St. Matthew, Chapter 20, verse:34c, The ability to see.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The blind men at Jericho) Part 11.

We finish this paragraph on a happy note.  The two blind men sat by the roadside begging for their existence.  They could not see.  They had no means of support.  Their life and their livelihood depended upon the generosity of those who passed by their station.  They lived in darkness.  They were without hope and believed only in what they could get from those who passed by.

Some were generous.  Some were meager.  Some gave nothing.  And others cursed them for their plight.  But this was all they knew how to do to provide for themselves.  And then the word came their way.  The people spoke of his miracles.  The people spoke the word of all that he had done for others.  He healed the sick, opened the ears of the deaf, made the lame walk and cast out devils.  He even raised the dead.  And suddenly their hearts leapt for joy.  Suddenly there was hope.  Suddenly they had dreams of being able to see and they believed in the words that they heard.

And Christ came their way.  He walked the road that they sat upon begging for their daily bread.  And they heard his coming.  They heard the crowds shouting his name.  They cried out for his help.  Even as everyone pushed them aside they continued to cry out for his help.  And he heard their cries over all the others.  He heard their sorrow, their pain, their hope, and their belief that he could help them.  And he touched their eyes:  and at once they received their sight, and followed him. 

They were touched by Christ and received their sight.  He made them whole.  He gave them new hope and new faith and a new life to live.  Their hearts were filled with joy that they could now see the world as it was.  Their hearts rejoiced that they no longer lived in darkness.  Their hearts rejoiced that they were released from their prison and could finally be independent and provide for themselves.  Imagine the transformation that took place in their lives to go from darkness to light, to go from being dependent to independence, to go from being blind to now being able to see the world in its true form and beauty.  This was the gift that Christ gave to these two blind men.

We live in a world today that is filled with the things that we are given to see.  We have access to instant everything that consume our attention and occupy our time.  We can text, skype, talk, Instagram, Tweet, Google, Facebook, be Linkedin, use all sorts of new technology to make our lives better and more convenient.  We can even binge watch TV to idle the time away until our brains are fried.  But can we see the truth where all this leads us?  Where are we going? What are we doing with our lives?  What is the meaning of why we are here?  Is this all that there is to life?

Christ opened the eyes of the two blind men.  He transformed their lives in an instant.  And they followed him.  What would you do if your eyes were opened that you could truly see where you were going, where you could see what your purpose was in life, where you could understand who you are?  I saw but I did not see.  I knew but I did not know.  I understood but I did not have knowledge.  And then Christ touched me and opened my eyes.  He gave me new purpose and new life.  Now I know who I am in him.  Now I see clearly the world around me.  Now I have knowledge that comes from him and not from the world around me.  Now I have knowledge that comes from the Lord.  Come!  Receive your sight from the Lord and you too will be transformed.  You too will know the truth of who you are in him.  You too will see the light of life that is within you.  Come!  Cry out to the Lord and he will come, touch you and transform you into a new being, a being of light and life eternal.

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.

St Matthew, Chapter 20, verse: 11, The Comparison and the Murmur.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Parable of the laborers in the vineyard)
Part 15.

The first received his reward and was joyous.  They had only worked an hour.  The next to the last received their denarius and they were happy.  They had only worked a couple of hours.  Those who came before the first received their wages and they were satisfied.  They did not work as long as those who came first.  And then came those who were hired first.  The time came for them to receive their reward and they also received a denarius.

And upon receiving their pay they were astonished.  They were not satisfied.  They were not joyous.  They were not happy to receive what they had agreed to work for.  For they had made comparisons.  They had worked all day in the heat of the sun.  They had watched others come into the vineyard and knew that they would receive more.  They thought that their reward would be greater than all the rest.  "And on receiving it, they began to murmur against the householder." 

They made comparisons.  They looked at others as they entered the vineyard and compared themselves to those that came after them.  They raised themselves above those that came after them.  They thought that they were better.  They thought that they deserved more.  They saw themselves as different from those who came after them.  And yet they all were the same.  They all were offered the same amount by the house-holder to tend the fields in the vineyard. 

There was work that needed to be done.  There was a need for laborers to do the work.  There was a contract made and an agreement for compensation.  Yet somewhere in the process a change took place.  Somewhere in the work something entered the picture to bring about a change.  They worked side by side.  They picked the grapes from the vines and harvested the fruit.  Somewhere in the work day, the minds of the workers changed.  Somewhere during the heat of the day their thoughts changed.  Somewhere as the day came to a close the hearts of the workers changed and a new mind, a new heart, new thoughts came into the picture and all were changed.

Some were happy.  Some were joyous.  Some were satisfied.  But others were astonished and dismayed at what they received.  They began to murmur.  They began to talk back.  They began to allow frustration and doubt, and fear, and anger to enter into their hearts and minds and bring about a transformation in who they were.  They began as simple workers seeking to find work for the day.  They ended up as angry spirits who's hearts were filled with anger.

What is it that brings about such a change?  What happened that they were dissatisfied?  What brought about this about face in their attitudes and mindsets that they began to murmur?  Comparison came in.  Comparison came in and set things in motion.  Comparison came through and showed them a different picture.  They started out happy to have work.  They ended up sad and disgruntled with their pay.  Are we the same today?  Do we start out happy to have work and end up sad with our pay?  Does comparison come into our lives and lead us to change?  Does comparison come into our lives and turn us in a different direction? 

We are God's children, created in his image and likeness.  He has given us the gift of life.  The most precious gift that could be had, we already have.  Are we satisfied?  Are we happy?  Are we understanding of what has been given to us?  Or are we making comparisons with what the world has to offer against what we already have?  We see, we feel, we taste and touch and smell all that the physical has to offer.  Can we know the truth of what the gift of life has to offer?  The spirit will tell.  The life within will show.  The Advocate will listen and teach that which has not been taught.  And then you will know that there is no comparison to what you have.  And then you will be happy and joyous, for you have the gift of life. 

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.  

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, Chapter 13, verses: 53 - 54, Christ teaching in his own country

Our paragraph topic is:  (Jesus at Nazareth) Part 1.   

Christ has finished teaching in parables.  He has finished talking in stories.  He leaves the people and he and his disciples move on from that place.  And as St Matthew tells us in his gospel,  And it came to pass when Jesus had finished these parables, that he set out from that place.  And when he had come to his own country, he began to teach them in their synagogues. 

So Christ has moved on from the multitudes that met him in the countryside.  He has traveled on from the hundreds and thousands who came to see him, to touch him, to be healed by him.  Now he seeks his own in the synagogues and villages where he grew up.  For they knew him as a child.  They watched him play in the streets.  They knew of his brothers and sisters.  They knew his parents Mary and Joseph.  And they saw him as an ordinary child.  They did not see him as a teacher.  They did not see him as a prophet.  They did not see him as a man of wisdom.  For he was just an ordinary child.  They did not see him as the Messiah.  For they could only see him as an ordinary person.

And they were astonished when he taught.  They were unbelieving when they heard him speak.  They were unknowing when they heard his words of wisdom, for they knew him as an ordinary man.  They did not see him as a miracle worker.  They did not see him as a man of God.  They did not see him as the Son of God because they could only see him as an ordinary man.  Some were proud.  Some were learned.  Some were educated.  Some were wealthy.  Some were wise.  Some were prudent.  And many were just ordinary people.  But they could not believe that this man, this ordinary person, this miracle worker, came from their village, from their town, from their midst with the knowledge of the kingdom.   So they were astonished, and said, "How did this man come by this wisdom and  these miracles?"

They only saw him as an ordinary man.  They did not believe.  They did not understand.  They could not see.  For astonishment had taken their eyes.  Astonishment had taken their ears.  Astonishment had taken their hearts and they could not believe.  Walk in the way of the Lord and astonishment will come on your hills.  It will affect the people closest to you.  It will close their eyes and block their ears that they will not hear the message of the kingdom.  For they see you as the person.  They see the liar, the thief, the adulterer, the cheat, the blasphemer.  But, they do not see the Christ in you.  For it is Christ who transforms us.  It is Christ who heals us.  It is Christ who delivers us from the bondage of Satan.  It is Christ that gives us new life in him that we may no longer be that which we were.  They will say, "How did this man come by this wisdom?"  They will say how is it that this man performs these miracles?"  Will you become a miracle worker for Christ?  Come!  Be transformed by Christ that you may have his wisdom.

St Matthew, Chapter 13, verse: 50, The Kingdom of Heaven: The Scribe's Instructions.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Conclusion of the parables) Part 2.  

School is out.  The disciples have been given their instructions on the kingdom of heaven.  They have been tested and the scores are in.  Did they learn from their instructions, Christ asked?  Did they understand all that was taught?  Did they perceive the truths that were given by Christ?  All said yes.  All understood.  All  received the truths of the kingdom of heaven.  The disciples are ready to go forth.  The disciples are ready to carry the message.  The disciples are ready to become teachers as Christ has taught them.

So there is nothing further to teach them.  They have learned their lessons.  Christ prepares to move onward to the final destination require for his mission here on earth.  He has given his disciples principles.  He has given his disciples wisdom of the kingdom.  He has passed on to them his knowledge.  He has prepared them for their journey.  He gives them these last instructions.  He says,  "So then, every Scribe instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like a householder who brings forth from his storeroom things new and old." 

They are the historians of the kingdom.  They are the scribes that will take the spoken word and put it to the future.  They will write the lessons as given by Christ.  For they are the scribes of the future.  They will carry the message.  They have been instructed in the kingdom of heaven.  And they will become the teachers of tomorrow.  The disciples have been tested in their instructions.  They have indicated that they understand all that was taught.  So they are prepared and ready to go forth with the message of the kingdom of heaven.

Those who are the scribes of today, will carry the message of the kingdom.  They will be instructed in the truths of the kingdom of heaven.  For the Holy Spirit, the great teacher,  will teach all things to them.  The Holy Spirit will come and dwell in those who are chosen and teach them the things that were hidden since the foundation of the world.  The Holy Spirit will come and live with those who seek him.  The Holy Spirit will come and be with those who desire to know him.  The Holy Spirit will come and abide with those who love him and love the Lord God. 

Many will say that they have received the Holy Spirit when they were baptized, but only a few will know.  Many will say that they have received the Holy Spirit when they were baptized, but only a few will perceive the presence of the Holy Spirit.  Many will say that they have received the Holy Spirit when they were baptized, but only a few will see his presence.  He is open to all but only a few will truly seek him and know him.  Are you ready to receive the Holy Spirit?  Are you ready to become a scribe instructed in the kingdom of heaven?  The Holy Spirit awaits your call. 

The Holy Spirit awaits your desire to know him.  The Holy Spirit awaits to know your love for him.  Seek and you shall find.  Knock and it shall be opened to you.  Ask and it shall be given to you.  Are you ready?  Your life will be transformed and you will not be the same person again.  Are you ready for the transformation?  For you cannot be transformed and remain the same person.  One must come and the other must go.  One must live and the other must die.  One life must be sacrificed and the other will be raised from the dead.  For you will become one in Christ and he will lift you up.  Come!  Be transformed in Christ.