Our paragraph topic is: (Anger of the Jewish leaders) Part 2.
He cleansed the temple of the money changers and the buying and selling. He brought prayer and worship back to the temple. Christ taught the poor and downtrodden in the temple and he cured all that were brought to him. He was kind. He was compassionate. He was loving to all. He was the Messiah.
He knew what his actions would bring. He knew that the scribes and the chief priest would not like that he was swaying the people. He knew that they would fear that someone else was taking control of the people away from them. Yet his actions brought praise even down to the children. But the chief priests and the Scribes, seeing the wonderful deeds that he did, and the children crying out in the temple, and saying, "Hosanna to the Son of David," were indignant.
He came into Jerusalem with praise from the people that caused an uproar to all who did not know him. He went to the temple and caused an uproar with the money changers and the buying and selling in that place of worship. He taught the people of a new way, a way of faith, a way of peace, a way of love. He taught them of the Father and the Father's love for all. For he came to bring about a change. He came to renew. He came that all would know the truth of who he was and that the Father in heaven would forgive all of sin. He came, to be the perfect sacrifice.
We live today with the knowledge and the words that he left for us. We live today in the belief that there is more to this life than just what we have today. We live in this world today with the hope that if we follow his life we will be saved for all eternity. We live today because he gave to us a church, a temple, a place to worship, a place to belong, a membership in his body in the family of God.
We are blessed, those who know the truth of who we are in the spirit. Those of this world do not have the same truths. Their truth is death. Christ came and gave us a new life. He came and gave us a new beginning. He came and paid for our sins that we would no longer live under the cloud of death. We are new beings in him. We are spiritual in him. We are eternal in him. We are loved and protected in him. The world does not know. The world does not believe. The world wants to take away that knowledge and change us into the living dead. The world hates those who know and believe because the world is indignant.
Praise be to the Father, and the Son and the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end. Amen.
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.
Our paragraph topic is: (Anger of the Jewish leaders) Part 1.
He cast out the money changers. He overturned the tables used for the buying and selling. He proclaimed the iniquity that was being practiced in the house of the Lord and told the people that it is written that the temple is a place of worship and prayer, not a den for thieves.
The Jewish leaders were astonished at his actions. They had allowed the buying and selling in the temple. They were the ones who didn't think that it was wrong for thieves to practice their skills in the temple. They were the ones who were embarrassed by the actions of Christ Jesus, the man they saw as a threat. He came to pray. He came to give worship in the temple. He came to give honor to his heavenly Father and he saw all this taking place in this holy place. So he cleaned house that he could be at peace in this place of worship. And the people came to hear the word and be set free. And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them.
Come one, come all and be healed. Come to the church, the place of worship, the place of healing, the place of forgiveness and find your new self in the Lord. Christ has paid the price for our transgressions. Christ has passed the test and bought a new life for all those who believe. Come one, come all and be healed.
The world is the place where we live. The world is the place where we work. The world is the place where we eat and breathe and love and hate and seek and die. The world will deceive you. The world will corrupt you. The world will turn you away from that which was freely given you at birth. Life is ours to have. Life eternal is ours to hold. Physical life of the body is not ours for eternity but only that for a fleeting moment. It is that which is within which is eternal and the world wants to take that away from us. The worlds wants death.
Christ can heal us. He can forgive us our transgressions. He can give us a new life, a new purpose, a new beginning. There are pleasures in the world, and riches, and desires to fulfill but none can truly satisfy like that which Christ offers. In him there is completion, fulfillment, peace. For he provides all that the heart desires and fills, with over running capacity, the hole that worldly life leaves. We are children of the creator, the Father in heaven. And he loves all that he has created. He is the judge and jury, and all injustices will be dealt with. Today we learn of his words given us through the Holy Spirit. Tomorrow we see and hear the completion of those written words brought to fruition. For it is written.
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.
Our paragraph topic is: (Cleansing of the Temple) Part 4.
God's place was defiled. It was invaded and unclean. The people did not know but the evil doers knew. The high priest allowed it. The scribes wrote about it and considered it workable and necessary. They did not consider that evil and greed would come into the holy place. They did not think that the temple was a holy place meant for the worship of God the Father. They only considered how it would help the merchants of the day.
But even with the best of intentions, evil used those intentions to come into the temple and defile the holy place of worship. God's house is a place of worship. His house is a place of prayer. His house is a place of peace where the people can come and send up their wants and needs to the Father. But the priests and the guardians of this holy place allowed it to be defiled. "But you have made it a den of thieves."
What do we believe today? We have churches on every corner on every street, of every denomination, of all beliefs. Are they places of worship, places of peace, places to go and give thanks to God our Father for all that he has done for us?
I grew up in a church and there I found peace and happiness. But then I left that place and went out into the world and lived the way of the world. And I lost my way. For many years I wanted to return to that place of peace, that place of comfort, that place of happiness. But I felt cast out, without a home, no place to go. I would drive by the church many times afraid to go in, not having the courage to return. Then I overcame my fear; I knew that I needed the church in my life. My life was out of control and I had lost something I needed to find. So I returned, little steps at a time. At first once a month, then later, more often.
It was a monk who encouraged me to return completely and take up my place in God's family. And so I started to come more often and to participate in the service. I was thankful that throughout all the years away from the church that my Father held my hand and did not let go. I am grateful that now I have a place to go, a place to worship, a place to find peace in my life. I am blest to be a member of the body of Christ and to have a church family.
Most of all I am blest to know who I am in Christ and nothing can change that knowledge. The world has nothing to offer that I do not already have. For now I know that the Father loves me, provides for me, and cares for me. I know that that for which I long for is not of this earth but with Christ Jesus in heaven and his love is the only thing that can fulfill my longings. My house is clean and is not a den for evil to dwell in. Come! Clean your house and become one who knows 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 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.
Our paragraph topic is: (Cleansing of the Temple) Part 3.
Christ entered the temple with anger, horror, and frustration at what he saw. They were selling and buying of gifts for sacrifice. They were changing of monies and lying and deceiving the purchasers of their money, money that is meant for the purchase of gifts for the praise of God. The thieves and the robbers had entered the holy place used for prayer and thanksgiving and Christ was horrified at what he saw.
He saw evil. He saw those who were influenced by evil practicing greed and deceit. Their only goal was to make money and revel in the praise of mammon for the wealth that it brought to them. They were not concerned that it was a house of prayer. They were not concerned that it was a house of worship to the creator. They were only concerned with greed and deceit, how much could they cheat the customer out of their money meant for God the Father. And he said to them, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer'."
The word is written for all to see. The word is patient for the time for completion. The word is fulfilled for all to know that the time had come. And it came to pass that evil was overturned in the temple. It came to pass that evil would not take by force the house of God. It came to pass that the time for redemption was at hand and no longer would evil be allowed to rule the day.
He came to walk among us. He came to show us his love. He came that we would have a witness as to the truth. He came that we would have forgiveness and a new life. He came and he is our Lord and Savior. The word is written. The word is truth. The word awaits for completion. The word will be fulfilled. The choice is ours to believe. The choice is ours to accept. The choice is ours to know the truth of who we are in Christ.
Let not the world deceive you as it did me. Let not the world turn you away from the truth of who you are. Let not the world turn you away from the life that is freely given you by the sacrifice of his love. It is written for you to believe. It is written for you to accept freely. It is written for you to see and know him in truth and honesty. The word will be fulfilled. The word will be completed. The word will return to the Father having finished it's purpose. Will you receive the word and be renewed? I do, I have, I am, I know. Do 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 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.
Our paragraph topic is: (Cleansing of the Temple) Part 2.
He entered the temple and was inflamed at what he saw, buying and selling, money changers, men practicing deceit and trickery, dishonesty and greed, arrogance and pride. Instead of prayer and worship, they were practicing evil. It was as if evil had taken over the house of the Lord. The people would come to worship their Father were required to purchase gifts for their offerings. And in the purchasing, the men who sold the items to be sacrificed were practicing deceit cheating the worshippers out of their gifts, stealing from God himself.
Christ saw this. He was angry. He was enraged. He knew that evil had taken over those who were doing the selling. He saw them. He cast them out. For evil can only practice it's sins through man. It can only influence man to do evil. And those men had taken over the temple all in the name of making money. And he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold the doves.
The people came to worship. Some had offerings to make. Others did not, so they had to buy what was sold at the temple. It was not that these thing were being sold. It was that they were being sold inside the temple where people came to pray and to worship their father, their creator. They came to give thanks. They came to show gratitude to the lord for what he had given them. They came to receive his blessings.
Just as we do today, when we go to our lord's house to worship, we come to give praise and worship our Lord for that which he has given us. We show gratitude and thanks. For he is the reason that we have the abundance of life today. We are alive. We who believe have the promise of salvation. We who know can see and feel that which is within us. The spirit lives and he comes to be with us. He comes to teach us. He comes to guide us in our daily lives that we do not become evil doers in the world.
Throw off the old self and take up the new self in Christ. He will provided for us. He will delivered us. He will take us home when the transformation comes. For he has given us his words to live by, to breathe by, to know by, to see the miracles by his hand in our daily lives. He is Lord and deliverer. He is the giver of new life, love eternal. Come! Find your peace within 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 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.
