St. Matthew, Chapter 21, verse: 12a, The selling and buying.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Cleansing of the Temple) Part 1. 

We continue our walk with Christ as he enters Jerusalem.  The people of Jerusalem did not know him but the people who came from far away places knew him and had heard the word.  They praised him as he entered the city.  They worshipped him as he came.  They shouted Hosanna in the highest.  They were the ones who gave honor and glory to him and not the citizens of Jerusalem.

He walked through the city and the crowds followed.  They wanted to know what he would do.  They wanted to know what he would say.  They wanted to see him, to touch him, to be a part of the history that was being made.  So Christ went to the temple to pray.  He went to the temple to teach.  He went to the temple, to his father's house.   And Jesus entered the temple of God, and cast out all those who were selling and buying in the temple. 

He was appalled.  He was astonished.  He was angry that this sacred place was being used as a market place for con artists and thieves.  Evil had invaded the house of the Lord.  It had taken over the most sacred place where the people came to worship, praise, and thank their heavenly father.  This was wrong.  This was blasphemous.  This was not the place for those who practiced the ways of the world to do their business.

So he entered with anger.  He entered with righteousness.  He entered and cast out the evil that had taken over the temple.  What would you have do if this was your house and it was being used as a drug house, a house of prostitution, a den for robbers and murders to gather?  Would you have called them out?  Would you have called the law enforcement to clear them out?  What would you do?

Christ came that we would know the truth.  He came to be our sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins.  He came that we would have new life and have it more abundantly.  He came to establish his presences here on earth through the legacy of his church.  And he said that the forces of hell shall not prevail against it.  So today we have a place to go when we are in need of peace.  We have a place to go when we need to communicate with our Father.  We have a place to go away from the world outside.  We have a place to go where we can find love, and understanding, and forgiveness.  For this is what he left us throughout the world.  No matter where we go or what city we find ourselves in, somewhere we can always find a place of worship, a place of peace.

Long did I wait before I entered the church.  Ashamed was I of the experiences I had in my life away from the church.  Guilty was I of the sins that I committed.  Desire did I to have peace, forgiveness, hope, and faith in my life.  I knew, but rationalize did I what I was doing.  I did not care of the consequences.  But he held my hand despite my disobedience.  He loved me despite my uncaring.  He forgave me despite my guilt and my shame.  He loves me today and I love him for all that he has done for me.  Turn back I will not.  With the help of the Advocate I will fight to continue to walk the path he has given me and I will fight to open the door to any and all who seek the truth of him who loves 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 nd 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 21, verse: 11, The crowds knew him.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Triumphal entry into Jerusalem) Part 6. 

He came into Jerusalem on a path of palm leaves.  He came but the city knew him not.  He came and the crowds called him the prophet, the Son of David.  He came seated on the colt of an ass, and the crowds praised him.  They knew him for his miracles.  They knew him for his words.  They knew him because they believed in him and hoped that change would come.

They were tired of the old ways.  They were tired of the rich, the powerful, the rich merchants, and the burdensome laws they were forced to comply with.  They were tired of the tyrannical rule of their leaders and the lack of change so desperately needed.  But the people of Jerusalem knew him not.   But the crowds kept on saying, "This is Jesus the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee." 

He was the symbol of change.  He was the new leader that come forth out of Galilee.  He was the sign that the old was out and a beginning was coming.  They knew.  They felt it happening.  The people were alive with excitement at what was taking place.  They were alive because they were seeing history in the making.  They were a part of that change.  Words would be written about the change that was taking place.  And change came.  But it did not come as expected.  It came in the form of death.  It came in the form of loss.  It came in the form of rejoicing that the truth was brought back from the dead.

People are mad today.  They are fed up with what is happening around them with justice, punishment, corruption, and murder.  They see it everyday.  They know it exists in their communities, in their towns, in their states and throughout the United States.  So they protest.  They march.  They cry out with loud voices to be heard.  They disrupt.  They march.  They face down those who are entrusted to uphold the law.  And they will not back down.  Do they know?  Do they understand?  Do they see what is about to happen?  Can they cause change to happen?

Christ came to bring about change.  He came to teach a new way.  He came to bring love.  He came to be an example of how we should treat one another.  He came to be a sacrifice for our sins that we may be forgiven and have new life.  Can we follow in his footsteps?  Can we bring about change as he did?  Can we teach a new way, live a new life, love in a new way?  We are at a turning point in our history.  The world wants not the change.  The world would keep us ignorant.  Are we not blind?  Can we not see the influence and where it comes from?  Change comes from within and it is up to each and every one of us to accept or reject it.  Christ brought about change.  Can we bring about change within ourselves?

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 nd 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 21, verse: 10, Jerusalem knew him not.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Triumphal entry into Jerusalem) Part 5. 

It was a time for celebration.  It was a time for joy and happiness.  It was a time for rejoicing for the Messiah had come to Jerusalem for the Passover.  Those who came from Judea knew him.  Those who came from Galilea knew him.  Those who came from Jordan knew him.  But the people who lived in Jerusalem did not.  They had not heard of him or the word that went forth before him to proclaim his deeds.

He had cured the sick, made the lame walk, opened the eyes of the blind, cured the lepers, taught in the fields, in the marketplace, in the synagogues and even raised the dead.  But those who lived in Jerusalem had not heard, did not know, sought him not.  They lived in the city.  They lived in the capitol, the heart of Judaism.  They were the privileged, the ones of rank and power, those who lived in palaces and wore fine garments.  They had not heard.  The word had not come to them.  And when Jesus came they were in wonder and bewilderment!   And when he entered Jerusalem, all the city was thrown into commotion, saying, "Who is this?" 

They did not know.  They had not heard.  They were too busy with their own concerns of the day to bother with the local gossip of the common man.  Theirs were the concerns of the kingdom of Judaism.  To them he was just another ordinary man.  He had not come with trumpets, or fanfare announcing his arrival.  He had not come with a entourage with armed guards and a carriage on the shoulders of strong men.  To them he was a commoner that the local people praised and rejoiced over and they could not understand the commotion.

Christ has told us to beware of false prophets.  He has warned us that there will be many who will come in his name professing to be the Christ.  Do not follow the crowd down the long and wide path to destruction.  He told us to seek the narrow path that leads to life everlasting.  Seek the truth and you will find your way.  The path has been prepared for us.  He has set it before us, all we have to do is follow in his footsteps, follow in his light.  Yet many will go astray and follow the crowd.

Many did not know him when he came to Jerusalem.  But there were those who did know him and followed him even to the cross.  They did not know that this was foretold by the prophets.  They did not know that he would rise again and conquer death.  So their sorrow at his crucifixion and their loss at his death was replaced with joy and hope when he arose from the grave.  And all who knew of him and had heard the word came to his disciples to follow.  Can we follow today?  Can we believe the word that was written for us by the hand of God?  Can we hope for the promises that he made to us that he would not leave us as lost little children?  Can we believe, can we hope, can we trust in his words?  Seek those words and you will know yourself.  I have, and I know that he is real! 

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 nd 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 21, verse: 9, Hosannas from the crowds.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Triumphal entry into Jerusalem) Part 4. 

The word spread: "He's here, He's here."  And the people came out to meet him and to greet him and to see him.  They had heard the words spoken about him.  Many had seen him before and knew that he would come to the celebration.  Others who lived in Jerusalem did not know and had not heard the word.  But for those who came for the celebration, they knew.

The Messiah had come.  Christ came to the celebration and the people rejoiced.  And the crowds that went before him, and those that followed, kept crying out, saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David!  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!  Hosanna in the highest!" 

They celebrated and they rejoiced because they knew that something good was about to happen.  They knew that where he was, miracles were happening.  They knew that where he was the sick were being cured, the lame were walking, the blind were seeing and the dead were being brought back to life.  They had heard the word of his deeds.  They knew that now all the injustices that they suffered at the hands of their rulers would come to an end.  The Messiah had arrived and they rejoiced over his coming.  Little did they know what his coming meant, the horror that they would see, and the sadness they would face over his loss.

Many today wish that the Messiah would come.  You see signs on every corner proclaiming his return.  Many suffer.  Many are downtrodden.  Many seek justice.  Many want peace.  Yet these things will not come.  Not today, not tomorrow, not until the word has been fulfilled will the Messiah come again.  And only the Father knows when that time will happen.

They rejoiced in Jerusalem when he came.  How much more will we rejoice when he comes.  But will we be ready for that time?  Will we ready prepared for the second coming of the Christ?  He promised he would return.  He promised that the injustice of the world would end.  He promised that vengeance would be exacted.  He promised that we would see him coming on a cloud.  He promised that he would gather all his children into his fold and the rest would be cast outside.  Do you believe in his promises?  Do you believe period?

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 nd 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.