Good morning bus riders!
We have reached the twelfth Sunday after Pentecost, which is the halfway marker. This year there will be twenty-four Sundays after Pentecost.
Just to remind you, the Ordinary after Pentecost season is symbolic of ministry in the name of Jesus, as a Christ. It is when Saints have been reborn in that name, possessed by his soul, so Jesus is resurrected in new flesh.
All true ministry is done by Jesus, in many different bodies of flesh, all alongside souls married to Yahweh, with the soul of Jesus the Lord over one’s soul-body.
True ministry teaches the truth, which is contained in the divine texts written in the Torah, the Psalms, the Prophets, the history and chronology of Israel, the Gospels and the Epistles.
You will recall that the disciples called Jesus their “Teacher.” When Mary Magdalen realized the gardener to whom she spoke was really Jesus, she exclaimed, “Rabboni,” which is Aramaic, meaning “Teacher, Master.”
This means true ministry is all about “Teaching” the truth of Scripture.
It is not about impressing people with one’s intellect, poignant memories, or political opinions that somehow are strengthened by paraphrasing Scripture to fit one’s agenda.
That is ministry by man (or woman). It is not Jesus “Teaching” the truth. Only Saints can “Teach” as Jesus, even though none of them look like the picture-book Jesus.
To be a Saint “Teaching” the truth, one’s soul must be married to Yahweh … not Jesus. A soul married to Yahweh becomes His wife-soul … His possession … His servant. Once a soul has submitted fully to Yahweh, proven one’s seriousness and proven one’s love, the divine union brings forth the Baptism by the Spirit, which cleanses the soul-body and makes it virginal in the world.
It is into this virgin womb created by Yahweh’s Spirit that the soul of Yahweh’s only Son – Adam (a.k.a. Jesus – “Yah Saves”) joins with the host soul, in its body of flesh. The soul of Jesus becomes the Lord over that soul-body and leads it on a path of righteousness.
That path goes to find seekers, which is ministry in the name of Jesus; but Jesus only speaks what the Father tells him to speak. That is then the Word of God, delivered through the soul-body of a Saint; and, it is done to lead other souls to marry Yahweh and be reborn as His Son.
That is lesson every week, in every hour of every day. The Sabbath is not twenty-four hours (or a portion thereof). It is from the time in Genesis 2 that Yahweh declared the six days of Creation ended, with the Sabbath Day beginning then; and, it is still ongoing. It is to be kept holy at all times.
Now, the lessons for today – and this Year C we find the darker side of ministry in a world of sin more visible in the lessons – focus on the fact that only a few souls in bodies of flesh are Saints, while there are very many sinners.
The history lessons in the Old Testament tell us that being a Saint is not hereditary. Sainthood is not passed through bloodlines. We see how Eli was a Saint, but his sons rejected marriage of their souls to Yahweh. The same shortcoming happened to Samuel. Then, of course, Cain was not a Saint, while Abel was; and, Esau was not a Saint, while Jacob (eventually) would become one. Likewise, from Jacob Joseph was a Saint, while ten of his older brothers had to deeply feel the guilt of their sins to become the ‘children of Israel.’
The books of the Prophets tell of Yahweh sending Saints (in the name of His Son) to all the sinners who thought being born of some Saint a long times ago (blood of one of the Tribes of Israel) made them free to be sinners. Being a child of Israel was hereditary, they thought.
In the reading from Jeremiah today, he was delivering the Word of Yahweh that is clearly the divorce decree from all those so-called wives of His, who adulterously cheated with lesser gods.
In verses eight and nine, we read: “The priests did not say, ‘Where is Yahweh?’ Those who handle the law did not know me; the rulers transgressed against me; the prophets prophesied by Baal, and went after things that do not profit. Therefore once more I accuse you, says Yahweh, and I accuse your children's children.”
The meaning of “children’s children” is eternal damnation to reincarnation, since the wife-souls of Yahweh (supposed) refused to be Baptized by His Spirit and resurrected as His Son. They chose to be the children of sin; and, children’s children is a bloodline known today as Judaism.
When a priest does not ask, “Where is Yahweh?” they have no relationship with Him whatsoever. Thus, the priests were not “Teaching” the truth of Scripture in the name of the Son, in the name of Yahweh – the truth of “Israel.”
Now, not a lot has changed over the past few thousand years. We still have memorizers of Scriptures, who put on robes and take a haughty position on steps, looking down on their audiences, who cannot answer the question, “Where is Yahweh?”
They read about the law, but can only generate speculative opinions as to what the law means, because they do not know Yahweh. The presidents, prime ministers, and rulers over the people have separation from Church and State, so the grand pooh-bahs of religions exonerate the rulers with some decrees: “Say ten hail Mary’s and your transgressions are forgiven, my son (or daughter).”
Today, instead of calling the gods we are led to worship Baals (a word that means “Lords”), we sure have been told to bow down before the gods of COVID19 pandemic saviors (untested vaccines). We have been told to bow down before the gods of green energy, as the great expense of the world’s economy. We have been told to bow down before the gods of illegal immigration, while being restricted as to where we can go, without the proper clearance papers. We have been told to bow down before the gods of crime, where the criminals are blessed and let go to sin again, while their victims are allowed no justice.
As far as the United States of America being able to claim it is a Christian nation, where its bloodline stems from Christian immigrants who came into this country and stole everything in sight, while killing anyone who rejected to that seizure in the name of Jesus Christ, this reading from Jeremiah 2 is our divorce decree as well as it was Judah’s back when Jeremiah was led by Yahweh to write it.
What is good for the goose is good for the gander.
Now, a divorce decree is really only valid when two are actually married. Because Yahweh is the supreme God, thus a Spirit not a physical body, us human beings get confused by physical marriage, as being quite different from divine union os soul to Spirit.
In David’s Psalm 81, he pointed out the truth of Spiritual marriage. It is not the same as someone who owns an English version of the Holy Bible and goes to church whenever it is not vacation time or a very tiresome week leading to a day of rest … by staying in bed on Sunday.
We have here another psalm of the gatherer – a psalm of Asaph. A psalm of the gatherer means David’s ministry as a Saint was to “Teach” the truth to those whose souls were married to Yahweh – the truth of “Israel” – so everyone would be Saints in a most holy nation of peoples.
Verse one sings, “Sing with joy lelohim our strength and raise a loud shout to lelohe of Jacob.” In that, David twice referred to an inner elohim, which is the resurrection of the Son’s soul within a wife-soul’s soul.
Verse ten sings, “I am Yahweh eloheka, who brought you out of the land of Egypt.” This directly states Yahweh is their Husband and His son has become the elohim of His wife-souls. “Egypt” means ‘Married To Tragedy,” which is a soul’s plight in the flesh without that inner presence.
Verse thirteen laments, “Oh, that my people would listen to me! that Israel would walk in my ways!” The meaning of “Israel” is “Who Retains the el of Yahweh,” which is the inner presence that speaks the Word of Yahweh. Without that inner presence, souls cannot hear the directions of Yahweh.
Verse thirteen laments, “Oh, that my people would listen to me! that Israel would walk in my ways!” The meaning of “Israel” is “Who Retains the el of Yahweh,” which is the inner presence that speaks the Word of Yahweh. Without that inner presence, souls cannot hear the directions of Yahweh.
Verse fifteen promises: “Those who hate Yahweh would cringe before him, and their punishment would last forever”. This is the eternal cost for rejecting Yahweh as one’s Spiritual Husband.
In this gathering of souls who are possessed by the soul of Yahweh’s Son, who speaks the truth of Scripture to their minds, David’s divinely inspired lyrics were divinely inspired to be understood by the wife-souls of Yahweh, each reborn as His Son, all Saints.
They knew a soul is either singing with joy or lamenting, based on the decisions each soul made: accept Yahweh’s proposal of divine union, or reject Yahweh and go it alone.
As far as Jesus is concerned, it is exactly like the saying, “You cannot be half pregnant.” You are either married to Yahweh and give resurrection to His Son in your soul-body – fully and totally; or, you are still a sinner, no matter how much you play with the name Jesus.
Now, in the Track 2 optional reading selection (option a), this is not a reading that is part of Canonical books. It is Apocryphal, thus not available in my source that shows the original Hebrew text, to check if “the Lord” is written “Yahweh” or “elohim / adonay.”
Still, the focus of this reading is placed on the human flaw known as “pride.” That word is stated three times in this English translation (presumably from a Greek text).
Verse twelve sings: “The beginning of human pride is to forsake Yahweh; the heart has withdrawn from its Maker.” This says to reject Yahweh in divine union is to find “pride” in one’s own soul as a god. It rejects sacrifice and divine possession, thinking self is all-important.
Verse eighteen ends by singing: “Pride was not created for human beings, or violent anger for those born of women.” This says only saved souls have true “pride,” which is directly given to them by a personal relationship with Yahweh.
That is a spiritual completion, which is a Baptized soul washed clean by the Spirit, so a virgin soul can be where the Son of Yahweh is resurrected – born of the Spirit.
To be “born of a woman” is to find the flesh the source of all “violent anger.”
As an alternate track to follow, one that differs from the divorce decree of Jeremiah 2, one can see “human pride” as that which sees one’s position in the world – what one possesses, rather than who one is possessed by – as all-important.
To choose “pride” means to reject Yahweh, and that rejection is a self-inflicted divorce fro eternal life. One chooses the temporary – a mortal existence – rather than that everlasting.
For those priests who prefer to ignore most that is read aloud in church, only choosing to take one small sampling and devote that to a personal opinion that came to mind on Thursday, after playing a round of golf, the Sirach reading can be set aside. An easier Track two reading is two verses from Proverbs twenty-five.
This is summed up simply as the wisdom of “Stay within your means.”
Both the “human pride” of Sirach and the “don’t put the cart before the horse” element of Solomon’s Proverb fit nicely with the Gospel reading from Luke, where Jesus told a parable about taking a seat of honor, when someone higher up the food chain might not have the same opinion of you as you do.
Solomon agreed that it is better to be truly chosen than to pretend to be chosen and suffer the disgrace of being told differently by Yahweh.
To whichever of the two options is chosen, for churches on the Track two path, the accompanying Psalm 112 sings the wonders of divine marriage, while also singing the laments of those who prefer to remain a ‘swinging single.’
Verse one truly sings, “Praise YAH! Happy are they who fear Yahweh and have great delight in his commandments.” The “Praise YAH” is the reality of the two Hebrew words that translators have morphed into “hallelujah.”
The name of Yahweh is stricken from English-speakers’ mindset, making “Yah” be just the last syllable in a word that is the title of a song sung at Christmas. Nobody knows it is two words with “Praise YAH” the intent.
When verse one sings to “praise Yahweh” because of His commandments, this is Mosaic Law, which are the marriage vows taken by a soul … till death do us part.
The word “commandment” does not imply “suggestion.” It is an agreement that cannot be altered or skipped over.
This agreement (all laws) marries a soul to Yahweh as His wife-soul; and, the soul finds great inner praise from being reborn as the Son – the truth of the love of God.
The possession of the Son, one with one’s soul-body, as its Lord that speaks only what the Father says, forever makes sure one’s soul maintains every Commandment, forevermore.
Fear of God is one Commandment, which says one’s soul must fear losing Yahweh – rejecting Him in marriage – which is a self-inflicted death sentence that means “your children’s children will be forsaken in reincarnation.” Not mortal form of persecution or punishment can lead a soul promised eternal life to fear such threats; but the weak of soul, addicted to their flesh, will fear losing wealth, power, or influence over others in the world.
Verse ten concludes by singing: “The wicked will see it and be angry; they will gnash their teeth and pine away; the desires of the wicked will perish.” This says sinners will find the violent anger of self-pride at Judgment.
They will find more suffering in reincarnation, returned into the prison the flesh represents to a soul. To “perish” means to eternally find a soul trapped in the death of the material world.
Paul then wrote about a love of material things that lures so many away from marrying their souls to Yahweh and becoming Jesus reborn into new flesh. This is missed in the NASB translation that tried to make politically correct Paul writing the “This brotherly love must remain.”
The change that says “mutual love” is as ridiculous as going to Pennsylvania and saying, “Hello City of Mutual Love!” Everyone knows Philadelphia is the City of Brotherly Love; and, Paul wrote exactly the word “philadelphia.”
The meaning of “brotherly love” is all Saints who would read Paul’s epistle written in Hebrew while in a Roman prison would know precisely what he meant. All – male and female true Christians – were resurrections of the soul of Yahweh’s Son – Jesus – so spiritually all were “brothers” in his name.
The aspect of “love” (as I have pointed out before) is the Son was created by Yahweh as Yahweh’s “love” of lost souls that needed to be saved (the meaning of “Jesus”). So, when one has been reborn as Jesus’ soul as Lord over new flesh, all so divinely possessed are “brothers” in his name AND filled with the “love” of Yahweh, which is His Son’s soul.
The ”love of God” can only be known by being possessed by Yahweh’s Spirit (His wife-soul) and resurrected as His Son’s soul one with a host soul – its Lord. This “love” is the true source of praise to Yahweh; and, it has absolutely nothing to do with an emotional state that humans call love.
The “remaining” of “continuing” aspect of this “brotherly love” says once it take possession of a soul and its flesh, then it will “remain” with that soul forevermore. That is the joy of eternal life, which David sang in Psalm 81.
In verse two of Paul’s reading selection, he wrote of the “love of strangers.” That becomes the ministry of Saints in the name of Jesus. All souls saved were first “strangers,” who had not sought Yahweh in relationship; so, they were not “brothers” filled with the “love” of marriage to Yahweh’s Spirit. Once saved and renamed Jesus, they all are then sent out to find seekers and lead them to marry their souls to Yahweh by preaching the truth of Scripture.
This led to Paul writing a series of “remember” verses, which alludes to the way all souls had become estranged form Yahweh after birth and maturity in their flesh. He wrote of things all Saints remember about their wayward days.
When Paul said to “remember the prisoners,” this has nothing to do with some prison ministry. Prisons are dens of inequity, justly filled with criminals. While those lost souls need outside assistance – family support, work training, and religious guidance – a prison is not an institution of spiritual repentance.
As far as remembrances go, Jesus never visited John while he was imprisoned by Herod.
The meaning of “prisoners” is all souls in bodies of mortal flesh. All “strangers” are “prisoners” when they have not married their souls to Yahweh and been promised eternal life – freeing them from the prison of death.
Paul speaks of “a wedding within,” which is a spiritual marriage to Yahweh. It is a “stranger” soul receiving His Spirit and then being reborn His Son’s soul.
Release from the prison of the flesh is to receive the promise of eternal life, beyond death.
To say “without love of money,” “money” becomes a reflection of the material realm. To be “without a love” of the realm of death is to be in “love” with the spiritual realm that is Yahweh and Jesus.
Paul then wrote to “Remember” the ways a soul once was because that means to know the faith of personal experience of Yahweh in the present. The present is always and forevermore.
This leads to the Gospel reading selection from Luke. In this reading, we read verse one, then skip to verse seven where Jesus tells a parable about guests invited to a wedding feast. In doing that, we lose the context of the omitted verses, which are vital to understand, so one can grasp the true meaning of the parable.
In verse one we read that Jesus has been invited to the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees. When Jesus accepts and arrives, we read he is being closely watched.
Skipping over the next five verses then makes the parable be about Jesus telling the attendees of that luncheon – on a sabbath – what he observed as they all scrambled to sit at the table. The most important guests sat close to the ruler of the Pharisees, but some trying to sit close to him were asked to move farther away; and, they moved shamefully.
That is not what happened. It is not the point of Jesus telling this parable. The parable was set in a similar invitation only gathering; but it had nothing to do with that sabbath meal or those specific attendees.
A parable is metaphor, which means it has nothing to do with the physical setting. Everything is symbolic of something much deeper, which needs to be figured out.
The omitted verses tell of Jesus healing a known man with dropsy on the sabbath. This is pointed out in such a way it is a setup, for everyone in attendance to see what Jesus would do when he saw a known man swollen on the sabbath.
Jesus first questioned the “lawyers” present, asking them if it was legal to cure illnesses on the sabbath. They were all silent in response to that question; so, Jesus healed the man.
Then he said, “Who here would not immediately pull a son or a possessed ox to safety, if it fell in a pit on a sabbath?” Again, they were all unable to answer Jesus.
That healing becomes a statement about the expectations all leaders of the Jews should possess – they should be able to heal every day of the week. A son or an expensive work animal needed care seven days a week and could not be allowed to be lost, for any reason, at any time. That says the expectation is for those who claim closeness to Yahweh to be able to heal the weak and pull them to safety.
The parable Jesus told is then using the setting of that gathering to point out how everyone there was invited by Yahweh to be His bridesmaids. To marry their souls to Yahweh’s Spirit, they all had to keep the oil that fuels the light of truth; or, they all had to share the light of truth to all who were lost souls (and known to be Jews), so they could join in the wedding feast as bridesmaids preparing to be joins Spiritually with Yahweh.
From that, Jesus told a parable that is a statement about that group pretending to be honored servants of Yahweh, when none of them are filled with His Spirit in divine union. All are the lowest of the low. All are goats, none sheep.
When this parable is understood clearly, having nothing to do with that specific sabbath luncheon Jesus was invited to, it speaks loudly at all times as the pretense of someone inviting Jesus to come share spiritual food with him or her, but when Jesus arrives nobody says anything. Nobody knows how to receive Jesus. Everyone is watching to see Jesus do a miracle, like he is son ‘dog and pony show,’ with nobody able to submit to Jesus as his or her Lord.
Now, in the omitted verses, we read that the man with dropsy (edema or swelling from retained bodily fluids) was known by Jesus. Obviously, the man who was one of the rulers of the Pharisees was known by Jesus, well enough to accept an invitation to go to his house for the sabbath meal.
I see the ruler as Nicodemus and the known man with dropsy as Joseph of Arimathea. Those two names are only mentioned in John’s Gospel, while Joseph’s name is mentioned in Matthew and Mark as well. This implies the disciples knew Joseph, who also was one of the rulers of the Jews. Luke is the story of Mother Mary, divinely allowed to be experienced by Luke; but the names of “certain men” were not stated.
I believe both Nicodemus and Joseph were secret disciples of Jesus, who were sent out with the seventy in pairs; but the dropsy Joseph experienced was from retaining the presence of Jesus, not sharing it … for fear of being exposed as a supporter of Jesus. When Jesus healed him we read importantly Jesus set his soul free, releasing his restraints that kept his soul from marrying Yahweh.
Nicodemus, on the other hand, just watched and did nothing to be cured of his refusal to be reborn.
This means the parable speaking of preferred seating at the table is metaphor for souls in the flesh pretending to love God, when they do nothing to put the oil of truth in their lamps. They are the foolish bridesmaids … the goats … who when they die will show up at Yahweh’s Judgment expecting to be honored guests, seated close to God, because they wore robes, high hats, and wielded large shepherd’s crooks, while positioned high above those who worshiped them as being closer to God.
Those are the ones who will be asked to leave heaven, returning to the worldly plane they loved so much (the “love of money” Paul wrote of), which will come as quite an embarrassment when that command to ‘go sit with the lowest of the low’ is given.
With that, I see the bus is arriving now; so, I will end here.
Please think about what I have said. Preaching is not about my impressing you with my intellect and self-importance – wearing fancy robes and possessing honors and diplomas from schools of pretend ministry. I am hear to “Teach” so you can learn the truth.
I have heard homiletics professors saying to student priests, “Do not re-read Scripture as a homily.”
The truth in that lesson says, “The read aloud Scripture is so poorly translated it cannot be re-read alone. It must be re-read and then explained.”
Homiletics is nothing if it does not “Teach.”
I look forward to meeting with you all again next Sunday. I hope your week ahead is treated as if every day is a sabbath.
Amen