[PSST: Let lovingkindness be paramount and permeate how we think and act.]
Possible Sunday School Topics (PSSTs) for the Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lesson:
“Love”
for July 26 – August 1, 2021
prepared by Merrill Boudreaux, C.S.
pegasus6524@gmail.com • 314-308-1059
P.S.S.T. Golden Text (GT) Let Lovingkindness free you from human strife! Psalms 48:9: “We have thought of thy lovingkindness, O God, in the midst of thy temple.”
When you think about the word love, what comes to mind? What can you share of how you have seen love expressed? How might you define the difference between love (human love), Love (God), and lovingkindness? Why do you think that love is so significant a human quality/characteristic?
Read together Science & Health 454:17-24/citation S27:
“Love for God and man is the true incentive in both healing and teaching. Love inspires, illumines, designates, and leads the way. Right motives give pinions to thought, and strength and freedom to speech and action. Love is priestess at the altar of Truth. Wait patiently for divine Love to move upon the waters of mortal mind, and form the perfect concept. Patience must “have her perfect work.”
P.S.S.T. Responsive Reading (RR): End bitter feelings with genuine sweetness that comes for Love alone that “is constantly accentuating harmony” (Misc. 206:19)
Can one love and hate at the same time? “Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?” (James 3:11 & Science and Health 287:12–13).
What do you think it means to “Greet one another with an holy kiss” (II Cor. 13:12)?
How do we humans express love for one another when we meet and part?
Read together Hymn 30 from the Christian Science Hymnal (printed here). What qualities of love are expressed in this hymn?
Hymns 30-32, 452-456:
Brood o’er us with Thy shelt’ring wing,
‘Neath which our spirits blend
Like brother birds, that soar and sing,
And on the same branch bend.
The arrow that doth wound the dove
Darts not from those who watch and love.
If thou the bending reed wouldst break
By thought or word unkind,
Pray that his spirit you partake,
Who loved and healed mankind:
Seek holy thoughts and heavenly strain,
That make men one in love remain.
Learn, too, that wisdom’s rod is given
For faith to kiss, and know;
That greetings glorious from high heaven,
Whence joys supernal flow,
Come from that Love, divinely near,
Which chastens pride and earth-born fear,
Through God, who gave that word of might
Which swelled creation’s lay:
“Let there be light, and there was light.”
What chased the clouds away?
‘Twas Love whose finger traced aloud
A bow of promise on the cloud.
Thou to whose power our hope we give,
Free us from human strife.
Fed by Thy love divine we live,
For Love alone is Life;
And life most sweet, as heart to heart
Speaks kindly when we meet and part.
P.S.S.T. Section 1 – Start with the starting-point principle that God is Love!
What is a principle? “A fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior… the basic principles of Christianity” (definition from the Oxford Language Dictionary).
How does this definition relate to the statement in Science & Health citation 2–SH 275:6: “The starting point of divine Science is that God, Spirit, is All-in-all, and that there is no other might nor Mind, — that God is Love, and therefore He is divine Principle” (underlining added).
P.S.S.T. Section 2 – Love for us must be paramount, it must permeate how we think and act.
Read together citation B5 (I John 4:8,11): “God is love. …Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.”
How can we love as God loves? If “the heart and soul of Christian Science is Love” (cit. S5/113:5), then love for us must be paramount, it must permeate how we think and act.
We must measure ourselves at the close of day with the question, How did I love today?
P.S.S.T. Section 3 – Read the scripture story of the Shunammite woman as stated in citation B7/II Kings, chapter 4. How was the love shown by the Shunammite woman returned to her? How was this love an example of the tender love God has for all creation expressed through us?
Read together citation S7/570:14-18 – Count yourself as one of the “millions of unprejudiced minds”.
What does it mean to be unprejudiced or without prejudice?
How did Elisha show a lack of prejudice to the Shunammite woman and, by the way, how did she show a lack of prejudice to him?
P.S.S.T. Section 4 – What does compassion have to do with love?
What examples of compassion and love are stated in the scriptures in this section? Why do you think Jesus chose to read that particular scripture passage from Esaias (Isaiah 61:1)?
How then did he follow up that reading with action?
What are the demands to us in citation S9/138:27-30, “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature!… Heal the sick!… Love thy neighbor as thyself!”
How can we use these demands “in the interests of humanity” (as stated in cit. S13/236:4)?
P.S.S.T. Section 5 – Why do you think the gospels are considered “good news”?
See cit. S19/503:12-15, especially line 14, “the light of ever-present Love illumines the universe.” Couldn’t we all use a little more love in our thinking, speaking, and acting?
P.S.S.T. Section 6 – How important are the scriptures and why are they provided to us?
What does the text in cit. B18/II Timothy 3:16 tell us about the scriptures as to their importance and why they are provided to us?
Again, what is the demand of Love as stated in cit. B19/Luke 6:27-29? – “…Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you. And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek offer also the other;…”
Read together Science & Health 365:31 (cit. S31): “The poor suffering heart needs its rightful nutriment, such as peace, patience in tribulation, and a priceless sense of the dear Father’s loving-kindness.” A wonderful guide, don’t you think?
P.S.S.T. Section 7 – Blessings are the natural outcome of loving.
What are the blessings or beatitudes shared by Jesus in his Sermon on the Mount, as found in Matthew 5, 6, & 7? The life of Christ Jesus is our example of loving and blessing.
Ask students to share examples of how Jesus expressed love and blessed others.
P.S.S.T. Section 8 – Let’s sing our lives with a “Love one another” spirit, with Christian charity and comfort with each other. Citation B26/James 5:13-15,16 outlines how we are to live in Christian charity and comfort with each other. What does it state?
How does citation S31/365:15-19,31 show that love is the greatest power? This is our church in action. Read together Hymn 179 from the Christian Science Hymnal (printed here):
Hymn 179
Love one another,—word of revelation; Love frees from error’s thrall,—Love is liberation. Love’s way the Master trod; He that loves shall walk with God. Love is the royal way.
Love knows no evil, neither shade of sadness; Love casts out every fear, lifts the heart to gladness. Love heals our every ill, All the law does love fulfill. Love is our answered prayer.
Love now is dawning over every nation; Showing true brotherhood, publishing salvation, Love bids all discord cease. Conquering hate, enthroning peace, Love, Love alone is power.
