The Bitter Cup
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Transcript
December 13, 1970 (tape 208A, CD 25)
Sermon
Good morning. As Jesus so came to us and experienced the great initiations that we might be brought into his Life, so also did he experience these that the fulfillment of the pattern of the Host and those things which had been prophesied would also be fulfilled. For in this he gave unto the world those things which were necessary as time moved on.
We have come to the new age, we have come to a way of life in which we can no longer move and do the way we did in the past years and in history for that was another day. But now we whom are here on this Earth must go forth knowing consciously that our acts and our deeds shall manifest the same as our prayers would have manifest before. Jesus symbolized this, actually enacted it, when he went to Calvary and gave his life, passed through transition, arose and then became the true illuminated demonstrated Son of God, and made the ascension.
Likewise as he came into the Earth in this time of Christmas again the demonstration was made to begin with. For the preparation lasted for over two generations for his birth alone to permit him to come into this Earth. I just wondered this morning as I was reading my Testament trying to pick out a theme. And to me, the theme could only be one thing.
Of what did we think when we rose in the morning each day, as brothers of this Order? Of what did we wish? Of what did we desire? Of what were we planning to do that day? What was our first thought as our eyes opened? What was our first desire as we started to become fully conscious of the world around us? I mean, what most people see, not fully conscious.
And you know, as I posed this question to myself I wondered how many of those whom had received the great blessings this last week of the Light and a conscious reality of the Self, having seen it. How many of those brothers still question the reality and question what they have been taught? How many would be able to take from the voice of the Spirit within, or from the Host, and follow that voice, follow that word and become a servant of our Master? Would you be willing to come into this world, consciously, and know that your sole and only mission was to be crucified? And to teach?
To be crucified and then pass through death completely and surmount this? Oh, but you say he is a great Master. He was the Messiah, the Son of God. Even more so did he suffer because of the pain of confinement. The pain of having to suffer and to tolerate and to accept the vibration of this Earth; for a great One such as he certainly knew, certainly suffered the reality of this Earth.
Many times I have had it brought to me to see the people, the children of God, the children of the Earth, their living, their thinking, their ways. Many times at night I have looked at the brothers and seen the mark of scarlet envy, jealousy and sometimes deceit. How much great was the Master’s suffering when he had to look about him and see those whom he loved, whom he had worked with, scatter themselves to the four winds because they could not stand by to tolerate and to suffer those things which he was going through. They couldn’t even suffer seeing them happen. Why?
Because they knew within themselves they had not fully performed. They had not fully given unto him in return for the gifts which they had received. They knew that he was suffering partly because they had fallen short. No one as great as he could possible go through the experience he did without great suffering. Oh, not from the torture. Not from the nails in his hands or his feet. Not from the death, passing through death because he had already before, many times, consciously. Not from the vinegar or the sour wine. Not from being laid away in the tomb. But from leaving a place of beauty, of peace, and knowing he was going to go through this in birth.
It was the relationship of these people to him, those whom he had healed, those whom he had sheltered, those unto whom he had given the gifts. These were the pains and the suffering which he suffered greatest. Physical anguish and pain is not a terrifically hard thing to bear. Especially for one such as he. But to see one turning their head in fear and disturbance because he was going through this to bring the forgiveness and the atonement to man. That they flew at the very first wind of tumult. This is the thing that brings anguish. That brings suffering. That brings pain into the consciousness of the great one.
And it brings it also unto you; and it will when you have learned to teach or work as a priest. When you set forth time and time again trying to get some simple thing into another persons understanding or at least get them to act on it. And see them determinedly, when you know they understand, do contrary. This is the bitter cup that every teacher, true teacher has to swallow. This is the bitter cup that we live with every day. And when we see some of the instructors even that do not follow because they must get in their little word in somehow. That they haven’t given all, maybe.
And that cup is a sorrowful cup to drink. For he drank it and we have drank that cup ever since. For it is knowing that we have, and I speak I think for everyone who has taught at any time, really wondering if we have fallen short even though we know literally we haven’t. Perhaps years ago we did not do something that would have given us a little more conviction to have given to another one. I would say, brothers of this Order, sisters, we should think very seriously about this.
For we are coming into the season now, and in it, when our Lord came into the fleshy body of a little child. God made manifest in the fleshy body of a little child. The one who gave a complete cycle of existence and many centuries thereafter and who has ever since drank the bitter cup as he watched those whom he had taught and left the word with go forth and leave it at home and not carry it with them. I have great happiness and joy at this Christmas season, for my sorrow is the sorrow for he who turns his head from the Master whom has given us this all, this Light, in great and gracious ways, it has been given unto us — many without even earning it — it has been given.
And then you hear someone after they have received him say, ‘Well I’ll accept some of it but I don’t know about the rest’. How full of mercy our Lord is to have compassion enough to let such a person have a chance even to live on this Earth after that sort of a demonstration. And I’ve seen it many times.
Let us think and meditate when we do it now, on this: Are you serving a bitter cup also to your teachers?
I pray to the Father, through His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, may have mercy on those that turn their head. Amen.