9 replies to this topic

[Meredith Van Woert]

A small group of UB readers in my area met on Sunday to celebrate Jesus's First Day. We had a picnic at the beach.

Of the birth of Jesus on Page 1351, we read:

8. THE BIRTH OF JESUS

All that night Mary was restless so that neither of them slept much. By the break of day the pangs of childbirth were well in evidence, and at noon, August 21, 7 B.C., with the help and kind ministrations of women fellow travelers, Mary was delivered of a male child. Jesus of Nazareth was born into the world, was wrapped in the clothes which Mary had brought along for such a possible contingency, and laid in a near-by manger.

In just the same manner as all babies before that day and since have come into the world, the promised child was born; and on the eighth day, according to the Jewish practice, he was circumcised and formally named Joshua (Jesus).

The next day after the birth of Jesus, Joseph made his enrollment. Meeting a man they had talked with two nights previously at Jericho, Joseph was taken by him to a well-to-do friend who had a room at the inn, and who said he would gladly exchange quarters with the Nazareth couple. That afternoon they moved up to the inn, where they lived for almost three weeks until they found lodgings in the home of a distant relative of Joseph.

The second day after the birth of Jesus, Mary sent word to Elizabeth that her child had come and received word in return inviting Joseph up to Jerusalem to talk over all their affairs with Zacharias. The following week Joseph went to Jerusalem to confer with Zacharias. Both Zacharias and Elizabeth had become possessed with the sincere conviction that Jesus was indeed to become the Jewish
Page 1352 deliverer, the Messiah, and that their son John was to be his chief of aides, his right-hand man of destiny. And since Mary held these same ideas, it was not difficult to prevail upon Joseph to remain in Bethlehem, the City of David, so that Jesus might grow up to become the successor of David on the throne of all Israel. Accordingly, they remained in Bethlehem more than a year, Joseph meantime working some at his carpenter's trade.

Do you meet with other readers or have a tradition to celebrate this day?

Cheers,
Meredith

[Michaelsister]

A small group of UB readers in my area met on Sunday to celebrate Jesus's First Day. We had a picnic at the beach.

Of the birth of Jesus on Page 1351, we read:

8. THE BIRTH OF JESUS

All that night Mary was restless so that neither of them slept much. By the break of day the pangs of childbirth were well in evidence, and at noon, August 21, 7 B.C., with the help and kind ministrations of women fellow travelers, Mary was delivered of a male child. Jesus of Nazareth was born into the world, was wrapped in the clothes which Mary had brought along for such a possible contingency, and laid in a near-by manger.

In just the same manner as all babies before that day and since have come into the world, the promised child was born; and on the eighth day, according to the Jewish practice, he was circumcised and formally named Joshua (Jesus).

The next day after the birth of Jesus, Joseph made his enrollment. Meeting a man they had talked with two nights previously at Jericho, Joseph was taken by him to a well-to-do friend who had a room at the inn, and who said he would gladly exchange quarters with the Nazareth couple. That afternoon they moved up to the inn, where they lived for almost three weeks until they found lodgings in the home of a distant relative of Joseph.

The second day after the birth of Jesus, Mary sent word to Elizabeth that her child had come and received word in return inviting Joseph up to Jerusalem to talk over all their affairs with Zacharias. The following week Joseph went to Jerusalem to confer with Zacharias. Both Zacharias and Elizabeth had become possessed with the sincere conviction that Jesus was indeed to become the Jewish
Page 1352 deliverer, the Messiah, and that their son John was to be his chief of aides, his right-hand man of destiny. And since Mary held these same ideas, it was not difficult to prevail upon Joseph to remain in Bethlehem, the City of David, so that Jesus might grow up to become the successor of David on the throne of all Israel. Accordingly, they remained in Bethlehem more than a year, Joseph meantime working some at his carpenter's trade.

Do you meet with other readers or have a tradition to celebrate this day?

Cheers,
Meredith

How absolutely beautiful! What a wonderful idea.

[John Anngeister]

I was with a group of more than a dozen readers in the afternoon, celebrating the incarnation and the "present Jesus."

A short section of the worship time featured a recorded musical medley of traditional Christmas joy. I noticed a brief reference among the songs to "shepherds who watched by night" and reflected silently on the loss of that particular image in the Midwayer Gospel.

But your quote, Meredith, contains a revelation of previously unknown circumstances surrounding that majestic day, and one in particular that I feel is destined to help make up for our surrender of the good shepherds on the hillside who heard angel voices "on high" (not to mention that beautiful song, "O Holy Night," (sigh)).

Meeting a man they had talked with two nights previously at Jericho, Joseph was taken by him to a well-to-do friend who had a room at the inn, and who said he would gladly exchange quarters with the Nazareth couple.

It needs poetry, but the whole serendipitous "networking" thing, and the selfless gift of the "well-to-do friend" whose wise love enabled him to trade places (downward) with the King of Kings - among countless other matters - will surely inspire the best efforts of our "new carolers" (whoever they are).

Joy to the world.

-John

[Bill Martin]

Dear everyone,

We celebrated the birth of Jesus in the upper room at 533 Diversey (where the Forum used to do the same) with a jointly planned service of First Urantia Society and the regular Tuesday Night Study Group with participation also by Greater Lake Michigan Urantia Association. We had evrything from poetry to a lovely celebration of the Master's presence with a communion, the same he once celebrated the Father's presence with his apostles. Ken Keyser, a Fellowship stalwart and long-time regular attendee of our Tuesday night group. led a wide-ranging study/discussion which bloomed in happiness and bore much spirit fruit.

Despite ongoing evolutionary unity/uniformity struggles and changes in the Brotherhood of believers, the Chicago Area has always maintained cordiality of relations between the various groups the Urantia family. In part, we seek understanding and cooperation as we realize, with a certainty born of faith and spirit insight, that we will be serving with each other, ever and anon, throughout time and into eternity. It therefor behooves us to seek the Father's will and give thanks together on the day we celebrate the miracle and the life of our loving Creator.

It is my wish for you that Our Father's Spirit guide your life's journey as the love of His Son shines forth from within, as you pass by.

[Bradly aka/fanofVan]

I thought I'd start a HAPPY BIRTHDAY thread and came across these lovely posts. Why start over? I hope others will post their favorite quotes about our precious Master Son and His example for us all. All of Nebadon celebrates this day, the day our beloved Jesus was born on Urantia to complete His bestowals mission as an ascendent mortal who lived and died and rose again that we might know truth....God is Love. Peace to all my brothers and sister....and good will to all ascenders on all worlds who also know of this blessed day!!! .

(1331.1) And so certain unworthy children of Michael, who had accused their Creator-father of selfishly seeking rulership and indulged the insinuation that the Creator Son was arbitrarily and autocratically upheld in power by virtue of the unreasoning loyalty of a deluded universe of subservient creatures, were to be silenced forever and left confounded and disillusioned by the life of self-forgetful service which the Son of God now entered upon as the Son of Man — all the while subject to “the will of the Paradise Father.”
(1331.2) But make no mistake; Christ Michael, while truly a dual-origin being, was not a double personality. He was not God in association with man but, rather, God incarnate in man. And he was always just that combined being. The only progressive factor in such a nonunderstandable relationship was the progressive self-conscious realization and recognition (by the human mind) of this fact of being God and man.


(1331.3) Christ Michael did not progressively become God. God did not, at some vital moment in the earth life of Jesus, become man. Jesus was God and man — always and even forevermore. And this God and this man were, and now are, one, even as the Paradise Trinity of three beings is in reality one Deity.
(1331.4) Never lose sight of the fact that the supreme spiritual purpose of the Michael bestowal was to enhance the revelation of God.
(1331.5) Urantia mortals have varying concepts of the miraculous, but to us who live as citizens of the local universe there are few miracles, and of these by far the most intriguing are the incarnational bestowals of the Paradise Sons. The appearance in and on your world, by apparently natural processes, of a divine Son, we regard as a miracle — the operation of universal laws beyond our understanding. Jesus of Nazareth was a miraculous person.

[Meredith Van Woert]

Hi FanofVan,

Thank you for reviving this thread.

Here is something I think is important to know, something to realize about Jesus' life and our lives.

And this was his true and supreme purpose. He [Michael] did not come down to live on Urantia as the perfect and detailed example for any child or adult, any man or woman, in that age or any other. True it is, indeed, that in his full, rich, beautiful, and noble life we may all find much that is exquisitely exemplary, divinely inspiring, but this is because he lived a true and genuinely human life. Jesus did not live his life on earth in order to set an example for all other human beings to copy. He lived this life in the flesh by the same mercy ministry that you all may live your lives on earth; and as he lived his mortal life in his day and as he was, so did he thereby set the example for all of us thus to live our lives in our day andas we are. You may not aspire to live his life, but you can resolve tolive your lives even as, and by the same means that, he lived his. Jesus may not be the technical and detailed example for all the mortals of all ages on all the realms of this local universe, but he is everlastingly the inspiration and guide of all Paradise pilgrims from the worlds of initial ascension up through a universe of universes and on through Havona to Paradise. Jesus is the new and living way from man to God, from the partial to the perfect, from the earthly to the heavenly, from time to eternity. P.1425 - §6

Happy birthday Michael! We love you!


Meredith

[Pike aka Hrvoje Pajk]

happy birthday Michael of Urantia.
Fill our minds and souls with Truth, Beauty and Goodness and knock on the souls of ones which still didn't started to search for you.

peace

[Coop]

AMEN !
Happy Birthday Jesus Christ Michael !

Thank You For Saveing Me From Myself , and For Being With Me And Walking With
Me When I Was In The Darkness , Homeless an Sick , Alone an Lonely
A Lost Sheep
and Even Denied You and Turned My Back On You and Our Father .
Yet Threw Your Grace an Mercy and Love , When ALL I Seemd To Have Were Doubts ,
You Gave Me Hope , And Then Greater Hope You Turned Like Water into Wine Into Faith .
An Then To Trust , You Were There When I Was Sick and Hungry an Thirsty ,
You , Your Spirit of Truth and The Holy Spirit Sent The Healing Light Of Love
That Filled My Very Soul , I Was Born Again in The Spirit an Started My Walk With You Into The Light.
When I Was On My Knees in Prayer an Tears I Reached Up Into Your Light Around Me
Only Hopeing To Be Near You or Touch Your Robe Or Finger ,
Yet YOU Grabbed Onto My Hand Firmly Assureing Me That You Will Never Let Go .

I Thank You Daily , Even Though I Still Stumble an Fall You Pick an Lift Me Up .
Your Spirit Of Truth Shows Me The Way into Your Healing Light Of Love an Peace Within .
I Trust You As A Faith Son To Light an Guide My Way In My Thoughts , Words And Deeds .

I Pray For Your Help In Liveing In The Kingdom Now
An Liveing The Golden Rule
Striveing To Be A Second Miler
It Is My Will That Your Will Be Done

AMEN

My Humble Birthday Card To You Jesus
I Love You
From Your Humble Faith Son Coop

I Really Like Your Beatitudes Jesus !

^140:5.1 From the Sermon on the Mount to the discourse of the Last Supper, Jesus taught his followers to manifest fatherly love rather than brotherly love. Brotherly love would love your neighbor as you love yourself, and that would be adequate fulfillment of the "golden rule." But fatherly affection would require that you should love your fellow mortals as Jesus loves you.
^140:5.2 Jesus loves mankind with a dual affection. He lived on earth as a twofold personality— human and divine. As the Son of God he loves man with a fatherly love—he is man's Creator, his universe Father. As the Son of Man, Jesus loves mortals as a brother—he was truly a man among men.
^140:5.3 Jesus did not expect his followers to achieve an impossible manifestation of brotherly love, but he did expect them to so strive to be like God—to be perfect even as the Father in heaven is perfect—that they could begin to look upon man as God looks upon his creatures and therefore could begin to love men as God loves them—to show forth the beginnings of a fatherly affection. In the course of these exhortations to the twelve apostles, Jesus sought to reveal this new concept of fatherly love as it is related to certain emotional attitudes concerned in making numerous environmental social adjustments.
^140:5.4 The Master introduced this momentous discourse by calling attention to four faith attitudes as the prelude to the subsequent portrayal of his four transcendent and supreme reactions of fatherly love in contrast to the limitations of mere brotherly love.
^140:5.5 He first talked about those who were poor in spirit, hungered after righteousness, endured meekness, and who were pure in heart. Such spirit-discerning mortals could be expected to attain such levels of divine selflessness as to be able to attempt the amazing exercise of fatherly affection; that even as mourners they would be empowered to show mercy, promote peace, and endure persecutions, and throughout all of these trying situations to love even unlovely mankind with a fatherly love. A father's affection can attain levels of devotion that immeasurably transcend a brother's affection.
^140:5.6 The faith and the love of these beatitudes strengthen moral character and create happiness. Fear and anger weaken character and destroy happiness. This momentous sermon started out upon the note of happiness.
^140:5.7 1. "Happy are the poor in spirit— the humble." To a child, happiness is the satisfaction of immediate pleasure craving. The adult is willing to sow seeds of self-denial in order to reap subsequent harvests of augmented happiness. In Jesus' times and since, happiness has all too often been associated with the idea of the possession of wealth. In the story of the Pharisee and the publican praying in the temple, the one felt rich in spirit—egotistical; the other felt "poor in spirit"—humble. One was self-sufficient; the other was teachable and truth-seeking. The poor in spirit seek for goals of spiritual wealth—for God. And such seekers after truth do not have to wait for rewards in a distant future; they are rewarded now. They find the kingdom of heaven within their own hearts, and they experience such happiness now.
^140:5.8 2. "Happy are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled." Only those who feel poor in spirit will ever hunger for righteousness. Only the humble seek for divine strength and crave spiritual power. But it is most dangerous to knowingly engage in spiritual fasting in order to improve one's appetite for spiritual endowments. Physical fasting becomes dangerous after four or five days; one is apt to lose all desire for food. Prolonged fasting, either physical or spiritual, tends to destroy hunger.
^140:5.9 Experiential righteousness is a pleasure, not a duty. Jesus' righteousness is a dynamic love—fatherly-brotherly affection. It is not the negative or thou-shalt-not type of righteousness. How could one ever hunger for something negative—something "not to do"?
^140:5.10 It is not so easy to teach a child mind these first two of the beatitudes, but the mature mind should grasp their significance.
^140:5.11 3. "Happy are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." Genuine meekness has no relation to fear. It is rather an attitude of man co-operating with God— "Your will be done." It embraces patience and forbearance and is motivated by an unshakable faith in a lawful and friendly universe. It masters all temptations to rebel against the divine leading. Jesus was the ideal meek man of Urantia, and he inherited a vast universe.
^140:5.12 4. "Happy are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Spiritual purity is not a negative quality, except that it does lack suspicion and revenge. In discussing purity, Jesus did not intend to deal exclusively with human sex attitudes. He referred more to that faith which man should have in his fellow man; that faith which a parent has in his child, and which enables him to love his fellows even as a father would love them. A father's love need not pamper, and it does not condone evil, but it is always anticynical. Fatherly love has singleness of purpose, and it always looks for the best in man; that is the attitude of a true parent.
^140:5.13 To see God—by faith—means to acquire true spiritual insight. And spiritual insight enhances Adjuster guidance, and these in the end augment God-consciousness. And when you know the Father, you are confirmed in the assurance of divine sonship, and you can increasingly love each of your brothers in the flesh, not only as a brother—with brotherly love—but also as a father—with fatherly affection.
^140:5.14 It is easy to teach this admonition even to a child. Children are naturally trustful, and parents should see to it that they do not lose that simple faith. In dealing with children, avoid all deception and refrain from suggesting suspicion. Wisely help them to choose their heroes and select their lifework.
^140:5.15 And then Jesus went on to instruct his followers in the realization of the chief purpose of all human struggling— perfection— even divine attainment. Always he admonished them: "Be you perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect." He did not exhort the twelve to love their neighbors as they loved themselves. That would have been a worthy achievement; it would have indicated the achievement of brotherly love. He rather admonished his apostles to love men as he had loved them—to love with a fatherly as well as a brotherly affection. And he illustrated this by pointing out four supreme reactions of fatherly love:

^140:5.16 1. "Happy are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted." So-called common sense or the best of logic would never suggest that happiness could be derived from mourning. But Jesus did not refer to outward or ostentatious mourning. He alluded to an emotional attitude of tenderheartedness. It is a great error to teach boys and young men that it is unmanly to show tenderness or otherwise to give evidence of emotional feeling or physical suffering. Sympathy is a worthy attribute of the male as well as the female. It is not necessary to be calloused in order to be manly. This is the wrong way to create courageous men. The world's great men have not been afraid to mourn. Moses, the mourner, was a greater man than either Samson or Goliath. Moses was a superb leader, but he was also a man of meekness. Being sensitive and responsive to human need creates genuine and lasting happiness, while such kindly attitudes safeguard the soul from the destructive influences of anger, hate, and suspicion.
^140:5.17 2. "Happy are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy."Mercy here denotes the height and depth and breadth of the truest friendship—loving-kindness. Mercy sometimes may be passive, but here it is active and dynamic—supreme fatherliness. A loving parent experiences little difficulty in forgiving his child, even many times. And in an unspoiled child the urge to relieve suffering is natural. Children are normally kind and sympathetic when old enough to appreciate actual conditions.
^140:5.18 3. "Happy are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God." Jesus' hearers were longing for military deliverance, not for peacemakers. But Jesus' peace is not of the pacific and negative kind. In the face of trials and persecutions he said, "My peace I leave with you." "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." This is the peace that prevents ruinous conflicts. Personal peace integrates personality. Social peace prevents fear, greed, and anger. Political peace prevents race antagonisms, national suspicions, and war. Peacemaking is the cure of distrust and suspicion.
^140:5.19 Children can easily be taught to function as peacemakers. They enjoy team activities; they like to play together. Said the Master at another time: "Whosoever will save his life shall lose it, but whosoever will lose his life shall find it."
^140:5.20 4. "Happy are they who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Happy are you when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven."
^140:5.21 So often persecution does follow peace. But young people and brave adults never shun difficulty or danger. "Greater love has no man than to lay down his life for his friends." And a fatherly love can freely do all these things—things which brotherly love can hardly encompass. And progress has always been the final harvest of persecution.
^140:5.22 Children always respond to the challenge of courage. Youth is ever willing to "take a dare." And every child should early learn to sacrifice.

^140:5.23 And so it is revealed that the beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount are based on faith and love and not on law—ethics and duty.
^140:5.24 Fatherly love delights in returning good for evil—doing good in retaliation for injustice.

Edited by Coop, 21 August 2012 - 08:46 PM.

[Coop]

^182:1.9 The Master, during the course of this final prayer with his apostles, alluded to the fact that he had manifested the Father’s name to the world. And that is truly what he did by the revelation of God through his perfected life in the flesh. The Father in heaven had sought to reveal himself to Moses, but he could proceed no further than to cause it to be said, “I AM.” And when pressed for further revelation of himself, it was only disclosed, “I AM that I AM.” But when Jesus had finished his earth life, this name of the Father had been so revealed that the Master, who was the Father incarnate, could truly say:

I am the bread of life.
I am the living water.
I am the light of the world.
I am the desire of all ages.
I am the open door to eternal salvation.
I am the reality of endless life.
I am the good shepherd.
I am the pathway of infinite perfection.
I am the resurrection and the life.
I am the secret of eternal survival.
I am the way, the truth, and the life.
I am the infinite Father of my finite children.
I am the true vine; you are the branches.
I am the hope of all who know the living truth.
I am the living bridge from one world to another.
I am the living link between <a href="http://www.truthbook...nkID=2308">time and eternity.

^182:1.26 Thus did Jesus enlarge the living revelation of the name of God to all generations. As divine love reveals the nature of God, eternal truth discloses his name in ever-enlarging proportions.