St. Matthew, Chapter 24, verse: 6a; Rumors of wars.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Christ warns them not to be led astray) Part 4.  

Christ knew that they would be fearful.  He knew that fear would enter into them and take over their emotions leading them away from the path that he wanted them to be on.  He loved his disciples.  He had spent all this time, the last three years, teaching and preaching, and walking and talking with them to letting them know how much he loved them, how much he was as human to them as they were to him, even though he was their God and Savior.

Yet, he had to prepare them for the future.  He had to prepare them for the fear that would attempt to overtake them if they were not prepared.  So he told them as much as he could to get them ready for what they would face, what they would hear, what they would see, coming.  He told them:  "For you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars."

Many have experienced war and know the consequences of what it means.  Death, and famine, and ruin, and escaping from fear of capture, fear of torture or imprisonment and fear of forced labor.  Women being brutalized and raped, children killed, elderly being tortured for sport.  All manner of evil existed during the ravages of war.  So when Christ spoke of war and rumors of war the disciples understood the horrors that came to mind.

We live in a society today that is far removed from the ravages of war.  It is not in our daily experiences to know the meaning of it.  We do not live on the streets where we see or hear of bombs or explosions going off to let us know that we are in a war zone.  It is not in our lives, in our communities, in our towns or cities.  War is something that is far removed from us in another world on another continent.  We hear about it on the news at 6 O' Clock or 11 but not as we look out the window of our homes in our neighborhoods.  We do not know it personally.

But if Christ was telling us today then are we going to experience war in our community, in our city, in our towns?  What if his words to his disciples were meant for us today that we would hear and know of war and hear of war coming to our area?  What would we do?  How would we react?  How would we feel?  Would we be afraid?  Would we fear what we heard and panic about tomorrow or the next day not knowing what was to come?  Who would we turn to for help, for comfort, for support, for protection?

This is where the disciples found themselves.  In the mist of their fears and anxieties, they knew not what to do.  Yet in the mist of all their emotions, they could find calm because they were with him, they were with the Christ, and with him they found peace.  They knew that nothing would happen to them.  They believed in him because they knew who he was.  They had no doubts as to who he was.  They had spent all this time with him, walked with him, talked with him, watched him do the things that he did with others, saw his compassion for the people, come to know that through his miracles he was the Son of God.  He was the one and only one person that gave them peace of mind, knowledge, hope, faith, and a solid foundation to stand upon for the future, whatever would come.  Let us also have a solid foundation upon which to stand in times of troubles that our Savior will bring us through.

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 24, verse: 5b; Lead many astray.

Our paragraph topic is: (Christ warns them not to be led astray) Part 3.  

They were proud but now they are saddened by the news that Christ is telling them.  The disciples don't know what to think about what they were hearing.  They listened intently and take every word in as though their lives depended upon what they were hearing.  Do not be led astray, Christ tells them, for many will come and say that they are the Christ after I leave, but this will be a warning sign that it is not I.

They listen and believe all that he says.  He is the Christ.  He has spoken the truth many times before.  He has performed many miracles, raised the dead, healed the sick, opened the eyes of the blind, cured the lame and performed many miracles that no other prophet has done before.  He is the Messiah.  They listen intently as he tells them: "And they will lead many astray."

He wanted his disciples to know.  He needed them to hear the prophesy of the future so that they will not be deceived and misled like so many others.  They might try to tell others.  They might try to show others the truth but persuade as they might, others will be led astray.  But because Christ has foretold it to them they now know the future and what will happen.  They now know what to look for, what to see, what will happen when it comes and how to deal with the truth of what will happen.

That is something that we must ask ourselves today.  Will we be ready when it comes?  Will we be led astray or will we know the truth of what is happening before our eyes.  How will we feel?  How will we respond?  What will we say or do when we see these things happening?  Will we be afraid or will we know that we have knowledge of it foretold to us and do not have to be
fearful.  

No one wants to feel pain or to suffer.  We all want to live long lives, be happy, free, joyous, and live in peace.  We have our dreams and desires of what life should be for us, for our children, our families, our communities.  Yet life has its ups and downs and we know not when the lows are coming in advance.  Otherwise we would make every effort to prepare for them as best as we can.  But we have a heavenly father who protects and provides for us, who watches over us and loves us.  If we believe in him and acknowledge his love for us he will take care of us.  We are his children and he is our father, our creator and we have nothing to fear.

Christ Jesus came down from heaven to redeem us from the grasp of death.  We were in prison.  Locked up for eternity until he came to pay the jailor for our release.  The price was his life.  The cost was death on the cross.  The pain and suffering was nails in his hands and feet, the suffering of innocence for a charge he did not commit.  Yet he willingly gave himself up that we might have freedom, that we might not suffer for eternity, that we might know joy, and happiness, and peace.  He is our Savior.  He is our Hero.  He is our Lord.  For his passion was so great that he gave of his life that we might have life eternal. 

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 24, verse: 5a; In my name.

Our paragraph topic is: (Christ warns them not to be led astray) Part 2.  

Their hearts were racing and their minds were wondering what was to come.  They could imagine all sorts of possible outcomes, all sorts of disasters, all sorts of horrors to come, but they needed to know from Christ himself what was to happen.  He wanted them to know but did not want to fill their minds with such horrors that they would not be able to withstand the nature of the truth.

Do not be led astray, he told them.  Let no one come and tell you all sorts of stories to lead you in the wrong direction.  Be wary of anything that you hear.  Do not believe all that people speak of because there will be much spoken about the coming end.  He told them: "For many will come in my name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' "

What would we believe today?  Would we follow someone who called himself the Christ if he came to earth today and declared himself to be?  What proof would he give?  What words would he speak?  What knowledge would he have for us?  What miracles would he perform to show us that he is the true Christ?  Would we believe?  Would we follow such a one?

In his own words, in this book of witnesses, in this gospel of Matthew, Christ tells us not to be led astray.  He tells us that many will come in his name and declare themselves as the Christ.  None will be so.  For only the Son of Man will come on a cloud for all of mankind to see with awe and majesty with angels and sounds of trumpets.  And no imposter will come in such a manner except him.  So if anyone else declares himself as the Christ do not believe.  Do not be misled.  There is but one Jesus Christ, Lord and Savior, son of the Father, 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 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.