[PSST: Make God “the only game in town”—in our school, friends, relationships, sports!(6th)]
Possible Sunday School Topics for the Christian Science Bible Lesson on;
“TRUTH”
for Sunday, July 28, 2013
By Steve Henn, C.S. St. Louis, Missouri steven.henn@gmail.com
[Steve's been a CedarS Program Director & teaches English at The Principia School.]
PSST Golden Text – Consider with your students what it means to be obedient to God.
What does God demand of us? (Deut 10:12 and Mic 6:8)
What about being obedient to God is invigorating, life-giving?
PSST Responsive Reading – What are the rewards of being obedient – what is the “fruit of the land” mentioned by Isaiah? You can begin by breaking this down in a simple manner – what are the rewards of being obedient to parents, to laws, and other more immediate scenarios. Then, consider how that translates to being obedient to God. As you look further into this lesson, identify what the fruits are that biblical characters receive, and work to translate those fruits into relevant concepts for the high school experience.
PSST Section 1 – Why should we follow God, why should we be obedient to Him? See what II Samuel says and then discuss what perfection is, what it means to be tried, and why it helps to see God as the source of our strength and power. What does that mean for us?
What is Mrs. Eddy calling for when she identifies that ‘The time for thinkers has come’?
Are your students thinkers?
What time-honored traditions still try to hinder our progress forward?
What makes the Bible relevant?
Mrs. Eddy specifically identifies it as her only authority – spend some time thinking about that together and discovering how the Bible can become an authority for your students today.
PSST Section 2 – What does Joshua reap for his obedience to God?
How do we “measure and limit all that is good and beautiful” – and how can we stop doing so? Why do we want to stop these measurements and limitations?
What is God’s will that “must be universally done”?
Connect this statement to the Lord’s Prayer (“thy will be done”) and its spiritual interpretation.
How does this all link back to the benefits of obedience?
PSST Section 3 – What is “the commandment and the law” that we must “take diligent heed to do”?
Do your students know what the 10 Commandments are and where to find them?
They become infinitely more valuable to the student who has memorized them – so consider having yours do so.
Do your students know what the two great commandments are (Matt 22:36-40; Mark 12:28-31)?
Lastly, have your students seen the “new commandment” given by Jesus (John 13:34)?
What does it take for us to learn, know, and follow these?
What must be the outcome of following?
What challenges might we face in attempting to follow these commandments?
Why should we press through these challenges – how will our lives be enhanced practically through following God’s laws (consider how they can be a foundation for greater good here and now, rather than a binding or limiting presence in our lives)?
How do we hear what God is saying?
Can we train in the ability to hear God’s messages?
PSST Section 4 – Read the entire story of Jonah with your students to get the full effect of his importance.
Why did Jonah flee in the first place – what did he have against the people of Nineveh?
What does this teach us about our own views towards other people, and God’s view towards them?
What does this story teach us about God’s view towards us, if we choose to not follow Him for a time?
Lastly, show your students how this story represents an evolving understanding of God, in the contrast between His dealings with Sodom and now Nineveh – this view of God evolves even further in the teachings of Christ Jesus.
(For an entertaining change of pace, visit YouTube.com and look for the story of Jonah as told by “the cutest little girl ever” – it may be another way for your students to approach this important story)
What motives govern your daily living?
Consider what motives this section urges us to walk into each day with – and do not miss the compassion expressed in this section – how God deals with us, even when we take a little time to come around to His path of Truth and Life.
PSST Section 5 – Why does Jesus ask the man at the pool of Bethesda “wilt thou be made whole”? What is the man’s response?
Does this conversation happen between God and us?
Consider that it is God’s “good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32) – and therefore God is constantly wanting the best for us – and yet, how often do we respond as this man does?
Why are we tempted to respond this way?
What better response can we give?
What makes grace and Truth powerful?
Continue in this section, particularly in the citations from the Science and Health, searching for evidence of what are the fruits of obedience to God.
PSST Section 6 – Why is it so glorious that God reigns?
Why do the multitude, waters and thunderings shout for joy?
What does it mean if God really is the only game in town in our lives?
Work with your students to discover how this relates to their immediate lives – school, friends, relationships, sports – but also consider how this relates to life outside of this immediate sphere; how will God’s government continue to bless them as they graduate to college and life outside of school?
What promises will be fulfilled?
What promises have we been given through the Bible and our study of Christian Science?
