© 2003 Ken Glasziou
© 2003 The Brotherhood of Man Library
Your mission to the world is founded on the fact that I lived a God-revealing life among you;. . . and it shall consist in the life that you will live among men–the actual and living experience of loving men and serving them, even as I have loved and served you. (UB 191:5.3)
Many times in the Urantia Papers we are exhorted to live as Jesus lived.
Though the wisdom or virtue of one can very rarely make many happy, the folly or vice of even one often makes many miserable.
Samuel Johnson
“The life you will live,” is the only one you have.
You may preach a religion about Jesus but, perforce, you must live the religion of Jesus. (UB 196:2.1)
But in no way does this mean that we are to copy the material life of Jesus. It is Jesus’ spiritual life that we are exhorted to live–and to do so we have to know the mind of Jesus. Why? So that we might ‘sense’ how a perfectly spiritualized mind would respond to the ordinary everyday experiences of living.
Our quote from UB 196:2.1 implies that unless we can actually live the spiritualized life we waste our time in preaching about Jesus. What is now needed. . . .
Christianity has indeed done a great service for this world, but what is now most needed is Jesus. The world needs to see Jesus living again on earth in the experience of spirit-born mortals who effectively reveal the Master to all men. It is futile to talk about a revival of primitive Christianity; you must go forward from where you find yourselves. (UB 195:10.1)
There have been many most wonderful lives lived over the past 2000 years by men and women who truly discovered the meaning of “living as Jesus lived.” So what was it that they discovered in the Gospels that acted so uniquely as their guiding light?
Along with the earliest of the Christians they were probably all aware of our indwelling by the Spirit of the Father–most often referred to by Paul and by John in verses such as “Know you not that you are the temple of God, that the Spirit of God dwells within you,” (1 Cor. 3:16) and “if we love one another, God dwells in us, and his love is perfected in us.” (1 John 4:12)
But their primary source of understanding of the mind of Jesus almost certainly had its foundations in the “Sermon on the Mount,” as presented in the Gospel of Matthew, plus some simple parable stories that Jesus used so expertly.
The Sermon on the Mount begins with what have been called:
In modern times some of the phrasing of these words has acquired an altered meaning from the original translation. In the Urantia Papers, Jesus illustrates the meaning of “poor in spirit” in a story of a wealthy Pharisee who strode into the synagogue declaring his thanks to God that he was not like that miserable publican over there in the corner, and then followed up with a catalogue of his praiseworthy attributes. In contrast the publican prayed to God contritely in the words, “God have mercy on me, a miserable sinner.”
The first was full of his own arrogant self-importance and puffed up with conceit and pride. The second was humble before God, he was teachable, and anxious to do better. It is in the publican that we find the meaning of “poor in spirit.”
Likewise the meaning of “those who mourn” is seen in those who feel genuine sympathy for the unfortunate or distressed, while “the meek” are those who are the opposite of arrogant, bullying, dominating.
Ask yourself what a perfect God, the epitome of love and compassion, would be like and interpret Jesus’ beatitudes accordingly–and you’ll never be far wrong. Jesus continued:
You are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under the feet of men.
The Sea of Galilee was famous throughout the Roman Empire for its salted fish. Salt from the Dead Sea area could vary in quality and so could affect the salted fish trade disastrously.
God cannot be cheated; so don’t try.
Life is a challenge—meet it!
Life is a song—sing it!
Life is a dream—realize it!
Life is love—enjoy it!
You are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel-cup, but on a candlestick; and it gives light unto all that are in the house.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
For verily I say to you, Till heaven and earth pass away, not one jot shall pass from the law, until all be fulfilled.
Whosoever therefore shall break even the least of these commandments, and teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do, and teach them so, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
The law was originally given to lawless Bedouin tribes whose understanding of spirituality was minimal. Today our societies still stand in need of a strict, even severe but just, system of law. In contrast, those who are truly spiritualized have no further need of law.
For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.
[The scribes and the Pharisees of Jesus’ day are representative of those who today manipulate power and the law for their own selfish gain.]
You have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shall not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be ibrought to trial: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca (idiot), shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of the judgment.
Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and then remember that your brother has ought against you; leave your gift before the altar, and go your way; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift.
The love we give away is thel only love we keep.
Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.
John Wesley
Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are in accord with him; lest at any time the adversary delivers you to the judge, and the judge delivers you to the warden, and you are cast into prison.
Verily I say to you that you shall by no means come out thence, until you have paid the utmost farthing.
If your right eye offends, pluck it out, and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that only one of your members should be lost, and not that your whole body should perish.
And if your right hand offends, cut it off, and cast it from you also: for it is more profitable for you to lose this one member, and not your whole body.
Again, you have heard that it has been said by those of old, You shall not forswear yourself, but shall perform unto the Lord your oaths:
But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne. Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool.
Neither shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your communication simply be, yes or no, yea or nay, for whatsoever is more than these comes of evil.
You have heard that it has been said, An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth:
But I say to you, That you resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will sue you at law, and take away your coat, let him have your cloak also.
And whosoever shall compel you to go a mile, go also the second mile.
[note: the Roman soldier had the right to compel civilians to carry his baggage for approximately one mile, but not more]
Give to him that asks, and from him who would borrow from you, turn him not away.
You have heard that it has been said, You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.
But I say, 'Love your enemies, bless those that curse you, do good to those that hate you, and pray for those who despitefully use you; that you may be the children of your Father who is in heaven: for he makes his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and he sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
For if you love only those who love you, what reward do you deserve? do not even the publicans and thieves do the same?
And if you greet only your brethren, what do you do more than others? do not even the pagans do so?
Be you therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Take heed that you do not do your alms before men, to be seen of them. For, lo, you have your reward.
When you do your alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men.
But when you are doing your alms, let not your left hand know what your right hand does. That your alms may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret shall reward you openly.
And when you pray, be not as the hypocrites are; for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, they have their reward.
But you, when you pray, enter into your closet, and when you have shut the door, pray to your Father in secret; and your Father who sees in secret shall reward you openly.
And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Therefore be not like them; for your Father knows what things you have need of even before you ask him. In this manner you should construct your prayer:Our Father who art in heaven,
Hallowed be thy name.
Your kingdom come.
Your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:
For yours is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
You can’t blame the past for what you are today. That’s like blaming gravity for the glass you broke. Just clean up the mess and get another glass from the cupboard.
When you pray, imagine God’s love cascading over you like pure, white light. It surrounds, fills, protects, blesses, and heals you—for your highest good and the highest good of others.
For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses.
Moreover when you fast, be not, as the hypocrites, of a sad countenance: for they disfigure their faces that they may appear unto men to fast. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.
But you, when you fast, disfigure not your faces but rather wash so that you do not appear unto men to fast; and your Father who sees you fast in secret, he shall reward you openly.
Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust do corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:
But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust corrupt, and where thieves cannot break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.
The light of the body is the eye: if therefore your eye be single, your whole body shall be full of light.
But if your eye be evil, your whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and mammon.
Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what you shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor yet for your body, what you shall put on. Is not life more than meat, and the body more than raiment?
Behold the fowls of the air: they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not more precious than they?
Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
And why do you take thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
And yet I say to you, not even Solomon in all his glory was arrayed like one of these.
Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?
Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
For your heavenly Father knows that you have need of all these things.
But seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all other needs shall be added unto you.
Take no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself.
Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
We may give without loving, but we cannot love without giving.
Build yourself a sanctuary—an inner retreat—in your imagination. It can contain anything or anyone whom you choose. Just make sure you choose your indwelling God-Spirit.
Judge not, that you be not judged.
For with whatsoever judgment you judge others, so shall you be judged: and with what measure you mete out, so shall it be measured to you again.
And why do you behold the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but consider not the splinter that is in your own eye?
How will you say to your brother, Let me remove the speck from your eye; and, behold, a splinter is in your own eye?
Give not that which is holy to the dogs, neither cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you.
Ask, and it shall be given; seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you:
Every one that asks receives; and he that seeks finds; and to him that knocks it shall be opened.
For what man is there of you, who, if his son asks for bread, would he give him a stone?
Or if he asks for a fish, would he give him a serpent?
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father in heaven give good things to those that ask him?
Therefore all things whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
Enter in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be that take that path; But strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, that leads unto life.
Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, while inwardly they are ravening wolves.
You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Even so, every good tree brings forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree can only bring forth bad fruit.
A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
By their fruits you shall know them.
Not every one that calls unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that does the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name and in your name cast out devils and done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you; depart from me, you that work iniquity.
We are shaped and fashioned by what we love.
Goethe
And I said to a man that stood at the gate of the year: “Give me a light that I might tread safely into the unknown.” And he replied, “Go out into the darkness and put your hand in the hand of God. That shall be to you better than a light, and safer than a known way.”
The Desert- (1908) "God Knows.-
Therefore whosoever hears these sayings of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house upon a rock:
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
And every one that hears these sayings of mine, and does them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand:
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell; and great was the fall of it.
It came to pass, when Jesus had ended these sayings, the people were astonished at his doctrine; for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
A great virtue of Matthew’s “Sermon on the Mount” is that it is condensed into a single unit. But whereas it is not meant to be used as a set of rules for living, taken overall, it does provide a means for comprehending Jesus’ indefinable selflessness that can lead us to mind spiritualization and God-knowingness.
In addition to the Sermon on the Mount, our understanding of the mind of Jesus can be enhanced if we have a good knowledge of his parables–among them, “The Laborers in the Vineyard” (Matthew 20:1-16) that illustrates the compassion of God; “The Good Samaritan” (Luke 28:25-37) that outlaws racial prejudice; “The Lost Sheep” (Matthew 18:12-14) that tells of God’s care for sinners; and “The Sheep and the Goats,” given below, that illustrates the loving and serving nature of divinity:
And before Him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats:
And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
For I was a hungry, and you gave me meat; I was thirsty, and you gave me drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in:
I was naked, and you clothed me; I was sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came to comfort me.
Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry, and fed you or thirsty, and gave you drink?
When did we meet you as a stranger, and took you in; or see you naked, and clothed you?
Or when did we see you sick, or in prison, and came unto you?
And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as you have done it to one of the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me.
Then shall he say to those on his left hand, Depart from me. For I was a hungry, and you gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and you took me not in: naked, and you clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and you visited me not.
Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister to you?
Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as you did it not to the least of these, you did it not to me.
Let the flower you hold in your han be your world for that moment.
Experience is something that we can create, it is something we must undergo.
Also there are three short verses in the “Sermon on the Mount” that merit parable status:
For what man is there of you who, if his son asks for bread, would he give him a stone?
Or, if he asked for a fish would he give him a serpent?
If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more will the Father in heaven give good things to those who ask?
These simple verses are among the most important in the whole of the New Testament–for they provide the sincere individual with the means to gain personal insight into mind of God.
For any problem confronting us that needs a moral or ethical yes or no judgment, we can ask ourselves how the finest and most loving earthly father conceivable by us would respond. And whether our answer be yes or no, we would have little cause for doubt that God, who is perfect love and compassion, would respond likewise.
The beauty of the parables of Jesus is that they provide simple but deeply meaningful answers to so many extremely difficult ethical problems.
Even though constituted of only a few scraps from the totality of the teaching of Jesus, nevertheless this combination of teachings is sufficient to provide a foundation from which, in cooperation with the indwelling Divine Spirit, any genuine seeker can gain a saving knowledge of the mind of Jesus, hence of his revelation of the nature of God. And, over two millennia, it has been the guiding source for a multitude of dedicated Christians to achieve that end.
However, what must be avoided at all costs is that we convert any of this foundation material into rules, commandments, or creeds.
All matters moral, ethical, or spiritual are situational and relative. Therefore they cannot be generalized. Each such occasion of experience is unique and cannot occur in exactly the same way again. But once converted to rules and creeds, they can take on an absolute and rigid status
In reality, such matters are unique for the individual. Hence judgment and decision making belongs uniquely to the individual and the Spirit of the Father who indwells each one of us.
[Societies though, are different. Because of the imperfections of individuals, a society cannot be truly stable except there be rules of behavior to which members are required to subscribe–under duress, if necessary.]
Once we gain a good knowledge of the mind of Jesus and have also come to rely upon a feeling of “at oneness” with our indwelling Father-Spirit, then we, too, will commence to live our lives as Jesus lived his–in accord with the will of God and under the guidance of the God-Spirit-Within.
Quite remarkably, when in the public gaze, we will also cease to “act a part” by attempting to convince others of our holiness–and expecting, hoping, or demanding that they should be what we were only pretending to be.
In fact, even the thought that our lives are, or even should be, examples to the non-initiated will cease–and we will simply “be” what we really are, knowing that nothing else is reality–and nothing but our reality is acceptable to God.
Accept those things you cannot alter, not blindly, but withfull understanding.
The searchfor God-likeness is a lifetime’s quest that cannot be hurried.