St. Matthew, Chapter 23, verses: 27b; Whited Sepulchres.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Their hypocritical purity) Part 6.  

They had come together to trick him, to trap him in lies and deceit so that they could bring him before the chief priest and accuse him.  The Scribes and the Pharisees had a plan.  They wanted to stop the spread of his popularity with the people.  Christ performed miracles, healed the blind, the lame, cured the lepers, raised the dead and taught the people a new way to live, a new way to love.  He taught them of the Father, God in heaven, different from the structured manner taught by the leaders of the synagogue.

And the leaders hated him for what he was doing.  They did not like that crowds were following him, turning away from them.  Everywhere he went the crowds came to listen to his words.  The sick and the lame came to be cured.  The possessed of demons were released and a new day was coming about that swept through the land wherever he went.  But the Scribes and the Pharisees did not like what was happening and wanted to put a stop to this new feeling of joy and happiness.  Christ called them hypocrites: "Because you are like whited sepulchres, which outwardly appear to men beautiful."  

They were beautiful.  They were shinny.  They were attractive.  They were desirable to the naked eye.  This was the appearance of the Scribes and the Pharisees.  Their dress, their clothes, their manner, their demeanor,  all very attractive.  And all the people believed that they were the best of the best to be desired by all.  They were to be admired, listened to, followed, and respected in all things.  But Christ saw through all of this to what was really on the inside.

Who are we?  Do we wear masks in public and the real self in private?  We are not perfect beings so everyone has something that they keep from the public eye.  But ask yourself if our hearts are open to the public?  Do we truly love out neighbor?  Do we have love for the beggar sitting on the corner asking for a handout or do we see a drunkard asking for another dime to by his next drink?  Where is our heart?  Where is our love for one another?  Where is our love for 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 23, verses: 16b; Swearing by the Temple.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Their distorted religion) Part 2.  

He had called them names in public, names that caused other prophets to be killed.  He berated them for the things they did, for their so called pious behavior, for their religious demeanor on the outside and hypocritical behavior on the inside.  He saw everything that they did and made comment of it to the people.  And the Pharisees and the Scribes did not like what they heard from this man of low demeanor.

Yet he was the Christ that they could not see.  He was the Messiah.  He was the Chosen One and they still could not see the writing on the wall.  The people heard, the people saw, the people understood.  The people believed and knew that he was the one foretold, the one who would come and bring about change.  But they, the religious leadership, could not believe he was the one.  He called them blind guides: "Who say, 'Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing."

Is it nothing to swear by the house of God?  Is it not something to make an oath and bind it by the house that the creator of the universe lives?  Does that not have any meaning?  We place our hands on the Bible and swear to tell the truth.  If we place our hands on the Temple of God and swear that we are bound does that not have meaning?

We say that a man's bond is his word but how true are those words today.  How often have those words been reversed or taken aback when convenient and to our benefit.  What is truth?  What is honesty?  What is love of brother, or neighbor of fellow man?  We are all brothers and sisters created by one God, given his one image.  Does that not make us the same?  

Least we forget who we are, we come from a different place.  As beautiful and wonderful as this place we live in, it is not the home we are destined for.  We are two in one.  A two-fer, one flesh, one spirit.  Until we come to realize and understand this we loose the truth of who we are in this world.  We loose the opportunity given us from birth to transform into the spirit that we are to become.  For we are truly spiritual beings in a physical body waiting for the transformation to take place at the given time and place designated by God.  Do not be blinded by the physical.  Open your heart and see the true you from within.

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, verses: 39; The Second great Commandment.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The great commandment) Part 6.  

They stood before him burning with pride thinking that they knew the Law.  They were the scholars, the ones who had studied the Law for years from the masters.  They were the Pharisees, the religious ones that the people revered for their knowledge and wisdom.  Yet here was Christ who had not formal training of the Law who knew what they knew and more.  

They came time and time again asking questions to trick him before the crowds.  And the went away time and time again having failed in their endeavors.  The crowds saw their failures and were amazed at the knowledge and wisdom of Christ.  They thought that they knew the great commandment of the Law, but they did not know the second great commandment.  So Christ told them:  "And the second is like it, ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.' "  

These are two powerful commandments upon which the whole Law is built upon.  Love your God with your whole heart, soul, and mind; and love your neighbor as you love yourself, concepts which are completely contrary to the beliefs we live by today.  It is given to us from birth that every man should be for himself when the time comes.  If it comes down to who lives and who dies between to people most would choose themselves.  In the world of getting ahead we would do most anything to our neighbor to promote ourselves and downplay our co-workers.  So these principles that are given to us from Christ requires practice and work to accomplice in today's world.

But there is something more to the picture than meets the eye if we look beyond the words and understand the truth of who we are in Christ.  We are spiritual beings not physical persons even though we occupy the physical shell for the moment.  For those who know themselves, the light within tells them that they are created in the image and likeness of God our creator.  And he has given us a home, a place more beautiful, more wonderful than anything that this world could ever offer.  Nothing in this world can fulfill our wants and desires except his love.  And his love is so overwhelming that it fills us with everlasting joy and happiness.  

It is that love that we would like to share.  It is that love that we would like to give to others.  It is that love that we would like others to know for themselves, if they choose.  For love is freely given and not forced.  Love is shared and not demanded.  Love is open to all who would accept and those who will not accept, love is still there.  For God is love and he would love all his creation but he gave free will to accept or reject.  And those who reject, pray that their eyes are opened that they may see the truth of who they are in Christ before the thief comes and takes away their choice.

God is merciful.  God is loving.  God is forgiving.  God is patient until the end.

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.