Our paragraph topic is: (Their hypocritical purity) Part 1.
Once again Christ called the Scribes and the Pharisees out in the public eye. He wanted the people to know who they were. They acted as though they were pious religious leaders, but instead they were wolves in sheep's clothing. To the public they were revered. They were honored by the people. But to Christ they were masquerading as something else.
They talked the talk and walked the walk some of the time but behind closed doors the masks came off and the talk was completely different. They looked down on the people. They were arrogant and unbelieving in what they preached to the people. They thought the people were fools, unlearned, and could not discern the truth. They were deceitful and this is why Christ called them out: "Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!"
Is this a warning to our religious leaders today? Are they the same as the Pharisees of old who were hypocrites? We see from time to time where preachers have transgressed the line and committed sin, had some affair with another woman while married, molested children, robbed from the church, even committed murder and attempted to cover it up.
These are just a few of some of the stories that have come to the public's attention. Christ was telling the Scribes and Pharisees back then they had a greater responsibility to the people as do the preachers of today. We are all human and subject to failure, but those who take up the calling to become messengers and preachers are governed by a higher standard. They are given a special blessing from God to carry his message to the people.
I pray each time that I write that the words that come from me are not mine but come from the spirit through me. I seek not glory in these words but only to complete a commitment made upon become a new person, a new me. My awareness was so strong that I wanted to do something to let anyone know that they too could experience what was given to me, a new life, a new beginning, an awakening. I know forgiveness. I know love. I know eternal life within. I know the light of life that Christ has awaken within me. I know God's love.
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.
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.
Our paragraph topic is: (Woe to the Scribes and Pharisees) Part 3.
Christ continues to scold the Scribes and the Pharisees on the error of their ways. They shut the doors of heaven to those who want to enter, he tells them. They put up barriers to prevent men from obtaining the kingdom of heaven. In their minds they believe that it is their duty to enforce the law to keep the peace according to Roman rule. But in actuality Roman rule has nothing to do with the kingdom of heaven.
Christ tells them that they shut the doors of heaven against men: "For you yourselves do not go in." You see, theirs is the role of leadership. Theirs is the role of authority. Theirs is the role of example for the people and they cannot lead a pious role, one that they do not believe in. The people will know. The people will see. The people will not respect their authority if they were pious leaders.
So they have taken on a dual role in their society. They have become pious on the outside and scandalous on the inside. They tell the people one thing but they do another. They enforce the law to the latter with the people but have special circumstances with themselves and their friends.
God is not a cruel god. God is not unmerciful. God is not unforgiving. God is not hateful. Yet these are the qualities that were portrayed by the Scribes and the Pharisees to the people. They enforced the laws of God upon the people with no mercy or forgiveness, with no love or compassion. And Christ came and showed compassion, and love, and mercy, and forgiveness.
He did things that were against the enforcement of the law according to the Scribes and the Pharisees. He showed the people that they were loved by their God. He performed miracles to make the blind see and the lame walk and raise the dead. He walked on water, change water to wine, open the mouths of babes to praise God. Yet they spat on him, beat him, and crucified him on a cross all for the sins of mankind that we might be free. He did all this that we might have life again, for we were dead according to God's command from the garden of Eden.
We have a choice today. We can choose to live or we can choose to die. It is just that simple. We either live in this physical life and die in the spiritual or we choose to die in this physical life and live in the spiritual. The journey is ours to make, ours to walk, ours to believe, ours to see and know. Knowing is the truth of the matter for once you know then your entire life changes. You become a new person and you walk a new path in life. There will be challenges to turn back, but you have a guide along the way and others to walk with you. May God be with you and the Holy Spirit be your guide.
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.
Our paragraph topic is: (Woe to the Scribes and Pharisees) Part 2.
In this paragraph Christ continues to scold the Scribes and the Pharisees on the wrongs they are committing against the people. He scolds them not to berate them but to show them the error of their ways and hopefully to heal them. He wants to give them every opportunity to change, every opportunity to turn from their evil ways, every opportunity to save their souls from the possession of evil within them.
They are the leaders and pillars of the religious community responsible for the souls of the people. Yet they do not open the doors of heaven. They do not show how to follow the commandments of God, they are not the examples of faith that the people need to return to God. Christ calls them hypocrites: "Because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men."
They knew the consequences of their actions. But they did not care. They only believed in their actions to maintain their own status in society. They were privileged people. They were honored in the public places. They were recognized for their positions. They were believed to be pious and holy followers of the Laws of God. Yet the truth was exactly the opposite. For behind closed doors the piety came off, the beliefs were different and they cared not for the people of God.
We see many examples of this same behavior today. People profess to be one way in public but out of the public eye they are an entirely different person. God sees what we do and how we think. He knows our inner most thoughts. We cannot hide from his gaze, he knows who we are. Yet for those who are true to his sight, those who make an effort to follow his commandments, even though they may stumble and fall, he still loves and forgives.
Our belief in him opens the door to his heart. Our faith in his promise transforms us into his children. Our trust in his glory gives us the guidance needed to walk a path lit by the light of the spirit. Our knowledge of the things that he has done for us, his protection, his provisions, strengthens us to know the truth of who we are in him. Our love for him grows daily with each waking hour because we have the proof and the delight of being able to see his light of life within us as we know who we are.
God is our Father. He is our creator. Christ Jesus is our Lord and our Redeemer. Through the love of God and the passion of Christ we have the choice today to choose. We are not dead. We can have life and have it more abundantly. The choice is ours to make. Open the door and he will come to you. Seek his love and he will touch you. Allow your heart to know that you are loved and you will see the truth of who you are in him. God is love. Christ is our redeemer. The Holy Spirit is our guide. Belief is your key to a new life, eternally.
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.
Our paragraph topic is: (Jesus blesses the children) Part 4.
Christ sat with the children. He played with them and laid hands on them that they would be blessed. His disciples did not want the children to disturb Christ. They did not want them to be brought to Christ. But Christ told them that they should not hinder the children from coming to him. He told them that they should not stop the children from being with him. For these were they whom he loved. These were they whom he had passion. The children were they who were the new life, fresh from the tree of life.
They knew not about the Christ. They knew not about the miracles. They knew not about the message that he came to bring to the world. They only knew that Christ was special according to what their parents spoke. But Christ knew them. He loved them. He saw them as they were, little ones. And he had compassion for them, for they were the innocent ones whom he would sacrifice his life. They were the innocent ones who had died without life before his coming. They were the passion of his heart. And he told his disciples: "For of such is the kingdom of heaven
."
The little ones are of the kingdom. The little ones belong to the kingdom. The little ones are the innocent ones, they are the ones without corruption, without malice, without hatred, fear, anger, and evil. For they are fresh from the tree of life, newly born into the world. Long had time pasted with many of them without life. Long had time pasted without the light of life within them. Long had time pasted with them living in limbo until the coming of Christ. He was the one who made the sacrifice. He was the one who paid for the sin. He was the one who redeemed all. He was the one who gave new life to all, male, female, young and old, children and adults.
Save the children. Do not allow them to be harmed. Sad is the day when we loose the young before their time. But many have been martyrs. Many have been sacrificed. Many have died before their time. And yet joyous are they that enter into the kingdom. Joyous are they that meet the Father. For Christ told his disciples: "Blessed are the pure of heart for they shall see God." Joyous are the ones who live in the presence of the Lord, because they are the innocent ones. They are the ones who's life was given and taken away. And yet they exist in God's presences in the kingdom of heaven.
We live in a world today where anything goes. Our lives are filled with desires and passions that lead us astray. We are given to be bad rather than good, to be wicked rather than pious, to be evil rather than filled with the light of life given us by our Father. It becomes thrilling to us, it raises our blood pressure, it makes us feel good, feel alive, feel strong. And yet it is just those feelings that lead us astray from who we are, spiritual beings created in the image and likeness of God our Father.
We are his children and he is our Father. We are his little ones and he is our provider, our protector, our joy and our hope. He is merciful and through his mercy we live and exist. We are given to be strong, to seek power, to be wise and knowledgeable. Yet it is through our own humility that we can come to understand true knowledge and true wisdom. Acceptance is the key to who we are. Denial of the world is what must happen. And understanding of what fills our souls completely will open our hearts to the love that awaits us in him. Such is the wisdom of the kingdom. Such is the knowledge of our existence. And such is the makeup of the children of the kingdom 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 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.
