Service for Sunday, April 3, 2011

Subject: Unreality

 Hymn 59

 John S. B. Monsell* 

 Fight the good fight with all thy might,

 Christ is thy strength, and Christ thy right;

 Lay hold on Life, and it shall be

 Thy joy and crown eternally.

 Run the straight race through God's good grace,

 Lift up thine eyes, and seek His face;

 Life with its way before us lies,

 Christ is the path, and Christ the prize.

 Faint not nor fear, His arms are near;

 He changeth not, and thou art dear;

 On Him rely and thou shalt see

 That Christ is all in all to thee.

The scriptural selection is from Psalms.

Psalms 25:1-10,12-18,20,21
Unto thee, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.  O my God, I trust in thee: let me not be ashamed, let not mine enemies triumph over me.  Yea, let none that wait on thee be ashamed: let them be ashamed which transgress without cause.  Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths.  Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day.  Remember, O Lord, thy tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.  Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O Lord.  Good and upright is the Lord: therefore will he teach sinners in the way.  The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way.  All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies.   
What man is he that feareth the Lord? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.  His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.  The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.  Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.  Turn thee unto me, and have mercy upon me; for I am desolate and afflicted.  The troubles of my heart are enlarged: O bring thou me out of my distresses.  Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive all my sins.   
O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee.  Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.   

 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 123 

 "K" in Rippon's Selection, 1787 – Adapted

 How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,

 Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word.

 What more can He say than to you He hath said,

 To you who to God for your refuge have fled:

 Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,

 For I am thy God, I will still give thee aid;

 I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to

           stand,

 Upheld by My gracious, omnipotent hand;

 When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,

 My grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;

 The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design

 Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine.

This is from Article VIII, Section 1, of the Manual of the Mother Church, and is read as part of the service of the first Sunday in each month.

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: “Thy Secret Place”

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

I Peter 5:6,7

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.