St. Matthew, Chapter 22, verse: 17b; Is it lawful.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Tribute to Caesar) Part 5.  

And there it was the question of the season.  The question that they knew would cause Christ to stumble, the question that would cause him to hesitate because he was a man of God and did not care for the person of man.  Yet Caesar was the emperor and they knew that all had to bow to Caesar and pay tribute.  So they waited with glee to hear what would be the response of this man of God who called himself the Christ.

Yet still with all their learned knowledge and their wisdom, they did not understand the words that they had studied, the words that they had heard, the words that came forth from the mouth of Christ.  They were blind and deaf and without understanding of the knowledge that comes from the children of God so they asked the question:  "Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not?"  

How he must have felt for them at that moment that they asked him this question.  What volumes it must have told him about the persons that were before him at that moment and what they wanted from him.  How shallow they must have seemed as he gazed upon them and through them to see the emptiness within, that they did not or could not comprehend the nature of the question that they asked of him.

He was the Christ, the Son of God, who came down from heaven to walk and talk among the children of God.  He came to experience first hand the nature of who we are and the life we live.  He wanted to be an example to us, to show us how life should be and is in heaven without hatred and lust, and murder and slander, false witness, and all the other sins that have came from the fall of man and the triumph of evil on earth.

Yet there were those who were under the influence of evil and wanted to continue the reign and dominance of evil for all eternity.  But Christ came to bring an end to death, an end to the dominance of evil.  He came to be a light in the darkness, a door open to those who sought a new life, a life without the influence of evil.  Oh what a glorious day it must have been to walk in the presence of the Lord, to experience his light, his mercy, his love, his peace.  Heaven awaits those who have not seen but still believe.  For the soul hungers for the presence of the Lord and nothing can satisfy that hunger except his love.  

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 22, verse: 17a; Tell us thy thoughts.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Tribute to Caesar) Part 4. 

Now that the foundation was laid the real question comes.  They want to know the inner workings of his mind since they have laid the trap for him and set the parameters surrounding what they thought would be his response.  They were wise in their own conceited way.  They believed that they were knowledgeable enough to know more than this simple man called Jesus. They had met many others like him and brought about their downfall.

They did not know.  They did not understand.  They were blinded by their own arrogance and conceit in thinking that this man was the same as the others that they had met.  This was the Messiah, the living Christ, Son of God the Father.  But they did not know him.  So they asked him:  "Tell us, therefore, what dost thou think?" 

They wanted to know his thoughts, how he processes the questions that they would ask of him, and how he would respond since he is a man of truth and teaches the way of God.  They had set this trap with the knowledge of how they thought that he would respond but their knowledge was limited.  Their knowledge was flawed, their knowledge was human.  It was influenced by the desires of evil and wickedness that drove them to be blind to the truth that was before them, drove them to be deaf to the word that came to them, they could not hear, drove them to not believe in wisdom that had come down through the ages from the prophets that came before him.  They were lost without hope.  But they wanted to know his thought even though they could not comprehend them.  They could only anger at how their plan would fail.    

Yet Christ was loving.  Christ was gentle.  Christ was understanding in his knowledge of where they were and what they were doing.  He offered a way out.  He is merciful in that he never relents in his mercy.  He never stops offering his mercy to us no matter what we do, no matter how often we turn away, no matter how often we let go of him, he is always there waiting for us to call out to him.  He hears our voice.  He knows our cry and he will come to our aid if we are true to him in our need.  

That inner voice will tell us to give up, to not believe, to end it all.  But I am here to say that he, Our Father, is real.  Our God will come.  Our God will provide.  Our God does love you and will demonstrate his love for you everyday.  Patience is the key.  Belief is the way.  Once you taste the fruit of his love you will know that there is nothing else on this earth that will satisfy you.  You will walk your hand in his hand and no one or nothing can take that away.  And now your  journey begins.  

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 22, verse: 16c; The person of men.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Tribute to Caesar) Part 3.  

The Herodians continue with their set up.  Their premise was to lead the conversation by beginning with a preset foundation upon which to build a trap for Christ.  They made conditions.  They made assumptions.  They made initial conditions upon which they believed that Christ would accept so that they could come back and use those same assumptions to tear him down.

He was a man of God who taught the truth.  He did not care for the any man.  He was truthful in his speech and words.  And he did not care who heard or did not hear what he said about them.  One of their premise:   "And that thou carest naught for any man; for thou dost not regard the person of men."  

You see these were the initial steps that they used to set the foundation to trap Christ.  They believed that they were smart and wise and cunning.  They believed that they knew who this Christ was.  So they had conceived a plan to trap him and to deceive him in his own words.  They had no idea who they were dealing with, who they were standing before, who they were speaking with.  All knowledge and wisdom was with him.  All things hidden were revealed to him.  And all that was under the influence of evil was open to him.  Nothing was hidden, nothing was covered up.  He knew all.

Yet here were the wise of the wise before him seeking to show that their wisdom was greater.  Here were the knowledge of the knowledgeable seeking to show that they knew more than he who held all knowledge in the palm of his hand, he who created the wisdom of the universe before they were even conceived in the mind of God.  Yet their arrogance brought them before him with the grain of knowledge that they possessed in an attempt to show how limited they were in their understanding of the master of knowledge.  Yet he was humble.  He was merciful.  He was loving in his judgement of them.

For they were his children and he was their Lord and Savior.  He knew them before they were conceived, before they were born into this realm.  He loved them because they were his own.  He forgave them of their ignorance because he knew that they did not know, they did not understand, they were influenced by others who would deceive them and lead them astray.  But such is the love of Christ.  Such is the love of the one who forgives and forgets.  Such is the love of the one who sees the good in what he has created and wants all to come to him of his/her own free will. 

Let it be known that the choice is ours to make.  Let it be known that the world we live in today seeks to turn us away from that which was freely given to us and paid for at a high price, the price of death.  The choice is yours.  Choose wisely, if you have wisdom.  If not then ask and it shall be given, seek and you shall find, knock and the doors shall be open unto you, and you shall 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. 

St. Matthew, Chapter 22, verse: 16b; The Opening discussion.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Tribute to Caesar) Part 2. 

The Herodians began by setting the tone of the discussion with Christ and the nature of his character.  They sought from the beginning to set a trap by characterizing him as a man of certain traits upon which they could build a foundation which they could use to tear him down.  What they did not know was that Christ knew what they were doing and saw where they were taking their scheme.

They sought to build him up.  They sought to give him certain features.  They sought to make him out as a man who had boundaries and limits upon which he would not cross because of his character.  So they started out by saying, "Master, we know that thou art truthful, and that thou teachest the way of God in truth." 

They were the smart ones of their group.  They had studied the ins and out of deceit.  They knew how to bring down kings and prophets so they used the same tactics on Christ.  They wanted to create a trap for him.  Little did they know or believe that he was the Christ, the Messiah.  He was the one foretold of old who would come and redeem the sins of the people.  He was the Son of God who would come and walk among the people.

Fear ruled the leaders of the people.  There was excitement in the land.  There was talk of a new king, a new ruler, a Messiah.  And the existing rulers did not like the sound of what they heard.  Also the Romans did not like the idea of unrest in the people so order had to be maintained.  And it was up to the existing rulers to maintain that order or be replaced by Roman rule or Roman brute force.  So there was intense fear in the land.

Christ did not come to overthrow the existing government.  He did not come to challenge the rule of the Romans.  He did not come to create unrest in the people.  Instead he came to forgive sins, to cure the sick, to heal the blind and the lame, to make the broken straight again and to show the people what the love of God could do for them.  He was living proof that there was a God.  And most of all he came to sacrifice himself for the sins of mankind that we may have life again and not death.

That was our time to rejoice, our time to see, our time to believe, our time to be free from the bonds of slavery from the world.  For Christ came to reignite a new light within each of us that was given us from birth.  We have a choice.  We are free, or we can continue to be bound.  That choice is up to us, individually.  This is what Christ has given us, the freedom of life or death.  Choose well, where you will be.  We are all created in God's image and his love extends to each and everyone of us.  But the decision is ours to make.  Love God and Love one another.

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 22, verse: 16a; The Herodian scholars.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Tribute to Caesar) Part 2.  

They were determined in their views to trap Christ with their tricks.  They had done this before with other prophets.  So they figured that they could do the same with Christ.  They were arrogant in their beliefs.  They were certain in their knowledge of who they were dealing with.  They were blind to the influence of the evil that motivated their actions and blind to the influence of their own needs.

They believed that they were dealing with an ordinary man.  They believed that they were far superior than this ordinary man even though he seemed to be a prophet.  So they thought that they could outwit him.  They even brought along their best minds to help with the task.  And they sent to him their disciples with the Herodians.  

They were dealing with the Son of God.  Yet they did not consider this a possibility.  They did not think that he would know them, that he would know their thought, their feelings, their wants, and their desires.  Or maybe they were so blinded by the influence of evil that they could not see the truth that was before them.

It is said that some people are so set in their ways that they are unable to see what is plainly before them.  When the truth is unveiled before their eyes the brain is unable to accept what has been revealed, so it denies in order to remain in what has been the accepted way of thinking.  Or even it creates some alternate reason to rationalize maintaining the thought process that it holds without considering the possibility of change.  The truth shatters the old thought process and allows change to take place.  And with that change comes freedom and joy and peace. 

Christ came into this world that the veil of darkness might be lifted and the light of truth would come that we might be able to see again and not be blinded in darkness.  He lit a candle and that candle is the light that is within.  We can choose to see or continue to live in darkness.  We can choose to be free or live enslaved.  We can choose to be at peace in the knowledge that we are rich in him or we can continue to believe that we are poor and must do anything and everything to obtain the riches of this world.  There is nothing in this world that is more precious than the life that Christ has freely given.  Choose freely and keep that which is yours from eternity.

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 22, verse: 15; The trap.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Tribute to Caesar) Part 1.  

Christ is the Son of the Living God who came down from heaven to walk among the people.  He came to teach and to preach and to give an example of how to live according to the commandments of God.  He demonstrated his love and his passion for the people, his mercy and his willingness to forgive the sins of those who sought forgiveness.

But then there were those who were against him, those who sought to tear him down, to destroy him in the eyes of the people.  They wanted to show him as being a fraud and not the genuine article as the real Son of the Father.  They were the ones who were afraid, who feared that he would show the people who they really were.  They were afraid of being fake and not real on the inside as they appeared to be.  Then the Pharisees went and took counsel how they might trap him in his talk.  

They took counsel among themselves and came up with a scheme as to how they thought that they might catch him in a trap.  They believed that they could trick him.  They believed that they could trap him.  They believed that they could plan a way to bring about his fall, but they did not think that they were dealing with the Son of God who knew their plans before they did.  He saw through them.  He understood them.  He knew where they came from because he knew the influence from which they came.

They could not trap him.  They could not trick him.  They could not harm him in any way.  He came that he might surrender himself for the sins of mankind.  God wanted all men and women, boys and girls to be free of sin, so he gave Adam the choice to decide to obey his commandments.  But Adam was human and Adam came up against the serpent who tricked Eve and brought sin into the world for all mankind.  

Now we each and everyone of us have to make that decision and live by it for the rest of our days.  For Christ came and gave us a new choice, a new life, a new beginning.  He came and freely gave of himself to be our sacrifice, our propitiation, that we may have life and have it more abundantly.  The choice is now ours, individually to make.  The choice is now ours to individually to decide.  The choice is now ours to individually live day in and day out that we may know the truth of who we are in Christ.  He gave us life and it is life that is within us if we choose it.

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 22, verse: 14; The Called and the Chosen.

Our paragraph topic is:  (One guest is cast out) Part 4.  

Our parable comes to an end with Christ telling the people the final meaning of this story.  He wants the people to have some understanding of the kingdom of heaven.  So he tells a parable that relates the kingdom of heaven to a king who exercises power over his people in his kingdom.

This king wants to give a party, a celebration, for his son and the bride on the union of their wedding.  The king wanted all to attend and celebrate with him this happy and joyous occasion.  He wanted the word to spread of this party for his son so that all would know of his graciousness and his love for his son and the union with his new bride. 

Yet there were many who did not want to attend, many who did not want the word to get out about the party.  He sent out invitations to all in the town and villages in his kingdom but none would come.  So he sent his servants at to the crossroads and invited all the travelers who were passing through to stop and come to the party.  Many were invited and many came both good and bad.

Many came from the crossroads to see the kings hospitality at this event.  And as the party got underway the king came down to view the guest and to celebrate.  As he walked through the crowd he saw one who came without the proper attire, one who decided to come anyway.  He was displeased.  So he had his servants bind his hands and feet and cast them out into the darkness where there was the weeping and gnashing of teeth.  "For many are called, but few are chosen."  

And this was the lesson that Christ wanted the people to hear from this parable.  That all are called to the celebration of the kingdom but few are chosen to remain.  

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 22, verse: 12; The Guest is questioned.

Our paragraph topic is:  (One guest is cast out) Part 2.  

The party had started and the king was ready to make his entrance to see all the guest.  He was excited that he finally had the celebration that he wanted for his son and the bride.  So he entered the feast and viewed the guest as they were celebrating and feasting.  Finally he came upon one guest that was not properly dressed for the occasion and inquired how he came to enter.

"And he said to him, ' Friend, how didst thou come in here without a wedding garment?' But he was speechless."  

It is interesting to note that all were invited to attend the wedding feast.  All were told that they were attending a wedding feast and all knew that the proper attire would be a wedding garment for this occasion.  But this guest decided to come without a wedding garment.  It was as though he decided to dishonor the host by coming without one.  

The king wanted all to remember this happy occasion.  He wanted all to talk about this event to everyone they saw.  He wanted the word to spread of the wedding feast that took place so that people would know of this special event.  The king did not want this event to be scarred by talk of one who came without a wedding garment, one who came in disrespect of the king and the bride and the groom.  This was a happy occasion, a joyous occasion, one to remember for many years to come and not one to be talked about with scandal.

So Christ is telling this parable to the people that they will understand how the kingdom of heaven works similar to this wedding feast given by the king.  God our Father wants all to come to the wedding feast.  He invites the good and the bad, but all must come with the proper attire and not in disrespect of his graciousness.  Come one come all let us celebrate the union of the Christ and the Church here on earth for the sacrifice has been made, the price has been paid, and the union of the two will now take place in this grand celebration.


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 22, verse: 13; The Guest is cast out.

Our paragraph topic is:  (One guest is cast out) Part 3. 

And now in the final episode of this parable where the king enters the ballroom to find the guests enjoying the celebrations that he has prepared.  At last now he has a party that will be remembered by all.  He has brought together enough people that will remember this celebration of the union of the bride and the groom.  This is a celebration for all to talk about.

But wait.  All were talking about something else.  They were talking about a guest at the wedding feast that did not wear a wedding garment.  They were talking about a person who came to the wedding feast who dared to come without the appropriate attire in defiance of the king, in defiance of the host of the celebration.  And the king was not going to have this person spoil his party.  "Then the king said to the attendants, 'Bind his hands and feet and cast him forth into the darkness outside, where there will be the weeping, and the gnashing of teeth.' "  

The party was not going to be spoiled by one guest who came with the intent to disgrace the host.  This was an important celebration that the king wanted all to remember.  He wanted all who came to spread the word of this one celebration.  He wanted all who came to tell everyone so that all would remember the wedding feast held by the king.  And this was not going to be a feast that one guest spoiled.

So this one guest was cast out into the darkness.  He was thrown outside where the animals who are hungry were wanting to get into the party.  They smell the food and they want to come in.  The teeth were gnashing and the mouths were watering and the stomachs were hungry for the great feast of food that inside the great hall.  But they could get in.  And that is the way that it was. 

There are some parties that we would like to go to.  There are some parties that we would die to be invited to.  There are some parties that would kill to get into but the guards at the gates will not let us in.  What do we do?  We accept with anger that we are not invited.  We accept with disgust that we are not a part of that crowd.  We accept with frustration that we will get even with those guys when we see them again.  But we still cannot get into the party.

This is not the case with the kingdom of heaven.  All are invited.  All are welcomed to come.  All are given the message about the celebration to come and be a part of the wedding feast.  But you must wear a wedding garment.  You must wear the proper attire.  You must come prepared to enter or you may be asked to leave or you may be thrown out into the darkness.  You may be embarrassed in front of all your friends and asked to leave by the host.  God wants all to attend but you must come prepared for the feast.

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 22, verse: 11; The Improperly dressed Guest.

Our Paragraph topic is:  (One guest is cast out) Part 1.  

After all the preparation and all the invitations, the celebration began.  The wedding feast of the bride and the groom will be an event to remember for all those who attended.  All those who stopped their journey at the crossroads of the town and came to the party, they will remember this celebration and talk about it to all whom they meet wherever they travel.

There was music and dancing and food and laughter and happiness all around.  Even the king was happy when he came down to see the great hall filled with music and laughter.  But there was one thing that displeased the king.  "Now the king went in to see the guests, and he saw there a man who had not on a wedding garment."  

Now this was a wedding party and all knew the attire.  Yet here was a man who decided to attend but refused to wear the appropriate attire.  It was not that he did not have a wedding garment, but it was that he refused to wear a wedding garment and decided that he was going to attend anyway no matter what the attire.  It would be like attending a formal event without having the formal attire and saying that you were going anyway without the formal attire to show disdain for the event and the host.

The king went to great lengths to host this event for the bride and the groom and he did not want anything to take away from this occasion.  And certainly this person would was not going to be a distraction for everyone to see and talk about at this great event.  Christ is telling this parable to the people because he wants them to understand the conclusion that he is leading up to.  He has a lesson that he wants them to learn.  He teaches in parables but within the parables are life's lessons that the people can take with them and remember for the rest of their lives and apply in situations when they come up.

The same is true in our lives today.  His parables are teachings to guide us through life.  The Bible is full of the parables and teachings that we can learn from.  There are hundreds of stories that we can take with us on our journey through life if we choose to look and see, if we choose to read them, if we choose to believe that they are there for us to know.  We walk a path everyday through life lost in the physical world doing the same things over and over again telling ourselves we are happy.  We find joy in some things that we do but we wake up to the drudgery of life and have to go back to the everyday work of living instead of living the life that we dream.  Few get to live a life of freedom and even they become board with their lives.  

Find the life within and walk the journey that you are given.  Seek the true light that gives you life and you will know who you are.  Each day you will grow in the knowledge and strength of your self awareness and soon you will no longer be the physical but more the spiritual than the physical.  And in that moment of transition Christ and the spiritual will be with you more than the physical, always.

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 22, verse: 10b; They gathered all both good and bad.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The king's anger) Part 6.  

Christ continues to tell this parable about the king and the wedding feast as he compares it to the kingdom of heaven.  He relates this parable to the people because he wants them to understand the mindset of the king and his determination to have a wedding feast and the determination of his father in heaven to have a celebration with his son and his bride, the church here on earth.

Invitations were sent out to those who were special but they did not come.  They did not understand and did not want to be a part of this special occasion.  So he sent his servants out to the crossroads and gathered all:  "Both good and bad; and the marriage feast was filled with guests."   

This was an important occasion.  It was a happy occasion, an event to remember, for the bride would be forever united with the groom and nothing would separate them.  This was the message that Christ wanted the people to hear, to understand and comprehend.  It was an important occasion for all to celebrate.  It was an important event for all to remember and to pass down to their children so that they would also remember even though they were not there but their parents were there.

It was a joyous occasion, one to remember for a lifetime.  There was dancing and singing, and music, and laughter, and wine and food, and happy people.  People were dressed in their festive clothing to commemorate the occasion.  There were drinks to go round for all to have.  There was festive music to dance by and all were happy on this joyous event.  This was not a club party nor a house party but a grand ballroom party held in a great hall, the king's great hall.  And he knew how to throw a great party.

So we see today that Christ relates to us that there will be a great celebration to commemorate the coming together of the bride and the groom.  God our Father will celebrate this great occasion and will invite all to come and participate.  All will be invited to come and see the union of the two.  All will be invited to come to the ceremony that will take place that will unite the church on earth with Christ in heaven and to be a part of this great celebration.

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 22, verse: 10a; They gathered all.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The king's anger) Part 5.  

The king wanted to have a party.  He had made preparations to have a wedding feast and that was what he was going to do.  But no one came.  So he had to find people to attend.  He sent his servants out to the crossroads of the town and invited all that they saw, all that they met who were passing by the town, to come to the celebration.  There was a party going on.  There would be wine, and music, and food, and dancing, and laughter, so stop by on your journey and refresh yourself at this joyous event.

This was the message that was told to those that were met on the crossroads of the town.  They were greeted with this great celebration so that they would take a detour and come to the party and the king would have his celebration.  "And his servants went out into the roads, and gathered all whom they found."  

The king wanted to celebrate the wedding feast.  Christ is telling this parable so that the people will understand the kingdom of heaven.  God our Father wants to have a celebration and he wants to invite all to come.  He will send his servants out to all parts to gather all those that can come to the feast.  His love for all determines to what lengths he will go to make sure that all are included and no one is left out.

He has already made the invitation to those that he thought were special.  They refused his invitation and killed his messengers.  They did not want his message to spread to the people so they tried to stop it from spreading.  He sent his army out and burned their village and killed all involved.  He now invites all those who were not special, the common man, those on the crossroads of life, those who have not heard of the celebration, those who are not a part of the town where the king reigns, the outsiders.

This king is generous.  He is loving.  He is kind.  He is just.  This wedding feast is important to him because it is his son that is being wedded to the bride.  And that is something that is very important for him that he wants all to know and recognize.  Come to the wedding feast and see the bride.  Come to the wedding feast and celebrate the union of the two who will be joined together for life.  Come to the wedding feast and recognize your part in honoring the bride and groom.  For this is your future.  This is your past.  This is your place of worship and peace.  This is where you belong in this house, in this building, in this sanctuary with your brothers and sisters alike.  They await your coming.  They welcome you with open arms.  They greet you with a holy kiss.  They are yours and you are theirs.  Come! 

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 22, verse: 9; The public invited.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The king's anger) Part 4.  

The king will not be deterred from his celebration.  He wanted to have a party.  He wanted others to enjoy his happiness, his joy.  He had invited those that he thought were worthy.  But they thought otherwise of the king.  They apparently did not like the king.  They must have hated him.  They had contempt and animosity for him because they killed the messengers. But despite all that, he would not be deterred from this celebration.

So the king continued to make preparations for this celebration.  He told his servants:  Go therefore to the crossroads, and invite to the marriage feast whomever you shall find."  And so it was that the king would invite all that would come and celebrate with him and his son.  It would be a grand occasion.  All would enjoy the music and the dancing and the food and the drinks for this happy occasion.  And the king would be happy to see such joy in the people.

What does this say to us today?  Would we like to go to the kings party?  Would we like to be one of those invited to come?  Go to the crossroads, go to the major intersections, shout it from the rooftops, tell everyone you know.  Post it on Facebook, take pictures and show them on Instagram so everyone would know of the celebration.  All will be invited and all will be welcomed at the party.

Will you come?  Will you be there with everyone else?  It will be the talk of the town.  But this is different from the parties that we know of today.  There will be no drugs.  There will be no strip dancers.  No guns allowed.  Proper attire only.  This will be the celebration of the year, of the century because this is the message that Christ wants all to understand about the kingdom of heaven.  His father is having a party and he wants all to be invited.

Don't miss out!  Don't hesitate!  You are given the notice well in advance of the event so that you will have enough time to prepare, to get ready,  to become worthy of the event.  There are those who say they are not going.  There are those who do not believe that it is worth their time.  There are those who hate the king and would persuade you that you are not worthy to attend.  Do not be persuaded by those who would turn you away from the party of the century, the party that is yours to attend.  The decision is yours to make.  Do not let someone else make it for you.  The doors are open for all to attend.  Put on your party outfit and come join the party!

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 22, verse: 8; They were not worthy.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The king's anger) Part 3.  


Christ continues to compare the kingdom of heaven to the king and his wedding feast.  The king had made all the preparations to have a great feast in honor of his son.  Yet the people that were invited did not come.  They did not show up.  And further, in order to stop the talk by king's messengers, they beat and killed them.  They did not want to hear about this wedding feast any more.  They did not care what would happen.  They just wanted to stop the message from being spread throughout the kingdom.

This angered the king so much that he sent his soldiers out to those villages and towns and burnt them to the ground and killed all the inhabitants.  Then the king set another date, after all this had happened, and prepared to celebrate a great event.  "Then he said to his servants, 'The marriage feast indeed is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy.' "  

What meaning, what understanding can we gather from this today?  Did we get the invitation to come to the party?  Did we ignore the message and beat the messengers?  Are we worthy to attend this great celebration?  The call is out.  The tables are set.  What is our hesitation?  Why do we tarry?  What holds us, what prevents us, what turns us away from the event of a life time?  Are we on the fence of life considering the possibilities, or are we walking on the green grass that's on the other side having second thoughts about what we may miss?

We are given a choice.  We have the opportunity to decide what we want to do with our lives.  But there is also the influence of the world that weighs upon our everyday decisions.  We can think about it for a minute and then  forget it because we are back in the realm of the world going about our daily lives.  And our daily lives are governed and guided by the world.  For it is the world that we live in.  And it is the world that decides for us who and what we are going to do each and every day.  

The struggle is ours.  We can go along with the rest and do as the world dictates.  Or we can make a choice and go against the flow, swimming up stream.  What does it benefit us?  What do we profit going against the flow?  Will we get tired and allow the current of the world to carry us in whatever way the stream flows?  We need help.  We need guidance.  We need protection.  It would be easier if we had a boat to take us upstream.  It would be easier if we had a motor to drive the boat that would take us upstream.  If we had to row of our own energy we would eventually tire and be swept away by the current.

Everything is prepared and the feast is about to begin.  Are you worthy of the invitation?  Are you thankful of the invitation?  Are you grateful that you were invited?  Do not be angry that you continue to hear the message.  Do not turn away when you hear the calling.  For the king wants all to come.  He wants all to be invited.  He wants all to enjoy the happiness that he affords.  He is a happy king.  He is a joyous king.  He is a loving king and he will provide all with the means to make the journey for those who want to come .  All we need to do is to decide to come!

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 22, verse: 7b; The King destroys the murderers.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The king's anger) Part 2.  

We continue with the parable of the kingdom of heaven compared with the king and the wedding feast.  The people of the town were tired of hearing about the king's wedding feast so they beat and killed the messengers.  When the king heard of it he was extremely angry.  Just as the king of heaven would be if his messengers were killed.

What would his judgement become?  What would he do to the people of the town who committed such a crime.  Well the king in the parable did this:   "And he sent his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burnt their city."  In the same way one can say that the king of heaven would do the same.  He would send out his angels and destroy the city and burn it to the ground.  This happened with Sodom and Gomorrah.

This is the message that Christ relates to the people so they can have a reference in their time.  They live in the time of their own king.  They also live in the time of the king of heaven our God.  So He wants the people to understand that the their God wants to have a party and he wants those invited to come.  But if they choose not to come, and if they choose to kill his messengers then there will be a price to pay.

Can we relate to this message today?  Can we find meaning in the message that comes down from heaven through Christ our Lord.  He wants us to understand.  He wants us to know.  He wants us to believe in the word, to trust in the word because the word comes down to us from God himself.  There will be a price to pay for those who seek to destroy and murder those who carry the word, his messengers.  

We talk about the word of God as though we understand all.  Yet there are mysteries that we do not comprehend.  There are hidden messages that do not reveal their meaning openly.  If we seek to know, if we seek to understand we must search within to find the secrets.  For God has given to us the ability to understand.  He has created us in his image and his likeness.  Yet God is not human.  God is not of flesh and blood.  God is not of this physical realm but we are.  And in that understanding comes the truth of who we are. 

We are of his image but he is not human.  We are of his image but we are human.  And in those statements lies the truth of who we are.  We are spiritual just as our Father is of a spiritual nature.  And within us is the truth of our spiritual nature.  Seek it and you shall find it.  Open the door and you shall see it.  Leap from the physical to the spiritual through belief and you shall know it.  For Christ came that we would have true life and have it more abundantly.  He came to be an example.  He came to lead the way.  He came to give us the truth of who we are.  He came to show us the love of our Father.  And most of all he came to free us from sin.  

We have a choice today, to believe or not to believe.  We have a choice today, to be human or to be spiritual.  We have a choice today, to know the truth of who we are in Christ or not to know.  And it is in that choice that we live.  For from the beginning the choice was made for us.  But through Christ the choice is given to each of us individually.  So choose where you will be.  Choose what you will believe.  Choose to know the truth and look within and find it.

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 22, verse: 7a; The King's anger.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The king's anger) Part 1.  

We continue the parable of the kingdom of heaven that Christ is relaying to the people so that they can have some understanding.  He tells the story in terms that the people can relate to because they have a king.  And often their king has celebrations that the entire population of that town knows about because he sends out messengers throughout the town to proclaim to the people the news of the celebration.  In this parable the king sends out messengers a second time because no one came when he sent the first message to those invited. 

The king was happy.  He wanted to celebrate with his subjects the marriage of his son and the new bride.  But no one came upon sending out the second messengers.  In fact he learned that his messengers had been beaten and killed.  "But when the king heard of it, he was angry." 

The people of the town can relate to an angry king because they have seen and lived through times when their own king is angry.  They know the consequences of his anger.  And this is an idea that Christ wants the people to know about when they think of the kingdom of heaven.  They killed and destroyed the king's messengers which is something that you did not do in those times. 

Can we relate today to this parable in the same way as the people in the time of Christ?  What would happen today if the word of God was destroyed?  What would God do?  Christ came that we would know of the Father.  He left us with the Church that we would have places to go, places of sanctuary.  And he proclaimed that the kingdom of hell shall not prevail against it. 

So we see today that even though there are instances of evil taking over portions of the church, in total the church still prevails and God watches over that which is his.  For if the church would fall God would become very angry and would seek his vengeance upon those who would seek to destroy that which Christ built.  We have a loving God, a God of peace.  But we also have a God that will anger against those that would seek to destroy that which is his.  Be happy.  Be thankful that wrongs committed against those who seek the righteousness of his word will rouse the anger of our God .  For he is judge and jury, and vengeance is his alone.

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 22, verse: 6; And they killed the messengers.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The marriage feast) Part 5.  

No one showed.  No one came to the feast.  The invitations were sent out twice but no one came to the party.  Everyone was talking about it.  Everyone said that they were going.  But they were too busy to celebrate with the king and his son.  He sent out the invitations twice so no one could say that they did not get it.  They were complacent and had other more important things to do than to spend time with the king.

They were tired of hearing about the king's party.  The messengers had come around on several occasions talking about the celebration and everyone was talking about it.  But no one went when the time came.  So they were frustrated and wanted to stop the talk about this event.  And so: "The rest laid hold of his servants, treated them shamefully, and killed them." 

They killed the messengers.  The king sent them out to remind those invited that the celebration was ready and they killed them.  They beat them, kicked them, spat on them, and then killed them.  Is that something that we would do today?  Would we kill the messengers if they came around talking about the kingdom of heaven and we did not want to hear them?  Would we treat them badly and kill them?  We often see them on the corners of our local streets, preaching hell and damnation.  Often we think of them as bible thumping preachers who have nothing else to do.  We see them and then we continue on about our business.  We believe that our message will be preached in the churches and not on the streets.  But this was the way it was in the time of Christ.  There were no churches, just the synagogue.

Today we don't kill them because it is against the law.  But we do kill them because we ignore them.  We see them but we do not.  We hear them but we do not hear them.  We believe what they are saying but we do not.  We live in two worlds.  We live in the physical world and we live in the spiritual world, if we believe.  We respond to the physical world because that is what we see and feel everyday.  But the spiritual world is within us.  The spiritual world requires something of us that the physical does not, that we believe.  We say that we believe but do we really.  

God, our Father, calls us to be his children, created in his image and likeness.  Our Father is a loving god and he would expect the same of us.  He is a god of provision and protection.  He would not allow anything to happen to his children just as we are parents and would not allow anything within our power to happen to our own children.  We love them and they give us love and happiness.  They are a part of us and we are a part of them.  So as we grow and become more a part of the physical world let us reflect back and think about the part where we were young and had parents to provide for us.  So today we are children of our God and he provides for and cares for us.  He is having a celebration and all are invited.  Come, join the party.

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.