New Testament Lesson #9 "Seek Ye First the Kingdom of God"

Matthew 6-7

Preparation:  Bring a lamp and set it on the classroom table, but don't plug it in.

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT

"The Sermon on the Mount is perhaps the most significant testimony of our Lord ever recorded. It is a blueprint for exaltation because it bears witness of the Savior’s celestial nature" (Marsh).  Many people jokingly comment that life needs an instruction book.  Well, the Sermon on the Mount is just that.  "It is the constitution of Christian conduct—the rudder that should guide our actions and an important standard against which we can measure our spiritual development." (Bachman)

"The Sermon on the Mount is not an assemblage of disjointed sayings, spoken on diverse occasions, that have been combined in one place for convenience in presentation, as some uninspired commentators have speculated.  It is rather selected sayings, all spoken by Jesus on one day, following the ordination of the Twelve; it is that portion of his words, spoken on that occasion, which the Spirit knew should be preserved for us and for all men who seek truth" (McConkie, p. 117).

"The JST, like the Book of Mormon, makes it clear that the message now known as the Sermon on the Mount was directed to the Twelve Apostles and to the Savior’s disciples, or the baptized, covenant members of the Church...So in one sense the sermon was aimed at preparing the Saints to make covenants with God.  It was a call to a higher level of living as well as a mission call to share the gospel with others." (Marsh)

"This sermon is a recapitulation, a summary, and a digest of what men must do to gain salvation; and the eternal concepts in it are so stated that hearers (and readers) will get out of it as much as their personal spiritual capacity permits.  To some it will point the way to further investigation; to others it will confirm and reconfirm eternal truths already learned from the scriptures and from the preachers of righteousness of their day; and to those few whose souls burn with the fires of testimony, devotion, and valiance, it will be as the rending of the heavens: light and knowledge beyond carnal comprehension will flow into their souls in quantities that cannot be measured.  Every man must judge and determine for himself the effect the Sermon on the Mount will have upon him" (McConkie, p. 116).

OVERVIEW OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT

Bearing in mind Elder McConkie's statement above, it is easy to understand that there are many ways of viewing, analyzing, interpreting, and explaining the Sermon on the Mount, including those found in the links at the end of this posting.  Even the same person may see it in different ways and learn from it different things at different times in his or her life.  Here is my present perspective on the Sermon:

I.   Directions for Spiritual Development (Matt. 5:1-48)
II.  Pitfalls to Avoid (Matt. 6:1-7:6)
III. Counsel for the Journey (Matt: 7:7-23)
IV. Conclusion (Matt. 7:24-27)

Write the outline on the board, leaving space after sections II and III to fill in details from the discussion.  (Section I was covered in the last lesson.)


(Please notice there are four significant JST additions in the Bible appendix for Matthew 6 and 7 [p. 802-803]).
 
PLUGGING IN THE PRINCIPLES

Start fiddling with the lamp, trying to turn it on, and pretending that you don't realize it isn't plugged in.  Make a comment about how you know this is a really good lamp; why isn't it working?  Some helpful class member is sure to point out the problem, and you can then make the following point.


If I have a lamp with which to read at night, but I don't plug it in, I will not get any light.  No matter how good the lamp is, nothing will change for me; I will still be in the dark.  It must be plugged in to have the power to accomplish the task. 

Set your scriptures next to the lamp.

So is it the case with every gospel principle found in the scriptures.  We can read them, study them, know them, but until they are "plugged into" our everyday experience they won't have the power to enrich, enable, and sanctify our lives. 

So today we are going to discuss how we can "plug" the Sermon on the Mount into our lives.

Ask your class members to be thinking of specific examples of how living the Sermon on the Mount could make their lives happier this very week.  Very briefly review the "Directions for Spiritual Development" section, which was taught in the previous lesson.  Then divide the class up into two groups: one that will look over the "Pitfall" scriptures (6:1-7:6), and the other that will look over the "Counsel" scriptures (7:7-23).  You can use the ideas below to get the discussion started and also to elaborate on and validate the comments they share. 

I. DIRECTIONS FOR SPIRITUAL DEVELOPMENT

5:1-11    The Beatitudes (the "Constitution for a Perfect Life")
5:13-16  Responsibility for Example
5:17-20  The Fulfillment of the Law
5:21-47  Examples of the Higher Law
5:48       Conclusion: These things will complete/perfect you

(See the previous entry for more on this section.)

II. PITFALLS TO AVOID

Christ has shown us some specific danger zones that will rob us of happiness on our journey through life.  Anytime we are feeling unhappy, this list of pitfalls might be the first place to look to discover and eliminate the source of our misery.

Doing Good for Praise (Matt. 6:1-18)
"Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven." (Matt. 6:1).

Do we feel diminished in the service we give to our families, neighbors or ward if no one notices/appreciates it?

Are we content having only "our Father which seeth in secret" know the extent of a sacrifice we make? 

Will we get "full credit" in heaven for a fast that includes the components of mentally or verbally whining, focusing every thought on food, and letting everyone know that we are suffering? 

Do we offer a "better" prayer at a church function than we do when we are home beside our bed?

Here is the reward for not doing good to be seen of men:  We are free to have joy in our service, because that joy is not dependant on someone else's opinion of what we have done.

          The Lord's Instructions on Prayer
          Nestled in the center of the Sermon on the Mount,
          we find the Lord's Prayer (Matt. 6:9-13).  Each line
          of the Lord's prayer is a guideline for an effective prayer.

  

          Elder Bernard P. Brockbank wrote, "I learned the
          Lord’s Prayer as a child, but it was years later that I
          learned that our Savior’s elegant, simple, masterful
          words were actually a commandment. In the Lord’s
          Prayer...he teaches us how to pray and tells us to follow
          his model. Once I began obeying that commandment,
          my prayers were more personal, more purposeful, more
          powerful.

          “'After this manner therefore pray ye,' the Lord instructed.
          Since he had just warned against 'vain repetitions' in
          prayers, we know that he meant for us to use his prayer
          as a model for our own."

          (For more detail and explanation, follow the link to Elder
          Brockbank's article at the bottom of this page.)

Treasuring Temporary Things (Matt. 6:19-44)
"Lay not up for yourselves treasure upon earth...but lay up for yourselves treasure in heaven...For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (6:19-21).

"The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye [perspective] be single to [focused on] the glory of God, thy whole body [actions] shall be full of light" (6:22 JST).

"No man can serve two masters" (6:24).

"The first words we hear from [Christ's] premortal life as recorded in the scriptures are 'Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever' (Moses 4:2). The first words we have in the scriptures that the Savior spoke as a mortal include 'I must be about my Father’s business' (Luke 2:49). In Gethsemane He prayed, 'Not my will, but thine, be done' (Luke 22:42). His final words on the cross were 'Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit' (Luke 23:46) and 'Father, it is finished, thy will is done' (see JST, footnote to Matt. 27:50). From His premortal existence throughout His entire life, the Savior’s eye was single to doing the will of His Father.  To follow in the Savior’s footsteps is to assist the Father in His work and glory, which is 'to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man' (Moses 1:39)." (Marsh)

Do we give priority in our schedules to gospel study, service, temple & family history work, church callings, care of our family, prayer, etc.?

Do the principles of the gospel excite us?  Do we find ourselves thinking about them throughout the week, and trying to apply them to situations we face?

Do we love serving others, or does it feel like a frustrating interruption in our schedule? 

If our friends do not share the same values, standards, and beliefs that we have, do we change to meet theirs, or do we stand as an example of the believers?

Do we fill our home environment with art, music, and media that reflect our eternal perspective?

Of course, if we are spending time enjoying sinful activities, it is clear that we are serving the wrong master altogether.  We cannot live a double life for long.

Here is the reward for not treasuring temporal (temporary) things:  We free ourselves to be more happy, because our happiness is not based on things that will not last, but on eternal things.

Worrying (Matt. 6:25-33 JST)
"Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on.  Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?...Your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.  Wherefore, seek not the things of this world but seek ye first to build up the kingdom of God, and to establish his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (6:25-33 JST).

Although the JST makes it clear that this was counsel to the Apostles as they were about to leave their livelihoods and start their full-time ministry, there is good counsel here for us as well.

Do we spend more time getting physically ready for church on Sunday, or getting spiritually ready for our communion at the sacrament table?

Do we worry excessively about money, health, safety, or things that are beyond our control despite doing our best to be prepared? 

"Take therefore no thought for the morrow...sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof" (6:34).  The Lord advises us to focus on the things in the present, where we can take action, rather than wasting energy on worries about the future, which we cannot see.  Of course, we must make plans for the future.  But if we think about it, the Spirit will sometimes prompt us to do something tomorrow or next week, but most often it will prompt us about what we should do today.  We are "of little faith" (6:30) if we think we have to anxiously micro-manage our lives, as well as worry about things that are beyond our control, rather than living by the Spirit and trusting the Lord to guide us and care for us day by day.

Here is the reward for not worrying:  We can feel at peace, and all our energies can be spent on things that we can control.

Judging (Matt. 7:1-5)
Righteous judgment involves distinguishing between good and evil, and we must make those judgments.  But in this instance, we are talking about avoiding unrighteous judgment, which puts us in a state of opposition to others.  Judging almost always involves comparison--comparing others with ourselves.  We may judge someone else to be better than us in some way, or worse than us in some way.  Either way, one of us is going to look good, and the other is going to look bad, and we are going to have a feeling of enmity.

Another way of looking at it is that judging effectively puts us on a different team from the other person.  Remember the Father's work and glory is to bring to pass their exaltation, as well as ours, and if we are going to be on His team, that means we are going to be on their team.  Any offenses or inadequacies, then, can be viewed from a merciful vantage point.  We can assume the best was intended even if we cannot understand it.  We can accept that another's way of doing things is different from but very possibly just as good as ours.  We can always keep in mind that everyone's spiritual development is in a different place on the road to perfection.  We can always attempt to view others through the lense of Christ's love.  We then avoid the feelings of jealousy, anger, intimidation, irritation, superiority, disgust, and any other competitive misery, and replace them with compassion.

Here is the reward for not judging:  If we stop comparing, our own peace and happiness are no longer related to what others have, do, or are.

Not Treating Sacred Things Casually (Matt. 7:6-7 JST)
The JST links up two seemingly unrelated thoughts in the Sermon.  "Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you" (7:6).  Many have had the disheartening experience of sharing a very sacred memory, testimony, or even miracle with others, only to have them doubt its divine origin.  The JST therefore counsels, "Say unto them, Ask of God; ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you" (Bible appendix, p. 803).   Rather than convincing others of our relationship with God, we are to teach that each person who will put forth the effort can have his own intelligence from God, his own personal miracles and transforming experiences.

Here is the reward for not treating sacred things casually:  The Lord will bless us with more sacred experiences, because we can be trusted.

COUNSEL FOR THE JOURNEY

How to Get Help (Matt. 7:7-11)
Take special note of the words "ask," "seek," "knock."  Effort is required.

"Spiritual knowledge is not available merely for the asking; even prayers are not enough.  It takes persistence and dedication of one's life" (Spencer W. Kimball, Teachings of Spencer W. Kimball, p. 389-390).

"The object of prayer is not to change the will of God, but to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that God is already willing to grant, but that are made conditional on our asking for them...We pray in Christ's name when our mind is the mind of Christ, and our wishes the wishes of Christ...Many prayers remain unanswered because they are not in Christ's name at all; they in no way represent his mind, but spring out of the selfishness of man's heart" (Bible Dictionary, Prayer, p. 753).

How to Treat Others (Matt. 7:12)
The natural outgrowth of receiving the blessings from our Heavenly Father for which we ask, is the desire to bless others. This is what we call the Golden Rule: "Therefore, all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets [the teachings of the scriptures]" (7:12).  Possibly the top of the list of things we would like for men to do for us would be to forgive us of our shortcomings, errors, and sins, so this would be a good place for us to work on in keeping the Golden Rule.

Which Path to Take/Who To Follow (Matt. 7:13-14/Matt. 7:15-23)
There are many philosophies of men that teach "ask and ye shall receive," as does the Sermon on the Mount (7:7-8), but most of them disregard the truth that "strait is the gate and narrow the way" (6:13-14) to a full and rich life here on earth and in the eternities.  Therefore, the counsel is very wise to "beware of false prophets...in sheep's clothing".  It could be that their advise will rip us apart as wolves would, make our lives bitter as rotten fruit will, and keep us from a true relationship with our Father in Heaven! (6:15-23)

CONCLUSION

The parable of the wise man and the foolish man is the conclusion to the Sermon on the Mount, and it is a perfect ending.

"Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house; and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock.

"And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell; and great was the fall of it" (7:24-27).

Here is a little object lesson for this parable:  In a 9x13 cake pan, make a little sand hill using a small bowl packed with damp sand.  (You may not want to invert it into the pan until you are in the classroom, so it won't fall apart.)  If you can't get any sand, you can make a "sand" hill out of packed brown sugar.  Put a good-sized rectangular rock next to the sand hill in the pan.  Tell the class to imagine a house built upon each of these hills.  Pour a pitcher of water over the two.  The sand hill will, of course, disintegrate, while the rock will, of course, retain its form.

Notice that the rain, the wind, and the flood attacked both houses.  No one escapes the storms of life, not even the disciples of Christ.  But the difference is in the effect they have upon us.  If we build our lives upon the foundation of the Rock found in the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount, we may get wet, but we will still be standing.  "The Savior’s message in the Sermon on the Mount is that the basis of real happiness does not lie in trying to subdue the storms outside us, but in sacrificing our sins and allowing the Savior to activate righteousness within us" (Thomas).

There is no guarantee for those who base their lives on anything else.

"Much of the unhappiness we feel in this world comes from a refusal to let go of those things that cause our unhappiness. Often as we seek relief, we aren’t able to discern the real problem, and we have trouble shaking off a sense of dissatisfaction.  For those suffering spiritual and emotional distress, the Sermon on the Mount offers relief" (Thomas).


SOURCES:

Jeffrey Marsh, "Prophetic Enlightenment on the Sermon on the Mount," Ensign, Jan. 1999
Danel Bachman, "Sermon of Sermons," Ensign, Mar. 1981
Bruce R. McConkie, The Mortal Messiah, Book 2
Bernard P. Brockbank, "After This Manner." New Era, Dec. 1981
Catherine Thomas, "Blessed Are Ye," Ensign, June 1987

Although I didn't use it in this lesson, a good article you may want to use which focuses on how the Sermon on the Mount gives counsel for improving marriage is "Your Marriage and the Sermon on the Mount," in the Sept. 1995 Liahona, or the August 1991 Ensign, by Paul K. Browning.

Apology

Dear Readers,

The Sermon on the Mount is a challenge!  It is taking me a little longer to get it ready for posting.  Please check back; I hope to have it up tonight.

New Testament Lesson #8 The Sermon on the Mount

Matthew 5

THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT

"And seeing the multitudes, [Jesus] went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him..." (Matt. 5:1) 

Why did "seeing the multitudes" result in Jesus going up into a mountain?  Generally speaking, in the scriptures, a mountain is an outdoor temple.  The temple at Jerusalem had been defiled by moneychangers, so the mountain in this case may have been more sacred.  Jesus was setting himself apart, into a more holy place, where those who were really seeking truth would have to put forth the effort to come to him, so he would be left teaching only "disciples."

"The English word 'disciple' fails to convey the richness of the relationship between a rabbi and his [followers] in the first century...The essence of the relationship was one of trust in every area of living, and its goal was to make the [disciple] like his rabbi in knowledge, wisdom and ethical behavior" (Stern, p. 23).

It was to this devoted audience that Jesus shared the powerful Sermon on the Mount.  He began the sermon by offering to these disciples instructions for achieving a state of blessedness.  The word used for blessed (makarios in Greek, asher in Hebrew) "means 'blessed,' 'happy,' and 'fortunate' all at once, so that no one English word is adequate" (Stern, p. 23)

THE BEATITUDES TEACH US HOW TO BECOME LIKE CHRIST

President Harold B. Lee said,  "In his Sermon on the Mount the Master has given us somewhat of a revelation of his own character, which was perfect…and in so doing has given us a blueprint for our own lives...

"In that matchless Sermon on the Mount, Jesus has given us eight distinct ways by which we might receive…joy. Each of his declarations is begun by the word 'Blessed'...These declarations of the Master are known in the literature of the Christian world as the Beatitudes...They embody in fact the constitution for a perfect life."

The Beatitudes are related and interwoven, and therefore, different interpretations and explanations of them can each be correct, and can complement each other.  My favorite analysis of the meaning of the Beatitudes is this one, offered by Camille Fronk [Olson]. 

"The Holy Spirit’s role in transforming us into Christlike beings is outlined in the eight Beatitudes. The first four teach how we go from being poor in spirit to being 'filled with the Holy Ghost.'

1. Blessed are the poor in spirit. I first recognize that I am lacking the Spirit, bankrupt in the Spirit, or poor in Spirit. Considered alone, lacking the Spirit is not a blessing. The Book of Mormon, however, provides the missing piece in Christ’s instruction: 'Blessed are the poor in spirit who come unto me' (3 Nephi 12:3; JST Matthew 5:3). Only when I come unto Christ with my realized need can I hope to eventually be filled with His Spirit.
2. Blessed are they who mourn. Turning to Christ when I lack the Spirit illuminates weaknesses and sins that caused the Spirit to depart from me in the first place. That discovery causes me to mourn. Feeling 'godly sorrow' (2 Corinthians 7:10) because my shortcomings bring pain to the Savior encourages me to sincerely repent. Through the Holy Spirit, the Lord communicates when my repentance and mourning have been accepted, and I am comforted by Christ’s forgiveness.
3. Blessed are the meek. Having newly tasted of His grace, I become meek and teachable. In this state, I am desirous to obey the Lord in whatever He asks. I will gladly go where He asks me to go, cheerfully say what He asks me to say, and have the faith to become whatever He tells me I am capable of becoming.
4. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness. That spirit of obedience leads me to hunger and thirst after righteousness, a desire that is answered with the very gift I longed for from the beginning: I am filled with His Spirit (see JST Matthew 5:3–6; 3 Nephi 12:3–6). Notice again that I am filled with the Spirit only after I recognize my need for the Spirit’s presence in my life, sincerely repent of subsequently illuminated shortcomings, and become meek in willingness to accept and do whatever the Lord may require.

"Now 'filled with the Holy Ghost' (3 Nephi 12:6), I am in a position to change and become more Christlike. The fruit of the Spirit can now develop in me, enabling me to reflect the light of the Savior in everyday living. The fruit is thereby identified in the concluding four Beatitudes.

5. Blessed are the merciful. Filled with the Spirit, we naturally feel merciful toward those around us. We have just experienced the Savior’s mercy and we want to show that mercy to people who frankly don’t deserve it any more than we did. As an example, we will graciously allow a driver to bulldoze her way into our lane of the freeway without taking offense or retaliating. In short, we feel a natural inclination to be kind whatever the circumstances when we are filled with the Spirit.
6. Blessed are the pure in heart. Our hearts are so pure when we are filled with the Spirit that we see God everywhere we look. We not only see Him in nature but in neighbors and coworkers, people whose weaknesses and faults are all too apparent. Being filled with the Spirit, we find ourselves treating them with respect and reverence. We listen more attentively, show consideration for their responsibilities and time constraints, and express genuine appreciation for their contributions to the overall good of the family or company.
7. Blessed are the peacemakers. We become peacemakers, or as Isaiah described them, those who 'publish peace' (Isaiah 52:7; see also Mosiah 15:14–18). We want to share the glorious good news so that others can be filled with the selfsame Spirit. When we are filled with the Spirit, we are 'ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh [us] a reason of the hope that is in [us]' (1 Peter 3:15).
8. Blessed are all they who are persecuted for my [God’s] name’s sake. Finally, we can withstand any manner of persecution that the adversary may inflict upon us (see Matthew 5:7–12; 3 Nephi 12:7–12). Being filled with the Spirit, we cannot be offended even when others intend evil against us. We simply turn the other cheek and 'overcome evil with good' (Romans 12:21).

"Completing this cycle once does not immediately make us like Christ, but it does bring us closer. We know more about the Spirit and can discern sins and shortcomings that were not apparent before, and then the cycle repeats. With such divine tutelage and a willingness to endure to the end, we are gradually becoming like our Savior! We are changing from the inside out! We are learning to love as He loved—to receive the greatest fruit of the Spirit, charity, 'the pure love of Christ' (Moroni 7:47).  (Fronk, P. 87-103) 

The first four Beatitudes involve the inward workings of our souls, specifically our relationship with Christ, and the second four involve the outward manifestations of that relationship, our actions in relation to others.  The Beatitudes, therefore, can be seen as the instructions for living the two great commandments, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind...and thy neighbor as thyself."  As we develop that vertical relationship (our relationship with God), we are grounded and better able to manage our horizontal relationships (our relationships with people).

(President Lee's interpretation is slightly different than Sister Fronk's.  He sees "Meek" as having to do with relationships with others, and "Pure in Heart" having to do with our relationship with God.  Of course, both explanations are completely accurate because gospel principles cannot really be compartmentalized, but all weave and flow together.  [Follow the link in the "Sources" below to read his interpretation.])

THE BEATITUDES IN PETER'S LIFE

Of course, one of the disciples listening intently to the Sermon on the Mount was the apostle Peter.  "Peter was one of the greatest of men.  It is true that the New Testament recounts some mortal weaknesses, but it also illustrates that he overcame them and was made strong by his faith in Jesus Christ" (Bible Dictionary).  We can follow the record of Peter's life and see that he set an example as one who learned and then truly lived the Beatitudes.

Upon receiving the miracle of the fish at his call to the Apostleship, Peter immediately realized that he was spiritually poor in comparison to the Master and, mourning over his sins, he "fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord" (Luke 5:8). 

Despite his great catch, he did not regard his business as more important than the Lord's, but meekly he "straightway" left his  net [which, of course, was completely loaded with fish], and followed him (Matt. 4:19). 

It is clear that Peter hungered for righteousness, since he followed Christ everywhere he went.  When Jesus went to a solitary place to have time alone with his Father, "[Simon Peter] and they that were with him followed after him.  And when they had found him, they said unto him, All men seek for thee" (Mark 1:35-37).  Peter even tried to walk on water as he saw the Savior do, and with the Savior's help, he succeeded (Matt. 14:29-31).

So Simon Peter developed a relationship with his Savior, such that when he was asked, "Whom say ye that I am?  [he] answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.  And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven" (Matt. 16:15-16).

Peter was the one who asked, "Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven" (Matt. 18:21-22), after which he related the parable of the unmerciful servant, so that Peter might understand the importance of being merciful. 

After the resurrection, Christ returned to the earth to teach his disciples even more, at which time he gave Peter the imperative to, "Feed my sheep" (John 21:15-17).  Peter spent the rest of his life spreading the gospel of peace.

Along with the other early saints, Peter endured persecution.  He was imprisoned (Acts 12:6), and "it is generally believed that he suffered martyrdom at Rome" (Bible Dictionary).

THE BEATITUDES IN OUR DAILY LIVES

Of course, progressing through the Beatitudes is not a one-time event.  We must continually, day by day, recognize our weaknesses, meekly learn the lessons set out for us, mourn for our sins of the last 24 hours, seek for greater righteousness, exercise mercy, apply for the purification of our hearts through the Atonement, and share the gospel with others.  If we are persecuted by men, or chastised by the Lord, or smacked down by life, we must endure it well for Christ's sake.

In the remainder of chapter 5, Christ elaborates on the necessity of living the Beatitudes in order to be "the salt of the earth" and "the light of the world."  He gives examples of ways in which our relationships with others will be different if we live the Beatitudes, rather than the letter of the Law of Moses.  If we "love [our] enemies, bless them that curse [us], do good to them that hate [us], and pray for them which despitefully use [us], and persecute [us]"--in other words, if our attitudes and actions regarding our fellow men come from the Lord's constitution for a perfect or charitable life, rather than as a reaction to what others do--"[we] may be the children of [our] Father which is in heaven" (v. 44). We will clearly recognize that he loves them as he loves us, taking care of their needs for sun and rain just as he does ours (v. 45).  And then he delivers his famous injunction, "Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" (v. 48).

“I am convinced that the Master was not merely thinking relatively when he said, ‘Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect’...Would you suppose the Savior was suggesting a goal that was not possible of attainment and thus mock us in our efforts to live to attain that perfectness? It is impossible for us here in mortality to come to that state of perfection of which the Master spoke, but in this life we lay the foundation on which we will build in eternity; therefore, we must make sure that our foundation is laid on truth, righteousness and faith. In order for us to reach that goal we must keep God’s commandments and be true to the end of our lives here, and then beyond the grave continue in righteousness and knowledge until we become as our Father in Heaven."  (Lee)

I like this analogy by C.S. Lewis:  "I find a good many people have been bothered by...our Lord's words, 'Be ye perfect.'  Some people seem to think this means 'Unless you are perfect, I will not help you;' and as we cannot be perfect, then, if He meant that, our position is hopeless.  But I do not think He did mean that.  I think He meant 'The only help I will give is help to become perfect.  You may want something less: but I will give you nothing less" (C.S. Lewis, p. 1065). 

Mr. Lewis then compared the Lord to a dentist; you may go to a dentist only wanting relief from a toothache, but the dentist is never satisfied with just that.  He insists on going over the whole mouth, and he will find other teeth that have problems which he will want to fix as well.  He won't stop until everything is in perfect order.  Give a dentist an inch, he said, and he'll always take a mile.  And so it is with Jesus.  He won't be satisfied with us until we are completely overhauled and fully developed.

Each Sabbath we have time for reflection on Christ during the Sacrament.  What a great time to check our spiritual progress against his Constitution, the Beatitudes!  Here is a little scripture bookmark that you can print out and use to guide your thoughts during the Sacrament.

SOURCES:

David H. Stern, Jewish New Testament Commentary 

Camille Fronk, "The Mission of the Holy Ghost:  From Believing to Becoming," Salvation in Christ: Comparative Christian Views, ed. Roger R. Keller and Robert L. Millet (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University, 2005)

Harold B. Lee, "Striving For Perfection," Teachings of the Presidents of the Church:  Harold B. Lee

C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, quoted in The C.S. Lewis Bible

New Testament Lesson #7 "He Took Our Infirmities, and Bare Our Sicknesses"

Mark 1-2; 4:35-41; 5; Luke 7:11-17

THE MIRACLE AT CANA

"[Miracles were] an important element in the work of Jesus Christ, being not only divine acts, but forming also a part of the divine teaching" (Bible Dictionary).  The first recorded miracle performed by Jesus Christ is not in any of our reading assignments, but is definitely worthy of notice.  It occurred in a public setting, but for the personal benefit of Jesus' own mother.

"And on the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there; and both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage  And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.  Jesus saith unto her, Woman what have I to do with thee?  Mine hour is not yet come" (John 2:1-4). 

Mary was clearly in charge of the wedding, since she was the one concerned about the wine. "Considering the customs of the day, it is a virtual certainty that one of Mary's children was being married" (McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, p. 135).  Since there is no mention of Joseph, it is probable that he had died prior to this time.

It is interesting that all the commentators on this scripture work hard to come up with ways to explain that Jesus must have not meant to be rude to his mother.  But in our Joseph Smith Translation, the meaning is perfectly clear:  "Woman what wilt thou have me to do for thee? that will I do; for mine hour is not yet come."  Jesus's ministry had not yet begun, but this was Mary's day, and she was in need of a favor.  Mary had purchased wine for the celebration, as indicated by verse 9, but it had run out. 

The house held six large waterpots for the hand washing of the guests.  Each pot held 20-30 gallons of water (McConkie, The Mortal Messiah, p. 453; Stern, p. 164).  At Jesus' word, water was poured into the pots, and immediately it became wine.  "A good wine was one that was destitute of spirit (alcohol)...The common wine drunk in Palestine was that which was the simple juice of the grape" (Barnes, p. 193).  The wine was taken to the "governor of the feast," who was not the host, but the head waiter (The Expositor's Bible Commentary, Vol. 9, p. 42-43).  He declared the wine to be excellent. 

This miracle became noised abroad, making Jesus well-known, and "manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him" (v. 11).  The Joseph Smith Translation makes a very insightful change, which unfortunately is not in our LDS footnotes: "And the faith of his disciples was strengthened in him." (For information on the Joseph Smith Translation, see a previous post.)  "Miracles were and are a response to faith, and its best encouragement.  They were never wrought without prayer, felt need, and faith" (Bible Dictionary).  "Miracles follow faith, and miracles strengthen faith," in that order (McConkie, The Mortal Messiah, Book 1, p. 454)

Many more miracles were wrought by Christ during his ministry on the earth.  Some were recorded by the writers of the gospels and are a part of the reading assignment for this lesson.  Jesus cast out devils (Mark 1:23-28; 5:2-13), healed Simon Peter's mother-in-law (Mark 1:30-31), cleansed a leper (Mark 1:40-42), healed a paralytic (Mark 1:3-11), healed a woman with a 12-year issue of blood (Mark 5:25-34), raised Jairus' daughter to life shortly after she died (Mark 5:22-24, 35-42), and raised the widow of Nain's son who was actually being carried on his funeral bier to his grave (Luke 7:11-17).

LATTER-DAY MIRACLES

"And if there were miracles wrought [by Christ] then, why has God ceased to be a God of miracles and yet be an unchangeable Being?  And behold, I say unto you he changeth not; if so he would cease to be God; and he ceaseth not to be God, and is a God of miracles" (Mormon 9:19) 

"Wherever the Kingdom of God is organized upon the earth one should expect to find miracles performed among the Saints" (Goates, p. 6).  Sometimes the recipients of such miracles are advised by the Spirit as Christ counseled the leper, "See thou say nothing to any man: but go thy way..." (Mark 1:44), so we do not hear about them.  Sometimes they are guided to share them for the edification of others, as was the man who had been possessed by a legion of evil spirits, "Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee" (Mark 5:19).  When the Spirit advises, we should share stories of miracles in order to strengthen faith.

(You may want to ask class members to be thinking of miracles they have witnessed, and consider whether they should share them later in the lesson.) 

"President [Harold B.] Lee was an instinctive inveterate believer in miracles," wrote his son-in-law, L. Brent Goates.  "He was quietly but keenly interested in them and maintained [a file of them] as a verification of his faith in modern-day miracles.  When people wrote to him of miraculous results from his labors amongst the Saints, he often wrote back to them to document the event and circumstance.  These letters he would place in his 'Miracle File' as one more demonstration of God's goodness in rewarding faith...

"After President Lee's death, the file [was opened].  It contained over sixty separate miracle stories, most of them describing the healing of sick bodies, all of them telling of lives changed for the better" (Goates, p. 1-2).  He also kept the stories of those healed from sin.  "There is a power beyond the sight of man," he testified at Ricks College Baccalaureate Ceremony on May 6, 1970, "that heals not only sick bodies but sick souls...Yes, the Lord can heal sick bodies, but the greatest miracles we see are the healing of sick souls."  Thus he included stories of conversion in his Miracle File.

(This would be a good place to ask whether anyone feels inspired to share something with the class.  If they do not feel moved to relate anything at the moment, proceed with the following stories from President Lee's file.  Allow class members to testify at any time during the remainder of the lesson.)

The Faith of the Mothers in Zion
42 of President Lee's miracle stories were compiled, with permission of their authors, into a book by his son-in-law.  "Countless stories were related by grateful mothers who had sought a maternity blessing at Elder Lee's hands and were later able to bear children.  Over a dozen named their sons after him.  Some women were additionally able to adopt children as well" (Goates, p. 14). 

The Faith of a Little Boy
One remarkable story of healing occurred in Brazil in 1959 and was related by Richard R. Tolman, a missionary serving there at the time who later became a professor of zoology at BYU.

Elder Tolman and his companion met a wonderful family, the dos Santos family, who read from the Bible every night, and they began to teach them.  One day they told the family that an apostle of the Lord, Elder Harold B. Lee, would soon be visiting their town.  A huge smile covered the face of the five-year-old son, Joviniano who had been born lame, never able to walk at all.

"'When the Apostle comes,' he said enthusiastically, 'I'll ask him for a blessing and then I'll be able to walk.'

"The next day when I met with Elder Lee, I told Elder Lee about Joviniano's desire for a blessing.

"'Elder,' he replied, 'faith like that does not go unrewarded.'"

They met with the dos Santos family after their scheduled public meeting, where Elder Tolman anointed Joviniano and Elder Lee sealed the anointing, rebuking the illness, and commanding strength into the muscles and bones of his legs.

"The next day we visited the family, and the father proudly showed us that Joviniano could stand shakily on his own two legs for the first time in his life.  I telephoned the mission home with the good news and they promised to relay the message to...Elder Lee.

"In the city of Porto Alegre, as Elder Lee was about ready to leave Brazil...he bore a powerful testimony describing Joviniano's miraculous healing.  The effect of his powerful parting testimony quickly spread throughout the Brazilian South Mission and greatly stimulated the work...

"In my letter to the mission president in October 1959, I reported that Joviniano, whose legs were once useless limbs hanging from his body, was gaining more strength daily and learning how to use his legs.  By December, Joviniano was walking and still making excellent progress.  His parents had been baptized and were faithfully keeping the commandments." 

It is interesting to note that little Joviniano had to participate in the working of the miracle.  It required effort on his part to strengthen and exercise his legs. 

Elder Tolman received updates on the dos Santos family whenever he could find returned missionaries who had served in the town of Londrina where the family lived, and they remained a great strength to the Church there (Goates, p. 25-28).

Raised From the Dead
The following latter-day miracle of Biblical proportions, was a part of President Lee's file, although it did not involve him personally.  The story was related to Mrs. Leon F. Liddell by the village chief of Mapusaga, Samoa.  It was published in the Church News on May 16, 1948, accompanied by a photograph of the Eti Te'o family standing with then-Elder Lee. 

When Eti Te'o was eighteen years old, a friend of his by the name of George became very ill.  He was taken to the Navy Hospital where he stayed for six months, growing steadily worse.  "One morning [he] asked his uncle to send for the Mormon elders to administer to him or he would die.  His uncle refused, saying it could do no good since not even the doctors had been able to help him.  George then called the nurse.  'If I die,' he asked, 'please send a note to the elders and have my body taken to the mission home.'  At 7:30 that night George died."

In the morning, Eti was passing the hospital when a nurse informed him tearfully that his friend had died.  "I immediately took the news to Brother Lopati at the mission home, and he asked me to go behind the house and start digging the grave.  I had dug about two-and-a-half feet [deep] when he came to me and said, 'Put the shovel back.  We are going to the hospital to see George.'"

At the hospital, George's body was lying in the room for the dead.  It was against the law to enter such a room at the hospital, so Brother Lopati and his wife, Eti, and two other elders signed affidavits that they would go to jail willingly if they would be allowed to enter the room.  Eti was very resistent, but "Brother Lopati came up to him and told him that he had been promised in his patriarchal blessing that if he lived right he would have power to raise the dead."

They entered the room, reported Eti, and "Brother Lopati unwrapped the gauze from his face and we all knelt by his bedside.  I remember only three words he spoke as he lay his hands on the boy's head.  They were, 'George, come back.' He spoke a few words further, then said, 'Amen.'

"George sneezed and began to breathe.  His first words were, 'I would like a cup of rice.' Then he sat up and said, 'I heard your voice from a long distance.'

It was noon.  George had been dead for 16-1/2 hours.

Eti said, "I ran from the room--shaking all over.  Running down the halls, I kept saying, almost hysterically, 'George wants a cup of rice!' over and over.  I rushed into Dr. Lane's office without knocking and could only say, 'George wants a cup of rice!' He hurried back with me and when he saw George sitting up talking, he was speechless.  He could not speak for a long time, then he slowly walked over to the bedside to examine George.  After a few minutes he stated that the boy was normal and his heart action was perfect.

"Turning to Brother Lopati, Dr. Lane said, 'No one but God could do that.' He asked us to come to his house later and we stayed there all the rest of the day answering his questions.  He joined the Church in due time, as did several other hospital workers.

"Now, twenty-three years later [in 1948], George is in good health and lives in the village of Aua, Samoa--but his story will not be forgotten.  The open grave is still there in back of the mission home near where I live.  I keep it just as I left it that day.  I want my children and grandchildren to see it and know this story."  (Goates, p. 33-35)

EVERYDAY MIRACLES

Such astonishing miracles attract our attention, but we must also remember that everyday life is made of miracles.  A beautiful sunset, a healthy baby's birth, the migration of birds, the healing of a scrape on our skin--each is a miracle.

In reference to that first miracle performed by Jesus Christ at the wedding at Cana, C.S. Lewis wrote:  "God creates the vine and teaches it to draw up water by its roots and, with the aid of the sun, to turn that water into a juice which will ferment and take on certain qualities.  Thus every year, from Noah's time till ours, God turns water into wine.  That, men fail to see...But when Christ at Cana makes water into wine, the mask is off.  The miracle has only half its effect if it only convinces us that Christ is God: it will have its full effect if whenever we see a vineyard...we remember that here works He who sat at the wedding party in Cana" (C.S. Lewis, p. 1190)

"Ought we not also to turn the ordinary waters of life--the...mundane...performances that go with mortality--into the wine of righteousness and joy that dwells in the hearts of those whose lives are purified?"  (McConkie, The Mortal Messiah, Book 1, p. 454).

"There are only two ways to live your life," the great physicist Albert Einstein said. "One is as though nothing is a miracle, and the other is as though everything is a miracle."  (I can find that quote in a million places, but never with the original reference.  If any reader knows it, please leave it in a comment below.)

THE MIRACLE OF PEACE

One of the most memorable of the miracles of Christ occured on the sea.  He had been teaching a great multitude from his "podium" aboard a boat.  (See "The Calling of the Apostles," in the previous lesson for more on the voice amplification which still occurs there.)  Afterwards he was exhausted and requested the former fishermen, now disciples, to take him to the other side. 

The Sea of Galilee is, by nature, a very stormy sea, and on this day a violent storm arose quickly.  The ship took on a great deal of water, and threatened to sink.

"And [Jesus] was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?

"And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, 'Peace, be still.  And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.

"And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

"And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?" (Mark 4:38-41).

Why did the Savior rebuke his disciples for being fearful?  After all, it was a terrifying situation!  Wouldn't anyone have been afraid?  The weakness Christ saw is found in the disciples' statement to each other:  "What manner of man is this?"  They did not really know the Savior and the extent of his power, therefore their faith was insufficient.

This story provides us with an excellent lesson that can have a huge impact in our individual lives.  Sometimes we enjoy miracles that are "cut-and-dried," the problem is instantly solved, the mountain is moved, and we go on our merry way.  This was the case for many recipients of miracles in Jesus' lifetime, including those in this reading assignment.  But sometimes, like these fishermen-disciples, we must exercise our faith to ride out the storm in order to see the miracles. 

Have we studied the life of our Savior consistently?
Have we prayed and listened for answers over the years?
Have we kept the commandments and ordinances he gave us and seen their fruits in our lives? 
Have we followed the guidance of the Spirit day by day?

If we have done these things consistently over the days and years, we will come to know "what manner of man" our Savior is.  We will be able to trust him.  We will find ourselves, like Jairus, able to "be not afraid, only believe" (Mark 5:36) when the crisis comes.  We will have the faith to stay aboard the ship, in the wind and the rain and on the roiling waves, knowing that, because the Savior is on the journey with us, we will eventually make our soggy, seasick way to the goal he ordained for us. 

We will reach the shore.

RECORDING MIRACLES

Perhaps as Church members we should each keep and treasure a Miracle File like President Lee's to strengthen and encourage our faith and that of our families.  President Henry B. Eyring recommended keeping a daily record of the little miracles that occur in our lives.  "Tonight, and tomorrow night," he suggested, "you might pray and ponder, asking the questions: Did God send a message that was just for me? Did I see His hand in my life or the lives of my children? I will do that. And then I will find a way to preserve that memory for the day that I, and those that I love, will need to remember how much God loves us and how much we need Him."

Like Mormon, we will then be able to testify, "...behold, I will show unto you a God of miracles, even the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob" (Mormon 9:11).

Please follow the link in the comment by Shari Lyon below to a wonderful new painting of the Savior calming the sea by her husband, Howard Lyon. 

SOURCES:

L. Brent Goates, Harold B. Lee: Remembering the Miracles
Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, Vol. 1
C.S. Lewis, The C.S. Lewis Bible
J.R. Barnes, Barnes Notes on the New Testament, Vol. 9
Henry B. Eyring, "O Remember, Remember," October 2007 General Conference