St. Matthew, Chapter 24, verse: 7d; Earthquakes.

Our paragraph topic is: (Christ warns them not to be led astray) Part 11.  

Do not be led astray.  Do not panic.  Do not follow others in their fear to escape what they believe is the coming doom.  For they do not know the truth of what you know, what you are given, the wisdom and knowledge that the Lord has given you.  Christ told his disciples beforehand what would happen, so they knew what to expect.  They had some idea of what was coming and how to deal with the unknown.  They were at peace.

He told them there would be rumors of war, that nations would turn against nations and kingdoms against kingdoms.  He told them that there would be pestilences and famines coming, so beware.  He also warned them:  "And earthquakes in various places."

So these would be the events they would look for, the events they would see that would give them the indication that maybe the end was approaching.  They were the witnesses to the truth of his words.  They were the scribes to what was spoken by him of what was to happen.  The disciples are the living witnesses of what is to happen at the coming of the end.

Has it happened already?  If not when will it happen?  Will we know?  Can we stand by these words of wisdom spoken by Christ written by the disciples?  Do we believe in these words?  Do we believe what is written of the coming of the end and will we as readers be led astray?  The words are written for all to read for themselves.  Do you know the signs?  Do you believe that they will come during your time?  I pray that if they do you will be ready.

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: 4; Led astray.

Our paragraph topic is: (Christ warns them not to be led astray) Part 1.  

So they wanted to know.  Their hearts and minds were curious as to the how and the wherefore of the coming doom.  It was burning inside of them to know.  But they could not know.  They were not ready to know.  It was not the time or the place for them to know.  The panic would have taken hold and led them astray.

They were like little children who had to be protected if they were told of the boogie man without no one to keep them from harm, no father or mother, or sister or brother.  They were not ready to hear the truth of what was coming.  Christ had to prepare them for the truth.  He had to first fill their minds and hearts and spirits with the truth of who they were in him so that nothing could harm them before they could receive the message.  And in answer Jesus said to them, "Take care that no one leads you astray."

Our message today also is to take care not to be led astray.  It is easy in this world of hype, glamour, and glitz to be led astray, to be hypnotized, to be mesmerize by all that we see, hear and come to believe.  We are raised in a protected environment that our parents and guardians try to give us to put us on the right path to life.  But as we grow older we examine that path and want to change it believing that it needs to be changed to fit what we see as our wants, needs and desires.  And as we enter the world on our own we have to make our own decisions as to what is right and wrong for us, as a path to take in life which will lead us in the direction that we want to go.

Many times we find ourselves, later on in life, along a path that we want to change or that we wish we had not taken, a path that led us astray.  And in every attempt we make an effort to turn our lives around  to go in a different direction.  Christ directed his disciples not to be led astray.  He wanted them to stay on the path that he had given them, the path that makes them his disciples, his preachers and teachers of the gospel.  The church must be built and must spread throughout the land after he leaves.  It will be up to the disciples to complete his work.  They must not be led astray.

We have a purpose also, not to be led astray.  Our purpose is to choose to live or to die in Christ, to accept him as our savior, to be born again into a new life or to die into the darkness of death.  And with that choice comes the joy of living a life that he has shown us how to live, sharing the love of the new life he has given us with others that they too may know the truth of new life in Christ.  It is a joyous life, a happy life, a life of peace and love, a life of fulfillment in him who fulfills all.  Come!  Know the truth of who you are in 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 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: 9, The Call of the Laborers: payment to last.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Parable of the laborers in the vineyard)
Part 12.  

The time has now come for reward.  All the laborers are called to receive their payment for their labors.  Some have worked from the beginning of the day through the heat and blaring sun.  Some have only worked an hour.  And the last that were called have hardly worked at all.  And now comes the time for reward, the time for payment, the time for the end of the contract.

Christ is telling this parable to his disciples and to those today who are reading his words.  There is a message.  There is a lesson.  There is enlightenment that comes with an inner understanding of the living word.  Who will understand?  Who will receive the message?  Who will be enlightened by the words that are given to us today, passed down through the centuries of written text.  The spirit will open the hearts of the chosen that they may see and understand.  "Now when they of the eleventh hour came, they received each a denarius."

The eleventh hour has come.  The time for reckoning has come.  The time when all work ends.  The time for judgment comes.  What will you receive?  What will I receive?  Only the judge knows.  Only the house-holder knows.  We can imagine that we have done good deeds in our lives.  We have tried to follow the commandments.  We have done all that was given of us to do.  What will we receive? 

We do not know of that which has not been given us.  We only know that which has been promised to us by Christ's words.  He has promised that he will be with us even to the ends of the world.  He has promised that he has gone to make a place for us in his father's house that has many mansions.  He has promised that he will not leave us orphaned that we will have the advocate that will come to us, to help us, to guide us, to protect us along the way.  He has told us not to be anxious, for the Father know of our needs.  And he has told us that if we love him and keep his commandments that we will be in him just as he is in the Father.

A denarius is what they received, those who were last.  A denarius is what they received, those who started to work at the eleventh hour.  A denarius is what they received, those who found work after waiting so long in the market place without giving up hope that they would find work.  Are we still hopeful?  Are we still faithful that we too will be found?  Do we still desire to find our work at the eleventh hour or have we given up in our search?

The eleventh hour comes soon for some.  The eleventh hour comes without warning for others.  The eleventh hour seems like it will never come and some would take time into their own hands and make the eleventh hour appear for their own purposes.  What will you do when the eleventh hour comes?  Will you be prepared?  Will you be ready? 

Remain hopeful and you will find your way.  Continue searching and you will find that which is yours.  Seek that which is real and meaningful and not that which is temporary, meaningless, and unfulfilling.  If your search is real and genuine, you will discover the truth that is waiting for you.  It knocks waiting for you to answer.  The voice from within calls you to know him.  Your heart knows the truth.  Open the door and receive your reward.

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.