St. Matthew, Chapter 22, verses: 46a; No One?

Our paragraph topic is: (The son of David) Part 6. 

They heard the question put to them by Christ.  The Pharisees came together to ask Christ a question but instead since they were all gathered together he had the perfect opportunity to test them.  So he asked them a question.  Whose son was the Christ?  To whom did he belong?  Was he the son of David?

That is what they thought and believed.  That is what they knew from their studies.  But they did not go further in their studies to understand the knowledge that David knew, in the spirit, when he was present with his Lord speaking to the Lord of Lords.  David knew the outcome.  He knew that the Christ would come from his lineage.  He also knew that the Christ came before him and was his Lord and savior, even though he sprang from the flesh of his flesh.  And no one could answer him a word.   

No one wanted to have the last word.  No one wanted to be in the right.  No one wanted to show his knowledge of the word but failed when he came against the Lord of Lords.  The battle had gone on long enough.  No one had come many times to question Christ.  He had conspired with the Pharisees to trick him on many occasions.  But now Christ had them all together that he could speak to No One and end the constant attempts at questioning him.  He spoke to the Pharisees in a language that they could understand and he spoke to No One in a language that it could understand so that the battle would end.  And No One could answer him not a word.

We speak in words that have meaning beyond meaning.  They go deeper than just the surface of our speech.  And with the deeper meaning comes understanding of a different nature.  Some understanding is good some not so good.  We are mindful that the spoken word comes not, most times, without harmful intent.  Yet in other occasions the deeper meaning is quite obvious as being harmful and malicious.  How we respond determines our inner being?  Are we a loving person?  Are we an understanding person?  Are we a vengeful person who wants to retaliate in kind?  

Christ came that we might have life and have it more abundantly.  His passion transcends the trivial darts and arrows that we might suffer from each other.  It allows us to become transparent; it allows such harm to pass through us as we focus on the love of the one who gave us life and the forgiveness of the one whom we shot our arrow of sin against.  Our God is full of mercy.  He is a God of love for all his creations.  I am.  I did not exist but now I am.   I will be thanks to the love of Jesus Christ.  Will you be?  

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, verses: 46a; Fear and Desire.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Application of the parable) Part 8.  

And so they that were within, understood the meaning and application of the parables of Christ.  He had finally reached within them and given them the Word.  They heard it and understood it.  And they were angered.  This was not what they wanted.  The Word broke through the barrier and was heard.  That which had made them blind, that which had made them deaf, that which had deceived them, did not want them to understand but the word got through.

And when the word reached them, the immediate defense was anger and frustration and call for action.  They wanted to hurt him.  They wanted to seize him and beat him for his words.  But they could not.  And though they sought to lay hands on him, they feared the people.  

The influence of fear and desire play a great part in our lives today.  We desire to be rich.  We desire to have wealth and popularity, as we see in the media.  We want to be stars, followed by all the public.  Yet we can not, unless we break the boundaries of the laws and seek to be in the news any way we can.  Flash lights and cameras are what we seek.  News paper coverage makes our hearts desire as we read and recount the deeds that we accomplished.  Robbery, murder, unbelievable stunts that bring attention to our bravery or foolishness, are the desires that make the adrenaline rush and the heart beat faster.  We desire fame, we desire fortune.

For most fear holds us back.  Fear is our deterrent.  Fear of failure, fear of injury, fear of criticism, fear if punishment, fear of embarrassment, are all the emotions that keep most of us from doing things that we would neglect later.  Yet the influence of desire and fear are duel emotions that play a part in our lives and it is the influence of one or the other that drives us to act or do the things that we do in our lives.  It takes courage to go against the grain, to go against the flow, to not follow the crowd.  We are social animals and require others in our lives.  We must have others of like mind to support our own beliefs and desires.  

We all want to get to heaven yet no one wants to die, no one wants to make the transition from physical to spiritual.  We are afraid.  So we put off consideration of what may come.  We put it in the back of our mind fearing to think of it until we ourselves are faced with the consequences or we see the consequences of others.  We are afraid of death.  Yet death is but a door leading to the riches and the wealth promised to us by the one who has come and gone before us.  Heaven is real.  God is real.  His love is overflowing.  The Spirit will guide.  The Spirit will lead us along the way.  He is our social guide our leader as we walk the path of life.  Fear not.  Rejoice in that which awaits you at the end your journey here on earth.  For we go to a far far better place than we inhabit now. 

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.