St Matthew, Chapter 16, verse: 11, The Leaven: The Understanding

Our paragraph topic is:  (The leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees) Part 4.   

And there they were, standing among themselves, after having been in a heated argument, listening to Christ chastise them.  They did not yet understand.  They had lost all memory of what had happened with the five loaves and five thousand men.  Their minds were focused upon a simple, what they believed, a failure on some one's part, to bring bread that they would not go hungry.  Yet before them stood the creator of bread and wine.  Before them stood the creator of all things that would provide and protect them.  The leaven had crepted in and was infecting their minds and bodies and spirits.

Christ was appalled.  He could not believe what he was hearing, what he was seeing, and what he felt in his heart for those that he cared so much for and loved.  These were his future candidates.  These were the ones who were to carry the gospel throughout the world.  And here they were arguing among themselves about a material thing called bread.   Why Satan himself must have stood amongst them and laughed at how easily they could be persuaded to loose the one thing that gave them life, love for one another.  Christ had to bring understanding.  He had to call forth order.  He had to bring back their memories of the things that had come before them that they would know and see the pettiness of their behavior.  He said to them:   "Why do you not understand that it was not of bread I said to you, 'Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees'?"
 
It was not of physical but of spiritual.  It was not of bread but of leaven.  It was not of death but of life that he spoke to them that they would know the truth.  Yet they were still in the flesh.  They were still in the body.  They were still not in the spirit that Christ wanted to make them aware of who they were.  For the flesh was of death.  The spirit is of life.  The flesh commands attention but the spirit awaits the truth.  The body says I am.  But the spirit knows I am.  The flesh says now.  But the spirit says eternity.

Why do you not understand that it is not of paper and dots and dashes that I write?  Why do you not remember who brought you to this place, this blog, this moment in time that you would be able to read what is written?  Is it just words?  Is it just nonsense?  Or is it the awakening of something more in you that desires life, that desires love, that desires peace?  For your inheritance has been given.  Your light is seeking to be seen.  Your joy is waiting for your embrace that you may know the truth of who you are in Christ.  Created in his image and likeness, your light will shine throughout the world that many may see and know that you are a child of your father and creator.  Come, walk the path that is before you.  Open your heart to the love that awaits you.  Know the truth of who you are and your life starts anew.  Christ 
awaits you.  The Spirit seeks you.  God, your father, loves you. 

Read the signs 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 and 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 16, verses: 9-10, The Leaven: The Teaching.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees) Part 3.   

The disciples argued among themselves.  They argued.  They were angry.  They opened their hearts to evil thoughts.  They were misled.  They were becoming infected by the leaven of the Pharisees and yet they did not know.  They did not understand.  They did not see what was happening. They forgot the miracles that were given them.  They had no true belief in the one who stood before them and warned them of the things that were taking place in their presence.  Christ called them.  Christ accused them.  Christ warned them that they might see the truth.  Yet they argued over something as petty as to who forgot to bring the bread, even though they had the bread maker in their presence.

It was not the fact that they did not bring bread.  It was not the fact that they had to accuse someone of being negligent.  It was not the fact that they were angered among themselves.  It was the fact that evil was creeping in  among them and they could not see it coming.  They were unable to understand.  They had forgotten the subtlety of its coming.  Christ had to call their attention to what was happening.  Christ had to teach them.  He had to show them.  He had to remind them of what was happening now.  They had witnessed the miracles take place before their eyes to feed thousands and yet they argued over not having bread when they had the bread maker before them.   Christ had to remind them so that they would understand and see how they were being affected by the leaven.    He told them:  "Do you not yet understand, nor remember the five loaves among five thousand men, and how many baskets you took up?  Nor the seven loaves among four thousand, and how many large baskets you took up?"

Just as Christ taught his disciples then, he is teaching us now.  Have we forgotten?  Do we not understand?  The leaven is among us and is working every minute, every second of our lives.  It is like a plague, a cold, the flu.  It will spread and infect all.  We must be on our guard less we forget, less our memory is blinded, less our sight is taken away.  For the evil one wants to turn us away from the truth that is before us.   He wants us to forget the times when we were down and had no one to turn to.  He wants us to forget when Christ answered our prayers and picked us up from the depths of our despair.  The leaven wants us to call the miracles that have happened in our lives, mere circumstances.  The leaven wants to bring chaos, fear, doubt, frustration, anger, hatred, hopelessness and all the other emotions that will open the door for evil to come into our hearts. 

Let us not forget the times when we were in need and he performed a miracle to help us.  We did not see it as a miracle but our prayers were answered.  We were helped.  Add it up to circumstances but God is the circumstance in our lives.  He watches over us.  He provides for us.  He heals us.  He forgives us because he loves us so much and does not want to see us suffer the fate that was made for the fallen angels and the evil one.   Beware the leaven, it will infect.  Beware the leaven, it will blind your memory.  Beware the leaven it will open the door to evil.  Beware the leaven, it will change you.  Remember all the things that have happened in your life, brought you to Christ that he might save you.  Come, receive the Holy Spirit and live the life of truth.  For once you know who you are, there is no turning back.

Read the signs 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 and 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 14, verses: 20b - 21, The Needs of the People: All are Satisfied and the Leftovers

Our paragraph topic is:  (Jesus feeds five thousand) Part 4.  

All ate and were satisfied.  The people were in need.  They needed food.  They needed guidance.  They needed leadership.  They needed hope.  All were in need.  John the Baptist was their voice in the wilderness.  John preached repentance.  John showed the people the way to salvation and told them that the Messiah was coming.  John gave the people hope.  And then John was no more.  And chaos came.  And doubt came.  And fear came and the people did not know what to do.  But Christ came and saw their hopelessness.  Christ came and saw their needs.  Christ came and had compassion and all were satisfied.  For he healed the sick, cured the lame, opened the eyes of the blind and fed the multitudes.

The disciples did not understand.  The disciples did not see.  The disciples did not know who they were and who they were becoming in Christ.  For he told them to feed the people themselves.  But they wanted to send them away for they were fearful of the needs of the people.  But Christ satisfied their needs.  Christ fulfilled the needs of the people and showed his disciples what they were to do.  Do not send the people away because you do not understand!  Feed the people.  Christ told his disciples, bring them here to him and he would satisfy their needs.  And so he demonstrated to the disciples what they were to do when they are faced with the needs of the people.  Bring them here to Christ and he will satisfy their every need.

And they all eat and were satisfied.  For Christ blessed the five loaves and the two fishes, broke them and gave them to is disciples to give to the people.  And the baskets were passed around to the people.  The people took their fill from the baskets and the baskets replenished themselves.  The baskets did not empty.  The baskets did not overflow.  The baskets continued to fill the needs of the people and the miracle took place before their very eyes.  And when every one had taken of the baskets and no one was left to take from the baskets, the baskets stopped replenishing itself.  And as the people broke the bread and the fish and ate, the bread and fish replenished itself and all were filled.

And when the people stopped breaking the bread and the fishes, the bread and the fish stopped replenishing itself and there were leftovers.    And they gathered up what was left over, twelve baskets full of fragments.   Now the number of those who had eaten was five thousand men, without counting women and children.

Five thousand men were fed.  Many women and children were fed.  All were satisfied.  All ate till they were filled.  And the baskets stopped replenishing and the bread and the fish stopped replenishing when all were filled.  And there was no one left to take from the baskets or no one left to break the bread and the fish.  But twelve baskets were left from the five loaves and the two fishes.  The miracle took place before their eyes and all were amazed that had eaten.  For Christ had satisfied their needs and no one was sent away.

Why do we not have miracles today like this one?  Why do our disciples of today not feed the people?  Why do our disciples of today send the people away?  Each Sunday and everyday of the week the people come to places of worship in need.  They come seeking faith.  They come seeking hope.  They come seeking to have their needs met and are sent away with crumbs without being filled.  And they return again to receive the crumbs and are sent away without being filled.  Christ said bring them to me.  And yet the people are not being brought to him.  Can we go to Christ and be filled?  Can we go to Christ and not thirst again?  Can we go to Christ and see  the miracle take place before our eyes? 

How do we go to Christ?  How do our disciples, our pastors, our ministers, lead us to Christ?  Do they know how to lead us to him?  What is the path to Christ?  Have they been lead to Christ themselves?  Will we have to come back again and again to only receive crumbs or will we be filled, no longer needing temporary satisfaction?  Christ said, bring them to me.  He will satisfy their needs.  How do we know when we are with Christ?  Can we tell when we are with Christ?  What sign do we have to know that Christ is with us?  How can we know? 

Each Sunday we listen to sermons on various subjects from the bible by ministers and preachers.  Can they show us how to come to Christ?  Have they come to Christ that they can show us the path to have Christ with us?  What must we do?  What is the way?  How do we receive Christ within us that we no longer thirst?  For he will satisfy our needs.  He will not send us away.  He will come and abide with us that we may know.  And he will give us a sign that we may know the truth of who we are in him.  For through him, and in him, and with him, we become one with the father.  Come, ministers and preachers, feed the people.  Bring them to Christ!  Show them the way that they may be satisfied eternally!