Nothing can be “put to” or taken from the YOU God made!
Lesson Application Ideas on “Substance” for March 8-14, 2004
by Corde Hanzlik, CS (Austin, TX)
“To be or not to be” may be “the question” (according to Shakespeare), but it isn’t an option. The question more often today is: “What’s the bottom line?” This week’s Lesson Sermon answers these and many other questions. It shows us for sure what our true substance is and what life is. The Golden Text starts the ball rolling with God’s bottom line. We are part of the great ‘whatsoever’ (“whatsoever God doeth”). No additions or subtractions – we are the total of completeness forever. Nothing can be “put to” or taken from the YOU God made. You/we are “God’s bottom line!”
In the Responsive Reading, we like the disciples, have an ‘in’ on understanding. But lest there is any confusion, Jesus gives us many everyday examples of the kingdom of heaven to relate to. Of course, today he would have used parables about computers, iPods/MP3 players, video games, cell phones and the infinite internet. How do we comprehend our kingdom of heaven? As Jesus’ parables put the kingdom in relevant terms, how do we dwell in that kingdom? Value it? What is our treasure?
Section 1 The Bible: All of the citations expand on the Golden Text, for sure. All creation is settled. Remember the equating of faith to substance (sub – under, stance – stand). Thank you, Hebrews. So what are we – firstfruits, children of God, heirs, joint-heirs with Christ – invisible to the world, perfect.
Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures: If you haven’t noticed, the majority of Lessons this Quarter have had a citation from the Platform of Christian Science in the first section. (Platform pgs. 330-340). Our plank this week is part of number one. When understood, this give us the power and authority to be God’s perfect design, incapable of discord and decay (S&H 468) According to S&H 502, the entire universe is one grand idea of God, Mind, one creator, one creation, forever unfolding.
Section 2 The Bible: Even though sense testimony might say there is nothing good or productive, God is always giving us the confidence and assurance of His care. We wait, serve, patiently.
Science and Health: We cannot be disturbed by the false pronouncements of error, evil. Mrs. Eddy tells us where and how to start in our awakening – God is All-in-all – so reckon the God Principle! Reckon – Student’s Reference Dictionary -“to reason with one’s self and conclude from arguments”. Isn’t that what we do in Christian Science? Determine our true and only self according to Principle? The 3 omni words are evident.(S&H 275) Sometimes it seems to be a big argument. What do we get? The kingdom of heaven – the reign and rule of universal harmony. (M 10 p208)
Section 3 The Bible: Wisdom, understanding, instruction and knowledge are the prizes. (M 9) How many times is the word “thought(s)” used in this section? Why is important to us? We are thought-substance, idea. As we seek God and turn to Him, His thoughts, us, we are lifted up. He’s giving us everything -instruction, knowledge, righteousness. God is always ‘findable’ since He already knows our thoughts. Jeremiah (M 12) gives us a promise from God to give us peace and an expected end. What would that end be? The kingdom of heaven perhaps?
Science and Health: It is confirmed that thought is substance, but never in nor of matter. The “things and objects’ are never what sense “pretends” them to be. Every marker in this section asks us to think Mind-fully, not be fooled by the fading finite forms as mortal thought gives place to the real. (M 13) Our being is God thinking us as “the full and perfect expression”.
Section 4 The Bible: The woman in Matthew did what is demanded in Isaiah. She sought the true bread of life, the Christ. Being a stranger, the disciples didn’t talk to her. But Jesus did. Yet, he spoke to challenge or test of her conviction and character. She wasn’t going to be put off by traditions. Her humble reply reaped her reward. Her daughter was immediately healed.
Science & Health: Do we think that we are unworthy of God’s goodness? We might unthinkingly deny ourselves a crumb, when our Father Mother is giving us the whole loaf! Or worse, can anyone be denied a crumb because of a false label. No! All may be healed. All must be as divine Love meets every need, even the human needs (not wants). (M 19) What is our verity of being? We are image and likeness, painless and permanent. (M18) Every crumb counts!
Section 5 The Bible: Now we get whole loaves, and fish too! As Philip doubted as to finding enough for the crowd, Jesus already knew what he would do. Oh that we should trust so much! A child (lad) had the provision necessary. Jesus did the rest. How similar is seating the crowd in the grass to “He maketh me to lie down in green pastures”? Baaaaa. With gratitude, there is more than enough. (Aside from the Lesson: I once questioned a dear friend as to why there were leftovers. You would think that Jesus would have had it come out right. But my friend pointed out that the 12 baskets was provision for each disciple to has his own ‘blest bread’ for their own spiritual journeys.) In the rest of our story this week, it is apparent that the bread multiplication was amazing enough, but to translocate was REALLY amazing. Jesus never answered the question of how he got to the other side of the sea (verse 25 not in the Lesson), but rather turned them to the Christ and God the Father for real ‘meat’.
Science & Health: God’s invisibility and indivisibility is the basis for our invisibility cloak – error can’t find us or separate us from the Father. (M 21) This passage, too, is in the Platform. There are no ‘have nots’. All received bread. No idea is divided by need, position, or condition from the All-provider. Mortal procedures say that parts are needed to make a whole – seed, wheat, flour, animal parentage. What becomes visible is the completeness and wholeness of God’s creation. (M25). Note on 516 what peace and permanence we have – Life is living, Truth is truthing, God is gooding – always imparted in completeness and wholeness.
Section 6 The Bible: Is believing the hard part in Bible marker 16? Isn’t the answer to this question what this Lesson is about? How can we not believe? We’ve had the bread. We are taught in marker 17 how to pray, even demand, the understanding that we are fruitful. We must ask, seek, and knock. Are we ever tricked by erroneous suggestion that we shouldn’t even bother to ask because we have so many times before, for days, week, years without an answer? It would seem so. But, Jesus promises us results! It’s the law!
Science & Health: In Science – the law – Mrs. Eddy promises results too, when she states, “covers all human needs”! She also says, “instantaneously” (not in the Lesson 16:23) She does give us guidelines for prayer. “Prayer, watching and working, self-immolation”, “stick to, plead” with what?(Marker 28 and 29) We plead through affirmation of what is true! The grand finale is The Lord’s Prayer, marker 30.This prayer was the basis for an entire Lesson Sermon 2 summers ago. It has every answer to everything. Dig into it this week. Observe divine Parentage; all-inclusiveness – our, us; completeness – without time, space, place – we have bread, we are forgiven, we will always be in His care; the demanding condition of the word “as”. It’s all about God, right? Right! And us! We are His beloved children! Where? In the kingdom! Therefore, to answer Shakespeare, “We be!”
