PYCLs: DRAMATIZE STORIES ABOUT JESUS. TALK ABOUT WHAT 3 BEATITUDES MEANS TO THEM. DISCUSS HOW TO BE A BEST FRIEND & TO LIVE THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT.
Possible Younger Class Lesson ideas for the Christian Science Quarterly Bible Lesson on
“Christ Jesus”
for Sunday, February 26, 2023
by Kerry Jenkins, CS, of House Springs, MO
kerry.helen.jenkins@gmail.com • 314-406-0041
PYCL #1: TELL AND DRAMATIZE STORIES ABOUT JESUS.
It is really fun to share as many stories as possible about Jesus. There are so many healing works and stories that the children can act out. This week’s lesson has the story of Jesus feeding the multitudes — citation B6/Matt. 14:14-20, and the story of him raising Jairus’ daughter — cit. B9/Mark 5:21-24, 35-42. These are both very workable yo make into small dramas.
For feeding the multitudes, bring some bread and Goldfish crackers to represent the bread and fish, and maybe some baskets or paper sacks that can serve as such.
Talk about the leftovers. Why 12 baskets?
There were 12 disciples, 12 tribes of Israel, and I love the symbolism of having enough left over to feed each disciple with inspiration, wisdom, wonder, joy, faith, etc.
Of course point out the numbers of people fed, the numbers of fish and bread, the beauty of this abundance and multiplication.
For Jairus’ story you can explain the role of mourners who would have been hired to mourn at a death. They were paid to cry loudly. The fact that they laughed when Jesus told them that the young girl was not dead was so inappropriate that it made it okay for Jesus to kick them out — who laughs at a funeral?!
Don’t feel confined to the stories in this lesson. If the children have a favorite, feel free to choose that one! Why is Jesus so important?
Do they understand that his arrival caused us to start a whole new calendar and millenia starting at zero? That’s pretty amazing!
PYCL #2: MEMORIZE & DISCUSS citation B4/Matthew 5:5,6,8 (BEATITUDES)
These three Beatitudes are included in Section 2.
Why are these the ones chosen? Do the children know the Beatitudes?
If not, this is a great opportunity to learn them.
Discuss what it means to be meek.
Why would the meek “inherit the earth”?
What does it mean to inherit the earth? Perhaps it is a way to describe how we have dominion over matter when we humbly acknowledge God’s government rather than fearing or obeying matter?
Talk about what it means to be hungry or thirsty for righteousness. How do we feel when we are hungry, or thirsty?
Doesn’t it cause us to really try to find a way to fill up, or quench our thirst?
How do we help ourselves be more “hungry, or thirsty” for what is right?
What does pure in heart mean and what does it mean to “see” God? Think of all the ways that you can describe these things.
These are descriptions of ways that we are encouraged to “be”. Isn’t this Jesus’ ultimate desire, to teach us how to “be”, how to see each other, and how to see God?
Look up the Beatitudes in several translations together.
The last citation in this section is also a great one to memorize: S12/4:3-5 “What we most need is the prayer of fervent desire for growth in grace, expressed in patience, meekness, love, and good deeds.” This is certainly a description of how to “be” in a way that reflects Jesus’ Christ-like selfhood! How can we live these qualities?
PYCL #3: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE JESUS’ FRIEND?
The Golden Text tells us “…I have called you friends;” John 15:15.
How are we “friends” of Jesus? How do we define friendship?
Look it up together in a dictionary and discuss what it means to be a friend.
Are there ways that we can do a better job being friends to people?
Is this what Jesus is encouraging? Read together citation B12/John 15:13,15-18, 26,27. What does it mean to “lay down his life for his friends.”? Did Jesus do this?
Is there maybe another level so that we don’t literally have to die for our friends, since most of us are not presented with this opportunity?
Can we allow hatred or jealousy, for example, to “die”, so that we can be a better friend?
PYCL #4: DON’T BE GOOD FOR THE “REWARD”.
That might sound funny, but we are not out there doing and being good so that we get good friends or a better life. It is true that most often, when we are loving to others, considerate, kind, generous, that we are met with similar treatment. But, there is certainly no law that dictates this in human existence.
What we are guaranteed is greater joy, peace, insight, inspiration, understanding, and healing.
We do right, be a good friend, for these reasons.
Ultimately, true friends do come along when we are consistently embodying the qualities of friendship that Jesus encourages us to embody as Christ’s ambassadors.
(Notice the “spiritual blessings which might flow from such discomfort.”– cit. S26) But as we read in cit. B12/John 15:18 and cit. S24/317:6, cit. S26:53:16, cit. S27/254:27–(really all the citations in Science & Health)–Jesus’ good works were regularly spoken of as evil.
Jesus was chased out of town on more than one occasion, with murderous intent. And he was the best man that ever walked the earth!
Why do the kids think this happened?
Does it happen (maybe figuratively) today?
Can they think of a time where it happened to them, or where they found themselves uncomfortable when someone else stood up for the right thing while they did not?
With the littles, discuss the “healthful” but “agitated” waters of Truth in that citation S27 (above). Compare (bring pictures) the waters of a rushing mountain stream with the still, swampy waters that don’t have any flow in and out, that are shallow and mucky, that we find in a marsh.
Find pictures that show a clearer stream rather than one filled with silt for the sake of this comparison.
Talk about how we cannot “go anywhere” in a marsh. The waters are generally too shallow for a boat, there is no outlet big enough, too many weeds, etc. (Don’t get me wrong, marshes are amazing, ecologically important habitats among other things, this is just for an analogy!)
If the marsh represents material comfort, “easy” friendships, shallow contentment, we can see that these things can trap us into a life that does not yield true reward and joy.
While the challenges of navigating the rough and tumble waters of that rushing river or stream might tip our boat once in a while, we will cover a lot of potentially healing territory, we can bless more people, see more of the world, and get a lot stronger, spiritually, in the process.
PYCL #5: JESUS AND CHRIST–WHY DO WE CARE ABOUT WHAT JESUS DID 2,200 YEARS AGO?
Ask about the difference between Jesus and Christ.
Why do we call him Christ Jesus, or Jesus Christ?
Even though Jesus isn’t here today, does his example still live for us?
If not, why not?
Consider reading the Sermon on the Mount together over the next few weeks. Do it in a modern translation to emphasize its current nature.
Is there anything in there that isn’t applicable today?
You may want to point out that every major religion or belief system embodies this Sermon more or less completely, even if in different words. Why is that?
Doesn’t this point to the universal nature of these ideas?
