St. Matthew, Chapter 22, verse: 21a; Caesar.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Tribute to Caesar) Part 9.  

They had crafted their question with precision so that every word would weigh upon a given response.  Was it lawful to give tribute to Caesar?  Christ was not concerned with local politics.  He was not steeped in regional or national politics.  His was the concern of his father, the kingdom of heaven.  His concern was the politics of the universe and the whole human race not that of the local, regional, or national leader.  Yet the Herodians sought to test him with this question on tribute.

He knew not Caesar.  He knew not the local coinage.  He only knew that which his Father had given him to know and see and do.  He had a mission and a purpose given him by his heavenly father and there were those who sought to impede his progress.  There were those who sought to trap him.  But they were not successful.  He knew about their scheme, their plan and he went along with what they were doing.  So he asked them for the coin of tribute and he asked who's image and inscription it was upon the coin.  They said to him, "Caesar's." 

They were in his world and he was in theirs.  They did not know him but he knew them from eternity.  He saw them but they did not see nor hear him.  They were blind, deaf, and dumb to the word.  So he played their game, answered their questions, and gave them what they thought that they wanted to hear.  His was the universe, theirs was the grain of sand on the earth.  His was the augh and majesty of the Father, theirs was the pain and death of the flesh.  They knew not nor sought not.

Who do we know today?  Do we know our Father?  Do we know Christ the redeemer?  Do we know the life he has given us?  Do we know the light of life that is within each of us?  Can we get in touch with the living energy that is ours for eternity?  Or are we only here for today and gone tomorrow to the darkness?  What do we see when we close our eyes?  Is it darkness or is it the light of life?

Christ is with us if we only seek to find him.  He will come if we call him.  He will provide if we ask for his help.  He will protect us if we know him and believe in him.  He is the living Son of the Father.  He is the Son of Man.  He is the Son of God our Father, the creator of the universe.  And he is the origin of the love that we seek to fill our needs.  For nothing on this earth can satisfy the need that is within us except that which comes from God.  He awaits your call.  He will rejoice at your voice.  He will reward you with riches if you only believe in him and seek his wisdom and knowledge.  God loves.  God is!

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 20, verse: 18b, Betrayal: The Prediction of Death.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The third prediction of the passion) Part 2. 

Christ has taken his disciples aside and told them of his future.  He is going up to Jerusalem where he will face death.  He is going on a suicide mission because he knows that he is going to die as a result of his trip to Jerusalem.  He clearly understands his mission.  He knows what is at stake.  He has given himself up to the outcome of his journey.  He follows the will of his Father.  And it is that will which he has accepted that will lead to his death.

Christ tells his disciples the details of how his death will happen.  He knows and his disciples know that the powers that be are out to end his teachings and his popularity with the people.  The rulers do not like what he is doing, they do not like his teachings, they do not like his criticism of how they control the people of Israel.  And yet he proceeds to Jerusalem knowing that his life is in danger.  He tells his disciples:  "And the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the Scribes; and they will condemn him to death." 

And they will condemn him to death.  How many of us today would do the same?  How many of us today would do something that we knew would lead to our death?  Quite the contrary most of us would run from death.  Most of us would do anything that would take us out of harms way and preserve the life that we have.  This is only human nature.  This is our natural instinct to protect ourselves, to keep us from harm, to preserve the life that we have.  We are not the Messiah.  We are not the chosen one.  We are not the Christ.  But we are Christ like.

Our father created us in his image and likeness.  He gave us the same life spirit that he himself has.  He took of himself and gave to us.  We are spiritual and physical.  We are flesh, body and spirit.  Yet we do not recognize that part of ourselves that is spiritual, that part of us that is eternal, that part of ourselves that is real and everlasting.  The spirit does not die.  The body is dying everyday, decaying before our eyes.  We all must face death.  It is inevitable.  It is necessary.  It is a part of who we are, part physical, part spiritual.  Why is it then that we treasure the physical more than we do the spiritual?  Why is it that we do not embrace the spirit within us, acknowledging that there is more than just the physical?

Christ came that we would know the truth of who we are.  He came that we would have an example.  He came to teach us the truth of our Father, our creator.  And he gave us a path to follow, a knowledge to believe, a light to help us in our walk in darkness.  We should have no fear of death.  We should embrace the transition of death for it is but a gateway that leads to our true home in heaven with our Father.  Many await our coming.  Those who have gone before us will rejoice at our coming.  Happy is that day that we go home to the Father.  Happy is that day that we meet our maker.  Happy is that day that we see ourselves as we are seen in heaven.  Happy is the day that we are embraced by the all fulfilling love of our Father.  Christ went up to Jerusalem to face his death but he went up to Jerusalem to go beyond death and to go home to his Father.  Come!  Let us understand that Christ awaits our coming home that he may rejoice with us in heaven.

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 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 20, verse: 17-18a, Behold: The Prediction of Death.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The third prediction of the passion) Part 1. 

We now begin a new paragraph topic where Christ speaks to his disciples about the future.  He has told them many things in confidence over the past years.  But now he speaks to them about what is going to happen in the future.  He wants them to know.  He wants them to understand.  He wants them to see the plan of the Father.  But they do not understand because they have not yet received the Advocate that will open their eyes to all that he has spoken.

The disciples are followers.  Soon they will become leaders after all that they have learned from Christ.  His journey is coming to an end and theirs is about to begin.  So Christ is preparing his disciples for what is about to happen.  They will be shocked.  They will be terrified at what will happen.  But for now they are being told of the future to come.  And as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside by themselves, and said to them,  "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem." 

Behold we are going up to the place where things will happen.  They were going up to the place where all will be revealed, where all will take place, where the end will happen and the beginning will be revealed.  He wanted them to know.  He wanted them to understand what will transpire so that they will understand and not fear.  Christ has taught his disciples through the years.  He has performed miracles, healed the sick, cast out demons, made the lame walk, the blind see, brought back those who were dead.  He completed all these miracles to demonstrate to his disciples that the power of God his Father was with him and that he was the Messiah.

They followed him because they believed.  They knew that he was the Chosen One who had come to save the people.  Yet they did not know how he would save them.  They did not know what had to be done.  They did not know that he would have to die to complete his mission.  And they did not know that he would come back to them from the dead after having been crucified on the cross.

But this was their legacy.  This was their proof.  This was their evidence of who they believed him to be.  We read about this in the witness that has been left for us in the Bible.  We were not witnesses as they were.  We were not there to see with out own eyes, to feel with our own hearts and hands.  Yet we are given this legacy from those who were there, from those who did see, from those who were a part of the truth.  Can we believe?  Can we know?  Can we become a part of their witness, today? 

The truth lies within you.  The proof of who we are has been given us through the legacy left behind by those who were there.  And the witness is that which will come to reside within us.  The Spirit will testify.  The Spirit will enlighten us.  The Spirit will guide, light the way, protect, provide and fill us with the love that comes from the Father.  We are all created in his likeness.  We are all his children.  We all belong to him, if we choose.  We have a choice.  We can choose.  But the proof lies within us if we seek to know.  The truth lies within us if we desire to find.  The truth lies within us if we knock and open the door to the all fulfilling love of the Father.  We are going up to Jerusalem.  Will you come and see?

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 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.