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As God’s ManWoman live your divine freedom from all conflicts!
Metaphysical application ideas for the Christian Science Bible Lesson: “Man”
For the week of March 2-8, 2009
by Dan Carnesciali, CS of St. Louis, MO
[with bracketed italics by Warren Huff]

Editor’s Note: The following application ideas for this week and the Possible Sunday School Topics that follow are offered primarily to help CEDARS campers and staff (as well as friends) see and demonstrate the great value of daily study and application of the Christian Science Bible lessons year-round, not just at camp! You can sign up to have them emailed to you free — in English by Monday each week, or by each Wednesday you can get a FREE TRANSLATION in French from Pascal or in Spanish from Ana. (We no longer have a translator available for German.) JUST SIGN UP at www.cedarscamps.org/newsletters

What a transformative Bible lesson we have to study this week! It challenges us to be thinkers, to not take things at face value and to abandon limited concepts of self that we have become accustomed to. Let’s have some fun exploring it. [After all, a CedarS motto is: “If you’re not having fun practicing Christian Science, you’re not practicing Christian Science.” See John 16:33]
Q. Who is the greatest babysitter in the Bible?
A. David – he rocked Goliath to sleep.

Golden Text:
Although we are God’s individual expressions, God does not divide us into Jew or Greek (non-Jew), man or woman, conservative or liberal. God sees Her family, unified in Love. Sometimes, a paraphrase translation can be helpful to understand a passage. Here is how The Message translates the Golden Text: “In Christ’s family there can be no division into Jew and non-Jew, slave and free, male and female. Among us you are all equal. That is, we are all in a common relationship with Jesus Christ.” This verse compels us to engage those who are different from us, even those who hold radically different opinions than us. To engage others we have to listen, too. Why do you think the disciples and Paul risked their lives to spread Christianity to the Gentiles (non-Jews)? Wasn’t it Christ, the active force of good, that impelled them? Today, Christ impels us to live for all mankind.

Responsive Reading:
Warning: this lesson is going to push us out of our comfort zone.  [“Just outside your comfort zone, you’ll find the Comforter supporting you in your growth zone.” Another CedarS motto.]  We are called in the name or nature of Christ Jesus to have no divisions. Let us do our best to stop setting up divisions by classifying people as fat/skinny, wealthy/poor, alert/asleep, smoker/non-smoker, smart/dumb, white/non-white, Christian Scientist/non-Christian Scientist or Christian/non-Christian.
We are called to join together, to unite in thought and purpose in the Mind of Christ. We cannot do this if we are angry, when we feel resentful or when we feel a wall of separation (of opinion). Our Wayshower, Jesus, showed us the Father by his life. Mrs. Eddy boldly states Jesus’ role as our Savior, “The corporeal Jesus bore our infirmities, and through his stripes we are healed. He was the Way-shower, and suffered in the flesh, showing mortals how to escape from the sins of the flesh. There was no incorporeal Jesus of Nazareth.” (Mis. 161:18-22) Jesus showed us the way. And as we follow Jesus, we are “living stones” in the Church of which “Christ is truly the chief corner stone.” As we understand the fullness of Christ Jesus and the oneness and allness of God, then we understand who and what we really are.

Section 1 – As individuals, we are never Alone [–always All One.]
Sometimes it does take some thought to understand the Bible citations. That is understandable. To truly understand the Bible requires understanding of the culture, history and context during which the individual books were written. Having said that, do you ever feel tempted to skip right over those pesky Bible citations and find the meaning and inspiration from Science and Health? Before you skip them entirely, consider this. While writing Science and Health, which book did Mrs. Eddy state was her “only” textbook? What book she says was her “only” authority in life? The Bible is a transformative collection of scriptures. What did Mary Baker Eddy call the second part of the Christian Science textbook? Right, a key. A key opens that which was previously hidden, concealed or locked up. Study it and it will transform you. Maybe you can find just one citation that speaks to you in each section.

Don’t we all have the same Father? Isn’t there only one creator of all of us? If this is true, then is there anyone that is not created in God’s likeness? (B1) In the Old Testament, we are told to care for the widow, the orphans, and the stranger. (Strangers are foreigners. Or better yet, strangers are those who are “separated.”) Can you recall a time when someone noticed that you were the outsider and welcomed you in? Doesn’t it feel good to be accepted and loved? [Take home the CedarS tradition where newcomers are never outsiders and where we “Break up cliques” as Mrs. Eddy directs. (S12)]. No one is cut off from God. That’s impossible! (B2) In order to get a better sense of the meaning of a Bible passage, it can be helpful to read before and after the passage. Concerning this passage, when you read outside the box of the chalk markings it says that if we do not have the Spirit of Christ, we do not belong to Christ. And, if we live according to sinful nature, we will die. But, you will live if you are led by the Spirit of God and silence the deeds of the body. (B3)  Jesus and the early Christians certainly felt that everyone, regardless of social stature or race was a child of God. For example, the editor of the Gospel of Matthew chose the healing of the centurion’s servant as the first healing to present to his readers. The centurion was an officer in the occupying Roman army, in other words, an enemy of the Jews. Also, note that the author/editor of the Gospel of John shows that Jesus revealed that he was the Messiah not to a devout Jew, but to a Samaritan woman. Typically, Samaritans and Jews did not have good relations with each other. The point is, as we review Jesus’ words and his healings, let us not miss the important lessons by observing how he lived, how he loved everyone. Clearly Jesus loved the outsider, the stranger, those who did not have their lives together.

Section 2 – Mountains of Love for God’s children bring Freedom from all conflict.
In the B6 passage from Leviticus 19 you can see the basis of Jesus’ statement, “Love your neighbor.” It says, “thou shalt love [stranger, neighbor] as thyself.” (B6) I met a St. Louis policeman on a plane flight once. We talked about prayer and he told me that he made sure he loved himself before he left for work in the morning. He said, “I cannot help anyone if I don’t love myself first.” What he did was very practical and spiritual. He wasn’t talking about self-love, he was talking about appreciating his Christliness, his Godlikeness. He was identifying himself as God’s child and acknowledging Love’s presence. What is this “mountain of his holiness?” (B8, Ps. 48:1) We can think of it as God’s enormous love for each of us. It is a place where we feel refuge and oneness with God. Refuge is a place of safety, protection or shelter. Osee (in B10) is another name for Hosea, a name which means salvation. (Interpreter’s Dictionary) “Hosea put it well: I’ll call nobodies and make them somebodies; I’ll call the unloved and make them beloved. In the place where they yelled out, “You’re nobody!” they’re calling you “God’s living children.” (B10)
(The Message)

Section 3 – Your divine Freedom [part 2, includes freedom from class warfare]
“I have seen violence done to the helpless, and I have heard the groans of the poor. Now I will rise up to rescue them, as they have longed for me to do.” (NLT, New Living Translation) God’s special consideration of the poor is a common Old Testament theme. Jehovah cares especially for the lowliest, the neediest. (B11) God generously saves and cares for all that call Him. (B12)  Now let us look at a related well-known New Testament theme, “God is no respecter of persons.” (B13) [also Acts 10:34 and, for a healing, S&H 628:8] What does that theme mean? It means that our divine Parent does not show partiality or favoritism towards any of us. We all have equal footing before God. (B13) When the widow contributed money to the church when she didn’t have money to give, she was taking a stand. (B14) Feeling Love’s abundance, her donation wasn’t a burden or a gamble. It was hope, a response to Love. The mortal mind is always playing the blame game, shifting blame from the real culprit, suggesting that God is weak or unloving, implying that you are unloved, unlovable or maybe forgotten. No! Love is not without its object. [“This is the doctrine of Christian Science: that divine Love cannot be deprived of its manifestation, or object;” S&H 304:11] The fourth tenet of Christian Science tells that Jesus demonstrated that divine Love is efficacious. You don’t see this word used much, but it means that something is effective, something that has the desired effect, something that does what it intended to do. So, God is not the problem. You are not the problem. OK, obviously that leaves what we in Christian Science refer to as error. However, let’s be alert. The blamer assumes different forms, hoping to get you to think that the problem it is a “thing.” The problem is not a thing. The deceiver would always have you trying to heal things. How wonderful that Mary Baker Eddy exposed this deception and revealed the Truth. Problems are not things, but dream shadows. She said that dreamer and dream are one. [S&H 530:21] We have authority to wake up from these dreams and realize the wonderful fact that we are reflections of the all-powerful divine Principle, Love. Since we have equal access to God (good), we all have equal access to healing! (B15) “Discerning the rights of man, we cannot fail to foresee the doom of all oppression.” Did she say “all oppression?” (S11) In what ways today can you see yourself solely subject to the authority of God (subordinate)? (S13) How can you surrender fully (be tributary) to God’s will and purpose today? (S15)
[A tributary flows into its river.]

Section 4 – Your divine Freedom [part 3, includes freedom over sickness, body wars]
You dwell in Love and Love dwells in you. Truly, everything within you is of God, and “all glorious within.” (B16)  The woman’s healing was extraordinary, wonderful, but it was not supernatural. (B17)  It was in perfect harmony with the laws that govern the universe. I long wondered why the leader of the synagogue was offended by Jesus healing on the Sabbath. Although it is hard to understand how could be that closed-minded to keep that woman in bondage another day or to deny God’s healing activity, the answer was that it was the law. The leader of the synagogue was enforcing Mosaic law. OK, that’s not entirely accurate. Over time many laws had been added. According to Jewish law (halakha), there are 39 categories of prohibited activity on Shabbat (sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday). There 11 categories of the forbidden activities having to do with making bread (planting, plowing, reaping, etc.). There are 13 categories of forbidden activities have to do with sewing clothing (washing wool, dyeing, spinning, sewing). (wikipedia.org/Activities_prohibited_on_Shabbat) On this basis, performing healing was considered work and work was forbidden on the Sabbath. It was forbidden because resting on the Sabbath honored God’s work of creating man and the earth over the first six days of creation. The synagogue leader said that there were six other days to heal the woman. In other words, it was OK to heal her, but Jesus should have waited a day. Believe it or not this makes sense in that culture. Jesus pointed out how hypocritical this stance was, pointing out that caring for livestock was allowed on the Sabbath. “Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” (B18) “The enslavement of man is not legitimate.” Love cannot and will not and does not tolerate enslavement. “Mortals will some day assert their freedom in the name of Almighty God.” (S19)

Section 5 – Your divine Freedom [part 4, includes freedom over marital conflict, gender warfare & all “horizontal” friction.]
Truly, “love is the fulfilling of the law.” (Rom 13:10)  The cross [we are to take up] symbolizes the vertical and horizontal relationships in your life. The Bible continually reminds us of our need for a good, close relationship with God. That is the vertical relationship. However, it is not possible to have a good relationship with God by focusing solely on the vertical relationship. In a way that’s what the leader of the synagogue was doing. [B17, B19] You cannot ignore or neglect your relationships with others. It is how you demonstrate your love for God. On his last night with his disciples, Jesus talked about this kind of love. First he, their Lord and Master, humbly washed each of their feet. While washing their feet he explained that in the hard days ahead, they must subordinate self and deeply love each other. He then taught them to wash each other’s feet, like he washed their feet. “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.” (John 13:14, 15) Marriage symbolizes our connection to God. Jesus recognized the lawfulness and the practicality of the union between two people, and the union between man and God through Christ. (B19)  Regardless of whether you are a teenager or a senior, married or single, what qualities do you hold dear?  Which qualities do you want to strengthen? Which qualities do you want to cherish in yourself and in others? How about satisfaction, cooperation, patience and humility? Love is always forcing us to go beyond the letter of the law. This may require some messy self-examination. “In patient obedience to a patient God, let us labor to dissolve with the universal solvent of Love the adamant of error, – self-will, self-justification, and self-love, – which wars against spirituality and is the law of sin and death.” (242:15 In) Revelation 21 is the climax of the book the Revelation. Many books about Revelation attempt to take the revelations of St. John and line them up with human history, especially an apocalyptic (end of the earth) view. Let’s see the spiritual significance of this passage. Here the author John, who may or may not have been John the disciple, sees a new heaven and a new earth, because the first earth is gone. (B20) (New Interpreter’s Bible) This new earth is entirely spiritual. When fully witnessed, the present concept of earth as material and limited passes away. In the revelation, the bride, which Science and Health explains is the compound spiritual idea fully reflecting both the Father-Mother, arrives. (S22) When this complete understanding comes, we will witness the complete eradication of pain and mortality. “And God shall wipe all their tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.” (B20)

Section 6 – All Dreams of Error Breaking
St. John wrote Revelation while exiled on the Greek island Patmos. He opens the book, “The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave to him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John …”  Some feel that the book was purposely difficult to understand so imperial Rome wouldn’t stop its distribution. Revelation was apparently put into its present form toward the close of the reign of the Roman Emperor Domitian who ruled from 81-96. Rome worshipped a series of human-like gods and persecuted all who did not obey it as a dominant culture. Domitian demanded that his subjects address him as “Lord and God” and worship his image. For refusing to do so, many Christians were put to death; others, like John, were exiled or imprisoned, and all were threatened. John saw a pure river of life coming straight from the throne of God and the Lamb (Christ). On the banks of the river was a tree of life. “And the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse.” (B21) The early Christians, including John, refused to bow down to the pervasive religion of imperial Rome. What in our culture today demands that we bow down to it? For one, how about the insistent tug in today’s media of body worship? How about the insistent tug for quick solutions rather than worship and relationship with God? (That’s the suggestion that we can “use” God to feel better and then put Him back on the shelf.) How about the insistent tug of financial “crisis?” Suggestion says that you would be an idiot not to believe that humanity is in a financial crisis. It says you must be afraid for your personal finances and your country. The Science of Christ says otherwise. I think Hymn 412 expresses it well: “O dreamer, leave they dreams for joyful waking, O captive rise and sing, for thou art free; The Christ is here, all dreams of error breaking …” When John’s vision becomes reality, we shall see God as He truly is; we’ll get it! Then, His name (nature, likeness, spirit, manner) will be our nature, spirit, manner. We won’t struggle anymore to be Godlike, because all will be Godlike in every way. [That nature will be “in (our) foreheads,” (B21) in the forefront of our thought, as Cobbey Crisler suggested.] Through Christian Science we catch glimpses of this reality. Let us devote our heart and soul to living for all mankind. (S25) “Father, where Thine own children are, I love to be. My prayer, some daily good to do to Thine, for Thee; …” (“Christ My Refuge” poem by Mary Baker Eddy, our CS Hymnal #253)
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Camp Director’s Note: This sharing is the latest in an ongoing, 8-year series of CedarS Bible Lesson “mets” (metaphysical application ideas) contributed weekly by a rotation of CedarS Resident Practitioners and occasionally by other metaphysicians. (To keep the flow of the practitioner’s ideas intact and to allow for more selective printing the “Possible Sunday School Topics” come on a following page or subsequent email.) This weekly offering is intended to encourage further study and application of ideas in the lesson and to invigorate Sunday School participation by students and by the budding teachers on our staff. Originally sent JUST to my Sunday School students and to campers, staff and CedarS families who wanted to continue at home and in their home Sunday Schools the same type of focused Lesson study, application and inspiration they had felt at camp, CedarS lesson “mets” are in no way meant to be definitive or conclusive or in any way a substitute for daily study of the lesson. The thoughts presented are the inspiration of the moment and are offered to give a bit more dimension, background and new angles on daily applicability to some of the ideas and passages being studied. The weekly Bible Lessons are copyrighted by the Christian Science Publishing Society and are printed in the Christian Science Quarterly as available at Christian Science Reading Rooms or online at eBibleLesson.com or myBibleLesson.com. The citations referenced (i.e. B1 and S28) from this week’s Bible Lesson in the “met” (metaphysical application ideas) are taken from the King James Version of the Bible (B1-24) and the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health With Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy. (S1-30) The Bible and Science and Health are the ordained pastor of the Churches of Christ, Scientist. The Bible Lesson is the sermon read in Christian Science church services throughout the world. The Lesson-Sermon speaks individually through the Christ to everyone, providing unique insights and tailor-made applications for each one. We are glad you requested this metaphysical sharing and hope that you find some of the ideas helpful in your daily spiritual journey, in your deeper digging in the books and in closer bonding with your Comforter and Pastor.

Enjoy!
Warren Huff, Camp Director, director@cedarscamps.org (636) 394-6162

————————————————————————————————————–
Possible Sunday School Topics by Merrill Boudreaux [with bracketed italics by Warren Huff]
with Possible Questions to ask your S.S. students (or the S.S. student in you)
to help apply the Christian Science Bible Lesson on “Man” for March 2-8, 2009

Look up and share Hymn 157 as a good place to begin. Have class recite or sing it. [“Jesus prayer for all his brethren: Father that they may be one, …”]

Possible Sunday School Topic [P.S.S.T. – Golden Text] – When we look at each other, at the physical appearances, we appear to be very different. What is there about us that unites us? Make a list of those qualities we have in common yet are individually expressed: patience, joy, hope, sharing, gratitude….

Responsive Reading – What is it that joins us together? See Mal. 2:10 “Have we not all one father? Hath not one God created us? ” We have that in common – we all have one Father-Mother, therefore we be brethren or “sisteren”.

Section 1 – We are admonished in Bible Marker 4 “to know no man after the flesh.” Compare the “old man” in our thought who is physical/material with the “new man” who expresses Christly qualities. How do you wish to be identified? How can the Spirit lead you to identify or name the creatures that Spirit created? Through spiritual sense, not the material senses. See S&H Marker 3.

Section 2 – What actions are outlined in this section to guide our behavior toward others? On what basis can we afford to take such actions? See S&H Markers 5 and 7. What “human rights” do you wish to see exhibited in the world, that is in your house, your consciousness – for there is nothing outside your consciousness? You call it forth, you express it.

[In 1961 CedarS Founder, Ruth Huff, asked God (in a random Bible opening) for reassurance about staffing needs and received a promise in (B7) that has been fulfilled ever since: “He … filleth thee with the finest of the wheat.” With so much change going on today check out a one-liner about S&H marker 2 (p. 13) that Geith Plimmer gave in a lecture in the changing decade of the 1970s: “When we are ready to make a proper adaptation, we will always receive a proper bestowal.’ What bestowals (gifts) do you want most? What adaptation(s) are you ready to make to be fit to receive them?]

Section 3 – “Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need.” (S&H 494: 10-11). Please memorize this. How can God meet every human need? From the basis of the fact God owns it all and has created ideas, among which you are one, to use to deliver, that is, to meet these human needs. God needs you, and always will. You are important to God, for God does what God does in, as, and through you. (See S&H 13).

[God needs you to “break up cliques.” (S12) What cliques (gangs or elite groups) would you break up if you could and why? How will you handle this task metaphysically? Because, “if you don’t handled something metaphysically, you haven’t handled it at all.”]

Section 4 – God is no respecter of person or age or time, neither was Christ Jesus. What was the result in the Bible story in this section? Memorize this statement from S&H 476: 32-5: “Jesus beheld in Science the perfect man, who appeared to him where sinning mortal man appears to mortals. In this perfect man the Savior saw God’s own likeness, and this correct view of man healed the sick. Thus Jesus taught that the kingdom of God is intact, universal, and that man is pure and holy.” This truth sets anyone and everyone free.

[Christian Science reveals the glorious fact that healing always come from the inside out. (See B16, S19) How many “outside-in” remedies (that try to import health and happiness from the outside in) can you identify? If you can figure out how to export them, you can not only “make a mint,” but also fulfill your reason for being: “I am able to impart truth, health and happiness and this is …. my reason for existing.” My. 165:20]

Section 5 – The problems of the world, and in individual lives, stem from the belief that individuals are separated from God. Of course, that is impossible. Think about the result in your life, and in the world, when you adhere to the statement in S&H Marker 21 (91: 5) “Let us rid ourselves of the belief that man is separated from God, and obey only the divine Principle, Life and Love. Here is the great point of departure for all true spiritual growth.”

[In S21 Mrs. Eddy asks if we are visualizing what we wish for: “Have you ever pictured this heaven and earth, inhabited by beings under the control of supreme wisdom?” That’s far from the way that nightly news and talk shows are picturing our current and past leaders. How can you keep from reinforcing such mental malpractice and divisiveness?]

Section 6 – Look up the definition of River in the Glossary of S&H. This river, running through your consciousness, pours out of you the qualities you are thinking. See S&H Marker 27 for an outline of the results when the river is calm, strong currents of true spirituality. See also the counsel our leader gave in My. 210: 2:
“Beloved Christian Scientists, keep your minds so filled with Truth and Love, that sin, disease, and death cannot enter them. It is plain that nothing can be added to the mind already full. There is no door through which evil can enter, and no space for evil to fill in a mind filled with goodness. Good thoughts are an impervious armor; clad therewith you are completely shielded from the attacks of error of every sort. And not only yourselves are safe, but all whom your thoughts rest upon are thereby benefited.”

[Keeping our “minds so filled with Truth and Love that sin, disease and death cannot enter them” comes from having “his name … in their foreheads,” or the nature of God in the forefront of our thought. (B21) If “whatever you think about most is your God,” is what’s at the forefront of your thought up to that job? If not, Revelation 15 tells us how to think and live in order to gain victory over the animal magnetism of bodily-mindedness that is a dead-end trend of today. (See Romans 8:6)  Turn to Rev. 15:2-3 to read about those who get “the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name. … They sing the song of Moses … and the song of the Lamb”. (Rev. 15:2-3) Can you think of something you should know that could be called “the song of Moses?” (The Ten Commandments) Can you think of something you should know that could be called “the song of the Lamb?” (The Beatitudes of the Lamb, Jesus) When our lives sing with the essence of these teachings (the first lessons of Sunday School), we too will get the victory over the animal connection, over animalism, over images of body worship, and the “slavery mark” of the vast majority of people claiming kinship with an animal origin. (From notes taken in the margins of Warren Huff’s Bible during a 1984 talk on Revelation by Bible scholar Cobbey Crisler.) What 10 hymns from our hymnal might you and your class pick for each of the 10 Commandments,” the Song of Moses”? Consider Sue Loomis’ original “10 Ways to be Happy” song about the 10 Commandments on The Solo Committee’s “3 Steps and a Bounce” CD sold by CedarS ($15) and also sold in many Christian Science Reading Rooms. You can email us about this and also order “The Song of the Lamb” cassette tape ($5) that CedarS produced in 1990 with a hymn for each Beatitude, sung by the Benzamin family and Larry Groce. To gain victory over the drone of the animal connection and its slavery songs, try the Biblical method of keeping spiritual songs in your head and heart that connect you and your thought to God.]

Because God and you co-exist you must conclude that God cannot exist without you and you cannot exist without God. This is the bond of perfectness, the bond of oneness. You are never separated from God, nor is anyone else. Your job is to know this, see it in your thinking, and acknowledge it in yourself and everyone else you see and with whom you interact each day. Plan to identify one quality each day this week that you will express and look for it in others. Come to Sunday School next week and tell the class about your experience. (Merrill)

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Email: warren@cedarscamps.org Tel: (636) 394-6162

 

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