SETUP
Mosiah 27:31
Video
Sound
Pictures
INTRODUCTION
Read Mosiah 27:31 (read first part through “confess that he is God”).
At Jesus Christ’s Second Coming, everyone will recognize him as the Savior.
This was not true at his first coming. The Jews had studied prophecies about the Savior’s coming for centuries, but many of those who heard Jesus failed to recognize him as the Savior. Because Jesus did not free the Jews from Roman control, as they expected the Messiah to do, many of them rejected him and his message.
Luke Chapter 4
Background
Jesus was invited to read a passage of scripture and comment on it during the service in the synagogue in Nazareth
Setting
Quote 1 - Elder James E. Talmage described the setting. On this occasion, The minister in charge handed the Savior the book of Isaiah. The Savior turned to the part known to us as the beginning of the sixty-first chapter, and read: [Luke 4:18–19]. … The scripture He had quoted was one recognized by all classes as specifically referring to the Messiah, for whose coming the nation waited”
Note
In Jesus' era, it was customary to stand while reading but to sit while teaching.
Read Isaiah 61:1–2 These verses provide a summary of Jesus' earthly mission and atoning sacrifice. The verses referred to a person who was “anointed”—a term the Jews recognized as meaning “the Messiah.”
Video - Jesus declares he is the Messiah (covers Luke 4:15-30)
The people of Nazareth “wondered” at Jesus Christ’s declaration of Himself as the Messiah and questioned, “Is not this Joseph’s son?”
Quote 2 - Elder James E. Talmage explained that the Savior anticipated the people’s response to His message and rebuked their unspoken wish to see proof of His Messiahship: “In their hearts the people were eager for a sign, a wonder, a miracle. They knew that Jesus had wrought such in Cana, and a boy in Capernaum had been healed by His word; at Jerusalem too He had astonished the people with mighty works. Were they, His townsmen, to be slighted? Why would He not treat them to some entertaining exhibition of His powers? He continued His address, reminding them that in the days of Elijah, when for three years and a half no rain had fallen, and famine had reigned, the prophet had been sent to but one of the many widows, and she a woman of Sarepta in Sidon, a Gentile, not a daughter of Israel. And again, though there had been many lepers in Israel in the days of Elisha, [only] one leper, and he a Syrian, not an Israelite, had been cleansed through the prophet’s ministration, for Naaman alone had manifested the requisite faith. Then great was their wrath. Did He dare to class them with Gentiles and lepers? Were they to be likened unto despised unbelievers, and that too by the son of the village carpenter, who had grown from childhood in their community? Victims of diabolical rage, they seized the Lord and took Him to the brow of the hill on the slopes of which the town was built, determined to avenge their wounded feelings by hurling Him from the rocky cliffs”
Read John 1:11 - Jesus Christ “came unto his own, and his own received him not”
This ties back to the introduction when talking about how the first coming was different than what the second coming will be
*** Why do you think some people today have difficulty accepting Jesus Christ?
Luke Chapter 5
Luke 5: 1–9. - Launch Out into the Deep
At the time of his call to be a disciple, Simon Peter was working as a successful fisherman who, with his partners, owned at least two ships. Yet Peter was willing to forsake everything to follow Jesus Christ. The account of Simon Peter forsaking a spectacular catch of fish to follow the Savior is found only in Luke, though a similar event that occurred after the Resurrection is recorded in John 21:2–6.
Quote 3 - Elder Jeffrey R. Holland explained the significance of this event in Peter’s life: “Peter was, in President [Spencer W.] Kimball’s words, ‘a diamond in the rough—a diamond that would need to be cut, trimmed, and polished by correction, chastisement, and trials—but nevertheless a diamond of real quality. The Savior knew this apostle could be trusted to receive the keys of the kingdom’. Time was short. Much had to be done in a matter of months. Jesus prepared Peter as quickly as possible for the call that was to come. ‘Launch out into the deep,’ he counseled this fisherman one morning in Galilee, ‘and let down your nets for a draught.’ After an unsuccessful night of effort, Peter’s expert judgment told him a final effort was useless. But this was a man of genuinely childlike faith, and he lowered the net. The number of fish taken in that single attempt strained the strings until they began to break and filled two boats until they began to sink. In that small ship Peter kneeled, stunned, at the feet of the Master. Jesus said lovingly, ‘Henceforth thou shalt catch men.’ “Launch out into the deep! Peter could not have known the ever-widening circles that single command would make in the stream of his plain and simple life. He was launching out into the expanse of godliness, into the eternal possibilities of redeemed and celestial life. He would be learning the mysteries of the kingdom. He would be hearing unspeakable things. To launch out into that limitless sea of the gospel of Jesus Christ, Peter brought his craft to shore, turned his back on the most spectacular single catch ever taken from Galilee, ‘forsook all, and followed him.’
Jesus called Peter, James, and John to be his disciples. Later he would call them to be Apostles.
What is the difference between a disciple and an Apostle?
Explain that a disciple is any follower of Jesus Christ. An Apostle is a disciple who has been called to be a special witness of Christ (D&C 107:23). The word Apostle means “one [who is] sent forth.” The members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are sent forth to testify to the world that Jesus is the Savior and Redeemer of mankind.
Quote 4 - President James E. Faust said “What is discipleship? It is primarily obedience to the Savior. Discipleship includes many things. It is chastity. It is tithing. It is family home evening. It is keeping all the commandments. It is forsaking anything that is not good for us. …
“… Discipleship [requires] us to forsake evil transgression and enjoy what President Spencer W. Kimball has called ‘the miracle of forgiveness’, This can come only through repentance, which means that we forsake sin and resolve each day to be followers of truth and righteousness. As Jesus taught, ‘What manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am’
*** How has your life been affected because of your decision to follow Jesus Christ?
Read Mark 1:17
How did the miracle with the fishing nets foreshadow the experiences that Peter, James, and John would have as “fishers of men”?
Luke 5:5: “At thy word I will let down the net.” (They would work where Jesus directed them.)
Luke 5:6: “They inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net brake.” (They would find many people who would accept the gospel.)
Luke 5:7: “They beckoned unto their partners … that they should come and help them.” (They would call others to assist in the work.)
Luke Chapter 6 - Jesus calls his 12 apostles
Matthew Chapter 10
Matthew 10 records the calling of the Twelve Apostles and the Lord’s instructions to them.
Quote 5 - After declaring that latter-day Apostles are “men who have a witness of [the Lord’s] divinity, and whose voices have been and will be raised in testimony of his reality,” President Gordon B. Hinckley further described the work of the Apostles: “Their one chief concern must be the advancement of the work of God on the earth. They must be concerned with the welfare of our Father’s children, both those within the Church and those out of the Church. They must do all that they can to give comfort to those who mourn, to give strength to those who are weak, to give encouragement to those who falter, to befriend the friendless, to nurture the destitute, to bless the sick, to bear witness, not out of belief but out of a certain knowledge of the Son of God, their Friend and Master, whose servants they are”
Read v.9–10 - Without Purse or Scrip
In the Savior’s time, a purse carried money, while a scrip was a larger bag used to carry food and other supplies. The Savior instructed His Apostles that they were not to worry about food, clothing, lodging, or other temporal needs; they were to rely on the Lord and the mercies of others for their sustenance. This was in harmony with the hospitality and social customs of the day. Later, in Luke 22:35–36, Jesus revoked this command to rely on the hospitality of the people, perhaps because the Apostles would soon carry the gospel to Gentile nations that did not have the same standards of hospitality and because they would face opposition from the Jews as they went out into the world .
What blessings are promised to those who follow the Apostles?
Read Matthew 10:40-42
To receive a prophet “in the name of a prophet” means to accept him as a prophet and to recognize his words as coming from the Lord (see D&C 1:38).
Quote 6 - Elder M. Russell Ballard shared an example of a young woman who showed by her actions that she received President Gordon B. Hinckley as a prophet. Elder Ballard referred to counsel that President Hinckley had given to youth of the Church concerning their physical appearance, including admonishing young women to wear only one pair of earrings. “I know a 17-year-old who, just prior to the prophet’s talk, had pierced her ears a second time. She came home from the fireside, took off the second set of earrings, and simply said to her parents, ‘If President Hinckley says we should only wear one set of earrings, that’s good enough for me.’ “Wearing two pair of earrings may or may not have eternal consequences for this young woman, but her willingness to obey the prophet will. And if she will obey him now, on something relatively simple, how much easier it will be to follow him when greater issues are at stake”
Read Matthew 10:39
President
James E. Faust taught that losing
our lives means overcoming selfishness and committing ourselves to the
service of others: “For each of us unselfishness can mean being the
right person at the right time in the right place to render service.
Almost every day brings opportunities to perform unselfish acts for
others. Such acts are unlimited and can be as simple as a kind word, a
helping hand, or a gracious smile. The Savior reminds us, ‘He that
findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake
shall find it’ [Matthew 10:39]. One of life’s paradoxes is that a person
who approaches everything with a what’s-in-it-for-me attitude may
acquire money, property, and land, but in the end will lose the
fulfillment and the happiness that a person enjoys who shares his
talents and gifts generously with others. The greatest fulfillment in
life comes by rendering service to others, and not being obsessed with
‘what’s in it for me’"
May we become disciples of Christ by following him and losing our life in his work and in sustaining the apostles and committing ourselves to the direction in which they give.
Sunday, February 8, 2015
Friday, January 23, 2015
Matthew 3-4, John 1 - Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord
SETUP
Computer / Monitor
Confessing aids ________. (forsaking)
If we entertain ________, soon they begin ________ us. (temptations, entertaining)
Matthew 3:1–12. John the Baptist preaches repentance and baptizes, preparing the way of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Matthew 3:13–17. Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist.
Matthew 4:1–11. Jesus withstands Satan’s temptations in the wilderness.
John 1:35–51. Some of John the Baptist’s disciples decide to follow Jesus.
Matthew 3:1–12
What was John the Baptist's mission?
Prepare the way of the Lord
How did John prepare the way of the Lord?
Preached repentance and baptized people
v.6 - John teaches them about confessing sins is an important part of repenting and preparing to receive Jesus Christ.
Quote 1 - Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught about the essential role of confession in repentance: “True repentance also includes confession: ‘Now therefore make confession unto the Lord God of your fathers.’ (Ezra 10:11.) One with a broken heart will not hold back. As confession lets the sickening sin empty out, then the Spirit which withdrew returns to renew. “All sins are to be confessed to the Lord, some to a Church official, some to others, and some to all of these. A few may require public confession. Confessing aids forsaking”
v.9 - God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham
The Jews believed that they were the only people who could provide righteous children for Abraham and that only Abraham’s literal descendants could be saved. But John rebuked their pride and unrighteousness by saying that God could raise up descendants of Abraham from stones.
Quote 2 - Elder Bruce R. McConkie gave the following explanation of this statement: “Our Lord’s forerunner is teaching the principle of adoption: that Abraham is ‘the father of all them that believe’ both Jew and Gentile; that through belief in Christ all men become ‘Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise’ that all who believe the gospel shall be accounted as Abraham’s seed and rise up and bless him ‘as their father.’
v.11 - John only had the Aaronic Priesthood
v.12 - Whose Fan Is in His Hand
The “fan” referred to in v.12 is a winnowing fan that was used to toss wheat into the air. This allowed the wheat to be separated from the chaff. Wheat kernels would fall back to the ground while the wind blew the lighter chaff away. The wheat was then gathered into a garner, or storehouse, and the chaff was burned with fire. John the Baptist taught that the Savior, who would come after him, would separate believers from nonbelievers in the same way that wheat was separated from chaff.
Matthew 3:13–17
v.13 - Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
Why was John hesitant to baptize Jesus?
Why did Jesus need to be baptized?
see also 2 Nephi 31:6–12
VIDEO - Baptism of Jesus
How did Jesus Christ’s Baptism Teach about the Godhead?
At the baptism of Jesus Christ, all three members of the Godhead were separately manifest: Jesus was in the water, the voice of Heavenly Father was heard from heaven, and the Holy Ghost descended upon the Savior like a dove.
Did the Holy Ghost Appear as a Dove?
Quote 3 - The Prophet Joseph Smith explained that the Holy Ghost did not appear as a dove after the baptism of Jesus Christ. Rather, the descending dove signified that the Holy Ghost was present on that occasion: “The sign of the dove was instituted before the creation of the world, a witness for the Holy Ghost, and the devil cannot come in the sign of a dove. The Holy Ghost is a personage, and is in the form of a personage. It does not confine itself to the form of the dove, but in sign of the dove. The Holy Ghost cannot be transformed into a dove; but the sign of a dove was given to John to signify the truth of the deed, as the dove is an emblem or token of truth and innocence.
Matthew 4:1–11
Quote 4 - Elder Bruce R. McConkie added these insights into why Jesus went into the wilderness: “Jesus did not go into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil; righteous men do not seek out temptation. He went ‘to be with God.’ Probably he was visited by the Father; without question he received transcendent spiritual manifestations. The temptations came after he ‘had communed with God,’ ‘after forty days’
Satan tempts when we are vulnerable.
When God has revealed Himself to a mortal, as recorded in the scriptures, Satan has often also revealed himself, seeking to diminish God’s influence. At the beginning of His ministry, the Savior went into the wilderness “to be with God”. While He was there, Satan came to tempt Him at a time when He was weakened by hunger.
Quote 5 - President Howard W. Hunter explained that Satan’s temptations are often strongest when we are vulnerable: “When Jesus had completed the fast of forty days and had communed with God, he was, in this hungry and physically weakened state, left to be tempted of the devil. … Such a time is always the tempter’s moment—when we are emotionally or physically spent, when we are weary, vulnerable, and least prepared to resist the insidious suggestions he makes. This was an hour of danger—the kind of moment in which many men fall and succumb to the subtle allurement of the devil”
Jesus Christ Gave No Heed to Satan’s Temptations
Quote 6 - Elder Neal A. Maxwell said of the Savior’s example in resisting temptation: “By emulating the Master, who endured temptations but ‘gave no heed unto them’, we, too, can live in a world filled with temptations ‘such as are common to man’. Of course Jesus noticed the tremendous temptations that came to Him, but He did not process and reprocess them. Instead, he rejected them promptly. If we entertain temptations, soon they begin entertaining us!”.
Quote 7 - President Spencer W. Kimball taught that showing interest in sin can make us more vulnerable to being tempted: “It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, for the devil to enter a door that is closed. He seems to have no keys for locked doors. But if a door is slightly ajar, he gets his toe in, and soon this is followed by his foot, then by his leg and his body and his head, and finally he is in all the way”.
Scripture Study and Obedience Help Us Overcome Temptation
The Savior’s response to each of Satan’s temptations included the phrase, “It is written”. Christ’s knowledge of the scriptures was part of what had prepared and strengthened Him to turn aside from temptation. The Savior later taught, “Whoso treasureth up my word, shall not be deceived”.
John 1:35–51
v.46. “Can There Any Good Thing Come Out of Nazareth?”
Nazareth was a small village of approximately 200 to 400 residents, situated 15 miles west of the Sea of Galilee and 20 miles east of the Mediterranean Sea. Archaeological remains indicate that no paved roads existed in the village, nor did any significant social, political, or economic activity occur there. While Nazareth was commonly thought of as insignificant by many people during the Savior’s lifetime, it became known later in New Testament times as the hometown of the Redeemer of mankind. Nathanael’s question about whether any good thing could come from Nazareth reflected the thinking of many others.
Quote 8 - President Thomas S. Monson posed an answer to Nathanael’s question:
“From Nazareth came he who made blind men to see, lame beggars to walk—even the dead to live. He set before us an example to emulate. He lived the perfect life. He taught the glad tidings that changed the world. …
“Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?
“From Nazareth came example.
“From Nazareth came sight.
“From Nazareth came strength.
“From Nazareth came life.
“From Nazareth came faith.
“From Nazareth came peace.
“From Nazareth came courage.
“From Nazareth came Christ”.
v.47. Without Guile
Quote 9 - Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained what it means to be without guile: “To be without guile is to be free of deceit, cunning, hypocrisy, and dishonesty in thought or action. To beguile is to deceive or lead astray, as Lucifer beguiled Eve in the Garden of Eden. A person without guile is a person of innocence, honest intent, and pure motives, whose life reflects the simple practice of conforming his daily actions to principles of integrity. To be without guile is to be pure in heart—an essential virtue of those who would be counted among true followers of Christ. If we are without guile, we are honest, true, and righteous. All of these are attributes of Deity and are required of the Saints. Those who are honest are fair and truthful in their speech, straightforward in their dealings, free of deceit, and above stealing, misrepresentation, or any other fraudulent action. I believe the necessity for the members of the Church to be without guile may be more urgent now than at other times because many in the world apparently do not understand the importance of this virtue”
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles discussed what we can learn about being disciples from the experiences Jesus’s disciples had as He called them to follow Him:
VIDEO - Come Follow Me
CLOSING
The invitation to “come and see” the Savior is extended to each of us. We can accept that invitation by repenting, being baptized, keeping our baptismal covenants, and withstanding temptation.
Computer / Monitor
Confessing aids ________. (forsaking)
If we entertain ________, soon they begin ________ us. (temptations, entertaining)
Matthew 3:1–12. John the Baptist preaches repentance and baptizes, preparing the way of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Matthew 3:13–17. Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist.
Matthew 4:1–11. Jesus withstands Satan’s temptations in the wilderness.
John 1:35–51. Some of John the Baptist’s disciples decide to follow Jesus.
Matthew 3:1–12
What was John the Baptist's mission?
Prepare the way of the Lord
How did John prepare the way of the Lord?
Preached repentance and baptized people
v.6 - John teaches them about confessing sins is an important part of repenting and preparing to receive Jesus Christ.
Quote 1 - Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught about the essential role of confession in repentance: “True repentance also includes confession: ‘Now therefore make confession unto the Lord God of your fathers.’ (Ezra 10:11.) One with a broken heart will not hold back. As confession lets the sickening sin empty out, then the Spirit which withdrew returns to renew. “All sins are to be confessed to the Lord, some to a Church official, some to others, and some to all of these. A few may require public confession. Confessing aids forsaking”
v.9 - God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham
The Jews believed that they were the only people who could provide righteous children for Abraham and that only Abraham’s literal descendants could be saved. But John rebuked their pride and unrighteousness by saying that God could raise up descendants of Abraham from stones.
Quote 2 - Elder Bruce R. McConkie gave the following explanation of this statement: “Our Lord’s forerunner is teaching the principle of adoption: that Abraham is ‘the father of all them that believe’ both Jew and Gentile; that through belief in Christ all men become ‘Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise’ that all who believe the gospel shall be accounted as Abraham’s seed and rise up and bless him ‘as their father.’
v.11 - John only had the Aaronic Priesthood
v.12 - Whose Fan Is in His Hand
The “fan” referred to in v.12 is a winnowing fan that was used to toss wheat into the air. This allowed the wheat to be separated from the chaff. Wheat kernels would fall back to the ground while the wind blew the lighter chaff away. The wheat was then gathered into a garner, or storehouse, and the chaff was burned with fire. John the Baptist taught that the Savior, who would come after him, would separate believers from nonbelievers in the same way that wheat was separated from chaff.
Matthew 3:13–17
v.13 - Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
Why was John hesitant to baptize Jesus?
Why did Jesus need to be baptized?
see also 2 Nephi 31:6–12
VIDEO - Baptism of Jesus
How did Jesus Christ’s Baptism Teach about the Godhead?
At the baptism of Jesus Christ, all three members of the Godhead were separately manifest: Jesus was in the water, the voice of Heavenly Father was heard from heaven, and the Holy Ghost descended upon the Savior like a dove.
Did the Holy Ghost Appear as a Dove?
Quote 3 - The Prophet Joseph Smith explained that the Holy Ghost did not appear as a dove after the baptism of Jesus Christ. Rather, the descending dove signified that the Holy Ghost was present on that occasion: “The sign of the dove was instituted before the creation of the world, a witness for the Holy Ghost, and the devil cannot come in the sign of a dove. The Holy Ghost is a personage, and is in the form of a personage. It does not confine itself to the form of the dove, but in sign of the dove. The Holy Ghost cannot be transformed into a dove; but the sign of a dove was given to John to signify the truth of the deed, as the dove is an emblem or token of truth and innocence.
Matthew 4:1–11
Quote 4 - Elder Bruce R. McConkie added these insights into why Jesus went into the wilderness: “Jesus did not go into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil; righteous men do not seek out temptation. He went ‘to be with God.’ Probably he was visited by the Father; without question he received transcendent spiritual manifestations. The temptations came after he ‘had communed with God,’ ‘after forty days’
Satan tempts when we are vulnerable.
When God has revealed Himself to a mortal, as recorded in the scriptures, Satan has often also revealed himself, seeking to diminish God’s influence. At the beginning of His ministry, the Savior went into the wilderness “to be with God”. While He was there, Satan came to tempt Him at a time when He was weakened by hunger.
Quote 5 - President Howard W. Hunter explained that Satan’s temptations are often strongest when we are vulnerable: “When Jesus had completed the fast of forty days and had communed with God, he was, in this hungry and physically weakened state, left to be tempted of the devil. … Such a time is always the tempter’s moment—when we are emotionally or physically spent, when we are weary, vulnerable, and least prepared to resist the insidious suggestions he makes. This was an hour of danger—the kind of moment in which many men fall and succumb to the subtle allurement of the devil”
Jesus Christ Gave No Heed to Satan’s Temptations
Quote 6 - Elder Neal A. Maxwell said of the Savior’s example in resisting temptation: “By emulating the Master, who endured temptations but ‘gave no heed unto them’, we, too, can live in a world filled with temptations ‘such as are common to man’. Of course Jesus noticed the tremendous temptations that came to Him, but He did not process and reprocess them. Instead, he rejected them promptly. If we entertain temptations, soon they begin entertaining us!”.
Quote 7 - President Spencer W. Kimball taught that showing interest in sin can make us more vulnerable to being tempted: “It is extremely difficult, if not impossible, for the devil to enter a door that is closed. He seems to have no keys for locked doors. But if a door is slightly ajar, he gets his toe in, and soon this is followed by his foot, then by his leg and his body and his head, and finally he is in all the way”.
Scripture Study and Obedience Help Us Overcome Temptation
The Savior’s response to each of Satan’s temptations included the phrase, “It is written”. Christ’s knowledge of the scriptures was part of what had prepared and strengthened Him to turn aside from temptation. The Savior later taught, “Whoso treasureth up my word, shall not be deceived”.
John 1:35–51
v.46. “Can There Any Good Thing Come Out of Nazareth?”
Nazareth was a small village of approximately 200 to 400 residents, situated 15 miles west of the Sea of Galilee and 20 miles east of the Mediterranean Sea. Archaeological remains indicate that no paved roads existed in the village, nor did any significant social, political, or economic activity occur there. While Nazareth was commonly thought of as insignificant by many people during the Savior’s lifetime, it became known later in New Testament times as the hometown of the Redeemer of mankind. Nathanael’s question about whether any good thing could come from Nazareth reflected the thinking of many others.
Quote 8 - President Thomas S. Monson posed an answer to Nathanael’s question:
“From Nazareth came he who made blind men to see, lame beggars to walk—even the dead to live. He set before us an example to emulate. He lived the perfect life. He taught the glad tidings that changed the world. …
“Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?
“From Nazareth came example.
“From Nazareth came sight.
“From Nazareth came strength.
“From Nazareth came life.
“From Nazareth came faith.
“From Nazareth came peace.
“From Nazareth came courage.
“From Nazareth came Christ”.
v.47. Without Guile
Quote 9 - Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained what it means to be without guile: “To be without guile is to be free of deceit, cunning, hypocrisy, and dishonesty in thought or action. To beguile is to deceive or lead astray, as Lucifer beguiled Eve in the Garden of Eden. A person without guile is a person of innocence, honest intent, and pure motives, whose life reflects the simple practice of conforming his daily actions to principles of integrity. To be without guile is to be pure in heart—an essential virtue of those who would be counted among true followers of Christ. If we are without guile, we are honest, true, and righteous. All of these are attributes of Deity and are required of the Saints. Those who are honest are fair and truthful in their speech, straightforward in their dealings, free of deceit, and above stealing, misrepresentation, or any other fraudulent action. I believe the necessity for the members of the Church to be without guile may be more urgent now than at other times because many in the world apparently do not understand the importance of this virtue”
Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles discussed what we can learn about being disciples from the experiences Jesus’s disciples had as He called them to follow Him:
VIDEO - Come Follow Me
CLOSING
The invitation to “come and see” the Savior is extended to each of us. We can accept that invitation by repenting, being baptized, keeping our baptismal covenants, and withstanding temptation.
Sunday, January 11, 2015
Luke 1, Matthew 1 - My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord
INTRODUCTION
Endless supply of food
Wierdest thing you've eaten
Favorite thing to do in the summer
Visit any place in the world
Unique or corky habit
Morning or Night person
Describe yourself in 3 words
Favorite Hobbies
BACKGROUND
Who wrote John?
The author of the Gospel of John never referred to himself by name, although he is referred to as the “disciple whom Jesus loved” Christian writers as early as the second century agreed that the author was John, one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. Latter-day revelation confirms that this disciple “whom Jesus loved” was John and that the Savior empowered John to continue ministering on the earth until the Second Coming.
About 92 percent of the material in the Gospel of John is not found in the other Gospel accounts. This is probably because John’s intended audience—Church members who already had a basic understanding of Jesus Christ—was decidedly different from Matthew’s, Mark’s, and Luke’s intended audiences
Though a large amount of Matthew’s material is also found in Mark and Luke, about 42 percent of Matthew’s Gospel is unique. A major theme in Matthew is that Jesus Christ came to establish His kingdom
Luke 1
How were Zacharias and Elisabeth described in the scriptures? (v.6-9)
BG: Zacharias and Elisabeth prayed to have a child. Zacharias and Elisabeth had probably prayed for many years that they would be blessed with a child. However, Heavenly Father did not grant them this blessing until the time was right to accomplish his purposes.
*** How can we remain faithful and avoid discouragement when our sincere prayers are not immediately answered in the way we desire?
BG: Gabriel was the angel who came and visited both Zacharias and Mary
v.13 - How many people have been visited by angels and promised a child and told what the name should be?
v.19 - How would you feel to get the assignment of sharing the news to Zacharias and Mary about their children?
v.12, 29 - Zacharias and Mary were both troubled at the first sight of the angel Gabriel
BG: Gabriel prophecies about John's mission
What did Gabriel prophesy about John’s mission?
A. John would “turn [many people] to the Lord their God” (Luke 1:16).
B. He would “turn the hearts of the fathers to the children” (Luke 1:17).
C. He would “turn … the disobedient to the wisdom of the just” (Luke 1:17).
D. He would “make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:17).
v.15 - Shall drink neither wine nor strong drink
Note: John the Baptist was “the outstanding bearer of the Aaronic Priesthood in all history - Bible Dictionary
BG: Gabriel came to Mary to tell her about her son
*** As a Mother, share about receiving news that your child would be the Son of God
Why did the Savior need to be the son of a mortal mother and an immortal Father?
Quote 1 - Speaking of Jesus Christ, Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught: “God was his Father, from which Immortal Personage … he inherited the power of immortality, which is the power to live forever; or, having chosen to die, it is the power to rise again in immortality, thereafter to live forever without again seeing corruption. Mary was his mother, from which mortal woman … he inherited the power of mortality, which is the power to die. It was because of this … intermixture of the divine and the mortal in one person, that our Lord was able to work out the infinite and eternal atonement. Because God was his Father and Mary was his mother, he had power to live or to die, as he chose, and having laid down his life, he had power to take it again, and then, in a way incomprehensible to us, to pass on the effects of that resurrection to all men so that all shall rise from the tomb”
v.27 - What's the significance of always calling Mary a virgin?
The birth of the Savior gets overlooked when thinking about miraculous things that have happened.
Quote 2 - "You may heard people try to rationalize and justify their own weaknesses by saying "Of course Jesus could live a perfect life because his Father was God. Look at the advantages he had that I don't have." Those who rationalize like this seem to forget that wherever there is a greater blessing, there is a greater trial. The greatest Spirit in the premortal world could be tested only by submitting to greater trial.
What can we learn about Mary from her conversations with the angel and with Elisabeth?
A. Mary had found favor with God (Luke 1:28, 30).
B. Mary was worthy to have the Lord with her (Luke 1:28).
C. Mary was humble and submissive to the will of the Lord (Luke 1:38, 48).
D. Mary rejoiced in her Savior (Luke 1:47).
v.68 - Interesting that it's past tense
Early Christian writers of the second century A.D. suggested that John wrote this book in Ephesus, which was in Asia Minor (modern Turkey). Proposed dates for the writing of the Gospel of John range from A.D. 60 through A.D. 100. It is likely that John wrote his Gospel after he authored the book of Revelation.
Matthew 1
How was Joseph’s love for Mary tested?
Matthew 1:19 - Footnote - he desired to release or divorce her secretly.
According to the law, Joseph could have accused Mary of violating the marriage covenant and brought her to a public trial. Such a trial could have resulted in a death sentence. Rather than do this, he decided to release her privately from the marriage contract.
How do the examples of Elisabeth, Zacharias, John the Baptist, Mary, and Joseph help you see the Savior’s greatness and increase your faith in him?
How can we help others increase their faith in Jesus Christ?
Marriage
Endless supply of food
Wierdest thing you've eaten
Favorite thing to do in the summer
Visit any place in the world
Unique or corky habit
Morning or Night person
Describe yourself in 3 words
Favorite Hobbies
BACKGROUND
Who wrote John?
The author of the Gospel of John never referred to himself by name, although he is referred to as the “disciple whom Jesus loved” Christian writers as early as the second century agreed that the author was John, one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. Latter-day revelation confirms that this disciple “whom Jesus loved” was John and that the Savior empowered John to continue ministering on the earth until the Second Coming.
About 92 percent of the material in the Gospel of John is not found in the other Gospel accounts. This is probably because John’s intended audience—Church members who already had a basic understanding of Jesus Christ—was decidedly different from Matthew’s, Mark’s, and Luke’s intended audiences
Though a large amount of Matthew’s material is also found in Mark and Luke, about 42 percent of Matthew’s Gospel is unique. A major theme in Matthew is that Jesus Christ came to establish His kingdom
Luke 1
How were Zacharias and Elisabeth described in the scriptures? (v.6-9)
BG: Zacharias and Elisabeth prayed to have a child. Zacharias and Elisabeth had probably prayed for many years that they would be blessed with a child. However, Heavenly Father did not grant them this blessing until the time was right to accomplish his purposes.
*** How can we remain faithful and avoid discouragement when our sincere prayers are not immediately answered in the way we desire?
BG: Gabriel was the angel who came and visited both Zacharias and Mary
v.13 - How many people have been visited by angels and promised a child and told what the name should be?
v.19 - How would you feel to get the assignment of sharing the news to Zacharias and Mary about their children?
v.12, 29 - Zacharias and Mary were both troubled at the first sight of the angel Gabriel
BG: Gabriel prophecies about John's mission
What did Gabriel prophesy about John’s mission?
A. John would “turn [many people] to the Lord their God” (Luke 1:16).
B. He would “turn the hearts of the fathers to the children” (Luke 1:17).
C. He would “turn … the disobedient to the wisdom of the just” (Luke 1:17).
D. He would “make ready a people prepared for the Lord” (Luke 1:17).
v.15 - Shall drink neither wine nor strong drink
Note: John the Baptist was “the outstanding bearer of the Aaronic Priesthood in all history - Bible Dictionary
BG: Gabriel came to Mary to tell her about her son
*** As a Mother, share about receiving news that your child would be the Son of God
Why did the Savior need to be the son of a mortal mother and an immortal Father?
Quote 1 - Speaking of Jesus Christ, Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught: “God was his Father, from which Immortal Personage … he inherited the power of immortality, which is the power to live forever; or, having chosen to die, it is the power to rise again in immortality, thereafter to live forever without again seeing corruption. Mary was his mother, from which mortal woman … he inherited the power of mortality, which is the power to die. It was because of this … intermixture of the divine and the mortal in one person, that our Lord was able to work out the infinite and eternal atonement. Because God was his Father and Mary was his mother, he had power to live or to die, as he chose, and having laid down his life, he had power to take it again, and then, in a way incomprehensible to us, to pass on the effects of that resurrection to all men so that all shall rise from the tomb”
v.27 - What's the significance of always calling Mary a virgin?
The birth of the Savior gets overlooked when thinking about miraculous things that have happened.
Quote 2 - "You may heard people try to rationalize and justify their own weaknesses by saying "Of course Jesus could live a perfect life because his Father was God. Look at the advantages he had that I don't have." Those who rationalize like this seem to forget that wherever there is a greater blessing, there is a greater trial. The greatest Spirit in the premortal world could be tested only by submitting to greater trial.
What can we learn about Mary from her conversations with the angel and with Elisabeth?
A. Mary had found favor with God (Luke 1:28, 30).
B. Mary was worthy to have the Lord with her (Luke 1:28).
C. Mary was humble and submissive to the will of the Lord (Luke 1:38, 48).
D. Mary rejoiced in her Savior (Luke 1:47).
v.68 - Interesting that it's past tense
Early Christian writers of the second century A.D. suggested that John wrote this book in Ephesus, which was in Asia Minor (modern Turkey). Proposed dates for the writing of the Gospel of John range from A.D. 60 through A.D. 100. It is likely that John wrote his Gospel after he authored the book of Revelation.
Matthew 1
How was Joseph’s love for Mary tested?
Matthew 1:19 - Footnote - he desired to release or divorce her secretly.
According to the law, Joseph could have accused Mary of violating the marriage covenant and brought her to a public trial. Such a trial could have resulted in a death sentence. Rather than do this, he decided to release her privately from the marriage contract.
How do the examples of Elisabeth, Zacharias, John the Baptist, Mary, and Joseph help you see the Savior’s greatness and increase your faith in him?
How can we help others increase their faith in Jesus Christ?
Marriage
Marriage
between a young man and a young woman was arranged and agreed to by the
heads of the respective families—usually the fathers. Once a
prospective wife had been identified by the groom’s father or family
head, negotiations were begun. They focused on, but were not limited
to, the size of the “bride price,” a kind of dowry in reverse, paid by
the groom’s father or family head to the bride’s family. Once the
marriage was agreed upon, the wedding consisted of two stages: betrothal
(also called espousal; see Matthew 1:18) and a wedding ceremony.
Betrothal
was legally and religiously more significant than the subsequent
marriage ceremony, after which the couple began living together.
Betrothal was regarded as the final part of a solemn covenant. It
carried the force of a covenant to be honored between God-fearing
parties (see Genesis 2:24; Ezekiel 16:8; Ephesians 5:21–33). Though betrothed couples were legally regarded as husband and wife (see Deuteronomy 22:23–24), between the time of betrothal and the wedding ceremony, a strict code of chastity was enforced (see Matthew 1:18, 25). At the time of betrothal the young man took legal possession of the young woman, but not physical possession.
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