A Hundred Measures of Oil - Part 544

 In Luke 16, Jesus tells a parable to His disciples. There was a certain rich man which had a steward. However, the rich man accused the steward of wasting his goods. He asked, "How is it that I hear this of thee? Give an account of thy stewardship for thou might no longer be a steward."

Like so many of us caught between the demands of our lives and our professional obligations, the thought of losing our income was worrisome. Indeed, the steward said within himself, "What shall I do? For my lord takes away from me the stewardship. I cannot dig and to beg I am ashamed." But he resolved what to do, that when he was put out of the stewardship, they may receive him into their houses.

So the steward called every one of his lord's debtors unto him. To the first he said, "How much owest thou unto my lord?" And he said, "An hundred measures of oil." And he said unto him, "Take thy bill and sit down quickly and write fifty." Then he said to another, "How much owest thou?" And that man responded saying, "An hundred measures of wheat." And he said unto him, "Take thy bill and write fourscore." And the lord commended the unjust steward because he had done wisely.

But then Jesus said this. "Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness that when you fail, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much. And He that is unjust in the least is unjust in much. If therefore you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?

And if you have not been faithful in that which is another man's who shall give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon."

But the Pharisees who were also standing by listening, were covetous, and upon hearing this parable derided Jesus. And He said unto them, "Ye are they which justify yourselves before men but God knows your hearts. For that which is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God."

Indeed, it is Jesus who knows our hearts -- our most inner thoughts and desires -- and yet -- still -- loved us enough to become our Saviour when we were sinners. Even before we knew about Jesus, our Lord loved us. Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Ask Jesus into your heart today. It is He that gives the measures of oil. A hundred measures of oil -- and so much more to those that believe in Jesus. Stand in the offering plate.