New Thought Lectionary: 4th Sunday before Advent (Proper 26)

Date: November 2nd, 2008

Theme: Growing together as the body of Christ

Topic: Christ, Mankind's Indwelling Interpreter Of Scripture

Key verse: Jesus said, ‘Nor are you to be called 'teacher', for you have one teacher, the Christ [Matthew 23:10].

Reference Scriptures: Matthew 23:1-12 ‘Jesus asserts that Christ is the only reliable interpreter of scripture’.

Other Reference Scriptures: Joshua 3:7-17 ‘Israel crosses the Jordan’.

Psalm 107:1-7, 33-37 ‘Thanksgiving for deliverance’.

1 Thessalonians 2:9-13 ‘Paul’s faith and example’.

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In today’s Gospel reading Matthew 23:1-4, Jesus of Nazareth uses rhetoric, reasoning and political language to condemn a specific group of spiritually blind religious leaders, in his own faith. They rejected the eternal, indwelling Christ, who Jesus proclaimed as mankind's only indwelling Lord, and true interpreter of scripture [Genesis 1:26-27, Matthew 22:41-44, John 14:6]. They refuted Jesus' assertion that all humankind have direct, eternal, Spirit-based relationship with Abba Father, through the indwelling Christ and the Holy Spirit, as revealed in scripture [John 1:1-5, 17:20-21].

Jesus teaches that his followers must proclaim the Gospel of Christ. However in interpreting scripture, he makes it clear that all human beings have only one true interpreter of scripture – and that interpreter is Christ, the Word, in the spiritual core of all persons [Matthew 23:10, John 1:1-5]. The Bible confirm this also by declaring that the Law was given by Moses but that grace and truth were revealed through Jesus of Nazareth [John 1:17-18; John 14:6, Romans 1:16-17].
Jesus' radical teachings in today’s texts are Christ-centered and Spirit-based. They do not focus on Jesus' physical person and personality. Jesus probably centered his gaze on the close relationship the community of Israel had with God through Christ, I AM THAT I AM, before they chose to proclaim Moses as their human intermediary between God and them [Exodus 3:14; 24:9-11]. This eternal, intimate, Spirit-based relationship with Abba Father was the center of Jesus' prayer life for those who choose to follow him [John 17:20-26].

In Matthew 23:8-12, Jesus advised his disciples to call no man, including himself, Father, instructor or teacher. These radical statements by Jesus suggest the urgent need for mankind to again contemplate and appropriate this Christ-centered, Spirit-based foundation of the Good News of the Gospel of Christ. Jesus teachings bring new inner spiritual meaning and symbolism to his life, cross, death, resurrection, ascension, second coming and the body of Christ. They shed new light on the human experience of kingdom living in the spiritual kingdom of heaven within us and in our midst [Matthew 6:33, Luke 11:1-13; 17:20-21].

The Bible declares that Jesus of Nazareth was the full visible manifestation of the Godhead [Trinity] bodily [Colossians 2:9]. Jesus demonstrated first hand knowledge of God's grace, wisdom, love and truth, and mankind's eternal relationships of communion with indwelling Abba Father, Christ and the Holy Spirit, through our spiritual cores [Colossians 2:10-11]. With God's help, all human beings can potentially express the fullness of the Deity through the indwelling Christ, within oneself and within all people [John 1:17, 17:20-26].

Jesus saw his physical person and personality as our elder brother, the visible Messiah. He saw his incarnate Spirit, the Christ, within himself and within all humans, as the Way, the Truth and the Life, the only true interpreter of the written or spoken Word [Genesis 1:26-27, John 1:1-5; 14:6]. Jesus of Nazareth modeled this breakthrough in mankind’s individual and collective consciousness as repentance, salvation, healing, wholeness and faithful interpretation and response to God's Word through the Christ, in human souls, hearts, minds and affairs [Matthew 23:8-10, Luke 4:18-19, John 5:19, 30].

Many people believe that Jesus revealed and modeled God's Reign and mankind’s divine heritage as the body of Christ [Genesis 1:28-31]. Many proclaim that Jesus brought to light God’s eternal plan of salvation and deliverance from the bondage of sin, sickness and death, through Christ. Many teach that Jesus modeled God's eternal plan for healing broken human and divine relationships between God and each other through Christ.

Jesus’ ministry flourished because he willingly emptied himself of the carnal, mortal and worldly mind of the flesh. Jesus was not on an ego trip. Under the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit, Jesus raised in human consciousness, the knowledge and role of the invisible, eternal, indwelling Christ, to the glory of our Father, within himself in and all persons [John 3:13-17]. Jesus always made it clear that his ego personality, the Son of Man, must suffer many things. He will die and be raised on the third day [Matthew 16:21]. He always stress the exaltation of Christ as Savior, Lord, Teacher and Interpreter of Scripture [Matthew 23:10].

Like Peter, many people view the death of the Son of Man with great fear, anxiety and distress [Matthew 16:22]. Is it possible that the life, passion, death and resurrection, ascension and second coming of Jesus of Nazareth could be metaphors and symbols for the death of the mind of the flesh, which must take place within the human heart, before mankind could put on the mind of Spirit [Matthew 24:23-36, Romans 8:1-11, Colossians 1:26-27]? In today’s Gospel reading, is Jesus not summonsing seekers in all the world religions, to turn away from the mind of the flesh and turn within to the indwelling and incarnate Christ, as the only true interpreter of the spoken and written Word?

Carnal, mortal and worldly belief systems create false impressions of human separation from God and each other, through all religions. They distort, confuse and misinterpret the spoken and written Word. As eternal spiritual beings, now going through temporary human experiences, Jesus admonishes all mankind to discern and steadfastly lift up the indwelling Christ as the true instructor and interpreter of Holy Scriptures [Matthew 23:8-10, John 12:31-36].
Jesus encourages all mankind to fully re-claim our divine heritage, in and through Christ. Now is the accepted time. Now is the day of salvation. Now is the day of Christ's coming as Lord, Master, Teacher and Interpreter of the Word [2 Corinthians 6:2, 1 Thessalonians 2:13].

New Thought Lectionary, October 26, 2008

23rd Sunday after Pentecost (Proper 25)

Date: October 26th, 2008

Theme: Growing together as the body of Christ

Topic: Why did Jesus of Nazareth call Christ, Lord?

Key verse: Yahshua then said to the Pharisees, "How is it them that David by the Spirit, called him Lord..." [Matthew 22:43]?

Reference Scriptures: Matthew 22:34-46 ‘Jesus’ answers and questions about Messiah and the Lordship of Christ?’

Other Related Scriptures:

Deuteronomy 34:1-12, ‘Moses views the promised land’.

Psalm 90:1-6, ‘God’s providence and human frailty’.

1 Thessalonians 2:1-8, ‘Paul’s love for and mission to the Thessalonians'.

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In today’s Gospel reading Matthew 22:34-46, Yahshua answered and asked the Pharisees, the essential questions which need to be clarified, in the Gospel of Christ. What commandment in the law the greatest? What do you think and believe about Yahshua of Nazareth as the promised Messiah? Whose Son is he? And, how is it then that David by the Spirit calls, Messiah, Lord?

Yahshua of Nazareth saw himself as an incarnate spiritual being, sent to earth from heaven, by God [John 5:30, 7:21]. His mission was to be the human model of the full manifestation of the eternal and invisible Christ, the image and likeness of God, in the spiritual core of all humankind [Genesis 1:26-31, John 10:10].

Yahshua was the fulfillment of the law [Matthew 5:17]. He was the fulfillment of God's promises in John 3:16-17. To Yahshua then, Christ was the divine and eternal Word and Presence of God, in the spiritual core of all humankind [John 1:1-5].

As Messiah, Yahshua of Nazareth always dwelt in the spiritual Kingdom of Heaven, the spiritual core of all humankind and in our midst [Luke 17:20-21]. As Messiah, Yahshua fully experienced mankind's eternal spiritual existence and at the same time, he also experienced mankind's temporary physical existence. He was both a loyal citizen in the kingdom of heaven and certainly a loyal citizen on earth [John 18:35-36, Luke 17:20-21]. Yahshua of Nazareth truly rendered unto Caesar the things of Caesar and unto God the things, which are God's [Matthew 22:21, John 18:37].

The promises of salvation, redemption and kingdom living though the Gospel of Christ, and Yahsua's claim as the promised Messiah, are based on the fact that the spiritual kingdom of heaven already eternally exists, within the spiritual core every human being and in our midst [Matthew 6:9-10, Luke 17:20-21, John 3:16-17].

God created all human beings for his glory and the kingdom living which Yahshua proclaimed and manifested, here on earth [Genesis 1:28-31, John 14:6]. Yahshua's understanding, teaching and questions about himself as both Messiah, the Son of God and Christ as Lord, in today's Gospel, were therefore logical, practical, Christ-centered and Spirit-based [Matthew 22:41-46].

The skeptical Pharisees in today's Gospel were unable to understand and answer his questions, because they looked at Yahshua and his questions through mental lenses which were primarily xenophobic, intellectual, erroneous, material and physical. They were spiritually blind, spiritually deaf and spiritually dumb. They missed the mark in thinking, judgment and the spiritual experience of mankind's basic, eternal spiritual core. Some people would say they had become spiritually dead, because of their trespassing and persistent sinning [Romans 8:1-8].

Yahshua's questions are based in the fact that like Yahshua of Nazareth, all humans are eternal spiritual beings, going through temporary human experiences. In the spiritual dimension of human lives, dwell the eternal grace, love, life, power and Truth of the Gospel of Christ, as taught and modeled by Yahshua of Nazareth [John 1:15-18].

Yahshua's answers and questions provide insight, into this often hidden and mysterious spiritual dimension of human existence and experience. This mystery is, 'Christ in you and me, the hope of glory' [Colossians 1:26-27].

Many religious leaders in all the world religions still fail to give sound, logical, Spirit-based answers to Yahshua's answers and questions about himself as Messiah, his Son-ship and Christ as Lord. The promised Messiah, in today’s text refers to a human being who is set apart, consecrated, baptized by the Holy Spirit, illuminated and empowered by God to complete a special mission. The Greek word for an individual fulfilling this role as Messiah is ‘Christos’.

Like these Pharisees, many religious people choose to focus only on the physical, mental and emotional dimensions of Yahshua's life, death and resurrection, as Messiah. They choose to overlook the essential and eternal saving work of the risen Christ as Lord, in Yahshua's and mankind's heart and spiritual core [John 5:19, 30].

Christ is not a mere man. Christ is the eternal and invisible image, likeness and life of God, in the spiritual core of not only Yahshua of Nazareth, king David, BUT all humankind, while here on earth [Luke 1:76-80].

Yahshua therefore sought to remind these religious leaders that in the royal Psalm 110:1, David their most celebrated king, was a spiritually awake king. Like Yahshua of Nazareth, David discerned Christ, the Son begotten only of God, as his eternal indwelling Lord, in his own spiritual core. King David experienced Messiah as his indwelling Shepherd who was steadfast and faithful in making his internal and external enemies his footstool [Matthew 22:44].

Like many people, I also choose to call Yahshua of Nazareth ‘The Christ’, Savior and Lord, because he fully understood, experienced and demonstrated God’s original plan for human kingdom living here on earth [Philippians 2:5].

Throughout his incarnation, Yahshua of Nazareth demonstrated Christ Consciousness. As Messiah, Yahshua presented a clear and compelling discernment of the indwelling Christ, as the eternal, omnipresent and invisible Lord of his life. Yahshua's life demonstrated the crucified, risen, living, indwelling and incarnate Christ; mankind’s individualized Great High Priest and mankind's only universal, Spirit-based Savior and Lord, fully manifested in human flesh [Colossians 2:9].

Yahshua affirmed the Presence and transforming work of Christ, the Son of God, in his spiritual nature, the spiritual nature of the Jewish patriarch David and the spiritual nature of every person [John 5:16-23]. It is on this scientific, logical and spiritual basis that Yahshua of Nazareth declared the urgent human need for repentance, baptism of water and the Spirit, and turning to Christ, in the kingdom of heaven [Mark 1:14-15, Luke 17:20-21, John 3:5-6].

Yahshua sought to establish the Lordship of Christ and kingdom living in every human soul, heart, mind and life, through our individual and collective spiritual cores [Matthew 28:1John 20:21].

In Mark 1:14-15, Yahshua proclaimed the good news of God. "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news". In Matthew 22:37-39, Yahshua declared that the greatest commandment in the law is this, "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with your entire mind”. He then declared that the second says. “You shall love your neighbor as yourself”. On these two commandments, Yahshua acknowledged "hang all the Law and the Prophets."

Yahshua's essential questions remains. What do you think of Jesus of Nazareth as Messiah? Whose Son is he? How is it then that David by the Spirit, calls Messiah, Lord? I now ask you these questions in the context of today's discussion. Is Christ the Lord in your heart and life? If not, why not?

New Thought Lectionary: Oct 19, 2008

Date: October 19th, 2008

Theme: Growing together as the body of Christ

Topic: Committment To Christ?

Key verse: Jesus said, "Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and to God the things that are God’s" [Matthew 22:21].

Reference Scriptures: Matthew 22:15-22, ‘Jesus answers the question about paying taxes'.
Other Reference Scriptures: Exodus 33:12-23 ‘Moses requests God's presence’. Psalm 99:1-11, ‘Praise to God for His holiness’. 1 Thessalonians 1:1-10, ‘The Thessalonians examples of faith and Christ-centered living’.

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In Matthew 22:15-22, Jesus discusses the importance of proper balance between the spiritual, mental, emotional and physical dimensions of the human lives. He reminds us that all human beings should give unique and divinely ordained priority, to the spiritual dimension of their lives [Matthew 22:21]. Jesus came to reveal the eternal nature, mystery and abundance of this Christ-centered, spiritual dimension in every human life [John 10:10].

Jesus admonished his followers to make this inner spiritual dimension, the things of God, the highest priority in their lives [Matthew 6:33]. He called the outer visible physical and the inner invisible, mental and emotional human activities, the things of Caesar, the things of men [Matthew 16:23]. He stressed not only their transitory nature but also their secondary importance.

In today's Gospel reading, the Pharisees and Herodians got together and sent representative seeking to embarrass Jesus by placing him and his teaching at the center of controversy [Matthew 22:15]. They wanted Jesus to state publicly, whether he thought it was right or wrong for the Jewish people to pay head taxes to Caesar and the Roman government [Matthew 22:16-17]. Jesus discerned their hypocrisy and asked, why did you choose to tempt him [Matthew 22:18]?

Responding to their sinister intent, Jesus asked them to give him a penny and identify the image and name on that coin [Matthew 22:19-20]. They replied Caesar. He then wisely admonished them to give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s [Matthew 22:21]. To Jesus, every human being should recognize their heavenly citizenship and responsibilities as well as earthly citizenship and civic responsibilities, while living here on earth [Luke 17:20-21]. Their highest priority, he admonished should be following and obeying God’s laws in kingdom living [Matthew 6:33]. They should also be loyal earthly citizens, who meet their normal civic responsibilities [Matthew 22:21].

It is interesting to note that these skeptical religious leaders believed Jesus was an impartial and true teacher from God [Matthew 22:16]. Their intention however, was to embarrass Jesus and discredit his authentic Christ-centered, Spirit-based teaching about kingdom living and the nature of the kingdom of heaven [Matthew 5:17, Luke 17:20-21]. They sought to trap Jesus into saying something offensive, so he could be further rejected by the religious authorities and at the same time be arrested and destroyed by the occupying Roman authorities.

In the Bible Caesar is symbolic of the spiritual blindness, human reason and human will, when centered in intellectualism, materialism and the things of men [Mark 8:33]. Allegiance to Caesar, the mind of the flesh, always brings rejection of the lordship of the indwelling Christ, the image and likeness of God, in the human heart [Genesis 1:26-27, Romans 8:7]. It always edges out the appropriate priority of the things of God in human souls, minds and affairs [Romans 8:6].

Allegiance to Caesar is never tempered with the Christ-centered, Spirit-based love, mercy, grace, justice and truth, which Jesus modeled [Romans 8:5]. In his response, Jesus makes it clear that every human being should be aware of one's dual citizenship. One is the often hidden, eternal spiritual or heavenly dimension of our lives [Colossians 1:26-27]. It exists within the spiritual core each person and in our midst [Luke 17:20 -21]. The other citizenship is earthly. It is physical and transitory. It exists as the outer, the visible and the physical as well as the inner invisible mental, emotional and intellectual dimensions of our lives [Matthew 6:6-10].

Jesus’ essential teaching is that all people should embrace as their primary responsibility, seeking and serving Christ in all people, loving their neighbor as themselves [Genesis 1;26-27, John 13:34]. In this way, kingdom living and the spiritual kingdom of God will be further established in our midst and within us, through Christ [Matthew 5:48]. Jesus admonishes all people to be good and loyal citizens, while living in the midst of social, cultural, economic, political and religious spiritually blind systems, which reject the indwelling Christ and exclude the things of God.

In today’s Gospel, Jesus stresses the importance of recognizing and prioritizing the changeless realities and principles of this inner spiritual dimension of our lives. He taught that this prioritizing could be achieved through Christ-centered spiritual mindfulness and the daily practical application of his teachings. I believe, the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5, 6 & 7, best presents the concise summary of these things of God and the kingdom of heaven, which Jesus revealed and modeled.

Christ-centered, spiritually awake, human beings in all all the world religions are the light of the world and the salt of the earth [Matthew 5:13-15]. Christ-centered humans let their light, the indwelling Christ, so shine before men that they me see their good works and glorify our Abba Father, who is in heaven [Matthew 5:16]. By daily practical application of the inner spiritual meaning of Jesus’ teachings and following his wise response to these skeptical religious authorities, with God’s help, all people can find the hidden secrets to true Christ-centered. spirit-based prioritizing, lasting joy, deep abiding peace, divine favor and social justice.