St. Matthew, Chapter 22, verses: 46b; Any One?

Our paragraph topic is:  (The son of David) Part 7.   

No one could speak to the answer.  No one could utter a word.  No one could respond to the question of whose son he was.  No one knew the answer but he would not reveal it to the Pharisees.  It was not to be known or spoken of.  It was the revelation that would open the minds and hearts of those who wanted to know.  No one knew but did not want the others to know.

And so the question of the Christ went unanswered in the minds of the Pharisees.  They would not see.  They would not understand.  They could not be healed because No one would not have it.  Neither did anyone dare from that day forth to ask him any more questions. 

No One and Any One were together in their quest to trick the Christ.  They came together with the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and all those who were against him.  Each time they would attempt to trick him.  Each time they would seek to try him in the public eye.  Each time they would scheme in their hearts to do him harm to no avail.  It was not his time, until the time of his arrival in Jerusalem.

When is our time?  When will we go?  Will we know?  Some will and some will not.  For some the thief will come in an instant.  Others will know that the time has come for them to leave this plane and go to another existence.  Others will ask for his hand and call upon him to bring them home.  We all must go at some point in this journey.  We all must face the transition of life, death, and spirit.  It is our nature, given us from birth, from conception, from existence.  I am, we are, we shall be according to the will of God our Father.  Amen. 

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 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 22, verses: 45; How is he his son?

Our paragraph topic is:  (The son of David) Part 5.  

The spirits are talking and David is listening.  He is in the mist of the Lord of Lords listening to the conversation of his Lord speaking to his Lord.  David was special.  He was chosen from among the seven brothers to be crowned a king.  He was favored by his Lord because he was just a lowly shepherd boy working in the fields watching over the sheep and God chose him to be anointed king over his brothers who were full of pride.

But not David.  He worshiped his God and was a humble servant.  And this is why God chose him over his brothers to lead the people of Israel.  So David knew that the Christ, his Lord, would come, from his blood line.  He knew that the Christ would be a part of his children's children.  He also knew from his understanding in the spirit that the Christ would come through him but not of him.  And the question would become:  "If David, therefore, calls him ‘Lord,’ how is he his son?"  

This was the mystery that puzzled the Pharisees.  And if we think of it today, it will also give us a twist of mind.  How is it that Christ could not be the son of David since he was born through the lineage of David?  Yet Christ was not brought forth through David, he was before David, he was before man was conceived, he was before the world was conceived, he was the first born of God conceived of his love.  So whose son is he, God's son or David's son?  Which one can it be?

Before we were, there was nothing.  Before we were brought forth into existence, we were not conceived as human beings.  There was nothing of us.  Nothing of you and me.  We can say that we have parents and grandparents and great, and great and great, great, great parents, but even before them there was nothing.  I came into existence one day and now I am.  My Lord tells me that I will have a short test in the flesh and then I will transform into the spirit and exist for eternity with him, if I pass the test of his commandments, the test of his love.  

My existence will go on into eternity.  I am and I will be.  I came from nothing and I will be into eternity. Can I grasp this concept?  Can I fully understand the magnitude of who I am and the gift that has been given me from my Lord?  I think not.  For I live as though time is limited.  I live as though I am not.  My mind is wrapped in a glass ball not knowing that I am, on the outside looking in, instead of on the inside looking around trying to scrape out an existence.  

My Father and God is my provider, my helper, my protector.  He watches over me.  He cares for me.  He loves me and I love him.  His son has opened my eyes and healed me, forgiven me of my sins, washed away my tears.  I know that I am redeemed.  I would share the overflowing love that is within me with all who would open themselves to the love that awaits them from the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 

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 22, verses: 43b-44; Thy Enemies thy footstool.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The son of David) Part 4.  

Here they were all gathered together, the Pharisees, with the intent of questioning Christ.  But their gathering presented an opportunity for Christ to question them, an opportunity to open their minds, an opportunity to help them see what they failed to see before.  What did they think of the Christ?  Whose son was he?  

Obviously they believed that he was the son of David.  This was their belief all along.  It was written in their history and their ancestry.  But in the scriptures there was another interpretation for them to see and Christ had the chance to open their eyes to this new reading.  So he asked them how is it that David in the spirit is:  "Saying,  ‘The Lord said to my Lord: Sit thou at my right hand, till I make thy enemies thy footstool? "  

And that was the paradox of the question, the Lord of my Lord.  If my son is born of my flesh how can he be my Lord unless he is greater than I?  Is that something that I, we, can concede?  Can the Pharisees believe this in their doctrine of beliefs?  Is this possible?  Is the Christ, son of David greater than David himself?  Can this be true?  This would take some study and review to determine the nature of the truth for the Pharisees.  

What is the nature of the truth for us today?  Can we believe in the Christ?  Can we believe in his words as handed down through the centuries of writings of the many bibles available today? Or do we need to do our own research, go on our own quest in search of the truth to find the God of our beliefs.  He is out there waiting for you to find him, waiting for you to search for him.  Most of all he is in you waiting for you to look within to see him in yourself and in others.  He is a God of Love.  He is a God of faith.  He is a God of forgiveness.  He is a God of mercy.  He is a God seeking you.

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 22, verses: 42b-43a; Whose son is the Christ?

Our paragraph topic is:  (The son of David) Part 3.  

They knew the answer to the question.  They knew their history and their ancestry, for Jesus was from the tribe of David and this was written for all to know.  But they did not know the meaning of this answer.  They were the scholars of the scriptures.  They had studied the books all their lives, but they had not made the connections.  Or maybe they had made the connections but refused to see the truth in them.

Christ was the son of David but he was also the son of God and that was also written.  They, the scholars, did not want to believe that this man was the Messiah.  They did not want to believe that the Christ would come from such a lowly means, that God would send his son in the place of a man with such low standing.  So when they answered: They said to him, "David’s."   Christ responded:  He said to them, "How then does David in the Spirit call him Lord."  

Here was the mind twister, the rattler, the thought that could give them the opportunity to see the truth and be opened.  Christ wanted them to see.  He wanted the Pharisees to understand the truth and be healed.  He had the opportunity to have them all together before him in a group so he posed the question that would make them all think at once.  It would give them the chance to think together, on the same level, to resolve a problem among themselves in his presence.

We are like the Pharisees.  God presents us with problems, issues, that will make us think about the consequences of our actions, of our lives.  He allows things to happen, either to us or for us that we may open our eyes and see who we are.  We are fragile.  We are human.  We are flesh and blood that can easily be destroyed, or injured, where our life is taken away in an instant.  Yet it is not that which is flesh and blood that is of value that we should treasure but that which is of the spirit that is permanent.  We live most of our lives not knowing it and yet it exist within us.  Most times it is not until we come close to loosing it that we realize that it is there.

We are given a choice how to live.  Christ gave us that choice through his love, through his passion.  Thank you Lord for your fulfilling love, for your overwhelming passion.  Thank you for your the sacrifice that you made for me and for mankind.  May we come to understand and know the truth of what you have given us.  Glory be to the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.

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 22, verses: 42a; Whose son is the Christ?

Our paragraph topic is:  (The son of David) Part 2.  

Now the tables are turned and Christ has the opportunity to test the Pharisees in their knowledge and wisdom.  He wants to save them.  He wants to heal them from their blindness.  He wants to open their eyes so that they may see the truth.  So he makes an attempt to purge their minds with a question that might lead them to understand the truth of the scriptures.
They are the Pharisees.  They are the leaders of the people, the scholars who have studied the scriptures all their lives.  They have learned from the masters of their time the inner meanings of the writings of their forefathers.  They should know the answers to these questions.  So Jesus questioned them:  saying "What do you think of the Christ? Whose son is he?" 

They knew the scriptures of the old testament.  They studied them everyday.  They knew the answer to the question.  Would their minds allow them to accept the answer?  Would the answer allow itself to be spoken?  It would contradict everything that they thought and believed.  Yet there it was in the scriptures, the answer that they had not put together with the facts of what was before them today.  Contradiction!  Confusion!  Anxiety!  Would they believe?  

God gave man free will to choose his own destiny.  He wanted to save all mankind at first but Adam failed and Satan deceived.  So the soul of man died for many years until Christ came to redeem mankind and give new life to those who would believe.  The decision is not made.  The decision is ours alone to make.  We must decide, individually, as a group.  Do we live or do we continue to die?  

God our Father loves us.  The proof is in his mercy.  The proof is in his love.  The proof is in the sacrifice of his only son.  

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 22, verses: 41; Jesus questions the Pharisees.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The son of David) Part 1.  

Christ was merciful.  He was kind.  He was gentle.  He was forgiving in that the Pharisees constantly tried him time and time again.  They came at him every way they could because they wanted to show that he was a fraud, a charlatan.  They could not allow themselves to be embarrassed before the people the way that Christ made them feel.  

But that was not the intention of Christ.  He wanted to open their eyes.  He wanted to heal them.  He wanted them to know him for who he really was and not for who they thought that he was.  He wanted to love them but they would not let him.  He taught the people and they were open to him but the Pharisees were not.  Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus questioned them.  

Before it had been that they had came to him with their questions seeking to find ways to trick him.  He played their game each time giving them the opportunity to understand the truth of who in him.  And each time they came away lacking the understanding but filled with anger and hatred that their plans had failed.  So this time Christ decided that he would turn the table and question them attempting to pull the truth out that they might see with their own eyes who stood before them.

Who stands before you today?  Do you walk by the ways of the world or do you walk by your faith?  Today your faith is challenged and hard pressed for direction.  Strick the shepherd and the sheep will scatter.  Where do you go?  Who do you follow?  What do you believe?  Do you still have the strong faith that you had yesterday?  Your church is under attack and is infected by a disease.  Christ said that the gates of hell shall not prevail against the church but he did not say that it will not suffer attacks.

Evil exists in the world both inside and outside of the church.  Just like the human body has an immune system to fight diseases so the church body must have the same.  Our faith keeps us strong and it is that faith that we must nourish and protect.  Christ gave us a new life, a new beginning.  It is that newness within that we must protect and nourish.  We are the light of the world placed of a lamp stand for all the world to see.  Now is the time for our little lights to shine together for the world is watching.

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 22, verses: 40; The Whole Law.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The great commandment) Part 7.   

Here they were the great scholars and the masters of the Law before Christ attempting to trick him with their knowledge of the Law which was handed down to their forefathers from God on one side and there was Christ teaching them from the mouth of God the truth of the Law on the other side.  What a contradiction it was.  They could not see or understand who stood before them, Christ giving them every opportunity to have their eyes opened.

It is said that some people  even when faced with the truth refuse to allow themselves to believe what reality presents to them.  Instead they create false reasons and rationales to continue to support their internal belief systems they have created for themselves.  The Pharisees had the first commandment.  They knew and understood it well.  It was Christ who had to introduce them to the second commandment upon which the Law is based.  And he told them:  "On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets."  

Love was the basis for the Law.  Love the Lord with thy whole heart and soul and mind.  Love thy neighbor as thyself.  Be good to one another.  For the life we live today we will live in heaven with our heavenly father.  There will be no strife.  There will be no anger, no hatred, no fear, no doubt, no darkness as we know it on earth.  We will live in the light of the Lord our God and he will provide all our needs.  Our happiness comes from and flows through him.  We will be fulfilled in peace and harmony with the Lord.

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 22, verses: 39; The Second great Commandment.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The great commandment) Part 6.  

They stood before him burning with pride thinking that they knew the Law.  They were the scholars, the ones who had studied the Law for years from the masters.  They were the Pharisees, the religious ones that the people revered for their knowledge and wisdom.  Yet here was Christ who had not formal training of the Law who knew what they knew and more.  

They came time and time again asking questions to trick him before the crowds.  And the went away time and time again having failed in their endeavors.  The crowds saw their failures and were amazed at the knowledge and wisdom of Christ.  They thought that they knew the great commandment of the Law, but they did not know the second great commandment.  So Christ told them:  "And the second is like it, ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.' "  

These are two powerful commandments upon which the whole Law is built upon.  Love your God with your whole heart, soul, and mind; and love your neighbor as you love yourself, concepts which are completely contrary to the beliefs we live by today.  It is given to us from birth that every man should be for himself when the time comes.  If it comes down to who lives and who dies between to people most would choose themselves.  In the world of getting ahead we would do most anything to our neighbor to promote ourselves and downplay our co-workers.  So these principles that are given to us from Christ requires practice and work to accomplice in today's world.

But there is something more to the picture than meets the eye if we look beyond the words and understand the truth of who we are in Christ.  We are spiritual beings not physical persons even though we occupy the physical shell for the moment.  For those who know themselves, the light within tells them that they are created in the image and likeness of God our creator.  And he has given us a home, a place more beautiful, more wonderful than anything that this world could ever offer.  Nothing in this world can fulfill our wants and desires except his love.  And his love is so overwhelming that it fills us with everlasting joy and happiness.  

It is that love that we would like to share.  It is that love that we would like to give to others.  It is that love that we would like others to know for themselves, if they choose.  For love is freely given and not forced.  Love is shared and not demanded.  Love is open to all who would accept and those who will not accept, love is still there.  For God is love and he would love all his creation but he gave free will to accept or reject.  And those who reject, pray that their eyes are opened that they may see the truth of who they are in Christ before the thief comes and takes away their choice.

God is merciful.  God is loving.  God is forgiving.  God is patient until the end.

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 22, verses: 38; The First Commandment.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The great commandment) Part 5.  

They put him to the test thinking that he would fail.  One of the Doctor's of the Law asked him the question that they believed he would not know having not studied under their direction.  But they were wrong in their assumption, for he knew the great commandment of the law, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with thy whole heart and with thy whole soul, and with thy whole mind."

And he recited it to them as though he lived it.  But he added more to that statement to let them know that he also was knowledgeable of the Law.  He said:  "This is the greatest and the first commandment."

You see they only knew about the great commandment as being the foundation of the Law.  They did not know that there was another commandment that was also a foundation principle of the Law.  They were the scholars.  They were the ones who studied the Law.  They read it, discussed it, practiced it, applied to their lives and the lives of the people on a daily basis.  So they believed that they knew it like the back of their hand.  Yet here comes a commoner like Christ who knew more about the Law than they did.  How was that possible?

And this was the way of God working according to the promise that was made to the forefathers of those who believed in him.  The prophets foretold the coming of the Messiah and the redemption of the people from sin.  They foretold of his sacrifice, the resurrection, and his ascension into heaven.  All this written down for those future generations to read and believe.  

It is there for those who want to know, for those who seek to find, for those who are tired of what the world has offered.  You see, once your eyes are opened and you are healed, you know the truth of what happened.  So, the struggle becomes keeping your eyes opened, keeping the truth in front of you, and following the path given you by your spirit.  For the Spirit will lead you and guide you every day.  The Spirit will protect you and provide for you.  Your life will be filled with joy and peace because now you have a path, a sense of direction, a purpose and a goal in life that leads to fulfillment.  We are his children and he is our Father.  He will care for us. 

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.