Our Savior is Risen. Truly Risen!

Our Savior is Risen.  Truly Risen!
Therefore, Dominion Over All Evil is a “Mission Possible!”
Metaphysical Application Ideas for the Bible Lesson: “Unreality” for April 8, 2007.
Prepared by Dan Carnesciali, C.S. of St. Louis, MO

Editor’s Note: The following background information and application ideas for the Christian Science Bible Lesson for this week are offered primarily to help CedarS campers and staff (as well as friends) see and demonstrate the great value of daily study of the Christian Science Bible lessons year-round, not just at camp!   EACH WEDNESDAY: CHECK www.cedarscamps.org/metaphysical/  FOR A FREE FRENCH TRANSLATION of this weekly “met” offered by Pascal Bujard of Switzerland.

Sing of Easter gladness! Our Savior is Risen.  Truly Risen!

 

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to uncover the illusion and nothingness of evil.  A mission is “a special assignment that is given to a person or group”. (WordNet® – Princeton University)  Last week’s Bible Lesson on reality had this quote: 

“The spiritual fact and the material belief of things are contradictions; but the spiritual is true, and therefore the material must be untrue.” (S&H pg 287)  This week’s Lesson teaches us about the unreality of evil so that we have dominion over it.

 

Golden Text:

The apostle Paul wrote very long letters, which became books in the New Testament.  The Golden Text is from a letter that the apostle Paul wrote to encourage and inspire the early Christians (and us) to reach new heights – to ascend daily.  Having never met Jesus, how could Paul have that much to say about him and his mission?  Why did he believe so intently that Jesus was the Son of God that he was willing to risk his life for this belief?   The light of God shined in Paul’s heart to reveal the power and purpose of his Savior and our Savior, Christ Jesus.  Before this light shined down on him, there was a lot of darkness in Paul’s heart.  He was on his way to Damascus on what he thought was a holy mission – to arrest Christians and have them killed.   Then, the light of Christ revealed the face of Jesus, his mission.  Paul adopted that mission as his own, and it impelled him to brave heavy opposition to spread Christianity. 

The light of Christian Science has shined on you and blessed you.  It has given your life a holy and wonderful purpose.

 

Responsive Reading:
The Responsive Reading urges us to try the spirits (thoughts), whether they are of God.  That’s the best way to know whether something is real.  Ask yourself whether that thought is from God, who is all good.  If not, dismiss it, discard it.

 

Jesus promised his followers that he would come back.  The disciple John wants you to know that the Son of God is come (is here now) to give us a present understanding of the true God and the truth about God.  He also reminds us that “We are from God, and whoever knows God listens to us; but whoever is not from God does not listen to us. This is how we recognize the Spirit of truth and the spirit of falsehood.” (I John 4:6 NIV)  Christian Science is here to recognize the Spirit of Truth and the spirit of falsehood [false belief or error].  We are here to be eyewitnesses to the salvation of the world through the Science of Christianity.

Is Christian Science universally accepted?  No.  Why not, since its mission is to bless all mankind with love and Christian healing?  That’s a good question.  Let’s see if it will be answered in this Bible Lesson.

 

Section I – Mission Possible – See No Reality in Sickness

Is everything that we see real?  It sure seems like it.  Life in matter is so obvious, so real that there seems little point in questioning whether what you see, hear, and feel is real.  But, do you believe everything on a movie screen?  After the picture stops and the lights come on, the illusion is over and you walk out.  The human mind tries to tell you that everything it puts on your mental screen is reality.  However, when you realize that the mortal mind and its materialistic images are illusions, you begin to have dominion over them.

 

The Word of God doesn’t passively watch, ignoring man’s need.  “God has rolled up his sleeves and is doing his Salvation work.” (B1) The Message.   For example, when Jesus saw a man who had not walked for 38 years, he talked to him and healed him.  What did he see in that man?  Let us take a moment and look at one facet of spiritual healing.  In this case, the crippled man was “immediately … made whole”.  (B2)  As you know, immediately means without delay.  But, you may find the literal meaning of the word helpful, which is “no medium”.  (Break immediate into im and mediate; the “im” means “not” and “mediate” comes from the word medium.)  A medium is a middle state, and it also can be something that things are transmitted through or on, such as when electricity passes through your house through the medium of wires.  [Random House Dictionary] 

 

With spiritual vision (S6) Jesus lifted the illusion from this man that his real life came through the medium of matter.  Therefore, the man perceived he was not body – that his life and his strength did not come through the medium of a healthy body or a weak body.  As we give up that false sense of ourselves as material beings, we too will see immediate healings. 

 

This healing points out the lie that there is any need for an “intermediate” recovery period.  Could it be that the man stopped arguing against his own healing, especially that he was somehow  not deserving of healing?  We can ascend (rise) above any feelings that we have lost our innocence, or that we have more spiritual growth to do before we are eligible for healing.  You are God’s offspring and you deserve healing now.  Any arguments to the contrary are tares to be gathered and burned.

 

What was Jesus’ mission?  (S2)  Have you found it?  It was:

·        “to prove what God is and what He does for man”

·        “to reveal the Science of celestial [heavenly] being” (To prove that God is not mysterious, but here with you every moment and every step of the way.)

·        to give you a new view. 

 

“Jesus beheld [viewed or pictured] in Science the perfect man, who appeared to him where sinning mortal man appears to mortals.  In this perfect man the Savior saw God’s own likeness, and this correct view of man healed the sick.”  (S6)  In two sentences, Mary Baker Eddy tells us how Jesus healed and how simply we can heal.  We have to have that same “correct view,” or image in thought.  Think of it as seeing with God’s eyes.

 

Section II – Will Power is Fraud, an Imposter

Mary Baker Eddy had more thoughts on Jesus’ life mission.   “The mission of our Master was to all mankind, and included the very hearts that rejected it – that refused to see the power of Truth in healing.” (My 122:29)  “Jesus established his church and maintained his mission on a spiritual foundation of Christ-healing.” (S&H 136:1)  “The apostle [John] says that the mission of Christ is to destroy the works of the devil.” (S13).

 

When you read the Bible Lesson, be alert to the “sneaky snake thought” that whispers that the Lesson is dull and boring, or that you just want to read it fast to get it over with.  “Believe not every spirit [thought].” (RR – I John 4:1)  Kick that thought out of consciousness.  The more you explore the Lesson and apply it, the more you get out of it and the more you can share the spirit of goodness.  One way to do that is to ask questions.  When you answer them you get insights that bring the Lesson alive.

 

Questions you can ask and answer in Section II are:

• How many times is the word “will” or “determination” used?  Why?
• What is will?  Is there a difference between divine will and human will?
• How does “will” relate to mission?  How does will translate into action?
• “What is Jesus’ mission?”  Why does it matter what his mission was?
• What is your mission?  You can affirm that you are here to be a blessing.  And, if you are here to bless others, think of the good God has in store for you.
• What was Mary Baker Eddy’s mission?  What if she hadn’t shared her discovery of Christian Science?

 

Section III – Your Good Attacked?

As you read this section, it may be surprising that Jesus, who was good and so close to God, had troubles.  As he headed back to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover, he could sense the growing hatred and resistance to his mission by the Jewish authorities of the day.   Jesus knew that a hard part of his mission lay ahead.  If you read beyond Luke 18 (B7), Jesus explains to the disciples that the Son of Man [referring to the Old Testament prophecy about the Messiah, in Daniel 7:13] … will be handed over to the heathen [the Romans], and he is going to be jeered at and insulted and spat upon, and then they will flog him and kill him.  But he will rise again on the third day.” (Phillips translation) 

 

Although, Jesus repeatedly and directly warns his disciples about these coming troubles, they either didn’t understand or didn’t comprehend the hatred of Truth.  Perhaps, they hadn’t developed the needed spiritual alertness yet.  Nevertheless, Jesus prepared his disciples (students) for the coming events.  Did he tell them to have courage and to be strong?  Actually, he said, “This is my commandment [direct order], That ye love one another as I have loved you.”  Materiality says, “That was the big advice from the Savior?  Hatred and death are more real than love and life.  Everybody knows that.”  As we will see in the next section, his commandment was incredibly effective. 

 

We all have to grapple with the question of whether human hatred is real at some time.  Humanly, it feels real and destructive.  Through repeated messages about what the other person did and why you are upset about it, hatred distracts you from God’s healing thoughts.  However, if hatred were real, it would be good and it would come from God.  The first step is to stop being taken in by those repeated messages.  The second step is to feel God’s love and to actively love yourself and the other person as God’s loved child.  You have to love and support them.  Yes, it’s the last thing you may want to do, but it is what puts an end to the belief of hatred.

 

The third step is to keep on loving until you see victory.  “Love must triumph over hate.” (S14)   As you love, lift thought up to the cardinal points of Mind-healing – “the mighty actuality of all-inclusive God, good,” and “the nothingness of material life and intelligence [hatred, bitterness, annoyance, pettiness, pride].” (S16)  Trust that Love will completely and permanently remove hatred’s destructiveness.  God’s Love and provision will lift you clear out of hate or trouble.  God’s love won’t leave you – “Lo, I am with you alway.” (S19)  Looking back to last week’s Lesson, hatred is a tare [weed] that seems to grow along side the wheat [love], but in the end is exposed as nothingness and burned up [eliminated].  

 

Section IV  – Death Unreal

Here is a quick summary of this section.  Jesus triumphs!  He triumphs over extreme hatred, extreme cruelty, and death itself despite being abandoned by his friends in his time of need.  “Christ presents the indestructible man, whom Spirit creates, constitutes and governs.” (S20)

 

The Trial and Crucifixion

Jesus was brought before the Sanhedrin, a collection of religious authorities, who put him on trial and were the judges and jury.  Jesus was a real threat to their priesthood, to their relations with the Roman occupiers, and therefore to their livelihood.  Also, Jesus’ goodness was a threat to the evil and deception that they practiced.  His purity was bringing their hypocrisy and criminal nature to light.  Instead of witnessing Jesus Christliness, the solution they came up with was to put out the light of Christ by murdering the Messiah.  Basically, it’s the old thought that one can bring about good results by doing evil.  It’s like cheating on a test.  There were a lot of problems with this, one of which was it broke the commandment “You shall not murder.” (The Message)  In fact, they could not kill Christ, the true idea of God anymore than anyone can kill the number 14 or Love.

 

After the Sanhedrin sentenced Jesus, they took him to Pilate, the Roman governor, who asked them what the charges were.  They said, “If he hadn’t been doing something evil, do you think we’d be here bothering you?” (The Message)  They never declared what the charges were, except to say Jesus called himself the King of the Jews.  Actually, Jesus did not call himself that – others did.    Then Jesus’ accuser pressured Pilate intensely to crucify Jesus, yelling “Crucify him!” over and over again.  When Pilate hesitated, they threatened to report him as a threat to Rome.  (John 19:12)  Although Pilate found no guilt in Jesus he had him executed.  But, that’s not the end at all!

 

The Resurrection

Jesus was laid to rest in a tomb hewn out of rock.  Three days later Mary Magdalene and another Mary came to visit the tomb and there was an earthquake, perhaps a great shaking up of material beliefs that life was in matter and that life could pass out of matter.  An angel tells the them that Jesus “is not here: for he is risen, as he said.”  That little passage packs quite a punch.  It tells us that if you search for Jesus as a person, you will not find him there.  You find him by going up higher and dropping material views.  As you rise higher, you draw closer to the perception that death and hatred are entirely unreal.  And, that is when healing occurs.  This passage is a reminder that Jesus told us he would “rise again”, which he did.

 

Mary Baker Eddy was the target of vicious attacks by those close to her and by the clergy of her day.  She knew what she was talking about when she wrote, “The distrust of his mission, was a million times sharper than the thorns which pierced his flesh.”  If you feel attacked, abandoned, remember Jesus’ directive – love more, love your enemies.  As you do this, insist (stand on the fact) that you have dominion over the reality of evil.

 

Section V –  No End in Sight

Does life end in death?  What is death?  It is dead-end thinking.  It is matter based thinking, limited resources thinking, limited time thinking, limited good thinking, etc.  Do not dwell on death or put off healing it.  Defeat the death illusion daily by uprooting limited thinking. “In his resurrection and ascension, Jesus showed that a mortal man is not the real essence of manhood, and that this unreal material mortality disappears in presence of the reality.” (S26)   “Rise in the strength of Spirit to resist all that is unlike good. God has made man capable of this …”  (S29)  We should remember that is the Christ, that true essence of God, which triumphs over materiality and raises us up.  “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above …” (B19)   Our resurrection comes through discerning the illusion of matter, including disease.

“You have been raised to life with Christ. Now set your heart on what is in heaven, where Christ rules at God’s right side. Christ gives meaning to your life, and when he appears, you will also appear with him in glory.” Col. 3:1, 4-Contemporary English Version

 

The crucifixion, as you see, was not the end of Jesus.  In fact, the Resurrection was not the end either.  Jesus told his followers, including us, “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”  After Jesus was resurrected, he stayed with his disciples and followers, including Mary Magdalene, to prepare them for their mission, which was to go into the world and share the good news of eternal life and Christian healing with the world.  He walked, talked, and laughed with them and kept ascending in thought until one day he was lifted from earthly existence – he ascended.  His disciples were eyewitnesses to his Ascension.  In front of the disciples’ very own eyes, Jesus disappeared from the human plane of existence.  In the book “The Ring of Truth,” J.B. Phillips describes the awe he felt translating the Ascension directly from ancient texts.  He felt the authenticity of the account, noting that the disciples fumbled for words to describe such an event. There really was no way to describe it.

 

The testimony “Depressed State and Severe Reaction to Poison – Both Healed” on page 30 in the April Christian Science Journal is a moving example of the resurrecting power of Truth in this age. 

 

The divine laws of Life are blessing you.  Jesus’ mission has given your life a holy and wonderful purpose.  Thank you Jesus, for accomplishing your mission of resurrection and dominion over all evil.  The world rejoices in your blessing this and every Easter.

 Camp Director’s Note: The above sharing is the latest in a series of CedarS Bible Lesson “mets” (metaphysical application ideas) contributed weekly 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 as printed in the Christian Science Quarterly and as available at Christian Science Reading Rooms. * Originally sent JUST to campers, staff and CedarS families who wanted to continue at home and in their home Sunday Schools the same type of focused Lesson study and inspiration they had felt at camp, CedarS lesson “mets” are in no way meant to be definitive or conclusive or in any way a substitute for daily study of the lesson in the books. The thoughts presented are the inspiration of the moment and are offered to give a bit more dimension, background and daily applicability to some of the ideas and passages being studied. The citations referenced (i.e. B1 and S28) from this week’s Bible Lesson in the “met” (metaphysical application ideas) are taken from the King James Version of the Bible (B1-24) and the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health With Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy. (S1-30) The Bible and Science and Health are the ordained pastor of the Churches of Christ, Scientist. The Bible Lesson is the sermon read in Christian Science church services throughout the world. The Lesson-Sermon speaks individually through the Christ to everyone, providing unique insights and tailor-made applications for each one. 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.  Spirituality is your innate estate that connects you moment by moment with God.  (See S&H 258:30) Christ is the gift of light that Jesus gave.  This Christ light of spiritual understanding comes with and reveals infinite blessings. So, have fun unwrapping and cherishing your very special, spiritual gift(s)!  Then, wherever you are, share them with all as big blessings that make the Infinite difference!

Enjoy!
Warren Huff, Camp Director     director@cedarscamps.org     (636) 394-6162
CedarS Camps Office (where you can now mail requests or support till the office moves back to camp in May)
1314 Parkview Valley
Manchester, MO 63011

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Another new, visually-oriented and very helpful resource for study of the weekly Bible Lesson is being produced by The Christian Science Publishing Society and can be found at: myBibleLesson.com.  What a great auxiliary to lesson study– maybe even reading beyond citation markers using the handsome new student books now sold in Reading Rooms! MyBibleLesson contains word definitions, Bible background, timelines and translations, plus many healing ideas to use.  Why not check out this effort to help bring to life each beloved Bible lesson in order to bless the youthful thinker and Sunday School student (and teacher) in us all! or copy and paste this link into your browser.

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