Order of Service - March 22

GOD CALLS
CALL TO WORSHIP
—Psalm 34:1-3, 18
I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise will always be on my lips.
I will glory in the Lord;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice.
Glorify the Lord with me;
let us exalt his name together.

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted
and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

SONG — The Wonderful Cross
(Chris Tomlin, Isaac Watts, J. D. Walt, Jesse Reeves, Lowell Mason /© 2000 Rising Springs Music) CCLI #22022177

When I survey the wondrous cross
On which the Prince of Glory died
My richest gain I count but loss
And pour contempt on all my pride

See from His head His hands His feet
Sorrow and love flow mingled down
Did e'er such love and sorrow meet
Or thorns compose so rich a crown

O the wonderful cross
O the wonderful cross
Bids me come and die and find
That I may truly live
O the wonderful cross
O the wonderful cross
All who gather here by grace
Draw near and bless Your name

Were the whole realm of nature mine
That were an offering far too small
Love so amazing so divine
Demands my soul my life my all

SONG — Worthy Is The Lamb
(Darlene Zschech /© 2000 Wondrous Worship)  CCLI #22022177

Thank You for the cross Lord
Thank You for the price You paid
Bearing all my sin and shame
In love You came and gave amazing grace

Thank You for this love Lord
Thank You for the nail-pierced hands
Washed me in Your cleansing flow
Now all I know Your forgiveness and embrace

Worthy is the Lamb seated on the throne
Crown You now with many crowns
You reign victorious
High and lifted up Jesus Son of God
The Darling of heaven crucified
Worthy is the Lamb
Worthy is the Lamb

GOD CLEANSES
CONFESSION
Psalm 51:1-10
Have mercy on me, O God,
according to your unfailing love;
according to your great compassion
blot out my transgressions.

Wash away all my iniquity
and cleanse me from my sin.
For I know my transgressions,
and my sin is always before me.

Against you, you only, have I sinned
and done what is evil in your sight;
so you are right in your verdict
and justified when you judge.

Surely I was sinful at birth,
sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
Yet you desired faithfulness even in the womb;
you taught me wisdom in that secret place.

Cleanse me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
Let me hear joy and gladness;
let the bones you have crushed rejoice.

Hide your face from my sins
and blot out all my iniquity.
Create in me a pure heart, O God,
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

ASSURANCE
—Luke 15:3-7
Jesus told them this parable: "Suppose one of you has a hundred sheep and loses one of them. Doesn’t he leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbours together and says, 'Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.' I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous people who do not need to repent."

GOD COMMUNES 

GOD AT WORK
Parkdale Youth Ministries

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
The Prayer of Jesus
By Kiernan Stringer
John 17:1-26

1 After Jesus said this, he looked towards heaven and prayed: ‘Father, the hour has come. Glorify your Son, that your Son may glorify you. 2 For you granted him authority over all people that he might give eternal life to all those you have given him. 3 Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. 4 I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.

6 ‘I have revealed you to those whom you gave me out of the world. They were yours; you gave them to me and they have obeyed your word. 7 Now they know that everything you have given me comes from you. 8 For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. 9 I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. 11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled.

13 ‘I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

20 ‘My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one – 23 I in them and you in me – so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24 ‘Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world.

25 ‘Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.’

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 prayer:

God, the Bible claims that life is in Jesus, and that all things came to exist through him. If this is true, then show me more. Help me to understand what it means to have life in Jesus. Amen.

SONG — Overcome
(Jon Egan /© 2007 Integrity Worship Music) CCLI #22022177

Seated above enthroned in the Father's love
Destined to die poured out for all mankind

God's only Son perfect and spotless One
He never sinned but suffered as if He did

All authority
Every victory is Yours
All authority
Every victory is Yours

Saviour worthy of honor and glory
Worthy of all our praise
For You overcame
Jesus awesome in power forever
Awesome and great is Your Name
For You overcame

Power in hand speaking the Father's plan
You're sending us out light in this broken land

We will overcome
By the blood of the Lamb
And the word of our testimony
Everyone overcome

GOD SENDS
WORD & PRAYER THIS WEEK
Scripture Reading: Luke 22-23, Jeremiah 45-48

Let's give thanks for our church partnership with Parkdale Youth Ministries. May the Lord continue to work powerfully in the Parkdale neighbourhood. May his kingdom come!

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.

Easter Services: All are welcome to our Good Friday service, to be held at West Toronto Baptist Church (3049 Dundas St W) at 4:00 PM on Friday, April 3. On Easter Sunday, we will gather at St Helen as normal.

Summer Venue: The TCDSB has notified our staff that St Helen will be unavailable during July and August. As a result, staff are researching venues to recommend to Session. For now, please pray for staff and Session to act with wisdom.

Retreat Committee: For our church retreat on August 28-30, we are now recruiting members to serve on the organizing committee. If interested, please contact office@thevine.to.

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.