Service for Sunday, Sept. 21, 2014

Subject: Matter

 Hymn 423
 James J. Rome

 Give me, O Lord, an understanding heart,
   That I may learn to know myself in Thee,
 To spurn the wrong and choose the better part
   And thus from sinful bondage be set free.

 Give me, O Lord, a meek and contrite heart,
   That I may learn to quell all selfish pride,
 Bowing before Thee, see Thee as Thou art
   And 'neath Thy sheltering presence safely hide.

 Give me, O Lord, a gentle, loving heart,
   That I may learn to be more tender, kind,
 And with Thy healing touch, each wound and smart
   With Christly bands of Love and Truth to bind.

Readings from the Bible.

I Kings 3:5‑12 (to ;)
In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee.  And Solomon said, Thou hast shewed unto thy servant David my father great mercy, according as he walked before thee in truth, and in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart with thee; and thou hast kept for him this great kindness, that thou hast given him a son to sit on his throne, as it is this day.  

And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am but a little child: I know not how to go out or come in.  And thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude.  Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?  

And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing.  And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart;

Job 28:12‑18 where
 where shall wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?  Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living.  The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.  It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.  It cannot be valued with the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.  The gold and the crystal cannot equal it: and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.  No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies.

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 157 
 Violet Hay

 Jesus' prayer for all his brethren:
   Father, that they may be one,
 Echoes down through all the ages,
   Nor prayed he for these alone
   But for all, that through all time
         God's will be done.

 One the Mind and Life of all things,
   For we live in God alone;
 One the Love whose ever‑presence
   Blesses all and injures none.
   Safe within this Love we find all
         being one.

 Day by day the understanding
   Of our oneness shall increase,
 Till among all men and nations
   Warfare shall forever cease,
   So God's children all shall dwell
         in joy and peace.

Solo:  "Satisfied" with words by Mary Baker Eddy.            



Explanatory Note
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 93 
 William P. McKenzie

 Happy the man whose heart can rest,
   Assured God's goodness ne'er will cease;
 Each day, complete, with joy is blessed,
   God keepeth him in perfect peace.

 God keepeth him, and God is one,
   One Life, forevermore the same,
 One Truth unchanged while ages run;
   Eternal Love His holiest name.

 Dwelling in Love that cannot change,
   From anxious fear man finds release;
 No more his homeless longings range,
   God keepeth him in perfect peace.

 In perfect peace, with tumult stilled,
   Enhavened where no storms arise,
 There man can work what God hath willed;
   The joy of perfect work his prize.


"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  
Ps   111:10

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.

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