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Live the Master’s Open Secret: “Don’t Worry. BE Supremely Happy!”
Metaphysical Application Ideas for the Weekly Bible Lesson on the “Christ Jesus”
For the week of August 25 – 31, 2008
Prepared by Corde Hanzlik, C.S. of Austin, TX

Editor’s Note: The following application ideas for this week and Possible Sunday School Topics that follow are offered primarily to help CEDARS campers and staff (as well as friends) see and demonstrate the great value of daily study and application of the Christian Science Bible lessons year-round, not just at camp! You can sign up to have them emailed to you free — in English by Monday or Tuesday each week, or by each Wednesday you can get a FREE TRANSLATION in French from Pascal or in Spanish from Ana. (We no longer have a translator available for German.) JUST SIGN UP at www.cedarscamps.org/newsletters

Wow, this week’s Lesson on Christ Jesus is loaded with the supreme happiness and blessings of “being” attitudes!  We have two different Bible versions of the Beatitudes for contrast and enhancement. So much of the Lesson speaks for itself so beautifully that this will be a short “met.” For some wonderful ideas and definitions, go to mybiblelesson.com, to the Christian Science Sentinel of August 26, 2008 and to a podcast on each Beatitude at http://www.tmcyouth.com/blogs/sunday-school/beatitudes.

Section 1: A better catch than fish. How consecrated are we? The heavenly scenes are set for what is to come in Bible markers 1 & 2. The high anticipation of prophecy is not wasted. Jesus begins his ministry by selecting his crew. Little did those fellows know what they were getting into, but they trusted. Already in the first 2 beatitudes, Jesus was fulfilling the prophecy of B2.

In the Science and Health we read the key to being the perfect guide – be the example. (S&H 1&2) The world didn’t get it, but many did. What methodology do we need to put off materiality in S&H3? “Repentance, spiritual baptism, regeneration.” It may sound like a big demand, but we’ve got to get started! After all, it’s our own salvation.

Section 2: What a contrast of meekness – children vs. adults. No contest. When the people tried to bring the children to Jesus, it is ironic that Jesus had to rebuke the disciples. Suffer = allow in this case (B6) They didn’t understand the innocence and tenderness of the children as Jesus did. So then the adult came along and basically wanted what the children had. He spouted off all of the terrific ways that he had been a good guy. Rebuked quickly by Jesus in regard to human goodness, “There is none good but one, that is, God,” the fellow still tried to justify how good he was. He never got it. He didn’t want to let go of what was important to him – himself.

It was tough for the fellow to give up his stuff. Is it hard for us? S&H8 and S&H9 give us the total benefits for giving up everything. We get new values beyond measurement. Jesus showed us the way to live it. (S&H10, S&H11) As we too, keep the childlike thought in mind, we are able to move on and give up the false. (S&H12)

Section 3: Are we always taken care of? Well enough? Of course! If we have pure motives. God or mammon? (B8) Easy choice. We have our full answer, B9.

Jesus was/is our complete role model. (S&H13, S&H14, S&H15) What kind of a foundation do we want to have? (S&H15) We have such wonderful gifts when we claim our self-completeness in God.

Section 4: Who’s guilty? Who’s forgiven?
It is very cool the way the merciful and pure beatitudes fit with the adulterous woman story. Jesus wanted to show the mercy that his Father-Mother God would show in accord with the new “Jesus” law while getting all bystanders to “see” as well. Every individual on site needed mercy and to see God.

The reconciliation of man to God is critical for our work today. (S&H18, S&H19) We proclaim ourselves Christian Scientists, but do we always handle the condemning claims of old or new false theologies that proclaim that man is a sinner, is required to suffer, is guilty, or condemned. Divine Love changes all of that. Man is loved, always by His Father/Mother. We need to be honest and willing to give up the false garbage, so that our lives demonstrate our holiness. (S&H20, S&H21)

Section 5: Peace, Brothers! Sisters!
We all know that all is provided to us of God. There is no need to contend with each other for any praise, goods, authority. God is caring for us. How often the Genesis 2 serpent likes to get in and steal that peace! We must be alert as to our interactions with others in the spirit of cooperation and humility. (B12, B13, B14)

The Science and Health says it all for the family of man. Our great warning is in S&H 24. Once we see the traps, we’ll handle them.

Section 6: “Heal the sick; raise the dead; … freely give!” is CedarS 2008 theme!
Even if we seem to be persecuted, look what we are persecuted for – righteousness. (B15) What an honor! We’re in good company. No matter what, we are the light to glorify God. Our instructions are given in B16, as well as our qualifications. Wow, what love the Father shows us that he values and loves us much more than His precious sparrows. Jesus has fulfilled his mission. We accept it and move forward with it to be God’s perfect children.
Jesus established the Christ for all of us to understand and express. All of us have Jesus’ tools – the Mind of Christ. Jesus proved the power of the Christ. We can take up the cross with the assurance that he already fought the war. [Therefore, we are fighting a defeated foe!] Let’s go forward to the battle! We love that hymn, Christian Soldiers!

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This weekly Metaphysical Newsletter is provided at no charge to the 1,200 campers & staff blessed each summer at CEDARS, as well as to CEDARS alumni, families and friends who request it. However, current and planned gifts are needed to help cover the costs of running this service and of providing camperships, programs and operations support. Click http://www.cedarscamps.org/giving to read fruitage due to your help; to review current Operational needs; to see our Annual Appeal; and to find more about how you can give online or talk privately about how to make a special gift to help perpetuate CEDARS work.

WITH GREAT GRATITUDE WE CAN SAY THAT WE HAVE ACHIEVED OUR GOAL of raising $80,000 more for campership than was granted for 2007. Thanks to gifts from many supporters and to generous Board members we could assure the attendance of all the 2008 campers who wished to come! We are also extremely grateful to have received contributions sufficient to cover the 5 special Christian Science youth lectures given here this summer. Thanks to many dear friends!

MATCHING GIFT OPPORTUNITY! If contributions of $25,000 for “Maintenance Must” projects are received by the end of the year, we will receive a matching $25,000! This will cover replacing roofs over PAL House (for our CSP & CSN) and several cabins. It will also help us start to replace the original Girls Store Building in a new Girls Camp Center. (more to come)
Your always-welcome, tax-deductible support can be mailed to:
CEDARS Camps
19772 Sugar Drive
Lebanon, MO 65536

Camp Director’s Note: This sharing is the latest in an ongoing, seven-year series of CedarS Bible Lesson “mets” (metaphysical application ideas) contributed weekly by a rotation of CedarS Resident Practitioners and occasionally by other metaphysicians. (To keep the flow of the practitioner’s ideas intact and to allow for more selective printing the “Possible Sunday School Topics” and Homework options come on a following page or subsequent email.) This weekly email (and website posting) is intended to encourage further study and application of ideas in the lesson and to invigorate Sunday School participation by students and by the budding teachers on our staff. Originally sent JUST to my Sunday School students and to campers, staff and CedarS families who wanted to continue at home and in their home Sunday Schools the same type of focused Lesson study, application and inspiration they had felt at camp, CedarS lesson “mets” are in no way meant to be definitive or conclusive or in any way a substitute for daily study of the lesson. The thoughts presented are the inspiration of the moment and are offered to give a bit more dimension, background and new angles on daily applicability to some of the ideas and passages being studied. The weekly Bible Lessons are copyrighted by the Christian Science Publishing Society and are printed in the Christian Science Quarterly as available at Christian Science Reading Rooms or online at eBibleLesson.com or myBibleLesson.com. The citations referenced (i.e. B1 and S28) from this week’s Bible Lesson in the “met” (metaphysical application ideas) are taken from the King James Version of the Bible (B1-24) and the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health With Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy. (S1-30) The Bible and Science and Health are the ordained pastor of the Churches of Christ, Scientist. The Bible Lesson is the sermon read in Christian Science church services throughout the world. The Lesson-Sermon speaks individually through the Christ to everyone, providing unique insights and tailor-made applications for each one. We are glad you requested this metaphysical sharing and hope that you find some of these ideas helpful in your daily spiritual journey, in your deeper digging in the books and in closer bonding with your Comforter and Pastor.
Enjoy!
Warren Huff, Camp Director, director@cedarscamps.org (636) 394-6162

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Possible Sunday School Topics for the lesson on “Christ Jesus”
For the week of August 25-31, 2008
Offered by anonymous camp staffers who teach Sunday School at their branch churches

Possible Sunday School Topic (P.S.S.T.-Golden Text and Responsive Reading) – What is so important about Jesus? Why does what he taught 2000 years ago still resonate with us? What is significant about the Beatitudes? It’s good to listen to these familiar passages in a new way. The Contemporary English Version talks about how God blesses us. How is that different from “blessed are…” in the King James Version?

Possible Sunday School Topic (P.S.S.T. – Section 1) – What did it take for Peter and Andrew to leave everything and follow Jesus? Would you be able to do the same? Corde’s “met” for this section is called “a catch better than fish.” It includes being “free from pride … and from hurt inside.” (“The Beatitude Song” found only on a 1984 CedarS theme tape by Larry Groce) Have you ever reached “the end of your rope?” (Matt. 5:3, The Message) Did you find there the humble happiness of knowing “your need for God?” (Matt. 5:3, J.B. Phillips) For more from the podcasts on these and each Beatitude go to tmcyouth.com and search for Beatitudes.

Why does Jesus bless those who mourn? What makes them open and ready for blessing? What is important about the order in which Jesus shared the Beatitudes?

Possible Sunday School Topic (P.S.S.T. – Section 2) – Moses and Jesus are the only two characters the Bible describes as meek. How was their meekness anything but weakness? [See the tmcyouth podcast on this Beatitude.]

What makes a child more prepared for the kingdom of heaven than an adult? What more is required than simply following the commandments? Is this too demanding for us?

Possible Sunday School Topic (P.S.S.T. – Section 3) – What types of things do we regularly “desire intensely” or “hunger and thirst after?” How do we make sure that what we are craving is righteousness (“right thinking and acting,” or “right relationship with God?” (See myBibleLesson.com)

Let’s ask ourselves what cravings we need to give up in order to keep God in top-priority position. If this seems like a big challenge, pray for God’s help and get ideas and help from our SS classmates and teacher, or from a practitioner, relative or good friend.

Possible Sunday School Topic (P.S.S.T. – Section 4) – In what ways on a regular basis do you show mercy? (or “unconditional love,” or “motherly compassion” as described in the tmcyouth podcast on this Beatitude) How does the mercy that Jesus shows the woman (see B11, John 8:3-11) transcend the mercy that we tend to show one another?

How can we be pure (“unmixed”) in heart? Does purity protect us or cause us to miss out?

Possible Sunday School Topic (P.S.S.T. – Section 5) – How have you been a peacemaker at home? At school? In your place of work or play? In the winning painting to convey peace, be like the bird under the rock singing in the midst of a storm. (Listen to the tmcyouth podcast for more on this Beatitude.) Don’t be taken in by a storm of selfishness.

What is the solvent to, or dissolver of, selfishness? If Love is a universal solvent, can anything stand up against it? How can we avoid self in our thoughts (keep out “self-will, self-justification, self-love” (B24)? Why would we want to? What is the difference between self-love and divine Love?

Possible Sunday School Topic (P.S.S.T. – Section 6) – Why does Jesus end the Beatitudes with persecution? How can this help when others are making fun of you? Are you willing to boldly stand up for God and rejoice in the face of such persecution? How can you let your light shine brighter today?

Matthew 10:8 (B16) is the message on the cross and crown logo used by The Christian Science Publishing Society. What is so important about it? How do we “heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons?” What can we learn from Jesus’ example? What do we choose to follow?

 

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