St. Matthew, Chapter 22, verses: 32; God of the Living.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Christ's answer) Part 5.  

They came to him for answers and he gave them knowledge.  They thought that they knew about the resurrection.  They believed that there was no life after death, that there was no resurrection so they came to him for an answer.  He told them that they were wrong, that they knew neither the scriptures nor the power of God.  They thought that they knew, but they did not.  They thought they had the answers but they did not.  They thought that they were right in their beliefs but they were wrong in their assumptions and Christ told them so.

He told them that there would be no marriage in heaven.  Therefore, what took place on earth would not be bound in heaven.  Men and women would not be bound to each other in heaven.  They will be like angels of God in heaven.  This was a shocking revelation to the Sadducees because they assumed that the wedding commitment would be bound over at the resurrection after death.  Christ had to correct them on this point also.  God was a God of the living and not of the dead.  He told them what was spoken by God himself saying:  " ' I am God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?' He is not the God of the dead, but of the living." 

Where does that leave us today, those who believe?  Do we believe in the living God?  Are we right in our faith, in our hope, in our trust in the invisible God?  Can we act on that which we believe, walk by, live by, and know, that we have a living God that we can call on, in our time of need?  Will he hear us?  Will he respond to us?  Will he care for our needs?  Will he provide for us? 

We indeed are weak.  Yet something inside tells us, talks to us, encourages us to think otherwise.  Something wants us to not be humble, to not be dependent, to not trust in the Lord.  History has taught us that he has been there for us.  He has walked with us, showed us the way, done things for us, brought us far without problems.  So why should we stop leaning on him now.  Why should we stop trusting him now.  He was a plan for us, all we have to do is be patient and enjoy the ride.

Our God is patient.  He is merciful.  He is loving.  He saved us from the deep depression that we were in where those thoughts of ending came upon us.  He gave us new life and new hope.  He show us the way.  He opened the door for us to enter the kingdom of heaven.  He opened our eyes to who we are in Christ Jesus and now we see ourselves in a new light.  The Spirit lives with us and guides us daily.  Thanks be to God.  Thanks be to Jesus Christ.  Thanks be to the Holy Spirit.

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, verses: 9-10, The Instructions

Our paragraph topic is: (Instructions to the Twelve) Part 3.  

Now after Christ has given his disciples instructions on what they are to tell the people and the miracles they are to perform, he tells them about their appearance.  Christ instructs his disciples to not carry a wallet.  He tells them that they are not to keep gold or silver or money in their girdles.  They are to not take two tunics, or sandals.  They are to go barefoot into the villages and towns.  They are not to take a staff to lean upon, to indicate some degree of prestige of being a prophet.   He tells them, "The laborer deserves his living."  

The disciples of Christ are to become laborers.  They are to perform honest work amongst the people.  They are to deserve, through the contributions of the people, their daily bread.  They are to be dependent upon the people for their clothing, for their shelter, for their food.  They are to perform miracles by casting out demons, healing the sick, raising the dead, and cleansing the lepers.  Through these acts the love of God in the people will provide for them.  Through these acts the spirit of love will open the hearts of the people and give them shelter.  Through these acts the charity of the people will feed them.  They will be taken care of through the love of the Holy Spirit.

The instructions that Christ gives to his disciples are the principles by which he has lived.  He has told us that "The foxes have dens, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head."   Christ had no home to sleep in, no roof over his head, no bed to lay in.  Yet he slept on this earth.  He was fed.  He had clothes to wear and sandals for his feet.  He worked for the living that he received.  His work was honest.  His work was pure.  His work was without deceit or trickery.  He did not want.  Yet he did not own.  The love of the people that he ministered to provided for him.  His heavenly father knew his needs and sent the people to take care of them.  These are the principles that he wants his disciples to possess and to live by.  An honest days work for an honest living.  These are the principles that he instructs his disciples to practice on their journey into the villages and towns to preach the good news.

We work today in the industries of the world.  For our labor we are paid a salary, a compensation, bonuses, perks, etc.  In this society it is OK to lie, to steal, to cheat to get paid.  We are encouraged to do anything to get ahead, to make more money, to live the good life.  We get angry when we see others getting ahead when we are left behind.  We search for ways to get more than we deserve without doing the labor that deserves the pay.  We want more than what we receive based on our individual labors.  Our passions tell us that we deserve more than what we receive based upon the work that we perform. 

Christ tells us that the laborers in his employ deserve their living by the honest work that they perform.  They are shepherds.  They lead the flock.  They work to bring the flock to pasture and to protect them from the hungry wolves that would kill them and scatter them.  They deserve their living by the sweat of their brow.  Will you deserve your living by the honest works that you perform as a laborer for Christ?