270 The righteous King. The Immaculate Christ. The BIBLICAL READINGS. SUBJECT: THE PERFECTIONS OF CHRIST. Minister. Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness. | Is. xxxii. 1. I will raise up a plant of renown-Ezek. xxxiv. 29. In that day shall the branch of the Lord be beautiful and glorious-Is. iv. 2. The Thy holy child Jesus-Acts iv. 27. Holy One, and the Just-Acts iii. 14. The only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth-John i, 14. Who is the image of the invisible God-Col. i. 15. Who knew no sin-2 Cor. v. 21 Yet He abideth faithful: He cannot deny Himself—2 Tim.ii.13. A lamb without blemish and without spot-1 Pet. i. 19. This man hath done nothing amiss. Certainly this was a righteous man-Luke xxiii. 41, 47. For I find no fault in Him -John xix. 6. They found no cause of death in Him-Acts xiii. 28. Who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth: Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously. 1 Peter ii. 22, 23. For such an high priest became us, who is Heb vii. 26 undefiled holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinPriest. ners, and made higher than the heavens. 29. His loving And He that sent Me is with Me: the John viii. obedience Father hath not left Me alone; for I do always those things that please Him. to the divine will. 31. But that the world may know that I love John xiv. the Father; and as the Father gave Me commandment, even so I do. THE PERFECTIONS OF CHRIST. 271 His perfect I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have John xvii. finished the work which Thou gavest me to do. 4. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Mat.xi.29. Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart and example. ye shall find rest unto your souls. For I John xiii. have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps. 15. 1 Peter ii. 21. The object Then Simon Peter answered Him, Lord, John vi.68 of confid- to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life. ence and theme of ministry. Exhortation and For it pleased the Father that in Him Col. i. 19. should all fullness dwell. Unto me, who am less than the least of Eph. iii. 8. all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ. Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ. Let this mind be in you, which was also obligation in Christ Jesus. He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked. Rom. xiii. 14. Phil. ii. 5. 1 John ii. 6. Minister. INVOCATION AND BENEDICTION. Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be like-minded one towards another, according to Christ Jesus.-Rom. xv. 5. The Lord Jesus Christ be with thy spirit. Grace be with you.-2 Tim. iv. 22. Congregation, Amen. The Fifty-Ninth Serbice. Minister. PSALMS. Lord, I have loved the habitation of Thy house, and the place where Thine honour dwelleth; xxvi. 8. One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple ; xxvii. 4. But as for me, I will come into Thy house in the multitude of Thy mercy and in Thy fear will I worship toward Thy holy temple; v. 7. Blessed is the man whom Thou choosest, and causest to approach unto Thee, that he may dwell in Thy courts: we shall be satisfied with the goodness of Thy house, even of Thy holy temple; lxv. 4. SING. HYMN, ANTHEM, or CHANT. Minister. INTERCESSORY PRAYER. Minister and Congregation. LORD'S PRAYER. Matt. vi, 9-13.-Our Father. THE LOVE OF CHRIST 273 The tender. ness and sympathy of Christ. His compassion upon the people. His love for the Church. BIBLICAL READINGS. SUBJECT: THE LOVE OF CHRIST. Minister. 2, 3. Behold My servant, whom I uphold, Mine Is. xlii. 1, elect, in whom My soul delighteth; I have put My spirit upon Him: He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall He not break, and the smoking flax shall He not quench: He shall bring forth judgment unto truth. 16, 17. When the even was come, they brought Mat. viii. unto Him many that were possessed with devils and He cast out the spirits with His word, and healed all that were sick. That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses. But when He saw the multitudes, He was Mat.ix.36. moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then Jesus called His disciples unto Him, Mat. xv.32 and said, I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with Me now three days, and have nothing to eat and I will not send them away fasting, lest they faint in the way. Christ also loved the Church, and gave Eph. v. 25. Himself for it. Christ also hath loved us, and hath given v. 2. His universal love. The Himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to Greater love hath no man than this, that Johnxv. 13 evidence a man lay down his life for his friends. of His love. The model and measure of 16. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because 1 John iii. He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. 21. He that hath My commandments, and John xiv. keepeth them, he it is that loveth Me: and he that loveth Me shall be loved of My Father, and I will love him, and will manifest Myself to him. ye 9, 10. As the Father hath loved Me, so have I John xv. loved you continue in My love. If ye His love. keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father's commandments, and abide in his love. The new A new commandment I give unto you, and great That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that also love one another. ye My commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. commandment. Christ's John xiii. 34. This is Johnxv. 12 9. For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus 2 Cor. viii. poverty Christ, that, though He was rich, yet for of heaven- your sakes He became poor, that ye through ly riches. His poverty might be rich. the source The study and influence of His love. And to know the love of Christ, which Eph. iii. 19 passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fullness of God. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten : Rev. iii. 19 Minister and Congregation. DOXOLOGY. Rev. i. 5, 6. Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. |