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[Be God's Light to Glorify Soul!]
Christian Science Bible Lesson Application Ideas from Cedars Camps on “Soul and Body” for November 20, 2011 by
Dan Carnesciali, CS of St. Louis, MO 314.374.5616/dancarne@gmail.com)
[Bracketed italics by Warren Huff, CedarS Director and Met, PSST & PYCL Newsletters Editor]
 
[Editor's Note: The following application ideas for this week, and the Possible Sunday School Topics (PSST) that will 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 each week, or by each Wednesday you can get a FREE TRANSLATION in French thanks to Pascal, in German thanks to Helga and Manfred or in Spanish thanks to a team of Ana, Erick, Claudia and Patricio. YOU CAN SIGN UP at www.cedarscamps.org/newsletters]
 
 
This past week I heard my son play in his university's jazz band at the Missouri University of Science and Technology. There was so much creativity expressed by the performers. A freshmen bass guitar player stunned the audience with his mastery of his instrument. The whole group was “tight”, meaning they played the rhythm is very accurately together. The music that the group played was really challenging and they nailed it! There were several improvisational solos from individuals that expressed a lot of originality and fearlessness. How wonderful it is that they could put together such a good concert practicing together just once a week. The band director really cared for the students a lot and helped bring the best out of them. He joked around a lot with the students and they seemed to like that a lot. The performers had a great time and the audience did too, kind of feeding off each other. 
Everything I just described about the performance are expressions of Soul, God. Let's list the qualities that were expressed. Creativity, mastery, joy, accuracy, cohesiveness, musicality, improvisation, freshness, boldness, rhythm, originality, grace, perfection. Soul, God gives you your identity. More accurately, Soul is your identity. 
 
Golden Text:
This command from Paul's letter to the church in Corinth sets the theme of the lesson. To better understand it, let's read the verses surrounding the passage in the Lesson. “Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God?  You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price.  So you must honor God with your body.”  (New Living Translation, verses 19 and 20) Paul said, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship.” (Romans 12:1) God, who made you, is pleased with you. That's because God knows you as you really are, made in God's image and likeness as the Bible declares. Treat yourself that way. Appreciate God's child, you.
 
Responsive Reading:
The author of Psalms says to be joyful, to look up, and to praise God (good), to glorify God. As you praise God, lift up your concept of yourself, too. I received a quote from my daughter today that said, “I expect success. Not because I'm (personally) that good, but because God is that GREAT!” That expresses the spirit of being an expression of Soul. In John 17, Jesus lifted his eyes up to God and glorified God. This passage was Jesus' final prayer before the crucifixion, but notice that it makes little reference to his sacrifice. Jesus first prays for himself and then he prays for the protection and guidance of his disciples (which includes you). Approaching the crucifixion he expressed grace.  “When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the time has come.  Glorify your Son so he can give glory back to you.  I have told these men about you.  They were in the world, but then you gave them to me.  Actually, they were always yours, and you gave them to me; and they have kept your word.” (New International Version) Look up with grace, not down at your feet.
 
Section 1: Recognize the Real You
Soul is God's essence, God's identity. Soul is telling you who you are, what your identity is and what it is not. The 1st citation from the Bible may sound familiar. Jesus quoted that passage when he was asked what the greatest law of all was. I am so glad to have this citation in the lesson so we can have new insights. To the Hebrews this was a ground shaking statement that God wasn't just a bigger better god than the other gods, God is the only God. Some translations say that the Lord our God is one, not two. I like that because it tells us that God does not really have an opposite. This week, let's be aware that God's children are spiritual. Not all Christians believe this way. Many Christians believe that God's offspring are human beings with all sorts of problems. Christian Science looks to Genesis 1 and sees that God, Spirit, made man (both women and men) in God's image and likeness. To love God with all your heart and soul, see God's nature expressed in everyone. See it even if they are mean and hateful, or sick and weak.  “You must not have any other god but me.” (New Living Translation, B-2)  The definition of gods in Science and Health says that the serpents of error say, “Ye shall be as gods.” (S-1) We are the children of the Creator of the universe. Yet, sometimes we think “Look how great I am. I have things under control. God can wait. I'm doing fine on my own.” A friend of mine felt that way. She stopped caring about Christian Science. After an approximately 25-year break, she came storming back. I have rarely seen anyone so on-fire about Christian Science. (B-3) “Come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord.” We could rephrase that as, “Let us walk in the glory of God, in beautiful witness of everyone as the shining spirituality of God.” (B-4) Soul is what tells us that you are God's reflection, God's perfect, humble, innocent, brave, strong reflection. You are God's glory. Imagine that!
 
Section 2: Your Heritage is Freedom
What a wonderful thing it is to be freed of the false concept of heredity and to replace the concept of heredity with heritage. According to heredity, if your mom or dad, or grandmother or grandfather, are/were overweight or have/had poor eyesight you could have the same problem. In Science and Health we read that “Heredity is not a law.” Is this just wishful (or fearful) thinking? How grateful we are that there have been many healings through Christian Science of hereditary diseases that were medically diagnosed. The claim that hereditary disease is incurable is now baseless. Once something has been healed it can no longer be called incurable. You instead enjoy what the Bible calls a “goodly heritage.” (B-8) None of you are an exception to God's law of healing. To God, there are no exceptions.  None. In Christian Science, you (spiritual offspring of God) were never born. As such, you have no mortal relations. And that is why you are never subject to heredity. Science and Health says you (God's child) are coexistent and eternal with God. You are related to God. Freedom from hereditary disease is your present right. “Man is the expression of Soul.” (S-8)
 
Section 3: Put Sin in its Place
Sin is mistakes, hangups, weaknesses, etc. Sin needs to be uncovered and cleared away to make room for the real you. Mary Baker Eddy says, “The emphatic purpose of Christian Science is the healing of sin.” Emphatic is something you do with purpose and emotion. I have observed that folks do not like to talk about sin very much. Yet, Mary Baker Eddy talks about sin in Science and Health almost 500 times. If you don't drink, don't smoke, don't take drugs, or overeat maybe you feel that this sin thing is someone else's problem, not yours. Jesus advised us not to focus on others' sins, but on our own. He told us the story of the man that focused on pulling the speck of sawdust out of someone else's eye, while he ignored the log in his own eye.  Maybe you wonder if you will ever heal a trait, fault, or addiction you [seem to] have. If you admit incurability in one phase of your life you are allowing it in other areas. You certainly don't want that. Feeling that healing sin is hopeless is doubting God's power and infinite care. (S-13) Rather than thinking of hell as a destination you may go to after death, look at one of the definitions in Science and Health. “The evil beliefs which originate in mortals are hell.” (S-11) That shows that it is a state of mind. Let's admit and heal our arrogance, being critical, judgmental, angry, jealous, etc. Maybe this week you will finally start praying regularly about the sin you have been ignoring and see it fall away. Won't that be great? If there is a place or situation where you are succumb to some weakness, pray to God for God to make that place a holy place. Holy means that something is special or sacred to God, made for a special purpose to God. I have a friend who did this and now any time temptation comes to sin, he can't sin because that space is a holy place. (B-13)  This is one way to feel the moral freedom of Soul. (S-12) 
 
Section 4: Keep Your Eye Single
Blues is a type of music that is sad on purpose. Why do people like to sing and listen to the Blues? The Blues are raw. They are authentic. Lamenting psalms like Psalms 43 are kind of like the Blues. They're sad, but they serve a good purpose. They're honest. They ask good questions and they are easy to connect to. Psalms 43 asks, “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad?”   Have you ever felt that way? Then, comes encouragement to find the way out of that state of mind. “I will put my hope in God!  I will praise him again- my Savior and my God!” (New Living Translation, B-15) The next citation is an example of a “praise psalm”.  “I will love thee, O LORD, my strengthI called on the LORD, who is worthy of praise, You light a lamp for me.  The LORD, my God, lights up my darkness.” (New Living Translation, B-16) 
In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells us that if our eye is single then the whole body is full of light. The word translated as single means simple, whole, unconfused, uncomplicated.  “Your eye is a lamp that provides light for your body. When your eye is good, your whole body is filled with light. But when it is bad, your body is filled with darkness. Make sure that the light you think you have is not actually darkness. If you are filled with light, with no dark corners, then your whole life will be radiant, as though a floodlight were filling you with light.” (NLT, B-17) Spiritually, the idea of being focused, single-minded, is very important. Sometimes we feel really good — really inspired while we are praying, but later in the day we notice that we don't feel that way at all. We feel separated from our prayers and doubtful. It doesn't have to be that way. We can stay true to our prayers and not drift away from them. The Bible says, “A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:8) When we don't stay true to our prayers, then we are leaving the door open for evil, darkness. Darkness can also be symbolic of deception and sin. (B-17)  Speaking the word of Truth from the perspective of the word of Truth is demonstration. If you have learned the focus of an athlete or musician, it is like that. When you stay focused, you will feel more confident and experience healing.
 
Section 5: Ready to Walk? It's Time to Go Home
When Jesus Christ said that the paralyzed man's sins were forgiven, the scribes said that he was insulting God. That was a serious accusation. That could get a young rabbi into a lot of trouble.   However, Jesus was super solid in who he was. He knew what his identity was and what his calling was. Some people say that Jesus was able to forgive the man's sins and healed him because, “Duh! he was Jesus, the Son of God.” I understand why that answer works for them. However, Jesus told us that the kingdom of God is within us. That confidence that Jesus had – it is in you, too. And, he taught his disciples how to heal. So, it wasn't about being the Son of God. It was more than that. I was recently reminded that Christian Science is the laws of Truth and Love. It heals based on laws like the laws mathematics. Jesus asked the paralyzed man to be cheerful (happy, buoyant, joyful). He was not just asking him to do more than be happy. He was changing his view from material sense (physicality) to Soul (God). Cheerfulness is a quality of Soul. I think Jesus saw that the man was the child of God, innocent of disease, pure like God. I think that's why Jesus said that the man was forgiven. He saw the man's natural purity (because Jesus saw God's purity and his purity as a reflection of Soul). (Other qualities of Soul are peace, hope, grace, flexibility, creativity, agelessness, rhythm, calmness, stillness, balance, and humor.) Understanding the substance of Soul's idea, I think Jesus understood that the man had never lost his strength, dominion and activity. Your substance as a spiritual idea has never been lost. (S-18)   Are you like the man, waiting for healing? Are you like his friends who refused to see him as not healed? Are you like the Pharisees, denying healing because you don't respect the source of the healing? Or, are you the healing presence of God?  [Pressure always yields to presence!] When Jesus dissolved the man's fears and witnessed his original purity the man was healed. It was time to go home.
 
Section 6:  Go Up On the Mountain
In the Gospel of Mark, the disciples Peter and James accompany Jesus up a mountain, where he is transfigured before them. Transfigured means his appearance changed. According to the Gospel Jesus started to glow brightly. “And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow …” (Is this possible? Scientists using super-sensitive cameras have detected that we glow very, very, very faintly. http://tinyurl.com/4lnzkhd.) Jesus was seen talking with the prophets Elijah and Moses. Peter said, “Lord, it is good for us to be here.” In the past I thought that Peter was not understanding what was taking place. What if Peter was exactly correct in his statement? God's kingdom is not out there, but in here, within us. It is time we declared that we do understand what Jesus taught us. Let's be bolder. Let's declare that we have that understanding now. Spiritually, we are on that mountain with Jesus.  No one is left out.  Everyone is with us. 
 
Section 7: Christ is Risen
Growing up, Mary Baker Eddy memorized what is called the Westminster Catechism. It says: “Man's chief and highest end is to glorify God, and fully to enjoy him forever.” In the New Testament, glory signified a divine, heavenly light. It was evidence of periods of growing spiritual understanding. “Now the Son of Man is seen for who he is, and God seen for who he is in him. The moment God is seen in him, God's glory will be on display.  In glorifying him, he himself is glorified-glory all around!” (The Message, B-22)  “If there's no resurrection, there's no living Christ.  And face it-if there's no resurrection for Christ, everything we've told you is smoke and mirrors, and everything you've staked your life on is smoke and mirrors.  Not only that, but we would be guilty of telling a string of barefaced lies about God, all these affidavits we passed on to you verifying that God raised up Christ-sheer fabrications, if there's no resurrection.” (The Message, B-23)  In God's eyes, you are bright. You are a wonder.   In God's eyes you are beautiful, always beautiful, and never losing beauty. Below are the lyrics of In His Eyes by Mindy Jostyn and Jacob Brackman.
 

“In His eyes, you're a fire that never goes out

A light on the top of a hill
In His eyes you're a poet, a painter, a prophet
With a mission of love to fulfill
Outside there's a world so enchantingly strange
A maze of illusion and lies
But there's never a story that ever could change
The glory of you in His eyes
 
"In His eyes you're a radiant vision of beauty
A gemstone cut one of a kind
You're fine as a diamond, deep as a ruby
Rare as a jade in His mind
No need to believe all you may have been told
No need to live in disguise
You're brighter than silver, purer than gold
A pearl beyond price in His eyes
 
"You're an innocent child in the sight of His face
No cause for blame or fear or disgrace
He sees only goodness, His vision is true
And nothing can change the perfection of you in His eyes
 
"In His eyes, you're a fire that never goes out
A light on the top of a hill
You're a rose in the forest, a prelude from Bach
A triumph of heavenly skill
Outside there's a world that keeps breaking your heart
And tearing your dreams down to size
But guiding you homeward, piercing the dark
Is the lovelight that shines in His eyes
 
"Now and forever, that light never dies
You're dearly beloved in His eyes."

[NEW MATCHING FUND OPPORTUNITY FOR MAINTENANCE MUSTS!  A precious donor has recently re-pledged a matching grant of $25,000 if we can raise that amount by year-end for “Maintenance Musts” work on buildings and vehicles before next summer.  So, if you have been blessed by any of CedarS 3 weekly inspirational newsletters (our Mets or our PSSTs and PYCLs for Sunday School teachers), NOW would be a wonderful time to share your appreciation. Your 50th Anniversary gift–as generous as divine Love directs-will play a needed part in CedarS important, year-round work for Christian Science Sunday School students.]
[Sharing the applicable principles of Christianity in CedarS Bible Lands Park: Our new Fall-season outreach
(that is fostering a proper understanding of Christian Science) is giving tours of our new Bible Lands Park that clearly demonstrate to Bible-loving churches and youth groups of other denominations how Christian Scientists love and “take the inspired Word of the Bible as our sufficient guide to eternal Life.” (S&H 497:3)  As shown in video clips We are currently working in our Bible Lands Park to expand our ability to share applicable New Testament insights by building a trail with activity, learning stations that follow Paul's teachings and trips from Antioch to Ephesus, Corinth, Athens, Rome … We welcome all gifts to enable such inspiring “Home Improvements” to be made NOW before it gets too cold and snowy to work outside.]

 
[CedarS recurring needs are listed at http://www.cedarscamps.org/giving/unrestricted-gifts.htm Just click here to use a credit or debit card (Visa, Mastercard, American Express, or Discover card) or a virtual check to make monthly donations to CedarS (or to give one-time gifts) in support of spiritual growth.  International supporters can give to CedarS via PayPal using built-in currency exchange rates by filling in an amount under International Donors and clicking on the “Donate Online” button.  
 
[Lastly you can help by telling “un-camped” children and families about CedarS being a wise and happy place for them to glimpse and demonstrate more of their spiritual natures!  We'll gladly send anyone a DVD and info on CedarS financial aid forms; programs for all ages; session dates & rates; online enrollment; transportation… to help get them or anyone in your extended church family to camp!]
 
 [Camp Director's Note: This sharing is the latest in an ongoing, 11-year series of CedarS Bible Lesson “Mets” (Metaphysical application ideas) contributed weekly by a rotation of CedarS Resident Practitioners and occasionally by other metaphysicians.  (Ask and look for “Possible Sunday School Topics “and “Possible Younger Class Lessons” in subsequent emails.) These weekly offerings are 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 “and Sunday School ideas 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 and background as well as new angles (and angels) on the daily applicability of 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.B-1 and S-28) from this week's Bible Lesson in the “Met” (Metaphysical application ideas) are taken from the Bible (B-1 thru B-24) and the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health With Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy (S-1 thru S-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 the ideas helpful in your daily spiritual journey, in your deeper digging in the books and in closer bonding with your Comforter and Pastor.]
 
 Enjoy!    And, please contact us for more info about any and all things about CedarS!

[PSST: Be joyful and exceeding glad! You are God's body!]
Possible Sunday School Topics by Merrill Boudreaux
for the lesson: Soul and Body”     November 20, 2011
[bracketed italics by Warren Huff, CedarS Director & Editor of Mets, PSSTs & PYCLs]
 
P.S.S.T. Golden Text: 
What does it mean to glorify God in your body and in your spirit? This is a good question to probe with students. The discussion might go along this line: What does body mean in the Golden Text? Might it mean character qualities I express? Does it mean physical body or the quality of my thought? Does it mean putting off limitations and advancing from a standpoint? What does standpoint mean; on what am I standing, what do I understand?
 
P.S.S.T. Responsive Reading: 
How does one best glorify God? Is it to do to the utmost the work we are given to do? Ask the students to identify the work they are given to do; perhaps as a student, sibling, athlete, son or daughter, child of God. How does God glorify God's self in you? Be joyful and exceeding glad!
 
P.S.S.T. – Section 1:
What are the action words in the Bible portion of Section 1? Hear, thou shalt love, thou shalt have none other gods, ye are my witnesses, thou shalt shew forth my praise, come ye, walk, cease ye, be not deceived. How do these words or phrases relate to glorifying God or being glorified by God? What is the “El Dorado of Christianity” in citation S5? Define El Dorado. What great wealth or opportunity is offered one when adhering to this command?
 
P.S.S.T. – Section 2:
You are made for goodness, for goodness' sake. What is the difference between heritage and heredity? See S & H 178: 8 and 228: 7 and 228: 11. Read aloud the passages from Psalm 119 in citation B10. Answer these questions: Are you good?  Were you made good?  Were you made for goodness?
 
P.S.S.T. – Section 3:
If you hold fast to goodness as your heritage, what disappears in your experience? Look to the Bible in this section for answers: Darkness, fear, destruction, all evil, blame, sin, lusts, unrighteousness.
 
P.S.S.T. – Section 4:
Here in citation B15 is a wonderful prayer when it appears that one is depressed or feeling down about anything. This is an excellent verse to memorize.  Read aloud Hymn 64. This is another great prayer about choosing.
 
P.S.S.T. – Section 5:
Answer the question, what are body and soul? See S & H 477: 19-26. What cannot you do when you are clear that you were born for goodness, that is your heritage? What did Jesus do in citation B19? What did Jesus know, what was in his thought? (S19)
 
 
P.S.S.T. – Section 6:
Was Jesus a mortal or immortal? Are you a mortal or immortal? As immortal from what are you exempt? (S24) Complete the following using the S & H portion of this section:
 
          Life demonstrates __________________________________
          Soul is never without _______________________________
          Your individuality can never _________________________
          Man (you) can never _______________________________
          Science proves ____________________________________
 
What does intact mean? Intact doesn't even allow for a crevice or an opening.
 
P.S.S.T. – Section 7:
What body is it that you will present as a living sacrifice? Try the body of evidence that I express declaring that I am a spiritual being. To what do you look for aid? Try the Christ. What is the Christ? See S & H 583: 10. As you rise with, experience Christ in your life what do you see? (B 24) Your glory and the glory of every other creature is evident. (S28) This is serving or glorifying God in your body and in your soul. Hallelujah, indeed!!
 
[P.S. Glorify God that teens across the world are turning more to the Bible lesson for answers thanks to their time at CedarS. Click here to read a recent thank you letter from England.]

[PYCL:Light reveals your Soul “self” (Section 4) & happiness! (7)  Act out shepherding(3)]
CedarS PYCL–Possible Younger Class Lessons for:  
“Soul and Body”–The Christian Science Bible Lesson for November 20, 2011
by Kerry Jenkins, CS, House Springs, MO (314) 406-0041
[SO sorry for late posting by Warren, PYCL Editor who thought it sent Fri. before leaving town]
 
[PYCL – Golden Text: List ways that you can glorify God in your body and spirit.]
What does it mean to “…glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s?” Give them time to come up with ideas about what that could mean to them.  It is interesting to note that the quote includes the part “which are God's”.  That is emphasizing that there is only one you, and you don't have an identity separate from God or Soul.  That isn't restricting though is it, since this identity is definitely individual and also infinite!  Can each student come up with a list of ways that they can glorify God in their body and spirit?  If this heads into pat answers you will need to move on or see if you can come up with questions that help them to dig deeper.  Maybe you can insist that examples need to be ones that they feel they actually do first, then things they would like to see themselves doing more often, rather than just abstractions.
 
[PYCL -Section 1: What is the “…simplicity that is in Christ.”?]  
If you take this first section as a whole you can see that it affirms that there is simply one source for all good and love and wisdom and existence in our life, and that is God. (B6)  This source is “simple” in its absolute goodness and omnipotence, making God a God who is always providing good for His creation. We get complicated about this when we accept any serpent ideas that give us the idea that we are a separate creation, making decisions on our own that can be good or bad. Don't fall for the suggestion that seems so obvious, that God's creation has to contain bad with the good. Keep things simple and pure.
 
[PYCL -Section 3: Have kids act out being a good shepherd– guiding lost sheep nonstop!]
With the littlest look at citation B11 and talk about what a flock of sheep with no shepherd might look like.  Have they ever been in a busy place and lost sight of their mom or dad?  Did their parent look for them without stopping until they found them?  When sheep get spread out too far or separated from their flock it is the shepherd's job to help them get back together, to keep them safe.  A good shepherd would keep a careful eye on his/her sheep and ward away any predators that might try to take one away. We can trust our shepherd, God, to guide us so that we are not “lost sheep”. We have the One Shepherd (one God) and we have the example that Jesus set with his parables and healing work that teach us still today where to look for guidance and for a right view of our identity as obedient and good “sheep”.  Maybe we are stretching this analogy a little far for this lesson, but my seven-year-old had a wonderful teacher when he first started Sunday School; and they always kept a large stuffed sheep, an old cane (that could pass for a shepherd's crook) and a “shepherd's” hat, (a piece of bed sheet with a scarf around the head to tie it on.  I know I've shared this before, but it was one of the most memorable things that he did.  And he always wanted me to come into Sunday School early so he could show me how he could “herd” the sheep and what it's like to be a good shepherd.  Since we are dwelling some this week on what it means to yield to Soul in our daily lives, maybe a little shepherding is in order.  There is so much you can talk about and act out with little ones along these lines.
With the slightly older crowd a stuffed sheep will not be in order.  But it might be interesting to note that when we hear God's voice and act accordingly, we are glorifying God.  We don't need to be worried about forces outside ourselves that cause us to stray from God's flock.  The things we need to be alert to, are the suggestions that come to our own thought that do not [hear or] reflect the voice of the one Shepherd, God. B12 and S 10.
 
[PYCL -Section 4: Break out the flashlight(s) and blanket again!]
What is our real “body” and how can we fill it with “light”?  What constitutes spiritual light?  What does Jesus mean by the light of the body being the eye?  Mrs. Eddy of course answers this question in citation S14 but there is more to discover.  Talk about the comparison of light and understanding.  Why this connection?  Get out the flashlights again and the blanket over the table or right over the heads of the class.  Talk about how the light makes things visible, or understood.  You don't bump into things when it's light because you can see/understand what is in the room.  In like manner, Soul illuminates our consciousness, our thought with good when we are letting in Soul's light and shutting out the “darkness” of fear, distrust, unhappiness and so on.  When you can't see your friend's face in the dark, you wonder who they are or what they are up to.  But if you have a flashlight or daylight, you recognize your friend right away and can understand exactly what they are doing.  We have to look into the light of God/Soul to find the harmony and happiness that belong to us.  We can't fumble around in the dark and expect to not “run into things”.  Have fun with this analogy or any other you may choose about light and dark.
 
[PYCL -Section 5: Speaking of simplicity…] Jesus illustrates the beauty of Christ's simplicity in his healing of the palsied man.  (B19) He refuses to give in to the scribes complicated set of rules and regulations regarding what he should say, when he should heal etc. He knew that God made man whole, harmonious, a reflection of Soul. And he knew that Soul gave him and everyone the authority to claim their wholeness. How do we complicate things when we find ourselves not feeling well or struggling with some situation? What can we do to make things “simpler”?
 
[PYCL -Section 6: Wow!  Our immortal, radiant self hood is here now — in our midst.]
In section six we have Jesus meeting with Elijah and Moses.  Have fun reading this together and spending some time with the Science and Health citations following. It is so exciting when you start to realize that what she says in citation S23 is really true! Our immortality is here and in our midst.  It is certainly not in body; we are not confined to mortality until we “die” either.  Think about that.  How can we experience our true identity, our radiant self hood now?  A helpful article in thinking more carefully about immortality and the “complicated” suggestion of death, is Nate Talbot's article in the November Journal.  It's barely a page and really to the point. (This would be helpful for us as teachers, not to read to the kids).  It just gives us some really solid footing to approach this subject in light of the Bible story in this section.  
 
[PYCL -Section 7: Sacrifice false senses to find your Soul “self” that makes you happy!]
Section seven reaffirms the fact that as we sacrifice our false senses of what makes us happy and satisfied we can see our immortality right now.  We “rise” with Christ now and see our Soul “self”.  Do we have to wait until we are really “good” to see this?  How do we glimpse this Soul self on a daily basis?  Make a list of these qualities that show us our true selves.  You could do this for each other if the kids are comfortable with each other.   Have a great Sunday School!

 

 
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