Service for Sunday, Sept. 5, 2010

Subject: Man

Hymn 75

James Montgomery – Adapted

God comes, with succor speedy,

To those who suffer wrong;

To help the poor and needy,

And bid the weak be strong;

He comes to break oppression,

To set the captive free,

To take away transgression,

And rule in equity.

His blessings come as showers

Upon the thirsty earth;

And joy and hope, like flowers,

Spring in His path to birth.

Before Him on the mountains

Shall Peace, the herald, go;

From hill to vale the fountains

Of righteousness shall flow.

To Him shall prayer unceasing,

And daily vows, ascend;

His kingdom still increasing,

A kingdom without end.

The tide of time shall never

His covenant remove;

His name shall stand forever:

His changeless name of Love.

The scriptural selections are from Psalms.

Psalms 1:1‑3,6 (to :)

Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

For the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous:

Psalms 40:4‑11,13,16

Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies. Many, O Lord my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us‑ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered. Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart. I have preached righteousness in the great congregation: lo, I have not refrained my lips, O Lord, thou knowest. I have not hid thy righteousness within my heart; I have declared thy faithfulness and thy salvation: I have not concealed thy lovingkindness and thy truth from the great congregation. Withhold not thou thy tender mercies from me, O Lord: let thy lovingkindness and thy truth continually preserve me.

Be pleased, O Lord, to deliver me: O Lord, make haste to help me.

Let all those that seek thee rejoice and be glad in thee: let such as love thy salvation say continually, The Lord be magnified.

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.

Hymn 342

Laura Lee Randall

This is the day the Lord hath made;

Be glad, give thanks, rejoice;

Stand in His presence, unafraid,

In praise lift up your voice.

All perfect gifts are from above,

And all our blessings show

The amplitude of God's dear love

Which every heart may know.

The Lord will hear before we call,

And every need supply;

Good things are freely given to all

Who on His word rely.

We come today to bring Him praise

Not for such gifts alone,

But for the higher, deeper ways

In which His love is shown.

For sin destroyed, for sorrow healed,

For health and peace restored;

For Life and Love by Truth revealed,

We thank and bless the Lord.

This is the day the Lord hath made,

In praise lift up your voice.

In shining robes of joy arrayed,

Be glad, give thanks, rejoice.

Reading of Article VIII, Section 1, of the Manual of the Mother Church: “A Rule for Motives and Acts.”

A Rule for Motives and Acts.

“Neither animosity nor mere personal attachment should impel the motives or acts of the members of The Mother Church. In Science, divine Love alone governs man; and a Christian Scientist reflects the sweet amenities of Love, in rebuking sin, in true brotherliness, charitableness, and forgiveness. The members of this Church should daily watch and pray to be delivered from all evil, from prophesying, judging, condemning, counseling, influencing or being influenced erroneously.”

Solo: "Behold, the Tabernacle of God"

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 374,

John Randall Dunn

We thank Thee and we bless Thee,

O Father of us all,

That e'en before we ask Thee

Thou hear'st Thy children's call.

We praise Thee for Thy goodness

And tender, constant care,

We thank Thee, Father‑Mother,

That Thou hast heard our prayer.

We thank Thee and we bless Thee,

O Lord of all above,

That now Thy children know Thee

As everlasting Love.

And Love is not the author

Of discord, pain and fear;

O Love divine, we thank Thee

That good alone is here.

We thank Thee, Father‑Mother,

For blessings, light and grace

Which bid mankind to waken

And see Thee face to face.

We thank Thee, when in anguish

We turn from sense to Soul,

That we may hear Thee calling:

Rejoice, for thou art whole.

"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

Psalms 112:1 Blessed

Blessed is the man that feareth the Lord, that delighteth greatly in his commandments.