Jesus' words and actions naturally inspires us to rise up and follow him. In Christian Science, this is more than worship. His love was so powerful that it rouses us to love God supremely and to love others as ourselves. Learning from Jesus evokes a desire to obey him and emulate his works. This includes healing the sick by becoming so filled with the eternal Christ spirit that all fear and doubt vanish. Christ is that Word of God lived so abundantly by Jesus that we can discern it in all ages. Christ, the title given to Jesus, is the healing power that dissolves suffering in exchange for the profound feeling of being loved and being well. Mary Baker Eddy finds in Scriptures evidence that Jesus was human—among us—but he was the divinely appointed Messiah, or as he said himself, “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:16).
Christ Jesus' life, works, and teachings
When Jesus was born in the Jewish community of Bethlehem, the world hardly knew that it happened or what it was going to mean. According to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, a few wise men, shepherds, and family members caught on long before Jesus came of age and began his public ministry. Christmas is an annual reminder for each of us to check their spiritual readiness for catching that same Christ-spirit known spiritually, but hidden from worldly distractions.
One of the rare details known about Jesus’ early life offers an important indication about his understanding of his future mission. When his parents began the return home from Jerusalem after the Passover celebration when he was twelve, he lingered behind. They searched for three days before finding him in the temple. He explained to his parents it was important for him to attend to the things of “his Father” (see Luke 2:49). From that time on, he referred to God most often as his Father. Later he taught his followers that his Father was also their Father. Mary Baker Eddy thought it was Jesus’ inseparable relationship with God/his Father that enabled him to do his marvelous works.
Jesus reformed people who were living with immoral habits, and he cured the supposedly incurable. Three times he raised those who had died. The relationship between his works and his teaching about his Father’s kingdom, which was also called heaven, is very significant in Christian Science. Both his explanations and his examples of the way things work in this kingdom of God are like a guidebook, or an exposition of the principle of God’s government. Mary Baker Eddy’s discovery of this Science of Christ was the dawning light for her, that Jesus’ example and instruction was practically applicable for all humanity in all ages.
His inseparability from his Father was also crucial when he faced his darkest hours, those of his trial and crucifixion. Although he foresaw the encounter he would surely face against the world’s hatred of his mission, he prayed for the willingness and strength to stay faithful to his Father’s plan. Forgiving those who crucified him, praying for the wrongdoer crucified next to him, and looking out for his mother’s well-being—all while he hung on the cross—are indications that he continued to trust his Father’s care for him as well.
His resurrection a few days later proved to be the ultimate evidence of the power of Christ, as it demonstrated victory over all the world’s opposition. It inspired hope and courage for his disciples to go and proclaim this greatest of news for humanity. Here was proof that salvation from sin, suffering, and death had indeed come to earth—as the Hebrew prophets had foretold.
You can read more about Jesus in Science and Health, and especially in the chapter titled "Atonement and Eucharist".
The Christian Science Journal, Christian Science Sentinel, and The Herald of Christian Science regularly publish articles which provide healing insights into Jesus' life and teachings. Below are a few examples.