Paper 181
1. "As long as I am with you in the flesh, I can be but one individual in your midst or in the entire world. But when I have been delivered from this investment of mortal nature, I will be able to return as a spirit indweller of each of you and of all other believers in this gospel of the kingdom. In this way the Son of Man will become a spiritual incarnation in the souls of all true believers.
2. "Each of the many, many stations in my Father's house is a stopping place, a life designed to prepare you for the next one ahead. And so will the children of light go on from glory to glory until they attain the divine estate wherein they are spiritually perfected even as the Father is perfect in all things.
3. "If you would follow after me when I leave you, put forth your earnest efforts to live in accordance with the spirit of my teachings and with the ideal of my life‑the doing of my Father's will. This do instead of trying to imitate my natural life in the flesh as I have, perforce, been required to live it on this world.
4. "And now, as I am about to leave you, I would speak words of comfort. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I make these gifts not as the world gives‑by measure‑I give each of you all you will receive. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful. I have overcome the world, and in me you shall all triumph through faith... In this world you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer; I have triumphed in the world and shown you the way to eternal joy and everlasting service."
5. Jesus gives peace to his fellow doers of the will of God but not on the order of the joys and satisfactions of this material world... A certain amount of both stoicism and optimism are serviceable in living a life on earth, but neither has aught to do with that superb peace which the Son of God bestows upon his brethren in the flesh... The peace of Jesus is the joy and satisfaction of a God‑knowing individual who has achieved the triumph of learning fully how to do the will of God while living the mortal life in the flesh.
6. The peace of Jesus is, then, the peace and assurance of a son who fully believes that his career for time and eternity is safely and wholly in the care and keeping of an all‑wise, all‑loving, and all‑powerful spirit Father. And this is, indeed, a peace which passes the understanding of mortal mind, but which can be enjoyed to the full by the believing human heart.
7. "You, John, are the youngest of my brethren ... you have acted for me and must continue so to act in many matters concerning my earthly family ... when they all come to see the light and enter fully into the kingdom, while you all will welcome them joyously, I depend upon you, John, to welcome them for me... You should become the apostle of the new commandment which I have this night given you. Dedicate your life to teaching your brethren how to love one another, even as I have loved you." ...No man should despise your youth, but I exhort you always to give due consideration to the fact that age oftentimes represents experience, and that nothing in human affairs can take the place of actual experience. Strive to live peaceably
with all men, especially your friends in the brotherhood of the heavenly kingdom. And, John, always remember, strive not with the souls you would win for the kingdom."
8. Jesus now went over to Simon Zelotes, who stood up and listened to this admonition: "You are a true son or Abraham, but what a time I have had, trying to make you a son of this heavenly kingdom... I have repeatedly told you that my kingdom is not of this world.., but you refuse to face the truth... None of my apostles are more sincere and honest at heart than you, but not one of them will be so upset and disheartened as you, after my departure... Dedicate your life, Simon, to showing how acceptably mortal man may fulfill my injunction concerning the simultaneous recognition of temporal duty to civil powers and spiritual service in the brotherhood of the kingdom ... And so, Simon, once more I warn you that they who fight with the sword perish with the sword, while they who labor in the spirit achieve life everlasting in the kingdom to come with joy and peace in the kingdom which now is. And when the work given into your hands is finished on earth, you, Simon, shall sit down with me in my kingdom over there. You shall really see the kingdom you have longed for, but not in this life.
9. Jesus... stepped ever to Matthew Levi and said: "No longer will it devolve upon you to provide for the treasury of the apostolic group. Soon, very soon, you will all be scattered... you will go out alone, and to the ends of the earth, proclaiming this good news ... go on with your urge to win your Jewish brethren until you are fully satisfied and then turn with power to the gentiles... Levi, 1 know much about your anxieties, sacrifices, and labors to keep the treasury replenished which your brethren do not know... let your brethren see‑even all the world‑what the Father can do for a hated tax‑gatherer who dared to follow the Son of Man and to believe the gospel of the kingdom... And so, Matthew, dedicate your whole future life service to showing all men that God is no respecter of persons; that, in the sight of God and in the fellowship of the kingdom, all men are equal, all believers are the sons of God.
10. "James... you and your younger brother once came to me seeking preferment in the honors of the kingdom ..,By such behavior you angered your brethren at that time. If they have not already fully forgiven you, they will when they see you drink my cup... Dedicate your life to the demonstration of that combined human affection and divine dignity of the God‑knowing and Son‑believing disciple. And all who thus live will reveal the gospel even in the manner of their death... It would help you much if you would learn that true wisdom embraces discretion as well as courage. You should learn sagacity to go along with your aggressiveness.
11. "Andrew, you have faithfully represented me as acting head of the ambassadors of the heavenly kingdom ... In my universe and in my Father's universe of universes, our brethren‑sons are dealt with as individuals in all their spiritual relations, but in all group relationships we unfailingly provide for definite leadership. Our kingdom is a realm of order, and where two or more will creatures act in co‑operation, there is always provided the authority of leadership.
"And now, Andrew ... 1 release you from all responsibility as regards these temporal and administrative affairs.. From now on you may exercise no jurisdiction over your brethren except that which you have earned in your capacity as spiritual leader, and which your brethren therefore freely recognize ... Dedicate the remainder of your life to promoting the practical aspects of brotherly love among your brethren. Be kind to my brothers in the flesh
when they come fully to believe this gospel; manifest loving and impartial devotion to the Greeks in the West and to Abner in the East... And so, Andrew, though it may not fall to you to do the great works as seen by men, be content to be the teacher and counselor of those who do such things.
12. Jesus then went over to the Aipheus twins and, standing between them, said: 'My little children, you are one of the three groups of brothers who chose to follow after me. All six of you have done well to work in peace with your own flesh and blood, but none have done better than you ... do not become discouraged; when your lifework is finished, I will receive you on high, where in glory you shall tell of your salvation to seraphic hosts and to multitudes of the high Sons of God. Dedicate your lives to the enhancement of commonplace toil... to him who is God‑knowing, there is no such thing as common labor or secular toil. To you who have worked with me, all things have become sacred, and all earthly labor has become a service even to God the Father.
13. "Philip, you have asked me many foolish questions, but I have done my utmost to answer every one ... you have always wanted to be shown, and very soon shall you see great things. Far better that you should have seen all this by faith, but since you were sincere even in your material sightedness, you will live to see my words fulfilled. And then, when you are blessed with spiritual vision, go forth to your work, dedicating your life to the cause of leading mankind to search for God and to seek eternal realities with the eye of spiritual faith and not with the eyes of the material mind... You have a great work to do, and when it is finished in faith, you shall come to me in my kingdom, and I will take great pleasure in showing you that which eye has not seen, ear heard, nor the mortal mind conceived ... And always remember, Philip, he who has seen me has seen the Father."
14. Then went the Master over to Nathaniel. As Nathaniel stood up, Jesus bade him be seated and, sitting down by his side, said: "Nathaniel, you have learned to live above prejudice and to practice increased tolerance since you became my apostle... When I have gone, it may be, that your frankness will interfere with your getting along well with your brethren, both old and new. You should learn that the expression of even a good thought must be modulated in accordance with the intellectual status and spiritual development of the hearer. Sincerity is most serviceable in the work of the kingdom when it is wedded to discretion.
"If you would learn to work with your brethren, you might accomplish more permanent things, but if you find yourself going off in quest of those who think as you do, in that event dedicate your life to proving that the God‑knowing disciple can become a kingdom builder even when alone in the world and wholly isolated from his fellow believers ... what you have not been able to get from my teachings and my life, you must now prepare to acquire at the hand of that master of all teachers—actual experience.
15. And then the Master, turning to all of them, said: "Be not dismayed that you fail to grasp the full meaning of the gospel. You are but finite, mortal men, and that which 1 have taught you is infinite, divine, and eternal. Be patient and of good courage since you have the eternal ages before you in which to continue your progressive attainment of the experience of becoming perfect, even as your Father in Paradise is perfect.
16. "Thomas, you have often lacked faith; however, when you had your seasons with doubt, you have never lacked courage. I know well that the false prophets and spurious teachers will not deceive you... Dedicate your life to the great work of showing how the critical material mind of man can triumph over the inertia of intellectual doubting when faced by the demonstration of the manifestation of living truth as it operates in the experience of spirit‑born men and women who yield the fruits of the spirit in their lives, and who love one another, even as I have loved you...! have confidence in you, and I will go before you even to the uttermost parts of the earth.
17. "Peter, I know you love me, and that you will dedicate your life to the public proclamation of this gospel of the kingdom to Jew and gentile, but I am distressed that your years of such close association with me have not done more to help you think before you speak ... And you are destined to make much more trouble for yourself if you do not master this frailty.. .But you will undoubtedly receive great help from the experience you will pass through this very night... This night you will all be in great danger of stumbling over me... But I promise you now that I will come back to you for a little while, and that I will then go before you into Galilee,"
18. Then said Peter, placing his hand on Jesus' shoulder: "No matter if all my brethren should succumb to doubts because of you, I promise that I will not stumble over anything you may
do. I will go with you and, if need be, die for you ......... Jesus looked straight into his moistened
eyes as he said: "Peter, verily, verily, I say to you, this night the cock will not crow until you
have denied me three or four times. And thus what you have failed to learn from peaceful
association. with me, you will learn through much trouble and many sorrows. And after you
have really learned this needful lesson, you should strengthen your brethren and go on living a
life dedicated to preaching this gospel, though you may fall into prison and, perhaps, follow
me in paying the supreme price of loving service in the building of the Father's kingdom... I
love you all, with the love wherewith the Father loves me, and therefore should you
henceforth love one another, even as I have loved you."
U.B, 181: 1953,1962
Discussion Questions
1. If the Spirit of Truth is a spiritual incarnation in our soul, how do consult the guidance of Jesus in our thinking and decisions?
2. How is our current experience preparing us for life on the Mansion Worlds?
3. How did Jesus "overcome the world" when he was about to give up his mortal life to the hostility of the Jewish leaders?
4. Why us superb spiritual peace possible amid disturbing material problems?
5. How does one balance the wisdom of discretion with courage?
6. How do we distinguish leadership from authority?
7. How can all work become a calling in which to serve God as well as other human beings?