St. Matthew, Chapter 24, verse: 3a; Tell us.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The disciples question Christ) Part 1.  

And so it was that Christ foretold of the Temple destruction.  The disciples were awestruck.  They did not know what to say or what to expect.  They believed that their city and their Temple would exist forever.  Little did they know or believe that it would be destroyed and that message would come from the mouth of the Messiah.  It must have been an mad idea, a thought of disbelief, something of unbelievable incomprehension.

Yet here was the Christ, the Son of God, telling them of what would happen in the future, something they had to accept as truth.  Their minds were buzzing with all kinds of questions, all kinds of doubts, all kinds of curiosities that required answers.  So, "And as he was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately, saying, "Tell us, when are these things to happen."

They could not wait.  They had to know.  They wanted to know.  They were curious.  Their minds were full of thoughts of how this would happen and by what means.  Would a flood come?  Would there be fire?  Would an invader come and destroy the Temple, or would the Romans tear it down and destroy the people as the Pharisees feared?  How would this happen? Would it happen today or tomorrow?  Would it happen next week?  Should they make preparations to leave the city?  Should they tell their friends and relatives?  So many questions ran through their minds that they had to have answers to what Christ had just told them about the Temple and the city.

What would you do if you knew?  Would you run and go to another place?  Would you tell your brothers and sisters, mother and father, uncle, aunts, other relatives?  Would they believe you?  Would they leave with you or just laugh you off as crazy?  This man that you have been following, this man that you believe is the Messiah has told you that the city will be destroyed and you believe him.  What do you think others will say about you?  

You have had an epiphany awakening and believe that the spirit has come to you to open your eyes about the world you live in and who you are.  The spirit has enlightened you with the knowledge of your purpose and has given you the means to accomplish it.  You want to help others to come out of the darkness into the light.  So you tell them of your experience.  Would they believe you?  Would they seek to know the truth the same as you or would they think that you are crazy?  Would you tell your brothers, sisters, mother, father, uncles, aunts, other relatives?  Who would you confide in that would understand?  

I can only do what has been given me to do and hope others will see.  Love is the key to change.  I love my mother and father, sister and brothers, uncles and aunts, but I cannot force them to do what I do.  I can only love them for who they are and pray for them, asking God for forgiveness and mercy.  Thank you Father for your love.  Thank you Christ for your passion.  Thank you Holy Spirit for you enlightenment.

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: 1; Pride of the Temple.

Our paragraph topic is: (Christ foretells the Temple's destruction) Part 1.  
We begin this new chapter with the disciples taking pride in the majesty of Jerusalem and the construction of the Temple.  It has taken many years to be built and they want Jesus to see the awe and majesty of all of the construction of the grounds.  Though they did not have a hand in its construction they contributed funds to the building of the city and all of its structures.  That gives them pride as being Jews as it does all the people belonging to Israel.

Jesus is not impressed.  He knows the future and what will become of Israel and its people.  AND Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came forward to show him the buildings of the temple.

We all live in cities and towns and proclaim them for their charm and beauty, for their greatness and glory over other cities.  I live in New York, the greatest city in the US of A.  I live in California, the city of innovation and Hollywood.  We live in Las Vagas, or Hawaii, or Chicago, Miami, or any one of the many cities, each being known for something of value to those that live there.  We all take pride in where we live.  It is a natural thing.

Yet in the time of Christ, the Jews were known for their God and the power that he exercised for his people.  They were a great people and their city was a great city.  The Temple was a special place for the Jewish people to come and worship their God.  But Christ did not see it that way.  He saw corruption and scandal, the evil and lust, false witness and hatred, lack of charity and hopelessness.  He saw loss of belief in God with no one to lead the people back to faith.

All the beautiful buildings and grounds meant nothing when there was no faith or hope in the one true God.  Worship was without meaning.  Worship was mechanical, lacked soul, something that the people did not believe in, especially those on the streets who were suffering the most.  No one cared.  The priests, the Scribes, the Pharisees, and Sadducces only concerned themselves with maintaining the peace with the Roman rulers so that they would not loose their position of power.  

Where are we today?  Do we take pride in the buildings that we call our homes of worship or do we worship in our homes?  Where are our true temples?  Where are our true places of worship? Where does the spirit of God reside with us, in great churches of worship or in our homes of worship?  Where is your temple?  Is it in you, in your heart or in the building you call your church?  Do you carry your church with you everyday when you wake or do you leave it at the address when you leave church on Sunday?  Make your inner church a great building of glory.  Give glory to 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: 35c; Between the Temple and the Altar.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Their persecution of religion) Part 13.  

How could they escape the damnation of hell, the doers of evil who in cooperation with Satan's minions were the perpetrators of the murders of the prophets and the messengers of God.  They refused to repent.  They refused to believe.  They refused to open their eyes and see the evil that was within them.  Instead they agreed to go along with that which influenced them.  They agreed to believe that they were right in what they were doing.  

They continued to believe that they were right in persecuting the religion of God and suppressing the messengers and the prophets he sent.  They were lost and could not see.  They were blind and had no understanding of who they were, even though the opportunity was given them to change.  They could not change.  They continued to scourge and persecute from town to town, to pursue from village to village every messenger sent to proclaim the good news.  They even pursued Zacharias: "Whom you killed between the temple and the altar."

They were blind in their sight.  They had no understanding of what they were doing.  Evil led they to commit murder in the most sacred of places.  The evil within led their blind rage to commit sin in the Temple before the altar without thinking of what they were doing.  And yet they will suffer the consequences of their actions and have the blood of all the just to pay.  These words were spoken by Christ from his father God upon the Scribes and the Pharisees to the evil generation of spirits that influenced them. 

What a heavy burden to bear to be a part of such a group that must carry such a sin to pay such a price.  Adam and Eve made the ultimate sin that stained all mankind with mortal sin that no man could pay the price to lift.  It took the Son of Man, Jesus Christ, to come down from heaven to save mankind from the stain of mortal sin.  We now have an opportunity to become new.  We can now have new life because before we were dead with mortal sin but Christ paid the price for our sin and gave us the chance to have new life.

To have new life all we have to do is believe in him.  All we have to do is believe that he is the Son of God and that we have a Father in heaven who is our creator.  Belief opens the door for us.  Belief creates the spark of life.  Belief gives us a new soul that allows us to have eternal life instead of continuing to be dead.  Do you believe?  Do you know?  Do you understand who you are?  The Bible says seek and you will find, knock and it shall be opened to you, ask and it shall be given.  Believe!  Ask for your new life and receive it.

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: 22; The Throne of God.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Their distorted religion) Part 13.  

You see, it had come to this, gold and silver, precious metals, and jewels were more valuable in the eyes of the religious than the kingdom of heaven.  They did not place much value on the temple and the sacred items in it.  They did not value the altar but they placed value on the gold and silver placed on the altar.  They did not place value upon the temple itself but on the gold that the temple was made of which is how their religious beliefs had become so distorted.

These were the leaders who taught the people what to believe!  How wrong could they be?  They despised Christ for telling them that their beliefs were distorted and that they had it all wrong.  This is why he had to tell them also:  "And he who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God, and by him who sits upon it."

They had no idea that they were swearing by God himself.  They had no idea that they were telling their followers that their bond with God was nothing when they swore by the temple.  They had no idea that they were encouraging the people to break their vows that they were making with God himself, thereby bringing forth the wrath upon themselves.  The people only knew that they were following the rules and the laws that were handed down by their religious leaders.

They were sheep being led by their shepherds.  And we prey today that God has given us a true shepherds to lead us along the right path to the kingdom of heaven.  Of course the ultimate choice is up to us to follow.  The ultimate decision is within ourselves if we want to believe what we hear each Sunday.  And the choice is up to us if we want more than what we hear each week.  If our hearts desire to know more about our heavenly Father, it is up to us to seek him out.  If our hearts yearn to feel the truth of his love it is up to us to delve deeper into the knowledge that is available for us.  All we have to do is knock on the door to have it opened to us.  

And if we truly want to know him all we need do is get on our knees and ask him.  We have to be patient to get his response.  We have to listen quietly to hear his voice.  We have to know that he speaks when he calls us in that soft voice that fills us with joy and happiness.  We have to rejoice in his presence when he comes to us with the gifts that he gives us each and every day through the spirit of his heart.  For he is a loving Father, and he is a devoted Savior, and they have an everlasting Guide that will be with you until your time to return home.

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: 17b; Which is greater?

Our paragraph topic is:  (Their distorted religion) Part 5.  

He called them blind.  He called them fools.  They could not see, they could not hear, they could not understand.  They had distorted everything that was given to them.  They had made their own religion to conform to their own desires so that they would be in control of the people and the people would respond to their wishes.

They were the rulers of the people.  They made the laws and handed them down to the people.  Moses gave them the Law from God but they changed it to meet their own needs.  God sent prophets to show them the errors of their ways but they did not listen, they did not hear.  This is why Christ called them blind fools: "For which is greater, the gold, or the temple which sanctifies the gold?"  For this is what they made their religion to believe.

Many years had past since their forefathers had left the dessert and the memories of the miracles of the hand of God protecting the children of Israel.  The prophets had come and gone and nothing changed.  The generations did not remember the lessons of the past.  The leaders and rulers came and went without handing down the wisdom of the forefathers.  The world was the same.  Everyone sought power and fame and fortune.  Everyone sought the glory of men and no one sought the glory of God.

Gold had more value than anything on earth, and yet man had not reached or sought the inner value of the soul.  He had not witnessed the truth of the burning light of life within that came from the life of the soul given by the sacrifice of Christ.  And the light of the world walked the earth without being noticed.  The demons noticed his light but man could not see it.  The leaders of the people could not see it and the crucified him for it.  Yet that is why he came down from heaven that he might pay the price for our transgressions and free us from sin.  

We are blessed to have a second chance.  We are blessed to be so loved to have him as a savior.  We are so wonderfully blessed to not have to walk in darkness anymore but are now guided by the light of his Advocate, the Holy Spirit.  Thank you Father for your love.  Thank your Christ for your passion.  Thank you Holy Spirit for your guiding light.  Amen!

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 21, verses: 46b; The People and a Prophet.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Application of the parable) Part 9.  

We now come to the end of the paragraph and the end of Chapter 21.  Much of this chapter has been about Christ and his entry into Jerusalem.  He came with the praise of the little people, riding on a donkey.  The people of the great city did not know him.  They did not understand why there was so much of a uproar about this man that no one knew.

Yet it was those who lived on the outside of the city, those little ones who had seen the miracles, heard the words, followed his teachings, that knew him, worshiped him, and praised him as the new leader of the people.  He cleansed the temple, taught the people in the temple, and criticized the leaders on their two faced behavior.  The leaders rejected the corner stone but it would crush them and ground them to dust.  He gave them opportunity to understand.  But they could not and would not understand.  He spoke in common terms that they would understand.  They were blinded, deaf, and were not allowed to understand, until at last the word got through and they were angry.  They sought to beat him but:  "They feared the people, because they regarded him as a prophet." 

We are the sheep and we follow what is given to us.  We are given our way of life, how to think, what we believe, who we accept and deny.  All of that which we are today is given to us by our surroundings.  People live in different environments today all over this earth and have different ways to live, think, behave, and ways of being who they are.  People in India may have some similarities to the way people in America think but overall they are entirely different cultures.  The environment makes who we are and what we believe.  But we have choices.  We can change.  

Change can come in many forms.  It can come through a critical process of thinking, we decide to change without any outside influence.  Change can come through a force that causes us to make the decision to do away with our old behavior and adapt a new one because there is pain with the old behavior.  Change can come through association with others who we follow that seem to have a better way of living, so we go along with the influence of others.  Change can come through enlightenment, a revelation that we have that brings us to a new way of thinking, of believing, of seeing the world.

We can be locked in on our beliefs that change can not be affected.  We can be so influenced by our way of life that nothing can bring about change in us because we refuse to believe.  We can be blinded by others that their way is better than any change that we may seek, so we remain unchanged.  Ultimately the choice is ours to follow.  The choice is ours to want to change or not.  The option is ours but the opportunity is present for us to see or not to see.  The opportunity is there for us to believe or not to believe.  The opportunity is present for all because we have a God who loves what he has created and wants all to have the opportunity to experience his love and compassion.

There is so much pain and suffering in the world one has to ask why do we have a God who would allow such suffering to happen.  Who are we to question the ways of our Father for he was here before us.  He created the universe before we were a thought in his mind.  He created the earth and the heavens.  He gave life to the world with trees and birds and animals of all sorts.  He carved man out of the dust and gave life to him and the spirit of himself that we may have his image within us.  It is he that lives through all eternity, even unto today.  And it is he that gives all the opportunity because he loves so much that which he has created.  The Prophet calls but we must be able to hear his call.

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 21, verse: 12a, The selling and buying.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Cleansing of the Temple) Part 1. 

We continue our walk with Christ as he enters Jerusalem.  The people of Jerusalem did not know him but the people who came from far away places knew him and had heard the word.  They praised him as he entered the city.  They worshipped him as he came.  They shouted Hosanna in the highest.  They were the ones who gave honor and glory to him and not the citizens of Jerusalem.

He walked through the city and the crowds followed.  They wanted to know what he would do.  They wanted to know what he would say.  They wanted to see him, to touch him, to be a part of the history that was being made.  So Christ went to the temple to pray.  He went to the temple to teach.  He went to the temple, to his father's house.   And Jesus entered the temple of God, and cast out all those who were selling and buying in the temple. 

He was appalled.  He was astonished.  He was angry that this sacred place was being used as a market place for con artists and thieves.  Evil had invaded the house of the Lord.  It had taken over the most sacred place where the people came to worship, praise, and thank their heavenly father.  This was wrong.  This was blasphemous.  This was not the place for those who practiced the ways of the world to do their business.

So he entered with anger.  He entered with righteousness.  He entered and cast out the evil that had taken over the temple.  What would you have do if this was your house and it was being used as a drug house, a house of prostitution, a den for robbers and murders to gather?  Would you have called them out?  Would you have called the law enforcement to clear them out?  What would you do?

Christ came that we would know the truth.  He came to be our sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins.  He came that we would have new life and have it more abundantly.  He came to establish his presences here on earth through the legacy of his church.  And he said that the forces of hell shall not prevail against it.  So today we have a place to go when we are in need of peace.  We have a place to go when we need to communicate with our Father.  We have a place to go away from the world outside.  We have a place to go where we can find love, and understanding, and forgiveness.  For this is what he left us throughout the world.  No matter where we go or what city we find ourselves in, somewhere we can always find a place of worship, a place of peace.

Long did I wait before I entered the church.  Ashamed was I of the experiences I had in my life away from the church.  Guilty was I of the sins that I committed.  Desire did I to have peace, forgiveness, hope, and faith in my life.  I knew, but rationalize did I what I was doing.  I did not care of the consequences.  But he held my hand despite my disobedience.  He loved me despite my uncaring.  He forgave me despite my guilt and my shame.  He loves me today and I love him for all that he has done for me.  Turn back I will not.  With the help of the Advocate I will fight to continue to walk the path he has given me and I will fight to open the door to any and all who seek the truth of him who loves all.     

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.