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[May Christ Come Again… & again… into your thought & acts to Bless You & All!]
Metaphysical Application Ideas for the Christian Science Bible Lesson on

“Christ Jesus”
for the week of August 24, 2020

Prepared by David L. Price, CS
dlawrenceprice@gmail.com • 720.308.9500

Click here to hear David Price, CS, read “Let Christ Come Again… to Bless You & All”
(his metaphysical application ideas on this week’s Christian Science Bible Lesson on “Mind.”) Or paste into your browser https://www.cedarscamps.org/metaphysical/audio/play/audio-met-christ-jesus-by-david-price-cs-34-47-0/

In my healing practice, I have often come to associate the Christ, or Truth, (which really is where true salvation and healing happens), with the metaphor of “light.” For example, when I take a case, there is always a human/mortal picture, which starts with a firm declaration that the problem is solid and real. Now of course I can, and do, say both in my own thought and out-loud that the mortal or human circumstance is not really the true picture. But as I pray, it is Truth that dawns on me, just like how light pours in over darkness. In that instant Truth disperses the darkness and illumines what is true. Namely that the mortal picture we see with our five physical senses is not even a small part of the real spiritual story.

One practice case of mine showed vividly to me this light of Christ, Truth. The claim to be prayed about had to do with money being mismanaged or maybe even worse. When I heard this, it sure sounded like there was not much that could be done. What seemed to be the material picture of law was that once money is gone, it’s gone for good, and if you’re going to get some of it back, it’s going to take a good bit of time before that happens.

As I prayed, the Christ, Truth, illuminated my consciousness, with the firm declaration, “Spirit which is substance, cannot be mismanaged, squandered, or depleted. Spirit remains Spirit, so substance, which is part of Spirit, always and eternally remains intact.” That cleared things up for me instantly. The Christ reminded me of what is Truth, illumined the darkness. There was a healing that same evening, and on a Sunday when banks were supposed to be closed, nonetheless.

The active and present Christ, the “true idea of God” that Jesus the man represented, this Christ, is calling to you, inviting you to come with him on a healing and saving journey. Are you too busy? Maybe you think you don’t know enough? Maybe you feel you’re not worthy? Or maybe it just feels like you have a good thing going, so maybe later?

What if this journey is more about finding the shining light so you can find your way, well then it sure doesn’t seem that hard. Isn’t it easier to find something in your dark cabin, or in your room at night once you turn a flashlight on? Christ, Truth, in one sense is the flashlight that’s included on your journey with Christ.

In this lesson, I invite you to look for all of the examples of light and see how those examples might speak to you.

Finally, the idea of prophecy is a big one in this lesson. Specifically, the prophecy, or the foretelling, of the Messiah who would come and be a savior. That Messiah is Christ Jesus. In a sense this lesson gives a number of different perspectives on prophecy and its place in Christianity, and its place in our healing practice.

So, with that being said, let’s begin:

Golden Text:

In the Golden Text (and Bible citation 20) we find a retelling of sorts of the prophecy of the Messiah, which for the Jewish people was a foretelling of a future Jewish King from the Davidic ancestry of King David (think David and Goliath). Interestingly, this is about Christ Jesus, as told in the New Testament book of Revelation, written after Christ Jesus’ time on earth. I look at this passage as an example of the eternal nature of the Christ. In this passage we have presented a metaphor of a plant, both the root and the offspring of that plant. I like to think of it this way: the plant comes after the root, and the offspring comes after the parent. Christ here represents both root and offspring – so in this sense the Christ is not bounded by human birth or ancestry. The Christ is here and now and for all time.

Responsive Reading:

The Responsive Reading is another example of prophecy and how prophecy can be revealed. Here we have John the Baptist, reading from Old Testament Book Esaias, or Isaiah, and this particular passage is about the Messiah, and it’s part of verses 4, 5, 6. John himself is in the dark and wonders, is Jesus really the Messiah? So, he sends his disciples to Jesus to find out. Instead of answering the question directly, Jesus says, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor.” In other words, look at my deeds and then look at the prophecy. Christ Jesus’ action, the healing power he exhibited, illumines the answer to the question.

This illumination goes along with the last Responsive Reading passage from II Corinthians – the activity of the Christ is the example or the light shining is darkness –shining in your heart and mine –to better understand God and the Christ, especially as expressed by Jesus.

SECTION 1: How the light of Prophecy gives legitimacy to the Christ as Messiah

The prophecy of the Messiah, or Christ, includes these following things, which Jesus himself reads from the book of Esaias, the same book John the Baptist read from (in Bible citation 3):

1. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me”

2. He hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor”

3. “He hath sent me to heal the broken hearted,

4. To preach deliverance to the captives, and

5. recovering of sight to the blind,

6. To set at liberty them that are bruised

7. To preach the acceptable year of the Lord (which is God and which is right now in the moment)

Now look at this prophecy, a prophecy which Jesus delivered to his hometown audience in Nazareth, and ask yourself, didn’t all of these items happen in Christ Jesus’ healing ministry? Now think about it right now, isn’t this what is still going on today? That’s a rhetorical question, incidentally.

While this is not in this week’s Bible Lesson, Jesus’ hometown audience was less than comfortable with the implication that this son of a carpenter was calling himself the Messiah, so they tried to throw him off a mountaintop. He passed through them unharmed. I love to think of this as an example of how the Christ, no matter how many doubt or despise, could and still can pass through untouched.

In Bible citation 4, Jesus declares that he is “the light of the world.” Is the “I”, Jesus or the Christ? How do you distinguish the Christ from the man Jesus? Science & Health citation 2 on page 26 gives us this answer. The Christ, the Spirit of Truth, “animated” the man Jesus. I love this sense of being “animated,” or really being made alive, because it not only means that Jesus was made really alive by the Christ, it means that we too can be and are animated ourselves by feeling and then expressing Christ, Truth.

How might this look?

I was on a run last weekend early in the morning, and an older woman stopped her bicycle in the middle of the sidewalk to answer a video phone. To the left of me was a busy 4-lane street, and to the right of me bushes and trees. For a second, I felt the frustration and anger rise up in me. And then I felt this sense of calm. My spiritual progress could never be impeded by a material so called action. In fact, this woman’s spiritual progress could not be impeded either, it was eternally going on. I stopped running, waited for cars to pass, and then took a wide berth in the street to avoid her. While I did this, I felt this sense of God’s love, care and protection right there. I actually saw what it might look like had I actually rudely called her out on what I perceived to be selfish behavior, and I was grateful to be animated by the Christ, which is to say I was a witness to love regardless of the circumstance. In this sense, I was healed of any sense of frustration and anger, and I ran on with joy.

Finally, I really appreciated Mary Baker Eddy’s insight that “The Christ…has come to all prepared to receive Christ, Truth.” (Science & Health citation 1, p. 333:20-23) That includes you and me. I try to ask myself often, am I prepared right now?

SECTION 2: Arise into the light of discipleship to do the works that Jesus did

In the previous section Mary Baker Eddy writes in Science & Health citation 3, at the bottom of page 131 that Jesus’ activity, his mission, confirmed prophecy. In Jesus’ reply to John regarding whether or not he was the Messiah, he once again pointed to his works as proof.

The works are part and parcel to the Isaiah 60 prophecy in Bible citation 5 – “Arise and shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.” To me this means, “Jump up and follow!” The light, Truth, is here and with you right now.” What is this light that might make you arise and shine? Well, there must have been something shining pretty brightly in Christ Jesus, for the instant he called Peter and Andrew in Bible citation 6 from Matthew 4, verse 16, they immediately left their fishing nets and followed. When I think of this story, I think of the love, hope and peace Christ Jesus must have exhibited to cause brothers to simultaneously leave their jobs and just follow.

This same voice is calling each of us, and our job, is as Paul writes to the Philippians – in citation 7, chapter 3, verse 14 – is to “Press..” or move forward for “the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” This high calling is not just “Alright now I’m following, I’ve done my job.” Discipleship includes learning so you can do what Jesus did. As Mary Baker Eddy writes in Science & Health citation 4, page 38, “Jesus mapped out the path for others…” (for each of us as disciples).

So, what are some of the steps in following the Christ? Well, this section’s Science & Health citations, listed by page number, includes a number of those steps: (page 21 starts with the first three)
1) “striving to enter,”
2) turning away from what the material senses say should be true, &
3) looking toward the eternal “imperishable things” that God, Spirit is revealing for you; plus from page 325, 4) seeing and accepting the spiritual as the only origin of man.

What’s the reward? Well, here’s what Jesus said – “He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also.”

Our responsibility, then, as stated on page 37 of Science & Health, citation 8, is to “follow in some degree” the Master.

SECTION 3: The Light of instruction how to pray and heal

Section 3 instructs on both physical healing as well as preaching the Kingdom of Heaven here and now. Both of these are included as part of Christ Jesus’ mission.
As Luke states at the start of chapter 9 and this section, Jesus begins his ministry by giving his twelve disciples power to heal.

This reminds me of the “Reminiscence of LuLu Blackman” in We Knew Mary Baker Eddy, Volume I, Pg. 134-136. After her third day in class with Mary Baker Eddy, Mary Baker Eddy gave the assignment to her and the rest of the students to take a case and heal. Reluctantly Ms. Blackman agreed, inwardly certain because she was just a visitor to Boston that she wouldn’t have the opportunity to take a case. But as circumstances had it, she did receive a case the moment she walked into her boarding house. Her fear and frustration was that Mary Baker Eddy had only spoken of God, “God, God, God,” but for her Mary Baker Eddy had taken away her concept of God and replaced it with something new and different. She didn’t feel prepared, but she struggled and ultimately in that hour there was a healing.

As this ninth chapter of Gospel of Luke continues, Jesus sends his disciples out to heal and gives them God’s power to “preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick”. It was only later (at the start of Luke chapter 11, citation 9) that the disciples asked Jesus how to pray. In this same chapter Jesus taught them to pray, giving them the Lord's Prayer.

I appreciate how it seems like there is a lot to learn, but in one sense all you really need to know is God and the Christ. Even if you’re not sure how to pray, knowing God’s omnipresence and supremacy and the healing activity of Truth is enough.

In your healing practice, take to heart the last four citations in Science & Health—on pages xi, 1, 15 and 13—as practical advice to remind and strengthen your healing practice. (And whether you like it or not, smiling, you do have a healing practice.)

SECTION 4: The Power of the Light of Prophecy

This is a good place to pause for a brief discussion of the Kingdom of Heaven (or Kingdom of God), another theme that runs through this lesson. This Gospel of the Kingdom means different things to different Christian denominations, but the idea that the Kingdom is at hand, which is to say God’s Kingdom is present right here — and is so vitally important to our healing practice. One of my go-to quotes is “Let unselfishness, goodness, mercy, justice, health, holiness, love — the kingdom of heaven — reign within us, and sin, disease, and death will diminish until they finally disappear.” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, page 248:29)

I especially love this list of qualities and attributes as both a checklist for how I must daily live, as well for how I must witness the world and my place in it. These words give a sense that the Kingdom is not a place that you go as a reward, but an activity that reveals peace. Mary Baker Eddy encourages us by saying that bringing these qualities and attributes of God into our experience makes the key things that seem to separate us from peace – sin, sickness and death – ultimately disappear from our experience.

This theme of understanding and then encouraging others along the lines of actively engaging in Kingdom of Heaven thinking and doing actually brings with it not only salvation from sin, but also healing.

Ok, so back to the lesson. I found it interesting that this is the only section in which the word “light” is not mentioned directly, but is rather mentioned indirectly. Take a look for yourselves. Did you find it? When Christ Jesus walked with two of the disciples (of course they didn’t know it was him), the light of Christ, Truth, was so bright that the disciples, after realizing it was Jesus, said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way.”

Looking more deeply at this citation 15 from Luke in chapter 24, verses 13-32, what did Jesus talk about that made their hearts burn? Prophecy, right? All the things in the Scriptures about the Messiah or Christ. I think about that walk to Emmaus, and how Jesus really connected the dots between Old Testament Prophecy and how it directly related to him as the Messiah. (“…expounded unto them in all the scripture the things concerning himself.” These words sparked something within these disciples. Mary Baker Eddy uses a phrase in Science & Health on page 367 that seems appropriate – “aflame with divine Love.”

Finally, Christ Jesus’ promise was and is that he will always be present, not just for those disciples, but for each of us eternally. In citation 16 from Matthew 28, verse 20 he said, “lo I am with YOU alway, even unto the end of the world.”

This discussion about the Kingdom of Heaven, prophecy, and what the disciples learned is also your call to action. Let these ideas burn within your heart and then follow Mary Baker Eddy’s urging to “give them a cup of cold water…” On page 570 of Science & Health in citation 19 she says: “Millions of unprejudiced minds — simple seekers for Truth, weary wanderers, athirst in the desert — are waiting and watching for rest and drink. Give them a cup of cold water in Christ's name, and never fear the consequences.”

SECTION 5: God is Light, that makes you children of light. So, here’s what you're going to do in fellowship with one another.

The following translation of I Thessalonians chapter 5, verses 5, 11, 15, 18, 21, 23, and 28 is from the New International Version of the Bible. I thought it did a good job of clarifying in modern English what you should be doing in fellowship. It reads as follows:

11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.

18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt 21 but test them all; hold on to what is good

23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

This is this type of Christianity that helps turn people from the dark to the light. But the above quote isn’t something you have to do alone, for it is the Christ working through you “animating” you that moves you forward. Think about that annoying person in school, or the demanding fellow church member, or your friend who’s turned on you. Now it’s not so easy to “First Thessalonians” your way out of it. But Christ can do the job.

According to Science & Health citation 21 on page 332, lines 9 thru 15, here’s what the Christ is doing: “Christ is the true idea voicing good, the divine message from God to men speaking to the human consciousness. The Christ is incorporeal, spiritual, – yea, the divine image and likeness, dispelling the illusion of the senses; the Way, the Truth, and the Life, healing the sick and casting out evils, destroying sin, disease, and death.” Take this passage and memorize it, see all that it includes.

Finally, I urge you take the last two Science & Health citations in the section from pages 4 and 15 as tools for greasing the wheels of prayer in your healing practice:

  1. Keep the Master’s commandments
  2. Follow his example
  3. Be self-forgetful
  4. See your present purity
  5. Let your expression of Love shine forth in affection
  6. Don’t just talk a good game – play a good game
  7. Believing is not enough, you must understand

Engaging in this is the activity of prayer – and what does it do? – Through it you “gain the ear and right hand of omnipotence and they assuredly call down infinite blessings” – as promised at the end of page 15.

SECTION 6: You are the Light that reveals the Comforter.

The sixth section should be the conclusion, but instead of just wrapping up, it’s a huge fireworks display. Jesus says in citation 22 from John 14, verse 16 that he will send another Comforter that will stay with you forever. This is Jesus’ promise and, in effect, prophecy. Is Christian Science the promised Comforter? Well, it’s certainly not the brick and mortar church, not the rules and bylaws. Just like it wasn’t the human Jesus, his feet and garment, that was the Messiah; it was the healing and saving ministry based on God’s ever-presence that revealed the Christ, and more importantly the Christ power as real and present.

And for today, it is the Science behind the words and works of Christ Jesus that we read about in our living Pastor, the Bible and the Christian Science Textbook. Mary Baker Eddy writes in citation 25 at the end of page 55, “This Comforter I understand to be Divine Science.” But it’s a pretty meaningless Comforter if it is a passive Science with no practical application. It has to be useful, powerful, repeatable, reliable, universal for anyone to apply, right?

A sentence from the Sermon on the Mount gives you your marching orders to make this promise and prophecy of the Comforter not just known, but recognized by the revolutionary value it brings in saving the sinful and healing the sick. And here’s a hint, it takes both you and your commitment to do it. Here it is from citation 23, Matthew 5, verse 16: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

How did fulfillment of the Prophecy that John the Baptist was looking for— that angered the crowd in Jesus’ hometown — that burned in the disciples’ hearts? It was ultimately a Love so intense and so pure that you couldn’t help but recognize it in the forgiving and healing life of Christ Jesus. It was Christ Jesus’ oneness, transparency with God, that was the power. This same power is present, but it takes each of us to witness it in our own humble, prayerful work as disciples of the Master and as workers in our Movement that we call Christian Science.


PS. For Ken Cooper YouTube poetics click on “Follow me..”

PPS. ONLINE GEMs-in-progress from Cobbey Crisler and others will be sent later. They include an invitation for YOU — and for all who you love – to join us with your “whole heart and whole soul” each week to celebrate ever-present, divine Love and its healing power of prayer-at-a-distance)!” This breakthrough principle of the healing power of childlike thought that is receptive to remote prayer is on full display at CedarS weekly Online Hymn Sings. These 30-minute global gatherings could be thought of as “Prayer Sings,” since hymns are really healing prayers set to music.
Our upcoming Fall “Take CedarS Home” Zoom sessions for grade grouping of campers also continue each week to prove the healing power of childlike thought receptive to remote prayer. These Zoom session gifts to children and their families could be thought of as prayers every day to put love into action through practicing CedarS Five Fundamental concepts. [Great fruitage from summer Zoom sessions is available.]


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    410 Sovereign Court #8, Ballwin, MO 63011
  • or call CedarS support team at 314-378-2574 (Warren) or 636-394-6162 (Gay & office team) to share your support
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    With ever-growing gratitude and full-strength love to each of you,
    Warren, Holly, Gay, Kim, Jennifer, and CedarS Team

FYI on how our Summer and Fall 2020 tuition has been dramatically reduced:
As we prayed with the motives of loving our neighbor, being law-abiding, acting with wisdom, and offering a camping experience that is consistent with our Christian Science foundation, we were led to cancel not only our June but also our July onsite camper programs and our August Family Camp. We were led to make several adjustments to our operations for onsite CIT training and staff development in support of new ONLINE program offerings. Here are decisions that protocol compliance, our facility capacities and divine guidance led us to make:

CedarS Camps (income-)adjusted Schedule for Summer and Fall 2020:

  • Session 1 (June 7-20): Cancelled
  • Session 2 (June 21- July 4): Cancelled for campers–replaced with 14-day Precamp for all staff "in a bubble"
  • Session 3 (July 5 – July 17): onsite camper programs Cancelled, but with CIT program and staff continuing in order to support two last weeks of ONLINE, grade-level programs and an international, virtual Musical Theater camp & production. (averaged over 120 online campers per week from preschool thru 12th, from coast to coast & from 8 different countries)
  • Session 4 (July 19 – July 31): onsite camper programs Cancelled, but with inspiration to take home & share from a summer-finale, Staff Retreat Week 4.1 and closing camp weeks of Sssions 4.1 & 5.
  • Family Camp, Session 5 (August 2-8): Cancelled because with protocols, not able to give an uncompromising "family feeling"
  • All ONSITE 2020 Fall Programs postponed until 2021 and beyond… This includes a Labor Day DiscoveryBound National Event, several local church and other retreats and a Maddie Maupin deep-dive Bible Study of Genesis (now scheduled for October 21-25, 2021)
  • LAST CALL! ENROLL CAMPERS IN A NEW "OFFERING PURE OF LOVE!"
    Fall ONLINE Session Dates for all age groups (1st-12th grade):

    August 25th – September 26th (5 weeks, 1st – 8th grades))
    September 29th – October 31st (5 weeks, 1st-12th grade)
    November 3rd – December 5th (5 weeks, 1st-12th grade)

  • Grade Groupings, Days, Times, and Costs:
    1st-2nd grades: Tuesday 5-6pm Central, $85
    3rd-5th grades: Thursday 5-6pm Central, $85
    6th-8th grades (CIP): Saturday 10:30-Noon Central, $125
    9th-12th grades (JL): Saturday 4-5:30pm Central, $125

  • Eligibility includes youth…
    Enrolled in a Christian Science Sunday School; or
    With some Christian Science background and a supportive family member; or
    Those new to Christian Science with a sincere desire to explore it further

  • FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE WITH TECHNOLOGY: We are committed to including young people who want to grow in Christian Science, regardless of finances. Divine Love knows no digital divide! Our program application includes a place for you to indicate if you need financial support to obtain hardware or an Internet connection. If you need Internet access, the September 29th and November 3rd sessions are more reasonable start dates. We have found that it can take several weeks to activate Internet, so please let us know of the need as soon as possible.

    FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR TUITION: US and Canada, please apply to The Campership Fund. They have funds available to support up to full tuition, as needed. International applicants, please apply directly to CedarS Camperships.

  • CLICK FOR FULL DETAILS, A VIDEO AND ENROLLMENT OPTIONS

With never-changed gratitude and full-strength love to each of you,
Warren, Holly, Gay, Kim, Jennifer, and CedarS Team


APOLOGIES FOR ANY EDITING NEEDED FROM CEDARS VOLUNTEER EDITORS, CONTRIBUTORS AND TRANSLATORS FOR THIS FREE SERVICE. Thanks for your forgiveness and your needed, ongoing support!

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