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Good morning bus riders!
We have come to the third Sunday of Easter. The Easter season is seven Sundays, beginning on Easter Sunday. It ends when Pentecost Sunday arrives.
All Sundays of the Easter season present a reading from the Acts of the Apostles. That is because the Apostles had become raised from the dead, each being the resurrection of Jesus within their souls. Their acts were those done by Jesus having been reborn in new flesh.
Not counting Easter Sunday, the six following Sundays of this Year C will present a reading from Revelation. While some Revelation readings are repeated a few other times during the full lectionary cycle, Year C is when everything that will be read aloud in churches from Revelation will occur.
When one sees how Acts is a reflection of how the souls of the disciples were raised from the dead – meeting the Easter theme – the same resurrection theme must be found coming from Revelation.
The general opinion about Revelation is it tells of the second coming of Christ (where “Christ” is seen as the last name of Jesus). Some religions preach that the first coming was the physical birth of baby Jesus, with the second coming being like we read last Sunday … when he comes riding a cloud … at the end of the world.
The second coming of Jesus is when one’s soul is reborn as him – his soul resurrected within one’s own soul – saving one’s soul from mortal death and the judgment of having died with sins.
The New Testament is witness to the Second Coming of Jesus. Faith is based on the Second Coming having taken place.
Thus, the Church “elders” who saw the importance of Revelation being read during the Easter season knew John was not prophesying the end times for the whole world, but the end times of a sinful soul. Those ends come when one has been washed clean by Baptism from Yahweh’s Spirit, being then a Virgin womb (one’s soul) created, in which Yahweh can place the seed of His Son’s soul.
This is a vital concept to grasp. The Revelation is not some Scripture that has no application now. We are the intended readers of this epistle. John sent his letters to us; and, this letter has always been immediately relevant to all readers.
When the ‘End Times’ theme is seen, simply by the fear most churches have for that topic seen in John's Revelation, it is important to stand back and get a broad view of all four readings today. Today’s theme focuses on the dangers that are posed to Christians.
The dangers are knowing we are all souls born into bodies of dead matter, where that dead matter always has a natural way of swaying a soul to get filthy dirty from pleasing our dead matter flesh.
The only way to get clean is to find Jesus and be raised from that soiled state of existence.
Since Jesus was crucified by the influence of the Jews of Herod’s Temple over the Roman governor – the plan of Yahweh the Father – that death means two things:
First, it means there will never again be a physical Jesus of Nazareth to clean the souls of those lost to sin.
Second, it means the plan of Yahweh was to have His Son killed in the flesh, so his soul would be free to resurrect within the souls of the dead, so they could be raised to a state of salvation.
This is where the second coming has to be seen as what we read last Sunday, from John’s Gospel, were the soul of Jesus raised all of his disciples (and followers) hidden behind a locked door. They were all reborn as Jesus then … as his first fruit.
The Easter season is about the counting of the days until the first fruit is ripe and ready to be served to the seekers of the world.
The dangers come when the Apostles-Saints – all those souls raised as Jesus – have likewise been killed by the Jewish influence over their Roman overseers.
Last Sunday we read how Jesus told Thomas, “Blessed are those who come to faith without having seen.” That foretold of a future that demanded faith without laying physical eyes on Jesus of Nazareth.
Today, we read in Acts about Saul. Saul was a danger to those first fruits of ministry, each reborn as Jesus. Saul sought to round them all up and execute them as slanderers of the Temple.
When Saul was knocked down – he fell down – he heard a voice call to him. He did not see anything but a flash of light.
The name “Saul” means “Asked For.” That is important to know, as Jesus’ soul twice called out that name. It says, “Saul you Asked For me. I am here now. Why do you persecute me?”
To fully realize the power of that statement, Saul had never persecuted Jesus. Jesus was dead before Saul began his quest against those who said they spoke for Jesus – those who were his matured fruit of ministry.
When Jesus asked, “Why do you persecute me,” he was saying I have been resurrected in every soul of those who you have bound and punished.
Can you see that as a statement of Jesus having been raised from the dead in his Apostles?
<Look for nodding heads.>
Good. Now you can begin to realize that Saul “Asked For” a position that served Yahweh zealously. Saul’s prayers to Yahweh asked for him to be given the power to slay evil. Saul did not understand the truth of evil, as he served evil by trusting the Temple elite were those being the true servants of God.
They were not. The soul of Jesus came to Saul as the answer to his prayers to Yahweh. He "Asked For" a God-given power to let him serve Yahweh, without fail.
When Saul went blind, that is metaphor for his no longer being able to see the world as he had seen it before. It says that Saul before had eyes that could not see, even though he thought his vision worked fine.
When Jesus resurrected within Saul’s soul – which allowed Saul to hear the voice of Jesus speaking to him – Saul’s human eyes could no longer see the physical world.
The blindness of Saul was like Jesus had said to Nicodemus – he could see nothing of spiritual matters. Saul saw the reality of how he saw the world spiritually.
For Saul to be able to receive the sight of Jesus reborn, where he was totally led by the truth, Saul needed to be led to a Saint – one who was Jesus resurrected in his soul and body of flesh. That Apostle was Ananias.
When we read of Jesus appearing to Ananias in a vision, telling him to go baptize Saul, it is easy to see hesitation in him. That hesitation was not fear of Saul.
Jesus had taught his disciples “Love your enemies.” Ananias was taught that through his own resurrection of Jesus. The meaning of “love your enemies” says “let them hate you from afar.” It says “love them by letting them hate you, while you do not aggravate their hate further.”
For Ananias to go to Saul, he questioned if Saul would be able to not hate Ananias more than previously, knowing Ananias was one Saul sought to bind and persecute in Damascus.
Jesus assured him Saul was ready. This means Ananias reflects the necessity of a priest who can marry a soul to Yahweh. That is the true sacrament of marriage. It is the truth of Baptism by the Spirit. It requires a true Apostle … not someone masquerading as such [see: "hired hands," "false shepherds," "Temple elite"].
This says the dangers of ministry come from those who are not resurrected as Jesus – BUT – they hold the papers that give them human authority to punish the seekers of faith.
Those who teach “Believe as I say, not as I do” are the dangers that propose the people should worship a religion, not following after individuals who claim to be raised from the dead.
After Ananias baptized Saul by his touching his flesh – an act of Yahweh allowing His Spirit to transfer His presence into another – Saul was transfigured.
When we read, “immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, "He is the Son of God,”’ that is a poor translation.
Verse twenty-two begins by saying, “Saul was empowered.” That says the Spirit possessed him.
Importantly (from the use of “kai”) Saul stayed in Damascus to “confuse the Jews established there.” That “confusion” was held by the non-believing Jews, to whom Saul had been sent to, as an assurance the leaders of Jerusalem would eliminate the ones speaking as Jesus. Saul's not doing that confused everyone.
The last segment of that verse says (literally translated), “bringing together because this he exists this Christ.” That does not say anything about “Son” or “God.” It says Saul identified himself to Jews and to those seeking to be Christians – “bringing together” the two, “because” he too had been “united” and “joined.” Saul the devout Jew and the soul of Saul married to Yahweh was so two were "brought together" as one. That divine union is how Saul's soul gave birth to Jesus.
Thus, Saul declared he was “Anointed” by Yahweh – and that is the truth of what Christianity is. Everyone raised from the dead as Jesus reborn must be divinely Anointed first. To be Jesus reborn, one's soul must become a Christ.
By the word “Christos” being written, Saul was declaring, “We have always had this available to us, as Jews.” The Hebrew equivalent is “Messiah.” The truth is that David was a “Messiah,” because Yahweh poured out His Spirit onto David’s soul, which would remain with him forever.
To be a “Christ” meant for one's soul to be married to Yahweh.
As His wife-soul, the purpose of marriage is to have a child. The child of Yahweh is His Son Adam’s soul resurrected. Thus, not only was David a “Son of God,” so too were all the true Israelites that were divinely led by David to be like him.
David was to the Israelites he led like Ananias was to Saul. David's divine self touched the people of Israel, so they lived up to that name – their souls retained Yahweh. The Spirit was passed by having a leader who was himself raised from the dead.
Thus, David’s Psalm 30 sings about this commitment.
Unread, but written into verse one is a title, which says, "A Psalm sung at the consecration of the House of David."
The “House of David” is believed to be where he placed the Tabernacle that held the Ark of the Covenant; but that interpretation would limit this song to a one-time purpose. The intent written by David is this is a song that sings of one’s soul having been made sacred, within the body that is a temple unto Yahweh. That means this song should forever be sung.
Now, the verse numbering you find on the lectionary site is not the true numbering. I refer you to my commentary on Psalm 30 that I published on my website, in order to see the correct numbering. I am about to refer to the true verse numbers.
The first verse sings, “I will exalt you, Yahweh, because you have lifted me up and have not let my enemies triumph over me.” That says David had been “raised from dead,” as the meaning for singing “you have lifted me up.”
While it is easy to visualize “enemies” as the Philistines, that is not the intent. The “enemies” are all internal fears, which are self-inflicted pains.
Verse two says, “I cried out to you, and you healed me.” That says David was his own worst enemy. The presence of Yahweh's Spirit removed all wrongs from David.
Verse three then sings, “Yahweh you brought me up from the underworld of my soul; you gave me life, so that I should not descend to the depths.” That says a soul alone will lead one to the depths of despair, not the heights of eternal life.
Yahweh seeded the world with those resurrected as His Son to pull those souls up from the grave – so they become raised from the dead.
Verse nine then tells us the truth Saul knew, when he was blinded for three days in Damascus. David sang out as Saul, saying, “What profit is there in my blood, if I go down to the Pit? will the dust praise you or declare your faithfulness?”
Unless one’s soul is resurrected as Jesus – so his soul makes our blood become the blood of Christ – there is nothing we can say to others that declares, “I am a Christ, reborn as Jesus; and, you can be too!”
When David sang in verse ten, “Hear Yahweh and have mercy upon me Yahweh, be my helper.” That says we all need divine assistance. We need the Advocate Jesus promised to send to his disciples.
In verse eleven, David sang out how that helper had “turned my wailing into dancing; you have put off my sack-cloth and clothed me with joy.” The despair of seeing one’s soul being judged a sinner turns into the elation of knowing Yahweh’s presence and knowing His Son is one with your soul (whether in a male or female body of flesh).
A ”sack-cloth” was a garment of coarse black animal hairs, worn at times of mourning. It was a reflection of death. It symbolizes a funeral shroud.
To have that removed and replaced with the clothes of joy says one’s soul has been robed in righteousness, having been raised from the dead.
Again, as a song to be sung at the consecration of the temple of David, we need to remember the name “David” means “Beloved.”
That means the “temple of the beloved” is a statement of those souls that marry Yahweh and give birth to His Son, allowing him to once more be in the flesh. All of Israel lived up to that name; and, David was the priest who officiated at that wedding ceremony.
David was like Ananias, as the one called by Yahweh to give the light of truth to those blind to that light.
Now, the danger element is not as clearly seen in the Revelation selection, but it is there to be discerned.
When we read that John perceived in his vision: “many angels surrounding the throne and the living creatures and the elders; they numbered myriads of myriads and thousands of thousands,” that needs to be read as five important statements. That verse has five uses of “kai,” which says it is important to see a separation between two sets of numbers.
The first important statement relative to numbers says, “existed this number of themselves myriads of myriads." The second important number is “thousands of thousands.”
In the first important statement about numbers, “existed” and “themselves” – where “themselves" translates further as “their souls” – are words stating the presence of “souls.” Those “souls” counted in the ten thousands of tens of thousands.”
Ten thousand is a greater number than one thousand. Thus, this is a statement that says John saw not all souls ["living beings"] were the same. All were “angels,” where that word in Greek means “messengers.” They represented ministers or priests of Yahweh’s truth.
While they all praised Yahweh on the “throne,” there was a difference.
That difference can be seen in two other important statements in this verse, which are “living beings” and “elders.”
The “living beings” are all “alive” with the promise of eternal life. Thus they are raised from the dead. The “elders” or “presbyteron,” are souls that are “mature living beings having seasoned judgment.”
In Hebrew terms, John saw “myriads” of “elohim,” while he saw “thousands” of “adonay.” He saw many more ‘angels in the flesh’ than he saw 'teachers of salvation.'
Can you see this symbolism in those numbers?
<Look for nodding heads or quizzical faces.>
Another way to see the greater number verses the lesser number is to see John’s Revelation as a prophecy of the future – our present. In that case, there are less on the earth who praise Yahweh than there were before. This states the danger of a foreseen decline in Christianity.
This is a danger when we read John write, “Worthy is the Lamb that was slaughtered to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing!”
By saying the Lamb is “Worthy” – a capitalized word divinely elevated in meaning – that says only the Lamb has “power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing.”
That says normal souls are not “Worthy,” so we must join with the soul that is Worthy. We do not have the ability to raise our own souls from death.
The word “Worthy,” it is a repetition of an earlier use (not read aloud today) that says the Lamb is the one “Worthy” to break the seven seals of the scroll.
The “scroll” is Scripture, which is the ‘bread of heaven.’ The seven seals (where “seven” is symbolic of “completion”) are the locks placed on divine texts, which can only be understood by breaking the “seals.”
This says Scripture is written in a language that can only be discerned by the Lamb; and, for unsaved souls to be able to know the truth of Scripture, the Lamb had to be slaughtered, to release the soul of the Lamb so it could enter into other souls – those dead, in need of being turned from the grave – raised from the dead.
Thus, Salvation demands one know the truth of Scripture, not just memorize verses that no one can explain. That knowledge leads to true faith; and, that can only come from being reborn as the Lamb.
Now, where the translation presented to us to read shows John writing, “every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea,” that is good for wild imagery, but not the truth intended to be seen.
We should read “heaven and earth” as our state of being: a soul (heaven) in a body of flesh (earth). That which is “under the earth” is the spiritual presence that can enter into “living beings,” which can be the addition of Yahweh’s Spirit. However, it can also be the addition of malevolent spirits – demons.
When John saw those “in the sea,” this is metaphor for the “sea” of souls that swim on planet earth. Our souls are like the fish “in the sea.” In David’s psalms, he sang of the Leviathan, which is the Spirit that seeks to be the possessing factor in souls. It can be a monster or dragon; or, it can be a place of salvation (like in Jonah’s story).
Thus, we are like fish needing to be caught, in order to receive salvation.
When John wrote, “To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever!” – this sings of marriage to Yahweh and the Lamb coming as one’s High Priest and Lord.
The repeated use of “elders” speaks of maturity. These are the Lords, Teachers, Masters, and Rabbis that are possessed by the soul of Jesus – like Ananias and David were – who are sent into ministry in the name of Jesus – a Christ.
Because John is the writer of Revelation and also the writer of today’s Gospel selection, it is important to see this maturity factor when discussing today's Gospel reading.
First of all, last Sunday we read the ending of John’s twentieth chapter, where his final two verses summed everything up, relative to Jesus being resurrected in his disciples. John said Jesus did so many miracles within them that it was more than could be written in a book.
All the other Gospel writers pretty much ended their books the same way – short and sweet. Being divinely possessed by the soul of Jesus means it is then time to go to work in ministry, as Jesus reborn.
None of this written says anything about this story told in John’s last chapter. It does, however, read similarly to the story we read not long ago in Luke, when Mother Mary and Jesus went to look at the business they purchased, which was a couple of fishing boats owned by Simon and the Zebedee brothers. There, a similar story of them having fished all night long, to no avail, was told. Then Jesus told them where to cast their nets. Only because Simon knew Jesus was the new owner, while whispering obscenities under his breath, at someone like this new guy telling him how to fish; but, he did as he was ordered. The result was equally miraculous in that story told in Luke.
Rather than see John telling the same story all over again, John 21 needs to be read as a prophecy of the future, using names known.
As a prophecy, it tells of times in the distant future, when a Church will use figureheads from past history to fish for souls. Just as the story in Luke says, they “caught nothing,” the lesson in both cases needs to be seen that without themselves being married to Yahweh or reborn as His Son, not even fishing for fish can be assured as fruitful. Physical experience is 'hit or miss,' so without spiritual experience one is then fishing blind, without bait.
In the Luke story, Jesus told Simon (who acted as if he had never met Jesus before) he would make him and the others be fishers of men’s souls. In John’s story, those on the boat were reflections of icons of the past, not to be read as the same people.
This means the names John wrote are prophecies of popes and saints to come, even church buildings built and bearing those names. The true Saints would become icons, like holy relics, where all focus was on how wonderful it must have been to be so close to Jesus. Being close to those names (but never becoming like them - in the name of Jesus) would become the false direction taken, which John foresaw (divinely inspired to prophesy).
That would be the future John was shown as all that was left propping up a church, where no one on the boat had any personal connection to Yahweh or Jesus.
Whereas John was shown in his Revelation “myriads of myriads” praising Yahweh on their inner “throne,” here John was shown a time when only a tenth of that praise existed – “thousands of thousands.” Those in the boat, fishing for souls – (the false Church, like the Temple of Jerusalem reborn to mislead as it had before) – were like Nicodemus had been told by Jesus: They were without knowledge of spiritual matters.
We read that Jesus called out to them, as “Children.” As “Children” they were pretending to save souls. They were only ‘playing church.’
They were not “elders” – “presbyteron” – the “mature men having seasoned judgment” that John would be shown near the end of his life, in his Revelation. The ones masquerading as true Apostles, each who had historically been reborn as Jesus, were no longer able to catch any souls. Those Saints had all died. In that regard, those using their names were fools, with none of them having themselves been raised from dead … by the dead.
To be told to “Cast to the right side” says they were “Failing” in their objective, by going to the left. That implication becomes synonymous with sinister intents. The Greek word that says “Cast” ["Balete"] is capitalized, thus divinely elevated in meaning. It is a word that can also say, “Throw down.” The way they "Cast" out the net of salvation "Threw down" all prerequisites for accomplishing what they proposed to do.
The implication is they were false shepherds and hired hands manning the boat. As such, they had no way of knowing truly how to ever save anyone else’s soul. Their own souls were not even saved.
In terms of Ananias – a name meaning "God Has Been Gracious" – they could not assist Jesus in Baptisms for Yahweh. When they cast their nets to the right hand and caught a multitude of souls, they could not take them to shore [heaven] because none of them had the Spirit.
When John the Beloved spoke to Simon [a name that means "He Who Hears"] as the "Rock" or "Cornerstone" [the meaning of the name Peter], telling him the stranger on the shore speaking to him was Jesus, the one acting as Peter tore off his shirt and jumped naked into the sea.
He felt the guilt of pretense. The clothes he rent were the vestment of false clergy. He jumped naked into the sea, letting all know his secret had been exposed. He would seek shelter in the sea of souls that were lost and seeking redemption.
Peter doing that is no different than Saul falling down and going blind, when he encountered the soul of Jesus speaking to him.
The breakfast on the shore was the same spiritual food served to the multitude on the plain by the sea – bread and fish. It is the meaning of Scripture (bread) and the Spirit of divine knowledge that comes from Jesus (in a sacrificed soul).
The disciples who came ashore were invited to breakfast, but were afraid to ask, “Who are you?” While they knew it was Jesus, that says they were not one with Jesus. Their fear says they were afraid to make that commitment.
They needed someone resurrected as Jesus to touch them … like David or like Ananias.
The questions of love between Jesus and Simon are very revealing. Those same questions are asked to all who say they are Christian today.
The verbiage written are questions posed by Jesus that asked Simon if he loved Jesus as his son, born of Simon’s soul. That asked if Simon loved Yahweh as His wife, therefore as the Mother of Jesus. That relationship would bring about Jesus as his Son, born of heartfelt love.
Peter answered that his love for Jesus was “brotherly” … as equals. That sidestepped the question asked, which says Simon loved Jesus more than Yahweh. He loved being an equal to Jesus; but he did not submit his soul to Yahweh.
That is the danger we find in Christianity today. Yahweh has become the forgotten God. It is more fun being an equal to Jesus. That means one can pretend to say what Jesus would say today, IF he were here – when Jesus has not been reborn into Church leaders.
One cannot be Jesus without marrying Yahweh out of love. Jesus must be resurrected within one’s soul as the ‘love child’ that Mary knew.
Only Yahweh can cleanse a soul with divine Baptism by the Spirit. That Baptism makes a soul become a Virgin womb into which He will place the seed of His Son's soul.
Each time Simon failed to answer the questions correctly, Jesus said to him, “Tend the flock.” That is only possible as the “Good Shepherd.” To be the “Good Shepherd,” Simon had to surrender his soul to Yahweh, out of love, so Jesus could be reborn in Simon as that.
You cannot be a brother of Jesus without completely surrendering to Yahweh in marriage and becoming the mother of Jesus out of “agape” love.
Finally, Jesus told Simon he thought he was grown to a state of being all-powerful and able to control his own destiny. Peter thought he was an "elder" around the "throne" of Yahweh. Jesus reminded him that Simon was still a baby in diapers, who could not even catch one fish (soul) without his guidance.
Thus, Jesus commanded Simon to “Follow me.”
That capitalized word means to be another Jesus reborn. One does not mimic the path Jesus took and pretend walking like Jesus does anything valuable. One must become blinded by true faith and let Jesus tell one where to go and what to say.
The eternal life of a soul depends on hearing that command and doing as told.
I see the bus has arrived; so, I will stop now.
Please think about these lessons, as they are most important to know. Being raised from the dead is not a children’s game or pretend and make-believe.
It requires true faith.
Until next Sunday, please enjoy your week ahead.
Amen