St. Matthew, Chapter 23, verses: 23a; The Hypocrites.

Our paragraph topic is:  (They overstress the nonessential part of religion) Part 1.  

They were zealots in their desires to control the people.  They believed that every part of the Law must be applied to everyday life or else the people would find ways to get around the Law.  So they created rules to cover every possible way to keep the people in line and to limit any way that would allow outlets for them to get around the Law.

This is why Christ called them out on all the unnecessary rules they placed upon the people.  These were not rules in the Law.  They were only rules put in place by the Scribes and the Pharisees.  This is why Christ admonished them: "Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!"

Again he called them hypocrites in the face of the public that all would know them for what they were, and again the Scribes and the Pharisees were angered at being publicly humiliated.  But they could not see.  They could not understand.  They could not comprehend that this was an opportunity for them to realize who they were and what they had done to the people.  It was an opportunity for them to become open and be healed of their evil influences.  But this was not to happen.

Instead, as we know today, they were too far gone.  They were pawns in the game of chess between good and evil being played out for the prize of mankind.  Christ came to save us from the forces of evil that had held mankind in its grip since the garden of Eden.  Death was born and brought forth into the world and reigned until Christ came and conquered it.  He is the first of the new born.  He is the master and savior of the new man.  

All now have the chance at life instead of death.  All now have the opportunity at eternal life if they choose.  For the life here on this earth is only temporary.  But the life hereafter is for all eternity.  The comparison of life now to life eternal is but a speck of sand to the entire beach of sand.  Yet that choice is ours to make and we each must come to the awareness of who we are and why we are here.  Choose life eternal and not death.

Life is not about how much money you can make or your status, your home or car, or your clothes, or job.  Life is about life, and that is already given to you if you choose it.  Live a good life.  God will provide all that you need.  Trust in his love for you and he will provide.  Do not be anxious about tomorrow for you have a Father in heaven who knows what you need and he will take care of you.  He is loving and caring, protecting and providing.  All we need do is thank him for the saving grace he gives us.  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.

St Matthew, Chapter 19, verse: 16, The Good Master.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The rich young man speaks to Jesus )
Part 1.

Our scripture journey skips and takes us to another time and place.  We left Christ where he laid hands on the children and prayed over them.  He departed from that place and moved on to another.  It is in this place where he encounters a young man that has heard of him through the word.  The word traveled.  The word was with the people.  The word was with the rulers, the wealthy, the soldiers, the merchants, the word was with everyone.  The people spoke it.  They heard it.  They marveled at it.  And it spread from one mouth to one ear to another mouth and so on.

It was the word that caught this young man.  He wanted his questions answered.  So he sought  Christ to pose the questions that that no one else could answer to his satisfaction.  He wanted an answer that would provide meaning  to his life.  He wanted to know.  He wanted to believe.  He wanted to do those things that would guarantee him success to the kingdom of heaven.  So he sought Christ  for the answer to his questions.  And behold, a certain man came to him and said, "Good Master, what good work shall I do to have eternal life?" 

What good work shall I do to have eternal life?  Is this not the question for each and every one of us?  Do we not want to have eternal life?  Do we not want to enjoy the life that we have forever?  Or, is this not a question that we concern ourselves with now.  Are we only concerned with the questions of the here and now:  Where will I work to make money?, How will I pay bills?, Where will my kids go to school to get the best education?, What can I do tonight to entertain myself?, What girlfriend shall I call tonight?, etc.  These and others are worldly questions that are upfront on our conscious mind on a daily basis.  They occupy our minds from the time we awake from the time we pass out to sleep.

Do we concern ourselves with what we must do to have eternal life?  Will compliance with Sunday worship be enough to secure our future eternal life?  Or is there more that we should do to be certain of that future?  Our lives are filled with worldly thoughts and demands that prevent us from concerning ourselves with eternity.  And it is those thoughts that we are given to have that stop us from being who we are.  We are eternal beings created in the image and likeness of our Father.  He gave us life and Christ came to renew that life after it was lost by Adam.  Yet in the world today we have no awareness of who we are. 

We are drowned by the demands of the world.  We are blinded by the desires and passions of this world.  We are lost and asleep in the world, as if we are the walking dead.  For it is death that leads us in this world.  It is death that drives us into oblivion.  It is death that stimulates our passions and desires.  And it is death that will lead us down the wide path of destruction. 

Christ came that we would have life.  He came that we would know the truth of who we are.  He gave us the instructions to discover ourselves.  He arose from the grips of death.  He left this world that we would know that he is truly the Christ.  He sits at the right hand of his father waiting for us to call to him as our savior.  The decision is up to us.  The path is before each of us to follow.  The door is open to those who decide to seek the path that will lead them to the knowledge of eternal life.  Know yourself.  Be yourself.  See yourself as you are seen.  For it is through the knowledge of yourself that you open the door to the truth of who you are now and forever.  Christ awaits you.  God the Father loves you.  And the Holy Spirit will lead you in this world and the next.  Open the door and ask Him in.

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 and 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 16, verse: 15, The Rock: What do the Disciples say?

Our Paragraph topic is:  (Peter's confession) Part 3.  

And now it came down to the disciples.  They had heard what the people were saying about Christ.  Who was this man?  Was he the Messiah?  Was he a Prophet?  Was he John the Baptist come back to life?  Was he Elias?  Who was Christ?  There were questions on the minds of the people and even questions on the minds of the disciples.  They did not truly know.  They had no answer, even though they walked with him and talked with him everyday.  He had called them to be his disciples and they followed.  They wanted to be disciples because something in them wanted to change their lives from the ordinary.

But they did not know who he was.  They did not have an idea whose footsteps they walked in.  They did not know the light that they followed was that of Christ and the God the father.  They wanted to know.  They wanted to believe.  They wanted to see.  But they did not know.  He was a good man.  Christ was a gentle man.  Christ was a man different from any other man.  For he made miracles.  He walked on water.  He made the lame walk, the blind see, the deaf here and cured the lepers.  He was like no other man.  Yet they still did not know who he was.  So he asked them:   He said to them, "But who do you say that I am? "

The moment of truth had arrived.  What did the disciples think.  What did the disciples believe.  What did the disciples know.  Who do you say that I am, Christ asked them?  Who do we say that he is today, is his question to each and everyone of us?  What do we believe?  Do these words come from a relic, old book?  Are these words relevant today?  Why is it important what I believe or what I say that he is today?  If asked, if a poll were taken on the streets, what would people say.  Most church going people would say that Christ was the Son of God the father.  Most others would say that he is the Savior.  Some would even say that he was a prophet.  And even others would say that he was a great man.  But what do you say, I would ask, to those who are reading this post? 

Does he have any meaning to you, today?  What would you say?  What do you believe?  We live in a world that demands all of who we are, yet we do not know ourselves.  Are we all flesh?  Are we body and soul?  Are we spirit.  How do we know?  Is this something that we are taught in church?  But do we believe it?  Do we know it?  Or are we just who we are in this world?  Christ wants to know who you say he is?  For within that knowledge, within that awareness of him is the awareness of ourselves.  We did not live and walk this earth when Christ came to this earth, to this planet, to this physical realm.  We did not walk in his footsteps,  hear his spoken words, see his miracles, touch him in his physical body.  All we have today is his words passed down through the writings of the disciples with the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  Yet who do we say that he is?

Is he the Messiah?  Is he the Savior?  Is he the Son of the Father?  Is he the Anointed One?  Is he the Lamb?  Is he the Light of the World?  Is he our spirit and life, our body and blood?  Is he the life within us?  Christ came that may have life; for before him there was death.  God decreed that if Adam eat of the forbidden fruit that he would surely die.  And mankind died on that day.  Christ came to give life to those who believed in him and the Father who sent him.  Do you have life within you?  Is he the life within you?  Then, you are more than you know.  You are spirit.  You are life.  You are love.  Come know the truth of who you are.  Follow the path before you and know the life that is within you.  Christ awaits you.  God the Father loves 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 and 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!