Part 4 (1/2)

Does spiritualism find Jesus' death necessary 24:24 only for the presentation, after death, of the material Jesus, as a proof that spirits can return to earth? Then we must differ from them both.

24:27 The efficacy of the crucifixion lay in the practical af- fection and goodness it demonstrated for mankind. The truth had been lived among men; but until they saw that 24:30 it enabled their Master to triumph over the grave, his own disciples could not admit such an event to be possible.

After the resurrection, even the unbelieving Thomas was 25:1 forced to acknowledge how complete was the great proof of Truth and Love.

True flesh and blood

25:3 The spiritual essence of blood is sacrifice. The effi- cacy of Jesus' spiritual offering is infinitely greater than can be expressed by our sense of human 25:6 blood. The material blood of Jesus was no more efficacious to cleanse from sin when it was shed upon ”the accursed tree,” than when it was flowing in 25:9 his veins as he went daily about his Father's business.

His true flesh and blood were his Life; and they truly eat his flesh and drink his blood, who partake of that divine 25:12 Life.

Effective triumph

Jesus taught the way of Life by demonstration, that we may understand how this divine Principle heals 25:15 the sick, casts out error, and triumphs over death. Jesus presented the ideal of G.o.d better than could any man whose origin was less spiritual. By 25:18 his obedience to G.o.d, he demonstrated more spiritu- ally than all others the Principle of being. Hence the force of his admonition, ”If ye love me, keep my com- 25:21 mandments.”

Though demonstrating his control over sin and disease, the great Teacher by no means relieved others from giving 25:24 the requisite proofs of their own piety. He worked for their guidance, that they might demonstrate this power as he did and understand its divine Principle. Implicit faith 25:27 in the Teacher and all the emotional love we can bestow on him, will never alone make us imitators of him. We must go and do likewise, else we are not improving the 25:30 great blessings which our Master worked and suffered to bestow upon us. The divinity of the Christ was made manifest in the humanity of Jesus.

Individual experience

26:1 While we adore Jesus, and the heart overflows with grat.i.tude for what he did for mortals, - treading alone 26:3 his loving pathway up to the throne of glory, in speechless agony exploring the way for us, - yet Jesus spares us not one individual expe- 26:6 rience, if we follow his commands faithfully; and all have the cup of sorrowful effort to drink in proportion to their demonstration of his love, till all are redeemed 26:9 through divine Love.

Christ's demonstration

The Christ was the Spirit which Jesus implied in his own statements: ”I am the way, the truth, and the life;”

26:12 ”I and my Father are one.” This Christ, or divinity of the man Jesus, was his divine nature, the G.o.dliness which animated him. Divine Truth, 26:15 Life, and Love gave Jesus authority over sin, sickness, and death. His mission was to reveal the Science of celestial being, to prove what G.o.d is and what He does 26:18 for man.

Proof in practice

A musician demonstrates the beauty of the music he teaches in order to show the learner the way by prac- 26:21 tice as well as precept. Jesus' teaching and practice of Truth involved such a sacrifice as makes us admit its Principle to be Love. This was 26:24 the precious import of our Master's sinless career and of his demonstration of power over death. He proved by his deeds that Christian Science destroys sickness, sin, 26:27 and death.

Our Master taught no mere theory, doctrine, or belief.

It was the divine Principle of all real being which he 26:30 taught and practised. His proof of Christianity was no form or system of religion and wors.h.i.+p, but Christian Science, working out the harmony of Life and Love.

27:1 Jesus sent a message to John the Baptist, which was in- tended to prove beyond a question that the Christ had 27:3 come: ”Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, 27:6 to the poor the gospel is preached.” In other words: Tell John what the demonstration of divine power is, and he will at once perceive that G.o.d is the power in 27:9 the Messianic work.

Living temple

That Life is G.o.d, Jesus proved by his reappearance after the crucifixion in strict accordance with his scien- 27:12 tific statement: ”Destroy this temple [body], and in three days I [Spirit] will raise it up.”

It is as if he had said: The I - the Life, substance, 27:15 and intelligence of the universe - is not in matter to be destroyed.

Jesus' parables explain Life as never mingling with 27:18 sin and death. He laid the axe of Science at the root of material knowledge, that it might be ready to cut down the false doctrine of pantheism, - that G.o.d, or 27:21 Life, is in or of matter.

Recreant disciples

Jesus sent forth seventy students at one time, but only eleven left a desirable historic record. Tradition credits 27:24 him with two or three hundred other disciples who have left no name. ”Many are called, but few are chosen.” They fell away from grace because 27:27 they never truly understood their Master's instruction.

Why do those who profess to follow Christ reject the essential religion he came to establish? Jesus' persecu- 27:30 tors made their strongest attack upon this very point.

They endeavored to hold him at the mercy of matter and to kill him according to certain a.s.sumed material laws.

Help and hindrance

28:1 The Pharisees claimed to know and to teach the di- vine will, but they only hindered the success of Jesus'