Service for Sunday, April 29, 2012

Subject: Everlasting Punishment

 Hymn 196 

 Jane Borthwick

 Now is the time approaching,

   By prophets long foretold,

 When all shall dwell together,

   One Shepherd and one fold.

 Now Jew and Gentile, meeting

   From many a distant shore,

 Around one altar kneeling,

   One common Lord adore.

 Let all that now divides us

   Remove and pass away,

 Like shadows of the morning

   Before the blaze of day.

 Let all that now unites us

   More sweet and lasting prove,

 A closer bond of union,

   In a blest land of love.

The scriptural selection is from I Peter.

I Peter 5:1‑11

The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being ensamples to the flock.  And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.  Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.  Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.  Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.  But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.  To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Silent prayer, followed by the audible repetition of the Lord’s prayer, with its spiritual interpretation as given in the Christian Science textbook.

Our Father which art in heaven,

Our Father-Mother God, all-harmonious,

Hallowed be Thy name.

Adorable One.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy kingdom is come; Thou art ever-present.

Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Enable us to know – as in heaven, so on earth

God is omnipotent, supreme.

Give us this day our daily bread;

Give us grace for today; feed the famished affections;

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And Love is reflected in love;

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil;

And God leadeth us not into temptation, but delivereth us from sin, disease, and death.

For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.

For God is infinite, all-power, all Life, Truth, Love, over all, and All.

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 Hymn 304

 "Feed My Sheep" – Mary Baker Eddy

 Shepherd, show me how to go

   O'er the hillside steep,

 How to gather, how to sow,‑‑

   How to feed Thy sheep;

 I will listen for Thy voice,

   Lest my footsteps stray;

 I will follow and rejoice

   All the rugged way.

 Thou wilt bind the stubborn will,

   Wound the callous breast,

 Make self‑righteousness be still,

   Break earth's stupid rest.

 Strangers on a barren shore,

   Lab'ring long and lone,

 We would enter by the door,

   And Thou know'st Thine own;

 So, when day grows dark and cold,

   Tear or triumph harms,

 Lead Thy lambkins to the fold,

   Take them in Thine arms;

 Feed the hungry, heal the heart,

   Till the morning's beam;

 White as wool, ere they depart,

   Shepherd, wash them clean.

Solo: “He Shall Feed His Flock”                    

The lesson-sermon from the Bible and the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Baker Eddy, read by the First and Second Readers.

The content of the Lesson Sermon may be found in the Christian Science Quarterly. You may also read the Lesson-Sermon for this week online by clicking here.

 Hymn 330 

 Henry W. Baker*

 The King of Love my Shepherd is,

   Whose goodness faileth never;

 I nothing lack, for I am His

   And He is mine forever.

 Where streams of living water flow

   My ransomed soul He leadeth,

 And where the verdant pastures grow,

   With food celestial feedeth.

 Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,

   But yet in love He sought me,

 And on His shoulder gently laid,

   And home, rejoicing, brought me.

 And so through all the length of days

   Thy goodness faileth never;

 Good Shepherd, may I sing Thy praise

   Within Thy house forever.

"The Scientific Statement of Being" (S&H p. 468} and the correlative scripture according to I John 3:1-3.

There is no life, truth, intelligence, nor substance in matter. All is infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation, for God is All-in-all. Spirit is immortal Truth; matter is mortal error. Spirit is the real and eternal; matter is the unreal and temporal. Spirit is God, and man is His image and likeness. Therefore man is not material; he is spiritual.

Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, p.468

1John.3

[1] Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.

[2] Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

[3] And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.

Benediction

I Peter 2:25 ye

ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.