St. Matthew, Chapter 24, verse: 27a; The lightning.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The sign of the last day) Part 8.  

How is it that we have these words from Christ and yet do not understand their meaning.  Their literal meaning is plain to see but what do we comprehend from their figurative meaning?  Is there more to understand?  Are we missing the truth of what is being said?  Christ often spoke in parables.  He said: "To him who has shall be given, and he shall have abundance, but from him who does not have even that which he has shall be taken away." 

Do we have?  Or do we not have?  That is the question that we should ask ourselves.  Can we understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven that we may have abundance?  Abundance where?  Here on earth or in heaven.  Which do we want?  Which do we desire?  

Christ tells us:  "For as the lightning comes forth from the east and shines even to the west," the same will happen when he comes on the last day.  All will know and see, as they see the lightning coming forth.  He will come forth for all to see and know.

There will be no hidden mysteries, no secret meetings no press conferences, no announcements, all will know, and all will see what is plain to see as the lightning in the sky.  His coming will be on the last day.  He told his disciples, and he gives us his message now for all to know and see.  Those who desire to know will see and believe.  For some have and some have not.  And for those who have they will have abundance.

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 23, verses: 11; The Greatest.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Hypocrisy of the Scribes and Pharisees) Part 9.  

Honor and prestige they sought.  Dominion they practiced over the people.  They were the law makers.  They were the enforcers.  They were the eyes and the ears of the law.  Everyone must obey or suffer the consequences of punishment.  Respect was what they needed and the Scribes and the Pharisees demanded it.

They were out in the public everyday watching the people to make sure that the rules were followed.  They had spies who reported to them the what and wherefore of the people.  It was a hard time for the people and they resented the rule of law.  But the Scribes and the Pharisees sought to be great among the people.  And Christ turned the tables upon them.  He told the people and the disciples:  "He who is greatest among you shall be your servant."   

Indeed, he was the servant of the people; he came to serve mankind.  He was greatest among them.  They did not know.  They did not believe.  They did not see who he was.  Their minds could not comprehend the truth of the statement.  Even the evil that dwelled within them knew who he was and paid tribute to him.  But he would not have his identity known until it was his time.

The Scribes and the Pharisees hated him.  They wanted to get rid of him because he exposed them to the people.  He removed the masks so that the people could see who they really were.  Christ taught the people the truth.  He taught them who they were and how to live with one another in peace and love.

Today we can take a lesson from his teachings.  Serve the people.  Humble thyself.  Live a peaceful life, not one filled with self seeking love, competing to be the best, the greatest.  Be your self.  We all have God given gifts and talents that can be used in service of others.  It is those gifts that allow us to become fruitful.  It is those talents that allow us to multiply the kingdom of heaven.  It is those gifts that will help us to spread God's love to all our brothers and sisters that they too may know the truth of who they are in Christ.  Love one another.  Keep the faith.  God's will be done.

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, verse:23b; Christ's authority.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The authority of Jesus) Part 2. 

Christ was a gentle man.  He was not pretentious or self seeking.  He taught with love and understanding giving the people all they needed to comprehend fully.  His words were filled with the spirit of his father and he wanted the people to know his father as he knew him.  For God our Father is the creator of all things.  He gave life to all the world, all creatures, all things.  His creation is good.

Christ is a spirit of power and majesty.  And yet with all the power of the universe he was humble, quiet, gentle, loving.  His rage, his wrath could have destroyed anyone and everyone that displeased him.  Yet not often did that side of him show.  He performed miracles.  He made the dead rise, cured the lame, cast out demons, made the blind see, the lepers whole, calmed the stormy seas and walked on water.  But little did you see or hear of the awesome power he commanded, used.

And then came the chief priest and the elders, and said, "By what authority dost thou do these things? And who gave thee this authority?" 

They were wise men.  They were leaders and teachers and elders.  They were learned men, men of the world, knowledgeable of all that concerned the Law and the people of Israel.  But they did not know him.  They did not know the Christ.  They did not know from whence he came or from what part of the world he came and they were fearful. 

He brought change.  He brought peace, he brought harmony, he brought love.  He brought a knowledge of something more to life than what the people knew as their daily routine.  He brought knowledge of the kingdom of heaven to a people who knew of their God but did not know of his kingdom, of his plans for them, of his love for them.

We today live in the same world as those of yesteryear.  We eat, work, play, love, cry, search for truth, and die the same as they did thousands of years ago.  We know through our churches that there is a heaven and a kingdom of God.  Yet do we believe this?  Are we sure of this?  Is this a certainty in our lives today?  We are challenged.  We will be questioned of our faith.  We will face the winds of change that seeks to turn us in another direction.  How solid are our feet planted in the belief and truth of the authority of Christ that nothing will turn us away from him.

He is our provider.  He is our protector.  He is our caretaker no matter who rules, who is in office, who calls the shots.  God's will be done and we who believe and know will not be turned away from the gift of life that has been freely given to us through the passion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  This is the authority upon which we stand.

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 15, verses: 17 - 18, Understanding: Explanation

Our paragraph topic is: (Christ explains what defiles a man) Part 2.    
    
Christ is teaching the people and bringing to them understanding.  He has called forth Truth to come to open the minds and hearts of the people that they may not continue in darkness, lacking the knowledge they need to know truth.  Truth is with him.  Truth is in him.  Truth is upon him and the Pharisees did not want the people to have truth.  Even the disciples of Christ were wanting in truth.  Even they did not understand Truth despite Truth presenting itself through the author of Truth, the creator of Truth, Christ.

They did not realize.  They did not comprehend.  They did not have some way to make sense of the conflict that was presented to them.  The Pharisees taught that they were unclean when they ate if they did not wash.  Christ opened their eyes by teaching them that they were not unclean if they did not wash.  For it was not what was put into the mouth that made one unclean but what came out of it.  But they did not realize.  They did not understand.  They did not comprehend.  Christ told them,  "Do you not realize that whatever enters the mouth passes into the belly and is cast out into the drain?  But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and it is they that defile a man."

The things that proceed out of the mouth defile a man.  Hear and comprehend!  The things that proceed out of the mouth defile a man.  And the things that come forth from the mouth are things that come from the heart.  What is in our hearts?  What is Christ telling us about who we are?  Do our hearts reflect what and who we are?   For it is they that defile us.  It is they who speak to us.  It is they who guide us.  It is they who lead us, like blind men, into the darkness and we are not aware of who leads us.  What is in our hearts?  What comes forth from our hearts? 

Are we deceived?  Do we not have a brain that tells us what we do and do not do?  How does the heart say who we are?  It is how we think that makes us who we are?  It is what we believe with our minds that makes us a person of God.  It is what we know of the Gospel that gives us the words we speak.  Is it not with our minds that we are?  Or is it?  We feel.  We have emotions.  We love, we hate, we cry, we pain, we know, we have joy, we have sorrow, we have happiness, we are depressed, we have anger, all as part of who we are, humans.  These are emotions that we know in our minds and can feel within our hearts.  Yet do we think with out minds or with our hearts?  Christ instructed the disciples as he is instructing us today.  Hear and understand!  Realize that the "things" that come forth from our mouths are the things that are in our hearts and it is "they" that defile us.