Prepare The Way - Part 1 - Preparation
MICRO CHURCH GUIDE
December 03, 2023
Sermon Page
YouVersion
Sermon Slides
_____________________
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Jingle Jam - Tonight at the East Campus!
Jingle Jam is a Christmas Party big enough for the whole family! It’s an interactive Christmas presentation for kids and parents that’s full of exciting music, fun characters, and a unique perspective of Christmas like you’ve never experienced! Jingle Jam will be held tonight at 6pm at our East campus. We can’t wait to see you there!
Volunteer Christmas Banquet - Next Sunday
If you serve on a OneLife volunteer team, then we can’t wait to see you next Sunday night at 6pm for our annual Volunteer Christmas Banquet. Our campuses are joining together at the Jubilee Banquet Facility on Callahan Road for one GIANT party. And this year’s theme: A OneLife Kara-ho-ho-ho-ke Christmas! It’s gonna be a blast! Today is the last day to RSVP, so visit onelifeknox.com/banquet. If you’re not a part of a volunteer team, this is a great time to get involved. Mark the volunteering box on your Connection Card!
The Big Regift Christmas Missions Offering
Each Christmas season we challenge our OneLifers to give their biggest gift to Jesus during the Big Regift Christmas Missions Offering. Every penny will go to support OneLife’s 2024 international mission partners around the world! You can give to the offering using the Big Regift Christmas Offering envelopes or online at onelifeknox.com/give.
OneLife’s Community Christmas Services
OneLife will be holding our annual community Christmas services on December 23 & 24! Come experience the sights and sounds of the season during this modern, yet still traditional Christmas production. From candlelight and Christmas carols to lights, music, and more, this is an event you won’t forget! Visit onelifeknox.com to see all the service times and to reserve your free tickets today.
Baptism
If you’ve given your life to Jesus but haven’t gone public with your story through baptism then it’s time to take that step! Mark the baptism box on your Connection Card and we’ll help you get started.
__________________
GIVE BACK
Give Jesus your best! Make a one-time tithe or offering or to set up a recurring tithe or offering: Click Here To Give Online.
_____________________
BOTTOM LINE: Preparation is my job. Glory is God's job.
Isaiah 40:3 NIV
3 A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Pay attention to what needs preparation.
Isaiah 40:3 NIV
3 A voice of one calling:“ In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Clear the obstacles.
Isaiah 40:4 NIV
4 Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.
Recognize our shared need.
Isaiah 40:5 NIV
5 And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Receive the glory.
START TALKING
What requires the most preparation for you at Christmastime? What is part of your tradition during this season that requires a lot of waiting and preparation but it pays off with getting to sit back and receive the glory and wonder that it brings?
START THINKING
Read Isaiah 40:3.
Several times throughout Scripture we are told something like "Hark!" or "Listen!" or, in other words, "Pay attention!" Why do you think God often begins his messages to us with this?
If we don't stop and pay attention, what will we miss or not see? If we do stop and pay attention, what should we see that we normally don't see?
In this verse, the prophet Isaiah talks about a wilderness. The definition of a wilderness is an "uninhabitable and inhospitable region." But yet, that's where this king is coming to. What about this world makes it a wilderness for Jesus to come to, and what does that mean for your life and the people you know?
START SHARING
Read Isaiah 40:3-4.
These verses describe a preparation for a coming king that requires obstacles to be removed so that a straight highway can be built to allow the King to come. If we see that as an example to follow, and that we must remove the obstacles in our lives that stand in the way of Jesus coming into our wilderness, what are the obstacles that you may have to remove?
The reality is, literally removing obstacles in a wilderness would be a very difficult, time consuming, and exhausting process. So it will likely be the same for us! The obstacles that need to be removed will take a lot of work and sacrifice. What will it take for you to do that? What are the steps that would be involved? How does this play into you maybe not wanting to do it, and how can that even help you to know what those obstacles may be?
Lowering the mountains and raising the valleys makes the "playing field" level. Spiritually speaking, when do you feel like a mountain that may need to be lowered? When do you feel like a valley or low place that needs to be raised up? Who are the people in your life that may see themselves as the low places that need to be raised up to seeing that we all have a shared need for Jesus?
START DOING
Read Isaiah 40:3-4.
These verses describe a preparation for a coming king that requires Read Isaiah 40:5. The result of the preparation is that ALL people will see his glory. Historically speaking, this happened! All people saw a star in the east. Romans tells us that all people, through creation and consciousness, experience the glory of Jesus. Building off of this principle, how have you seen and experienced the glory of Jesus in your life when you have prepared the way for his Spirit? What did you do that made it possible to not quench his Spirit?
What do you sense the Spirit telling you to do this Christmas to prepare the way for others in your life to experience the Glory of Jesus? Who will you invite to attend a Christmas service and how can you volunteer at one of the services to prepare the way for others to experience Jesus? What will you sacrifice to be able to give your biggest gift to Jesus through the Christmas offering so that you can play a role in preparing the way for other people to know Jesus?
START PRAYING
Each person share one obstacle that you want to remove over the Christmas season so that you can experience the glory of Jesus in your life and to help prepare the way for other people to experience his glory. Pray for each other to be committed and faithful to preparing the way and removing the obstacles so that Jesus can make his glory know to each of you and to the people in your life.
___________________
CONNECTION CARDS
Be sure to fill out the online Connection Card to let us know next steps, prayer requests, or other information you'd like to share, click here.
_____________________
MULTIPLICATION
Share spiritual/missional conversations you've had where you live, work, and play:
- Who did you have a conversation with that took a spiritual/missional turn this week?
- What questions did you ask to discover where God is at work in their life, even if they are not aware?
- How were you able to share your story of life change or how you have experienced Jesus?
- How can you be intentional this week with people where you live, work, and play to have spiritual/missional conversations if the opportunity arises?
- Who in your life do you think could be disciple-able or open to spiritual/missional conversations?
_____________________
WHAT'S NEXT?
- Discuss the next step for your micro church. When will we gather again, and which purpose will it fulfill (missions, fellowship/care, growth, worship, multiplication)?/giveback/giveback
- Discuss the next step for your micro church. When will we gather again, and which purpose will it fulfill (missions, fellowship/care, growth, worship, multiplication)?
December 03, 2023
Sermon Page
YouVersion
Sermon Slides
_____________________
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Jingle Jam - Tonight at the East Campus!
Jingle Jam is a Christmas Party big enough for the whole family! It’s an interactive Christmas presentation for kids and parents that’s full of exciting music, fun characters, and a unique perspective of Christmas like you’ve never experienced! Jingle Jam will be held tonight at 6pm at our East campus. We can’t wait to see you there!
Volunteer Christmas Banquet - Next Sunday
If you serve on a OneLife volunteer team, then we can’t wait to see you next Sunday night at 6pm for our annual Volunteer Christmas Banquet. Our campuses are joining together at the Jubilee Banquet Facility on Callahan Road for one GIANT party. And this year’s theme: A OneLife Kara-ho-ho-ho-ke Christmas! It’s gonna be a blast! Today is the last day to RSVP, so visit onelifeknox.com/banquet. If you’re not a part of a volunteer team, this is a great time to get involved. Mark the volunteering box on your Connection Card!
The Big Regift Christmas Missions Offering
Each Christmas season we challenge our OneLifers to give their biggest gift to Jesus during the Big Regift Christmas Missions Offering. Every penny will go to support OneLife’s 2024 international mission partners around the world! You can give to the offering using the Big Regift Christmas Offering envelopes or online at onelifeknox.com/give.
OneLife’s Community Christmas Services
OneLife will be holding our annual community Christmas services on December 23 & 24! Come experience the sights and sounds of the season during this modern, yet still traditional Christmas production. From candlelight and Christmas carols to lights, music, and more, this is an event you won’t forget! Visit onelifeknox.com to see all the service times and to reserve your free tickets today.
Baptism
If you’ve given your life to Jesus but haven’t gone public with your story through baptism then it’s time to take that step! Mark the baptism box on your Connection Card and we’ll help you get started.
__________________
GIVE BACK
Give Jesus your best! Make a one-time tithe or offering or to set up a recurring tithe or offering: Click Here To Give Online.
_____________________
BOTTOM LINE: Preparation is my job. Glory is God's job.
Isaiah 40:3 NIV
3 A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Pay attention to what needs preparation.
Isaiah 40:3 NIV
3 A voice of one calling:“ In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
Clear the obstacles.
Isaiah 40:4 NIV
4 Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.
Recognize our shared need.
Isaiah 40:5 NIV
5 And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”
Receive the glory.
START TALKING
What requires the most preparation for you at Christmastime? What is part of your tradition during this season that requires a lot of waiting and preparation but it pays off with getting to sit back and receive the glory and wonder that it brings?
START THINKING
Read Isaiah 40:3.
Several times throughout Scripture we are told something like "Hark!" or "Listen!" or, in other words, "Pay attention!" Why do you think God often begins his messages to us with this?
If we don't stop and pay attention, what will we miss or not see? If we do stop and pay attention, what should we see that we normally don't see?
In this verse, the prophet Isaiah talks about a wilderness. The definition of a wilderness is an "uninhabitable and inhospitable region." But yet, that's where this king is coming to. What about this world makes it a wilderness for Jesus to come to, and what does that mean for your life and the people you know?
START SHARING
Read Isaiah 40:3-4.
These verses describe a preparation for a coming king that requires obstacles to be removed so that a straight highway can be built to allow the King to come. If we see that as an example to follow, and that we must remove the obstacles in our lives that stand in the way of Jesus coming into our wilderness, what are the obstacles that you may have to remove?
The reality is, literally removing obstacles in a wilderness would be a very difficult, time consuming, and exhausting process. So it will likely be the same for us! The obstacles that need to be removed will take a lot of work and sacrifice. What will it take for you to do that? What are the steps that would be involved? How does this play into you maybe not wanting to do it, and how can that even help you to know what those obstacles may be?
Lowering the mountains and raising the valleys makes the "playing field" level. Spiritually speaking, when do you feel like a mountain that may need to be lowered? When do you feel like a valley or low place that needs to be raised up? Who are the people in your life that may see themselves as the low places that need to be raised up to seeing that we all have a shared need for Jesus?
START DOING
Read Isaiah 40:3-4.
These verses describe a preparation for a coming king that requires Read Isaiah 40:5. The result of the preparation is that ALL people will see his glory. Historically speaking, this happened! All people saw a star in the east. Romans tells us that all people, through creation and consciousness, experience the glory of Jesus. Building off of this principle, how have you seen and experienced the glory of Jesus in your life when you have prepared the way for his Spirit? What did you do that made it possible to not quench his Spirit?
What do you sense the Spirit telling you to do this Christmas to prepare the way for others in your life to experience the Glory of Jesus? Who will you invite to attend a Christmas service and how can you volunteer at one of the services to prepare the way for others to experience Jesus? What will you sacrifice to be able to give your biggest gift to Jesus through the Christmas offering so that you can play a role in preparing the way for other people to know Jesus?
START PRAYING
Each person share one obstacle that you want to remove over the Christmas season so that you can experience the glory of Jesus in your life and to help prepare the way for other people to experience his glory. Pray for each other to be committed and faithful to preparing the way and removing the obstacles so that Jesus can make his glory know to each of you and to the people in your life.
___________________
CONNECTION CARDS
Be sure to fill out the online Connection Card to let us know next steps, prayer requests, or other information you'd like to share, click here.
_____________________
MULTIPLICATION
Share spiritual/missional conversations you've had where you live, work, and play:
- Who did you have a conversation with that took a spiritual/missional turn this week?
- What questions did you ask to discover where God is at work in their life, even if they are not aware?
- How were you able to share your story of life change or how you have experienced Jesus?
- How can you be intentional this week with people where you live, work, and play to have spiritual/missional conversations if the opportunity arises?
- Who in your life do you think could be disciple-able or open to spiritual/missional conversations?
_____________________
WHAT'S NEXT?
- Discuss the next step for your micro church. When will we gather again, and which purpose will it fulfill (missions, fellowship/care, growth, worship, multiplication)?/giveback/giveback
- Discuss the next step for your micro church. When will we gather again, and which purpose will it fulfill (missions, fellowship/care, growth, worship, multiplication)?
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