The Lord's Sermons
- Sermon 26 -
Whitsunday. The Lord and His Children
St. John XIV, 23: "Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words; and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him."
(March 24, 1872)
A few words suffice to explain this verse, for it is quite natural that a man having an affection for somebody else, who is in a higher position and wiser, will do everything possible to gain the esteem and love of his higher-ranking friend or master. He will seek to prove his affection and love through acting in accordance with his higher-ranking friend's or teacher's instructions and advice. If this is the case, the affection of the one will be requited by the other's love. Thereby a spiritual understanding is created as among members of a family who live in harmony with each other.
That is the approximate meaning of these words I once spoke to My disciples and which were an admonition to adhere to the once chosen path also after I had gone, when a visible influence through My words and deeds was no longer possible and to keep My Word and live accordingly out of love for Me. I said this to My disciples deliberately in advance, since I knew to what temptations and influences by the world they would be subjected in the execution of their mission.
On account of this I also called their attention to one point which they had not comprehended as yet, namely, that I and the Father are One and that he who saw Me had also seen the Father, for - as already mentioned in an earlier text interpretation - their thinking was still too human. They were still unable to grasp the idea of a spiritual world, a spiritual influence and a higher spiritual being, as I was, in a physical body. Sometimes they did believe that they had correctly understood this concept, but this conviction did not last. Whenever it was in danger of being entirely lost, I had to revive it and once more stir it up in their hearts, particularly during the time when the last moments were approaching, moments which were the most bitter for Me and dealt them a very hard blow, since what was happening before their eyes they would never have thought possible.
Therefore, I promised them a Comforter and made the thought of the loss of My visible person as bearable as possible to them.
What I then said to My disciples is also valid for the future for all those who likewise take the right path of faith and love. For, all people who honestly want to love Me, actually prove this only by keeping and following My words.
Following My words and proving this through actions is, in fact, the touchstone for whether people are serious in their wish to follow Me along the path of meekness and self-denial upon which I Myself have led the way, leaving behind all the comforts of the material world, turning their eyes only towards the spiritual, eternal realm.
There are many in this world who do not at all understand the meaning of the words "to love Me" or they are inclined to interpret them in a way that suits them best; however, with those I am not. I shall not and cannot, neither as the Son nor as the Father, make My abode in their hearts, for in them the largest space is occupied by worldly cares. And they only think of Me and My teaching when they are reminded either by a church-holiday or bitter experiences and accidents that besides the material there is also a spiritual world and above both there is a ruler, sustainer and leader who, in spite of being neglected, still allows Himself to be found by man as a loving Father.
To such people, who barely suffer Me to walk alongside their worldly affairs, I cannot fulfil the promise to make My abode in their hearts, for they do not love Me the way their love for Me should be. Because I only want their best and give them good advice through My Word, they have a kind of benevolence for My teaching and for My person, still with an element of doubt as to whether I, as a person, really exist. Therefore, to give themselves entirely to Me and submit in everything to Me and My ordinances, - that far they do not want to extend their love. For, then they would have to renounce many worldly pleasures and enjoyments which, in their opinion, could not be done, since one is living in this world and has to live with it.
These people - and there are millions of them - have still to cover a long road of bitter experiences until they will come to understand that - so to speak - casting glamorous eyes at Me is of no value and use, but that one either must surrender to Me completely or fall to the world.
They will seek rest and peace everywhere and they will blame everything - Me, nature, circumstances or fate, as they call it. But they will never recognize themselves as the cause of their own misfortune. As a result, their fate will be this: No Comforter, no Peacemaker will be able to come to them because they fail to understand that peace cannot be established from the outer world to within, but can only go forth from their inner being.
When you see the world getting more and more wicked and evil, when people keep becoming more dissatisfied and discontent, more cruel and selfish, the reason for this is that no one recognizes the true road to peace and contentment any more, namely, complete submission to My guidance. The longer this hunt for transient worldly possessions and influential positions continues, the more do people stray from the actual source of all the better virtues, and even the concept "love" is known to them only insofar as it refers to earthly enjoyments after which they chase impetuously to obtain them at any cost.
Here you see the source of many suicides as the result of disgust, because what was desired could not be obtained. This also proves how little there is in such hearts of religion or of the concept of an eternal spiritual life, where a reward for good and evil awaits the deceased who will find himself in situations where, restricted to himself, he will have to eradicate all that is evil and wrong within him, before he can ever gain a better position in the realm of the spirits.
For those people who really live for Me, follow Me and want to prove by their actions that they love Me, progress is, of course, considerably obstructed because they have to struggle against the opinion of the majority, reaping only hatred and derision for the blessing they spread, as was once the case with My disciples.
However, this struggling, this fight against the powerful current of the material world, which was also the lot of My disciples, this struggling is necessary in order to attain the filial relationship to Me. For, if it were not God, the Supreme Being, Who wants to educate you to become His children, -by human standards and requirements it would be sufficient to live as the great majoritiy of people do, that is, to give Me tribute for having given you the best teachings but, otherwise, it be left to you how and when to conveniently adapt them to your worldly needs.
But I did not mean it that way, when in those days I said to My disciples: "If a man love Me he will keep My Word!", and when again today I call to you: "If a man loves Me, he must prove it by his deeds!"
As in those days My disciples had before them either heathen or fanatical Jews to whom they had to preach My Gospel, you today likewise have heathen or unbelievers, fanatical literalists and narrow-minded ceremonialists. The former do not believe in anything, because it suits them that way, and the latter believe to have done everything they owe Me by keeping the religious ceremonial.
As I once promised My disciples to send them the Comforter that would lead and guide them when they met only difficulties and obstacles everywhere, it will also happen now with those who love Me in the truest sense and want to keep My Word.
If this were not the promise of God Who wants to reward men abundantly for all they have endured, it might be excusable if even the most zealous failed in their mission and lost every hope to save even a small part of humanity from complete perdition. But since I, as Creator, Lord and Father, am holding in My hands the reins of the entire world, I shall - as I once promised My disciples - make My abode with those who love Me and obey My Word, that is, I shall be their counselor and guide. I shall lead those mature souls to them who have been made pliable through severe blows, have tasted the transitoriness of the world, and who are now longing for something better.
I shall increasingly fortify My present disciples in their faith and firm trust in My providence and, by dwelling in their hearts, compensate them for everything they must suffer because of Me and My teaching, so that they, in the midst of the sad confusion of all the human passions, may retain their clear perspective and not lose sight of the object of their mission. Therefore, do follow My words and teaching persistently!
Do you know why I, Myself, communicate to you My will through My servants and scribes?
The reason why My direct messages have been flowing more abundantly during the past few years than they did in former times and why I am giving you so much bread from the heavens, as has not happened since I lived on earth, is the fact that the time is now approaching when the world will reach its culmination in erring and deviation from My original crea-tional purpose. Lest all men be lost, I have ordained - and this is required for My Second Coming - that from now on My Word and teaching shall be given to a few in an unadulterated form, as I once gave it to My disciples, not veiled as in the prophets, but as clear and comprehensible as My disciples once taught it to the people.
In those days the spreading of My teaching was more difficult, but today, through the invention of the art of printing, the spreading of My teaching is by far easier, so that the brilliance of My eternal light of love and grace can be carried to wherever the darkness of the worldly power threatens to assert itself.
Now I will open the eyes of the unbelievers and explain to the literalists the true meaning of My Bible, so that nobody can use the exuse that he had not known the truth and could blame me whilst he alone is to blame.
Therefore, be strong you few who, scattered throughout the countries, are still keeping My pearls in your hearts! Put your trust in Me! I dwell near and within you, and I shall guide you and stand by you as long as you love Me and keep My Word.
Through many communications I have revealed to you everything: Myself, My creation and man's relationship to both. For you there is no excuse that you had not known it. Only some of you do not yet grasp the deepest spiritual meaning of My Word. But I shall send My Comforter and Holy Spirit in the form of bitter experiences and doubts in order to remove also this last dark side from the hearts of those devoted to Me, for he who is called to influence others must be firm in himself and know exactly what to do and what not to do.
My words are simple and clear, provided they are not interpreted and wrongly expounded by self-love; for in that case, many a thing would be excused by you which cannot be forgiven by Me.
Therefore, test yourselves carefully! Consider this: I do not make sport of you and I do not want you to deal with Me only once in a while when it suits you.
Life is earnest and My cause is sacred. Behind this fleeting, deceptive earthly life, there is an eternal, true life, in which no subterfuge, no excuses can or will be valid, for it is the kingdom of the true God Who knows only one truth and the love of it.
So be diligent in loving Me and keeping My Word! Thereby you are rendering yourselves the greatest service; for through this love you gain the calm consciousness of the noble deed and a better position and easier progress in the beyond.
I am not a harsh judge or angry God and I do not want to be such. As I have often told you, I am a loving Father, a provident shepherd who would like to lead his sheep to good pastures, far away from those regions where abysses or other obstacles could endanger their spiritual life.
I only want what is good because I, Myself, am goodness. I only want love because I, Myself, am love. And I want to make of you spiritual, higher beings because I, as the Supreme Spiritual Being, want to have only such children around Me who are a credit to My Kingdom and seek their peace and joy only in Me.
This is meant by the words which I once spoke to My disciples: "If a man love Me, he will keep My Word!"
Therefore, do keep My Word and make yourselves worthy of My love, and the words in the Gospel will be fulfilled also for you. Amen.