An “Update” On John

SUN., DEC. 15, 1985, 6:46 AM
FARM, STUDY

The Teaching on this fourth Gospel story of My life, death, and resurrection as Jesus will be the basis for this last Sunday class of this year… and for this morning’s meditation. You are somewhat concerned about time, so to allay that and to do a slightly varied routine I shall give you about half of it now and the other half when the class is over… this afternoon.

John is not the popular Gospel of this Christmas season. There is no well-remembered story of My conception and My birth, in lowly but heavenly recognized circumstances. John simply says that “I was” from the beginning, which was the truth more pertinent than the birthing into the earth. Each is truth, and naturally they complement one another rather than being conflicting. So the total story is that while I was born a babe in Bethlehem I also was, from the beginning, which is always. So one important response to the “Christmas story” is “Yes… but…”

The most important contribution of John, from the standpoint of our relationship (yours and Mine), is his introduction and promise of Me, as the Holy Spirit, to be a functioning part of the earth scene, henceforth and forevermore. Of course I was around before, just as I was around as Jesus, but I came most officially after I, as Jesus, departed. Yes, this is part of the mystery. And thus this Gospel is the Scriptural basis for what We do in these times of Teaching. Jesus promised I would come and teach. “It says so in the Bible.”

The other important basis is that for the Teachings I give to you which do not match certain Scriptural passages or which just are not in the Bible. John wrote his Gospel many years after My life as Jesus, so he had time to contemplate, as well as My Spirit to guide him Yet he closes with the bountiful observation that if all that I did (and said, too, of course) as Jesus were written down, the world could not hold such books. An exaggeration? Of course. But it does suggest that the four Gospels cannot give the complete story, and so I offer parts of it to you… as I do to others this day… and have through the ages, and will for henceforth. Now you can await the rest.

7:23 AM / 4:44 PM

The class was not a howling success, but you must know by now that periods of silence are not necessarily reflections of diminished interest. One conclusion could be that a lesson based on a frank Biblical theme makes more people uneasy, particularly when they haven’t read the passage lately… or ever. You were ready and able to fill in information about John’s Gospel that helped. You were accepting of their lack of knowledge and uneasiness, and this allowed many to open up a bit, adding to the discussion. The final result was average… even a bit above… for a class.

John portrays Me as Jesus as a creation with a very wide range. There is no doubt about My Divinity, and of it I am fully aware. Yet I also take My earth incarnation seriously, and I want to communicate with a wide range of people. I give Myself some hard tasks, but I really cannot fail, for I am ultimately part of the Godhead. And God cannot fail. Whatever God does or allows to happen has value, mainly as the basis for spiritual growth.

You feel some sadness about your son Matthew’s life, but you know I have said that, in time, Matthew will come to Me and serve Me well. That is hard for you to believe, but I reaffirm it. This doesn’t assure you that what he will do is just what you would have him do, but it shall be successful if I am doing the leading. Have faith that I, the Holy Spirit, do work in this world, just as John’s Gospel says I shall.