St. Matthew, Chapter 23, verses: 33b; Judgment of Hell.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Their persecution of religion) Part 8.  

Here they were the religious leaders of the people standing before the Word of the Living God, still not knowing, not believing, not understanding their fate.  So bold were they.  So arrogant were they.  So caught up in their own importance of honor and prestige that they could not see or hear the truth of the Son of Man.  He call them a brood of vipers.  And that still did not shock them enough to make them think of who this Christ was.

They had seen the miracles, heard of the demons that were cast out, knew of the people that were cured of illnesses, seen those who they knew were lame or blind or cripple or diseased.  Yet in their minds it was all a hoax, all unreal.  They were lost, the Scribes and the Pharisees, unable to change their behavior.  Evil had fully taken over.  They had become the persecutors of their own religion.  Christ knew they were lost, yet he offered opportunity for redemption.  Yet he questioned:  "How are you to escape the judgment of hell?"

They were lost, completely engulfed in the prison of their evil spirits.  Darkness had taken over in their souls and there was no escape.  Where are we today?  Are we in the same boat?  Are we following the same path?  Do we have the opportunity for redemption?  Can we be saved from the evil that may be within us or around us or in our society?  What must we do to remove ourselves from the bonds of evil?

Everyday we are faced with opportunity to do wrong.  We are tempted to do just the little thing that wont hurt anyone.  Daily those little wrongs add up until we become immune to wrong and we can rationalize doing something a little bigger something a little more daring, something a little more evil.  And it is that path that we allow ourselves to travel that leads us down the road to more and more wrong until we do not recognize the difference.

Our God gave us a conscience that tells us when we do right and when we do wrong.  He gave us commandments to guide us in our daily lives.  It is those commandments that help us as children to stay safe from evil.  We do not know the many ways of evil.  We are not of the same spirit as evil but of a human nature, far less than those who seek to turn us against the will of our Father.  It is the love of our Father in heaven and Christ Jesus that keeps us in his grace.  It is his loving mercy and forgiveness that opens the door to bring us back into his love when we commit wrong.  It is the spirit of his love that guides us daily when we seek to know his will in our daily lives that helps us stay in the grace of our Father.  

We are blessed to have this opportunity to know who we are and to know the truth of the love of God for us.  It is that truth and that love that we can carry with us in our daily affairs to show others what God has to offer and what he gives to those who know him.  Spread the word.  Show the love.  Let the spirit of his love shine in 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 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 23, verses: 31a; Witness against self.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Their persecution of religion) Part 4.  

It must have been a great honor and privilege to live in the time of Christ.  Though I must admit that compared to today there were many hardships.  Many of the conveniences that we have today they did not have.  Running water, and toilets, and refrigerators, stoves, and TV's, music, radios, all the modern things we take for granted they did not have.  But then they had the greatest gift of all, Christ.

He came to be amongst the people, to walk with them and talk with them, to hear their laughter, their cries, their sighs, their tears, moans and groans.  And he gave relief to many. Yet he saw the cause of much of the sorrow and pain of the people, the evil and the fear that came from the misdirection of the religious leadership of the people.  For years the religious leadership had persecuted the people.  The Scribes and the Pharisees ruled over the people as though they were slaves and not the people of God whom they were to love.  They killed the prophets and the messengers sent by God because they wanted to maintain their positions of power.  Christ told them:  "Thus you are witnesses against yourselves."


The Bible tells us that our words will be our witness against us on the day of judgment.  Every word we speak will be written in the book of judgment and on that day will be used to judge who we are.  Speak good or speak evil, it will all come out on that day.  The truth will be known as to who we are.  Are we a tree that bears good fruit or one that brings forth bad fruit?  The mask will be taken off and the truth will be known.

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 23, verses: 15a; Woe!

Our paragraph topic is:  (Woe to the Scribes and Pharisees) Part 8.  

Jesus was bold.  He was outspoken.  Only the prophets and those who were crazy spoke to the Pharisees this way.  No one would dare speak out loud to them in public for all to hear.  Yet Jesus did.  He spared no words and did not hold his tongue.  He wanted all to hear what he had to say of the Scribes and the Pharisees.  He wanted all to know of their wrongs.

They did not believe.  They did not see.  They did not understand that the kingdom of heaven was at their doorstep.  The Scribes and the Pharisees only heard the words of a man calling them out to the public, something no one dared do to their honor.  But Christ did.  He said to them: "Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!"

In this paragraph he calls them hypocrites three times.  He tells the disciples what they did and how they did it so that all will know their sins.  He gives them three times to repent of their ways.  Yet they do not.  They can not hear.  They can not see.  They can not understand what is happening before them.  They are deaf in their hearing.  They are blind in their seeing and their understand has been taken away.

Where are we today?  Are we in the same boat?  Can we hear the calling?  Can we see the miracles before us?  Can we understand the things that are happening around us that give us the opportunities to repent of our ways?  We have a choice.  God is merciful.  He is loving and forgiving.  He is patient in his mercy and wants all to have the chance to receive his love.  The choice is ours if we can only hear, if we can only see, is we can only understand the gift that is given to us. 

 I am so thankful that I heard.  I am so thankful that I was able to see.  I am so thankful that I was able to understand the gift that I have received, that I am here today to write to you about it.  Seek it and you shall find it.  Knock on the door and it shall be opened to you.  Know that you have a heavenly Father who loves you and who will come to you and embrace you with his love.  I am a witness. 

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 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 23, verses: 10; One Master.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Hypocrisy of the Scribes and Pharisees) Part 8.  
This was a time of extremes when evil walked the land and inhabited men to do their work.  Christ warned the people and the disciples of what they had not seen or heard before.  He knew and could see the presence of evil.  He knew and could see within.  He knew and understood the workings of those that inhabited the souls of men.

The Scribes and the Pharisees were the rulers of the day.  It was their responsibility to keep the people in their place and to keep them subjugated to the Law, while they did not adhere to the Law.  They made sure that the people followed the Law but they themselves did not.  They were called Rabbi, took first seats in the synagogues, first places at supper, did everything to enforce their perceived places of honor and prestige.  


This was accepted by the people, Christ however, wanted the people to see the truth of who they were.  He wanted to remove the blinders from the eyes of the people so they could see the real souls of the Scribes and the Pharisees.  For there was evil and hypocrisy lurking within.  He told the people:  "Neither be called masters; for ONE only is your Master, the Christ."

Master, Father, and other titles were used to address those in authority.  Evil was within and to give honor and praise to evil was against the commandments.  There is only ONE living God worthy of the title Father.  There is only one Lord and Master deserving of the title Master.  Yet the people unknowingly called the Scribes and the Pharisees by these names giving praise to the evil that influenced them from within, an abomination.

We see not with our eyes.  We know not with our minds.  We are not who we appear to be but what we fail to see within.  For we were created in his image.  We are the children of his love.  He is our Father, our protector, and our provider.  Christ is our Lord and savior.  He it is who came down from heaven, walked among us, took on our shape and form that he might show us who how to live.  For we knew not.  We believed not.  We saw not and did not understand.  Yet we have been given the knowledge and the wisdom to see, to know, to believe, and to understand that which we are.  

The heart knows what it knows.  The heart sees what it sees.  The heart feels what it desires to feel that it can be fulfilled.  It is all written for those who seek.  It is ordered for those who want order.  It is given for those who want to give their lives to more than the ordinary day to day life of this world.  The Lord calls.  His voice can be heard if you listen.  Find it.  Seek it.  Cry for it.  Know that it is there for you to hear.  Others have heard and so will you.  The heart will know it's calling.

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 22, verse: 5; And they laughed at the invitation.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The marriage feast) Part 4.  

You see, Jesus is comparing the kingdom of heaven to a king preparing a wedding feast for his son.  He wants to have fun and merriment during the celebration and he wants all those invited to have a good time.  So he has made all these elaborate preparations so that there will be music and wine and food enough for all.  He has sent out invitations to all those that he would like to attend but they refused to come.

Those that were invited talked about coming.  They thought about making preparations to come.  They did not show.  "But they made light of it, and went off, one to his farm, and another to his business."  

We are party people.  Why would one turn down an invitation to a party?  In this day and time a well planned party is a welcomed opportunity.  It is like a vacation away from the ordinary dull drums of the work-a-day world we live in.  But Christ was making a comparison for those to hear who could understand his meanings and his message.  One has to question himself as to why would one not go to a celebration.

We can think of reasons why: "It's going to be a bad party.", "No one is going to be there.", "The celebration will be dull and boring, the same as before.", "It will not be a fun time that one will remember because one cannot have fun with the king present."  There are many reasons that they did not want to go to the wedding celebration.  

What are our reasons today?  Do we not want to be at the celebration?  Do we not want to go to the wedding feast of the king's son?  Do we not want to praise and honor to the one so blessed as to unite with a bride to begin a new life?  What do we have to say about the feast?  There are things that we have to do to prepare ourselves.  We must have the proper clothing to wear.  We must have the right attitude when attending so that we might enjoy ourselves.  Are we preparing to go to the feast?

Christ wants us to understand the kingdom of heaven.  He provides us with examples that we can understand and relate to so that our minds are open to the message he wants to give us.  Just as those who laughed at the invitation and made light of it, we do the same today.  We say that we want to go but we make no plans.  We say that we want to be there but we do not want to make the preparations to be there.  We say that we will be there but we go about doing the same things that lead us in a different direction.  What do we want?  What are we doing?

The path that leads to the celebration is like a path of enlightenment.  For this celebration the whole path is filled with wonderful joys and happiness that we can not even imagine.  Our eyes are opened.  Our hearts are filled along the way.  And that which is within us is awakened to the truth of who we are.  We become more alive because we realize who we are becoming and where the path is taking us.  The celebration is a wonderful place to be and the path that leads to it is filled with prizes of enlightenment.

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 21, verses: 37; The Vine-dresser's respect.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Parable of the vine-dressers) Part 4. 

The householder of the vineyard continues to send messengers to the vine-dressers requesting samples of wine from his vineyard.  He sent one set of servants to the vine-dressers and they beat one, killed another and stoned another.  When he did not hear from them he sent another group of messengers.  But the same thing happened to them, they did not return.  So now he is wondering what has happened to his property and why he has not heard from the vine-dressers about his wine.

Maybe they were detained.  Maybe they were robbed on the way and killed.  Maybe there was a bad storm that killed them and they could not reach the vine-dressers.  Maybe a number of things could have happened that the householder did not know.  So as a last effort he decides to send someone with honor and respect that they, the vine-dressers, would see and yield to the householders requests.  Finally he sent his son to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.' 

His son was his replacement as spokesperson.  His son was a key figurehead for the Father.  His son was the future for the Father and brought respect and obedience the same as the Father.  The pride of who we are as fathers goes forth with our sons.  We have raised our children to the best of our ability.  We have given them the wisdom and knowledge that was passed down to us from our fathers as well as the life's lessons that we have learned throughout our years.  We give them all that we can and all that we know.

Yet we are not they and they are not us.  They grow up in a time and place different from what we have known as parents.  They have opportunities that we did not have as children.  They come to know much more than we can know about the future.  Yet the knowledge and wisdom from the past is their guiding lessons to lead them in the future.  Some things about life are changing and some things are constant.

This parable is about opportunity.  It is about redemption.  It is about mercy and forgiveness and love.  The householder gave ample opportunity to the vine-dressers to do what was right with respect to his property, his vineyard.  Twice they refused.  And twice the householder was patient and merciful and not sending an army to retake what was rightfully his.  The fruit was so good and the wine so precious that the vine-dressers decided to take what was not theirs.

And the Father sent his son to allow for redemption assuming that the vine-dressers would respect him.  He assumed that they would recognize the authority of the son and do what was right.  He assumed that the vine-dressers were honorable men; they would understand the consequences of the appearance of the son and would relinquish and return to the householder his fruit.  But they were not respectful.  They were not honorable.  They were not men who could see the opportunity that was being offered to them.  They could only see the greed in taking possession of the vineyard.

We steal, we lie, we cheat, we murder, we deceive to get that which we believe is ours to have.  Our passions drive us to see only that which is given us by this world, where it is common and expected to be this way.  Yet we miss the opportunity given us by what has been freely given.  We came with nothing, for we were dust.  We leave with everything for we are spirit, eternal life given us freely by the passion of Christ.  His love, his compassion, his mercy, his blessings, his forgiveness is all that we need.  He has given us the riches of the world and more, if we believe in him.  Yet we do not.  We believe in the dirt that the world offers that does not fulfill.  Be not the vine-dressers taking what is not yours.  Be not the disrespectful not knowing who you are.  Be not the lawless, not seeing the truth of the boundaries set for your protection.  For God your Father has given every opportunity to change, every opportunity to accept, every opportunity to believe.  Opportunity knocks at your door.  Open and receive the riches 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 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 21, verse: 8, The humble and the lowly paid him homage .

Our paragraph topic is:  (Triumphal entry into Jerusalem) Part 3. 

They heard that he was coming.  And the word spread of his arrival.  They came to see, they came to hear, they came that they could be a part of his arrival.  They were simple folks.  They were poor, they were humble, they were the downtrodden and the suffering.  But they believed in him.  They had faith in him that he would change their world, change their suffering, change their pain into joy.  They believed.

So they came out to meet him.  They had no horns or drums to announce his coming.  They had no confetti to welcome him, but they had their cloaks.  And they found a way to honor him, a way to praise him, a way to give him the glory that he deserved.  And most of the crowd spread their cloaks upon the road, while others were cutting branches from trees, and strewing them on the road. 

This was their time to celebrate.  This was their time to rejoice.  This was their time to show to the world the coming of the Messiah and their belief in him.  They were not the governors, or the priests, or the men of power, or the merchants of the day.  These were the common folk, the people who had heard the word, the people who were poor and downtrodden, the everyday common people who were trying to eek out a living in those trying times.

And Christ came onto the scene.  He heals the sick and the word travels.  He cast out demons and the word goes forth.  He cures the lepers and open the eyes of the blind, and makes the lame walk, and forgives the sins of those who are sinners.  He raises the dead to demonstrate to those who believe that he is the Messiah, the Son of God.  And the word becomes wildfire and spreads throughout the land.  And now he comes to the annual celebration of the Passover and all want to see, all want to know, all want to be a part of the new beginning that he brings.

Only a hand full know what is about to happen.  Only the few have been warned of the sacrifice.  Only a few follow in horror of the greatest suffering that is about to take place for one so innocent and unblemished as Christ.  They did not know what was happening.  They did not understand why this was taking place.  They thought that he came to take over the kingdom, to be ruler of the world, to transform all the evil that was taking place.  They did not know or fully believe that he came to be the sacrifice, the propitiation for our sins.  They did not know that he would rise again, triumphant over death, never to die again.  They only knew that they could see what was in front of them and what they saw was horror.

Two thousand years later we know why he came.  It has been given to us to see the church that he created through the disciples.  It has been given to us to know of his sacrifice, of his suffering, of his pain, of his death, of his resurrection, and of his ascension into heaven to sit at the right hand of his Father.  We who believe know the why and the wherefore.  That has been given to us.  What we do not know is when he will return, when the words will be fulfilled.  Will you be ready?  Do you believe?  Do you know who you are in Christ?

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 21, verse: 7, They paid him homage.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Triumphal entry into Jerusalem) Part 2. 

They had no white stallion for him to ride.  They had no parade for him to be seen in.  They had no twenty-one gun salute to honor him.  They only had the ass and the colt for him to ride upon.  So as simple men they paid honor and tribute in their own simple way.

The people were with them.  They knew that he would come to the celebration.  They were waiting.  They were looking for him.  They all had heard of his miracles and his deeds.  And they expected him to come to Jerusalem to bring about change.  And the little people, the poor, the downtrodden, the beggars, those in pain and suffering from oppression sought him out and paid homage to him in their own simple way.  And they brought the ass and the colt, laid their cloaks on them, and made him sit thereon. 

This was what they knew how to do.  They were poor and lowly people who worship the Messiah.  Others could not see. Others did not believe.  Most were skeptical and refused to believe in the word that they heard.  Yet here he was, coming into Jerusalem, into their mist for the celebration of the year.  The little ones saw and believe.  They knew that he was the Messiah.  There was no doubt in their minds or in their hearts.  They knew that he had come to bring about change.  But they did not know how the change would happen.

He has said that he will return, that all will see and know.  He has said that he will return on a cloud for all to see.  And we wait with patience for that day, that time, that hour when we must be ready for his coming.  Will you be ready?  Will you be prepared?  Or will the thief catch you asleep and not on guard? 

We live in a world with many distractions, where we can be blind to the truth.  We have opportunities to play, and relax, and to enjoy all that the world has to offer.  We have opportunity to get caught up in the pleasures of the world and opportunity to forget who we are.  Be not blinded.  Be not caught up in the pleasures.  Be not deceived into believing that the day will never come.  For certain as we live and breathe the day is fast approaching.  And our time is limited.  The day is not given to us.  The hour is not ours to have.  The thief will come and take away all, when you are not ready.  Be in guard at all times.  It is written for all to see, for all to know.  And the word will be fulfilled.

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 20, verse:26b, The Great Disciple.

Our paragraph topic is: (Humility according to Christ's example) Part 5.  

When we look back upon the teachings of Christ to his disciples, one must wonder how they felt, how they thought, how they understood his teachings.  They followed Christ because they knew, within themselves, that he was the Messiah.  His miracles proved that.  He did things that no other prophet or other great leader could do.  They were amazed at what they saw, what they heard him say, and what they believed that he would do.  Their hearts and minds were opened to his teachings, his love, his passion, and his will. 

They all wanted what they saw.  They wanted to be powerful.  They wanted his fearlessness. They wanted to be like him because they thought that this would give them leverage over the leaders of their day.  They thought that being like him would make them famous with the people.  They thought that imitating him would give them prestige and privilege like other leaders of the day.  Little did they know or think that what they thought they wanted was completely different from what would be offered.  Christ told them:  "On the contrary, whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant." 

How was that to be?  How were they who sought to be great to become a servant?  A servant was a position that they sought to turn away from.  A servant was a person that they saw with disdain.  A servant in their day and time was a nobody.  Yet here was Christ, their leader, their teacher, their Messiah, telling them that they must become servants.  Certainly this did not go over well with them.  Certainly this did not sound good to them.  Certainly this saying was not immediately understood.

He had just spoken with them about the honor of sitting at his right hand and at his left in the kingdom of heaven, a position that they all sought.  He had questioned them about the price that they will pay to be his followers.  He had just placed the doubt in their minds and their hearts as to the courage of their convictions being his followers when the time of tribulation came.  Were they ready?  Were they prepared?  Were they strong enough to face that which was in their future?  And now he tells them that they must become servants if they want to become great.

Christ had a way of teaching that cut to the quick, got to the heart of the matter.  He taught in ways that required insight and thought, ways that revealed meaning and understanding with deeper thought.  In our day and time we can look back.  We can read about what happened.  We can study the text and meaning in many different ways and from many different authors.  But beyond all of the literature lies the inner meaning that comes to each of us individually guided by the Holy Spirit. 

In our society today, we strive to be top dog, the lady that stands out in a crowd, the one that gets noticed.  We do not seek to be servants.  We do not seek to be the lowly.  This is contrary to what we are given from birth in our society.  Yet here is the greatest teacher that walked the earth giving us an example of how to be great, how to serve and not how to be served.  He is giving us the example of how to give of oneself and not to take, the example to humble oneself and not to be proud.  This is the example that he brought to us, the example that he gives to us, the example that he left for us to follow.  For he, the king of the universe, humbled himself and came to save us.  Can we not seek to follow his example?

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: 19a, The commandments: Honor thy Father and Mother.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The rich young man speaks to Jesus) Part 9.

The rich young man is there before Christ as Christ tells him what he must do to enter into the kingdom.  He is listening intently.  He is taking in all that is being spoken.  He is absorbing on a conscious and subconscious level all that which is being given him by Christ.  For he has to make sense of it all.  He has to understand it.  He has to remember it and repeat it so that he can accepts it completely.  And Christ has given these commandments to him in simple terms in order that he can accept them.

Just as he was speaking to the rich young man, he was also speaking to all that heard, to all that was in ear shot of his words, and all that would hear these words as they are passed on to others.  For he has given to all the stepping stones, the building blocks, the foundation for salvation.  These are the commandments that have the most meaning and these are the commandments that will open the doors to the kingdom.  And Jesus said, "Honor thy father and mother."

Of all the things that we should not do: kill, steal, commit adultery, etc., this is the one thing that Christ tells us that we should do.  We should give honor to those who gave us life.  We should give honor to those who brought us into this world.  We should pay homage to those who came before us.  We should show respect and recognition to their contribution to our life. 

Why was I born?  Why am I here?  These are two questions that each and every one of us has asked at some point in our lives.  We want meaning.  We want purpose.  We want direction.  We want understanding that we may know what is our purpose, our goal, our destination.  And thus we turn back to those who gave to us the who that we are today.  We turn to them for purpose, for direction, and for knowledge.  Lacking that meaning, that purpose, that direction we must seek it from the world around us.  And we must go in search of knowledge and wisdom that we may have purpose.

In search of that meaning and purpose we may, if we are fortunate, come full circle to those who gave us life.  For the purpose is meaningless.  The direction is full circle.  And the question that we seek the answer to brings us back to our beginning.  We have life.  We have spirit.  We have joy and peace and love and hope and faith and belief that our lives do have meaning and purpose.  And that meaning comes from what has been give to us.  That meaning comes from the life that we have.  We are not talking about the physical but the spiritual life that is given to us.

For the spirit is eternal.  The spirit is everlasting.  The spirit is created from an image and a likeness that is eternal.  And the spirit will be light or it will be dark.  The spirit will know its meaning and purpose or the spirit will turn to the darkness that is within and be influenced by the evil that is in the world.  We all have the choice.  What do we choose?  Do we know who we are or are we asleep in the world, following the norms that it gives us.  The light of life is within all.  This is the gift given us by Christ.  For he came that we would have life again.  He came that we would know.  He came that we would believe in the one true God.  But the choice is ours.  We can believe or not believe.  We can know or we can deny.  We can see or we can be blind.  That is our choice.  But the knowledge or the ignorance that comes from the choice that we make can enlighten us to our destiny or blind us to darkness. 

If we choose life then we can know the truth of who we are in Christ.  We can see the light of life that is within us.  We can know the love that our Father bears for us.  And we can be with the spirit that will come to live with us.  We give homage to those who participated in the creation.  We honor those who came before us.  We remember those who brought us into physical life that we would have choice.  And we honor father and mother for the love and sacrifice that they made for us.  For they gave what they had.  They loved with what they could love.  They gave direction with the direction that was given them.  And they died with the spirit that will transform them to the true nature of their existence.  May God be with them and may be with our Lord Christ Jesus forever.

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 13, verses: 57 - 58, Jesus in his own country: A Prophet without honor.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Jesus at Nazareth) Part 3.   

Jesus was in his own country, the country where he grew up as a child.  Jesus was in his own country, the country where he knew the people of his village.  Jesus was in his own country, the country where he became a man.  Jesus was in his own country, the country where he was known as a common man.  But Jesus was not a common man.  He was the Son of God who came to earth to save mankind from damnation.  The people knew the prophecy.  The people knew the scriptures.  The people knew of the coming of the the Messiah, but in his own country they did not see.  In his own country they did not hear.  In his own village they did not believe.

When he preached in the synagogues, they were astonished.  When he preached in the markets, they were unbelieving.  When he preached in the streets they did not see.  For they knew him as the son of Joseph the carpenter.  They knew his as a local.  They knew him not as the Son of God for astonishment had taken over and brought with it anger, and hatred, and doubt, and disbelief, and jealousy, and fear, and many other spirits more evil than itself.  And the spirits worked against the people to turn them against Christ.   It is said,  And they took offense at him. 

Christ was not the son of a wealthy merchant.  Christ was not the son of a Pharisee.  Christ was not the son of a politician.  Christ was not the son of a scholar.  Christ was the son of a carpenter, a commoner amongst the people.  How could he be this man of faith?  How could he be this miracle worker?  How could he be this man of spiritual wisdom?  He was just a common person just like the rest of the common people.  Yet he was the Son of God and they did not accept it.  They did not see it.  They did not hear the message.  And it was written in the scriptures that the Messiah would come.  It was written in the scriptures that he would be born in Bethlehem.  It was written in the scriptures that he would be a common man.   And astonishment had taken over and the people did not believe.

And they took offense at him.  But Jesus said to them,  "A

prophet is not without honor except in his own country, and in his own house."  And because of their unbelief, he did not work many miracles there.

Do we take offense today at those who are in Christ?  Do we not honor those who have been transformed by the blood of the lamb?  Astonishment took the people in Christ's own country.  Will astonishment take over the people in the church?  Will astonishment creep into the minds and hearts of Christians and make them take offense?  We must constantly be on our guard to close the door to astonishment and his brothers of evil.  For they will come.  They will seek entrance.  They will attempt to take over. 

Do not take offense.  Take love.  Take peace.  Take understanding.  Take wisdom.  Take Christ into your heart and he will close the door to astonishment and his brothers of evil.  For we are all children of God who gave us life eternal.  We are all glorious beings filled with the light of Christ. And when that time comes, we will all see ourselves as we are known, beautiful images of Christ in God.  Let us love one another as Christ commanded that we do.  For we are loved by our heavenly Father just as he loves his son, Jesus.   Christ is waiting to work a miracle in you.  Will you open yourself to him and let him in?