Edna Lister's Sermons and Lectures on Understanding

To understand means "to comprehend, to apprehend the meaning or import of, to grasp the idea of, to comprehend as a fact, to grasp clearly, to realize, to have knowledge of, to know or learn, by information received."

Understanding is "the power or ability to understand, intellect, intelligence, intelligent, capable of judging with knowledge, the faculty of comprehending and reasoning, the intellect."

Understanding is a result of integrated mental faculties, the insight gained by applying the mental faculties. You gain understanding by always standing under the Light. Understanding is a soul virtue and a spiritual faculty.

What makes a sermon great? Why were Edna Lister's sermons and Bible interpretations so wonderful? How did they manage to leave such an indelible mark on those who heard them? She ascended to heights of such joy that her message was undiluted, straight from the Source. Often shocking in their richness and simplicity, you may best savor her sermons and outlines by reading them slowly and aloud.

In addition to Edna Lister's written sermon and Bible interpretation outlines, we have included transcripts of her students' notes wherever possible. We have placed her outlines before the transcripts on any given date, and in many cases they are very different. While the outlines may seem sparse, a transcript of a sermon or lecture is much longer; her sermons were typically thirty minutes and lectures an hour in length. Ponder in the silence, and you may tune into the living record in Divine Mind.








Getting Understanding

Edna Lister created this lecture outline for February 15, 1934. Scriptures: Proverbs 4:5-9, Matthew 11:30.

No single musician can play a symphony alone. The conductor needs the entire orchestra. God could not enjoy the glory of Creation without having us to reflect His glory. Some things just go together, like a conductor and musicians. For example, even great wisdom does you little good unless you have understanding.

Each soul is an expression of the one Mind, the one Substance, the one Power. Everything is composed of God's Mind, Substance and Power now. For example, you can combine butter, eggs, and flour to make a thousand recipes, good or bad, but the substance you use is always the same.

Love is always waiting to be released, to return Creation to God. Let God, let the one Power do the work. My yoke is easy, and my burden is light. – Matthew 11:30. Keep your eyes focused ahead to the future, and remain independent of the world. Hold up your prayer molds for God to fill now, for nothing is impossible to Him. Understand that limitless Power is always waiting for you to release it.

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Control Over Outer Forces and Powers

Edna Lister created this Bible study outline for December 1, 1934. Scripture: Mark 4:35-41.

The Master's rebuke to the tempest was, "Peace, be still," which illustrates power over the forces that can destroy. The situation remains dangerous until you can release enough Power and have the steadfast faith and understanding to direct and control the resulting disintegration.

Under the cyclic law of action and reaction, everyone is granted the opportunity to step up in consciousness and take higher initiations. Some fail while others pass quickly. Yet no one really loses, for all gain strength in love and Light, and another opportunity will be offered.

However, the one who commands Power without the requisite and corresponding understanding runs the very real risk of destroying himself. Also, one who takes credit for such a release of Power will create the reaction of a debt of force.

Your only full protection comes through Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. – Matthew 6:10. You must remain in complete obedience to God's commands to withhold or to give. You may not let go for an instant or you force a debt to be paid to the law. Your faithfulness shall lead you to hear the Master say, "Today shalt thou sup with me in paradise."

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Learning to Be Great

Edna Lister created this sermon outline for January 20, 1935. Scriptures: John 13:1-17 and 1 Peter 5:5-6.

Jesus' disciples followed him faithfully. He had clear-seeing eyes for true soul vision. Save for Judas, James, John and Peter, the rest were often lukewarm.

The Master wanted to leave behind a symbol of his great love for them. Nothing could mean quite the same as washing their feet. It would stick in their minds as an indelible memory, to lead them to understanding. To anoint anyone with oil, you must overcome any natural distaste, you must love something or someone enough.

They would forever remember his attitude, and his words: Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. – John 13:12-17.

A disciple is a servant of a master. As a disciple, you must hold an attitude of willingness, of service to the Master of Masters. The disciples were like children. A child wants to help, needs to help, to be a grownup in God's service. Pride creates a great barrier. Peter asked the Master to wash his hands and his head.

No one can show you the way. You must do the rest for yourself, possibly even to betray a friend, like Peter did. You cannot assume willingness from self, yours or another's.

You must offer real service through understanding. The reward of humility is a happy, active, doing life.

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The Key: Understanding

Edna Lister created this Bible study outline for April 12, 1942. Scriptures: Job 32:8, Proverbs 4:5-9 and Psalm 19:14.

When God created man in His image and likeness, He included "a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty gives them understanding" (Job 32:8). This tells us where our understanding originates.

You receive wisdom from the words of God. Yet wisdom alone is not enough. The pearl of great price is compounded of Love and Wisdom in perfectly balanced expression. The only key to it is the key of understanding.

Three golden treasure chests are nested within each other; the innermost chest contains the pearl of great price. To open them, you need only one key. A set of tiny teeth (bittings) in three places on one key fits the tumblers in all the locks. The first set is desire. The second set is faith. The third set is devotion.

The first chest contains desire, which can transform lukewarm indifference into a flaming glory at white heat. The second chest contains faith unconquerable, which transforms faith in God into the faith of God. God always trusts you, but you must learn to trust yourself. The third chest contains devotion. What does devotion mean? To stand under the Light always.

Now you have opened the three treasure chests, but you do not find the pearl. Instead you find layers of wrapping, like fine tissue paper, which you must pull off, thickness by thickness. You tire of unwrapping, tear at it and hunt for it.

This is where persistence pays its greatest dividend. Ask, seek and knock, and carry on until you conquer. Lo! You find your pearl of glory, the ability to stand steadfastly poised to receive your reward. Get wisdom, get understanding!


Awakening to Understanding

Edna Lister created this sermon outline for October 27, 1946. Scriptures: Acts 13:1-13.

The five men mentioned in Acts 13:1-13 are prophets, teachers for the soul, Barnabas, Simeon, Lucius, Manaen and Saul, who became Paul. The only method for expansion or ascension from self to soul expression is the straight and narrow way. These five men represent illumination, intuition, imagination, faith and understanding. "They ministered to the Lord" means that they rendered aid and served.

John represents mothering love, which descended from above through the five faculties, nourishing and sustaining their zeal, instructing them and keeping their lights bright and burning. This is the full awakening to truth, the descent of love into "soul" and ascending upward again.

Understanding is standing under the Light, with the crown of the head fully open. Faith, expressed through active works, becomes unconquerable. Constructive imagination enables one to fish on the right side of the boat. Intuition is perfect hearing and doing of the law, hearing the voice and knowing. Illumination is the light of unity or oneness of soul.

Pilate asked Jesus, "What is truth?" Jesus answered, "He who is of the truth, recognizes the truth."

Five prophets from five faculties operate through intellect. If you dwell on truth, you must become and be the truth. Knowing truth is not enough, you must become the truth. Becoming truth is becoming a "living ensample like unto Christ."

First it is flaming, burning love possessing all that you are. Second, it is vivid, thrilling, ecstatic imagination, and third, it is acting as if, and ministering unto the Lord.

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References

The Compact Edition of The Oxford English Dictionary: 2 vols. E.S.C. Weiner, ed. Oxford University Press, 1971.

The Holy Bible. King James Version (KJV), Public Domain.


Related Topics

See Comprehension

See Understanding



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