Jesus’ Final Teachings

April 2, 1995

Samuel: Well, greetings, dears.

Greetings, Samuel.

S: And do you just love what your world is doing today, being pretty and bright, and reminding you that this is a time of new beginnings and fresh hope and new birth? Do you just feel it everywhere? And do you feel very much like a seed coming forth into a very bright new world? And what sort of plant are you, by the way?

So, how about a gift, eh? Good girl. Aye.

Well, I had the opportunity to help my cat pass on to the next world, and it gave me the opportunity to realize that I was different and I’ve changed. I’ve learned a lot of things here at Phoenix, and I’ve had friends of mine that have died, but I’ve never gone through the death process. So through working with her in her process of leaving, I got to put into practice some of the things that I’ve learned here. You know, I spoke with her and made her comfortable, and I sent energy to her, and I told her pretty soon she was going be flying—and she looked at me a little funny at that one—and I got to watch. And I realized I really had changed. That there were things that I had taken in without really realizing I had taken in, because I was different with my working with the animal, and I was different with my feelings as to the change and the energy change. And then I realized that I really did believe what I have learned, and that I had knowing of it, and that there was no question and no doubt. And then the biggest gift, I think, was that it caused me to look at a lot of other things in my life—normal everyday things, like I had a difference of opinion with my sister, and it’s just like I handled it differently, and it’s because the whole process made me look at myself and that I had a lot of growth there. It was a good gift for me.

S: And you’re saying that it was your cat that died, but I think, too, darling, it was you. Rise, Lazarus. [Laughter] Good work, my friend, good work.

Amazing, don’t you think, that now and again it is possible that even out of pain can come power, and that’s an example of it.

One more. Aye.

I …

S: Welcome home.

Thank you. I just came back from a month in England with a cousin whom I went to help in her dying that has just died. And it was just a remarkable, wonderful experience for me. And the person she wanted to talk with … she was calling the people she wanted to see and she was saying, “I don’t want to see that one. I don’t want to talk to that one.”

S: Control to the very end.

And she lived in this huge manor house out in the country with her husband, who had been Sir Giles, the British Ambassador to Barbados, knighted by the Queen. She had all these clothes. She was six feet tall and so she invited a young woman from the village, who was also six feet tall, whom she had do a fashion show of all her Christian Dior gowns and the robes she wore to meet the Queen, and she sent this young lady off with all these clothes. She gave everything away to people she loved, to people she barely knew, to people in the village, to whatever. When she left, she had finished it all. And then she said, “I’m finished. Now I’m angry. Why can’t I leave? What am I waiting for?”

S: Gracious. I’ve heard that a lot lately.

But we talked very frankly and openly, and there was only one thing. I wanted to call Kay. I sent her a card. I think I sent it to the wrong address, but the one thing I couldn’t do was to … I could lift her out of bed, but I couldn’t do the physical work of it as well as I would have wanted, but otherwise all the rest of it was wonderful.

S: You know, darling, you seem to have quite a calling in that direction.

A what?

S: Quite a calling in that direction. Helping the passage, I mean.

I’ve done it a few times.

S: Aye. A comfort in time of trouble.

These two gifts are very much related. Donna and Molly both. Now, somebody tell me a gift you have received specifically from the gifts. A connection from their connection. Something said that worked for you. Aye.

Well I think in my life I’ve had a lot of deaths, and every time I hear somebody be able to receive a gift and a birth and a light from something that you could choose to fall apart over, it’s a gift to me. It reminds me of all the gifts I’ve received from those who died.

S: But, of course, if you have a belief that life continues, why would you fall apart? And if you don’t have a belief that life continues, why would you fall apart? So what is that part about do you think? Just boldly and brashly and most clear bottom line, why is it that people fall apart because somebody they love is disappearing off the planet.

It’s their own loss. It’s not really that physical person being gone, because they realize that … I realize that spirit is still there. It’s that pain, that physical bonding for my own security that’s gone.

S: Because what you’re mourning is your loss. True and real, you’re mourning for you. And the opportunity to experience in your life the reality of death helps you better to be able to understand that it is a part of a greater process, and that you’re not really at a loss, because this is not all you have. And what does that mean? Does that mean you should start going to lots of funerals, reading the obituary pages and making sure that you study surely? What does it mean? It means realizing that everything that you have that has a beginning has an end to it.

Let me say that one again, because these days I think that that particular statement tends to be very high on the list of “things I do not believe anymore” for many of you. That statement again was, everything that has a beginning has an end to it. For everything there is a season, and the seasons do change.

That your day has a death, you call it bedtime. That your meal has a death, you call it full, maybe.

Dessert.

S: Dessert, Frank says. And you’re right, darling; that’s going to be the death of you.

A relationship might have a death, but it doesn’t have to mean that it’s the forever end. It might mean it’s moving on to another stage. The death of the betrothal. What is betrothal?

Engagement.

S: Thank you. I knew there was a new word for it. The death of the engagement is what?

Marriage.

S: And if you believe there’s more, then you’re not really losing. And if you don’t believe there’s anything more, you’ve not lost anyway. Really. As is so often the case, those particular gifts absolutely lead very beautifully into what I’m talking to you about tonight. Guess what it is.

Birth.

Death.

Rebirth.

Money.

S: All of the above, except the money part. I’m not sure where that came in. You are moving into a very particular holy season. For most of this country, certainly for the center portion that you’re in right here, this is considered a very special sort of month because it harbors a very particular holiday.

Spring.

Easter.

S: You pagan! Spring. Yes. Easter. Which is indeed, as they all tend to be, based upon things which have just as little to do with Christianity, in its foundation point, as Christmas is the birth, so Easter is not specifically a celebration unique to Christianity, of rebirth, but centered as it is around the time of Passover, which is centered as it is around the time of the spring equinox. Wouldn’t you know that the paganism gets in there somewhere. The center point of Christianity is indeed not the death, but the resurrection of Jesus the Christ. And I want to talk to you about that this night.

Several points to make center around, I hope, an opportunity as ever for you to experience an old and familiar story. Unfortunately for many of you, so familiar you don’t see the magic in it anymore. Or so old you have respect not anymore. Or maybe you are so rebellious you choose not even to think about it anymore. And yet the student becomes a master when they are able to learn from all things.

This is a profound story. A masterful celebration that even separated as I am going to do tonight from its esoteric parallels, taking away from it the ancient magic surrounding this story, there are some remarkable teachings that should no longer be missed.

All right. Tell me the story of Easter. Might take a group to do it. Who can start? Once upon a time.

There was a man named Jesus.

S: Thank you very much.

A lot of people were mad at him.

S: Why?

Because they didn’t really understand what he was doing.

S: A lot of people were mad at him, because they did not understand what he was doing.

And they felt threatened by him.

S: And were indeed very threatened by him. The religious leaders of the day were very threatened by him. Why?

He didn’t follow the religious laws.

S: Let’s change that one a bit.

[…]

S: Let’s even change that a bit. Because he did follow the laws, forgive me, I cannot resist it, religiously he followed them. But taught them in a new fashion. And with his teachings, gathered those who recognized that this bold and rebellious spirit, gentle and tender as your religious teachers want you to believe today—you’ve got to realize that we are talking somebody who made major changes in the time. That doesn’t usually come out of the meek, you know, comes out of those who are willing to stand free and boldly. Even to die for what they teach. [He] went up against the greatest teachers and teachings of the day and said—oh, just to boil it down into a very, very quick spot—there is a new teaching that is here now. This is a new time. And the teaching can be boiled into one commandment. Well, I’m getting ahead of myself here.

So Jesus created trouble with the religious leaders of the day, and as a result what happened?

They tried him.

S: They tried him.

And killed him.

S: And killed him. And what happened then?

He was reborn.

S: He tricked them.

He used phenomena to make them see.

S: He used phenomena to make a point. [Laughter] Will nobody say it? Come now.

Resurrection.

S: Absolutely. Death did not hold him. All right. Let’s back up a bit. So once upon a time, not so very long ago, and as some of you would count, just a mere breath, there was a marvelous and remarkable teacher who lived a fairly simple life, and came from a fairly simple family. And who, in his fairly simple life, did some fairly remarkable things. Things that allowed murmurs to not only go through the religious community, but even hit the political community of the time. Which was not a problem at all until crowds started gathering, and miracles started happening. I tell you, it’s a mistake every time. Got to watch those miracles. Get you every time. Which, of course, brought more people, and you know how it goes: Claims get more and more outrageous and eventually you’ve got to make a stand. And the triumphal entry into Jerusalem was probably as good as any. To say, All right, I’m here. You want to know what it is I have to say? Come on. I’ll do it in public. Let’s talk.

Jesus did that, and indeed teachings that you should not miss in your life have been recorded in many different sources and should be read. But where I’m wanting you to go is, eventually it came to a point where he gathered his closest together and he said, Come, let’s get together and have supper, all right?

And they found a place where they could gather together. Now, what am I talking about here? Just for those of you who are having a hard time keeping up. Where am I now in this process?

Last supper.

S: At the last supper—what an interesting name—where they gathered together and a very lovely ritual took place. And after that ritual, what did Jesus do? Does anybody remember? What was Jesus’s act?

He washed the disciples feet.

S: Yes. Jesus went to his disciples and said, Let me serve you. Jesus knew that he was at the end of his mission. He gathered together those who were his nearest and dearest, who were the hope of continuing what had begun. And he said, Let us break bread and share wine together, which is a ritual of bonding. Every time you do this from now on, you are going to remember this. I suppose any last thing you tend to remember. You are going to remember this.

And after that meal, he looked to ones of his friends and said, Go now. What was that about?

It was Judas.

S: One of the most important personages in this whole story. A representation, powerfully, of will and power and choice. And as much as Christianity has a strong tendency to forget it, Judas is a hero, because if he had not sold Jesus’s location for thirty pieces of silver, you wouldn’t have the history quite like you have it today.

Do you think when he was planning his life, he would say, All right, Jesus, but listen, it’s really not what I had in mind to do with this life. I’m not sure I want to do that. Do you know how history is going to see me if I go down there and live that life? I think some people are too willing to forget Judas’s sacrifice. But you know how it is. A candle in a spotlight has a very little flame.

And when Judas went off, he looked to those who were left and he said, Let me wash your feet. Jesus! We are clean! What do you think, we’re dirty or something? We bathed before we got here. And he said, No. Let me do this for you.

Of course, those of you who have had the lovely opportunity of travelling in those realms—and some of you will very soon—understand the necessity of washing feet fairly often, and, therefore, can perhaps understand that it’s an act of hospitality. It’s usually something that’s not done after the meal. Actually, it’s something that’s done before the meal. Come in the house. Let me wash your feet for you before you go on in. And [it] was very often the act of the woman of the house to welcome by offering a bowl and a towel with which to dip the feet and have them wiped.

Remembering the time, Jesus the Christ was choosing to humble himself as an act of hospitality. What is hospitality about? It’s making somebody feel welcome. Allowing them to feel warmed and welcome.

But now wait a minute here. Jesus knew that he was going to his death. And he was washing the feet, welcoming his disciples to his death? No. Because it was at this time that Jesus welcomed them into a wholly new portion of his teaching. With the same importance and emphasis that allows deathbed confession today to be considered so important, so Jesus, knowing he was dying, chose to open the door to a new portion of his teaching and told those disciples some absolutely, incredibly outrageous things. He set the foundation, right there, indelibly, ever, to what would become one of the most powerful teachings on the whole planet.

Let me clean your feet, baby, because you’re about to hear a new path. Well, all right, maybe he didn’t say it quite like that. And who knows? Who knows, offhand, what those special teachings were? Anybody remember? All right, have you read it?

This is not the end.

S: Very much a part of it. This is not the end. That’s true.

We are one.

S: Not quite there, but yes. That essentially was a part of it, that I and the Father are one. Whoa. And you are in me and I am in you, which is to say you and the Father are one.

Whatever were the disciples to do with that outrageous statement? And they asked him, Can you sort of clarify what you’re saying here? I’m not sure that I get it. And, of course, Jesus turned and said, What do you mean, you don’t get it? This is what I’ve been teaching you all of these years. This is the foundation of it. Here, let me try to make it a bit clearer for you. The bottom line of everything that I stand for, what my teaching is about, if you want to sum it up, here it is. Love your neighbor as you love yourself, because love is of God.

He told them two incredible, remarkable things. And John wrote it most beautifully. He said, The Father and I are one. You and I are one. Guess what that means? And the way that this makes sense is out in the world in love.

Meanwhile back at the ranch, Judas had found and told, I know where he’s going to be. And as Jesus was explaining his works, he also mentioned, by the way, I think that it would be useful for me to go and do a bit of meditation, and if there are any of you who would wish to go with me, I’m going to go pray. And, of course, there are so many stories that go along with this. The prophesy and the fulfillment of Peter’s denial, and the beautiful forgiveness that went with that, reminding you always, my friend, that the door is always, always ever open. Ever. Or of the great teacher, Caiaphas, sending this case on to Pilate and Pilate talking to Jesus and saying, Are you really saying these things? And Jesus said, I’ve not said it, you’ve said it. Being the rebel that he is, was. Refusing to give in to what would save his skin, because it wasn’t a part of the plan.

And through it all, finally being sold out, missing the Passover gift. Pilate wanted them to release Jesus. He’s innocent. He has broken none of our laws. No, keep him. Because indeed he had. He had broken the greatest law, hadn’t he? He had offended the religious right. [Laughter] He had. And they would not allow him to go in the same manner that the Jewish tradition called for. A kosher stoning. Really. Stoning was considered a kinder death, certainly than crucifixion.

And Jesus did die, and an amazing thing happened when he did die. It is written that oddly enough at the point of his death, the veil in the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The ground did shake. Bet that scared them. How much more beautiful a symbology can you come up with to prove the point in which the final sacrifice has been made. One of the most powerful manifestation rituals is that of life for life. Blood into the fields ensures fertility. Ask any Iron Age believer. And even you believe it. No pain, no gain. Right? That’s a firm belief, even to this day, of the necessity of sacrifice to gain what you need. If it doesn’t hurt, it’s not good enough. And in his outrageousness Jesus said, I am the final sacrifice.

And in the great Temple, before the Holy of Holies, the separation point between God and the masses, where only the priests were allowed, from the top, as if ripped by God itself, to the bottom, the Temple curtain, the veil, was separated, because a new work was now in progress. The old had passed away. One mediator only. Christ in you. The hope and glory.

And the Aramathean, rich enough to have his own tomb, said that he would be very pleased if he could take the body and put it in that tomb. Quickly, please, because the day of preparation was at hand, and of course you could not hold a body long in those climes. It needed to be wrapped and oiled and oiled and wrapped. Mummified practically. And laid carefully into a tomb over which a very large boulder sealed it.

And here it comes. This is so good. I love it so much. And just a couple days later, who’s going to find out how things are? Who?

Mary.

S: Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary who is Mary the mother of …

Jesus.

S: No. James and Joseph. The other Mary. There are many Marys. Nice name. Just like here there are many Cathys.

Mary Magdalene. Now, who is this? Somebody remind me, please. Who is Mary the Magdalene?

A friend of Jesus.

S: Friend of Jesus. Nicely said. [Laughter]

Close friend.

Allegedly a loose woman.

S: Somebody whom he had done a favor for. Anybody know what that favor was. Careful, now.

Saved her from stoning.

S: Saved her from a stoning. Some stories say cast seven devils out of her. You should be so lucky only seven. Saved her from a certain death. How? Why?

Who cast the first stone.

S: And, of course, a lot of these stories are getting mixed up very much, but yes, the point is, she was a very worldly woman who had lost a whole lot of hope in that world and found it in her friend Jesus. And went to mourn, went to mourn.

Now depending on which version in the Gospels you’re reading, there either was an earthquake right about that moment which rolled it back and let her in, or the stone was already rolled back and she immediately went in and said, My goodness they have stolen his body. Which, of course, wasn’t quite possible, because, of course, the Jewish leaders of the time knew that that’s exactly what was going to happen. They were going to steal away that body, and so they let Pilate know that that was something that was likely to be coming up, and he said, I’ll give you a guard. And, although the story went out later that they’d stolen away while the guard was sleeping, any of you who know anything about Rome know that Praetorian guards don’t sleep.

The Marys walked in and in their absolute heartbreak, the body’s gone. All of a sudden what to their wandering eyes should appear but a remarkable light that showed itself up as two angels, one at where the head would have been and one at where the foot would have been, saying, Why are you crying? Christ is risen. You just can’t help that, can you? He is risen, indeed. Christ is risen.

And right about that time, what happened. Right there in the tomb. What happened? This is so grand. I love this part. What happened? They heard somebody else saying, What’s wrong? Why are you upset? And Mary turned around and there’s somebody standing in there with her. And she says, They have stolen my Lord’s body. One word. Mary. And she said, My Lord!

And afterwards, Go and tell that I will meet with them. And a very interesting thing happened. Mary went and told the disciples, I saw Jesus. He rose from the dead and is going to meet with you in Galilee later. And indeed he did. But the important part in the reading as you would have it is that Mary went and said, Jesus is no longer in the tomb. He has risen from the dead. And they said, Good and they went back to their homes. What else is new? All right. Well. Okay. We’ll just go on home then, because everything’s all right, isn’t it? What a society, don’t you think?

Well, all right, let’s see. This individual whom we have followed for several years now, but got crucified just a few days ago, which I peeked out of hiding to see sure enough it happened, is now no longer in the grave. So, I’ll just go on home. Isn’t that what you do when something interesting happens. You say, all right, I’ll go home now. That’s what they did. They went on home. Gosh, I wonder why? Because surely their lives were never going to be the same again.

Well, very quickly I’ll toss out that it was actually quite a human reaction. When your life is turned absolutely upside down and you’re told, All right, everything’s okay now, it’s not because you believe it you go on home. It’s because it’s the only safe place there is. Humans always seek shelter. But that’s not my point. Whom did Jesus show himself first to? Surely the best of his disciples. Surely the one who was already the pure example of holiness, who already was writing down in secret everything that had been done, knowing that they were going to compile it later and make a book out of it. I think this would make a good book too, did you get that one? Surely it was those, don’t you think? No. First to Mary, who wept for him. Who somewhere along the line had missed the information that he wasn’t likely to be in that tomb. Who was going to perform the death rituals of that time on that body. Who saw two angels who said he was risen. Who went and told the disciples who, between you and me and the wall, probably did not believe her very much, because when he appeared to them where they had gathered together to try to regroup and figure out what was going on, and, by the way, they did not recognize him either, everyone there except Thomas the first time and much to their shock who to their wandering eyes should appear yet again? Jesus saying, Listen, there’s a few things I need to tell you before I am fully gone. Now, don’t touch me, all right? Because I’m not really all here. I told you there’s a lot of metaphysical stories attached to this.

And, of course, as humans will do, they got together a bit later and said, Thomas, you’re not going to believe what you missed. We saw Jesus.

And what did Thomas say?

I doubt it! [Laughter]

S: Yes. That’s true. And in fact I won’t believe it unless I put my hands in his hands and touch his feet and the spear hole in his side. And so the next time they were all together and Thomas was there, Jesus showed up yet again and said, All right. Go ahead. Touch me now, because I want you to understand what happened here. Death does not hold us anymore.

And he began during this time to continue the teachings that he gave at their last supper together, the teachings in which two things came out. One of them was, you are going to find that you have a very hard time in the world once I’m gone. I’ve protected you a lot. And you are going to find that the world hates you. But do remember that the Father loves you. And the other thing that he pointed out so strongly to them was, you’re not going to be alone when I am gone. And on the walk through the desert to that garden, Gethsemane, he was just talking as he went, like many of you tend to do—you just sort of talk as you drive along. Well, for Jesus it was prayer. I’m not sure what it is always with you. I think it’s just making sure you’re getting where you’re wanting to be. All right, turn left at the next corner. All right.

And what he was saying in that prayer was … anybody remember? He said, Glorify me. Well now, that seems like a bit of an ego sort of thing to do, don’t you think? For Jesus to say, Glorify me. All right. Maybe it’s not such a good translation. And for those of you who are familiar with the Aramaic, you would know that what was truly being said was not glorify me, but make clear. Make clear.

Now think about that for a moment. Make it clear. Jesus talking to God the Father, having just told his disciples we are all one, is now saying, Make me clear to them. Do you think maybe that’s why they did not recognize him later on, because he was sort of clear. Just making sure you’re still here, that’s all!

And in the long view to say glorify is not so far off, if you’re truly understanding what that work is about. If you understand what the work of Jesus the Christ was about, if that is clear to you, then it does glorify, doesn’t it?

And if indeed it is all one, would it not also imply that you, too, can experience glory? He told them they would not be alone. That he would send a comfort. And that by their works they would be known in the world. So those are the things he taught to them. That is the message of those last days and those last words and those first words. Love. Love as I have loved you. As the Father has loved me. I and the Father are one. I’m going to be leaving. I go to prepare a place for you. Where I go, you will be there also. You see, in my Father’s house there are many crystal palaces and there is room for you.

Jesus died that death no longer be the way to access God, that a relationship called Father—which was a radical departure from the former understanding of God—could be made available, that those who loved would be glorified. And he proved it by showing the greatest of magics. Overcoming the bonds of earth to prove the promise. To prove that the Maker was strong enough to follow it through

My dear friends, Easter is love and service and sacrifice and glory. Love yourself to love others. And service, hospitality. Humbling yourself, being vulnerable enough to open a door. Whether it be washing the feet, or mending a relationship. It is sacrifice. A willingness to give up the old to make way for the new. He is not dead. He has risen. As he said. And what he said was glorify me and glory, glory. The works which show you understand the teachings, that it has been made clear in you and then made clear by you. That’s the Easter message.

May that which is old in you die to make way for the new. May you experience the glory of the light of love in your life. May you be forever changed so that even your best and closest associates don’t recognize you, because you have risen beyond their power to understand. It’s yours. It’s time to get out of the tomb. There is life waiting for you.

Glochanumora, my friends, and happy, happy treasures.