St. Matthew, Chapter 21, verse:23b; Christ's authority.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The authority of Jesus) Part 2. 

Christ was a gentle man.  He was not pretentious or self seeking.  He taught with love and understanding giving the people all they needed to comprehend fully.  His words were filled with the spirit of his father and he wanted the people to know his father as he knew him.  For God our Father is the creator of all things.  He gave life to all the world, all creatures, all things.  His creation is good.

Christ is a spirit of power and majesty.  And yet with all the power of the universe he was humble, quiet, gentle, loving.  His rage, his wrath could have destroyed anyone and everyone that displeased him.  Yet not often did that side of him show.  He performed miracles.  He made the dead rise, cured the lame, cast out demons, made the blind see, the lepers whole, calmed the stormy seas and walked on water.  But little did you see or hear of the awesome power he commanded, used.

And then came the chief priest and the elders, and said, "By what authority dost thou do these things? And who gave thee this authority?" 

They were wise men.  They were leaders and teachers and elders.  They were learned men, men of the world, knowledgeable of all that concerned the Law and the people of Israel.  But they did not know him.  They did not know the Christ.  They did not know from whence he came or from what part of the world he came and they were fearful. 

He brought change.  He brought peace, he brought harmony, he brought love.  He brought a knowledge of something more to life than what the people knew as their daily routine.  He brought knowledge of the kingdom of heaven to a people who knew of their God but did not know of his kingdom, of his plans for them, of his love for them.

We today live in the same world as those of yesteryear.  We eat, work, play, love, cry, search for truth, and die the same as they did thousands of years ago.  We know through our churches that there is a heaven and a kingdom of God.  Yet do we believe this?  Are we sure of this?  Is this a certainty in our lives today?  We are challenged.  We will be questioned of our faith.  We will face the winds of change that seeks to turn us in another direction.  How solid are our feet planted in the belief and truth of the authority of Christ that nothing will turn us away from him.

He is our provider.  He is our protector.  He is our caretaker no matter who rules, who is in office, who calls the shots.  God's will be done and we who believe and know will not be turned away from the gift of life that has been freely given to us through the passion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  This is the authority upon which we stand.

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:23a; Christ's teachings.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The authority of Jesus) Part 1. 

Lesson 1, Christ had given the disciples their lesson on faith and the power within it.  He demonstrated with words and example and he instructed the disciples to do the same without wavering.  Little did they know that what they had seen and heard from him, they would be able to do the same because he had told them so.  Believe and do not waver in your belief and it will be done for you.

The disciples had a lot to learn and little time to grasp all that they needed, to carry on the legacy of Christ.  They followed him because they believed.  They stayed with him because of the miracles that he performed.  They knew that they were being prepared for something special but did not know what.  Even the people who listened to his teachings knew that they were special in the message that he gave.  Even the leaders wanted to know.  And when he had come into the temple, the chief priests and elders of the people came to him as he was teaching. 

They wanted to know.  They wanted to hear for themselves what he was saying, what he was teaching.  They were the rulers of the people.  They were the teachers of the people, the ones who set down the rules, interpreted the laws of Moses, and enforced the Law.  Christ came and taught something different.  He came and gave something new.  He came and told the people to love one another, to forgive and do not hate, to be at peace.  But the chief priests and the elders did not like that their teachings were being taught by one who did not follow their practices and principles.

What do we have today?  We have fear.  We have chaos.  We have anger and hatred.  We have the uncertainty of the future after all the talk that was given us over the last two years as to what will come.  Upheaval and change stare us in the face.  And we know not how to handle that which is uncertain, that which is unknown. We are anxious.  We forget though that we are children of another and that we are not of this realm.

Christ saved us from damnation.  He is our savior, our king, our protector, our provider.  Our trust is in him.  Our faith is in him.  Our belief for our future is in his hands and not in the hands of those who would lead us today.  God, our Father,  rose Pharaoh up so that he could demonstrate his power and his majesty to all the world that he is the one and only true God.  His will and his purpose is higher than our purpose and it is our trust and faith in him that must carry us through good times and bad.  As Christ demonstrated to his disciples, have faith and do not waver for it shall be done.  Know that your Father in heaven loves each and every one of us and he will see us through.

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:22; Believing, all things in prayer.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Power of faith) Part 4. 

It is amazing what Christ did for the disciples.  He taught them about the things that come from the kingdom of God.  He demonstrated for them the power of words, his words.  And he told them that they could do the same if they did not waver in their belief.  This was the lesson that they had to learn.  This was the lesson that they had to remember after he had ascended into heaven to sit at the right hand of his Father.

They were amazed and astonished at the miracles he performed.  They believed that he was the Messiah, the Son of God, and that he had the power to do many things.  They did not know or believe that they would be able to do the same.  Yet he gave them the instructions that they could follow.  "And all things whatever you ask for in prayer, believing, you shall receive." 

What do we pray for?  Is it money?  Is it to pay our bills?  Is it to feed our families?  Is it to keep our home and not be set out in the street?  What is it that we pray to God our Father and ask for?  After we pray do we believe that he will hear us and answer?  Do we believe that he will provide?  If we want it now do we believe that he will provide now?  If he does not provide for us now do we continue to believe or do we waver and give up our hope and belief in him? 

We are humans in nature and do not know how to ask for that which will provide for our future.  We are humans and do not know what will truly make us happy.  We are humans and do not know what will bring us true peace.  If we ask for a snake, do you think that our father would give us a snake?  If we ask for something that he knows will not bring us peace do you think that he would give to us that thing that will create chaos in our lives?

Yet we ask for those things that we know not how they will affect our lives in the future.  We pray not for humility.  We pray not for patience.  We pray not for forgiveness, love, mercy, hope, faith, piety, etc, those things that will help us to be more like him.  We know not.  We only know what is in this world and what we believe, by what has been given us, will satisfy and help us.  He know the truth.  He knows the way.  He knows the love and the peace that we need.  He is our father and he gave us and continues to give us life.  His lesson is seek and you shall find.  Knock and it shall be opened to you.  Ask, in prayer, believing, and it shall be given to you.  Do not give up five minutes before the miracle happens.  Patience is the key.  Belief is the door that will open your heart.

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.