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 10, verse: 23, The Enemy and The Final Outcome.

Our paragraph topic is: (Opposition foretold) Part 11.  

We end our paragraph study of the (Opposition foretold) with Christ telling his disciples what to do when they are persecuted.  He says to them,  "When they persecute you in one town, flee to another."   Christ instructs his disciples to not continue with persecution.  Instead he tells them that when they are persecuted to leave.  He has given warning to the towns by saying to his disciples, if a town or village or person does not receive you, then kick the dust from your feet and leave.  The dust left behind will be the marker for the destruction of that village or town.  He tells them that it will be better for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgement than for that village where they left the dust from their feet.

Christ wants his disciples to survive.  He wants them to teach.  He does not want them to be martyrs.  The time will come for that but now they must leave those areas that persecute them and go to another.  They must continue to spread the message of the kingdom of heaven, for there are many towns and villages and the laborers are few.  Christ will follow his disciples.  They are the advance guard, preparing the way for Him.  They carry the good news to the lost people of the house of Israel.  So the message must go forth.  The people must hear the coming of Christ, and repentance must come.

Christ also tells his disciples,  "Amen I say to you, you will not have gone through the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes."   Christ will follow his disciples throughout the villages and towns to see their progress.  He will walk in their path.  He will see the work that they do.  He will monitor their progress.  The Teacher will see the work of his students and know that they have learned well.  By coming after his disciples Christ will also note further teachings and instructions that he needs to give his disciples.  He will tweek their training so that they are fully ready to become his apostles when his mission is completed here on earth and he returns back to heaven to his father.

The task is great.  The harvest is ready.  But the laborers are few.  The message is the same and the Helper is ready to assist.  Do you hear the calling of God?  Workers are needed.  Listen to the word.  Clear your senses so that you can hear.  Take your mind out of the world and open your heart to the word of God.  We labor for the things that the world can provide as though the providence of God cannot do the same or even more.  We lust after the pleasures of the world when God can satisfy our every need and fill the desires of our heart.  Are you ready to flee the towns and cities of the world when you are persecuted?  Are you ready to do the work of God instead of the work of the world?  Come!!  Prepare yourself for the training needed.  Christ is coming after you to see the work that you do.  Do it well and carry the message of the kingdom of heaven to all the peoples of the world.

St Matthew, Chapter 10, verse: 15, The Instructions

Our paragraph topic is:  (Instructions to the Twelve) Part 7.  

Christ is finishing up his instructions to his disciples.  After giving individual instructions he now has a general huddle to show his disciples what the game plan will be.  Just as a general huddles with his captains and majors to discuss the overall plan of attack, so Christ tells his disciples what will happen.  After they have gone through the villages and towns and spread the news of the kingdom of heaven, he shows them the results. 

For those towns that have not availed themselves of the the message of love and hope, Christ has instructed his disciples to kick the dust from their feet.  He has instructed his disciples to mark the towns that did not repent.  He has given specific orders to set the mark for the coming destruction for that village or town.  Just as an advance recon team marks an area for the coming fighter jets to lay down a path of destruction, Christ has done so with his disciples.  He then tells his disciples of the coming destruction that will take place.  He tells them that for those towns that do not accept the words of the disciples, it will be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for these towns.  For Sodom and Gomorrah were destroyed by fire and brimstone poured down from heaven.  But for these towns, they will see a worse punishment than what was given to Sodom and Gomorrah.

Christ is the Lord of the Battle.  He is the commander-in-chief.  The disciples are his generals who are practising for the battle to come.  In this solo journey by the disciples, Christ gives them a taste of what is to come.  He has prepared them with proper training.  He has given them the challenge call.  He has shown them how to find the one that is worthy and how to determine the spiritual wellness of a house or a town or a village.  Kick the dust from your feet, he instructed them.  Lay down a marker for the destruction of the wicked ones.  The angel of destruction will come forth and destroy the towns and villages that are marked for destruction. 

This is our wake up call today.  Christ is giving us the opportunity to open our eyes and see.  He is giving us the opportunity to hear the message of hope, the message of love, and the message peace.  It is given freely to freely accept.  The choice is yours.  Know that the decision has consequences.  Know that for those who are blessed with new life and the joy of the Holy Spirit, they will be saved.  But for those who are cursed with the spirit of evil, the devil will continue to keep them blind and deaf.  No one can make them see.  No one can make them hear.  The desire has to come from the heart.  Christ will listen.  Christ will wait.  Christ will be patient up to the last minute.  But our heavenly Father decides the day and time.  And when that time comes, all will know who is Lord and Master.  All will know who is the commander-in-chief.  Take heed today.  Heed the call.  Come join the ranks of those who are saved before the battle begins.  Will you suffer a fate worse than Sodom and Gomorrah in the time of judgment?  Or will you rejoice in the grace and glory of God and of Jesus Christ?  The choice is yours.