April 17, John MacArthur. Welcome to the Lord s day worship service at Grace Church. Vol. 20 No. 16

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1 Vol. 20 No. 16 April 17, 2016 John MacArthur PASTOR-TEACHER Clayton Erb / Minister of Music 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.

2 8:30 & 10:30* am Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee Beethoven/Simeone Stephen Sturz, Organist Anthem God Shall Be Praised TODAY Hymn 47 Tell Out, My Soul Congregation Brethren, We Have Met to Worship Brass Ensemble, Organ God Shall Be Praised Hatton/Wolaver Worship Choir Hymn 53 A Mighty Fortress Is Our God Congregation Look at His Glorious Cross Nelson-McHugh/Hamilton Philip Webb MESSAGE: OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST Austin Duncan Hebrews 4:14 16 Communion To God Be the Glory Doane/Sturz Organ Postlude 6:00 pm Be Unto Your Name DeShazo-Sadler/Galbraith Instrumental Prelude Songs of Praise Congregation Baptism John Street God shall be praised and His name be revered; Kneel at His throne in holy fear. Each bright new morning offers reason to adore And magnify our worthy Lord. No human author has found words that tell; No song yet written says it well. Even the angels cannot bring Him praise enough, None can describe such boundless love! God shall be praised though the darkness increase, Though men rebel and goodness cease. Soon comes that final day when every knee shall bow; How wise are those who serve Him now. Rise now with courage; God s will shall be done. Jesus shall reign: His Kingdom come. Heaven shall thrill us with delight for endless days! God shall be praised, God shall be praised! Jesus, I My Cross Have Taken Moore Offertory MESSAGE: TO THIS ONE I WILL LOOK Nathan Busenitz Isaiah 66:1 2 The Lord s Prayer Malotte/Sturz Organ Postlude 1998 Galestorm Music, Administered by Copyright Management, Inc. UBP. CCLI Lic Lyrics by John G. Elliott (1998); music by John Hatton (1793) * Interpreting for the deaf is provided during the 10:30 a.m. service. Arabic and Korean translation for the 10:30 a.m. service is available at gracechurch.org/live. A limited number of headsets are available at the front desk for simultaneous translation.

3 Campus Ministries 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 103 8:30 & 10:30 a.m. T375 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. Generations of Grace Children s Sunday School MESSAGE PASSAGE PRINCIPLE HYMN OF THE MONTH ASK YOUR CHILD APPLY THIS WEEK NEXT WEEK On GraceWalk Fundamentals of the Faith Local Outreach On the Patio Spanish Ministries (by the Chapel) The following lesson was taught today in Sunday School (Preschool through Juniors) Review Sunday Exodus 7 10, Matthew 28 God is powerful over life and death. Christ the Lord Is Risen Today How did God display His power in the plagues? In the Resurrection? By praising God for being all powerful. As a family, read portions of Exodus 7 10 and Matthew 28. Exodus Adapted from the Generations of Grace Family Devotional, available at the bookstore. Bookstore The Bookstore is open after each service and during the week. It is located on the south side of the Worship Center. HIGHLIGHT WE CANNOT BE SILENT Speaking Truth to a Culture Redefining Sex, Marriage and the Very Meaning of Right and Wrong by Dr. Albert Mohler The rare clarity and perception of Dr. Mohler is brilliantly on display in this book. He thoroughly equips the reader to courageously face the fight against sin while compassionately wielding the gospel of grace. John MacArthur Available today for 20% off retail; 40% off when you purchase two or more Grace to You RADIO gty.org/radio The Fulfilled Family 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 Children, Obey Your Parents NRBTV 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. TODAY

4 A Commitment to Love Membership Ministry FEATURE We all love weddings. They are such a joy to attend because you get to witness a man and woman who are deeply in love begin their life-long journey together. Weddings put love on display. At the same time, weddings are also very formal occasions. The bride, groom, and two witnesses sign a wedding license, and the pastor declares the couple husband and wife by the power vested in him by the law of the state. But perhaps the most formal part of a wedding is the exchange of vows. Both bride and groom vow before God and men for better or for worse and til death do us part, and then wear a ring on their finger for the rest of their lives as a reminder of their formal commitment to one another. For a married couple, the day that involves their greatest display of love is also the day they make their most formal commitment. This mingling of commitment and love is also modeled in church membership. Membership is a formal process. Here at Grace Church, it involves filling out and signing an application, attending three classes, and then publically acknowledging to commit to this church at the Right Hand of Fellowship. But like a marriage, this commitment is made out of love. The formality of the commitment doesn t hinder authentic Christian love from happening; rather, it actually enables it to flourish. Marriage vows enable a couple to live a lifetime together with the guarantee of security, care, and affection. Similarly, church membership is a formal commitment between an individual and the church that enables deep relationships to form and flourish. It is in this committed context that we can best be devoted to one another (Romans 12:10), look out for each other s best interests (Philippians 2:3 4), bear one another s burdens (Galatians 6:1 2), rebuke and admonish one another if necessary (Romans 15:14), and confess sin to and pray for each other (James 5:16). Grace Church is a place where loving relationships thrive because of our commitment to one another. If you would like to commit to becoming a part of this loving community, please stop by the Membership Center after any service today or visit gracechurch.org/membership.

5 New Members Grace Church welcomed another group of new members with the Right Hand of Fellowship. Each of these individuals completed the membership class in fulfillment of Grace Church s membership requirements. The following new members received the Right Hand of Fellowship in MARCH. Josiah Busenitz Vadim Chepurny Darren Crismon Carlos Escobar Haiser Eskandaryan Pricila Figueroa Irma Garcia John Golden Andrey & Ekaterina Gorban Douglas Grogg Mark & Jennifer Jackson Michael & Jenny Marino Viveca Matus Donovan McReynolds Nikki Membrere Sabrina Michael LaToya Myles Russ Newland Gregory Pealer Bryana Pierce Carolina Romero Aaron Sidney JT Stead David Su Greg Taylor Josiah Tersieff Kamin Tersieff Angeline Toles Rich & Beth Trump Roketi & Sina Tuliaupupu James White Valerie Yu Bryan Zarate NEW MEMBERS

6 HIGHLIGHTS STM Needs Serving on a Short-Term Ministries team is a wonderful way to invest your time and talent to meet the needs of our missionaries and their ministries worldwide. Anyone willing to serve is encouraged to apply. The following teams are still in need of members as indicated. England 1 May 28 June 6 10 team members Ukraine June 17 July 4 2 team members Albania June 18 July 2 2 team members South Africa June 26 July 18 6 team members Japan July 21 August 7 4 team members For more information about these ministry opportunities or to submit an application, visit gracechurch.org/stm or stm@gracechurch.org. Alzheimer s-dementia Ministry Saturday, April 23 9:00 a.m. T370s Families touched by dementia are invited to meet monthly for spiritual encouragement, helpful shepherding, and warm fellowship over a light breakfast. Loved ones with dementia are welcome. If you are bringing your loved one, please call Pastor Rick McLean at Grace Around the World Carlan & Michelle Wendler Serving in Burundi Since 2012 Prayer / Praise Pray for refreshment and strategic planning as the whole Kibuye team, including those in training, gathers at the end of May for a conference with mission leaders. Praise God for the doubling of the team with even more workers joining the ministry. Pray that we would grow in grace and unity. Faith Promise Last week you generously gave $12,276. Thank you for your ongoing support of our missionaries and their ministries around the world. Local Outreach Spotlight Castaic Jail Ministry Every Sunday, members from Grace Church go to the North County Correctional Facility in Castaic to proclaim the gospel. Inmates are supplied with paperback Bibles, and if they complete a Fundamentals of the Faith class they receive a MacArthur Study Bible. For more information, call or visit gracechurch.org/local.

7 Elders Meeting Thursday, April 21 7 p.m. T262 Open to our church family Children s Hunger Fund Food Pak Drive April 17 & 24 Be sure and drop off your filled Food Pak boxes today or next week. For more information, visit gracechurch.org/chf or call Men s Conference: A Charge to Lead Speakers: John MacArthur & Alex Montoya April 30 8:30 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Family Center Cost: $15 (includes breakfast and lunch) Register at gracechurch.org/men. One with Christ Monday, April 18 9:30 a.m. CC130 Bible study primarily for women who have lost their husbands through death or divorce. With the Lord Raymond Friend recently went to be with the Lord. Please remember his family in your prayers. Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones. Psalm 116:15 High School Parent Informational Lunch April 24 12:30 2:00 p.m. H Incoming ninth-graders and their parents are invited to join us for lunch, learn about High School Ministry, and get to know our pastor and staff. Lunch and activities for siblings will be available in the Basement during this meeting. RSVP by April 20 to emorton@gracechurch.org or Logos Institute Discipleship Counseling 3 April 20 July 6 (Wednesdays) 6:30 8:30 p.m. Instructors: Bill Shannon and George Sanders Cost: $75 For more information or to register, visit gracechurch.org/logos. GraceLife Ladies Breakfast Saturday, April 23 9:00 11:00 a.m. T270s Speaker: Laurel Martin Cost $5 All women are welcome. RSVP to or sko@gracechurch.org Membership Classroom Please note that the Membership Class now meets in T375, on the third floor of the Tower building. ANNOUNCEMENTS

8 8:30 a.m. 8:30 a.m. 10:30 10:30 a.m. a.m. 5:00 p.m. 12:30 p.m. Fridays 7:30 p.m. SUNDAY FELLOWSHIPS Children s Sunday School Visit the Welcome Center for room locations. Pastor: Mike Johnston Cornerstone (All ages) T371 Pastors: Nathan Busenitz, Mark Tatlock, Harry Walls Doulos (Young families & singles) T361 Pastor: Carl Hargrove FaithBuilders (All ages) T261 Pastor: Bill Shannon GraceLife (All ages) Family Center Pastors: Phil Johnson, Mike Riccardi Junior High (Grades 7 8) T73 (Basement) Pastor: Jay Lennington Developmentally Disabled TMS Library Pastor: Rick McLean Spanish Adult Sunday School H Teachers: Josiah Grauman, Angel Cardoza Spanish Worship Service Chapel Pastors: Henry Tolopilo, Michael Mahoney Children s Sunday School Visit the Welcome Center for room locations. Pastor: Mike Johnston Crossroads (College & young adults) Family Center Pastor: Austin Duncan High School (Grades 9 12) T73 (Basement) Pastor: Josh Petras Joint Heirs (All ages) T261 Pastors: Tom Patton, John Street Mainstream (All ages) T361 Pastor: Rich Gregory Developmentally Disabled TMS Library Pastor: Rick McLean Sojourners (All ages) T371 Pastor: William Varner Spanish Adult Sunday School H Teachers: Rubén Pidal, Daniel Corral Spanish Worship Service Chapel Pastors: Henry Tolopilo, Michael Mahoney Neighborhood Outreach T273 5:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. Sunday Night Prayer Group Grace Grill (next to the Children s Center) 6:00 p.m. 6:00 p.m. Discovery (Grades 1 6) Family Center Discovery Kids (Ages 3 5) CC Visit our website at Administration Children Logos Institute Membership The Guild (Single adults) T361 Pastor: Don Carr MINISTRY DIRECTORY Men Outreach Pastoral Care & Counseling Prayer Mondays 9:00 a.m. Monday Morning Prayer Group Welcome Center Building Abbreviation Key T = Tower H = Heritage CC = Children s Center Spanish Special Ministries Student Women Roscoe Blvd. Sun Valley, CA Our mission is to glorify God and extend His kingdom by living and proclaiming His truth in the world. Grace Today is published weekly by Grace Community Church 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, Used by permission.