Bible GEMS examples for you to FEEL the “PEACE & JOY & POWER” of DIVINE LOVE EXPRESSED!
Let God Expressed Meekly/Mightily in you sparkle brightly with new insights from Cobbey & others
as inspired by The Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lesson on
“Is the Universe, Including Man, Evolved by Atomic Force?”
for Sunday, December 18, 2022
(Cobbey Crisler’s insights are shared with the blessing of Janet Crisler janetcrisler7@gmail.com)
by Warren Huff, CedarS Executive Director Emeritus, warren@cedarscamps.org
BE TRANSFORMED (baptized from the inside-out) BY ACCEPTING FOR YOURSELF THE FREEING TRUTHS & TIMELESS EXAMPLES OF “THE INSPIRED WORD” IN ACTION!
Claim your heavenly heritage that instantly puts you on “the holy ground” of spiritual peace, joy and power whenever you FEEL LIKE A HOPELESS EXILE trapped in an IMAGINARY, materially-evolved UNIVERSE filled with enemies and “every ill that flesh is heir to.”
WE TOO CAN FEEL THE “AS-IN-HEAVEN, SO-ON-EARTH” JOY along with the CONVICTION that “with God NOTHING SHALL BE IMPOSSIBLE” (Luke 1:37, cit. B8)!
This week’s Bible Lesson shows us HOW HEAVENLY THIS FEELS!
Genesis to Revelation Characters modeling the FEELING of BEING DIVINELY LOVED INCLUDE:
- Jews coming home from their Babylonian exile (Isaiah 55 & 65 verses, Golden Text & Responsive Reading);
- post-exilic authors of Genesis describing our record of spiritual creation (Genesis 1, citation B1) & below**;
- Moses being called to undertake his holy mission to free his people (click for W. in Moses skit, Ex. 3/4, cit. B6);
- Elisabeth, who was called barren, conceiving John (the Baptist) in her old age (Luke 1:36-37, cit. B8), and,
- the virgin Mary being open to bring “our dear Savior” into the world (“The Star” Sony clips Luke 1:26+, cit. B8)
& a fuller, on-site link to the angel Gabriel’s blessed message to Mary (Olivia Hussey) about her & her cousin Elisabeth, as Luke 1:42+ is reenacted in the 1977 movie, “Jesus of Nazareth” by Franco Zeffirelli; - Simon who’d fished all night in vain, but at Jesus’ direction got a full net (Chosen scene, Luke 5:1+, cit. B13);
- the storm-startled disciples who asked the resting Jesus to save and their awe after he stilled the storm (according to a “Jesus Project” reenactment of Luke 8:22+, cit. B14);
- Holy City inhabitants who FEEL painless & supremely happy WHOLENESS, ever right WITHIN! (cit. B16, Rev. 21)
- YOU on Sunday, December 18, 2022 with a special opportunity to “FEEL the calm and joy of things immortal, (and) the loveliness of Love (that) is all around!” I’ve been told that today’s solo at the Mother Church sung by Josh Henn will be, “O LOVE DIVINE.” It was written by Sondy Elkins, CS, and is all about that precious, healing FEELING of “Love divine (that) forever waits to bless.” (Hymn 270)
Click here for the times and ways to hear the Sunday service and solo.
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BACKGROUND INFO ON SOME OF THE ABOVE-NOTED GEMS WE SEEK TO FEEL so as to HEAL
1-2a. LIKE THE SOON-TO-BE-FREED, EXILED AUTHORS OF GENESIS AND OF THE LAST CHAPTER OF ISAIAH, FEEL INSPIRED with a NEWFOUND, before-thought-impossible, FREEDOM FROM EXILE/evil, that is GUARANTEED BY GOD from the beginning in heaven and so on earth by “the divine powers that be!” (cit. S31, 249:9) Text below was transcribed from Warren’s notes on Cobbey’s talks on Genesis 1, cit. B1)
**[Cobbey Crisler said:] “Genesis chapter 1 was written in response to the Hebrew people’s crisis of exile.
“Verse 2 attempts to explain how creation occurred as well as how a new beginning could occur out of the vacuity of the nothingness of the exile (W: Think about what a super-severe quarantine it would be to be exiled to a conquering enemy’s homeland, to be taken away from your home, family and all that’s familiar.) To the post-exilic authors of Genesis 1 “the earth was without form and void” – or “Toe-who” and Boe-who” – the translated names of the Babylonian mythical leviathan-like, sea monster and their mythical behemoth-like, land monster. The modern-day myth is that we evolved from the sea to be dry land creatures with a further refined way of animal thought and life. Human thought was dark much like “darkness on the face of the waters.” … Spirit is the root of the whole word inspiration… No advance can occur in life without inspiration—so “the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.”… This happens also when Jesus is baptized, coming “straightway out of the water,” as part of a divine announcement. He sees “the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting upon him.” (Matthew 3:16) Consequently, one recognizes that if Spirit represents the motive of his career, it’s an inspired career…
“It’s how the entire Bible begins (Genesis 1:2) because “the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.” It’s almost as if in Jesus’ baptism, we’re getting this genesis of God’s creation, that first chapter, applied on earth. The Spirit is moving on those waters in which Jesus is standing. There is a Spirit genesis here. Look at what happened in Genesis 1 in those brief verses when creation is depicted for us.”
Verse 3 (from a bumper sticker that I enjoyed seeing): “The Big Bang theory: “Let there be light” and BANG! It happened!”) …
[transcribed from Warren Huff’s notes on Cobbey Crisler talks on Genesis 1]
2b. Links from JSH online to explore fun articles in the Seven Days of Creation (from Gen. 1, cit. B1)
Roundtable on: First Day of Creation from JSH online
“Restoration,” by Duncan Sinclair, April 1924, CSJ
https://journal.christianscience.com/shared/view/268mfv2496k?s=e
“One Creation, Spiritual and Complete,” Maurice W. Hastie, Jan. 1956, CSJ
https://journal.christianscience.com/shared/view/9bbvspeu6k?s=e
“Genesis Roundtable—Second Day of Creation”
https://sentinel.christianscience.com/shared/view/j2bqi23es2?s=e
“Firmament, the basis of Judgment,” Carolyn B. Swan, May 1984, CSJ
https://journal.christianscience.com/shared/view/2oy47cq7yxc?s=e
“Let the Dry Land Appear” May Rimes Hutson, July 1945, CSJ
https://journal.christianscience.com/shared/view/2k0vp59oi0g?s=e
“Commandment to Heal,” Victoria Jay, August 1, 2012, CSJ
https://journal.christianscience.com/shared/view/1sgd64b6bjk?s=e
“Scriptural Symbolism,” Helen Young, December 1910, CSJ
https://journal.christianscience.com/shared/view/13u6qrbmyk0?s=e
- LIKE MOSES, REMEMBER THE HEALING FEELING OF ALWAYS BEING AT-ONE WITH YOUR EVER-PRESENT, “GREAT I AM” GOD! Not an “I was” God or “I will be” God! My quick, video reenactment on YouTube of Moses’ encounter with God, the great “I Am,” was inspired by Cobbey Crisler’s insights into Exodus chapters 3 and 4 as I transcribed them from his talk, “Heal the Sick: A Scriptural Record.” If you want this background and his application ideas for Exodus 3:14,15 (citation B6 in this week’s Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lesson), you may want to click the link to my March 2020 CedarS Bible Blog.
Click to see more info on the blog with a link to a video reenactment at the Bushing Bush by Warren M. Huff as Moses & Warren’s friend and CedarS Board member, Ken Pratt, as the voice of the “great I AM” (citation B6, Exodus 3:14, 15 & SH 587:5) Or you can SEE the video through this direct link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50f4vWbs3ak&feature=youtu.be
FYI: The mural scene behind “Moses” in the YouTube video is an aerial view of CedarS painted by Angela Sage Larson on two walls in CedarS new office in the St. Louis area. Note that in the sky portion, Angela recorded one of Ruth E. Huff’s Bible opening answers that inspired the founding and name of CedarS (near Lebanon) and the naming of Girls Camp cabins after birds (“where the birds make their nests.” Ps. 104:17)]
[Further video footnotes from Warren:] Late-night camera work and narration in mid-March 2020 by Ken Pratt along with “ready, willing and able” editing by George Napper made possible this semi-professional sounding and looking message. We hope our quickly orchestrated, production efforts the night before sharing this for Sunday School, bring not only a few smiles, but also some uplifting inspiration and the reality of God’s ever-presence in a time today when many freedoms seem to be under attack—although God is still ever powerfully present on the scene to save all seekers, even when numbers or conditions are not in their favor.
- LIKE ELISABETH, REVERSE THE CURSE OF THE “DOMESTIC TRAGEDY” OF BARRENNESS and SO PREPARE THE WAY FOR THE CHRIST! Cobbey on Luke 1:25+ (cit. B8) John the Baptist birth prophesied
[Cobbey Crisler:] “We know that Zacharias and Elisabeth had a reputation for being extremely religious and deeply devoted to the monotheism of Judaism. They had one domestic tragedy however. They had no children, and for a woman in that day and age, as well as throughout the Old Testament, it was a tragedy. If one tried to explain it surgically, there may have been a physical obstruction that prevented the normal operation of her reproductive capacity physically. That would be bad enough. But Elizabeth was well beyond the age of child bearing. Biology was completely against anything occurring as of that moment.
Did biology stop such things before when you remember some of the Old Testament precedents? Remember Sarah and the wives of Abimelech. Also, Hannah, Rachel and Sampson’s mother.
The whole attitude of the time used to be that if a woman could not bear a child and in the early Old Testament, you remember, they did have several wives—she moved all the way down the ladder as far as priority. In fact, her husband was fully justified to separate himself, to divorce her. She was looked down upon by the other wives.
You remember when Sarah realized she could not bear a child, she offered Hagar as Abraham’s second wife. And Abraham married Hagar and had a son, Ishmael, by Hagar.
In those days, sterility was entirely blamed on the wife. Consequently, the wife took it very much to heart—feeling that God was punishing her for something. Do you remember the deep sense of sorrow that Hannah was in when she prayed to have a child (I Sam. 1:1-20)? Elisabeth undoubtedly went through some of that same agony.
Something completely different is now going to occur after centuries of an absence of this sort of intervention. In fact, between the Old and New Testament we have about a four-hundred-year gap. Prophecy had declined to the point where it finally disappeared altogether. Ritual had increased. The ceremonial law became primary. And ecclesiasticism lost the Spirit that breaks through in the inspired Word of the Bible.
In Luke 1:8-11, Zacharias went through the motions of his office in the Temple, burning the incense. The people waited outside for Zechariah to bless them. While he was in there, he had a vision. In Verse 12, it says “he is troubled.” Luke uses that word a lot. Mary is troubled when the angel comes to her (Luke 1:29). Zacharias is troubled here. He doesn’t know what to make of what he is seeing and hearing while in a trancelike state.
The announcement comes in Verse 13. Notice how angels begin their opening lines, “Fear not.” Does that sound familiar? Who else said that? In Greek it’s phobeomai, the root of our word “phobia.” The phrase “fear not” appears 158 times in the New Testament: phobeomai 95 times, phobos 47 times (p. 1275, in the One volume Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, 1985). The angel deals with that negative condition of thought right away, “Fear not” or sometimes translated, “Be not afraid.” This changes the mentality which might obstruct the next spiritual move forward.
Then, very often you find, after dealing with that minus-side of human thinking, he moves to support the plus-side, saying, “Be of good cheer,” or “only believe.” Those are two opposing states of mind.
Jesus would say, “Decide on one of them. Don’t remain a divided kingdom.” “Fear not,” “Remove the sense of fear.” “Believe.” “Be of good cheer.” “Be of good comfort.” Remember the states of some of those he said it to, for instance telling the paralyzed man to “Be of good cheer.” What obviously had accumulated was an obstruction in the thought of that man.
If Jesus is the incisive healer that the gospels inform us he was, then every word he uttered gives us his method.
Every thought he expresses allows you and me to follow as an example, as he apparently expected us to do. Remember, anyone who believed on him would do the works that he did (John 14:12).
Zacharias hearing these words (Luke 1:13), “Fear not, for thy prayer is heard;” gives another bit of information. We really hadn’t been told that this has been a matter of domestic prayer. They had actually been praying, as a couple, in order to have a child. The angel assures Zacharias that his wife “will bear a son and that his name should be John.”
It’s a little hard to guess the exact condition of Zacharias. He is struck dumb
(Luke 1:20). He is speechless. He is unable to talk. There are also one or two verses which imply he could not hear either (Luke 1:21,22). The implication is there.
As we find out from a later verse (Luke 1:63, 64), the name John is an important thing for the restoration to a normal state of being able to speak and hear, if he was unable to do either one.
You can imagine when one is communing with an angel, you don’t really look at your watch. Zacharias was in there for an abnormally long period of time (Luke 1:21). The people were out there waiting for him to come out. In a sense they were looking at their watches and Zacharias wasn’t showing up. Meanwhile back inside Zacharias hardly believes what he is hearing. He received the message (Luke 1:15) that his child, and Elisabeth’s child, will not drink spirits but “he will be filled with Spirit, the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb.”
,,, In Verse 17 we’re told that John the Baptist is to go as forerunner before the Lord. Notice, it’s not what scholars call “Elijah redivivus” or “Elijah reincarnated,” coming back to earth in that sense. Luke very properly says that John the Baptist will “go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elias, ” which is the Greek form of Elijah, “to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,” and so forth. Where is all that information corning from? The angel is quoted here as giving it to Zacharias in Luke 1:13.
In Malachi notice in Chapter 4, Verse 5, there was an expectation among the Jews based on this verse. Elijah the prophet would prepare the way of the Lord. Then in Verse 6 you see the balance of the quotation that we ran into in Luke (1:17).
Bible scholars will tell you that some of those verses are excerpted for us in the New Testament. We’re expected to look them up, not just simply take the verses for granted. If the gospel writers had wanted to tell us everything, they would have probably put in whole chapters. But since no one really has the right to take discovery away from anyone else, we find the gospel writers tantalizing us in some cases, simply adopting a one-liner and then expecting you to look that up. Thus, we are forced to become Scriptural students.
In Malachi 3:1, you will find another well-known verse quoted in the New Testament referring to John the Baptist, “I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way,” and so forth.
Luke has now shown us his method of approach. We have everything starting from an angelic method that is absolutely coincident with Bible prophecy…
John the Baptist had been predicted hundreds of years earlier and Zacharias and Elisabeth were to be his human parents. Zacharias, just like Abraham, said, “How can this happen?” In fact, in Verse 18, the question, “Whereby shall I know this?” is word-for-word what Abraham said in Genesis 15:8.
The angel Gabriel is used as the name of this angel, identifying the character of the angel. Gabriel also appears in the Book of Daniel. Every time Gabriel appears, this angel has a special characteristic. It appears in order to assist human thought so that it will be able to comprehend, understand, and yield to the divine.
Gabriel says to Daniel, “I have come that man might understand” (Daniel 9:22), our link, then, to the intelligent, divine plan. Gabriel begins to give some of that plan to Zacharias (Luke 1:19) …
Elisabeth conceives (Verse 24). In Verse 25 you get some hint about how women felt when they were unable to have a child. She calls it “reproach, “that her having a child “takes away her reproach among men.” “Luke the Researcher,” by B. Cobbey Crisler**
- LIKE MARY, BE OPEN TO ANGEL MESSAGES TO MAKE CHRIST WELCOME!
Cobbey on Luke 1:26-47 documenting the Nativity of Jesus (cit. B11):
[Cobbey Crisler:] “Gabriel has another assignment (Verse 26), to go to Nazareth. Luke is a gospel that tells us quite plainly that Mary was a virgin… (Verse 27), “To a virgin espoused to a man.” That means we are dealing with a contract period prior to marriage, an engagement that nevertheless had that sanctity of marriage attached to it legally. If that contract were broken, especially through immorality, it was very severe. A capital execution by stoning could be carried out.
“Gabriel announces to Mary that she is to be the mother of the Messiah. Verse 29 shows that Mary does not take it entirely calmly. She was “troubled at that saying,” and did not really know what to make of it, very similar to what we read of Zacharius.
The human doesn’t know what to do in the presence of angels. Of course, all it needs to do is listen. That’s why it’s so hard for the human mind. But, Gabriel, true to character, begins the conversation (Verse 30) with “Fear not,” calming the fear, any sense of alarm in Mary’s thought.
“The announcement is clear in Verse 31, including the name of Jesus, just as the name of John (later, the Baptist) had been given ahead of time to Zacharius.
“Verse 32 gives us some of the things that actually were synonymous with the Messiah in the expectations of the Jews, namely that he would be “the son of God.”
“Would he be the only son of God? Do we have any Scriptural authority for that, or for its opposite? We do have the announcement (Matthew 3:17) as he came after baptism, “This is my beloved son.” What about unique or “only begotten”?
“When you realize that every Jewish mother prayed daily to be selected for that role, imagine when it came to Mary how overwhelmed and very deeply humble she must have felt.
“Mary, in Verse 34, asks the only reasonable question one can ask, “How can it be possible, an immaculate conception?…
“…Mary yields (in Luke 1:38) to this event, “be it unto me according to thy word.” And the angel leaves.
“Mary immediately goes to help her cousin (Verses 30 and 40). It’s about 100 miles away from Nazareth…”
“Our third use of Holy Ghost. Elisabeth is filled with the Holy Ghost (Luke 1, Verse 41). Imagine that major human laws of life on earth are being set aside… a very precious encounter for the whole human race…
“Mary begins in Verse 46 what the Latin Church refers to as the “Magnificat.” Let’s study some of those words. Mary said, “My soul doth magnify the Lord.” That word “soul” in the Hebrew is very close to our word “identity.” In this case we find that Mary is discussing her being as if it were a lens for God, a magnifying lens. What a beautiful way to describe identity. Would that we ourselves could look through our identity, and every time we did, we only saw the magnification of God and all the qualities associated with the divine nature, increasing more and more as the lens magnifies…”
“Luke the Researcher,” B. Cobbey Crisler**
- LIKE SIMON (PETER) AND THE DISCIPLES WHO’D FISHED ALL NIGHT AND CAUGHT NOTHING, FOLLOW JESUS’ DIRECTION TO FILL YOUR NET (as shown in this clip from Season 1 of The Chosen, showing Luke 5:1+, cit. B13);
- LIKE THE DISCIPLES, with “JESUS ON YOUR BOAT,” (in your fearless thought), YOU have an expectation to FEEL MASTERY AND SO BE ABLE TO REST during ANY STORM OF “VERY BAD” ALONENESS & material vulnerability BY FEELING THE “VERY GOOD” ALL-ONENESS OF SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT and TOGETHERNESS WITH GOD! [See Cobbey on Luke 5.10, 11]
[Cobbey Crisler:] “In Chapter 5 we find the appointing of disciples (Verses 10 and 11), the meeting of Simon (Verse 3), the net that broke there were so many fishes (Verse 6), and Simon in Verse 5 using the word “Master” in relating to Jesus. (For whom was that word more appropriate? Did anything ever “master” him?)
The word ”dominion” in Genesis 1, Verse 26, is what describes God’s first gift to man. If you and I really have it, then that term “Master” should be native to everyone, because that’s what dominion means. Here we have that representative of the dominion-man, living it out successfully on-earth-as-in-heaven.
“The Gospel According to Thomas” was found among gnostic books in Egypt but may have preserved. some early sayings of Jesus, no one is sure. Here is a comment that might give us new insight on the mastery by the “Master.” Jesus said, ‘which then is the sin. that I have committed, or “In what have I been vanquished?” It’s a good question to take back into his career. Later, in Hebrews 4:15, it says Jesus was indeed “tempted in all points but “without sin. ”
Since “tempt” and “test” mean the same thing in the Anglo-Saxon derivation, we find that temptation is merely a test. That gives you and me an option. We can pass it or we can flunk it.”
“Luke the Researcher,” B. Cobbey Crisler**
**A BONUS LINK — “EXTREME WEATHER” CONNECTION!**
These days with more extremes of weather and of politics in thought, weather reports and social media and news reports, here’s a timely article from the December 2022 Christian Science Journal.
It was researched and contributed by The Mary Baker Eddy Library for the Betterment of Humanity.
Just click on this shared view link: https://journal.christianscience.com/shared/view/hfgapp8e1y?s=copylink
- FEEL THE UNDEFILED, SUPREMELY HAPPY WHOLENESS of the HOLY CITY right WITHIN YOU!
Cobbey Crisler on Revelation 21:1-4/citation B16) + cit. S28/575 and cit. S29/577
[Cobbey:] “Revelation 21 (and 22) … We’ve seen it in previous Scripture but we find that it is the chosen Scriptural summary, the peak, the ultimate, and Jesus is associated with it. How much purer could Scripture be, coming from God through Jesus to John to us? And John saw that “new heaven and new earth” (Revelation 21:1/cit. B16)
[Warren: In this Bible Lesson we’re told that “this New Jerusalem…– reached St. John’s vision while yet he tabernacled with mortals.” cit. S29/576:3. Mary Baker Eddy continues “This is Scriptural authority for concluding that such a recognition of being is, and has been, possible to men in this present state of existence, — that we can become conscious, here and now, of a cessation of death, sorrow, and pain. This is indeed a foretaste of absolute Christian Science. Take heart, dear sufferer, for this reality of being will surely appear sometime and in some way. There will be no more pain, and all tears will be wiped away. When you read this, remember Jesus’ words, “The kingdom of God is within you.” This spiritual consciousness is therefore a present possibility.” (cit. S30/573:23)
Cobbey continues:] “John saw the Holy City, New Jerusalem. (SH 592:18) We know its origin, coming from God prepared as a bride. Finally, the bride prepared, adorned for her husband. [Verse 2] The tabernacle of God with men, [Revelation 21] Verse 3.
“Verse 4, there is a check-off list in this Holy City. There are no more tears, no more salty reminders of the sea in our bodies chemically. We’ve been told there’s “no more sea” in Verse 1. No more sea, no more tears, no more death, no sorrow, crying or pain, not in this consciousness. It’s the Holy City. That also means that it’s whole. There’s nothing that can fragment it. The tribes embrace it at the gates. The restored and regenerated tribes. The collective idea of you and me working together as chords under the divine principle of a grand music that fills the universe and all eternity….”
“The Holy City: Its Biblical Basis and Development,” by B. Cobbey Crisler**
9-10. Hope YOU’LL JOIN THE HEALING FEELINGS SHARED TODAY IN THE SPECIAL MOTHER CHURCH SOLO “O LOVE DIVINE” AND IN OUR PRAYERS IN SONG SHARED AT ONE OR BOTH OF CEDARS CHRISTMAS HYMN SINGS TODAY. AT THE TOP UNDER 9 AND 10, FIND LINKS AND NUMBERS, REVIEW SPECIAL GUESTS, TIMES, AND DETAILS SO AS TO JOIN OUR WORLDWIDE, HEALING PRAYERS OF GRATITUDE IN SONG AND IN ADVANCE THAT JESUS MODELED FOR US TO FACE DOWN EVERY CHALLENGE WITH CONFIDENT LOVE AND MASTERY! HOPE SOON TO SEE YOU AND TO HEAR WHERE YOU’RE CONNECTING FROM!
(Hymn Sings have had happy participants from all 50 states & at least 23 countries!)
