Possible Sunday School Topics (PSSTs) for “Life” as Love made visible!
for The Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lesson:
“Life”
for January 9-15, 2023
prepared by Merrill Boudreaux, C.S., for CedarS Camps
pegasus6524@gmail.com • 314-308-1059
P.S.S.T. Golden Text (GT)/Colossians 3:1: “Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.”
Since you are already alive, what does it mean to be raised to new life? This Lesson will speak to being born again, and Section 1 shares a well-known story of Nicodemus and his question of what does it mean to be born again. What do your students think of that question and how would they answer it?
Responsive Reading (RR)/Col.3:12-16; Ephesians 5:1,2,19-21; 6:24.
The Responsive Reading states some of the answers. If being born again means awaking to the relationship God and you have, and how you can embrace the life you share together, then ask students to list from the RR qualities of the new man they can choose to put on each day; that is, how they wish to live in the expression of this new man.
- To be a holy person
- To be tenderhearted
- To be kind and merciful
- To be humble and gentle
- To be patient
- To make allowance for each other
- To forgive others, and yourself too
You can do all these things through Christ, through a better understanding of what Christ is, and the life of Christ Jesus as an example.
See Micah 6:8 for a further answer to what is required. See also the scientific definition of Christ in Science & Health (SH) 583:10, and SH 473:10.
P.S.S.T. SECTION 1 – NICODEMUS QUESTION, “HOW CAN A MAN BE BORN “AGAIN”…?” (“anothen” in Greek also means “from above” per GEM by Cobbey Crisler)
As promised in this Section is the Nicodemus story with that formidable question, “How can a man be born again…?”
Citation B6/John2:25 states that this is a promise. This promise of putting on the new man or being born again, leads to what? Eternal life. That is, it leads us closer to God who is life eternal, our maker. What are some further elements of being born again stated in citation S6/SH 14:25-28?
- Entirely separate from the dream of material living
- Having spiritual understanding revealed
- Consciousness of your dominion over the whole earth
That is being able to set aside the belief of life in matter or in a material body and working to a new view of yourself, others, and your world as Christ Jesus did. See Science & Health 476:32-5.
P.S.S.T. SECTION 2 – EXPLORE GIFTS OF HANNAH & SAMUEL.
Who is Hannah? What was her gift to mankind? Explore with students the life of Samuel and the impact he had on the world, all because his mother loaned him to the Lord (God). There are 123 references to Samuel via Concord. Choose a few of these to help students open their eyes to being born again, to giving their lives to the Lord. Think also of the tenderness of God to Samuel. Does God have that same tenderness to you? See cit.S8/SH 332:4.
P.S.S.T. SECTION 3 –BORN-AGAIN QUALITIES REITERATED BY PAUL
As Paul traveled about sharing the good news about Jesus Christ and his teachings, he expanded on Jesus’ teachings of the Beatitudes from Matthew 5, “Blessed are the poor in spirit…. Blessed are the pure in heart….” He reiterated those born-again qualities we referenced earlier. See cit.B12/Colossians 3:12-14.
- Bowels of mercies
- Kindness
- Humbleness of mind
- Meekness
- Longsuffering
- Forgiveness
- Charity
These qualities of the Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. Practicing these qualities are “constant prayers” and “call down infinite blessings” (cit.S16/SH 15:26-30).
P.S.S.T. SECTION 4 – ARE YOU LIKE THE LAWYER IN CITATION B14/Luke 10:25-37?
“What shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
The Good Samaritan story is an excellent roleplay activity. What does this story teach us about how we live as newborn followers of Christ? What we do with, for, and to each other when our paths cross is a testament to our new birth, or being born again, our living in the Christ, our call as Christians. See a statement in Science & Health 467:9 (cit.S18) for a projection on mankind of the result of such understanding and commitment.
P.S.S.T. SECTION 5 – HOW DO YOU ANSWER THE QUESTIONS POSED BELOW
from citation B18/Isaiah 40:26-31?
- Hast thou not known?
- Hast thou not heard?
- You shall not faint, nor be weary, nor fall
Why? Citation B19/II Corinthians 3:5 tells us our sufficiency is of God. Also cit.B20/II Cor.5:17 tells us “old things are passed away,.. all things are become new.”
What does this newness look like? Cit.S19/SH 325:10 tells us:
- You shall appear with Christ in glory
- You shall be found in God’s image
- You shall be found perfect as the Father
- You shall be found indestructible
P.S.S.T. SECTION 6 – WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BLESSINGS FOUND WITH THE NEW BIRTH,
being born again, as found in this Section?
- Salute one another with an holy kiss
- Grace be unto you (Grace being patience, meekness, kindness, good deeds)
- Peace from God
- You are called of the Lord, like Samuel was
The net result of the qualities being referenced in this Lesson is “church”, not a building but in us, through our lives. See citation S24/SH 35:19-25. As we learn this lesson; are guided by it, our lives will more ably benefit mankind.
Read together Hymn 176 from the Christian Science Hymnal (words printed here).
Hymn 176
Long hast thou stood, O church of God, / Long mid the tempest’s assailing, / Founded secure on timeless rock / Rises thy light, never failing; / Shining that all may understand / What has been wrought by God’s command, / O’er night and chaos prevailing.
Let there be light, and light was there, / Clear as the Word that declared it; / Healing and peace to all it gave, / Who in humility shared it. / Ah, they were faithful, they who heard, / Steadfast their trust in God’s great Word, / Steadfast the Love that prepared it.
Let there be light, the Word shines forth, / Lo, where the new morning whitens; / O church of God, with Book unsealed, / How its page beacons and brightens. / Living stones we, each in his place, / May we be worthy such a grace, / While Truth the wide earth enlightens.
