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Christ reveals our true being, don’t resist it!
Metaphysical application Ideas for the Christian Science Quarterly Bible lesson on:
“MORTALS AND IMMORTALS”
for Sunday November 12, 2023
Kerry Jenkins C.S. of House Springs, MO
kerry.helen.jenkins@gmail.com • 314-406-0041
CEDARS MONTHLY ZOOM HYMN SING IS TONIGHT!
You are invited to our virtual hymn sing this Sunday, November 5, at 7:00pm Central.
Musician: Davya Flaharty
Format: The prelude will begin at 6:45pm Central, followed by the hymn sing at 7:00pm Central. Davya will share seven prepared hymns on the theme of gratitude and praise, followed by the Doxology. Afterwards, those who want to stay on the call can hear some brief updates on happenings at camp.
Zoom Link:
Join here with one click (password embedded).
Meeting ID: 276 331 031
- Password: 736307
- Please see details in P.S. below to join by phone.
INTRODUCTION:
One of the beautiful things about our Bible lessons each week is that we bring to our study whatever is in our thought. This week’s lesson addresses mortal thought, or mind, and spiritual thought. It does not do this by discounting or maligning mortal thought. In fact, you will find that Mary Baker Eddy rather consistently speaks about “lifting”, “elevating”, “rising”, when she addresses this mortal thought or mind, rather than dismissing it as evil or unworthy of consideration.
One of my favorite statements that she makes about what she names mortal mind, is in Science and Health on p. 186:29-30 “If mortal mind knew how to be better, it would be better.” To me, this sentence indicates a recognition of the universal challenge that we face in our human experience –that of a “mind” that daily argues for its own identity and truth, even while facing its own nothingness. This “nothingness” is most starkly highlighted by the presence of Christ, Truth.
What has inspired me most in this lesson is the challenge to notice where we are resisting the truth. We may not often think of ourselves as resisting truth, or Christ. But isn’t that the story of Jesus’ life in some ways — man’s resistance to Christ? It is not a thing of the past! My assignment to myself this week is to “…wake to the truth of being…”, not resist what is true in that moment. This might mean some discomfort.
Usually discomfort is our signal that we are in a position to advance. It is when we dismiss discomfort out of hand as a “lie”, without stopping to question whether it is signaling to us that truth is “in the wings”, that we miss our chance to rise higher in consciousness. I welcome all to join me in allowing mortal mind’s discomfort to reveal to each of us a higher truth about God and man each day in the coming week.
GOLDEN TEXT AND RESPONSIVE READING:
Mortal mind is a notorious worrier. Like a dog worrying a bone, it is always looking for something to “gnaw” on, to wrestle with, or against. It often spends its time opposing truth. Our Golden Text translation from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible (Romans 8:6) lets us know how we can experience peace (and life!) by keeping our thought, or mind, on God/Spirit. “To set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.” One could argue that we aren’t really living when we are consumed with the little worrying tasks of daily existence, rather than with a peace-filled approach to conscious, mindful, being. This is, perhaps, why this passage says that setting our mind on the flesh is “death”.
In our Responsive Reading we have one of the most poignant statements in the Bible from Paul. (Romans 6:22 now; 7:12,14,15,18,20-25(to;); 8:2). He poetically and clearly explains the human struggle to leave sin behind. He juxtaposes our human desire to do right, to worship only God/Spirit, and the confoundingly difficult opposition we feel within us, struggling against that desire. It almost seems like a separate self that is opposed to God, Good. Our only way to freedom is to yield to Truth, to Christ. “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.”
SECTION 1: DO NOT RESIST WAKING “TO THE TRUTH OF BEING”. (citation S4/218:32-2).
“When we wake to the truth of being, all disease, pain, weakness, weariness, sorrow, sin, death, will be unknown, and the mortal dream will forever cease.” How often have I read this with a sense that this is a simple inevitability? Obviously we want to be free of that list of problems! Waking to the truth of being, then, seems like “what we are doing” by studying, praying, reading the Periodicals etc. However, this week I’m seeing the key here is the phrase: “When we wake to the truth of being…”. What is keeping us from this waking? If someone asked you “Are you willing to wake up to the truth of being?”, you might think, “yes, of course I am”. But do we live our daily lives in such a way as to prove this desire to be an honest one? More often we are trying to prop up our own stories of how “things are”. Genuinely desiring the truth of being is a deeply humble approach to life. We would no longer be concerned with blame, with being right, with covering up our wrongs from scrutiny (by ourselves or others). It is a position of deep curiosity. Most often we want “the pain” to stop first, and to know what is true, a distant second. We can argue differently, but our lives attest to the truth of our desires. I don’t think that this is a conscious choice. We just naturally want the “healing”, the end of discomfort (“…all disease, pain, weakness, weariness, sorrow, sin, death…”). And who can blame us? But this “end” is the by-product of our genuine process of “waking”–of wanting to wake to the truth of our being, and to an accurate view of God in a practical, not simply a wishful, way. It comes with our willingness to let go of the mortal dream, all of it, not just the parts that seem ugly to us.
SECTION 2: SERVE GOD, NOT SELF.
In the Bible Lens, from the Christian Science Sentinel this week, there is a New Living Translation of citation B6/Gal 6:3,8 that sheds light on the “carnal” or mortal mind’s tendency to serve “self”, a separate “ego” from the one divine Ego, or “I”. “If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. … Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit.”
When we live a life focused on “self”, trying to get a clearer sense of who we are as a mortal being, separate from God/Soul, we always flounder. This doesn’t mean that a life of service to God leaves us without identity or without a proper nurturing of our truest selfhood. This lesson is about Mortals and Immortals, after all. It is the immortal man with whom we are getting better acquainted. This process of understanding tends to point out the corrupt nature of mortal thought.
Mary Baker Eddy gives us a pointed statement about what happens though, when we work to more deeply understand the true man. “This thought of human, material nothingness, which Science inculcates, enrages the carnal mind and is the main cause of the carnal mind’s antagonism.” This enraged thought is what killed Jesus.” (cit. S9/345:26) When we put into practice right here and now, a God-centered way of living, we will reap the benefits in greater peace, joy, and health — the Bible even tells us, “life everlasting”. (cit. B6/Gal 6:3,8)
SECTION 3: PEACE COMES WHEN WE DON’T RESIST THE STORM.
A few summers ago, while at CedarS Camps in my capacity as Main Camp practitioner, I had the realization that the story about Jesus sleeping in the storm-beleaguered boat was not about Jesus calming the storm, so much as Jesus not experiencing what the others were experiencing. He wasn’t sleeping through the storm and water, he simply wasn’t experiencing that storm. It was a storm that represents the typical mortal mind. It was fearful, angry, uncontrolled–it threatened their very lives! We may not be able literally to still a storm, but we are all capable of bringing peace to stormy circumstances. Usually it takes a simple recognition of the truth behind the situation to bring peace.
A silly, but recent example in my life happened just a couple of days ago. My husband and I had planned a car and driver swap that would allow the two of us to go to Wednesday night church. I was on my way home with my son Charlie who doesn’t drive yet. He had picked up James, who does, and we were going to meet part way and let James drive Charlie home. I called him as I left the violin lesson and told him I was starting home a certain way. He said he’d head that way and we could meet. Noticing that I was leaving well before the time we normally left home for church, I picked a spot that seemed easy and convenient, but found that he had left about twenty minutes earlier than usual and had already passed that spot.
I was strangely grumpy about this, (which, I know, sounds silly, as well as unjustified). We figured out where we were and arranged a quick stop, really only about five minutes apart. But here is where the peace comes in. As I said, I was feeling a bit angry about this. My mortal thought went to “why didn’t he tell me he was leaving way earlier than usual?” This is that space where we can ask if we really want to “wake to the truth of being” rather than self-justify…
As soon as I saw that I was grumpy, I said out loud: “Why am I angry about this?” The answer came quickly that it was a simple miscommunication. Rather than looking for fault, it was clear that neither of us really set up a meeting spot or stayed on the phone to figure it out. No big deal. No blame, no incrimination. And I was at peace and enjoyed our ride to church together as usual. (We don’t get out on dates very often, so we jokingly call Wed. nights our “date night”.) Our peace does not come from a “storm less” life. It comes from a quick recognition that mortal mind makes its own storms. Are we going to participate in the storm, or are we going to calm the storm by engaging with Truth, the Christly view?
SECTION 4: CHRIST, TRUTH LEAVES NO HIDING PLACE FOR SIN.
Once again, I want to be clear that sin is really the belief that we can be separated from God. I loved this sentence from B13/John 15:18-25 “If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.”
In Eugene Peterson’s Bible paraphrase, The Message, he says “If I hadn’t come and told them all this in plain language, it wouldn’t be so bad. As it is, they have no excuse.” Once we become aware of what is keeping us separate in thought and action from Love, we can no longer engage in that activity freely. We are conscious at some level that there is a better way. There is no “cloak” or hiding place for our actions or thoughts. This is how Truth frees us. It reveals that we don’t need to live in hiding or shame, but can live fully (and eternally) in vigorous, joyous, vibrant being! Mary Baker Eddy says it this way: “The likeness of God we lose sight of through sin, which beclouds the spiritual sense of Truth; and we realize this likeness only when we subdue sin and prove man’s heritage, the liberty of the sons of God.” (cit. S21/315:11)
SECTION 5: HUMBLE OPENNESS LEADS TO FREEDOM THROUGH CHRIST.
When I was serving as reader in church I often used this passage from citation B16/Mark:34 as a link to any story about Jesus. It’s the passage about how he “…saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.” This week I’m seeing this passage as indicating the qualities he was looking for in his followers. They needed to be humbly ready for his message so that they could receive it and do the works he did. They couldn’t be those who were trying to defend their positions in society, in education, or even simply in their beliefs. They needed to include the best qualities of sheep.
In this section Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. (cit. B18/John 11:1,3-5,32-34 when, 39-46,53) In this very public demonstration, Jesus ended up creating many believers. Many finally accepted that he had to be the promised Messiah. This act also inspired those who felt they were made less by this demonstration of Christ power, to find a way to crucify him–to try to end his message. We can learn from this story today.
We can address any self-righteousness as less than “sheep-like”. We can recognize when we are tempted to feel offence, and see that no offence can possibly be taken if we are focused on God and not on self. When we humbly set aside a personal sense of self we can rejoice that “The truths of immortal Mind sustain man, and they annihilate the fables of mortal mind, whose flimsy and gaudy pretensions, like silly moths, singe their own wings and fall into dust.” (cit. S29/103:25)
SECTION 6: GOD’S THOUGHTS CAN BE OURS, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE PUT THEM INTO ACTION!
All the Bible verses in this section point to the infinitude of God’s thoughts. They are “precious”! (cit. B21/Ps. 139:17) When we are joining with these thoughts, recognizing them as God’s, and our own true thoughts as expressions of Mind, we find that we are in the presence of “fullness of joy” and “pleasures for evermore.”
This “place” where we join our consciousness with the one Divine Consciousness brings us to a “…higher plane of action…” (cit. S32/256:2-5) As usual, Christ demands action. We cannot be satisfied with simply wishing for a more spiritual state of thought. We can’t rise while resisting the Christ demand to engage with truth. We must put into action every inspiration we have. We must use all that we discover to serve Love. In this way we discover our true being, our immortal selfhood.
P.S. CEDARS MONTHLY ZOOM HYMN SING IS TONIGHT!
You are invited to our virtual hymn sing this Sunday, November 5, at 7:00pm Central.
Musician: Davya Flaharty
Format: The prelude will begin at 6:45pm Central, followed by the hymn sing at 7:00pm Central. Davya will share seven prepared hymns on the theme of gratitude and praise, followed by the Doxology. Afterwards, those who want to stay on the call can hear some brief updates on happenings at camp.
Zoom Link:
Join here with one click (password embedded).
Meeting ID: 276 331 031
- Password: 736307
- Please see details in P.S. below to join by phone.
Join by Phone (you’ll need the Meeting ID and Password):
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Please share this invitation with anybody who could be blessed by this healing activity. All are welcome!
The first cache of GEMs of BIBLE-BASED application ideas (from Cobbey Crisler & others) will be emailed early in the week and the second cache will be emailed later in the week. You can always check for GEM contributions in progress before then at CedarS INSPIRATION website, whether or not you’ve SUBSCRIBED here for this free, inspirational offering.
Also later in the week, look for Ken Cooper’s
”POETIC POSTLUDE”
contributions related to this Bible Lesson.
THANKS to all you PRECIOUS DONORS for ALL of your ONGOING SUPPORT!
Every camper & visitor will be blessed by your GENEROSITY, VISION & LOVE!
ANOTHER MATCH WAS MET and its project operationally completed before camp! Thanks to several generous donors to our special A/V Appeal we were able to finish building a CHAPEL A.V. BOOTH that will protect not only new, donated equipment, but also all our hymnals for worship services and for CedarS Sunday Hymn Sings.
If you haven’t lately checked out the GIVING TREE, there are still plenty of other smaller areas of need to fill yet this year! Campers & staff will also be blessed bigtime by the donations made to additional areas of camp, including our horse program, activity equipment, camperships, and Christian Science nursing and practitioner services.
We’re deeply grateful for EVERY GIFT of love & support,
The CedarS Team
P.S. For more about ways to keep CedarS operations ever more green and flourishing and/or to make a PLANNED GIFT, A REQUIRED IRA DISTRIBUTION or an ENDOWMENT GIFT (that will all be MATCHED), feel free anytime to call or text me (Warren Huff, Executive Director Emeritus and Project Manager) at 314-378-2574. I can put you in touch with our Financial Advisor/broker who donates all fees for stock transfers and freely shares tailored, tax-advantaged giving approaches.
