Concordia Adult Bible Class

This parable is one of the most difficult in the Bible! After all, having a master (who stands for God) commending a dishonest manager (verse 8) raises all sorts of questions. But the interpretive key to this parable comes at the end of verse 8: “For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.” If we are shrewd about things like our jobs and our reputations, how much more shrewd should we be when it comes to managing our money for the sake of God’s Kingdom!

“You can’t take it with you.” Everyone has heard this cliché, but far too many of us have far too much trouble living like it’s true. Rather than storing up treasures for ourselves, we are called to leverage the treasures God has given us for the blessing of others. As Augustine commented on this parable, “He did not realize that the bellies of the poor where much safer than the storerooms of his barns.”

Many people have many questions about heaven, for we, like Paul, know that “our citizenship is in heaven” (verse 20). In this message, we answer some common questions about heaven as asked by Concordia’s members.

If heaven is as glorious as the Scriptural record paints it to be, the question naturally arises: “How do I make it into God’s heavenly kingdom?” On Jubilee Weekend, we answer this question clearly according to the Gospel: it is through faith and faith alone in Christ that we receive paradise.

Many people think of heaven as a place “out there.” And though it is true that when we die, we “depart to be with Christ” (Philippians 1:23), heaven’s ultimate resting place will be in a reconstituted creation. Heaven, then, is not finally a different place, but a different state – a state that is free from sin, death, and the devil.

The promise of heaven may be glorious, but the stark reality is, as Jesus alludes to in this parable, that not everyone will live with God in heaven. This is not by God’s dream or design, however. Jesus consistently addresses and warns against hell so that we may escape such a damnable destiny.

Most people know that there is something wrong with this world. The tragedy, death, and despair of our world makes us cry out for something better – something heavenly. The apostle Paul addresses this yearning for something better in Romans 8 and reminds us that the reason we yearn for a better life is because there is a better life!

Retirement involves more than playing golf and lounging around! When Moses led the children of Israel out of slavery in Egypt, he was 80 and his brother Aaron was 84. Just because you retire doesn’t mean that God can’t use you to do amazing work! What work is God calling you to do for Him?

Many people take work home with them, either physically or emotionally. Some people are always on call or working on projects and are never able to stop. Other people carry the emotional weight of their work on their shoulders and are never able to relax. On Labor Day weekend, we look at the importance of balancing work and rest and note how in the Ten Commandments, a mandate to rest goes hand in hand with a mandate concerning relationships in the family.

Key to any Christian budgeting is giving. Solomon reminds us, Honor the Lord with your wealth, with the firstfruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine” (Proverbs 3:9-10). When we trust God to give back to Him what He has given us, our faith in Him to provide for all of our needs grows by leaps and bounds.