Transformed by Grace: A Disciple’s Lifestyle 10.26.2025

Today’s worship centered on the call to faithful stewardship—using all that God has entrusted to us for God’s purposes and the good of others. We began by remembering that worship is not just about singing or praying, but about offering our whole selves—our time, energy, resources, and creativity—to God. The children were invited to reflect on the meaning of stewardship, learning that everything we have, from food and family to money and talents, is a gift from God meant to be shared. Through the story of a young girl named Lily, we saw how even the smallest gift, when given with a generous heart, can inspire others and become part of something much greater than itself.

The Gospel reading from Luke 16 challenged us with the parable of the dishonest manager. While the manager’s actions were not commendable in their dishonesty, his urgency and creativity in using what he had left were lifted up as a model for us. Jesus calls us to be just as intentional and resourceful in using our gifts—not for self-preservation, but for the sake of God’s kingdom. The parable reminds us that faithfulness in small things leads to trust with greater things, and that our relationship with money and resources reveals where our true allegiance lies.

Drawing on the wisdom of John Wesley, we were reminded to “gain all you can, save all you can, and give all you can,” not hoarding wealth but using it for the good of others. True stewardship is not just about money, but about works of mercy—feeding the hungry, caring for the sick, and making the world more just and compassionate. We are called to invest in relationships, to build a community that reflects the diversity and love of God, and to let grace overflow from our lives into the world.

Ultimately, the invitation is to a lifestyle shaped by grace, generosity, and trust in God’s abundance. We are each uniquely created and loved by God, and our stories, gifts, and resources are meant to be shared. As we commit ourselves—our prayers, presence, gifts, service, and witness—may our lives become seeds of transformation, making the world look a little more like heaven.

Key Takeaways

• 1. Faithfulness Begins with the Smallest Gifts God entrusts us with resources—time, talents, money—not to be hoarded, but to be used and shared. Even the smallest act of generosity, like Lily’s jar of change, can inspire others and become part of God’s greater work. Faithfulness in little things is the foundation for being entrusted with greater things, and every gift, no matter how small, matters in God’s economy. [16:42]
• 2. Stewardship Is a Creative and Intentional Calling Jesus’ parable of the dishonest manager challenges us to be as intentional and resourceful in our stewardship as the world is with its resources. We are called to use our gifts, not for self-preservation, but for building relationships and advancing God’s kingdom. True stewardship requires discernment, creativity, and a willingness to invest in what truly matters. [36:47]
• 3. Our Relationship with Money Reveals Our Allegiance Jesus warns that we cannot serve both God and wealth. Where we invest our resources—our checkbooks, our time, our energy—reveals what we truly value and whom we truly serve. The call is to put God first, trusting that when we give from the top, God will provide for our needs and multiply our generosity for the sake of others. [38:18]
• 4. Grace Grows When It Is Shared, Not Guarded God’s blessings are not meant to be kept to ourselves. Grace, like butter in the hands of a child, is meant to get everywhere—touching lives, breaking down barriers, and transforming communities. When we release our gifts and let grace overflow, we participate in God’s ongoing work of redemption and healing in the world. [53:17]
• 5. Stewardship Is About Investing in People and Community True stewardship is not just about money, but about investing in relationships and building a community that reflects God’s love and diversity. Every person is uniquely created and loved by God, and our stories and gifts are needed to bless others. When we use what we have to serve, include, and nurture others, we become part of God’s transforming work in the world. [50:14]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [07:54] - Offering Our Whole Selves in Worship
• [12:55] - Children’s Lesson: Faithful with Little
• [14:07] - Naming God’s Gifts
• [15:22] - The Parable of the Bowl of Change
• [17:47] - Lily’s Story: Small Gifts, Big Impact
• [21:22] - Using Our Gifts to Help Others
• [25:55] - Gospel Reading: Luke 16:1-13
• [34:00] - The Parable of the Dishonest Manager
• [36:47] - Intentional Stewardship for God’s Kingdom
• [41:02] - John Wesley’s Wisdom on Wealth
• [45:21] - Living as Better Stewards
• [50:14] - Building a Diverse, Loving Community
• [53:17] - Letting Grace Overflow
• [57:09] - Commitment to a Lifestyle of Grace
• [58:28] - Making Disciples for the Transformation of the World
• [60:02] - Affirming Our Faith
• [61:26] - Prayer of Commitment and Confession
• [67:19] - Offering and Commitments
• [76:31] - Testimony: Witness to God’s Generosity
• [89:18] - Blessing the Meal and Sending Forth

Bible Reading

Luke 16:1-13 (NIV) — Jesus told his disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. 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.’
“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— I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’
“So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’
“‘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.’
“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.’
“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. I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.
“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. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?
“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.”

Observation Questions

1. In the parable, what actions did the manager take after learning he was going to lose his job? What was the result? (Luke 16:3-8)
2. According to Jesus, what does it mean to be “faithful with very little”? (Luke 16:10)
3. In the sermon, what was the significance of Lily’s jar of change, and how did it impact the church community? [[19:46]]
4. What does Jesus say about serving two masters, and how does this relate to our relationship with money? (Luke 16:13)

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think Jesus used the example of a dishonest manager to teach about stewardship? What quality of the manager does Jesus want his followers to imitate? [[34:44]]
2. How does the story of Lily’s small gift challenge our ideas about what is “enough” to make a difference? [[20:07]]
3. The sermon mentions John Wesley’s advice to “gain all you can, save all you can, and give all you can.” How does this approach differ from simply accumulating wealth for ourselves? [[41:02]]
4. What does it look like in real life to “let grace overflow” instead of guarding it for ourselves? [[53:17]]

Application Questions

1. Think about a “small” gift or talent you have. How could you use it this week to bless someone else, even if it seems insignificant? [[21:22]]
2. The manager in the parable acted with urgency and creativity. Is there an area of your life where you need to be more intentional or creative in using what God has given you? What’s one step you could take? [[36:47]]
3. Look at your calendar and your spending from the past month. What do they reveal about what you value most? Is there a change you feel called to make to put God first? [[38:18]]
4. The sermon says, “Grace, like butter in the hands of a child, is meant to get everywhere.” Who in your life needs to experience God’s grace through you this week? How can you let grace “get everywhere”? [[53:17]]
5. True stewardship is about investing in people and community, not just money. What is one relationship or community need you could invest in this month? [[50:14]]
6. The sermon challenges us to trust that God will provide when we give from the top, not just from what’s left over. Is there an area where you struggle to trust God’s abundance? What would it look like to take a step of faith in that area? [[39:19]]
7. The pastor said, “Our stories, gifts, and resources are meant to be shared.” Is there a part of your story or a gift you’ve been keeping to yourself? How might sharing it help someone else or build up the community? [[56:41]]