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paralleling ASFG 1 lesson on “THE OPEN DOOR”
BIBLE READING: John: 17:1-12
ASFG Lesson 8: The Open Door - How to Know the Father
(page 69)
Overview of John 17 — The High Priestly Prayer
In John 17, often called “The High Priestly Prayer,” Jesus speaks directly to God the Father before His crucifixion.
He prays for Himself (1–5), for His disciples (6–19), and for all who will believe through them (20–26).
This chapter reveals the intimate union between Jesus and the Father, and serves as a model of how we may come to know God personally.
John 17:3 (KJV) — “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”
1. Jesus Reveals the Way to Know the Father
Cayce interprets this chapter as Jesus’ revelation of how humanity can come to know God — not as a distant deity, but through an inner relationship modeled by Christ’s own oneness with the Father.
John 17:5 — “And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.”
Jesus acknowledges His divine origin and unity with God — showing that knowing God is not merely intellectual but spiritual realization. Cayce explains that Jesus’ life demonstrates how a human being can become fully conscious of the Divine within.
In paraphrase:
“By following the pattern Jesus set — a life of complete harmony, love, and obedience to God’s will — we too awaken to the divine presence within ourselves.”
2. The Completion of His Earthly Work
Cayce notes that Jesus declared His earthly mission complete:
John 17:4 — “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.”
This is not simply the end of His ministry, but the fulfillment of His purpose — to show humanity that divine perfection is possible within human limitation. Cayce sees this as the “pattern of perfect existence.”
Thus, when we “walk in the way” — live in love, selflessness, and communion with Spirit — we gradually come to know the Father.
Knowledge of God, in this sense, is a progressive revelation that unfolds through experience and spiritual growth.
3. The Christ Consciousness and the Trinity
Cayce often used the term “Christ Consciousness” to describe the spiritual awareness Jesus perfectly embodied — a consciousness unified with the divine will.
In this light, knowing God the Father means awakening the same consciousness within ourselves through the Holy Spirit.
John 17:11 — “Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.”
Cayce’s phrase “merging our minds with the stream of the Holy Spirit” echoes this verse — the Trinitarian unity where:
God is the Source (Father),
Christ is the Perfect Pattern (Son),
and the Spirit is the Life flowing through all creation.
To “know God,” then, is to live in harmony with this unity — to think, love, and act from the divine center within us.
4. Serving Others as Service to God
Cayce emphasizes that the most practical way to approach God is by serving and loving others.
Every act of genuine compassion is a reflection of divine love, for God dwells in every soul.
John 17:9 — “I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.”
Here Jesus intercedes for those who have opened themselves to God’s truth — those willing to embody love and service.
Cayce interprets this as meaning that by loving and serving others according to their need (not our ego’s desire to “fix” them), we truly serve God.
“Every man is as much of God as we, and by serving him we serve God.”
This reflects Matthew 25:40 — “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”
5. Discernment, Humility, and the Still Small Voice
Cayce concludes that spiritual maturity includes discernment — distinguishing between the ego’s impulses and the voice of truth.
When we are uncertain whether our actions are guided by divine love or self-centeredness, we must become still and listen to the “still small voice” (cf. 1 Kings 19:12).
John 17:8 — “For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them…”
Jesus, perfectly attuned to the Father’s voice, shows that divine wisdom is always present when we quiet the outer noise.
To “hear” that voice is to come nearer to the realization of God — the moment when our soul knows the Father directly.
Summary — Cayce’s Message through John 17
Theme—Cayce’s Insight—Biblical Support
Knowing God—Comes through living the life Jesus lived — a pattern of divine consciousness.—John 17:3
Union with God—Christ shows the eternal oneness of the soul with the Father.—John 17:5, 17:11
The Trinity—Knowing God is awakening to the unity of Father, Son, and Spirit within.—John 17:21
Service—Love for God is shown through service to others, respecting their spiritual needs.—John 13:34–35; Matt. 25:40
Discernment—True wisdom comes from inner stillness and listening to the voice of Spirit.—John 17:8; 1 Kings 19:12
“How to Know the Father”
(Based on Edgar Cayce’s Bible Notes and ASFG Lesson 8: “The Open Door,” illuminated by John 17:1–12)
1. Knowing the Father as Jesus Knew Him
Cayce teaches that we may know God the Father just as Jesus did — not through belief alone, but through relationship and reflection.
In John 17:3, Jesus defines eternal life as knowing the Father and the Son. This “knowing” is experiential and inward: a gradual awakening of divine awareness within us.
John 17:3 — “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”
The ASFG text begins similarly:
“As the Father knoweth us, so we may know the Father.”
This reciprocity reveals the divine principle of reflection: the more we express love, mercy, and forgiveness, the more we experience God’s nature. As the text says,
“As we give, so we receive; as we measure, so it is meted to us; as we forgive, so we are forgiven.”
Thus, knowledge of God arises through the practice of His attributes — love, compassion, and forgiveness — toward others.
2. The Path of Growth: Gradual Realization
Cayce’s notes emphasize that knowing God is a gradual realization — “line upon line, precept upon precept.”
Similarly, the ASFG lesson reminds us not to hope to reach all understanding in a day, but to progress step by step.
“Little by little, line upon line, precept upon precept… we come daily to know more and more of the Father.”
This echoes Jesus’ own words in John 17:6–8, where He describes revealing the Father’s name (nature) to His disciples over time.
“I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me… they have known surely that I came out from thee.”
Each experience in life — even our struggles — can become a stage in the development of spiritual understanding. The lesson recalls Zacchaeus, who “climbed higher that he might have a broader vision.”
So too, we “climb” in consciousness, expanding our awareness of God through daily acts of love and truth.
3. Living the Christ Consciousness: “Not My Will, But Thine”
The inner prayer of the soul, according to both Cayce and the ASFG text, is:
“Not my will, but Thine, O Lord, be done in and through me.”
This mirrors Jesus’ own surrender in John 17:4–5, where He acknowledges the completion of His divine work and asks to be glorified again in unity with the Father.
“I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.”
To “lose ourselves in Him” is not to vanish, but to awaken — to realize our oneness with the Christ, who is the door to the kingdom of the Father.
When we act from this consciousness, we no longer see God as a distant, demanding ruler, but as a loving Provider who understands our needs — “an all-wise Father,” as the text says.
4. Service as the Doorway to Knowing God
Both texts highlight that the most practical way to draw near to God is through service — through love expressed in action.
The ASFG lesson states:
“There is a great need for service. A stream that has no outlet becomes stagnant and impure.”
Service purifies the soul. It transforms belief into living truth. Cayce wrote that by helping our neighbor, we help ourselves and serve God.
This reflects John 17:9–10, where Jesus prays for those given to Him — souls in whom God’s Spirit is manifest — saying,
“All mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.”
To serve humanity is to glorify God in others. Each act of kindness, when done in His name, strengthens the divine bond between the soul and its Source.
5. The Stillness of Inner Guidance and Selflessness
The ASFG text and Cayce’s notes both caution against confusing self-will with divine will. When uncertainty arises — whether we’re helping or interfering, acting in love or ego — we must “be still” and listen to the “still small voice.”
This aligns with the example of Jesus, who continually sought communion with the Father before every act.
John 17:8 — “For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me… and they have received them.”
That inner Voice is the Spirit of Truth, guiding us beyond pride or fear. The lesson calls this “the note of compassion and love taught by our Elder Brother.”
When we follow that note, selfishness is “swallowed up in selflessness,” and we begin to see the world through the eyes of divine understanding.
6. Perseverance, Faith, and the Living Christ Within
Life’s storms, Cayce and the ASFG writers remind us, are part of our growth. When trials come, the Father stills the tempest for those who trust Him.
“No matter what the trials may be, keep the faith… He is the Light, and as we walk closer to Him the way becomes brighter.”
This echoes John 17:11–12, where Jesus asks the Father to keep His followers in divine protection:
“Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.”
Faith, therefore, is not passive belief but active trust — living daily in harmony with the Light of Christ within us.
7. The Living Expression of the Word
The lesson concludes with a powerful call to embody truth:
“If we would be channels, we must demonstrate in our lives what we teach… live it first for self, then for others.”
This practical spirituality fulfills Jesus’ promise in Matthew 28:20:
“Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”
When we live our faith — not merely speak it — Christ lives through us. Each moment of genuine love, forgiveness, and service becomes an open door through which we and others may know the Father.
Summary Table
Theme—Cayce’s & ASFG’s Insight—Supporting Scripture
Knowing God—Comes through reflecting His attributes in daily life.—John 17:3
Growth—Spiritual realization unfolds gradually through experience.—John 17:6–8
Surrender—“Not my will, but Thine” opens us to divine oneness. —John 17:4–5
Service—Loving and serving others reveals God’s presence.—John 17:9–10; Matt. 25:40
Inner Guidance—Stillness allows us to hear the Spirit of Truth.—John 16:13; 1 Kings 19:12
Perseverance—Trials refine faith; God stills our inner storms.—John 17:11–12
Embodiment—Living truth in action makes Christ real within us.—Matt. 28:20
Affirmation – The Oneness of the Father and the Son
“As the Father is in me, so His love lives through me.
I am one with the Source of all Light and Life.
Each act of love reveals the Father within.”
Meaning:
Affirm this daily to remind yourself that knowing God comes through living His attributes — love, forgiveness, patience, and service.
It awakens awareness of the Christ Consciousness within — the same spirit Jesus spoke of when He prayed, “That they may be one, as we are one” (John 17:11).
Repeat this slowly three times in the morning and three times at night, breathing deeply and centering the mind on the heart.
Prayer – To Know the Father’s Will
“O Father,
Thou who dwellest within and without,
Let Thy will be done through me this day.
May I see Thy face in every soul,
And serve Thee through my thoughts, my words, and my deeds.
Teach me to love as Thou lovest —
without condition, without fear, without end.
In the Spirit of Thy Son, I seek to be one with Thee.
Amen.”
Reflection:
This prayer echoes John 17:4–5, where Jesus prays, “I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do.”
It is a surrender of self-will to divine purpose — a daily offering that transforms ordinary moments into sacred service.
Meditation – Entering the Silence of the Father
Prepare: Sit quietly. Close the eyes. Breathe gently and evenly.
Let go of thoughts of the outer world.
Center: Inhale softly and inwardly say, “Be still…”
Exhale and say, “…and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)
Visualize:
See a soft golden light in the center of your heart.
With each breath, let it grow brighter until it fills your whole being.
Feel it as the Presence of the Father — calm, wise, and loving.
Listen:
As the mind grows quiet, open inwardly to the still small voice —
not of words, but of knowing.
This is the communion Jesus modeled in John 17 — the consciousness of oneness.
Affirm silently:
“Father, Thou art in me, and I am in Thee.
Through Thy Spirit, I know peace.”
Close:
Rest in this awareness for several minutes.
When ready, give thanks, and let the peace move outward —
first to those you love, then to all souls, as rays of divine compassion.
Summary Thought
“To know the Father is to live His love.”
Every moment of forgiveness, kindness, and quiet faith opens the “door” Jesus spoke of —
the door to the inner kingdom where the Father and the Son are one.
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