Jesus Teaches
The Twelve Alone
By
The
Twelve Apostles
Consecration, Duties And Challenges
Now, Jesus took the twelve, and with
them crossed the sea at night and came unto the borders of Decapolis. That He might find a secret place where,
all alone, He could reveal to them the things to come. They went into a mountain pass and spent three days in prayer. Then Jesus said, “Behold, the time is
near when I will no longer stay with you in flesh. Behold, I have taught that he who counts his life of so much
worth that he would not give it in willing sacrifice to save his brother man,
is not worthy to enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Behold, I am have come as a model for the sons of men, and I have
not refrained from helpfulness.
“When I had passed the seven
tests in Heliopolis, I consecrated life and all I had, to save the world. In the Judean wilderness, I fought
the strongest foes of men, and there I reaffirmed my consecration to the
service of the children of God.
In troubles and in trials, I have not wavered. When false accusers came, I
answered not.
“God
gave the saving Word to me, and I have often spoken it and healed the sick,
drove unclean spirits out, and raised the dead. And I have shown you how to speak the Word. And I have given you
the Word. In just a little while we turn our faces toward Jerusalem, and one of
you who hear me now will then betray me into wicked hands. The Scribes and Pharisees will bring
false charges up and drag me into the court, and, by consent of Rome, I will be
crucified.”
Then Peter said, “My Lord, it shall not be. The Roman soldiers will tread on
twelve dead men before they reach our Lord.”
But Jesus said, “A saviour of the world cannot resist. I came to save the world and I have taken up your names before
the highest courts of heaven, and you have been confirmed as saviours of the
world. And not a name, excepting
that of him who shall betray, will ever be disgraced. I go my way, and though my flesh shall pass, my spirit will stand
beside you all the way to guide and bless you.
“And
wicked men will seize you in the streets, and as you kneel in prayer. They will
charge you with some legal crime, and think they serve God by putting you to
death. But falter not. The load
will heavy be, but with the consciousness of duty done,
the peace of God will lift the load, dispel the pain and light the way. And we will meet where carnal
executioners cannot come. There, we will serve
the cruel men, who in their ignorance had tortured us to death. Can we prevent this outrage and this
slaughter of our lives? If not, we are but creatures of the ebb and flow of
carnal things. It would not be a sacrifice of life – it is not something that
shall last forever.
“But
we are masters of the things of time: the past, present and future. Behold, we
can speak, and all the spirits of the fire, water, earth and air will stand in
our defence. We can command and
many legions of the Angel would come and strike our enemies to death. But it is best that not a power of
heaven or earth should come to our relief. And it is best that even God should
veil His face and seem not to hear us.
“As
I am pattern unto you, so you are patterns for the human race. We show by
non-resistance that we give our lives in willing sacrifice for man. But my example will not end with
death. My body will be laid within a tomb in which no flesh has lain, symbolic
of the purity of life in death. And
in the tomb I will remain three days in sweet
communion as the Christ, and with God my Father, and perform great
deliverance from the hell fire.
“And
then, symbolic of the ascent of the soul to higher life, my flesh will ascend
and disappear, and will be transmuted into higher form. And, in the presence of
you all, I will ascend to God.” Then Jesus and the twelve went to a village by
the sea.