Beyond Illusion

Wednesday Meeting 12-21-2016, First Church of Christ, Scientist-Asheville

The last chapter of Science and Health is Recapitulation. There are 24 questions. During December one question and answer can be studied each day before Christmas Day. This week’s readings draw from Q&A #15-24.

Readings from NRSV

KJV Romans 8:28
28 …we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
KJV John 3:1-8
1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: 2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. 3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 4 Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. 8 The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
KJV John 3:14-15
14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: 15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
KJV John 11:1, 3-4, 7 (to 1st disciples,), 11-15, 17, 21-28, 32-35, 38-44
1 Now a certain man was sick, named Lazarus, of Bethany, the town of Mary and her sister Martha. 3 Therefore his sisters sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. 4 When Jesus heard that, he said, This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. 7 Then after that saith he to his disciples, 11 …Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep. 12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well. 13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep. 14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. 15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him. 17 Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already. 21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee. 23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again. 24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day. 25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: 26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? 27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world. 28 And when she had so said, she went her way, and called Mary her sister secretly, saying, The Master is come, and calleth for thee. 32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died. 33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled. 34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. 35 Jesus wept. 38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it. 39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days. 40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God? 41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. 43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
KJV 2 Peter 3:1-2, 8-9, 14-18
1This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance:2 That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:8 But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.14 Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;16 As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.18 But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and for ever.



S&H 4:17-22
Simply asking that we may love God will never
make us love Him; but the longing to be better
and holier, expressed in daily watchful-
ness and in striving to assimilate more of
the divine character, will mould and fashion us
anew, until we awake in His likeness.
S&H 230:6
This awakening is the for-
ever coming of Christ, the advanced appearing of Truth,
which casts out error and heals the sick. This is the sal-
vation which comes through God, the divine Principle,
Love, as demonstrated by Jesus.
S&H 136:1-2, 32
Jesus established his church and maintained his mission
on a spiritual foundation of Christ-healing.
Jesus patiently persisted in
teaching and demonstrating the truth of being. His stu-
dents saw this power of Truth heal the sick, cast out evil,
raise the dead; but the ultimate of this wonderful work
was not spiritually discerned, even by them, until after the
crucifixion, when their immaculate Teacher stood before
them, the victor over sickness, sin, disease, death, and
the grave.
S&H 539:27-1
The divine origin of Jesus gave him more than human
power to expound the facts of creation, and demonstrate
the one Mind which makes and governs man
and the universe. The Science of creation,
so conspicuous in the birth of Jesus inspired his wisest
and least-understood sayings, and was the basis of his
marvellous demonstrations.
S&H 548:9
How little light or heat reach our earth when clouds
cover the sun’s face! So Christian Science can be seen
only as the clouds of corporeal sense roll away.
Earth has little light or joy for mortals before
Life is spiritually learned. Every agony of mortal error
helps error to destroy error, and so aids the apprehension
of immortal Truth. This is the new birth going on
hourly, by which men may entertain angels, the true
ideas of God, the spiritual sense of being.
S&H 597:27-29
WIND. That which indicates the might of omnipo-
tence and the movements of God’s spiritual government,
encompassing all things.
S&H 598:1-10
The Greek word for wind (pneuma) is used also for
spirit, as in the passage in John’s Gospel, the third chap-
ter, where we read: “The wind [pneuma] bloweth where
it listeth. . . . So is every one that is born of the Spirit
[pneuma].” Here the original word is the same in both
cases, yet it has received different translations, as in other
passages in this same chapter and elsewhere in the New
Testament. This shows how our Master had constantly
to employ words of material significance in order to unfold
spiritual thoughts.
S&H 493:17-4
Mind must be found superior to all the beliefs of the
five corporeal senses, and able to destroy all ills. Sick-
ness is a belief, which must be annihilated by
the divine Mind. Disease is an experience of
so-called mortal mind. It is fear made manifest on the
body. Christian Science takes away this physical sense
of discord, just as it removes any other sense of moral or
mental inharmony. That man is material, and that mat-
ter suffers, – these propositions can only seem real and
natural in illusion. Any sense of soul in matter is not the
reality of being.
If Jesus awakened Lazarus from the dream, illusion, of
death, this proved that the Christ could improve on a false
sense. Who dares to doubt this consummate test of the
power and willingness of divine Mind to hold man forever
intact in his perfect state, and to govern man’s entire
action? Jesus said: “Destroy this temple [body], and
in three days I [Mind] will raise it up;” and he did this
for tired humanity’s reassurance.
S&H 494:19
Reason, rightly di-
rected, serves to correct the errors of corporeal sense; but
sin, sickness, and death will seem real (even as the ex-
periences of the sleeping dream seem real) until the Sci-
ence of man’s eternal harmony breaks their illusion with
the unbroken reality of scientific being.
S&H 495:14
When the illusion of sickness or sin tempts you, cling
steadfastly to God and His idea. Allow nothing but His
likeness to abide in your thought. Let neither
fear nor doubt overshadow your clear sense and
calm trust, that the recognition of life harmonious – as
Life eternally is – can destroy any painful sense of, or
belief in, that which Life is not. Let Christian Science,
instead of corporeal sense, support your understanding of
being, and this understanding will supplant error with
Truth, replace mortality with immortality, and silence dis-
cord with harmony.
S&H 428:3 only
Life is real, and death is the illusion.
S&H 150:4
To-day the healing power of Truth is widely demon-
strated as an immanent, eternal Science, instead of a
phenomenal exhibition. Its appearing is the
coming anew of the gospel of “on earth peace,
good-will toward men.” This coming, as was promised
by the Master, is for its establishment as a permanent
dispensation among men; but the mission of Christian
Science now, as in the time of its earlier demonstration,
is not primarily one of physical healing. Now, as then,
signs and wonders are wrought in the metaphysical heal-
ing of physical disease; but these signs are only to demon-
strate its divine origin, – to attest the reality of the higher
mission of the Christ-power to take away the sins of the
world.





Romans 8:28
John 3:1-8
John 3:14-15
John 11:1, 3-4, 7 (to disciples,), 11-15, 17, 21-28, 32-35, 38-44
2 Peter 3:1-2, 8-9, 14-184:17-22
230:6
136:1-2, 32
539:27-1
548:9
597:27-29
598:1-10
493:17-4
494:19
495:14
428:3 only
150:4Hymns
123…How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord
362…To us a Child of Hope is born
368…Watchman, tell us of the night

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