Service for Sunday, April 8, 2012

Subject: Are Sin, Disease and Death Real?

 Hymn 421

 Violet Hay

 From these Thy children gathered in Thy name,

 From hearts made whole, from lips redeemed from woe,

 Thy praise, O Father, shall forever flow.

     Alleluia!  Alleluia!

 O perfect Life, in Thy completeness held,

 None can beyond Thy omnipresence stray;

 Safe in Thy Love, we live and sing alway

     Alleluia!  Alleluia!

 O perfect Mind, reveal Thy likeness true,

 That higher selfhood which we all must prove,

 Joy and dominion, love reflecting Love.

     Alleluia!  Alleluia!

 Thou, Soul, inspiring‑‑give us vision clear,

 Break earth‑bound fetters, sweep away the veil,

 Show the new heaven and earth that shall prevail.

     Alleluia!  Alleluia!

The scriptural selection is from Matthew.

Matthew 9:10‑13 it,18‑26

it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto his disciples, Why eateth your Master with publicans and sinners?  But when Jesus heard that, he said unto them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick.  But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

#While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.  And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples.  #And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.  But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.  And when Jesus came into the ruler's house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn.  But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose.  And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land.

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 153 

 Luke I:46 – Maria Louise Baum

 In Thee, my God and Saviour,

   Forevermore the same,

 My spirit hath rejoicing,

   For holy is Thy name.

 My soul doth magnify the Lord,

   Sing all in glad accord!

 Praise Him who lifts the lowly,

   For faithful is His word.

 I magnify and bless Thee,

   For faithful is Thy word.

 Thou who alone art mighty

   Hast done to me great things,

 Remembrance of Thy mercy

   Sure help to Israel brings.

 Thy power, O Lord, will I extol,

   Who hast redeemed my soul;

 I praise Thee, Lord, with gladness,

   For Thou hast made me whole.

 I magnify and bless Thee,

   For Thou hast made me whole.

Solo:  "Let Us Strive to be Like Our Savior"                   

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 413

 Frances Thompson Hill

 Let us sing of Easter gladness

   That rejoices every day,

 Sing of hope and faith uplifted;

   Love has rolled the stone away.

 Lo, the promise and fulfillment,

   Lo, the man whom God hath made,

 Seen in glory of an Easter

   Crowned with light that cannot fade.

 When we touch Truth's healing garment

   And behold Life's purity,

 When we find in Love the refuge

   That is man's security,

 When we turn from earth to Spirit,

   And from self have won release,

 Then we see the risen Saviour;

   Then we know his promised peace.

 Living meekly as the Master,

   Who of God was glorified,

 Looking ever to the radiance

   Of his wondrous Eastertide;

 Freed of fear, of pain, and sorrow,

   Giving God the honor due,

 Every day will be an Easter

   Filled with benedictions new.

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

Ephesians 6:10,11 (to stand)

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.  Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand