Episode 44: Contemplating Jesus

“Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17:21) “For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light” (Matthew 11:30). “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou have shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret, shall reward you openly” (Matthew 6:6). “He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given” (Matthew 13:11).

These scriptures all point to a mystical understanding of Jesus Christ and his mission. At his core, Jesus is the mediator of our atonement with God, our guide and spiritual mentor to the transformed inner life of discipleship, and revealer of our divine nature. In this episode, Riley and Christopher welcome former chaplain and Institute director Philip G. McLemore to discuss the wisdom of Jesus, his mediation, message, and atonement. We discuss the difference between doing and being in the context of discipleship and the transformative power of “inner work.” For those interested in mystical union with God, Jesus doesn’t just point the way, he is The Way.