To my mind at least the most important event in the history of the world was the ministry of Jesus. I fully believe that He indeed was and is the physical manifestation of God. Prior to his coming the true God was basically unknown. Sure there were some of the prophets who had glimpses of the Almighty. However it was Jesus that came to bring a full knowledge of God to a suffering humanity that was desperately seeking him.
Jesus taught publicly in parables and riddles, but to his closest disciples he revealed the whole truth. People demonstrated their true nature in the way they responded to the message of Jesus. For example, using the parable of the sower (Matthew 13: 1-8), through Jesus the spiritual seed is sown and all hear the message. But in some people the seed “falls on the path” and they do not respond at all. Such people are erotic by nature. In others the seed begins to grow but soon it is choked by the thorns which are worldly concerns. They are hesitant and are unable to attain the level of rational thinking. Such people are dominated by their worldly pleasures. But in others, the seed was planted “in good earth” and they bear spiritual fruit. Such people are the true spiritual Christians.
People bear fruit spiritually by attaining a state of mystical knowledge in which they are joined with their Savior. Having been awakened from their drunken stupor of ignorance, and freed of suffering, they recognize their true spiritual nature. In spite of all who advocate that we continue to sin after becoming a Christian, I believe, along with the founder of the Quaker faith, George Fox, that a sinless life is possible. I believe this because I think sin is an expression of ignorance and that a sinless existence is available through perfect knowledge of God’s will.
The Sermon on the Mount is an adequate guide to leading an ethical life. It is the major teaching event in the ministry of Jesus. According to the scriptures, this was the largest gathering that Jesus ever addressed during his earthly ministry. On this occasion he didn’t bring people out of the audience and cure their diseases. Neither did he plead for donations. He never once asked people to worship him. Nor did he tell them that he was going to die for their sins. He simply and forthrightly taught the following lesson.
He said, Be righteous, be meek, be pure of heart, be a peacemaker, be merciful. When he had the opportunity to speak to the largest gathering of people this is what Jesus felt to be important. Isn’t it surprising that many of the people who claim to be his followers today fail to recognize that this message is the very heart of the religion of Jesus?
Consider the words of Leo Tolstoy, "I accepted the fact that Christ meant exactly what he said. The least that can be required of those who judge another man’s teaching is, that they should take the teacher’s words in the exact sense in which he uses them. Christ did not consider his teaching as some high ideal of what mankind should be, but cannot attain to, nor does he consider it as a chimerical, poetical fancy, fit only to captivate the simple-minded inhabitant of Galilee; he considers his teaching as work, a work which is to save mankind. His suffering on the cross was no dream; he groaned in agony and died for his teaching."
Well, that is what I have been thinking about today. Feb. 2, 2004
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