Easter 6

Easter 6 Peace I leave with you.

How are you choosing to form your own soul?
To whom do you turn for advice, counsel and inspiration ?
What do you want?

A fundamental Biblical principle is that we become who we worship. That is why the first four commandments of the Ten Commandments deal with worship. That is why Jesus summarized all of the commandments and all of the Law in a single elegant and powerful statement: love God. Love God with all of your heart, soul, and mind.

That love is not just a feeling. That love is a real choice. It is the one real choice we can make that will impact and inform all other choices we make. It is the one real choice we can make that will answer such questions as: who am I? What is the meaning and purpose of my life?

Jesus states very simply and directly: those who love me will keep my word. Notice that Jesus didn’t say if you keep my word I will love you. He said: if you love me- then you will keep my word. The desire and the ability to keep God’s word comes from the love.

Another fundamental Biblical principle is that we always choose what we most want at the moment of choice. The choice doesn’t have to be rational. The choice reflects the desire of our heart at that moment.

The Bible is more concerned about who or what we love, about how and why we love, than about philosophical categories of free will. The will is simply the agency by which the soul expresses its innermost desire by bringing forth choice into the world of cause and effect.

Jesus preaches to the soul. He preaches to that part of us that is the depth of desire and the seat of our identity. That is why everyone who heard Jesus either misunderstood him or rejected him. Jesus speaks to that place within our souls that defines who we are and who we are choosing to become.

Jesus is not just an add on accessory to life. Jesus is life. The choice he offers us reminds us that all choices are eternal choices. The little choices, the big choices, the terrible and the wonderful choices all proceed from the depth of the soul, the seat of our personal unique identity.
Jesus preaches to the soul and offers steadfast holy unconditional love as the reality by which we experience a new way of living.

Jesus just doesn’t command us to do certain things. He just doesn’t command us to love. He offers us reunification with this love. In that reunification the love becomes the guiding principle by which we make a choice and exercise our will to initiate an action in the world of cause and effect. Jesus himself is that love, that steadfast holy unconditional love.

As we enter into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ we enter into a new way of living. As we cultivate that personal relationship through prayer, Bible study, service to others and above all else: worship, we become more fully and completely a unique manifestation of that infinite and eternal love here in this world.

Those who love Jesus are those who offer themselves, their souls and bodies, at the altar of sacrifice to be immersed in the divine life and light and love of Jesus Christ. Those who love Jesus Christ are those who have made and continue to make a real choice to surrender self will to divine will, pride to humility, and fear to faith.

To love Jesus Christ is to enter into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ whereby he becomes the foundation for a new way of living. Jesus becomes the meaning and purpose for our lives.

As we make this real choice three things happen.
First, Jesus reunites us to God.
Second: Through that reunification Jesus initiates a process of personal transformation.
Third: Jesus sends the third person of the Holy and Eternal Trinity to be our teacher, advisor, courage and strength.

In this process there are three primary shifts in our soul substance:
First is the shift in our souls from separation to relationship. We begin to discern, experience and choose relationship over separation.
Second is the shift from fear, self will and pride to steadfast holy unconditional love. We begin to question the assumptions by which we make choices. We begin to ask the difficult question of our cultural values: is this true? As we make a real choice to live from the place of steadfast holy unconditional love we become more alive, more authentic, and more open to receive the blessings God has prepared for us.
Third is peace. It is not the peace the world offers. It is not peace through conquest of life, other people, our own human nature. It is not peace through submission to other people or circumstances. It is not peace through withdrawal from the challenges of life. It is God’s peace.

That peace emerges from the very center of our being as we make the choice to immerse our minds, hearts and wills in steadfast holy unconditional love. The source of that peace is Jesus Christ. The reality of that peace comes from our relationship with Christ. It is not dependent on external circumstances. And so, external circumstances cannot diminish or disrupt that peace.

As we choose to live from the place of separation we live in reaction to people and circumstances. From the place of reaction we do not keep the word of God. We do not experience the peace of God.

As we choose to live from the place of reunification and transformation we live from the new life of a personal relationship with the living Lord Jesus Christ. That relationship transforms our desires so that we seek first to keep God’s word. We experience the peace of God because we live and move and have our being in that peace.

The great challenge in hearing Jesus’ words is the challenge to hear from the soul. It is the challenge to hear what Jesus is saying and not just what we want to hear. It is the challenge to make a more profound choice to hear past our self will, fear and pride. It is the challenge to hear through the confusion and distraction of our culture.

As we make those choices to hear the word Jesus speaks, we open our souls to be filled with the word who Jesus is. The peace that passes human understanding is the personal presence of Jesus Christ, God with us. Jesus says: those who love me keep my word. Those who love me live in my peace.