St. Matthew, Chapter 23, verses: 24; The gnat vs the camel.

Our paragraph topic is:  (They overstress the nonessential part of religion) Part 5. 

They were so concerned about the minutiae of the Law so they looked for every little detail they could find to burden the people.  The Scribes and the Pharisees were the police of the people.  They were supposed to be the religious leaders, helping the people understand their God, giving praise and glory.  But instead they policed the people in every way they could, making sure that no one transgressed any small detail of what was written or spelled out.

Christ came and called them blind guides because they knew not what they were doing.  They had no idea where they were leading the people.  They thought they were doing the right thing but instead they were moving the people in the opposite direction away from God.  Christ told them they were:  "Blind guides, who strain out the gnat but swallow the camel!"  

They were zealous in their desire to do right for the Lord and their Synagogue.  They wanted to impress their leaders, the high priest, and the Roman rulers to show that they were in control of the people to maintain their positions of power and influence.  

These were hard times for the people.  They were oppressed all around.  For years they had known no hope, only fear and oppression.  But times were changing and a new wind was in the air.  A prophet, John the Baptist, was calling for repentance saying that the Messiah was coming.  This gave the people hope that change was coming.  Maybe the Messiah would come and bring about a change to the oppression of the Roman rule and the oppression of the Scribes and the Pharisees.

What do we look for today?  Are we happy with our current condition or do we seek change?  The nation cries out for a change in the gun laws.  The immigrants seek asylum.  The people seek jobs that pay a living wage.  The students want education without lifelong debt.  The elderly seek the promise of security in retirement with medical care.  What do you seek today?  Does it all matter?  

Will it all make sense to cry out about those things that we need to those who may not care about our needs?  Why do we suffer and worry about what tomorrow will bring when we have a God who will take care of all our needs?  Why are we not at peace?  Why are we not like little children, joyous about today?  Do we trust?  Do we know?  Do we believe?  If we put our faith in him who promised to provide for us, him who promised to be with us throughout all time, what worry do we have?  If we live, if we die, if we suffer, we suffer in his name.  We suffer for his name to demonstrate our love, our faith in him who loved us first.  God is ever-living.  Christ is our savior.  The Holy Spirit is our guide.  Live in peace and joy. 

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 23, verses: 23d; Things you ought to have done.

Our paragraph topic is:  (They overstress the nonessential part of religion) Part 4.  

They were blessed to have known their God.  He spoke to them through the prophets.  He sent messengers to the leaders giving directions and instructions.  He guided them through hard times and he chastised them when they did not listen to his words of wisdom.  Yet they were a hardened people, prone to their own ways.  They had the Law handed down to them by their forefathers to guide their daily lives.  But they had the desires to live in a world of riches like other men.

The Romans ruled over them so they had to obey Roman Law.  They had to keep the peace or suffer the heavy hand of Roman justice or punishment.  Some of the people did not like it and would have rebelled.  But it was up to the leaders of the synagogue to keep the people in line and prevent any uprising.  So the Scribes and the Pharisees, out of fear, found every way to clamp down on the people to keep them in line.  Christ called them hypocrites because they did not believe in their faith.  They only knew the positions of power they wanted to keep.  They did whatever was necessary to rule over the people to keep the Romans happy.

They had a God who created the universe and yet they feared the Romans.  They had a God who separated the Red Sea for their people to cross over yet they gave up their belief and faith in him for fear of the Romans.  They had a God who brought plague upon the Egyptian nation but they stopped having mercy and forgiveness as their God had instructed them.  Right judgment was a thing of the past in the face of the Imperial Roman Cohort even though their God was the God of all mankind.  Christ told them:  "These things you ought to have done, while not leaving the others undone."

Faith, right judgment, mercy Christ tells us are an essential part of our religion, what we believe.  Despite all that happens in the world around us today, we should have a solid foundation in the knowledge and belief that we have a God and Father who cares for us.  He will provide and protect us no matter what happens in the world.  If all else fails, if the world comes to an end, if the sun explodes and the moon crashes into the sea, we will always have our Father to rely upon to take care of us.  We are his children and he is our Father and his love is ours to count on.

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 23, verses: 23c; The Weightier matters.

Our paragraph topic is:  (They overstress the nonessential part of religion) Part 3.  

These were the times of the Scribes and the Pharisees.  The Romans were the conquering rulers of the Jews so they had to abide by their laws.  Yet the Jews had their own religious Law they had lived by for centuries which did not conflict with Roman rule.  But they did not want to have any problems with the new rulers since the Romans were known for their harsh treatment of the nations they conquered.

But the Scribes and the Pharisees went overboard in their efforts to demonstrate to their new rulers they were willing to cooperate.  They found every means to levy new laws upon their people to demonstrate their eagerness to work with the Romans.  They went over and above the law to collect tithes on all manner of goods and services so that they were able to stay ahead of what ever the Romans would ask of them.  

So the basic tenants of their religion went out the window and the people were given new rules to show their appreciation of their God.  They forgot about loving neighbor and helping one another.  It became more about each one for himself.  This is why Christ told the Scribes and the Pharisees they had forgotten about the weightier matters of religion like:  "Right judgment and mercy and faith."

These are the weightier matters of our religion today.  They are the essentials that should be a part of the life of all who call themselves Christians.  Faith is not something that we hear in church on Sundays.  It should be with us everyday, 24 hours a day, everyday of the week, when we are asleep and awake.  It should be in our bones that we have as a part of who we are.  We believe in our God and know that he is ever-living.  He is life and has given life to us through his son Christ Jesus.  This is our faith and what we believe.

Mercy is from the God that we know because he has forgiven us our sins and had mercy on us, just as we should have mercy on those who trespass against us.  Vengeance is his says the Lord and not ours to take.  So we should forgive those as he has forgiven us.

Right judgment is something that we all wish that we had and should prey for daily, for we are but human and subject to mistakes.  It is only through the guidance of the Holy Spirit that we can obtain a right judgment in all things.  For he is our guide, our helper, our protector, our provider that our Father has given us to watch over and keep us.  Through his love we are able to rely on his protection from the trials and tribulations of evil that we will face daily.  It is his love and his protection and his guidance that will lead us down the road to the narrow gate to the kingdom of 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.