of reminds me of the first Spiderman movie, where Peter realizes that with great power becomes great responsibility. It also pops up frequently on Smallville. So…what have you been given? Are you using it? Are you, like a macho middle-schooler who’s trying to prove how cool he is while hauling wood, putting your arms out, asking God for more opportunities to do His work? Or are you, like a kid who’s trying to get out of something, dilly-dallying, hoping that no one notices that you haven’t been up to much?
8. People think that you can serve two masters, but there is always a point at which push comes to shove. And, at that moment, you have to choose what’s most important. So…I wouldn’t build my life around money. At some point, I’d start to resent God.
9. Do you think we still have religious leaders who are in love with money more than they are in love with God?
10. Jesus obviously believes that “the Law” is still valid in His time. What do we make of all the things in the Old Testament that aren’t being practiced anymore? Like…stoning a person if they are an adulterer. Can you honor “the Law” while adhering to Jesus’ new way of dealing with people?
11. Wow…how about ending up on a SUPER-controversial note. Let’s break down what Jesus is saying here…
12. “Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery”… Um…I could plead the 5th on this statement and ignore it; but, what the heck, I’m a crazy guy. OK…so I have friends who are awesome who have done what Jesus is calling “adultery” here. How do I process that? Jesus must have a much higher view of marriage than we do. I don’t really know what to say that wouldn’t offend people I know and love who have divorced their wife and married another woman. Let’s just say that divorce is a byproduct of sin, plain and simple. Where’s the sin? Is it in not taking marriage seriously? Is it in the behavior of a spouse that makes it “impossible” for the other person to be happy? Is it in the “quitter” for giving up on marriage? There are some valid questions there. I can’t really answer them. All I know is that Jesus is not pleased with divorce.
13. “The man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery…” Hmm…again…this is another show-stopper. A lot of people would say that the guy who is marrying a divorced woman is doing a good thing. But, yet again, this isn’t about what people think…this is about how God views marriage. Man…I don’t know what God sees that I’m not seeing. Any thoughts here?
