Chapter Four - With The Disciples
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he said to his disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore to send out workers into his harvest field."
Matthew 9:35-38
Miracles And Healing
Jesus replied, "Let us go somewhere else -- to the nearby villages -- so I can preach there also. That is why I have come." So he traveled throughout Galilee, preaching in their synagogues and driving out demons.
Math 1:38-39
Jesus accomplished healing by chasing out evil spirits or demons. Jesus' great spiritual force caused the evil spirit to depart and this allowed the victim to immediately become normal. The evil influencing factor had been removed.
Reverend Moon Speaks on Satan, the Fall, and Evil Undated
As he walked the course of restoration, Jesus did not delight in performing miracles. If you think he performed miracles in peace and joy you are wrong. His actual situation was that he did not have a place to rest his body on the earth or a place to rely on in the universe, so he had to appeal to heaven. We need to comprehend the desperate situation of Jesus who was in such a miserable state. When he was in a sad state wherein he felt compelled to display some compassion toward the people, he raised his hands and said, "Father!" This is when the miracles happened. We have to understand that these miracles took place when Jesus shouted out in excruciating sadness. Do not think that Jesus performed miracles because he liked them.
The Incarnation of Jesus, a Pioneer
February 1, 1959
Jesus had one purpose throughout the three years of his public ministry: acceptance. He could not fulfill his mission otherwise. From the very first day, he preached the gospel without equivocation, so that the people could hear the truth and accept him as the Son of God. The word of God should have led them to accept him. However, when Jesus saw that the people were not likely to receive him by the words of God alone, he began to perform mighty works. He hoped that people could recognize him through his miracles.
"Even though you do not believe me, believe the miracles, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father"
John 10:38
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name.
John 20:30-31
Jesus gave sight to the blind and made the lepers clean. He healed the lame and blessed the deaf with hearing. Jesus raised the dead. He did these things only because he wanted to be accepted. Yet the people said of him, It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this man casts out demons. (Matt. 12:24)
"Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes."
Matt. 11:21
The Future of Christianity
October 28, 1973
The Wedding At Cana
On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jessus' mother said to him, "They have no more
wine."
"Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied, "My time has not yet come."
John 2:1-4
Jesus was the only begotten Son of God, and therefore he possessed the entire love of God. When you have your first child, he is the center of a tremendous outflow of your love. Those who are not yet married can expect that to happen to them. If human beings feel such ecstatic joy with their first child, what about God? God sees his own image in his first Son and through him can manifest his image to the entire world. How critical that person is!
Then, what should that Son do? Does God need a Son only? God knew ahead of time that he needed a pair, which would include a daughter... A man living by himself is like a person with one foot. Jesus knew that God was looking forward to having his only begotten Daughter, so he looked forward to restoring a woman in that position. This is why a central theme in the New Testament is that of bride and bridegroom.
The Sound of the Bell of the Mind
January 28, 1979
Mary did not help Jesus with the wedding he desired. She even opposed it... Jesus' words to Mary during the wedding at Cana, "Oh woman, what have you to do with me?" (John 2:4) reveal a reproachful heart to a mother who helped in the weddings of others but neglected to help Jesus receive his bride, the most important requirement of the providence. With this perspective, now we can understand why Jesus asked, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" (Matt. 12.48)
View of the Principle of the Providential History of Salvation
April 16, 1996
Suppose Jesus had found his bride and married; then the history would have totally been changed from that point on. In those days it was customary for males to marry at around 18 years of age. Why didn't Jesus marry at the age of 18? Because he could not find his bride. There were many brides, but he was unable to find the bride who could fit God's providence.
The human Fall took place around the age of 16 years. At the age of 17 Jesus honestly told his mother Mary all the providential details that were needed in order for him to marry. Three times he spoke to his mother in all: at 17. then again at the age of 27 and then again at age 30. But the family could not accept his proposal...
Total Calculation or Accounting of God's Historical Providence
December 25, 1994
Everyone in Jesus' family thought him to be an illegitimate child. In those days, no one believed he was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Jesus was in a miserable situation. He was a target of derision. Even the children mocked him. His relatives despised him. Everyone gets married, but Jesus could not even though he was 30. No one wanted to willingly give a bride to an illegitimate child. This was the position of Jesus, who came as the bridegroom.
New Family and the Completed Testament
January 17, 1993
In the Last Days many people have more than one wife. We see a lot of confusion in our world, even incest taking place. Had Jesus been able to establish his family and tribe, everything would have gone well.
Total Calculation or Accounting of God's Historical Providence
December 25, 1994
Jesus' Family Opposes Him
Then Jesus entered a house, and again a crowd gathered, so that he and his disciples were not even able to eat. When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, "He is out of his mind."
Mark 3:20-21
As we can see from these words, Jesus did not have parents and brothers who could sincerely comfort him. Because he did not have true parents and brothers, Jesus found himself in a sad, lonely, and miserable situation; and was forsaken by his clan. When John the Baptist, who should have prepared the way of the Lord, betrayed him, he felt enormous grief and bitterness. We need to become connected to the situation of Jesus by feeling his heart, and, going one step further, we can inherit all of his teachings.
Although Jesus' family and clan were amazed by the miracles surrounding Jesus' birth, because they were ignorant about the dispensation of God, they could not receive him as the Messiah. Originally they should have understood Jesus' heavenly mission and prepared his future path and environment; they should have become the steppingstones for Jesus on his path to fulfill the dispensation of God. Had they done that, Jesus would not have needed to find his own disciples.
Why Does the Lord Have to Return?
May 26, 1957
Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, "Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you."
"Who are my mother and my brothers?" he asked. Then he looked at those seated in a circle around him and said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does God's will is my brother and sister and mother"
Mark 3:31-35
Jesus' mother and brothers did not become his true family members. Instead, they became his enemies on the path he was walking. Furthermore, even Jesus' three disciples, whom he educated with all of his heart and life, who walked with him through the three years of his public ministry, did not become his true family members...
What kind of person would be a true member of Jesus' family? He or she would he a person who resembled Jesus in wanting to spread the word to everyone. He or she would have experienced all of God's anxious and grieving heart as he watched Jesus fighting Satan. Therefore, Jesus' true family member would not be someone who just followed Jesus when he was walking the way of the cross, but would be someone who understood the heart of Jesus throughout his life, up to the time when he had to walk a path toward the cross.
When Jesus came to the earth, the fact that he could not find a true family member was his greatest sorrow and pain. He could not find a true member of his family who would testify on his behalf, fight alongside him when he was battling Satan, and carry the cross on his behalf as he walked toward Golgotha -- a person whom he could he proud of before heaven and earth.
What, then, should we do? As Jesus was desperate to testify to God's will of 2,000 years ago, we who are living today should also do our best to testify to his will, with all of our heart and mind. We should become the kind of person who can fulfill the wishes of Jesus, in the same situation as Jesus who fought against Satan, and with the heart of Jesus who was concerned about the fulfillment of God's will despite the opposition of the Jewish authorities and the nation of Israel. Further, to eliminate all the obstructions to fulfilling the will of heaven, we should become the kind of person who can feel the grim resolution of Jesus, who was determined to offer even his life. We should also have the spirit to become a willing sacrificial offering, to carry a cross on behalf of the people.
If you have the character of Jesus, you can communicate with the heart of Jesus, who 2,000 years ago offered himself as a sacrifice on behalf of the Israelites. You should not become a dead offering, someone who surrenders to Satan. If you are imbued with the heart of Jesus, you do not need to be afraid to testify to the will of Jesus, nor will you be defeated in fighting against Satan. Therefore, we in the Last Days should possess a heroic resolution and have the heart to climb over the hill of death, guiding even our enemies to God's loving bosom. Then we can finally become true members of Jesus' family.
Let Us Become a True Member of Jesus' Family
October 18, 1957
Nowhere To Lay His Head
Jesus replied, "Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."
Matthew 8:20
Before you speak of any person as being great, think about the meaning of greatness. Of all the people throughout history, we can speak of only four as the greatest saints: Jesus, Mohammed, Confucius, and Buddha. Did they have big, fancy houses and lots of possessions? No, all of them were persecuted and despised in their own time. Jesus said, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have their nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." Is that characteristic of a great man?
During his time Confucius was like a "nameless dog," as he put it, the way people pushed him around. He didn't have a regular job, but chose to beg for his food and to travel teaching and learning. Buddha was born into a palace as a great prince, but he gave up all that and embraced hardship instead. He went to the mountains to pray, and discover spiritual truth. No one really wants to live a difficult life, but these four men chose such a life, and today everyone considers them great.
The Things We Want to Be Proud Of
October 25, 1981
With your own parents even trying to kidnap you and persecution coming on all sides, you are writing the greatest poem and creating the greatest masterpiece of art. We are becoming the creators of great things. Expensive trees are the ones that have developed unusual shapes or symmetry in the course of their rugged lives.
Suffering creates the strongest spiritual link among us, and without it we have no deep emotion of being together. If we have been pushed down together and have been hungry together and tried to take care of each other, then a deep heart-to-heart relationship is formed, regardless of whether we are Korean or Japanese or American. The way you can find a heartistic relation-ship with Jesus is to accept suffering. There is no other way.
The Ones Who Can Receive Gods Love
October 1, 1977
Authority On Earth To Forgive Sins
Some men brought to him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven."
At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, "This fellow is blaspheming!"
Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? Which is easier: to say, `Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins..." Then he said to the paralytic, "Get up, take your mat and go home." And the man got up and went home. When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men.
Matthew 9:2-8
Today in reverence for the death of Jesus, we believe that the power of redemption lies in the cross, but this is not the whole picture. What we have to understand is that while redemption is, of course, available through one's faith in the cross, if people had believed in and lived according to the words Jesus spoke while he was alive, salvation would have taken place there and then.
What can Jesus first take pride in after coming to this earth? Adam and Eve could not substantiate the words of God because of the Fall. They failed to believe in his words. Although man fell and the dispensational history was prolonged for 4,000 years because they did not believe in God's words, Jesus established faith over against Satan as the one center. In other words, Jesus emerged as the king of faith on this earth.
Jesus Christ, the Pride of God
May 16, 1956
Appointing The Twelve
He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness. These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him
These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Do not go among the gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.'
Matthew 10:1-7
First Jesus had to gather three disciples, representing Adam's family, Noah's family, and Abraham's family. Centered on those three he could gather 12 disciples representing Jacob's 12 sons and also the 12 generations from Noah to Abraham. Without fulfilling those numbers he could not form a foundation to work with the diverse races of the world. After gathering the 72 apostles Jesus had to begin his substantial work, just as Jacob needed 72 before he could accomplish his condition. Then he would have connected that foundation to the religion of Judaism, the Jewish people, nation, and eventually the world. He tried desperately to do this in three years but he could not make his apostles unite in harmony
Victory of Home Church
January 1, 1982
If you have 12 children, you will experience different types of love from all 12. The Bible refers to 12 pearly gates to the heavenly city God is the center of all humanity including your children. If you have raised your children properly, in front of God, that is your ticket of love. Even though there are 12 different gates, even though you have to go around several times, you will still be able to pass with this love ticket. Without raising many different children you may end up one dimensional, and you will be limited in heaven.
Because Jesus was unable to teach his 12 disciples to go through these 12 different gates, he was sold out by Judas and crucified. By the same token, if we want to be truly welcomed in the spiritual world and pass all 12 gates, we should be able to go and work in 12 different nations from the bottom to the top and restore them. Only by having that kind of experience will we truly be able to pass through all the different gates. This covers the entire kingdom. Are you interested?
The True Foundation Day of the Unified World
October 3, 1995
Are the 12 gates of pearl kept open or are they kept closed? They are open in such a manner that you can go in through any gate and go out through any gate. There is no set rule that you have to come in this way and go out that way However, in order to travel through you have to reach the hub or center where the 12 gates connect. If you don't reach that, the only way you can exit is the same way you came in. As long as you reach the center, you are free to leave from any exit. That means that once you reach God's palace you are very free to travel anywhere in Heaven.
The key question of history is how to effectively take down the walls of every type. Who is anxious to take the walls down and who is anxious to keep them up? Satan doesn't want the walls to come down. He wants to build them higher and make them more sophisticated. We know why God and the people on his side should be the ones who are anxious to take the walls down. We also know why In order for all the walls to come down, somebody has to pay the price, which is indemnity. The conclusion is, all the high-level religious people should pay indemnity because their life's goal is to take the walls down. The Bible mentions this many times: "Blessed are the peacemakers."
Why did Jesus have 12 disciples? It is simple. So he could make 12 disciples into one. With Jesus sitting in the center, any person could go through one of the 12 disciples and reach into his realm and then travel out through any gate. They could then come in any gate again and go back out any gate, over and over.
Historical Debt and the Liberation of Ourselves
December 29. 1991
Witnessing
These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: '...Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff.
Matthew 10:5-10
Jesus must have sounded almost crazy when he taught his disciples to go out witnessing without even a penny in their pocket. In other words, he was telling them to go out on the streets like beggars. Why? This is the core spirit of traditional Christianity. It is the most dramatic way to embark on the road of sacrificial service. You have to start at the worst level and serve as beggars. A servant's position is much higher than that of a beggar. Actually, you start the providential course at a position even lower than a beggar. As a beggar's servant, you will be persecuted even by beggars.
Why do we do things this way? Why don't we act a little more wisely? Why does God permit such persecution to continue? It is not to enable you to eventually achieve the level of human authority, which is automatically yours when you pass the criterion of sacrificial service.
The Road of God's Will
May 30, 1982
The greatest error occurs when people think that they can "just believe" in God and Jesus and they will receive more and more blessings from God. Such people feel they can have everything they want without doing anything in return. That is similar to the attitude of a thief, who just takes things without working. Did Jesus believe in God in that way? Did he think that because God sent him as his only begotten Son it meant he had all power? Did he feel that all he had to do was to keep on believing and claiming his faith in God, and then he could subjugate all the Roman Empire automatically? ...
If everything could have come to Jesus automatically, why did he witness? Why did Jesus gather and train the 12 apostles, the 70 disciples, and the 120 elders? Why did he have to do all that and endure so much persecution along the way? Jesus did what he had to do according to Gods dispensation; he had no other way to go. We can clearly see that Jesus had to go the way of persecution and bloodshed. Jesus knew the suffering that lay ahead of him, but he also knew he had to go that way in order to accomplish God's will.
Do you think I am placing unnecessary stress on this, or do you understand that this point is the most crucial one of belief? Jesus had to go the way he did because he knew what God wanted him to do, namely to save the world and all mankind by loving them. Therefore, it stands to reason that everyone else who loves Jesus should also do God's will -- to love the people of the world and save them.
Perfection of Restoration by Indemnity through Human Responsibility
March 1. 1983
Let Tiie Dead Bury The Dead
He said to another man, "Follow enc."
But the man replied, "Lord, first let me go and bury my father" Jesus said to him, "Let the dead burr their own dead. but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God."
Luke 9:59-60
Jesus' teaching was crystal clear on the standard of loving God. When one of his disciples asked him if he could go and assist in the funeral of his father, Jesus told him to stay with his mission and "Let the dead bury the dead."
Standing in the Presence of God
November 7, 1982
When a follower asked Jesus if he could go home to bury his deceased father, Jesus said, "Leave the dead to bury their own dead." From these words of Jesus, it is clear that the Bible contains two different concepts of life and death. The first concept of life and death concerns physical life. Here, "death" means the end of physical life, as was the case of the disciple's deceased father who was to be burred.
The second concept of life and death concerns those living people who had gathered to bury the deceased man, those whom Jesus called "the dead." Why did Jesus refer to people whose bodies were alive and active as the dead? He meant that since they had not accepted Jesus, they were far removed from the love of God and were dwelling in the realm of Satan's dominion. This second concept of death does not refer to the expiration of physical life. It means leaving the bosom of God's love and falling under the dominion of Satan. The corresponding concept of life refers to the state of living in accordance with God's will, within the dominion of God's infinite love. Therefore, even if a person's physical self is alive, if he dwells apart from God's dominion and is in servitude to Satan, he is dead as judged by the original standard of value. A similar conclusion can be drawn from the Lords words of judgment upon the faithless people of the church in Sardis: "You have the name of being alive, and you are dead." (Rev. 3:1)
On the other hand, even though a person's physical life may have expired, he remains alive in the true sense if his spirit abides in the kingdom of heaven in heaven, a realm in the spirit world where God governs through love. When Jesus said, "...he who believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live" (John 11:25), he meant that those who believe in him and live within the realm of God's dominion have life. Even after their physical bodies have returned to the soil, their spirits enjoy life in God's dominion. Jesus also said, "...whoever lives and believes in me shall never die." (John 11:26) In saying that believers will never die, he meant that those who believe in Jesus during their earthly life will obtain eternal life not in this world, but in spirit, within the bosom of God's love. They will be alive, both in this life and the next. Jesus words assure us that death, in the sense of the end of physical life, has no effect on our eternal life.
Exposition of the Divine Principle
Resurrection 1.1
Loving Jesus First
"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father; a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law -- a man's enemies will he the members of his own household.
"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me."
Matthew 10:34-38
Did Jesus tell his followers to cherish everything and be nice to everyone? On the contrary he said, "Do not think I have come to bring peace on earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword." Even John the Baptist said, "Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand." Why didn't he say "Rejoice, for the kingdom of Heaven is coming?" True repentance is not easy. First you have to repent for the historical mistakes made during the dispensation, and then do what was left undone.
The strict requirements of Jesus' teaching are contrary to what we want to hear and in opposition to what we want to do. Compared to today 2,000 years ago was a very spiritually dark and closed age; yet even under those circumstances Jesus said, "He who loves father and mother more than me is not worthy of me." Do you think the people of that unenlightened time would have welcomed Jesus?
If Jesus came today; he might proclaim that people should love him more than the President. He would walk into a wedding and say that it is better to live singly and forget about marriage in order to love Jesus. What if he said, "I don't want you to wait for marriage for eternity, just until I say that it is possible?" Do you think that the pastor who was presiding over the ceremony would say 'Jesus, you are right. This couple should wait to marry"? No! They all would say he was crazy and want to toss him out of the church. It is not surprising that the people of Jesus' time thought he was a crazy man who was unfit to live in society.
Eternal Happiness
February 25, 1979
When you are cold, you put on warmer clothes; when you are hungry, you feed yourself. You take really good care of yourself, but do you do the same for God? This is a very important matter for your life. We all have only one lifetime; at the end of your life, the serious question you must answer will be how well did you actually love God. The question has already been raised by Jesus, as recorded in the Bible. He demanded of people that they love him more than their own spouses or children or anyone else.
Love is of all different qualities. What is the standard for loving that we need to meet before we are actually qualified to say to someone, "I love you"? We need to know where we are in relation to that standard. Jesus' standard of loving included everything in a person's life: his loved ones and his precious belongings -- everything. Each person has a claim on his own environment, his family his country; and his world. All of that had to be abandoned, if necessary; in order to love Jesus; this was the clear-cut standard which the Bible records...
Suppose you went to heaven and God asked you, "How much did you love me while you were on earth?" Could you answer him, "Well, Heavenly Father, I wanted to love you but my wife prevented me"? Such an answer is not acceptable. You need to be sure while you are living that you are not only willing, but able to love God.
Standing in the Presence of God
November 7, 1982
The role of religion is to teach people to set their standard of love higher than the satanic world's standard. The religious man is one who demonstrates higher love than anyone in the world claimed by Satan. For the sake of God he can then deny the value of anything in the satanic world and thus recreate the value of everything in relation to God. As religious people, we should be triumphant to this way of love.
God's love will begin after we demonstrate our love, which is the very reason that Jesus said, "He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me." This is the true heart of God's Principle. We should become people who can demonstrate a greater love toward God and toward Christ than toward anybody else in the world, because at that point God's love will begin. By loving the Lord, men and women can surpass the point at which man fell and reach the level of perfection.
The Desire of All Things
June 17, 1977
Original love is far greater than worldly love. In this world, one man has stood up and said, "Love me more than you love anyone in the world." Anyone who could make such a statement must be the most extraordinary man in history What that man is actually saying is that you should remove yourself from this world and find God's viewpoint in order to make a new beginning. If you tell God that you want to make a new start from the original point and make a new world, then he will say "Welcome, my child! I have been waiting for you. I need that kind of solution for this world." If God did not respond in that way, then God would he responsible for the problems. God will have to respond to such a person.
Jesus knew God as a personal God of heart, and he represented that love to the world, saying, "Love me more than anyone or anything else." Jesus' position was absolutely extraordinary. God welcomed Jesus entry into the world, but Satan held him back.
Parents, Children and the World Centered upon Oneself
June 5, 1983
Whoever Loses His Life Will Preserve It
"Whoever tries to keep his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will present it."
Luke 17:33
Biblical teachings are full of seeming contradictions. As Jesus said, "He who seeks to gain his life will lose it, while he who seeks to lose his life for my sake will find it." That means that those who are willing to die and be miserable will find glory. The woman who is willing to accept the worst possible husband will get the best husband. The men who are willing to accept the worst possible women will get the best wives. Those who want to be rich will live in poverty, while those who really want to suffer in poverty will become rich. Those seem like contradictions, but that is the way God works.
Let Us Restore Our Homeland
January 14, 1979
Most religions began on a good path, but as they continued they lost sight of this very important principle. Then they stopped serving others. We see that Jesus consistently and clearly taught people to go through difficulties, be persecuted, and to be grateful for that. He told his followers to serve others and to love their enemies. Ordinary human beings don't want to do any of these things, yet these are exactly the things Jesus stressed that people should do. It is because of the need for paying the price. No one can be elevated spiritually without paying the price.
The most extreme example of Jesus' teaching on this subject was, "Those who want to die for my sake will live, while those who want to live will die." How paradoxical this has seemed to many people. What has Satan been doing to fallen people? He has taken possession of their lives and unless they are ready to give up their satanic life, they cannot be claimed by God.
Parents' Day -- True Parents and Blessed Couples
March 23, 1993
Looking into the history of Christian missionary activities, we can discover that theirs was a path of persecution and martyrdom. On such a way during the course of a 2,000-year history, the lives offered on this trail of blood became the fertilizer in the foundation for democracy.
The Path for America and Humanity in the Last Days
January 22, 2000
When you pursue an invisible goal, however, you may look defeated and even die on a cross, but your death is not defeat. Instead it is a victorious new beginning. Because you gave everything, everything is resurrected. The supreme example of this is Jesus Christ, who was crucified and died in an excruciating manner, branded as a criminal. He seemed to be hopelessly defeated, but his death actually began a new victory.
Territory of Goodness
October 14, 1979
The Sabbath Control Controversy
At that time Jesus went through the grain fields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry and began to pick some heads of grain and eat them. When the Pharisees saw this, they said to hint, "Look! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath." He answered, "Haven't you read what David did when he and his companions were hungry? He entered the house of God, and he and his companions ate the consecrated bread -- which was not lawful for them to do, but only for the priests. Or haven't you read in the Law that on the Sabbath the priests in the temple desecrate the day and yet are innocent? I tell you that one greater than the temple is here. If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice, you would not have condemned the innocent. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath."
Matthew 12:1-8
Many people in the process of restoration may have tasted the heavenly kingdom while still in the domain of Satan's accusations. Yet there is no one who has truly experienced the taste of the fatherland of eternal peace, the heavenly kingdom, having eliminated Satan. He who has experienced the taste of the true heavenly kingdom and felt the love of God will receive the impetus to fight with Satan. Once a person experiences that taste and receives that love, he will never leave God again. A man who has experienced the love of God must appear on this earth.
What should belong to God? It begins from a clump of grass, from an acre of land, from an individual person, and includes everything up to the heavenly kingdom; going further, it includes the world of Gods heart. That ownership should not be relative or conceptual. It should be substantial. Only if such a world is built will God rest for the first time. Human beings cannot help liking what God likes. For that reason, God decided upon the seventh day as the Sabbath and told man to rest. Did you know that God has not been able to rest on a Sabbath day even now, after 6,000 years of history?
Jesus emphasized the Word of God and came forth inheriting the vicissitudes of 2,000 years of providential history, during which the Sabbath was upheld as most important. However, has the day of triumphant glory come when Jesus could approach the Father and invite him to take a rest along with humankind? No, there has not. Since God and Jesus are not in a situation where they can rest, neither can we.
God's Possession and Our Possession
November 9. 1958
Many take Sunday as a day of rest, but I work even harder on Sunday so I can teach as many of you as possible about your true self and your mission of liberating God and mankind. When God looks down, does he complain and say, "Oh, this is a holy day, they, should take a day off and think about the coming week..." No, God would definitely approve and say; "You are the people working for me and mankind."
Mission and Prayer
June 12. 1983
Take Up Your Cross And Follow Me
If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and tape tip his cross and follow me."
Mark 8:34
If you sacrifice yourself, many people will come to your side. If Jesus were crucified due to his own crime, would all humanity be sympathetic with him? But because Jesus was crucified for the sake of the sin of all mankind, he won the hearts of all mankind. Many saints and prophets went through difficulties, but we cannot imagine anything more difficult than to be crucified on the cross. How valuable was his patience in the face of opposition and betrayal, as well as his love for other people at the sacrifice of himself! When we practice these two elements, there will be peace, love, happiness, and all ideals.
Human beings have been separated from God due to the Fall, but that kind of love, service, and sacrifice can restore the link between man and God, between Fallen man and Jesus Christ. This is the principle that Jesus taught us with his own deeds: patience and living for others. You face both inner and outer struggles. You must win the inner struggle. Whenever enemies come against you, you must be able to win over them by being patient and serving them.
The Opportunity for Happiness or Unhappiness
March 2. 1975
Father, Your will to raise up Jesus Christ and to be proud of him was passed down in history through the disciples and connected to us today. Please let us understand that You are hoping for Your Will to bear fruit through us.
Now please let us become sacrifices to resolve the bitterness of heaven and earth, the bitterness of all things of creation, and the bitterness of Jesus Christ. We earnestly hope and desire, Father, that You will allow us to become children with filial hearts who devote themselves heart and soul.
Father! Let us realize that today each one of us, and all of us together, have the responsibility to resolve the grief of heaven. Let us understand that it is we ourselves who must bring to an end the battle to resolve heaven's bitterness. Since we have realized this, please let us have the mind to accomplish more than anyone else, and to be grateful to You alone, Father.
May we be grateful, even though we are carrying a cross. Even though we fight with billions of satans, do not permit us to become unmanly people in front of You, Father. Even though we are carrying a cross and standing in a difficult position, lead us to become children who can say, "Father, I'm here, so don't worry" Earnestly we pray that You will mold us into children who offer comfort to our Father, who is in sorrow over seeing his children in difficult situations. We pray all these things in the name of the Lord.
Prayer
May 16, 1956
John The Baptist Has Doubts
After Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in the towns of Galilee. When John heard in prison what Christ was doing, he sent his disciples to ash him, "Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?"
Jesus replied, "Go back and report to John what you hear and see: The blind receive sight, the lance walk, those who have leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is preached to the poor. Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."
As Johns disciples were leaving, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: 'What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings' palaces. Then what did you go out to see?
A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written: 'I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' I tell you that among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come. He who has ears, let him hear:"
Matthew 11:1-15
Jesus relied very much upon the success of the mission of John the Baptist. When this very John the Baptist sent his disciples to Jesus to ask turn, "Are you really the messiah?" it was more painful for Jesus than if he had stabbed him with a knife. Anger overwhelmed him. Jesus refused to answer yes or no to that impossible question. Instead Jesus said, "Blessed is he who takes no offense at me." (Matt. 11:6 RSV)
This was Jesus' sympathy for John when he saw that John was failing. Jesus was really saying, "Poor John, man of failure. You no longer have faith in me. You are taking offense at the Son of God. I am sorry for you. John." And then Jesus spoke to the crowd about John in indignation, saying,
What did you go out into the wilderness to behold? A reed shaken by the wind? Why then did you go out? To see a man clothed in soft raiment? Behold, those who wear soft raiment are in kings' houses. Why then did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. (Matt. 11:7-9)
John was more than a prophet, because he came to bear witness directly to Jesus Christ. the Son of God. He was born for this extraordinary mission. God entrusted that glorious responsibility to John. What an honor for a man to be called "more than a prophet" by Jesus! Yet John failed to live up to this honor. Therefore, Jesus said in Matthew,
Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist; yet he who is least in the kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.
Matt. 11:11
John had fallen to the point where even the least in the kingdom of heaven was greater than he. The meaning of Jesus' statement has remained mysterious. Christians have not understood its true significance because they have not realized that John the Baptist was a man who failed his mission. Tonight we know the true meaning.
John the Baptist was finally beheaded. He could have been a glorious martyr, had he been beheaded for performing his ordained mission: witnessing and proclaiming to the world that Jesus Christ was the Son of God! But he was beheaded merely for becoming involved in the sex scandal in King Herod's family. That affair was none of John's business. Attending the Son of God was his sole responsibility. But John deserted this divine mission and suffered a meaningless, even shameful death. This truth must be told, however painful.
Therefore. Jesus said of John,
From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of Heaven has been forcefully advancing, and forceful men lay hold of it.
Matt. 11:12 NIVM
This means that because of the failure of the mission of John the Baptist, the kingdom heralded by Jesus Christ suffered and was left open for competition. When a champion of God fails in his mission, someone else must take up that mission and put forth great effort to accomplish it. Thus, men of forceful faith -- like Peter -- took John's position by the power of their own merit...
The New Future of Christianity
September 18, 1974
Sin is the failure to believe. It is sin to not believe in the person whom God has sent. It is sin not to believe his words. Therefore, you must accept the universal ideology of God. You must march forward with unswerving conviction and faith. When you try to go out with such faith, there will arise doubts in your minds that will counter the faith. This is because the forces of evil are at work in your mind. These forces of evil cause you to feel fear and anxiety. Therefore, you must not conduct a life of faith that gets engulfed by those forces of evil. You have to have the magnanimity that can digest and overcome those things. Because Jesus stood in that position, he did not even try to avoid the burden of the cross. How can anyone criticize Jesus? If someone genuinely believes in God, there is no way he can reproach Jesus.
When Will We Stand before God?
September 8, 1957
The Miracle Of The Loaves And Fishes
Jesus... withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. Hearing of this, the crowds followed him on foot from the towns. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. As evening approached, the disciples came to him and said, "This is a remote plate, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.
Jesus replied, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat."
"We have here only five loaves of bread and two fish." they answered.
"Bring them here to me," he said. And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.
The number of those who ate was about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Matthew 14:13-21
In front of his God, Jesus could forget himself without any pretense or excuse. He was willing to do anything for the sake of the Father's will. We should become sons and daughters who inherit the footsteps of Jesus. Jesus gave us the words of the gospels during the 30-odd years of his life. When he met starving people as he was going around with his disciples, he fed 5,000 with five loaves and two fishes. He gave everything he could. He introduced faith, life, and love. He introduced all that humanity could demand.
Have you ever received the words of Jesus as his substantial body? Have you ever felt through the words of Jesus that he is the embodiment of God's eternal faith? Have you ever felt through the words of Jesus that he is the embodiment of eternal life? Have you ever felt through the words of Jesus that he is the embodiment of eternal love? If you cannot feel this even after you have heard Jesus' words, then Jesus' heart will be torn.
Oh Father; We Welcome You!
March 9, 1959
The countless people who were following Jesus believed he was the Messiah and the Savior of the people when he showed them the miracle of the loaves and fishes. Yet when Jesus was killed, all the people abandoned him and went away. If the people who were following Jesus had understood the internal heart of Jesus toward heaven, if they had understood that he possessed a deeply penetrating heart toward God and that he came to take responsibility for the whole history of the dispensation, they would have realized his situation and followed him. Furthermore, following them, the whole nation of Israel also would have followed Jesus.
Let Us Climb Over the Hill of Historical Misfortune
January 19, 1958
Jesus Prays Alone On The Mountain
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
Mark 1:35
We know well that Jesus visited high mountains whenever he was laced with serious matters...
Jesus went to the Israelites and the synagogues with the victorious pattern established in his 40-day wilderness course, yet they did not welcome him. Instead of welcoming him, they persecuted him wherever he went. He met with opposition and ridicule. Having to go the wilderness course after being rejected the first time [by John the Baptist] was already enough to provoke hard feelings and anger. When Jesus saw the Jewish religion and the Israelite nation opposing him, having returned to them with a victory over Satan, his heart was consumed with inexpressible pain and sorrow. We need to think about the position and situation of Jesus. In difficult circumstances of persecution, to return the nation and religion to God, Jesus prayed on the mountaintops and fought against Satan throughout his three years of public life.
Jesus' heart was such that rather than feeling sorrow for his lonely position, he regretted that the result of God's efforts for humanity during the 4,000 years was so meager, and he felt sorry to express his heart to heaven. To Jesus, consumed with such a heart, it was out of the question to express resentment toward the nation, the synagogues, or fallen humanity. We should know that Jesus did not have the leisure to bear a grudge against anyone.
Father, we know well that the great religious figures of history had relationships with mountains, sharing their situations with mountains and determining the standards of life and death and victory and defeat on mountains. We have learned that Jesus, as the representative of humankind, visited the top of a mountain and there pleaded with God from the depths of his heart.
As we have realized the historical connections with mountains, please allow many sons and daughters of God to appear on the mountain tops of this peninsula. Guide them to be proud people who can return the glory of victory to you and indemnify the historical grounds of resentment over what took place on the mountains.
To be such people, we know that besides our individual selves, our families, our societies, our religions, nations, and world must all go to the mountaintop. Please guide us to resemble the heart of Jesus, walking up and down the mountains for the sake of heaven and earth, and to follow in his footsteps. Allow us to become the children who can fight with fidelity until the day we set up a victorious altar on the mountaintop and sing "Hosanna" Let us fight without exhaustion or retreat.
Father, we know that if we have such a determination, you will help us. Lead us to go through any complications with single-mindedness. We pray all this in the name of the Lord. Amen.
The Sorrowful Heart of Jesus as He Went to the Mountain
January 25, 1959
How pitiful a person was Jesus? His mind could not help but lament when he looked at the people, and there was nothing for his heart to do hut weep aloud when he looked at the religious bodies. Humankind could not understand the situation of Jesus, who carried the responsibility of heaven's providence and destiny. There was no one who understood his heart as he wandered in the mountains alone at night.
Prayer
October 18, 1959
Jesus Wept
When Mary reached the place where Jesus was and saw him, she fell at his feet and said, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died."
When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. "Where have you laid him?" he asked. "Come and see, Lord," they, replied Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, "See how he loved him!"
John 11:32-36
The Son of God, Jesus Christ, abandoned the crown and lowered himself to the bottom of the misery of humanity. The Bible explains very little about Jesus' life, but he was the one who wept the most; he poured out tears. Jesus came with the mind of a parent and the heart of the True Parent. He examined everything from the viewpoint of a parent.
Men Are Destined to Go the Road of Restoration
March 14, 1965
God's true love means one of two things: either that he only loves himself and is working for his own glory, or that he forgets himself completely and only works for the well-being of the entire creation. Which is true love? Visualize God going after this fallen world. Is he coming with joy, laughing every day and calling: "Here is true love. All my fallen children, please come"? Or is he grieving, going after fallen man with tears? Why is the true God the one who is seeking his children with tears?
Then in what circumstances does God want to meet his loved ones? God will meet his loved ones in a tearful place, in a tearful way If you are absolutely sorrowful and are shaking with sobs then you are not only shedding tears, but water is coming from your nose and mouth as well. Have you ever cried in that fashion? If you have never experienced such tears, you have not yet tasted true love.
Crossroads of Life and Death
December 17, 1978
Peter's Confession
When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say the Son of Man is?" They replied, "Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets." "But what about you?" he asked. "Who do you say I am?"
Matthew 16:13-20
We should attain the love of God, to say nothing of the love of the Holy Spirit and Jesus. If we express the nature of the Trinity from this perspective, then we can say that the Holy Father is love, the Holy Son is life, and the Holy Spirit is truth.
So, to the question of Jesus, "Who do you say I am?" Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Matt. 16:16) This answer of Peter's refers to the true and existing quality of the nature of Jesus. In other words, it means that Jesus is the Christ, the Anointed One, the Son of the living God, and that he is the one existing human being who perfected the mind and body Similarly, looking at the fact that Peter testified to Jesus as the Son of the living God, we can observe that Peter understood the internal heart of Jesus, and that he was able to stand on the level that can be linked to the one principle.
Then, what should we, who are seeking the truth, do now? More than anything, we should possess the key of truth that can fit inside the heart of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and God the Father. If you do not possess this key, then you cannot perfect your physical self. Moreover, you cannot create a bond with the Holy Spirit, the divine spirit of truth...
Beloved Father, please allow this to be a time when the words of the Lord can be heard through the ears of our hearts and minds. Please allow us to understand that the words Jesus spoke were relevant, not only for his time but also for us at present; they are words that transcend history.
Please allow us to fathom the anguishing heart of Jesus toward Peter. Allow us to fathom as Peter understood the thoughts of Jesus and gave such a reply that he could inherit the whole will of heaven.
Beloved Father, we earnestly wish and desire that you will allow the words given to us today to make a deep connection with us. Just as Peter testified, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God," allow us to look upon the Lord and rejoice and to testify to the Lord. As the people who can become harmonized with the eternal words of the Father, please guide us always to reflect upon ourselves while we are on the path until the moment when we can appear spotless before the Father, the Holy Spirit, and all created things... Amen.
We Are the Ones Who Should Possess the Keys to Open the Kingdom of Heaven
March 17, 1957
Jesus never won the chosen people of Israel, and he never gained the support he needed from them. He came to erect the kingdom of God on earth, but instead he had to caution his disciples even to keep his identity a secret because people did not accept his legitimacy as the Messiah.
The Future of Christianity
October 28, 1973
What Is Bound On Earth Is Bound In Heaven
"I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
Matthew 16:19
In Matthew 16:19 and 18:18 Jesus says, "Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." When he left this earth, he gave the keys to the kingdom of heaven to Peter, who was on earth. Because the kingdom of heaven was lost on earth, it must be found on earth.
One God, One World Religion
February 11, 1972
In Matthew 16:19 Jesus teaches that even though this world is now completely decadent, these problems have to be solved in this realm. God has to restore his family, nation, and world here in this physical world to begin with. Where did God lose his family, his tribe, his nation, and his world? Up in heaven? No. Right here on this earth! Disease erupted right here in the physical world. So it has to be cured here. We have to untie the knot here in this physical world.
True Parents' Birthday
February 13, 1997
What happened after Jesus' crucifixion? God's dispensation was divided, with one side a physical dispensation and the other a spiritual dispensation. Jesus fulfilled the position of the True Parent of mankind spiritually. His body was killed, so he was in a position to be the Bridegroom spiritually The Holy Spirit is in the Bride's position, but it never had a physical form as Jesus once did.
The Bible teaches that the kingdom will come first on earth and then be opened in heaven: "Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven."
The Day of the Victory of Heaven
October 4, 1979
The Mount Of Transfiguration
"I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the kingdom of God."
About eight days after Jesus said this he took Peter, John and James with him and went up onto a mountain to pray. As he was praying, the appearance of his face changed, and his clothes became as bright as a flash of lightning. Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendor; talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure,
which he was about to bring to fulfillment at Jerusalem.
Luke 9:27-31
In Luke 9:30 there is a description of the Mount of Transfiguration: "Behold, two men talked with him, Moses and Elijah, who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was to accomplish at Jerusalem." In other words, this is the occasion in which God sent Moses and Elijah as messengers, informing Jesus about his crucifixion at Jerusalem. The crucifixion was decided upon at that particular moment.
Christmas in Heart
December 25, 1973
In difficult circumstances of persecution, to return the nation and religion to God, Jesus prayed on the mountaintop and fought against Satan throughout his three years of public life. Yet he saw no fruit. Consequently, he finally went up to the Mount of Transfiguration with the heart to awaken the ignorant people, even if he had to undertake his death. After realizing that no human effort would bring about the result, he came forward with an ardent heart to save the people, who had the ties of history and the age and who were linked to the heart of God. He was determined, even if he had to die as a sacrifice and shed his blood.
The place he visited with such a heart was not a great palace. It was neither the house of a disciple who received him, nor the house of the people of the state, nor the house of a leader of the Jewish religion. It was a mountain, the Mount of Transfiguration...
When Jesus went to the Mount of Transfiguration, he discarded all previous resolutions and set out to give his body to the nation, determined to face death. If someone can imagine the figure and heart of Jesus as he climbed the mountain then, if someone can experience that sorrow as his own and behold Jesus with such a heart, he will be able to experience the sorrow of Jesus toward heaven, the nation, and his religion...
Since that figure and situation were full of pathos, God sent Elijah and Moses to discuss Jesus' death in Jerusalem with him. Jesus knew that heaven and his disciples would be stricken with grief upon his death. Worried about the people and their descendants, he grieved for the sake of the past, the present, and the future. Wanting to save the Jewish people even through his death, Jesus appeared before God with a prayerful heart similar to that of Elijah's when he cried out, "I have been very zealous for the Lord God Almighty. The Israelites have rejected your covenant, broken down your altars, and put your prophets to death with the sword. I am the only one left, and now they are trying to kill me too." (l Kings 19:14) Jesus' heart was truly mournful...
After he was notified of his coming death in Jerusalem, Jesus prepared for the day of death. He felt the day of death coming closer and closer, and the situation becoming increasingly chaotic. Seeing that one of his beloved disciples would betray him, Jesus seriously felt the need to conclude all his affairs on earth before going to the cross. Knowing that he had the responsibility as the Savior to follow the path to death, Jesus worried that even after his death the sorrows of the past, present, and future would not disappear, but would remain. His mind and body were immersed in such feelings.
The Sorrowful Heart Of Jesus As He Went To The Mountain
January 25, 1959
Jesus Rebukes Peter
From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he should go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law and that he should be killed and on the third day be raised to life. Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. "Never; Lord!" he said. "This shall never happen to you!" Jesus turned and said to Peter "Get behind me, Satan! Thou are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men."
Matthew 16:21-23
God instructed Jesus to alter his mission. Peter's reaction to this news was to reply, "God forbid, Lord! This shall never happen to you." Do you know what Jesus said to him? He said, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a hindrance to me; for you are not on the side of God, but of men." In general, Christians, including theologians and ministers, interpreted this thusly: "Look, even Peter was scolded by God. Why? Because Peter was in a position to oppose the crucifixion, which was the will of God." This is their interpretation: the crucifixion was a predestined course of Jesus. But people do not know that this was after God informed Jesus of his altered mission toward the crucifixion. This is why Jesus now pursued this altered course and Simon Peter did not know the true heart of God.
Christmas in Heart
December 25, 1973
God gave two kinds of prophecies concerning the accomplishment of his will through Jesus. One foretold that Jesus would die due to the disbelief of the people. (Isaiah 53) Another foretold that the people would believe in and honor Jesus as the Messiah and help him to accomplish God's will in glory. (Isaiah 9)
Why did Jesus chastise Peter so harshly? In truth, when Jesus spoke these words, the disbelief of the chosen people had already frustrated Jesus efforts to complete the providence of salvation both physically and spiritually By that time, Jesus had resolutely determined to accept the fate of the cross (Luke 9:31) as a condition of indemnity to open the way for the spiritual salvation of humankind. Peter's dissuasion could have hindered Jesus from paving the way for spiritual salvation through the cross. For this reason, Jesus rebuked him.
Exposition of the Divine Principle
Messiah 1.5-6
