1. Date of Lesson

2. Subject, Golden Text, and Responsive Reading

3. Lesson Sermon — The Bible

4. Lesson Sermon — Science and Health

5. The Daily Duties

6. About the preparation of this lesson

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Subject — Substance

GOLDEN TEXT: I Corinthians 15 : 58

“Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

RESPONSIVE READING: II Timothy 2 : 15 • Psalm 37 : 3, 23 • II Corinthians 9 : 8, 9, 15

15.     Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

3.     Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

23.     The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.

8.     And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work:

9.     As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.

15.     Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.

Lesson Sermon

The Bible

1. Isaiah 55 : 1-3, 6, 7

1     Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

2     Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

3     Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

6     Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

7     Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

2. Luke 4 : 1-4, 14 (to :)

1     And Jesus being full of the Holy Ghost returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,

2     Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.

3     And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.

4     And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

14     And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee:

3. Luke 5 : 1, 2 (to :), 3-7 (to 1st ,), 7 (And they came) (to 2nd ,), 8, 10 (And Jesus), 11

1     And it came to pass, that, as the people pressed upon him to hear the word of God, he stood by the lake of Gennesaret,

2     And saw two ships standing by the lake:

3     And he entered into one of the ships, which was Simon’s, and prayed him that he would thrust out a little from the land. And he sat down, and taught the people out of the ship.

4     Now when he had left speaking, he said unto Simon, Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a draught.

5     And Simon answering said unto him, Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.

6     And when they had this done, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.

7     And they beckoned unto their partners, ... And they came, and filled both the ships,

8     When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.

10     And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men.

11     And when they had brought their ships to land, they forsook all, and followed him.

4. Matthew 4 : 23

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.

5. Matthew 5 : 2

2     And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying,

6. Matthew 6 : 19 (to 1st ,), 20 (to 1st ,), 24 (Ye), 25, 31-33

19     Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth,

20     But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven,

24     Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

25     Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?

31     Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?

32     (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.

33     But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

7. Matthew 9 : 37, 38

37     Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few;

38     Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

8. Matthew 10 : 1, 5 (to 4th ,), 6-14

1     And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.

5     These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles,

6     But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

7     And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand.

8     Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give.

9     Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses,

10     Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat.

11     And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, inquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence.

12     And when ye come into an house, salute it.

13     And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you.

14     And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet.

9. Isaiah 65 : 13 (to 1st ,), 18 (behold), 22, 23 (to ;)

13     Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD,

18     ...behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy.

22     They shall not build, and another inhabit; they shall not plant, and another eat: for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.

23     They shall not labour in vain, nor bring forth for trouble;

10. I Corinthians 3 : 9

9     For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.

Science and Health

1. 468 : 17 (Substance)-24

Substance is that which is eternal and incapable of discord and decay. Truth, Life, and Love are substance, as the Scriptures use this word in Hebrews: "The substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." Spirit, the synonym of Mind, Soul, or God, is the only real substance. The spiritual universe, including individual man, is a compound idea, reflecting the divine substance of Spirit.

2. 301 : 17-23

As God is substance and man is the divine image and likeness, man should wish for, and in reality has, only the substance of good, the substance of Spirit, not matter. The belief that man has any other substance, or mind, is not spiritual and breaks the First Commandment, Thou shalt have one God, one Mind.

3. 507 : 24-25, 28-31

Infinite Mind creates and governs all, from the mental molecule to infinity. ... Creation is ever appearing, and must ever continue to appear from the nature of its inexhaustible source. Mortal sense inverts this appearing and calls ideas material.

4. 508 : 2-6

But the seed is in itself, only as the divine Mind is All and reproduces all — as Mind is the multiplier, and Mind's infinite idea, man and the universe, is the product. The only intelligence or substance of a thought, a seed, or a flower is God, the creator of it.

5. 278 : 30-5

Matter, with its mortality, cannot be substantial if Spirit is substantial and eternal. Which ought to be substance to us, — the erring, changing, and dying, the mutable and mortal, or the unerring, immutable, and immortal? A New Testament writer plainly describes faith, a quality of mind, as "the substance of things hoped for."

6. 12 : 31-4

In divine Science, where prayers are mental, all may avail themselves of God as "a very present help in trouble." Love is impartial and universal in its adaptation and bestowals. It is the open fount which cries, "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters."

7. 7 : 23-26

God is not influenced by man. The "divine ear" is not an auditory nerve. It is the all-hearing and all-knowing Mind, to whom each need of man is always known and by whom it will be supplied.

8. 494 : 10-19

Divine Love always has met and always will meet every human need. It is not well to imagine that Jesus demonstrated the divine power to heal only for a select number or for a limited period of time, since to all mankind and in every hour, divine Love supplies all good.

The miracle of grace is no miracle to Love. Jesus demonstrated the inability of corporeality, as well as the infinite ability of Spirit, thus helping erring human sense to flee from its own convictions and seek safety in divine Science.

9. 326 : 3-11

If we wish to follow Christ, Truth, it must be in the way of God's appointing. Jesus said, "He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also." He, who would reach the source and find the divine remedy for every ill, must not try to climb the hill of Science by some other road. All nature teaches God's love to man, but man cannot love God supremely and set his whole affections on spiritual things, while loving the material or trusting in it more than in the spiritual.

10. 454 : 18-24

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."

11. 170 : 14-17

The demands of Truth are spiritual, and reach the body through Mind. The best interpreter of man's needs said: "Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink."

12. 254 : 6-12, 19 (the)-23

God requires perfection, but not until the battle between Spirit and flesh is fought and the victory won. To stop eating, drinking, or being clothed materially before the spiritual facts of existence are gained step by step, is not legitimate. When we wait patiently on God and seek Truth righteously, He directs our path.

...the human self must be evangelized. This task God demands us to accept lovingly to-day, and to abandon so fast as practical the material, and to work out the spiritual which determines the outward and actual.

13. 79 : 29-3

Mind-science teaches that mortals need "not be weary in well doing." It dissipates fatigue in doing good. Giving does not impoverish us in the service of our Maker, neither does withholding enrich us. We have strength in proportion to our apprehension of the truth, and our strength is not lessened by giving utterance to truth.

14. 261 : 32-8

Good demands of man every hour, in which to work out the problem of being. Consecration to good does not lessen man's dependence on God, but heightens it. Neither does consecration diminish man's obligations to God, but shows the paramount necessity of meeting them. Christian Science takes naught from the perfection of God, but it ascribes to Him the entire glory. By putting "off the old man with his deeds," mortals "put on immortality."

15. 264 : 7-12, 15-19

Mortals must look beyond fading, finite forms, if they would gain the true sense of things. Where shall the gaze rest but in the unsearchable realm of Mind? We must look where we would walk, and we must act as possessing all power from Him in whom we have our being.

When we realize that Life is Spirit, never in nor of matter, this understanding will expand into self-completeness, finding all in God, good, and needing no other consciousness.

The Daily Duties

by Mary Baker Eddy

Daily Prayer

It shall be the duty of every member of this Church to pray each day: "Thy kingdom come;" let the reign of divine Truth, Life, and Love be established in me, and rule out of me all sin; and may Thy Word enrich the affections of all mankind, and govern them!

Church Manual, Article VIII, Sect. 4

A Rule for Motives and Acts

Neither animosity nor mere personal attachment should impel the motives or acts of the members of The Mother Church. In Science, divine Love alone governs man; and a Christian Scientist reflects the sweet amenities of Love, in rebuking sin, in true brotherliness, charitableness, and forgiveness. The members of this Church should daily watch and pray to be delivered from all evil, from prophesying, judging, condemning, counseling, influencing or being influenced erroneously.

Church Manual, Article VIII, Sect. 1

Alertness to Duty

It shall be the duty of every member of this Church to defend himself daily against aggressive mental suggestion, and not be made to forget nor to neglect his duty to God, to his Leader, and to mankind. By his works he shall be judged, — and justified or condemned.

Church Manual, Article VIII, Sect. 6

Take Notice

To Christian Scientists: — See Science and Health, page 442, line 30, and give daily attention thereto.

from Miscellany, by Mary Baker Eddy, page 237

“Christian Scientists, be a law to yourselves that mental malpractice cannot harm you either when asleep or when awake.”

Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, page 422

This Bible Lesson was prepared by Plainfield Christian Science Church, Independent. It is composed of Scriptural Quotations from the King James Bible and Correlative Passages from the Christian Science textbook, Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures, 1910 Edition, by Mary Baker Eddy.

Copyright 2024 Plainfield Christian Science Church, Independent

Table of Contents

Sunday, March 17th, 2024 — Subject: Substance

Date of Lesson

Subject, Golden Text, and Responsive Reading

Lesson Sermon — The Bible

Lesson Sermon — Science and Health

The Daily Duties

About the preparation of this lesson