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 18, verse: 2-3, Pride: Closes the door to the Kingdom of Heaven.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Against ambition) Part 2. 

They had discussed it among themselves.  Their minds were filled with the desire to know who would be the greatest.  Satan had entered into their midst and into their minds and into their hearts.  They were inflamed with the desire for ambition, the desire for fame, the desire to be great.  Not having an answer to their question and not being able to settle it between them, them came to Christ for an answer.  Who, they asked, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

Jesus knew what had happened.  He knew that they had been influenced.  He knew their hearts and he gave them a simple answer that would dispel the influence of Satan and bring them back to the simplicity and peace that had been stolen from them.  They were the disciples of Christ.  They would be the future of the new church.  They would be leaders and preachers and teachers of the flock.  So they had to understand the true nature of who they were.

Christ gave them a simple example to demonstrate who they were.  And Jesus called a little child to him, set him in their midst, and said, "Amen I say to you, unless you turn and become like little children, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Christ gave them an example.  He put the child in their midst to show them who they were not.  He put the child in their midst the show them who they were.  He put the child in front of them to help them to understand what they had become, seeking ambition and pride.  And then he told them that they would loose the kingdom of heaven if they continued to be the persons they had turned into.  Satan was in their midst.  Satan had influenced them.  Satan sought to turn them into disciples of pride and ambition, but Christ knew in their hearts that they were his disciples.  He knew that they belonged to him and not to the evil that sought to turn them.  So he put the child in front of them to show them that they must turn away from the influence that sought to fill them with pride and ambition.

How are we to turn into children today?  How are we to become childlike that we may gain the kingdom of heaven when the world demands and declares that we must be ambitious.  Do we want to turn away from ambition, turn away from our passions, turn away from those things that we think will make us better persons, better spiritual beings.  The world demands that we have pride.  The world demands that we have passion and drive and courage and belief in ourselves before we are able to reach our goals, find our dreams, fulfill the desires of out hearts.  These are the principles and practices that we are raised with from childhood.  In order to be successful in this world we must espouse these principles and make them our own.  Or, are we going in the wrong direction in following the principles of the world?

God created the stars and the moon and the earth and the air we breathe.  He gives us food to eat.  He provides for us by giving us the materials that we need to make a life for ourselves and to live comfortably.  And he loves us.  For those that love him and know him, he will make provisions. 

There was a time in my life when I thought that I needed to follow the world.  There was a time in my life when I believed in the principles of the world.  There was a time in my life when I believed that I could do anything that I set my mind to if I only believed that I could achieve.  I espoused the principles of the rich and famous, of the wealthy and successful, the principles of the achievers in the world.  I failed, thank God.  I did not achieve, thank God.  I lost my way, thank God.  I hit my bottom, thank God.  And I called for help, thank God.  He held my hand.  He did not let go.  He pulled me up and let me know that I am his child, that I am loved, thank you God.  Thank you Father. 

Today, I know that the success that I have comes from and through him.  Today I know that I am not proud.  Today I know that I no longer have to follow the practices and principles of the world because I have a father who loves me.  I know that I do not have to be ambitious because I have a father who created the stars, the moon, the earth, the sky the water, and the air I breathe.  And today I know that my life is not without but within the mortal shell in this world.  For today I see the true spirit that Christ Jesus has given me which is the joy in my heart and the light in my life.  And today I am able to see my brothers and sisters as they are, spirits of the light of Christ that is within them.  If they only knew.  If they could only see.  If they could only experience the truth of who they are then they too will know who they are and where they belong.  My joy is the kingdom of heaven and not the kingdom of earth.  Christ loves you and the Holy Spirit awaits 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 18, verse:1, Pride: Who is the Greatest

Our paragraph topic is:  (Against ambition) Part 1.    

So the disciples were in the house with Jesus.  Simon Peter was off fishing to deal with his thoughts of anger and frustration with the taxing system.  But the others were debating and dealing with other issues.  Satan was at work, never resting.  He was dividing.  He was instigating, he was seeking ways to turn the disciples away from Christ so that he could use them for his own purposes.  

The disciples were young in the spirit.  They did not completely understand what they were doing or who they were dealing with.  It was spiritual warfare and Satan was on the prowl.  He could not directly affect the disciples because of Christ but he could influence them with little suggestions.  He could plant thoughts in their minds.  He could give them ideas like seeds that would grow and fester in their minds until they became full blown thoughts that would lead to actions that were against the spirit.  So, at that hour the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" 

Who is the greatest?  Who is the best?  Who is the prettiest?  Who is the strongest?  We could think about all these superlatives all day and wonder where we fit in the grand scheme of things.  What are our greatest qualities?  How can we maximize upon these qualities to get ahead, to make ourselves noticed, to put us above the rest of the crowd.  Who is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?  The disciples discussed this question among themselves and wanted to know the answer.  They thought about and argued the question among themselves with each having their own opinion as to the answer.  And while they were arguing the answer Satan was working in their midst.

We all want to feel proud.  It is a natural human emotion that makes us feel good about ourselves while at the same time making us feel bad about ourselves.  For in considering the question of what we have done and what we have accomplished, we can also think about what we have not done and what we have not accomplished.  We are proud of what we have.  We are proud of who we are in the community.  We are proud of our accomplishments, our titles, our homes, our cars, our clothes, how we look, our physical being, and all the things that will make us feel good about who we are and how other people will see us.  We are proud of the physical and not the spiritual.

For how can we be proud of the spiritual?  How can we have others see the spiritual being that we are and make us feel proud that we are spiritual?  Do we become religious?  Do we become knowledgeable of the scriptures that we can show others our spiritual growth?  Do we speak of religious things among our friends and associates that we can demonstrate our spiritual being?  Do we do all these things that we may become spiritually proud of who we are?  Only God sees our true spirit.  Only God knows what is in our hearts.   Only God is the true cause of how we feel about who we are. 

For it is the truth of the knowledge of who we are in Christ Jesus that leads us to know the true nature of our being.  And without the knowledge of our spirit we are still just physical beings, lost in the physical world.  We are spiritual beings not knowing the light of the spirit that is within us.  We are spiritual beings unable to perceive the light within us, unable to see the light of life given us by Christ Jesus through his sacrifice.  And without true knowledge we are walking in darkness, simply physical beings. 

Christ told us that the eye is the lamp of body and if the eye is sound then the body will be full of light.  Do you have a sound eye?  Can you not see the light within you?  Do you not know the light of your soul?  Come!  Follow the path before you.  See the spirit that you are.  Know the light of Christ that is within you and you will no longer be in darkness.  Christ has opened the door for you.  He has given the path to walk.  He will come and send the Holy Spirit to be with you for the rest of your days, if you simply ask. 

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.