St. Matthew, Chapter 24, verse: 28; The Body.

 Our paragraph topic is: (The sign of the last day) Part 10.  

What is truth?  Christ is telling his disciples truths they can rely upon before the last day.  They need to know.  They need to understand what will happen when things start to go awry.  Fear will come upon the people, and many will not know what to do.  Many will panic and create lies and theories that suit their own thinking.  But Christ wants to strengthen those who will listen and believe his words.

We believe in what we can see, what we can touch with our senses.  These are the truths that we rely upon to help us survive.  Christ tells us truths to help us know when the last day is coming, great signs and wonders, false prophets, tales of Christ appearing in different places.  These are all truths that will happen that the people can see and witness with their senses to know and not be fearful of what is happening.  He tells them another truth that they know:  "Wherever the body is, there will the eagles be gathered together."  

They have seen this truth.  They know this truth.  They believe this truth.  They trust this truth.  They understand this truth.  They can take comfort in knowing that once they see this truth that there is meaning in what they see and believe.  Christ has told them.  The world has given them proof of it and they can believe him and his words because he has called upon what they know and believe. 

What do you know and believe today?  Will you see the last day?  Will you be alive when it comes?  Will you see the great signs and wonders that are to come?  Will you experience the tales of Christ being called in different locations?  Or will your transition take place before this time?  No one knows the time or place when it will happen.  We only know that it has been given to us that it will happen.  It has been given to us to believe or not to believe.  It has been given to us to expect the worse or not to expect it.  It has been given to us to prepare for it or not to prepare for it.  It has been given to us to pray for his help that we may be worthy to receive his grace or not to receive it.  The choice is ours to make.  Where are you?  What do you believe.  What is your truth? 

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 24, verse: 20a; Fleeing in the winter.

 Our paragraph topic is:  (The destruction of Jerusalem) Part 7.  

The tragedy of the destruction of Jerusalem becomes even more disturbing as Christ continues to paint the picture.  He tells of all the odd things that are going to occur to the people who are not aware, those who do not believe and continue to deny what may happen.  He has come from on high to bring a message to the people.  He has come from the Father to save the people, to bring forth a new beginning.  Yet few will listen, few will believe.

If love and tenderness will not move then surely fear will raise awareness.  Fear of impending doom will make people listen.  Fear of death will reach the inner most reaches of the most hardened person and bring them to some sense of reality.  Fear of loss, fear of loosing that which one has, fear of loosing the luxury of the day will cause one to take action to make something happen.  For he told the people:  "But pray that your flight may not be in the winter."

Pray that there would not be a winter if destruction comes.  Pray that they would not have to flee in the cold, in the wind, in the rain, in the ice of winter.  They lived in Jerusalem, in a warm climate.  Winter was non-existent to them.  They knew of it but not to the extent that it would cause them to fear for their lives.  They could prepare for winter by storing up food and planning to have heat in their homes.  But to have to flee during a cold, cold winter with the wind and rain and ice, would be fearfully unbearable.  That would be something no one would want to undertake.

Yet Christ was telling the people to pray.  He was telling them to pray that that would not happen to them, that God would spare them of that suffering of cold during escape from their home.  Would they listen?  Would they hear his words and believe.  They saw the miracles he performed.  They knew of the many he had cured.  They knew of the dead he had raised.  And no other prophet before him had come close to doing the things that he did.  He was the Messiah.  But what did that mean to the people?

What does it mean for us today?  We have the Bible that tells us of all the things that Christ did while he was here on earth.  We have the disciples that he left behind that established the church and taught and trained the early saints.  We have the writings of those apostles and saints to guide us in our daily lives.  We have the whole foundation of the church and the built up ministries to go by to help us live according to the principles that Christ gave us.  But what does it all mean?  

What does it mean for you and me is what we want it to mean in a relationship with ourselves and the one who gave us life.  If we understand one thing it is we have life eternal through the gift that Christ gave us.  Not life today, not life tomorrow, not life for a minute, or an hour but life eternal.  We have life beyond the end of the flesh.  And that one thing should be our waking and living focus day in and day out.  The knowledge that through Christ we are more than just physical.  We were created in the image and likeness of the Father and because he has life in him we also have life through Christ and his grace, his mercy, and his all giving love.

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: 23a; The Hypocrites.

Our paragraph topic is:  (They overstress the nonessential part of religion) Part 1.  

They were zealots in their desires to control the people.  They believed that every part of the Law must be applied to everyday life or else the people would find ways to get around the Law.  So they created rules to cover every possible way to keep the people in line and to limit any way that would allow outlets for them to get around the Law.

This is why Christ called them out on all the unnecessary rules they placed upon the people.  These were not rules in the Law.  They were only rules put in place by the Scribes and the Pharisees.  This is why Christ admonished them: "Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!"

Again he called them hypocrites in the face of the public that all would know them for what they were, and again the Scribes and the Pharisees were angered at being publicly humiliated.  But they could not see.  They could not understand.  They could not comprehend that this was an opportunity for them to realize who they were and what they had done to the people.  It was an opportunity for them to become open and be healed of their evil influences.  But this was not to happen.

Instead, as we know today, they were too far gone.  They were pawns in the game of chess between good and evil being played out for the prize of mankind.  Christ came to save us from the forces of evil that had held mankind in its grip since the garden of Eden.  Death was born and brought forth into the world and reigned until Christ came and conquered it.  He is the first of the new born.  He is the master and savior of the new man.  

All now have the chance at life instead of death.  All now have the opportunity at eternal life if they choose.  For the life here on this earth is only temporary.  But the life hereafter is for all eternity.  The comparison of life now to life eternal is but a speck of sand to the entire beach of sand.  Yet that choice is ours to make and we each must come to the awareness of who we are and why we are here.  Choose life eternal and not death.

Life is not about how much money you can make or your status, your home or car, or your clothes, or job.  Life is about life, and that is already given to you if you choose it.  Live a good life.  God will provide all that you need.  Trust in his love for you and he will provide.  Do not be anxious about tomorrow for you have a Father in heaven who knows what you need and he will take care of you.  He is loving and caring, protecting and providing.  All we need do is thank him for the saving grace he gives us.  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: 14a; Woe to you.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Woe to the Scribes and Pharisees) Part 5.  

Christ continues to scold the Scribes and the Pharisees about their behavior.  He calls them hypocrites in public for all to hear which is not good.  The Scribes and the Pharisees are respected and honored and to call them hypocrites in public is bad.  

Christ did not do this out of hate.  He did not do this out of jealousy.  He loved his people.  He did this because he wanted to save the Scribes and the Pharisees.  He wanted to open their eyes.  He wanted them to see the truth of what they were doing to themselves and to the people.  But they were so blinded that they could not see, they could not hear his love for them, they could not understand the truth of what he was doing for them.  Therefore, he said to them:  " Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!"

What would you do for someone that you loved that you knew was going in the wrong direction?  Would you try to help them see what they were doing?  Would you do everything in you means to open their eyes to the truth?  What methods would you take to help them understand?  God our father tried to make us understand but we were wayward children driven by the lust of our flesh.  So he almost destroyed the human race.  But he decided to start over with a chosen few.

He gave us free will to choose.  And Christ gave us the choice of new life or death.  His passion and love for the good that he saw in us allowed him to withstand the test of pain and suffering for all mankind.  Not for one or two or three but for all men, all women, all children on this earth.  

We live and die that we might show that we are worthy to have the choice of life with him in heaven.  This is our entire purpose in life.  Recognize the choice.  Remember the choice.  Live the choice in Christ.

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: 4, The Word Fulfilled.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Jesus sends two disciples into Jerusalem) Part 4. 

What was his purpose?  What was his goal that he sent the two disciples into Jerusalem?  They didn't ask.  They didn't know.  They only followed the instructions they were given.  They were even given words to say if they were questioned as to what they were doing with the ass and the colt.  And all went as they were told without any changes.

Many times throughout the Bible we find instructions that were given by God.  Those instructions were meant to be followed without question.  Yet we as humans have to make meaning of what we do.  We have to try and understand, to rationalize, to make things fit into our world.  Where it pertains to God we cannot understand his ways.  Only in retrospect do we come to understanding.  The disciples were given instructions and they followed them.  They only understood later the purpose of what they were doing.  Now this was done that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled.

The whys and wherefores of his actions had already been foretold.  The words of what he would do were already written so that all would know and have knowledge of what would happen.  Even to the ends of the world the words are written for those who seek to know, for those who look to see, for those who want to understand.  The word was fulfilled and will be fulfilled.  Christ came as it was written.  He spoke to us.  He walked with us.  He led us to his sacrifice and redemption that we would know who we are.  He gave us new life.

All this is being done so that what was spoken will be fulfilled.  The God of mercy, the God of love calls us to his name.  He calls us to come home to him where we belong.  We are not of this world.  We are not of this realm.  We are not physical beings even though we live and breathe in a physical realm.  We are his children.  We are created in his image and his likeness, waiting for the day that we will be transformed and become new beings.  We are like the caterpillar that lives as a worm crawling the earth.  And then one day it crawls into its cocoon and is transformed into a beautiful butterfly.

Happy are those who know.  Peaceful are those who understand.  Fulfilled are those who see that which they are.  Knowledgeable are those who know and trust in him.  Wise are they who worry not the trials and tribulations of their daily lives.  They are the ones who have been given purpose, who have been touched by his love, who know the reality of his presences in their lives.

He awaits your calling.  He awaits your belief.  He awaits your needs that he might come and sit with you and show you his love.  The words have been spoken through the prophets.  They await fulfillment.  They await your awakening from darkness into the light.

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:22a, A Mother's misunderstanding.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The mother of James and John) Part 5. 

The mother of James and John came before Christ and made her demands for her sons.  She spoke what they would not speak.  She asked that her sons be seated with Christ on his left and on his right when he comes into his kingdom and sits upon his throne.  She believes that they deserve the place of distinction.  She knows, in her mind, that they are worthy of such an honor above all the other disciples.  They were the first to follow him.  They were the first to believe in him.  They were born to the role that they now follow as disciples of Christ, the Messiah.

All their lives the Jews have waited for the time when the Messiah would come.  Their history told them of this time.  They believed that he would come and redeem them.  They knew of the promise made by God but did not know the time that it would take place.  So they lived their lives in expectation of what would happen.  And when it did happen not many knew or believed that the time had come.  But the apostles James and John believed.  They knew that he would come and they prepared all their lives for the time when it would happen.  And that time had come and they were a part of history in the making.  Yet little did they know what they were a part of.  And little did their mother know what would come.  She only knew that he had come and now was the time for redemption.  So she came and made her request thinking that the redemption would be of an earthly or worldly event.  But Jesus answered and said, "You do not know what you are asking for." 

And certainly they did not understand what they were asking.  They thought that he would come and overthrow the rulers.  They thought that he would come and create armies and take back all that was stolen.  They thought that he would come and be declared a new king over all the rulers.  But they were mistaken.  He did not come to conquer the world.  He did not come to destroy the rulers of the world.  He did not come to be served as a king.  He came to become a lamb.  He came to be sacrificed.  He came as an offering to compensate for the sins that man had committed.  And they thought that they wanted to be with him in his sacrifice.

They did not understand that they were asking to be a sacrifice.  They did not understand that they were asking to suffer and die.  They did not understand that they were asking to be scorned, beaten, bruised, battered, mocked, and crucified on a cross to suffer and die.  For this was the price that had to be paid for the sins that had been committed.  This was the price that had to be paid for redemption.  This was the price that was due for all the wrongs that man had committed against the commandments of God.  And they thought that they wanted to be a part of this price that had to be paid. 

Can we say the same today?  Do we want to be a part of the price that Christ paid for our redemption?  Do we want to suffer?  Do we want to deny ourselves?  Do we want to be beaten, mocked, suffer and die for what we believe about the Christ that came to die for us?  Is that something that we can accept?  Most would say no.  Most would not think of suffering.  Most would not think of sacrificing themselves for someone else.  Most would not be able to see the good in those actions.  Yet it is through the suffering, the pain, and the sacrifice that Christ was able to save me and you and all mankind from damnation. 

We were dead and now we have life.  We transgressed and now we are forgiven.  We were lost but now we are found and redeemed.  It is only through acceptance that we are able to find that which was lost.  It is only through recognition that we can come to the light.  It is only through sorrow that we can come to joy.  And it is only through the search that we are able to find that which was originally ours in the beginning.  The path is open.  The way is fixed.  The light of life is within you if you only seek.  For Christ has paved the way.  All we have to do is follow.  The choice is ours to make.  Redeem what was lost or loose what was taken away.  Only you can make the decision.  Come!  Christ awaits with open arms to receive you with love.

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.