1. Come to worship.

2. Come to give.

3. Come to sacrifice.

4. Come to obey.

START TALKING

When have you gotten caught unprepared to give someone a gift, but you had to do it because they gave to you first...you responded to their gift by giving back to them? Or when have you been caught off guard because you weren't prepared to give a gift to someone who gave to you?

START THINKING

Read Matthew 2:1-2. What about the question that is asked would have been threatening to King Herrod - or to any king, if we're honest?

Read Matthew 2:3-4. How does this show that Herrod - the literal king of the Jews - was unprepared to truly lead? How is this similar to how many of us or those that we know might consider themselves Christians because of culture or tradition but don't truly know for themselves what they believe?

START SHARING

To respond to the coming of Jesus first requires an acknowledgement of who He is and what He did for you - it requires thankfulness and gratitude. How has doing this led you to times of worship? When have you experienced the richest seasons of worship because you were responding to the presence and work of Jesus in your life? What was the "trigger" for you to respond in worship?

When have you experienced the reality that true worship requires sacrifice?

How does our not wanting to sacrifice keep us from worship? How does it keep us from giving?

START DOING

The gifts that the magi brought were of incredible value - likely enough to finance Mary's and Joseph's trip to Egypt to keep their baby Jesus safe. They truly responded to the coming of Jesus by giving him their biggest and best gifts. What can you do to give your biggest and best to Jesus this Christmas? What sacrifice will be required for you to that?

Read Matthew 2:12. The magi were in the middle - do they do what the king had told them to do or do they do what the Spirit of God told them to do. What have you sensed the Spirit telling you or leading you to do? What will be required of you to obey that? What will you do in response?

START PRAYING

Pray for each person in the microchurch to be respond to the coming of Jesus by living lives that come to worship, sacrifice, give, and obey. Pray that each of us do not simply go through the steps of tradition this Christmas, but respond to the coming of Immanuel by coming to him in response!