PSST: Put on your true, spiritual selfhood
Possible Sunday School Topics for the Christian Science Bible Lesson on
“Mortals and Immortals”
MAY 8–14, 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 we truly “clothed” with? What are we made up of? Man is the embodiment of spiritual qualities. Consider the spiritual qualities that each student expresses. That’s their true spiritual identity. That’s what they are really made up of! They can cherish and love that spiritual identity because it is very good!
In Science and Health on page 475, Mary Baker Eddy gives us a great sense of what we are truly made up of! We are not made up of material stuff. The body is actually a compound idea made up of right ideas, not material objects, that are completely subordinate to God’s law of control. So there isn’t a single element of the body which can govern itself. It is entirely subject to the law of God. It is harmonious because harmony is the law of God. It is perfect because perfection is the law of God. So we want to bring our every thought into subordination to God and Christ, to experience harmony in the body. God does govern and control your body perfectly! Perfect, natural, normal, – is our natural state!
Understanding what our body truly is – heals!
Paul writes: “We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.” (II Corinthians 5:8)
So let’s be clothed upon with our true selfhood!
P.S.S.T. for Responsive Reading
Take a look at these awesome passages written by Paul in Romans starting with: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? (Romans 8:35-39)
Consider taking a look at Paul’s life. What is it that gave him such conviction and authority to say this statement? He was certainly someone who spoke from experience. Consider the many challenges and victories he won through his faith in God.
See if your students can memorize this statement:
“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:” (Romans 8:16)
Consider what it means to be a true witness to who we really are.
Mortal mind’s constant ruminating, self-doubt, lack of self-worth, etc. tries to convince us that we are something other than the worthy and capable sons and daughters of God!
Witnessing our true selfhood can counter that.
When we let the Christ bear witness to our true selfhood – healing happens!
P.S.S.T. for Section 1 — Find lasting satisfaction in your oneness with God
This is a beautiful passage from Psalms.
“As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness.” (citation B1, Psalm 17:15)
What does it tell us about prayer? That we want to strive to see “the face” of God when we pray because then we see and recognize ourselves as safe in God’s image and likeness! To know God that intimately means we feel very close to God, we feel at one with God, and that gives us true satisfaction – and healing!
What does satisfaction mean to your students? Where does it come from? What is it that gives us lasting satisfaction? It’s so important to realize this with consumerism, etc. being so prevalent in society today.
How can we pay attention more to the things of the Spirit rather than the things of the flesh?
“For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.” (Romans 8:5)
This passage from Science and Health gives us a great way to start our prayers: “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.” (cit. S4, p. 275)
What are some attributes of Principle? What are some attributes of Love? What does it mean to combine those two in this passage? How about the fact that Love is constant and consistent. It isn’t here one day and not the next. Love is stable and secure like Principle. It doesn’t include any variableness. If God is all, could there possibly be anything else? No! God is already all and there is none else – nothing for us to be tempted or tricked by.
Keep the allness of God in your thought as you go about your day.
Perhaps students would like to keep this passage tucked in a journal and bring it with them to camp or whatever activity they are enjoying this summer.
P.S.S.T. for Section 2 – Put off the “old man” and seek the true, spiritual model
Jesus tells us that the Kingdom of God is within us. That we can experience the reign of harmony right here and know – and that this is the natural and normal state of man.
Paul gives us some instruction on how to feel close to God here and now.
He instructs us:
Not to walk in vanity (cit. B8, Eph 4:17, 18)
Not to be alienated from God through ignorance of what and who God is (cit. B8, Eph 4:17, 18)
Not being blind in our hearts to the nature of God and Christ (cit. B8, Eph 4:17, 18)
As we counter each of these we feel a life of oneness with God.
Mary Baker Eddy gives us some ways to counter these:
“Put off the “old man” and put on the “new man” – our real spiritual selfhood.” (cit. S9, p. 409)
Realize the Science of being and seek the true model (S9, p. 409)
Repentance, spiritual baptism, and regeneration (cit. S11, p. 242)
Put off material beliefs and false individuality (cit. S11, p. 242)
What does heaven mean? Consider exploring the two definitions in the Glossary for Heaven and Kingdom of Heaven. Mary Baker Eddy also gives us a quick definition here in this passage:
“Truth and Love reign in the real man, showing that man in God’s image is unfallen and eternal.” (cit. S8, 476)
When Truth and Love reign in us, we feel our most natural, normal, spiritual selfhood.
P.S.S.T. for Section 3 – Parable of the Tares and the Wheat
Jesus spoke in over 30 parables! What is a parable? Why do your students think Jesus taught by parables?
The book Jesus’ Little Parables of the Kingdom contains several of Jesus’ well-known parables. You can watch a video from the Publishing Society of the making of this book. This book is available in your local Reading Room or online in hardcover or as an eBook.
Consider exploring some of the parables with your class!
Let’s take a look at the parable in Bible citation 4, Matthew 13:24-30. After the crowd left, Jesus’ disciples asked him what the parable meant. He gives them the explanation in Matthew 13:37-40. What do your students think this parable means? What are the tares and what are the wheat?
Mary Baker Eddy defines tares as mortality in the Glossary. So a tare could be any false view of ourselves or others. The wheat, of course, is God’s pure view of yourself and others. That is what we want to stay in our consciousness! So we can daily strive to gather those tares and burn them and keep the wheat growing strong. A “wheat-filled” consciousness is what God sees and knows – so that’s what we want to strive to keep our minds filled with, too.
Maybe consider a drawing or diorama of this parable for a good visual reference?
P.S.S.T. for Section 4 – God, Life, as the Source of your energy and strength
Consider exploring a list of some spiritual qualities of Life.
Stagnant, stuck, apathetic? Nope! Joyful, vibrant, useful, productive. Agility, freedom, harmony. Vibrancy, energy, vitality!
Understanding God as your Life gives you the ability to reflect these qualities! So you can’t run out of energy in finals or this summer as a CIT, counselor, or whatever role you are in with God as your Life. You can never be separated from your Source, Life!
“Look away from the body into Truth and Love, the Principle of all happiness, harmony, and immortality. Hold thought steadfastly to the enduring, the good, and the true, and you will bring these into your experience proportionably to their occupancy of your thoughts.” (cit. S23, 261:2)
“Look away from the body…” Look to Life, Truth, and Love to tell you how you are doing, feeling, and what you are capable of! Take control of your body and govern it’s feeling and activity. Bring your consciousness into harmony with God, good, and the rest will follow.
The body can’t tell you if it is fatigued, etc. You can tell the body how to feel!
“You say, “Toil fatigues me.” But what is this me? Is it muscle or mind? Which is tired and so speaks? Without mind, could the muscles be tired? Do the muscles talk, or do you talk for them? Matter is non-intelligent. Mortal mind does the false talking, and that which affirms weariness, made that weariness.
“You do not say a wheel is fatigued; and yet the body is as material as the wheel. If it were not for what the human mind says of the body, the body, like the inanimate wheel, would never be weary. The consciousness of Truth rests us more than hours of repose in unconsciousness.”
(Science and Health, p. 217:29–8)
P.S.S.T. for Section 5 – Jesus saw the perfect man and you can, too!
“Jesus beheld in Science the perfect man, who appeared to him where sinning mortal man appears to mortals. In this perfect man the Saviour saw God’s own likeness, and this correct view of man healed the sick. Thus Jesus taught that the kingdom of God is intact, universal, and that man is pure and holy.” (Science and Health citation 26, p. 476)
This is a great way to pray! How can your students apply this at summer camp? Or as they launch into finals?
Is taking on a limited view of themselves or others viewing the perfect man? I don’t think so! How can they throw off those fetters and view themselves as God’s own likeness, therefore infinitely capable of achieving all good? Jesus taught that the Kingdom of God is intact, here, and now, so they must be the spiritual image and likeness of God now.
Perhaps there is a way they can bring healing to a friend by viewing a friend or peer as “the perfect man.” Is this hard to do? Why is this so effective at bringing healing to each situation?
See if they can apply this passage this week!
Read about an inspiring example of how one person applied the Commandments to their final exams. The First Commandment and Final Exams
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” (Bible citation 17, II Tim 1:7)
This passage is a great one to memorize! And they can take it with them as they head into final exams or whatever adventure they are embarking on this summer.
Consider exploring some other translations of this same passage.
P.S.S.T. for Section 6 – Express a new view of you!
“The admission to one’s self that man is God’s own likeness sets man free to master the infinite idea.” (Science and Health citation 31, p. 90)
Mary Baker Eddy tells us in various parts of Science and Health that understanding we are the idea of God increases our capabilities. It enhances our abilities. There are many testimonials in the periodicals about how prayer and aligning thought with God has given people greater athletic ability, problem-solving ability, and academic ability.
Consider sharing this example or another one with your students! Prayer on the football field
“Let us feel the divine energy of Spirit, bringing us into newness of life and recognizing no mortal nor material power as able to destroy.” (Science and Health citation 32, 249) The Spirit is always present to bring in fresh, inspiring views!
Consider ways you can put off the “old man” and put on a “new man” this summer and as you wrap up the school year.
Enjoy your classes!
