Angel messages are always speaking to you! Are you still & receptive to them?
Possible Sunday School Topics (PSSTs) for The Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lesson:
“Spirit”
for January 31–February 6, 2022
[NOTE Jan. 31/Feb. 1 is when CedarS $25/wk. Early Enrollment discount expires!]
prepared by Merrill Boudreaux, C.S.
pegasus6524@gmail.com • 314-308-1059
P.S.S.T. Golden Text (GT)/Revelation 2:29: “Let anyone who has an ear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches” (New Revised Standard Version, NRSV).
Do you have ears capable of hearing? What are some of the things you hear right now with physical ears? Perhaps have a few moments of quiet in order to listen.
Now ask, How can I best hear the voice of Spirit? What listening device do I have/need for such listening? Look to Science & Health 585:1 for the scientific definition of “ears”. How do you suppose you grow in spiritual understanding? Let’s look to this Lesson for guidance.
P.S.S.T. Responsive Reading (RR)/Rev.1:1-4,9-11; John 4:23: The Father seeks you to hear His voice.
Who is considered to be the author of the Book of Revelation? Do your students know the circumstance of John “imprisoned” on the Isle of Patmos? Even on this remote isle John says he was able to hear in order to “bare record of the word of God”—Rev.1:2.
How was this possible? He says in Rev.1:10, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet,”
Read for inspiration Hymn 329 in the Christian Science Hymnal (printed here). See particularly line 3 in verse 1, and lines 1 and 2 in verse 3.
Hymn 329
The heavens declare the glory Of Him who made all things; Each day repeats the story, Each night its tribute brings. To earth’s remotest border His mighty power is known; In beauty, grandeur, order, His handiwork is shown.
His law man’s pathway brightens, His judgments all are pure, His Word the thought enlightens, And ever shall endure. To heed His testimony, And Wisdom’s way to hold, Is sweeter far than honey, And better far than gold.
In daily contemplation Of Thee, I take delight; O, let my meditation Lay hold of Thee aright. O, aid me in suppression Of idle thought or word; O, keep me from transgression, Redeemer, strength, and Lord.
Read the last entry in the Responsive Reading from John 4:23. Now is the time, now is your hour, you cannot be deprived of hearing the voice of Spirit. Why? Because the Father seeks you to hear His voice.
P.S.S.T. Section 1 – God is teaching, instructing, guiding us via angels.
Ask students to write a few sentences of a prayer they would compose to communicate with God their desire and request to hear His voice. From beginning to end, from Alpha to Omega, God is teaching, instructing, guiding us via angels. See the scientific definition of “angels” in Science & Health 581:4. In order to obey and adore these angels, we must first do what? “Apprehend” (S2/SH 140), which is another word for hear, listen, perceive, grasp. Further guidance in S2 tells us, “We worship spiritually, only as we cease to worship materially.”
Ask students to share any scripture stories where angels played a significant part. For inspiration, read Hymn 11 from the Christian Science Hymnal (printed here):
Hymn 11
Angels at the Saviour’s birth Woke with music all the earth, Shepherds in the eastern sky Saw a pale star passing by, guiding them at break of day Where the babe in meekness lay, Born the gracious news to tell, God with us, Immanuel.
Star of being, still thy light Shines before us in the night, By those radiant beams we find Christ, the Truth, for all mankind, Still the tidings angels bring With their joyful caroling, Telling that the dawn has come, God and man fore’er at one.
Read together citation S3/93:2-7. Jesus, our role model, provides guidance for spiritual growth.
P.S.S.T. Section 2 – What are some angel messages of advice to you as a member of a church who looks to Jesus Christ as a role model in this section?
- He that hath an ear, let him hear
- Fear none of these things which thou shalt suffer
- Hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering
- Pray… sing psalms… call for the elders of the church… confess your faults that ye may be healed
Are you confident that your prayers are effective? See citation S7/1:1-4.
Your prayer is effective, it “robs the grave of victory” as stated in citation S8/275:27.
P.S.S.T. Section 3 – How can you be like Peter in citation B12/Matt. 16:13-18? What was Jesus’ guidance to Peter? That is, what was the rock, the foundational truth that Peter understood? Matthew further expands on this guidance in B13/Matt.10:8.
You may ask yourself the same question posed in S11/SH 136:9-12, “How did Jesus heal the sick?”
See S13/SH 138:11, “He showed that diseases were cast out neither by corporeality, by materia medica, nor by hygiene, but by the divine Spirit, casting out the errors of mortal mind. The supremacy of Spirit was the foundation on which Jesus built.”
For inspiration, read Hymn 498 in the Christian Science Hymnal (printed here):
Hymn 498 (123)
How firm a foundation, you saints of the Lord, Is laid for your faith in His excellent Word. What more can He say than to you He has said, To you who to God for your refuge have fled:
Fear not, I am with you, O be not dismayed, / For I am your God, I will still give you aid; / I’ll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand, / Upheld by My gracious, omnipotent hand;
When through fiery trials your pathway shall lie, My grace, all sufficient, shall be your supply; The flame shall not hurt you; I only design Your dross to consume and your gold to refine.
P.S.S.T. Section 4 – Declare that you can cast out evil and promote good!
If you are ever tempted to question the truths you are learning in this Lesson, then declare that as a Christian Scientist you are called upon to “despoil the kingdom of evil, and pre-eminently promote affection and virtue in families and therefore in the community…” and declare that you can do this (cit. S19/102:30-2).
P.S.S.T. Section 5 – “Stand porter at the door of thought…” [practice hourly!]
A prayer to aid in your work on this journey may be found in the 6th Tenet of Christian Science, Science & Health 497:24:
“6. And we solemnly promise to watch, and pray for that Mind to be in us which was also in Christ Jesus; to do unto others as we would have them do unto us; and to be merciful, just, and pure.”
Another good memorization opportunity may be found in citation S21/392:24-27,
“Stand porter at the door of thought. Admitting only such conclusions as you wish realized in bodily results, you will control yourself harmoniously.”
P.S.S.T. Section 6 – A message to you today: “Rise in the strength of Spirit…” Have you noticed that each of the sections in this Lesson have messages written to the early churches?
- Section 1 – the church at Ephesus
- Section 2 – the church in Smyrna
- Section 3 – the church in Pergamos
- Section 4 – the church in Thyatira
- Section 5 – the church in Sardis
- Section 6 – the church in Philadelphia
- Section 7 – the church in Laodicea
Perhaps a biblical map might be helpful to give students a sense of the geography of the early churches.
If John were writing [a message from Jesus Christ] to your church or Sunday School today, what might be that message to you all? Perhaps it might be similar to these words in citation S26/393:12,
“Rise in the strength of Spirit to resist all that is unlike good. God has made man capable of this, and nothing can vitiate the ability and power divinely bestowed on man.”
P.S.S.T. Section 7 – Know like the ancient churches, “We are subject to the divine ‘powers that be’.”
What is the relationship of our churches today to the churches mentioned in this Lesson? Perhaps it is the same words Jesus told Peter in citation B12/Matt.16:13-18. See another version of this statement in citation S30/35:19-25.
Do you feel Spirit moving in you? Admonishing, guiding, praising, encouraging you to stay the course?
Read together the closing passage in citation S32/249:6-9. How exciting and gratifying for us to feel connected to the ancient churches, knowing that like them, “We are subject to the divine ‘powers that be’.”
Read together for inspiration, Hymn 12 from the Christian Science Hymnal (printed here):
Hymn 12 (& 13)
Arise ye people, take your stand, Cast out your idols from the land, Above all doctrine, form or creed Is found the Truth that meets your need. Christ’s promise stands: they that believe His works shall do, his power receive.
Go forward then, and as ye preach So let your works confirm your speech, And prove to all with following sign The Word of God is power divine. In love and healing ministry Show forth the Truth that makes men free.
O Father-Mother God, whose plan Hath given dominion unto man, In Thine own image we may see Man pure and upright, whole and free. And ever through our work shall shine That light whose glory, Lord, is Thine.
