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Out with the old, in with the new!
Application ideas for the Christian Science Bible Lesson on “Christian Science” for
December 25 – 31, 2006
By Janet Hegarty, CS, St. Louis, Missouri
 
Editor’s Note: The following background information and application ideas for the Christian Science Bible Lesson for this week are offered primarily to help CedarS campers and staff (as well as friends) see and demonstrate the great value of daily study of the Christian Science Bible lessons year-round, not just at camp  NEW EACH WEDNESDAY: CHECK OUR WEBSITE- www.cedarscamps.org/metaphysical/- FOR A FREE FRENCH TRANSLATION of this weekly “met” offered by Pascal Bujard of Switzerland.
 
Golden Text
“…ye are my witnesses, saith the Lord…” — You have a God-given assignment – be a witness to God’s ever-active goodness. Testify to the true nature of man and Love’s ever-present healing action. Praise God — then all who look for him will find him. Hymn 170 tells us one of the fringe benefits of this work “…small must be the choice of days to him who fills them all with praise.”   Every day of 2007 will be a day of joy when each day is filled with praise. With our thought centered on the goodness of God, there is no room for old outmoded self-centered thoughts to enter in. Mrs. Eddy describes more benefits of this work on page 210 of The First Church of Christ, Scientist and Miscellany, “Beloved Christian Scientists, keep your minds so filled with Truth and Love, that sin, disease, and death cannot enter them.” 2007 is full of promise, “Behold, I will do a new thing (GT)” – let it also be full of praise!
 
Responsive Reading
God makes a promise – “the new covenant.” Christian Science demonstrates this new and permanent bond with God.  As explained in the New Westminster Dictionary of the Bible, “In contrast with the covenant at Sinai, there was to be a new covenant with the Israelites in which the law was to be written upon the human heart; this was of a more spiritual character than its predecessors…” With the law of God written in your heart, freely given to each of us by His grace, you have all the resources you need to be a faithful witness. Be mindful though, of “the covenant” that Mrs. Eddy mentions on page 255 of Science and Health, “Mortal man has made a covenant with his eyes to belittle Deity with human conceptions.” Use your spiritual discernment to sweep out the old human concepts – superstition, medical beliefs and matter based thinking – this will make room for God’s new covenant to bloom in your heart.
 
Section One
Live the message. Before CNN, before ABC, before the NY Times people had to get their news from messengers that traveled from place to place. Isaiah’s messenger is bringing good news of the goodness and power of God. He arrives in town and climbs to a high place so that everyone can hear his message. The people rejoice and sing for the joy of his message (B1). We are messengers, too.   It’s good to consider what kind of news we are bringing to our family, friends, and church.  If it is news of God’s goodness then everyone will be blessed. With the law of God written in our hearts we are good messengers bringing good news.  
 
Jesus is the ultimate messenger bringing the message of salvation to mankind (B2) – man is freed from sickness, sin, and death. He not only told about this message he proved the message through healing. His message and proof is the “good tidings of good (B1).”   He taught and proved that man cannot be separated from God. The science he taught explains and demonstrates the reality of spiritual being – Christian Science (S4). He brought this message to mankind so that all men could know and prove the Truth. Every demonstration of Christian Science, even if it seems a small thing, proves the whole truth of Jesus’ message to mankind.
 
Section Two
Out with the old, in with the new. The Pharisees and scribes criticized Jesus for spending time with publicans and others that they considered to be sinners.   The Pharisees looked at the surface of a man and judged and condemned him as unholy according to what they saw on the surface (B4). Jesus looked beneath the surface at the true spiritual nature of man. He did not condemn. Jesus’ powerful loving perception of the spiritual reality of man removed the tarnish from the surface and revealed the glory of God’s man, pure and whole. The Pharisees perspective left no room for redemption. The loving light of Jesus’ perspective cast out the mistaken view of manhood and made the true man evident.    Jesus’ parables of the cloth, and of the new wine in new bottles, indicates that he had no intention of putting new ideas into sinful men (B4). As Paul says in 2 Corinthians, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold all things are become new (S9).” 
 
Christian Science, the Christ truth which Jesus introduced and practiced, makes changes in the human consciousness. Don’t be afraid to be made entirely new, purified and strengthened by the Christ idea.    This is the joy of living and the only path that leads to the discovery of our true self hood. Expect to be made new and rejoice when you see the lives of others transformed by the Christ!
 
Section Three
Christian Science – The Comforter Jesus promised to send. Jesus made it clear that the healing power he practiced would not leave the earth when he did (B 5). He encouraged his disciples and all mankind to understand that all people can follow his example — “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also (B6).” He also promised to send “another Comforter.” The promised Comforter will come to “teach (us) all things (B6),” and to help mankind remember what Jesus has said and done. Mary Baker Eddy discovered this Comforter through her prayer and healing revelation in 1866. She thoroughly proved the healing effect of the Comforter through her extensive healing practice. Then she shared the Truth which the Comforter had brought to her understanding with the world through her book, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures — “…that he (the Comforter) may abide with you for ever (B6).”
 
 
Section Four
Christian Science is not a human invention, it’s a revelation. The magicians of Egypt tried to show that the signs of Moses and Aaron could be duplicated by their magic – a human invention. The works of Moses and Aaron were not human invention, they were the works of God, and so Aaron’s rod overcame the rods of the magicians (B10). If we seek our understanding of Truth from God and commit ourselves to searching for this understanding, God, Mind, will give us what we seek (B11), (S15). Christian Science is not an intellectual exercise; it is God revealing itself to its creation. There are many decoys – books and schools of mind healing (notice the lower case “m”) that consider the human mind to be the healer (S18). Christian Science “excludes the human mind as a spiritual factor in the healing work (S18).” God, divine Mind, is the healer. This is what makes Christian Science distinct and effective.     
 
Section Five
You can understand and demonstrate Christian Science (S20). It makes perfect sense – universal Truth must be able to be universally understood and demonstrated. A Sunday School student once explained how he had prayed for his sister who was not feeling well. He had recently had a Christian Science healing himself and he simply reasoned, “What is true for me has to be true for everyone, so my sister cannot be sick.” And she was quickly healed. This young boy didn’t consider himself to be a highly cultivated spiritual healer he just trusted the Truth that he had experienced in his own life. “No intellectual proficiency is requisite in the learner, but sound morals are most desirable (S21).” You have the resources you need — Live an honest life, seek an understanding of Christian Science through the regular study of the Bible and Science and Health, trust the Truth, take Christian Science Primary class instruction. You “…can demonstrate Christian Science (S 20).”  
 
Section Six
Throw that resume away and show us what you can do. If you claim to be a good basketball player people will know that this is true without a doubt when they see you play a game on the court. A Christian’s life of love and healing proves to all that the man is a Christian (B16). In his second letter to the Corinthians Paul has been put on the defensive by some event. Apparently an enemy has in some way tried to bring his integrity into question (Interpreters One-Volume Commentary on the Bible). As he begins to write chapter 3 of his letter he questions if people are expecting him to show letters of recommendation to prove his integrity. Answering his own question, he makes the point that his Christian life and the good Christian lives of his students give proof of his integrity. “Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men (B16).” Do you need to improve your game? Rely on God. Paul is well aware that his success and the success of the Corinthians is not personal and he reminds the listeners where the healing power and his Christian integrity comes from. J. B. Phillips translates verse 4 this way, “Not that we are in anyway confident of doing anything by our own resources-our ability comes from God.” 
 
During her lifetime many tried to call Mrs. Eddy’s integrity into question. As an example in Miscellaneous Writings (page 54) we find the question — “Has Mrs. Eddy lost her power to heal?” —   In her answer to the question Mrs. Eddy makes it clear that she has not lost her power to heal but like Paul she uses the lives of her students to confirm this answer. “Thousands in the field of metaphysical healing, whose lives are worthy testimonials, are her students, and they bear witness to this fact.” “Ye are my witnesses (GT).” Let your life give active proof of God’s goodness and the healing effect of Christian Science.
 
Camp Director’s Note:The above sharing is the latest in a long series of CedarS Bible Lesson “mets” (metaphysical application ideas) contributed weekly by a rotation of CedarS Resident Practitioners and occasionally by other metaphysicians. This document is intended to initiate further study as well as to encourage the application of ideas found in the Weekly Bible Lessons as printed in the Christian Science Quarterly and as available at Christian Science Reading Rooms. * Originally sent JUST 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 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 in the books. The thoughts presented are the inspiration of the moment and are offered to give a bit more dimension, background and daily applicability to some of the ideas and passages being studied. 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.)  Spirituality is your innate estate that connects you moment by moment with God.  (See S&H 258:30) Christ is the gift of light that Jesus gave.  This Christ light of spiritual understanding comes with and reveals infinite blessings. So, have fun unwrapping and cherishing your very special, spiritual gift(s)!  Then, wherever you are, share them with all as big blessings that make the Infinite difference!
 
Enjoy!
Warren Huff, Director    
director@cedarscamps.org

CedarS Camps Office (where you can now mail support or requests till the office moves back to camp in May)
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(636) 394-6162


The weekly Metaphysical Newsletter is provided at no charge to the 1,200 campers and staff blessed each summer at CedarS, as well as to CedarS alumni, families and friends who have requested it.  However, current and planned giving contributions are a big help and are greatly appreciated in defraying the costs of running this service and of providing needed camperships, programs and operations support.  Click http://www.cedarscamps.org/giving for more about how you can provide support online or to get information about how to confer privately about making a special gift to help perpetuate CedarS good work.
You can also just mail your tax-deductible support to:
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And, we’re thrilled to announce that, until January 1, 2007, a Matching Fund Grant will double your gifts (up to $25,000) for needed “Maintenance Musts!” ($10,000 to go as of 12-15-06)

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