Doctrine and Covenants Lesson #19 The Plan of Salvation

Visual Aids:
A princess doll or a picture of a princess or a tiara

Beautifully wrapped gift, with a picture of Christ inside

Write on the board, “And they lived happily ever after”

INTRODUCTION

Hand out the following story segments from the fairy tale “Cinderella” to class members.  Have them read in random order.

Once there was a lovely young girl named Cinderella.  She lived in a mansion with her father and mother, who loved her very, very much.

Sadly, Cinderella's mother died and her father remarried after which her father also died.  

Cinderella, her stepmother and stepsisters became poor and moved to a cottage.  

Although Cinderella's stepmother treated her unkindly and forced her to work all day like a slave, Cinderella maintained her kind and loving character.

One day the Prince held a ball in order to find a suitable wife.  

Cinderella's stepmother and stepsisters went to the ball without her.  Cinderella had no way to get there, and no dress to wear.

In the midst of her despair, Cinderella's Fairy Godmother appeared, turned mice into horses, and a pumpkin into a golden carriage so that she could get to ball.

Then she dressed Cinderella in a beautiful gown with jewels, and sent her to the palace.  

At the ball, Cinderella won the Prince's heart. 

Cinderella had to leave the ball without revealing her identity.

On the way out of the castle, she lost one of her glass slippers.

The Prince found the glass slipper and searched the kingdom, looking for its owner.  

Finally the Prince found Cinderella.  Although she was in servant's clothing, he knew she was the right girl because she fit the slipper.  

The Prince took Cinderella to his castle where they were married.  And they lived happily ever after. 

If you take one piece of the story out of context of the whole plot, it makes very little sense, doesn't it? Even if we put these segments in order, it wouldn’t make too much sense without the beginning and the end of the story. The beginning of the story is that Cinderella’s mother and father loved her dearly, but her mother died, and her father remarried. After he died the true nature of the mean and selfish stepmother was revealed in her treatment of Cinderella. And the end of the story is that Cinderella, having kept the kind and noble character her father blessed her with, met and married Prince Charming and lived with him in the castle, happily ever after.

Just like this story, or like a three-act play, our existence has three parts. We are in the middle part, right now, here on earth. As President Packer says, “The one in which you will be tested by temptation, by trials, and perhaps by tragedy.” And then he says, “Remember this! The line ‘And they all lived happily ever after’ is never written into the second act. That line belongs in the third act, when the mysteries are solved and everything is put right.” (The Play and the Plan Satellite Broadcast May 7, 1995. Quoted in manual p. 108)

So, let’s very briefly look at the whole play, all three acts of the story of our existence.

THE STAGE SETTINGS

(Draw the classic map of “the plan of salvation” with pre-existence, veil & birth, earth life, veil & death, spirit world, divided into paradise and prison, judgment, and the three kingdoms.) Now, we tend to label this little diagram, “The Plan of Salvation,” but this is not the plan of salvation. Let me say that one more time: this is not the plan of salvation. This is merely the chronology of our existence, the framework within which the plan of salvation works, or, we could say, the stage settings for the play. (Label the chart “Chronology of Existence.”

We could just as well draw the stage settings for the fairy tale of Cinderella. (Draw boxes labeled “mansion” under the preexistence, “cottage” under earth life, and “castle” under the three kingdoms.)

THE PLAN OF SALVATION

So if this is not the plan of salvation, what is? Moses 6:58-62 --

“Therefore I give unto you a commandment, to teach these things freely unto your children, saying:

That by reason of transgression cometh the fall, which fall bringeth death, and inasmuch as ye were born into the world by water, and blood, and the spirit, which I have made, and so became of dust a living soul, even so ye must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of water, and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, even the blood of mine Only Begotten; that ye might be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory;

For by the water ye keep the commandment; by the Spirit ye are justified, and by the blood ye are sanctified;

Therefore it is given to abide in you; the record of heaven; the Comforter; the peaceable things of immortal glory; the truth of all things; that which quickeneth all things, which maketh alive all things; that which knoweth all things, and hath all power according to wisdom, mercy, truth, justice, and judgment.

And now, behold, I say unto you: This is the plan of salvation unto all men, through the blood of mine Only Begotten, who shall come in the meridian of time.”

So, what did it say? “This is the plan of salvation,” and the entire thing operates “through the blood of mine Only Begotten who shall come in the meridian of time.” Obviously, after reading that, we can see that this chart here on the board is not the plan of salvation because the whole thing operates through the blood of Christ and he isn’t even mentioned here. And the three essential elements to the plan, water, blood, and spirit, are also not noted on this chart. There is nothing wrong with this chart, unless we are going to label it the Plan of Salvation.

But it is the stage setting for the plot, which includes the Plan of Salvation.

The plot, very briefly, as noted in Moses 6 is this: In the pre-existence, we were all spirit children of our Father. He wanted us to be able to progress to be like him and to be with him, where we could be happy. (That’s why the plan is also called the Plan of Happiness.) This required our gaining knowledge and experience. It also required placing us in a perilous position from which we could not recover on our own, that of mortal existence with its failings and temptations. To remedy this problem, he planned that a Savior would pay the price to enable us to succeed. That solution is the Plan of Salvation. We could also call it the Gospel, as it is called in 3 Nephi 27.

“Behold I have given unto you my gospel, and this is the gospel which I have given unto you—that I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me.

And my Father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross; and after that I had been lifted up upon the cross, that I might draw all men unto me, that as I have been lifted up by men even so should men be lifted up by the Father, to stand before me, to be judged of their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil—”

And for this cause have I been lifted up; therefore, according to the power of the Father I will draw all men unto me, that they may be judged according to their works.  (3 Nephi 27:13-15)

Even if we have been members of the Church all our lives, we sometimes do not understand the gospel (the plan of salvation). There are some who think that there is no way that they will ever be good enough to get into the Celestial Kingdom. They have learned this chart on the board very well, but this chart is missing the essential element of the plan of salvation. If at the end of the lesson, any of you still think that there is no chance you will gain exaltation, I will have failed as a teacher. And I don’t want to fail, so listen up!

SALVATION IS A GIFT OF GRACE

Let’s take a look at someone who did not feel that way. Moroni (before he became an angel) was very certain that he would “make it” to heaven.

“And now I bid unto all, farewell. I soon go to rest in the paradise of God, until my spirit and body shall again reunite, and I am brought forth triumphant through the air, to meet you before the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah, the Eternal Judge of both quick and dead. Amen.”  (Moroni 10:34)

Moroni was a good guy, but he lived in a very wicked world and he even fought in wars that did not have just causes, and that troubled him; he wasn’t sure that he should. He had suffered many evils and he was not perfect because he was mortal like us, yet he was absolutely certain that he would be “brought forth triumphant through the air.” Why? Right before these last mortal words of his, he shared his reason. The key to it is found in a word we don’t use too often as Latter-day Saints, but we most certainly should. He uses this word 5 times in these two verses. See if you can identify it.

“Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness; and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.

And again, if ye by the grace of God are perfect in Christ, and deny not his power, then are ye sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.

And now I bid unto all, farewell. I soon go to rest in the paradise of God, until my spirit and body shall again reunite, and I am brought forth triumphant through the air, to meet you before the pleasing bar of the great Jehovah, the Eternal Judge of both quick and dead. Amen.”  (Moroni 10:32-34)

What is the key word? Grace! All of this perfection is done, not by not making any mistakes, and not even by keeping all of the commandments, but by the grace of Christ. “By his grace ye may be perfect in Christ.” It is not possible to become perfect by yourself, we only become perfect through the grace of Christ.

Unfortunately, it is beyond us to comprehend grace. Grace, like the atonement it is linked with, defies definition. But maybe we can come fairly close if we say that grace is God’s mercy and love as shown in everything that exists, but especially as manifested in the atonement. Grace is a gift, freely given from Christ. Elder Todd Christofferson says,

“Given the magnitude of the gift of grace, we would never suppose, even with all the good we could possibly do in this life, that we had earned it. It is just too great.” (June 2001 Ensign, p. 22)

D&C 14:7 -- “And, if you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life, which gift is the greatest of all the gifts of God.” We sometimes think that keeping the commandments and enduring to the end alone is what qualifies us for eternal life, and that’s why we are afraid we are not going to make the grade, but this scripture clearly tells us that eternal life is a gift, not an achievement. Romans 6:23 – “…the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” So why does D&C 14 tell us that we have to keep the commandments and endure to the end, if eternal life is given freely through the grace of Jesus Christ? This is what confuses our born-again friends.

RECEIVING THE GIFT

Suppose it was my birthday and my friend Janet who always gives delightful little gifts, brought a package and left it on my doorstep. But suppose that I was out of town, and didn’t see it there, and the neighbor who was watching over our house put it on the worktable in the garage with the mail and the newspapers, but our cat knocked it off and it was lost forever (which you would find very easy to believe if you had ever been in our garage).  Janet had freely given the gift, but I did not receive it, and therefore never opened it. The gift did me no good.

Christ gives us the gift of his grace freely, but we must accept it and open it. How do we open it? Through the first principles and ordinances of the gospel. We learn about Christ and exercise faith in him to repent of our sins. Then we are baptized and receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost, and at that point, we have opened the gift. (Open gift to show picture of Christ.) We are removed from our sinful state through the grace of Christ.

I remember so clearly the year that my dad figured out how to pick out an excellent Mother’s Day gift for my mother. When she opened it, I loved it too. It was an adorable little crystal basket, with a little handle—too small to be good for anything, but so cute. My mom was delighted and amazed. My dad confessed how he picked out a gift that she liked so well. He said that he simply went into the store and picked the item that looked the least useful. 

 

The gift of grace is not like that kind of gift, however. It is not meant to be opened and then set on a shelf. It is more like a bread mixer, or a scroll saw, or a vacuum cleaner—it is meant to be used every day. When we fall short because of our human nature and the faults of the world we live in, we can call upon Christ’s grace to save us. This is the part of the plan of salvation that is called “enduring to the end.” We simply continue to exercise those principles that we used to open the gift in the first place: We exercise enough faith in Christ to repent of our sins and be filled once again with the Holy Ghost, through renewing our covenants at sacrament meeting.

JUSTIFICATION AND SANCTIFICATION

Elder Christofferson tells us that the fruits of the Atonement’s infinite virtue (that is, grace) are justification and sanctification. It is important to understand the difference between these two concepts because it helps us understand what the atonement (grace) does for us. Those of us who worry that we will not “make it into the Celestial Kingdom” maybe understand the concept of justification, but not the concept of sanctification.

Just as in Moses 6:59 it said that the elements of water and blood and spirit are all present at our mortal birth, and so we became of mere dust, living souls, we also must be born again into the Kingdom of God, and that way we can become of mere mortals, exalted beings.  “For by the water ye keep the commandment; by the Spirit ye are justified, and by the blood ye are sanctified.” (Moses 6:60)

THE GIFT OF GRACE

I hope that I am not making light of the atonement by referring back to the fairy tale of Cinderella, but it occurred to me that Walt Disney, in his animated version of the story, illustrated beautifully the concepts of justification and sanctification. Cinderella longed to leave behind her position as a scullery maid and go to the ball at the palace, but it was absolutely impossible for her. There was no way for her to get there. It was just as impossible as it is for us to get to heaven. But then her fairy godmother appeared and provided for her the transportation by turning some mice and a pumpkin into a beautiful golden carriage. That is something like justification. We have all broken the laws of God and those sins keep us out of heaven. Justification is Christ providing transportation for us into the Celestial Kingdom because we don’t have the ability to get there on our own. It’s like he has paid our bail to get us out of jail. Our sins are forgiven, but their effects upon us remain.

If you recall the Disney movie, the next thing that happened was that Cinderella looked down at herself and realized that it didn’t matter whether she had a golden carriage or not; she was completely unfit for the ball. She was dirty and dressed in rags. She would be miserable in the palace, and would be much more comfortable staying home, sitting in the corner by the chimney than going in the state she was. When the fairy godmother noticed that, she not only changed Cinderella’s clothing to a beautiful gown, she changed Cinderella herself from a soot-covered slave dressed in rags to a beautiful princess, perfectly fit for the royal extravaganza. That is something like sanctification. Sanctification is Christ transforming us so that we belong in heaven with him—our rags are changed into bejeweled robes, our faces our washed clean, a crown is placed upon our heads, and even our lineage is changed to that of royalty as children of Christ.

Another place we can find a clarification between justification and sanctification is in the song “Away in a Manger.” There are several versions of the third verse of this song. When I was in Primary, the Primary song book had this version:

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask thee to stay

Close by me forever, and love me, I pray.

Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,

And take us to heaven to live with thee there.

But now, as you look in the current hymnbook, there is a different version which says:

Bless all the dear children in thy tender care,

And fit us for heaven to live with thee there.

Both versions are doctrinally correct. The first version describes justification; the second describes sanctification. Maybe we should just add a repeat sign to that measure of the song and sing

And take us to heaven and fit us for heaven to live with thee there.

CONCLUSION

In review, the plan of salvation, or the gospel, is the plan for us to be saved and exalted with Heavenly Father and live “happily ever after.” This plan operates through the infinite virtue of the atonement of Christ, which virtue is also known as grace. Grace consists of two parts: Justification, or the removal of sins, and 

sanctification, or the purifying of the soul. And all of this is a gift, a wonderful gift that we open when we are baptized into the kingdom. Unlike Cinderella’s experience, though, the changing of the soul into royalty is a long-term project, once again accomplished through the grace of Christ, but bit by bit, as we continue along in life, trying to do our best, trying to keep our covenants. As the scriptures say, we must grow in grace. (D&C 50:40.)

Bruce R. McConkie, the pickiest and most perfectionist of all the apostles I remember, and the most well-versed in the doctrines of Christ, (for you younger people who don’t remember him, he was kind of like Dallin Oaks, only more so), and even as perfectionist as he was, he said,

“Everyone in the Church who is on the straight and narrow path, who is striving and struggling and desiring to do what is right, though far from perfect in this life; if he passes out of this life while he’s on the straight and narrow, he’s going to go on to eternal reward in his Father’s kingdom."  ("The Probationary Test of Mortality," address given at University of Utah, Jan. 1982, p. 2, also found in Joseph McConkie, The Bruce R. McConkie Story, p. 293.  See more of this talk on this blog and this website)

“And for this cause have I been lifted up; therefore, according to the power of the Father I will draw all men unto me, that they may be judged according to their works.

And it shall come to pass, that whoso repenteth and is baptized in my name shall be filled; and if he endureth to the end, behold, him will I hold guiltless before my Father at that day when I shall stand to judge the world.”  (3 Nephi 27:15-16)

Have you repented and been baptized? Have you been filled (with the Gift of the Holy Ghost)? Then all that remains for you to do is to endure to the end. And what does that mean? It simply means to continue. Continue to exercise faith in Christ unto repentance, so that you have the Spirit with you more and more to sanctify your souls, as we are promised in the sacramental prayers.

You may like to close with the beautiful and inspiring song “Amazing Grace,” which has my vote for the next hymnbook. It’s doctrinally correct, even including Celestial Glory and Eternal life – it just doesn’t mention the ordinances.  (But neither does “I Stand All Amazed”)  You can have a class member sing it, play a Mormon Tabernacle Choir version off YouTube, or play my favorite from a Logan East Stake native, Christina England Hale, available for free online with this link.  (Thanks, Christina!!!!  What a lovely resource!)

  

If you want to know more about every aspect of grace, go to Michaela Stephen's thorough blog post.

Additional resource:  Teachings from the D&C Video, “The Plan of Salvation,” 4:24 minutes.

Doctrine and Covenants 2

Finish this sentence:  Because of the Atonement..." 

Answer this question: "When have you felt the power of the Atonement in your life?"   

You may want to begin class by singing together the hymn, "I Stand All Amazed." 

"[The Atonement of Jesus Christ] is the very root of Christian doctrine, You may know much about the gospel as it branches out from there, but if you only know the branches and those branches do not touch that root, if they have been cut free from that truth, there will be no life nor substance nor redemption in them" (Elder Boyd K. Packer, April 1977 General Conference).

Once a branch is cut from a tree, it no longer grows or produces fruit.  It becomes firewood.

 

"The Atonement is the central act of human history, the pivotal point in all time, the doctrine of doctrines.  Everything we do and everything we teach should somehow be anchored to the Atonement" (Tad E. Callister, The Infinite Atonement, p. ix).

"The pursuit of this doctrine requires the total person, for the Atonement of Jesus Christ is the most supernal, mind-expanding, passionate doctrine this world or universe will ever know" (Callister, 2). 

"The Atonement gives purpose and potency to every event in history.  President Gordon B. Hinckley spoke of its relationship to other events in world history:  'When all is said and done, when all of history is examined, when the deepest depths of the human mind have been explored, there is nothing so wonderful, so majestic, so tremendous as this act of grace'" (Callister, 3).


"The Prophet Joseph Smith said: '...all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it'" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, 121).

"It is indeed the keystone of Christianity and the foundation of a spiritual life.  It is the beacon light for a benighted world.  It is the foundation from which all hopes spring....The Atonement is our singular hope for a meaningful life" (Callister, 9).


"Every attempt to reflect upon the Atonement, to study it, to embrace it, to express appreciation for it, however small or feeble it may be, will kindle the fires of faith and work its miracle towards a more Christlike life.  It is an inescapable consequence of so doing" (Callister, 17).


WHAT IS THE ATONEMENT?

When we speak of the Atonement, what exactly is involved?  "It is, in short, that suffering endured, that power displayed, and that love manifested by the Savior in three principal locations, namely, the Garden of Gethsemane, the cross of Calvary, and the tomb of Arimathaea" (Callister, 23).

 Lorenzo Snow said, "It required all the power that He had and all the faith that He could summon for Him to accomplish that which the Father required of Him" (Teachings of Lorenzo Snow, 98).

"He took upon him infinite suffering, but chose to defend with only mortal faculties, with but one exception--his godhood was summoned to hold off unconsciousness and death (i.e., the twin relief mechanisms of man) that would otherwise overpower a mere mortal when he reached his threshold of pain.  For the Savior, however, there would be no such relief.  His divinity would be called upon, not to immunize him from pain, but to enlarge the receptacle that would hold it" (Callister, 119).

President Ezra Taft Benson said, "We may never understand nor comprehend in mortality how He accomplished what He did, but we must not fail to understand why he did what He did.  All that He did was prompted by His unselfish, infinite love for us" (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, 15).  

One of the purposes of the Doctrine and Covenants is to help us know and understand the Savior and His Atonement:

"I give unto you these sayings [specifically the writings of John the Baptist recorded in D&C 93:6-17, but generally the entire book] that you may know and understand how to worship, and know what you worship, that you may come unto the Father in my name, and in due time receive of his fulness.  For if ye keep my commandments you shall receive of his fulness, and be glorified in me as I am in the Father; therefore, I say unto you, you shall receive grace for grace" (D&C 93:19-20).

The Doctrine and Covenants is the only scripture that contains the Savior's description of the extreme difficulty of His ultimate sacrifice, D&C 19:16-19:  "For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; but if they would not repent they must suffer even as I; which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit--and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink--Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men." 

President Joseph F. Smith's great vision of the redemption of the dead is also found in the Doctrine and Covenants:  "And reflecting upon the great atoning sacrifice that was made by the Son of God, for the redemption of the world; and the great and wonderful love made manifest by the Father and the Son in the coming of the Redeemer into the world; that through his atonement, and by obedience to the principles of the gospel, mankind might be saved...[I saw] an innumerable company of the spirits of the just, who had been faithful in the testimony of Jesus while they lived in mortality; and who had offered sacrifice in the similitude of the great sacrifice of the Son of God, and had suffered tribulation in their Redeemer's name.  All these had departed the mortal life, firm in the hope of a glorious resurrection, through the grace of God the Father and his Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ.  And I beheld that they were filled with joy and gladness, and were rejoicing together because the day of their deliverance was at hand" (D&C 138: 2-4, 12-15).

The Doctrine and Covenants contains over 60 names for Jesus Christ.  You may want to mark them or list them as you read through the book.  It truly testifies of Christ. There is a beautiful list of D&C scriptures that testify of different aspects of Christ's character in the Gospel Doctrine manual on p. 9.

HOW DOES THE ATONEMENT AFFECT OUR DAILY LIVES?

Here is the place to have your class members volunteer to finish the sentence on the board.  Encourage them to share personal experiences as they feel moved by the Spirit.  There should be many and varied answers, some of which may align with these shared by Elder Callister:

• We can be resurrected
• We can repent
• We can have peace of mind
• We can be succored in our challenges
• We can be motivated
• We can be exalted
• We can be made free
• We can receive grace

Because of the Atonement, "Every event, every encounter, every disaster, however despairing it may seem to the outward eye, may be met with spiritual success.  A temporal tragedy need never result in a spiritual defeat" (Callister, p. 244).

THE SCOPE OF THE ATONEMENT

Why doesn't God just hack down someone who is excessively evil and make life better for the rest of us?

There are many answers, but one is that often in His mercy, He "lengthens out their probation," to give them time to prepare to meet him, whereas those that the evil person torments or even kills are more prepared for judgment.

"Wickedness alone seldom, if ever, has been the cause of man's destruction; the greater tragedy is wickedness coupled with an unwillingness to repent" (Callister, 182).  Examples from the scriptures of extremely wicked people who eventually gained a willingness to repent are plentiful:  The people of Ninevah to whom Jonah preached, the people of Melchizedek, Alma the Elder, the Sons of Mosiah, the Anti-Nephi-Lehies, Zeezrom.  In more recent world history, the author of the lyrics to the beloved hymn "Amazing Grace," is another example of the Lord's amazing patience with sinners who still have "the embers of repentance" inside.  Listening to his story may help Latter-day Saints to realize that they can also fall within the loving embrace of the Savior's grace, even if their sins are scarlet.

John Newton was born before the Restoration, in the year 1725.  He was British, a slave buyer in Africa, and the captain of slave ships.  He became a Christian in the year 1748 at the young age of 23, after surviving a violent storm at sea.  

"Though he might have become a Christian, he did not yet allow it to interfere with his making a living...He was hardly the poster boy for the truly penitent" (Barbara Mikkelson, Snopes.com).

He didn't quit the slave trade until 1754-55, when his wife begged him to settle down.  At that point, he became a "tides surveyor," or customs officer.

By 1764, his heart had changed enough that he was ordained a priest in the Church of England.

Around 1772, with a growing awareness of his grave past sins, and in gratitude for the Atonement, he composed the hymn, "Amazing Grace."  Originally, it was set to a different tune than we sing it to today, but the words have remained unchanged.

In the year 1780, he expressed regrets about his role as a slave trader.

In 1785 he began to fight to abolish slavery, speaking out in public, and encouraging William Wilberforce to fight it from within the British Parliament.  He continued this crusade until his death in 1807, the same year in which the abolition of the slave trade in England was finally achieved, over 50 years before it was achieved in the United States, and without a civil war. 

(This was portrayed beautifully in the stirring film, "Amazing Grace," directed by Michael Apted. There are some disturbingly accurate scenes depicting the horrors of the slave ships, but overall, the movie is triumphant, stunning, and definitely enlightening, appropriate for later teens and adults.)

"Newton did eventually grow into his conversion, so that by the end of his days he actually was the godly man one would expect to have penned 'Amazing Grace.'  But it was a slow process effected over the passage of decades, not something that happened with a clap of thunder and a flash of lightning.  In Newton's case, the 'amazing grace' he wrote of might well have referred to God's unending patience with him.  Still, Newton's story gives us all hope--even the greatest of sinners can ultimately and meaningfully repent" (Barbara Mikkelson, Snopes.com  Urban Legends Reference Pages, 5 biographical sources listed at the end of the article).

In his own words, "Only God's amazing grace could and would take a rude, profane, slave-trading sailor and transform him into a child of God."  (I'm finding the quote all over the internet, but I'm getting tired of looking for the original reference.  If anyone else knows it, please post it in the comments.)

John Newton's hymn, "Amazing Grace," has been recorded over 1800 times.  You can see it sung by the Mormon Tabernacle Choir outdoors with beautiful scenery on YouTube.  Here are the complete original words:

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
That sav'd a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind, but now I see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears reliev'd;
How precious did that grace appear, 
The hour I first believ'd!

Thro' many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promis'd good to me,
His word my hope secures;
He will my shield and portion be,
As long as life endures.

Yes, when this flesh and heart shall fail,
And mortal life shall cease;
I shall possess, within the veil,
A life of joy and peace.

The earth shall soon dissolve like snow,
The sun forbear to shine;
But God, who call'd me here below,
Will be forever mine.

A final verse was included in Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel, Uncle Tom's Cabin, which may have been written by her or taken from another hymn, but is commonly included with the hymn today:

When we've been there ten thousand years,
Bright shining as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we've first begun.

CONCLUSION

"When we more fully understand the depths to which the Savior descended, the breadth to which he reached, and the heights to which he ascended, we can more readily accept that our own sins are within the vast sphere of his conquered domain.  We then become believers, not only in the Atonement's infinite expanse, but in its intimate reach" (Callister, 197).

"[The Atonement] replaces despair with hope, darkness with light, and turmoil with peace" (Callister, 203).

     

2 Nephi 1-5

THE IMPORTANCE OF TEACHING OF CHRIST

In chapter 2 of 2 Nephi we learn something remarkable about Nephi's younger brother Jacob:  He had seen Jesus Christ personally in a vision--when he was very young!

"Nevertheless, Jacob, my firstborn in the wilderness, thou knowest the greatness of God...Wherefore, I know that thou art redeemed, because of the righteousness of thy Redeemer; for thou hast beheld that in the fulness of time he cometh to bring salvation unto men.  And thou hast beheld in thy youth his glory; wherefore thou art blessed even as they unto whom he shall minister in the flesh" (2 Ne. 2:2-4).

It's interesting that even though Jacob had seen the Lord himself, his father Lehi still wanted to teach him about Jesus Christ.

"Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth.  Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered" (2 Ne. 2:6-7).

And here we find the reason why Lehi taught someone who already knew--to make sure that that someone understood how important it was to teach others:

"Wherefore, how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise.

"Wherefore, he is the firstfruits unto God, inasmuch as he shall make intercession for all the children of men; and they that believe in him shall be saved" (2 Ne. 2:8-9).

Jacob took the lesson to heart, and later wrote,

"For this intent have we written these things, that [our beloved brethren and our children] may know that we knew of Christ, and we had a hope of his glory many hundred years before his coming; and not only we ourselves had a hope of his glory, but also all the holy prophets which were before us" (Jacob 4:4).

RESURRECTED TO PERFECTION

As we pass through this mortal life, we receive wounds, we become ill, our bodies age, we get gray hair and stiff joints.  We slowly deteriorate from the day of our birth until the day we die.  But dying is not the end but the beginning, because Christ provided the way for us to be resurrected to perfection.

Alma taught,

“The death of Christ shall loose the bands of this temporal death, that all shall be raised from this temporal death.  The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame, even as we now are at this time; …

“Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of their heads be lost; but every thing shall be restored to its perfect frame” (Alma 11:42–44).

So after the resurrection, all our diseases will be gone, all our wrinkles will be smooth, amputated limbs will be restored, minds will be young, and scars will just disappear.  Whether celestial, terrestrial, or telestial, all the inhabitants of heaven will have perfect bodies.

All, that is, except for one.  There is one resurrected person whose scars remain. 

As Jesus Christ hung on the cross he was taunted, "He saved others; himself he cannot save" (Matt. 27:42).  What the mockers did not understand was that Christ did not come to save himself; he came to save us.  In order to save us, he had to die.  In order to remove our scars, he had to be scarred.  And he chose not to remove those scars when he was resurrected.  Why?  So that we would know that he always remembers us.

"I [will] not forget thee, O house of Israel.  Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands" (1 Ne. 21:15-16).

As Jesus also retains a scar in his side near his heart, we know that our hearts can be mended.  We all receive damage to our hearts here in this mortal existence, but another beauty of the atonement is that while our bodies are deteriorating, our spirits can become more perfect even before the resurrection.  The sins we commit, the wounds inflicted on us by others, the mistakes we make, even the knife wounds in our hearts as great loss comes to us, can all be healed as we travel through life by the power of the Atonement.  If we continually come to Christ, our spirits will become purer, younger, freer while our bodies become more scarred, aged and immobile.  The key is to choose daily to come to Christ.

THE IMPORTANCE OF AGENCY

Lehi explained in beautiful simplicity the importance of agency to our Heavenly Father's great plan for us.  (See 2 Ne. 2:11-30.)  Jacob had experienced a lot of opposition in his life, but his father explained that opposition is necessary; otherwise there would be nothing to choose.  Indeed this entire earthly existence was begun because of a choice.  It had to be so.

Why would God command Adam and Eve not to partake of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil when clearly He wanted them to, so that His children could be brought to the earth and experience their mortal probation?  Why didn't He just tell them to take it?  They would have done it!  They were really obedient people!  But to command Adam and Eve to eat the forbidden fruit and fall from His presence would go against His very nature:

"Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying, Depart from me? Behold, I say unto you, Nay.  But he saith, come unto me all ye ends of the earth..." (2 Ne. 26:25).

"If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love" (John 15:10).

"And if you keep my commandments and endure to the end you shall have eternal life" (D&C 14:7).

So, you see, God could not issue a commandment that would push Adam and Eve away from Him.  Keeping his commandments always brings his children closer to Him, eventually leading to eternal life, not to a temporary and fragile existence in a fallen state far from His presence.  So a commandment had to be issued to Adam and Eve to avoid the tree of knowledge.  They had to choose for themselves to take the step away from God and into mortal life.

Remember that in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve knew no opposition.  It wasn't until after their encounter with the devil that the Father put enmity between mortal man and Satan.  (See Gen. 3:15.)  So they did not know that someone could be evil and that someone could lie to them until after they took the fruit.  Fortunately, they were not the only ones lacking knowledge:  The devil did not know that he was actually pushing Adam and Eve in the direction that the Lord wanted them to go but could not command them to go, when he tempted them with the fruit. 

And so, once opposition and knowledge entered into the scene with agency, the plan of the Lord could progress.

AGENCY

"In years past we generally used the term free agency. That is not incorrect. More recently we have taken note that free agency does not appear in the scriptures. They talk of our being 'free to choose' and 'free to act' for ourselves and of our obligation to do many things of our own 'free will'. But the word agency appears either by itself or with the modifier moral: 'That every man may act in doctrine and principle … according to the moral agency which I have given unto him, that every man may be accountable for his own sins in the day of judgment' (D&C 101:78). When we use the term moral agency, we are appropriately emphasizing the accountability that is an essential part of the divine gift of agency. We are moral beings and agents unto ourselves, free to choose but also responsible for our choices..." (D. Todd Christofferson, "Moral Agency," Ensign, June 2009).

Satan thought that knowledge would be Adam and Eve's undoing.  But knowledge is of God.

"The beauty of the gospel of Jesus Christ is that it pours knowledge into our souls and shows things in their true light. With that enhanced perspective, we can discern more clearly the choices before us and their consequences. We can, therefore, make more intelligent use of our agency..."  (ibid.).

We have to remember always, though, that when you choose one end of the stick (choice) you also choose the other (consequence).

"Freedom of choice is the freedom to obey or disobey existing laws—not the freedom to alter their consequences. Law, as mentioned earlier, exists as a foundational element of moral agency with fixed outcomes that do not vary according to our opinions or preferences" (ibid.).

Because we have opposition (things to choose between), law to link choices with consequences, and the power to choose, we can exercise agency and participate in God's great plan for our progression.

"It was necessary in God’s plan for our future happiness and glory that we become morally free and responsible. For that to happen, we needed an experience apart from Him where our choices would determine our destiny. The Fall of Adam provided the spiritual death needed to separate us from God and place us in this mortal condition, as well as the physical death needed to provide an end to the mortal experience...

"[But] if our separation from God and our physical death were permanent, moral agency would mean nothing. Yes, we would be free to make choices, but what would be the point? The end result would always be the same no matter what our actions: death with no hope of resurrection and no hope of heaven." (ibid.)

And so it was necessary that we have a Savior.

OUR SPIRITUAL BANK ACCOUNT

When I'm running my bank card at a checkout counter in a store, I wait for the card to process, and then I see a message flash on the screen:  "Approved."  I like being approved.  This experience often makes me think of the "pearly gates."  I imagine myself at the door of heaven, swiping a spiritual "bank card" and seeing that happy message:  "Approved."  But last night at the temple, I realized I had it wrong.  I am going to get to the entrance of heaven, the veil, and I am going to discover that I have "insufficient funds" in my spiritual bank account.  This is going to happen to you, too.  We are going to be asked to show identification--our glory and power--and we will have to answer that we do not have any.

Yet.

And here is the beauty of the Atonement: When we come unto Christ and admit that we do not have what is needed to enter that glorified existence, all we will have to do is ask, and it will be given to us through the power symbolized by those scars on Christ's hands and wrists--the Atonement!  If we repent continually, if we keep our covenants faithfully, and if we come to Christ and ask, the deficit will disappear, the glory will be bestowed upon us, and the veil into the Celestial Kingdom will part.

"...And thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name.  Thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and a royal diadem in the hand of thy God" (Isaiah 62:2).

Returning to our opening scripture, we can see that even the great prophet Jacob, despite his righteousness, despite personally seeing Jesus Christ in vision, despite later enduring to the end, fell short and could only be saved the same way we will:  through the Atonement.

"Nevertheless, Jacob, my firstborn in the wilderness, thou knowest the greatness of God...Wherefore, I know that thou art redeemed, because of the righteousness of thy Redeemer."

As Christ, then, retained his scars so we could see proof that He remembers us always, we would be wise to remember those scars as well and daily and hourly make choices of obedience and repentance that will bring us greater spiritual progression, until that final day when Christ reaches out His hand and we feel those scars for ourselves.

As Lehi counseled,

"And now, my sons, I would that ye should look to the great Mediator, and hearken unto his great commandments; and be faithful unto his words, and choose eternal life, according to the will of his Holy Spirit" (2 Ne. 2:28).

If we do so, at the end of our lives we can say, as did Lehi,

"I have chosen the good part" (2 Ne. 2:30).


(For more on agency, see my Young Women's lesson, "Forks in the Road," available at this link.)

(For the wonderful talk by Brad Wilcox mentioned in the reader's comment below, "His Grace is Sufficient," follow this link.)

Acts 1-5: Witnesses

Acts 1-5

THE WITNESSES OF LUKE

The book of Acts was written by Luke as a sequel to his Gospel.  He began both with an introduction and dedication to someone named Theophilus. "The former treatise have I made [speaking of the Gospel of Luke], O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen" (Acts 1:1-2).  Who is Theophilus?  "Following a literary custom of his day, Luke gives his work a formal dedication.  Theophilus, literally 'lover of God,' may refer to a [particular] historical person or to anyone who loves God" (Harper-Collins Study Bible, p. 2057).

Understanding that Luke and Acts are connected books makes each of them a stronger witness.  "Because the Gospels were grouped together in the [Bible], Acts stands separate from luke.  Yet readers of Acts will be helped if they bear in mind its many connections with the Third Gospel.  Among the most important...themes is the fulfillment of God's promises in the ministry of Jesus and the life of the church.  From the annunciation to Mary (Luke 1:35) to the mission of the church (Acts 1:8) to Paul's journey to Rome (Acts 27:24), Luke underscores the absolute reliability of God's word.  Another overriding theme is the work of the Holy Spirit, which plays a prominent role in Jesus' ministry (Luke 4:1), in the empowering of the church (Acts 2:1-13), and in guiding the church's witness (15:28; 16:6-7).  A third connection between the two volumes is that important figures in Acts duplicate aspects of Jesus' life, [such] as when Peter raises the dead (Acts 9:36-43; Luke 7:11-17) or when Paul's final journey to Jerusalem and Rome echoes that of Jesus to Jerusalem (Acts 19:21; Luke 9:51-52)" (Dr. Beverly Roberts Gaventa, Associate Professor of New Testament, Princeton Theological Seminary, writing for the Harper-Collins Study Bible, p. 2057.)

Women Witnesses
Richard Neitzel Holzapfel notes that women as witnesses is a theme carried over from the Gospel of Luke.  Once again, only a woman was witness to two great events:  The birth of Christ (Luke 2:1-19) and the birth of the Christian church (Acts 1:1-14).

Temple the Focal Point
He also points out that the temple is a point of focus in both books.  When Jesus was just a child, his parents came up to Jerusalem for the Passover and lost Jesus, thinking he was with relatives in the same traveling company.  It was three days before they found him in the temple teaching the priests the things he had already learned at such a young age from God (Luke 2:46, JST footnote).  The temple mount was 40 acres, 4 times the size of Salt Lake City's Temple Square.  There would have been approximately 180,000 people on the temple mount during Passover, although it can actually hold twice that number.  And yet, little Jesus said to his parents, in essence, "Why did you have such a hard time finding me?  You should have known I would have been at the temple!"  (See Luke 2:41-50.) 

The temple is at the beginning of Luke's account of Jesus' life, and the temple is at the end:  Each day at the 9th hour (3:00 p.m.), the Jews would pray with their hands over their heads.  At the end of his Gospel, Luke notes that as Christ hung on the cross, "there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.  And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.  And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost" (Luke 23:44-46). So as the Jews were praying with their hands over their heads at the temple at Passover, Jesus died on the cross, with his hands over his head, and God the Father heard Christ's prayer, opened the veil between heaven and earth, and allowed Christ, the great and new High Priest to enter his presence so that all others who desired might do the same. 

The final words of Luke's first book are that after Christ's ascension, the disciples "were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God.  Amen" (Luke 24:53). 

Working of Miracles
The first healing done by the apostles that is recorded by Luke in his second book, was at the Feast of Pentecost, when "Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour" (Acts 3:1), when there would have been a large number of people at the temple praying, and performed a public healing of a man well-known to have been lame from birth.  It was just like the miraculous healings performed by Christ:  it was a bold and irrefutable witness that they had power from Christ.  Upon seeing the man begging, Peter answered, "Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk" (Acts 3:6). 

(Richard Neitzel Holzapfel, "Temple Worship and Symbolism in the New Testament," CES Scripture Symposium held in Logan, Utah January 25, 2003, taken from my personal notes, 8:161). 

Importance of Preaching the Gospel to all the World
The Gospel of Luke ends with Christ's injunction that "repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.  And ye are witness of these things.  And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you; but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high" (Luke 24:47-49). 

The first words of the book of Acts are reminders of that promise and the commandment that they should be witnesses of Christ in Jerusalem, in all Judea, in Samaria, and into the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:3-8). 

The Witness of Angels
As two angels witnessed to the women at the tomb, "Why seek ye the living among the dead?", two angels witnessed to the apostles, "Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven?  this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven" (Acts 1:10-11).

THE JOY OF THE ATONEMENT PREACHED TO THOSE WHO CRUCIFIED CHRIST

The first place the Apostles were commanded to preach the gospel was in Jerusalem, so that is where they started.  (That would seem to be obvious, but we are not always so obedient.  Think of Jonah, for instance.) 

There was a huge crowd of "devout men, out of every nation under heaven" who had gathered to Jerusalem for the Feast of Pentecost.  ("Devout" doesn't necesarily mean "believers in Christ"--the Pharisees were the most devout of all.)  These were Jews whose ancestors had previously been scattered to other nations as Israel had been conquered, so they spoke many different languages.  And Jerusalem was the place where Christ had recently been unjustly tried, convicted, and condemned during the last great gathering, the Passover.  It would not seem to be a fertile ground for missionary work.

But Peter and the apostles were now filled with power through the Gift of the Holy Ghost (John 20:22) and the Melchizedek Priesthood and were no longer afraid of the people or the leaders.  Their testimonies had been strengthened; they did not hesitate to risk their lives to obey their Lord and Savior.  As the small group of believers assembled for Pentecost, they appeared to be on fire. There was also a great sound as the rushing of a mighty wind. 

The word spread that there was a spectacle to see, and people gathered, and were shocked to hear the gospel being preached by Galileans, and yet being heard by each man in his own language.  By obeying the  command to first preach in Jerusalem, the Apostles were aided by a great manifestation of the gift of tongues, by which the gospel then could be spread throughout the many surrounding nations as the listening Jews returned home with the message.

Peter boldly proclaimed to them, "Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death; because it was not possible that he should be holden of it" (Acts 2:22-24).  Peter did not mince words!  Peter then referred to the writings of the great King David, whose place of burial was well-known, and told them that Christ had been the Messiah and Savior who was to come through David, and he no longer remained in the sepulchre, but was resurrected.  "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ"  (Acts 2:36).

Imagine hearing this and having the awful realization dawn that it was true!

"Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

It was too late to reverse the decision of the court!  It was too late to stop the crucifixion!  It was too late to become a disciple of Christ rather than an enemy!  It was too late to switch sides!

Or was it?

No.  It wasn't, and it isn't.  It is never, ever too late.

"Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call" (Acts 2:38-39).

The Lord called his own condemnors and promised them the remission of sins and the Gift of the Holy Ghost?  Right after they crucified him?  Why?

"[The Lord] doeth not anything save it be for the benefit of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he layeth down his life that he may draw all men unto him.  Wherefore he commandeth none that they shall not partake of his salvation.  Behold, doth he cry unto any, saying: Depart from me?  Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but he sayeth: Come unto me all ye ends of the earth, buy milk and honey without money and without price...Hath he commanded any that they should not partake of his salvation?  Behold, I say unto you, Nay; but he hath given it free for all men, and he hath commanded his people that they should persuade all men to repentance" (2 Ne. 26:24-25,27).

Because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, which he wrought in the Garden of Gethsemane before being crucified, even those who crucified him were freely offered not only resurrection, but the remission of their sins.  In fact, the apostles were commanded to preach it to them.

Any of us who may feel that our sins are beyond the power of the Atonement, or that we would not be able to qualify to inherit Christ's kingdom because of what we have done or who we are need only read this chapter in Acts to realize that the Atonement will work for us as well.  A great example of trust in Christ and the power of his Atonement to cleanse, to heal, and to sanctify any sinner is shown in the lives of those who, after calling for his crucifixion, then turned to him in repentance.  A great example also of the diligence Christ expects of his disciples to "feed my sheep" no matter who they are or what they have done is shown in the bold preaching of Peter and the apostles.

"Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls" (Acts 2:41).  (See also Acts 3:12-26 for a similar speech.)

Why did these people now recognize the truth when they did not accept the Savior when he was there himself?  "Here is the happy success and issue of this [preaching].  The Spirit wrought with the word, and wrought wonders by it.  These same persons that had many of them been eye-witnesses of the death of Christ, and the prodigies that attended it, and were not wrought upon by them, were yet wrought upon by the preaching of the word, for it is this that is the power of God unto salvation.  They received the word; and then only the word does us good, when we do receive it, embrace it, and bid it welcome" (Matthew Henry's Commentary--The New Testament, Acts, p. 13).

ESTABLISHMENT OF THE CHURCH

Although most of the leadership of the Jews still did not believe, the early Christian church was solidly established in Jerusalem with a base membership of those disciples who had followed Christ during his ministry, and these who had received the word at Pentecost.  Their story is almost as amazing as that of the conversion of the entire Nephite nation which was happening in the Americas at exactly the same time (3 Ne. 11-26). 

In just a few verses here, Luke details why and how the Church worked so well.  Look for the elements of success.  (The blue comments come from Matthew Henry, p 13-14.)

• And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine..."They were diligent and constant in their attendance upon the preaching of the word."
• And [the apostles'] fellowship...  "They kept up the communion of saints."
• And in breaking of bread...  "They frequently joined in the ordinance of the Lord's supper.  They continued in the breaking of bread, in celebrating that memorial of their Master's death, as those that were not ashamed to own their relation to, and their dependance upon, Christ and him crucified."
• And in prayers.  "They continued in prayers.  After the Spirit was poured out, as well as before, while they were waiting for him, they continued instant in prayer; for prayer will never be superseded till it comes to be swallowed up in everlasting praise [in the next life]."
• And fear [great reverence for God] came upon every soul...  The despising of the Savior while he was among them changed to a state of awe.
• And many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.  Miracles did not cease when Christ left the earth, nor will they as long as his Church is here. 
• And all that believed were together, and had all things common; and sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.  "This was to destroy, not property...but selfishness."
• And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple...  "They kept close to holy ordinances, and abounded in all instances of piety and devotion."  "They met in the temple...for joint-fellowship with God is the best fellowship we can have with one another." 
• And breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favour with all the people.  "They abounded in thanksgiving; were continually praising God.  This should have a part in every prayer, and not be crowded into a corner.  Those that have received the gift of the Holy Ghost will be much in praise."

...And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved" (Acts 2:41-47).


PARALLELS IN THE LATTER-DAY CHURCH

We can see many parallels between their church and our church, and also the church Christ established among the Nephites.  (You may want to ask the class to identify parallels, and then write them on a chart on the blackboard as they think of them.  They may come up with different ones than I have.)

PARALLELS IN THE ESTABLISHMENT OF CHRIST’S CHURCH IN DIFFERENT ERAS AND LOCATIONS
Event/Situation	New Testament Church	Nephite Church	Restored Church
Spectacular descent of the Holy Ghost; prophecy of Joel 2:28 proclaimed fulfilled	Acts 2:1-4 sound of rushing wind, cloven tongues of fire, speaking in tongues; Acts 2:17 Joel's prophecy repeated by Peter	3 Ne. 19:9-14 circle of fire, presence of angels	D&C 109:36-37 sound of rushing wind, appearance of fire, speaking in tongues Joel's prophecy repeated by Angel Moroni to Joseph Smith
Huge groups join the church	Acts 2:41; 4:4 3,000 men; 5,000 men	4 Ne. 1:2 the entire nation	missions to England, Canada
All things held in common	Acts 4:32	3 Ne. 26:19 4 Ne. 1:2-3	D&C 42
Transfiguration; Keys of Kingdom given	Matt. 17:1-13 Bible Dictionary p. 786	3 Ne. 28:12-15	D&C 110:11-16 April 3, 1836
Apostles imprisoned but prisons could not hold them	Acts 12 freed by angel Acts 16 freed by earthquake; jailer converted	3 Ne. 18:19	Many times; Joseph Smith did convert a jailer; sometimes they did escape or were allowed to
Visited by resurrected Christ	Acts 1:3	3 Ne. 11:8 and on	D&C 110 in the Kirtland Temple
Sacrament instituted	Luke 22:17-20	3 Ne. 18	D&C 20
Twelve Apostles called	Acts 1:13, 21-26 filling position left by Judas Iscariot	3 Ne. 12:1	D&C 18:26
Voice of God identifying Christ	Matt. 17:5	3 Ne. 11:6-7	Joseph Smith-History 1:17
Healing miracles performed by apostles	Acts 3:1-7	4 Ne. 1:5	History of the Church records many
Eventual persecution of church members	All apostles ended up being martyrs	4 Ne. 1:34	That is the reason the church is based in Salt Lake City—they had to flee the U.S. because of persecution
Joyous differences in the Latter-day Church
An apostacy prophecied	Yes	Yes	No!  The church will never again leave the earth
A restoration prophecied	Acts 3:19-21	3 Ne. 20-22	JS-H 1:40 this restoration is final

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE REST OF THE NEW TESTAMENT

We all love to read the Gospels over and over, and but sometimes we don't realize the tremendous value of the Acts and the Epistles and the Book of Revelation.

"Sadly, the second half of the New Testament is sometimes neglected by Latter-day Saints.  That is unfortunate because the times in which those books of the New Testament were written were not so different from our own.  The information in those books and the lessons we can learn from them could become a towering source of peace and power in coping with life's challenges in our own times.  These books speak of the former-day Saints having to endure persecution; sexual temptations and perversions of every kind, including prostitution, adultery, fornication, and homosexuality; recurring and vexing welfare problems; famine and economic uncertainties; sorrow and suffering; trials and tribulations; the allure of reason over revelation; false teachers; and apostasy" (D. Kelly Ogden and Andrew C. Skinner, New Testament Apostles Testify of Christ, p. 1-2).

It will be exciting to study "the rest of the story" during the remainder of the year in Sunday School.

LATTER-DAY APOSTLES GAME

With whatever time you have left, you can play this game.
Ask the class to identify the 12 apostles of the early Church.  You can let them look them up, if needed, in Acts 1:13 & 26.  Write them on the board.  Then ask them if they can name our present-day apostles.  As they do, write them on the board.  Remember, there will be 15, not 12, with the First Presidency.  You can then play a game of knowledge of our apostles.  Divide the class into two teams.  Show a picture of one of the apostles.  One team member is asked to name the apostle.  He/she has the option to try or to pass.  If the answer is right, the next team member must tell us something about the apostle.  (His professional life, his family life, hobbies, his most recent conference address topic, his personality, details of his church service.)  This team keeps the turn until they can tell three things about the apostle.  If they make a mistake, the opposing team gets to finish their turn, and then start a new one.  You can keep score on the board, if it seems appropriate.

This will work pretty well with a large class of adults who are well-established in the church.  If you have a small class of youth, you may want to ask for only one thing about each apostle.  If you have a small group of new members or children, you may want to post all the apostles' pictures at once, put information about the apostles on slips of paper in a bowl and have team members draw one out and guess which apostle it is.  Tell them the correct answer, post the strip by the apostle's picture, and don't keep score.

Sources you can use for information about the apostles:

The Church News Church Leaders Page

Grandpa Bill's General Authority Pages

Mormon Times

CONCLUSION

As Christ was setting up his church in Jerusalem, he admonished Peter to "Feed my sheep."  This commandment applies to us today as well as it did to Peter.  We are both the shepherds and the sheep, and we must perform each role well.  It is our job to help and lift each other in whatever our stewardships may be in the kingdom.  It is also our job to listen to and obey those who are shepherds over us, particularly the apostles.  We are so blessed in our day; we do not have to leave our jobs and follow the apostles through the countryside, straining to hear over the multitude, and having to rely upon our own memories.  We should not treat the words of the prophets and apostles today casually because of the easiness of hearing them.  We must be earnest in hearing, and then we can turn around and "feed" the other "sheep."

For a great article on feeding the sheep, by Russell M. Nelson, click here.