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Grace Church

HOPE is a Four Letter Word - #3 HOPE Because God is Able to Hold Us Up

HOPE is a Four Letter Word - #3 HOPE Because God is Able to Hold Us Up

Locations & Times

Grace Community Church

8950 M-79, Nashville, MI 49073, USA

Sunday 10:00 AM

Our December series deals with the idea of HOPE.

Biblical hope is rooted in the character and promises of God, not our feelings, thoughts, opinions of others, or the likelihood of our circumstances.

Because of who God is, our hope is not cloaked in uncertainty, but guaranteed!
The phrase "hold up" can be used in a variety of ways.
This morning we are using the phrase in the sense of: to support, sustain, or lift up someone or something that is in danger of falling, failing, or flopping.

The Bible often speaks about this action. Here are just a few of those passages:
Psalm 37:24 [NCV]
Psalm 40:2 [TLB]
Isaiah 46:4 [NIV]
Many times the Lord acts on our behalf and we are unaware of Him doing so.

Our Bible reading plan for the past several months has taken us through the book of Acts following Paul on his missionary journeys.
As we are reading this week, in Acts 23 we see Paul sitting in jail, unjustly accused. There is a plot to kill him when in Acts 23 he experiences the truth we are talking about today.
Acts 23:11
Last week in the Christmas story we are so familiar with we learned that the Lord wants to speak to us and Pastor Don identified 6 ways in which He seeks to communicate His will.
Today, using the familiar Christmas passages, we will see several instances where the Lord came to the aid of those who love Him...just think about the star.
In the midst of doubt, difficulty, and danger God laid a pathway, provided resources, and protected Mary and Joseph.

GOD IS ABLE TO HOLD US UP, NO MATTER WHAT WE FACE IN LIFE!

In Matthew 1:18-21 we saw how God revealed His will to Joseph through an angelic messenger.
Joseph was torn between his commitment to Mary and the limitations of his own humanity. He was convinced that he should break it off with Mary...to allow her a way out of a messy situation.
But tucked away in verses 18-25 of this story, we see several instances where the Lord supported, sustained, and lifted up Joseph.

v. 18-19: God allowed Joseph to face an incredibly difficult situation
v. 20: God was aware and in control of the entire situation
v. 21: God showed Joseph that there was a spiritual reason for what was going on
v. 22-23: God put life into a proper perspective. God's will is bigger than our will.
v. 24-25: God gave Joseph the the power to overcome his doubts, worries, and fears

GOD IS ABLE TO HOLD US UP, NO MATTER WHAT WE FACE IN LIFE!
This truth is shown again in the Christmas story of Joseph, Mary, Jesus, and the Wise Men.
In Matthew 2 we see that Jesus is born and Herod, the King, sent troops to kill the infant.
We often wonder how things can go from bad to worse but again, God came through on their behalf. We see He does this all throughout the Bible.

Matthew 2:1-11
In this passage, we see that wise men have arrived and presented their gifts.
The presence of the wise men reassured the family that they were not alone.
Here are a few things that God did for them in this chapter:
v. 12: God warned the wise men about the king and provided an escape
v. 13: God allowed a messenger to warn Joseph along with a plan for relocation and protection
v. 13: God told the family He would send word when it was time for them to return
v. 14-15: God provided the resources for their journey and their extended stay in Egypt
v. 19-21: God kept His promise and brought the young family back to Israel
v. 22-23: God again, forewarned the family of danger and directed them to another part of the land, away from the current king

AGAIN, GOD IS ABLE TO HOLD US UP, NO MATTER WHAT WE FACE IN LIFE!
Discussion:
How have you experienced the help and guidance of God in your life?
What lessons have you learned about trusting God in the midst of your difficulties?
There are countless examples in the Bible of people who trusted God during the dark and difficult times of their lives:

1. Deborah - trusting God through the demands of life
2. Elizabeth & Hannah - trusting God when your dreams look unfulfilled
3. Isaiah - trusting God even as this world is falling apart
4. Job & Ruth - trusting God when you have lost things dear to you and you feel alone
5. Moses - trusting God when there is no way out
6. Shadrach, Meshach, & Abednego - trusting God when all seems lost
7. Jacob & David - trusting God when you've messed up
8. Esther - trusting God to act even when you're afraid
In the first 3 months of 2023, we will do an overview of the entire Bible. This will help us to know God better, see more examples like the ones mentioned above of people who trusted God, and help you re-invent your life....to BE the person God created and saved you to BE.

GOD IS ABLE TO HOLD US UP, NO MATTER WHAT WE FACE IN LIFE!

Grace Church Website

https://gc3.org/

CJ's Coffee Shop Pre-Order Link

https://cjs-gracegc3.square.site/

H.O.M.E. Groups

Now that you've had the opportunity to experience a home group, we hope you'll think about joining a group if you don't already have one. Visit the website to learn about which groups are meeting; you can sign-up for a group there as well. You can also contact the church office; we'd love to help you with this (grace@gc3.org).
https://gc3.org/home-groups/

Christmas Services

Please note, our Christmas services will be a little different this year.
We will have 2 identical one hour services for you to choose from:
Christmas Eve at 7:00 pm
and
Christmas Morning at 10:00 am
These are family services as the Clubhouse will not be open for either service.

Bible Reading Plan

We hope you've enjoyed your reading and studying of the Gospels and Acts this year. The staff and leadership look forward to hearing about how you've grown and what you have learned through these studies.
As we look towards the New Year, we wanted to share our church-wide plan for 2023. The plan will follow along with our various sermon series over this next year so that you can dig deeper into what you are learning on Sundays.
Visit the website (www.gc3.org/bible) or find paper copies in CJ's.
Let us know if you have any questions!

Christmas Cards

If you would like to exchange Christmas cards with your church family, you can do that on the tables in the auditorium.
Beginning this Sunday, December 11th, each table has a letter posted on it. Drop your cards in the basket on the table of the person/family's last name. For example, if you have a Christmas card for Pastor Don and Evie Roscoe, you can place it in the basket on the table labeled "R".
In the upcoming weeks, don't forget to look for any cards that might belong to you as well.

Gracewear Shopping Link

Grace Church now has a shopping link for Gracewear through Courtside Screen Printing & Embroidery. Use the link below to take a look. All questions and orders go directly through Courtside. Their contact information can be found at the bottom of the page.
https://grace2022.itemorder.com/shop/sale/

January/February Grace U Classes

Announcing new Grace U classes for the January/February term!
Visit the church website to sign-up and learn more. You can also contact the church office if you have questions (grace@gc3.org). Books are available for purchase in CJ's coffee shop. Child care will be provided for the Sunday morning classes if you register by January 1st.
https://gc3.org/grace-university/

The Five Love Languages Family Conference

The Five Love Languages Family Conference with Dr. Gary Chapman is coming to Liberty Bible Church in Chesterton, Indiana on January 14th. Think of this as a Christmas present to your spouse that will benefit your whole family! Visit the link below to learn more about the conference and to register. Please direct any questions to Jeff & Mary Burpee (jmburp@att.net) or Aaron & Angie Walker (lovin4kids@gmail.com).
https://moody.regfox.com/5ll-chesterton-in-01142023
Birthdays and Anniversaries We're Celebrating This Week!

Saturday, December 17th - Gary Neff, Aaron & Karen Smith
Sunday, December 18th - Nolan Dewey