Thank you for listening to Servants for Christ. In all that we do, in all that we say, we want to give glory and honor to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you for tuning us in as we get into the wonderful Word of God. For the next few minutes, let's take the beautiful Word of God and share it with each and every one of you as we have a sense of anticipation to take the Word of God and to listen to its truth for each and every one. Thank you. As we get into the wonderful Word of God, I want to talk to you about a call for integrity and accountability, a call for integrity and accountability. Take your Bibles with us to Luke chapter 16, verses 10 through 12. The Bible says, he that is faithful in that and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. Verse 11, if therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? Lastly in verse 12, and if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own? Will you pray with me? We ask over the wonderful word of God as we come before you, asking for wisdom and discernment, that we may know that you are the God of order, the God of righteousness, the God of truth. Help us to understand the weight of our responsibilities as stewards of the resources that you've entrusted to us. May we seek integrity in all of our dealings, both public and private, and may we honor you with our actions, especially in the areas of accountability and wise spending. We pray this in Jesus' name, amen. Now, what did we read? When we look in a world, we live in transparency that is often a rare commodity. Now, whether it's the government, whether it's business, or even our own personal lives, hidden spending expenditures made without full knowledge or consent from those who fund them can occur without much notice. And at times, these hidden practices, they seem innocent, perhaps even necessary. But what does God's Word have to say about such things, especially being around tax time? Jesus speaks to us about faithfulness and integrity in all aspects of life, including the handling of money. And he warns us that if we are untrustworthy in small things, we cannot be trusted with larger responsibilities. And so, we wonder how the principles of accountability, honesty, and stewardship apply to the management of resources and spending both personally and corporately. Well, first of all, We look and we see that it tells us about how that we are to be able to spend the Word of God, the money for the Word of God. And the first thing that we see is hidden spending, the temptation to be unfaithful. What did we look at? We read and we said that in verse 10 of Luke chapter 16, he that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much, and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. Well, that verse is saying that if someone is trustworthy with small things, they can also be trusted with bigger things. But on the flip side, if someone is dishonest with little things, they will also be dishonest when it comes to larger responsibilities. The principle is that integrity and trustworthiness start with small, everyday actions. And if we're not faithful in the small things, we won't be trusted with greater responsibility. I saw it for myself. I saw an officer of the law that he first was taking small things. He didn't notice that anybody noticed it, but I did. But as I began to watch it, it wasn't until later on that he had sold himself out and got himself in so bad trouble that he's serving time to this day. It's sad. Because being honest in small things shows us that we can be trusted with bigger things. And if you're not honest in small matters, you won't be trusted in bigger ones. And so we look and realize the lack of transparency, the temptation to hide, to mismanage. Spending often stems from a desire to avoid scrutiny. And in our personal finances, we might think that it's easier to hide purchases or use funds in ways that don't reflect our values or our goals, but likewise, in public office or business, it's tempting to include unaccountable spending or projects that benefit a few but cost many. And so Luke chapter 16 verse 10 reminds us that faithfulness is required not just in the big visible actions, but also in the small hidden ones. God sees everything, and his standards of accountability are unwavering. And so, we see the lack of transparency. But also, secondly, the deception of hidden motives. When we look at what is happening in our government today, That didn't get out of whack overnight. Over many, many years of many different Republicans and Democrats and leaders have let that happen. And so we see the deception of those hidden motives. Sometimes hidden spending is justified by the belief that the end justifies the means. But whether it's for personal gain, political advantage, or the desire to avoid conflict, we may be tempted to justify hidden actions, but God sees the heart. Proverbs 16 says, all the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes, but the Lord with the spirits. You see, he knows what lies beneath the surface and he calls us to act with integrity. And so in a world of politics, it's not uncommon to hear of large sprawling bills that contain hidden provisions inside them, spending that no one reads or questions until after the fact. And while these are often justified as being a part of a necessary compromise, the question remains, are these decisions being made with honesty and fairness to the taxpayers? You see, we're seeing that right now that's happening with President Trump. and Elon Musk. And a lot of people are getting all bent out of shape about it. But you see, this is something that was slid in by our leaders, our politicians, for such a long time that it's been going on. And you know what? Somebody got something out of it. Somebody defaulted and betrayed America. And so, when we look at the principles of accountability, of honesty, and stewardship, and knowing, both personally and corporately, that hidden spin in the temptation to be unfaithful, but secondly, the biblical call to stewardship and integrity. You see, God's view of money and resources, the Bible is clear that everything belongs to God. The psalmist, Psalms 24 says, The earth is the Lord and the fullness thereof, the world and they that dwell therein. And so our finances, whether they're individual or whether they're collective, are not our own. We are stewards of what God has given us. And mismanaging these resources, hiding spending, or failing to hold others accountable is a direct violation of our role as stewards. And so, We see God's view of money and resources, amen. And so when we look at verse 11, he says, if therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammoth, who will commit to your trust the true riches? Well, Jesus refers to the unrighteous mammoth, which is another way of saying money or material wealth. He's teaching that if we can't be trusted with money, which isn't eternal or truly valuable in the grand scheme of life, then how can we expect to be trusted with things that are truly valuable, like spiritual blessings and eternal life? It's about showing trustworthiness. things so that we can be trusted with the things that matter to God. If you can't be trusted with money, which is temporary, how can you be expected to be trusted with things that last forever and ever and ever in all eternity like spiritual treasures? And so, We see that he said in Luke chapter 16 verse 12, and if you have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who shall give you that which is your own? You see, verse 12 focuses on our stewardship of things that don't belong to us, such as the resources, such as the responsibilities that we have in the world, and whether that's a job, a business, or anything entrusted to us. You see, America, since they got away from the founding father's view of how America should be, and they've become more and more liberal, that's what's happening in the political arena across the world today and in the White House. Jesus is saying that if we're not faithful and caring for things that belong to others, we shouldn't. expect to be trusted with things of our own. In other words, how we handle what we are given, whether it's someone else's or our own, reflects how God will trust us with more. So you can't be trusted to take care of things that belong to others. Why should you expect to be trusted with things that are yours? And so, Jesus is teaching us the importance of being faithful and honest, even in the small matters. Our trustworthiness with money and other people's things, as politicians have those, and they know about all of the hidden things before the public ever knows about them. How that we handle bigger responsibilities, especially spiritual ones, because God values integrity. And if we show that we can be trusted in everyday matters, He will trust us with even more important things. And so, when we look and we realize that God's view of money and resources, integrity in all areas is what Luke chapter 16 verses 11 and 12 is saying. Jesus emphasizes that those who are faithful in small things will be trusted with larger things. And when we're dishonest or hidden in small matters, it proves that we cannot be trusted with the true riches of God if we cannot manage the resources entrusted to us. How? Can we be trusted with the greater responsibilities God gives us? Imagine a manager who is trusted with overseeing a company's budget. And if that manager has unnecessary spending or misuses funds for personal gain, it's integrity. When governments or businesses are trusted with public funds, the people expect transparency and accountability. And just as in the parable of the talents, God holds all of us accountable for how we manage his resources. And so, We see that the principles of accountability, honesty, and stewardship that apply to management. Hidden spending, the temptation to be unfaithful, that's there. But the biblical call to stewardship and integrity. But lastly and closing, the consequences of hidden spending. First of all, financial waste and misuse. Hidden spending can lead to efficiency, financial waste, and loss of trust. The wisdom of Proverbs 21 5 says the thoughts of the diligent tend only to plenteousness but of everyone that is hasty only to want. You see when we're hasty squander resources that can be used for greater purposes. Whether it's personal savings or national funds, the waste of resources impacts the future. And so financial waste and misuse. But secondly, the erosion of trust. That's what's happened in America with the government today. When people It can damage relationships. It can erode the faith that people have in their leaders. And in personal relationships, hidden financial decisions can lead to broken trust and even division. And so, out of Luke chapter 16, verses 10, 11, and 12, it teaches us that if we're dishonest in the small things, we will lose the trust needed for greater responsibilities. Think of a church where the leadership hides financial decisions from the congregation, perhaps for convenience or to avoid conflict. But over time, this leads to a loss of trust and the church's influence and ability to do God's work are severely diminished. And so, I'm going to say a fourth thing, and that is when we see the accountability, the honesty, and the stewardship applying on the management, we see hidden spending, the temptation to be unfaithful, the biblical call to stewardship and integrity, the consequences of hidden spending. But fourthly, we look and we see living with accountability and transparency. because we choose integrity and we're called to live with integrity in all things, including our finances. The wisdom of Proverbs 11 3 says, the integrity of the upright shall guide them, but the perverseness of transgressors shall be You see, we must make conscious choices to be transparent and honest in our dealings, no matter how small or hidden they may seem. And so, when we live with accountability and transparency, we choose integrity. But secondly, we hold one another accountable. Just as we are accountable to God for how we manage His resources, we must also hold one another accountable. And it's not enough for one person to be honest if others are hiding things. As a community of believers, we're called to lift each other up, challenging each other in righteousness, and ensuring that there's no hidden sin or deceit among us. Paul said in Ephesians 4.25, we're for putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. And so as I close out on the call for integrity and accountability, Hidden spending, whether in personal finances, whether in business, or whether in government, it violates the biblical principles of integrity and accountability. And God calls you and I to be faithful stewards, trustworthy in both the small and in the large matters. We're reminded that transparency commitment to God's principles. I wonder what areas of your life might be tempted to hide or mismanage resources. What role does that transparency play in your relationship, both personal and professional? And I wonder how can the church as a community hold one another accountable for stewardship and integrity in handling their resources? Well, I'm glad that through The integrity and transparency in all areas of life, emphasizing the hidden spending, whether they're small, whether they're large scale, ultimately dishonors God and it leads to destruction, while transparency and accountability bring peace and trust. I hope and pray that we can learn our lessons, that we learn about hidden spending and the temptation to be unfaithful. the biblical call to stewardship and integrity, the consequences of hidden spending, and living with accountability and transparency. Father, we thank you for the wisdom your word provides on the importance of integrity in all things, especially in how we handle resources. Help us to be faithful in both small and large matters. always seeking transparency and accountability in our dealings. And we pray that you would guide our leaders today, because that's what all the fuss is about right now. Our families and our communities to act with righteousness and wisdom in managing the resources that you have entrusted to us. May we honor you in all that we do. In the marvelous mighty name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.