PSST: Gender has nothing to do with wisdom; nor does age, geography, or economic status.
Possible Sunday School Topics (PSSTs)for The Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lesson:
“Man”
for August 28-September 3, 2023
prepared by Merrill Boudreaux, C.S., for CedarS Camps
pegasus6524@gmail.com • 314-308-1059
P.S.S.T. Golden Text (GT)/Isaiah 49:22 from New King James Version, NKJV:
“Thus says the Lord God: ‘Behold, I will lift My hand in an oath to the nations, And set up My standard for the peoples; They shall bring your sons in their arms, And your daughters shall be carried on their shoulders:’”
The Golden Text quotes God as saying I will “set up a standard for the peoples.”
Ask students to share what they believe these standards are and why they are important.
Consider them to be the Ten Commandments, the Beatitudes, and Holy Ghost or Comforter.
This would be a good time to review each of these.
Responsive Reading (RR)/Numbers 27:1,2,4-7; Romans 8:16,17.
Here is a profound question: Who are the children of God, the heirs of God?
Are God’s benefits exclusive to men or a particular race or religion?
Read what Paul wrote in Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.”
See also Science & Health 476:32-4, “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.”
P.S.S.T. Section 1 – Why do you suppose God made man (humankind)?
See citation S2/SH 516:21, “Man and woman as coexistent and eternal with God forever reflect, in glorified quality, the infinite Father-Mother God.”
Again, in citation S3/515:21, read, “Man is the family name for all ideas, — the sons and daughters of God.”
What do you suppose the word “inclusive” means?
Who can be left out if inclusive includes all, everyone?
P.S.S.T. Section 2 – What does it mean that you are the children of light?
What are the properties of light? How is light used for guidance?
How does light reveal the way to walk – that is, to move and think and reason and to see beyond darkness?
Consider that it could mean to see what others may be missing, to be inspired, to be intuitive.
How do we behold the light during times when the problems of the world or in our family or school seem so dark? Citation S8/258:31 says, “Through spiritual sense….” What is spiritual sense?
See Science & Health 209:31-32, “Spiritual sense is a conscious, constant capacity to understand God.”
P.S.S.T. Section 3 – Thinking beyond gender, about the children of God, beyond male and female, opens thought to light, to new views of creation and why God made us.
Read together the story from Judges about Deborah and her enlightened wisdom, which is in the Bible portion of this section (cits. B11 & B12/Judges 4 & 5).
Wisdom and guidance are not exclusive to men or to males.
Would you agree that Deborah had spiritual perception or spiritual sense?
Citation S14/571:15-18 is a good memorization opportunity – “At all times and under all circumstances, overcome evil with good. Know thyself, and God will supply the wisdom and the occasion for a victory over evil.”
P.S.S.T. Section 4 – Does wisdom ever run out or cease?
Is wisdom only for the young or the old? See Science & Health 128:7,
“… business men and cultured scholars have found that Christian Science enhances their endurance and mental powers, enlarges their perception of character, gives them acuteness and comprehensiveness and an ability to exceed their ordinary capacity.
“It raises the thinker into his native air of insight and perspicacity.” (SH 128:7-11,18)
Who wouldn’t want to take possession of these capabilities?
The good news is that they are available to you right now.
Read together citation S20/246:20,28. Age has nothing to do with wisdom; neither does gender, geography, or economic status.
P.S.S.T. Section 5 – A key question is what are you beholding?
What are you holding in thought as to the nature of humankind?
Since Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is within you,” doesn’t that
give us a hint as to our daily work in seeing ourselves and all others?
Here are a few questions for thought from citations S24/243:32 and S25/393:4-11:
- Is God good?
- Does God produce moral or physical deformity?
- Is the body self-acting?
- Is Mind the master of the corporeal senses?
- Can we conquer sin and death?
- Do you have God-given authority to take possession of your body and govern its feelings and action?
- Is man the image of God?
P.S.S.T. Section 6 –Part of your prayer each day is to gain more correct views of God & man.
See an example of results of such prayer in citation S31/264:13:
“As mortals gain more correct views of God and man, multitudinous objects of creation, which before were invisible, will become visible. When we realize that Life is Spirit, never in nor of matter, this understanding will expand into self-completeness, finding all in God, good, and needing no other consciousness.”
Read together from the Christian Science Hymnal, Hymn 478 (words supplied here).
Pay particular attention to the (bolded) 4th verse as a prayer.
Hymn 478 (also 66 & 421)
From these Your children gathered in Your name,
From hearts made whole, from lips redeemed from woe,
Your praise, Almighty, shall forever flow.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
O perfect Life, in Your completeness held,
None can beyond Your omnipresence stray;
Safe in Your Love, we live and sing always
Alleluia! Alleluia!
O perfect Mind, reveal Your likeness true,
That higher selfhood which we all must prove,
Joy and dominion, love reflecting Love.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
O Soul, inspiring—give us vision clear,
Break earth-bound fetters, sweep away the veil,
Show the new heaven and earth that shall prevail.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
