25C22.   Amos 8:4-7.  In Amos’ times the rich people were taking advantage of and cheating the poor.  So “the Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob: Never will I forget a thing they have done!”  “For it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.’” (Romans 12:19c)

Luke 16:1-13.  The steward was being removed for squandering his master’s property.  He was in a quandary as to how he was going to support himself no longer having his stewardship.  His solution was to freely diminish what was owed to his previous master by each one of his master’s debtors, so to be welcomed as a payback into their homes.  “And the master commended that dishonest steward for acting prudently.” Since the steward was acting by dishonest means, I prefer to refer to his actions as being devious, cunning or scheming.  Then Jesus says, “For the children of this world are more prudent in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light.”  I think what Jesus is saying is that good people do not show as much initiative in getting things done as do bad people. Then Jesus says, “Make friends for yourselves with the dishonest wealth, so that when it fails, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.”  I believe that what Jesus is saying is that, when dishonest people find that their dishonesty gets them nothing that is worthwhile, they will turn to becoming honest so to be welcomed into heaven.  Then Jesus goes on to say, “If, therefore, you are not trustworthy with dishonest wealth, who will trust you true wealth?  If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours?”  I think Jesus is saying is that our behavior follows a pattern or routine that we have acted out of.  Jesus is calling on us to be trustworthy with what is God’s so that, when we have been trustworthy to what is God’s, God may in turn give us something of what is his and it may become ours. What is God’s is grace or a share in his divine spiritual life that people who are only earthly do not understand.   Jesus goes on to say, “No servant can serve two masters.”  We all will eventually lead lives that will serve or value God, who is the true wealth, OR this world, our selfish selves and the devil, which is the dishonest or false wealth.

1 Timothy 2:1-8.  “Compete well for the faith. Lay hold of eternal life, to which you were called when you made the noble confession in the presence of many witnesses.”  Paul is telling Timothy and us to challenge the ways of this world by striving to live our faith in Jesus.  This world mightily attracts us to live for earthly life and so forego eternal life.  Instead possess eternal life by living ‘in Christ’ daily.