Christ Unveiled

Tonight’s subject is “Christ Unveiled.” That’s quite a tall order, for we are told in the Book of Mark, the 13th chapter, the 21st verse, “If anyone says, ‘Look, there is Christ!’ or ‘Look, here he is!’ believe him not.” And I endorse that 100 percent. “If anyone dares to tell you, ‘Look, there is Christ!’ or ‘Look, here he is!’ believe him not.” But listen to it carefully and see the pronoun used in that sentence: “Here he is,” believe him not.137 ¶1

So here, who is Christ? What is Christ? Where is Christ? Paul found him; and having found him he said, “From now on we regard no one from a human point of view; even though we once regarded Christ from a human point of view, we regard him thus no longer.” If you’re taking notes, that’s Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, the 5th chapter, the 16th verse. He regards him not from now on as man. He thought he was man and went out to destroy those who believed in Christ as a man.137 ¶2

Then we are told in Peter’s letter, his 1st letter, the 1st chapter, read the 10th and 11th verses: “That the prophets who prophesied… they inquired what person or time was indicated by the Spirit of Christ within them when predicting the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glory.” They thought they were looking for a person, and they wondered when he would come. There was no reply to that save “it was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves, but serving you.”137 ¶3

So what is Christ? I tell you, Christ is the way of salvation; Christ is the way to the Father.137 ¶4

Now we’ll turn back to the gospels, where we have all these events together. For scripture, as we understand it, says, the New Testament, Christianity is based on the affirmation that a certain series of events happened in which God revealed himself in action for the salvation of man. Did they happen? I tell you from experience that they happened. Not only did they happen but also they are happening—they are taking place at every moment of time in our world. If you have not experienced these events, may I tell you that you are going to. Not a thing in this world that you will ever do that would stop it. You are going to because God will not fail, no, not in one being in this world.137 ¶5

So here we are told the events were assembled. Luke, in his first four verses, makes the statement: “That many undertook to compile a narrative of the things which have happened or have been accomplished among us, just as they were delivered by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word.” So here we have the oral tradition. They’re all talking about it; these things happened, and they’re telling it. But then came the moment in time that many undertook to put it into written form. And so he thought it wise to do the same thing. So he said, “Having observed all things closely for some time past.” Then he thought that he too would put it into the written form for one called Theophilus.137 ¶6

Theophilus means “one who loves God.” So he’s speaking to you. You love God and I love God, for he’s the source of everything. He’s the source of our life; he is the end of all things. And so he is addressing his remarks to you, “O dear Theophilus, that you may know the truth concerning the things of which you have been informed.”137 ¶7

And so we heard it orally. I did as a child. And then when I began to read and write, I could read it for myself, but I didn’t understand it. But before I could read it, Mother taught it to me. Then I was sent to school, and then they taught it to me in school. Then I go to Sunday school, and there I heard the story by the teacher. And so we heard it orally; then came the moment in time that we could read it for ourselves, and then came this closed book. Let us see if we can find and unveil Christ tonight.137 ¶8

In the 16th chapter of the gospel of Matthew, one called Christ Jesus turns to his disciples, and he asks the question, “Who do men say that the Son of man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others say Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” And he said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Right away that second question identifies it with the Son of man. The first question is “Who do men say that the Son of man is?” and the second question is, “But who do you say that I am?”137 ¶9

So he’s asking the question about the Son of man, and then he’s asking the question about himself. “But who do you say that I am?” Now he identifies himself with the Son of man.137 ¶10

And Peter replies, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” To this, he answered, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jona! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.” He confesses that no flesh and blood could have told him; it had to come by revelation.137 ¶11

Now, where do we find this same flesh and blood revelation? We find it in Galatians, the 1st chapter, and Paul said, “When it pleased God to reveal his Son in me, I conferred not with flesh and blood.” That mortal mind could not reveal no matter how it rationalized; no matter how it tried to unravel this mystery, it can’t. It has to be revealed. It has to be completely unfolded in the individual.137 ¶12

So he said, “I am the Son of man.” Well, now we go back into the Old Testament to find this cue. Where did God promise this? We turn to the 7th chapter of the 2nd Book of Samuel and this is a vision, for we are told between the 8th verse and 17th verse that Nathan received the vision, and according to all these words and according to all this vision, Nathan spoke unto David.137 ¶13

This is what he told David: “And the Lord of hosts said unto me, ‘Go to my servant David… and say to David that when your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your son after you, who shall come forth from your body. I will be his father, and he shall be my son.’”137 ¶14

Here we have to now spiritualize the mission of David. Here is David, a man. If “I will raise up your son after you,” then he’s David’s son. I can’t deny that. “I will raise up your son after you, who will come forth from your body. I (now the Lord is speaking) will be his father and he shall be my son.” So if he is the son of David, then he is the Son of man. If, on the other hand, the Lord adopts him—“He shall be my son”—then he is the Son of God.137 ¶15

So in this question, “Who do men say the Son of man is?” and they all thought of all kinds of things. He said, “But who do you say that I am?” “You are Christ the Son of God.” And right away you think in terms of Christ the Son of God, and yet he’s Son of man, then you think of a man. And it isn’t so at all.137 ¶16

Here is a man as you are, whether you be male or female, walking the earth. You’ve heard this story orally, and when you began to read you could read it for yourself. You didn’t understand it but you read it. And you are playing your normal part in this world; and one day, when you least expected it—in fact, you never expected it, as you always thought it happened 2,000 years ago to one person and that was it—you are that person. It is happening to you, and you go through the entire series of events as recorded in scripture.137 ¶17

And then you know who Christ is. Christ is the way to the Father, and there is no other way. “I am the way.” To what? [...] to everything in this world, but specifically to the Father. “I am the way. No one comes unto the Father but by me” as told us in the 14th of chapter of John. But no one comes unto the Father but by me, so here is the way.137 ¶18

Well, what is the way? And then you search the scripture and you find the way. The way you just determined is [...] in the beginning. Now listen to these words, this statement, carefully—Paul’s letter to the Ephesians—“He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” I think that’s the fifteenth verse, but you can easily check it.137 ¶19

Now where is this statement in the Old Testament, because the New is only the fulfillment of the Old? The whole is in the Old, and the New is simply fulfillment. Well, where is it in the Old? You’ll find it in the 8th chapter of the Book of Proverbs: “The Lord created me at the beginning of his way, the first of his acts of old.” “Ages ago I was set up, before the beginning of the world. When he laid out the foundation of the world, I was with him, beside him, like a little child.”137 ¶20

Here is God’s way of salvation. But God’s way in scripture is always personified. Every attribute of man’s mind, which is God’s mind, is always personified. When it’s wealth, you see wealth as a man. When it’s power, you see power but it’s a man. When you meet infinite might, it’s a man. [...] it’s a man. And so all the attributes of mind are always personified because God is man and man is God.137 ¶21

So he personifies this way, that way that was in the beginning. This is not improvised. Before God brought the whole vast world into being, he plotted and planned a way, a way of redemption for all of us. This is not an afterthought of God; it came first: “I am the first of his acts of old.” Before he brought forth the world, the universe, anything, he planned a way; and the way was to God personified as a little child. “I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always, rejoicing in the inhabited universe and delighting in the sons of men.”137 ¶22

Now listen carefully, “He who finds me finds life and obtains the favor from the Lord; he who misses me injures himself; all who hate me love death.” That’s the eighth of Proverbs.137 ¶23

Now where do we find this in the New Testament, this second part we just quoted? The very first words uttered by Jesus recorded in scripture you find in the last few verses of the 2nd chapter of Luke. It takes place in the synagogue, in the temple, and his parents said, “Why did you do this unto us?” He replied, speaking about seeking him, “Why did you seek me? Do you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” And they did not understand the saying… but the mother kept these things in her heart. Then Jesus grew in years, in wisdom… and in the favor of the Lord.”137 ¶24

The first recorded utterance of Jesus in scripture, when he was only a lad, a child, in his father’s presence: “Do you not know I must be in my Father’s house?” Well, where’s my Father’s house? He said, “Heaven is the throne of God and heaven is within you.” Where do you find him? You will seek him. Where would you seek him? They sought him elsewhere. They couldn’t find him until they found him in the Father’s house. For you are the temple of the living God. It’s called the synagogue, outwardly; that’s only a symbol of what you really are. You are the synagogue; you are the temple of the living God.137 ¶25

I will not find the way until I find it in myself. And I find him without searching for him. One day, it’s going to please God—for this comes at the fullness of time—when it pleases God, and he sees in me the ripeness that he’s looking for, and then he unfolds me in his home by the series of events. First, the birth, then the discovery of his Son, and then the splitting of the temple. And there I am taken into his home, and his home is within me.137 ¶26

And may I tell you, just as it’s described in that 13th chapter of Mark, there is a most frightening earthquake when you are taken into the home. And you are the cause of it. When you move up and move into that heavenly state within you, there is a vibration that you’ve never experienced before. Speak of an earthquake! The whole vast world within you begins to shake because you have been redeemed. You are brought in, and there’s a joy beyond the wildest dream you’ve ever conceived because one more has been brought into the temple, into the house of God. It’s true, just as I’ve told you.137 ¶27

So Christ? Christ is a way, the way of redemption, and the way is in man. “The Lord created me at the beginning of his way, the first of his acts of old.” So before he brought forth a star, anything in the world, he created a way of return to himself, and that way is called Christ in the Bible.137 ¶28

And the people sought it: “The prophets who prophesied inquired as to what person,” and to this day in 1963, they’re still looking for a person. Every year, you see the papers; they’re always looking for some person coming into the world that will be Christ. And they’re always so eager to find a Christ on the outside that they will follow. They found one in Hitler, one in Stalin, and one in someone else; they were always the savior of the world.137 ¶29

But read now that same one we quoted earlier, the 13th chapter of Mark, the 21st verse, “If anyone says to you, ‘Look, there is Christ!’ or ‘Look, here he is!’ do not believe it.” You’ll never find him in another. But in no being in this world would you find Christ. You either find him in yourself as the way that leads you to God or you never find him. But you will find him. Everyone will find him. And when they find him, they’ll find him as the way.137 ¶30

So he said, “I am the way. I am the truth. I am the life. I am the resurrection. I am the door.” There is no other door. You can’t get through any other way. And this is the way to the Father. And so the way is inwoven in every child in this world, and that child will find the way when God is ready for him; for only God knows that moment in eternity when he will awaken that child.137 ¶31

Now why are we called, in the 7th chapter of 2nd Samuel, “those who sleep with the fathers”? Here we are three billion in the world today. And “When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your son.” “When you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your son after you, who will come forth from your body.” And you think therefore of the fathers.137 ¶32

May I tell you, you are the fathers. You’ve already fulfilled your day in preparation and now you are sleeping with the fathers. You are sound asleep, but you don’t know it. You came here tonight as a conscious being and you go home tonight very hungry, drive your cars, or walk or take the bus to get off at the right point and to go to bed; and you’ll be fully conscious of the fact that’s where you’re going to sleep. But all prior to that, you were awake, for you did all these things consciously.137 ¶33

And may I tell you, I have observed my brother, Bruce; from the time he was born, he was a sleepwalker. Bruce would come downstairs, go to the larder, unlock the larder, pour some milk, put some jam on a piece of bread, eat it and drink his milk, walk around objects that we put in his place, and we would do everything to make him fall on his neck. Boys will do that. But he never did. He never struck a chair, but walked around the chair. He would go upstairs, go back to bed, and go sound asleep; and he was totally unaware that he’d done anything in this world that was to him unnatural.137 ¶34

The only person in this world that convinced him that he did it, as we told him he did it, was my mother. Mother would say, “Yes, Bruce, you did it.” “But, mother, I couldn’t have done it.” But he would not oppose mother. He would oppose us but not mother. Not that she would have done anything violent to him because mother wasn’t that way. But he couldn’t distrust my mother. Not one of us could distrust her. She was to us the ideal. After all, she wouldn’t lie to us; that’s what we believed. And so our brother Bruce trusted her. But he couldn’t; he would rack his brain to find out how he did it. He would get out of bed, go down the stairs, open the larder, put some butter on the bread or put some jelly on the bread, eat it, drink some milk, walk around the objects that we put in his way, go back to bed, and be totally unaware that he’d done it.137 ¶35

That taught me a lesson in my mature years. Not when I did it to him as a child but in my mature years, when I was awakened to find that I had been asleep all through the ages, and I didn’t know it. All through the ages I had been sleeping, and how long are these ages?137 ¶36

Now Paul tells us in his letter to the Colossians, I will tell you a mystery, a mystery that has been hidden for ages and generations. The mystery is Christ in you, the hope of glory. He tells us a mystery. The mystery is Christ in us, the hope of glory.137 ¶37

Well, here, I didn’t understand it any more than the world understood it, and one day it happened. God in his infinite mercy looked upon me and found me ripe at that moment, and he awoke me. As he awoke me, I awoke for the first time in eternity, and I was sealed in a tomb, and the tomb was my skull. I was completely sealed in a tomb, and the tomb was my skull. And then God rolled away the stone, and I came out.137 ¶38

But until that moment, I never thought for one moment I was asleep. Not only asleep but the sleep was so deep, so profound I was dead. So profound was that sleep that I was dead, for when I awoke, I was in a tomb, and you don’t put anyone in a tomb unless they are dead. And so when you enter that tomb, you’re dead. So you are one with Christ who died for you—he is the Way—and together you are completely sealed in a tomb. But you don’t know it. I didn’t know it.137 ¶39

But may I tell you, I have never been more awake in eternity. And when I saw things round about me and saw them all objectively, and they couldn’t see me, then I understood the words, “He is the image of the invisible God.” The image, how can you be the image of something invisible? These are the words: “He is the image of the invisible God, the first of all that was created.” How could I actually reflect something that’s invisible? But it’s true that you are the image of the invisible God. And nothing that is mortal that looks at you can see you. You are more real than any being in the world when you look at them.137 ¶40

And then the whole thing began to come back, and I began to see these experiences that I had gone through. And I wondered, for it puzzled me, looking at you and looking at myself, bathing, shaving, taking care of the body; and it seemed so alive. It seemed so independent of any man’s perception of it. I could leave the room in spite of what my wife would suggest; I could do what I wanted to do within certain areas, and yet at this moment in time, I realized that this isn’t so at all.137 ¶41

When I awoke, then I realized an experience I had many years before of God bringing me to that point of awakening. When one moment in time he took me, took me into a world just like this, and showed me the power that was mine tomorrow, mine in complete control. But he allowed me to exercise it just for a moment, and I saw people just like you.137 ¶42

As I saw them, I [...] within myself arrested a rhythm, an action. As I did it, the people that I observed stood still. They couldn’t move and nothing moved. Things that were in space stood still; everything stood still. And now how could this be? [...] and they couldn’t move. But when I released within myself that activity that I had arrested, they all moved on and completed their intentions. And then it broke.137 ¶43

Then on several occasions, he has taken me into the same, not the same scene but similar scenes. So I would come upon a scene, and I knew if I could stop within myself an activity which I felt it would stop. I did it and it stopped. Then I understood what he meant: “As the Father has life in himself, so he has granted unto the Son to have life in himself” .137 ¶44

So everyone is destined to have life in himself. And then you wonder, then what are all these garments? What are all these things round about us, this thing called Neville, and you that I know and love? What are all these? Are these really costumes? Is something being formed in us that is the image of the invisible God, and we have to play these parts and wear these costumes for a moment? I have concluded that that’s so. That the whole vast world is truly, as Shakespeare said, a stage; and all the men in it are merely players, and one man plays many parts in his time. And so the being playing it all is God, individualizing himself, begetting himself.137 ¶45

Just as we are told in that 7th chapter of 2nd Samuel: “I will raise up your son after you, who will come forth from your body. I will be his father and he shall be my son.” So out of this human body, something is coming forward that is going to be called Son of man because it comes out of a man; but it is going to be the Son of God, and it’s the image of the invisible God. Something is being formed in man, and he brings him forward.137 ¶46

And may I tell you, it’s your own sense of I-ness. No loss in identity when you are awakened, but none whatsoever, none. So I will know you in eternity; you’ll know me in eternity. But for all the sameness of identity and we know each other, there’s going to be a radical discontinuity of form, a radical discontinuity of form.137 ¶47

You have no idea how beautiful you really are. Human face yes. Human hands yes. Human feet yes. The human body no. Not this body, not for one moment! And I can’t describe it to you. Not that I wouldn’t if I could; I can’t describe it. You are beautiful beyond measure, the being that you really are. If I made an attempt, it would only be just radiant light, like, well, a rainbow. How would I describe it, the being that you really are?137 ¶48

But I will know you, and you’ll know me, for there’s a sameness of identity and human enough to recognize each other. But the form, a radical, radical discontinuity of form, and I can’t describe it. You can display it; and you know who you are; and then you return to this that someday you’ll put down and put down forever. And this is essential.137 ¶49

But before these came into being, God mapped out his Way, and the Way was called Christ. No one understood what Christ was. They thought it was a man who would come and save the world. Men were always looking for the coming of Christ as a man, and Christ is the way of salvation, not a man.137 ¶50

But in man, in you, you are David; he brings forward your son, but that’s his son. Then you will understand that great opening statement in Matthew: “This is the book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, son of David.” But then he brings up the question, “What think ye of the Christ? Whose Son is he?” The question isn’t complete until you listen to the last part, “Whose Son is he?” “The son of David.” Well, then, “Why did David call him Father?”137 ¶51

You see the Son of man is also Son of God. But the Son of God and God are one: “I and my Father are one.” You get it? I and my Father are one, and yet I am Son of man. This is man and out of man comes a being that is God’s son. Then, David, who played this fantastic part, which is now universal humanity, becomes the Son of man. You follow it? Son of man is one with the Son of God. And that out of which the Son of man comes who is the Son of God in turn becomes the Son of man. You follow me? If you don’t, ask me when the questions are in order.137 ¶52

Son of man—Son of God—God. The Son of God and God are one; yet the Son of God cannot deny he’s a father, a man, and therefore, the Son of man.137 ¶53

There’s a question asked in that sixteenth of Matthew, “Who do they say the Son of man is?” Naturally, because he’s Son of man, you’ve got to think in terms of man; so they say, “Well, he is John the Baptist, he is Elijah, he is Jeremiah or one of the prophets,” so they mention man. Now he doesn’t follow with that, he doesn’t ask any further question about that. He changes now: “But who do you say that I am?” He’s asking now, “Who am I? I asked you of the Son of man. I’m telling you I am the Son of man, but who am I?” And they mention, “You are the Christ, the Son of God.” Now he tells them, “Simon, flesh and blood could not have told you this. It had to be revealed by my Father who is in heaven.”137 ¶54

So here, he comes down to the foundation: Who is the Son of man, who is the Son of God, and who is God? It comes out of David. Well, that was the promise given to him. So David is collective humanity; out of David comes the Son of man, and that Son of man is the Son of God. Well, when the Son of God awakens, he has to have a son, and it is David.137 ¶55

David never got beyond that age of twelve, where he appears (in that 2nd chapter of Luke) in the temple. They ask, “Where were you? We’ve been looking all over for you. Why did you do this unto us?” And “Why did you seek me?”—they were seeking him. “And you couldn’t find me until you found me in my Father’s house.” Why would you seek me elsewhere? You were looking all over for me. “Do you not know I must be in my Father’s house?”137 ¶56

You can’t find me, but if you find me, you find life: “He who finds me finds life and receives the favor of the Lord.” And when you find life, you’ll do to every form in this world what has been my privilege to do at these moments when I was taken in spirit and shown sections of humanity and stopped them. No matter what they were doing, just stop them, and they could go no further. And then I released it, and they completed their actions. I stopped them again, and they could go no further. A bird flying, I stopped it, and it didn’t fall, but it could go no further. A leaf falling, I stopped it; it could go no further.137 ¶57

And then you ask fantastic questions in the depth of your soul, “What’s it all about?” And you come to the conclusion that the whole vast world—all the men, women, and children and everything in it—is the resultant state of God’s first creative act, and all this was brought into being like a resultant state.137 ¶58

And you are not these garments of flesh at all. Something is being formed in this garment of flesh. What is being formed? It’s called the Son of man. But God calls it his Son, and his Son and himself are one.137 ¶59

So God is begetting himself in man, his very own self. And the day will come that the individual will be able to say to himself, he’s not only begetting his Son in me, he begot his Son in me, and I and my Father are one. For when you are awakened, there’s no other being; it’s you. You awaken in yourself to discover that you’ve been sound asleep and really dead for these unnumbered years.137 ¶60

So when he tells us in his letter to the Colossians, I will tell you a secret, “a secret hidden for ages and generations… Christ in you, the hope of glory.” There’s a way in man that leads him to God, but man doesn’t know it. He thinks he’s completely awake and independent.137 ¶61

I can go back, oh, maybe thirty years ago and I would walk up Broadway, and it happened to me so often. I was young and strong; I was a dancer, a professional dancer. Not a thing was wrong with me. And yet I would walk up Broadway, and all of a sudden I knew that someone was arresting me, and I couldn’t walk. I would stop in the street, and I couldn’t put one foot in front of the other. I didn’t understand it then. Then I would be released, and I’d walk on. Then it would happen again; on the sidewalk I could not move, and I was fully alert, conscious, seemingly, but I was still.137 ¶62

And I know now that someone was doing to me then what I, years later, was taken in spirit to do to others. I was being trained and prepared to do the same thing to another that was done to me: I could not move. And yet I was playing on Broadway. I had my four little shows. I played every theater east of the Mississippi. I had my six Broadway shows. I was a strong, strapping fellow, dancing for a living, a professional dancer. And so not a thing was wrong with me, and yet I couldn’t move. Walking up the street, all alert, and suddenly I am still. I could feel something holding me, not embracing me, but I could feel something binding, and I couldn’t move. I stood there paralyzed. Then after a few minutes or so, whatever it was released me and I moved on.137 ¶63

So I was used as the guinea pig by someone who was being introduced to this power in himself, just as I, years later, used others as a guinea pig when I was being introduced to that same power.137 ¶64

“For as the Father has life in himself, so he grants the son also to have life in himself”—as he is about to awaken that son. And he knows it who is being ripened, for we all must conform to the image of the invisible God. When the image is coming into view in the eye of God, then he introduces that being, who’s going to be his son, to the power that he will exercise tomorrow. And so he takes him in spirit and shows him this fabulous world, and he has control over it.137 ¶65

And so what is the world? The world is a stage. And you are not the garment you are wearing, but I’ll recognize you. There’s a certain identity, a sameness of identity, and you and I will know each other in eternity. But for all this sameness of identity, there’s a radical but radical discontinuity of form. So this body of ours—face, yes; hands, yes; feet, yes, but not the body. You’re beautiful beyond your wildest dream!137 ¶66

Now let us go into the Silence.137 ¶67