The central message of this sermon is that God wants His followers to be skilled at being good, rather than merely avoiding being bad. The parable of the unjust steward (or dishonest manager) is used to illustrate this point, highlighting the manager's cleverness and decisiveness in getting what he wanted, even if it was through deceitful means. Jesus wants his followers to emulate the manager's skillfulness and effectiveness in achieving their goals, but with a moral compass that aligns with God's values. This message advances the belief that being a faithful follower of God requires not just avoiding sin, but actively pursuing righteousness and living a life that honors God. The takeaway is that Jesus' desire for his followers is not just to be morally good, but to be good at being good, which implies a high level of skillfulness, effectiveness, and dedication to living a life that reflects God's character.