St. Matthew, Chapter 20, verse:27, The First Disciple.

Our paragraph topic is: (Humility according to Christ's example) Part 6.

He had told them many things along their journey over the past three years.  He showed them miracles.  He taught them of the kingdom of heaven.  He spoke to them about his father and the love that he has for them and for all mankind.  He did many things while he walked among and with them on this journey that they were making. 

For surely it was their journey.  It was their walk.  It was their training,  For Christ knew of his path.  He knew of his journey.  He knew the time and place and sacrifice and pain and suffering that he would face.  But the disciples were in training for their own walk, their own path, their own journey which would take place after Christ returned home to his father.  So he had to prepare them.  He had to plant the seeds that would grow into full blown leaders and teachers, and ministers of the church that he would leave behind.  And the disciples had to understand what would make them great, what would make them first among all.  So he told them:  "And whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave."

And there it was in plain words for all to understand.  Desire to be first and you desire to be a slave.  Desire to be great and you desire to be a servant.  These were his words to his disciples who were passionate to be great, to be the best.  Yet his words posed a problem for them.  His words did not make since to them because no one wanted to be a slave.  No one wanted to be a servant.  In their time, slaves were the lowest and servants had no power, no prestige or privilege.  And they wanted to be known.

Yet Christ gave them his example.  He gave them the parameters by which they could measure their greatness, their position among each other.  Be a slave.  Be a servant to all.  A slave implied ownership.  A slave implied a lack of freedom.  A slave implied obedience, and those were the qualities that they did not posses nor did they desire to possess. 

Looking back from our vantage point of today, can we imitate the example that Christ left?  Can we become slaves?  Can we be completely obedient?  The temptation is great to do otherwise.  The culture that we live in today compels us to be anything but obedient to the example that Christ gave to us.  We are compelled to be first.  We are compelled to be great.  We are compelled to do whatever it takes to get ahead, to reap the rewards, to come out on top.  We are compelled to show the world that we have made it. 

How we dress, speak, eat, walk, and talk, all express who we are and who we want to become.  Our minds are constantly filled with the ideas and thoughts that drive us to want to be great, to be first, to be on top.  And for those who do not or can not fulfill their passion then the fall from the lofty heights of their passion leaves scars in their lives.  We become broken people who failed to reach the top.  Yet despite all that is given us, all that we see and hear to demonstrate that we are failures, we are great in his eye.  We are loved in his eyes.  We are protected and provided for under his arms.  If we just turn to him and accept that we are his children, we become great. 

 God is our Father.  He is the Creator.  He is the one who provides and protects.  We are winners in his eyes.  We are his children and he has given each and every one of us all that our hearts desire.  Come!  Open your minds and open your hearts and see that which you are since the beginning of time.  You will know the truth that is within you.  You will know the truth that no one or nothing in this world can take from you.  The life of Christ dwells within you and his love awaits your awakening.  You have a new life, a wonderful and glorious life ahead.  Come!  Start yours today.

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 19, verse: 30b, Those who are last and those who are first.

Our paragraph topic is:  (A hundredfold reward promised) Part 6. 

Jesus made a promise to his disciples and those that followed him that there would be great rewards.  He wanted them to know that the trials and tribulations that they would face for their fellowship with him would be rewarded greatly.  They would face battles.  They would face enemies that they had not known before.  They would face all kinds of trials.  They would face pain, and torture, and even death.  But Christ reassured them that the trails they would face could not compare to the rewards they would receive.

The twelve disciples would be judges over all the tribes of Israel.  Those who followed would receive rewards totaling a hundredfold to what they would sacrifice here on earth.  So the rewards are more than one can imagine receiving.  And then, they also would receive life everlasting for all eternity.  All would be with him in the kingdom when the regeneration comes.  And none would be left out.  For those who came first would be the last to receive.  And as he told them:  "And many who are last now will be first." 

Who will be the last to come?  Who will be the last to enter the kingdom of heaven in the regeneration?  And after the last, comes the judgment that will right all wrongs and balance the scales of justice.  And there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth.  And many will be left behind.  And many will be left outside.  But the last will become the first and the first will be the last.  And Christ is the first to come, but he, will be the last.

What will be our reward?  What will we receive in the kingdom of heaven?  What is our heart's desire?  What will make us happy beyond our wildest expectations?  The heart only knows what it knows, and it knows what will make us happy.  Surely what we have experienced here on earth has or can, bring happiness and joy.  But will that fulfill the desires of the heart?  Will that satisfy?  Will what we can receive here complete the longings of what is in our hearts?

We see and feel and smell and taste all the wonders of the creation of man.  We are given to desire that which is presented before us in the news and the media and socially and online.  Everyday we are given examples of what it would mean to have all our financial needs met.  And that is something that we all want and desire, to have enough money to not have to worry about working and toiling for tomorrows needs.  But is this enough to satisfy?  Is this enough to fulfill?  Is this the be all and end all to the longings within our hearts?

Christ came that we would have life and have it more abundantly.  He came to tell us that there is something more than we perceive in the here and now.  He came that we would be able to see the light, that our eyes would be opened and our hearts would know the truth of who we are.  He gave us the example to follow.  He opened the door for us to come, into the kingdom.  And he led the way to the kingdom of fulfillment.  Satisfaction is not in the physical.  Happiness is not in the present.  Only with him and through him and by him can that which fills our longings be complete.  Only through and with and by the love of God our Father can we know that which is truly ours to know.  The true fulfillment of who we are is only available in the Father and his love.  Come!  Be the true life that Christ has given you through his passion.  He loves you.  He awaits you.  He will fulfill you!

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 19, verse: 26, The impossible is possible.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The danger of riches) Part 5.  

Christ had spoken to his disciples about riches and how they can make if difficult to enter into the kingdom of heaven.  He gave them a simple example so that they would have an understanding.  He told them that it is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven.  With what difficulty one would have trying to get a camel through the eye of a needle, one would also have even more difficulty getting a rich man into the kingdom of heaven.

This was a concept that was foreign to them and even to us today it seems extreme.  Our imagination would tell us that you would have to shrink a camel to less than the size of the eye of the needle to get it through.  In the same sense one would have to reduce the rich man down to nothing to get him into the kingdom of heaven.  Yet Christ wanted them to not think with the minds of men but to understand the power and majesty of the Father.   And looking upon them, Jesus said to them, "With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." 

Christ gazed upon his disciples and saw that they did not understand his words.  He wanted them to understand the true nature of the possession of riches.  He wanted them to know the dangers of having riches and where they could lead.  Having riches and possessing riches is like a fever.  One wants to keep them.  One wants to hold onto them.  On wants to not loose them for fear.  And yet death is the ultimate divider.  For one cannot take riches after death.  One cannot posses riches after death.  For we are all children of God and in heaven there is no place for pride.

Our Father created us.  He gave us life.  He provided us with a place to live to grow, prosper, and to multiply.  He gave us this realm, the physical.  He gave us the intelligence to use the physical to produce the things that would allow us to live and prosper.  All these things he gave us freely that we may know his goodness and his mercy.  After we had rejected him and turned towards the world he still forgave us.  His love for mankind is so great that he allowed his only son to come and live among us that we may know him.  And he gave his only son that he would come and sacrifice himself to redeem us to give us new life.

With this new life we now are able to enter into the kingdom.  Before Christ came to redeem us, no one could enter into the kingdom.  All had to wait until the sacrifice was completed.  Christ  released all those who were in waiting.  He was the first.  And he is the last.  All things are given to us in his name.  The riches of this world will stop us.  They will hinder us.  They will hold us back from entering into the kingdom.  Possession of riches is not the danger but the riches of possession is.  Remember, blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

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.