Order of Service - April 13

GOD CALLS
CALL TO WORSHIP
—Psalm 34:1-3, 18
I will bless the Lord at all times;
his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
My soul makes its boast in the Lord;
let the humble hear and be glad.
Oh, magnify the Lord with me,
and let us exalt his name together!

The Lord is near to the brokenhearted
and saves the crushed in spirit.

SONG — Bless the Lord, O My Soul (10,000 Reasons)
(J. Myrin and M. Redman/©2011 Thankyou Music) CCLI #22022177

Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name

The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning
It's time to sing Your song again
Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me
Let me be singing when the evening comes

You're rich in love, and You're slow to anger
Your name is great, and Your heart is kind
For all Your goodness I will keep on singing
Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find

And on that day when my strength is failing
The end draws near and my time has come
Still my soul will sing Your praise unending
Ten thousand years and then forevermore

Sing like never before O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name
Worship Your holy name
Worship Your holy name

SONG — Be Still My Soul
(Jane Laurie Borthwick | Jean Sibelius | Kathrina Amalia von Schlegel / Public Domain)

Be still my soul the Lord is on thy side
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain
Leave to thy God to order and provide
In ev’ry change He faithful will remain
Be still my soul thy best thy heav’nly Friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end

Be still my soul thy God doth undertake
To guide the future as He has the past
Thy hope thy confidence let nothing shake
All now mysterious shall be bright at last
Be still my soul the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below

Be still my soul the hour is hast'ning on
When we shall be forever with the Lord
When disappointment grief and fear are gone
Sorrow forgot love's purest joys restored
Be still my soul when change and tears are past
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last

GOD CLEANSES
CONFESSION
God of comfort and mercy,
Whose Son, Jesus Christ, was tempted in every way, yet was without sin,
we confess before you our own sinfulness;
we have hungered after that which does not satisfy;
we have compromised with evil;
we have doubted your power to protect us.
Forgive our lack of faith; have mercy on our weakness.
Restore in us such trust and love that we may walk in your ways and delight in doing your will. Amen.

ASSURANCE
—Isaiah 53:6
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all. 

GOD COMMUNES 
GOD AT WORK
Nick Diefenbach
Silvian Meißner

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 Golden Calf
By Kiernan Stringer
Exodus 32:1-35

When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered round Aaron and said, ‘Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.’

2 Aaron answered them, ‘Take off the gold earrings that your wives, your sons and your daughters are wearing, and bring them to me.’ 3 So all the people took off their earrings and brought them to Aaron. 4 He took what they handed him and made it into an idol cast in the shape of a calf, fashioning it with a tool. Then they said, ‘These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.’

5 When Aaron saw this, he built an altar in front of the calf and announced, ‘Tomorrow there will be a festival to the Lord.’ 6 So the next day the people rose early and sacrificed burnt offerings and presented fellowship offerings. Afterwards they sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry.

7 Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go down, because your people, whom you brought up out of Egypt, have become corrupt. 8 They have been quick to turn away from what I commanded them and have made themselves an idol cast in the shape of a calf. They have bowed down to it and sacrificed to it and have said, “These are your gods, Israel, who brought you up out of Egypt.”

9 ‘I have seen these people,’ the Lord said to Moses, ‘and they are a stiff-necked people. 10 Now leave me alone so that my anger may burn against them and that I may destroy them. Then I will make you into a great nation.’

11 But Moses sought the favour of the Lord his God. ‘Lord,’ he said, ‘why should your anger burn against your people, whom you brought out of Egypt with great power and a mighty hand? 12 Why should the Egyptians say, “It was with evil intent that he brought them out, to kill them in the mountains and to wipe them off the face of the earth”? Turn from your fierce anger; relent and do not bring disaster on your people. 13 Remember your servants Abraham, Isaac and Israel, to whom you swore by your own self: “I will make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and I will give your descendants all this land I promised them, and it will be their inheritance for ever.”’ 14 Then the Lord relented and did not bring on his people the disaster he had threatened.

15 Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands. They were inscribed on both sides, front and back. 16 The tablets were the work of God; the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets.
17 When Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting, he said to Moses, ‘There is the sound of war in the camp.’

18 Moses replied: ‘It is not the sound of victory, it is not the sound of defeat; it is the sound of singing that I hear.’ 19 When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain. 20 And he took the calf the people had made and burned it in the fire; then he ground it to powder, scattered it on the water and made the Israelites drink it. 21 He said to Aaron, ‘What did these people do to you, that you led them into such great sin?’

22 ‘Do not be angry, my lord,’ Aaron answered. ‘You know how prone these people are to evil. 23 They said to me, “Make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.” 24 So I told them, “Whoever has any gold jewellery, take it off.” Then they gave me the gold, and I threw it into the fire, and out came this calf!’

25 Moses saw that the people were running wild and that Aaron had let them get out of control and so become a laughing-stock to their enemies. 26 So he stood at the entrance to the camp and said, ‘Whoever is for the Lord, come to me.’ And all the Levites rallied to him.

27 Then he said to them, ‘This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says: “Each man strap a sword to his side. Go back and forth through the camp from one end to the other, each killing his brother and friend and neighbour.”’ 28 The Levites did as Moses commanded, and that day about three thousand of the people died. 29 Then Moses said, ‘You have been set apart to the Lord today, for you were against your own sons and brothers, and he has blessed you this day.’

30 The next day Moses said to the people, ‘You have committed a great sin. But now I will go up to the Lord; perhaps I can make atonement for your sin.’ 31 So Moses went back to the Lord and said, ‘Oh, what a great sin these people have committed! They have made themselves gods of gold. 32 But now, please forgive their sin – but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written.’

33 The Lord replied to Moses, ‘Whoever has sinned against me I will blot out of my book. 34 Now go, lead the people to the place I spoke of, and my angel will go before you. However, when the time comes for me to punish, I will punish them for their sin.’
35 And the Lord struck the people with a plague because of what they did with the calf Aaron had made.

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 - On Jordan's Stormy Banks I Stand
(Samuel Stennett, Christopher Miner / ©1997 Christopher Miner Music)

On Jordan’s stormy banks I stand,
And cast a wishful eye
To Canaan’s fair and happy land,
Where my possessions lie.

All o’er those wide extended plains,
Shines one eternal day;
There God the Son forever reigns,
And scatters night away.

I am bound, I am bound
I am bound for promised land,
I am bound, I am bound
I am bound for promised land.

No chilling winds nor poisonous breath
Can reach that healthful shore;
Sickness, sorrow, pain and death,
Are felt and feared no more.

When shall I reach that happy place,
And be forever blessed?
When shall I see my Father’s face,
And in His bosom rest?

GOD SENDS

WORD & PRAYER THIS WEEK
Scripture Reading: Acts 16-18

Pray for our Connections volunteers. Pray that everyone who enters a Sunday service will feel welcomed and valued. 

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.

Partnerships Committee: As a church, we desire to invest in the kingdom of God through partnerships with individuals and organizations, both near and far. If you would be willing to serve on our new Partnerships Committee, please write to office@thevine.to. Today is the last day to submit your application.

Good Friday Service: On Friday, April 18 at 4 PM, we will gather at West Toronto Baptist Church (3049 Dundas St W) for Good Friday service. We will reflect on the crucifixion of Jesus and what it means for us today. This will be a family-friendly service. Join us afterwards in the fellowship hall for dinner. RSVP for dinner here: tinyurl.com/VPC-goodfridaydinner. Today is the last day to submit your RSVP!

Easter Sunday: Join us for our Easter ervice at 10:30 AM  next Sunday, as we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ! Plan to stay and enjoy hot cross buns together in the Atrium.

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
—2 Corinthians 13:14
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ 
and the love of God 
and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit 
be with you all.