Come: Part 4 - The Waiting

December 22nd, 2024

MICRO CHURCH GUIDE
December 22, 2024

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

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 2025 missions 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 22, 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/christmas to see all the service times and to reserve your free tickets today.

No Services Next Sunday, December 29
Each year OneLife takes the last Sunday of the year off to allow our volunteers, staff, and church to rest. So enjoy that Sunday with family and friends on December 29 and we will see you back in the New Year on January 5 at the North Campus at 9 & 10:45am, and the East Campus at 10am.

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.

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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.
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Bottom Line: Hope comes after the waiting.

Luke 2:21-24 NIV

On the eighth day, when it was time to circumcise the child, he was named Jesus, the name the angel had given him before he was conceived.When the time came for the purification rites required by the Law of Moses, Joseph and Mary took him to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male is to be consecrated to the Lord”)and to offer a sacrifice in keeping with what is said in the Law of the Lord: “a pair of doves or two young pigeons.”

1. Fulfilled hope looks different than expected.

Luke 2:25-26 NIV

Now there was a man in Jerusalem called Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was on him.It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord’s Messiah.

2. Only God knows the timeline.

Luke 2:27-28 NIV

Moved by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the custom of the Law requiredSimeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying

3. Waiting requires me to be Spirit-led.

Luke 2:28-35 NIV

Simeon took Jesus in his arms and praised God. He said“Lord, you are the King over all. Now let me, your servant, go in peace. That is what you promised.My eyes have seen your salvation.You have prepared it in the sight of all nations.It is a light to be given to the Gentiles. It will be the glory of your people Israel.”The child’s father and mother were amazed at what was said about him.Then Simeon blessed them. He said to Mary, Jesus’ mother, “This child is going to cause many people in Israel to fall and to rise. God has sent him. But many will speak against him.The thoughts of many hearts will be known. A sword will wound your own soul too.”

4. Fulfilled hope is better than expected.

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START TALKING

Share a memory that you have of waiting for Christmas morning and dreaming and imagining what will come when the day finally arrives. What do you remember experiencing during the waiting?

What is another time that you had to wait on something or someone to come? What is your own natural inclination when you have to wait - Patience? Impatience? Anxiety? Faith?

START THINKING
Read Luke 2:21-24.

The offering brought by Mary and Joseph was the offering required of the poorest of people when dedicating their child. What does this say about their obedience? What does it teach you about God's view of and desire for all people?

Read Luke 2:25-35.

What do you think Simeon experienced during all of his years of waiting on God to do what He promised? What do you think Simeon experienced on that unexpected day when the promise was finally fulfilled?

Read Luke 2:36-40.

This is another example of waiting that we find within the temple story. What speaks to you from this story? What would you tell someone else about Anna and her experience?

START SHARING

From the story of Jesus being dedicated in the temple we learn many things. First, fulfilled hope looks different than expected. Jesus didn't come from a wealthy or powerful family like most would have expected the "King of Kings" to be. When have you experienced a promise of God being fulfilled and it looked different than you expected?

Simeon likely waited for many years - decades even - to see his hope fulfilled and God's promise delivered. When have you had to wait and it seemed like a long time of waiting on God? What are you even now finding yourself waiting for? How does this story of Simeon help you?

START DOING

Simeon was so sensitive to the Spirit of God that he not only knew what God had promised, but he even allowed the Spirit to lead him to the right place at the right time to experience the culmination of his waiting. What do you or what can you do to be Spirit-led like this? What role do each of the following play in you hearing clearly from the Spirit:

- Prayer
- Scriptures
- Community and Godly counsel

The result of all this waiting in the story of Simeon was a fulfilled promise that was even better than he could have expected. What can you do to ensure you don't rush God's process? What can you do when you think you have discovered the answer to your waiting but need to ensure it is truly the work of God and not your own desire?

START PRAYING

Pray for each of the things that were shared above. Share what you sense the Spirit is telling you to wait for and pray that you will be patient and faithful while waiting for God to deliver on his promise. Pray that God will write this as part of your story so that not only you can experience His work in your life, but so others around you will see Jesus in you wherever you live, work, and play.
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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
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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.
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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?
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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