Edna Lister created this sermon transcript for November 7, 1954, Cleveland, OH. Scribe: Ruth Johnson. Scriptures: Matthew 12:43-45 and Mark 5:2-13.

When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. – Matthew 12:43-45.

And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshiped him, and cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not. For he said unto him, Come out of the man, thou unclean spirit. And he asked him, What is thy name? And he answered, saying, My name is Legion: for we are many. And he besought him much that he would not send them away out of the country. Now there was there nigh unto the mountains a great herd of swine feeding. And all the devils besought him, saying, Send us into the swine, that we may enter into them. And forthwith Jesus gave them leave. And the unclean spirits went out, and entered into the swine: and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea, (they were about two thousand;) and were choked in the sea. – Mark 5:2-13.

The examples of Jesus' healing methods in the Gospels fall into four groups: Psychology, metaphysics, science and mysticism.

As a psychologist, Jesus healed by overcoming compulsions and obsessions in the psychological nature. Psychologists study mental and emotional causes of illness. Jesus healed not only the body, but the heart of subconscious emotions and mind by casting out evil spirits.

Jesus, as a metaphysician, healed by enticing people to completely surrender self. Jesus, as a scientist, healed by teaching people to assume responsibility, as he taught in the Beatitudes. Jesus, as a mystic, sought to invoke their ordinary faith in God to become the faith of God, which he then applied to heal them.

Jesus raised the dead, healed "the poor, and the maimed, and the halt, and the blind" – Luke 14:21, and cast out devils. Evil spirits are entities that you draw to yourself. If you have a "worst favorite," it forms a little cloud that sticks to your shoulder. These entities float along attached to you, and can envelop you in darkness until a great black cloud bogs you down. By using spiritual vision, you can see such clouds surrounding patients in a mental institution. These entities have no power in themselves, but they can press that one button that constantly irritates a soul.

When an "evil" or "unclean" spirit is cast out, the person is "empty, swept, and put in order" like a room after someone has moved. You cleanse it but must fill it again, for it is useless left empty. If an evil spirit cannot find a new home, it returns, and may move in, bringing seven more with it so it cannot be pushed out so easily again.

Evil spirits may be disembodied souls, entities, mental shadows that have no power to express themselves, or the "dweller on the threshold" of consciousness that someone has created. One entity attracts another until a cloud of them may cover a person. A man is possessed by an evil spirit if it moves in far enough to control his will. The Master cast out many evil spirits.

A disembodied soul, even one that has become an evil spirit, may call on God to be saved, if it still knows that it is a soul. The evil spirits that Jesus sent into swine were nearly mindless disembodied souls that could still think of self-preservation. They asked not to be destroyed or absorbed in Light, but begged him to live. They had sunk too low to build a body, but possessed one instead.

Jesus knew these souls had begged for mercy, and sent them into swine, which ran over a cliff into the sea. When the swine drowned, the soul substance was sent to high fires of purification. This story illustrates how to get rid of what ails you: Pour in Light from above.

You may not want to relinquish earth before you take up heavenly laws, but you must. As you cross the burning sands of the desert, you may wonder whether you have made the wrong choice. God has never stopped holding you from the instant you invoked His power of faith.

The Gates to Heaven open and you can climb higher after you have emptied body, heart and mind, moved up, and mated will to desire, which will recondition anyone's life. Pull out the old line to plug in a new line to the Source, and send an irresistible call for God's Power to descend through you.

Cross your hands over your breast and ask a blessing of the Lord. The "praying hands" gesture symbolizes devotion to God. Hold your hands high or as a chalice of Light to release full Power, and when you are ready, spread your arms and say, "Father, send me!"

Do not complain when a mess comes for lifting, or let anything spoil the bliss of soul ascension. Now is the time to gain greater comprehension of what loving is.

Emptying, sweeping and putting in order, your love of God for God has wiped out half the Armageddon. God cannot wipe out war, or He would destroy His own creations. He may not end war until His Elect stand before Him, fearless and doubtless, doing the work as Him.

You must surrender in devotion and acceptance. You, like a ship moored to the Light of God, are God's glory in action. Declare "Father, I love you," and see only the One Light.

The Master says, "Blessed art thou among the Elect. Thou art ascended. Thy spoken Word stands fast. I place a guard that thou canst not descend." Keep up your prayer efforts, for we, the Elect, pray in love as one.

Edna Lister created this sermon outline for June 12, 1960. Scriptures: Luke 11:14-26 and Luke 12:16-21.

Today's world is calling for signs to "show me," a world of casting out demons, devils and evil spirits a thousandfold greater than in the time of Christ. Groups are researching the spirit world, proving a life after death, and invoking spirits. Psychiatrists are relieving many of obsessions and possessions. Whole groups are searching to uncover evil, chicanery and treachery in high places. Individuals are digging around in their own subconscious basements for hidden evils.

This whole parable of the unclean spirit mainly deals with spiritual subtraction and division. Although you cannot have it both ways, the chapter illustrates how easy it is to divide and conquer. The opening and closing of these particular verses deal with two forms for casting out a "devil" and an "unclean spirit." We will deal with these later.

The main body of this text deals with Jesus' answer to the men who accused him of casting out devils in the name of Beelzebub, the chief devil. Others later tempted him by asking him to give them a sign.

His answer was clever, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and a house divided against a house falleth. If Satan also be divided against himself, how shall his kingdom stand? because ye say that I cast out devils through Beelzebub. And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your sons cast them out? therefore shall they be your judges." – Luke 11:17-19.

Logically, Jesus is doing good by casting out demons. If he does good, then he is not evil. Their own sons were also casting out demons, so if they call Jesus evil, their sons must be also.

If I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. – Luke 11:20. Notice, the Master reveals the way to add Power and to expand a healing vibration by using the finger of God. Meanwhile, he warns that expansion can subtract stability and substance.

When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: But when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armor wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils. – Luke 11:21-22. A palace is a place of soul integrity, a stronghold. Hold fast to your gains physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.

If you allow someone to use Power over you, you divide and waste your spoils, the treasures you have won by conquering self. A strong man holds onto his goods, which include faith, love and joy.

When you ask for something through soul, you must know you shall receive and be happy. The man "stronger than he" pops up with fear, worry, rebellion and resentment, and divides the spoils of glory.

Each time you give in to this, you dissipate the Power meant to do the work. You receive as much as you have built, minus the deductions in Power for your weaknesses. Half the time you let God, but half the time you still let "little me" run the show. This scatters your treasures.

The soul is alive right, but self is dead wrong. When you allow self to take charge, it uses Power, creating force. If you allow another to take over, he adds your share of Power to his and uses it. This leaves you weak.

Of the two examples of casting out, the first is a devil (demon) and the second is an unclean spirit. These are two distinct types.

The first devil was actually an entity that had taken possession of the victim's throat center of power for the spoken Word. When cast out, the mute person spoke. A healer could cast such an entity out by the shock method, which causes such surprise the result is instant speech.

An unclean spirit, on the other hand, does not take complete possession of a body. The entity is just interfering at times, urging idle words and curses, causing confusion, confrontations, and so on.

When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. – Luke 11:24-26.

A mind swept clean of old ideas, but as yet empty of new ideas, is inert, doing nothing. The unclean spirit gathered seven more, making eight, the number symbolizing the Power that ties earth to heaven. The unclean spirits knew that strength often lies in numbers. A weak person has little influence.

Thinking that you have paid all your debts to law is such an illusion. You return to an old situation only to find your past waiting to confront you, the same family, the same problems, the same complaints. You find that you have paid only the interest on them.

What has all this to do with Power? Power is vigor and energy, potential and kinetic energy, the ability to do or to act.

You have instant access to the Power to subtract all your weaknesses, and power to gather your scattered self. What counts is what you do with this ability to do and to act. For example, some butterflies are weak and timid and cling to the branch, fearful to fly away. Others are brave, strong and unafraid.

We live in a push-button age. Everything seems so easy, but the houses and offices must still be wired for power and light. By practice, you can learn how to use new machines and technology. Still, technical convenience is not enough is not enough to lift your mental, emotional and spiritual burdens.

Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. – Matthew 11:28-30.

Unless you are aware of self's push-buttons, it is like searching Grandma's cupboards in the dark for candles and matches when the power is out. Be aware every moment, and know how your push-buttons of faith, love, joy and strength are wired. Each is a power.

And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. – Luke 12:16-21.

Your measure of Power is your awareness of Power and how you put it to practice in ascension. You have the power to burn with fervency, and to see and hear spiritually. Yet, you also must be aware of the Power of beauty to appreciate the good. Exercise your power to expand and to love, to feel rich toward God.

This Edna Lister sermon transcript is dated June 12, 1960. Scribes: Ruth Johnson, Irene White and Virginia Whitehead. Scriptures: Luke 11:14-26 and Luke 12:16-21.

This story and parable deals with casting out demons and unclean spirits (devils and possessing entities). It is a most ambiguous passage, but we must integrate it, since it clearly applies right now. We are casting out more devils and unclean spirits now than ever. The Elect must release the world from persecuting demons such as anxiety and guilt complexes, which are among the worst.

Many people think Jesus relieved the world of all such, yet more unclean spirits roam the world today. Committees search for evil in the world, and all are releasing devils, as Jesus did. Psychiatrists relieve people of the little devils that beset them through private and group therapy. Ministers do it through prayer and spiritual advice.

Luke deals with these different kinds of possession, and mentions casting out devils in nine different places. Where a devil entity moves in and possesses, it deals with a possessing personality.

He was casting out a devil, and it was dumb. And it came to pass, when the devil was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people wondered. – Luke 11:14. After Jesus cast out a mute demon, the mute spoke. This story deals with the devils of multiple personalities. This man had allowed a floating entity to enter through his navel center. He was mute because the entity had possessed his throat center, which is the seat of power for the spoken Word.

Your voice contains twelve chromatic tones, which you use when you speak. The Master used tone as a shock method and produced an instantaneous reaction when he commanded the devil to "Come out." The man's soul reentered his body and instantly spoke in response. Jesus might well have said, "I come to possess when the devil has come out."

You must wear the whole armor of God and the breastplate of judgment, for without it, you attract a world vibration of evil. The "the people marveled" although many had seen Jesus cast out other devils. The family that fears a loved one is possessed needs a "sign" that their loved one is truly healed. Jesus had two goals here, to cast out devils and to give the family involved a sign to strengthen their faith.

When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he saith, I will return unto my house whence I came out. And when he cometh, he findeth it swept and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh to him seven other spirits more wicked than himself; and they enter in, and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. – Luke 11:24-26.

An "unclean spirit" deals with principle, the three phases of the One Mind within the person (subconscious, conscious and super-conscious) as in Luke 11:24-26. An unclean spirit describes subconscious mind possessing the soul. An unclean spirit is spiritual substance, but is not a living soul, such as the devil of personality that had moved in to possess the first man.

This chapter describes how to divide and conquer. Some believed in Jesus, yet others accused him of exorcizing in the name of Beelzebub, the chief of devils. Jesus knew their thoughts and that they were divided in opinion.

He taught them that "every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation" and every house divided falls. If Satan is divided against himself, how can he stand? Satan was dual-minded so his house had to fall, and it is still falling today.

The Master has separated us from evil. He alluded to their sons casting out demons to confuse his accusers. They could hardly admit their sons were not doing good, since he and they used the same Power.

If I cast out demons with the finger of God, surely the kingdom of God has come upon you. – Luke 11:20. If these men accepted that Jesus was working with the finger of God, and their sons were under God, they were admitting Jesus' authority and who o'ershadowed him. Jesus effectively proclaimed that the kingdom of God was now possessing them.

When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace. But when a stronger than he comes upon him and overcomes him, he takes from him all his armor in which he trusted and divides his spoils. – Luke 11:21-22. In Bible study, ponder where the emphasis is placed in a verse. Guard your body palace, which contains the conscious mind, the mental faculties, the foundation of New Jerusalem, the fortress, the holy place, the head.

If you guard these, you keep your palace in peace, but thieves can rob and divide the spoil. A stranger, who negatively persuades you, takes your armor first, but will soon take your hope, joy and faith, for your guilt complex will disturb your faith in God.

"He who is not with me is against me" describes a man damned with faint praise. God speaks as personality through personality to personality. Jesus might have said, "He who is not with God is against God." The crowd had no more questions after Jesus said, "He who does not gather with me scatters."

If you feel scattered in vibration, ascend in consciousness, reach out with arms of Light, gather your scattered soul substance and negative emotions. Lift your life sparks for cleansing, and declare, "Let this be cleansed and returned to Thy servant. I am that good, I AM. I am that Light, I AM. I am that Love, I AM."

Jesus then taught them about the man healed of an unclean spirit. Fears, doubts, self-pity, pride, opinions and prejudices, all negative vibrations he had allowed, filled and "possessed" his subconscious mind.

Healed, he was converted and perfectly free, but was not grateful enough. He did not take an offering to the temple, or turn to God and fill himself with the Holy Breath by praising. Jesus freed the man's subconscious mind, yet he had to speak the word for Light to absorb the misused Power and Substance of his idle words and emotions that waited on a cloud.

You must ascend high enough in consciousness for the glory of God to fill you after you are healed. Unless you do, your last curse's cloud of negativity will find other unclean spirits, form an entity army and return. Thus, "The last state of that man is worse than the first."

For instance, a man formed spiritual debts with his family. He moved away, unwilling to work it out. He made good in his new place, returned home and was shocked to find that his debts awaited him, for he had paid only the interest.

He could have paid those debts if he had not blamed his wife. Had they prayed together, they could have lifted everything onto a cloud continent of Light.

You cannot pay your debts by changing your mental address, or run from a situation, for it will always catch up with you. Pay the soul debts you created with negative thoughts.

Let the Power of the River of Life flow through and change you. Power is vigor and energy, the ability to do or to act. Like a chameleon, you have power to change the colors of your aura when you move from self-pity to praising God.

People say, "This taxes my strength." If you use only your small power, it is taxing. Draw on God's infinite Power as divine action through you. Make Power a soul faculty, not just a remote Emanation or a squib of physical energy. Use the term "power" as encouragement, as in "more power to you," which evokes the other fellow's full Power faculty of judgment and leadership.

My yoke is easy and my burden is Light. – Matthew 11:30. Jesus never said how hard it would be to get that burden of self up and onto the altar. You must ascend in consciousness to be healed. Put your burden on the altar and make it Light. Stay up and fill your consciousness with the love of God so "it" will not return. Let go and let God.

One day we watched several butterflies emerge from the chrysalis. The instant each butterfly learned to let go, it flew. All flew away except one that was too timid. We prayed for a breeze and he spread his vividly beautiful wings and fluttered away.

Power's action is automatic. You get results the minute you let go and let God. What good is this marvelous Power unless you are aware of its magnificence? When you accept, you know that Power moves forth as you. Soul is alive right. Self is dead wrong.

What is your measure of Power? Are you aware of what love can do when you conquer self? You must become aware of the Power, beauty, joy and expansive quality of conquering. Love does all else when you conquer self.

How much of the beauty you see around you becomes yours? How aware are you of the many blessings you receive each day? Family is a blessing, though they seem to pick on you sometimes. When they prune your flaws, they cast out your devils.

What is your measure of Power? How you act, what you think, what you do determines your measure of Power, which is the quantity of your love, appreciation, gratitude and joy, the riches you can bring God.

Edna Lister created this sermon outline for October 11, 1964, Cleveland, OH. Scripture: Matthew 12:38-50

Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? And who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. – Matthew 12:38-50.

Mercy is defined as "compassion shown by one to another who is in his power and has no claim to kindness." So-called mercy is not mercy when it carries an obligation of responsibility.

The temple rulers and politicians of the day were already plotting against Jesus, setting traps while trying to catch him breaking their laws. The old sects obeyed the Law of Moses with a rigid rabid devotion to the letter of that law. Further, they had fenced the law 'round about with a thicket of oral traditions that they had given the force of law.

Jesus' teachings revived the spirit of the law, and added mercy to the strict judgment. The common people were uneducated and needed simple stories and allegories to teach them truth. They worked hard and had no time or desire to fast or pray ritually.

Jonas is the Greek spelling of Jonah, whose story is based on historical fact. Jonah was traveling to his hometown, where he was an unimportant nobody. Would Jesus tell them that he had stopped over on an island to take time to fast and pray? No! The whale story caught their imagination. The people loved it, believed it, and they listened.

Nothing separates the story of Jonah and that of the queen of the south, not even a paragraph. Jesus was joining the verses in an invisible, mystical relationship. Jonah was a son of man who spent three days and three nights in the whale's belly. The three days represent the outer world, while the three nights symbolize the inner. Nineveh represents the doctrine of reincarnation. The queen of the south represents the mother or sister aspects of the feminine principle.

Immediately, the Scripture switches to the parable of the unclean spirit, which tells a story of possession. From there, it moves to the narrative of Jesus' mother and brothers wishing to speak with him.

The men of Nineveh had repented after hearing Jonah's message. To repent shows that you believe the message. We must remember, must recall the Christ message now.

Jonah represents the man of earth, casting off fear, but learning. Solomon represents the wisdom and knowledge of ascending man. Jesus represents the descending begotten creator god.

The queen of the south refers to the queen of Sheba, but brings the feminine vibration into the narrative. Jesus came, in part, to open the way for womanhood to be freed of the shackles of being mere chattel goods.

Jesus words from the cross opened the vibration of the universal Mother: When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! – John 19:26-27.

You must open intuition and illumination as soul faculties. The queen of Sheba represents the lower pole of love as intuition at the sacrum plexus. Solomon represents the higher pole of illumination in the head.

The man cleansed of an unclean spirit was freed of possession, and his mind was "swept and garnished." He was thrilled to be freed, but did not praise enough to fill the space created when Jesus evicted the possessing entity.

The unclean spirit could do nothing without a vehicle, so it wandered about collecting more entities like itself. It returned to its former home with a new "family," and repossessed its former dwelling.

You must not allow yourself to be possessed by anything, whether people, appetites, emotions or thoughts. Jesus announced that he had no mother or brothers; he did not possess or permit others to possess him.

Judgment and mercy equal responsibility. To exercise good judgment, you must be free, not possessed. Mercy means not possessing anyone, but leaving others free of you. Yet, you must stretch forth your hand and claim brotherhood.

This Edna Lister sermon transcript is dated October 11, 1964, Cleveland, OH. Scribes: Ruth Johnson and Irene White. Scripture: Matthew 12:38-50.

The scribes and the Pharisees wanted proof of his mission from Jesus, and said, "Master, give us a sign." Instead, Jesus spoke of Jonah and the whale, saying that a greater prophet than Jonah and Solomon was among them. Then he asked, "Who is my mother? Who are my brothers?" Gesturing to his disciples, he claimed them all as his family, mother, sisters, brothers.

These verses in Matthew contain several heterogeneous ideas. The books of the Old and New Testaments are paragraphed, but these verses run together as a single topic.

The temple's hierarchy of administrators had been trying to get Jesus, to gather evidence of law-breaking to convict him. As strict religious conservatives, they were rigid. Jesus was not. He added the spirit of the law to the letter, while his opponents held fast to their mental block in interpretation.

One outstanding facet of Jesus' mission was that he had to train twelve ignorant men in psychiatry and spirituality, all in three and a half years. No one else has ever done this. The records of the New Testament answers all psychiatric problems. The disciples were able to answer all questions, and cover every frailty.

The baiting reporters of today like the scribes and Pharisees who hounded Jesus. Earlier in this chapter of Matthew, Jesus had strongly reprimanded the Pharisees for accusing him of serving Beelzebub.

Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand: And if Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself; how shall then his kingdom stand? And if I by Beelzebub cast out devils, by whom do your children cast them out? therefore they shall be your judges. But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. – Matthew 12:25-28.

When Jesus taught publicly, he had to speak to the common people as well as to his disciples. As he spoke to people, he also wanted to whet his disciples' curiosity so they would ask questions later, when he instructed them alone in the mystical aspect of religion.

His parables are mystical in content and symbolic in their statements. Just as you must go beyond the letter of the law to seek its meaning, so you must look past the surface meaning of the symbols in a parable.

For example, Jesus used Jonah, the men of Nineveh and Solomon as symbols. When he mentioned Jonah and Solomon he said and "a greater man is here." God sent Jonah as a disciple to convert the people of Nineveh, but he fled in fear of that mission. Jesus told the tale as an allegory. His whopper of a story of spending three days and nights in the belly of a whale had made Jonas a hero and people loved to hear the tale.

Jonah represents the initiations of lifting fear, and bearing witness to the truth. Solomon represents wisdom, and the ascension of the son of man. When Jesus said, "a greater is here," he was referring to himself as the high descended Son of God, the creator, which illustrated the three great phases of life, and their relationships for his disciples.

The men of Nineveh were like the news reporters today. Some are calling the world to judgment on good things, such as those who call us to God in public life. The well-known evangelists, who teach the message of Jesus, are also like the men from Nineveh. Jesus spoke of reincarnation to the twelve, showing them that they had been among those men at one time, and revealing the relationship between the past and the present and that they had lived before.

The Queen of the South represents the Motherhood of God and Love expressing itself on earth in all perfection. The Queen of Sheba, the queen of the south referred to here, had been a descended creator, as was Solomon. They had met to exchange views and to learn wisdom for one another.

The Queen of Sheba represents the sacrum plexus, so she exemplifies the queen of desire and love. Desire ascends and mates with wisdom, as symbolized by King Solomon. The Queen represents the pituitary gland and intuition, while Solomon represents the pineal body and illumination. So in this parable, Jesus was talking about the life and expression of mankind.

Jesus knew that when he spoke of evil spirits, he would interest the crowd, for nearly everyone could understand or was familiar with demonic possession. In the parable, the possessed man was so glad to be rid of the evil spirit that he boasted, but put nothing in its place. The dispossessed evil spirit wandered around loose and attracted more spirits of a similar degree and kind.

Mental hospitals are filled with people who are more than mentally ill, who are possessed. We have also seen cases of brainwashed prisoners of war who have been forced into being possessed. This cannot happen when you praise and love God enough. Faith in and love of God are the greatest protection any soul could have. As Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me." – John 14:6.

When his mother Mary and his brothers came to see him, Jesus denied them as his only family and named his disciples and followers as his family and brothers. Thus, he established the brotherhood of man under the Father.

Mercy is an all-comprehending quality of compassion that reaches out to all, even to one who does not seem to deserve it. The rulers and officials of the synagogue had no mercy. From cross, Jesus said, "Woman, behold thy son," referring to John, and thus he opened a new era for womanhood.

An opinionated boor is possessed by ideas to the exclusion of all new thinking. Parents may possess their children and some spouses possess their mates. Allow no one and nothing to possess you. Good judgment teaches you not to possess. Instead, dispossess yourself of others and dispossess them of you.

Jesus, in apparently repudiating his mother and brothers, was showing them that he had freed them. He was merciful, and did not possess them. The quality of mercy is closely linked to the quality of compassion. The men of Nineveh had sat in judgment. They were reincarnated among the disciples and followers of Jesus. Good, bad and indifferent, they have incarnated again and are among us today.

We have had God and government so long that our government is filled with corruption. We need God as government, a President who is a man under God. Prepare the way for whoever is elected to become a servant of God. Keep Light in the President's chair in the Oval Office.

Leave your home in the morning for work filled with the quality of mercy. Each of you women is a Queen of Love, just as each man is a King Solomon, the Wisdom that expresses the life of God. Declare all those who are elected political office as sons and daughters of God. Declare that only the divine fire of love can move in to possess everyone everywhere. Love them as triumphant souls, consecrated to the Father.

Edna Lister created this sermon outline for February 7, 1965, Tacoma, WA. Scripture: Matthew 12:38-50.

From the time Jesus opened his ministry, the Sadducees had sent temple spies to follow him, seeking information that they could use to condemn him. They never ceased hounding him, trying to trap him from every angle. They hindered him from the start.

Jesus taught in parables for two reasons, to keep the temple spies from knowing exactly what he meant, leaving them confused by their interpretations, and to unveil the mysteries, which he must unfold for his disciples. Working according to a precise plan, he knew that he had little more than three years in which to train twelve men to carry on his work of Ascension, which he founded 2,000 years ago, and which grows greater year by year.

He always unfolded the mystical meanings of what he had taught in public at night, after the crowds were gone. Thus, a chapter may seem to be a mass of unrelated facts and thus, so many interpretations abound.

The scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonah: For as Jonah was in the whale's belly three days and three nights, so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold, a greater than Jonah is here. The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: for she came from the uttermost parts of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here. – Matthew 12:38-42.

To understand this text, you need to relate all these scattered statements, and integrate them into a whole. Jesus answered the scribes and Pharisees with the story of Jonah, then immediately mentioned the queen of the south and Solomon in the same verse to confuse them with historical facts. Later, he unfolded the mysteries to his disciples.

The queen of the south represents the Love principle, as desire, arising in consciousness to mate with Solomon, who symbolizes Wisdom. Thus, intuition and illumination open the "I AM" consciousness.

The love of Jesus the Christ, which brings the glory of oneness with all beauty, is love. Loveliness is the full illumination of Light.

The story of an evil spirit illustrates something from the outside possessing a soul. For instance, some husbands possess their wives, mothers may possess their children, and brothers and sisters may possess each another. Yet you can neither possess another soul, nor may you allow it.

You must stand free and illumined to have Power use you. You cannot be weak or demanding, but must be positive, dynamic, under a brisk, vital, alert love, the servant of all God's Power.

Turn on the heat. Otherwise, the Power you release is so diluted, it goes just across the street, not being strong enough to vitalize, project or to heal.

Love is a power. Love is the substance of which beauty is made.