St. Matthew, Chapter 24, verse: 9c; For my name's sake.

 Our paragraph topic is: (He tells them of trials and hard times to come) Part 3.  

The Bible is but a short story of what happened some two thousand years ago.  We live our lives today and can imagine the multitude of things that can happen in a day's time.  But to think about all the things that were happening during the life of Christ in a day's time and to have all of that written down would be immense.  Yet there they were, the disciples, walking with the Lord our God, talking and being in his presence.  It must have been the joy of a lifetime.  We only hope for what we desire to have in our future.  They lived in his presence in the past.

One can only imagine the effect he had upon their lives, their being, their souls, during his stay here on earth.  To walk with him, talk with him, touch him, feel him, hear his voice, then to see the torture and sacrifice he made would have been unimaginable.  But even more unbelievable would be to see him again after death and to know that he was alive again, that death had no power over him.  What power and majesty that must have given those who were witnesses to his glory.  And he told them: "And you will be hated by all nations for my name's sake."

We think today of the honor and prestige of working and being in the presence of men and women of power such as presidents and kings, and ceo's, billionaires, etc.  We seek to be like them to attain traits that they have so that we might become like them.  There is but one God and one Lord of all and no other.  There are powers and dominions in heaven and angels and saints but only one God and one Lord of all.  

Christ came and walked among us.  He spent time with mankind.  He loved us so much that he gave up his kingship and became like us.  He took up physical form that he might be with us.  And the disciples and many others had the opportunity to be with him during his stay.  But that was not the end of the story.  

He came that we might all have the opportunity to be with him, to walk with him, talk with him, hear him, see him, feel him, know him.  He came and opened the door for each and everyone of us to have that chance to be with him as the disciples did, if we choose.  The choice is ours.  All we have to do is ask him to come into our lives and believe that he will.  God is our Father.  He gave us life.  He loves us and wants us to be with him.  Come!  The door is open.  Let us go home and be with our Father.

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 24, verse: 1; Pride of the Temple.

Our paragraph topic is: (Christ foretells the Temple's destruction) Part 1.  
We begin this new chapter with the disciples taking pride in the majesty of Jerusalem and the construction of the Temple.  It has taken many years to be built and they want Jesus to see the awe and majesty of all of the construction of the grounds.  Though they did not have a hand in its construction they contributed funds to the building of the city and all of its structures.  That gives them pride as being Jews as it does all the people belonging to Israel.

Jesus is not impressed.  He knows the future and what will become of Israel and its people.  AND Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came forward to show him the buildings of the temple.

We all live in cities and towns and proclaim them for their charm and beauty, for their greatness and glory over other cities.  I live in New York, the greatest city in the US of A.  I live in California, the city of innovation and Hollywood.  We live in Las Vagas, or Hawaii, or Chicago, Miami, or any one of the many cities, each being known for something of value to those that live there.  We all take pride in where we live.  It is a natural thing.

Yet in the time of Christ, the Jews were known for their God and the power that he exercised for his people.  They were a great people and their city was a great city.  The Temple was a special place for the Jewish people to come and worship their God.  But Christ did not see it that way.  He saw corruption and scandal, the evil and lust, false witness and hatred, lack of charity and hopelessness.  He saw loss of belief in God with no one to lead the people back to faith.

All the beautiful buildings and grounds meant nothing when there was no faith or hope in the one true God.  Worship was without meaning.  Worship was mechanical, lacked soul, something that the people did not believe in, especially those on the streets who were suffering the most.  No one cared.  The priests, the Scribes, the Pharisees, and Sadducces only concerned themselves with maintaining the peace with the Roman rulers so that they would not loose their position of power.  

Where are we today?  Do we take pride in the buildings that we call our homes of worship or do we worship in our homes?  Where are our true temples?  Where are our true places of worship? Where does the spirit of God reside with us, in great churches of worship or in our homes of worship?  Where is your temple?  Is it in you, in your heart or in the building you call your church?  Do you carry your church with you everyday when you wake or do you leave it at the address when you leave church on Sunday?  Make your inner church a great building of glory.  Give glory to God.   

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:23b; Christ's authority.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The authority of Jesus) Part 2. 

Christ was a gentle man.  He was not pretentious or self seeking.  He taught with love and understanding giving the people all they needed to comprehend fully.  His words were filled with the spirit of his father and he wanted the people to know his father as he knew him.  For God our Father is the creator of all things.  He gave life to all the world, all creatures, all things.  His creation is good.

Christ is a spirit of power and majesty.  And yet with all the power of the universe he was humble, quiet, gentle, loving.  His rage, his wrath could have destroyed anyone and everyone that displeased him.  Yet not often did that side of him show.  He performed miracles.  He made the dead rise, cured the lame, cast out demons, made the blind see, the lepers whole, calmed the stormy seas and walked on water.  But little did you see or hear of the awesome power he commanded, used.

And then came the chief priest and the elders, and said, "By what authority dost thou do these things? And who gave thee this authority?" 

They were wise men.  They were leaders and teachers and elders.  They were learned men, men of the world, knowledgeable of all that concerned the Law and the people of Israel.  But they did not know him.  They did not know the Christ.  They did not know from whence he came or from what part of the world he came and they were fearful. 

He brought change.  He brought peace, he brought harmony, he brought love.  He brought a knowledge of something more to life than what the people knew as their daily routine.  He brought knowledge of the kingdom of heaven to a people who knew of their God but did not know of his kingdom, of his plans for them, of his love for them.

We today live in the same world as those of yesteryear.  We eat, work, play, love, cry, search for truth, and die the same as they did thousands of years ago.  We know through our churches that there is a heaven and a kingdom of God.  Yet do we believe this?  Are we sure of this?  Is this a certainty in our lives today?  We are challenged.  We will be questioned of our faith.  We will face the winds of change that seeks to turn us in another direction.  How solid are our feet planted in the belief and truth of the authority of Christ that nothing will turn us away from him.

He is our provider.  He is our protector.  He is our caretaker no matter who rules, who is in office, who calls the shots.  God's will be done and we who believe and know will not be turned away from the gift of life that has been freely given to us through the passion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  This is the authority upon which we stand.

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:25a, Lords of the Gentiles.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Humility according to Christ's example) Part 2.

The mother of James and John had spoken the words that were in the hearts of the other disciples but were not spoken.  The others heard the words and their hearts were opened to Indignance.  They were angry.  They were mad.  They felt slighted that others would ask, through another, their mother, what was in their hearts.  They felt injustice in their hearts that others would speak their desires that they would be able to sit at the right hand of Christ in his kingdom.  Yet there it was in plan hearing, Indignance.

All wanted to be considered special.  All wanted to be number one with Christ.  But no disciple spoke these words that lay within their hearts.  No one knew where they stood with Christ.  Their model was what they saw in the real world.  Their representation was what they knew with the rulers of the day.  They knew how the rulers treated them.  They knew how they were regarded by the lords of the day.  They knew how they felt about the current lords and they wanted to be first at the table with Christ.  But Jesus called them to him, and said, "You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them."

They all wanted to be lords.  They all wanted to kings in Christ's kingdom.  And they knew that by following him that they would receive a reward.  Their example was what they saw in their time.  Their understanding was what they knew of the leaders of the day.  They knew who the leaders were.  They saw them everyday.  It was not a big town or a big city with millions of people.  The rulers of the day had special privileges.  They wanted to be special.  They wanted to be known.  They wanted the rewards that came with following the Messiah. 

Christ would have them understand what their desires meant.  He would have them know that they were different.  He was different and not like what they knew and saw in their times.  His kingdom would be different.  His Lordship would be unlike what they knew in their times.  So they would have to be different.  They could not be like the current rulers.  They could not walk with pride.  They could not expect to be privileged as those they knew in their times.  They could not lord their authority over the people as the rulers they knew in their times.  They had to be different.

Christ gave up his kingship to come to earth.  He gave up his divinity to become like man.  He came to walk among us that we would know him.  He came to teach us the ways of the Father, to be an example that we could follow.  He came that we could know the love that the Father has for us, just as the Father loves his son.  He came out of love.  And the love that he brought to us is still available today.  As we go about our daily lives we can see before us the love of the Father .  The air that we breathe, the sun that we feel, the things that we are able to see are all manifestation of his love.  They show us his might and his majesty.  They show us that his glory is available for all to see, for all to feel and to taste, if we just open our hearts.  Take a moment to know him.  Take a moment to see him.  Take a moment to let him into your hearts.  He will come if you ask him.  He will speak if you call him.  He will touch you if you let him.  and in his touch is a lifetime of goodness and mercy, and forgiveness, and love.  The choice is your.  Pick up the phone and call him!

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 14, verses: 34 - 35, The Test of Heart: the people.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Other miracles) Part 1.   

The disciples were now settled in the boat.  The winds were calm and the waves were flat.  No longer did the waves overtake the boat in an effort to drown it in the sea.  Christ was present and all was calm.  The disciples were in awe at the power and majesty of Christ who commanded Peter to walk on the water.  And he did.  They were in awe of Christ who commanded the waves to calm. And they did.  They were in awe of Christ who commanded the wind to cease and it did.  They worshiped him in the recognition of his kinship to God Almighty.  For they recognized thatChrist was the Son of Almighty God himself.  But in their recognition, did they believe, did they know, did they understand the person who was before them.  Or did they worship out of fear?  

Peter walked on the water and had that unique experience within himself.  No one can take that from him.  It was real and he experienced it himself.  It was real for the other disciples also who witnessed the miracle themselves.  And they all had a common experience to remember and to share.  Was this enough to convince?  Was this enough to make certain?  Was this enough for them to know without a doubt who was this Christ, this rabbi that they followed?  Only time would tell.  So they continued on their journey with Christ,  And crossing over, they came to the land at Genesar.   The inhabitants of that place as soon as they recognized him, sent into that whole country, and brought to him all the sick.

The inhabitants recognized Him.  How did they recognize Him?  How did they know Him?  How did they see Him?  For the news of Him traveled throughout the land and into the countryside, into the villages and towns and neighboring districts.  All heard the story of the man who healed with a touch.  All heard of the blind being made to see, the cripple made to walk, the lame made whole again and the dead coming to life again.  All heard of him who did such miracles.  The disciples knew.  They knew him daily, by the hour, sleeping, eating and in his presence at all times.  But did they believe?  Did they truly know with all their knowledge and wisdom the truth of the person of Christ.  He spoke to them with love.  He told them of compassion.  He gave them of himself that they may believe within themselves the truth of who he was.  But did that truth enter into their hearts?  Did that truth fill them with joy?  Did that truth tell them of who they were in Christ?  Did that truth penetrate to their souls that they were open to the light of Christ?

Do we recognized Christ today?  Are we truly aware of his presence in our lives today?  We can say and speak of him in our churches, in the company of others, in our prayers, at work with our co-workers, in the malls, and at dinner in the restaurants.  We can shout his holy name in our worship, but is he within us?  We can do all the things that indicate that we are true believers, but do we know him as we should?  Christ is the light of the world.  He came that we may have life.  He gave his life that we may find repentance, be justified in God's sight, and have eternal salvation.  He came that we may have life more abundantly.  Do we recognize immediately as the inhabitants did?  Do we believe that he is a healer?  Do we believe that he can make the lame walk?  Was it because of the miracles that Christ worked that we the people, the inhabitants of earth recognize him?  Christ said to the Samaritan woman at the well,   "If thou didst know the gift of God."  Do you know God's gift?  Do you believe?  Faith is the belief in the desire to be one with Christ.  How strong is your desire?