Luke 16-A “Two Masters”

S = 16:13-15 “No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him. And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.”

O = This passage is like an object lesson of what he just said. The Pharisees loved money and ridiculed Jesus. They were devoted to themselves and despised God internally. They appealed to the court of men’s opinion when it is God who knows their hearts. Money is a false god engendering as profane a liturgy as Baal or Molech ever did—yet we are still able to justify ourselves before men. Interesting how this teaching on only being able to love one master leads to a condemnation of divorce. Only one love is acceptable—love God, serve God, be justified by God—put our trust in his goodness not our own selves.

A = Where are my divided loyalties? Where do I turn away from loving God to worship in the temple of self? Where do I despise the one true God to love money/world/ etc.? Is there a something or someone that I love more than God? It is a fact that I will serve that which I love...I will spend time doing what I love…I will give my life for what I love—so what is it? Is it possible to know the character of God and not and not respond to it in love? Yes it is (e.g., the dishonest steward, Pharisees), but I don’t want to be “that guy” ridiculing Jesus to be justified by men…if only temporarily.

P = O Lord, I want to serve you today…I want to love you today, and not ever walk away into an adultery of the heart to serve another master. Amen.