#1184. Luke 16:13-15. No one can serve two masters (8/11/24)

Luke 16:13–15

Welcome to this Come to Jesus Daily Devotional as we continue in our Luke, Exploring Who Jesus is series. Today, from Luke 16:13-15, we reflect on how those who keep God as their Master will keep money as their servant.

Luke 16:13–15

To watch this devotional, select the link below

https://youtu.be/jFwxADtpYts

‘“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.” The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of others, but God knows your hearts. What people value highly is detestable in God’s sight.”’ (Luke 16:13-15)

Luke 16:13–15

1. The shrewd manager was devoted to his master

The shrewd manager, in the parable that we’ve been looking at this week, knew who his master was and was thoroughly devoted to Him - His master was money and self. Money was His God. His faith was in money. He is a warning to all of us. We are all prone to making money our God and so failing to serve our Master - Jesus - with the wealth that He gives us to steward.

2. No one can serve two masters

Jesus doesn’t say that it’s difficult to serve to masters! He says it’s impossible. In terms of being a slave, one belongs to a master and is to serve him or her unreservedly. To use the analogy of being a soldier, one is to obey the commanding officer completely and, therefore, cannot obey a different authority. Christians have Jesus as Lord and it’s impossible to have a second Lord!

3. Money can make you its servant

Jesus warns of allowing money to be your master. The Pharisees had fallen into this, and it was this avarice that led them to despising and rejecting Jesus because to do so threatened their status and income. Too many ‘Christian’ leaders love money and want to get rich. They use their gifts to suck money out of vulnerable people, and we are all vulnerable to this!

4. Keep God as your Master and money will remain your servant

The key to keeping money as a servant rather than a master is to keep Jesus in the place of lordship of our lives. Put your money to good use in serving God and it loses its treacherous power over us. Money is a good gift from God, but like any good gift, it only remains a good thing if it’s put to the work for which it is intended. Pain killers, for example are a wonderful gift until they are used every day by drug addicts!

So how are you protecting yourself from the deviousness of money? Are you continually installing Jesus as the Lord of your heart? Those who keep God as their Master will keep money as their servant.

Let’s pray together

“Lord Jesus, I say afresh that you are the Lord of my life and my money. Help me to remain faithful to you rather than putting my faith in money or anything else. You show me that it’s detestable to you when our hearts idolise money. Please forgive me and help me to worship you alone. Amen.”