Ninth Sunday after Trinity (1883)

Luke 16:1-9

Extremely dangerous and seductive is the evil example of children of the world
for Christians; even Asaph
1
complains and trips over it. However, no one needs to lose
heart on that account, because God has promised that His elect will not be seduced and
has also proven it by preserving Lot, Joseph, Moses, Daniel, and Asaph in faith and in
the fear of God in the midst of the godless. Yes, God's Word shows believers how they
should and could make use of the evil example of children of the world for their own
benefit. Paul does, for example, in Romans 7:10 and our dear Savior does in our Gospel
today.

How humiliating and, at the same time, encouraging Christ's saying should be for
believers: "The sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own
generation than the sons of light";

1. how humiliating,
a. the shrewdness of children of the world in the example of the unjust steward: . the
unjust steward made use of his position and time, as much as he could, to his advantage
and created a life of joy and glory, as he could no longer have this position
2
; . although
he lives securely and carefree and loses no sleep
3
, he was in constant danger of
discovery and most disgraceful chastisement; finally, he is revealed as a fraud, . he
helps himself by quick decision, and uses the last possible opportunity to make helpful
friends for the time of need.
4
Now all this was so wicked, for that reason Christ called
him an "unjust" steward, yet the Lord praises his shrewdness, wherein he is a true
picture of children of the world; for they all understand to a special degree to make use
of the time, to snap up every opportunity to their advantage, not to grapple with
unnecessary worries, to help those in need by quick decision, etc. They humiliate
believers in this shrewdness
5
;
b. how humiliating the shrewdness of children of the world would be for believers;
because . they know that they are stewards of God who has given them their time of
life as a precious pledge to manage their eternal salvation in it. O, how humiliating it is

1
Psalm 73.
2
Luke 16:1.
3
lt sich kein graues Haar wachsen.
4
Luke 16:3-7.
5
Luke 16:8.
that they often deal with this blessed time of grace that often can come to an end so
slovenly, indifferently, and carelessly, do not snap up this precious time, become
absorbed in temporal matters, neglect the divine service, reading the Bible, and prayer,
so often let one thing out of their eye that is the one thing needful! - . Believers know
that God is their dearer, richer, almighty Father, Who will neither leave them nor
forsake them; that Jesus is their merciful Savior, Who purchased them for a possession
with His life; that the Holy Spirit began a good work in them: how humiliating,
therefore, is the godless security and carelessness of children of the world for them,
who in earthly things often exclaim so anxiously and with little faith
6
, are so often quite
cheerfully certain of their salvation that they bear a grudge with the cross of Christ, they
must go through much hardship and tribulation, but that everything must
7
serve for
their salvation: how humiliating it is, therefore, that children of the world often show so
strong courage in their hardship and valiantly seek to help themselves, while believers,
who alone have proper grounds for courage and boldness in the cross, often are so
disheartened, so comfortless, so impatient in their hardship! Yet Christ's saying is not
only humiliating, but

2. also highly encouraging,
a. in general; Christ does not humiliate us in order to take courage from us, but
rather by the example of the so shrewd children of the world in their evil ways to make
us joyful, brave, eager, for shrewd imitation in earthly things. When the Christian sees
how shrewd children of the world know to seize their time, opportunity, and benefit,
how tirelessly with great self-denial one chases after honor, another after money, the
third after pleasures of this life, even though they often learn that they only pursue after
a shadow, yes, race to their destruction: O, the Christian should think how much more
zealous, joyful, indefatigable I must be as God's steward, that I have a goal so glorious,
so secure, strong means, so I can be certain in attaining of the blessed final goal!
b. Christ particularly encourages them
8
to a rich use of their earthly goods and
gifts by showing them how they can accumulate for themselves treasures in heaven by
compassionate use of them and could make their short time of life into a sowing for an
eternal everlasting harvest of joy.
9

Otto Hanser

6
Matthew 6:25ff.
7
Romans 8:28, 18.
8
Luke 16:9.
9
Matthew 6:20; Luke 12:33, 18:22, 25:34ff.; Galatians 6:9; 2 Corinthians 9:6.