Jesus is the Unjust Steward

Sermon 2022.09.18 Rev. Wesley Menke

The King Has Taken Back His Throne

The King of England has ascended his throne and his name is Charles. A good name! Time will tell if he will be a good king. We should pray for kings and queens so that we may live a peaceable life, that all may have salvation, and that royalty knows the truth (1 Timothy 2:1-7). And what is the truth? The truth is that there is only one true king, and his name is Jesus. All other kings no matter their wealth or power are less than shadows of the one great steward king, Jesus. His throne was a cross; and his crown was made of thorns. We pray that earthly kings would lay their crowns down at the foot of the cross and practice faithfulness.

The steward King Jesus had a peculiar way of explaining things and helping us to understand his rule. Kings, since forever, are to be understood as divine sons appointed as God’s representative on earth. They exact tribute, allegiance and undying devotion. Kings are like divine managers or stewards tasked with the awesome responsibility of caring for Earth and its inhabitants on behalf of God almighty. The king does not own anything, but at best manages or stewards the wealth that belongs to God. God is the true owner of all wealth and life itself. Some kings merely use the pomp and circumstance of their office as a means to indulge themselves and their basest desires without regard to the well-being of their subjects. 

The prophet Amos addresses this problem. He warns against trampling the needy, and ruining the poor of the land through shoddy business practices. False prophets would only tell the king to perform outward religious rituals. Amos said true religion was defending widows, orphans, and immigrants. Taking a cue from Amos, Jesus told a parabolic story of an unusual steward-king. 

Jesus said that once upon a time there was a steward who served a rich owner. The steward was busted for cooking the books. He would make special deals with people, showing favor and not collecting what was owed to the rich owner. So the owner finds out about this and decides to fire the steward. But before he can officially send the steward packing there is a twist. The steward quickly calls in all the debtors. He begins to lessen and cancel their debts. One by one he wins favor with the impoverished and indentured subjects of the owner. They love the unjust steward for this largess and the streets are filled with rejoicing. God the owner finds out about this and his plan is foiled. Although he has cause to depose the unjust steward he cannot do so, because the people are in love with him. 

What is the meaning of this story? Jesus is the unjust-steward, the king of all creation, appointed by God. And God is the rich owner of all of the multiverses. When Jesus was sent to Earth to rule justly he did not do as he was supposed to do. He did not reward the good and just people, rather he would make special deals with the most unsavory of people: tax-collectors, prostitutes, samaritans, and the general dregs of society. Jesus the unjust steward king infuriated anyone with a sense of propriety and deference. Even God the rich owner of everything forsake his son, his appointed King and wrote him off as dead. So he was drummed up with bogus charges, and executed with a mock coronation. But just as he was being banished to hell, and the dustbin of history; written off as nobody, he pulled off the ultimate hustle. One by one he called the indebted subjects of the Rich and Powerful God of All Creation. He summoned them to the foot of the cross and he struck down their debts. He forgave the debts of everyone, of absolutely everyone no matter who they were, so that not a single person owed the Rich and Powerful God anything. God the Father, the Owner of Everything did not expect this, and rather than disregard, disdain, or disown his son, he breathed new life into him, and resurrected him from the dead, restoring him to his role as king and steward of all creation. The King has taken back his throne, the useless seed was sown (Arcade Fire), through cunning, shrewdness, and despicable generosity. And the God who once exacted punishment has been humbled by the sheer audacity of Joseph and Mary’s boy, Jesus the carpenter from Nazareth. A good king, an unjust king, a king full of grace. A king who cares very little about expanding an empire, but rather sabotages it; and lived to give freedom. 

Are you the king of your castle? Taylor Swift says, “We figured you out, We all know now, we all got crowns You need to calm down.” You can go to Laguna Beach and buy a crown crafted with brilliance by local artists. And why not? In Spanish it’s romantic for a husband to call his wife, “reina” or “queen.” Luther said the Christian is perfectly free, subject to none; and dutiful to all, subject to all. The king is taking back his throne. Amen. Alleluia. Come Lord Jesus. All Hail the power of Jesus name and crown him with many crowns. 

El jefe de jefes

Inglaterra ya tiene un rey nuevo, se llama, Charles. ¿No es buen rey? Jesús es el único rey. 

El propósito de cualquier rey es ser mayordomo de Dios en la tierra.

Jesús no contó una historia. Había un mayordomo que robó dinero de su amo; un gran dueño. El dueño Iba a correr al mayordomo. Pero antes de perder todo el mayordomo perdonó todas las deudas de los clientes.Entonces por mantener la paz, el dueño no le corrió al mayordomo.

El propósito de la parábola es que Jesú es el mayordomo injusto. Él no fue justo en su tiempo en la tierra. Sino era generoso con gente de mala fama. Dios rechazó a su hijo en la cruz. Pero antes de renunciar a su reino, Jesús perdonó a todo el mundo su deuda a Dios. Entonces Dios tenía que resucitar a su hijo por mantener la paz con la creación

Eres un rey? Eres un jefe? Los Tigres del norte cantan, “Soy el jefe de jefe señores.” Bueno, todos somos como reyes por la libertad que tenemos por la bondad de Jesús. La cuestión es, ¿Qué haces con tu poder? ¿Qué dices cuando ves la injusticia? Hay mucha explotación del pueblo.

¿Nunca te sientes que el gran deseo de su corazón existe poquito más allá del horizonte; y nada más tienes que hacer el primer paso? No tomes este paso. Es una trampa. Mantengenos en la senda ancha. Esto es lo que es real.