Living New Church Day by Day

QR [View Printable Page] Home \ About Us \ Current Worship Material \ Archived Messages: 2006-11 \ Archives for 2008 \ Aug-Sept, 2008 \ Living New Church Day by Day

August 10, 2008

Welcome to today's worship service by the on-line Swedenborgian community.

Light a Candle

Open a Bible

OPENING SONG
Day by Day

READINGS

FROM THE BIBLE
I have yet many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. But when it shall come, the Spirit of Truth, it will guide you into all truth... These things I have spoken to you in parables; but the hour is coming when I will no more speak to you in parables, but will announce to you plainly concerning the Father. (John 16:12-13, 25)

FROM SWEDENBORG
Since the Lord cannot manifest Himself in Person... and nevertheless has foretold that He was to come and establish a new church, which is the New Jerusalem, it follows that He will do this by means of a man, who is able not only to receive these doctrines in his understanding but also to publish them by the press. That the Lord manifested Himself before me, His servant, and sent me to this office, that He afterward opened the eyes of my spirit and thus introduced me into the spiritual world and granted me to see the heavens and the hells, and to talk with angels and spirits, and this now continuously for several years, I affirm in truth; as also that from the first day of that call I have not received anything whatever pertaining to the doctrines of that church from any angel, but from the Lord alone while I have read the Word. (True Christian Religion #79)

MESSAGE

Living New Church: Day by Day

INTRODUCTION:
Imagine that it’s the summer of 1844, and you’re chatting with a neighbor over tea.

One of the topics that might come up is that the world did not end on March 21st despite the convictions of a traveling preacher named William Miller. He believed that he had used scripture to calculate the date that Christ would return to earth to rule for 1,000 years. He was certain it would be March 21, 1844.

When March 21st came and went, Miller was not discouraged. "I confess my error," He said, "and acknowledge my disappointment; yet I still believe that the day of the Lord is near, even at the door; and I exhort you, my brethren, to be watchful, and not let the day come upon you unawares." He and his followers re-calculated, and realized that actually the date was Oct. 22nd. When that day, too, came and went; many in the movement turned away from Miller.

However, fascination with calculating the date of Christ’s return did not end there. Many of Miller’s followers, called Millerites, continued to explore the topic. Ellen Harmon White, from Gorham ME, had visions that were instrumental in starting the 7th Day Adventists.

John Nelson Darby of the Plymouth Brethren in 1827 advocated dispensationalism, that there be a second 2nd coming – Jesus would come twice. The first time would “rapture” true believers to heaven while every one else suffered 7 years of tribulation.

Perhaps you recognize some of these themes from the series of books called “left behind” which are popular fictionalizations of the ending in this framework.

So, back to our cup of tea in 1844 with your neighbor who is waiting for Jesus to return at any time. Perhaps your neighbor is concerned that the world will end on Oct. 22nd. As one who is familiar with Swedenborg’s writings, what might you say to your neighbor?

SWEDENBORG’S NEW CHURCH:
You could quote True Christianity, #772

That this second coming of the Lord does not take place for the purpose of destroying the visible heaven and habitable earth, has been shown in the preceding section. That it is not for the purpose of destroying anything, but to build up, consequently not to condemn but to save those who since His first coming have believed in Him and also those who may hereafter believe in Him, is evident from these words of the Lord.

You could point out that the final judgment took place in 1757 and the 2nd coming June 19, 1770. They were spiritual events.

Of course you wouldn’t have Steve Koke’s book, but we do;

He wrote;

For Swedenborg, the central meaning of the Christian millennium, the Second Coming of the Lord, was a coming of new light and consciousness through an awareness of the multiple levels of meaning in the Word and therefore, in the human soul that it covertly models .. and The millennium in which the saved shall reign with God for a thousand years was for Swedenborg not a thousand-year period, but a state of conjunction with God.

You might point out that if you are waiting for Jesus to come back to end evil in the world, then one might focus more on the future than the present. You may not feel a lot of motivation to live in the world and in the present.

Being "New Church," however, means to you that you are helping to create heaven on earth; a world where all religious paths are accepted-- not by their beliefs, but for how people live their lives.

You might point out that Swedenborgians aren't just hanging out waiting for Jesus to come back. Because he has/is/will come, you are striving to create heaven right here on earth.

WHAT DO WE DO ON A DAILY BASIS?
Perhaps the neighbor will ask you: “what does being 'New Church' mean for the living of your life on a daily basis? What do you do that is different from what others do? How are you creating heaven on earth?"

Of course, you wouldn't have Wilson Van Dusen's writings. But if you did, you could quote him. Swedenborgian psychologist and mystic Wilson Van Dusen talks about “pristine awareness” which he says is “like a mirror that you can pick up and turn all ways to see all things. The mirror merely reflects, as pristine awareness reflects the eternal. …in pristine awareness you feel meaningful engagement … ‘you cannot meet pristine awareness until you are open to being influenced and rearranged.

Van Dusen looks to Buddhism to find some stories to illustrate his point:

“A student is in a hurry for satori [enlightenment]. He says he will do thus and so, and the master says then it will take five years. The student promises much more effort and the master says then it will take ten years! Effort lengthens the process and it makes it harder.

A student asked ‘Where is the Buddha nature?’ The master answered simply ‘The tree in the courtyard.’ .. The answer to the question, ‘where is the Buddha nature is ‘nearby, in sight. It is the life you .. you are overlooking as you ask the question.

Van Dusen is especially moved by this:

When love is present and acting on hatred, there
Comes in its place
A pristine cognition that is like a mirror,
And the founding stratum of meaningful engagement
Is present
Longchenpa, Kindly Bent to East Us

Perhaps what is most important is simply that love be present in our lives, and acting on hatred.

Buddhist teacher Pema Chodron says:

Enlightenment is not something we're going to achieve after we follow the instructions, and then get it right. In fact when it comes to awakening the heart and mind, you can't get it right.

On this journey we're moving toward that which is not so certain, that which cannot be tied down, that which is not habitual and fixed. We're moving toward a whole new way of thinking and feeling, a flexible and open way of perceiving reality that is not based on certainty and security. This new way of perceiving is based on connecting with the living energetic quality of ourselves and everything else.

Bodhicitta is our means of tapping into this awakened energy and we can start by tapping into our emotions. We can start by connecting very directly with what we already have. Bodhicitta is particularly available to us when we feel good heart; when we feel gratitude, appreciation or love in any form whatsoever. In any moment of tenderness or happiness, bodhicitta is always here.

So perhaps the point here is that we can't actually strive to do life right. The more we "try" in the usual sense of the word, the more stuck we will feel. We need to let go of whatever stands in our way.

We still haven’t answered the question ”what do we do on a daily basis?”

George Dole wrote:

“The central implication of the holographic model in the area of ethics is both simple and radical. If I am a microcosm of the whole, this has consequences for my entire concept of the self-other relationship. The only ‘you’ I know is the ‘you’ within my consciousness. I do indeed love my neighbor as I love myself, and vice versa, because my neighbor participates in my being.”

He also adds that “every polarity that exists in the world exists within me.” He therefore comes to an astounding realization: “In the holographic model, doing [anything] on the personal scale and doing it on the global scale are inseparable.”

So, Dole perhaps is suggesting that our holographic theology leads us a new way of perceiving who we are, and our relationship with everyone and everything else.

Shalem Institute writes about "contemplation" and says:
Stated simply, the classical tradition understands contemplation as a loving quality of presence in which one is open to things just as they are in the present moment.

Where does action fit into this?

In this understanding, contemplation is in no way opposed to action. In fact, our sense is that truly effective, responsive action in the world needs to be undergirded and informed by contemplative awareness.

Also, although silence and solitude play a role in the contemplative life, contemplation does not mean withdrawing from the world. On the contrary, it is a responsive, participative presence in and with God, oneself, one's neighbors, and all creation.

So, if we ask “what do we do on a daily basis?"” we’re asking the wrong question. Perhaps it’s about BEING every day. Being in relationship with the Divine and with the entire web of existence. And allowing the "being-ness" to guide us into the world to live out who we are. That's what the New Church is all about. It's not about having a particular religious faith. It's about being present with Love day by day.

OFFERING

You are invited to visit our "collection plate."

CLOSING SONG
"I have a dream" from Momma Mia, the movie