Esther - Part 1: In the Silence

October 18th, 2026

MICRO CHURCH GUIDE
October 18, 2026

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ANNOUNCEMENTS

Dwell: A Month of Prayer
This month, we’re intentionally focusing on prayer—slowing down, seeking Jesus, and learning to dwell in His presence. Every weekday, we’ll send a short devotional straight to your phone to help you pause, pray, and turn your attention to Him. Join us as we make space to dwell with Jesus and grow deeper in prayer together. Text DAILY to 94000 to join us!

Trunks, Treats, and Stars, October 23rd
Join us for a fun, family-friendly monster-themed fall night featuring a Trunk or Treat, games, food, photo opportunities, and a movie under the stars! The fun begins Friday, October 23 at 6:00 PM at both OneLife campuses. Kids are encouraged to come dressed in their favorite family friendly costumes, and families should bring a blanket or lawn chairs to settle in for our outdoor showing of Monsters, Inc. Mark your calendars, invite your friends, and join us for a monster of a night!

Dress Up Sunday, October 25th
Kid City is having a dress-up Sunday for Halloween on Sunday, October 25th! Be sure to wear your favorite family friendly costume and get ready for a great day of dressed-up fun. Plus, we’re having a costume contest during the services at both campuses. We can’t wait to see you there!

OneLife Students United Night, October 28th
Our Middle & High School students from both campuses are coming together for a United Night! Get ready for a night filled with games, food, student-led worship, and a truth-filled message. Since we’re meeting the week of Halloween, feel free to wear a fun, friendly costume if you’d like. Grab your friends and join us at the Ball Road Campus from 6:30–8:15pm for a night of connection, fun, and unity!

Baptism
If you’ve given your life to Jesus but haven’t gone public with your story through baptism, now is the time to take that step! Baptism is an opportunity to publicly declare your faith, celebrate God’s work in your life, and take the next step in your journey with Jesus. We would love to walk with you through this process, answer your questions, and help you experience the joy of declaring your faith through baptism.
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: God's silence is not evidence of God's absence.

Esther 1:1-4 NLT

These events happened in the days of King Xerxes, who reigned over 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia. At that time Xerxes ruled his empire from his royal throne at the fortress of Susa. In the third year of his reign, he gave a banquet for all his nobles and officials. He invited all the military officers of Persia and Media as well as the princes and nobles of the provinces. The celebration lasted 180 days—a tremendous display of the opulent wealth of his empire and the pomp and splendor of his majesty.

1. What looks impressive to me is insignificant compared to God.

Esther 1:10-12 NLT

On the seventh day of the feast, when King Xerxes was in high spirits because of the wine, he told the seven eunuchs who attended him—Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcasto bring Queen Vashti to him with the royal crown on her head. He wanted the nobles and all the other men to gaze on her beauty, for she was a very beautiful woman.But when they conveyed the king’s order to Queen Vashti, she refused to come. This made the king furious, and he burned with anger.

2. What looks like a disruption to me may actually be divine.

Esther 1:15-19 NLT

“What must be done to Queen Vashti?” the king demanded. “What penalty does the law provide for a queen who refuses to obey the king’s orders, properly sent through his eunuchs?”Memucan answered the king and his nobles, “Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king but also every noble and citizen throughout your empire.Women everywhere will begin to despise their husbands when they learn that Queen Vashti has refused to appear before the king.Before this day is out, the wives of all the king’s nobles throughout Persia and Media will hear what the queen did and will start treating their husbands the same way. There will be no end to their contempt and anger.“So if it please the king, we suggest that you issue a written decree, a law of the Persians and Medes that cannot be revoked. It should order that Queen Vashti be forever banished from the presence of King Xerxes, and that the king should choose another queen more worthy than she.

3. People make decisions. God makes history.

Esther 2:16-17 NLT

Esther was taken to King Xerxes at the royal palace in early winter of the seventh year of his reign.And the king loved Esther more than any of the other young women. He was so delighted with her that he set the royal crown on her head and declared her queen instead of Vashti.

4. God is preparing the answer before I know there is a problem.

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START TALKING:

What is something you have experienced in life that felt like a battle you would never get When have you been in a situation where you needed an answer but it seemed like all you got was silence, only to find out there was work happening behind the scenes?

START THINKING:

Read Esther 1:1-9. What does the author tell us about the Persian Kingdom and King Xerxes throughout these verses? How does this seem to set up the impressiveness of Xerxes and Persia so that it shows how it doesn't compare to the significance of God?

Read Esther 1:10-12. After reading how much of a "big deal" Xerxes was in verses 1-9, why do you think he is now so furious? How do we often end up in similar situations?

Read Esther 1:13-22. What do you think we can learn from this about getting advice from the wrong people? What else can we learn from this, especially when people make decisions that seem crazy but yet God is able to use it to set up something for His or our purpose?

START SHARING:

When have you seen something impressive only to ultimately experience it was insignificant compared to God? What were you intimidated by or insecure about in what seemed so impressive? How would comparing it to God's significance help in the future?

When have you experienced a disruption only to find it was actually divine intervention, the working out of a plan that you didn't even know was at work?

When has God been preparing an answer for you before you even knew there was a problem? How do you now see how God's hand was at work and He was not at all absent even though at the time He seemed silent?

When have you or someone else in your life made a decision, but you now see how God was actually the one making history? What was it about this decision that ultimately changed the trajectory of your life or even your entire family tree? How did you experience your Father's perfect love and protection through this?

START DOING:

What is a disruption that are facing now or faced recently, and how will you give it over to God and trust that He is working?

Where has God seemed silent to you lately? Even though He has not answered (or hasn't answered how you wanted or expected) where do you see Him working, and how will you remain patient and faithful?

Maybe God seems silent in terms of leading your "one" to respond to your efforts to lead them to experience Jesus. How will you continue to trust God and give Him the results in the waiting?

START PRAYING:

Have each person share how they may believe God is silent in a circumstance or situation in their life. Pray against the enemy's attack to try to convince us that this means God is absent. Pray for each person to experience God making history and working behind the scenes even when we don't see it. Thank God that Jesus and the Gospel continued to move forward even when it may have seemed that God was silent in the process, only to ultimately prove that He was working all along.

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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)?
- 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