[PYCL— Whatever Love doesn't say, just say “no way!”]
CedarS PYCLs–Possible Younger Class Lessons for:
“Man”
The Christian Science Bible Lesson for March 9, 2014
by Kerry Jenkins, CS, House Springs, MO
kerry.helen.jenkins@gmail.com (314) 406-0041
[with bracketed italics by Warren Huff, CedarS Director]
[PYCL 1] What does it mean to the kids that God is “living”? Let them tell you in their own words. What qualities do we associate with being “alive”? What would we expect God to do as a “living” God? What does it mean to be a child of a living God? If we are somewhere where are parents aren't around, who would always be there to love, guide, protect, and care for us? How do they see this happening practically? I think it's important to have a concrete example of this to share so that the conversation doesn't end up being a bunch of blasé statements of truths that they have no real understanding of. I'm sure most of us have first hand experiences of times where we experienced protection or love when we needed it, and though it may have appeared to come from another human, what it really is, is God supplying a need in a practical way. This is the living God that the Bible is speaking of.
[PYCL 2] Break down the Responsive Reading for the littler ones. It is a mouthful but a simple idea. When we are children, we have people that teach us, take care of us etc. We don't really control our circumstances. The Bible is telling us here that as children we aren't that different from someone who is working as a servant, in status. We don't get to choose very much, what we do, how we get to do it. Our parents and teachers do try to give us choices, but it's all very much within a structure. And this is the same for servants working in a household. They do as they are told to do. But what did Jesus come to teach us? He showed us, through his actions, that we are not only children of God, but that we have the power and authority that would come with being the very heir of God. In those days the heir of a family was the eldest son; he inherited nearly everything. But in this case the heir is a symbol for each of us as God's blessed child. You could talk about what we “inherit” from God. Do we get money, toys, houses and cars? Can they make a list of what they are handed from God? You could link this to a discussion of citations B15 and B16 in section 4. Do we each inherit a specific quality and not any of the others? I love that citation B16 says that “He that overcometh shall inherit all things;” (italics added). What do we have to “overcome” to see our wholeness? I think we could certainly say that we each have certain talents that are unique to us; some of us love music for example, while others are more interested in computers, or in sports, etc. But that doesn't mean we are lopsided and gifted in some areas and really “weak” in others. We are whole, complete, and full creations of God. In this section Mrs. Eddy goes on to talk about our capacities for good being infinite, “forever developing”, extending the atmosphere of thought. When our abilities are not resident in matter, they are then truly infinite. Jesus showed us that our being is resident in God.
[PYCL 3] My 7-year-old asked me last week where does man come from. So I know that at least some of the kids wonder about this question. A glib answer won't satisfy him. Maybe not many children. This Lesson might be a good place to bring up that question and talk about man's origin—who man is. You could do a riff on a family tree. There is one in the MY BIBLE LESSON, but I'm thinking something a little more traditional. You could bring an example of an actual family tree so that they know what it usually is. Then talk about how we'd make a real family tree with God at the top. With every branch coming directly back to God. There is never a branch removed from God or separated by generations. (This is why you would need to bring in an example of how they are usually set up). How do his children interrelate? See if they come up with sisters and brothers on their own (they may find it funny that even their moms and dads are their sisters and brothers). Draw it together on a big sheet of butcher paper if you have room, or on a smaller piece if not. You could have them each draw a simple picture of themselves on the paper, stick figures are fine! Look at citation B4 and talk about what it means to be a “joint heir” with Christ!
[PYCL 4] Citation B6 states: “Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;” How do children tend to follow? Joyfully, trustingly? Talk to them about childlike qualities they exemplify. What happens when they resist following what their parents ask… are they joyful? Are they trusting that mom and dad have only good in mind for them, and that bed-time, for example is something designed to help them be the best person they can be? You could do a verbal game of “Simon says”. Usually this is done by doing some physical action that the leader tells you to do, but only when accompanied by the words “Simon says”. If there is no “Simon says” before the task they are not supposed to respond, and the object is to trick the players into doing a task without “Simon says”. In this case you could use “Love says”. When it's something that Love doesn't say, then you just have them say “no way!” Obviously this would be for the younger kids. The idea here is that we all need to be like “little children” in following God. We need to trust and be joyful and peaceful.
[PYCL 5] There are a couple of things you could do this week with a glass of water (set it in a dish so that if it spills it doesn't make a mess). If you have an eyedropper you could use that best since it is easy for small hands to manipulate. But you could use a soda straw too. Talk about how we are one with God. What does that mean? In what way did Jesus show us that we are one with God? Talk about citation S24. Then you can have them each try this little experiment. Take the eyedropper with a little water in the bulb, and have each take a turn squeezing a drop into the glass of water. Where did the drop go? Did it disappear? Or is it a part of the whole glass and impossible to separate out? Make sure you give everyone a chance, or more than one as you discuss this thought. With a straw you can dip it into the water an inch or two and put a finger over the top to seal it. Then they lift it above the water and let their finger off, to do a similar thing. The only difference is that it generally comes out in a little stream instead of a drop, but it probably illustrates just as well the point of this exercise.
[PYCL 6] Another opportunity to use the clear glass of water is to talk about the purity of God's child. God made man a pure, complete idea. He didn't mix into us matter that gets upset, sick, angry, hurt, etc. He would only make His child completely pure. Look at the water as an example of that purity. Fill the glass to the top to show that there is no room for “more”, for any contaminate—that any time we feel less than that joyful purity, we can be sure it's not from God and declare that we don't have any “room” in us to keep those thoughts!
Have a great Sunday!
