Annotated Transcript Q353

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(Editor’s note: This annotation is only of Part 2 of Q 353, a 1972 Sermon.)

Jones: — and without it, the universe is a mess. God is no respecter of persons, is the law of scripture (Acts 10:34, “Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons.”). Now if it wasn’t for reincarnation, then would someone being crippled and someone being poor and someone being rich and someone being a have-not and someone being a have, (Voice drops) the world could never say, the Scripture could never say, God was no respecter of persons because we know in one lifetime, some people don’t get a fair shake. They don’t get a fair shake. (Voice rises to ministerial cadence) But if you’ve lived five, ten, or fifteen lives, maybe you’ve been a king yesterday and now you’re a common servant because you did not learn. (Voice lowers) You did not carry the laws of power and responsibility well. Then you can see at least some shaping up of equality. (Voice rises) Without it, you might as well check God off. (Chastises) You better listen to me. Some of you never got this teaching. You want healing. You’ll never get healing till you understand the truth. It isn’t my hand that sets you free, it is my truth. (Voice rises to ministerial cadence) Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free. Not maybe, but will set you free (John 8:32, “And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”).

Scattered applause

Jones: No two ways about it, the truth set you free. (Pause) And I don’t often teach, but when I do, they’re precious gems for your consciousness, and you better listen to them closely, because they’re the keynote to salvation. (Pause) How long will you halt between two opinions, the opinion of self that says hold on to all that you’ve got. Give a dollar here, or five dollars there, or ten dollars there, and have your color TV at home, and your clothes that you don’t need. You know I — You’ve got to live like Father walks. I have put on Christ, you see. I have followed after the example of Christ. When you see me, (Pause) (Quiet) that’s the mystery. That’s the mystery. (Voice rises to ministerial cadence) It’s no longer Jim Jones here. I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ that lives here (Galatians 2:20, “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.”). Now Christ is in this body, because I don’t own cars or land. Money does not possess me. I’ve adopted children, I’ve given given given, I only keep money as a means of exchange to help those that have come to me for salvation.

Crowd: Applause. That’s right.

Jones: I don’t have any expensive clothes. No rings, though my people would give me diamonds if I were to have them. I have no watches, though they would’ve given me watches watches, and I turn around and let them go for the cause. I have no new car, never have, I’ve never bought a pair of new shoes, and you say I want to get Father’s blessing. You will not get Father, you will not get Christ in Jim Jones’ blessing until you walk like Jim Jones, until you talk like Jim Jones, until you act like Jim Jones, until you look like Jim Jones.

Crowd: Applause

Jones: (Cries) How long will I be with you until you understand that I am no longer a man, but a principle. I am the way, the truth and the light. No one can come to the Father but by me (John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”). If you have known me, you wouldn’t be here tonight. So now’s your opportunity. If you’ve known me in the beginning (voice lowers gradually), you would have known me and the Father. (Voice rises again) I am the Father all one, also henceforth you do know him, the Father, because you have seen him, have I been with you so long that you know not who is in your midst? How long do I have to look out upon you, Phillip? How long do I have to look out, and I see Phillip here tonight. (Voice cracks with strain) How long do I have to look at Phillip? (Claps hands) How long do I have to look at you, John? (Claps hands) How long do I have to look at you, Peter, and say, I have been with you so long, and you know not who I am.

Crowd: Applause.

Jones: (Firm voice) Either get with it or hit the road. (Pause) This is God’s house. There’ve been four people drop dead, or started the process of death in the last two weeks, one of them a white sister setting right here in the second row, she can tell you, don’t, don’t underestimate the power that’s here. (Voice raises) I’d advise you to get out of this house, because the power is so strong here, it could slay you like I did, and (unintelligible phrase). (Pause) I’d give everyone a kindly word that does not enter into this consciousness, because the power’s on you, and when you touch God, you have touched a live wire that will destroy you and all his adversaries.

Crowd: Applause

Jones: (Speaks in tongues) (Voice rises in ministerial cadence) Try not to figure out my, my calling in your own understanding. You have not suffered enough. You have not walked through the dens of thieves. You’ve not gone into the prisons for someone that’s been kicked, some of you wouldn’t even go for your own wife.

Two voices: Right.

Jones: Some of you have not even been true to your own wife, like one I’m looking at. You lollygagging, languishing whoremonger.

Crowd: Delayed applause

Jones: So you could not understand my spirit. I have given everything. I would die for everyone in this room, not to mention the children that are close to the heart of God, not to mention the disciples of the Christ. I would go even for you that are followers of Paul, I would die for you. So you could not understand me. Someone said Wednesday, I did not understand what you were doing. How could you understand, because you are in another plane, you’ve not yet reached to that which I am.

Crowd: Applause

Jones: How could you know what I’m doing? You never want to worry about it, just take it and be gracious to take it, as one sister did. (Conversational) Two or three asked that question. One sister asked me directly — that was the place to ask me — Sister Joy asked me directly. But don’t wonder about God. (Ministerial cadence) Who are you to figure out the mind of God? Who are you to figure out the ways of God? Who can know the mind of God? His ways are so high above your ways, that they’re unfathomable, so far out of your reach. (Pause) Who can know the ways of God, but the God ideal himself? (Weary tone) I don’t understand this reference to you as God. (Pace livens) Then you don’t understand Scripture, you shouldn’t have been here in the first place. Jesus said, when they wanted to crucify him, he said, it is written. They were going to kill him for the same thing they want to kill me for, and they want to kill you for, because we call this a Godship degree. We won’t let anybody take that away from us, we’re in the Godship Academy. We’re in the Fathership School. And we’re not going to change that, no matter how many news articles come out. God is here, and he’s here to stay.

Crowd: Applause

Jones: Peace. Peace. You don’t know your right hand from your left. You show it by your ignorance. When they were going to take Jesus, He said, for what good work do you take me? Some people say, I — you’re not just like Jesus, you’ve not done everything He’s done.

Crowd: Groans from audience

Jones: Well, I wouldn’t — I wouldn’t be too quick to say that Jesus is doing any less today than He did then, because in fact, He said, these things shall you do, and greater  (John 14:12, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”), because I have come as a Nazarene. And the next time I come, He said, it’ll be greater. (Pause) I don’t ask you what you’re up to. Jesus said — Jesus said there in the Scripture — He said, for what good work do you stone me? Jesus wasn’t even sure why they were stoning Him. So He asked them a question, (claps hands) for what good work do you stone me? He didn’t have as much discernment in that consciousness as some of you know is here today. Jesus said, what good work do you stone me? And that blasphemer said, why not for any good work, (Pause) (softens tone) but because you being a man, make yourself God. And then Jesus said, with such direction and such power, He said, well, it is written, to whom the scripture says, Come and it cannot be broken, (slow and emphatic) Ye are all gods (John 10:32-35). (Voice rises) I wouldn’t allow this to be removed. I am God, and so shall you become God. If you take a likeness, a picture, and reproduce it of this likeness and this spirit in you, you reproduce a greater picture. Oh, God is on the scene and God intends to remain on the scene. And he will never remove from the scene.

Crowd: Applause

Jones: So glad God Almighty is here, so glad that we don’t have to talk.

Crowd: Applause

Jones: (Soft voice) (Unintelligible word) Hallelujah. (Pause) Asking the same ridiculous questions, you know, then ask — yeah, they used to ask in the (unintelligible word), well, why don’t you fast? (Voice rises to ministerial cadence) Said, well, you don’t need to fast when the bridegroom’s here (Mark 2:19, “And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bridechamber fast, while the bridegroom is with them? as long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast.”). Some ass says, well, you don’t pray. You don’t pray to heaven. Why would we pray, when the captain of our salvation, the healer of all healers, the deliverer of the (unintelligible word), the Beginning and the End, why would we would bother to pray, when he’s already here, and sees us, and knows our cry before we call, hears our call before we ask. He’s aware. We don’t have to tell God anything. (Pause) You ignorant people, you don’t know your right hand from your left. (Pause) Same stupid idiot prevailed in the day of Jesus, they said to Jesus, why don’t you fast? He said, you don’t fast (voice lowers) when the bridegroom is in the house. You don’t fast when the bridegroom’s here. (Voice rises) You don’t pray when the bridegroom’s here. When the Father’s here, who do you have to pray to? You don’t have to get on your knees anymore. When God has appeared, when he’s come in the likeness of mortal flesh, you don’t have to pray anymore.

Crowd: Applause

Jones: (Lower tone) Hallelujah hallelujah. Hallelujah hallelujah. (Pause) [Jesus] Said the time’s gonna come when you no longer pray to me, you’ll speak to the Father directly. [He] Said you’ll no longer ask me to go to the Father, but you’ll speak to the Father directly. We’re not in a praying house here, we’re in a speaking house. The Spoken Word is here. The Word is made flesh. We don’t pray and beg anymore, we don’t grovel around on our knees anymore, we can talk to God face-to-face, and we can hear God with our own ears, and with our own understanding. (Pause) (Softly) So glad that I know this truth. (Pause) The words that I say to you, I do not speak on my own unders — authority or understanding. The Father dwells in me, he’s doing the speaking. But when you see your Father, you see me, you’ve seen the Father, and vice versa. (Pause) If you just believe in me, I can give you the keynote to salvation. I’ve got it. I’ve got it. (Pause) You just believe in me.

Crowd: Applause

Jones: This is a treasure hidden here in vessels. And we don’t want to go back on light. It’s too precious. It’s too precious. I swear to you that, this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel. This is that which was and is to come. (Voice strengthens and rises) This is your salvation. You are looking at the Temple of the Holy Ghost. You are looking at the body of Jesus Christ. (Cries) Some are in the room, are sick and asleep because they don’t discern the body of Christ. They don’t understand the Godship degree. Jesus said, we all are gods, and I had to come back to remind you what I told you 2000 years ago. I’m on the scene to tell you, ye are gods.

Crowd: Applause

Jones: (Voice normal) And not take it away. Won’t let you take it away. So don’t be judges of the fact, that my people say I am God. Jesus said, ye are gods. Ye all are gods. Matthew 5 said (unintelligible phrase) clear, unalterably clear, (slow for emphasis) ye are gods (John 10:34, “Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods?”; citing Psalm 82:6, “I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.”). So why shouldn’t I, who have raised the dead, I, who never ask any question, I don’t say, for what good work do you stone me, I told you, before September 16 came, what Reverend [Lester] Kinsolving was going to do. I told you what the newspaper was going to say, what it was going to do to us — not in detail, word for word — but I told you what was going to come on September 16. I told you. I didn’t ask anyone, so this is a greater day than the day of Nazareth.

Crowd: Applause and cheers.

Jones: (Ministerial monotone) And I’m telling you this evening, that if you don’t free yourself of mortality, you’ll be back here again and again and again, (voice rises) and you’ll have to toil with this body again, and it’ll be crucified before you again, and I always will be crucified, I know that. I’ll tell you now, I will not always be with you, (softens) not in this body, but I will always be crucified for you. And there will be those that will deny me, you’re shouting with the heights of glory tonight, but when they come to make their false charges and accusations, when the man and the system comes, they want to (stumbles over words) (voice calms) destroy, to uproot this divine economy, because capitalistic indulgence imperialism is threatened by this apostolic sharing. When they finally come, some of you will say, I never knew him. Some of you’ll be asleep on that awesome morning, and you’ll say, I can’t stay up, it’s too hard. (Sad tone) Just like they did — Just like some of you did in the garden, when I looked out and said, wouldst you not tarry an hour with me? Can’t you stay awake just an hour? Just an hour? And people were sawing wood all over that little walled garden. Please don’t lose your soul. (Voice strengthens) This is no funny trip. This is not the amusement park. This is not funhouse lane. This is the death-of-self movement. This is the denied life. If any man would come after me, let him first take up his cross. You can’t hang my cross around you. You can’t hang Jesus’ cross. You ought to yank those little old gold crosses off — the idea of putting a gold cross on your neck. Jesus died on splintered wood, and it wasn’t even a cross, it was a key-shaped piece. Just a key piece. And his head hung low over it. It wasn’t a cross like that, it was like that. When you hang a gold cross around your neck, I’d yank that idolatry off, I’d jerk it off now and throw it (stumbles over words) side, they’ve got you poisoned to think that the cross of gold or Mary’s heart or thorns of Jesus’ brow is going to do anything for you. You can’t do anything through Jesus’ cross. I said, as I said then in that Bible, if any man would come after me, (voice rises) let him take up his own cross and deny himself. Sell what you have. Enter into cooperative living. Get rid of all those wares that you will let possess you (Numerous commands of Jesus in Gospels, including Matthew 19:21, Mark 10:21, Luke 12:33, and Luke 18:22). (Voice softens) Surely you know a man of my strength could get all I wanted in this land if I wanted it. I could have a fine Cadillac out there, but I don’t own any car. I could have a new car waiting for me anytime I wanted it. (Pause) But I came to bring the spirit of sharing and the spirit of caring. How many will follow me? Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. I have not mourned. You better start learning. Have you mourned over Vietnam? Have you mourned over the blacks that are being cut down like dogs, because they want justice? Have you mourned over the poor, pitiful Indians as you travel through the areas of New Mexico and Dakotas, that only live to be 42 years of age? Have you mourned over suffering humanity? I’ve heard it said, this is a time of joy. It’s a time of joy, only after you’ve learned to mourn, and some of you have never cried for anyone. You only cried for yourself. You’ve only cried, you’re here tonight, you want me to heal you, you’re crying over your ache and pain. When I walk down the aisles, and I will, and I’ll call out the sick, and I will, and I’ll take growths away, and I always do, and as I did last night, cause a paralyzed woman to get her strength and to run and dance (pause) as I always do, I will continue that spirit, but there’ll be those that’ll pass me and say, (crotchety voice) “My nose. My toes. My knee. My aching back.” (Voice rises) You won’t ever get any help from me, because you cannot come here with that consciousness. It’s not to mourn over yourself. It’s not to mourn over your own stomach pain. I have borne all your pains from the beginning. I’m in constant pain from the top of my fingertips — to the top of my head to the bottom of my toes. When I enter into a congregation, I take your infirmities into my body. If anybody should be sick, it should be I. I anybody should die, it should be me. Because I’m dying a thousand deaths for all of you. (Pause) I don’t ask anybody to take my toe ache, I don’t ask anybody to take my cancer, I don’t ask anybody to take my headaches. I take my headaches and your headaches, because I have come to save you, and I will not be denied. (Cries) I will not be denied, for that which I have come to do. I shall see the travail of my soul, and be satisfied. I will be lifted up, and I will draw all men and all women unto me. Oh yes I shall. None shall hinder me. None can prevent the spirit and the body of Christ. (Murmurs in tongues) (Softly) So are you mourning for those that are oppressed? Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. They shall see God. (Pause) Oh, look into your heart tonight. Look into your heart. Blessed are the meek, the people who don’t act haughty and pride, for finally they’re going to inherit the earth (Matthew 5:4-5, “Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.”). Love simplicity. Don’t lose the common touch for the least little flower, or even a weed. Walk with the lowly. You’ll inherit the earth. (Voice rises suddenly) I know that there are those in Washington who think they’re going to inherit it, but on a certain 309 of the 16th, they’re going to be made low, they’re not going to be able to find one atom of them left. The generals will one day not long —

End of tape

Tape originally posted April 1999