Grace Church
FRIENDS for the Journey #10 - Keeping the Light On
Locations & Times
Grace Community Church
8950 M-79, Nashville, MI 49073, USA
Sunday 10:00 AM
Our Spring series is dealing with the theme of friendship.
We are looking at the lives of Bible characters who teach and model for us some great qualities that we should possess and seek in those who would be friends on our life journey.
An overriding principle we've learned is the importance of choosing wisely those who would be closest to us.
We are looking at the lives of Bible characters who teach and model for us some great qualities that we should possess and seek in those who would be friends on our life journey.
An overriding principle we've learned is the importance of choosing wisely those who would be closest to us.
Today we're looking at two men whose relationship spanned more than 4 decades.
The Lord orchestrated what might be viewed as a chance meting so as to bring them together in the middle years of their lives.
What kept them together was a daughter to one of the men, and a wife to the other, and a growing relationship with the one true God.
The Lord orchestrated what might be viewed as a chance meting so as to bring them together in the middle years of their lives.
What kept them together was a daughter to one of the men, and a wife to the other, and a growing relationship with the one true God.
The book of Exodus deals with God's deliverance of the Hebrews from their 400 year bondage in Egypt.
The first 17 chapters provide the background for our lessons today.
Our text is found in Exodus 18.
The first 17 chapters provide the background for our lessons today.
Our text is found in Exodus 18.
Sometimes you have an event, an experience, or an encounter with someone that significantly influences your life in a positive way.
Think of someone who has impacted your life with some teaching or training, with a challenge, or some advice that has made you a better person, helped you grow, or enabled you to be more effective in some aspect of your life.
Think of someone who has impacted your life with some teaching or training, with a challenge, or some advice that has made you a better person, helped you grow, or enabled you to be more effective in some aspect of your life.
The two men we are talking about today are Moses and his father-in-law Jethro.
God used Moses, a Hebrew man who had been raised in the court of the Pharaoh of Egypt, to lead the Jewish people out of a 400 year bondage in that nation.
Moses fled Egypt at the age of 40 and lived in the land of Midian. There he lived 40 more years. He married, fathered two children, shepherded sheep, and gained the friendship of his wife's father, Jethro.
When we come to Exodus 18, God has supernaturally brought about the deliverance of the Hebrews by using Moses to confront Pharaoh. He guided the people toward the southern portion of the Sinai Peninsula to Mt. Horeb. There God would give his laws to the people and form them into a nation before leading them to the Promised Land.
God used Moses, a Hebrew man who had been raised in the court of the Pharaoh of Egypt, to lead the Jewish people out of a 400 year bondage in that nation.
Moses fled Egypt at the age of 40 and lived in the land of Midian. There he lived 40 more years. He married, fathered two children, shepherded sheep, and gained the friendship of his wife's father, Jethro.
When we come to Exodus 18, God has supernaturally brought about the deliverance of the Hebrews by using Moses to confront Pharaoh. He guided the people toward the southern portion of the Sinai Peninsula to Mt. Horeb. There God would give his laws to the people and form them into a nation before leading them to the Promised Land.
In Exodus 18 we can see the relational dynamic that exists between these two men. We can see many key principles and lessons of how to navigate any relationship in a constructive way. Both men were able to be used by the Lord to help one another.
Today we'll look at a few principles from this chapter that are simple but often neglected in our relationships with each other.
If you walk into a dark room, it makes sense to turn on the light and keep it on. If you don't, you can easily waste time, stumble into things, not find what you are looking for, and become increasingly frustrated and even angry.
Today we'll look at a few principles from this chapter that are simple but often neglected in our relationships with each other.
If you walk into a dark room, it makes sense to turn on the light and keep it on. If you don't, you can easily waste time, stumble into things, not find what you are looking for, and become increasingly frustrated and even angry.
Principle #1 - STAY informed and interested in others and their lives.
Exodus 18:1-4
Exodus 18:1-4
Principle #2 - SPEND time with each other.
Exodus 18:5-6
Exodus 18:5-6
Principle #3 - SPEAK about what God has done and the good you have experienced.
Exodus 18:7-12
Exodus 18:7-12
Principle #4 - SERVE others according to your gifts and passions.
Exodus 18:13
Exodus 18:13
Principle #5 - SEEK to help others become more effective and efficient.
Exodus 18:14-23
Exodus 18:14-23
Principle #6 - SEPARATE in a healthy manner that honors God and helps each other.
Exodus 18:24-27
Exodus 18:24-27
These 6 principles or lessons will really help us to make new friendships and to keep them healthy.
They will enable us to keep the light on and not settle for less than what God wants to do in our life and in the lives of others.
They will enable us to keep the light on and not settle for less than what God wants to do in our life and in the lives of others.
YouTube Channel
https://www.youtube.com/c/GraceChurchMIGiving Link
https://gc3.org/giving/Grace Church Website
https://gc3.org/CJ's Coffee Shop Pre-Order Link
https://cjs-gracegc3.square.site/Mentoring at Grace
There are several men and women at Grace Church who have completed the mentoring program here at Grace and are looking to invest in and share what they've learned with someone else. Have you thought about growing in your faith through the Grace Church mentoring program?
Contact the church office with any questions or to get the process started (grace@gc3.org) or you can talk with any of the staff and elders.
Contact the church office with any questions or to get the process started (grace@gc3.org) or you can talk with any of the staff and elders.
Bible Reading Plan
We hope you are taking part in the 2023 Bible Reading Plan. This also includes devotionals from Pastor Josh each week. Visit the website at the link below or find paper copies in CJ's. Let us know if you have any questions!
https://gc3.org/bible/Lisa's Blog - Worship Moments
https://gc3.org/worship-moments/The Greenhouse Project
Visit The Greenhouse Project at our church website to find out what classes are being offered. Contact Lisa Sterkenburg if you have questions (lisa@gc3.org).
https://gc3.org/tgp/#togethergc3
#togethergc3
Here's the deal, we want to encourage you to spend time with your Grace family over the next few months as we talk about having FRIENDS FOR THE JOURNEY.
How to participate:
Get together with people from Grace (outside of church on Sunday morning)
Take a picture of yourselves
Post the picture on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. (whatever social media platform you use)
Use the hashtag #togethergc3 in the post
It will be fun to see the church in action and building relationships with one another outside of the church building! Note: if you type the hashtag into the search bar, all the posts that have been done so far using that hashtag will come up.
Need help? Just ask Lisa or Leslie.
Here's the deal, we want to encourage you to spend time with your Grace family over the next few months as we talk about having FRIENDS FOR THE JOURNEY.
How to participate:
Get together with people from Grace (outside of church on Sunday morning)
Take a picture of yourselves
Post the picture on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc. (whatever social media platform you use)
Use the hashtag #togethergc3 in the post
It will be fun to see the church in action and building relationships with one another outside of the church building! Note: if you type the hashtag into the search bar, all the posts that have been done so far using that hashtag will come up.
Need help? Just ask Lisa or Leslie.
S.H.A.P.E. Class
S.H.A.P.E. - learning how God has uniquely created you to minister. This is a great class for anyone who hasn't taken it before. Completion of S.H.A.P.E. is a requirement for membership at Grace Church.
https://gc3.org/grace-university/Meet and Greet
Once a month, Grace Church provides an opportunity for those who are newer to the church to meet the leadership and get to know more about Grace. The next Meet & Greet will be Sunday, June 25th, right after the service in CJ's coffee shop. We'd love to have you join us and we look forward to getting to know you better. If you have any questions, contact Leslie Booher (leslie@gc3.org).
Journey with Friends Road Rally
We're going to finish up our Friends for the Journey series with a fun event...a road rally! Here's how you can take part: -Save the date on your calendar (June 24th, 5:00-8:00 pm) -Visit the link below to learn all about the Journey with Friends Road Rally -Sign yourself up (note: this event will be more fun if you make the journey with a group) before June 21st which is when registration ends. As always, contact the church office if you have questions (grace@gc3.org)
https://gc3.org/road-rally/Birthdays and Anniversaries We're Celebrating This Week!
Saturday, June 17th - Don Wiser, Sandi Sebastian, Erich & Nora Mann
Sunday, June 18th - Brian Krauss, Steve & Lisa Sterkenburg
Monday, June 19th - Amanda Scheick, Landon Wiggs
Tuesday, June 20th - Kim Stewart, Amanda Shook, John & Melissa Mater, Rob & Tammy Pool
Wednesday, June 21st - Juniper Hoxie, David & Shannah Shaver, Josh & Amie Sensiba, Josh & Caroline Burt
Thursday, June 22nd - Denny Shaver, Ryan Hickey, Sarah Carpenter, Oakley Reigler, Anthony & Andrea Kauffman
Saturday, June 17th - Don Wiser, Sandi Sebastian, Erich & Nora Mann
Sunday, June 18th - Brian Krauss, Steve & Lisa Sterkenburg
Monday, June 19th - Amanda Scheick, Landon Wiggs
Tuesday, June 20th - Kim Stewart, Amanda Shook, John & Melissa Mater, Rob & Tammy Pool
Wednesday, June 21st - Juniper Hoxie, David & Shannah Shaver, Josh & Amie Sensiba, Josh & Caroline Burt
Thursday, June 22nd - Denny Shaver, Ryan Hickey, Sarah Carpenter, Oakley Reigler, Anthony & Andrea Kauffman