Section 3: Revenge.
“Ancient and Modern Necromancy, alias Mesmerism and Hypnotism, Denounced“
By Gary Duke, C.S., Saint Louis, Missouri
Golden Text: Liberty.
“…where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” (II Cor. 3:17)
On the first day of my middle school civics class the teacher asked, “What is the difference between liberty and freedom?” We were stumped; he broke the awkward silence by finally answering, “Liberty is freedom with regulations so your rights don’t step on mine.” Spiritually we could say, adhering to the supreme regulations called the Ten Commandments enables us to feel the Spirit of the Lord, God’s presence, where there is liberty. Conversely we might say, where the Spirit of the Lord isn’t, there is bondage ~ sin, sickness, and death.
Responsive Reading: Love Thy Neighbor as Thyself.
The Jews expanded the Ten Commandments to over 600 regulations which felt like bondage. “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” (Gal. 5:1) Jesus simplified the law to two commandments, “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind…Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Matt. 22:37,39) Paul emphasizes the latter, “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Gal. 5:14) In truly loving your neighbors you’re going to want to serve them well, not hurt them in any way; see them spiritually not sensually; be honest not deceiving; encouraging not mocking; sowing only good in your relationships not evil. As these are done you’ll reap life everlasting.
Section 1: Truth.
As a student with a stack of homework a foot high, a test to study for and a research paper to complete how do you know where to start? As a business person, how do you allocate seemingly limited resources including time to spend with your family? As a parent, how do you deal with tough discipline issues? As a couple, how can you retain the spark and grow together? As a patient in need of healing, what can you do to progress? All of these dilemmas may include so many options it becomes confusing. So what can you do? Go to God and look to the kingdom of heaven within. “I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.” (B1) We each have an unfailing, inner compass which constantly points to truth. “Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness and they law is the truth.” (B3) If we are still and will humbly follow as a child, we will be lead correctly. “Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” (B4)
What might keep us from this quiet search within? Would Aesculapius, the Roman god of health and medicine, distract you? Probably not. But if the media shouts with headlines about a lack of flu vaccine, that might arrest your attention. Modern mythology, proclaiming flu to be more powerful than an all-loving God, is no more real than ancient mythology. “The varied doctrines and theories which presuppose life and intelligence to exist in matter are so many ancient and modern mythologies.” (S&H 2) What can we do? “Truth brings the elements of liberty.” (S&H 1) And truth “…indicates the rightness of all divine action…and the consequent wrongness of the opposite so-called action, – evil, occultism, necromancy, mesmerism, animal magnetism, hypnotism.” (S&H 4)
Section 2: Morality.
The story of Samson offers lessons in morality and illustrates the effects of inviting negative influences into ones’ life. Samson was a Nazarite, a Hebrew consecrated to God, who was to abstain from wine, strong drink and any product of the vine. Nor was he to shave his head as his long hair was symbolic of his consecration. Sampson was the last of the Judges, ruling Israel for twenty years until Saul was made king. Sampson possessed incredible physical strength, which he squandered with moral lapses throughout his mission to free the Hebrews from the control of the Philistines. The story in the Bible Lesson opens with him sleeping with a prostitute. Twice he chose brides from amongst the enemy, based on their beauty, and both times he allowed himself to be betrayed to the Philistines by those very women. This Bible section ends with Sampson’s hair being cut (symbolizing the partial severing of his relationship with God, thereby losing his strength), his eyes being gouged out, and him grinding grain in a Philistine prison. (B6)
How often do we waste our God given talents lusting after the flesh in the form of another person, place (location, status) or thing (money, car, diversion)? “As named in Christian Science, animal magnetism or hypnotism is the specific term for error, or mortal mind…The malicious form of hypnotism ultimates in moral idiocy.” (S&H 7) “You must control evil thoughts in the first instance, or they will control you in the second.” (S&H 9)
The story continues with the Philistines delighting in revenge, making sport of Sampson’s plight, while not taking into account his regained strength (prayer and rededication to God symbolized by his regrown hair). Samson ultimately collapses the stadium killing its 3,000 occupants. (B9) It’s tempting to gloat when you have the upper hand, but it should be a time of repentance, turning to God. “Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.” (B11) “What a pitiful sight is malice, finding pleasure in revenge! Evil is sometimes a man’s highest conception of right, until his grasp on good grows stronger.” (S&H 12)
Section 4: Protection.
Sometimes when we’re doing the right thing we arouse the hatred of those who would want us to fail. But with that stand for Principle also comes the providence of protection as seen with Jesus when he returned to his hometown of Nazareth. His reputation for impressive preaching preceded him so it was with great anticipation that he began speaking to them in the synagogue. The message was one of prophecy and rebuke: prophecy from Isaiah announcing his mission of healing and regeneration; rebuke that the locals would always see him as Joseph’s son and not the Anointed. Furthermore, his ministry would include the gentiles, similar to Elijah when he saved the widow of Sidon while many in Israel died of famine, and Elisha when he healed Naaman the Syrian of leprosy though many in Israel were left uncleansed. The congregation was outraged. Since executions were to occur outside of the city, they tried to throw him off a cliff and bury him with stones, but he escaped. Did that deter him? No, he went to Capernaum and taught to appreciative congregations. (B12)
Similarly, Mrs. Eddy was protected when she received death threats from those who said they were going to blow up the auditoriums in which she spoke. “It was our Master’s theology which the impious sought to destroy.” (S&H 17) She never even reported these threats to the police. “At all times and under all circumstances, overcome evil with good. Know thyself, and God will supply the wisdom and the occasion for a victory over evil. Clad in the panoply of Love, human hatred cannot reach you. The cement of a higher humanity will unite all interests in the one divinity.” (S&H 20)
Section 5: Healing.
How do we heal? “No man can enter into a strong man’s house (mortal mind), and spoil his goods (heal sin and disease), except he will first bind (hold in subjection) the strong man; and then he will spoil his house.” (B13, S&H 21) “In other words: How can I heal the body, without beginning with so-called mortal mind, which directly controls the body? When disease is once destroyed in this so-called mind, the fear of disease is gone, and therefore the disease is thoroughly cured.” Jesus rebuked human belief when healing the man possessed with a devil and Simon’s mother-in-law possessed with a fever. (B14) “Then classify sickness and error as our Master did, when he spoke of the sick, ‘whom Satan hath bound,’ and find a sovereign antidote for error in the life-giving power of Truth acting on human belief, a power which opens the prison doors to such as are bound, and sets the captive fee physically and morally.” (S&H 23)
Section 6: Triumph.
Let’s highlight the following promises of triumph:
(B15) We won’t get caught up in “strange doctrines” as our heart is established with grace;
(B16) Just like the Judges, King David and Prophets, through faith we too can subdue the enemy without and within;
(B17) We are redeemed, brought out of darkness and freed from bands of bondage;
(B18) Challenges, which seem as dark as night, shall be overcome and changed to beacons of light;
(B19) We will love God who is our strength, foundation, protector and deliverer.
(S&H 25) Christian Science is continually dawning in consciousness, even as darkness denies the reality of spiritual facts;
(S&H 26) Christian Science destroys the claims of mortal mind, thus proving good to be the only reality and blessing all mankind;
(S&H 27) Christian Science triumphs over illusion of all false theories and practices;
(S&H 28) Choose good as the only reality and experience freedom;
(S&H 29) Your divine right is liberty which brings freedom
Section Summary Benediction:
Liberty is ours as we love God and love our neighbors as ourselves. Accessing the inner compass of truth frees us to make right moral decisions and melts revenge. As illusion is metaphysically handled and exposed we experience protection, healing, and ultimate triumph over all.
Resources:
Researched Bible Guide, 561-776-5711 or e-mail DayBreakPlease@cs.com
The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language by Eugene H. Peterson,
NavPress 800-366- 7788, website www.MessageBible.com
The One Volume Bible Commentary, by J.R. Dummelow
The New Westminster Dictionary of the Bible, by Gehman
(Camp Director’s Note: As the latest in a long series of CedarS weekly lesson “mets” (metaphysical application ideas) contributed by a rotation of CedarS Resident Practitioners and occasionally by other metaphysicians, this document is intended to initiate further study as well as to encourage the application of ideas found in the Weekly Bible Lessons. Sent originally JUST to campers, staff and CedarS families who wanted to continue in their homes and Sunday Schools the same inspiration felt at camp, CedarS lesson “mets” are in no way meant to be definitive or conclusive or in any way a substitute for daily lesson study in the books. The thoughts presented are the inspiration of the moment and are offered to give a bit of dimension, background and daily applicability to some of the ideas and passages being studied. The Lesson-Sermon speaks individually through the Christ to everyone providing unique insights and applications. We are glad you requested this metaphysical sharing and hope that you find some of these ideas helpful in your daily spiritual journey, in your deeper digging in the books and in closer bonding with your Comforter and Pastor .)
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