St. Matthew, Chapter 16, verse: 18, The Rock: The Church.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Peter's confession) Part 6.   

And to Simon was given the truth from heaven.  For not by his own understanding did he come to know the truth.  By the revelation of God the Father himself, did Simon come to know, did Simon come to speak, did Simon come to believe with certainty that Jesus was the Christ, Son of the Living God.  For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that mankind would be saved from destruction and damnation.  For Christ came to redeem man from the sin of Adam and to do something more.  He came to establish his kingdom here on earth, on this rock.

The disciples did not know.  They followed Jesus because they felt that there was something different about him.  They followed him because they saw the miracles that he performed.  They followed him because they believed that they would be a part of something greater than themselves and their own accomplishments.  They followed him because they saw for themselves what the crowds felt as he preached and taught a new way of life, different from that which was taught by the Pharisees and the Saducees.  They followed and the crowds followed because Christ was the light of the world.  But there was more. 

This was not just a one time thing; Christ came, he overcame, and he left.  Christ came to do more than just preach and teach.  He came to train and to establish.  He came to build and to create.  He came to dominate that no one and nothing would destroy what he was creating and building, the church.  And so he spoke, that his church would be created.  He commanded that it would be done.  He willed that the evil of hell would not overcome what he was creating.  And so it was and is today.   "And I say to thee, thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it."

And so it began some two thousand years ago that Christ established his church here on this rock.  Nowhere else did he come except to this rock the earth to build his church that would last down through the ages and for eternity.  He will come again to judge, to separate the goats and the sheep, the wheat from the tare, the good from the evil.  Only the father knows the date and the time.  Only the father will be the judge.  Only the father will call an end to all things as we know it.  We all have heard the predictions.  We all have been warned as to the final outcome.  Are we prepared to meet our maker?  Are we ready to meet death, right now?

The gates of hell shall not prevail against the church.  The gates of hell shall not overcome the power of what Christ began.  The gates of hell shall not destroy what Christ created for you and for me.  He gave us a place to grow.  He gave us a place to thrive.  He gave us fertile soil to be nurtured in, a place to be fruitful.  He gave us the seed that is planted within us.  He gave us new life that we may live.  He gives us joy, the knowledge that he is with us.  He gives us protection from the dangers of the world and the evil that awaits us.  He gives us love that guides us and fills us with the knowledge that he is the one sent down from heaven by our Father and our God.  We have a living God who is alive and not dead.  We have a living God that will come to our aid if we open our hearts to him.  We have a living God in the church that is with us, in the church that is in us, in the church that is a part of us.   

Come!  Open your hearts to the love of Christ and accept the church that you are a part of.  Receive the Holy Spirit that you may know the truth of who you are in Christ.  I have and I know who I am in Christ.  I see me everyday in him.  I know me everyday in him.  And the Holy Spirit abides with me.  Follow the path set before you and you too will know the truth of who you are.

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 16, verse 17, The Rock: The Revelation.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Peter's confession) Part 5.    

Simon says that he is the Son of the Living God.  Simon said that he was the Christ.  Simon said that he was the Messiah.  Everyone else said different.  Everyone else called him a prophet.  Everyone else called him Elias.  Everyone else called him Jeremias or John the Baptist.  But no one else would speak what they knew in their hearts but feared to speak.  The law of the Pharisees was upon them.  The punishment of the law would follow them.  The fear of death would walk in their footsteps if they spoke the words that all thought.  

They knew that he was the Messiah.  They knew that he was the Son of the Living God.  They knew that he was the Christ.  But none would speak for fear of death.  None would proclaim for fear of punishment.  None would acknowledge for fear of the law of blasphemy.  Blasphemy had their tongue tied.  Blasphemy had their hearts locked.  Blasphemy had their lips sealed.  But all knew.  And then there was Simon who said.  Simon spoke the words.  Simon opened his heart.  Simon allowed the love of the Father to enter in and the truth came upon him.  Then Jesus answered and said, "Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-Jona, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to thee, but my Father in heaven.   

The truth was revealed.  The truth was spoken.  The truth came forth into the heart of Simon and he put to words that which fear had compelled not to be spoken.  And Christ revealed to all the source of the truth.  Not from his own flesh did the truth come forth, but from the Father himself was the truth revealed.  

What is truth?  If we know the truth will it matter today?  Will we accept the truth if it came to us?  For truth to us is money.  Truth to us today is wealth.  Truth to us today is pleasure, lust, desire, passion, power, prestige.  Truth to us today is what we seek in the world.  We seek to know the things that we believe will make us free.  And yet the things that we believe will make us free will only enslave us, bind us, engulf and overwhelm us into the desires of the world.  Evil awaits us at every turn, every corner, every awaking moment to capture us in its addictive ways and bring us to damnation.

The truth comes to free us.  The truth comes to give us life.  The truth comes to open our hearts to the love that is in Christ Jesus and God our Father.  For it is his love that completes us.  It is his love that provides for us.  It is his love that protects us and guides us in our daily lives.  Be not betrayed by the desires of the world.  Be not misled by what you see and hear in the world.  For you are children of the light.  And light overcomes darkness.  You are not of this world.  You are a spiritual being in a physical body.  Learn the truth of who you are.  Open your heart and let the light of Christ come to you.  Flesh and blood will not reveal this to you but only the father in heaven.  This is how I have come to know that which is truth within me.  Here is my invitation to you from Christ to come follow the path that is set before you and know the truth of who you are. 

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 16, verse:16, The Rock: What Simon says.

Our paragraph topic is:  (Peter's confession) Part 4.   

He asked what the people thought and they answered, a great man, a great prophet.  He asked what the disciples thought and there were no answers.  Not James, not John,  not Mathew, not Bartholomew, not one of the disciples had an answer to his question as to who they thought that he was.  Not one, except Simon Peter.  For Simon spoke what was feared to be spoken.  Simon spoke what was feared to be blasphemy.  Simon spoke where the others would not speak.  But they did not know.

They questioned what type of man he was.  They questioned how he was able to do miracles.  They questioned the power that he had over demons and spirits.  They questioned his knowledge of spiritual matters.  But they did not dare speak who he was.  They did not dare proclaim who he was because of the fear of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.  For it was punishable by death from stoning to commit blasphemy.  And they were fearful of what might happen to them if they proclaimed that Christ was the Messiah.  Yet Simon Peter made the statement.  Simon Peter overcame the fear.  Simon Peter spoke what was feared by the others and called Christ the Son of the Living God.  Simon Peter answered and said, "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." 

And the truth was spoken.  Was Simon right?  Who do we say that he is, today?  In these modern times, most would say that he is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.  But do we believe that, do we know that there is a Living God?  We know that we have to or should go to church each Sunday.  We know that we should prey.  We know that we should not commit sin, but do we not?  For what we know is of the world and what we do not know is of the spirit and of the truth. 

How do you know for sure who you are.  You are flesh and blood.  You are emotions, desires, wants, needs, you are you.  And the you that is you is provided for in the world.  But the you that is you outside of the world is not known.  The you that is you in the spirit is not seen.  The you that is you of the truth of the light of Christ is hidden for you to find.  Will you seek it.  You can find it if you desire to know.  Christ came to give life that we may have it more abundantly.  Yet most, only have life in the physical and not life in the spiritual. 

We see the physical.  We believe in the world.  We know the world is where we live, sleep, eat, play, pray, and die.  And we are consumed of the world that keeps us occupied with the things of the world.  Yet we are spiritual beings in a physical body, a knowledge that most do not believe or know.  And we were created in the image and likeness of our father, the Living God. And Christ came that the life that was given us before the fall of Adam could be restored to those who believe, to those who wanted, to those who sought, to those who know.  Simon says he was the Christ, the Son of the Living God.  Does he live in you?

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!