Responsive Reading: John 3 : 17 ; I John 2 : 15-17 ; I John 5 : 4, 5, 20

17.     For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

15.     Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

16.     For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

17.     And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.

4.     For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.

5.     Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?

20.     And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

1. John 1 : 1, 4, 9, 10, 12, 13

1     In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

4     In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

9     That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

10     He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

12     But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

13     Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

2. Matthew 11 : 2-6

2     Now when John had heard in the prison the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples,

3     And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?

4     Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:

5     The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them.

6     And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

3. Matthew 13 : 1-8, 10, 13 (speak), 15, 20 (1st he)-23

1     The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.

2     And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.

3     And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow;

4     And when he sowed, some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:

5     Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth:

6     And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

7     And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them:

8     But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

10     And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?

13     …speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.

15     For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

20     …he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;

21     Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended.

22     He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful.

23     But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.

4. Matthew 16 : 13-17, 21-23, 24 (If)-26 (to 1st ?)

13     When Jesus came into the coasts of Cæsarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am?

14     And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.

15     He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?

16     And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

17     And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

21     From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.

22     Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.

23     But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.

24     If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

25     For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

26     For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

5. John 6 : 63 (the words), 64 (to 1st .), 66-69

63     …the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

64     But there are some of you that believe not.

66     From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.

67     Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

68     Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life.

69     And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

6. Colossians 2 : 6-8, 10 (ye), 14, 15, 20-22

6     As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:

7     Rooted and built up in him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving.

8     Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

10     …ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:

14     Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;

15     And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

20     Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances,

21     (Touch not; taste not; handle not;

22     Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men?

7. Colossians 3 : 1, 24

1     If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

24     Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.

1. 333 : 16 (The)-23

The advent of Jesus of Nazareth marked the first century of the Christian era, but the Christ is without beginning of years or end of days. Throughout all generations both before and after the Christian era, the Christ, as the spiritual idea, — the reflection of God, — has come with some measure of power and grace to all prepared to receive Christ, Truth.

2. 583 : 10-11

Christ. The divine manifestation of God, which comes to the flesh to destroy incarnate error.

3. 589 : 16-18

Jesus. The highest human corporeal concept of the divine idea, rebuking and destroying error and bringing to light man's immortality.

4. 131 : 22-29

As aforetime, the spirit of the Christ, which taketh away the ceremonies and doctrines of men, is not accepted until the hearts of men are made ready for it.

The mission of Jesus confirmed prophecy, and explained the so-called miracles of olden time as natural demonstrations of the divine power, demonstrations which were not understood.

5. 132 : 10 (he)-13

…he gave his benediction to any one who should not deny that such effects, coming from divine Mind, prove the unity of God, — the divine Principle which brings out all harmony.

6. 379 : 6-8

The real jurisdiction of the world is in Mind, controlling every effect and recognizing all causation as vested in divine Mind.

7. 136 : 32-11

Jesus patiently persisted in teaching and demonstrating the truth of being. His students 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.

Yearning to be understood, the Master repeated, "But whom say ye that I am?" This renewed inquiry meant: Who or what is it that is able to do the work, so mysterious to the popular mind?

8. 137 : 16-21

With his usual impetuosity, Simon replied for his brethren, and his reply set forth a great fact: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God!" That is: The Messiah is what thou hast declared, — Christ, the spirit of God, of Truth, Life, and Love, which heals mentally.

9. 350 : 16-18

The Master often refused to explain his words, because it was difficult in a material age to apprehend spiritual Truth.

10. 38 : 26-32

To those buried in the belief of sin and self, living only for pleasure or the gratification of the senses, he said in substance: Having eyes ye see not, and having ears ye hear not; lest ye should understand and be converted, and I might heal you. He taught that the material senses shut out Truth and its healing power.

11. 27 : 17-32

Jesus' parables explain Life as never mingling with sin and death. He laid the axe of Science at the root of material knowledge, that it might be ready to cut down the false doctrine of pantheism, — that God, or Life, is in or of matter.

Jesus sent forth seventy students at one time, but only eleven left a desirable historic record. Tradition credits him with two or three hundred other disciples who have left no name. "Many are called, but few are chosen." They fell away from grace because they never truly understood their Master's instruction.

Why do those who profess to follow Christ reject the essential religion he came to establish? Jesus' persecutors made their strongest attack upon this very point. They endeavored to hold him at the mercy of matter and to kill him according to certain assumed material laws.

12. 210 : 5-10

The Principle and proof of Christianity are discerned by spiritual sense. They are set forth in Jesus' demonstrations, which show — by his healing the sick, casting out evils, and destroying death, "the last enemy that shall be destroyed," — his disregard of matter and its so-called laws.

13. 230 : 1-10

If sickness is real, it belongs to immortality; if true, it is a part of Truth. Would you attempt with drugs, or without, to destroy a quality or condition of Truth? But if sickness and sin are illusions, the awakening from this mortal dream, or illusion, will bring us into health, holiness, and immortality. This awakening is the forever coming of Christ, the advanced appearing of Truth, which casts out error and heals the sick. This is the salvation which comes through God, the divine Principle, Love, as demonstrated by Jesus.

14. 442 : 19 (When)-22

When Christ changes a belief of sin or of sickness into a better belief, then belief melts into spiritual understanding, and sin, disease, and death disappear.

15. 494 : 30-3

Our Master cast out devils (evils) and healed the sick. It should be said of his followers also, that they cast fear and all evil out of themselves and others and heal the sick. God will heal the sick through man, whenever man is governed by God. Truth casts out error now as surely as it did nineteen centuries ago.

16. 565 : 13-18

The impersonation of the spiritual idea had a brief history in the earthly life of our Master; but "of his kingdom there shall be no end," for Christ, God's idea, will eventually rule all nations and peoples — imperatively, absolutely, finally — with divine Science.