Welcome [static.gracechurch.org]static.gracechurch.org/gracetoday/2015.04.12GraceToday.pdfApr 12, 2015  · Devraj & Tristy Urs India Ruben & Jennifer Videira Spain Philippe & Sophia

Welcome to the Lord’s day worship service at Grace Church.

We are truly blessed to be here this morning as we open God’s Word together, sing His praises,

and enjoy a time of fellowship in His presence.

Be sure to take advantage of the many fellowship and ministry

opportunities available to our church family today and

throughout the week.

John MacArthurPASTOR-TEACHER

Clayton Erb / Minister of Music

Vol. 19 No. 15

April 12, 2015

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Y8:30 & 10:30* am

Dorian Toccata • Bach • Stephen Sturz, Organist

Hymn 79 Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee • Congregation

Hymn 81 What a Wonderful Savior!

Be Still, My Soul • Sibelius/Maddux-Rice • String Orchestra, Woodwinds, Piano

Sheep May Safely Graze • Bach/Davis • Worship Choir

Hymn 462 Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us • Congregation

23: The Lord Is My Shepherd •Krippayne-Siler-Woods/Rice • Kory Welch

MESSAGE: POWERFUL PROMISES John MacArthur • John 14:7–14

Doxology Hymn • Congregation

Recessional • Cundick • Organ Postlude

6:00 pm

There Is a Fountain • Traditional • Instrumental Prelude

Songs of Praise • Congregation

Baptism • Chris Gee

Hallelujah for the Cross • King-Wright • Offertory

MESSAGE: THE POWER OF PERSECUTION John MacArthur • Acts 8:1–8

O Zion, Haste • Welch/Sturz • Organ Postlude

* Interpreting for the deaf is provided during the 10:30 a.m. service. Arabic translation for the 10:30 a.m. service is available at gracechurch.org/live.

Sheep May Safely Graze

Like a shepherd God doth guide usInto pastures calm and blest;Safe we lie by peaceful waters,And like sheep securely rest,Safe like sheep securely rest. Though the valley dark is growing,Clouds are gathering, winds are blowing,Night and death are drawing near, Yet no danger shall alarm me,Death and darkness ne’er can harm me,In His arms I feel no fear. Like a shepherd God doth guide usInto pastures calm and blest;Safe we lie by peaceful waters,Safe like sheep securely rest.

Lyrics Based on Psalm 23; English translation by C.R.W. Robertson; music by J.S. Bach (1713)

Anthem

Hymn 267 • Come, Thou Almighty King

To Thee, great One in Three,Eternal praises be, Hence evermore;Thy sov’reign majesty May we in glory see,And to eternity Love and adore.

Doxology Hymn

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• Children’s Hunger Fund• Fundamentals of the Faith• Grace Books Express• Local Outreach

• Spanish Ministries (by the Chapel)

THE WELCOME CENTER hosts a reception for visitors following each Sunday-morning service. Enjoy refreshments and find helpful people with answers to any questions you have about our church. You’ll also receive one of Pastor MacArthur’s books as a thank you for being with us today.

THE MEMBER CENTER has information about membership and baptism. It is located on the north side of the Heritage Building, across from the Welcome Center.

Today’s Membership Class 102 • 8:30 & 10:30 a.m. • T66 (basement)

THE PRAYER ROOM is staffed with counselors, ready to offer pastoral care. It is open after every service, and is adjacent to the Worship Center.

Campus Ministries On GraceWalk

Review Sunday

Matthew 21:1–11; 27–28

Jesus provides access to God through His life, death, and resurrection.

“Christ the Lord Is Risen Today”

What OT promises about the coming Messiah were fulfilled in Jesus?

By thanking God for sending His son to die in the place of sinners.

Matthew 21:1–11; 27–28

Exodus 7–10

MESSAGE

PASSAGE

PRINCIPLE

HYMN OF THE MONTH

ASK YOUR CHILD

APPLY

THIS WEEK

NEXT WEEK

Generations of Grace Children’s Sunday SchoolThe following lesson was taught today in Sunday School (Preschool through Juniors)

On the Patio

Bookstore

The Bookstore is open after each service and during the week. It is located on the south side of the Worship Center.

HIGHLIGHT

GOD’S BATTLE PLAN FOR THE MIND: THE PURITAN PRACTICE OF BIBLICAL MEDITATIONby David W. Saxton

“You need to get a copy, read it, put its principles into practice, and ‘be transformed by the renewal of your mind.’”—John MacArthur

Available today for 30% off retail.

RADIO gty.org/radio• The Relationship Danger Zone

• The Grip of God • KKLA 99.5 FM LOS ANGELES M–F 6:30 am & 7:30 pm • KDAR 98.3 FM OXNARD•VENTURA M–F 2:00 & 10:00 am; Sun 2:00 am

TELEVISION gty.org/television“The Truth About Divorce, Part 1” • NRB Network CHANNEL 378 ON DIRECTV Sunday 6:30 pm

ONLINE gty.org • Sunday sermons • Audio archive: John MacArthur’s pulpit ministry • Resource library: books, study guides, videos, Q&As

All audio is available for free listening or downloading.

Grace to You

EXPRESS CHECK-OUT on GraceWalk

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The Villar Family was experiencing very difficult circumstances. Edgar was unemployed and his wife, Lena, was working hard to make ends meet. These parents were having difficulty paying their bills and putting food on the table for their two sons. To make matters worse, Edgar and Lena were both enslaved to alcohol. Unsurprisingly, this had taken a severe toll on their marriage, and they soon found themselves staring at divorce. The strenuous financial circumstances were fertile soil for the seeds of anger, anxiety, and strife. But all of these were only symptoms of a bigger problem: their need for the gospel.

By God’s grace, Luis, a member from a nearby church, met the Villar family and sought to tell them about Christ. After speaking with them, Luis determined that they were struggling both spiritually and financially. He offered to meet the Villars’ physical need by bringing them a Food Pak from Children’s Hunger Fund. Though hesitant at first, Edgar and Lena welcomed the help, and before long they had become friends.

Luis continued to faithfully minister to the Villars by bringing them Food Paks, stopping by to see how they were doing, and preaching the gospel of a Savior who meets both physical

and spiritual needs. After several weeks, Edgar and Lena

A PICTURE OF HOPELocal Outreach

repented of their sins and trusted in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. They have been baptized, are regularly attending Luis’s church, and are receiving biblical counsel from their pastor.

Children’s Hunger Fund (CHF) is a Christian organization that works to feed hungry children in impoverished regions across America and around the world. For more than twenty years the Lord has uniquely used CHF to train local churches how to best develop compassion ministries. What sets CHF apart from other relief organizations is their steadfast commitment to the local church. Rather than simply sending food to various areas indiscriminately, CHF understands that the Bible teaches that the church is to be at the forefront of compassion ministry around the world. Because of this, they work exclusively with local evangelical churches, supplying them with food to take to their communities as a platform from which to proclaim the gospel.

As churches identify needy families in their communities, members of the church visit those families with Food Paks filled with a variety of nutritious, non-perishable food items. On subsequent visits, church members continue to provide food, along with counseling and a biblical perspective on the issues of life. In the context of these relationships, believers are able to share the gospel, invite these families to church, and demonstrate the love of Christ. By equipping local churches that are committed to preaching

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the gospel and loving their neighbors, Children’s Hunger Fund has established a network of more than sixty churches in Southern California that feed more than 30,000 people each month. Every year, we hear testimonies of numerous people whom God graciously saves and who now worship Christ in these local churches.

By working with churches who are actively evangelizing the poor, Grace Church has an opportunity to spread the message of how Christ redeems sinners from the spiritual poverty that underlies all the issues that give rise to physical poverty. Over the next few weeks, our church family can partner with Children’s Hunger Fund and other churches throughout Los Angeles to demonstrate the love of Christ to those in need.

This is a very practical and effective way that our entire church family can partner with other local churches and minister to the physical and spiritual needs of our city. It’s exciting to think that donating a few food items can relieve a family’s hunger for a week or so. But it’s downright amazing to know that, while that food will perish, we can bring our neighbors the very Bread of Life come down from Heaven, which gives life to the world and satisfies spiritual hunger forever!

If you haven’t already done so, before you leave church today pick up some empty Food Pak boxes from the tables on the patio.

Take them home, and, following the instructions included on the box, fill them with non-perishable food items.

Bring the filled boxes back next week. We will have collection points at different areas around campus through April 26.

CHF will work with various local churches (including our own) to ensure that the food you donate feeds needy children and their families and opens a door for the proclamation of the gospel.

For more information about the CHF Food Pak Drive, visit gracechurch.org/chf or call the Local Outreach office at 818-909-5721.

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HERE’S HOW YOU CAN HELP...

Faith Promise Fruit 2014–2015Did you know your Faith Promise giving was used to send out eight new missionary families in 2014? Your participation in support of spreading the gospel to every nation is aptly demonstrated by the liberality of your giving.

Jeremy & Katie Bustle

Myanmar

Pray that God would powerfully use these missionary families for His glory and that the worship of Christ would spread more and more throughout this world.

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Faith PromiseLast week you generously gave $14,897. Thank you for your ongoing support of our missionary families.

Local Outreach SpotlightVolleyball Outreach Mondays • 5:30 p.m. • Family Center

Every Monday night the Family Center is open to those in the surrounding community who enjoy playing volleyball. Play lasts until 7:30 p.m., with a halftime break for a gospel presentation. This is a great opportunity for our church family to model how to compete in a Christlike manner and personally engage our friends with the gospel.

Grace Around the WorldDeparting for the FieldJames and Julia MarchWhile serving as a single missionary overseas in France, working primarily among Muslims, I saw firsthand the lack of biblical integrity in missions. While on furlough I saw the same lack of biblical integrity in churches and other ministries. Through much prayer and research, the Lord led me and my wonderful wife from Pennsylvania to this great church and seminary.

Julia and I thank the Lord for Grace Church. It has been a joy to serve here and to be the recipients of so much love. Our family has multiplied since being here, and so has our love for this church, which has now become our home.

We are eager to return to France where there are so many people who have little or no access to the gospel. Please pray for us as we seek to glorify Christ through the strengthening and planting of doctrinally sound churches in the French-speaking world.

We thank God for your love and prayers!

The Marches will be sent out to the mission field during this evening’s service.

Vincent & Kimberly Greene

Philippines

Allan & Sandi Luciano

Philippines

Richard & Telda Peskett

South Africa

Raffaele & Manuela Spitale

Italy

Devraj & Tristy UrsIndia

Ruben & Jennifer VideiraSpain

Philippe & Sophia ViguierFrance

Glory to the Holy One Concert Worship and Reflection on the Beauty and Glory of GodFriday, May 1 • 7:30 p.m. • Grace Community Church Worship CenterThis special, Ligonier-sponsored concert of new hymns written by R.C. Sproul and Jeff Lippencott will feature the Grace Church Worship Choir and Orchestra. Tickets are available by reservation only; to reserve seats, visit ligonier.org or call 800-435-4343.

Marriage SeminarA prerequisite for engaged couples desiring to get married at Grace Church, this seminar is also helpful for those who are purposefully dating, as well as married couples interested in God’s plan for a successful marriage.

Part 1 Friday, April 24, 7:00–9:00 p.m. • Saturday, April 25, 9:00 a.m.–noonPart 2 Friday, May 15, 7:00–9:00 p.m. • Saturday, May 16, 9:00 a.m.–noonInstructors: Bill Shannon, George Sanders, Tom Leman • T370s$35 for church members or TMS/TMC students; $65 for non-members. For more information or to register, visit gracechurch.org/premarital or call 818-909-5537.

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Elders MeetingThursday, April 16 • 7 p.m. • T262

Open to our church family

Logos InstituteDiscipleship Counseling: Level 3April 15–July 1 (Wednesdays) • 6:30–8:30 p.m. • T370sInstructors: Bill Shannon, George Sanders • Cost: $75

Doctrine 5: Salvation and the ChurchApril 20–May 25 (Mondays) • 6:30–8:30 p.m. • H224Instructor: Michael Wurtz • Cost: $50

For more information or to register, visit gracechurch.org/logos.

One with ChristMonday, April 13 • 9:30 a.m. • CC130

Bible study primarily for women who have lost their husbands through death or divorce.

Sojourners Women’s FellowshipThursday, April 16 • 9:30–11:30 a.m. • T270s • Speaker: Linda Damarjian

All women are welcome. Call 818-887-9717 for more information.

Joint Heirs Ladies TEA (Teaching, Edification, Application)Monday, April 13 • 7:00 p.m. • T260s • Speaker: Glenda Hotton

All women are welcome.

With the LordPolly Spangler recently went to be with the Lord. Please remember her family in your prayers.

Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones. ––Psalm 116:15

Baby RoseThe rosebud is in honor of Hannah Pacita Calivoso, born March 22, 2015, to Maggie and Glenn Calivoso.

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The Guild (Single adults)T361Pastor: Don Carr

Monday Morning Prayer GroupWelcome Center

8:30 a.m.Children’s Sunday SchoolVisit the Welcome Centerfor room locations. Pastor: Matt White

Cornerstone(All ages) T371Pastors: Nathan Busenitz, Justin Harris, Mark Tatlock

Doulos (Young families & singles) T361Pastor: Carl Hargrove

FaithBuilders (All ages) T261Pastor: Bill Shannon

GraceLife (All ages)Family CenterPastors: Phil Johnson,Mike Riccardi

Junior High (Grades 7–8)T73 (Basement)Pastor: Andrew Curry

Mentally DisabledCC130 (east)Pastor: Rick McLean

Spanish Adult Sunday School H221-222 Teachers: Josiah Grauman, Heber Torres

Spanish Worship ServiceChapelPastors: Henry Tolopilo,Michael Mahoney

10:30 a.m.Children’s Sunday SchoolVisit the Welcome Centerfor room locations. Pastor: Matt White

Crossroads(College & young adults)Family CenterPastor: Austin Duncan

High School (Grades 9–12)T73 (Basement)Pastor: Josh Petras

Joint Heirs (All ages) T261Pastors: Tom Patton, John Street

Mainstream (All ages) T361Pastor: Rich Gregory

Mentally DisabledCC130 (east)Pastor: Rick McLean

Sojourners (All ages) T371Pastor: William Varner

Spanish Adult Sunday School H221–222Teachers: Josiah Grauman, Ruben Pidal, Heber Torres

Spanish Worship ServiceChapelPastors: Henry Tolopilo,Michael Mahoney

5:00 p.m.Sunday Night Prayer GroupGrace Grill(next to the Children’s Center)

6:00 p.m.Discovery (Grades 1–6)Family CenterDiscovery Kids (Ages 3–5)CC134-136

5:00 p.m.Neighborhood OutreachT273

Visit our website at

MINISTRY DIRECTORY

Administration818-909-5500

Children818-909-5631

Equipping818-909-5671

Membership818-909-5644

Men818-909-5537

Outreach818-909-5700

Pastoral Care & Counseling818-909-5537

Prayer818-909-5519

Spanish818-909-5722

Special Ministries818-909-5519

Student818-909-5593

Women818-909-5521

8:30 a.m. 10:30 a.m.

5:00 p.m.

12:30 p.m.

6:00 p.m.

Fridays 7:30 p.m.

Mondays 9:00 a.m.

Building Abbreviation KeyT = Tower H = Heritage CC = Children’s Center

Grace Today is published weekly by Grace Community Church. ©2015 by Grace Community Church. Scripture, unless

otherwise noted, is taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, © The

Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995.

Used by permission.

13248 Roscoe Blvd.Sun Valley, CA 91352

Our mission is to glorify God and extend His kingdom by

living and proclaiming His truth in the world.