St. Matthew, Chapter 20, verse:25a, Lords of the Gentiles.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Humility according to Christ's example) Part 2.

The mother of James and John had spoken the words that were in the hearts of the other disciples but were not spoken.  The others heard the words and their hearts were opened to Indignance.  They were angry.  They were mad.  They felt slighted that others would ask, through another, their mother, what was in their hearts.  They felt injustice in their hearts that others would speak their desires that they would be able to sit at the right hand of Christ in his kingdom.  Yet there it was in plan hearing, Indignance.

All wanted to be considered special.  All wanted to be number one with Christ.  But no disciple spoke these words that lay within their hearts.  No one knew where they stood with Christ.  Their model was what they saw in the real world.  Their representation was what they knew with the rulers of the day.  They knew how the rulers treated them.  They knew how they were regarded by the lords of the day.  They knew how they felt about the current lords and they wanted to be first at the table with Christ.  But Jesus called them to him, and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them."

They all wanted to be lords.  They all wanted to kings in Christ's kingdom.  And they knew that by following him that they would receive a reward.  Their example was what they saw in their time.  Their understanding was what they knew of the leaders of the day.  They knew who the leaders were.  They saw them everyday.  It was not a big town or a big city with millions of people.  The rulers of the day had special privileges.  They wanted to be special.  They wanted to be known.  They wanted the rewards that came with following the Messiah. 

Christ would have them understand what their desires meant.  He would have them know that they were different.  He was different and not like what they knew and saw in their times.  His kingdom would be different.  His Lordship would be unlike what they knew in their times.  So they would have to be different.  They could not be like the current rulers.  They could not walk with pride.  They could not expect to be privileged as those they knew in their times.  They could not lord their authority over the people as the rulers they knew in their times.  They had to be different.

Christ gave up his kingship to come to earth.  He gave up his divinity to become like man.  He came to walk among us that we would know him.  He came to teach us the ways of the Father, to be an example that we could follow.  He came that we could know the love that the Father has for us, just as the Father loves his son.  He came out of love.  And the love that he brought to us is still available today.  As we go about our daily lives we can see before us the love of the Father .  The air that we breathe, the sun that we feel, the things that we are able to see are all manifestation of his love.  They show us his might and his majesty.  They show us that his glory is available for all to see, for all to feel and to taste, if we just open our hearts.  Take a moment to know him.  Take a moment to see him.  Take a moment to let him into your hearts.  He will come if you ask him.  He will speak if you call him.  He will touch you if you let him.  and in his touch is a lifetime of goodness and mercy, and forgiveness, and love.  The choice is your.  Pick up the phone and call him!

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 20, verse:24, Hearing Indignance.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Humility according to Christ's example)
Part 1.  

Within them were the words.  Within them were the longings, the desire, the need to be.  Yet they did not speak them.  They did not utter the words.  It was their mother who spoke.  It was the woman who loved them, the woman who raised them, the woman who sought to speak for their future.  She knew what was in their hearts.  She knew what they desired.  So she came forth and spoke for them.

And then there were the other ten disciples.  They heard the words.  They had the same desires, they same passions, the same wants.  They did not speak of their desires.  They did not speak of their wants.  They did not say what was in their minds and hearts.  But when they heard the words spoken, their hearts were opened and their minds were afire.  And when the ten heard this, they were indignant at the two brothers. 

They heard the words that were spoken by the mother.  And the words came into their minds and entered their hearts and they became angry and hurt.  The ten heard.  The ten felt.  The ten other disciples felt slighted that the mother of James and John would ask Christ to consider them as special.  Instantly they felt belittled, slighted, outraged, and angry.  In an instant their hearts had changed from loving disciples to hearts of angry disciples.  The door to their hearts were instantly opened and left bear for evil to enter.

How easy it is for the mind and heart of man to be changed.  How easy it is to affect how others feel.  How easy it is to sway another.  We are but flesh.  We are but human.  We do have desires just as others do.  We want.  We see.  We feel.  We believe.  We know.  But is that all we are?  Is there nothing more to us than the flesh that we are?  We believe that we have a soul but are we sure?  We believe that we have a spirit but can we see it, can we know for sure? 

The world is the place where we reside.  The world is the place where we wake up to and see the joy, the beauty, the wonder, the majesty that it has to offer.  The world is the place where we get our food to nourish our bodies and feed our souls.  Yet the world is a place that can destroy us.  It is a place that can harm us.  It is a place that can make us do horrible things if we are not rooted.  And our roots come from the vine which gave us life, from the source of all source, from the creator himself, from God. 

And it is that root that we obtain all our life.  If we allow something to come into the mind and into the heart, the root will be affected, the root can be poisoned, the root can be destroyed and die.  And when the root dies so does the life that is within us.  To open the root up to destruction is not what we knowingly provide.  Hearing is an opening that must be protected.  Hearing is a key to the heart.  Hearing is a door that the world wants to open and keep open that it may get to the root.  Indignance and anger are the fruits of its infection. 

The disciples became indignant when they heard.  Do you become angry when you hear?  Christ came that we may have life and have it more abundantly.  He came bringing the love of the father that man may know himself and know who gave him life.  He came as a sacrifice for the sins of man.  And he gave his life that we may know of his passion for us.  Know the root from which you come!  Know the life that is given you!  See the light of Christ within you and protect the heart from the hearing of indignance.  You are the children of God your Father and his love transcends all. 

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 20, verse:23, Prepared by the Father.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The mother of James and John) Part 10. 

The words have taken form and were spoken by the mother of James and John.  They were in her mind and on her tongue and they were put forth to Christ.  The brothers did not speak.  Their mother spoke for them.  They did not ask but their mother asked for them.  They did not open their mouths but their mother open her mouth and spoke.  And the words came forth. 

Christ took those words and replied to them.  But first he had to help them to understand what they were asking.  He had to put forth in words what he knew was coming, something that they did not understand now.  They did not know of his passion and of his sacrifice.  Would they understand?  Could they comprehend the meaning of what would happen.  Would they flee in horror fearing for their own lives?  These words had to be spoken because they were on the mind of Christ.  Could they drink from the same cup?  Could they follow in his footsteps?  Was their passion, their desire, their love of him great enough that they could also suffer the same as he?  

Only the Father knew.  For it was his plan to save man.  It was his plan to bring back the children that were lost in the garden of Eden.  And it was his son that would complete the plan despite all that he would face.  So Christ told James and John that it was the Father's plan.  And it was his Father's choice as to who would receive the rewards.  He told them that seats at his right hand and his left did not belong to him to give:  "But it belongs to those for whom it has been prepared by my Father."

God knew from the beginning.  He understood what would happen.  He created man in his image and likeness and gave him free will to choose to know him.  So he gave man a test.  He told Adam not to eat of the forbidden fruit least he would die.  And then Satan came along with his superior will and tempted man that he would eat of the tree and loose the life given him by God.  But God the Father knew that man was no contest for Satan.  He knew that he would fail.  He knew from the beginning that man did not have all knowledge and wisdom.  So he had a plan to redeem man from death.

He foretold, through the prophets, the coming of the Messiah, the coming of the savior.  He gave mankind hope.  He helped them to see that there would be something more to come.  All that was needed was faith in him, belief that he could achieve what he promised.  All it took was patience in his word.  And to show that he was sincere he demonstrated his power and his will through time that all would know that he was the one true God. 

It was his plan from the start.  And it is his plan to the end that will be achieved.  He has given man new life.  His will is done.  Despite all that transpires through time, his will is done.  All we have to do is believe and know that he is the one true God.  He is the all powerful God.  He is the loving, merciful, and forgiving God.  He will provide, protect, and defend those who love him.  Fear not death.  For death is but a door that opens to his kingdom for those who know him and love him.  The life we know is but death in slow motion.  The life he has given us is eternal.  He has prepared a place for us and awaits our coming.

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 20, verse:23b, Not mine to give.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The mother of James and John) Part 9. 

And so it is revealed to the disciples that they will drink of the cup which Christ drank.  It is revealed that they will follow in his footsteps.  It is made known to them that they also will suffer the same as he suffered.  They are his disciples.  They are the followers of the Messiah.  They will also do great things.  He healed the sick.  So will they.  He made the lame walk and the blind see.  So will they.  He raised the dead.  So will they.  He suffered the sins of mankind.  So will they suffer.

They wanted fame and fortune.  They wanted to have followers the same as he.  They wanted to be known throughout the land, the same as he.  They wanted all that being his followers offered, so they had to pay the same price.  What was that price?  They had to suffer at the hands of the evil doers.  The evil in the world did not want Christ to come.  The evil in the world did not want the people to know.  The evil in the world did not want the people to change.  So it tried to stop Christ.  It tried to prevent the change.  It tried to work against the will of God who ordained that this would happen.  And it was the will of God that brought about the change.  But as for sitting on the right side and the left side of Christ, it was not his to give.  He told them:  "But as for sitting at my right hand and at my left, that is not mine to give you." 

What were they to do?  They had wanted so much to be with him on the throne.  They had wanted so much to sit at his side.  They, James and John, wanted so much to be elevated with Christ.  But they were not Christ.  They did not come down from heaven.  They were not the son of the Father, the Messiah.  They were his followers, his disciples, the witnesses of the Gospel, which they would preach to all the world.

Theirs was not the place of the lamb.  Theirs was not to be the sacrifice for the sins of the world to redeem all humanity.  Theirs came after.  They were the followers.  They were the witnesses to the sacrifice, the messengers of the word.  They lived in his presence.  The heard his words.  The slept, ate, walked with him on this earth and they will be with him in heaven.  They are the judges of the people.  They will sit on the thrones before the altar of God.  But it is destined by God the Father to restore his son to his rightful place at his side.

Christ came that we might have life.  He came to destroy the bond of evil and to tear down the gates of hell that kept us from heaven.  Death is no more.  Life is given to those who seek it.  Eternity is available to all who seek Christ and repent of their sins.  Forgive us father for the trespasses that we committed.  We were blinded.  We could not see.  The knowledge of you was taken away.  But you held our hand.  You did not let go.  You brought us back to you and now we know.  Now we can see.  Now we know who we are.  Now we are grateful for your saving grace, for your forgiveness, and for your mercy.  To all who seek, they will find.  To all who knock, the door will be opened to them.  To all who ask, it will be given to them, says the Lord.  Come!  Seek that which is yours.  Find that which you have searched for.  Know that which is in you and a part of you from heaven above.  You are a child of God!

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.