Service for Sunday, Aug. 4, 2013

Subject: Love

 Hymn 416
 Kate L. Colby – Adapted

 Be true and list the voice within,
   Be true unto thy high ideal,
 Thy perfect self, that knows no sin,
   That self that is the only real.

 God is the only perfect One:
   My perfect self is one with Him;
 So man is seen as God's own son,
   When Truth dispels the shadows dim.

 True to our God whose name is Love,
   We shall fulfill our Father's plan;
 For true means true to God above,
   To self, and to our fellow man.

The scriptural selection is from Philippians.

Philippians 2:1‑15
If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.  Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.  Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.  Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.  For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.  Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;

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 178 
 Based on the Danish of Nikolaj F. S. Grundtvig

 Love is life's true crown and glory,
   Love the splendor of the light,
 Truly is God's counsel gentle,
   Truly all His ways are bright;
 Jesus knew the law of kindness,
 Healing mind and heart of blindness;
   And in heavenly wisdom taught
   Holy works of love he wrought.

 Love, the Golden Rule of living,
   Showeth forth the perfect Mind;
 Love, our debt to God who gives it,
   All compassion is, and kind;
 Charity the law fulfilleth,
 Mid the nations rancor stilleth;
   Loving hearts in friendship blend,
   One in Him, our heavenly Friend.

This being the first Sunday of the month, Article VIII , Section 1, is read from the Manual of The Mother Church:
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:  "Teach Me to Love"             

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 179 
 Margaret Morrison

 Love one another,‑‑word of revelation;
 Love frees from error's thrall,‑‑Love is liberation.
     Love's way the Master trod;
     He that loves shall walk with God.
          Love is the royal way.

 Love knows no evil, neither shade of sadness;
 Love casts out every fear, lifts the heart to gladness.
     Love heals our every ill,
     All the law does love fulfill.
          Love is our answered prayer.

 Love now is dawning over every nation;
 Showing true brotherhood, publishing salvation,
     Love bids all discord cease.
     Conquering hate, enthroning peace,
          Love, Love alone is power.


"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 86:15 thou

 thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.

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