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.

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GOD CALLS

CALL TO WORSHIP

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LEADER:

All who thirst, come to the water.

Come, all who are weary;

come, all who yearn for forgiveness.

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ALL:

The Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ has washed over us,

and our gracious and holy God beckons and blesses us.

Drink deeply of these living waters.

Glory to you, O Lord, glory to you.

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SONG - GO TELL IT ON THE MOUNTAIN‍

(© Public Domain. CCLI # 29080)

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Go tell it on the mountain

Over the hills and ev'rywhere

Go tell it on the mountain

That Jesus Christ is born

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While shepherds kept their watching

O'er silent flocks by night

Behold throughout the heavens

There shone a holy light

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The shepherds feared and trembled

When lo above the earth

Rang out the angel chorus

That hailed the Saviour's birth

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Down in a lowly manger

The humble Christ was born

And God sent us salvation

That blessed Christmas morn

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SONG - CROWN HIM WITH MANY CROWNS

(© Words: Public Domain. CCLI Song # 23938)

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Crown Him with many crowns

The Lamb upon His throne

Hark how the heavenly anthem drowns

All music but its own

Awake my soul and sing

Of Him who died for thee

And hail Him as thy matchless King

Through all eternity

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Crown Him the Lord of life

Who triumphed o'er the grave

And rose victorious in the strife

For those He came to save

His glories now we sing

Who died and rose on high

Who died eternal life to bring

And lives that death may die

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Crown Him the Lord of love

Behold His hands and side

Rich wounds yet visible above

In beauty glorified

No angel in the sky

Can fully bear that sight

But downward bends each burning eye

At mysteries so bright

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SONG - KING OF KINGS

(© 2018 Hillsong Music Publishing CCLI Song # 7127647 -- CCLI License # 2821054)

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In the darkness we were waiting

Without hope without light

Till from Heaven You came running

There was mercy in Your eyes

To fulfil the law and prophets

To a virgin came the Word

From a throne of endless glory

To a cradle in the dirt

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Praise the Father

Praise the Son

Praise the Spirit three in one

God of Glory

Majesty

Praise forever to the King of Kings

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To reveal the kingdom coming

And to reconcile the lost

To redeem the whole creation

You did not despise the cross

For even in Your suffering

You saw to the other side

Knowing this was our salvation

Jesus for our sake You died

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And the morning that You rose

All of heaven held its breath

Till that stone was moved for good

For the Lamb had conquered death

And the dead rose from their tombs

And the angels stood in awe

For the souls of all who'd come

To the Father are restored

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And the Church of Christ was born

Then the Spirit lit the flame

Now this Gospel truth of old

Shall not kneel shall not faint

By His blood and in His Name

In His freedom I am free

For the love of Jesus Christ

Who has resurrected me

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GOD CLEANSES

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PRAYER OF CONFESSION

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LEADER:

Almighty and merciful God,

we have erred and strayed from your ways like lost sheep.

We have followed too much

the devices and desires of our own hearts.

We have offended against your holy laws.

We have left undone those things which we ought to have done;

and we have done those things which we ought not to have done.

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ALL:

O Lord, have mercy upon us.

Spare those who confess their faults.

Restore those who are penitent,

according to your promises declared to the world

in Christ Jesus, our Lord.

And grant, O merciful God, for his sake,

that we may live a holy, just, and humble life

to the glory of your holy name.

Amen.

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SILENT CONFESSION

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WORDS OF ASSURANCE

—Psalm 130:3-4, 7-8, NRSV

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If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, Lord, who could stand?

But there is forgiveness with you, so that you may be revered.

O Israel, hope in the LORD!

For with the LORD there is steadfast love, and with him is great power to redeem.

It is he who will redeem Israel from all its iniquities.

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SONG OF ASSURANCE - IN CHRIST ALONE

(© 2001 Thankyou Music. CCLI # 3350395)

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In Christ alone my hope is found

He is my light my strength my song

This Cornerstone this solid Ground

Firm through the fiercest drought and storm

What heights of love what depths of peace

When fears are stilled when strivings cease

My Comforter my All in All

Here in the love of Christ I stand

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In Christ alone who took on flesh

Fullness of God in helpless babe

This gift of love and righteousness

Scorned by the ones He came to save

Till on that cross as Jesus died

The wrath of God was satisfied

For every sin on Him was laid

Here in the death of Christ I live

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There in the ground His body lay

Light of the world by darkness slain

Then bursting forth in glorious Day

Up from the grave He rose again

And as He stands in victory

Sin's curse has lost its grip on me

For I am His and He is mine

Bought with the precious blood of Christ

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No guilt in life no fear in death

This is the power of Christ in me

From life's first cry to final breath

Jesus commands my destiny

No power of hell no scheme of man

Can ever pluck me from His hand

Till He returns or calls me home

Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

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PRAYER FOR THE CHURCH AND THE CITY

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COMMUNITY LIFE ANNOUNCEMENTS

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SMALL GROUPS REGISTRATION OPENS JAN 1

• Want to join a Grace Gathering Small Group? The Winter 2025 registration period will be OPEN between January 1-15, 2025. To register and learn more about our Grace Gatherings,  please go to, https://gracetoronto.ca/grace-gatherings.

YA GAMES NIGHT

• Are you between the ages of 18 and 25? Then join the Young Adults Group for a chill evening of board games and snacks in the church building on Jan. 8 at 7:30 PM Have some fun and make some friends before classes start up again!

NEWCOMER'S BRUNCH

• New to Grace? Join us for brunch after either service on Jan.12! Learn about our community and get to know some of our leaders. RSVP at gracetoronto.ca/events to save your seat!

MISSIONS LUNCH

• Come have lunch with us on Jan. 12 from 11:15 - 12:45 PM and learn from one of our missionaries, Matt Lammers!

WOMEN'S MINISTRY BIBLE STUDY

• Ladies, Are you looking for a fuller spiritual experience? Are you feeling bored with your Christian walk? Join us as Women's Ministry explores the big truths found in the book of Colossians. We meet Tuesday evenings at 7:00 pm from Jan. 14 - Mar. 18. Register online at gracetoronto.ca/events

GT MEN'S BIBLE STUDY

• Join other GTMen as we study Ephesians - packed with wisdom and encouragement for living as faithful men of God. We meet bi-weekly on Tuesday Nights at 7 PM starting January 14th in the Neighbours Hall at GTC.

YEAR-END REIMBURSEMENTS AND GIVING

• Donations must be received and deposited in the bank by DECEMBER 31 for your 2024 tax receipt. Receipts will be sent out on FEBRUARY 2025. The CRA requires your mailing address.  Please log in to your Planning Center account to update your mailing address for  tax receipts.

PRAYER FOR THE WEEK

• REVIVAL (Lamentations 3:22-23) As we approach a new year, how do we reflect on God’s faithfulness? God’s mercies are new every morning, and His steadfast love never fails. As we enter into the new year, let us embrace the hope of renewal, trusting that God’s grace will sustain us through all the seasons to come.

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.

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GOD COMMUNES

SCRIPTURE READING

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Isaiah 55:1-13

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1 “Come, all you who are thirsty,

come to the waters;

and you who have no money,

come, buy and eat!

Come, buy wine and milk

without money and without cost.

2 Why spend money on what is not bread,

and your labor on what does not satisfy?

Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,

and you will delight in the richest of fare.

3 Give ear and come to me;

listen, that you may live.

I will make an everlasting covenant with you,

my faithful love promised to David.

4 See, I have made him a witness to the peoples,

a ruler and commander of the peoples.

5 Surely you will summon nations you know not,

and nations you do not know will come running to you,

because of the Lord your God,

the Holy One of Israel,

for he has endowed you with splendour.”

6 Seek the Lord while he may be found;

call on him while he is near.

7 Let the wicked forsake their ways

and the unrighteous their thoughts.

Let them turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on them,

and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,

neither are your ways my ways,”

declares the Lord.

9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,

so are my ways higher than your ways

and my thoughts than your thoughts.

10 As the rain and the snow

come down from heaven,

and do not return to it

without watering the earth

and making it bud and flourish,

so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:

It will not return to me empty,

but will accomplish what I desire

and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

12 You will go out in joy

and be led forth in peace;

the mountains and hills

will burst into song before you,

and all the trees of the field

will clap their hands.

13 Instead of the thorn bush will grow the juniper,

and instead of briers the myrtle will grow.

This will be for the Lord’s renown,

for an everlasting sign,

that will endure forever.”

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SERMON

Stephen Ahn

Q&A

Text your questions to 416-830-0335

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SONG OF RESPONSE - LIVING HOPE

(© 2017 Phil Wickham Music, Simply Global Songs, Sing My Songs, Bethel Music Publishing. CCLI# 7106807.)

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How great the chasm that lay between us

How high the mountain I could not climb

In desperation I turned to heaven

And spoke Your name into the night

Then through the darkness Your loving-kindness

Tore through the shadows of my soul

The work is finished the end is written

Jesus Christ my living hope

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Who could imagine so great a mercy

What heart could fathom such boundless grace

The God of ages stepped down from glory

To wear my sin and bear my shame

The cross has spoken I am forgiven

The King of kings calls me His own

Beautiful Saviour I’m Yours forever

Jesus Christ my living hope

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Hallelujah praise the One who set me free

Hallelujah death has lost its grip on me

You have broken every chain

There’s salvation in Your name

Jesus Christ my living hope

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Then came the morning that sealed the promise

Your buried body began to breathe

Out of the silence the Roaring Lion

Declared the grave has no claim on me

(REPEAT)

Jesus Yours is the victory whoa

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COMMUNION
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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.

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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.

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GOD COMMISSIONS

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BENEDICTION

—Romans 15:13

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May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing,

so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

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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!

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