St Matthew, Chapter 16, verse: 1, The Test: Request for a sign.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The Pharisees and Sadducees ask a sign) Part 1.

And the word spread.  Like wild fire the word spread and people talked about Jesus.  They spoke of his miracles.  They spoke of his teachings.  They spoke of his words.  They spoke of his peace.  They spoke of his love for all man.  And then the Pharisees heard.  They heard and disliked.  They heard and hated.  They heard and plotted how to stop the word from spreading.  For they were filled with evil.  They were consumed with darkness and darkness did not like the teachings of Christ.  Evil did not want to hear of goodness.  Evil did not want peace.  Evil wanted to do away with Christ.  So they plotted with the Pharisees as to how they might do away with him and his teachings.

So the Pharisees and the Sadducees came to Christ with a test.  They had planned their strategy and came to Christ to test him with a question.  They had heard of his miracles.  They had seen others who were cured.  They had known those who were blind, crippled, possessed, lame, and filled with leprosy but they still did not believe.  So despite all the signs and wonders, they wanted a special request.  They wanted a special sign for themselves so that they could say that they could believe.  But evil was with them.  Evil could not work on its own but only through a person.  So the evil doers came to Christ and asked for a sign.   And the Pharisees and Sadducees came to him to test him, and they asked him to show them a sign from heaven.

Where are we today?  Do we need a sign to believe?  Do we need a cure to understand and believe?  The evil within does not want us to believe.  The evil within would have us blind.  The evil within would have us deaf.  The evil within would keep us as unbelievers or at worst deceive us to think that we believe yet continuing to do the things that indicate we do not believe. 

We live in a world that is not eternal.  Yet we believe that it is forever.  We believe that tomorrow is given, next week is planned for, next year we will be here to enjoy the pleasures of this life.  Do we need a sign?  Do we need death to come and knock on our door to tell us to wake up?  Do we need sickness to come into our lives to open our eyes.  The thief comes in the night when least expected to steal from us.  Thank you Father for not letting go of my hand.  Thank you Father for not giving up on me.  Thank you Father for keeping death away until I came to know you.  For I faced death on many occasions.  I walked the line with evil and was tempted to cross over.  Yet I knew deep down inside that evil was not with me.  I knew from the peace that you gave me when I was a child that this was your peace.  I knew that the love that you showed me was not the hatred and anger that I faced when tempted by evil. 

Thank you Father for touching me with your love and your peace.  Now I know who I am and who you are.  I know that your Holy Spirit is with me each day.  I know that I am your child and you are my loving Father who wants to care for me and provide for me.  To those who do not know or who do not believe, I am a witness for his love and his peace.  Come, seek the truth of who you are and the knowledge of your Father.  Christ wants to heal you.  Christ wants to protect you.  Christ wants to love you.  And the Father will provide for you if you only believe. 

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!

St Matthew, Chapter 14, verses: 28 - 29a, The Test of Heart: The Challenge.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Peter walks on the water) Part 1.   

The test had begun.  The disciples were in the boat being tossed about by the waves and water was everywhere.  They did not know who they were becoming but Christ knew.  Christ was their teacher.  Christ was their provider.  Christ was their protector and  he knew what they were becoming.  But the disciples did not know that the transformation was taking place within them.  For they had seen many things with Christ.  They had seen the lame walk.  They had seen that the blind could see through the miracles that Christ performed.  They saw the demons cast out, and they still did not know who they were becoming with Christ.  Christ told them to feed the people themselves and they did not know that they could.  They wanted to send the people away.

Christ sent the disciples away and now they were alone on the sea in the boat with the waves crashing down upon them.  There was no place to hide.  There was no place to go.  There was no protection for water was everywhere.  And fear was their only choice, fear of dying, fear of loosing their lives, fear of all they had sacrificed for naught.  They were simple men, not scholars.  They had no knowledge of a soul.  They did not know about the spirit of life within them.  They did not know what would happen after death, so they were afraid.  And the evil one was upon them seeking to have them turn from Christ in this hour of trial and test.  For he wanted them to believe that they were dying.  He wanted them to believe that Christ had failed them.  He wanted them to believe that Christ was not the Messiah and that they were lost.  But Christ came to them in their hour of trial and test.  Christ came to them walking on the water.  Christ came to them telling them to take courage and not to be afraid.  For fear was upon them.

They thought that Christ was a ghost.  They believed that they were seeing illusions in their dying hour.  But Peter challenged the test of heart.  Peter, amongst all the disciples, wanted to know.  Peter wanted to believe.  Peter had that spark of hope within that lead him to take action.  His heart was opened.  His mind believed.  His desire for Christ challenged him to take action and so he called to the ghost.  He called to Christ to test his faith.    But Peter answered him and said, "Lord, if it is thou, bid me come to thee over the water."

If, Peter said.  If, Peter asked.  If, Peter challenged.  If, Peter believed.  If it is thou, he said then command that I walk on water.  For Peter saw Christ doing something that he wanted to do.  Peter believed that if Christ had commanded all the other miracles to happen then he could command that he, Peter, walk on water.  So he challenged that he might prove to himself that this was the Christ.  He challenged that he might know within himself that Christ was the Messiah.  He called to Christ that he might know without a doubt that Christ was the Son of Man and God was his father.  And he said,"Come."

Would you come if Christ called you?  Christ walks on air at the edge of a cliff and he calls to you to come would you step out from the cliff to go to him?  Would you believe that he has the power to make you walk on air?  Would you know that you would not fall?  Would you believe with all your being that he is your protector and your provider,  your guide and your shield?  The world would tell you otherwise.  The world would have you believe in yourself, that you are your provider, that you are your protector.  The world would have you believe that you can do anything as long as you believe in yourself.  For this is the way of the world and as long as you are in the world and succeeding, what need have you of God.  You can be your provider.  You can be your protector.  You can be your own guide without the help of Christ who loves you.  And there is the challenge, live in the world without believing in Christ or live in Christ and believe that he can make you do miracles like walking on water or walking on air and achieving all things within him.  Christ calls to you, and he says to you,"Come."

St Matthew, Chapter 14, verse: 27, The Test of Heart: The Heart Transforms and the door is open.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Jesus walks on the water) Part 4.  

Christ was on the land and they, the disciples, were on the sea in a boat being tossed about by the waves.  They were afraid.  They were in fear.  They were in doubt and fear was overtaking them.  For there was no place to hide.  There was no place to go for protection from the pounding waves of the sea and they believed that death was at their door.  For Christ was not with them to protect them.  Christ was not with them to stop the waves.  Christ was not with them to calm the sea and they were afraid.  They saw their lives passing before them.  They were the disciples of Christ.  He was their teacher yet they were faced with the thought of drowning and losing their lives.  And all that they had been taught, all that they had seen,  all that they had believed was about to be lost in the drowning of the boat by the waves of the sea.

All they could see was death.  All they could see was drowning.  All they could believe was the loss of their lives.  All that they had been given was pushed aside.  All that they had transformed from was being lost.  For they did not know who they were becoming and fear was entering their hearts.  And then their fears were confirmed because they believed they saw a ghost.  They saw Christ walking on water and they believed that they were perishing.  For ghost only appear when death is at hand.  Ghost only come when something evil is about to happen.  Ghosts are the fore runners of the coming of death.  But Christ was walking on the waters and they did not believe.  Christ was with them and they did not know.   In their hour of need, in their time of testing, Christ was with them.  For fear had taken them and their hearts were afraid.   Then Jesus immediately spoke to them, saying, " Take courage; it is I, do not be afraid."      

Take courage.  Take courage in what you see.  Take courage in what you believe.  Take courage in what you know for it is I, Christ said, to his disciples.  Choose courage instead of fear.  Choose courage instead of being afraid.   Choose courage as opposed to anxiety for it is I.   For the test was upon them.  The test was at hand and the disciples must choose which way to turn, what to believe, what to know.  Their senses told them that they were in danger.  Their senses told them that the boat was sinking.  Their senses told them that the waves were overcoming them and the boat would soon drown.  But their senses did not know how to tell them of Christ walking on water.  Their senses did not know how to tell them to take courage instead of fear.  Their senses did not know what to do faced with this choice. 

Christ told them to take courage.  Christ told them to believe.  Christ told them it was he who was walking on the water.  Christ told them to discard their senses and open their hearts.  Christ told them to believe with the love that was given to them in their hearts.  Christ told them that their hearts would be the key to passing the test and not their senses.  For here he was walking on water, a site they had not been seen before.  Here he was walking on water and their senses could not understand how this was possible.  And yet he told them to take courage and not fear, for what they saw was real.  What they believed was true.  What they heard were the words from Christ in whom all things are possible.   Take courage he told them.  Open your hearts and believe.  Christ wants to transform you!!  Open your heart, let him in, and be transformed.

St Matthew, Chapter14, verse: 24, The Test of Heart: The Test begins.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Jesus walks on the water) Part 2.  

Christ was on the land.  The disciples were on the water in the boat and they were without Christ.  He had sent them away.  He put them on a boat and sent them to the other side of the sea, alone.  For he was to come later after dismissing the crowds and going up to the mountain to pray.  But the disciples did not know that this was their test.  They did not understand the training they were receiving through Christ.  Time was short.  The sacrifice had to be made.  And the disciples must be prepared to take their places here on earth for the coming battle for the souls of men.  So they had to be tested to make sure that they understood.

They witnessed the miracle of the multiplication.  They had witnessed many miracles, the lame walked, the blind saw, and evil was cast out.  They saw these things take place before their eyes.  They heard Christ say to them, feed the people yourselves.  But they did not understand.  They did not know.  They did not believe what was happening before their very eyes, into their very ears and filling their very hearts with the glory of Christ to come.  They would become the leaders.  They would become the preachers.  They would become the shepherds of the people leading them to Christ, leading them to life.  So they had to understand, they had to know, they had to believe what was happening to them, with them, and in them.  They were being transformed.   But the boat was in the midst of the sea, buffeted by the waves, for the wind was against them. 

The wind was against them and they were being tested.  For they had not seen such wind before.  They had not known such peril before.  They had not believed that they would survive before because the boat was being buffeted by the waves.  The boat was being tossed about by the sea.  The boat was being pushed from side to side to capsize and they were with fear.  They were the 
disciples of Christ.  They had given up their all to follow him.  They were being taught the principles of the kingdom of heaven that they may carry the message to others.  But now they were alone.  Now they were without Christ.  Now they were with fear.  For they were told to feed the people themselves and they did not know how.  They were told to give them something to eat but they believed that they could not.  They wanted to dismiss the people and send them back into the world.

Would they believe?  Would they know?  Would they understand the transformation that was taking place within them?  They were without Christ and the test came.  The test of belief came upon them that they would believe in the transformation taking place within them.  Would they fear for their lives.  Would they run away in shame?  Or would they pass the test and believe.  Christ was not with them and the boat was being tossed by the waves.  Fear was coming upon them and they would not believe.  Would it become life or death?  In this moment of testing would they forsake all that they had seen and heard and believed, to turn away from Christ.  Or would they pass the test and take courage, strengthening their faith in Christ completing the transformation.

Christ was not with them and they were in the sea being buffeted by the waves.  Would you believe?  Would you hold to your faith?  Would you glorify God in your last hour?  The disciples faced the test on the open waters.  There was no place to go.  There was no place to hide.  There was no place that would protect them.  There was only the fear of death and drowning.  They were without Christ and believed that they would perish.  The miracle of the multiplication did not make them believe.  Perhaps a stronger demonstration of the power and the glory of God was needed that they may know the truth of their belief and the solidity of their faith in Christ.  Do you believe?  Do you see?  Do you know the truth of your faith.  Do you believe in Christ?  Or, do you have faith built upon sand, faith that crumbles in times of sorrow and pain and trials and tribulations.  There is but one God.  There is but one truth.  There is but one belief that gives life.  Will you pass the test?

St Matthew, Chapter 14, verses: 22 - 23, The Test of Heart: The Disciples sent alone.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Jesus walks on the water) Part 1.  

All were filled and the baskets of leftovers were collected.  And there were twelve basketfulls left when the fragments were collected.  The miracle took place before their eyes.  Only now did they realize.  The people were in need.  The disciples did not know how to satisfy their needs so they wanted to send them away.  But Christ told his disciples to feed the people themselves.  They only had five loaves of bread and two fishes to feed multitudes, thousands of people.  But the disciples did not know who they were becoming.  They did not know the truth of the nature of Christ.  And they did not know what he was training them to do.  So they wanted to send the people away.

Christ told them to feed the people themselves but they did not know how.  After the miracle had taken place and all were filled, Christ made his disciples leave.   And immediately afterwards he made his disciples get into the boat and cross the sea ahead of him, while he dismissed the crowd.

And now they are to be tested.  For they were sent away and Christ remained with the people.   The disciple did not know what to do.  They did not know what to think, for the first time they were alone without Christ.  He was on the land and they were in the boat.  He was the Christ and they were his disciples.  He was their coach, their teacher, their mentor, and they were his pupils.  But Christ was not with them and they did not know what to do.  They did not know where to go or what would happen next.  And confusion came to them and remained.   And when he had dismissed the crowd, he went up the mountain by himself to pray.  And when it was late, he was there alone.

So the disciples wanted to send the people away instead of tend to their needs, but Christ sent the disciples away.  He made them get into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake ahead of him for he was to catch another boat, this is what the disciples thought.  They were to wait for him on the other side.  They were to be without him during the travel to the other side.  They were to be tested without Christ at their side.

Are you ready for the test?  Are you ready to be sent forth into the world and wait for Christ?  We live in the world today, without the knowledge and the truth of Christ.  Many carry the word within them but yet do not know the truth of who they are.  Therefore, when the test comes we have no strength to draw from since we do not know who we are and from whom our strength comes.  We call on the Lord in times of need.  We beseech his help in times of trouble.  We seek his assistance when all else fails, but we do not know the truth of who we are in Christ and the strength that he has placed at our disposal.  

Are you ready for the test?  Do you seek to know the truth of your true nature or do you just seek to know what is given to you?  We go to church.  We go to religious studies.  We go to conferences, but do we go to Christ.  For he is our source and our strength and our comforter in times of need, always.  Yet we seek him not.  Instead we seek the temporary fix of church.  We seek the temporary good feeling that church service has to offer and we return to the world for our fix.  Turn to Christ and receive the truth!  Turn to Christ and receive the power!  Turn to Christ and receive the knowledge of who you are in Christ!  He has redeemed us.  He has saved us from eternal damnation.  He has justified and sanctified us before our Father that we may become holy in his eyes.  Hear the good news!  Seek the gospel truth for yourself and he will come to you.  The truth is not in the sanctuary.  The truth is not in the Sunday service.  The truth is not in the religious teachings, religious books, music, shows, conferences.  The truth is within you.  Read the gospel,  read the good news, read the new testament and find it for yourself.  Are you ready for the test?