St Matthew, Chapter 16, verse: 2 - 4, The Test: Reading the signs.

Our paragraph topic is: (The Pharisees and Sadducees ask a sign) Part 2 
 
The Pharisees and the Sadducees came to Christ to ask for a sign.  They had devised a test for him.  They said they wanted to believe.  They said they wanted to know.  They said that they wanted to see for themselves that Christ was the Messiah and a sign from heaven would convince them that he was the one.  Yet evil had conspired with them.  Evil had devised a plan with them.  Evil had conferred with them to test Christ.  And the evildoers were in agreement that they would come to Christ and ask for a sign.

And Christ saw through them.  Christ saw their evil.  Christ knew of their test but the evildoers were blind.  They did not know.  They could not see who was before them for they could not see the evil that was within them.  But they claimed that they wanted a sign from heaven that they might believe.  Yet they knew how to read.  They knew how to interpret.  They knew how to explain the changes that were taking place but evil was with them and they were blind.  Christ gave them their explanation.    But answering them he said , ''When it is evening you say, 'The weather will be fair, for the sky is red.'  And in the morning you say, 'It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and lowering.'  You know then how to read the face of the sky, but cannot read the signs of the times!   

Christ gave them an example.  He showed them how to use their senses.  He told them that they could read, they could see, they could know if they only use their natural senses.  But the Pharisees and the Sadducees were blind.  They could see but did not want to believe.  They were filled with the darkness that would not allow them to know the truth of Christ.  But he gave them an example that they would know.  He gave them a riddle that would open their minds.  He gave them natural knowledge that they could use to open their hearts and see the truth of the signs that were being worked before their eyes.  But evil consumed them, darkness was within them, and it covered their knowledge of who they were in Christ.

Where are we today?  Are we consumed with darkness?  Are we blinded by the world?  Can we not see the signs that are before us.  Can we not know the truth of who we are and let Christ open our eyes that we may see, and open our hearts that we may know and heal us.  He came to suffer for our wrongs.  He came to die for our sins.  He came that we may have life eternal for without him we are dead.  And through him we have life if we only believe and turn from our evil ways.  The world does not want us to change.  The world would keep us in chains and dead to the life that Christ gives us.  The world would have us not believe.  The world have us partially believe so that we may sit on the fence, living in the world and thinking that we believe in Christ. 

The Father asks us to turn from the evil in the world and to obey his commandments.  The commandments are not meant to harm us, to block us from living.  If you tell a child not to touch the flame because it will burn and cause harm, that child does not know the truth of your words.  But it accepts that truth and does not touch the flame.  Our Father tells us to follow his commandments because to do otherwise would bring harm to us.  And yet we do not obey. 

I did not obey.  I followed the ways of the world, because everyone else followed.  Everyone else was in the world.  Everyone else was consumed with the world and I followed.  I tried to live in the world.  I tried to do as the world said.  I tried to make it work in the world, to have the riches and the desires of the world.  It only led to my destruction.  It only led to my downfall.  It only led me to be tested, to cross over to the darkness. 

Thank you Father for holding my hand.  Thank you Father for not letting go of me for not even sparrow falls to the ground except by the Father's leave.  Thank you Father for giving me your peace when I was a child that I would know how to find you.  Read the signs of the times.  Know the truth of who you are.  Follow the example that is given you as Christ gave to the Pharisees and the Sadducees.  Read the signs of the times!  Christ awaits you.  Christ is holding your hand.  Come back to him and know the joy and the peace that his love gives to all those who know him.  I did and I know the peace and the love that he gives me daily. 

Read the signs of the times!  Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ.   Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself.   Do not study it in parts reading one passage and then skipping to another, but read it for understanding.  Read it for knowledge.   Read it for faith.   Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ.  The Holy Spirit awaits you.  Christ seeks to know you.   Open the door and let him in!

St Matthew, Chapter 16, verse: 1, The Test: Request for a sign.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The Pharisees and Sadducees ask a sign) Part 1.

And the word spread.  Like wild fire the word spread and people talked about Jesus.  They spoke of his miracles.  They spoke of his teachings.  They spoke of his words.  They spoke of his peace.  They spoke of his love for all man.  And then the Pharisees heard.  They heard and disliked.  They heard and hated.  They heard and plotted how to stop the word from spreading.  For they were filled with evil.  They were consumed with darkness and darkness did not like the teachings of Christ.  Evil did not want to hear of goodness.  Evil did not want peace.  Evil wanted to do away with Christ.  So they plotted with the Pharisees as to how they might do away with him and his teachings.

So the Pharisees and the Sadducees came to Christ with a test.  They had planned their strategy and came to Christ to test him with a question.  They had heard of his miracles.  They had seen others who were cured.  They had known those who were blind, crippled, possessed, lame, and filled with leprosy but they still did not believe.  So despite all the signs and wonders, they wanted a special request.  They wanted a special sign for themselves so that they could say that they could believe.  But evil was with them.  Evil could not work on its own but only through a person.  So the evil doers came to Christ and asked for a sign.   And the Pharisees and Sadducees came to him to test him, and they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.

Where are we today?  Do we need a sign to believe?  Do we need a cure to understand and believe?  The evil within does not want us to believe.  The evil within would have us blind.  The evil within would have us deaf.  The evil within would keep us as unbelievers or at worst deceive us to think that we believe yet continuing to do the things that indicate we do not believe. 

We live in a world that is not eternal.  Yet we believe that it is forever.  We believe that tomorrow is given, next week is planned for, next year we will be here to enjoy the pleasures of this life.  Do we need a sign?  Do we need death to come and knock on our door to tell us to wake up?  Do we need sickness to come into our lives to open our eyes.  The thief comes in the night when least expected to steal from us.  Thank you Father for not letting go of my hand.  Thank you Father for not giving up on me.  Thank you Father for keeping death away until I came to know you.  For I faced death on many occasions.  I walked the line with evil and was tempted to cross over.  Yet I knew deep down inside that evil was not with me.  I knew from the peace that you gave me when I was a child that this was your peace.  I knew that the love that you showed me was not the hatred and anger that I faced when tempted by evil. 

Thank you Father for touching me with your love and your peace.  Now I know who I am and who you are.  I know that your Holy Spirit is with me each day.  I know that I am your child and you are my loving Father who wants to care for me and provide for me.  To those who do not know or who do not believe, I am a witness for his love and his peace.  Come, seek the truth of who you are and the knowledge of your Father.  Christ wants to heal you.  Christ wants to protect you.  Christ wants to love you.  And the Father will provide for you if you only believe. 

Read the Highlighted New Testament Bible and lift the scales from your eyes that you may see, that you may know, that you may find the truth of who you are in Christ.  Read it as though you would read a good book, from cover to cover, and see for yourself.   Do not study it in parts reading one passage and then skipping to another, but read it for understanding.  Read it for knowledge.   Read it for faith. Read it that your eyes may be opened, that your ears may hear, that your heart may be filled with the light of Christ.   The Holy Spirit awaits you.  Christ seeks to know you.   Open the door and let him in!

St Matthew, Chapter 15, verses: 37 - 39, They ate and all were satisfied:The Fragements.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Jesus feeds four thousand) Part 2.    

He gave thanks to his heavenly Father, broke the bread and gave it to his disciples to give to the crowd of people.  The disciples were willing to send the people away.  Christ was unwilling to send them away.  He knew what they would face.  He knew what was waiting for them.  He know the evil that was on the outside.  And he was unwilling to let them go.  For he wanted to feed them.  He wanted to guide them.  He wanted to protect them from the wolves that were waiting to feed upon them.  But the disciples did not know.  They did not see yet.  They did not have the guide, the advocate, to help them.  And the time was not fulfilled, the sacrifice was not given yet and the absolution was not complete.

But Christ fed the crowds.  He gave them food that they may eat until they all were satisfied.   And then he told his disciples to gather the fragments that they would not be wasted.   And they took up what was left of the fragments, seven full baskets.  Now those who had eaten were four thousand men, apart from children and women.  When he had dismissed the crowd, he got into the boat, and came into the district of Magedan.

In the desert where there was not food, Christ fed thousands.  In the desert where there was no food Christ had leftover fragments totaling seven basket fulls.  In the desert where we find ourselves starving because we do not believe in Him we have nothing.  We believe in the world and the world puts us in the desert.  We believe as the world teaches and we are twisted, and tortured, and blinded, and deceived, living in fear.  We believe in the world and not in Christ.  We seek the ways of the world and not Christ.  We desire the riches of the world when we are already enriched.  We want the passions of the world, things that cannot fulfill, when we are already complete in Christ. 

Christ gives us our food.  Christ gives us our water.  Christ gives us our peace.  He gives us all our needs here on earth if we would just accept that he is our provider, our protector, our healer, our teacher, our all and all.  Yet, the world calls us.  The world seeks to feed us.  The world wants to protect us but cannot.  For the world is death and that is what we seek.  That is what we are given.  That is what we are told, day in and day out.  We are fed the deceits of the world and not the truths of Christ.  Seven baskets of fragments were left, after the meal was over.  Imagine how Christ can fill your baskets if you just believe.  Imagine how Christ can cause your cup to overflow if you just seek him.  Imagine how Christ can fulfill all your needs if you just find him in your heart.  The world does not want you to know.  I know.  I found him.  I wish that you can find him too.