PSST—You and all mankind can never be left out, never abandoned, never avoided, never fail.
Possible Sunday School Topics (PSSTs) for The Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lesson:
“Man
for February 28-March 6, 2022
prepared by Merrill Boudreaux, C.S.
pegasus6524@gmail.com • 314-308-1059
P.S.S.T. Golden Text (GT)/Daniel 10:19: “…O man greatly beloved, fear not:” You are precious in His sight!
- Do you know that you are loved by God?
- Do you know He is your very life?
- Do you know that you are precious in His sight?
What evidence do you have in your life of these facts?
P.S.S.T. Responsive Reading (RR)/Isaiah 43:3,4,5-7,10,21; Isa.32:2,3,17,18
Visualize our world as “a peaceable habitation”.
There are definitive statements in the RR to support answers to the questions just asked.
Ask students to help identify some of those statements from the RR.
Example:
- This people have I formed for myself
- They shall show forth my praise
- A man shall be as an hiding place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest
- Your eyes shall not be dim
- Your righteous work shall be peace
- The effect of your righteous work shall be quietness and assurance for ever
What a world is being described in these statements, your world, our world: “a peaceable habitation”. See a statement of this Peaceable Kingdom in Isaiah 11:6-9:
“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’s den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.”
P.S.S.T. Section 1 – If you are ever tempted to doubt your importance to God, then memorize citation B2/Psalms 94:14, “For the Lord will not cast off his people, neither will he forsake his inheritance.”
Citation S4/Science & Health 249:5-10 states in part, “Let us rejoice that we are subject to the divine ‘powers that be.’” This is you. Claim it for yourself and for our world.
How can you apply this truth in a time of war?
[Warren: Often throughout the day I try to visualize or “picture… earth, inhabited by beings under the control of supreme wisdom…” SH p. 91:1]
P.S.S.T. Section 2 – As with David & Jonathan, the world and its future are benefitted by having you in it. What was the result found in the Bible story in citation B9/I Samuel 19, when Jonathan chose to see through God’s eyes? We Christians today are a direct link to David. Imagine how our world would be with the line descended from David to us if David had been removed from the picture. Just the same, the world and its future are benefitted by having you in it.
How significant was Jonathan’s role in this story?
Memorize the first line in citation S5/SH 248:3, “Love never loses sight of loveliness.”
Read together citation S8/SH 518:13-19.
Who are some of these lesser and greater ideas? Are there plants and animals that benefit man?
Trees for example that convert carbon dioxide exhaled by man and animals into oxygen for our use.
P.S.S.T. Section 3 – You are therefore protected, guided, instructed, & helped in your daily work & care for… These are not just passing fanciful statements. Why? See their permanency as found in citation B11/Ecclesiastes 3:14, “I know that, whatsoever God doeth, it shall be for ever: nothing can be put to it, nor any thing taken from it.”
You are therefore protected, guided, instructed, and helped in your daily work and care for yourself and others.
P.S.S.T. Section 4 – The greatest tool we have is to love one another.
What might students consider qualities evidenced by love for one another?
Look to the extending story of David in citation B12/I Samuel 23. See other qualities of love in this section.
Examples: Patience, obedience, dissolving the adamant of error, self-abnegation.
Mary Baker Eddy states clearly in Science & Health 266:13, “Universal Love is the divine way in Christian Science.”
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.
P.S.S.T. Section 5 – Be transformed by knowing who we are, to act with goodness & obey the will of God.
In Christian Science churches each Sunday at the closing of the service, the congregation hears the words in citation B14/I John 3:1-3. Read it together.
Paul beseeches us (begs us) in citation B15/Romans 12:1,2 to be transformed when knowing who we are, to act with goodness and obey the will of God.
Read Mary Baker Eddy’s statement to us in citation S16/SH 82:31-2.
Man is a giver, not just a taker. Is there a project your students can help with at church or in the community?
P.S.S.T. Section 6 – Why do you think our religion is called a Christian religion?
What does it mean to be Christ-like, to be a follower of Christ Jesus?
Look to the seal on a copy of Science & Health. What does it state?
Where can you hear church members speak of their applying this statement in their daily lives?
Perhaps this would be a good opportunity to discuss Wednesday Evening Testimony Meetings and then attend one as a class.
P.S.S.T. Section 7 – You and all mankind can never be left out, never abandoned, never avoided, never fail. We come full circle to yet again identifying man (you) as “greatly beloved”, as peaceful, as not afraid, as blessed, as strong, as delightful, “like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth fruit”, that whatever he does shall prosper.
Understand that these qualities are for all mankind. Why? Because you are “coexistent and eternal with God”, you can never be left out, never abandoned, never avoided, never fail. You are glorified by your Father-Mother God. Read together Hymn 480 from the Christian Science Hymnal (printed here):
Hymn (72, 405), 480
Glory be to God on high, God whose glory fills the sky;
Peace on earth to man is given, Man, the well-beloved of heaven.
Father-Mother, in Your love, Send Your blessings from above;
Let Your light, Your truth, Your peace Bid all strife and tumult cease.
Mark the wonders of God’s hand: Power no empire can withstand;
Wisdom, angels’ glorious theme; Goodness one eternal stream.
Let all people raise the song, Endless thanks to God belong;
Hearts o’erflowing with Love’s praise Join the hymns your voices raise.
