PYCLs: Find all the “laws” of matter that Jesus broke in this lesson. (4)
What should we bring with us each day wherever we go?
Possible Younger Class Lesson ideas for the Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lesson on
“MATTER”
for Sunday, September 17, 2023
by Kerry Jenkins, CS, of House Springs, MO
kerry.helen.jenkins@gmail.com • 314-406-0041
PYCL #1: Make a collage.
Cut out a bunch of magazine pictures of fancy houses, cars, bikes, toys, game consoles, swimming pools, trampolines, whatever seem like awesome material things that we might like to have in our lives, and bring them to your class. You might be able to find such things in advertising circulars from places like Costco and Sam’s Club if you don’t get magazines in your home.
Have some glue stick available so that the kids can pick what they want to glue to a sheet of paper, things they would choose to own if they could. While they are glueing, or before, talk them through the Responsive Reading from Eccl. 1:1,2; 2:4-8,10,11,26 God (to:) You can even put it in terms that they might understand, or have them do it if they are old enough.
Be sure they understand that he is telling us that all the work he went to, all the glorious things that he built and had done, didn’t make him happy at all. What does make us happy? If we were to make a collage of things that make us happy, what would it look like? Can they draw the things that would make us truly happy in a lasting way? If they say yes, let them do whatever they want with lots of colors or whatever. It can be an expression of Soul’s beauty.
Make a list of all the things that we can “build” that bring true joy, lasting satisfaction.
Love among family and others. Generosity with all mankind.nselfish kindness.
Service with true desire to bless. Understanding God and man more each day.
Having great adventures alone with God or with others. Even a really fun playtime with little friends can be a lasting, substantial experience.
PYCL #2: Discuss Jesus and Peter walking on the water.
This cartoon might get a laugh out of the older kids!
Why is this story (Matt. 14:22-32/cit. B8) in a lesson about matter? Is it about faith in matter versus faith in Spirit? What was Peter letting get in the way of walking over the waves?
What did Peter look at when he started to sink? What are the parallels in our own lives?
Do we sometimes find that we feel confidence about something when we are with a teacher or parent, and then all that understanding, confidence and ability seem to vanish when we see “how hard the math problem is”, or we get afraid when we are alone, or it is our job to figure something out?
Can we keep our eyes on the Christ, so to speak?
Remember that it is not material law that is governing, but divine Love.
PYCL #3: What does it mean to “build a tower of Babel”?
Read this story (or tell it from cit. B5/Gen. 11:1, 4-9 (to:). See if there are translations that would be helpful to your age group. What is this story really about? Make sure, if they are older, that they read the definition of Babel from citation S4/581:17-22. Think about what this story is symbolizing. There is this idea that with human knowledge we can achieve greatness. The idea of it “reaching to the heavens” is a symbol of it being more significant than, or in competition with, God. You should address the fact that this story is being told by a writer who can only explain this story in terms of a God who would see human activity, judge it, and then mess around with it. This is not “Love” or “Truth”, which are not “beings” out there observing human activity. That would be more of a “Santa Claus” view of God. Rather, the fact that they dispersed, symbolizes how things naturally fall apart when we are trying to achieve human greatness out of pride.
No doubt there were arguments and disagreements on how to proceed (confounding language could be a way of saying that they no longer understood one another!). Also when people are doing things out of human “greatness”, we tend to set aside the one God whom we all express. We no longer regard one another as brothers/sisters, but competitors. This makes communication with one another difficult.
Ask what we should be “building” together if we want to glorify God?
PYCL #4: Find all the “laws” of matter that Jesus broke in this lesson.
With slightly older students you could discuss the laws of matter that Jesus broke in each of the stories in the lesson. Peter walks on the water in citation B8/Mat 14:22-32. He raises Jairus’ daughter from the dead in Mark 5:21-24, 35-42/cit. B10. And in citation B13/Luke 9:1-4,6 he tells his disciples not to bring food, money, or even an extra coat, when they go from house to house preaching and healing.
What are the spiritual laws that are in operation?
PYCL #5: What should we bring with ourselves each day wherever we go?
This might be a fresh way to think about the passage in Luke/citation B13 where Jesus sends his disciples forth to preach with no money or food….Each day we go to school, or work, or play, or sporting activity, artistic endeavor.
Can we bring with us our rich spiritual senses? Can we expect to be “fed”, welcomed and to learn?
Can we feel “housed”, safe and sheltered by Love? If we are going to a soccer match we can bring with us only our spiritually substantial qualities of strength, agility, love, fairness, speed, joy, intelligence, and so on.
We are not bringing material qualities such as anger, revenge, fear, doubt, envy, and so on.
When we bring the qualities that God gives us, we find that we have everything that we need to feel joy and peace in any activity.
Ask them about these things and then apply it to whatever activities they individually participate in.
Have a great week in Sunday School!
