St Matthew, Chapter 15, verses: 20, Understanding: Awareness

Our paragraph topic is: (Christ explains what defiles a man) Part 4.   

Christ has revealed, to his disciples and the people, understanding of what defiles.  He has opened the minds and the hearts of the people so that they now know, so that they now see, so that they now understand truth.  For this is not the truth of the Pharisees that want the people to hear their truth.  This is not the truth of the world that wants the people to be confused, misled, and blind.  This is the truth that comes from the father of truth through Christ.  This is truth that comes from the creator of truth that knows no lie or falsehood or deceit.  This is the truth that comes to mankind from all eternity, the truth of God.

Christ spoke the words of truth and truth came to the people.  Christ explained the words of truth that there would be no doubt in the people.  Christ elaborated on the truth that all would understand.  And today we read and hear the truth and do not understand, do not comprehend.  He has said to us,   "These are the things that defile a man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile a man."

These, defile a man when they enter the hearts of men.  These, defile a man when they come forth from the mouth of men.  These, are the things that are evil,the things that occupy the hearts and men and allow darkness to enter the heart.  For from the heart comes evil thoughts.  For the heart thinks.  The heart believes.  The heart knows.  The heart is.  "I praise thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou didst hide these things from the wise and prudent, and didst reveal them to little ones."  Become like a little ones and not like the wise and the prudent that profess the knowledge and the wisdom of the world.  Hear the words of the truth of eternity and know that it comes from the father of wisdom and truth.

Let not the heart be opened to evil.  Let not the heart become dark with passion.  Let not the heart know adulteries and immorality.  Let not the heart give false witness or blasphemies.  Let not the heart conceive of murder.  For these are the things of evil.  These are the things that lead down the path of destruction and death.  These are the things that defile, corrupt, and kill the life that Christ came and died that we might have.  And these are the things that the evil one brings to us that we may fall to him.  Yet we live in a world where these things are all around us.  We live in a world where these evils present themselves to us on a daily basis.  We live in a world where these things a accepted as common occurrences. 

But we know not how to protect ourselves.  We know not how to fight against these things.  We know not how to guard our hearts that we may not succumb to the temptations of these things.  For this is not a part of our world.  We are not taught how to avoid these things.  We do not see and hear and understand the truth of the advocate that was given to us.  For Christ came that we may have life and have it more abundantly. 

Receive the life of Christ and open the heart to the advocate that he may live within.  Christ has told us how we may know that we have the Holy Spirit.  He has give us the guide.  He has opened the door that the Holy Spirit may come in.  Yet few accept.  Few know.  Few receive the truth of eternal life that is ours for the asking.  Read the words of the good news.  Study the words of the gospel of the New Testament.  Read it like you read a book and not as a study guide.  Receive the truth of the light of Christ.  Then, you too will know that you have received the light of the Holy Spirit.  And your heart will rejoice in his presence and his consolation.

St Matthew, Chapter 15, verses: 19, Understanding: The Revelation

Our paragraph topic is: (Christ explains what defiles a man) Part 3.   

The things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart and it is they that defile a man.  Christ spoke these words to his disciples and to the people that he had called to himself.  He is the teacher.   He is the instructor.  He is the author of Truth that proceeds from the Father, and Truth is with him.  Yet they did not understand.  They did not know.  They did not see the things that he spoke to them.  Truth reached out to them but their minds and hearts were blocked by the things that filled their hearts.  Christ is the truth that comes from the father and in him there is no lie, there is no deceit.

Yet do we find truth in his words today?  Do we believe that he can not lie and his words are living truth?  He speaks of things that do not make sense.  He speaks of things that are difficult to comprehend.  He stretches the imagination to the limits of understanding that perplex the mind.  Yet he does not lie.  He does not deceive.  His words are truth.  Then he spoke these words to his disciples:  "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, immorality, thefts, false witness, 
blasphemies."    

The Revelation: "Out of the heart come evil thoughts."  Is this truth?  How is it that thoughts come from the heart?  We think with our minds and not our hearts?  Or do we?  Christ, the author of Truth through his Father, tells us that the heart thinks.  Is this truth or is it symbolism?  Out of the heart come thoughts???   Christ praised his father in a previous verse for hiding the things of knowledge and wisdom.   " I praise thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou didst hide these things from the wise and prudent, and didst reveal them to little ones."

Hear and understand!!  The heart thinks.  The heart believes.  The heart knows.  The heart is!  For we are the children of God and through our hearts we are.  Let not the heart think of evil.  Let not the heart know adultery.  Let not the heart seek murder.  Let not the heart give false witness or think of theft, or immorality.  For it is from these things that open the door of the heart to darkness and the good heart becomes evil. 

Hear the revelation, hear the lesson.  Hear and learn!  Hear and understand!  Truth seeks to know you.  Truth seek to find you.  Truth seeks to give you joy and peace.  For from it and with it and through it comes the blessings of the spirit within you.  Let it not be contaminated with evil.  Let it not be defiled.  Let it be cleansed with the living words of Christ.  Fill it with the knowledge and truth that comes from the father and his blessing will flow unto you.  His seed will be planted in you to grow and bring forth much fruit.

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. 

St Matthew, Chapter 15, verse: 14, The Lesson: Blind Guides

Our paragraph topic is:  (Disciples warned to shun the Pharisees) Part 4.  
    

Christ had spoken and the Pharisees heard and took offense.  Christ called the people to himself.  He called their attention to what he was to say.  He told them to hear and understand, and his words opened the eyes and the hearts of the people.  For he told them that what goes into the mouth does not defile a man as had been preached by the Pharisees.  He told the people that it is what comes out of the mouth that defiles a man.  It is what is spoken that indicates that a man is defiled and unclean.  And the Pharisees had taken offense for this was against their teachings.

And the disciples heard the murmurings of the Pharisees.  The disciples listened to the Pharisees and they were upset that the Pharisees were upset.  The disciples were concerned that the Pharisees had taken offense to the words of Christ for they did not know the evil that possessed the Pharisees.  And Christ calmed their minds.  Christ spoke to his disciples and reminded them of the power and majesty of his father who did not plant seeds in the Pharisees.  He reminded them of outcome of those seeds that were planted by evil and what will happen to them in the final days.  They would be rooted up and thrown into the fire to burn.  And finally he spoke to his disciples in a way to let them know that the Pharisees were blind.   Let them alone; they are blind guides of blind men.  But if a blind man guide a blind man, both fall into a pit."

And so it was spoken that the disciples could understand.  And so it is written that we, today, may understand.  Who is blind and who is sighted?  How do we know who we follow?  Are we being led by blind men, the blind guide?  Or are we being lead by the teacher, the Advocate, that Christ promised?  We go to church, we perform our religious duties, we pray, we fast, we do all the things that we are taught to do.  But who is teaching?  Who is leading?  Who is our guide?  Christ has given us instructions.  He has left us his words.  He has provided us a path to follow that we may not be misled.  Hear and understand, he commanded us, that we may know.  Every plant that the heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up.

Will you continue to follow an uprooted plant?  Will you continue to believe in the words that come from the seed not planted by the Father?  Will you continue to follow the blind guide that will lead you into the pit?  Seek and you shall find the true guide that leads to the Father.  Knock and it shall be opened to you that you may have sight beyond your earthly vision.  Ask and it shall be given to you that you may have the wisdom of heaven to understand that which is given you.   For those who seek will find, those who knock will have doors opened to them.  And those who ask the Father, it will be given to them that they may see.  The true teacher seeks to teach you.  The true guide seeks to lead you.  The true spirit of Christ seeks to dwell within you that you may know your Father in heaven and yield fruit a hundred fold. 

St Matthew, Chapter 15, verse: 13, The Lesson: Plants to be uprooted.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Disciples warned to shun the Pharisees)
Part 3.  

Christ called the crowd to himself.  He spoke to them concerning what makes them clean and what makes them unclean.  For the Pharisees had taught the people that they were unclean when they did not wash before eating.  And many followed the teachings of the Pharisees.  Many believed that if they did not wash before eating then they were unclean.  So everyone made an effort to wash in order to practice the teachings of the Pharisees.  But the disciples did not follow that teaching.  They were the disciples of Christ.  They were the disciples of the Messiah.  And Christ did not teach them that they were unclean when they eat before washing.  And the Pharisees saw this.

They saw the teaching of Christ.  They saw the actions of the disciples.  And they were not pleased.  Here was a teacher, a Rabbi, who did not follow the traditions and the teachings of the Pharisees.  So they questioned him about his teachings.  Christ in turn questioned them about their authority to change the commandments of God.  Who gave them the authority?  Who made them greater than God?  Who told them that they could make changes to the laws of God, handed down to Moses?  And yet, in their arrogance, they made changes and taught the people to follow the changes that they made to God's Laws.  And now they questioned Christ about his teaching against the traditions they had made and instituted to the people.  

They took offense to Christ.  They took offense to his teachings.  They took offense to his popularity.  They took offense to his miracles.  They took offense to everything that Christ did for the people.  And the evil within them brought them to anger.  The evil within them made them mad.  The evil within them had them conspire against Christ.  And the evil seed within them made them speak out against the actions of Christ.  But Christ instructed his disciples against the Pharisees.   But he answered and said "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be rooted up."

The disciples did not know.  The disciples did not understand that within each of us there is a seed planted.  There are two types of seeds, a seed for good and a seed for evil.  There is no in between.  There is either one or the other.  The two do not exist within us together.  We may not believe that we are evil but the seed is there in a small way.  And the seed grows.  It starts to germinate from its shell and pushes outward.  It expands and branches out into our soul and our mind and our heart.  And the result of a full grown seed of evil is to become a tree with evil fruit.  Christ has said that we know a person by their fruit.  The parable of the weeds tells us the state of the world we live in.  It tells us the nature of the people in the world.  And it gives us an understanding of the environment we live in.  What seed do you have?  Do you know?  Do you care what seed grows within you?

Most of us are so in the world that we do not concern ourselves with the good seed or the bad seed.  We only concern ourselves with the day to day issues we face in living our lives.  We put aside the long term issues as to our spiritual nature and growth.  Yet the seed grows, without our knowledge and our effort.  It is only with the knowledge of who we are and the daily and hourly maintenance of our seed that we are able to separate ourselves from the world that would have us sleep in the knowledge of who we are.  Wake up! Christ's seed is within each and every one of us.  But evil will come and take the good seed away.  Evil will come and choke and kill the good seed planted by Christ.  The decision is yours.  Choose the seed of Christ.  Nurture the seed of Christ.  Water the seed of Christ and watch over its growth.  For your seed will grow.  Your seed will flourish.  Your seed will blossom and produce fruit that will be pleasing to God. 

St Matthew, Chapter 15, verse: 12, The Lesson: The Pharisees take offense.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Disciples warned to shun the Pharisees) Part 2.  

 Christ had called the people unto himself that he may give them instructions.  He called their attention that they may hear, that they may listen, and that they may understand the lesson being taught.  He told the people that it was not what they put into their mouths that defiled but what came out of the mouth that made a man defiled.  And the Pharisees heard and understood.  And the Pharisees heard and were angered.  And the Pharisees heard and took offense.  For they, the Pharisees, had taught, for hundreds of years, that a man was unclean and defiled if he did not wash before eating.  They, the Pharisees, had impressed upon the people that they were unclean if they did not follow the traditions as they were taught.  And many people felt and believed in the teachings of the Pharisees.  Many people believed that they were unclean.  Many people, because of the limited availability of water, believed the teachings of the Pharisees.  

They did not have flowing water available to them as the rich, and the wealthy, and the powerful.  They could not wash before every meal, as the rich, and the wealthy, and the powerful were able to do.  They could not follow the traditions as handed down by the Pharisees, as the rich, and the wealthy, and the powerful.  So they believed that they were unclean.  But Christ came and made a change.  Christ came and taught differently.  Christ came and made the people clean, for he taught that it is not what is put into the mouth that makes one unclean but what comes out of the mouth that makes one unclean.  For from the mouth the heart speaks.  And many, spoke evil from their mouths and were unclean because of what came from their heart through their mouths.  The disciples came and told Christ .  Then his disciples came up and said to him, "Dost thou know that the Pharisees have taken offense at hearing this saying?"

The disciples listened to the Pharisees.  The disciples heard the talk of the Pharisees.  The disciples believed in the teachings of the Pharisees because they did not know.  The disciples did not know that if the heart is clean and pure then the mouth speaks no evil.  The disciples did not know that what is put into the mouth does not make one clean or unclean.  And so Christ had to teach.  Christ had to inform.  Christ had to give a lesson to his disciples and to the people gathered around him.  And Christ had to offend the evil in the Pharisees.  For the Pharisee took offense to what was spoken by Christ.  The evil within the Pharisees arose and brought forth the anger against the teachings of Christ.  The evil within made the Pharisees spoke against the teachings of Christ and took offense.

Christ taught a lesson 2000 yrs ago and it still rings true today.  The Pharisees objected.  The Pharisees were compelled to speak.  The evil within them had to come out.  Is this still true today?  Are you compelled to speak?  Does your mouth speak before you have had to time to think about what you are to say?  Does your heart know what comes forth from it or not?  Defilement comes out of the mouth.  Unclean words are an indicator of what lies within.   And when the words of truth are spoken to us the unclean spirits come forth.  For we do not speak of and by ourselves.  We do not know what is to be said in the heat of an argument.  Only the evil that is within us comes out and we are made unclean.  Only the darkness that hides within our hearts comes out and is spoken through and by the mouth giving evidence of the state of our being. 

God is love and within his being is love.  We are created in his likeness.  We are created in his image.  Yet we can be infested with evil.  We can be filled with evil.  We can be taken over by the darkness that is in and of the world.  But there is a choice.  Christ came, a light into the world.  Christ came that we may not walk in darkness but in the light of his life.  The choice is ours.  Which do you choose?  Do you choose darkness or do you choose the light?  It is a conscious decision.  It is a decision that requires action.  It is a decision that means walking a different path than what the world would have us walk.  Come!  Walk the path with Christ.  He will walk with you and give you the light of life to walk with you.  And you will know the treasures of the kingdom of heaven in your walk.