B28 Loving God Above All Else: Considering The First Commandment [ , DKeeler]

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1 1 of 8 5/23/20 3:17 PM B28 Loving God Above All Else: Considering The First Commandment [5-1-, DKeeler] Wed Svc [Hymns 20, 100, 10] Wednesday, May 1, 20 SECTION I BIBLE Is. 45:5, I am the Lord, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the Lord, and there is none else. Deut. :1-7 Now these are the commandments, the statutes, and the judgments, which the Lord your God commanded to teach you, that ye might do them in the land whither ye go to possess it: That thou mightest fear the Lord thy God, to keep all his statutes and his commandments, which I command thee, thou, and thy son, and thy son's son, all the days of thy life; and that thy days may be prolonged. Hear therefore, O Israel, and observe to do it; that it may be well with thee, and that ye may increase mightily, as the Lord God of thy fathers hath promised thee, in the land that floweth with milk and honey. 4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is one Lord: 5 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. Deut. 11:13,,2-28 And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the Lord your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, That your days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; A blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day:

2 2 of 8 5/23/20 3:17 PM 28 And a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known Matt. 22:2 Jesus(to Jesus),2 said, 34 when, Jesus said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. 34 when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? 37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Mark :31-34 There (to 1st.) There is none other commandment greater than these And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God Ps. 1:1,5,7(to:),8-11(to;) Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance and of my cup: thou maintainest my lot. I will bless the Lord, who hath given me counsel: I have set the Lord always before me: because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; I Kings 3:3 Solomon (to:),5-22,24-28 Solomon loved the Lord, walking in the statutes of David his father: 5 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. 7 And now, O Lord my God, thou hast made thy servant king instead of David my father: and I am

3 3 of 8 5/23/20 3:17 PM 8 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? 10 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; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days. And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days. And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream. And he came to Jerusalem, and stood before the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and offered up burnt offerings, and offered peace offerings, and made a feast to all his servants. 1 Then came there two women, that were harlots, unto the king, and stood before him. 17 And the one woman said, O my lord, I and this woman dwell in one house; and I was delivered of a child with her in the house. And it came to pass the third day after that I was delivered, that this woman was delivered also: and we were together; there was no stranger with us in the house, save we two in the house. 1 And this woman's child died in the night; because she overlaid it And she arose at midnight, and took my son from beside me, while thine handmaid slept, and laid it in her bosom, and laid her dead child in my bosom. And when I rose in the morning to give my child suck, behold, it was dead: but when I had considered it in the morning, behold, it was not my son, which I did bear. And the other woman said, Nay; but the living is my son, and the dead is thy son. And this said, No; but the dead is thy son, and the living is my son. Thus they spake before the king And the king said, Bring me a sword. And they brought a sword before the king. And the king said, Divide the living child in two, and give half to the one, and half to the other Then spake the woman whose the living child was unto the king, for her bowels yearned upon her son, and she said, O my lord, give her the living child, and in no wise slay it. But the other said, Let it be neither mine nor thine, but divide it. Then the king answered and said, Give her the living child, and in no wise slay it: she is the mother thereof. And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment. Eccl. :13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

4 4 of 8 5/23/20 3:17 PM SCIENCE AND HEALTH :1 3 SH 340:4-22 This text in the book of Ecclesiastes conveys the Christian Science thought, especially when the word duty, which is not in the original, is omitted: "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep His commandments: for this is the whole duty of man." In other words: Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: love God and keep His commandments: for this is the whole of man in His image and likeness. Divine Love is infinite. Therefore all that really exists is in and of God, and manifests His love. "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." (Exodus xx. 3.) The First Commandment is my favorite text. It demonstrates Christian Science. It inculcates the triunity of God, Spirit, Mind; it signifies that man shall have no other spirit or mind but God, eternal good, and that all men shall have one Mind. The divine Principle of the First Commandment bases the Science of being, by which man demonstrates health, holiness, and life eternal. SH :17 Dost thou "love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind"? This command includes much, even the surrender of all merely material sensation, affection, and worship. This is the El Dorado of Christianity. It involves the Science of Life, and recognizes only the divine control of Spirit, in which Soul is our master, and material sense and human will have no place. SH 47:1-7,-1 Question. What are the demands of the Science of Soul? Practical religion Answer. The first demand of this Science is, "Thou shalt have no other gods before me." This me is Spirit. Therefore the command means this: Thou shalt have no intelligence, no life, no substance, no truth, no love, but that which is spiritual. Two chief commands It should be thoroughly understood that all men have one Mind, one God and Father, one Life, Truth, and Love. Mankind will become perfect in proportion as this fact becomes apparent, war will cease and the true brotherhood of man will be established. Having no other gods, turning to no other but the one perfect Mind to guide him, man is the likeness of God, pure and eternal, hav-

5 5 of 8 5/23/20 3:17 PM ing that Mind which was also in Christ. SH 32:3 If we wish to follow Christ, Truth, it must be in the way of God's appointing. Jesus said, " He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also." He, who would reach the source and find the divine remedy for every ill, must not try to climb the hill of Science by some other road. All nature teaches God's love to man, but man cannot love God supremely and set his whole affections on spiritual things, while loving the material or trusting in it more than in the spiritual. SH 17:11-, 17-1 We cannot serve two masters nor perceive divine Science with the material senses. To have one God and avail yourself of the power of Spirit, you must love God supremely. SH 410:14-17 Every trial of our faith in God makes us stronger. The more difficult seems the material condition to be overcome by Spirit, the stronger should be our faith and the purer our love. SH 241:1-2 (to ;) The substance of all devotion is the reflection and demonstration of divine Love, healing sickness and destroying sin. Our Master said, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." Loving God supremely Love casteth out fear One's aim, a point beyond faith, should be to find the footsteps of Truth, the way to health and holiness. We should strive to reach the Horeb height where God is revealed; SH 4:-24 (to ;) The habitual struggle to be always good is unceasing prayer. Its motives are made manifest in the blessings they bring, blessings which, even if not acknowledged in audible words, attest our worthiness to be partakers of Love. Simply asking that we may love God will never make us love Him; but the longing to be better and holier, expressed in daily watchfulness and in striving to assimilate more of the divine character, will mould and fashion us anew, until we awake in His likeness. We reach the Science of Christianity through demonstration of the divine nature; Watchfulness requisite

6 of 8 5/23/20 3:17 PM HYMNS 1 Hymn 20:0-4 Hymn 20 Frederick L. Hosmer Adapted FINGAL James S. Anderson One thought I have, my ample creed, So deep it is and broad, And equal to my every need, It is the thought of God. Each morn unfolds His blessings new, I take in trust my road; And rising freshly to my view, Shines forth the thought of God. To this their secret strength they owed, The martyr's path who trod; The fountains of their patience flowed From out their thought of God. Be still the light upon my way, My pilgrim staff and rod, My rest by night, my strength by day, O blessed thought of God. 2 Hymn 100:0-3 Hymn 100 Ninety-First Psalm II Varied from Tate and Brady DAVID'S HARP Robert King He that hath God his guardian made Shall dwell beneath th' Almighty's shade; Thus of the Lord I now will say, He is my fortress, shield and stay, My God; in Him I will confide And in His secret place abide. His tender love and watchful care Shall free thee from the fowler's snare. He over thee His wings shall spread,

7 7 of 8 5/23/20 3:17 PM 3 To cover thy unguarded head, And from the noisome pestilence His truth shall be thy strong defense. He gives His angels charge o'er thee, No evil therefore shalt thou see. Dwelling within His secret place, Thou shalt behold His power and grace; Thy refuge shall be God most high, See His salvation ever nigh. Hymn 10:0-3 Hymn 10 Play other arrangement: 411 Frederic W. Root Based on hymn by Martin Luther EIN' FESTE BURG Martin Luther All power is given unto our Lord, On Him we place reliance; With truth from out His sacred word We bid our foes defiance. With Him we shall prevail, Whatever may assail; He is our shield and tower, Almighty is His power; His kingdom is forever. Rejoice, ye people, praise His name, His care doth e'er surround us. His love to error's thralldom came, And from its chains unbound us. Our Lord is God alone, No other power we own; No other voice we heed, No other help we need; His kingdom is forever. O then give thanks to God on high, Who life to all is giving; The hosts of death before Him fly, In Him we all are living. Then let us know no fear, Our King is ever near; Our stay and fortress strong, Our strength, our hope, our song; His kingdom is forever. O TH ER PO S S IB L ES

8 8 of 8 5/23/20 3:17 PM Printed from CONCORD: A CHRISTIAN SCIENCE STUDY RESOURCE, published by The Christian Science Board of Directors in Boston, MA, USA. This content may be under copyright and may not be further reproduced or distributed, unless permitted under the Concord User License Agreement.

All Thy Love We Have For Loving December 2, 2015 Hymns 180, 105, 178

All Thy Love We Have For Loving December 2, 2015 Hymns 180, 105, 178 The Bible Mark 10:32 (to 1st were), 32 going (to :) And they were going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them: Mark 12:18 (to