St Matthew, Chapter 16, verse 28, The Cross of Man: The Blessed Vision!

Our paragraph topic is: (The doctrine of the cross) Part 6.    

Christ spoke to his disciples in no uncertain terms.  He wanted them to know the truth.  He wanted them to understand the rules.  He enlightened them on the ultimate value that they possessed and that all men possessed in their souls.  What would it profit a man to gain all there is in the world and then to loose the most valuable thing on earth.  There is nothing more valuable that a man can give other than his soul.  And this is the very thing that Satan wants to posses.  For Satan minds the things of man and the things of this world.  Christ is from the father and minds the things of God.

So Christ came to give man instructions.  Christ came to show man how to live.  Christ came to be an example.  And Christ came to be the sacrifice to satisfy the judgement placed upon man, a judgement made by God before man sinned.  And God told Adam, do not eat of the fruit in the middle of the garden least you shall die. 

And so it was that Christ knew his fate, he knew his destiny, and he knew the hardship of the road that he had taken.  He knew that his father loved him, provided for him, and would keep him in the final hour.  But death had to be overcome.  The price had to be paid before the sentence was removed.  And the disciples feared death.  The disciples knew not what lie beyond death.  So Christ told them that some would see him in his kingdom before they would pass through the doors of death.  He gave them the faith to know that he would be waiting for them on the other side of death.  He said to them: "Amen I say to you, there are some of those standing here who will not taste death, till they have seen the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."

The blessed vision that some would have.  The blessed experience that some would be able to stand in both realms, heaven and earth, and live by both experiences.  To see Christ coming in his own kingdom, to have the experience of knowing that Christ lives in his glorious majesty and splendor before facing death is an experience to die for.  For who would not want to be with him in heaven?  Who would not want to taste the glory and the majesty and experience the truth of God's love in heaven?  Who, after having that experience, would want to live in this world anymore?

But Christ gave us hope.  He gave us the faith to continue to live in this realm even though we know that our home is in heaven with him.  For those who know, blessed are they in Christ.  For those who do not know, lost are they in this world.  And yet it is the knowledge and the truth of who we are in Christ that allows us to experience this life with love.  For God is love.  He did not demand, or force, or punish us to bring us into compliance with his will.  Instead he gave us free choice to choose if we wanted to live with him or live without him.  He gave man free will to decide if he wanted to have eternal life with Christ or to not have eternal life.  And this is the truth of the battle. 

God loves us so much that he created us in his image and likeness and gave us free choice.  And then Satan wants us to choose him or not to choose our heavenly Father and Christ Jesus.  Some will be blessed enough to experience the touch of God's love.  Some will be blessed enough to experience his mercy.  Some will be blessed enough to experience the truth of his wisdom and the forgiveness of his compassion for us.  And some will have the blessed vision of Christ coming in his kingdom, either in life or before death comes.  The experiences are yours, waiting for you. 

What does it take to know them?  Only your willingness to search for them, only your willingness to believe that they exist, only your desire to know that he is real and his words are truth.  Come!  Seek the treasure that is yours; know the truth of who you are in Christ.  I sought!  I found!  I believed!  And now I know!  Christ has given me a gift to give to you, a path, a trail, a tried and tested method that works.  It is all laid out for you to follow.  And I will walk with you.  Christ loves you and so do I!  The Holy Spirit awaits you and greets 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 16, verse: 13, The Rock: The Question.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Peter's confession) Part 1.   

They crossed the sea and left the boat, Jesus and his disciples.  They arrived in Caesarea Philippi where Christ was about to begin another part of his journey here on earth, on this rock.  His time was approaching, his work was coming to an end, and the sacrifice was being prepared.  His disciples were with him at all times and they were being prepared for the coming war with evil.  Christ was to leave this earth, this rock, and his disciples were to remain to continue his work.  They did not know.  They believed that Christ would remain with them to fight the upcoming battles.  They believed that he would take over the rule of the Pharisees and the Sadducees and replace it with his rule.  Yet Christ was a gentle man.  Christ was a man filled with love.  Christ was not a man of violence, yet he was the Son of Justice.  He was the Son of God.

But the time had not yet come and the disciples must be prepared for the coming of the battle.  The plans must be put into place.  The strategy must be studied and enacted.  And the war must be proclaimed.  So Christ began by questioning his disciples.  He wanted to know what they were hearing.  He wanted to know what they were understanding.  He wanted to see what they were seeing so that he could make corrections.  So he asked them.  Now Jesus, having come into the district of Caesarea Philippi, began to ask his disciples, saying, "Who do men say the Son of Man is?"

You can ask the same question today and get a variety of answers depending upon who you talk to and what people believe.  Today, nearly 2000 years later, there is not one religion.  Today there is not one God.  Today there are many religions and many gods that people believe in.  We have become a culture of many.  We have become a culture, throughout the world, of freedom of religion and freedom of speech.  Even though in some parts of the world freedom is not free, but people are still individuals and can do and believe who and what they want.  Christ did not come to enforce one religion, one belief upon the people of the world.  He came that we might have the freedom to choose.  He came that we might have life and not death.  For before his gift to mankind we were dead, without life, without choice.  And now we have the choice of life and not death alone.

Who do men say I am?  Who do men say that the Son of Man is?  The knowledge is there for the knowing.  The truth is there for those who seek truth.  The life is there for those who want life and not death.  It is up to the individual to seek.  It is up to the individual to find.  It is up to the individual to know.  For those who seek can know for certain.  Those who find will find without doubt.  Those who desire will have their hearts filled.  For there is a living God.  There is a living truth.  There is a living certainty that can be gained for those who desire to know.  It is at your fingertips.  It is in your face.  It is on the tip of your tongue if you would only say it.  God's will be done.  Will your will be done in this life and in the next?  Follow the path.  Read the truth.  Know with certainty that you are a child of God.  His arms are open wide waiting for you to come home.

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!