Unshaken: Chapter a Day

Luke 16 Discussion

• Pastor Plek

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Money can quietly become a master, vows can feel negotiable, and comfort can blind us to the person at our gate. Luke 16 brings all of that into focus with a shrewd manager who plans for tomorrow, a stark reminder that we cannot serve two masters, and a haunting story of the rich man and Lazarus that places justice beyond the reach of last-minute deals. We walk through the chapter’s structure and ask honest questions about how budgets, promises, and daily habits signal where our hope really lives.

We unpack the “dishonest manager” without excusing his ethics, drawing out the surprising lesson Jesus commends: urgency. If people pour energy into short-term security, how much more should we steward temporary wealth for eternal good? That means funding the poor, strengthening the local church, and backing credible mission work where the gospel is seldom heard. We talk candidly about retirement, generosity that stings just enough to grow our trust, and exposing ourselves to need so our hearts do not harden behind safe routines.

The conversation then turns to law, kingdom, and the gravity of covenant. Jesus’ line on marriage lands like a plumb line in a culture that treats vows as terms to renegotiate. We wrestle with biblical provision and pastoral care around divorce and remarriage, while holding the core principle: pursue faithfulness and reconciliation with integrity and help. Finally, we face the fixed chasm of the afterlife. The rich man and Lazarus refuses sentimental comfort: revelation is sufficient, time is limited, and habits now echo forever. We close with concrete applications—being faithful in little, serving without grumbling, giving with purpose, and fighting the good fight with prayerful resolve—because eternity dignifies small acts done in love.

If this challenged or encouraged you, follow the show, share it with a friend who cares about stewardship and purpose, and leave a review with one “little thing” you plan to do this week. Your story might nudge someone toward better treasure.

Text us at 737-231-0605 with any questions.

Pastor Plek:

And welcome back to a chapter a day.

Jordan Smith:

Keeps the devil away.

Pastor Plek:

I'm Pastor Plek along with Jordan Smith. We're talking Luke 16. I'm gonna outline it. We're gonna then find some in observations, then some interpretations, and finally land the plane with something you can take away today along your way with Jesus of application. All right. So uh first off, verses one through 13, we have the parable of the dishonest or shrewd manager, where we have a rich man who fires his incompetent or uh nefarious manager who then shrewdly reduces debts to secure future favors. The master commends his worldly prudence, and then Jesus urges unrighteous, uh unrighteous people to kind of have the same sort of mindset. All right, then you have verses 14 through 18, it's the law and the kingdom. The Pharisees who love money expose their self-justification before men while despising God. And then you've got the last one, which is the rich man in Lazarus, verses 19 through 31, where a rich man sumptuously feasts while ignoring the beggar Lazarus at his gate, covered in sores and craving crumbs. In death, Lazarus is carried to Abraham's side, the rich man to Hades in torment, and he begs Abraham to send water, Lazarus to water for water or warn his brothers, but Abraham can't, citing there's a fixed chasm and access to Moses and the prophets. Even if one raised from the dead, they would not be convinced. Okay, that's where we we were. Now, let's give me some of your observations, or you might have some questions over there.

Jordan Smith:

Yeah, I observed the uh first entire half of this thing was very confusing, and I didn't know what it meant, so I was curious if you give some context.

Pastor Plek:

Yeah, all right. So in Luke 16, 1 through 13, specifically, you've got the parable of this dishonest manager. He is being fired for wasting his master's goods. It's either incompetence or um maliciousness. We don't know which which one, so and that doesn't matter. So facing ruin, he doesn't want to go dig ditches. He knows if he's fired, his reputation's gonna be ruined. He shrewdly slashes the debts of his master's debtors, cutting bill from 100 to 50, another one from 100 to 80, uh, and then he wins their favor to secure like housing, a job, uh after he is fired. Then the master, instead of going, well, well, well, ironically commends him and his own cleverness because he used uh his his master's or his former master's wealth to get him a furtherance into um his future. And he's saying to um those who are uh sons of light, some of them who have God's word revealed to them, it's kind of like a shame. He's like, hey, check out how unrighteous people are way better at understanding the urgency. I think sometimes you say, like, sometimes we have like God's gonna take care of it all. And that's true, but there's an urgency that goes away with the um the sh the shrewd and wasteful manager that he get he made he ensures his next home is secured by cutting deals. And he's and so the way that we do that as Christians is that we kind of go for eternal rewards. If we really believe that Jesus is the king, that our life is laid up with him. We don't worry about a comfy retirement where we're just gonna be coasting. We worry about funding the kingdom of God, taking care of the poor, taking care of the lame, taking care of uh moving the gospel forward, you know, supporting the local church, support supporting missionaries. All that is where you take the the the money of the world to fund gospel eternal uh things. And that's really what J Jesus is kind of I don't shaming. Yeah, I guess shaming is the right word. He's just challenging Christians to have that same sort of mindset about their future.

Jordan Smith:

Yeah, I agree with funding all that stuff. Okay. My only opinion on that. That's yeah, it's just a lot to take in there.

Pastor Plek:

Yeah, that is okay. And then it was interesting how the the shift towards like there's a random verse there about marriage. I thought that was interesting. Like it's like caught in the midst of all this.

Jordan Smith:

Yeah, he just like drops that bomb in the middle of the state.

Pastor Plek:

And I wonder if that's because there is a tendency to be shrewd, if you will, of like, I want a better deal, this side of heaven. And he's like, You're missing it. Like you, you know, what God brought together, don't let any people tear apart. And divorce is is sad, sad, sad, sad, and and it breaks God's heart, it breaks my heart, breaks everybody's heart. Uh, and the the the thing wasn't to like you know shame those who are divorced, but rather to kind of say, like, you don't understand what you're doing. You need to kind of think in terms of eternity and the responsibility God has given you within the marriage covenant that He's set up for you, live that out uh well. I think that's kind of where he's going with that.

Jordan Smith:

Yeah, so I have a couple questions, but circling back to the the money stuff. Uh Jesus says hate money basically, right? You can't be uh master, can't serve two masters. Right. So what does hating money mean to you in that sense?

Pastor Plek:

Yeah, it can't be your ultimate allegiance.

Jordan Smith:

You gotta be very so kind of just like not being comfortable with your retirement, all that stuff you were saying earlier.

Pastor Plek:

Yeah, yeah. I mean, but that doesn't mean don't don't have a retirement account, but your hope can't be in your retirement. Right. I think, and then when when you see needs, you can't go, sorry. Uh I I can't when you can, it's just you don't want to, and it's okay. Just at least own that. Uh I think what happens too is that we don't expose ourselves to people in need because that makes us feel uncomf.

Jordan Smith:

Gotcha. Uncomf. Nice word there. Uh, but yeah, do you remember you and I having a conversation about divorce and remarriage many years ago? Many years ago. Many years. You've slept since then. Yeah, I have. I don't remember. Oh, it's just interesting because I asked you kind of the same question. You know, obviously, most of y'all already know I struggle with same-sex attraction and all that. So gay marriage is obviously not a thing. But I went specifically to you and I'm asked, like, well, what is your stance on like people who get divorced and remarried? Isn't that kind of the exact same thing? Like the marriage is that's great.

Pastor Plek:

Yeah. So I I think with the divorce and remarriage aspect there, um, you don't want to get outside God's order, but God does have provision for it. And he's saying, like, don't do it. It is that bad. Now, is there the the question you get into is adultery a permanent sin? Right. Or is it a one-time sin that you can be forgiven for? Um, and are you, you know, like if you commit adultery or you divorce your spouse, what what First Corinthians 7 says is you're to get back together with the person you divorced. Um so be remarried or stay unmarried. And so that is kind of the principle there. But then there's a freedom, like if you've been uh where God's word provides, um, if you've been cheated on, so if that person has an affair or move, you know, moves on sexual with another person, then now you're free to remarry. Or if you've been abandoned, meaning they have the elders have declared that person, or you kind of go to this is why you get other people involved, so you don't just make your own decisions, but like, yeah, that person is not a believer and they have abandoned you, then you're free to remarry. So there are ways to remarry, but I think the right, the you know, you this is where I think sometimes we we as Christians can just kind of find the loophole as opposed to the principle, which is stay married.

Jordan Smith:

Gotcha. Yeah, and I was kind of confused about just the last section, or not confused, but just a question around that is Abraham can't literally see people in hell and talk to them, right? Or can he?

Pastor Plek:

So there's a great chasm fixed, and clearly there is a distance that they can see, but to some extent, and I don't know if there this is where it's like, is this a figure of speech? Right, or uh where he's telling a story and it's or is this a true story of Lazarus and the rich man, and the rich man is burning and Lazarus is chilling, and he's making the point like this is actually going on in heaven right now, that the rich dude is just writhing in agony and pain. Uh, I don't know. I I that's one that I I can punt on only because it seems like Jesus is telling a realistic story about what is actually going on, because he's using names, uh specifically Lazarus, because his name would be written in the book of life, like that he is genuinely cared for. Whereas the rich man didn't get a name. I thought that was interesting. So I do feel like that might have been a real world world story where, and I don't know if this is just in Sheol, which is the place of the dead, where there's a separation between a place of torment and a place of paradise. Uh, and and and then ultimately we know that when Jesus comes back, we're gonna be heaven on earth and uh or a new heaven and new earth. So I think this is the place of the dead, specifically for this time time period, which would ultimately be the time period now of the place with God, which is paradise, place with Satan and burning and and fire. Uh that's not pleasant. And the only way to avoid that is to trust in Jesus, what he's done for you. Makes sense.

Jordan Smith:

All right, what else you got? Uh that's kind of it for the observations. I guess uh 16 and 17. I was kind of confused as to I guess maybe most more so 17, but it's easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one dot of the law to become void. Is that kind of the same concept of like once you break, if you break one part of the law, you break all of it?

Pastor Plek:

Yeah, that's good. And remember, the law and the prophets were until John, meaning like that was the revelation of God until John showed up. Right. Okay, then since then, the good news, the kingdom of God is preached, meaning, hey, repent, for the Messiah is here, and everyone forces his way into it, which is a strange, strange way of putting uh this idea that um that you are um it's a new era that the kingdom of God, there's a spiritual battle going on, and those pressing into the kingdom must be at least as much in earnest, as violent as the men of Palestine who tried to bring the kingdom by force. So it's like you are spiritually combating, battling in the same way you've you've seen those who were physically trying to take over Jerusalem again. Like that it should be that sort of spiritual battle. Now, of course, obviously you're not taking swords uh up against the heavenlies, but you are taking it that sort of idea of like I'm ready to go with all conviction, I'm ready to go to battle and war over this idea that Jesus is the Christ. Gotcha. Yep. Um, what else you got? Uh if you want to go into applications. Or yeah, so how about just principles about the nature of man might be good. We we prioritize wealth and self-justification. Maybe we sneer at the truth when it threatens our loves. Which then threatens comfort, yeah. Yeah, it's like the things that I like, I don't want that to touch that. Um and how about this? Many people ignore divine warning, like almost so much that when you see repent for the kingdom of God is near, there's eye roll. Like you can't help be like, okay.

Jordan Smith:

Uh but yeah, I can at least in my life, like I can sometimes feel like God is you know, warning or speaking something to me, but I then I can also just be like, or maybe that wasn't him and it was That was the pizza, yeah. Something like that, right? So there's that like danger of justifying lying to yourself, I guess.

Pastor Plek:

It's good. Character of God, God values shrewd faithfulness in stewarding temporary wealth, which I really appreciate that we have a great finance team at our church, and they steward the wealth to get the most advantage for the spiritual thing with earthly wealth.

Jordan Smith:

Great job, finance team.

Pastor Plek:

Yeah.

Jordan Smith:

What else you got? Uh no, I mean, I think just on the topic of finances, at least my personal belief on that is I like I have a glad and generous heart. Uh but I like to just help people and when they're in need, but sometimes in my mind too, I'm like, man, I'm giving so much, you know, am I kind of overdoing it? Over well, overdoing it, like setting myself up for failure in terms of like later years in life, but I always default to, you know, God's got me regardless. So why worry about a number in a bank account?

Pastor Plek:

That's really good. How about um God establishes fixed justice in the afterlife? Which is sort of wild, that your choices here in this world will affect eternity. And there is sufficient revelation through scripture to repent now.

Jordan Smith:

Yeah, that is scary. It's it's hard for me, like you know, thinking about those tribes who have no outside contact. I mean, obviously, God's revealed through nature and all of that. But it's like, man, how many of those people are just like which is why we send missionaries.

Pastor Plek:

Otherwise, if they were good without us, we'd be like, don't go. It's better then for to be ignorant and go to heaven than to hear the gospel and reject it. But because we know that that's why we send missionaries to unreach people groups around the globe. Right. So let's get into some application. Um, sin to avoid. Uh, how about confess? The one I need to send to confess would be like divided loyalties and serving money over God. Like, I want what I want when I want it. I want the earthly pleasures and the spiritual goodness as well.

Jordan Smith:

Yeah, I think mine's not so much money, but maybe just comfort.

Pastor Plek:

Yeah, comfort. Um, okay. How about a command to obey? Uh obey the command to be faithful in the little things. Uh that'd be like verse 10.

Jordan Smith:

And then what do you consider a little thing? Like, what's the last little thing in your life that you are faithful in?

Pastor Plek:

Like you say, you're gonna be somewhere and be there. You're gonna um you're gonna serve in the children's ministry, serve with all your heart, and not don't feel like you're, you know, that's good. You're whining about like changing a diaper, and you're like, oh my gosh, is it me? Is it really me again? You know, like uh changing diapers for Jesus. Yeah, it like because and understand that that's you're faithful with that. God will give you more. The problem is if you're whining about all the stuff God's giving you for opportunities to serve, then you don't get promoted in the in the in the grand kingdom of God. I think that's the struggle that people have is they sort of see themselves and in in the sort of the I'm an hourly wage earner in the kingdom of God, and I just want to do my time and knock it out to get to the stuff I really want to do. It was but what God's saying instead is like you need to take this all in, you're like ready to go to war for it, battle for it spiritually, and so that you're ready to kind of put all your effort, all your energy, you're ready to go and die for the kingdom of God.

Jordan Smith:

Yeah. And it's not so much promoting to a different rank, right? It's more so, at least in my mind, like you get sense of purpose, like and I think yeah, promoting is more what it's probably like um more opportunities, right?

Pastor Plek:

Like great, maybe larger opportunities. Instead of serving one person uh a meal, you serve thousands. And that there's there's a great reward of personal like satisfaction in that absolutely uh that's really exciting. And sacrifice, and sacrifice, oh for sure. That's good. All right, hey, thanks so much for uh joining us today, and we'll see you next time on a chapter a day.

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