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Join and share in the full fellowship of the Christ!
Application ideas for the lesson on “Christ Jesus” for August 21 – August 27, 2006
by Janet Hegarty, C.S. of St. Louis, MO

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.

Golden Text
Rejoice you’ve been called by God to be a companion with Christ Jesus!  J. B. Phillips’, translation of the Golden Text is, “God is utterly dependable, and it is he who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ, our Lord” (The New Testament in Modern English).  Are you answering the call?  Don’t forget to RSVP – “… bow before Christ, Truth, to receive more of his reappearing and silently to commune with the divine Principle, Love” (Science and Health 35:12).
 
Responsive Reading
Another great invitation! Come into the light — join with the followers of Christ Jesus, stand with them in the presence of God and His beloved Son.  “Ever since Plato, Greek philosophers used the imagery of light to describe the goodness and truth of ultimate reality” (Interpreter’s One-volume Commentary).   In God’s presence there is no darkness.  Do you want to stay in the light?  Love of our fellow man is the door that is always open to the light.  Stay in the light, let the Christ, love, shine in all your words and actions.  Then you’ll always enjoy the presence of God and His Christ.
 
Section 1:  Spiritual seers – Alert prophets foresee the good to come.  The prophet Isaiah was called to be a prophet in 740 B.C. and continued his work for 40 years until 701 B.C. (Dummelow).  His prophesy announces Jesus’ birth that was still many, many years in the future.  A true spiritual seer is able to discern the allness of God’s government at all times.  Even a humble shepherd, if spiritually alert and watchful, becomes a prophet.  Imagine night after night looking up to the sky while you watch over the sheep.  One night you notice a new star faint in the distance.  Each night the star grows brighter until it comes to rest in all its glory right over the pasture where you are.  Then God’s angel messengers reveal the Christ to your consciousness (S 2).  Look — be alert – are you “prepared to receive Christ, Truth?” (S 3)  To be prepared start with our “utterly dependable” God clear in thought and then look for something different than common matter based concepts  (S 1).  Focus your gaze on “the spiritual idea” and you, too, will be able to foretell the good that God is unfolding.
 
Section 2:  Christ Jesus the mediator.  Even as a child, Jesus showed us the nature of the true man, filled with wisdom and grace. (B5) When Jesus was twelve, he knew that his right place was to be in the temple with the religious scholars considering the things of God. He understood his purpose – to “be about (his) Father’s business,” to devote his thought to the demonstration of spiritual reality.  Later, when John baptized him, his life of l ove received the approval of his heavenly Father, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (B 6). “Wearing in part a human form (that is, as it seemed to mortal view), being conceived by a human mother, Jesus was the mediator between Spirit and the flesh, between Truth and error”(S 7). Jesus’ daily life shows mankind “what God is and what He does for man”(Science and Health 26:16). Jesus shows us the reality of Spirit and the unreality of matter. In two citations in this section Mrs. Eddy uses the word “humanity” in connection with Jesus. In The Students Reference Dictionary the definition of “humanity” includes this: “The kind feelings, dispositions, and sympathies of man, by which he is distinguished from the lower orders of animals; kindness, benevolence, especially, a disposition to relieve persons in distress, and to treat with tenderness those who are helpless and defenseless.” What a beautiful description of the Christ, Spirit — Love in action. 
 
Section 3:  Be reconciled to God by the Christ, embrace the spirit of Love in your daily life and prosper. In the verses from the book of John, Jesus explains his close relationship with God and our close relationship with him. J. B. Phillips translates part of the passage this way, “I am the vine itself, you are the branches. It is the man who shares my life and whose life I share who proves fruitful. For apart from me you can do nothing at all.”(The New Testament in Modern English) Jesus goes on to say that if we are “fruitful” we glorify God. Then he tells us how to be fruitful — “love one another”(B9). Jesus’ life made the Christ, our eternal, perfect, connection with God, evident to man. His life is the standard of Christianity. “Christianity is the basis of true healing. Whatever holds human thought in line with unselfed love, receives directly the divine power” (S14). Living Christianity we are upheld by the “divine power,” we are reconciled to God, we are freed from the false belief of material law.(S12) Do you want to know how to live the Christian life? These keywords from Science and Health show us what is needed: patience, meekness, love, good deeds, longing to be better, watchfulness. This section (S15) ends with two questions to encourage our progress, “Am I living the life that approaches the supreme good? Am I demonstrating the healing power of Truth and Love?”   The next 3 sections of the lesson continue to explore Jesus’ Christianity and show us how to live a Christian life.
 
Section 4: Turn on the light and darkness is gone. Evil, disease, sin, and death vanish in the presence of the Christ. “Thy light is come”(S11) keep your lamp trimmed and your Christ light burning bright. How do you think of yourself – as “matter and Spirit” mixed together? Then you are mistaken (S17). When Jesus restored Bartimaeus’ sight he proved there is no matter — Mind, Spirit is all. In the account of Bartimaeus’ healing it says, “And he (Bartimaeus), casting away his garment, rose and came to Jesus”(B12). He cast away old things as he approached Jesus and he readily accepted the new concept – man made in the image of God. Let’s follow his example and cast away old, worn out, and useless beliefs, “the so-called laws of matter.”   We know the perfect goodness of God. We know that Jesus healed all kinds of diseases based on this same Principle – the perfect goodness of God. What was true for Bartimeaus is true for you. Accept your true spiritual individuality which includes goodness, soundness, and all that flows from divine Love.
 
Section 5: Love heals sin. The Pharisees that brought the adulterous woman to Jesus were trying to get him into trouble with the authorities. “Punishment of death for this offence was obsolescent and some think that they wished to make Jesus unpopular with the people by inducing him to advocate its revival. More probably they wished to embroil him with the Roman authorities, who would not allow a death-sentence to be executed without their permission”(Dummelow). Jesus not only discerned their plot but through divine wisdom he rebuked the Pharisees’ judgmental attitude and at the same time he freed the woman from sin. In discussing this passage The Interpreter’s One-Volume Commentary states, “It conforms to all we know of him (Jesus) as one who came to seek and to save the lost, not to condemn men but to offer them God’s forgiveness and acceptance.” Jesus healed through the Christ, Love. He looked beyond the evidence of the material senses to see the men and women of God’s creating, pure, sinless, and whole. God has given each of us this Christly vision overflowing with love and forgiveness. We have what we need to bring healing to our world.
 
Section 6: We are all one – united with one another and in harmony with all mankind. You are a full member of the fellowship of Christ.  (Editor’s note: As opposed to J. R. Tolkien’s Fellowship of the Ring, in the fellowship of Love, every creature is included and bound together by divine design. In the building analogy Paul shares with the Ephesians, he aptly puts it “fitly framed together” founded on “the chief corner stone” of Christ Jesus. (B 17)  Here are some of the many benefits that come with your membership package in this “structure of Truth and Love.” As defined in Science & Health 583:12, our CHURCH includes: resting on (and in) divine Principle, progressiveness, usefulness, upliftment, awakening, and spiritual growth complete with demonstrations and freedom from all error.) Other awesome membership benefits in this section include unity, peace, love, brotherhood, “a higher humanity,” “a universal family”, “like-mindedness”, a perfect Father and Mother, a room in the “household of God,” membership in an awesome healing church, plus “all spiritual blessings.” Be sure to daily use all of your membership privileges in the Church universal, our holy temple of divine Science, that embraces all, but without walls. Exercise your Christ-like spiritual vision, reflect healing Love today!
 
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. B1and 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, Director          director@cedarscamps.org
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Lebanon, MO65536
(417) 532-6699
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