Letting Go: A Stewardship Sermon Series from Luke

Note-Taking Guide

I. “Letting Go” – Stewardship means Relinquishment (Luke 5:1-11; Matt 4:18-22)

Letting go is hard –

So it seems more natural to stay in control of our lives

because we have been _______ to be in control.

Jesus does not just run around telling everybody to follow him.

He proves what he can do and then simply _________ us to come along for the ride.

Stewardship at its core is about _________.

Letting go simply _____ ____ ____ _____.

Questions for Small Group Discussion:

o How does letting go make the ride better?

o What is an aspect of my life for which I am not willing to relinquish control?

o What does it look like to let go of the control over my life?

II. “What Comes First?” – Stewardship means Priorities (Luke 9:59-62)

The Accordion Principle –

The time we dedicate to him is not just first in principle, it is first in __________.

You can give God your best and you can give him the most.

But what God really wants is your __________.

God is generous with quality and quantity, but jealous about _________.

Questions for Small Group Discussion:

o What does my schedule say about my priorities?

o Are there any changes I need to make to my schedule to reflect my priorities?

o When is a good set time for God in my schedule?

III. “A Harsh Master?”- Stewardship means Investment (Luke 19:11-27)

The Servant’s (and Our) Raw Deal -

The Truth about Talents -

A talent is a ____________ sum of money.

The Truth about the Master –

The master is actually a _____________ and ______________ man.

The Truth about our Abilities –

We are living a lie when we live as ___________ ___________.

The Truth about God –

When you sign up for a church dare to ask if it is __________ _______.

Stop working so hard, and start doing your ________.

Questions for Small Group Discussion:

o What lies to we tell about God and ourselves?

o What can I think, feel, or do to replace these lies with the truth?

o What kinds of ministry do I like to do? What brings my joy?

IV. “Hurts So Good” – Stewardship means Sacrifice (Luke 21:1-9)

The Widow vs. the Rich -

Immediately after this story, Jesus predicts the destruction of the ______________.

What Jesus values about your useless gift is precisely its ______________.

Sacrifice means _______________.

The heart of worship is _______________.

Questions for Small Group Discussion:

o How does it feel to hear that God values uselessness? Why do I feel this way?

o What are some concrete things I could offer to God as a whole-burnt-offering?

o How would worship change if I treated it as “useless” and “wasteful?”