St. Matthew, Chapter 22, verse: 18; The Hypocrites.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Tribute to Caesar) Part 6.  

They sought to test him.  They sought to trap him.  They sought to know what were his thoughts on the matter of Caesar, the ruler of the Roman empire.  They thought that they were clever and wise and cunning.  But they were only revealing the wickedness of their thoughts and inner beliefs according to the directions that they were given by those who wanted to stop Christ.

So they sent the best of the best of their scholars and wise men to meet with Christ in an attempt to trap him in his own words that they could testify against him as witnesses.  But Christ knew of their plans.  But Jesus, knowing their wickedness, said, "Why do you test me, you hypocrites?"  

Here they were pretenders, paid actors pretending to be pious, holy, seeking knowledge, truth, and wisdom only they were wolves in sheep's clothing seeking their own purpose to get paid and to serve their masters who sent them to trick and trap Christ in his words.  They were wicked men.  They were deceitful and dishonest men.  They were high in stature but low in character, wearing an outward mask but having a mask underneath showing their true nature.

They did not fool Christ for he was able to see beyond the mask to the inner self of who they were.  He knew them for their nature and their character.  He saw the influence behind the inner mask, the evil that drove them to do what they were called to do.  And he was able to call them out as hypocrites.

Often times we are drawn to the charismatic ones who lead a group.  They are the ones that we wish that we were like, the ones that we want to be with.  Yet because of our desire to belong we find ourselves bound to a group that does not have the same values, but we go along just out of a need or a coercion to belong.  Gangs provide that need to belong and then they brainwash to solidify any second thoughts of backing out.  All this comes from a need to build up strong support for an ability to withstand the temptation of the gang.  It takes a strong individual along with a strong support group to prevent the draw of gang coercion.

Christ came to bring peace and love to the people of the earth.  He was an example to those who knew him, those who walked with him.  The gangs of his time sought to recruit him because they wanted to use him as their symbol to cause the people to rise up against Roman rule.  But his kingdom was not of this world.  So they tortured him, beat him, spat upon him and crucified him upon a cross of wood even though he was innocent of any crime or sin.  He was the sacrificial lamb that came down from heaven to be a propitiation for the sins of all mankind that we may have life again.  We lost it once but he came and regained it for all eternity.  So our gang is the gang of Christ.  We are the children of God our Father who has given us life eternal because we follow the rules of his commandments and belong to his gang.  Our home is not of this earth but of the kingdom of heaven.  Come!  Join the brotherhood of Christ and become a member of the Christian gang. 

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.