PYCLs–1) Why is this Lesson positioned here? 2) Act out “putting off the old man” 3) Make a throne & crowns. 4) Dive into Isa. 32:2 5) Bring a glass to fill with water.
Possible Younger Class Lesson ideas for the Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lesson on
“Man”
for March 6, 2022
(A CedarS Hymn Sing Sunday! at 7pm CT)
by Kerry Jenkins, CS, of House Springs, MO
kerry.helen.jenkins@gmail.com • 314-406-0041
PYCL #1: WHY IS THE SUBJECT “MAN” SANDWICHED BETWEEN “CHRIST JESUS” AND “SUBSTANCE”(AND PRECEDED BY THE SYNONYM LESSONS)?
This wouldn’t be a question for the littlest children, but our own answers to this question can lead us to things to share with any age. I have enjoyed thinking about this this week. In fact we can look back on all the weeks in a row of deep dives into all the synonyms of God, then we had Christ Jesus, and now man. Mary Baker Eddy makes it very clear that we must understand God to understand man, and to get a clear view of man, we must understand God.
Christ Jesus was the highest representation of man that we have, the most God-like. Then we get to understand more about what is the nature of substance, which will naturally answer some questions about the nature of physique as it relates, or doesn’t, to man.
Sometimes these “big picture” questions can lead in interesting directions. Knowing better who God is, and knowing better who Christ Jesus is and what he asked of us, we can look at the Golden Text “…O man greatly beloved, fear not:” and catch a glimpse of why we don’t have to be afraid!
For the youngers we can approach this question without stating it by looking at all the qualities we have gathered over the past weeks under each synonym, and all that Jesus asked us to do, showed that we could do, in last week’s lesson. Then think about how they apply to what we know as “man”.
Do these qualities have bodies that are fat or thin, tall or short, sick or healthy?
Or is there something about man that is beyond what we see, yet completely whole, substantial, real?
Can we work on a list of qualities that comprise man in general, each of the students in particular?
PYCL #2: ACT OUT (WITH SMALL CHILDREN) “PUTTING OFF THE OLD MAN” citation B3/Eph. 4:22, 23, 24
This can be discussed with any age, but I have tried this with youngers. You can discuss how we feel about ourselves when we are angry or ill, sad, or frustrated.
Wouldn’t it be great to “take off” that feeling and set it aside?
How can we get to a point where we might have that kind of self control? What kinds of thoughts would we need to cultivate in order to be ready and willing to let go of any of these more intense emotions?
Maybe we would need humility, meekness, purity, obedience? (Citation S18/323:32-5) Can they think of more?
You could mime “taking off the old man”, or use a big coat that you bring in. They can talk about dropping an uncomfortable emotion like shedding a big coat. You might liken it to how we would want to take it off when we feel the sunshine getting us warm.
In the same way, when we really remember how God loves us and others, we might feel the warmth of that love enough so that we can “shed” our anger like a big coat! Can you share an example of this?
Try introducing the story of David and Jonathan and Saul into this discussion from citation B9/1st Sam 19:1,2,4,6,7 and citation B12/1st Sam 23:9,14. You can tell the story or read it as it is in the Bible lesson.
Saul could not ultimately shed his envy and hatred of David, though we have a temporary truce in the first part of the story. I think sometimes this is the way of mental illness, it must be confronted, and continually “shed” because otherwise we cannot seem to separate it from our sense of self.
You can talk about how the coat is not part of man, it is just something we take on or off. In the same way, these unwieldy emotions are not part of our identity, but can be shed like the coat in summer.
PYCL #3: MAKE A THRONE AND A SET OF CROWNS.
In the last paragraph of citation S3/248:15-32 Mary Baker Eddy talks about forming perfect models in thought , carving them out in grand and noble lives.
She follows this with a list of qualities that we want “reigning” over us, within us. Talk about these qualities and how they are part of our identity as God’s ideas. Make some paper crowns with these qualities written across the front of each: “unselfishness, goodness, mercy, justice, health, holiness, love”.
Create a special “throne” from one of the chairs. Maybe you bring some elegant cloth or something to throw over the chair, or something to make it seem special, a beautiful pillow to sit on…you get the idea.
Then have the children state what quality they express, choose their crown and take turns on the throne. Maybe they can actually share how they express that quality, or how they might express that quality when they get home that day.
PYCL #4: DIVE INTO ISAIAH 32:2
Read this aloud and then find some other translations that work for you and for your age group. What does all this mean? Have any of them ever been out in a really strong wind? One time I went with one of my girls to Chicago and we literally had to lean into the wind when we would walk around the corner of a big building. It was amazing, and cold!
What would it mean that a man was a shelter/hiding place from the wind? Have you ever helped someone who was having a really challenging day? Did you maybe try to give them sort of a “shelter” from their challenge by providing them a listening ear, some kind thoughts.
Or maybe your mom or dad has done that for you?
How can we be like a river of water in a dry place? Remind them that the Bible lands are dry and hot much of the time, so water is crucial and valued. Likewise a shady place in the desert might be appreciated!
How can man be like these things to each other? This is how God designed us to be. This is certainly what Christ Jesus set for us as an example.
PYCL #5: BRING A GLASS TO FILL ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP WITH WATER.
In Section 3 we have Eccl. 3:14 (to 2nd 🙂 and citation S10/470:32 which affirms the unchanging harmony of the relationship between God and man.
Read the Bible passage and have a pitcher of water ready to fill a glass all the way to the tippy top (you can put it in a bowl in case of overflow). Ask the children if anything can be added to that glass without it overflowing.
Think about that as an example of “nothing can be put to it”. Now, I realize that we can remove water, but focus on the adding part…because man isn’t really like water in a glass. This is how God has made man, completely full up with good, with health, joy, kindness, love, peace. And we cannot be added to or taken from because we are complete.
Can we “fit” hatred, envy, sadness, inharmony, into something that is already complete, full, whole with good?
ou could use a piece of fruit, apple, orange etc. to illustrate this point. Can we stick some more orange on the outside of it? No! It is whole, complete. Let’s think about man that way. What does that say about each of us?
Have a great week in Sunday School!
