16 Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. 2 So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’ 3 “The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg— 4 I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’ 5 “So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 “‘Nine hundred gallons of olive oil,’ he replied. “The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred and fifty.’ 7 “Then he asked the second, ‘And how much do you owe?’ “‘A thousand bushels of wheat,’ he replied. “He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’ 8 “The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. 9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. 10 “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 11 So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? 12 And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own? 13 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”

Jesus tells a story of a manager being sacked because he was dishonest.  Then a twist, the dishonest manager is praised for being smart in finding a way to look after himself once he is out of work.  His dishonesty stands but it's his quick thinking for his survival that is praised.
The Message Bible puts verse 9 like this  ” … I want you to be smart in the same way – but for what is right – using every adversity to stimulate you to creative survival, …”
This man was neither honest or faithful in the responsibilities he was given.
Whether at work, school, church, family, friends, I see this as being a stor

y about how we handle the things we have been given responsibility for. Whether that's money, people, ministry gifts or just doing what I've been asked to do.

Honest or dishonest I will be seen – by man and by God.  Better to make sure it's honesty I am seen for and even more so when I have responsibility for what belongs to another.

Father, I want to be smart about doing the right thing in the first place. Help me to be diligent in even the smallest things asked of me, help me to be a person of integrity, honesty in all situations – small or big.

Written by Suzie Hodgson

11 Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. 12 The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them. 13 “Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. 14 After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. 17 “When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’ 20 So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21 “The son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

A familiar passage in which we usually focus on the generosity, love and forgiveness of the father in accepting his son back. What an amazing blessing to be accepted by God after all we have done.

But what touches me freshly at the moment is the celebration. I can just fathom that God loves and accepts me. It is harder to understand that he threw a party in my honour when I accepted

Jesus – that he actually celebrates me being part of his kingdom. Stop and think about that. You are so loved that God didn’t just say “Yep, he/she believes, let him in”. He says “Wow! Let’s throw an expensive, exorbitant party because he’s here!”

Lord, help me to understand that you want to celebrate me.

Written by Megan Cornell

15 Now the tax collectors and sinners were all gathering around to hear Jesus. 2 But the Pharisees and the teachers of the law muttered, “This man welcomes sinners and eats with them.” 3 Then Jesus told them this parable: 4 “Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? 5 And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders 6 and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’ 7 I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.

The parable of the lost sheep is a beautiful story that describes the faithfulness of the Father to seek out those who have gone astray.

Too often, I am like the Pharisees in some way, even if it is only expressed internally. Father God give us your heart for the lost

and those who wander. Break our heart for what breaks yours. Make us a people who care for the “Tax collectors and other notorious sinners” in our world and help us to find a way to help them share a meal with Christ too.

Written by Justin Ware

15 When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed are those who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” 16 Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. 17 At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ 18 “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ 19 “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ 20 “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ 21 “The servant came back and reported this to his master. Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ 22 “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’ 23 “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. 24 I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’”

Jesus tells this story in response to a comment about how wonderful it would be to attend a feast in God's kingdom.  This story details who will eat at such a feast and it's not necessarily who you'd think!

The original guests do not show up for the feast.  These were the people the host wanted at the feast – his first choice.  Yet none of them show up!  On the surface they seem to provide reasonable excuses as to why they can't attend.  The host is not just disappointed he is furious and moves onto his “B” guest list – the misfits!  There is still room around the table so the host instructs the servant to go further afield and basically invite anyone.  It doesn't matter that these people are unknown to the host.  The original guests can be likened to the Jews while the guests from t

he highways and byways are like the gentiles.

It is worth noting that the host wanted the meal to be enjoyed and his house full.  Ultimately the feast was open to anyone who said “yes” and showed up.

Today this passage of Scripture spoke to me about priorities.  The excuses the original guests gave were legitimate but caused them to miss out on what God had prepared.  I don't always see or realise what God has on offer.  Heck God himself is at the table, my name is on a place setting and I'm not there for one reason or another! It's not just the food or God's provision that I miss out on but time in His presence. Time just hanging out together.

Dear God, help me to value time with you and not let the stuff of life preoccupy me, amen.

Written by Ainslie Woods