Our paragraph topic is: (Their persecution of religion) Part 9.
It is amazing and chilling these next sentences in this paragraph because they pose a unique perspective from which we can view the nature of our God. Christ speaks for God the Father because he is one with the Father. Everything that he does comes from the Father. Many times he tells the disciples that a cripple has not sinned as they might believe nor has someone in their family done so. But it is the will of God that the cripple is there before them that he may be cured so that they might believe in him.
God has allowed those things to happen so that they will serve his purpose in showing the disciples who he is and who his son is, that they may believe in him. And it is through his son that he works and performs his miracles. And yet he does not speak. But in this one sentence the voice of God comes forth after offering the Scribes and the Pharisees opportunity to escape hell. God tells them: "Therefore, behold, I send you prophets, and wise men, and scribes; and some of them you will put to death, and crucify."
It is the "I" that testifies to the speaker. For Christ does not speak but it is God the Father that speaks through him telling the Scribes and the Pharisees what they have done and will do to those that God sends to help his people. They persecute religion and it is the evil within them that has taken over completely and will not let go of their souls.
They are possessed and ignorant of the fact. They are workers of evil and see no wrong in what they do. They are doomed to the judgment of hell as those before them and do not understand the punishment before them. How can they escape? How can they not reap the rewards of hell?
How thankful are we to have the knowledge and the understanding we have today. It has been given us the way and the truth of who we are. It has been given us the word of God that we may know his will for us that keeps us from harms way. It has been given us the path to follow that leads us to the kingdom of heaven. It has been given us a guide to help us along the way that we may not go astray or be led astray. All this is ours for the asking if we believe in him who came to save us and the one who sent him, our loving Father. God is real, God is ever living, God is loving and forgiving. He is merciful and full of joy and hope and peace for those who love him. God your Father loves you as much as you love him. Open your heart to him and see.
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: (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.
Our paragraph topic is: (Parable of the laborers in the vineyard)
Part 25.
We started this chapter with Christ teaching his disciples about the kingdom of heaven. He uses parables to get his message across to those who have ears to hear, those who have open minds, those who have not been influenced. This particular parable is about laborers. It is about the need for workers. It is about agreements, and wages or rewards. It is about generosity, and rights, about influence and anger and disagreements with the one who has the right to make a decision.
God made man and decided to be generous with his grace. He created the angels and the principalities first before man. Man does not have the same power and majesty as the angels but God our Father still loves us as he does all his creations. Christ told his disciples that the kingdom of heaven is like a house-holder who went out to hire laborers to work in his vineyard. He had a right to do so. He had a need to do so. He has the resources to do so. Yet at the end of the day others decided that he was wrong in the way that he dispensed his generosity. As the parable ends Christ says that: "For many are called, but few are chosen."
What does it mean to be chosen? Who are they who are called and for what? Does God have a special purpose for each of us? What is his plan and who are the participants? These are questions that may come to mind as we think about this parable. For the words of Christ are living words that have meaning and purpose. They are written for our direction, for our understanding, for our knowledge and our wisdom. If we seek to know, to understand, to believe, to trust then we must seek the meanings of these words. Those meanings will not come from outside. They will not come from others. They will only come from the light Christ has given us within the will guide us and teach us on a daily basis.
For we are the children of the living God. He gave each of us life. At some point in each of our lives we have contemplated why we are here. We have asked the question: "Why was I born?" And we have sought to give meaning to that question that we may live our lives. For we were born out of love. We were given life out of grace. And we were restore to life out of passion. And yet we live not know the inner self, the inner life, the inner light that comes from the Father. He is our purpose. He is our passion. He is our meaning of life.
And life has no meaning without him. We can strive for all physical life has to offer. We can reach the mountain top and live high above all the rest. We can achieve lofty goals in life only to find that nothing has meaning in the physical. And if we choose not to recognize, not to understand, we choose to die without meaning, without purpose, without love. For it is the love of the Father that overcomes all. It is the love of the Father that fulfills all. It is the love of the Father that is all to the life that we have. And without that love nothing has meaning.
We live and we die and darkness takes the rest. But with the Father, life continues. With the Father, love abides. With the Father, physical life is but a shell that is shed upon death and the doors to the kingdom are open that we may know ourselves as we truly are known, spiritual beings who belong to the Father. Awaken to the truth of who you are within. Christ has given us the key. He has told us how to see. All we have to do is open our eyes and behold what is within us. The joy, the peace, the love awaits your awakening. Come! Open your eye and see!
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.
Our paragraph topic is: (Parable of the laborers in the vineyard) Part 3.
So Christ continues to tell the story of the workers as they are hired for the work in the vineyard. He has compared this parable to the kingdom of heaven that his disciples may have some understanding of the kingdom. For in the kingdom they will rule. In the kingdom they will judge. In the kingdom of heaven they will sit on the twelve thrones that oversee the twelve tribes of Israel. And Christ will be with them in the regeneration.
But, now, he had to give them some understanding that they will know. He had to enlighten them. He had to teach them the ways of the spiritual world. So he continued to tell them this parable about the laborers in the vineyard. He said to them: "And about the third hour, he went out and saw others standing in the market place idle."
He saw idle workers in the market place waiting for someone to hire them to work. He saw men wanting to have something to do. He saw men needing to make money to support themselves. He saw opportunity. And he opened the door for them to enter. Are we idle workers? Are we in need of something to do? Do we have a need to be employed by someone else to provide for our needs? Reading this parable gives us some view into what the story is telling us today.
The kingdom of heaven is like a house-holder, a property owner, who is in need of workers to assist him with the work at hand. The property owners owns property where he has planted seeds that are in need of harvest. He has planted grape vines that are reaching their ripe state and are ready to be picked. The property owner has wealth and he wants to pay workers to help him bring in the harvest. Are we ready to work? Are we ready to assist? Are we ready to receive the rewards for working in the vineyard of God our Father?
He created us. He provided for us. He gave us everything that we needed to grow and prosper. Yet we lost our way. We were deceived. We were blinded. And we are scattered and lost in the darkness, afraid and alone. And then Christ came. He opened the door and pushed back the darkness that all may see. He touched us and gives us new life that our eyes may be opened to the truth of who we are in him. But there are many who are lost. There are many who do not know. There are many who are still in the darkness.
The light of life is opened to the lost if they accept, if they believe. But the darkness and death holds them. The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Are you a believer? Are you a worker? Do you carry the light of Christ within you? Do you know the truth of who you are in him? Let us not be idle workers! Let us go and become workers for 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.
Our paragraph topic is: (A hundredfold reward promised) Part 6.
Jesus made a promise to his disciples and those that followed him that there would be great rewards. He wanted them to know that the trials and tribulations that they would face for their fellowship with him would be rewarded greatly. They would face battles. They would face enemies that they had not known before. They would face all kinds of trials. They would face pain, and torture, and even death. But Christ reassured them that the trails they would face could not compare to the rewards they would receive.
The twelve disciples would be judges over all the tribes of Israel. Those who followed would receive rewards totaling a hundredfold to what they would sacrifice here on earth. So the rewards are more than one can imagine receiving. And then, they also would receive life everlasting for all eternity. All would be with him in the kingdom when the regeneration comes. And none would be left out. For those who came first would be the last to receive. And as he told them:
"And many who are last now will be first."
Who will be the last to come? Who will be the last to enter the kingdom of heaven in the regeneration? And after the last, comes the judgment that will right all wrongs and balance the scales of justice. And there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. And many will be left behind. And many will be left outside. But the last will become the first and the first will be the last. And Christ is the first to come, but he, will be the last.
What will be our reward? What will we receive in the kingdom of heaven? What is our heart's desire? What will make us happy beyond our wildest expectations? The heart only knows what it knows, and it knows what will make us happy. Surely what we have experienced here on earth has or can, bring happiness and joy. But will that fulfill the desires of the heart? Will that satisfy? Will what we can receive here complete the longings of what is in our hearts?
We see and feel and smell and taste all the wonders of the creation of man. We are given to desire that which is presented before us in the news and the media and socially and online. Everyday we are given examples of what it would mean to have all our financial needs met. And that is something that we all want and desire, to have enough money to not have to worry about working and toiling for tomorrows needs. But is this enough to satisfy? Is this enough to fulfill? Is this the be all and end all to the longings within our hearts?
Christ came that we would have life and have it more abundantly. He came to tell us that there is something more than we perceive in the here and now. He came that we would be able to see the light, that our eyes would be opened and our hearts would know the truth of who we are. He gave us the example to follow. He opened the door for us to come, into the kingdom. And he led the way to the kingdom of fulfillment. Satisfaction is not in the physical. Happiness is not in the present. Only with him and through him and by him can that which fills our longings be complete. Only through and with and by the love of God our Father can we know that which is truly ours to know. The true fulfillment of who we are is only available in the Father and his love. Come! Be the true life that Christ has given you through his passion. He loves you. He awaits you. He will fulfill you!
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.
Our paragraph topic is:
(Paying the Temple tax) Part 1.
Christ and his disciples traveled on until they reached Capharnaum. And in Capharnaum the collectors of the tax were waiting. It was their job to make sure that the taxes were paid. It was their job to make sure that the taxes were collected from all who entered the city. It was there job to make sure that according to the law that the levy was paid to the temple so that all would bear responsibility. The Law stated that the taxes would be paid by all. The Law stated that all would support the maintenance and upkeep of the temple. And the Law must be exacted upon all.
But there were those who did not pay. There were those who had special privilege. There were those who were above the law. And the payment of the tax was looked upon with disdain. So many were forced to pay the tax or suffer the consequences of the Law. Support the temple. Support the high priest. Support the Pharisees and the Sadducees so that they were able to continue to live the lifestyle that their positions afforded. All must pay. All must give. All must pay their fair share. And those who were exempt would receive the benefits of the income that came from the tax.
So when the disciples entered the city and Christ did not pay the tax, Peter was questioned. He was questioned concerning an answer that he did not know how to reply. Does the Son of Man pay tribute others? Does the Son of God give support to pay for the continuation of an unjust system? Peter was confused. Peter was concerned. So in order to not cause alarm with the tax collectors he answered what they wanted to hear, even though he was still at odds with the system. And when they had come to Capharnaum, those who were collecting the didrachma
came to Peter, and said, "Does your Master not pay the didrachma?" He said, "Yes."
There were things that raised the ire of people in the time of Christ and there are things that raised the ire of people today. There are many opportunities for us to get mad about the injustices that we experience today. Why does the cost of gasoline continue to go up? Why do we experience high electric and high gas bills, where the per unit costs is not fixed but fluctuate? Why are food prices increasing but our income decreasing? Why do we have to pay increasing taxes to the government and then hear about government waste?
There are many things in the world that would cause us to be mad and angry, but where does it get us? Why do we get angry? Why do we get mad? Why are we frustrated with the system? We want more and we do not want to suffer the consequences of what the world forces upon us. We want more money. We want more food. We want more clothes, cars, boats, women, drinks, good times. We want to live in high places, we want all that this life has to offer, just like the others that we see having the good life. Yet we do not realize that this world is dying, this world is decaying right before our eyes and we cannot see it.
For those who believe, they already have their rewards. For those who are in Christ, he provides for all our needs. For those who abide with the Holy Spirit, there is no greater reward than what has already been given. We do not need to get mad. We do not need to be angry. Christ provides all. Christ cares for all. Christ is all to those who know and believe. He fulfills all our needs and all our desires. His fulfillment is not temporary but permanent. His fulfillment is everlasting. His provisions are more than this world could ever offer. Patience is the key. Practice "perfect patience" and witness the miracles of God, for he will provide. He will come through. He will protect. And he will fulfill all of the promises he has given to those who love him.
Seek the kingdom of heaven and all else will be provided to you. Have faith in the Lord and practice the patience that comes with the knowledge of truth. Trust in the creator of the universe and you will be rewarded with the riches of the universe. For material riches have nothing of value compared to the riches of heaven. Crave not for the dirt of the earth but crave the kingdom of God. I sought to know. I sought to find. I knocked on the door and asked God to know his love. I was touched by his love and now I know. This is the path I traveled. This is the road I walked. It is before you. Come! Walk the road with me and we will share a life of joy and happiness in the love of Christ and the love of God 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 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.
