Today, we begin reading NTI Mark. If you haven’t read NTI before, you may notice a change of tone in NTI Mark. NTI Mark is a story, a fictional story. It is not meant to be the factual correction regarding the life of Jesus. Some people have told me that they think this story “is what really happened.” They are making that up and believing their own imaginations.
This story was written because it provides symbols that are more helpful than some of the confusing symbols in the Bible. Our role as reader is to derive the meaning of symbols that are helpful to us, and then live from the example provided by those symbols. In this way, the Jesus of NTI is our role model.
NTI Mark, Chapter 1 is the beginning of the story. Like any beginning, it lays out the details needed to begin the story. Some of the details regarding our role model, Jesus, are:
- Jesus has decided on the purpose for his mortal existence. It is truth realization. This purpose is the leading factor in his life.
- Jesus knows that God is found within, so his focus is within, which includes focus on spontaneous guidance. Jesus lives a surrendered life. He is led. He does not make decisions for himself.
- Jesus went through a purification process during the 40 days and 40 nights in the desert. This left him with a lot of clarity, inner confidence and a sense of peace, but his journey is not over. In NTI Mark, we will observe Jesus as he walks the path from the initial purification to final awakening.
- Jesus lives from kindness and love. He is the servant of everyone he meets and the servant of Spirit within. Through service, which is not self-will, Jesus of NTI will follow spontaneous guidance to the end of the sense of self.
NTI Mark, Chapter 1 opens with this statement:
Before truth can dawn, there is work that must be done. This work must be done in faith and out of a desire for truth.
That opening statement is our guidance as we begin reading the story of Jesus of NTI. Jesus of NTI is our role model. Watch him, and you will know what to do. Model yourself after him, and you are doing the “work that must be done.”
Note: You will also learn from the apostles and other characters in the story.
