PSST: How can love & truth preserve you like they did Elijah, as well as the widow’s dead son at Nain & fallen Eutychus?
Possible Sunday School Topics for the Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lesson on
“Probation after Death”
for classes on April 24, 2022
Questions by former CedarS Program Director, Steve Henn, C.S. steven.henn@gmail.com
POSSIBLE SUNDAY SCHOOL TOPICS (PSSTs) for the GOLDEN TEXT
What is the great light that was seen? (Isaiah 9:2)
Why is it especially visible by those who have walked in darkness?
What does it mean to walk in darkness? Have your students ever been in great darkness?
How bright does light seem after being in darkness?
How large must the darkness be for it to appear great to those who have been in darkness?
What does this say about the power and might of Truth in the face of error?
POSSIBLE SUNDAY SCHOOL TOPICS (PSSTs) for RESPONSIVE READING
The Responsive Reading (RR) is from portions of Psalm 27 & 36. Read the entirety of both Psalms.
What is the focus or message of each Psalm?
What parts of each Psalm were left out of the RR and how does knowing the context of these verses enhance their meaning and import in a lesson on Probation After Death?
What do your students ask of God? Why is dwelling in God’s house enough for the psalmist?
SECTION 1 PSSTs: What qualities are expressed in turning to the light and living?
What is the meaning of light? And what is the significance of candle light? [citation B4, Ps. 18:28]
What does it mean to die? Why does God have no pleasure in he that dies? [cit. B5, Ezek. 18:32]
And what does it take to turn and live? What qualities are expressed in turning and living? [ “ “ ]
When we turn, what are we doing – what are we moving away from and towards?
SECTION 2 PSSTs: How can lovingkindness & truth preserve you like they did Elijah?
What are lovingkindness and truth? [cit. B6, Ps. 40:11] How do your students define them?
And how do lovingkindness and truth preserve God’s perfect idea, man?
How do we trust God? [cit. B7, Ps. 56:11] What does it look, feel, or even sound like?
Why does the Psalmist put his trust in God? [cit. B7, Ps. 56:13] What does that say about God and what does it say about the Psalmist?
Read all of II Kings 2 with your students. [Citation B8 is from II Kings 2:1, 6, 7, 11]
What further insight do they gain about Elijah’s ascension and Elisha’s commitment to his teacher?
SECTION 3 PSSTs: What does it mean to learn life spiritually? [cit. S15, 548:12-13]
What is the gospel that Jesus preached? What does gospel mean? [good news!]
To whom did Jesus preach this gospel, why? [cit. B11, Matt. 4:16]
Why do your students think this particular young man was raised from the dead? [cit. B10, 7:11+]
What was it about his situation, his mother, or the town that allowed this healing to occur?
What was Jesus proving when he healed others? [cit. S13, 473:29]
What does it mean to learn life spiritually? [cit. S15, 548:12-13]
How does this learning lead to greater light and joy?
SECTION 4 PSSTs: What guidance can you give students in the sharing of Christian Science?
How often do your students share their understanding of Christian Science, or the gospel, with others?
What would be the motivating reason for Jesus’ followers to share their message with others?
How did they respond when their message was met by violence and deceit?
How can we navigate conversations with others that might seem to be contentious?
What guidance can you give your students in the sharing of Christian Science?
SECTION 5 PSSTs: Why commune with the divine consciousness, even for a moment?
What’s the result of truly communing with the divine consciousness, even for a moment? [S22/598] What is divine consciousness? How do we obtain it? [same]
How does this relate to Paul’s healing at his lecture? [cit. B17, Acts 20:7-12]
If life is to be eternal, what incentive do we have to grow spiritually here and now?
What does Mrs. Eddy say about the state of man after what appears to be death? [cut. S23, 291]
How does this relate to us here and now, well before we even have the temptation of human death? What does progress and probation look like in our daily lives?
SECTION 6 PSSTs: What qualities are expressed in turning to the light and living?
What is life? What is the supreme blessing given to us by Life, Truth and Love? [cit. B20, Ps. 133:3]
How do we truly understand spiritual being?
What can we do to learn more about the spirituality of our own being, and that of others around us? What is the light that illumines the universe? [cit. S29, 503:12]
How can we grow closer and closer to that light?
How can we bring others closer to this light with us?
