Come: Part 1 - The Plan

December 1st, 2024

MICRO CHURCH GUIDE
December 01, 2024

Sermon Page
YouVersion
Sermon Slides
Podcast Audio
_____________________

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Jingle Jam - December 1 & December 8
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 next Sunday night December 1st at our East Campus and Sunday Night December 8th at our North campus. So save the date, invite a friend, and get ready for an awesome night!

OneLife Students - Christmas Party, Dec 18
Cindy Lou Who once said, “No one should be alone for Christmas”, and we couldn’t agree more. That is why it is time for our annual OneLife Students Christmas Party! This year's theme is A Very Merry Grinchmas! So invite a friend and come in your best ugly sweater and crazy Whoville hair. There will be food, games, and a wrap up to our Christmas series. It all takes place Wednesday, December 18th at our North Campus. Doors open at 6:30pm and we will wrap up at 8:30pm.

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: The plan points to the purpose.

Isaiah 7:10-14 NLT

Later, the LORD sent this message to King Ahaz“Ask the LORD your God for a sign of confirmation, Ahaz. Make it as difficult as you want—as high as heaven or as deep as the place of the dead.”But the king refused. “No,” he said, “I will not test the LORD like that.”Then Isaiah said, “Listen well, you royal family of David! Isn’t it enough to exhaust human patience? Must you exhaust the patience of my God as well?All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).

1. God is in charge not me!

Isaiah 7:14 NLT

All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).

2. Proof is in the impossible being possible.

Isaiah 7:14 NLT

All right then, the Lord himself will give you the sign. Look! The virgin will conceive a child! She will give birth to a son and will call him Immanuel (which means ‘God is with us’).

3. God does the work to come to me, not the other way around.

Isaiah 9:2-7 NLT

The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.You will enlarge the nation of Israel, and its people will rejoice. They will rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest and like warriors dividing the plunder.For you will break the yoke of their slavery and lift the heavy burden from their shoulders. You will break the oppressor’s rod, just as you did when you destroyed the army of Midian.The boots of the warrior and the uniforms bloodstained by war will all be burned. They will be fuel for the fire.For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven’s Armies will make this happen!

4. He rules and reigns no matter what.

_______________________

START TALKING

What are some plans that you have at Christmastime, and what is the purpose that those plans truly point to?

What are examples of other plans that you have had or that others have had for you, and what were the purposes that those plans pointed to?

START THINKING

Read Isaiah 7:5-7. What was the simple promise that God gives King Ahaz in these verses regarding the king's greatest fear?

Read Isaiah 7:10-12. What does God offer King Ahaz in these verses to give the king confidence, faith, and hope?

How does the king's response show that he doesn't fully and completely trust God? How does it show that he wants to stay in control?

START SHARING

Read Isaiah 7:14. God gives King Ahaz a sign anyway! When has God done what was best for you even when you didn't want it or ask for it? How did it show you God's ultimate faithfulness to you?

The prophecy (aka plan) that God gives in Isaiah 7:14 is a dual prophecy. It points to what will happen in the near future (Isaiah's and Ahaz's lifetime - see Isaiah 8) and what will happen in the distant future (see Matthew 1:23). When have you experienced a promise or plan from God that had double purposes - for both the immediate future and the distant future? How did the disciples experience the fulfillment of some prophecies in their lifetime that are also still yet to be ultimately fulfilled?

How does the idea of dual prophecies give further proof to the truth that Jesus rules and reigns no matter what? Is it more difficult for you to trust God with the immediate future or the distant future? Why?

START DOING

Read Isaiah 9:1-7. This passage points to the ultimate purpose in God's prophecy and plan given in Isaiah 7 as it clearly points that it is about the coming Messiah - "Mighty God" and "Everlasting Father." What do you sense God telling you about your own life and how He is Immanuel - God with us - both now and in the future for eternity.

If you were to truly live as if He rules and reigns no matter what and that His presence is real and with you both now and forever, how would that change the way you trust Him and live your life each and every day? What do you need to do to fully trust that He is in charge and not you?

How would living this truth to the fullest open opportunities for you to share your story/testimony with those who are far from God where you live, work, and play? Who can you be investing in over the coming weeks and inviting them to come experience Jesus with you at one of the Christmas services in a few weeks?

START PRAYING

Pray for each other in the micro church to follow through with the steps you are sensing God is leading you to take in the answers above. Each person share the names of those you can invite to come experience Jesus with you at Christmas services and pray for those people by name! But even more than that, pray for each other in the micro church to be prepared to "give an answer for the hope that you have" by doing more than simply inviting them to a service but to share why - because of your own story of what Jesus has done and is doing in your life!

_______________________________

Christmas Offering - Give Online Now!
Give your biggest and best gift to Jesus this Christmas! Give any time in the month of December to the Big ReGift Christmas Offering so that we can give away more than $50,000 in 2025 to our missions partners in Knoxville, the US, and literally around the world!
http://www.onelifeknox.com/give
___________________

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)?

Posted in Micro Church Guides