St Matthew, Chapter 13, verse: 27, The Kingdom of Heaven: The Question of the Weeds.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Parable of the weeds) Part 3. 

What are the weeds that Christ talks about in this parable?  Where did they come from?  How did they get into the field of the kingdom of heaven?  How do they get out of the field of the kingdom of heaven?  Christ began this parable by telling the people that the kingdom of heaven is like.  We can compare the kingdom of heaven to a field.  We can compare the kingdom of heaven to a sower.  We can compare the kingdom of heaven to the seed that is being sown in the field of the kingdom of heaven.  Christ says that the kingdom of heaven is like a sower who goes out to sow good seed in his field.

We live in a physical realm.  We live on one planet, in one solar system, in one galaxy.  We live on one planet, of the billions of planets in the universe.  And we have one God who created us.  We are his people and he is our father.  The physical realm is his field and he came to earth to sow us into this physical realm.  Adam was the first to be sown.  After him came many, as mankind grew in population to cover the globe of the earth.  And God said that it was good that man grew and populated the planet even though he did not approve of our sinfulness.  But when man was planted, so also were weeds planted.  Were did they come from?  How did they get here?  Who planted them amongst the good seed of the kingdom.

Christ tells the parable of the weeds and how they arrived.  The good seed was planted in the earth and when the fruit came forth the weeds also appeared.   And the servants of the householder came and said to him, 'Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field?   How then does it have weeds?' 

We accept as natural and without question that we have weeds, in our yards, at work, along the roads, at the lake, weeds are everywhere.  For this is what is accepted in the realm that we live.  In the kingdom of heaven there were no weeds.  All was perfect as God had planned and planted from the beginning.  But there was another who grew among the good seed and brought forth contamination and the weeds began to grow.  How is it that there are weeds in the kingdom of heaven?  This is not a natural occurrence.  This is not an accepted practice for the inhabitants of the kingdom for all is good in the kingdom of heaven.  But there was another who spread his weeds, that they may also grow and choke out the good seed.

We are not weeds.  We are the children of the most high God.  He created us in his image and likeness and that likeness is not that of weeds.  How do the weeds come in?  How do they get into your home?  How do they get into your church?  How do they find themselves at your work place, at the mall, in the market, in the schools, on the streets?  Everywhere there are weeds?  Look around you and see the weeds.  Look in your home and in your school and wherever you may go.  See the weeds for they are out there waiting to latch on to you.  They are waiting to grab you and will not let go.  Your only protection is to get your weed killer.  Take him with you.  Keep him near to you wherever you go.  He will provide for you.  He will protect you.  He will keep you from the darkness that is in the world.  Roundup Weed Killer has nothing on the weed killer from heaven.  It has nothing to compare to the power of the Holy Spirit.  Take him with you!  Keep him in your heart and you will know the peace of Christ that transcends all peace.    

St Matthew, Chapter 13, verse: 26, The Kingdom of Heaven: The Fruit and the Weeds.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Parable of the weeds) Part 2. 

Christ continues to tell the people and his disciples about the kingdom of heaven and how the world was contaminated with the weeds.  To those who are listening and can hear, they understand the message.  To those who are listening and can not discern, Christ is telling a story.  To those who are not listening, they are lost, they do not understand, and they will not understand for they have been deceived by the evil one.  And to those who have come to destroy, they hear the parable and know that Christ speaks of them.

The kingdom of heaven is like a man who went out to sow good seed in his field.  God has planted mankind upon the earth  to grow and prosper but weeds have been planted among the seeds.  Weeds have been growing along side the good seeds of the kingdom of heaven.    And the weeds have been contaminating the good seed and leading them astray.  So now, the crop is mutated.  Now, the crop does not produce to its full measure.  Now, the crop only produces 30% or 60% of the time and the rest of the time it is unproductive or leans toward the production of evil fruit.  The rest of the time it is corrupted.  The rest of the time it is choked and its fruit is mutated into a different fruit.  Christ tells the people, "And when the blade sprang up and brought forth fruit, then the weeds appeared as well.

So this is the state of things today.  The weed and the seed grow together.  The good seed given from heaven exists in a world where the weed exists also.  What is there to be done?  What is there that can be done to remove the weeds from the precious plants that bring forth fruit for the nourishment of mankind.  Evil exists in the world.  Evil finds a place among God's children.  Evil finds a place in the hearts and minds of men.  For evil brings forth weeds and the weeds live among the good fruit of the Lord. 

Get out your weed killer!  Get out your trimmers!  For the weeds must be cut away!  The weeds must not stop the growth of the good seed of God.  Clear away the ground!  The good seed must grow without hindrance.  Water the soil that the good seed may be nourished!  Be watchful of the growth of weeds!  Be vigilant that they do not return to take up growth near the good seed.  For the good seed must grow.  The good seed must prosper.  The good seed must bring forth good fruit.   We are the children of the Lord and he is our father.  He has given us the perfect weed killer.  He has given us the Holy Spirit that will remove all weeds no matter what kind.  But we must use it.  We must take the Holy Spirit with us at all times least we find ourselves surrounded by weeds.  Christ gave us the formula.  He gave us the words.  And within those words we will find the keys to bring forth our fruit.  Christ sent us the Holy Spirit, the weed killer that will protect us from the weeds of the evil one.  Take your weed killer with you at all times!  Keep him on your mind and in your heart.  Without him you will be open to attack by the weeds that will steal your fruit!      

St Matthew, Chapter 13, verse: 24 - 25, The Kingdom of Heaven: the Good Seeds.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Parable of the weeds) Part 1.  

The people are astonished.  Christ has spoken to them about seeds and fruit.  He has predicted that some seeds will produce 100% of the time, some 60% of the time and some 30% of the time.  But the question remains, what happens with those that do not produce 100%?  What happens when the fruit is only being produced 60% and the other 40% of the time it is not producing?  Is this an unprofitable tree?  What happens to the one that is only producing 30% of the time and the remainder of the 70% of the time it is not producing?  Is this a tree that is fruitless?  Can we see the parallel in our lives today?  Are we only fruitful in church?  Do we show our fruit only around our christian brothers and sisters and not at other times when we are out in the public?  

Christ wants us to be fruitful at all times, 100%.  He wants us to provide fruit of love, and of peace and of joy, and obedience.  He wants us to produce fruit of patience, and meekness, and humility so that those who are hungry may partake of the fruit of the kingdom from our trees through the grace of God.  The harvest is great but the workers are few.  The needs of the people are many but few are the ones who will satisfy those needs.  We live in a world that is not of the kingdom.  We live in a world that is selfish, and greedy, and lustful, and vain, and filled with its own passion.  But we do not feed those who hunger for the fruit of life given by Christ.  Sure there are churches, and religious programs, and outreach ministries, and pastors and priest, and teachers.  But these are few to feed the multitudes of  hungry. And these are only brought forth into the public places and not into the hearts of men. 

Christ wants us to have the fruit of the kingdom in our hearts.  Christ wants us to live in him and he in us that no matter where we go he is with us.  Produce the fruit of the kingdom.  Christ tells us a story, another parable of the kingdom of heaven.  He says,  "The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field;  but while men were asleep, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away."     

The kingdom of heaven is in our midst for the sower has come and planted the seed.  But the evil one has come also and planted his weeds.  And the weeds grow everywhere, all around us.  The weeds are in our schools, in our work places, in our homes.  The weeds are in our churches, in our market places, on the streets, everywhere we may go.  There is no escape from the weeds.  They will grow and we will grow, together.  But we have a weed killer.  We have a trimmer that will take down the weeds in every nook and cranny where they grow. 

We must take our weed killer with us.  We must be prepared to use it at all times.  If we do not then the weeds will overtake you when you are without your weed killer.  For our weed killer should be within us.  It should be within our hearts wherever we go.  This way we are protected at all times against the weeds of the evil one.  Do you have your weed killer?  Did you leave your weed killer at home?  Did you leave your weed killer in the church on Sunday?  Are you unprotected out in the open, surrounded by the weeds of the evil one?  Come, seek the weed killer of all times.  Roundup Weed Killer has nothing on him for he exterminates all weeds.  He will rid you of all the weeds of the evil one and protect you against further attacks.  Will you let him in?  Will you live with Him?  Will you let him protect you?  All that is needed is to surrender and believe! 

ST Matthew, Chapter 13, verse: 23, The Seed on Good Ground.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Parable of the sower explained) Part 4.  

And now Christ concludes the parable of the sower with the last verse.  The purpose of the sower is to plant seed that will yield a crop.  He goes out and clears the ground.  He does back breaking work to remove all the trees, the underbrush, and the weeds, so that what is left is clear ground, dirt.  The soil is where the seeds will be planted.  Next the ground has to be turned so that it is broken and ready for the seed.  The soil has to be turned so that moisture will get into the ground 
without evaporating.  The soil has to be nurtured so that the seed, when planted, will take root and grow.  After all this preparation then the seed is planted in the ground.

Any farmer is familiar with the growing process.  But the most important thing in that process is to make sure you have good seed.  Christ has seed given from the Father.  He has the words given 
by the Father to plant in the hearts and minds of the people.  He has seed that will bring forth a bountiful crop.  And the seed is ready to grow.  Such a precious seed.  Such a glorious seed.  Such a seed that will produce a great crop.  But then there are the outside forces that must be dealt with.  There are the birds that will come and eat the seed left on the ground.  There are weeds that will grow among the seeds, for their seed remains in the earth to grow among the glorious seeds from God.  And there is also the evil one that will come and snatch the seed from the ground that is planted.

And the purpose of the planting is to produce fruit.  Christ tells his disciples and the people the last part of the parable.  He says,  "And the one sown upon good ground, that is he who hears the word and understands it; he bears fruit and yields in one case a hundredfold, in another sixtyfold, and in another thirtyfold."

So, the parable is finished, and the seeds are sown.  Will fruit come forth?  Will the good ground bring forth a plant that will produce fruit 100% of the time, or 60% of the time or will it produce fruit 30% of the time?  God is the giver of the seed and the keeper of the soil and the nurturer.  But the soil has to be receptive to the nurturing.  The soil has to receive the living water.  The soil has to receive the cultivation so that the seed may grow and prosper. 

Christ says that the one on good ground hears the word.  Do you hear?  Christ says that the one on good ground understands the word.  Do you understand?  For from your hearing and from your understanding will come forth fruit that will feed and nourish.  From your hearing and from your understanding will come forth fruit that will provide life to those who have no life.  And from your hearing and from your understanding will come forth seed that will feed the ground of other good soil.  And it will produce more good fruit.  And the earth will be populated with fruitful people that love the Lord.  Come, hear the words and understand.  For the sower is ready to sow!

St Matthew, Chapter 13, verse: 22, The Seed among Thorns.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Parable of the sower explained) Part 3. 

And Christ continues to give them what is given.  He explains the parable of the sower so that they may understand.  He gives knowledge so that they may perceive.  He gives wisdom so that they may see with their eyes and hear with their ears and be converted that they may be saved.  But some came not to hear.  Some came not to understand.  Some came to be entertained.  Some came to be healed of their physical ailments but not of their spiritual ailments.  And some came to destroy the seed that was being planted.

Christ saw all.  Christ knew all and yet he gave.  He saw the seed by the wayside and the evil one taking it away.  He saw the seed on rocky ground and knew that it would not stand the test of temptation and  persecution.  Yet he gave.  For his heart was filled with the love of the Father and the love of man.  He continued to give until the end.  And he told the parable of the seed planted with the thorns.  He said,  And the one sown among the thorns, that is he who listens to the word; but the care of  this world and the deceitfulness of riches  choke the word, and it is made  fruitless.

He who has ears let him hear!  The word has been spoken.  The seed has been sown.  The seed is in the world and the world will grow among the seeds.  Throughout the world seeds are given.  They are dispersed everyday through the blessings of the Holy Spirit.  Many will hear.  Many will rejoice.  But few will nurture the seed.  Few will water the seed.  Few will cultivate the seed so that it will grow.  Instead the seed will be in the world and the world will choke the seed.  The seed will be in the world and the soil will yield no fruit.  For man is in the world and the seed is not of the world. 

Turn within and see your seed!  Turn within and nurture your seed!  For it is within that you grow.  It is within that you develop.  For it is within that your new being will come forth.  But, you must water from within.  You must cultivate from within.  You must nurture from within and not from outside.  For the outside is inclined to death and the inside is inclined towards life.  Christ came so that you may have life and have it more abundantly.  Is not the life more than the clothes, the paper money, the cars, the houses, the parties, the wealth of this world?  But life is not of this world and your rewards are not of this world.  So, why do you seek the riches of this world that are dirt compared to the riches of heaven? 

Seek your reward and you will know the joy and peace of heaven.  Ask for your heavenly riches and you will be rewarded beyond your wildest dreams.  Then, you will know your true self and your true heritage.  For you are a child of God and he has prepared great things for you in heaven.  Come, get a glimpse of your reward and you will know.  Seek the Holy Spirit and he will be your guide.  He sits at your door waiting.  Invite him in!

St Matthew, Chapter 13, verses:20 - 21, The Seed on Rcky Ground.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Parable of the sower explained) Part 2. 

The explanation continues.  The ears are opened and the eyes may see, and Christ gives what is given.  The disciples have asked for parables to be explained and Christ has agreed to give understanding.  He has agreed to provide more insight.  He has agreed to repeat the parables, with explanation, so that those who would listen may hear.  Many have come.  Some have come to be healed.  Some have come to see.  Some have come to be entertained.  And then there are those who have come to destroy.

Christ repeats the parable of the sower on rocky ground.  He says,  And the one sown on rocky ground, that is he who hears the word receives it immediately with joy;  yet he has no root in himself, but continues only for a time, and when trouble and persecution comes because of  the word, he at once falls away. 

And now they know.  Now they have heard.  Now they may understand that they may be the one on the rocky ground or they may be the one on the wayside.  But the seed has been sown.  The seed has been released.  Will they nurture the seed?  Will they water the seed?  Will the seed find roots and grow?  Or will the seed whither and die?  Those who have ears let them hear.  And those who do not hear let them know.  Christ wanted them to know.  Christ wanted them to understand.  Christ wanted them to receive the seed but the evil one has tricked them.  The evil one has stolen their seed.

Where are you today?  Are you a wayside seed or a rocky road seed?  Do you receive the word but cast it off when trouble comes?  Do you not know the truth of the word?  Come, let us understand the true meaning of the words of Christ, for it is through the spirit of Christ that meaning is received.  It is through the spirit of Christ that understanding comes.  It is through the spirit of Christ that true wisdom of the kingdom is revealed.  Do you know?  Do you understand?  Do you seek to understand?  For the spirit waits at your door ready to enter, only if you ask him in.  Will you ask?  Will you seek?  Will you desire to have his wisdom and knowledge?  He waits for you.

St Matthew, Chapter 13, verses: 18 - 19, The seed by the Wayside.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Parable of the sower explained) Part 1.  

And now for those who do not understand Christ explains the parable to his disciples and to those in the crowd that are listening.  Christ said OK, I will give you the message that you may understand.  He said OK, because they asked it of him.  He said OK, because they showed interest in what was being said.  He said OK, because they sought to know the meaning of the parable.

Christ said,   "Hear, therefore, the parable of the sower.   When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, but does not understand it, the wicked one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart.   This is he who was sown by the wayside.     

And so they were told.  And so, it was given to them.  And so, their eyes were opened and their ears heard the meaning of the message.  The seed was sown.  Would it be taken away?  Would they understand even though it was given to them?  Would they hold to the message that was given to them?  The message was given to them to keep in their hearts and to defend against the attacks of the wicked one who would seek to take away what was given them.

Are you the one sown by the wayside?  Did you loose what was planted in your heart?  Christ has given you the message.  Will you receive it?  Will you nurture it?  Will you feed it that it may grow?  Or will it be taken from you?  Sown by the wayside.  Christ loves you even more.

ST Matthew, Chapter 13, verse: 17, The Desire of Prophets and Just men.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The disciples ask why He speaks in parables) Part 5. 

Opportunities knock at our door each day.  The opportunity to speak a kind word, the opportunity to lend a helping hand, the opportunity to give to the needy, the opportunity to share with others less fortunate, seek us daily only to be turned away.  Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy, is our daily opportunity.   Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, is our opportunity to give to others, our opportunity to share our blessings with those less fortunate.  Blessed are they who mourn for they shall be comforted, is our opportunity to lend a helping hand to those who weep in sorrow and pain.  Opportunity to have the Spirit of God knocking at our door, is the choice of what we have and yet we do not receive him.  

Our Christian beliefs brings us to salvation.  It cleanses us of our old dead spiritual self and gives us new life in Christ.  We are born again.  But new life in Christ requires renewal.  It requires preservation.  It requires feeding, nurturing, and exercising lest it dies from starvation and 
malnutrition.  Opportunity comes and sits at your door to renew your new life and it waits.  Opportunity comes and waits at your door for you to open it and welcome him in and you go out the back door, thinking it is the front.  Christ came to give new life to man.  But he left the feeding and the nutrition of the spiritual body for us find in the Bible.  He left the nurturing of the new life to be received in the coming of the Holy Spirit. 

We Christians are millions today and still growing.  Christians from all walks of life, all nationalities, all races, creeds, and colors call Christ their savior.  Millions and still growing.  Yet how many have seen or truly know the Holy Spirit.  How many of the millions can say that they have received him?  How many know within themselves that they have the Holy Spirit within them?  Yet Christ said that he would send Him.  Christ said that the Holy Spirit would teach all things.  Christ said that he would be our advocate.  Yet few know him.  Few have him.  Few receive him.  There should be a holy cry among the people that that they have the Holy Spirit.  There should be millions walking in the light of the Holy Spirit by his guidance.  Yet to speak of the Holy Spirit is to speak of ignorance, for few speak with certainty of knowing him.

Christ told his disciples that they were blessed for their eyes have seen and their ears have heard the words of the teaching of the Living God through Christ.  He said,  For amen I say to you, many prophets and just men have longed to see what you see, and they have not seen it; and to hear what you hear, and they have not heard it.    And yet the opportunity is there for all to see and to hear each day.  All we have to do is to pick up the book, turn on the radio, change the channel to tune into God.  Yet our ears are blocked and our eyes are blind and we do not see.  We are programed to like what the world has given us.  We are compelled to watch drama.  We are driven to see action.  We are drawn to see lust and passion.  And the spirit calls to us daily.  Some have the opportunity to respond.  Some do not.  For their lives are cut short before they have the opportunity to change.  And judgment at death is final. 

Those who knew, longed for the day when it would happen.  Those who listened, waited for the opportunity to hear the words.  They knew that the opportunity would come.  There was no doubt within them.  They watched daily and listened by the hour.  Those who were faithful were so until the ends of their lives.  Many longed to see but did not see.  Many longed to hear but did not hear.  Yet the opportunity is still hear today.  Do you long to hear the words of Christ?  Do you long to see the coming of Christ?  Are you watchful and patiently waiting.  Seek the Holy Spirit and know.  Ask for his coming and there will be no doubt.  Know within yourself that you can know and you can see, and you can hear the words of Christ as he dwells within you.  He sits at the door.  Open it, invite him in, and you will know.

St Matthew, Chapter 13, verse: 16, The Blessed.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The disciples ask why He speaks in parables) Part 5. 

Oh, what a joy it is for those who know, for they are blessed.  Oh, what happiness it is for those who have, for they are blessed.  Oh, what peace it is for those who see, for they are loved.  For these are the ones who have been called by God to carry the message of the kingdom of heaven.  For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son to redeem mankind.  And such a great love it is that one would die for.  But many do not see.  Many do not hear.  Many are blinded by the glitter of the world.  Many are caught up in the tragedy of life that they do not know that life is not of this world but of a heavenly kingdom.

Christ is saddened by what he sees.  He is concerned by what they do.  He is understanding of who they are.  But they do not understand.  He reaches a hand out to help them but they do not receive it.  He provides words of life but they do not drink them.  He gives justification from the curse but they do not want it.  They are lost and led by the evil one.  They are blinded and told they see.  They are deaf and can only hear those words of the devil and the calling of the world. The prophecy is fulfilled and made known.  They did not hear.  They did not see.  They did not open their hearts to let him in because the evil one held them fast.  

Christ tells his disciples,  blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears for they hear.   The riches of the wonders that their eyes beheld, they knew not completely until they received the Holy Spirit.  Then, they truely knew of the glory of Christ.  Their eyes beheld and they knew the wonders that he performed and were able to see them.  Their ears heard his words and they were able to perceive them in their hearts.  But it was not until they received the Holy Spirit that they knew without a doubt that he was the Son of the one true God.  And within themselves they were able to perceive their true nature and their true identity.  No longer did they suffer the wonders of this life.  No longer did they seek the riches of this world.  For they had already receive the riches of the kingdom of heaven and nothing could turn them from their reward.  Nothing could turn them from the gift.  

We, each of us, are given a gift, today.  The gift of sight, the gift of sound, the gift of the heart, must be received in order for it to be given.  One must seek it.  One must desire it.  One must know within, that this is the desire of one's heart.  Otherwise the gift is not accepted.  The gift is not received completely.  Otherwise, the gift is wasted and will not produce fruit.  Some will produce 30% of the time and 70% of the time they will be lost in the world.  Some will produce 60% of the time and the other 40% will be available for the evil one to capture.  Then there are those who truely accept the gift and receive it 100% of the time and produce fruit all the time.  Blessed are they who have fruit to feed those that are hungry, the fruit of peace, the fruit of love, the fruit of hope, the fruit of humility.  These are the gifts that come from the original giver and are grown in us through our seed.  The Holy Spirit will cultivate you.  The Holy Spirit will water you.  The Holy Spirit will provide sun for you.  Why do you not receive Him? 

St Matthew, Chapter 13, verse: 14 - 15, The Prophecy fulfilled.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The disciples ask why He speaks in parables) Part 4.  

Christ had spoken to the people.  He told his disciples that they were chosen because to them the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven was given.  But to the rest of the people it was not given.  And what was given, more will be added in abundance.  But for those who do not have, those for whom it is not given, even that which they have will be taken away.  They do not understand.  Their eyes have been closed.  Their hearing has been blocked. And their perception is lost.  They do not understand the lessons that Christ is giving them that will bring them to salvation.  The evil one has blocked them from receiving the kingdom.

This is why Christ said,  "In them is being fulfilled the prophecy of Isaias, who says, 'Hearing you will hear but not understand; and seeing you will see but not perceive.' "   So Christ and the disciples sit and watch as the prophecy is being fulfilled.  They watch as the people come and go without a hint of understanding.  For they did not come for salvation.  They came for an outing.  They came for a show.  They came to be entertained.  And Christ speaks to them in parables, in stories because they did not understand the meaning of his words.

The evil one has completed his work.  He has possessed the people.  He controls the people such that they do his will.  He has closed their ears that they cannot hear and be saved.  He has closed their eyes that they cannot see the glory of Christ and be healed.  He has possessed the hearts of men that darkness covers them and they unable to receive the light of Christ.  Christ said, "For the heart of this people has been hardened, and with their ears they have been hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest at any time they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears and understand with their mind, and be converted, and I heal them."  

We live in a world that possesses us, that takes hold of us, that demands our all.  We have all sorts of new glittering gadgets that keep us drawn into this world.  Carrots on a stick that keep us from waking up from the dream that we are in.  We must have more money.  We must have a good job.  We must buy the right clothes, cars, homes, to live right in this world.  The glitter of this world blinds us from the true wealth that we are given through Christ.  Just as the people fulfilled the prophecy of Isaias then, we are fulfilling it today.  Our churches are filled with people who consider it their weekly duty to go and listen to a pastor tell them how they do not measure up to the kingdom.  After the service we go back into the dream not realizing the message that we were just given by our pastors.  Yet another week goes by and we go back into the rut that we have created for ourselves, thinking that we can make our dreams come true in this world.  After all we are shown in pictures, in words, in live examples others who live the kind of life we want for ourselves.  We are blinded by the world, we are tricked, we are led by the carrot, and the prophecy is being fulfilled.

Scriptures pass by us, daily but we do not see nor do we hear the message.  The world has taken away our sight and our hearing.  We seek not the kingdom because we seek the world.  And yet all that is in the world is already given to us in heaven.  If we would only receive it we would understand the meaning of those that have.  For they will have abundance.  And those that have not, even that which they do have will be taken away.  Heed the message.  Open your eyes.  Pray for the scales to be lifted from your eyes.   Ask to have the plugs removed from your ears that you may hear, that you may perceive, that you may be healed.  Seek the wisdom of the Holy Spirit and you will be given.  And you will have abundance!

St Matthew, Chapter 13, verse: 13, The why is given.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The disciples ask why He speaks in parables) Part 3. 

The disciples have questioned Christ as to the why of his change in teaching.  They wanted to know why he was teaching in parables.  They wanted to understand why he did not teach directly to the people as he did before.  Christ explains to them that they are given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven but to others it is not given.  For to him who has more will be given and he shall have abundance.  But to him who does not have even that which he has will be taken away.  And now the disciples understand the why and the wherefore.  Some have and some have not.  Some will hear and some will not.  Some will receive and some will not.  And some will understand and have abundance and some will not.

Christ explains,  "This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, neither do they understand."   So the people are deaf and dumb to the teachings of Christ.  Precious words of wisdom are wasted.  Knowledge of the kingdom go unheeded.  And there is no understanding.  For some have come for healing.  Some have come for show.  Some have come to be entertained.  And some have come to destroy, to kill, and to steal.  But Christ looks out over the crowd and his heart is filled with sorrow.  His great love for the people is wasted.  His desire to heal the spirit is rejected.  And they do not understand. 

They see him but do not.  They hear him but do not.  They understand his words but do not.  They are lost without hope.  For the evil one has closed their eyes that they do not see.  He has block their hearing that they do not hear and understand.  He has stolen their opportunity for redemption and they do not understand what is being lost.  For they are lost without hope.  Christ does not teach to them.  He teaches through them.  He teaches to the soul.  He calls the inner man to wake and come to life.  He calls the spirit to receive the life that he gives.  He reaches out a hand that they may understand that he is there to help cure their pain, to help give hope, to bring peace into their lives, to give joy to their soul, and to re-establish the kingdom within them that they may know the one true God who loves them.

Can you hear the message or are you asleep?  Can you see the signs or are you blinded by the darkness within?  Christ calls you.  He speaks to the inner man to awake.  He calls to the soul to come to life.  He brings to the body peace and joy in the knowledge of the kingdom of heaven.  Can you hear him?  Can you see him through the darkness?  He is calling you.  Awake! Arise! And come to life in Christ!