KA2024 Paper Two
LOVING OTHERS AS OURSELVES+LIVING FOR ALL MANKIND=LOVING GOD
332:4–5 Father-Mother is the name for Deity, which indicates His tender relationship to His spiritual creation.
Malachi 2:10 (to 2nd ?)10 Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us?
I Corinthians 8:6 to (to ;)to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him ;
(Matthew 22:35-40, 36)
Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:35–40)
This paper will start by answering the question - How do we live for all humanity —within the context of the Second Coming
And then discuss
LIVING for ALL MANKIND IN THE CONTEXT OF THE SECOND COMING
Living for all mankind may actually embrace a duality of modesty and majesty - and may elevate more of our everyday contributions than you may think.
Let’s talk about living in the context of the Second Coming. Let’s start with something big - The first coming and the second coming of the Messiah
The first coming came as Jesus - born in a manger.
This was not expected.
It was expected that the Messiah would come on a throne bringing a huge army to overcome the oppressors – looking kind of like King David – and yet – that didn’t happen.
The first coming of the Christ - the Messiah - came as Jesus being born of a woman; the Christ first appeared to mortals as a man. It was expected that the Messiah would come on a throne in military grandeur and great fanfare, and yet he was born in the humblest of places, no army, no fanfare. There would be no garish warfare and clashing of titans. And then this Messiah did not talk politics, personalities, and personal power, but taught us to look on the inner man; to repent, rethink to see the kingdom of heaven within.
This was such a radical departure from what was expected that it incensed the ruling parties both politically and within the Hebrew nation. Yet, Christ’s transformational impact, fulfillment of prophecy, and enduring lessons continue to be the major shaping force of our lives today.
Christ Jesus said of the second coming : “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; …
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”(John 14:16, 26)
“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.”(John 15:26, 27)
· The second coming came as the promised Comforter, Christian Science - born of a birthless, deathless reality of Father-Mother God.
· Thus, the second advent of Christ was a pure spiritual conception of man's origin—literally without sin, that is, without the accompaniment of mortal birth.
• It is the Comforter, Christian Science, that is the fulfillment of the prophecy of the second coming. “In the words of St. John: “He shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever.” This Comforter I understand to be Divine Science.”(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 55:27)
This second coming of the Messiah comes as the Comforter, divine Science, a “....movement of thought must push on the ages: it must start the wheels of reason aright, educate the affections to higher resources, and leave Christianity unbiased by the superstitions of a senior period.”(Miscellaneous Writings 1883–1896, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 235:21)
Christian Science brings with it the proofs which must follow them that believe (Mark, 16:17, 18); testifying (bearing witness) to the truth of every word uttered by our Master, including that uncompromising text in John. 14:12, "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also;"
The Second Coming comes now as we fulfill Christ’s commands to:
"Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart."
"Love one another, as I have loved you."
"Bless them that curse you."
"Preach the Gospel; heal the sick, cast out demons"
"Freely ye have received, freely give."
The Comforter - the Second Coming of Christ - continues to be ushered in through individual lives. Healing by healing. Good works followed by good works. Moment by moment. Modest but powerful. Each of us demonstrates the Comforter step by step, day by day, healing by healing. -
This may be considered just as radical as both the First AND second coming were expected to be high, haughty and dramatic, they both turned out to be radically different, as both were surprising, humble, pervasive and persuasive – demanding humility and a shift in expectations from the glorious outward symbols of religiosity to the meek consecration and devotion to love so deeply and honestly that we actually do the works of Christ Jesus - heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons, freely we have received, now we freely give ( Matt 10: 8) .
In our love and obedience to God, and in our love for one another. Moment by moment, kindness by kindness, healing by healing. Good works by good works. This is the work of the Comforter - the second coming.
We love. Why? We love God because he first loved us -God first loved all mankind, and if we love God, then we, too, are to love and live for all mankind.
2 - Living for mankind starts by loving God
How do we go about loving one another by first loving God?
It comes in obedience to the First Commandment
Obeying, loving, and reflecting the ONE MIND the one Father-Mother God all harmonious
i. Jesus said …. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.[31]
a) This was said because all true obedience depends on the correct knowledge of God as Love.
b) Loving God reflects on the commandment – thou shalt have no other gods before me.[33]
Mrs Eddy writes: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” (Exodus xx. 3.) The First Commandment is my favorite text. It demonstrates Christian Science. It inculcates the tri-unity of God, Spirit, Mind; it signifies that man shall have no other spirit or mind but God, eternal good, and that all men shall have one Mind. The divine Principle of the First Commandment bases the Science of being, by which man demonstrates health, holiness, and life eternal.
“One infinite God, good, unifies men and nations; constitutes the brotherhood of man; ends wars; fulfils the Scripture, “Love thy neighbor as thyself;” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 340:15)
3- Living for all mankind by way of loving one another
LOVE is supreme – it holds center stage as Jesus expected his disciples to follow two great commandments: Love God and thy neighbor as thyself – to love with abandon, extravagantly, with a childlike trust and expectancy of good
And the second greatest commandment ( the first being to love God) “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets - Matt 22: 29
We are one with God as God's reflection, shown in infinite diversity, all in our right place, and right relation to one another. Our unity with God does not involve a loss of uniqueness but embraces individuality and diversity in an ultimate Oneness.
• To love yourself is to see yourself as God sees you. Only then can you truly love another AS you love yourself. As if the neighbor were you. This brings up not only the golden rule – but the very inclusive nature of love itself.
• “ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets “ ... ….. Barnes Bible Commentary shares: “Love to God and man comprises the whole of religion, and to produce this has been the design of Moses, the prophets, the Savior, and the apostles.” [35]
In loving God through our love for mankind, “We should remember that the world is wide; that there are a thousand million different human wills, opinions, ambitions, tastes, and loves; that each person has a different history, constitution, culture, character, from all the rest; that human life is the work, the play, the ceaseless action and reaction upon each other of these different atoms. Then, we should go forth into life with the smallest expectations, but with the largest patience; with a keen relish for and appreciation of everything beautiful, great, and good, but with a temper so genial that the friction of the world shall not wear upon our sensibilities; with an equanimity so settled that no passing breath nor accidental disturbance shall agitate or ruffle it; with a charity broad enough to cover the whole world’s evil, and sweet enough to neutralize what is bitter in it, ...(Miscellaneous Writings 1883–1896, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 224:11–25 (to ,)
We are all one. We share the same spiritual Parent. We belong to God and to one another. There is only one God, one attraction, one Mind. And this Mind is All-in-all.
Why does this matter? To understand God as All-in-all is the starting point that counters the pull toward polarization and divisiveness. And the need to counter that pull is great. In a Christian Science Monitor interview with author Joe Keohane, he comments that the “entire society is seeing its social skills erode” and talks of remedying the dehumanization of seeing humanity as a collection of warring tribes.
This polarization and dehumanizing has increased to such a degree, that we now have another way of describing it. In Nov of 2019, the word “other” was expanded in our dictionaries. Merriam-Webster’s website shares the definition: “'Other', which we enter as an adjective, a noun, a pronoun, and an adverb, is increasingly being used as a verb meaning "to treat that culture as fundamentally different from another class of individuals, often by emphasizing its apartness." (https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/other-as-a-verb). This “othering” of others isolates, separates and pulls apart as nations, groups, and families, as it narrows one’s life into a stressful intolerance of difference. It makes for two opposing forces, an “us” and “them”, an in-group and an outgroup, defining and dividing humanity by personal and material categories such as tribes, race, gender, gender orientation, socio-economic and religious affiliations.
“Othering” can be thought of as an antonym of belonging. Where belonging implies acceptance and inclusion of all people, othering suggests intolerance and exclusion.
(From Primary Class) Understanding God as All-in-all – It gives a foundation for church, nations, families - that we can expect and see unity among different ideas. We can go beneath the varying human opinions to see the oneness - the onliness - of God; God as All-in-all: unity in diversity.
We can understand how God loves all the wide diversity called humanity. "Hence the eternal wonder, — that infinite space is peopled with God’s ideas, reflecting Him in countless spiritual forms. " (SH 503:15)
We can see the diversity of God’s ideas unified under one infinite God, Love. “The scientific unity which exists between God and man must be wrought out in life-practice, and God's will must be universally done.” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 202:3) Some examples of this scientific unity being wrought out all came from your annual reports this year. This is what the oneness of God and man look like:
Again and again it is one Mind, one Love, that undergirds the scientific unity amongst ALL Her creation: Here are some stories I’ve picked up over the years:
To love is to listen to one another. Offering a cup of cold water in Christ’s name—- and never fearing the consequences. “Happiness is spiritual, born of Truth and Love. It is unselfish; therefore it cannot exist alone, but requires all mankind to share it. Human affection is not poured forth vainly, even though it meet no return. Love enriches the nature, enlarging, purifying, and elevating it.” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 57:18–24).
Even if the steps you take toward loving more fully seem modest, the motive power behind them is Love- a Love that yearns – and adds to the growing momentum of God’s grace and love.
Unity is inevitable. Why? For one, divisiveness runs out of steam, out of ego, and self-destructs. This will “turn us like tired children to the arms of divine Love.” Divine Love, God is omniscient - all knowledge, innovation, creation, is Hers.
Love is always present having authority over all time and space; Truth, God, is omnipotent - the only power and force and impulse moving in human consciousness. We ALL belong - we belong to God and we belong to one another.
4- Be a disciple - another way to love humanity by serving God and Her creation
COME and FOLLOW ME Listen to Christ’s calling to his disciples:
¶ And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.
(Matthew 9:9)
¶ And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. (Matthew 4:18, 19)
¶ And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
(Mark 8:34)
We’ve all been called to be disciples. We are Christian Scientists. “The Christian Scientist has enlisted to lessen sin, disease, and death, and he overcomes them through Christ, Truth, teaching him that they cannot overcome us.” (Message to The Mother Church for 1901, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 15:7–9)
This is what it means to be a disciple (From Bible Lens): The Greek word rendered disciple (mathētēs) means apprentice as well. And the term master is often a translation of the Greek term signifying teacher (didaskalos). The teacher-apprentice relationship guarantees that the disciple will learn the master’s trade so thoroughly as to be able to practice it independently.
Who and What is a Disciple ( From Primary Class) Let’s take a look at Jesus’ disciples
His disciples represented a broad diversity: Jesus, his disciples and the early Church all were Jewish. Yet, Christ called disciples from diverse walks of life to follow Him.
He called women, fishermen, lepers and tax collectors, pacifists and zealots. He met and ate with religious leaders, and also with people of the "red light" districts. During His ministry, Jesus healed Jews and Gentiles alike. One of Christ's most famous parables tells the story of "the good Samaritan," who would have been outcast by the Jews. He commissioned His Apostles to teach in Jerusalem, in Judea, and throughout the world. No one was excluded from Christ's ministry which teaches us that God's love extends to every person everywhere. There is no broader definition of diversity. .[17]
vii. The Interpreter’s Bible[18] comments about the careful selection of disciples:
a) Not one of them was very well known; they were diverse in temperament and gifts. Some were leaders, others were followers: Some had anger issues, some were shy, some carried doubt, all needed correction and encouragement.
b) Of those most mentioned – Peter tops the list and was probably the spokesperson – eager, and impetuous; and then there are James and John who earned the nickname the “sons of thunder”[19]; Andrew – the homeboy, Thomas the doubter and the others
c) but all had similarities
e) Jesus gave them instructions on their first trip out. They were to go without money ;
f) They were to go to the lost sheep of Israel
• Matthew Henry's commentary [20]helps paint the picture
• Matt 10: 7 and 8 “As ye go, preach, v. 7.” They were to be itinerant preachers: with one message – although not exclusively but all things must focus on this one main message. The kingdom of heaven is at hand. This is their Kingdom Mission.”
• And in order to understand this new kingdom, people needed to have a radically new view of God – they will need to repent – and re-think – all their ways.
• MBEddy's definition : The Kingdom of heaven is “the reign of harmony in divine Science – the atmosphere of Spirit where Soul is supreme.”[21]
• This kingdom is not a political achievement—it is a spiritual reality. It says that God is here with us now. The kingdom is our state of consciousness, and it demands our thoughts, our hearts, and our obedience.
a) Matthew Henry's Commentary continues: The instruction to heal and to “freely give” also characterized the unconditionally loving nature in which they were given instruction. Freely ,unconditionally, joyfully, graciously and generously “ they were “ to exemplify the nature and complexion of the gospel kingdom, which is made up, not only of grace, but of free grace. ““[22]…. they were out to and to give that cup of cold water in Christ's name......and HEAL. …...freely!
b) The Interpreter's Bible has this to say:
• “This blessing is itself a debt..... The kingdom remains ours only as we share it.....The apostle is a human reservoir; the water of life does not stay pure in him, and cannot quench any neighbor's thirst, unless it flows through him by this channel in daily word and deed......!”[23]
See SLIDE 7
II. JESUS EXPECTATION FOR HIS DISCIPLES and all FOLLOWERS is all about LOVE. – Just as God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son that through Him the world would find salvation[24] -so the whole underlying impulse here is LOVE. The inevitable consequence of divine Love is that it be expressed – and that it connect and harmonize all its ideas. God's love overflowed through His Son.
A. So, in that spirit, Jesus patiently instructed his disciples not only how to spread the gospel of the good news – this message of love and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost[25] ( see Romans 14: 17) but also how to heal...
B. Jesus taught The nature of Love is Joyful, abundant and triumphant – Jesus expected JOY for his followers. JOY is defined as the understanding of the ultimate triumph of life: An understanding that Truth is always the victor[26] and love never fails[27]
C. Jesus says:
i. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. [28]
ii. I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.[29]
iii. Joy (like happiness) cannot exist alone but requires all mankind to share it[30]
D. Nature of Love is all-inclusive – PREACH and TEACH Go out into all the world[36]
a) Preach - Proclaim; make known; offer. : This message had to be known – it had to shine – and could not be hid “under a bushel”
b) Preach The gospel - The good news. The tidings of salvation. The kingdom of heaven within
c) Preach The gospel To every creature - That is, to every human being. Man has no right to limit this offer to any class of men. God commands his servants to offer salvation to "all." [37] .http://bible.cc/mark/16-15.htm
d) Paul was later able to carry on this broad and inclusive ministry and say: There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. [38]
F. The nature of Love is healing and RELEVANT: Divine Love meeting every human need. finally , Jesus 'expectation for all his followers was that they heal the sick and sinning. Healings were the proof that the kingdom of heaven is at hand
i. “... (Jesus) presented the proof that Life Truth and Love heal ...(and this )was the highest proof he could have offered of divine Love.[42] .
ii. and Healings brought followers! They brought in hundreds – multitudes!
iii. However, these healings—like Jesus' first sermon—to repent! have a revolutionary and transforming effect on how we think of God, ourselves, and our world as thought shifts from a material to a spiritual basis.
iv. Now, as then, these mighty works are not supernatural, but supremely natural. They are the sign of Emmanuel, or “God with us,” — a divine influence ever present in human consciousness and repeating itself, coming now as was promised aforetime,.[43]
Nature of love is tangible and communal – Jesus expected his followers to continue to do good works in community with others - as in CHURCH :
a) This idea of church (wherever two or three are gathered in Thy name) is to provide the word of God, our salvation, where we are active for the good of the community instead of solely for the benefit of an individual. We can't receive from God without giving to others. Here, we are asked to enter into an integrated life with one another - a community of saints!
5 - Feed My Sheep
i. This role and activity of Church is illustrated well in the story where Jesus gave Peter a three-fold command to “feed my sheep”[39] in John 21:15-17 . An ecumenical website[40] explains it: The setting was one of the last of Jesus’ appearances to His disciples on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus prepared a breakfast of fish and bread for them, and then commissioned Peter with the task of feeding His sheep and tending His lambs,
After the last Supper, when Jesus shared with his disciples what was going to happen, Peter boasted himself above the other disciples saying that
SHOW THE SLIDE 8
The account continues: There is so much going on in these three verses!
CLOSE SLIDE
6 - OVERCOMING DOUBT
But what if I feel I can’t love others in this way? What if I don’t feel enough? Or I feel that I’m overwhelmed with the saturation of personality and materiality in society today? Who am I to serve, help, or heal others? There are times when I can’t even heal myself? I’m just one little dot.
“Perchance someone of you may say, “The evidence of spiritual verity in me is so small that I am afraid.” …. O thou “weak and infirm of purpose.” Jesus said, “Be not afraid”!
“What if the little rain should say,
‘So small a drop as I
Can ne’er refresh a drooping earth,
I’ll tarry in the sky.’”
...... A dewdrop reflects the sun. Each of Christ’s little ones reflects the infinite One, and therefore is the seer’s declaration true, that “one on God’s side is a majority.”
(Pulpit and Press, Mary Baker Eddy, pp. 3:26; 4:14)
This made me want to look at Jesus’ command to have faith as a grain of mustard seed. What I found was surprising:
“Faith as a grain of mustard seed”
“ In the seventeenth chapter of the Gospel according to St. Matthew, we read that even the disciples of Jesus once failed mentally to cure by their faith and understanding a violent case of lunacy. And because of this Jesus rebuked them, saying: “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.” When his disciples asked him why they could not heal that case, Jesus, the master Metaphysician, answered, “Because of your unbelief” (lack of faith); and then continued: “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove.” Also he added: “This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting” (refraining from admitting the claims of the senses).(The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, Mary Baker Eddy, pp. 221:32–14)
“... If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.”(Matthew 17:20 If)
SO when healings are prolonged, or we feel overwhelmed, or we feel our prayers aren’t effective – or we feel our faith has been so challenged that we doubt our faith
remember the mustard seed. Let’s look at those seeds. SHOW SLIDE 9
... If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. (from Matt 17:20)
Thus may each member of this church rise above the oft-repeated inquiry, What am I? to the scientific response: I am able to impart truth, health, and happiness, and this is my rock of salvation and my reason for existing.
(The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 165:18)
_____________________________________
7 - ENDING
++++++++++++++++
LOVING GOD is expressed by loving our neighbor as ourselves which results in living and loving all mankind. Loving God and man is the fulfilling of the Second Coming - Love is the fulfilling of the law.
As numbers are each distinctly individual, so are each of us - expressing God in infinite diversity, color, dimension, and depth, and each expression “rises higher and higher from a boundless basis” we all keep growing! And each expression is evidence of God reflected in the compound idea, man.-- a part of infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation. This interdependent oneness with God is the structure in which we “live, move and have our being.” We love God through our love for each other. We reflect divine Mind - “the divine Us” (Science and Health, p. 591: 16). And God loves US all. We all belong to God and to one another.
______________________________________________
[16] Matt 4: 17
[17] http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/staffhome/gehall/xtology2.htm
[18]See Interpreter's Bible, New Testament articles on Matthew. p. 363-367
[19]Mark 3: 17
[20]http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/matthew/10.html
[21]SH 590: 1
[22]http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/matthew/10.html
[23]The Interpreter's Bible New Testament Articles Matthew and Mark p. 366
[24]John 3: 16
[25]see Romans 14: 17
[26]II Cor 2: 14 and SH 380: 4
[27]I Cor 13: 8
[28]John 16: 11
[29]John 10:10
[30] SH 57: 18
[31]Matt 22; 37, 38
[32]SH 390: 7
[33]Exodus 20
[34]Matt 22: 29
[35]http://barnes.biblecommenter.com/matthew/22.htm
[36]Mark 16: 15
[37]http://bible.cc/mark/16-15.htm
[38]Gal 3: 28
[39]John 21:15-17
[40]http://www.gotquestions.org/feed-my-sheep.html
[41](Hebrews 5:12-14)
[42]SH 54: 13-17
LOVING OTHERS AS OURSELVES+LIVING FOR ALL MANKIND=LOVING GOD
332:4–5 Father-Mother is the name for Deity, which indicates His tender relationship to His spiritual creation.
Malachi 2:10 (to 2nd ?)10 Have we not all one father? hath not one God created us?
I Corinthians 8:6 to (to ;)to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him ;
(Matthew 22:35-40, 36)
Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:35–40)
This paper will start by answering the question - How do we live for all humanity —within the context of the Second Coming
And then discuss
- Loving God
- Loving one another
- Be a disciple
- Feeding sheep
- A lesson on mustard seeds and overcoming doubt
LIVING for ALL MANKIND IN THE CONTEXT OF THE SECOND COMING
Living for all mankind may actually embrace a duality of modesty and majesty - and may elevate more of our everyday contributions than you may think.
Let’s talk about living in the context of the Second Coming. Let’s start with something big - The first coming and the second coming of the Messiah
The first coming came as Jesus - born in a manger.
This was not expected.
It was expected that the Messiah would come on a throne bringing a huge army to overcome the oppressors – looking kind of like King David – and yet – that didn’t happen.
The first coming of the Christ - the Messiah - came as Jesus being born of a woman; the Christ first appeared to mortals as a man. It was expected that the Messiah would come on a throne in military grandeur and great fanfare, and yet he was born in the humblest of places, no army, no fanfare. There would be no garish warfare and clashing of titans. And then this Messiah did not talk politics, personalities, and personal power, but taught us to look on the inner man; to repent, rethink to see the kingdom of heaven within.
This was such a radical departure from what was expected that it incensed the ruling parties both politically and within the Hebrew nation. Yet, Christ’s transformational impact, fulfillment of prophecy, and enduring lessons continue to be the major shaping force of our lives today.
Christ Jesus said of the second coming : “And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; …
“But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”(John 14:16, 26)
“But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.”(John 15:26, 27)
· The second coming came as the promised Comforter, Christian Science - born of a birthless, deathless reality of Father-Mother God.
· Thus, the second advent of Christ was a pure spiritual conception of man's origin—literally without sin, that is, without the accompaniment of mortal birth.
• It is the Comforter, Christian Science, that is the fulfillment of the prophecy of the second coming. “In the words of St. John: “He shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever.” This Comforter I understand to be Divine Science.”(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 55:27)
This second coming of the Messiah comes as the Comforter, divine Science, a “....movement of thought must push on the ages: it must start the wheels of reason aright, educate the affections to higher resources, and leave Christianity unbiased by the superstitions of a senior period.”(Miscellaneous Writings 1883–1896, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 235:21)
Christian Science brings with it the proofs which must follow them that believe (Mark, 16:17, 18); testifying (bearing witness) to the truth of every word uttered by our Master, including that uncompromising text in John. 14:12, "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also;"
The Second Coming comes now as we fulfill Christ’s commands to:
"Love the Lord thy God with all thy heart."
"Love one another, as I have loved you."
"Bless them that curse you."
"Preach the Gospel; heal the sick, cast out demons"
"Freely ye have received, freely give."
The Comforter - the Second Coming of Christ - continues to be ushered in through individual lives. Healing by healing. Good works followed by good works. Moment by moment. Modest but powerful. Each of us demonstrates the Comforter step by step, day by day, healing by healing. -
This may be considered just as radical as both the First AND second coming were expected to be high, haughty and dramatic, they both turned out to be radically different, as both were surprising, humble, pervasive and persuasive – demanding humility and a shift in expectations from the glorious outward symbols of religiosity to the meek consecration and devotion to love so deeply and honestly that we actually do the works of Christ Jesus - heal the sick, raise the dead, cast out demons, freely we have received, now we freely give ( Matt 10: 8) .
In our love and obedience to God, and in our love for one another. Moment by moment, kindness by kindness, healing by healing. Good works by good works. This is the work of the Comforter - the second coming.
We love. Why? We love God because he first loved us -God first loved all mankind, and if we love God, then we, too, are to love and live for all mankind.
2 - Living for mankind starts by loving God
How do we go about loving one another by first loving God?
It comes in obedience to the First Commandment
Obeying, loving, and reflecting the ONE MIND the one Father-Mother God all harmonious
i. Jesus said …. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment.[31]
a) This was said because all true obedience depends on the correct knowledge of God as Love.
b) Loving God reflects on the commandment – thou shalt have no other gods before me.[33]
Mrs Eddy writes: “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.” (Exodus xx. 3.) The First Commandment is my favorite text. It demonstrates Christian Science. It inculcates the tri-unity of God, Spirit, Mind; it signifies that man shall have no other spirit or mind but God, eternal good, and that all men shall have one Mind. The divine Principle of the First Commandment bases the Science of being, by which man demonstrates health, holiness, and life eternal.
“One infinite God, good, unifies men and nations; constitutes the brotherhood of man; ends wars; fulfils the Scripture, “Love thy neighbor as thyself;” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 340:15)
3- Living for all mankind by way of loving one another
LOVE is supreme – it holds center stage as Jesus expected his disciples to follow two great commandments: Love God and thy neighbor as thyself – to love with abandon, extravagantly, with a childlike trust and expectancy of good
And the second greatest commandment ( the first being to love God) “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets - Matt 22: 29
We are one with God as God's reflection, shown in infinite diversity, all in our right place, and right relation to one another. Our unity with God does not involve a loss of uniqueness but embraces individuality and diversity in an ultimate Oneness.
• To love yourself is to see yourself as God sees you. Only then can you truly love another AS you love yourself. As if the neighbor were you. This brings up not only the golden rule – but the very inclusive nature of love itself.
• “ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets “ ... ….. Barnes Bible Commentary shares: “Love to God and man comprises the whole of religion, and to produce this has been the design of Moses, the prophets, the Savior, and the apostles.” [35]
In loving God through our love for mankind, “We should remember that the world is wide; that there are a thousand million different human wills, opinions, ambitions, tastes, and loves; that each person has a different history, constitution, culture, character, from all the rest; that human life is the work, the play, the ceaseless action and reaction upon each other of these different atoms. Then, we should go forth into life with the smallest expectations, but with the largest patience; with a keen relish for and appreciation of everything beautiful, great, and good, but with a temper so genial that the friction of the world shall not wear upon our sensibilities; with an equanimity so settled that no passing breath nor accidental disturbance shall agitate or ruffle it; with a charity broad enough to cover the whole world’s evil, and sweet enough to neutralize what is bitter in it, ...(Miscellaneous Writings 1883–1896, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 224:11–25 (to ,)
We are all one. We share the same spiritual Parent. We belong to God and to one another. There is only one God, one attraction, one Mind. And this Mind is All-in-all.
Why does this matter? To understand God as All-in-all is the starting point that counters the pull toward polarization and divisiveness. And the need to counter that pull is great. In a Christian Science Monitor interview with author Joe Keohane, he comments that the “entire society is seeing its social skills erode” and talks of remedying the dehumanization of seeing humanity as a collection of warring tribes.
This polarization and dehumanizing has increased to such a degree, that we now have another way of describing it. In Nov of 2019, the word “other” was expanded in our dictionaries. Merriam-Webster’s website shares the definition: “'Other', which we enter as an adjective, a noun, a pronoun, and an adverb, is increasingly being used as a verb meaning "to treat that culture as fundamentally different from another class of individuals, often by emphasizing its apartness." (https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/other-as-a-verb). This “othering” of others isolates, separates and pulls apart as nations, groups, and families, as it narrows one’s life into a stressful intolerance of difference. It makes for two opposing forces, an “us” and “them”, an in-group and an outgroup, defining and dividing humanity by personal and material categories such as tribes, race, gender, gender orientation, socio-economic and religious affiliations.
“Othering” can be thought of as an antonym of belonging. Where belonging implies acceptance and inclusion of all people, othering suggests intolerance and exclusion.
- See https://www.csmonitor.com/Books/Author-Q-As/2021/0817/The-Power-of-Strangers-What-we-gain-from-listening-to-others; or https://www.csmonitor.com/Daily/2021/20210831/Simple-isn-t-always-best
(From Primary Class) Understanding God as All-in-all – It gives a foundation for church, nations, families - that we can expect and see unity among different ideas. We can go beneath the varying human opinions to see the oneness - the onliness - of God; God as All-in-all: unity in diversity.
We can understand how God loves all the wide diversity called humanity. "Hence the eternal wonder, — that infinite space is peopled with God’s ideas, reflecting Him in countless spiritual forms. " (SH 503:15)
We can see the diversity of God’s ideas unified under one infinite God, Love. “The scientific unity which exists between God and man must be wrought out in life-practice, and God's will must be universally done.” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 202:3) Some examples of this scientific unity being wrought out all came from your annual reports this year. This is what the oneness of God and man look like:
- Forgiveness and love in place of hurt and hate.
- Relationships and other issues healed by being inspired to honor and respect the Christ in another person
- Feelings of exclusion healed at work
- Since studying Science, I feel less anger, less pride, more love toward others, even my ex!
- Healing of strained relationship with my daughter
- I contacted a distant relative with whom I was estranged for many years. My ongoing prayer led me to see this unbroken relationship. Our next conversation was joyful and humorous!
- Praying for myself and the Middle East included “a spiritual idea has not a single element of error.” True for me, true for the world.
- Prayed for my community. Safety for rescue workers and residents during a massive mudslide.
- A number of you included taking on more cases, and overcoming the fear of doing so!
Again and again it is one Mind, one Love, that undergirds the scientific unity amongst ALL Her creation: Here are some stories I’ve picked up over the years:
- A former cloistered nun who shared what it means to have a sacred calling, read Science and Health and asked for treatment.
- A Buddhist former prisoner shared how he was healed from ideas in a CS article.
- A group of individuals from Bio-Ethics Committees from over 14 hospitals engaged in a CS lecture and found comfort and a way to articulate their spiritual experiences of care—each receiving Science and Health for their chaplain libraries.
- A doctor sharing his gratitude for CS healing and recognizing there is so much more that healthcare professionals need to know about healing.
- Finding one heart and one Mind at an international book fair when weeks after 9/11 I exchanged a copy of Science and Health and a Quran with a Muslim distributor after a heartfelt and inspired conversation to find our common ground of respect and understanding; We left after exchanging our sacred texts and felt at peace with one another despite the complexities of the human drama we had just seen played out weeks before.
- God is ever-present in all Their infinite diversity. God is all-inclusive. In all cases, we respectfully shared ideas and actively listened - each of us valuing the other. In all cases, we went beneath the drama to find the core of our beliefs - one God, one Love, one desire for peace.
To love is to listen to one another. Offering a cup of cold water in Christ’s name—- and never fearing the consequences. “Happiness is spiritual, born of Truth and Love. It is unselfish; therefore it cannot exist alone, but requires all mankind to share it. Human affection is not poured forth vainly, even though it meet no return. Love enriches the nature, enlarging, purifying, and elevating it.” (Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 57:18–24).
Even if the steps you take toward loving more fully seem modest, the motive power behind them is Love- a Love that yearns – and adds to the growing momentum of God’s grace and love.
Unity is inevitable. Why? For one, divisiveness runs out of steam, out of ego, and self-destructs. This will “turn us like tired children to the arms of divine Love.” Divine Love, God is omniscient - all knowledge, innovation, creation, is Hers.
Love is always present having authority over all time and space; Truth, God, is omnipotent - the only power and force and impulse moving in human consciousness. We ALL belong - we belong to God and we belong to one another.
4- Be a disciple - another way to love humanity by serving God and Her creation
COME and FOLLOW ME Listen to Christ’s calling to his disciples:
¶ And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.
(Matthew 9:9)
¶ And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers. And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. (Matthew 4:18, 19)
¶ And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
(Mark 8:34)
We’ve all been called to be disciples. We are Christian Scientists. “The Christian Scientist has enlisted to lessen sin, disease, and death, and he overcomes them through Christ, Truth, teaching him that they cannot overcome us.” (Message to The Mother Church for 1901, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 15:7–9)
This is what it means to be a disciple (From Bible Lens): The Greek word rendered disciple (mathētēs) means apprentice as well. And the term master is often a translation of the Greek term signifying teacher (didaskalos). The teacher-apprentice relationship guarantees that the disciple will learn the master’s trade so thoroughly as to be able to practice it independently.
Who and What is a Disciple ( From Primary Class) Let’s take a look at Jesus’ disciples
His disciples represented a broad diversity: Jesus, his disciples and the early Church all were Jewish. Yet, Christ called disciples from diverse walks of life to follow Him.
He called women, fishermen, lepers and tax collectors, pacifists and zealots. He met and ate with religious leaders, and also with people of the "red light" districts. During His ministry, Jesus healed Jews and Gentiles alike. One of Christ's most famous parables tells the story of "the good Samaritan," who would have been outcast by the Jews. He commissioned His Apostles to teach in Jerusalem, in Judea, and throughout the world. No one was excluded from Christ's ministry which teaches us that God's love extends to every person everywhere. There is no broader definition of diversity. .[17]
vii. The Interpreter’s Bible[18] comments about the careful selection of disciples:
a) Not one of them was very well known; they were diverse in temperament and gifts. Some were leaders, others were followers: Some had anger issues, some were shy, some carried doubt, all needed correction and encouragement.
b) Of those most mentioned – Peter tops the list and was probably the spokesperson – eager, and impetuous; and then there are James and John who earned the nickname the “sons of thunder”[19]; Andrew – the homeboy, Thomas the doubter and the others
c) but all had similarities
- deeply sincere
- staunchly loyal
- “adventurous in spiritual mindedness”
- and having heroic hearts
e) Jesus gave them instructions on their first trip out. They were to go without money ;
f) They were to go to the lost sheep of Israel
• Matthew Henry's commentary [20]helps paint the picture
• Matt 10: 7 and 8 “As ye go, preach, v. 7.” They were to be itinerant preachers: with one message – although not exclusively but all things must focus on this one main message. The kingdom of heaven is at hand. This is their Kingdom Mission.”
• And in order to understand this new kingdom, people needed to have a radically new view of God – they will need to repent – and re-think – all their ways.
• MBEddy's definition : The Kingdom of heaven is “the reign of harmony in divine Science – the atmosphere of Spirit where Soul is supreme.”[21]
• This kingdom is not a political achievement—it is a spiritual reality. It says that God is here with us now. The kingdom is our state of consciousness, and it demands our thoughts, our hearts, and our obedience.
a) Matthew Henry's Commentary continues: The instruction to heal and to “freely give” also characterized the unconditionally loving nature in which they were given instruction. Freely ,unconditionally, joyfully, graciously and generously “ they were “ to exemplify the nature and complexion of the gospel kingdom, which is made up, not only of grace, but of free grace. ““[22]…. they were out to and to give that cup of cold water in Christ's name......and HEAL. …...freely!
b) The Interpreter's Bible has this to say:
• “This blessing is itself a debt..... The kingdom remains ours only as we share it.....The apostle is a human reservoir; the water of life does not stay pure in him, and cannot quench any neighbor's thirst, unless it flows through him by this channel in daily word and deed......!”[23]
See SLIDE 7
II. JESUS EXPECTATION FOR HIS DISCIPLES and all FOLLOWERS is all about LOVE. – Just as God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten son that through Him the world would find salvation[24] -so the whole underlying impulse here is LOVE. The inevitable consequence of divine Love is that it be expressed – and that it connect and harmonize all its ideas. God's love overflowed through His Son.
A. So, in that spirit, Jesus patiently instructed his disciples not only how to spread the gospel of the good news – this message of love and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost[25] ( see Romans 14: 17) but also how to heal...
B. Jesus taught The nature of Love is Joyful, abundant and triumphant – Jesus expected JOY for his followers. JOY is defined as the understanding of the ultimate triumph of life: An understanding that Truth is always the victor[26] and love never fails[27]
C. Jesus says:
i. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love. These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. [28]
ii. I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.[29]
iii. Joy (like happiness) cannot exist alone but requires all mankind to share it[30]
D. Nature of Love is all-inclusive – PREACH and TEACH Go out into all the world[36]
a) Preach - Proclaim; make known; offer. : This message had to be known – it had to shine – and could not be hid “under a bushel”
b) Preach The gospel - The good news. The tidings of salvation. The kingdom of heaven within
c) Preach The gospel To every creature - That is, to every human being. Man has no right to limit this offer to any class of men. God commands his servants to offer salvation to "all." [37] .http://bible.cc/mark/16-15.htm
d) Paul was later able to carry on this broad and inclusive ministry and say: There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. [38]
F. The nature of Love is healing and RELEVANT: Divine Love meeting every human need. finally , Jesus 'expectation for all his followers was that they heal the sick and sinning. Healings were the proof that the kingdom of heaven is at hand
i. “... (Jesus) presented the proof that Life Truth and Love heal ...(and this )was the highest proof he could have offered of divine Love.[42] .
ii. and Healings brought followers! They brought in hundreds – multitudes!
iii. However, these healings—like Jesus' first sermon—to repent! have a revolutionary and transforming effect on how we think of God, ourselves, and our world as thought shifts from a material to a spiritual basis.
iv. Now, as then, these mighty works are not supernatural, but supremely natural. They are the sign of Emmanuel, or “God with us,” — a divine influence ever present in human consciousness and repeating itself, coming now as was promised aforetime,.[43]
Nature of love is tangible and communal – Jesus expected his followers to continue to do good works in community with others - as in CHURCH :
a) This idea of church (wherever two or three are gathered in Thy name) is to provide the word of God, our salvation, where we are active for the good of the community instead of solely for the benefit of an individual. We can't receive from God without giving to others. Here, we are asked to enter into an integrated life with one another - a community of saints!
5 - Feed My Sheep
i. This role and activity of Church is illustrated well in the story where Jesus gave Peter a three-fold command to “feed my sheep”[39] in John 21:15-17 . An ecumenical website[40] explains it: The setting was one of the last of Jesus’ appearances to His disciples on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus prepared a breakfast of fish and bread for them, and then commissioned Peter with the task of feeding His sheep and tending His lambs,
After the last Supper, when Jesus shared with his disciples what was going to happen, Peter boasted himself above the other disciples saying that
- “ Although all shall be offended, yet will not I. And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. But he spoke more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise....(Mark 14:29–31)
- And then, later that night, he had denied Jesus three times, as Jesus predicted. Scholars show this conversation in the light of a recommissioning of Peter to continue to do the work that he has been authorized to do. But there is a significant squirm factor here, as Peter must also come to grips with his heart and his failures, in order to be freed of that sin.
- Mrs. Eddy writes of this process: “Examine yourselves, and see what, and how much, sin claims of you; and how much of this claim you admit as valid, or comply with. The knowledge of evil that brings on repentance is the most hopeful stage of mortal mentality. Even a mild mistake must be seen as a mistake, in order to be corrected; how much more, then, should one's sins be seen and repented of, before they can be reduced to their native nothingness!”(Miscellaneous Writings,, p. 109:8)
- So let’s see how this plays out in this scenario:
- After Jesus’ resurrection, he showed himself to the disciples as they were fishing. At this time,he told them to cast their net on the right side and they did and had an abundance of fish.
- And then we read “Jesus came to them and they dined. This is now the third time that Jesus showed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead.”
SHOW THE SLIDE 8
The account continues: There is so much going on in these three verses!
- “ ¶ So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee.
- SIMON SON OF JONAS
- Note that Jesus doesn’t refer to him as Peter, but Jesus addresses him with the name when he first met Jesus: Simon, son of Jonas,— He was also quite frankly getting Peter to look to his past to be free from those denials.
- THOU KNOWEST
- Peter uses the same word KNOW (OIDAS) that he used in his earlier denial, “I know him not” Peter responds to Jesus’ questions. “You know that I love thee.” Peter’s earnestness that his heart is seen as true,pure,and willing, that Jesus sees and forgives him for his failings and knows that Peter’s love for Jesus is true - is repeated throughout.
- FEED and SHEEP
- “He saith unto him, Feed my sheep.”
- Jesus' use of the words “feed” and Sheep” are also different in the original languages.
- First time: feed = nurture (BOSKE), give the milk of the word; and little lambs
- Second time: Feed =heartily (POMAINE) = tend my sheep = flock
- His third time: feed= nurture (BOSKE)= nurture and give the milk of the word; and sheep = flock or implied to the mature sheep
- This looks to cover all areas of our care for one’s flock or one another-
- giving milk to those new to the CS and to those who are young or vulnerable and to those who of wiser years and larger lessons who have carried the Church and need care
- and to be able to tend to the needs and give the spiritual substance of the Word to those robust in spiritual practice.
- Let’s look at the USE OF THE WORD LOVE“
- Jesus saith to Peter Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Three times. And Peter responds three times. He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. “
- Interesting to note that Jesus' use of the word love was agape love - “the pure unconditional love of God and of man. Peter responds using the phileo love - brotherly love. In the first two questions Jesus uses agape love, and Peter responds with phileo love.
- “He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me?
- Jesus uses the word Phileo - brotherly love.
- Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee.”
- Peter’s grief and repentance come out. When Peter is asked the third time. Peter is said to be grieved because even though he realizes that he has not yet matured to agapē love for Jesus, he is nonetheless saddened to think that Jesus doubts that he at least has philia love for him.
- As Peter is asked to look into his heart, he is being stretched to upgrade his love from beyond personality yet deeper than brotherly love to a spiritual love thus readying him for the more significant ministry of healing.
- But he is steadfast in his love and, he is repentant. Now, humbled, he is worthy of his name Peter
CLOSE SLIDE
- And for the third time“Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep” (John 21:13–18) WIth this , Peter’s transformation is complete and Jesus confidently puts this charge on him; reaffirms his calling, acknowledges Peter’s love and willingness and readies his disciple to go forth and to preach, teach and heal and recognizes his readiness to lay down his life for the sheep.
- Peter sees that his love for God can be actively engaged in by serving others.
- Peter finds himself redeemed, cleansed - his original innocence restored. He now knows he is good enough - because he loves God enough - with all his heart. Peter could now go forward and fulfill Christ’s command to:
- “... 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.”(Matthew 10:7, 8)
- This is our charge as well!
6 - OVERCOMING DOUBT
But what if I feel I can’t love others in this way? What if I don’t feel enough? Or I feel that I’m overwhelmed with the saturation of personality and materiality in society today? Who am I to serve, help, or heal others? There are times when I can’t even heal myself? I’m just one little dot.
“Perchance someone of you may say, “The evidence of spiritual verity in me is so small that I am afraid.” …. O thou “weak and infirm of purpose.” Jesus said, “Be not afraid”!
“What if the little rain should say,
‘So small a drop as I
Can ne’er refresh a drooping earth,
I’ll tarry in the sky.’”
...... A dewdrop reflects the sun. Each of Christ’s little ones reflects the infinite One, and therefore is the seer’s declaration true, that “one on God’s side is a majority.”
(Pulpit and Press, Mary Baker Eddy, pp. 3:26; 4:14)
This made me want to look at Jesus’ command to have faith as a grain of mustard seed. What I found was surprising:
“Faith as a grain of mustard seed”
“ In the seventeenth chapter of the Gospel according to St. Matthew, we read that even the disciples of Jesus once failed mentally to cure by their faith and understanding a violent case of lunacy. And because of this Jesus rebuked them, saying: “O faithless and perverse generation, how long shall I be with you? how long shall I suffer you? bring him hither to me.” When his disciples asked him why they could not heal that case, Jesus, the master Metaphysician, answered, “Because of your unbelief” (lack of faith); and then continued: “If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove.” Also he added: “This kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting” (refraining from admitting the claims of the senses).(The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, Mary Baker Eddy, pp. 221:32–14)
“... If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you.”(Matthew 17:20 If)
SO when healings are prolonged, or we feel overwhelmed, or we feel our prayers aren’t effective – or we feel our faith has been so challenged that we doubt our faith
remember the mustard seed. Let’s look at those seeds. SHOW SLIDE 9
- The mustard seed is likened to the kingdom of God ¶ Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:
- Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown,
- God causeth all things to grow
- God made us to grow “Broadening and rising higher and higher from a boundless basis”
- God makes us capable
- Enable us to know, — as in heaven, so on earth, — God is omnipotent, supreme.(Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 17:2–3)
- God causeth all things to grow
- it is the greatest among herbs,
- The mustard seed is an invasive plant. It grows into a tree and is very hard to eradicate. It takes over. The kingdom of heaven is like an invasive plant - it takes over!
- Human faith is not able to destroy what human belief has created, but God has the power to do so.
- THe kingdom of heaven - harmony - presents a radically different view to the flailing laws of mortals
- it takes over quickly. When the truth of a new idea takes root in human thought, the previous error or ignorance quickly withers away.
- The mustard seed is an invasive plant. It grows into a tree and is very hard to eradicate. It takes over. The kingdom of heaven is like an invasive plant - it takes over!
- and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof. (Matthew 13:31, 32)
- God’s order of creation, represented by the large mustard bush, the Creator freely furnishes abundant supply for everyone (such as the birds who flock to it).
- Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown,
- Another characteristic of the mustard seed is that it is the smallest of all seeds
... If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. (from Matt 17:20)
- What does that indicate? That we are to increase our faith? But….
- He didn’t say to increase our faith but to HAVE faith
- Having faith AS as a grain…. ( point out this slide)
- AS means
- ▸ adverb: To such an extent or degree; to the same extent or degree.
- ▸ adverb: Considered to be, in relation to something else; in the relation (specified).
- SO Jesus is saying to have our faith to the same degree as – to be just like - a grain of mustard seed.
- Start from one idea - the smallest of all ideas that you know to be true ( Ex. All are impacted by love; I had a healing; That idea helped me)
- What is behind that one idea is God - the eternal, immortal supreme God
- Therefore the weight of eternity and the omnipotence and omniscience of God is behind all right ideas
- Thus”.... one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.”(II Peter 3:8)
- But one spiritual idea, one germ of Truth, acknowledged and utilized can accomplish what neither days nor years of mortal effort can fulfill.
- In Science and Health Mrs. Eddy writes (p. 598): "One moment of divine consciousness, or the spiritual understanding of Life and Love, is a foretaste of eternity. This exalted view, obtained and retained when the Science of being is understood, would bridge over with life discerned spiritually the interval of death, and man would be in the full consciousness of his immortality and eternal harmony, where sin, sickness, and death are unknown."
- AS means
- In response to the question Who am I against this Goliath of things wrong? We say if you have a grain of mustard seed of faith – that one spiritual idea has behind it eternity.
- A 19th-century theologian, Friedrich Schleiermacher, said, “The essence of religion consists in the feeling of an absolute dependence.” The human mind has never been able to “move a mountain” or claim “nothing is impossible to it.” This is God’s work, and our dependence on God is what gives us power to accomplish whatever good is needed. “Having faith” is truly living faithfully with the knowledge of God’s kingdom. How comforting it is to remember Jesus’ words—to have faith like the mustard seed—is to yield to the “invasive” nature of God’s omnipotent command!
- We are not a drop, a dot, or insignificant in any way. We reflect God’s omnipotence in every aspect of our lives.
- That means every prayer, every inspiration, every healing - from finding lost keys to the recovery of a nation - all of this builds the kingdom of heaven on earth.
- And because we reflect God, we can take these words to heart:
Thus may each member of this church rise above the oft-repeated inquiry, What am I? to the scientific response: I am able to impart truth, health, and happiness, and this is my rock of salvation and my reason for existing.
(The First Church of Christ, Scientist, and Miscellany, Mary Baker Eddy, p. 165:18)
_____________________________________
7 - ENDING
++++++++++++++++
LOVING GOD is expressed by loving our neighbor as ourselves which results in living and loving all mankind. Loving God and man is the fulfilling of the Second Coming - Love is the fulfilling of the law.
As numbers are each distinctly individual, so are each of us - expressing God in infinite diversity, color, dimension, and depth, and each expression “rises higher and higher from a boundless basis” we all keep growing! And each expression is evidence of God reflected in the compound idea, man.-- a part of infinite Mind and its infinite manifestation. This interdependent oneness with God is the structure in which we “live, move and have our being.” We love God through our love for each other. We reflect divine Mind - “the divine Us” (Science and Health, p. 591: 16). And God loves US all. We all belong to God and to one another.
______________________________________________
[16] Matt 4: 17
[17] http://dlibrary.acu.edu.au/staffhome/gehall/xtology2.htm
[18]See Interpreter's Bible, New Testament articles on Matthew. p. 363-367
[19]Mark 3: 17
[20]http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/matthew/10.html
[21]SH 590: 1
[22]http://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/matthew/10.html
[23]The Interpreter's Bible New Testament Articles Matthew and Mark p. 366
[24]John 3: 16
[25]see Romans 14: 17
[26]II Cor 2: 14 and SH 380: 4
[27]I Cor 13: 8
[28]John 16: 11
[29]John 10:10
[30] SH 57: 18
[31]Matt 22; 37, 38
[32]SH 390: 7
[33]Exodus 20
[34]Matt 22: 29
[35]http://barnes.biblecommenter.com/matthew/22.htm
[36]Mark 16: 15
[37]http://bible.cc/mark/16-15.htm
[38]Gal 3: 28
[39]John 21:15-17
[40]http://www.gotquestions.org/feed-my-sheep.html
[41](Hebrews 5:12-14)
[42]SH 54: 13-17
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