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Good morning bus riders!
Today is the third Sunday after Pentecost, which this year is Proper 8.
Always keep in mind that the Ordinary after Pentecost season – roughly half a year – should reflect as when one has entered ministry as Jesus reborn.
One thing that I have heard bragged about, by Episcopalians, is being ‘cradle to grave.” They claim some sense of superiority comes from having been raised in that denomination of Christianity. That implies a Christening as a baby, educated in Sunday School (or children's church), and regular attendance every Sunday (except those weekends the family vacationed at the beach).
It also implies a continued commitment to an organization or specific church, which will not stop unto death brings a memorial plaque fastened above the worn seat of the pew always sat in. It implies a never-ending pretense of religious education.
The way I see the intent of the lectionary schedule, which is three years of cycles, is like going to college: three years in, then you graduate. Of course that is for an undergraduate degree, which means student debt difficult to be repaid, unless more years of graduate work make education eventually pay off.
When the “Propers” are all figured in, where some reading will only come up once in a decade, then maybe the ‘doctorate college plan’ is ten years? After ten years of higher education, one is somebody.
When the education is one's religion, then the goal should be to get to heaven; and, while trying to be nice and sweet gets one some ‘credit hours’ to show to God at Judgment time, if you haven’t amassed all the ‘senior’ credits of graduate work, then graduation to heaven is not to be the reward of this lifetime.
The ‘senior credits’ are what the Ordinary after Pentecost season is for. A student must not only achieve a ‘Bachelor's degree’ in sainthood, one has to have the Doctorate and become an applicator of one's religious study.
Ministry should always be the goal, because nothing less pays off.
From that perspective, I see the Year C readings (so far) as being deeper; in the sense that the surface meaning is harder to get beyond, so one can find the underlying truth. Today we have some very deep reading to discuss.
The two tracks (I have the ‘super highway’ path, remember?) of the Old Testament totals sixteen verses, all focusing on Elijah and Elisha. The two Psalms sung today total twenty-three verses.
All verses contain lesson in truth; and, that much is a lot to discern deeply.
Then, the reading from Galatians is most powerful. Brother Paul always wrote so deep that five or six verses can make for an hour of discussion … easy. Today, we cover fourteen very important verses, all packed full of truth, which alone is more than a bus stop sermon can accommodate.
Add to that the twelve verses from the Gospel selection in Luke, which I found most revealing this past week, and today is like being enrolled in a doctorate program in college, where you come in to class to find a short note written on a blackboard that says, “Read this and write a dissertation about it.”
Class over … but only after months of work on one’s own has been done.
On my website are in-depth commentaries about all of these selections that are to be read today. A note from the professor would say, “Read all of these commentaries.”
Relative to the Galatians reading selection – which is only read loud in churches on this one Sunday in the whole lectionary schedule – I wrote over five thousand words. I wrote about the same for the Luke reading.
Simply from that depth being exposed says these readings are not for the ‘undergraduate’ course load. The surface stories are that. That makes children's church where one earns a Bachelor's degree.
It is when one is going through those ‘forty days with Jesus’ – the Doctorate dissertation time – that those confusing stories are explained deeply; and, the revelations blow you away.
The truth of an epiphany it is when Scripture slaps you in the face, waking you up to a missed message. Something was always there, but you just never took the time to see it.
Each one of you has to have a personal experience of the truth of Scripture; and, sermons are only the ‘sampler platters’ of spiritual food, designed to whet the appetite for more.
Of course, the lesson from Exodus, about the manna from heaven, is you can only take as much as you can consume in one day. If you try to take more than that, then that taken but not discerned before sunrise the next day turns foul and rancid.
Scripture never does that. The foul and rancid is in the mind of the gatherer of Scripture. After a day’s efforts to discern Scripture, the next day offers something new to discern. So, a casual churchgoer hears some readings, listens to a sermon, and then goes on his or her merry way, never again thinking about that Scripture presented.
It is the gatherer that turns foul, full of maggots and stinking to high heavens. Scripture is always pristine and clean.
With that said, let’s look at the combined Old Testament readings, which are about Elijah, after he became a spirit of Yahweh (as His Son resurrected) and he was told to anoint his physical replacement – Elisha.
In the First Kings reading, we see Yahweh talking to Elijah, telling him to go anoint a king of Syria (Aram), a king of Israel, and Elisha, “as prophet in your place.” That seems simple enough to understand.
However, this is where the graduate level study comes in. In the Hebrew written, the word translated as “when you arrive” actually says, “when you come in.” That becomes important, once one realizes Yahweh was speaking to the spirit Elijah, not the human prophet. The reason Elijah would anoint Elisha “as prophet in your place” was the prophet Elijah was dead physically. Thus, “when you come in” speaks of divine possession.
Can you see that?
<Look for nodding heads and shocked faces.>
Well, this set of instructions from Yahweh needs to be compared to those told to Samuel, when he was sent to anoint David as king. Samuel poured olive oil on the head of David. Yahweh poured out His Spirit upon David’s soul. Both were anointments – meaning David was a “messiah” (lower-case - Samuel) and a “Messiah” (upper-case - Yahweh).
When David was anointed to replace Saul as king, that did not happen for another two decades (or so).
There is nothing written in First or Second Kings that tells of Elijah anointing any of those three. All we read is: Elijah found Elisha; and then, “Elijah passed by [Elisha] and threw his mantle over him.”
The Hebrew word translating as “passed by” is “abar,” which means “to pass over, through or by,” while also meaning “pass on.” The “Passover” is when Yahweh “passed by” and those firstborn males whose doorpost was not cover in the blood of the lamb died. So, when we say someone “passed away,” this is rooted in that meaning.
So, by reading deeply here, Elijah did not physically walk up to Elisha as he plowed a field, throwing his robe over his shoulders. The soul of Elijah entered his being as the Yahweh-commanded anointment of Elisha. It was his soul that is called the mantle that covered Elisha.
Can you see that?
<Look for shocked faces and maybe a nodding head.>
It is important to grasp that; and, the reason is the other reading for today leaps ahead to when Elisha asked Elijah to “let me inherit a double share of your spirit.” That says he knew he already had one share … the anointment Yahweh told the soul of Elijah to give to Elisha; so, when asked if he could do one last thing before his soul ascended to heaven, Elisha said (in essence), “I want to be you reborn. I want you to be resurrected within me and stay with me forever.”
That is the meaning of the story of Jesus. It makes Elijah the Son, just like Jesus. It means the name Ephraim meaning “Doubly Fruitful” is two souls together in one body of flesh.
Elisha received his anointment that made him a prophet; but on the way across the Jordan, the soul of Elijah had anointed a hundred others as priests. All were able to do some thing, just like the intern disciples of Jesus could. They had a little Elijah beside them, an angel whispering things for them to do. Elijah possessed the Spirit of Yahweh as a prophet … like Samuel.
Unlike Samuel, Elisha wanted more. He asked to be divinely possessed by the soul of Elijah, surrendering his soul completely to Elijah, so Elijah's soul – that of Adam-Jesus at that point – could be reborn in his body of flesh. Elisha asked to be the Son of man, which is much more than being a prophet.
Can you see that?
<Look for dropped jaws and shocked faces.>
Well, you have to look at David’s story again. He received one share of spirit when Samuel anointed him with physical oil. When Yahweh anointed David’s soul with His Spirit, that was the same thing as him receiving “a double share of spirit.”
That is the same thing as the mantle falling from the chariot as Elijah ascended. It was Yahweh’s Spirit [His elohim] being poured out of that chariot, onto the soul of Elisha, when he picked up the mantle and put it on.
David’s Psalms sing out about this divinely possessing spirit within his soul. It is the meaning of his singing about “el,” “elohim,” “adonay,” and “Yahweh.” The two Psalms possible to be sung today each sing those words loudly.
In Psalm 77 there is an intro included in the first verse, but such intros are never read aloud in Episcopal churches. The into says, “ to the preeminent above-praising [praising , ] (gatherer) a melody.”
That iscontains a hidden message; but it is one that says (basically), “All the Psalms of David came to him through divine insight." In the words written, brackets surround the word saying “praising,” while parentheses surround the word that says “gatherer.” Those marks of enclosure are symbolically written to denote an inner voice.
It was the “elohim” that is the “praiser” of Yahweh; and, it is the “elohim” – plural number word – that is the “collective” of those “gathered” as Yahweh’s possessions that all sing like angels surrounding the throne of Yahweh.
After that intro, the first verse sings, “with my voice into elohim and I cried out ; with my voice into elohim , and he listened to me”. The “voice” of David’s Psalms comes from his “elohim.” It is through his “elohim” that he was in contact with Yahweh.
This identifies his “elohim” as that which was poured out by Yahweh upon David’s soul. By seeing that being sung in verse one of Psalm 77, then one can see how Elisha picking up the mantle that came from Yahweh – [Elijah said he could not do that] – was Elisha receiving his “Yahweh elohim" – the soul of Adam-Jesus.
Remember, in Genesis 2 we read eleven times of the creation of a “Yahweh elohim,” which was the guy we like to call Adam. Adam was a soul placed in dust and clay that would be released when physical Adam died (after 930 human years on earth); so, that “Yahweh elohim” is the soul of Jesus. Thus, David received the soul of Jesus in his soul; and, Elisha received the soul of Jesus (then named Elijah) in his soul.
Can you see how the “elohim” I talk about each Sunday is that; and, we are all expected to be like Elisha and ask for that “elohim” of Jesus to be resurrected within our souls?
<Look for people scooting down the bench away from me.>
Well, in verse two of Psalm 77, David sang, “in the day of my trouble adonay I sought my hand ׀ in the night was stretched out and not will grow numb , to be sorry my soul”.
That word “adonay” is just like “elohim” – an angelic spirit, in the plural number – with the difference being the “adonay” says the inner “elohim” is there to teach one’s soul to be a teacher of others.
Elijah had been a prophet of the Northern Kingdom. When Yahweh told his soul to anoint Elisha to be his replacement as a prophet, that says the “double share of Elijah’s spirit” was not simply to be filled with an “elohim,” but to become an “adonay” in ministry. Elisha would not only be a prophet, but a High Priest who taught other prophets.
Can you see that?
<Look for nodding heads and people sliding back down the bench to me.>
Okay, due to time constraints, I hope everyone here will delve deeper into what Psalm 77 offers as truth, by reading the commentary I placed on my website.
Psalm 16 should also be read deeply. However, to give it some ‘air time’ here, look at how David wrote “Yahweh” multiple times (4), in eleven verses. That says David heard Yahweh speaking to him through the psalms; and, he identified that source by name. He did not write “O Lord.”
In verse one of Psalm 16 (which does not have an intro), David sang, “Keep watch over me, el, for I take refuge in you.” In that, David recognized his spirit within was a single “el,” so he knew his soul was only one of many “Yahweh elohim.” It was that inner spirit that was David’s “Watcher” and “Protector,” in which David’s soul put total trust and faith. It was his “refuge,” where his soul was safely “Guarded.”
In verse two, David then sang, “you have uttered Yahweh adonay yourself.” In that, the two words singing “Yahweh adonay” are the equivalent of “Yahweh elohim,” which identifies the soul of Adam-Jesus, while also saying that inner presence in David was to make him become a teacher of divine possession to others.
This is how David’s installment as King of Israel had a Spiritual affect on the people, leading all of them (like did Moses and later the Judges) to commit their souls to Yahweh, being filled with His “elohim.”
This is why Yahweh told the soul of Elijah to anoint two people who would become the kings over Syria (Aram) and Israel. They would not achieve that status for decades, well after Elijah ascended; but their having received a Spiritual anointment meant those two kings would have the same affect on their people, as did David with the Israelites.
That aspect of an “adonay” is the meaning of a soul being the resurrection of Jesus (possessed by his “elohim”), when the purpose of such a possession is to send out Apostles to teach about spiritual matters, as possessed by an “adonay.”
Can you see that?
<Look for astonished faces..>
Remember, this is graduate level study. It means being led by the Spirit to understanding. Being told about complicated matters becomes confounding. This is why personal Bible study is so important. It is why manna should be gathered daily … not once a week (or less).
I want to move along to the Galatians reading. It can be summed up quickly as Paul writing about freedom, living by the Spirit, and how to distinguish the sins of the flesh, versus the joys of the Spirit.
Now this reading can become misused by political organizers – the ones calling themselves ‘priests’ – as some holy message about some responsibility of governments of men that quote Paul, saying:
“For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”
They spit out “Christ” as it is the last name of Jesus. It is not.
The “Christ” must be realized as the “mantle thrown over Elisha.” It must be seen as the “Spirit Yahweh poured out upon David’s soul.”
The Greek word “Christos” means (in the lower-case spelling), “to anoint with olive oil.” That is what Samuel did to David, with the Hebrew word used there being “mashach” – the root word for “Messiah.”
The capitalization of the Greek word, which is the way it was written in Galatian, means an “Anointment” by Yahweh, not physical oil. Yahweh only Anoints souls, not foreheads.
So, Paul said freedom comes from one’s soul having been “Anointed” by Yahweh; and, that means a soul’s “yoke of slavery” is its body of flesh. To “Stand firm” means to life a righteous life while a soul in the flesh; and to “not submit again to the yoke of slavery” says not to do sinful acts and end up reincarnated … back in the yoke anew.
To be Anointed by Yahweh means a soul is freed from that recycling back to the material realm. It is free to rejoin Yahweh.
Can you see that?
<Look for nodding heads and quizzical faces.>
Well, Paul then said, “do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence, but through love become slaves to one another.”
Here, the element of “love” needs to be realized as Yahweh’s “love,” which is impossible to be known through the brain’s calculations and memories of human love. Human love is emotional, therefore changing with the moon phases.
If you recall, I have said before that Yahweh’s “love” is the soul of His elohim – Adam-Jesus. If you recall me saying that, then the “love” Paul was writing about here was to “become slaves to one another” by being reborn as Jesus.
You can only know that “love” by first having been made a “Christ” of Yahweh.
Now, to drive home this point that “love” is the soul of Jesus resurrected within one’s own soul, Paul wrote next: “the whole law is summed up in a single commandment, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."
Nowhere in Scripture is that commandment of law expressly stated as such. Only in the Gospels of Matthew [22] and Mark [12] is this said. That then raises the question, “Who is my neighbor?”
That question was asked Jesus; and, his answer is written in Luke [10], as the parable of the Good Samaritan.
Because there is nothing clearly stated in the Torah that states that specific Law and because that specific quote comes from Jesus, as he responded to Pharisees trying to trick him about the “greatest Law,” it made me wonder, “How did Paul know this quote of Jesus?”
I did some checking and found that Paul did have some connection to the Apostles of Jesus, those who were his disciples and would write Gospels.
There is a Wikipedia article entitled “Paul the Apostle” that says, “three years after his conversion [Paul] went to Jerusalem. There he met James and stayed with Simon Peter for 15 days.”
That could be when everything Jesus said was told to him, because there were no bookstores selling copies of the Holy Bible [complete with New Testament] back then. But, the article shortly after that writes, “Paul asserted that he received the Gospel not from man, but directly by "the revelation of Jesus Christ".
That says Jesus told Paul directly, as his soul resurrected within Paul’s soul. The same source gave the same statement about “the whole law [being] summed up in a single commandment.”
The amazing thing I saw, when I analyzed the Greek text of Paul, is I realized (for the first time) who one’s neighbor is.
When the Greek pronouns that say “your”(actually “of you) and “yourself” are realized to mean the same root being “you,” then the extension as “yourself” becomes “your soul.” In the same way, that “of you” is your soul.
Thus, what is translated as saying, “love your neighbor as yourself” actually says, “this near of your soul even as your soul.” That “near of your soul” is the soul of Jesus, which has resurrected there.
Thus, the greatest commandment says, “Love Jesus within as yourself without.” It says the whole of the Law is summed up as, “Be Jesus reborn.”
Can you see that?
<Look for jaws dropped onto the sidewalk.>
When Paul then said “live by the Spirit,” he wrote that after saying one’s soul has been “set free” as a “Christ.” The “Spirit” comes from Yahweh’s “Anointment.” That means the “Spirit” paves the way for the “double share” of the “mantle thrown over” one’s soul.
Paul wrote that the “flesh” and the “Spirit” are contrary to one another, as the “flesh” wants to remain in the material realm; but the “Spirit” wants to return to the heavenly realm. In between is a soul trapped in flesh. The soul goes the way of that which controls it. Being controlled by the “flesh” means staying enslaved to the realm of death.
This means “live by the Spirit” is a statement of divine possession that promises a soul eternal life. That means “Freedom” is that promise, which unchains a soul from the realm of the “flesh.”
Only by being possessed by Yahweh’s “Spirit,” can one’s soul ignore the lures of the “flesh.” The “Spirit” comes as Yahweh’s Anointment, which makes one’s soul be a “Christ.”
Can you see this?
<Look for nodding heads.>
When the soul of Jesus said to his disciples, as they hid in fear, “Receive the Spirit,” it was their souls that did receive the “Spirit,” which gave them “life.” It was receipt of the “Spirit” that then raised their souls from the dead.” That is the theme of the Easter season.
Now, I strongly advise everyone to read the five thousand word commentary I posted about this reading from Galatians. I named it “Christianity 101.”
It is important to grasp the deeper meaning of what Paul wrote. You will notice that the name “Jesus” is only written one time in these selected verses. It is in the next to last verse read today.
Paul wrote there, “Those [fruits of the Spirit] now of this … of Christ … of Jesus.” In that are three statements of possession, based on words being written in the Genitive case. Those words say: 1.) “of this” – which is the presence covering the soul with “Spirit;” 2.) “of Christ” – which is the Anointment of Yahweh that comes to all souls married to Him; and, 3.) “of Jesus” – which is the resurrection of the soul created by Yahweh, as His elohim that is the “double share of spirit:” one’s soul joined with the soul of Jesus.
It is that divine possession – “of Jesus” [which means “Yahweh Saves”] – that leads one righteously to live and produce the “fruits of the Spirit.”
It is the Trinity that makes all true Christians be “brothers,” as all are reborn as Jesus (souls in both males and females).
Only with the inner guidance of Jesus can “the desires of the flesh be crucified to death,” so one’s soul finds “freedom from slavery to the flesh” forevermore, after one’s soul is released in physical death.
This takes us to the Gospel selection for today, from Luke. It is told in two parts.
Before delving into this reading, I want to again highly recommend everyone read the five thousand word commentary I posted about this reading, where each verse is explained word by word.
Scripture is written so the truth has been “hidden … from the wise and the intelligent and … revealed … to infants.” [Matthew 11:25]
It has been done so, because Jesus said, “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under foot and turn and maul you.” [Matthew 7:6]
In those two quotes, you should see how “the wise and intelligent” are relative to the “dogs and swine.” The “infants” are those souls that have been “reborn” as Jesus, with the mantle of the Spirit thrown over one’s soul.
All I will say right now is the NRSV translation that is read today is crafted by “the wise and intelligent.” That means it is difficult to see the truth of that written. The truth has been trampled under the feet of those running the religious organizations, who know teaching paying customers how to become Jesus reborn will put them out of business. They do not care to read what people like me offer – the “pearls” of truth. They want to destroy anyone making them look bad.
Sound like any Pharisees, Sadducees, or scribes you know? … Rhetorical question.
All I will say about the venture into a Samaritan village Luke wrote about is this: There are a lot of capitalized words that are given no deeper thought; and, that makes everything seem meaningless to Americans today. The meaning behind the names is important to know.
Beyond that I will say, the translation that has a James and John of Zebedee (the sons of thunder) ask Jesus, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” is bogus.
Think about that.
Raise your hand if you can command fire to come down from heaven and consume anything.
<Look for no hands raised.>
Elijah challenged 450 priests of Ba'al to do that and they all failed miserably. It just is not something ordinary people can do; and, James and John of Zebedee (at that point in their lives) were normal human beings (not gods).
That means that is not what was said, as written by Luke. Without all the specifics, the question asked was more in line with James and John proposing to Jesus that they should preach a ‘fire and brimstone’ sermon that would tell the Samaritans their souls will burn in hell, if they don’t see Jesus and treat him with respect.
Jesus did not rebuke that suggestion [it would be several more decades before John would write Revelation, so 'fire and brimstone sermons could be born]. Instead, he “censured” their zeal.
What Jesus said to them is actually censured from the reading, simply because Luke wrote text that he placed within angle brackets. Angle brackets and parentheses in Scripture denotes spiritual conversation, which is not something verbalized. The translation services – in all their wisdom and intelligence – threw that text out the window.
In my commentary, I point out everything written; but, basically, in response to the suggestion to threaten rude Samaritans, Jesus said, “The Son of man did not come to destroy the life offered to souls; but to save them.”
That is a good place to remember the name “Jesus” means “Yahweh Saves.”
Now, when Jesus told his disciples to just go to another village, they begin to travel as a group. The next part of this reading takes place, at some time while the disciples are on the road with Jesus.
Here is where knowing the context of Luke comes in handy.
In verses twenty-three through twenty-seven, Luke tells of Jesus confronting his followers (disciples and others), telling them if they are to follow him, each must “deny oneself, take up one’s cross and follow him.” The reality of that is a “cross” actually means a stake, like those used in vineyards to raise grapevines up off the ground. The point he was making is this: To follow Jesus, one must be upright in the way one lives.
Following that, in Luke’s verses forty-three through forty-five, Jesus predicted his death a third time. Then, in verses forty-six through fifty, the disciples were arguing who was the greatest among them. This prior history plays into the conversation that comes up after the group left the Samaritan village, where the people there shunned Jesus.
Where we read today about three people coming to Jesus and promising to follow him, this past week I identified the first one as Simon-Peter, with the second one being Judas Iscariot. The detail in the language written is missed completely in the translation read aloud in churches today.
I do not have the time to go through those details now; but it is all spelled out on the commentary I posted on my website. You will be amazed, just as I was.
The third person might be Thomas. I say that only because he was the one brave enough to leave the upper room, when the rest were fearful. The name Thomas means “the Twin,” and I see some reason to see that more as a nickname given to him by Jesus or the disciples. I say that because Thomas was not usually used as a name in those times. If the name was given because Thomas looked or acted like Jesus, that might be who is secretly identified in the final verses read today.
I see the bus is arriving. Again, there is so much more than could be discussed from today’s readings. I pray you will all take the time to inspect the readings closely and ponder their meanings. It is what you see that will make you have faith, not what anyone else tells you to believe.
I will end now. Please have a great week ahead. I look forward to meeting with you again next Sunday.
Amen
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