Service for Sunday, Feb. 10, 2013

Subject: Spirit

 Hymn 312 

 Charles Wesley*

 Soldiers of Christ, arise,

   And put your armor on,

 Strong in the strength which God supplies

   Through His eternal Son.

 Stand then in His great might,

   With all His strength endued,

 And take, to arm you for the fight,

   The panoply of God.

 From strength to strength go on;

   O wrestle, fight, and pray;

 Tread all the powers of darkness down,

   And win the well‑fought day.

 That, having all things done,

   And all your conflicts past,

 Ye may o'ercome through Christ alone,

   And stand complete at last.

The scriptural selections are from Psalms.

Psalms 111:1‑10

Praise ye the Lord. I will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly of the upright, and in the congregation.  The works of the Lord are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.  His work is honourable and glorious: and his righteousness endureth for ever.  He hath made his wonderful works to be remembered: the Lord is gracious and full of compassion.  He hath given meat unto them that fear him: he will ever be mindful of his covenant.  He hath shewed his people the power of his works, that he may give them the heritage of the heathen.  The works of his hands are verity and judgment; all his commandments are sure.  They stand fast for ever and ever, and are done in truth and uprightness.  He sent redemption unto his people: he hath commanded his covenant for ever: holy and reverend is his name.  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.

Psalms 130:1,2,5‑7

Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord.  Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications. 

I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.  My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.  Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.

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 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: “Praise Be to Thee”              

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 88

 Thomas T. Lynch* 

 Gracious Spirit, dwell with me:

 I myself would gracious be,

 And with words that help and heal

 Would Thy life in mine reveal;

 And with actions bold and meek

 Christ's own gracious spirit speak.

 Truthful Spirit, dwell with me:

 I myself would truthful be,

 And with wisdom kind and clear

 Let Thy life in mine appear;

 And with actions brotherly

 Follow Christ's sincerity.

 Mighty Spirit, dwell with me:

 I myself would mighty be,

 Mighty, that I may prevail

 Where unaided man must fail;

 Ever by triumphant hope

 Pressing on and bearing up.

"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

Luke 21:28 look

look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.