Bible Study for Saturday, January 25th, 2025
The Farewell Discourse
This week’s Lesson Sermon Subject: Truth
Click here to play the audio as you read:
Bible Study Questions and Readings
Jesus’ prayer for all his brethren:
Father, that they may be one,
Echoes down through all the ages,
Nor prayed he for these alone
But for all, that through all time God’s will be done.
One the Mind and Life of all things,
For we live in God alone;
One the Love whose ever-presence
Blesses all and injures none.
Safe within this Love we find all being one.
Day by day the understanding
Of our oneness shall increase,
Till among all men and nations
Warfare shall forever cease,
So God’s children all shall dwell in joy and peace.
Hymn 157, words written by Violet Hay
Topic: The Farewell Discourse
“The Book of John is conceded to be the book of great spiritual meaning, especially the thirteenth to seventeenth chapters, which are devoted to one subject: THE LAST SUPPER. These chapters are of great importance to the students of Christian Science.”
from “Oneness” by Bicknell Young
Moderator: Thomas from NY
Readings: John 13:31 to 17:26
Questions:
- What is the Farewell Discourse?
- What is the answer to Thomas’ question, “how can we know the way?” (John 14 : 5)
- How does one be a branch of the “true vine?” (“I am the true vine, ye are the branches,” John 15 : 5)
- What is “oneness?” (John 17 : 20-23)
Study notes from Thomas:
Notes from the Discussion
Overcoming the World by Bicknell Young
The May number of the Granite Monthly contains an excellent article, by Henrietta H. Williams, entitled, “Among the Christian Science Churches.” The Publishing Society is prepared to furnish copies of this number at twenty cents each, or two dollars per dozen copies, postpaid.
The Bible rings with one long demand for obedience. The key-word of the book of Deuteronomy is, “Observe and do.” The burden of our Lord’s farewell discourse is, “If ye love me, keep my commandments.” We must not question or reply or excuse ourselves. We must not pick and choose our way. We must not think that obedience in one direction will compensate for disobedience in some other particular. God gives one command at a time; if we obey this, He will flood our souls with blessing, and lead us forward into new paths and pastures. But if we refuse, we shall remain stagnant and waterlogged, make no progress in Christian experience, and lack both power and joy.
from the June 28, 1900 issue of the The Granite Monthly with contributions from F. B. Meyer
Never absent from your post, never off guard, never ill-humored, never unready to work for God,
from No and Yes, by Mary Baker Eddy, page 116
The Healing Truth By L. N. Blydenburgh
Jesus declared himself, — namely, “the way, the truth, and the life.” Living a true life, casting out evil, healing the sick, and preaching the gospel of Truth, — these are the ends of Christianity. This divine way impels a spiritualization of thought and method, beyond doctrine and ritual;
from No and Yes, by Mary Baker Eddy, page 12
If you will admit, with me, that matter is neither Substance, Intelligence, nor Life, you may have all that is left of it; and you will have touched the hem of the garment of Jesus’ idea of Spirit.
Questions Answered by Rev. Mary B. G. Eddy as found in the June 1886 Christian Science Journal
Matthew 8:8-10
8 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.
9 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.
10 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.
Acts 17:28
For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.
It is divine Mind, the only I AM, consciously being HIMSELF as real man. It is never we, as person, who says “God is the only Power, the only Life, the only Presence.” It is always the I AM, and never the personal I that declares Power, and Life, and Presence and declares being it.
from Addresses, by Martha Wilcox, page 196
Matthew 10:8
… freely ye have received, freely give.