Ninth Sunday After Trinity, July 28, 2024

Ninth Sunday After Trinity, July 28, 2024

This verse qualifies as one of the hard sayings of the bible. Perhaps it does because we examine it piecemeal rather than wholistically. The parable is much like a story told as a joke with a punchline. Verse nine is the sort of punchline that reinterprets the entire story. Yet, that reinterpretation cannot take place if we miss out on the crucial announcement of the story’s setting. It’s there in verse one: “He also said to the disciples…” Jesus tells this parable to the disciples. They already have heaven by faith. They are already “sons of light.” They don’t compete well with the “sons of this age” regarding the things of this age. That’s why Jesus admonishes them to be as “wise as serpents and as innocent as doves” (Mt. 10:16). When it comes to buying friends with the unrighteous wealth, the “sons of light” stand little chance against the “sons of this age.” Verse nine reinterprets the parable because it’s not really about the dishonest manager. Rather, it’s about the disciples who already have heaven by faith. Their use of “unrighteous wealth” is the variety of uses to which faith would put it. By faith, believers lack nothing in this world or the next. What matters is wealth’s use… wealth’s use in producing the fruits of faith (cf. Mt. 25:31-46).

Prayers from one often confused…

Heavenly Father, your Son, Jesus Christ, is the one truth in this world of competing truths, so hold me in thrall to him that my attention remains fixed on the only truth worth having in this sin-broken and passing away world. Lord Jesus, bind me to yourself. Amen

Heavenly Father, your Son, Jesus Christ, is the one truth in this world of competing truths. As my faith and attention rest on Christ Jesus, turn me to my neighbors that whatever wealth I have would be used to provide for them. Lord Jesus, bind me to yourself. Amen

Heavenly Father, your Son, Jesus Christ, is the one truth in this world of competing truths. Grant that I would see in the Institute of Lutheran Theology a neighbor both worthy and needful of my wealth. Lord Jesus, bind me to yourself. Amen

Heavenly Father, your Son, Jesus Christ, is the one truth in this world of competing truths. Grant that on the day when unrighteous wealth fails—that is, on the coming Day of Jesus Christ—I would be found in faith alone for all else is sin. Lord Jesus, bind me to yourself. Amen