Text: Luke 16:1-15
Topic: Financial wisdom from a biblical perspective

• [In Luke 16:1-2,] our Lord, having finished the beautiful parable of the Prodigal Son, which he had particularly addressed to those who murmured at his receiving publicans and sinners, adds another relation of a different kind, addressed rather to the children of God.
• "I say unto you, 'Make yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness.'"
• "Mammon" means riches or money. It is termed "the mammon of unrighteousness," because of the unrighteous manner wherein it frequently procured, and wherein even that which was honestly procured is generally employed.
• An excellent branch of Christian wisdom is here inculcated by our Lord on all his followers, namely, the right use of money—a subject largely spoken of, after their manner, by men of the world, but not sufficiently considered by those whom God hath chosen out of the world.
• These, generally, do not consider, as the importance of the subject requires, the use of this excellent talent. In fact, it is often lamented.
• But is not all this mere empty rant? Is there any solid reason therein? By no means! For, let the world be as corrupt as it will, is gold or silver to blame?
• But money may likewise be used well. It is therefore of the highest concern that all who fear God know how to employ this valuable talent.

• The first of these [instructions] is, "Gain all you can." Here we may speak like the children of the world. We meet them on their own ground. And it is our bounden duty to do this.
• But this it is certain we ought not to do: we ought not to gain money at the expense of life, nor (which is in effect the same thing) at the expense of our health.
• Secondly, to gain all we can without hurting our mind any more than our body.
• Thirdly, [we should] gain all we can without hurting our neighbor.
• Neither may we gain by hurting our neighbor in his body.
• Gain all you can by honest industry. Use all possible diligence in your calling. Lose no time. If you understand yourself and your relation to God and man, you know you have none to spare.
• Every business will afford some employment sufficient for every day and every hour. That wherein you are placed, if you follow it in earnest, will leave you no leisure for silly, unprofitable diversions.
• Gain all you can, by common sense, by using in your business all the understanding which God has given you.

• Having gained all you can, by honest wisdom and unwearied diligence, the second rule of Christian prudence is, "Save all you can." Do not throw the precious talent into the sea.
• Do not waste any part of so precious a talent merely in gratifying the desires of the flesh, procuring the pleasures of sense of whatever kind—particularly in enlarging the pleasure of tasting (gluttony, drunkenness, and elegant epicurism).
• Do not waste any part of so precious a talent merely in gratifying the desire of the eye by superfluous or expensive apparel, or by needless ornaments.
• Lay out nothing to gratify the pride of life, to gain the admiration or praise of men.
• Daily experience shows, the more such lusts are indulged, they increase the more.
• And why should you throw away money upon your children, any more than upon yourself, in delicate food, in gay or costly apparel, in superfluities of any kind? Why should you purchase for them more pride or lust, more vanity, or foolish and hurtful desires?
• [You ask me:] "What then would you do, if you were in my case? If you had a considerable fortune to leave?" Whether I would do it or no, I know what I ought to do: If I had one child, elder or younger, who knew the value of money—one who I believed would put it to the true use—I should think it my absolute, indispensable duty to leave that child the bulk of my fortune. And to the rest, just so much as would enable them to live in the manner they had been accustomed to do.

• But let not any man imagine that he has done anything … by [just] "gaining and saving all he can." You must add [a] third rule to the two preceding: "Give all you can."
• In order to see the ground and reason of this, consider when the Possessor of heaven and earth brought you into being and placed you in this world. He placed you here not as a proprietor, but a steward.
• The directions which God has given us, touching the use of our worldly substance, may be comprised in the following particulars.
• First, provide things needful for yourself—food to eat, raiment to put on, whatever nature moderately requires for preserving the body in health and strength.
• Secondly, provide these for your wife, your children, your servants, or any others who pertain to your household.
• If when this is done there be a [surplus] left, then "do good to them that are of the household of faith."
• If there be a [surplus] still, "as you have opportunity, do good unto all men."
• If, then, a doubt should at any time arise in your mind concerning what you are going to expend, either on yourself or any part of your family, you have an easy way to remove it.
• Calmly and seriously inquire: (1) In expending this, am I acting according to my character? Am I acting herein, not as a proprietor, but as a steward of my Lord's goods? (2) Am I doing this in obedience to his Word? In what Scripture does he require me so to do? (3) Can I offer up this action, this expense, as a sacrifice to God through Jesus Christ? (4) Have I reason to believe that for this very work I shall have a reward at the resurrection of the just?"

• Brethren, can we be either wise or faithful stewards unless we thus manage our Lord's goods? We cannot—as not only the oracles of God, but our own conscience bears witness.
• Then why should we delay? Why should we confer any longer with flesh and blood or men of the world? Our kingdom—our wisdom—is not of this world. Heathen custom is nothing to us.
• Today, while it is called today, hear and obey his voice! At this hour, and from this hour, do his will. Fulfill his word, in this and in all things! I entreat you, in the name of the Lord Jesus, act up to the dignity of your calling!
• Gain all you can, save all you can, and give all you can. [And in so doing, you are] "laying up in store for yourselves a good foundation against the time to come, that ye may attain eternal life!"