PSST: Explore fresh, new views of Soul today!
Possible Sunday School Topics for the Christian Science Bible Lesson on
“Soul”
for August 7 – 13, 2023
by Lindsey Biggs, C.S of Maryland Heights, MO
540 460 3515 biggs.lindsey@gmail.com
P.S.S.T. for Golden Text
What are some ways your students can serve God this upcoming school year?
What does it mean to your students to know that God delights in them?
How can this help our view of ourselves and our self-esteem?
P.S.S.T. for Responsive Reading
“He that giveth breath…and spirit to them that walk therein” (Isaiah 42:5).
What does this tell us about the type of spirit we want to manifest?
How about when going into auditions or tryouts?
What type of spirit or qualities are helpful to express?
That same spirit can help us know that God is supporting us and comforting us as we embark on new endeavors.
Isaiah continues by saying:
“I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee…” I love how strong and powerful those affirmations are.
Many people think these prophetic passages are talking about Jesus.
But they can also speak about each of us and our mission.
How can your students help to fulfill some of these things that Jesus did for people – such as being a light for others?
P.S.S.T. for Section 1 — Psalm 23
Consider memorizing the 23rd Psalm as a class. Maybe there is a journaling or art project that could correspond with this? I once saw a beautiful online watercolor class that included wonderful Bible passages with corresponding watercolor illustrations in a journal. It was very beautiful and inspiring!
Citation 2 in Science and Health tells us that “the identity, or idea, of all reality continues forever;” (SH, p. 70)
That’s what Soul shows us! The identity of each flower, tree, and animal (everything in nature) is in God and continues forever! The Genesis 1 creation includes beauty and perfection and all ideas living in permanent and perfect peace. There is nothing more inspiring than that! Maybe there is an art project that could depict that?
Here are some additional Psalm 23 activities from teacherspayteachers.com
P.S.S.T. for Section 2 – Jacob’s struggle and victory
Here are a bunch of free resources on Jacob that could help students understand the timeline of his life and the context for this story from BibleWise.com.
This is a beautiful story about Jacob wrestling to feel a sense of repentance for wrongdoing, safety to move forward, and ultimately a greater understanding of his oneness with God. We each may have those “wilderness” times – struggling to gain a deeper sense of who God is and our relationship with him.
See if your students can relate to this story.
Is there an example they would like to share when an angel message came to them to awaken them spiritually to a new view of life and reality?
If not, then you could explore TeenConnect on JSHOnline.com and bring an example.
P.S.S.T. for Section 3 – Lessons from nature
This section includes so many beautiful metaphors about nature:
“Suns and planets teach grand lessons…the leaflet turns naturally towards the light.” (cit. S9, SH 240)
See what examples you can pull from nature…maybe bring in a diagram that highlights the significance of some of these metaphors? Since we are all ideas of light, we naturally respond to the light. So in that way we can learn much from the flowers and plants that turn towards the light. When we have God as front and center in our thinking then we see that all of our activities and thoughts orbit around God and therefore flow harmoniously.
When we get a little ego in the center or a lot of “me” in the center, then things don’t flow as grandly as they could. Healing is all about getting that big Ego, God, front and center in our thinking and letting all ideas flow harmoniously out from there.
Is there a picture or a diagram of the solar system that could help illustrate this point? Maybe there is a healing that one of your students had as a result of getting thought off of self and on to God.
Here is one author’s beautiful inspiration from nature’s metaphors: Nature’s Grand Lessons
P.S.S.T. for Section 4 – Abigail the peacemaker
Here are some great ideas on teaching the beatitude “Blessed are the peacemakers” from Biblewise.com.
Abigail is such an awesome example in the Bible!
Here she is helping David (who is soon to be king) wake up to his true selfhood – resist anger, humble himself, and receive her sound wisdom, food and gifts. Wow! This is such a great story.
Consider exploring this story more in depth. Perhaps you could act it out as a class? Consider having students paraphrase this story for you afterwards to see if they have retained the key points.
Some good discussion questions could be:
Have you ever been asked to stop a fight or help mediate a heated conversation?
What qualities does it take to be a peacemaker?
Who were some other peacemakers in the Bible? Jonathan is another great example of someone who helped David – even defying his own father, Saul, to preserve David’s life.
If you have “The Beatitudes” coloring and storybook from CedarS CampS, there is also a great re-telling of this story of Abigail and David along with this Beatitude.
P.S.S.T. for Section 5 – God supplies our needs
Enjoy a short 7-min podcast for teens on discussion questions and spiritual lessons gained from this Biblical account: The Bible: the story of the loaves and fishes
There used to be a “Radical Acts” card game available in the Reading Room (it has since been discontinued). You may have a copy of it or you may be able to access one. There is a neat discussion card called “travel without a wallet”. This Bible story could be a great example of that – the idea that God is ever available to supply our needs. This story also elaborates on the idea in Jesus’ statement: “Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink…” (Matthew 6:25)
This could be a great opportunity to deep dive into the Sermon on the Mount where Jesus says: “…seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33)
How can we make this practical?
P.S.S.T. for Section 6 – The Lord’s Prayer and spiritual sense
The Lord’s Prayer could be another great journaling/art opportunity. Consider reading it together with its spiritual interpretation. Why does Mary Baker Eddy tell us that it instantaneously heals the sick – what does she say is required to do this? (See cit. 27, SH p. 16:20)
When are we harmonious – when we are governed by what? (See cit. 28 SH 273:18) This could be a great opportunity to discuss the difference between material sense and spiritual sense. What does it mean to be governed by Soul? What is the difference between being governed by material sensation and spiritual sense? How do you know which one is governing you?
Enjoy your classes!
