St Matthew, Chapter 13, verse: 16, The Blessed.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The disciples ask why He speaks in parables) Part 5. 

Oh, what a joy it is for those who know, for they are blessed.  Oh, what happiness it is for those who have, for they are blessed.  Oh, what peace it is for those who see, for they are loved.  For these are the ones who have been called by God to carry the message of the kingdom of heaven.  For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son to redeem mankind.  And such a great love it is that one would die for.  But many do not see.  Many do not hear.  Many are blinded by the glitter of the world.  Many are caught up in the tragedy of life that they do not know that life is not of this world but of a heavenly kingdom.

Christ is saddened by what he sees.  He is concerned by what they do.  He is understanding of who they are.  But they do not understand.  He reaches a hand out to help them but they do not receive it.  He provides words of life but they do not drink them.  He gives justification from the curse but they do not want it.  They are lost and led by the evil one.  They are blinded and told they see.  They are deaf and can only hear those words of the devil and the calling of the world. The prophecy is fulfilled and made known.  They did not hear.  They did not see.  They did not open their hearts to let him in because the evil one held them fast.  

Christ tells his disciples,  blessed are your eyes, for they see; and your ears for they hear.   The riches of the wonders that their eyes beheld, they knew not completely until they received the Holy Spirit.  Then, they truely knew of the glory of Christ.  Their eyes beheld and they knew the wonders that he performed and were able to see them.  Their ears heard his words and they were able to perceive them in their hearts.  But it was not until they received the Holy Spirit that they knew without a doubt that he was the Son of the one true God.  And within themselves they were able to perceive their true nature and their true identity.  No longer did they suffer the wonders of this life.  No longer did they seek the riches of this world.  For they had already receive the riches of the kingdom of heaven and nothing could turn them from their reward.  Nothing could turn them from the gift.  

We, each of us, are given a gift, today.  The gift of sight, the gift of sound, the gift of the heart, must be received in order for it to be given.  One must seek it.  One must desire it.  One must know within, that this is the desire of one's heart.  Otherwise the gift is not accepted.  The gift is not received completely.  Otherwise, the gift is wasted and will not produce fruit.  Some will produce 30% of the time and 70% of the time they will be lost in the world.  Some will produce 60% of the time and the other 40% will be available for the evil one to capture.  Then there are those who truely accept the gift and receive it 100% of the time and produce fruit all the time.  Blessed are they who have fruit to feed those that are hungry, the fruit of peace, the fruit of love, the fruit of hope, the fruit of humility.  These are the gifts that come from the original giver and are grown in us through our seed.  The Holy Spirit will cultivate you.  The Holy Spirit will water you.  The Holy Spirit will provide sun for you.  Why do you not receive Him? 

St Matthew, Chapter 13, verse: 14 - 15, The Prophecy fulfilled.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The disciples ask why He speaks in parables) Part 4.  

Christ had spoken to the people.  He told his disciples that they were chosen because to them the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven was given.  But to the rest of the people it was not given.  And what was given, more will be added in abundance.  But for those who do not have, those for whom it is not given, even that which they have will be taken away.  They do not understand.  Their eyes have been closed.  Their hearing has been blocked. And their perception is lost.  They do not understand the lessons that Christ is giving them that will bring them to salvation.  The evil one has blocked them from receiving the kingdom.

This is why Christ said,  "In them is being fulfilled the prophecy of Isaias, who says, 'Hearing you will hear but not understand; and seeing you will see but not perceive.' "   So Christ and the disciples sit and watch as the prophecy is being fulfilled.  They watch as the people come and go without a hint of understanding.  For they did not come for salvation.  They came for an outing.  They came for a show.  They came to be entertained.  And Christ speaks to them in parables, in stories because they did not understand the meaning of his words.

The evil one has completed his work.  He has possessed the people.  He controls the people such that they do his will.  He has closed their ears that they cannot hear and be saved.  He has closed their eyes that they cannot see the glory of Christ and be healed.  He has possessed the hearts of men that darkness covers them and they unable to receive the light of Christ.  Christ said, "For the heart of this people has been hardened, and with their ears they have been hard of hearing, and their eyes they have closed, lest at any time they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears and understand with their mind, and be converted, and I heal them."  

We live in a world that possesses us, that takes hold of us, that demands our all.  We have all sorts of new glittering gadgets that keep us drawn into this world.  Carrots on a stick that keep us from waking up from the dream that we are in.  We must have more money.  We must have a good job.  We must buy the right clothes, cars, homes, to live right in this world.  The glitter of this world blinds us from the true wealth that we are given through Christ.  Just as the people fulfilled the prophecy of Isaias then, we are fulfilling it today.  Our churches are filled with people who consider it their weekly duty to go and listen to a pastor tell them how they do not measure up to the kingdom.  After the service we go back into the dream not realizing the message that we were just given by our pastors.  Yet another week goes by and we go back into the rut that we have created for ourselves, thinking that we can make our dreams come true in this world.  After all we are shown in pictures, in words, in live examples others who live the kind of life we want for ourselves.  We are blinded by the world, we are tricked, we are led by the carrot, and the prophecy is being fulfilled.

Scriptures pass by us, daily but we do not see nor do we hear the message.  The world has taken away our sight and our hearing.  We seek not the kingdom because we seek the world.  And yet all that is in the world is already given to us in heaven.  If we would only receive it we would understand the meaning of those that have.  For they will have abundance.  And those that have not, even that which they do have will be taken away.  Heed the message.  Open your eyes.  Pray for the scales to be lifted from your eyes.   Ask to have the plugs removed from your ears that you may hear, that you may perceive, that you may be healed.  Seek the wisdom of the Holy Spirit and you will be given.  And you will have abundance!

St Matthew, Chapter 13, verse: 13, The why is given.

Our paragraph topic is:  (The disciples ask why He speaks in parables) Part 3. 

The disciples have questioned Christ as to the why of his change in teaching.  They wanted to know why he was teaching in parables.  They wanted to understand why he did not teach directly to the people as he did before.  Christ explains to them that they are given to understand the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven but to others it is not given.  For to him who has more will be given and he shall have abundance.  But to him who does not have even that which he has will be taken away.  And now the disciples understand the why and the wherefore.  Some have and some have not.  Some will hear and some will not.  Some will receive and some will not.  And some will understand and have abundance and some will not.

Christ explains,  "This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, neither do they understand."   So the people are deaf and dumb to the teachings of Christ.  Precious words of wisdom are wasted.  Knowledge of the kingdom go unheeded.  And there is no understanding.  For some have come for healing.  Some have come for show.  Some have come to be entertained.  And some have come to destroy, to kill, and to steal.  But Christ looks out over the crowd and his heart is filled with sorrow.  His great love for the people is wasted.  His desire to heal the spirit is rejected.  And they do not understand. 

They see him but do not.  They hear him but do not.  They understand his words but do not.  They are lost without hope.  For the evil one has closed their eyes that they do not see.  He has block their hearing that they do not hear and understand.  He has stolen their opportunity for redemption and they do not understand what is being lost.  For they are lost without hope.  Christ does not teach to them.  He teaches through them.  He teaches to the soul.  He calls the inner man to wake and come to life.  He calls the spirit to receive the life that he gives.  He reaches out a hand that they may understand that he is there to help cure their pain, to help give hope, to bring peace into their lives, to give joy to their soul, and to re-establish the kingdom within them that they may know the one true God who loves them.

Can you hear the message or are you asleep?  Can you see the signs or are you blinded by the darkness within?  Christ calls you.  He speaks to the inner man to awake.  He calls to the soul to come to life.  He brings to the body peace and joy in the knowledge of the kingdom of heaven.  Can you hear him?  Can you see him through the darkness?  He is calling you.  Awake! Arise! And come to life in Christ!