St. Matthew, Chapter 24, verse: 10c; Those who hate.

 Our paragraph topic is: (He tells them of trials and hard times to come) Part 6.  

To them he looked like an ordinary man, but that was far from appearances.  He was more than what he appeared to be.  He saw more, he knew more, he understood more than ordinary man.  And he told his disciples more.  Hard times were to come and he wanted them to know, to be prepared.  The sheep would scatter.  The leaders would be persecuted.  The believers would become martyrs.  Many would turn against one another and dark times would prevail.  

Christ didn't have a crystal ball to tell the future, he knew it.  It was as if he could see what would happen in the future, as though time stood still and he walked through the future to see it all unfold.  He knew that there were many true believers who would become saints.  They sacrificed themselves for their beliefs.  He also knew that there were those who professed to believe but were hypocrites.  They were the ones who would turn and run for their lives.  He told his disciples, their would be those who would deny their belief:  "And will hate one another."

They had to hate in order to survive.  Survival was important to them because it was what they knew.  They did not know the Word.  They did not hear the message.  They did not accept the Word of God that there was more to life than just the physical.  Christ came to testify to the spiritual.  He came that we would have life, true life beyond just the physical.  And many missed the message of the kingdom of heaven that he came to give us.

Today we have the Word.  Today we know that there is life after death.  Christ came and conquered death.  He arose from death and ascended into heaven back to his Father where he sits at his right hand until the time comes for judgment.  We have a choice today.  We can choose life or we can choose death.  We can choose to believe or choose not to believe.  We can choose to love or choose not to love.  We can choose to be with Christ and have life eternal or death eternal.  This is what we are given today.

There is so much love and joy and happiness waiting for us in heaven.  All we have to do is accept and believe that we have a father who loves us.  Belief opens the door.  Love fills the heart.  Faith allows one to see the truth of his hand at work in your life.  Prayer speaks to him of our weakness, our fears and doubts.  It shows him that you seek his mercy and his love.  Open your heart.  Open your mind.  Open your soul and let him in.  For he is the fulfillment of all your dreams.

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: 19a; Blind Ones.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Their distorted religion) Part 9.  

We grew up signing the nursery rhyme three blind mice not knowing its meaning.  Christ calls the Scribes and the Pharisees blind fools, blind guides, hypocrites because they have created a distorted religion that they teach the people.  He even tells them that they are making converts to their religion that are becoming sons of hell.

They hound him.  They dog him constantly thinking that they might catch him in some trick to accuse him of some transgression of the Law so that they might punish him and silence him of his teachings to the people.  They refuse to see.  They refuse to hear.  They refuse to understand who they are dealing with.  In their minds they believe that Christ is an ordinary man attempting to lead the people away from the rulers of the temple.  Yet this is the one belief that keeps them from seeing the truth that is before their eyes.  And this is why Christ calls them:
"Blind ones!"

They could not see.  They were blind to the truth that was right before their eyes.  Many people are that way today.  Rather than admit an error or their wrong they rather deny the truth knowing that they were wrong.  They create a false lie in their minds in an attempt to make themselves believe that the lie is the truth.  Then there are those who just are not able to accept the truth that is presented to them right before their eyes.  Their minds break down and do not accept what they see.

We cling to what we know, what we can feel and see.  For many everything else is make believe.  Yet the physical and spiritual nature of who we are is a fact, we are one person in two bodies, physical body and spiritual body.  Christ came that our spiritual body would not die.  He came to pay the price for our sins.  Now we have a choice.  We can live in the physical body and die in the spiritual or we can die in the physical and live in the spiritual.  The choice is ours.  The belief is ours.  The asking is ours.  The love of our Lord and Savior is ours to believe.  He came for us.  He died for all of us.  He awaits our call.  Call his name! 

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, verse: 19; The Coin.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Tribute to Caesar) Part 7.  

Christ knew nothing of money.  He had none.  His kingdom was not of this world.  His father provided all his needs and he lacked for nothing.  His lodging was provided for.  His food was given to him through his disciples.  He had clothing.  He had friends and followers who cared for his every need.  So he had no need for the trappings of the average person who sought to have wealth and money and valuables. 

But the Herodians sought to bring this concern to him so that they might have his thoughts on the earthly desires of who mankind should serve.  They asked Christ should man give tribute to Caesar.  Christ in turn asked:  "Show me the coin of the tribute." So they offered him a denarius.  

They offered him a coin with the face of Caesar so they could determine if he would say give tribute to Caesar.  By saying such he would be telling the people to not give tribute to their God as they were given to do for centuries.  For it was their duty as Jews to give tithes to the temple to support the synagogues throughout the years as members of the Jewish faith.  Yet here they were, the Herodians, seeking to get Christ so say otherwise.  But he knew of their trickery.  He knew of their wickedness and he saw through their schemes to trap him.  

They did not know who was before them.  They believed that Christ was an ordinary man, that he was a fake, a fraud, seeking to mislead the people.  The Torah had foretold of the coming of the Messiah.  It spoke of what he would do when he came.  Yet they did not believe or understand that he was the one who had come.  Others were able to see.  Others were able to hear the words that filled their hearts.  Others were able to believe within themselves that he was the One and their hearts were filled with the joy of a lifetime.  Yet there were those who could only believe that he was a fake or a fraud, that he sought to mislead, sought to take away their power and cause trouble for them.

Blessed were they who knew.  Blessed were they who were able to walk in the light.  Blessed were they who were able to hear the words that filled their hearts with joy.  Blessed were they who had such an opportunity in their lifetime to believe in what their hearts told them was the truth.  And blessed will you be when your eyes are opened and your ears hear and you are healed and walk in the light of the Lord.  No longer will you walk in darkness.  No longer will you stumble and fall.  No longer will you loose your way because he will be with you at all times.  He will light your way and guide you along the path of your journey.  Come!  Step out of the darkness into the light.  Become the child of God that you are.  He awaits you.  Christ awaits you.  The angels rejoice at your rebirth.

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, verse: 16a; The Herodian scholars.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Tribute to Caesar) Part 2.  

They were determined in their views to trap Christ with their tricks.  They had done this before with other prophets.  So they figured that they could do the same with Christ.  They were arrogant in their beliefs.  They were certain in their knowledge of who they were dealing with.  They were blind to the influence of the evil that motivated their actions and blind to the influence of their own needs.

They believed that they were dealing with an ordinary man.  They believed that they were far superior than this ordinary man even though he seemed to be a prophet.  So they thought that they could outwit him.  They even brought along their best minds to help with the task.  And they sent to him their disciples with the Herodians.  

They were dealing with the Son of God.  Yet they did not consider this a possibility.  They did not think that he would know them, that he would know their thought, their feelings, their wants, and their desires.  Or maybe they were so blinded by the influence of evil that they could not see the truth that was before them.

It is said that some people are so set in their ways that they are unable to see what is plainly before them.  When the truth is unveiled before their eyes the brain is unable to accept what has been revealed, so it denies in order to remain in what has been the accepted way of thinking.  Or even it creates some alternate reason to rationalize maintaining the thought process that it holds without considering the possibility of change.  The truth shatters the old thought process and allows change to take place.  And with that change comes freedom and joy and peace. 

Christ came into this world that the veil of darkness might be lifted and the light of truth would come that we might be able to see again and not be blinded in darkness.  He lit a candle and that candle is the light that is within.  We can choose to see or continue to live in darkness.  We can choose to be free or live enslaved.  We can choose to be at peace in the knowledge that we are rich in him or we can continue to believe that we are poor and must do anything and everything to obtain the riches of this world.  There is nothing in this world that is more precious than the life that Christ has freely given.  Choose freely and keep that which is yours from eternity.

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.