Identity: Part 5-Look Up

February 2nd, 2025

MICRO CHURCH GUIDE
February 02, 2025

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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.

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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: What I look to determines the source of my identity.

Colossians 3:1-2 NLT

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.

1. Look to the Kingdom for a new culture.

Colossians 3:3-4 NLT

For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory.

2. Look away from the way I always did it before.

Colossians 3:5-9 NLT

So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world.Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming.You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world.But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language.Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds.

3. Create new habits and disciplines.

Colossians 3:10-11 NLT

Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free. Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us.

4. Look to Jesus to look more like Jesus.

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START TALKING

When have you moved to or visited a new place that had a completely different culture? How did you stand out? What made it most uncomfortable for you and why? What did you have to adopt or do differently in order to function in this new culture? What wouldn't have worked if you had insisted on still doing things the way you were used to?

START THINKING

Read Colossians 3:1-2.
What are some "realities of heaven" or "things of heaven" that come to mind when you read this?

If the culture of heaven was here on this earth, what would be different? (Hint: think about living in another country or another "kingdom".) Specifically, how would you think differently? How would the daily rhythms be different? What laws and ruler would you follow?

How would living in this different culture affect your identity, specifically the way you think and the way you think about yourself?

START SHARING

Read Colossians 3:3-4.
What are some old habits or old ways that you used to do things that were normal or expected before you followed Jesus?

How have you seen your new - or rather, your created and true - identity revealed as you more closely follow Jesus?

How do you find yourself reverting back to your old ways of thinking and doing when your eyes are not looking to the Kingdom or looking to Jesus? What helps you to look away from these old ways of doing things?

START DOING

Read Colossians 3:5-9.
While this list is not an exhaustive list of how you can live in your true identity in Christ, it is a great start! Share some new habits and disciplines you have developed or could develop when:

- Sexual immorality, impurity, or lust is a temptation.
- You are tempted to be greedy with your time, your money, or your talents.
- When something makes you angry.
- When you find yourself or someone else talking bad about someone (slander).
- When you find yourself using dirty language or part of a conversation that wouldn't be had in heaven.

From the list above, share two things you commit to doing every day to create new habits and disciplines that look more like Jesus and His Kingdom.

What can you do every day this week to look to Jesus to look more like Jesus?

How will discovering your "hidden identity with Christ" impact the people around you where you live, work, and play? Read 1 Peter 3:15 for a clue, and share how you will be prepared to answer when people ask. What will you say? Share the story with your micro church that you will share with them.

START PRAYING

Pray for each person in the micro church to take the steps you each committed to above. Ask God to help each of us to hold each other accountable to take these steps and follow Him more and more each day. Pray that this will open up the door for those around you to ask why you are living differently so that you can share the story of Jesus.

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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)?

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