God’s Family
There is no denying the fact that we are a planet full of highly relational people.
Currently it is best guessed that we have 37 million churches on our globe with 34,000 Christian denominations. There are no certain enumerations for temples or mosques around the world at this time. In some ways this is great news! These facts testify that we long to come together as groups for celebration and shared purpose. Given certain beliefs and philosophies we are enriched and strengthened as families or individuals as we come together to enjoy all manner of group prayers, speakers, music etc.
For eons we have gathered together for celebrations of all kinds. In ancient times our ancestors worshiped everything from smoke to clouds to fire to rocks etc… We have always searched for meanings and values to make better sense of our lives and for our groups and families. [Paper 85 The Urantia Book]
The world-wide brotherhood of man is not an easy accomplishment. On a confused and disordered planet like ours such an achievement requires a much longer time and necessitates far greater effort. Unaided social evolution can hardly achieve such happy results on a spiritually isolated sphere as ours due to the Lucifer rebellion enacted so long ago yet still in effect today attempting to exclude our heavenly Father. [Papers 53 and 54] True religious revelation is essential to the realization of brotherhood on our planet. Jesus has shown the way to the immediate attainment of spiritual brotherhood by way of socializing those who have Discovered God within their own hearts and minds. This realization of social brotherhood on our world depends much on the achievement of more than a few things. [Paper 52:6.2 The Urantia Book]
One thing has the power to draw men and women together faster than anything else we have ever known. And this fact is the spiritual drawing power of Jesus Himself. As the Father draws all personalities to Himself by way of Paradise spiritual gravity so does the Holy Spirit exercise a drawing power on all minds by way of a mind circuit. All true and genuine intellectual values, all divine thoughts and perfect ideas, are unerringly drawn into this absolute circuit of mind. [Paper 9:6.2 The Urantia Book]
God’s children will be drawn together as God’s Family.
Jesus is the door!
"Behold, I stand at the doors of men's hearts and knock, and if any man will open to me, I will come in and sup with him and will feed him with the bread of life; we shall be one in spirit and purpose, and so shall we ever be brethren in the long and fruitful service of the search for the Paradise Father." And so, whether few or many are to be saved altogether depends on whether few or many will heed the invitation: "I am the door, I am the new and living way, and whosoever wills may enter to embark upon the endless truth-search for eternal life." [Paper 166:3.7 of The Urantia Book, The Book of Revelation 3:20 of The Bible]
What brings us together is the very Spirit of Truth living in our souls (Jesus) and our passion for His, and our, ever-present and loving Father. When we bring forth Jesus’ true teachings, as He actually spoke them to our fore-fathers and mothers, something new and exciting will begin.
So, let us resurrect in our own minds, and for our own people, the divine AND HUMAN Jesus who will show us the way to this new age of spiritual rejuvenation on our world!
The time is ripe to witness the figurative resurrection of the human Jesus from his burial tomb amidst the theological traditions and the religious dogmas of nineteen centuries. Jesus of Nazareth must not be longer sacrificed to even the splendid concept of the glorified Christ. Paper 196:1.2 Christianity has indeed done a great service for this world, but what is now most needed is Jesus. The world needs to see Jesus living again on earth in the experience of spirit-born mortals who effectively reveal the Master to all men. 195:10.1
This ‘great service’ for our world must be done by us!
It is that simple.
As we gather in our homes with our families and friends to talk about our spiritually resurrected Jesus and His personal teachings instructing us in how to live our lives we will be enhanced. Discussing how to make personal spiritual contact with God will, over time, spread like a glorious virus across our beautiful swirling orb.
Let’s smile and be clear!
We know how to celebrate on our world. It is not difficult to gather for a sports event on TV or to create a party for a family member’s birthday. This is not hard for us to do. We will now simply come together to socially celebrate Jesus as a ‘Meetup’ ~ a party of sorts. This is no different from a fun book club meeting, garden club event, office party or poker game.
Talking about the goodness of God should be FUN!
Jesus was a laymen. He had no ordination, sanctioning or credentialed letters after His name. He is our example. His apostles were regular men who agreed to follow after the Master, learn from Him and then go out to the world in obedience to proclaim these new transforming truths to the world. He set the women free as equals to men in ministry and value before our Father. Jesus never started a church or wrote a book. He spent time with the people to love them and to teach them about God.
This is exactly what He has asked for us to do.
We do not need special robes and costumes, high rituals, rote sayings, creeds or expensive buildings with lights, microphones or salaried staff. Paying ‘ministers’ salaries in order to tell us what to spiritually think is now passé. WE are His new disciples and apostles for we know now that He lives within our souls. We have seen Him, know Him and enjoy the presence of our Father within our own minds any time that we so desire it. This is the definition of an apostle! You don’t need to be ordained or sanctioned by any ecclesiastical hierarchical person of mortal authority! Jesus has already given YOU all authority to work and move in His ministry, not only as a man but also as a woman!
It is now time to have the inspiring conversations about how to engage people with an attractive, joyous and captivating invitation for gathering together to celebrate God and to talk about these teachings of Jesus. Think of how enriching this will be for your life and the lives of your friends and children. Imagine the personal growth you will glean after you come to realize that YOU are a fellow leader and lover of Jesus’ children. Embrace the future joy that you will treasure when you hear those words, “Well done, my good and faithful servant!” from your Master!
The Jesus MeetUp has some ideas for gatherings that you may want to do.
We live here in the west, so these are western ideas. Those of you who live in different parts of the world with different cultures will want to do things in your own ways and with your own style. This is right and good! We look forward to hearing your stories of what and how you did your ministry gatherings. Let us know what worked for you. Let us know what mistakes that you made so that we may learn from you and we will share with you as well. We are all learning here!
May the brotherhood of man, founded upon the contactable Fatherhood of God, sweep this globe for His glory and our spiritual uplift!
Now, on to The Jesus MeetUp!
