St Matthew, Chapter 13, verses: 18 - 19, The seed by the Wayside.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Parable of the sower explained) Part 1.  

And now for those who do not understand Christ explains the parable to his disciples and to those in the crowd that are listening.  Christ said OK, I will give you the message that you may understand.  He said OK, because they asked it of him.  He said OK, because they showed interest in what was being said.  He said OK, because they sought to know the meaning of the parable.

Christ said,   "Hear, therefore, the parable of the sower.   When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, but does not understand it, the wicked one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart.   This is he who was sown by the wayside.     

And so they were told.  And so, it was given to them.  And so, their eyes were opened and their ears heard the meaning of the message.  The seed was sown.  Would it be taken away?  Would they understand even though it was given to them?  Would they hold to the message that was given to them?  The message was given to them to keep in their hearts and to defend against the attacks of the wicked one who would seek to take away what was given them.

Are you the one sown by the wayside?  Did you loose what was planted in your heart?  Christ has given you the message.  Will you receive it?  Will you nurture it?  Will you feed it that it may grow?  Or will it be taken from you?  Sown by the wayside.  Christ loves you even more.

ST Matthew, Chapter 13, verse: 17, The Desire of Prophets and Just men.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The disciples ask why He speaks in parables) Part 5. 

Opportunities knock at our door each day.  The opportunity to speak a kind word, the opportunity to lend a helping hand, the opportunity to give to the needy, the opportunity to share with others less fortunate, seek us daily only to be turned away.  Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy, is our daily opportunity.   Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven, is our opportunity to give to others, our opportunity to share our blessings with those less fortunate.  Blessed are they who mourn for they shall be comforted, is our opportunity to lend a helping hand to those who weep in sorrow and pain.  Opportunity to have the Spirit of God knocking at our door, is the choice of what we have and yet we do not receive him.  

Our Christian beliefs brings us to salvation.  It cleanses us of our old dead spiritual self and gives us new life in Christ.  We are born again.  But new life in Christ requires renewal.  It requires preservation.  It requires feeding, nurturing, and exercising lest it dies from starvation and 
malnutrition.  Opportunity comes and sits at your door to renew your new life and it waits.  Opportunity comes and waits at your door for you to open it and welcome him in and you go out the back door, thinking it is the front.  Christ came to give new life to man.  But he left the feeding and the nutrition of the spiritual body for us find in the Bible.  He left the nurturing of the new life to be received in the coming of the Holy Spirit. 

We Christians are millions today and still growing.  Christians from all walks of life, all nationalities, all races, creeds, and colors call Christ their savior.  Millions and still growing.  Yet how many have seen or truly know the Holy Spirit.  How many of the millions can say that they have received him?  How many know within themselves that they have the Holy Spirit within them?  Yet Christ said that he would send Him.  Christ said that the Holy Spirit would teach all things.  Christ said that he would be our advocate.  Yet few know him.  Few have him.  Few receive him.  There should be a holy cry among the people that that they have the Holy Spirit.  There should be millions walking in the light of the Holy Spirit by his guidance.  Yet to speak of the Holy Spirit is to speak of ignorance, for few speak with certainty of knowing him.

Christ told his disciples that they were blessed for their eyes have seen and their ears have heard the words of the teaching of the Living God through Christ.  He said,  For amen I say to you, many prophets and just men have longed to see what you see, and they have not seen it; and to hear what you hear, and they have not heard it.    And yet the opportunity is there for all to see and to hear each day.  All we have to do is to pick up the book, turn on the radio, change the channel to tune into God.  Yet our ears are blocked and our eyes are blind and we do not see.  We are programed to like what the world has given us.  We are compelled to watch drama.  We are driven to see action.  We are drawn to see lust and passion.  And the spirit calls to us daily.  Some have the opportunity to respond.  Some do not.  For their lives are cut short before they have the opportunity to change.  And judgment at death is final. 

Those who knew, longed for the day when it would happen.  Those who listened, waited for the opportunity to hear the words.  They knew that the opportunity would come.  There was no doubt within them.  They watched daily and listened by the hour.  Those who were faithful were so until the ends of their lives.  Many longed to see but did not see.  Many longed to hear but did not hear.  Yet the opportunity is still hear today.  Do you long to hear the words of Christ?  Do you long to see the coming of Christ?  Are you watchful and patiently waiting.  Seek the Holy Spirit and know.  Ask for his coming and there will be no doubt.  Know within yourself that you can know and you can see, and you can hear the words of Christ as he dwells within you.  He sits at the door.  Open it, invite him in, and you will know.

St Matthew, Chapter 13, verse: 16, The Blessed.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The disciples ask why He speaks in parables) Part 5. 

Oh, what a joy it is for those who know, for they are blessed.  Oh, what happiness it is for those who have, for they are blessed.  Oh, what peace it is for those who see, for they are loved.  For these are the ones who have been called by God to carry the message of the kingdom of heaven.  For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son to redeem mankind.  And such a great love it is that one would die for.  But many do not see.  Many do not hear.  Many are blinded by the glitter of the world.  Many are caught up in the tragedy of life that they do not know that life is not of this world but of a heavenly kingdom.

Christ is saddened by what he sees.  He is concerned by what they do.  He is understanding of who they are.  But they do not understand.  He reaches a hand out to help them but they do not receive it.  He provides words of life but they do not drink them.  He gives justification from the curse but they do not want it.  They are lost and led by the evil one.  They are blinded and told they see.  They are deaf and can only hear those words of the devil and the calling of the world. The prophecy is fulfilled and made known.  They did not hear.  They did not see.  They did not open their hearts to let him in because the evil one held them fast.  

Christ tells his disciples,  blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears for they hear.   The riches of the wonders that their eyes beheld, they knew not completely until they received the Holy Spirit.  Then, they truely knew of the glory of Christ.  Their eyes beheld and they knew the wonders that he performed and were able to see them.  Their ears heard his words and they were able to perceive them in their hearts.  But it was not until they received the Holy Spirit that they knew without a doubt that he was the Son of the one true God.  And within themselves they were able to perceive their true nature and their true identity.  No longer did they suffer the wonders of this life.  No longer did they seek the riches of this world.  For they had already receive the riches of the kingdom of heaven and nothing could turn them from their reward.  Nothing could turn them from the gift.  

We, each of us, are given a gift, today.  The gift of sight, the gift of sound, the gift of the heart, must be received in order for it to be given.  One must seek it.  One must desire it.  One must know within, that this is the desire of one's heart.  Otherwise the gift is not accepted.  The gift is not received completely.  Otherwise, the gift is wasted and will not produce fruit.  Some will produce 30% of the time and 70% of the time they will be lost in the world.  Some will produce 60% of the time and the other 40% will be available for the evil one to capture.  Then there are those who truely accept the gift and receive it 100% of the time and produce fruit all the time.  Blessed are they who have fruit to feed those that are hungry, the fruit of peace, the fruit of love, the fruit of hope, the fruit of humility.  These are the gifts that come from the original giver and are grown in us through our seed.  The Holy Spirit will cultivate you.  The Holy Spirit will water you.  The Holy Spirit will provide sun for you.  Why do you not receive Him?