Order of Service - November 2

GOD CALLS
CALL TO WORSHIP
—based on Ephesians 1:19-21
By his mighty power, God raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come.

Amen. Christ is Lord!

SONG — Who Is Like the Lord Our God?
(Bruce Benedict & Wendell Kimbrough/© 2013 Wendell Kimbrough) CCLI #22022177

Our Father, He lifts from the ashes
He raises the poor and the lost;
He seats them to dine at his table,
To feast without money or cost.
The lonely he settles in families
The barren, a mother he makes;
O happy the heart of the stranger
Who’s welcomed by this King of Grace.

Who is like the LORD our God,
Who with glory fills the skies,
But humbles himself 
With the broken to dwell
Who is like our God?

Though equal to God in His glory,
Christ Jesus became like a slave;
He humbled himself in obedience
To death, and the cross, and the grave.
Victorious, he rose to the highest;
In glory, the Saviour was raised.
His name above all names exalted;
The heavens and earth sing His praise

O saints, fix your eyes on the Saviour
And count all your righteousness lost
Be found in his love and his favour
And share in his death on the cross
That all of his power in victory,
Imparted to you, may abound
And sharing the suff’rings of Jesus,
You share in his glory and crown

SONG — Here Is Love
(Robert S. Lowry, William Edwards, William Rees / Public Domain)

Here is love, vast as the ocean,
Loving kindness as the flood,
When the Prince of Life, our Ransom,
Shed for us His precious blood.
Who His love will not remember?
Who can cease to sing His praise?
He can never be forgotten,
Throughout Heav’n’s eternal days.

On the mount of crucifixion,
Fountains opened deep and wide;
Through the floodgates of God’s mercy
Flowed a vast and gracious tide.
Grace and love, like mighty rivers,
Poured incessant from above,
And Heav’n’s peace and perfect justice
Kissed a guilty world in love.

Let me, all Thy love accepting,
Love Thee, ever all my days;
Let me seek Thy kingdom only
And my life be to Thy praise;
Thou alone shalt be my glory,
Nothing in the world I see.
Thou hast cleansed and sanctified me,
Thou Thyself hast set me free.

In Thy truth Thou dost direct me
By Thy Spirit through Thy Word;
And Thy grace my need is meeting,
As I trust in Thee, my Lord.
Of Thy fullness Thou art pouring
Thy great love and power on me,
Without measure, full and boundless,
Drawing out my heart to Thee.

GOD CLEANSES
CONFESSION
—Psalm 19:9-14
The fear of the Lord is pure,
enduring forever.
The decrees of the Lord are firm,
and all of them are righteous.
They are more precious than gold,
than much pure gold;
they are sweeter than honey,
than honey from the honeycomb.
By them your servant is warned;

in keeping them there is great reward.

But who can discern their own errors?
Forgive my hidden faults.
Keep your servant also from willful sins;
may they not rule over me.
Then I will be blameless,
innocent of great transgression.
May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart
be pleasing in your sight,
Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

ASSURANCE
—1 Peter 2:24
He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross,
so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness;
by his wounds you have been healed.

GOD COMMUNES 
PRAYER FOR CHURCH AND CITY

OFFERING
If you wish to give financially to The Vine Presbyterian Church, we have online giving available, visit: www.thevine.to/give.

PASSING THE PEACE

SERMON
A Leader Like Moses
By Jeffrey Hynds
Ezra 9:1-15

1After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, ‘The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighbouring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites. 2 They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled the holy race with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness.’

3 When I heard this, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled. 4 Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered round me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled until the evening sacrifice.

5 Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the Lord my God 6 and prayed:

"I am too ashamed and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to you, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens. 7 From the days of our ancestors until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today.

8 "But now, for a brief moment, the Lord our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage. 9 Though we are slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia: he has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.

10 "But now, our God, what can we say after this? For we have forsaken the commands 11 you gave through your servants the prophets when you said: 'The land you are entering to possess is a land polluted by the corruption of its peoples. By their detestable practices they have filled it with their impurity from one end to the other. 12 Therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons. Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them at any time, that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land and leave it to your children as an everlasting inheritance.'

13 "What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins have deserved and have given us a remnant like this. 14 Shall we then break your commands again and intermarry with the peoples who commit such detestable practices? Would you not be angry enough with us to destroy us, leaving us no remnant or survivor? 15 Lord, the God of Israel, you are righteous! We are left this day as a remnant. Here we are before you in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand in your presence."

The word of the Lord
Thanks be to God

THE LORD'S SUPPER

We welcome all baptized Christians to receive Holy Communion with us. If you are exploring the Christian faith, please use this time to meditate on the following prayers.

Prayer for Those Searching for Truth

Jesus, you claim to be the way, the truth, and the life. As I consider the reasons to follow you, help me to discern your calling. If what you claim is true, 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 that you promise. Amen.

Prayer of Belief

Lord Jesus Christ, I admit that I am weak and sinful, but through you I am loved and accepted. Thank you for paying my debt on the cross. Thank you for taking my sins and granting me complete forgiveness. I believe that you have been raised from the dead, and I now turn to you as my Saviour and Lord. Amen.

SONG — Only A Holy God
(Dustin Smith | Jonny Robinson | Michael Farren | Rich Thompson /© 2016 CityAlight Music) CCLI #22022177

Who else commands all the hosts of heaven
Who else could make every king bow down
Who else can whisper and darkness trembles
Only a Holy God

What other beauty demands such praises
What other splendour outshines the sun
What other majesty rules with justice
Only a Holy God

Come and behold Him
The One and the Only
Cry out sing holy
Forever a Holy God
Come and worship the Holy God

What other glory consumes like fire
What other power can raise the dead
What other name remains undefeated
Only a Holy God

Who else could rescue me from my failing
Who else would offer His only Son
Who else invites me to call Him Father
Only a Holy God
Only my Holy God

GOD SENDS
WORD & PRAYER THIS WEEK
Scripture Reading: Genesis 1-6

There are several important Sundays coming up: Nov 23, Nov 30, and Dec 7 (see the announcements below). Let's give thanks to the Lord for these milestones and pray that our church may serve His kingdom.


COMMUNITY LIFE ANNOUNCEMENTS
We would love to connect. You are welcome to approach any of the service volunteers, and you can fill out a visitor card or contact office@thevine.to.

TGC Women's Conference: Nov 13-15, at Hope Bible Church (Oakville). ‘Where are you, God?’ It’s the question we ask when crisis hits home. But what does it really mean to find God in a world that feels so broken? Come hear God speak through the book of Habakkuk and find answers to your restless search.

Commissioning Service: On Sunday, Nov 23, we will hold a special service to commission our new Women's Shepherding Committee.

Congregational Meeting: We will hold a meeting on Sunday, Nov 30, immediately after the service. Members will have the chance to vote on the slate of candidates in order to form our new elder board. All are welcome to attend.

Ordination Service: On Sunday, Dec 7, we will hold a special service to ordain and install our new Session of elders.

DOXOLOGY

(Thomas Ken / Public Domain)
Praise God from whom all blessings flow
Praise Him, all creatures here below
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost

BENEDICTION
—Psalm 67:1-2
May God be gracious to you and bless you
and make his face to shine upon you,
that his way may be known on earth,
his saving power among all nations.