St. Matthew, Chapter 21, verses: 43b; The fruit of the Kingdom.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Application of the parable) Part 4. 

It was accepted by the people of Israel that they were a special people.  They lived by the Law because it was given to them by their priest and the elders.  The Law was written for the people and handed down from God so that they would have principles to live by.  Their history was written for them to study and learn and was read to them each Sabbath to remember.  But throughout their long history up to this point when Christ came, the people became disgruntled and objected to the implementation of the Law.

Over the years much was added to the simple commandments handed down to Moses for the people.  And so the Law became oppressive to keep the people in line.  God sent many prophets to warn the people and their leaders that they must change.  Yet the messengers were brutalized and killed.  And when time was completed Christ came  just as it was written in the Torah and foretold by the prophets.  But the rulers could not see.  They could not understand his words.  They were unbelieving of the miracles he performed.  So they missed the opportunity to change.  Christ told them:  "Therefore I say to you, that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and will be given to a people yielding its fruits." 

They were the first people chosen by God.  He led them out of the wilderness and gave them a promised land.  He protected them.  He provided for them.  He loved them as his own.  But they were a disobedient people.  A willful people who were determined to make their own way, even though they had seen the power of the strong arm of the Lord.  They knew that he watched over them.  They knew that they were special to him.  Yet they were led astray through the whims of their leaders and the evil that was in the world.

We are the people of yesteryear.  Our ancestors go back to the time of the Jews and the Gentiles.  We are a part of that culture, a part of that history.  That was two thousand years ago and this is today.  And a long time has passed since that history was written.  Do we continue to believe in the words that are written in those ancient texts?  Do we continue to follow the commandments?  Do we continue to follow the traditions handed down to us by those who came before us?

We have the world of today and the world of yesterday.  What we see, hear and believe of today is more exciting and compelling than the world of yesterday.  The commandments tell us to live one way and the world of today tells us to disregard yesterday and live for today.  Party!  Live life to the fullest!  Do whatever it takes to make it to the top!  There is no tomorrow or afterlife so one must enjoy what is here today.  These are the precepts that we hear and see daily.  Yet are they the truth, are they enough to bring joy and happiness into our lives?

The truth be told we struggle to find the truth.  But for those who seek it, their eyes will be opened, their minds will believe, their hearts will be given a new life that will bring peace and joy.  For those are the ones who will know that God lives.  Those are the ones who will be able to see his miracles worked in their lives.  Those are the ones who will know his love for them and have no doubts about what lies beyond the death of the body.  He said: "My sheep know me and they hear my voice."  He calls to all.  But only his sheep hear!

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:30a, Two Blind men.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The blind men at Jericho) Part 2. 

A great crowd followed Christ as he was leaving Jericho.  He was the person of the times.  Everyone wanted to see him.  Everyone wanted to be near him.  Everyone wanted something from him.  They were drawn to him through the word.  They heard through the word.  And the word spread of his deeds, of his miracles, of his teachings.  Many thought that he would bring about change.  But his change was of a greater purpose than what was imagined.

He came for a purpose.  He walked and talked for a purpose.  He taught of the things to come and of his Father.  And he gave comfort to those in need.  He gave hope to those without hope.  He brought light into the darkness so that those without belief would know, those without hope would be hopeful, those without faith would see that their faith was real.  Even the blind who could not see knew that he was the one.  "And behold, two blind men sitting by the wayside heard that Jesus was passing by."

The word was everywhere.  Everyone was talking about him.  Everyone was spreading his message and what they saw.  And that meant that they stopped what they were doing and came to him.  He was in their town.  He was in their village.  He was nearby and they wanted to see for themselves.  He was nearby and they wanted to know for themselves.  He was there and they wanted to be there.  The two blind men were there and this was their opportunity.

Great people come into our lives and we have opportunities to see them, to be where they are, to even have a chance to meet them.  So when that opportunity presents itself, if we are lucky, we rush to be in that place where they are.  This is our nature.  This is who we are.  This is the opportunity to grab a moment in time that we will remember for the rest of our lives. 

What would you do if you heard that Jesus was passing by your city?  What would do if you heard that Christ was coming to your town?  If it were announced on the news that Christ was having a meeting at your local church, your local arena, or coliseum, would you come?  Would you make an effort to buy a ticket, to get off from work, to plan a way to get to where he would be?  He performs miracles.  He changes lives.  He makes the blind see and the lame walk, and the cripple whole.  What could he do for you, if you came to see him?

Each and everyday we have that same opportunity.  Each and everyday we can go to see him, be with him, touch him, know that he is with us.  Each and everyday we have the opportunity to live with him just as the disciples did two thousand years ago.  The choice is ours.  The opportunity is ours if we choose.  All we have to do is ask. 

We must know that our asking requires patience.  We must know that our asking requires believing.  It is believing that we must act on, knowing with certainty that he will hear us and answer.  For without that certainty, impatience will creep in.  Without that certainty, impatience will seek to persuade you to give up.  Impatience will talk to you and seek to make you believe that he will not answer.  Impatience will seek to destroy your faith in him.  But patience will deliver.  For patience will allow you to see the miracles that he will perform in your lives.  Patience will give you the strength to know that he will answer.  Patience will walk with you each day, each hour, each minute and show you how to walk in belief, and to walk in faith, and to walk in hope.  We are his children and he is our Father.  He will provide.

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: 9a, Thou shalt not commit Adultery.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The question of divorce) Part 8. 

From the beginning it was given to Moses and the Jews, handed down from God: "Thou shalt not commit adultery."  Two persons, male or female, either one, bonded in marriage, shall not have intercourse outside of their marriage with another partner.  This was the law, handed down to the Jews from ancient times.  Yet Moses allowed them to put away their wives or husbands by written notice for any cause.  This was allowed because of the hardness of their hearts, because of the determination in their minds, because of the passion of their desires.

The practice still continues today, the putting away of the wives or husbands by written consent.  Christ had something different to say to his disciples about this practice. He wanted them to know the truth of this practice.  He wanted them to understand that even though Moses allowed it to happen, it was not permitted.  For God created them male and female that they would bond together for a purpose, for a cause.  He told them:  "And I say to you, that whoever puts away his wife, except for immorality, and marries another, commits adultery."

Thou shalt not commit adultery.  Why was it written?  Why was it given to us?  Why do we need to obey this law?  Does it apply to us, today?  These are some of the questions that we may ask ourselves about this commandment.  God, our father, gave us guidelines to follow.  He gave to man helpful instructions that would help to keep us from sin.  For he is not demanding.  He is not overbearing.  He is not standing ready to exact punishment at our every infraction.  God, our father, is a loving God and he wants that we do not cause ourselves harm.  He wants the same thing that we want for our own children, to warn them, that they do not cause themselves harm through the dangers of life.  He wants to give us knowledge, the same way we want to give our own children our knowledge of life that they may avoid the pain and suffering we experienced in life.

Yet we live in a world that downplays the spiritual dangers to ourselves and our children.  We exist in a world that does not want us to know of the those dangers, a world that encourages us to practice the same things that would cause us spiritual harm.  We are lulled to sleep about immorality, lust, deceit, anger, greed, and all the things in this world that would destroy our spiritual truths.  For we are spiritual beings living in a physical body.  And it is that spirit within us that is the prize of the world.  We sleep walk through life not knowing the truth of who we are.  We seek the trinkets that life offers in exchange for the most valuable prize of all, our spiritual soul.

Be not immoral.  Seek the repentance that Christ has given to us and come to know the truth of who you are in him.  Refrain from the world and seek the protection and provision that your heavenly father will provide.  For he is the creator of the universe and all that exists.  If he has done these things then surely he can provide for and protect us.  Practice the perfect patience spoken of by the apostles that you may know and see the miracles that your father will create in your life.  For he loves you more than you know.  He wants to provide for you more than you know.  He has a purpose for you.  And when you see what he offers, and know what he gives, you will understand that there is nothing on this earth that can compare with what your father has in store for you. 

Christ came that you would have life.  Christ gave of himself that you would have the freedom of choice.  Christ arose from death that you will know he lives and that he sits at the right hand of God.  Christ awaits you to receive him into your life, for the choice is yours.  Christ loves you and wants to demonstrate to you the passion of his love that you may see the truth of who you are in him.  We were created in his image and likeness.  Come and see the truth of who you are.

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.