Service for Sunday, April 13, 2014

Subject: Are Sin, Disease and Death Real?

 Hymn 65 
 Frances R. Havergal – Adapted

 From glory unto glory,
   Be this our joyous song;
 From glory unto glory,
   'Tis Love that leads us on;
 As wider yet and wider,
   The rising splendors glow,
 What wisdom is revealed to us,
   What freedom we may know.

 The fullness of His blessing
   Encompasseth our way;
 The fullness of His promise
   Crowns every dawning day;
 The fullness of His glory
   Is shining from above,
 While more and more we learn to know
   The fullness of His love.

 From glory unto glory,
   What great things He hath done,
 What wonders He hath shown us,
   What triumphs Love hath won.
 From glory unto glory,
   From strength to strength we go,
 While grace for grace abundantly
   Doth from His fullness flow.

Readings from the Bible.

I John 3:1‑3,7,11,16,18‑24
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.  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.  And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. 

Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. 

For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. 

Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 

My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.  And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.  For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.  Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.  And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.  And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.  And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

Psalms 51:7‑12
Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.  Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.  Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.  Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.  Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.  Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.

Silent prayer, followed by the audible repetition of the Lord’s prayer, with its spiritual interpretation as given in the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, by Mary Baker Eddy


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.

 Hymn 136 
 Violet Hay

 I love Thy way of freedom, Lord,
   To serve Thee is my choice,
 In Thy clear light of Truth I rise
   And, listening for Thy voice,
 I hear Thy promise old and new,
   That bids all fear to cease:
 My presence still shall go with thee
   And I will give thee peace.

 Though storm or discord cross my path
   Thy power is still my stay,
 Though human will and woe would check
   My upward‑soaring way;
 All unafraid I wait, the while
   Thy angels bring release,
 For still Thy presence is with me,
   And Thou dost give me peace.

 I climb, with joy, the heights of Mind,
   To soar o'er time and space;
 I yet shall know as I am known
   And see Thee face to face.
 Till time and space and fear are naught
   My quest shall never cease,
 Thy presence ever goes with me
   And Thou dost give me peace.

Solo: “Bless the Lord, Oh My Soul”              


Explanatory Note
Friends:
The Bible and the Christian Science textbook are our only preachers. We shall now read Scriptural texts, and their correlative passages from our denominational textbook; these comprise our sermon.

The canonical writings, together with the word of our textbook, corroborating and explaining the Bible texts in their spiritual import and application to all ages, past, present, and future, constitute a sermon undivorced from truth, uncontaminated and unfettered by human hypotheses, and divinely authorized.

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 276
 Charles Wesley – Adapted

 Peace be to this congregation;
   Peace to every heart therein;
 Peace, the earnest of salvation;
   Peace, the fruit of conquered sin;
 Peace, that speaks the heavenly Giver;
   Peace, to worldly minds unknown;
 Peace, that floweth as a river
   From th' eternal source alone.

 O Thou God of peace, be near us,
   Fix within our hearts Thy home;
 With Thy bright appearing cheer us,
   In Thy blessed freedom come.
 Come with all Thy revelations,
   Truth which we so long have sought;
 Come with Thy deep consolations,
   Peace of God which passeth thought.


"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
Romans 8:28

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.                                  

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