Identity: Part 4-Adoption
MICRO CHURCH GUIDE
January 26, 2025
Sermon Page
YouVersion
Sermon Slides
Podcast Audio
_____________________
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Night of Worship, February 5th
OneLifers, Wednesday night, February 5th at 6:30pm will be a Night of Worship! Both campuses will join together at our East campus for an extended time of music, prayer, communion, and a powerful message. Childcare will be available for 2nd Grade and younger. We can’t wait to see you then!
MyOneLife - A 4-Week Sunday Morning Small Group Experience
The first step for every OneLifer to get involved and get to know our church culture and mission is a 4-week small group experience called MyOneLife. It takes place on Sunday mornings in the Meeting Room at each of our campuses. You’ll learn about the vision & values of our church, discover your personal mission & spiritual gifts, and find out tons of ways to get involved. The next MyOneLife will start on February 2nd, so for more information or to sign up, mark the “MyOneLife” box on your Connection Card.
Test Drive - OneLife’s Volunteer Interest Meeting, February 2nd
This month we are hearing stories from our different volunteer teams. If you’ve been coming to OneLife but haven’t started volunteering, then it’s time to get on the team! We are holding a Volunteer Interest Meeting that we call “Test Drive” Sunday, February 2nd after the 10:45am service at our North campus and after the 10am service at our East campus. Mark the volunteering box on your Connection Card to get signed up 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.
_____________________
_____________________
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)?
January 26, 2025
Sermon Page
YouVersion
Sermon Slides
Podcast Audio
_____________________
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Night of Worship, February 5th
OneLifers, Wednesday night, February 5th at 6:30pm will be a Night of Worship! Both campuses will join together at our East campus for an extended time of music, prayer, communion, and a powerful message. Childcare will be available for 2nd Grade and younger. We can’t wait to see you then!
MyOneLife - A 4-Week Sunday Morning Small Group Experience
The first step for every OneLifer to get involved and get to know our church culture and mission is a 4-week small group experience called MyOneLife. It takes place on Sunday mornings in the Meeting Room at each of our campuses. You’ll learn about the vision & values of our church, discover your personal mission & spiritual gifts, and find out tons of ways to get involved. The next MyOneLife will start on February 2nd, so for more information or to sign up, mark the “MyOneLife” box on your Connection Card.
Test Drive - OneLife’s Volunteer Interest Meeting, February 2nd
This month we are hearing stories from our different volunteer teams. If you’ve been coming to OneLife but haven’t started volunteering, then it’s time to get on the team! We are holding a Volunteer Interest Meeting that we call “Test Drive” Sunday, February 2nd after the 10:45am service at our North campus and after the 10am service at our East campus. Mark the volunteering box on your Connection Card to get signed up 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: Adoption doesn’t change my identity, it completely replaces my identity.
John 1:9-13 NLT
The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him.He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.
1. Not all are adopted.
John 1:12-13 NLT
But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.
2. Adoption recognizes my need for a new identity.
John 1:12-13 NLT
But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.
3. Receiving my new identity is all-in not half-hearted.
John 1:12-13 NLT
But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.
4. This adoption is so radical it is described as a second birth.
_____________________
START TALKING
Share an adoption story. Maybe it is your own literal adoption story, or one that you have witnessed. How did it do more than change a name or identity, but completely replaced identity?
Share an adoption story. Maybe it is your own literal adoption story, or one that you have witnessed. How did it do more than change a name or identity, but completely replaced identity?
START THINKING
Read John 1:9-13.
Read John 1:9-13.
Why do you think that the very creation that Jesus was the maker of was unable to recognize Him? What does this tell you about false identity and how deceptive it is?
What do you think Jesus felt (and feels) when his very own creation did not (and does not) receive Him? Why is this an important reality to consider? How does this make a relationship with Jesus more understandable than merely a religion?
What do you think Jesus felt (and feels) when his very own creation did not (and does not) receive Him? Why is this an important reality to consider? How does this make a relationship with Jesus more understandable than merely a religion?
START SHARING
How have you experienced a world that assumes all are "God's children"? What is challenging about the truth that, in fact, all are not yet God's children? What is the danger in believing all are God's children already?
What led you to first recognizing and accepting that you had and have a need for a new identity? What was most difficult for you to overcome to accept this?
Over and over the Bible uses the word "believe," which can be easily misunderstood in the English language as an intellectual step rather than an "all-in" action step. How have you experienced the difference between a simple and literal "belief" that Jesus is real versus the "all-in" surrender to Him that the Scriptures actually speak of?
Read Titus 3:5, Ezekiel 36:26, 2 Corinthians 5:17, and John 3:5.
How have you experienced a world that assumes all are "God's children"? What is challenging about the truth that, in fact, all are not yet God's children? What is the danger in believing all are God's children already?
What led you to first recognizing and accepting that you had and have a need for a new identity? What was most difficult for you to overcome to accept this?
Over and over the Bible uses the word "believe," which can be easily misunderstood in the English language as an intellectual step rather than an "all-in" action step. How have you experienced the difference between a simple and literal "belief" that Jesus is real versus the "all-in" surrender to Him that the Scriptures actually speak of?
Read Titus 3:5, Ezekiel 36:26, 2 Corinthians 5:17, and John 3:5.
These verses are just a few that speak of "regeneration" or the second birth. How do these help you better understand the radical transformation that happens when you truly follow Jesus and repent of your former, false identity?
START DOING
What do you sense the Spirit is leading you to do so that you can fully surrender to and follow Jesus? What role must repentance of sin play for you to full embrace your adoption as a child of God?
What holds you back from truly embracing your new identity? What can you do everyday to break free from the sin that would attempt to hold you trapped to your old self?
How would you tell your story of life before Jesus and then following Jesus in terms of adoption? Share you story with each other as if you were sharing it with someone who doesn't yet know Jesus.
What do you sense the Spirit is leading you to do so that you can fully surrender to and follow Jesus? What role must repentance of sin play for you to full embrace your adoption as a child of God?
What holds you back from truly embracing your new identity? What can you do everyday to break free from the sin that would attempt to hold you trapped to your old self?
How would you tell your story of life before Jesus and then following Jesus in terms of adoption? Share you story with each other as if you were sharing it with someone who doesn't yet know Jesus.
START PRAYING
Pray for each other in the micro church, especially related to what you shared above is your greatest hurdle to embracing your new identity in Christ. Pray for each other to be all-in and ready to share this story with those who are not yet adopted as a child of God.
_______________________________Pray for each other in the micro church, especially related to what you shared above is your greatest hurdle to embracing your new identity in Christ. Pray for each other to be all-in and ready to share this story with those who are not yet adopted as a child of God.
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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