Luke 16:1–31 (ESV)
Pastor Scott Berglin
God from Luke’s Eyes to Yours
“Manager, Master, & Messenger” | August 30, 2026
“If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own?” — Luke 16:11–12
Luke 16 challenges us to rethink what we have and, more importantly, who it belongs to. Jesus uses the story of a manager to expose our tendency to treat temporary resources as though they belong to us. Everything we manage—our possessions, opportunities, relationships, influence, and time—is ultimately entrusted to us by the Master. The question isn't whether we are managers; we are. The question is whether we are faithful managers—and whether the way we manage what He's given us reveals who we recognize as our Master. Ultimately, what we do with what has been entrusted to us becomes a message about who we belong to.
COMMENTARY: What Kind of Manager Will You Be?
Jesus intentionally draws our attention to the character of the manager throughout this story. The manager was shrewd. He realized he was losing his position, recognized that he had limited time, and took action before he was out. Interestingly, Jesus says that the master commended the shrewdness of the dishonest manager—not his dishonesty, but his ability to recognize his situation and act decisively.
There is an important implication in the story: we are all managers. God has entrusted each of us with something to manage—our time, resources, relationships, opportunities, influence, and responsibilities. The question isn't whether we are managers; the question is what kind of managers we will be. Will we recognize what we've been entrusted with? Will we be faithful with it? And when we realize our time is limited, will we act with wisdom and purpose? What kind of manager do you want to be?
You ARE a Manager
v 10
- Jesus makes it clear that faithfulness is revealed in what we do with what has been entrusted to us.
- We don't ultimately own everything we have—we manage what has been placed in our hands.
- Faithfulness in small things matters because it reveals the character of the manager.
- Our resources are opportunities to demonstrate stewardship and obedience.
You may call it yours, but Jesus calls you a manager.
Every Manager Has a Master
v 11–12
- A manager doesn't operate independently—the manager answers to the Master.
- Jesus challenges us to consider whether we are faithful with what belongs to someone else.
- What we do with temporary, earthly resources reveals what we value eternally.
- True riches aren't measured by what we accumulate, but by what God can entrust to us.
The question isn't simply, "What do I have?" It's "Who do I serve?"
You ARE a Messenger of Who You Call Master
v 13, 31
- Jesus makes the choice unmistakable: we cannot serve two masters.
- Our priorities communicate what we believe is ultimately worthy of our devotion.
- The way we live becomes a message to the people around us.
- The rich man in the latter part of the chapter had access to Moses and the Prophets, yet failed to respond to what God had already revealed.
- Our lives should point people toward the Master we claim to follow.
Your life is preaching something. Who is it preaching about?
THE QUESTION BEHIND THE STORY
Luke 16 isn't ultimately about money.
It's about faithfulness, ownership, and allegiance.
Jesus asks us to examine:
What has God entrusted to me?
Am I managing it faithfully?
Who is my Master?
What message does my life send about Him?
The manager reveals his priorities through what he does with what belongs to another. The rich man reveals his heart through what he does—and doesn't do—with what is right in front of him.
What we manage reveals what we believe.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- You are a manager of what God has entrusted to you.
- Every manager ultimately answers to a Master.
- Faithfulness in temporary things prepares us for true riches.
- We cannot serve both God and money.
- Our choices reveal who we recognize as our Master.
- Our lives communicate a message about the One we serve.
- God has already given us what we need to respond faithfully.
CALL TO ACTION
- Inventory your stewardship: What has God entrusted to you?
- Practice faithfulness: Be faithful with the small and seemingly ordinary things.
- Identify your Master: Look at your priorities and ask what they reveal about who you serve.
- Check your message: What does your life communicate about Jesus?
- Respond to what God has already revealed: Don't wait for something extraordinary before being obedient.
You are a manager. He is the Master. Your life is the message.
