St. Matthew, Chapter 24, verse: 27b; The Son of Man.

 Our paragraph topic is: (The sign of the last day) Part 9.  

What are we looking for?  What do we search for each day of our lives?  Is it love?  Is it happiness?  is it money, a good job, wealth, success?  Is it peace of mind?  What is it that we want from life that makes us tick?  If we had lots of money would that fulfill our desires?  Would power to do what we want, make us content?  Would the ability to fulfill our sexual desires when and where we wanted, be enough to make us happy, satisfied, pleasured?  We see others with many of the things that we wish we had, that we desire to have, that we strive to achieve in this life.  What do we really want?

Some are fortunate enough to have the things that we desire.  Many are less so.  And it is those few who have, those few we look up to, with passion in our hearts, that we wish to have the same lifestyle they have.  Yet only a few will achieve that life.  Only a few will reach that top.  Only a few will be chosen to have the riches that they see others with.  The many will strive but fall short of reaching that goal.  

Christ told his disciples that life will not always be the same.  He told them that there will come an end to life when all will be destroyed.  He gave them signs to look for, told them what wonders would happen, spoke to them about people who would become false prophets in order to lead many astray.  Yet there would be no secret meetings, no special conferences, no general sessions that only the few would know about.  The end would come for everyone to see, for everyone to know.  He told them, just as the lightning comes from the east and shines even to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.  

He came in the beginning as the son of a carpenter, the son of Joseph and Mary.  Yet he came that man would have life, a second chance at life.  For God so loved the world that he gave his only son as a sacrifice for the sins of mankind.  Christ came once to forgive sins; he will come again to end the sins of the world.  What do you want?  Do you want the riches that the world has to offer now, or do you want a second chance at eternal life?  In the end there will be no haves and have nots.  All will see, all will know, all will understand that he is the one who gives life to the world.  

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 23, verses: 27b; Whited Sepulchres.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Their hypocritical purity) Part 6.  

They had come together to trick him, to trap him in lies and deceit so that they could bring him before the chief priest and accuse him.  The Scribes and the Pharisees had a plan.  They wanted to stop the spread of his popularity with the people.  Christ performed miracles, healed the blind, the lame, cured the lepers, raised the dead and taught the people a new way to live, a new way to love.  He taught them of the Father, God in heaven, different from the structured manner taught by the leaders of the synagogue.

And the leaders hated him for what he was doing.  They did not like that crowds were following him, turning away from them.  Everywhere he went the crowds came to listen to his words.  The sick and the lame came to be cured.  The possessed of demons were released and a new day was coming about that swept through the land wherever he went.  But the Scribes and the Pharisees did not like what was happening and wanted to put a stop to this new feeling of joy and happiness.  Christ called them hypocrites: "Because you are like whited sepulchres, which outwardly appear to men beautiful."  

They were beautiful.  They were shinny.  They were attractive.  They were desirable to the naked eye.  This was the appearance of the Scribes and the Pharisees.  Their dress, their clothes, their manner, their demeanor,  all very attractive.  And all the people believed that they were the best of the best to be desired by all.  They were to be admired, listened to, followed, and respected in all things.  But Christ saw through all of this to what was really on the inside.

Who are we?  Do we wear masks in public and the real self in private?  We are not perfect beings so everyone has something that they keep from the public eye.  But ask yourself if our hearts are open to the public?  Do we truly love out neighbor?  Do we have love for the beggar sitting on the corner asking for a handout or do we see a drunkard asking for another dime to by his next drink?  Where is our heart?  Where is our love for one another?  Where is our love for 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 21, verse:27b; The Deceit of their answer.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The Authority of Jesus) Part 8. 

They refused to answer the question.  They knew the answer.  They knew the outcome if they were to speak the answer.  Having weighed all the possibilities among themselves they decided that it was best to not answer.  But that was the dilemma of their initial issue.  They came to Christ seeking an answer to a question.  They wanted to know the origin of his authority.  They wanted to know who gave him the power to preach, the authority to teach, the wisdom to know, and the knowledge to perform miracles.  So they came to him with the question.

He saw them coming.  He knew of their question.  And he wanted to answer their burning desire that they too would know from whence he came.  But first they had to open their hearts to receive the truth.  Did they believe?  Did they seek the truth?  Could they open themselves so that they could hear the word and be converted?  Jesus asked them a question to open the door that they may walk through.  But they could not.  They did not.  They decided to close the door and answered that they did not know the answer to his question.  Then he in turn said to them, "Neither do I tell you by what authority I do these things." 

They wanted to know, but they could not understand.  They wanted to see but were blinded.  They wanted to understand but had not understanding except their own.  So in their wisdom they decided to be deceitful.  In their knowledge they could not respond.  In how they saw the outcome there's was no answer.  And that is what they received, missing out on the opportunity to become open to the joy of the word, the peace of the truth, and the love of the Father.

How often are we the same?  How often do we deny that which is within us only to appear real to ourselves and to others?  We can not see.  We can not believe.  We do not allow the opportunity for something far greater than ourselves to become a part of our lives simply because our own thoughts and beliefs have determined that it is not the truth.  Our thoughts are not our own, but those of the world.  Our beliefs are not our beliefs but those given to us buy the influence of that which surrounds us.

It is only by examination of that which surrounds us and that which is within us that we may come to understand who we are, why we are here, and what is our purpose.  Death is not the answer, life is.  Life is what we have here and now and for eternity, if we choose to accept it.  When the world has beaten you down and you know not what to do, the world may suggest giving up.  The world may suggest despair and depression.  The world may even suggest destruction in one form or another. 

Yet there is life.  There is hope.  There is peace and joy that awaits us in the here and now.  There is an unbelievable guide that will walk with us each and everyday to help us along the way.  And then there is our savior who brought us back from death that we may live eternally with him in his kingdom.  We are blessed.  We are loved and cared for.  We are the children of the creator of the universe and he loves each and every one of us dearly.  Our Father who art in heaven, provide for us.  Our Father who art in heaven, protect us.  Our Father who art in heaven show us your 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.