St. Matthew, Chapter 22, verse: 20; The Image and Inscription.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Tribute to Caesar) Part 8.  

They tried all kinds of tricks and traps.  When they did not work they retreated to their dungeons, consulted with each other to come up with other tricks.  Time and time again they continued to seek ways to bring about his downfall and they failed each time.  It was not his time.  It was not his way.  It was not what was written of him that they would bring about his demise.

He would surrender of his own will.  He would lay down his own life because he could.  He would become the sacrificial lamb for all.  So they came and asked him the question as to who to give tribute.  Then Jesus said to them, "Whose are this image and the inscription?" 

They wanted to know what he thought, what he would say.  Would he say that one should give tribute to Caesar and not to God?  Or would he say give tribute to God and not to Caesar?  What would he say that would contradict what he taught and believed?  What would he say that they could use to trap him?  They waited with expectation on his response knowing that either way that he responded he would provide the answer that they wanted to hear.

Teenagers grow up knowing little of the world they live in.  They have great expectations of what the world has to offer but little true knowledge of what really awaits them.  They live in a closed environment at home with their parents and in schools with their friends and associates where they are protected by their teachers and the school system.  

Then comes the time when they go off to college or enter into the world on their own.  In this world there is even less protection and they must rely upon what was given them at home and at school as guidance.  And this is not enough to steer a good course.  It takes a strong environment and a strong family support system to guide one along the path of life.  And without that support one can surely go astray.  

Christ was tested again and again by those that sought to destroy him.  The children of God will be tested again and again in their journey through life.  Pray that they have a strong foundation from their home and their school and their church that keeps them on the path 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 22, verse: 16a; The Herodian scholars.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Tribute to Caesar) Part 2.  

They were determined in their views to trap Christ with their tricks.  They had done this before with other prophets.  So they figured that they could do the same with Christ.  They were arrogant in their beliefs.  They were certain in their knowledge of who they were dealing with.  They were blind to the influence of the evil that motivated their actions and blind to the influence of their own needs.

They believed that they were dealing with an ordinary man.  They believed that they were far superior than this ordinary man even though he seemed to be a prophet.  So they thought that they could outwit him.  They even brought along their best minds to help with the task.  And they sent to him their disciples with the Herodians.  

They were dealing with the Son of God.  Yet they did not consider this a possibility.  They did not think that he would know them, that he would know their thought, their feelings, their wants, and their desires.  Or maybe they were so blinded by the influence of evil that they could not see the truth that was before them.

It is said that some people are so set in their ways that they are unable to see what is plainly before them.  When the truth is unveiled before their eyes the brain is unable to accept what has been revealed, so it denies in order to remain in what has been the accepted way of thinking.  Or even it creates some alternate reason to rationalize maintaining the thought process that it holds without considering the possibility of change.  The truth shatters the old thought process and allows change to take place.  And with that change comes freedom and joy and peace. 

Christ came into this world that the veil of darkness might be lifted and the light of truth would come that we might be able to see again and not be blinded in darkness.  He lit a candle and that candle is the light that is within.  We can choose to see or continue to live in darkness.  We can choose to be free or live enslaved.  We can choose to be at peace in the knowledge that we are rich in him or we can continue to believe that we are poor and must do anything and everything to obtain the riches of this world.  There is nothing in this world that is more precious than the life that Christ has freely given.  Choose freely and keep that which is yours from eternity.

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:27a; The Response to the Question.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The authority of Jesus) Part 7. 

Deceit had taken over.  Cunning was waiting in the wings.  And evil was ready to pounce.  They were back and forth among themselves and with Christ.  Yet he knew the outcome.  He saw their deceit.  He knew of their cunning.  And he was very much aware that the influence of evil had taken control of the chief priest and the elders.

They wanted an excuse.  They sought a way in.  They continued to set the tricks and traps for Christ hoping that he would fall into one of them so that they could have their way with him.  They had their way with the people.  They influenced and controlled them.  They taught them their ways and not the ways of God.  They transformed the Law and made it into their law and their rules, and their practices so that the people would not see what they were doing.

Could they answer the question?  Yes!  Would they answer the question?  No!  The simple answer would lead to their incrimination and their conviction.  So they chose not.  And they answered Jesus and said, "We do not know." 

So they chose not to answer the question.  They chose not to respond.  They chose to deny what they knew was the truth even though they knew the answer that John was from heaven.  They were the learned people.  They were the scholars of the Law the keepers of the history of Israel.  It was written in the books they studied all their lives, the books that they read and memorized from childhood.  Yet they chose not to answer it.

Most children grow up in some form of spiritual background.  They receive their beliefs and spiritual leaning from their parents, and relatives, and spiritual leaders that they encounter in their environment, be it Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhism, or what ever form of spiritual system in their environment.  We all believe in something.  And then there are those who profess to believe in nothing but themselves, the here and the now.  They believe that we are here today and gone tomorrow and after this there is nothing else.

So we are swayed by our spiritual background and influenced by our social living.  If we believe that there is no tomorrow then we live only for today, only for the moment, and anything goes.  If we have some spiritual background then we have some rules or some code to live by.  We have the law that guides us through life.  What guides you?  What set of morals do you live by?  Do you believe in tomorrow, an afterlife?  Where do you stand on the spiritual scale of life?

The chief priest and the elders attempted to be neutral, zero on the spiritual scale.  They did not want to answer the spiritual question concerning John the Baptist, "Is he from heaven or from the people?"  Was he spiritual or was he just physical?  Was he a man of God or just a man from the people?  And this is the question that we are faced with today.  Are we from heaven or just physical?  Are we of a spiritual being or just flesh and bones?  Did we originate through evolution or were we created from the breath of God?  Simple question, simple answer.  There is no neutral, no zero position.  We are or we are not.  Where do you stand?

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.