Welcome healing “in the name (nature) of Jesus!”
Application Ideas & Questions for the “Christ Jesus” lesson, Feb. 23-29, 2004
by Kerry Jenkins, CS (St. Louis, MO)
A few years ago I was speaking with a bill collector on the phone. He asked me what I do for a living. I told him I was a spiritual healer, a Christian Science practitioner. He asked me what that involved, and I told him very briefly. He said he’d like to talk to me some more about this but he had to call me back later. I must admit I was mildly surprised when he did call me back the next day. I had explained a bit the kind of prayer that I do and the sorts of things that it heals-everything from disease and sin to loss, grief, financial troubles and so on. I then admitted that obviously, since he was calling me to work out payment schedules on a debt that we owed, that I didn’t have everything exactly figured out, but that I was certainly working on it! Somewhat to my surprise, he very sincerely asked if I ever prayed in Jesus’ name. He didn’t get harsh or forceful about it, he just asked me, very humbly. And then he added that he had found that his prayers were answered more consistently when he actually asked in Jesus’ name. I have since taken that to heart. Do I “avoid” the naming of Jesus in my prayers and treatments because of the fundamentalist overtones that it brings to thought? I decided that the Master Christian and Way-shower was someone to be boldly named in any good treatment. It has indeed helped to bring me, and others healing. It wasn’t that I didn’t appreciated Jesus and his role in healing before this man spoke with me. It just helped me to recognize better the need to acknowledge properly his fundamental role in shaping our understanding of God and demonstrating Christian Science. Jesus truly was “…the best man that ever trod the globe.” S&H p.52 this week’s Bible lesson should help us all to appreciate his legacy and his current power and presence in our lives today through the Christ, which he embodied and lived.
The lesson opens with the grand declaration of the eternality and unchanging nature of the Christ. This is upheld in a multitude of ways throughout the lesson so keep your eyes peeled! Paul then speaks of Jesus in the R.R., and as we all know, Jesus was gone by the time Paul came along, so he must be speaking of this eternal Christ as well.
Once again I would like to have this lesson study take the form of questions that you can ask yourself each day during the week as you read each section. Then you can listen to see what God reveals to you as an answer each time you ask the question. It might take some focus to really listen, but trust me; you will get better with practice! You should feel free to ask your own questions too!
Section 1.
This section deals with the lineage of Jesus, representing once again his agelessness and timelessness. It addresses the prophecy of Jesus coming, and the nature of Jesus and the Christ.
How do I worship and value the Christ and what about Jesus?
Section 2.
Here is more prophecy. It is always good to ask yourself how this prophecy applies to you, since we all know that Jesus commanded us to go and do as he did. He also points out that through repentance-rethinking-we will find that we have everything we need at hand to find the path, to do Jesus’ works, to find Life.
What was Jesus’ mission?
Section 3.
This section is all about how Jesus taught and made God a clearer presence to all mankind. The mustard seed and the leaven are active representatives of the Kingdom of Heaven-they “rise up” and provide good. They transform from something tiny to something powerful, providing shelter to birds (spiritual ideas, inspiration) and lifting and elevating meal/material thought.
What small, powerful nugget of goodness is bringing genuine transformation to my life today (and hence blessing others, giving “rise” to “shelter” and “food”.)?
Section 4.
Here we see that Jesus was sent to heal sin universally! Remember that the Samaritans were not supposed to mix with the Jews. And yet it tells us here that not only did Jesus speak with this woman, but stayed two days and preached there in Samaria, and they believed that he was the Christ!
What material systems am I holding onto-how can I daily forsake them and their very foundations?
Section 5.
Jesus declares in this section that we must claim only God as our Father and only God as our Master. This is key to healing the sick. In this section Jesus heals the palsied man, proving his words by his works. And the Science and Health gives us wonderful, specific directions on how to go about healing.
I once heard a practitioner say that a good practice consists of at least one healing a day.
What have I healed today? (Or what will I heal-just make sure you check up on it in the evening!)
Section 6.
We have come full circle from the Golden Text. Christ Jesus’ continuance throughout time, his function as light revealing Christ and then teaching us to do likewise. We can preach the gospel by living a Christ-like life-healing, and showing our humanity and love through our works.
What evidence have I given/am I giving of the universal eternal active presence of Christ in my life? This may be similar to the last question, but there are such a multitude of answers-from simple acts of kindness and generosity, to revelation and healing. All are evidence of us carrying out our duty to Jesus and to God.
Happy week to all!
Kerry
