WE’RE GLAD YOU’VE JOINED US TODAY.

WHO WE ARE.

• We are a community of city-centred, gospel-focused people striving to serve and renew Toronto through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

WHO WE WELCOME.

• We welcome people of all races, ethnicities, socio-economic backgrounds and faiths – both religious and irreligious.

WHO WE BELIEVE IN.

• We believe Christ is relevant to every person in every situation, and we want to help you discover him.

‍

‍

GOD CALLS

CALL TO WORSHIP

—Psalm 150:1-2, 6, ESV

‍

LEADER:

Praise the Lord!

Praise God in his sanctuary;

Praise him in his mighty heavens!

Praise him for his mighty deeds;

Praise him according to his excellent greatness!

‍

ALL:

Let everything that has breath praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord!

‍

‍

SONG -DOXOLOGY (AMEN)

(© 2016 Phil Wickham Music; Seems Like Music; Sing My Songs. CCLI #7059306)

‍

Praise God from whom all blessings flow

Praise Him all creatures here below

Praise Him above you heav'nly host

Praise Father Son and Holy Ghost

‍

Amen Amen Amen

God we praise You

God we praise You

‍

Praise God for all that He has done

Praise Him for He has overcome

The grave is beaten love has won

Praise God our Saviour Christ the Son

‍

Oh we're singing

‍

Amen amen amen

Amen Amen Amen

We praise You we praise You

‍

‍

SONG - LION AND THE LAMB‍

(© 2015 Meaux Mercy, Thankyou Music, The Devil Is A Liar! Publishing,

Bethel Music Publishing. CCLI # 7038281.)

‍

He's coming on the clouds

Kings and kingdoms will bow down

And every chain will break

As broken hearts declare His praise

For who can stop the Lord Almighty

‍

Our God is the Lion

The Lion of Judah

He's roaring with power

And fighting our battles

And every knee will bow before Him

‍

Our God is the Lamb

The Lamb that was slain

For the sins of the world

His blood breaks the chains

And every knee will bow before the Lion and the Lamb

Every knee will bow before Him

‍

So open up the gates

Make way before the King of kings

The God who comes to save

Is here to set the captives free

‍

For who can stop the Lord Almighty

Who can stop the Lord Almighty

Who can stop the Lord (Almighty)

‍

‍

SONG - HOSANNA

(Brooke Ligertwood/© 2006 Hillsong Music Publishing) CCLI #2821054

‍

I see the King of glory

Coming on the clouds with fire

The whole earth shakes

The whole earth shakes yeah

‍

I see His love and mercy

Washing over all our sin

The people sing

The people sing

‍

Hosanna hosanna

Hosanna in the highest

Hosanna hosanna

Hosanna in the highest

‍

Heal my heart and make it clean

Open up my eyes to the things unseen

Show me how to love like You have loved me

‍

Break my heart for what breaks Yours

Everything I am for Your Kingdom’s cause

As I walk from earth into eternity

‍

‍

GOD CLEANSES

‍

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

—based on Daniel 9:4-19

‍

LEADER:

O Lord, great God,

all holy, Father most gracious,

filled with mercy and steadfast love,

we are embarrassed to come before you,

for we have preferred the ways of this world to your ways,

for we have rebelled against your wisdom

and we have gotten into trouble,

for we have rejected your fatherly guidance

and have gotten lost altogether.

To you belongs righteousness, O Lord,

and to us confusion of face.

O Lord, great God,

all holy, filled with awe,

Father, most gracious,

filled with mercy and steadfast love,

incline your ear to our troubles.

Hear us when we pour out our sorrows before you.

Forgive us,

not on the ground of our own righteousness,

but on the ground of your great mercy.

On the ground of your great mercy

in the gift of your Son, Jesus Christ.

It is in his name that we pray,

for he is our saviour and the mediator of the covenant of grace.

‍

ALL:

Amen.

‍

‍

SILENT CONFESSION

‍

WORDS OF ASSURANCE

—based on Romans 8:34; 2 Corinthians 5:17

‍

LEADER:

Hear the good news!

Who is in a position to condemn?

Only Christ,

and Christ died for us,

Christ rose for us,

Christ reigns in power for us,

Christ prays for us.

Anyone who is in Christ

is a new creation.

The old life has gone;

a new life has begun.

Know that you are forgiven, and be at peace.

‍

ALL:

Thanks be to God

‍

‍

SONG OF ASSURANCE - COME THOU FOUNT

(© Public Domain. CCLI # 108389.)

‍

Come Thou fount of every blessing

Tune my heart to sing Thy grace

Streams of mercy never ceasing

Call for songs of loudest praise

Teach me some melodious sonnet

Sung by flaming tongues above

Praise the mount I'm fixed upon it

Mount of God's unchanging love

‍

Here I raise my Ebenezer

Hither by Thy help I come

And I hope by Thy good pleasure

Safely to arrive at home

Jesus sought me when a stranger

Wand'ring from the fold of God

He to rescue me from danger

Interposed His precious blood

‍

Oh to grace how great a debtor

Daily I'm constrained to be

Let thy grace Lord like a fetter

Bind my wand'ring heart to Thee

Prone to wander Lord I feel it

Prone to leave the God I love

Here's my heart Lord take and seal it

Seal it for Thy courts above

‍

‍

PRAYER FOR THE CHURCH AND THE CITY

‍

COMMUNITY LIFE ANNOUNCEMENTS

‍

MAUNDY THURSDAY PRAYER SERVICE

• Join us on April 17 from 7:00-8:30 PM for an evening Prayer Service and Foot Washing to commemorate Maundy Thursday. Following our Prayer Service, to serve as a response and to follow the example of Jesus, Grace Toronto Church Elders will be present to wash the feet of our congregation. Participation is entirely optional. No registration is needed for this event.

TGA GOOD FRIDAY SERVICE

• We are excited to host our 13th joint Good Friday Service with the Toronto Gospel Alliance on April 18th at St. Paul's Bloor Street! Join us for a service with other churches around Toronto as we commemorate Christ's journey to the cross through prayer, scripture reading, and song. Doors open at 6:15 PM and service starts at 7 PM.

GT MEN TALKS: THE WAR WITHIN - PURSUING FREEDOM AND PURITY

• Join us for a half-day event to provide men with biblical truths, practical strategies, and encouraging testimony on pursuing freedom and purity.  Saturday April 12 from 8:30AM-12PM. Breakfast is provided. Please register using the link.

WOMEN'S MINISTRY STEP INTO SPRING

• Ladies, Join our "Step into Spring" event Sunday April 13 at 11 AM upstairs in St. Andrews Hall. Enjoy mingling with other women as we explore stepping out in faith and seeing God at work in this new season. Light brunch provided. Register online at gracetoronto.ca/events

THE GOSPEL AND TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE

• Join us on Saturday, May 3, from 9:30 AM to 2:00 PM for a one-day conference as we welcome back special guest speaker Robert Cunningham and explore the connection between the Gospel and technology. Registration is now open, sign up at gracetoronto.ca/events

ALPHA & JOINT SUMMER GG REGISTRATION OPEN

• Curious about Christianity or looking to join a summer small group? This Spring/Summer, we’re hosting a joint ALPHA/Summer Grace Gathering. If you're exploring Christianity, this group is a space to ask questions and explore faith.For Christians, this group offers a chance to connect with others and see how Grace Toronto Church walks alongside those exploring faith. Sign up at gracetoronto.ca/events

PRAYER FOR THE WEEK

• SERVICE (John 13:12-15) Jesus washed His disciples’ feet, giving them an example of humble service. Reflect on ways you can serve others in love. Pray for a heart ready to follow Christ’s example of selfless care.

SUPPORT

• If you are in any form of need or if you are able to help others, please visit http://www.gracetoronto.ca/help  or visit http://www.gracetoronto.ca/prayer  to submit your prayers.

DIACONATE

• The Diaconate exists to contribute to the flourishing of gospel-centered community by meeting the practical needs of our church community, and extending help and compassion to those experiencing hardship or difficult circumstances.
• Click here for more information.

OFFERING

• To set up your online giving or to learn more about giving options, visit gracetoronto.ca/give.

‍

GOD COMMUNES

SCRIPTURE READING

‍

Matt 17: 1- 13

1 After six days Jesus took with him Peter, James and John the brother of James, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. 2 There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light. 3 Just then there appeared before them Moses and Elijah, talking with Jesus.

4 Peter said to Jesus, “Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you wish, I will put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.”

5 While he was still speaking, a bright cloud covered them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”

6 When the disciples heard this, they fell facedown to the ground, terrified. 7 But Jesus came and touched them. “Get up,” he said. “Don’t be afraid.” 8 When they looked up, they saw no one except Jesus.

9 As they were coming down the mountain, Jesus instructed them, “Don’t tell anyone what you have seen, until the Son of Man has been raised from the dead.

10 The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?”

11 Jesus replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. 12 But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” 13 Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist.

‍

‍

SERMON

Dan MacDonald

Q&A

Text your questions to 416-830-0335

‍

SONG OF RESPONSE - HERE I AM TO WORSHIP

(© 2000 Thankyou Music. CCLI # 3266032)

‍

Light of the world

You stepped down into darkness

Opened my eyes let me see

Beauty that made

This heart adore You

Hope of a life spent with You

‍

So here I am to worship

Here I am to bow down

Here I am to say that You're my God

And You're altogether lovely

Altogether worthy

Altogether wonderful to me

‍

King of all days

Oh so highly exalted

Glorious in heaven above

Humbly You came

To the earth You created

All for love's sake became poor

‍

And I'll never know how much it cost

To see my sin upon that cross

And I'll never know how much it cost

To see my sin upon that cross

‍

‍

COMMUNION
‍

PRAYER FOR THOSE SEARCHING FOR TRUTH

Lord Jesus, you claim to be the way, the truth, and the life.  Grant that I might be undaunted by the cost of following you as I consider the reasons for doing so. If what you claim is true, please guide me, teach me, and open me to the reality of who you are.  Give me an understanding of you that is coherent, convincing and that leads to the life you promise.  Amen.

‍

PRAYER OF BELIEF

Lord Jesus Christ, I admit that I am weaker and more sinful than I ever dared admit, but through you I am more loved and accepted than I ever dared hope.  I thank you for paying my debt on the cross, taking what I deserved in order to offer me complete forgiveness. Knowing that you have been raised from the dead, I turn from my sins and receive you as my Saviour and Lord.  Amen.

‍

GOD COMMISSIONS

‍

BENEDICTION

—2 Thessalonians 2:16-17, NIV

‍

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father,

who loved us and by his grace

gave us eternal encouragement and good hope,

encourage your hearts and strengthen you

in every good deed and word.

‍

‍

PRAYER

Would you like prayer?  Send us an email at prayer@gracetoronto.ca.  We would love to intercede for you!

CONNECT WITH US

Need to get connected at Grace? Click here to fill in our Connections form!