Here’s an abbreviated Easter GEM Hunt Designed to Free You from Sin, Disease & Death!
God Expressed Meekly/Mightily in you sparkle brightly with insights from Cobbey & OTHERS
as inspired by The Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lesson on
“Are Sin, Disease, and Death Real?”
for Sunday, April 9, 2023
(Cobbey Crisler’s insights are shared with the blessing of Janet Crisler janetcrisler7@gmail.com)
by Warren Huff, CedarS Executive Director Emeritus, warren@cedarscamps
Easter Hunt, GEM#1: A replay is now available of last night’s excellent Easter talk by a CedarS Met contributor, Christie Hanzlik, CS. You can even click here to watch and share the YouTube version in Spanish.
Just click on the title for the YouTube version in English: “Feeling Genuine Joy in Difficult Times” It was sponsored by 3rd Church in New York City and lives on their website with other excellent past talks and lectures. The talk is combined with inspiring music including a prelude by “Love only Grows” singers (and CedarS Hymn Sing leaders) Matthew Hammond and Davya Flaharty.
Easter Hunt, GEM#2: Read or hear about the true meaning of this season and event in a great Christian Science Journal article by Susan Booth Mack Snipes. It came recommended by Kerry Jenkins, CS, in her CedarS Met this week. You can find the “real deal” about Easter or hear it (by clicking on the headset icon at the upper right) as shared by Susan herself at Easter and the real deal behind Christian Science healing — or cut and paste this shared-view version : https://journal.christianscience.com/shared/view/gmdrd7i5yk?s=e
Easter Hunt, GEM#3: Jesus’ models praying for God to be glorified having finished his assigned mission.
Cobbey Crisler on John 17: 1 (Golden Text), + BONUS verses 2-4:
In Chapter 17 of John’s gospel, Jesus is praying audibly. If we’ve ever wanted to be present when Jesus is praying, it would be during this very moving prayer indeed. It’s divided into three sections. To whom does the prayer, represented in the first five verses, refer? Himself. It’s a prayer for himself Jesus did take time out for himself. This is just before Gethsemane. So you know what’s in his thoughts.
John 17:1. It’s in this prayer he says, “These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee.”
John 17:2, “As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. “
John 17:3, “This is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”
John 17:4. Imagine being able to say at the end of an earthly career, ”I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.” It would be wonderful if we could say that in any given day. But this is an entire career.”
“Book of John, A Walk with the Beloved Disciple,” by B. Cobbey Crisler
Easter Hunt, GEM#4: BE AN ANSWER TO JESUS’ PRAYER FOR HEALERS, SOLVING PROBLEMS TO BRING IN THE HARVEST! Cobbey Crisler on the end of Matthew, chapter 9, verse 35/citation B6, plus 9:36, 38 & (cit. B7/10:1)
“And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.
(Matthew 9:35 highlighted every shows there’s no incurability!)
[BONUS VERSES from Cobbey:] “In Matthew 9, Verse 36, Jesus is looking around him after he disposes of the Pharisaical thought— “he sees multitudes needing help, moved with compassion. There they were as sheep. They were shepherdless.”
(Verse 37). He turned to his disciples then, and his disciples in future generations, and made the remark, “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few.” Does that imply he expected his disciples to be out there solving human problems, healing?
(Verse 38). He even asks them to “Pray the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest.”
We now come to Chapter 10. We’ve had so much evidence that Jesus was an effective healer, but we haven’t yet had evidence that there could be healing via the instruction-route: that could be taught to heal1 sent out like apprentices in some human trade or profession, and come back practicing the rules learned with results, namely, healed cases.
We find right after the prayer (Matthew 9:38) that God “would send forth more laborers into his harvest,” and what do we find? A mandate to heal.
(Matthew 10, Verse 1/citation B7). “He called his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, to heal” What? Only certain diseases? “All manner of disease and sickness.”
“Book of Matthew, Auditing the Master: A Tax Collector’s Report,” by B. Cobbey Crisler**
Easter Hunt, GEM#5: DO THE ASSIGNMENTS JESUS KNEW WE DISCIPLES WERE CAPABLE OF DOING WHEN HE ASSIGNED THEM TO US!
“Heal the sick!” – the 3rd of Jesus’ “imperative commands” summarized by Mary Baker Eddy (SH 37:25)
The assignments given to the disciples would not be assignments they were incapable of doing, or Jesus would have been unwise.
(Matt. 10: 8/cit. B7). He said, “Heal the sick.” What do you expect them to do? He said, “Cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and cast out devils.” Notice the sequence. The things he did. Even putting casting-out-devils at a higher level of what was required of prayer than raising the dead. Then stating, “Freely ye have received, freely give.”
“Book of Matthew, Auditing the Master: A Tax-Collectors Report,” B. Cobbey Crisler**
Easter Hunt, GEM#6: Ideas on SEEKING THAT WHICH SEEMS TO BE LOST
The Lost Sheep and Lost Coin Parables
Questions for Pre-work for a Bible Roads Workshop By Madelon Mauplin on October 13, 2020 Webinar
(Luke 15:1-6/cit. B8)
LOST SHEEP
1. How can this Lost Sheep parable relate to the opening verses of Ch. 15?
2. Who is figuratively being rejoiced over?
3. What does Jesus mean by v. 7? Why is it added to the parable?
LOST COIN
1. Contrast and compare this parable to the previous one about the lost sheep since they are considered ‘twin’ parables and yet are distinct.
2. What is the importance of this key character being a woman?
3. Are there examples in your life when you have been associated with seeking the lost? (even saving a so-called sinner or lost soul?) How did you do this? If not, how could you do this more?
Easter Hunt, GEM#7: Be receptive to the truth that “He is Risen!” And make his resurrection yours also into newness of Life!
[Cobbey Crisler on Matthew 28:1-8] “In Chapter 28 we find the resurrection (Verse 2). The stone has been rolled back without human help.
(Verse 6). The angelic announcement is that Jesus is risen.
(Verse 7). “The women are told to go and bear witness to Jesus’ resurrection. “Women were not allowed to bear witness to anything in the courts of law of the Judaism of his period. What qualified women to bear witness to Jesus’ resurrection? Because they were there and they were receptive. It was receptivity that counted.
(Verse 16). The last view we have of Jesus in the gospel of Matthew ”when the eleven disciples go away to a mountain in Galilee.”
(Verse 17). Notice, it’s said almost pathetically, that “some of his disciples doubted.” We know of one, Thomas.
(Verse 18). “Jesus comes, announces, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.”
(Verse 19). “He cites their mission,” to go where? Just to the Jews? All nations, the universality of Christianity, all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”
(Verse 20). That baptism of the Holy Ghost is combined with fire! “Teaching them.” We have been beneficiaries of this apostolic succession of the Spirit. “They taught that we were to observe what Jesus commanded.” Do we benefit from the statement Jesus left with his disciples to give to us, “Lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.”
How do you and I find immediate access to Jesus? In the Scriptures. Isn’t that where Jesus told his disciples they could find him? In the Scriptures, fulfilling the prophecy. How about Matthew our tax-collector? Our despised customs official. Did he fulfill what Jesus had personally directed him to do? Did he teach others “to observe all things wherefore Jesus had commanded him”?
You will notice that he ends his gospel in that way, and has given to all generations following Jesus’ words, “I am with you alway.”
Through the gospel of Matthew, we do have that sense of Jesus with us always.”
“Book of Matthew, Auditing the Master: A Tax Collector’s Report,” by B. Cobbey Crisler**
Easter Hunt, GEM#8: JESUS ELEVATES HIS DISCIPLES FROM THEIR old PROFESSION TO THEIR PRACTICE OF CHRISTIANITY THAT CHANGED THE WORLD!
Cobbey Crisler on John 21:11-12 (cit. B19) plus the “love story” that launched the change
[Cobbey:] “John 21, the last chapter of John, is considered by some scholars to be a later addition, but still, very possibly, by the same author.
John 21:1. We’re told that Jesus appears at the Sea of Tiberias, which is Galilee.
John 21:2, “Already assembled there were seven disciples, all who had left the profession of fishing, — we thought: Peter; Thomas, Nathaniel, the sons of Zebedee, unnamed here, James and John, and two other of his disciples”
John. 21 :3. They apparently had nothing to do. Discipleship returns to the fishing boat. “Peter,” with his fingers almost audibly drumming against the side of his boat, “says I have an idea. I’m going fishing. Nobody else had any better suggestion. “So, they all go fishing. They spent that entire night fruitlessly. The very fishes avoided them. “Isn’t it interesting that the Anchor Bible makes this comment on the disciples’ profession, “It is notable that never in the gospels do the disciples catch a fish without Jesus help.”
But notice the contrast between Verse 3 and Verse 4
John 21:3, ”That night they caught nothing.”
John. 21:4 “But, when the morning as now come, Jesus stood on the shore.” What patience Jesus had with discipleship! Waiting for them to realize the importance of carrying on his work. But, once again, without that realization, “they did not even recognize Jesus humanly.”
John 21:5. Jesus asked the man important question. You’ve spent the entire night out there. “Children, do you have any results? Do you have any meat? No is their answer:
“Now it is obvious when one is fishing – using a net that there’s very little difference between the right side and the left side. The factor then brought out in John 21:6 just be the obedience to Jesus’ word, the concept that he has exhibited throughout in his approach to economics and supply. “Cast the net” he says, “on the right: side of the ship, and ye shall find. ” They are obedient. They do exactly what Jesus requests of them. Now, instantly, they find their net is filled with fishes. They could have saved themselves that entire night.
“Then, John 21:7 refers once again to ”the disciple whom Jesus loved. He recognizes Jesus. “It is the Lord, he says.” He must have recognized. that sign of dominion. over all, that mastery that he introduced even into the profession of fishing but was attempting to elevate them from profession to practice of Christianity. What had happened to his invitation to them, and expectation of them, to become fishers of men?
Edgar Lee Masters (1869-1950), U.S. poet and novelist, says this about it the impetuous Peter, “O Peter, gnarled. branch of the vine.” Peter throws his fisher’s coat around him and plunges into the sea. We must remember that the sea of Galilee has a shoreline that drops off quickly. So, he probably had to swim part of the way. Traditionally, sailors and fishermen. aren’t the best swimmers. But, ignoring that, just as Peter had burst into the tomb to be there first, he casts himself into the sea
John. 21:8, ”While the other disciples bring the ship ashore, it says they were not far from land. but as it were two hundred cubits, that’s about a hundred yards. dragging the net with fishes.”
John. 21:9. Here’s all that time they could have spared by giving priority to the lessons Jesus had already taught them. Jesus hadn’t toiled all night. He didn’t even have to use the fish that they brought in. “For when they arrived there “was a charcoal fire there.” In fact, the Greek word is anthrakian which is the root of our word anthracite. “And fish. already there; laid thereon. and bread.” Toast and fish all ready.
John. 21: 10. But Jesus wanted them to participate in this, and said, “Bring of the fish which ye have now caught.”
John. 21:11, Simon Peter, who was already on shore, goes to the net personally. and pulls it to shore. Who but a fisherman would remember this detail? ”There were one hundred fifty-three fishes in that net. Someone counted. It might be just the sign of the authenticity of authorship here by an eye witness. “And still. the net was not broken.” Remember, back in Luke 5:6, at another incident, the net broke.
John. 21: 12, “Jesus invitation is Come and dine. Now they know who he is.
“THE REST OF THE STORY”— IS THE ULTIMATE AGAPE-LOVE STORY!”
John. 21:13. “Jesus,” in his characteristic gesture, “took bread, and gave them, and fish likewise.” This was indeed a breakfast, but how different from that last supper! This breakfast was celebrating his victory over death. Not looking forward to tragedy, death, and lack of comprehension by the disciples, the dawn was in the disciples thought as well as over the Sea of Galilee on that special morning.
“Now we engage in a dialogue between Jesus and Peter. The dialogue as printed in the King James Version, seems rather dull and repetitive indeed. In the original Greek however, there is a depth of meaning.
John. 21:15, “Jesus says to Peter, do you love me more than these?” It’s obvious that Peter is being tested. We may ask, tested for what? That becomes clearer later in the story.
… Another word which we find repeated in the Greek New Testament, is philia, a word that conveys brotherly love. It still has a sense of class consciousness about it. It has the compassion and the sympathy, such as organizations like the Peace Corps show. But there is sometimes a condescending quality in the thinking of those who are expressing love at the philia level. Almost like patting the head of the one you are helping. As if implicitly we were saying, you’re down there and l’m up here, and I’m going to try to help you.
The Greeks had a higher sense of love than that. And of course, taken out of classical Greek, it has a renewed and fuller meaning in concept in the New Testament. That word is agape. Agape, according to one commentator and lexicographer, conveys the following, “To desire good for the one you esteem. The concept of divine love.”
If I should to choose to love you at the level of agape, look what is required of me. First, I must esteem you. That’s not patting you on the head. That’s eye-to-eye respect and esteem. Can one really have love anywhere without that quality of respect? I must esteem you. But that, too, could be a passive sense of love, without that other part of the definition which this one commentator had provided.
To desire good for one you esteem. I must be actively employed in desiring for you good or I am not operating at the level of agape.
What word do you think Jesus uses when he says to Peter, “Do you love me?” ”Agapao?” he says. But Peter responds in the original text, “Yes, Lord you know that I love thee.” But he uses the word “phileo.” Maybe that explains Jesus’ repetition.”
“Book of John, A Walk with the Beloved Disciple,” by B. Cobbey Crisler
