How to Live Sermon 7-20-08

     Many have lost the rudders in their lives. They do not have a clue how to live their lives. Jesus taught us how to be Right with God. Jesus gave us pointers on how to be closer to God and how to live our lives. We need look no further than these verses to see our paths.

     The first part refers to seeing the World with Innocence. To find our way to remember Heaven as a baby still remembers. The last part refers to how some people will choice to not serve anyone but themselves.    

     RGoT (4) Jesus said, “An old person who dares to see the wisdom in the eyes of a seven day old infant will know how to know Heaven, and be born again. Many who are first will be last by service to The One.”

     Here are some more conventional rules to live by. The Questions these students were asking reflected the Rules laid down by the Priesthood not God. As a result many had no meaning to a follower of Jesus.

     RGoT (6) Jesus’ students asked him, “Should we fast? How do you want us to pray? Should we give money for the poor? What special food should we eat?”

     Jesus said, “Tell no lies, and do everything with Love, because in this way all that was hidden will be obvious. Do not fast, you will sin; The One knows your bodies need nourishment. Prayer by formula will condemn you, talk to The One from your heart instead. Do not give to the poor indirectly, because this will harm your soul. Give directly of your heart and self.

     When you go to another land be respectful of their customs. Then if they accept you, eat what they offer you. This acknowledges their act of hospitality. Heal anyone with them who in need of healing. What you put in your mouth will not hurt your soul. But what you say can poison your soul if it is not true or said with malice.”

     This verse is a call for Moderation. At the time Jesus said this there were many who felt that life was too short to not over do everything. The exception of course is that showing God’s Love to others should be encouraged. The Priesthood had set down many prohibitions for the Sabbath. These Prohibitions sometimes interfered with doing God’s work helping others.

     RGoT (27) Jesus said, “If you do not practice moderation regarding the World, you will not find Heaven. Practice moderation in all things except Love. Do good on the Sabbath not the things of man. In this way you will see the glorious shining face of The One.”

     In this verse you can see that most people are capable of finding something Loveable in their family and friends. Jesus did not chastise this way of Loving. What he emphasized was the need to Love Strangers as well as your Family. The Last part Emphasizes that Love without a foundation in our Love and Worship of God will be lacking a key ingredient.

     RGoT (55) Jesus said, “Love begins at home but if it is chained there you can never follow in my path.  Loving all is the only way to be able to bear a cross. Love God first because all other love is hollow without it.”

     This verse will probably sound more familiar to mainstream Christians. To Love Jesus often means doing things that draws our World’s anger towards our self-restraint. By speaking of Jesus, God and the Rules we must use in our lives more times than not go against the societies we live in. Actions taught by Jesus that do not follow the Crowd are Persecuted.

     RGoT (68) Jesus said, “Blessed are people who are hated and persecuted.  The people and places have hated and persecuted you will find no solace in The One.”

     Sometimes to understand a situation fully you must withdraw from it’s influences to understand what is happening.

     RGoT (42) Jesus said, “Stand outside the World, to see the Whole.”

     In this verse you can see the opposing forces of Godly versus Worldly pursuits. In this day and age of rampant Consumerism having things has been toted as a cure for all that ails you. If you buy into this you probably will have a hard time connecting with God. Your Things will be your gods.

     The second part of the verse refers to Old ideas versus New ideas. Jesus taught lessons that were filled with new life, as a new wine for the World. These New ideas and teaching just could not be contained and restrained by the Written in Stone variety of Worship that the Jewish people had followed up to that point. The cloth illustration uses a similar analogy. 

     RGoT (47) Jesus said, “It is impossible for a person to mount two steeds or stretch two bows at the same time.  It is impossible to serve two Bosses.  A person would respect one and treat the other with contempt. This does not mean that Reason and Spirit are two Masters. Those two should work as a team to reach The One.”

     No one who has a taste for old wine reaches for an unaged new wine. New wine is not put in old wineskins, because it would burst, because it holds life. Aged wine does not hold life, its sugar is expended, would spoil in a new wineskin because the skin is not cured by the fermentation.

     An old patch is not safely sewn onto a new garment, because it will be ripped, because the clothes shrink at different rates.”

     This verse is a warning to stay vigilant in your faith. Satan and those that follow him are always trying to undercut and sabotage our work for God. It is often not a big thing but that leak can become a permanent drain on your strength if you do not notice the effort and protect yourself.

     RGoT (97) Jesus said, “The world is like the woman who carried a sack of grain that sprang a leak. It was a leak that she did not see.  When she got home all the grain had run out and the sack was empty. Guard against the Thief and the Liar. You never know when they will come to poke a hole in your faith, leaving you empty without understanding how it happened.”   

     This verse is a reference to the practice of consecrating infants and males that join a Jewish family as a servant, slave or convert as adults. Many of the Students tried to continue enforcing this Ceremony with new Christians. They felt that because Jesus was a Jew like them that what he taught was a variety of Jewish faith. What they did not understand was that Jesus was not Updating the Jewish Tradition, but reaching out to the Entire World.

     What Jesus taught was that the Covenant with God had moved into the next Phase. The Flesh being given as Sacrifice was unimportant. It was the Sacrifice of the Soul you chose to make to God.

     RGoT (53) Jesus’ student asked, “Should your students and followers be circumcised?”

     Jesus said, “No if it were good for a person to be circumcised, they would be conceived circumcised in their mother’s womb. The only true circumcision would be of your spirit.”