PYCLs: 1) ADD TO YOUR SYNONYM MOBILE. 2) WHAT MAKES LOVE “ENOUGH”? 3) HOW DO WE DESCRIBE GOD? 4) WHAT CAN LOVE DO? 5) RETELL ALL LESSON STORIES Possible Younger Class Lesson ideas for the Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lesson on
“Love”
for January 30, 2022
by Kerry Jenkins, CS, of House Springs, MO
kerry.helen.jenkins@gmail.com • 314-406-0041
PYCL #1: ADD TO YOUR MOBILE OR “TRAIN”
(see https://cedarscamps.org/inspiration/article/pycls-1-make-a-synonym-mobile-2-how-is-truth-like-a-rock-3-why-no-bible-lesson-on-principle-4-bring-a-flashlight-5-what-does-it-mean-to/ from last week for information about this)
If you tried starting a mobile or a train for your synonym study last week, then you can add Love this week!
I noticed some qualities that would be cool to write on the back of whatever material you are using for this project, or on slips of paper or painted stones for your trains. From citation B2/Ps.111:1-4 and B3/Ps. 33:5,6,9, we have these qualities of Love: honorable, glorious, righteous, enduring, good, powerful (he “spake and it was done”), and from citation S3/519:3-11, infinite, eternal, Father, Mother.
Find out what qualities the children would add to this list. Read the wonderful stories from this lesson first and ask what qualities were expressed in each story. (Stories are as follows: 1Kings 17:1, 8-16 Mark 1:14, 15, 40-42, Luke 7:37-44, 47, 50, and Acts 5:12, 16-20)
PYCL #2: WHAT MAKES LOVE “ENOUGH”?
The stories in this week’s lesson answer this question well, but look at the statements in citations S1 and S6 p.2:23 (only, to ?), and 520:3-5 The (to !) which imply that there is no “more” than Love, and that this infinite wonder is “enough”. What do we “want” out of God/Love? (That can be a pretty “big” question!) Do they see things existing “outside” of that Love?
If students bring up the ugliness and evil that appear to our experience, what then?
How does knowing God as infinite, ever-present, all-good Love change our view of evil, turn it into “error”, as in, erroneous—a mistake, lie, or misconception? I think it would be fairly easy and fun to memorize the last citation S6/520:3-5: “The depth, breadth, height, might, majesty, and glory of infinite Love fill all space. That is enough!”
PYCL #3: HOW DO WE DESCRIBE GOD?
I check-in on this question at all ages, pretty often. Our second section this week brings up some great thoughts about God—how we pray to God, what is our concept of God? (S8/13:20-24, S9:330:19-20, S10/576:26-4)
The youngers may not know what it means to pray to God “as a corporeal person”, but this can be explained and thought through.
Do we think of God as a spiritual “person” who listens, makes decisions about our welfare, stands by, or intervenes at will, etc.?
If God/Love is not this…then what is God/Love?
We see examples throughout the Bible of God—many fall into the category of the God described in citation S10/576:26–The “Jewish concept”—which includes wrath, punishment, etc. as well as good. But Jesus showed us a higher concept. This God is always Love. Love does not get angry, impatient, judgmental, or exclusive. Some of those qualities, very human ones, are exhibited this week in the stories from the Bible. Once again you can share the thought that Love only contains Love, God can only contain God-like qualities. Just as an apple only contains within it “apple” parts, so Love only contains “Love parts”.
Love, as we see in this week’s lesson would not leave a widow to starve, a leper to suffer, or apostles to stay imprisoned. While we certainly appear to experience hardships, a deeper knowledge of Love brings the freedoms of Love into our view where they may have been invisible when we only look with material sense of evidence of infinite, immortal Love.
PYCL #4: WHAT CAN LOVE DO?
Bring a small container of cornmeal or flour and a tiny container of cooking oil. Explain how the widow in citation B8/I Kings:17 might have made her “cake” of meal and oil. Look together and try to imagine what it would feel like to see this as all you have left with no prospect of more to come (this was during a drought, and she was widowed).
When we start from a limited source we find ourselves hopeless right?
Where will “more” come from? Doesn’t it have to come from more “matter”?
Doesn’t someone have to drop off more food for us?
Or don’t we have to make more money, find a better job, get things from our parents?
Why did Love send Elijah to a widow woman “to sustain” him?
Shouldn’t God have sent him to a wealthy man?
Think together about the symbolism of the woman who was outside the gates of the city looking for wood to cook her last meal upon. She was looking “beyond” the gates of the city (of course this would be the only place you could find extra firewood—but beyond that fact…). In other words, she was reaching out beyond the limits of her human concept of things, ready to receive Elijah as he approached the city. She was out at work, seeking, looking, struggling. This is a state of thought that is ready to receive the infinite qualities of Love.
Are there other stories like this in the Bible? Can you think of them together?
Do you have any modern examples of this kind of supply being met? Go back to the previous Pycl where we were asking what Love can do. Does this story illustrate something that Love can do? Does Love have to obey human rules? (In this case human laws of multiplication, in the leper’s it was laws of contagion and incurability, with the woman at Simon’s house it was laws where certain people were not to mingle with others, and with the disciples in prison it was laws that would ordinarily keep people locked in—that’s a lot of material laws!)
PYCL #5: RETELL ALL THE STORIES IN THIS LESSON (see Pycl #1 for citations)
With the youngest children I would retell all these stories and give context for them. For example, explain the plight of a widow with or without a child in those days. She would have no opportunity for work other than begging or prostitution. Explain that a leper was an outcast in society, not to be touched, having to live outside the city—and Jesus not only healed him, but touched him as well! The woman who washed Jesus’ feet with her tears was also an outcast, someone who was supposed to stay apart from men of Jesus’ status. Why did she deserve forgiveness according to Jesus? What does this say about divine Love? (See cit. S17/13:2-3)
And then there is the story of the apostles preaching and healing, and then being imprisoned.
What does their freedom say about the law of divine Love?
In each case you can discuss together how Love was at work. Then discuss how Love is at work today in our lives. Give examples as you see them.
Does anyone in your class relate to the idea of being an outcast, undeserving of good?
Does anyone ever feel like they are imprisoned either in sickness, or not being able to progress as they feel they should, or for another reason?
Can Love break through those “chains”?
Have any of the students experienced the feeling of not having enough, or much less than others?
Older children can certainly read these stories aloud rather than listening to you retell them.
This is a real treasure trove of stories about Love’s power and presence, so have fun!
Enjoy your time in Sunday School.
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