Possible Sunday School Topics (PSSTs)
for The Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lesson:
“Is the Universe, Including Man, Evolved by Atomic Force?”
for June 13-19, 2022
prepared by Merrill Boudreaux, C.S.
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P.S.S.T. Golden Text (GT)/Romans 13:1 “…there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.”
If one acknowledges God as the one, only, supreme power, then all actions and evolutions must have their source in God; they must abide by the laws of God, which are good and beneficial.
Responsive Reading (RR)/I Chronicles 29:11,12; Isaiah 40:12,18,21,26,28,29
Ask students to identify statements in the Responsive Reading to support answers to the question posed by this week’s Bible Lesson. Examples:
- Thine… is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty:
- All that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine;
- Both riches and honour come of thee,
- Have ye not known? have ye not heard?
- He calleth them all by names
- He giveth power to the faint, he increaseth strength
With God doing all this, what is there for us to do – just sit idly by and enjoy it all with no effort? Not exactly. Please consider that we are the stewards, the caretakers, for all that God has created. What are some aspects of being a caretaker? Jesus referred to himself as the Good Shepherd. This might be a hint of our participatory role as well.
P.S.S.T. Section 1 – Answer the question posed in citation B2/Job 38:4,
- Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?
Read together Hymn 317 from the Christian Science Hymnal (words printed here) as a hint of our forever being present with God, with good.
Hymn 317
Still, still with Thee when purple morning breaketh, / When the bird waketh, and the shadows flee, / Fairer than morning, lovelier than the daylight, / Dawns the sweet consciousness, I am with Thee.
Alone with Thee, amid the changing shadows, / Solemn the hush of nature, newly born; / Alone with Thee, in breathless adoration, / In the calm dew and freshness of the morn.
So shall it ever be in the bright morning, / When hearts awaking see the shadows flee, / O, in that hour, and fairer than the dawning, / Rises the glorious thought, I am with Thee.
P.S.S.T. Section 2 – What was the role of the woman in the story in citation B9/II Kings 4:1-7? Listening, obedience, beholding (seeing the power of God). Please note her statement as to what was her state of understanding when she said to Elisha, “…thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord:..” Fear may be translated as “love the Lord,” “obedient to the Lord.” She had a history that prepared her for receiving the benefit of her request.
Read together citation S9/Science & Health 390:7-9.
Read also Hebrews 11:6: “But without faith it is impossible to please him; for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
This is not blind faith, but faith that comes from understanding, from experience. Read further, Hebrews 11:7-11:
“By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
“By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.
“By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise:
“For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.
“Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.”
These are examples of those, among others, who understood the power of God, who requested it be present in their lives, who relied on God, good, for their strength and support.
P.S.S.T. Section 3 – See the question asked by the disciples in citation B14/Luke 8:22-25: “What manner of man is this! For he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.”
Consider that it is our limited view that stands in the way of seeing and understanding what we call human evolution. To God, who knows all things, there is no limited view. Read in Science & Health, citation S14/505:26-28, “This understanding is not intellectual, is not the result of scholarly attainments; it is the reality of all things brought to light.” To see the magnificence of God as the only force in the universe.
P.S.S.T. Section 4 – How could Jesus perform the “miracle” healing the man of leprosy in citation B16/Luke 5? See Mary Baker Eddy’s statement for guidance to answer that question, found in citation S19/224:31: “No power can withstand divine Love.”
Now, as then, acknowledging and understanding the power that made, maintains, and controls the universe aids in our care for our world.
Read together citation S20/55:21-23: “The promises will be fulfilled. The time for the reappearing of the divine healing is throughout all time;…”
P.S.S.T. Section 5 – Do you ever question whether you can understand and perform healing work today? The question one might ask is, “Do I love enough, do I care enough, do I take seriously my role as caretaker of that which God has created and provided for our benefit?” You cannot depart from holiness, you cannot depart from hearing angels, you cannot depart from seeing the evidence of the power of God still at work in your experience today. Fear not!
P.S.S.T. Section 6 – citation S27/208:20 is a great summary statement:
“Let us learn of the real and eternal, and prepare for the reign of Spirit, the kingdom of heaven, — the reign and rule of universal harmony, which cannot be lost nor remain forever unseen.”
Therefore, it cannot be hidden, it is yours to use as caretaker.
Read together Hymn 154 from the Christian Science Hymnal (words printed here)
Hymn 154, (155, 156):
In Thee, O Spirit true and tender, I find my life as God’s own child; Within Thy light of glorious splendor I lose the earth-clouds drear and wild.
Within Thy love is safe abiding From every thought that giveth fear; Within Thy truth a perfect chiding, Should I forget that Thou art near.
In Thee I have no pain or sorrow, No anxious thought, no load of care. Thou art the same today, tomorrow; Thy love and truth are everywhere.
