27 Aug The Cause of Human Suffering (Church, Aug 27)

(Watch 5-minute excerpt: The Cause of Human Suffering: Resistance) Today we talked about Jesse’s biblical question of last week: What is the cause of human suffering? People said that opinions, trying to control, and disconnection from the father cause suffering. In the course of the conversation, a man said he has never heard God’s voice. So we discussed what it means to hear God’s voice. We also talked about Adam and Eve — one person asked why Adam ate the forbidden fruit instead of just letting Eve die. For one, he ate it because God told him not to do so. When a parent forbids a child to do something, it makes the child want to do it.

For this coming week’s biblical question, Jesse asked what it means when God said that you can forget about him, you can forget about the son, and he will forgive you; but if you blaspheme the Holy Spirit, he will not forgive you. What does that mean, to blaspheme the Holy Spirit?

This week, Jesse visited the barber shop and met a man with a wife of 50 years who hates him. She sleeps way over on the other side of the bed, and never shows affection or try to make him happy. But he does things to try to make her happy. Jesse urged him to ask his wife why she hates him. Jesse hopes he sees this man again, to let him know that his problem is with himself.

Finally, Jesse said that the cause of human suffering is the resistance to the ever-changing flow of all things. Life is always changing. Even Christ’s life went through changes. Relationships change and end. Holding onto the past causes suffering. Parents cause their children and themselves to suffer when they do not let go. For another example, BOND will move out of our building of nearly 20 years soon. Jesse’s mind got busy, tempting him to worry about what to do, but he knows not to go with those thoughts.

Jesse read from John 13:1 (and 2) and urged people to pray. Also, please donate to help us help others, and to help us deal with the changes BOND faces.