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 21, verses: 41b; Other Vine-Dressers.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The vine-dressers kill the master's son) Part 5. 

Our parable continues to talk about the story of the character of men and the opportunity they have to do good.  The chief priest and the elders are given this opportunity by Christ as he tells them this story about the vine-dressers and the householder.  They started out as good men but over time were changed into evil men.  Greed possessed them.  They became hardened.  They beat others, stole what was not theirs and even killed to hold onto their claim.

Christ demonstrated to the elders how they had the same opportunity as the vine-dressers before the master would come and destroy them.  The householder sent two separate messengers asking for what was his proper fruit from his vineyard.  And they denied him his rights.  They the master sent his only son and they killed him.  What did they think that the master would do when he came?  He would utterly destroy them:  "And will let out the vineyard to other vine-dressers who will render to him the fruits in their seasons." 

We are the fruit of the vineyard and Christ is the vine from which we come.  In him we are one.  In him we have life.  In him we are forgiven and become new sprouts from the one vine.  He has appointed caretakers.  They are the ones who will tend the vines and the vineyard to keep the weeds out and to keep the bugs that would destroy the vine.  Do we have good caretakers?  Do we have those who would till the soil and cultivate the land to aid in the growth and development of a good fruit?  Or do we have those who are only concerned with their own well being and are slack caretakers?

We are the fruit of the vine and Christ is the vine from which we come.  It is the job of the caretakers that the Father appoints to tend the vine to produce good fruit.  Either the vine produces good fruit or bad fruit.  One can tell by those are caretakers.  The vine is good quality because it comes from the Father.  Are they producing good fruit or bad fruit?  Growth is not the key by which the fruit is measured.  Bad fruit must grow also.  What part are you?

The caretakers will pay a double price when the master comes.  It is their job to care for the fruit that comes from the vine.  It is their job to till the soil.  It is their job to protect the vine from harm so that it may produce good fruit.  We are from one vine and the Father has approved of it origin.  He has hand picked the one vine that it may produce good fruit.  Look around you and see if you have good caretakers.  If not, then where do you belong?  Find your place in the vineyard with good caretakers that you may grow and produce good fruit.

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 21, verses:31a; The Father's Will.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Parable of the two sons) Part 3. 

Christ continues his parable to help open the minds and the hearts of the chief priest and the elders.  He gave them the opportunity to understand but they were filled with deceit.  So he now tells them this parable to give them a second chance to see, to understand, to open their eyes that they might be saved.

The two sons each were told by their father to go to work in the vineyard.  One said that he would not and later regretted his answer and went to work.  The other lied to his father and told him that he would go to work but later did not.  Christ asked them:  "Which of the two did the father's will?" They said "The first." 

The first did the father's will being obedient to his request.  Most of us come of age knowing the authority of a father or a father figure.  It is in his will that we find our own.  It is in his will that we come to know who we are.  It is in his will that we have our example to follow through life.  And it is in his will that we have a model to reshape our own authority in life.

Where does this authority come from?  Who gave it to our fathers and their fathers and their fathers before them throughout history?  Did it just come of its own?  Did it just evolve into itself without the help of anyone or anything?  Or were we given the authority from our Father on high and passed it down from generation to generation?

Fathers are protectors.  Fathers are providers.  They are the rule makers to the young and the givers of love and comfort to the children who do not know for themselves.  Fathers come with mothers and together they make the home in which we grow and develop.  They form us from the womb, give us our character and guidance through life.  They are our patterns, our examples in life.  We carry the genes of generations of learning passed down to us from our mothers and fathers.  They have gone before us, experienced life that we have not, and survived with a knowledge that we can inherit.

Do the Father's will for he was here before us.  He knows that which we do not.  He teaches that which we have yet to learn.  His is the love that filled his heart from the day we came into this world.  He knew us in the womb.  He rejoiced with our every kick, our every turn, our every move.  He is the ultimate love and protection that comes to us, if we accept him.  He comes to those who had an earthly father and for those who did not.  God is our Father and the authority is with him.  Do the Father's will and all will be well. 

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.