St Matthew, Chapter 16, verse 25, The Cross of Man: Life!

Our paragraph topic is: (The doctrine of the cross) Part 2.   

Death was in the minds of the disciples.  Death was the fear of the disciples.  Death was the unknown factor that all feared, for no one knew except Christ what happened after death.  But death was upon them, for Christ had spoken to them of his impending fate.  As they were going up to Jerusalem Christ instructed his disciples as to his fate.  He told them that he would suffer at the hands of the Gentiles and that he would face death.  And the disciples knew what kind of fate that death meant.  It meant death on the cross, a fate too horrible to imagine or to think of.  And they were fearful.  They were in doubt.  They did not know what to do.

Simon Peter spoke up to Christ but only out of fear.  He spoke because evil had entered into his heart and wanted to persuade Christ to change his mind and his heart.  Evil again wanted to interfere into the plans of God to redeem man from death.  And it was through fear of death that it sought to stand in the way.  But Christ rebuked the evil of fear and moved Satan from his path.  And his path led him to walk through death into his destiny.  And it was this destiny that Christ instructed his disciples to follow.  As horrible as it seemed and as fearful as it appeared to them, Christ gave them the instructions to follow him.  Take up your cross, he said and follow me.  For he instructed them:  "For he who would save his life will lose it; but he who loses his life for my sake will find it."

Two thousand years ago, those were his instructions to his disciples.  And today these are his instructions to the church.  Life is good.  We are born into it.  We experience it as children.  We love it as toddlers.  We are amazed by it as young children through our formative years.  We grow with it as teenagers not fully comprehending it yet wanting to experience more of it.  We spring forward and dive headlong into it as young adults wanting to conquer it to the fullest.  And as mature adults we seek to be on top of it as we are given to believe what we must do to have it to the fullest.  Then, as time marches forward, we embrace it or we struggle with it as age begins to take hold of our physical bodies.  For life is to be experienced and we want to experience it all, especially in these modern times when we have the technology that shows us all that we are able to have with the fullness of physical life.  

So we struggle to hold onto life.  We struggle to have more life.  We seek to save the life we know that we may experience it for all eternity.  For we hope that as time marches on that, through our own intelligence, we will conquer death and live eternally in this physical realm of life.  We seek to save our physical life.  But the will of God has spoken and death will overcome us.  Attempt to save your physical life and you will loose your eternal spiritual life is what Christ told his disciples.  But if one saves his spiritual life through Christ, then he must loose his physical life to death.  Christ is our example.  He walked through death and came out again into the physical and spiritual life of eternity.  He gave us the example so that we may know the truth of who we are.  We are life eternal in Christ.  But, if we are not life in Christ then we loose that eternal life to death. 

It fills my heart with joy to hear those who have died and experienced heaven to come back and say that they did not want to come back to this physical life.  They went home to Christ.  They went home to their loved ones who came before them in Christ.  They went home to peace and love and joy and happiness, all the things that we search for here on earth and can only find temporarily.  But, in heaven, they are permanent. 

Why would one want to come back?  Why would one, after having experienced the truth of eternal life, want anything other than eternal life in heaven?  Yet we fear death and cling to physical life as though it is the ultimate that we have to live for.  Embrace death, for through it we go home.  Embrace, what death has to offer, for with it we come to life.  Seek the truth of who you are in Christ and death no longer has fear within you for you know that through death you will live.  Christ came that we will have life and have it more abundantly.  For it is through Christ that comes the truth if who we are.  And it is through that truth that we begin to experience true life here on earth and abundant life in heaven.  Come!  Follow the path set before you and begin to experience the truth of who you are in Christ. 

Read the sign 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, Cahpter 16, verse 24, The Cross of Man: Death!:

Our paragraph topic is:  (The doctrine of the cross) Part 1.   

Christ rebuked Satan in his attempt to thwart the will of God.  Now it was time to rebuke man and instruct him as to God's will for all mankind.  Christ came that man could have life.  Christ came that man would no longer suffer the fate of judgement.  Christ came that man would be lifted up from the judgement of sin and restored to sanctification through his sacrifice.  And Christ came to cancel the actions wrought by Satan in deceiving Eve and Adam to go against the will of God.  For God declared that disobedience would bring death to man.  And death, which did not exist before, entered the world through that disobedience.

And when time was fulfilled Christ gave up his heavenly throne and became man.  He gave up all his power and glory and majesty so that man may be redeemed.  He became a pauper instead of a rich man.  But this transformation was not enough.  There had to be temptation by Satan.  There had to be torture by evil.  There had to be torment by the minions.  There had to be morning and weeping and pain.  And finally there had to be death. 

And this was the example set by Christ as to the path of sanctification and glorification through him.  Man must suffer.  Man must be tempted.  Man must have pain, and morning, and weeping and finally death.  Man must have his cross.  Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone wishes to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Follow me, he told his disciples and the people around him.  He gave them the path to follow.  He gave them directions.  He showed them the way.  Take up your cross.  Deny yourself.  Follow me, he told them.  He spoke to them then, just the same as his words tells us today.  Deny yourself!  Deny myself is not what most want to hear today.  For there is so much for us to have.  There is so much for us to want.  There is so much for us to see, do experience, to live, to enjoy in this life, in this world.  Why then should we deny myself?  Why then should we give up having all that is for us to have, simply because Christ said to do so some two thousand years ago? 

We live in a world where all pleasure and desire is placed at our feet if we just seek it.  We are led to believe that simply by our hard work, devotion to the principles of this world, that we can have all that we desire.  For, there are ample examples of those who have made it in this world and live a life of joy and pleasure.  Or so we are told and led to believe.  And death awaits us all.  Death stands by in the shadows waiting for the opportunity to steal us away from this good life. 

We live our lives in fear of death.  We live our lives attempting to protect ourselves from the uncertainty of death.  With enough wealth we can have the right doctors, lawyers, and specialists that will keep us alive and healthy to enjoy the potential of the good life.  Non would seek to conquer death.  Non would seek to challenge death.  Non would enjoy the prospects of what death brings for fear of loosing the potential of the good life here on this rock.  And yet this is what Christ instructed us to do.  Take up your cross!  Take up your death and embrace it with joy!  For it is through death that we are transformed.  Christ gave us that belief, that certainty, through his resurrection.  For through him we have life.  Through his sacrifice, through his death, and through his resurrection, we have life eternal.

Follow the example.  Take up your death and embrace it.  Take up your cross and enjoy its meaning.  For through it and with it one comes home to the Father.  Through the cross one has life and life eternal.  Through death, the cross, the love of the Father awaits all who follow Christ in this life.  He awaits your decision.  He awaits your choice, for the choice is yours.  Choose the world or choose Christ.  Choose life or choose death.  Choose eternal joy and happiness or choose suffering and eternal damnation.  The choice is yours.  Come!  Follow the path set before you.  You have come this far to this point in reading this message.  Take the next step and know the truth of who you are in Christ.  If you think that the world has joys and pleasures to offer, come know the eternal joy and peace in Christ.  Christ, your savior awaits.  The Holy Spirit will be your guide and counselor. 

Read the sign 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:23, The Future of the Church: Evil is rebuked.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Passion and resurrection foretold) Part 3.  

And so it was that evil stepped in to make an effort to change the will of God.  For Christ had willed that he would establish his church here on this rock and the gates of hell would not prevail against it.  But the gates of hell, Satan, and all his minions were upset.  They knew what this would mean.  They knew that if the church found its footing on this rock then their time here would be limited.  And they did not want that to happen.  So they began their attack to try and prevent the church from taking hold.  And their attack started with the first member, 
Simon Peter.

Peter was afraid.  He was fearful of the outcome of Christ's journey to Jerusalem.  Peter loved Jesus and he did not want to see him suffer and die.  But the fear that gripped Peter was only a doorway for evil to come in.  And so the door was opened and evil came and took possession of Peter.  It came and moved Peter.  It came and influenced Peter to take Christ aside.  Peter did not know.  He did not understand why.  He only knew his fear and that he believed that he had to act.  But Christ knew the cause of Peter's action.  Christ saw the evil that had moved him to action.  And Christ spoke directly to that evil, Satan.  He turned and said to Peter, " Get behind me, satan, thou art a scandal to me; for thou dost not mind the things of God, but those of men."  

Christ rebuked Satan in Peter.  For Satan had made an effort to change the course of history by influencing Simon Peter.  And Christ knowing that he was under the influence of evil, rebuked it and cast it out that Simon Peter may know the truth of his influence.  And this is our example today, of how to cast out evil that comes to influence us to go against the will of God.  This is our strength to fight the temptations that we face on a daily basis; rebuke the evil in the name of Jesus Christ.  Begone from me evil, for you are a scandal to Christ and to me!  For evil cannot work without an evildoer.  Evil cannot murder, defame, create scandal, lust, commit adultery, slander, or do all sorts of deeds without an evildoer.  So evil seeks to influence and then to create action in the person it influences. 

Do we accept the influence of evil as our behavior in the world?  We are affected by it.  We see it everyday.  We live with it in our society.  We are entertained by it in the media.  We absorb it in our everyday lives because it is in the air we breathe and the food we eat, and the cars we drive and the sound we hear, and our every moment of life.  And we accept it.  Or do we??  It is our norm or life.  But Christ rebuked it and we should also.  For evil wants to turns us away from God.  Evil wants to blind us from the truth of who we are.  Evil wants us to accept the norm of our everyday lives and believe that it is OK, it is fun, it is exciting.  Is it acceptable and must it be rebuked?  How then, can we rebuke something that we are not aware, exists.  

We first must awaken to the sounds, the sights, the taste, the smell of evil.  We must become aware of what we face.  Evil would have us sleeping but we must be awake, eyes fully open, ears fully sensitive to the sounds of evil, and hearts closed to the addiction that it places upon us.  For without this awareness we are lost in the trap of this world.  And it is not until we face the crossroads and have to decide or until death knocks upon our door that we become aware of our state of our mind and heart.  Our hearts go out for those who do not have a choice, where death steals their life and death destroys their opportunity to have eternal happiness with Christ.  For Christ came that we may have life and have it more abundantly.  So open your eyes, and ears and your heart to the will of Christ.  A path has been set before you that you can follow.  Christ awaits you and the Holy Spirit welcomes you.  

Read the sign 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: 22, The Future of the Church: the first member wavers.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Passion and resurrection foretold) Part 2.   

Simon Peter was the first member of the Church.  Simon Peter was given the knowledge of Christ's origin.  Simon Peter was given the revelation.  And Simon Peter was under attack by evil because evil wanted to prevent the church from taking hold here on this rock, this earth.  For Christ had willed that his church would be established and that the gates of hell would not prevail against it.  Yet the gates of hell and evil itself would make every effort to tear it down, to undermine it's efforts, to bring scandal, to discredit the the true nature of its creator, and to do anything it can to turn man against Christ.

Christ was the teacher.  It was his mission to teach his disciples.  He had to give them the wisdom to withstand what was coming before them.  He had to provide them with the understanding to see the truth of what would happen to him.  He had to show them how all was predestined and written about him before he came to earth.  And he had to prepare them for the future of their mission after his mission was complete.  They did not know.  They did not yet understand.  They did not fully comprehend the teachings that he gave them but they would take them to heart. 

And the first member of the church, Simon Peter, was under attack.  He heard what was being said.  He felt the agony of what would happen.  He knew the truth of the consequences of the forthcoming storm and he was afraid.  He was under attack and his heart was opened to allow fear to come in.  And with that fear came evil.  For evil took possession of him.  Evil controlled him and made him fear.  And evil moved him to action.   And Peter taking him aside, began to chide him, saying, "Far be it from thee,O Lord; this will never happen to thee."

Peter was the first member of the church and today there are many.  The church is in us.  The church is beside us.  The church is through us and with us in our daily lives.  But are we with the church?  Are we true members of the church?  Do we belong to the church as the church belongs to us?  We perform our weekly duties by going to Sunday service.  We pray.  We perform our ritual and prescribed duties, but does that make us true members?  For we live in a world that turns us away from the church.  We live in a world that would have us not believe in the truth of the church.  We work, sleep, cry, love, play, and have all our waking hours in a place that would turn us away from the kingdom of heaven. 

Simon Peter was under attack and he took Christ aside and told him that it would not happen.  He told Christ that he could not believe that these things would happen to him.  Yet he did not know that he was at war with the world.  Peter did not understand then, that evil was around him and influenced him to act.  The times since then and the times now have not changed.  The church is at war.  We the members of the church are at war with evil and the war starts with each of us individually.  How we think, how we act, how we believe, how we work, how we play, how we love, how we see, and most of all how we open our hearts are subject to the war we wage with evil. 

For it is through the heart that evil finds passage.  It is in the heart that evil wants to reside.  It is with the heart that evil wants to possess that it may create evildoers for its work.  Guard your heart from the tricks and traps of the world, for they are many and subtle.  Close the door of your heart to those things that would compels you to love.  And protect your heart with the truth that comes from and through Christ, our savior.  For with him and through him and by him, we are transformed into the children that our father created.  We are the light of the world and the light from the Holy Spirit should resides in us.  Do you know?  Can you see?  Christ told us how to be certain.  Open the door of your heart and invite him in.  He will come and reside with you.  Follow the path set before you and know the truth of who you are in Christ. 

Read the sign 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!