Possible Sunday School Topics (PSSTs) for The Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lesson:
“Doctrine of Atonement”
for October 9-15, 2023
prepared by Merrill Boudreaux, C.S., for CedarS Camps
pegasus6524@gmail.com • 314-308-1059
P.S.S.T. Golden Text (GT)/I Timothy 4:6, “…you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed.” (New King James Version, NKJV)
Read the Golden Text together. Where would you find the words of faith and the good doctrine? What do your students know about the Bible?
How many bible varieties are there? Where did they come from?
Do other religions use the same bible as is commonly used in our lesson-sermons?
How would you know which one to follow?
Read together the 1st Tenet of Christian Science from the Manual of The Mother Church 15:3. Ask students to share any bible story or particular passage that inspires them or speaks to them.
Responsive Reading (RR)/Philippians 1:2,3,6,27; II Corinthians 5:18-20; II Cor.9:8,11
Who is Paul writing to in the RR? Why was he writing to them? What is he saying to them about their conversations with each other, about their affairs, about being ambassadors for Christ, about the power of grace to enrich their lives? What is grace?
See Science & Health 4:3-9. The result of grace is thanksgiving.
When you think of thanksgiving, what comes to your thought?
P.S.S.T. Section 1 – What is some key information in the bible that one might consider instructions to live by, to live a grace-full life? The Ten Commandments, the Sermon on the Mount, some of Paul’s letters, any of Jesus’ works. What does it mean to have the Christ with you? See the scientific definition of “Christ” in Science & Health 583:10, and SH 332:9-11, and SH 473:10-12.
P.S.S.T. Section 2 – If you could summarize the doctrine of Christ Jesus, how would you state it? Perhaps John 13:34,35.
See the question posed by Mary Baker Eddy in citation S9/37:16-17.
P.S.S.T. Section 3 – How did the woman in the scripture story in cit. B9/Matthew 15:21-28 put into practice the Christian Science view of the power of prayer as stated in cit. S15/12:1-2,31-3?
Read together Hymn 359 from the Christian Science Hymnal (words supplied here).
Hymn 359
Trust the Eternal when the shadows gather, / When joys of daylight seem so like a dream; / God the unchanging pities like a father; / Trust on and wait, the daystar yet shall gleam.
Trust the Eternal, for the clouds that vanish / No more can move the mountains from their base / Than sin’s illusive wreaths of mist can banish / Light from His throne or loving from His face.
Trust the Eternal, and repent in meekness / Of that heart’s pride which frowns and will not yield, / Then to thy child-heart shall come strength in weakness, / And thine immortal life shall be revealed.
P.S.S.T. Section 4 – The bible portion of this section reiterates what has been stated before: love one another and keep my Father’s Commandments.
This might be a good time to review the Ten Commandments. What does Mary Baker Eddy say was her favorite Commandment? See SH 340:16. See also Luke 10:25-28 and Matthew 22:36-40. These statements help one to demonstrate Truth, divine Love, as noted in cit. S17/135:26.
P.S.S.T. Section 5 – Read together the message for each of us as followers of Jesus Christ in cit. B17/Acts 2:22-24 and cit. B18/Acts 3:26.
The role for each of us is to act, to do what? See an answer in Luke 10:29-37.
Read together Hymn 360 from the Christian Science Hymnal (words supplied here).
Hymn 360
True, the heart grows rich in giving; / All its wealth is living grain; / Seeds which mildew in the garner, / Scattered, fill with gold the plain. / Is thy burden hard and heavy? / Do thy steps drag wearily? / Help to bear thy brother’s burden, / God will bear both it and thee.
Is the heart a well left empty? / None but God its void can fill; / Nothing but a ceaseless fountain / Can its ceaseless longings still. / Is the heart a living power? / Self-entwined its strength sinks low; / It can only live in loving, / And, by serving, love will grow.
P.S.S.T. Section 6 – See the statement in cit. S29/45:16. This encapsulates what the Christ provides to mankind, and what Christian Science affirms. Here is grace, here is the story of the Good Samaritan, here is the Sermon on the Mount, here is the new Commandment given by Jesus. You can never be separated from this truth.
Read together Hymn 135 from the Christian Science Hymnal (words supplied here).
Hymn 135
I know no life divided, / O Lord of life, from Thee; / In Thee is life provided / For all mankind and me: / I know no death, O Father, / Because I live in Thee; / Thy life it is that frees us / From death eternally.
I fear no tribulation, / Since, whatsoe’er it be, / It makes no separation / Between my Lord and me: / Since Thou, my God and Father, / Dost claim me as Thine own, / I richly shall inherit / All good, from Thee alone.
