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Português“LET EVERYTHING ON EARTH ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
JESUS CHRIST IS THE SON OF GOD!”
Metaphysical Application Ideas for the Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lesson on
“CHRIST JESUS”
for August 21-27, 2023
by John & Lindsey Biggs, C.S. of Maryland Heights, MO
541 418 1176 johnbiggscs@gmail.com
541 460 3515 biggs.lindsey@gmail.com
INTRODUCTION
This week’s Lesson includes many wonderful themes including being awake and alert to recognize that Jesus Christ is the Messiah – the Son of God. Why is this important? Because Christ Jesus is our Way-shower showing us our relationship to God. He demonstrated what is possible when we are in accord with God. He lifts our thought-models up and shows us what we can do, too.
We will notice people in this week’s Lesson who acknowledge that Jesus Christ is the Messiah. Who are the people that recognize Jesus as the Son of God? Who doesn’t recognize that Jesus is the Son of God? What are some greater ways that we can bring this acknowledgement of the Christ into our lives and find healing effects?
GOLDEN TEXT
“… this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world.” (John 4:42)
Mary Baker Eddy gives us a universal definition of the Christ that can apply to anyone – regardless of culture, age, background, etc.
The Christ speaks to each of us in exactly the language and the way that we need. God knows every heart, every mind, and loves each individual identity. Each one is God’s self-expression, so it makes sense that God can speak to each person in exactly the right way that will make sense to them.
Mary Baker Eddy describes Christ in universal terms such as: the activity of good, the divine nature that animates each of us, and the true voice that tells us about the spiritual nature of things (see page 332 of Science and Health). It is an activity of good that results in healing – an adjustment to spiritual reality.
In Miscellany, we read:
“He who gains self-knowledge, self-control, and the kingdom of heaven within himself, within his own consciousness, is saved through Christ, Truth.” (Miscellany, p. 161:14–16)
RESPONSIVE READING
“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” (Phil. 1:6)
I love this statement because it shows us that it is GOD who has begun a good work in us – it’s not us as our human selves. Rather, we are responding to the divine light because we are “children of light”. So, it’s natural and normal for everything in us to respond to the light.
The parable of the leaven gives us a great illustration of how this works. Leaven is naturally at work – often unseen – causing the whole dough to rise to a beautiful bread. So, in similar fashion the leaven of Truth keeps illuminating and enlightening our human consciousness until all tares (all belief in matter or error) disappear and there is only wheat remaining (a pure consciousness of Spirit). Just as the dough of the bread naturally responds to this leavening agent, so we respond to God who has begun the good work in us and will continue until completion.
SECTION 1 – RECOGNIZING THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST
This section defines what the Christ is – how it is the divine nature that Jesus expressed. Of course, the Christ didn’t leave when Jesus ascended. The Christ, the Holy Spirit, is still here today voicing the good we need to hear. Christ – God’s divine message to us – is always communicating Truth. It calms, negates error, and heals. It communicates our divine nature. It’s the only real voice we want to listen to.
Clearly this Spirit is what awakened the disciple, Simon Peter, to recognize that Jesus was the Messiah. He couldn’t have recognized Jesus as the Messiah, unless the light of Christ was also in Peter.
“Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.” (citation B3/I John 4:15)
So, Christ is the activity of good constantly waking us up to who God is and who we are as sons and daughters of God. It must have felt great to Simon Peter and the disciples to feel – to really feel with their spiritual sense – that they had found the Way – the Kingdom of Heaven – through the Messiah, Christ Jesus.
Jesus established his mission on the fact that the Kingdom of Heaven is already here and a very real, present possibility. He demonstrated this through healing – both mind and body. Putting people’s hearts and minds right with God so they could live who they really are as the image and likeness of God.
Notice there was no delay to realizing this reality! It is an ever-present now! So, the Christ is here today to awaken us to the ever-present fact of who we are and where we truly live. Each of us is the spiritual image and likeness of God and is loved by our dear Father, who is so happy to meet our every need. We can pray and know that nothing can delay the full manifestation of the Kingdom of Heaven now.
Like Jesus, we, too, can claim no intelligence, activity or life separate from God; then we feel our oneness with Christ – with divine Love – which makes us feel the tangible reality of God’s presence.
SECTION 2 – CHRIST IGNITES A MOVEMENT AND AN ENERGY
Even Nicodemus was receptive to Truth and Love! (cit. B3/John 3:1, 2) The Christ indeed lights every person that comes to Earth – even those whom we wouldn’t expect – such as those invested in maintaining the status quo, like this religious leader and Pharisee, Nicodemus.
This goes along with the Gospel of John that says: “That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” (John 1:9)
Who else recognized Jesus? Even “the unclean spirits” fell down before him! Acknowledging that he was the Son of God, they were thereby extinguished. (cit. B6/Mark 3:11)
Who are some people who we wouldn’t think would be receptive to the Christ, but instead surprise us and are? The work that our wonderful Chaplain volunteers in the institutions comes to mind. Here is a wonderful article that talks about this: The healing practice of Christian Science—behind bars
Jesus shows us that with this recognition of the Christ comes a response – a desire to do something. A desire to share this light with others, to help, and to heal. It brings an activity, an energy, and a movement! Christ is the activity of good.
“The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.” (cit. B7/ Matthew 9:37, 38).
SECTION 3 – REMAINING DEVOTED TO GOD’S REPORT
The story here (cit. B10/John 5) is always so interesting to me, because it’s such an outlier in Jesus’ interactions with people he meets. Whether for good or for ill, people are always seeking him out, and regardless of their opinions about him, people paid attention to him! And then here’s this man who’s so focused on his infirmity, and on the entire scenario surrounding this infirmity, that he just tells Jesus why he can’t be healed instead of eagerly leaning in to hear what Jesus has to say.
Now, I’m being pretty dismissive and unflattering to this man here, but I’m doing it intentionally, so bear with me. It might be easy to continue to imagine out how this story might go. Jesus could have said, “Well, sounds like you know what you’re doing, so I’ll leave you to it.” Jesus could have argued with the man, trying to convince him there was another way. What are some other things that Jesus could have said?
Here’s another question. What are some things that you or I might say to someone who seemed so insistent on “the way things are?” That question right there is why I started off this section of the Met being so dismissive about the man in this story. What this account has taught me through the years as I’ve considered it, is how important it is to remain in a context and atmosphere of nothing but divine Love and Her angels. If I walk into a situation and start picking out the things that others are doing wrong and how silly they are being, for insisting on the legitimacy of discord, all I’m going to see is what’s wrong. Healing doesn’t happen from one person being way up high in heaven and peering down to see all the earthly rabble, tsk-tsking at their issues and trying to convince them into a healing. In other words, we love to rise up against the temptation to be dismissive about others’ circumstances or contexts, and instead remain squarely in the conscious presence of “…salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ.” (cit. B11/Revelation 12:10)
I asked earlier what other things Jesus could have said. Really, though, that’s a silly question; Jesus, being Jesus, could only reach out with love. He didn’t turn away when the man didn’t immediately become interested in him. He remained there, continuing to offer his invitation. The man still needed to accept the invitation, but Jesus’ consistency in turning to God for any information about God’s children allowed him to not get flustered, preachy, or apathetic. He remained with “the supremacy of Spirit…” (cit. S12/134:14-18) and didn’t fret about the various beliefs of others. Just like the light from the sun doesn’t try to get in fights with shadows, Jesus simply remained himself and, in looking to God, he saw the truth about man.
SECTION 4 – IT’S OKAY TO JUST APPRECIATE THE TRUTH!
The transfiguration (cit. B15/Mark 9:2-7) must have been an amazing experience. It’s understandable that Peter, James, and John were stunned. I gently chuckle whenever I read this story because of Peter’s awkward statement once he realizes what’s going on — yes, it sure is good to be here…maybe just staying quiet and continuing to appreciate the joy and wonder, would have been good? It’s human nature to want to capture in words the inspiration we feel, and of course without sharing inspiration in words, we would not have our Pastor, or any inspirational writing, in the first place. But sometimes it’s good to just be quiet; as God told Peter, “This is my beloved Son: hear him.” Don’t feel you have to fill up space with your talking, dear Peter! Just hear what God is saying and showing through His Son, the ideal and true man, Christ Jesus.
Years ago I had a stunning experience where I had been feeling really emotionally beat-up and just at a total loss. I had spent all morning praying – yelling, really, but meaning to pray – and I ran out of words to say right about sunrise. And in the space of silence that filled in where I had been crying and yelling, I suddenly felt, and truly saw, the love of God. The sun burst into view, the dew sparkled like a million fireworks, the cows started mooing, the breeze suddenly carried the sound of the ocean, and I felt, more than heard, the assurance that God loved me, and this was what the truth was. All my concerns weren’t point-by-point answered, but in the space of that love I saw that my concerns were not the center of my life. Love was the center of my life.
I wrote about this experience in the September 2010 issue of The Christian Science Journal, article titled “An always present love”.
The reason I am sharing this here is, that morning was one of the first times I really remember feeling and seeing and knowing the allness of God. And I am very glad to share about it, because I know it can be a help to people to hear about the ways that we have all experienced the presence of God, but I also love to remember that I don’t need to try to add to the inspiration. I don’t need to try to capture it, or fret about trying to convince other people about it, or try to over-state how powerful the feeling of present heaven was.
We do NEED to remember and acknowledge when we have felt that transforming power of God! And we do love to share those experiences. But we should also remember to just enjoy the presence of the angels and just let them speak to us, without fretting about needing to capture it. The fact of our daily bread, the provision of divine Love, means we will always have what we need. For all the joy gleaned from those moments of divine consciousness, we can also rejoice in that same love being always present. Like the parable talks about in Bible citation 13, the Sower is always providing His angels, and we can always soak them in and blossom with their light. Just let Christ speak, allowing ourselves to be transformed without our own personal effort. God loves us! What a joy!
SECTION 5 – THERE’S ROOM FOR US ALL – AND THE WAY IS CLEARLY LAID OUT
“…if it were not so, I would have told you.” (cit. B17/John 14:2 if (to 1st .) This brief snippet always makes me feel so assured. Jesus told us everything we need to know. There’s a really humble trust – a trust based in understanding the nature of our Father-Mother as all good! – but still a trust and a heartfelt faith that’s needed, to really follow Christ Jesus in all his teachings and example. And we can trust what he told us and taught us.
So, in this specific passage that he’s asking us to trust. “In my Father’s house are many mansions…” (cit. B17/John 14:2 (to:) There is room for us all! We’re not left out in the cold; our place in heaven is not merely a potential product of personal effort, but rather in the humility of following in the way that Jesus taught and lived (see the final verse in this Bible citation, John 14:6) we find our present and forever home in heaven. Living in the way that Jesus taught is how we see what he saw!
The following is from Mary Baker Eddy’s explanation in her Bible Lessons chapter of Miscellaneous Writings of a different Bible passage but which still gets at the point here, of following Jesus:
“Luminous with the light of divine Science, his words reveal the great Principle of a full salvation. Neither can we question the practicability of the divine Word, who have learned its adaptability to human needs, and man’s ability to prove the truth of prophecy. … “Because” in following him, you understand God and how to turn from matter to Spirit for healing; how to leave self, the sense material, for the sense spiritual; how to accept God’s power and guidance, and become imbued with divine Love that casts out all fear.”
(Miscellaneous Writings 1883–1896, 192:16; 194:20–25)
There is always a way forward; the eternality of the Christ ensures this, and there’s room for us all to follow in that heavenly way forward. No one is left out! How can we actively participate in this and welcome others in heaven as well?
SECTION 6 – EVERYTHING MUST BOW BEFORE CHRIST
“Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God:” (cit. B19/I John 4:3)
How important it is to recognize that Jesus Christ came in a tangible way to show us the nature of God and man. This shows us that Christ is made manifest in the flesh – in practical, healing ways that bless human lives and allows us to go up higher to our spiritual nature!
“…at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” (Phil. 2:10, 11)
How humbling it is to realize that every thought, every activity has to bow down to Christ – to the Spirit and potency of God.
“Mighty potentates and dynasties will lay down their honors within this heavenly city.” (SH p. 577)
“…and they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruninghooks: nation shal not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more.” (Isaiah 2:4)
What is trying to boast itself above Christ in your life? Whatever is not of God, must fall; it has nothing to stand on. Since it has no origin, it has no duration. Withdraw our witness from it and then it has nothing left to stand on. It is nothing trying to claim itself as something. All must give place to the spirituality and perfection of God and God’s creation.
“… when we subordinate the false testimony of the corporeal senses to the facts of Science, we shall see this true likeness and reflection everywhere.”
(Science and Health, p. 516:6)
SECTION 7 – THE “EVERNESS” OF CHRIST
This section points to the “everness” of Christ! How important it is to realize that the Christ has always been here and will always be here. It’s consistent and constant. It’s similar to the law of gravity –– not here one day and not the next. It’s dependable and reliable, something you are sure will be there for you when you wake up the next day. It is timeless, universal and ever-present.
I recently went to a couple of interesting talks – one was on the Grand Canyon. It was incredible to see all of the various layers of rocks and sediment and each layer that was formed millions and billions of years ago – and we get to enjoy and admire them today. Another talk discussed how many billions of galaxies exist beyond our solar system, as revealed by recent telescope images. Contemplating these vast symbols gives us a sense of just how infinite God is.
The Christ was here then, ever-active, and is the same today.
“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever.” (cit. B21/ Hebrews 13:8)
To close, from Revelation, God says:
“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.” (Revelation 1:8)
The first cache of GEMs of BIBLE-BASED application ideas (from Cobbey Crisler & others) will be emailed Monday and the second cache will be emailed later in the week. You can always check for GEM contributions in progress before then at CedarS INSPIRATION website, whether or not you’ve SUBSCRIBED here for this free, inspirational offering.
Also later in the week, look for Ken Cooper’s
“POETIC POSTLUDE”
contributions related to this Bible Lesson.
THANKS to all you PRECIOUS DONORS for ALL of your ONGOING SUPPORT! Every camper & visitor will be blessed by your GENEROSITY, VISION & LOVE!
ANOTHER MATCH WAS MET and its project operationally completed before camp! Thanks to several generous donors to our special A/V Appeal we were able to finish building a CHAPEL A.V. BOOTH that will protect not only new, donated equipment, but also all our hymnals for worship services and for CedarS Sunday Hymn Sings!
If you haven’t lately checked out the GIVING TREE, there are still plenty of other smaller areas of need to fill yet this year! Campers & staff will also be blessed bigtime by the donations made to additional areas of camp, including our horse program, activity equipment, camperships, and Christian Science nursing and practitioner services.
We’re deeply grateful for EVERY GIFT of love & support,
The CedarS Team
P.S. For more about ways to keep CedarS operations ever more green and flourishing and/or to make a PLANNED GIFT, A REQUIRED IRA DISTRIBUTION or an ENDOWMENT GIFT (that will all be MATCHED), feel free anytime to call or text me (Warren Huff, Executive Director Emeritus and Project Manager) at 314-378-2574. I can put you in touch with our Financial Advisor/broker who donates all fees for stock transfers and freely shares tailored, tax-advantaged giving approaches.
