Christian Science Society, Scarborough » healing

The light of Christ

Daniel — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 15:00:34 +0000

The Golden Text for this week’s lesson is Christ Jesus statement.. “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 New International Version.

The light of Christ is the theme of this week’s lesson. Notice how light, darkness and so on feature throughout this week’s lesson.

(Section 1) How does light feature in the story of Jesus nativity related in this section? What does light symbolize for you? Why is light such a good concept to express the Christ, Truth?

(Section 2) How do you think you’d have responded if Jesus had asked you to follow him and become a fisher of men?
How does Christian Science healing work?

(Section 3) Physical healing is important, but what is “the higher mission”of the Christ power? Why is this even more important that healing sickness?
(Section 4)This section contains Jesus healing of the man born blind John 9:1-7 . How do you think Jesus healed this man? What does it tell us about the nature of God and man?
(Section 5) In this section is the account of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead. What does this teach us about the nature of death?
(Section 6) Mary Baker Eddy said she “longed to see the consummation of [her] hope, namely, the student’s higher attainments in this line of light.” S&H 367:24 What ways are you finding to achieve more with Christian Science?

I do hope you can make it Sunday. Look forward to seeing you then.

Daniel

Where is your treasure?

Daniel — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 15:27:51 +0000

This week’s bible lesson is on “Substance” and the Golden Text is from Luke:

… Seek ye the kingdom of God;…for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

From The Bible : Luke 12:31 seek (to;), 34

Artwork: Julie Furbush TMCYouth.com

This theme is beautiful expanded and explained throughout the lesson. The “heart” represents our motives, thoughts, joys and desires. Notice how these ideas run though the lesson bringing home the fact again, and again, that true wealth flows from a pure and loving heart. The responsive reading is the story of Solomon asking for wisdom and knowledge – and being given everything else he could possibly need because he had a pure heart, and put serving God and His people before personal gain. Here are some questions for each section of the lesson, to further our discussion on Sunday:

(Section 1) This section brings out the idea that God made everything that is real and true – and it belongs to Him. God’s kingdom is full of His riches, but human eyes and ears don’t see or hear these riches.
- How do we come to know “the things that are freely given to us of God” I Cor 2:12 .?
- What is substance?
(Section 2) This section contains Jesus powerful guidance not to lay up treasures upon earth (where moth and rust doth corrupt) but in heaven. Matt 6:19-21
- What does this really mean?
- What makes this guidance so practical?
Early in the section Jeremiah tells us that the rich man shouldn’t “glory in his riches” Jer 9:23,24 .
- What other false trusts does Jeremiah identify?
- and what should we be doing instead?
(Section 3) This is the story of the twins Jacob and Esau.
- What did they have to learn about substance, greed, and where the affections should really be placed?
- What can we learn from Jacob’s example so we don’t repeat his mistakes, but reap similar blessings?
(Section 4) The story of Zacchaeus encounter with Jesus.
- Zacchaeus was a publican – what does that mean? (Hint : he didn’t run a pub!).
- How did his encounter with the Christ change his life?
- Did Zacchaeus end up richer or poorer after meeting Jesus?
(Section 5) I just love how this section starts – “God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” Phil 4:19 God .
- Peter and John knew this – what did it enable them to give the lame man at the temple Acts 3:1-8 ?
- How do we cultivate this kind of healing faith?
- What guidance can you find in this section on how to be better Christian healers?

See you Sunday!

Wednesday Readings on Healing

admin — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 12:56:50 +0000

Testimony Meeting 21st April 2010

Subject – Healing

Hymns: 81, 7, 346

Bible

Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies;

From The Bible : Ps 103:1-4

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the Lord, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, and marrow to thy bones.

From The Bible : Prov 3: 5-8

My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.

From The Bible : Prov 4:20-23

And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them.

From The Bible : Matt 4:23-24

When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. And when Jesus was entered into Capernaum, there came unto him a centurion, beseeching him, And saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy, grievously tormented. And Jesus saith unto him, I will come and heal him. The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

And Jesus said unto the centurion, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee. And his servant was healed in the selfsame hour.

From The Bible : Matt 8:1-10,13

While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live. And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples. And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour. And when Jesus came into the ruler’s house, and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise, He said unto them, Give place: for the maid is not dead, but sleepeth. And they laughed him to scorn. But when the people were put forth, he went in, and took her by the hand, and the maid arose. And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land. And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us. And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it. But they, when they were departed, spread abroad his fame in all that country. As they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil. And when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake: and the multitudes marvelled, saying, It was never so seen in Israel. But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils. And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion on them, because they fainted, and were scattered abroad, as sheep having no shepherd. Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

From The Bible : Matt 9:18-38

And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

From The Bible : Matt 10: 7-8

continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

From The Bible : 2Tim 3:14continue- 17

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

From The Bible : 3John 1: 2

From Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures

The Bible contains the recipe for all healing. “The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.” Sin and sickness are both healed by the same Principle.

From Science and Health
by Mary Baker Eddy : p406:1-4

Keep distinctly in thought that man is the offspring of God, not of man; that man is spiritual, not material; that Soul is Spirit, outside of matter, never in it, never giving the body life and sensation. It breaks the dream of disease to understand that sickness is formed by the human mind, not by matter nor by the divine Mind.

From Science and Health
by Mary Baker Eddy : p396:26-32

Suffer no claim of sin or of sickness to grow upon the thought. Dismiss it with an abiding conviction that it is illegitimate, because you know that God is no more the author of sickness than He is of sin. You have no law of His to support the necessity either of sin or sickness, but you have divine authority for denying that necessity and healing the sick.

From Science and Health
by Mary Baker Eddy : p390:20-26

If we would open their prison doors for the sick, we must first learn to bind up the broken-hearted. If we would heal by the Spirit, we must not hide the talent of spiritual healing under the napkin of its form, nor bury the morale of Christian Science in the grave-clothes of its letter.

From Science and Health
by Mary Baker Eddy : pi:1

Love for God and man is the true incentive in both healing and teaching. Love inspires, illumines, designates, and leads the way. Right motives give pinions to thought, and strength and freedom to speech and action. Love is priestess at the altar of Truth. Wait patiently for divine Love to move upon the waters of mortal mind, and form the perfect concept. Patience must “have her perfect work.”

From Science and Health
by Mary Baker Eddy : pi:1

Mortals obtain the harmony of health, only as they forsake discord, acknowledge the supremacy of divine Mind, and abandon their material beliefs. Eradicate the image of disease from the perturbed thought before it has taken tangible shape in conscious thought, alias the body, and you prevent the development of disease. This task becomes easy, if you understand that every disease is an error, and has no character nor type, except what mortal mind assigns to it. By lifting thought above error, or disease, and contending persistently for truth, you destroy error.

From Science and Health
by Mary Baker Eddy : p400:9-19

Some individuals assimilate truth more readily than others, but any student, who adheres to the divine rules of Christian Science and imbibes the spirit of Christ, can demonstrate Christian Science, cast out error, heal the sick, and add continually to his store of spiritual understanding, potency, enlightenment, and success.

From Science and Health
by Mary Baker Eddy : p462:1-8

To prevent disease or to cure it, the power of Truth, of divine Spirit, must break the dream of the material senses.

Mentally insist that harmony is the fact, and that sickness is a temporal dream. Realize the presence of health and the fact of harmonious being, until the body corresponds with the normal conditions of health and harmony.

From Science and Health
by Mary Baker Eddy : p412:16-18, 23-27

You command the situation if you understand that mortal existence is a state of self-deception and not the truth of being. Mortal mind is constantly producing on mortal body the results of false opinions; and it will continue to do so, until mortal error is deprived of its imaginary powers by Truth, which sweeps away the gossamer web of mortal illusion.

From Science and Health
by Mary Baker Eddy : p403:14-20

Resist evil — error of every sort — and it will flee from you.

From Science and Health
by Mary Baker Eddy : p406:19-20(to 1st.)

Stick to the truth of being in contradistinction to the error that life, substance, or intelligence can be in matter. Plead with an honest conviction of truth and a clear perception of the unchanging, unerring, and certain effect of divine Science. Then, if your fidelity is half equal to the truth of your plea, you will heal the sick.

From Science and Health
by Mary Baker Eddy : p418:5-11

The Cross and Crown Trademark

Daniel — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 22:09:27 +0000

The Cross and Crown Trademark which now appears in the banner at the top of our site is a Trademark of our Global church. You can about the Cross and Crown Trademark on The Mother Church Website. In part that site explains:

Background

The Cross and Crown is a registered trademark of the Christian Science Board of Directors and has long been used on Mary Baker Eddy’s writings and the Christian Science periodicals to indicate the authenticity of these products.

The Cross and Crown is also emblematic of the unity that branches and church members have with The Mother Church and with each other, and of the fact that such unity is a result of members’ and branches’ individual and collective commitment to practicing Jesus’ four imperative statements, which appear in the circular band around the Cross and Crown.

In order to represent this broader meaning of unity and commitment to healing, we’re pleased to announce that Christian Science branch churches and societies, Christian Science Reading Rooms, and Christian Science Organizations at colleges and universities may request to use the Cross and Crown.

It is hoped that, as the Cross and Crown trademark is more widely used in the ways described, it will be increasingly seen by others as an identifying and unifying emblem of our Church.

We are delighted that our church here in Scarborough has been granted a license to use the Cross and Crown Trademark. We are committed to doing all we can to obey Jesus’ commands from Matthew 10 verse 8 that encircle the cross and crown emblem:

Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons

We realize that striving to follow these commands demands a lot of us as Christians, and that we all have a huge amount to learn. We recognize that that we have to take up the cross, before we can win the crown.

Mary Baker Eddy – the discoverer of Christian Science and founder of our worldwide Church – wrote of herself:

To-day, though rejoicing in some progress, she still finds herself a willing disciple at the heavenly gate, waiting for the Mind of Christ.

(see Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy ix:16)

Like her, we are a church of willing disciples waiting and working for the Mind of Christ, and we’d love you to join us!

Let this Mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus

Daniel — Tue, 16 Feb 2010 10:36:41 +0000

Didn’t the time really fly in our discussion on Sunday? Let’s hope we can find some time to return to the discussion about “moral freedom” and how the Commandments and the Covenant with God fit into that.

This week’s Bible lesson in on Mind – another of Mary Baker Eddy’s seven synonyms for God. The Golden text is from Philippians (2:5).

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.

And the question of the week video on tmcyouth.com asks:

Question of the Week

if there is just one Mind (one God and intelligence of the universe), then how come there are so many disasters (like Haiti) and so on.

Do check out the video before Sunday and we’ll watch it again in class before discussing this topic.

There lots in the lesson to help us answer this question and to spark other discussions.

The first section reminds us “The time for thinkers has come”. How do God’s thoughts and mortals differ? The section ends with Mary Baker Eddy – the author of Science and Health – and founder of our church – describing herself as “a willing disciple at the heavenly gate, waiting for the Mind of Christ.” (S&H ix:16)

In section 2 – we see how Solomon serves God with “a perfect heart and with a willing mind”. We see how God opens the way, blesses and rewards, those with the right motives. Here there are perhaps some links back to last week’s question about “moral freedom”. There is also a big clue in this section to what it really means to have “that Mind which was also in Christ.”

The third section focuses on Christ Jesus himself. We read of his childhood as described in the Gospel of Luke – and how at the age of twelve he was found discussing religious and spiritual matters with the learned men of the church. It is perhaps no coincidence that 12 is the age one can unite with The Mother Church. In this section we are reminded that “we owe (Christ Jesus) endless homage.” Why?

The fourth section contains the bible story of the woman healed by touching Jesus garment. Jesus felt her spiritual touch – even while the multitude thronged him. The story illustrates how Christ Jesus read “mortal mind on a scientific basis”, and the passages in Science and Health explain this form of mental discernment or intuition and the essential role it continues to play in the healing the sick today.

The Fifth section features Jesus overcoming the power of death when he heals Jairus’ daughter (see Luke 8 40-55) and reminds us that while the same God-given healing power is available in every age – we need the “Mind .. which was also in Christ Jesus” if we are to “repeat the ancient demonstrations of prophets and apostles” (S&H 243:12)

The sixth and final section explains how having the Mind that was in Christ Jesus is the “foundation of fellowship” - how it is needed to establish the brotherhood of man. It’s a great section to work with in overcoming disputes in families, at work, in our churches and the world. The lesson ends with the sixth Tenet of Christian Science from Science and Health by Mary Baker Eddy:

6. And we solemnly promise to watch, and pray for that Mind to be in us which was also in Christ Jesus; to do unto others as we would have them do unto us; and to be merciful, just, and pure. (S&H 497:24)

BTW I have just posted all the Tenets of Christian Science on this site.

The FRUITS of the Spirit

Daniel — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:59:29 +0000

Each week our Youth Discussion groups are fueled by the week’s :

This week’s lesson subject is “Spirit” – and the sub-theme is Fruits of the Spirit. You can read “Cultivate the Fruits of the Spirit” in the Christian Science Sentinel . Below are just some ideas I am thinking about as I prepare for Sunday’s Bible Lesson Class for teenagers in our Sunday School.

The Golden text which sets the theme for the lesson is from the King James Bible: -

Ephesian 5: 9 – the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;

The verse preceding it in the Bible speaks of the light of Spirit (as opposed darkness )and The Good News Bible, translates this week’s golden text:

for it is the light that brings a rich harvest of every kind of goodness, righteousness, and truth.

When we study the Science of Christianity and live in this light of Spirit we can all expect our own “rich harvest of every kind of goodness, righteousness, and truth”. (Note it doesn’t say “wealth, fame, material possessions”. ) The Bible Lesson contains a lot of really helpful ideas about how to be more fruitful how to reap that “rich harvest”– how to be more productive and how to do more good works, including healing.

The last chapter in Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy is called Fruitage – and contains testimonies of healing sent in by people who had been healed through reading Science and Health and studying and applying Christian Science. The lesson this week and every week contains ideas about how to heal and be healed.

The first section of the lesson reminds us that Jesus taught in parables, and the responsive reading is the parable of the sower and the seed. This parable can help us to understand – and thus avoid – the kind of thinking and activities that stop the seed from being fruitful – and yielding a harvest of 30-fold, 60-fold or 100-fold. What do you think the different scenarios in the parable represent? How did Christ Jesus explain them? What lesson can you learn for your life?

Section 2 – really helps us to think about the question: How did Christ Jesus heal? How can we heal? How can we cultivate the same kind of thought and spirituality that enabled Jesus to heal so effortlessly?

Section – 3 There lots to think about in every section and every Bible verse and passage from Science and Health that’s in the lesson. But one thing I am getting from this section 3 is the need to weed our thinking – we need to “watch and pray” to avoid temptation (see Matt 26:41) or as Science and Health puts it “Be watchful, sober, vigilant”.

Section – 4. Here we learn of Jesus Christ as the true vine and God as the “husbandman” (what is husbandman? ) What was Christ Jesus mission? What do we “most need”? And why? What are the signs that we are winning?

Section – 5. Here we read of Jesus healing on the Sabbath – and the Jobsworth who said he shouldn’t be healing on the Sabbath! Jesus knew the high law the over-ruled the petty limited sense of law that made the ruler of the synagogue indignant. The Science and Health passages in this section explain the superiority of this high law of Spirit and give some really practical pointers for our own healing work.

Section – 6. The final section of this week’s lesson reminds us that the early Christian Church grew because of the healing work of the first apostles – and that Christians today are still under “direct orders ..to heal the sick as well as the sinning” (Science and Health p 138). And this is so essential to our church.

Our church is built on the divine Principle, Love. We can unite with this church only as we are new-born of Spirit, as we reach the Life which is Truth and the Truth which is Life by bringing forth the fruits of Love, — casting out error and healing the sick.

Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy p 35