Ancient and Modern Necromancy, alias Mesmerism and Hypnotism, Denounced
5-31-09 Sara Lincoln
What does it mean to ‘denounce’? ___ It’s a strong word! Did you ever speak out against something you thought was wrong? People ‘denounce’ war. People denounce a public policy that causes homelessness. Is it OK to denounce a person? ____ That is not very helpful. We denounce e_______, not person.
What does it mean to ‘accuse’? ___ Accusing does not lead to healing. If I see ‘person accusing person’ then I need to stop and look to God. God does not accuse; God heals. I do not accuse; I look to God for guidance. Our Golden Text from Revelation 12: 10 tells us about three wonderful things that come into view when we reflect God and ‘cast down’ (throw out) the accuser: “Now is come ________ and ________, and the _____ _____ _____ _____.”
Christian Science helps us understand that it is m______ m_____ that accuses and denounces and tries to confuse and control man through ‘necromancy, mesmerism, and hypnotism’ but not one of these beliefs and behaviors of mortal mind can successfully accuse God or God’s creation, man.
Is there anything scary going on in the world today? ___What you do about it must be the result of what you think about it. As you think about the claims - lies that would deny and destroy good, there may be a temptation to begin denouncing and accusing, but then you remember who you are, what man is…
’a compound idea of God, including all right ideas.’ SH 475: 14 From that position of dominion, you acknowledge “the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ.” Rev. 12: 10. When you do that, you are praying the powerful prayer Jesus gave us. No matter what ‘necromancy, mesmerism, and hypnotism’ tried to do, Jesus stayed in this Truth: “For _______ is the ___________ and the _______, and the _______, forever. For God is infinite, _______-_______.
All Life, Truth, Love, ________ all, and _____”.”SH 17
In the last book of the Bible, the book of __________, the Apostle John draws a picture with words. See Rev. 5. The one on the throne held a book that was ‘sealed with seven seals.’ But who can break the seals and open the book? The Lion and the Lamb can, Christ Jesus can. The Lion is the Christ. The Lamb is _________. Jesus was called ‘the Lamb of God’ and Science and Health explains how the Lamb of God refers to qualities of thought: i__________ and p___________ and s____________. SH 590: 9. These qualities of thought can open (can understand) two books that explain the nature of God and man.
One book is the B________. The other book is S_______ ___ _______.
The evil that tried to kill Jesus still tries to kill man. Christian Science explains that it is ‘material belief’ that tries to slay {kill} the ‘spiritual idea.’ SH 542: 1-8. ‘Mortal mind’ is the false belief that mind is in m________, and is both evil and good, SH 103: 19-21. But thanks to the Christly thinking of Jesus and the proof or Science of the Christ (Christian Science), we know that “Evil is a suppositional lie.” SH 103: 17. In other words, many people ‘suppose’ there is evil, but there is no proof of evil, no proof that God Good made evil.
In his vision, John saw four horses with riders. Rev. 6: 1-8
* The rider of the white horse appeared to be doing good but he was actually doing evil
* The rider of the red horse tried to take away peace and get people to kill one another
* The rider of the black horse had a pair of scales for weighing, but the scales were not balanced.
* The rider of the pale horse was Death.
All these riders were doing the work of the devil, mortal mind, but that is not the end of the story. John says “…the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” I John 3: 8
Christ Jesus was manifested and he destroyed “the works of the devil.” Who else do you know who is ‘the infinite manifestation of infinite Mind’ and able to denounce and destroy ‘the works of the devil’? _____ This is what Jesus promised: “Verily, verily, I say unto you, if a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.” John 8: 51
Our textbook says that all of us can (and must) overcome temptation, be faithful, and receive the crown of life. SH 267: 25.
At the end of John’s vision, he sees another mighty angel and “he had in his hand a little book open,” Rev. 10: 1, 2. A book that is open can be read and understood. What books do we open to read and understand? ……………
I think we can be very grateful to the Apostle John and to Mary Baker Eddy.
Their books show that God is not a mystery or a threat.
God
* Ends wars
* Corrects social, political, individual, and religious problems
* Removes the curse on man
* Dissolves belief in ancient and modern necromancy, alias mesmerism and hypnotism, for God has “created all things, and for {God’s} pleasure they are and were created.” Rev. 4: 11
* “and leaves nothing that can sin, suffer, be punished, or destroyed.” SH 340: 23
God is Principle, Mind, Soul, Spirit, Life, Truth, Love. These names of God are ‘unsealed,’ becoming better known.
I will be a faithful follower of this great God by praying with the Bible and Science and Health every day. You too? ______
Friday, May 29, 2009
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Soul and Body
Soul and Body 5-24-09 Sara Lincoln
Our Golden Text (Ex. 15: 2) mentions strength, song, salvation. What is the spiritual perspective on each of these words.
Is God the source of your physical strength? ____
Your spiritual strength is your desire and ability to ……………
One of these words (strength, song, salvation) is defined in our textbook, SH 593: 20. This word implies a progressing understanding of _______, _______, and _______ and a continuing destruction of _____, ______, and ________.
Soul is one of the synonyms for God. What are the other names that help us understand God better? …….
“Soul or Spirit means only one _____, and cannot be rendered in the plural.”
SH 466: 21. Put this fact into your own words:
Many people believe that every person, every body, has a soul. Do you believe this? ____
Our textbook says, “Spirit, Soul, is not confined in man and is never ____ __________.”
SH 467: 22-23. No one has a soul or mind of her own. Every one is the image and likeness of God, and expresses Soul and Mind.
The Psalmist in our other textbook, The Bible, says this in the Responsive Reading in the Christian Science Quarterly: “O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou are my Lord.” Ps. 16: 2. What other word would fit in the place of the word soul? ________
The word soul appears 432 times in the Bible. Mary Baker Eddy helps us read the Bible wisely by suggesting that we substitute soul with the word God or sense in order to find out what soul means in that verse. SH 482: 6-12. For example, in Psalm 23, what word or words would fit in the place of soul? _______________
The Psalmist also says, “The Lord satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.” Ps. 107: 8-9. What other word-words would fit in place of soul? ______
Job said this about God: “…he is in one mind, and who can turn him? And what his soul desireth, even that he doeth. For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me…” Job 23: 13-14
Because Christ Jesus knew that the qualities of Soul were always expressed in man,
what was he able to do for others? SH 210: 11-16
When you see the qualities of Soul instead of seeing disease and sin, you are also seeing the effect of divine _______ on human _______ and bodies. SH 210: 15-16.
When you see this, are you also seeing salvation now? _____
Some religions teach that salvation is something you may or may not receive when you die. Do you think this is true? ____ According to the definition on 593: 20-22, salvation is happening now, happening every time we seek to understand ______, ________, and _______ and destroy ______, _________, and ________.
Our Master, Christ Jesus, proved that there is no death. He went through an experience called ‘death’ but he knew he was a spiritual idea, the Son of God (not a matter man) so of course, death could not hold him. Science and Health explains that death is “the lie of ______ _______ _______” and “the ____________ of Life.” Is there an opposite of God, Life? ______ God does not make the opposite of Life, because God is intelligence. Would it be intelligent to make the opposite of intelligence? ______ SH584: 9-10.
What good things do you do that honor God, bless you, and bless others?..................
Which of these things do you reverse or destroy after you do them? __________
The Scientific Statement of Being, SH 468, explains that
Matter {death} is _______ ________ line 12
Matter {death} is the ________ _____ ____________. line 13
And most importantly, that “man is not __________; he is spiritual.” line 15
Right now you have a body. Every one you know has a body. The Apostle Paul helps you understand that your body is not material but is “the __________of the Holy Ghost.” Therefore your purpose and ability is to “__________ _______ in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” I Cor. 6: 19-20
Moses says you glorify God in your body and spirit when you know and say, “The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my ____________.” Ex. 15: 2
The Message puts it this way, “This is the kind of God I have and I’m telling the world!”
My body has strength and my soul sings a song.
Can Soul and body be an example of ‘Infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation’? _____ SH 468: 10-11
Am I willing to accept the abundance our Father-Mother God is constantly giving? This willingness is my soul.
Do I remember to thank God, Christ Jesus, and Christian Science for my dominion?
This remembering is my soul.
Our Golden Text (Ex. 15: 2) mentions strength, song, salvation. What is the spiritual perspective on each of these words.
Is God the source of your physical strength? ____
Your spiritual strength is your desire and ability to ……………
One of these words (strength, song, salvation) is defined in our textbook, SH 593: 20. This word implies a progressing understanding of _______, _______, and _______ and a continuing destruction of _____, ______, and ________.
Soul is one of the synonyms for God. What are the other names that help us understand God better? …….
“Soul or Spirit means only one _____, and cannot be rendered in the plural.”
SH 466: 21. Put this fact into your own words:
Many people believe that every person, every body, has a soul. Do you believe this? ____
Our textbook says, “Spirit, Soul, is not confined in man and is never ____ __________.”
SH 467: 22-23. No one has a soul or mind of her own. Every one is the image and likeness of God, and expresses Soul and Mind.
The Psalmist in our other textbook, The Bible, says this in the Responsive Reading in the Christian Science Quarterly: “O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, Thou are my Lord.” Ps. 16: 2. What other word would fit in the place of the word soul? ________
The word soul appears 432 times in the Bible. Mary Baker Eddy helps us read the Bible wisely by suggesting that we substitute soul with the word God or sense in order to find out what soul means in that verse. SH 482: 6-12. For example, in Psalm 23, what word or words would fit in the place of soul? _______________
The Psalmist also says, “The Lord satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.” Ps. 107: 8-9. What other word-words would fit in place of soul? ______
Job said this about God: “…he is in one mind, and who can turn him? And what his soul desireth, even that he doeth. For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me…” Job 23: 13-14
Because Christ Jesus knew that the qualities of Soul were always expressed in man,
what was he able to do for others? SH 210: 11-16
When you see the qualities of Soul instead of seeing disease and sin, you are also seeing the effect of divine _______ on human _______ and bodies. SH 210: 15-16.
When you see this, are you also seeing salvation now? _____
Some religions teach that salvation is something you may or may not receive when you die. Do you think this is true? ____ According to the definition on 593: 20-22, salvation is happening now, happening every time we seek to understand ______, ________, and _______ and destroy ______, _________, and ________.
Our Master, Christ Jesus, proved that there is no death. He went through an experience called ‘death’ but he knew he was a spiritual idea, the Son of God (not a matter man) so of course, death could not hold him. Science and Health explains that death is “the lie of ______ _______ _______” and “the ____________ of Life.” Is there an opposite of God, Life? ______ God does not make the opposite of Life, because God is intelligence. Would it be intelligent to make the opposite of intelligence? ______ SH584: 9-10.
What good things do you do that honor God, bless you, and bless others?..................
Which of these things do you reverse or destroy after you do them? __________
The Scientific Statement of Being, SH 468, explains that
Matter {death} is _______ ________ line 12
Matter {death} is the ________ _____ ____________. line 13
And most importantly, that “man is not __________; he is spiritual.” line 15
Right now you have a body. Every one you know has a body. The Apostle Paul helps you understand that your body is not material but is “the __________of the Holy Ghost.” Therefore your purpose and ability is to “__________ _______ in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” I Cor. 6: 19-20
Moses says you glorify God in your body and spirit when you know and say, “The Lord is my strength and song, and he is become my ____________.” Ex. 15: 2
The Message puts it this way, “This is the kind of God I have and I’m telling the world!”
My body has strength and my soul sings a song.
Can Soul and body be an example of ‘Infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation’? _____ SH 468: 10-11
Am I willing to accept the abundance our Father-Mother God is constantly giving? This willingness is my soul.
Do I remember to thank God, Christ Jesus, and Christian Science for my dominion?
This remembering is my soul.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Mortals and Immortals
Mortals and Immortals 5-17-09 Sara Lincoln
Another way of saying ‘I witnessed it’ is to say………….
‘To witness’ means to have personal or direct knowledge of something.
Were you ever asked to ‘be a witness,’ to tell what you know about something? _____
In a conversation about religion, someone might say, “I bear witness to Christ,” meaning, I am convinced that I have direct knowledge of Christ. If someone asked, “do you bear witness to Christ?” how would you answer? ………..
The word ‘witness’ is often used with ‘bear’: bear witness. To ‘bear’ means to suffer as well as to stand. Sometimes ‘to bear witness to Christian Science’ means to put up with others’ doubts or denials and yet to stand, to gladly tell your own experience with the power of Christian Science to make you a better and healthier person.
Jesus knew he was the Son of God and said so in public. Jesus was put on trial, accused of bearing false witness. He was not afraid of the trial. He knew that trials can only prove God’s control and care. Almost two thousand years later, Mary Baker Eddy repeated that unusual but divine idea: “Trials are proofs of God’s care.” SH 66: 10-11.
Tell us about a time that was like a trial for you, but also a time when you knew God was caring for you.
The Apostle Paul was also an essential witness. If he had not been a witness, these are the books in the Bible we wouldn’t have:….Imagine!
Enemies (mortal mind) tried to silence Paul, to kill him, but he escaped by ship.
Do you remember what happened to the ship?
Paul was an effective witness because he knew that God is the original and all-powerful witness. Let’s read what he said to the Christians in Rome. See Responsive Reading in the Quarterly: Rom. 8: 16-19
Because he had experienced it himself (witnessed it) he could give them a happy promise: ‘the creature’ (mortal man) shall be delivered from the bondage (prison) of sin, disease, and death, and delivered to the glorious liberty of ____ _____ ______ _____. Rom. 8: 21
We are saved by hope, he said, ‘and we know that all things _____ __________ _______ ____________ to them that love God and serve God with a purpose.’ Rom. 8: 28
I am happy to call myself a witness for Christ Jesus and Christian Science. Tell us if you know why the word Christ is underlined. Is it always easy and fun to be a witness for Christ Jesus, or is it sometimes a challenge? _____________________ Why?
Maybe there is ‘a witness protection program’ for us. When it is dangerous for a person to bear witness, the law provides ‘a witness protection program’ so that the witness cannot be harmed by angry criminals. What is our witness protection program? ____
Paul has a good idea about this too. He explains in a letter to the Christians in Corinth that ‘the mortal must put on immortality’ so that danger and death can be swallowed up ____ _________. I Cor. 15: 54, 57. To put on immortality is to protect yourself as a witness. God gives us the victory through our Lord _______ _______. I feel protected when I am being and seeing the Christ man (Christ idea) that Jesus shows us how to be.
Mary Baker Eddy explains what has to yield and disappear if we are going to claim our immortality and understand it. SH 295: 11: ________ _____________
Are sin, sickness, and death the facts about mortal man? ______
What are the facts about immortal man? SH 476: 17
In a 12 page section in Science and Health, 430 – 442, Mary Baker Eddy describes a trial. A person is accused of doing something that made him sick; he is considered guilty because he got sick after doing a good deed for his neighbor. The man was obeying Jesus’ command ‘to love his neighbor as himself.’ Can he be punished for obeying this command? _________
The trial takes place in the Court of Error. The Court of Error says yes, man can be punished for doing good. What witnesses are called to support the notion (the so-called law) that man can suffer for doing good? Let’s list some of these false witnesses:
430: 24 _______ ______ 432: 9-12____________ 433: 18_______ __________
After Mortal Man is condemned to death, a Friend to Mortal Man steps up and says,
‘the prisoner is not guilty!’ Who – what is that Friend? __________
“After much debate and opposition, permission is obtained for a trial in the Court of Spirit, where Christian Science is allowed to appear as counsel {defense lawyer} for the unfortunate prisoner.” SH 434: 8-11.
Christian Science calls the previous trial in the Court of Error ‘ ____________ illegal.’
434: 22-24
Christian Science requests that the prisoner be restored to liberty.
Christian Science condemns the false testimony of Personal Sense, one of the witnesses against Mortal Man. 440: 25-27. What is Personal Sense? ____________
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court lifted up a Bible and said, ‘according to this book of laws, there is a law against sin, but no law against man.’ False __________ is not a legitimate witness. Its plea is ‘unworthy of a hearing.’ 441: 10
Man cannot break a physical health law because there are no such laws under the Government of God. A jury of Spiritual Senses agreed and declared, ‘Not guilty.’
“The prisoner rose up regenerated, __________, __________.” 442: 5-8
I am glad that Christ Jesus and Mary Baker Eddy practiced Divine Law, not human law.
Because they were strong witnesses for God – Good – Man, we do not have to agree with suffering or sinning, or dying. These beliefs ‘will have no power over man when _______ _________ is universally understood, for man is _____________ and lives by _________ ____________.’ SH 76: 18.
Another way of saying ‘I witnessed it’ is to say………….
‘To witness’ means to have personal or direct knowledge of something.
Were you ever asked to ‘be a witness,’ to tell what you know about something? _____
In a conversation about religion, someone might say, “I bear witness to Christ,” meaning, I am convinced that I have direct knowledge of Christ. If someone asked, “do you bear witness to Christ?” how would you answer? ………..
The word ‘witness’ is often used with ‘bear’: bear witness. To ‘bear’ means to suffer as well as to stand. Sometimes ‘to bear witness to Christian Science’ means to put up with others’ doubts or denials and yet to stand, to gladly tell your own experience with the power of Christian Science to make you a better and healthier person.
Jesus knew he was the Son of God and said so in public. Jesus was put on trial, accused of bearing false witness. He was not afraid of the trial. He knew that trials can only prove God’s control and care. Almost two thousand years later, Mary Baker Eddy repeated that unusual but divine idea: “Trials are proofs of God’s care.” SH 66: 10-11.
Tell us about a time that was like a trial for you, but also a time when you knew God was caring for you.
The Apostle Paul was also an essential witness. If he had not been a witness, these are the books in the Bible we wouldn’t have:….Imagine!
Enemies (mortal mind) tried to silence Paul, to kill him, but he escaped by ship.
Do you remember what happened to the ship?
Paul was an effective witness because he knew that God is the original and all-powerful witness. Let’s read what he said to the Christians in Rome. See Responsive Reading in the Quarterly: Rom. 8: 16-19
Because he had experienced it himself (witnessed it) he could give them a happy promise: ‘the creature’ (mortal man) shall be delivered from the bondage (prison) of sin, disease, and death, and delivered to the glorious liberty of ____ _____ ______ _____. Rom. 8: 21
We are saved by hope, he said, ‘and we know that all things _____ __________ _______ ____________ to them that love God and serve God with a purpose.’ Rom. 8: 28
I am happy to call myself a witness for Christ Jesus and Christian Science. Tell us if you know why the word Christ is underlined. Is it always easy and fun to be a witness for Christ Jesus, or is it sometimes a challenge? _____________________ Why?
Maybe there is ‘a witness protection program’ for us. When it is dangerous for a person to bear witness, the law provides ‘a witness protection program’ so that the witness cannot be harmed by angry criminals. What is our witness protection program? ____
Paul has a good idea about this too. He explains in a letter to the Christians in Corinth that ‘the mortal must put on immortality’ so that danger and death can be swallowed up ____ _________. I Cor. 15: 54, 57. To put on immortality is to protect yourself as a witness. God gives us the victory through our Lord _______ _______. I feel protected when I am being and seeing the Christ man (Christ idea) that Jesus shows us how to be.
Mary Baker Eddy explains what has to yield and disappear if we are going to claim our immortality and understand it. SH 295: 11: ________ _____________
Are sin, sickness, and death the facts about mortal man? ______
What are the facts about immortal man? SH 476: 17
In a 12 page section in Science and Health, 430 – 442, Mary Baker Eddy describes a trial. A person is accused of doing something that made him sick; he is considered guilty because he got sick after doing a good deed for his neighbor. The man was obeying Jesus’ command ‘to love his neighbor as himself.’ Can he be punished for obeying this command? _________
The trial takes place in the Court of Error. The Court of Error says yes, man can be punished for doing good. What witnesses are called to support the notion (the so-called law) that man can suffer for doing good? Let’s list some of these false witnesses:
430: 24 _______ ______ 432: 9-12____________ 433: 18_______ __________
After Mortal Man is condemned to death, a Friend to Mortal Man steps up and says,
‘the prisoner is not guilty!’ Who – what is that Friend? __________
“After much debate and opposition, permission is obtained for a trial in the Court of Spirit, where Christian Science is allowed to appear as counsel {defense lawyer} for the unfortunate prisoner.” SH 434: 8-11.
Christian Science calls the previous trial in the Court of Error ‘ ____________ illegal.’
434: 22-24
Christian Science requests that the prisoner be restored to liberty.
Christian Science condemns the false testimony of Personal Sense, one of the witnesses against Mortal Man. 440: 25-27. What is Personal Sense? ____________
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court lifted up a Bible and said, ‘according to this book of laws, there is a law against sin, but no law against man.’ False __________ is not a legitimate witness. Its plea is ‘unworthy of a hearing.’ 441: 10
Man cannot break a physical health law because there are no such laws under the Government of God. A jury of Spiritual Senses agreed and declared, ‘Not guilty.’
“The prisoner rose up regenerated, __________, __________.” 442: 5-8
I am glad that Christ Jesus and Mary Baker Eddy practiced Divine Law, not human law.
Because they were strong witnesses for God – Good – Man, we do not have to agree with suffering or sinning, or dying. These beliefs ‘will have no power over man when _______ _________ is universally understood, for man is _____________ and lives by _________ ____________.’ SH 76: 18.
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Adam and Fallen Man
Adam and Fallen Man 5-10-09 Sara Lincoln
Preparation for Sunday School: What word is repeated in nearly every verse of the responsive reading in our Quarterly? _____ Write down 3 acts and 3 thoughts that you call ‘sins.’ Explain ‘sin’ in your own words: Sin is ………….
What does Moses say about sin in Exodus 20?
What does Christ Jesus say about sin in the Beatitudes, Matt. 5?
Let’s look again at the sheet summarizing The Commandments and Beatitudes, as translated in the CEV (Contemporary English Version) Bible.
The Lord’s Prayer and its spiritual interpretation conclude the chapter on Prayer in Science and Health. What strong statement of Truth expresses man’s dominion over sin?
Did Adam and Eve have dominion over sin? ______
We know that God did not create sin because the last verse in the Story of Creation, Gen. 1, says, “And God saw everything that he had made, and behold ___ _____ ______ _____.”
Creator-Truth-Good gives every man, including you and me, the understanding that creation is true and good. What name is given to the lesser god which insists that creation is material and sinful? ______ ______. Gen. 2: 6-7
“And the Lord God formed man of the ______ _____ _____ _______.”
There seems to be a history of the God-Good-Idea-Man, and also a history of a man made of mud with a life separate from God. What happens if we try to believe both histories? SH 521: 29-2
The Psalmist gives us great guidance: Ps. 37: 37:
‘Mark’ means ___________
‘Behold’ means ___________
Creator God gives man every thing he needs, including trees that produce good fruit. The god of someone’s imagination plants a poisonous “tree of the knowledge of good and ______. Gen. 2: 16-17. How will you deal with this poisonous tree? ___________
“The forbidden fruit of knowledge, against which wisdom warns man, is the testimony of error” …and evil. SH 481: 12-15
In Jesus’ day, many people believed in this poisonous ‘tree of the knowledge of good and evil.’ Jesus warned them that every tree not bringing forth good fruit is cut down and burned up. He knew, as we know, that error destroys itself but never can destroy truth or man. The ‘mortal mind tree’ still suggests and fears knowledge of evil, so let’s know/pray/rejoice that Divine Mind’s reflection, man, has the strength of dominion and does not ‘fall’ for a lie!
‘Tree’ and ‘fruit’ are important symbols in the Bible.
A Proverb says, “The fruit of {right thinking} is a tree of life. “ Proverbs 11: 30.
In Revelation, the Apostle John describes the “tree of life” which has fruit - leaves “for the healing of the nations.” Rev. 22: 2.
How do the symbols of tree and fruit apply to you and me? In what way are you a tree that bears fruit?
Christ Jesus was a tree that produced the good fruits of _________. Mark tells about a woman who had been sick for 12 years. She had tried the physicians’ tree of the knowledge of good and evil, health and disease, but there was no healing fruit, no healing leaf, and the woman got worse. Finally, she quit looking for a change in matter. She reached out to Christ Jesus, the tree of life. What happened?
Mark 5: 25-34
In the Garden of Eden, Eve and Adam could have chosen to eat only the fruit of the tree of life. Unfortunately, they believed there was also a ‘tree of the knowledge of good and evil.’ The serpent captured that belief and said to them, ‘you will be gods knowing all if you will just accept the knowledge of evil.’ Eve and Adam could have answered, ‘we don’t want to be gods. One God is enough.’ Why did they say, let’s have some of this fruit that will give us knowledge of evil? Gen. 3: 6.
Was it fact or illusion that confused Adam and Eve? _____
In this human experience, our Garden of Eden, the ‘illusion’ of sickness and sin still tries to tempt us, trick us. Thanks to Christ Jesus and the science (proof) of the Christly man, we know what to do when the illusion of sin or sickness tries to tempt us. SH 495: 14-24.
What do we do?
The Adam and Eve story is only a story that a mortal made up to try to explain why sickness and evil seem to be a reality. Christ Jesus proved this story to be a lie when he healed _______ and cast out _______.
The Adam and Eve story is still around. There are still people who believe it and accept evil into their lives. God’s story has a good beginning and no ending. What is God’s story? ………. Where is God’s story? ………..
How often do we need to look at God’s story again and get to know it better? ________
John says (John 5: 25) that even “the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live.” How about Adam and Eve? Can they hear the voice of the Son of God and live? ________
Preparation for Sunday School: What word is repeated in nearly every verse of the responsive reading in our Quarterly? _____ Write down 3 acts and 3 thoughts that you call ‘sins.’ Explain ‘sin’ in your own words: Sin is ………….
What does Moses say about sin in Exodus 20?
What does Christ Jesus say about sin in the Beatitudes, Matt. 5?
Let’s look again at the sheet summarizing The Commandments and Beatitudes, as translated in the CEV (Contemporary English Version) Bible.
The Lord’s Prayer and its spiritual interpretation conclude the chapter on Prayer in Science and Health. What strong statement of Truth expresses man’s dominion over sin?
Did Adam and Eve have dominion over sin? ______
We know that God did not create sin because the last verse in the Story of Creation, Gen. 1, says, “And God saw everything that he had made, and behold ___ _____ ______ _____.”
Creator-Truth-Good gives every man, including you and me, the understanding that creation is true and good. What name is given to the lesser god which insists that creation is material and sinful? ______ ______. Gen. 2: 6-7
“And the Lord God formed man of the ______ _____ _____ _______.”
There seems to be a history of the God-Good-Idea-Man, and also a history of a man made of mud with a life separate from God. What happens if we try to believe both histories? SH 521: 29-2
The Psalmist gives us great guidance: Ps. 37: 37:
‘Mark’ means ___________
‘Behold’ means ___________
Creator God gives man every thing he needs, including trees that produce good fruit. The god of someone’s imagination plants a poisonous “tree of the knowledge of good and ______. Gen. 2: 16-17. How will you deal with this poisonous tree? ___________
“The forbidden fruit of knowledge, against which wisdom warns man, is the testimony of error” …and evil. SH 481: 12-15
In Jesus’ day, many people believed in this poisonous ‘tree of the knowledge of good and evil.’ Jesus warned them that every tree not bringing forth good fruit is cut down and burned up. He knew, as we know, that error destroys itself but never can destroy truth or man. The ‘mortal mind tree’ still suggests and fears knowledge of evil, so let’s know/pray/rejoice that Divine Mind’s reflection, man, has the strength of dominion and does not ‘fall’ for a lie!
‘Tree’ and ‘fruit’ are important symbols in the Bible.
A Proverb says, “The fruit of {right thinking} is a tree of life. “ Proverbs 11: 30.
In Revelation, the Apostle John describes the “tree of life” which has fruit - leaves “for the healing of the nations.” Rev. 22: 2.
How do the symbols of tree and fruit apply to you and me? In what way are you a tree that bears fruit?
Christ Jesus was a tree that produced the good fruits of _________. Mark tells about a woman who had been sick for 12 years. She had tried the physicians’ tree of the knowledge of good and evil, health and disease, but there was no healing fruit, no healing leaf, and the woman got worse. Finally, she quit looking for a change in matter. She reached out to Christ Jesus, the tree of life. What happened?
Mark 5: 25-34
In the Garden of Eden, Eve and Adam could have chosen to eat only the fruit of the tree of life. Unfortunately, they believed there was also a ‘tree of the knowledge of good and evil.’ The serpent captured that belief and said to them, ‘you will be gods knowing all if you will just accept the knowledge of evil.’ Eve and Adam could have answered, ‘we don’t want to be gods. One God is enough.’ Why did they say, let’s have some of this fruit that will give us knowledge of evil? Gen. 3: 6.
Was it fact or illusion that confused Adam and Eve? _____
In this human experience, our Garden of Eden, the ‘illusion’ of sickness and sin still tries to tempt us, trick us. Thanks to Christ Jesus and the science (proof) of the Christly man, we know what to do when the illusion of sin or sickness tries to tempt us. SH 495: 14-24.
What do we do?
The Adam and Eve story is only a story that a mortal made up to try to explain why sickness and evil seem to be a reality. Christ Jesus proved this story to be a lie when he healed _______ and cast out _______.
The Adam and Eve story is still around. There are still people who believe it and accept evil into their lives. God’s story has a good beginning and no ending. What is God’s story? ………. Where is God’s story? ………..
How often do we need to look at God’s story again and get to know it better? ________
John says (John 5: 25) that even “the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live.” How about Adam and Eve? Can they hear the voice of the Son of God and live? ________
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