St Matthew, Chapter 14, verses: 22 - 23, The Test of Heart: The Disciples sent alone.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Jesus walks on the water) Part 1.  

All were filled and the baskets of leftovers were collected.  And there were twelve basketfulls left when the fragments were collected.  The miracle took place before their eyes.  Only now did they realize.  The people were in need.  The disciples did not know how to satisfy their needs so they wanted to send them away.  But Christ told his disciples to feed the people themselves.  They only had five loaves of bread and two fishes to feed multitudes, thousands of people.  But the disciples did not know who they were becoming.  They did not know the truth of the nature of Christ.  And they did not know what he was training them to do.  So they wanted to send the people away.

Christ told them to feed the people themselves but they did not know how.  After the miracle had taken place and all were filled, Christ made his disciples leave.   And immediately afterwards he made his disciples get into the boat and cross the sea ahead of him, while he dismissed the crowd.

And now they are to be tested.  For they were sent away and Christ remained with the people.   The disciple did not know what to do.  They did not know what to think, for the first time they were alone without Christ.  He was on the land and they were in the boat.  He was the Christ and they were his disciples.  He was their coach, their teacher, their mentor, and they were his pupils.  But Christ was not with them and they did not know what to do.  They did not know where to go or what would happen next.  And confusion came to them and remained.   And when he had dismissed the crowd, he went up the mountain by himself to pray.  And when it was late, he was there alone.

So the disciples wanted to send the people away instead of tend to their needs, but Christ sent the disciples away.  He made them get into the boat and cross to the other side of the lake ahead of him for he was to catch another boat, this is what the disciples thought.  They were to wait for him on the other side.  They were to be without him during the travel to the other side.  They were to be tested without Christ at their side.

Are you ready for the test?  Are you ready to be sent forth into the world and wait for Christ?  We live in the world today, without the knowledge and the truth of Christ.  Many carry the word within them but yet do not know the truth of who they are.  Therefore, when the test comes we have no strength to draw from since we do not know who we are and from whom our strength comes.  We call on the Lord in times of need.  We beseech his help in times of trouble.  We seek his assistance when all else fails, but we do not know the truth of who we are in Christ and the strength that he has placed at our disposal.  

Are you ready for the test?  Do you seek to know the truth of your true nature or do you just seek to know what is given to you?  We go to church.  We go to religious studies.  We go to conferences, but do we go to Christ.  For he is our source and our strength and our comforter in times of need, always.  Yet we seek him not.  Instead we seek the temporary fix of church.  We seek the temporary good feeling that church service has to offer and we return to the world for our fix.  Turn to Christ and receive the truth!  Turn to Christ and receive the power!  Turn to Christ and receive the knowledge of who you are in Christ!  He has redeemed us.  He has saved us from eternal damnation.  He has justified and sanctified us before our Father that we may become holy in his eyes.  Hear the good news!  Seek the gospel truth for yourself and he will come to you.  The truth is not in the sanctuary.  The truth is not in the Sunday service.  The truth is not in the religious teachings, religious books, music, shows, conferences.  The truth is within you.  Read the gospel,  read the good news, read the new testament and find it for yourself.  Are you ready for the test? 

St Matthew, Chapter 13, verses: 49-50, The Kingdom of Heaven: The coming Separation of the Wicked and the Just

Our paragraph topic is:  (Parable of the net) Part 2. 

The net will gather all.  The kingdom of heaven is like a net that is cast into the sea and when it is full it is taken up and the fish are separated.  The good fish are kept and the bad fish are cast away.  All are captured in the net.  All are brought to shore.  All are separated.  This is the parable that Christ tells his disciples that they may understand the coming of the kingdom of heaven and the separation that will take place.  The wicked will be separated from the just.  The workers of iniquity will be separated from the those who do good.  The fruit will be separated from the weeds and all will be judged according to their works.

Christ tell his disciples that they may know and understand the truth of the kingdom.  He tells them stories and parables that they may have the wisdom of the kingdom.  He gives them knowledge that they may be able to past their knowledge upon those who will follow them.  For they will be the new shepherds.  They will be the new leaders.  They will be the messengers of Christ after his work is finished.  So, he wants them to have clear understanding and knowledge of the kingdom of heaven. 

He concludes his parable by telling the disciples of the end times.  He says, "So will it be at the end of the world. The angels will go out and separate the wicked from among the just, and will cast them into the furnace of fire, where there will be the weeping, and the gnashing of teeth.

The prophecy has been spoken.  Time will reveal the truth of its making.  The angels will come and separate but the net will capture all.  Will you be among the just or will you be among the wicked?  The furnace of fire awaits the separation.  Our God is a loving God.  He wants all to be separated into the just.  He wants no one to be put into the furnace of fire.  This is the why of the prophecy that is given to us today that we may understand.  This is the why of the prophecy that is given to us today that we may know.  This is the why of the prophecy that is given to us today that we may have the wisdom of the kingdom of heaven.  Will you heed the message?  Will you take action today to receive the kingdom?  Find your treasure.  Find your pearl of great value.  Be the good seed that Christ has planted in you.  They all await your search.  They all await your finding.  They all await you receiving that you may have joy and peace here and now, today, on this earth.  For the advodcate waits at your door.  Open and let him in.

St Matthew, Chapter 11, verses: 20 - 22, The Reproach.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The impenitent towns) Part 1. 

Christ has traveled throughout the region preaching and performing miracles.  He has sent his disciples through the towns and villages on their solo journey casting out devils, healing the sick, opening the eyes of the blind, making the lame walk, and raising the dead.  Christ gave them the power to perform these miracles.  They have encountered the dark forces of evil in these places and overcome, because of the training that Christ gave them.  Now Christ looks back upon the completed work and makes his observations.

He says, "Woe to thee, Corozain!  Woe to thee, Bethsaida!  For if in Tyre and Sidon had been worked the miracles that have been worked in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes."   Christ mourns for those towns and villages that have not repented when the message of the kingdom was preached in them.  For he has told his disciples to kick the dust from their feet as a sign of those who do not receive the message.  Those towns and villages will receive the wrath of God on the day of judgement and Christ laments for them.  For what would it take to bring about repentance.  Corozain did not repent.  Bethsaida did not repent.  Tyre and Sidon did repent but without miracles.  Great will be the wrath in those towns and there will be no mercy.

Christ says to them,  "But I tell you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you."   For on that day there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth and the wrath of God will come upon them.  They have rejected the message sent from God through Christ.  They did not hear the call for repentance because their minds were closed and their hearing was blocked by the evil one, and they refused to turn from their evil ways.  The call was upon them and they did not listen and in the day of judgement they will know their sorrows, they will know their pain, they will know the one true God who came down from heaven to offer salvation.

How true is this message today?  What cities and towns live in evil and do not heed the message of Christ?  Will the sin city see repentance?  Will the sun bathing capitol see repentance?  Will the city of angels see repentance or the new jack city come to life?  All have had the message preached in them and they do not heed the message of wrath that will come upon them.  You who believe escape to safety.  You who heed the message leave the cities and live outside the gates. Live according to the spiritual precepts preached by Christ.  Forsake the sin and evil ways of the world.  For we live in a time of destruction.  We live in a time when mankind is held in captivity by the evil one and the world knows not Christ. 

Depart from them children of God.  Leave before the wrath of God comes upon you.  You are the chosen ones.  You are the lost sheep that Christ came down from heaven to redeem.  Let not his redemption be in vain.  Christ mourns for all his children, for all his brothers and sisters.  For their will be great suffering on that day of judgment.  But until that time God is merciful.  God is patient.  God is loving and he wants all his children to have the opportunity to repent.  He wants all his children to have the opportunity to turn from their wicked ways.  Be ever thankful for that opportunity and let others know that they have the same opportunity.  The Holy Spirit will guide you and protect you if you open the door and welcome him into your heart.  For he will teach all.  Christ mourned for the children in his time.  Let him not mourn for us in our time.

St Matthew, Chapter 11, verses: 11, John the Baptist, the messenger.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Christ's witness concerning John) Part 3. 

Christ has witnessed to John the Baptist.  He has told the crowds that John was the messenger that was written about in the scriptures.  He was the one who would proclaim the coming of the Messiah as was written.  John was the choosen prophet of God who would be sent before the face of Christ and would prepare the way of the Lord by preaching repentence and baptizing the people in prepapration for the coming of the kingdom of heaven.

Christ now proclaims the greatness of John.  He tells the people,  "Amen I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen a greater than John theBaptist."   Christ wants the crowds to know of John.  He wants them to understand that John was the real deal, that he preached truth and knowledge and wisdom.  John knew the Messiah.  There was no doubt or scandal in John for he was a holy man and Christ proclaims his greatness.  For of all men born before John, including all the prophets, John is the greatest.  He was loved of God and spoke God's message to the people.  There is not scandal in his words.  

So John the Baptist is great on earth, but Christ tells of John's presences in heaven.  He tells the crowds, "Yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."     John is great on earth but in heaven there is one greater.  The least in heaven is greater than John.  The least in heaven has received more glory than John.  The least in heaven has more power and prestige that John, because the least in heaven is Christ.  Christ came to serve mankind.  He came to give of himself and not to be served, though he deserves to be served and honored, he choose to give up his heavenly power and glory to come to earth to save mankind from damnation.  Christ is humility.  He is the source of all humility.  For he humbled himself for the sake of those who knew not humility.  He humbled himself for those who knew not love.  He humbled himself so that we could all have life in the father and salvation in the kingdom of heaven.

Are you humble in the eyes of God?  Do you know who is the least in heaven?  In our society today humility is not a trait to be desired.  We are to be bold.  We are to be daring.  We are to be people of passion and power.  For this is the way of the world and the way that the world tells us that we are to succeed.  Be bold!  Be daring!  Be full of power!  But do not be humble for the humble are walked upon.  The humble are laughed at.  The humble are scoffed at, ridiculed, and belittled.  They are the ones who do not succeed in this world because they do not take the world by the horns.  Christ was a humble man who died for us all.  He came to earth to show us how to live a humble life.  And he is the King of Kings and the Lord of Hosts and sites at the right hand of God.  Are you the least at work?  Are you the least at home?  Are you the least at church?  Are you the least in the market, at the mall, in the grocery store, at the club, in the restaurant, wherever you are?  Are you the least?  Christ gave us the example of humility to follow.  When will we learn the power in being the least in Christ?

St Matthew, Chapter 10, verse:41a, The Reward.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Blessings for the Apostles' benefactors) Part 3. 

In the previous verses Christ talked to his disciples about the message they carried and how they would be received.  The messenger carries the message.  He is only the bearer of the news in the message.  And the news comes from the one who sent the message.  If a king sends a message to another king he sends it by messenger.  The messenger carries the message and the king receives the message because of the bearer of the message and who sent it.  The disciples bare the message of Christ.  They are the ones who will be received based upon the message and who receives the message.  If the message is not received then the disciples will not be received and the one who sent the message also.  Christ told his disciples that those who receive them are also receiving him, Christ.  But even more so, those who receive Christ are receiving the Father in heaven who sent Christ to earth to carry the message to the people.

Who will receive the message?  Who will not receive the message?  The forces of the evil one will work against the disciples to prevent the message from being received.  They will use all kinds of tricks and traps to prevent the people from receiving the message, either individually or as a whole.  The disciples know that they are going into battle.  They have been in training with Christ for this moment when they will face the people who have been blinded and deceived by the evil one.  They are aware of the danger they face and who is behind that danger.  Yet they must make every attempt to reach the people.  They must unveil the tricks of the demons.  They must come with force to demonstrate to the people that they come with the power of God behind them.  They must cure the sick, heal the lame, raise the dead, and cast out all demons so that the people will be able to see clearly and hear soundly the message of the kingdom. 

Christ tells his disciples that there will be rewards to those who receive.  He say,  "He who receives a prophet because he is a prophet, shall receive a prophet's reward."   There are stipulations to the rewards that will be handed out.  Who is a prophet?  How does one recognize a prophet?  What distinguishes a prophet from any ordinary man who wants to be a true prophet.  Many will say, " I am a prophet."  Many will prophesy about things to come.  Some will speak the truth about future events and some will speak circumstances.  But how does one recognize a true prophet?  What distinguishes one from the other?  For both will prophesy.  Both will speak about things to come.   Both will have influence over the people to sway their thoughts and minds.  Who is real and who is false?  Christ says that one should receive a prophet because he is a prophet and that will determine one's reward. 

Christ is a prophet and he is God, one in being with the Father.  He speaks the words of the father bringing the message to the disciples and to the peoples of Israel and to the Gentiles.  God spoke through Christ.  What is a prophet if nothing more than a spokesperson for God.  For God speaks to the people through the prophets.  If one accepts the words of the prophet then one accepts the words of God.  A true prophet speaks truth.  A true prophet does not tarry in his words.  A true prophet has no words of his own but only those that God gives to him. 

A true prophet communicates with God the way that no other man does because he speaks the words of God.  OH, what a reward to be able to hear the voice of God and to carry his message.  What a gift!  What a blessing!  What a joy to know that the words that are spoken are not the words of the person but the words that come forth from the mouth of God. 

That reward has responsibilities.  That reward has consequences.  That reward comes with a burden.  Many will look upon a prophet with anticipation.  Many will desire to know his words.  Many will demand, request, seek, to know what he will speak for their own passions and dreams and plans.  But the true prophet only speaks the words of God and not his own.  He is but a messenger.  He is only the spokesperson through which the message is delivered.  Receive the prophet because he is a prophet.  Receive him because he carries the words of God and not his own.  Receive him for he is just a human being like ourselves and does not have words of wisdom from God for our own needs but words for the glory of God.  Receive him as you would receive yourself and you will receive the prophet's reward, knowledge of God's words for man.