St. Matthew, Chapter 23, verses: 13b; Shutting the Kingdom of Heaven.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Woe to the Scribes and Pharisees) Part 2.  

In this paragraph Christ continues to scold the Scribes and the Pharisees on the wrongs they are committing against the people.  He scolds them not to berate them but to show them the error of their ways and hopefully to heal them.  He wants to give them every opportunity to change, every opportunity to turn from their evil ways, every opportunity to save their souls from the possession of evil within them.

They are the leaders and pillars of the religious community responsible for the souls of the people.  Yet they do not open the doors of heaven.  They do not show how to follow the commandments of God, they are not the examples of faith that the people need to return to God.  Christ calls them hypocrites:  "Because you shut the kingdom of heaven against men."

They knew the consequences of their actions.  But they did not care.  They only believed in their actions to maintain their own status in society.  They were privileged people.  They were honored in the public places.  They were recognized for their positions.  They were believed to be pious and holy followers of the Laws of God.  Yet the truth was exactly the opposite.  For behind closed doors the piety came off, the beliefs were different and they cared not for the people of God.

We see many examples of this same behavior today.  People profess to be one way in public but out of the public eye they are an entirely different person.  God sees what we do and how we think.  He knows our inner most thoughts.  We cannot hide from his gaze, he knows who we are.  Yet for those who are true to his sight, those who make an effort to follow his commandments, even though they may stumble and fall, he still loves and forgives.

Our belief in him opens the door to his heart.  Our faith in his promise transforms us into his children.  Our trust in his glory gives us the guidance needed to walk a path lit by the light of the spirit.  Our knowledge of the things that he has done for us, his protection, his provisions, strengthens us to know the truth of who we are in him.  Our love for him grows daily with each waking hour because we have the proof and the delight of being able to see his light of life within us as we know who we are.

God is our Father.  He is our creator.  Christ Jesus is our Lord and our Redeemer.  Through the love of God and the passion of Christ we have the choice today to choose.  We are not dead.  We can have life and have it more abundantly.  The choice is ours to make.  Open the door and he will come to you.  Seek his love and he will touch you.  Allow your heart to know that you are loved and you will see the truth of who you are in him.  God is love.  Christ is our redeemer.  The Holy Spirit is our guide.  Belief is your key to a new life, eternally. 

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:13b; The Den.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Cleansing of the Temple) Part 4. 

God's place was defiled.  It was invaded and unclean.  The people did not know but the evil doers knew.  The high priest allowed it.  The scribes wrote about it and considered it workable and necessary.  They did not consider that evil and greed would come into the holy place.  They did not think that the temple was a holy place meant for the worship of God the Father.  They only considered how it would help the merchants of the day.

But even with the best of intentions, evil used those intentions to come into the temple and defile the holy place of worship.  God's house is a place of worship.  His house is a place of prayer.  His house is a place of peace where the people can come and send up their wants and needs to the Father.  But the priests and the guardians of this holy place allowed it to be defiled.   "But you have made it a den of thieves." 

What do we believe today?  We have churches on every corner on every street, of every denomination, of all beliefs.  Are they places of worship, places of peace, places to go and give thanks to God our Father for all that he has done for us? 

I grew up in a church and there I found peace and happiness.  But then I left that place and went out into the world and lived the way of the world.  And I lost my way.  For many years I wanted to return to that place of peace, that place of comfort, that place of happiness.  But I felt cast out, without a home, no place to go.  I would drive by the church many times afraid to go in, not having the courage to return.  Then I overcame my fear; I knew that I needed the church in my life.  My life was out of control and I had lost something I needed to find.  So I returned, little steps at a time.  At first once a month, then later, more often.

It was a monk who encouraged me to return completely and take up my place in God's family.  And so I started to come more often and to participate in the service.  I was thankful that throughout all the years away from the church that my Father held my hand and did not let go.  I am grateful that now I have a place to go, a place to worship, a place to find peace in my life.  I am blest to be a member of the body of Christ and to have a church family.  

Most of all I am blest to know who I am in Christ and nothing can change that knowledge.  The world has nothing to offer that I do not already have.  For now I know that the Father loves me, provides for me, and cares for me.  I know that that for which I long for is not of this earth but with Christ Jesus in heaven and his love is the only thing that can fulfill my longings.  My house is clean and is not a den for evil to dwell in.  Come!  Clean your house and become one who knows the truth of who you are 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 20, verse: 13b, The agreement.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Parable of the laborers in the vineyard)
Part 19.

We have been talking about the laborers in the vineyard and how their minds and their hearts were changed when it came time for payment for the services rendered.  Christ told this parable to his disciples in comparing this tale to the kingdom of heaven.  He said that the kingdom of heaven is like a house-holder who went out to the market place seeking workers for his vineyard. 

Christ was seeking workers here on earth to do the work for his father, the house-holder.  The labor was needed here on earth to carry the message to the people.  Christ would not be here and he needed someone to carryon his work to lead the people and to speak with them about the Father.  He needed followers.  But he wanted those followers to know what he was asking them to do.  And he needed them to understand the reward that was being offered them.  For once the agreement was made then outside influences would enter and seek to change the minds of the laborers just as it did in the parable.  In the parable the question becomes:  "Didst thou not agree with me for a denarius?"

Agree with me.  Let us have an understanding.  Let us come to know each other and then we will have an agreement.  The laborers agreed to the compensation but later wanted to change the contract.  They became angered, and bitter and disgruntled about what they had agreed to and this was the central issue.  They saw that others got more for less work.  They saw that others who came after them received the same amount as they for less work.  They agreed to the amount from the beginning but later wanted more than what they had agreed.

Christ wants his disciples to understand that they needed to have an understanding.  They needed to agree with him on what was needed, what had to be done.  For the work was plentiful but the laborers were few.  And then came the outside influences that would seek to change them, seek to turn them around, seek to change the agreement, change the understanding that they have.  And by influencing the change in the understanding then the door is open to bring forth another mind different from the mind that made the agreement.

The agreement is a symbol of who we are in Christ.  Know thyself.  We are in him and not apart from him.  He is with us and we are not alone.  His love transforms and brings us to the knowledge of who we are.  For we were created in the image and likeness of God our Father.  And Christ is his only begotten son.  And through the passion and the sacrifice of Christ our Lord and Savior we have been restored to life.  Yet the life that we have is not known.  The life we have is not seen.  The life we have is not believed by many and that allows the influence of the outside to come in and seek to change that which is given to us. 

Seek to know thyself.  In that knowledge you will find the truth of who you are in Christ.  We are more than the physical and yet it is the physical that binds us, that holds us, that limits us to not comprehend who we are.  Death has been conquered.  It does not hold us.  It only frees us from the physical and transforms us to our true selves in Christ.  Close the door to the outside.  Open the door to the inside.  And within what is within you will see the truth of who you are in Christ.  For Christ came as a light to the world.  And he left that you may become his light.  Open your heart and see the light that is within you and Christ will send the Advocate to be with you forever.

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.