Matthew 15-17

Matthew 15:21-17:9

MIRACLES AMONG THE GENTILES

"Then Jesus went thence, and departed into the coasts of Tyre and Sidon ["gentile territory," (Harper-Collins Study Bible)].

"And behold, a woman of Canaan ["a scriptural term for ancient Israel's pagan enemies," (Harper-Collins); "The gospel-historians make clear the fact that this woman was of pagan or heathen birth; and we know that among the peoples so classed the Canaanites were held in particular disrepute by the Jews." (Talmadge, p. 354)] came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord ["a respectful address by an inferior to a superior...It hints at Jesus' divinity," (Harper-Collins)] thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. [Though a gentile, this Canaanitish woman believed in the ancient prophets, recognized the Jews as the chosen race, and accepted Jesus as the promised Messiah" (McConkie, p. 370).]

"But he answered her not a word.  And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us.

"But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.  Then came she and worshipped him [translated as "knelt before him" in New International Version and others], saying, Lord, help me.

"But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.  ["The rabbis often spoke of the gentiles as dogs" (Dummelow, p. 678). "There are two Greek words for 'dog:' kuon, scavenging hounds that roam the streets in packs, and kunarion, small dogs kept as house pets." (Stern, p. 53).  This is the only story in the New Testament which refers to the pet dog.]

"And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table.  Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt.  And her daughter was made whole from that very hour" (Matt. 15:21-28).

Perhaps in more than one way, the non-Jew believers were like "pet dogs," following the Savior and accepting what was given to them, rather than demanding more as did the "children."  When he healed their "great multitudes," "they glorified the God of Israel" (Matt. 15:29-31). They did not accost Jesus and demand that he be their political leader after he fed them bread miraculously, as did the "children," the Israelites.  The believing Gentiles accepted what he gave them.  And most of all, they were not offended by his claims to divine authority and godhood.  "The implication is that these gentile peoples who hitherto had served other gods, now saw in the Son of David the divinity which caused them to forsake their own national deities and turn unto the true Lord" (McConkie, p. 372).

THE LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES

After this, Jesus returned to Magdala.  "The location...is unknown; it may be...on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee" (Harper-Collins).  The Pharisees and Sadducees came and asked him for a sign from heaven.  Jesus replied that there were signs all around them, just as clear as the weather predictions they could easily make by the color of the sky.  Then he counseled his disciples to "beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees" (Matt. 16:1-6).  Leaven in ancient times came simply from the spores in the air; the bread dough was left sitting for a few days, the spores permeated the dough from the surrounding environment, and the bread was thus leavened.  In similar fashion, the disciples were in danger of the devilish doctrine of the Jewish leadership entering into their beliefs, because it was all around them in their environment.

THE ROCK OF REVELATION

When Jesus asked the disciples who men said he was, they gave various answers.  But when he asked, "Whom say ye that I am?...Simon Peter 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.  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matt. 16:13-18).  Since Simon had received a testimony of Christ through personal revelation, Jesus renamed him Peter.  "Peter, from the Greek word petros for 'rock' or 'stone,' thus a symbolic nickname" (Harper-Collins).  This was a constant reminder to Peter, the future leader of the Church, of the rock of revelation upon which Christ would build his church. (See Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 274.) 

OBJECT LESSON

Bring the following four items:

A message written in code.
A color-by-number page.
A box, padlock, diary, etc with a lock.
A quiz (math, music, history, whatever).


Give each of the items to a different student and ask them to translate, color, open, or answer correctly in 1 minute.

Review their progress and ask what might give them a better chance of success.  A key, of course.  Show the appropriate key for each thing:  For the message, a code key; for the art, a color key; for the lock, a metal key; for the quiz, the answer key.

THE KEYS OF THE KINGDOM

Christ promised to give Peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 16:19), and those keys were transfered to Peter, James and John on the Mount of Transfiguration by Moses and Elias (Matt. 17:1-9).

"The Prophet Joseph Smith said, 'I will give you a key that will never rust; if you will stay with the majority of the Twelve Apostles, and the records of the Church, you will never be led astray.'

"These spiritual keys hold 'the right to enjoy the blessing of communication with the heavens, and the privilege and authority to administer in the ordinances of the gospel of Jesus Christ, to preach the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins' (Joseph F. Smith, p. 142).  Keys of the ministering of angels are the right of the Aaronic Priesthood. (See D&C 13). The higher Melchizedek Priesthood 'holdeth the key of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God' (D&C 84:19).  To be efficacious and valid, every act in the Church must be performed under the authority of the keys at the appropriate time and place, and in the proper manner and order. The authority and power to direct all of the labors of the kingdom of God on earth constitute the keys of the priesthood. Those who possess them have the right to preside over and direct the affairs of the Church in their jurisdiction" (James E. Faust, "The Keys That Never Rust," Oct. 1994 General Conference).

"On April 3, 1836, in the Kirtland Temple, the same heavenly beings that appeared to the Savior and his three Apostles on the Mount, appeared and conferred additional priesthood authority and keys upon the Prophet Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery for the building up of the Church preparatory to the coming of Christ to rule and reign on the earth forever. Moses appeared and conferred the keys of the gathering of Israel. Elias restored the covenants and authority given to Abraham. Elijah bestowed the keys and power of turning the hearts of the fathers to the children and of the children to their fathers." (See D&C 110:11–16.) (David B. Haight, "The Keys of the Kingdom," Oct. 1980 General Conference.)

"All the keys of the kingdom‍ of God on earth are held by members of the First Presidency and members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.  The President of the Church—the senior Apostle—presides over the entire Church and is the only person on earth who exercises all the keys in their fulness.  He delegates authority by conferring or authorizing the conferral of keys upon other bearers of the priesthood in their specific offices and callings" (Russell M. Nelson, "Keys of the Priesthood," Liahona, Oct. 2005, p. 26).

THE SYMBOLISM IN KEYS

Dictionary.com has 32 definitions for "key," and some of those are subdivided, making for an amazing total of 38 definitions for the word "key!"  The very last definition is the one we typically think of when talking about priesthood keys, but we can look at the priesthood keys in many different ways if we relate them to the other definitions.

Print up and pass out some or all of the definitions among class members and ask each to explain how the particular key in their definition could be symbolic of the keys of the priesthood.  Give them a minute to think about it, and then let them answer in any order.  They may surprise you with some really creative ideas.  They may not be able to find a link to the priesthood for all of the definitions, but then again, they may...

You can print up and post small copies of the photos as the definitions are being given if you like.

1. a small metal instrument specially cut to fit into a lock and move its bolt.

2. any of various devices resembling or functioning as a key: the key of a clock.

3. electronic key card.

4. something that affords a means of access: the key to happiness.

5. something that secures or controls entrance to a place: Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.

6. something that affords a means of clarifying a problem.

7. a book, pamphlet, or other text containing the solutions or translations of material given elsewhere, as testing exercises.

8. a systematic explanation of abbreviations, symbols, etc., used in a dictionary, map, etc.: pronunciation key.

9. the system, method, pattern, etc., used to decode or decipher a cryptogram, as a code book, machine setting, or key word.

10. one of a set of marked parts, designated areas, or levers pressed in operating a typewriter, computer terminal, calculator, etc.

11. a manually operated lever for opening and closing an electric circuit, used to produce signals in telegraphy.

12. Music .

a. (in a keyboard instrument) one of the levers that when depressed by the performer sets in motion the playing mechanism.

b. (on a woodwind instrument) a metal lever that opens and closes a vent.

c. the relationship perceived between all tones in a given unit of music and a single tone or a keynote; tonality.

d. the principal tonality of a composition: a symphony in the key of C minor.
e. the keynote or tonic of a scale.

13. tone or pitch, as of voice: to speak in a high key.

14. mood or characteristic style, as of expression or thought: He writes in a melancholy key.

15. degree of intensity, as of feeling or action.

16. a pin, bolt, wedge, or other piece inserted in a hole or space to lock or hold parts of a mechanism or structure together; a cotter.

17. a small piece of steel fitting into matching slots of a hub of a wheel or the like and the shaft on which the wheel is mounted so that torque is transmitted from one to the other.

18. a contrivance for grasping and turning a bolt, nut, etc.

19. Computers. a field or group of characters within a record that identifies the record, establishing its position among sorted records, and/or provides information about its contents.

20. (in a series of advertisements or announcements soliciting replies) a unique code inserted for each medium used, to determine the relative effectiveness of the media.

21. Electricity.

a. a device for opening and closing electrical contacts.

b. a hand-operated switching device ordinarily formed of concealed spring contacts with an exposed handle or push button, capable of switching one or more parts of a circuit.

22. Biology. a systematic tabular classification of the significant characteristics of the members of a group of organisms to facilitate identification and comparison.

23. Masonry. a keystone.

24. Architecture. (in a ribbed vault) a stone, as a boss, at the intersection of two or more ribs.

25. Masonry, Carpentry. a wedge, as for tightening a joint or splitting a stone or timber.

26. Carpentry. a small piece of wood set into a timber across the grain to prevent warping.  (I couldn't find a picture of this.)

27. Building Trades. any grooving or roughness applied to a surface to improve its bond with another surface.

28. Basketball.  keyhole.

29. Photography. the dominant tonal value of a picture, a high-key picture having light tonal values and minimal contrast and a low-key picture being generally dark with minimal contrast.
30. Painting. the tonal value and intensity of a color or range of colors: Rembrandt's colors are characterized by their low key.

31. Botany. a samara (a particular kind of seed).

32. a member of the House of Keys (the governing body of Isle of Man).

33. (plural keys) spiritual authority.

CONCLUSION

"Could anything be greater or more desirable than to hold the Priesthood after the Order of the Son of God?  These words are so sacred that we do not ordinarily use them.  Rather, we call this the Melchizedek Priesthood, after the high priest who was king of Salem--that is, Jerusalem.

"The greatest of all high priests was Jesus Himself.  Paul bears witness of this as he reminds us that 'we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God' (Heb. 4:14).  As the Firstborn of the Father, He possessed all of the keys and authority of the Eternal priesthood, which is 'without beginning of days or end of years' (Alma 13:7).

"Jesus bestowed this divine authority upon His chosen Apostles, saying 'I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven' (Matt. 16:19).

"My brethren, I invite you to contemplate for a moment the wonder of this.  No king, no president, no head of state, no man of business or secular activity of any kind has such authority by reason of his office.  And yet it was given to these humble men who walked with Jesus as His Apostles.

"Three of these Apostles--Peter, James, and John--appeared to Joseph [Smith] and Oliver [Cowdery] somwhere 'in the wilderness' along the Susquehanna River (see D&C 128:20).  They placed their hands upon their heads and conferred upon them this holy authority.  We do not have the date, but evidence points to the fact that likely it was late May or sometime in June of...1829...

"Each of you brethren who hold this priesthood has also received it in a direct line from the bestowal made by Peter, James, and John.  Its origin is not shrouded in the foggy mists of history.

"Endless are its powers, endless its authority.  It is by this authority that we are empowered to lay hands upon the heads of those who have been baptized and bestow upon them the priceless gift of the Holy Ghost.  It is by this same authority that we are empowered to bless the sick, to anoint them with oil, and to seal that anointing and call down the powers of heaven in their behalf.  It is by this same authority that we are empowered to lay our hands upon the heads of our wives and children and give them special blessings in times of need.  It is by this same authority that we are empowered to govern in the affairs of the Church and kingdom of God" (President Gordon B. Hinckley, p. 410-412).

SOURCES:

Harper-Collins Study Bible
James E. Talmadge, Jesus the Christ
David H. Stern, Jewish New Testament Commentary
Bruce R. McConkie, Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, Vol. 1
J.R. Dummelow, The One-Volume Bible Commentary
Gordon B. Hinckley, Satellite Broadcast, 175th Anniversary of the Restoration of the Priesthood, recorded in Discourses of President Gordon B. Hinckley, Vol. 2
Joseph F. Smith, Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Joseph F. Smith, p.

New Testament Lesson #12 "I Am the Bread of Life"

John 5-6; Mark 6:30-44; Matthew 14:22-33

WITNESSES OF CHRIST

As Jesus Christ was going about doing good, healing the sick, feeding the hungry, cleansing the lepers, casting out the devils, and teaching eternal truths, the Jews repeatedly sought his death.  What was up with that?  Why would they want to kill someone who did only wonderful benevolent things?  The odd answer is because of their religion.  They considered it religious high treason that he would proclaim himself the Son of God, "making himself equal with God" (John 5:18).

Admittedly, it would be rather difficult to believe that a man who was standing before you, living, breathing, and looking in every way human, could be the Son of God.  But Jesus pointed out to them many times, and particularly explicitly in this reading assignment, that there were more than enough credible witnesses to his divine Sonship to prove it, especially for a people who professed to believe so strongly in the scriptures.  He itemized four completely trustworthy witnesses.

"If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.

(1) "[But] there is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.  Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.  And he received not his testimony of man, but of God, and ye yourselves say that he is a prophet, therefore ye ought to receive his testimony.  These things I say that ye might be saved.  He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.

(2) "But I have greater witness that that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.

(3) "And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me...

(4) "Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: [but] they are they which testify of me.  And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life."  (John 5:31-40 JST)

The scriptures were of utmost importance to the scribes and pharisees, and they thought that the Law of Moses, contained in the scriptures, would be the source of their salvation.  The law was merely there to bring them to Christ, and yet they would not come.  Therefore, their trust that eternal life was found in the scriptures was misplaced because they did not use the scriptures to find the Savior.

"Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust.  For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.  But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?"

THE LETTER OF THE LAW VS. THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW

When I was expecting my fourth child, I had three very small boys ages 1, 3 and 5.  I was morning sick, and was recovering from a strep infection when I received the glorious and unexpected blessing of having my very active 1-year-old fall sound asleep for a nap.  My older two children were fairly calm and obedient and the idea of a nap for myself was so divine that I dared to ask them if they would go downstairs and play together quietly while I got a little rest.  They asked, "Can we paint?"  In our basement we had an old dining room table for the boys to use for their artistic endeavors, we had paper and watercolor paints and we had art smocks, so I said, "Sure, as long as you don't get any paint on the carpet or on your clothes."  I went into my bedroom and fell into a deep and blessed sleep.

When I woke up, I glanced at the clock and nearly had a heart attack:  I had slept for two hours!What was even more alarming was that I couldn't hear anything from the basement: always a bad sign when small children are involved.

I dashed down the stairs, and this is what I found:

(scroll down)

The boys had gone into the storage room, which had no carpet, removed all their clothes but their underwear, and painted each other to their hearts' content!  They had kept the rules, but missed the point.

The Jews were very like my two boys (only not nearly as cute):  they focused on every detail of the law while entirely misunderstanding the gospel.

An example of this huge oversight can be found at the pool of Bethesda where lay "a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water" (John 5:3).  Bruce R. McConkie wrote, "No doubt these waters had--as hot mineral springs do in our day--some curative and healing powers, which gave rise to a legend, among the superstitious and spiritually illiterate Jews, that 'an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water,' and that 'whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had'" (The Mortal Messiah, Book 2, p. 66).

In a previous lesson, we read of the paralyzed man whose friends let him down through the roof so that Jesus could heal him.  Because of their faith, Jesus said, the miracle was performed for him (Mark 2:1-5).  They were living pure, faith-filled religion.  But no one would help the palsied man who lay at the pool of Bethesda.  Instead, others rushed down greedily, to soak up the waters for themselves (John 5:6-7).  Of course, Jesus was always concerned for the one.  And it did not matter whether the pool was there or not.  Jesus said to him simply, "Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.  And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the sabbath" (John 5:8-9).

Not only were the people not helping this suffering man, but when they later saw him carrying his bed and walking, they didn't rejoice with him, but they chastised him for breaking the sabbath.  He told them of the command of the Savior to rise up and carry his bed, another one of those many, many works that clearly testified that Jesus was the Son of God, but the Jews saw it only as a breaking of the law.  They didn't understand that the law without the gospel contained in it was a fruitless false religion.  As James later wrote, "Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is" not just to remain personally holy, but to love and serve others (James 1:27), and Jesus taught that "All the law and the prophets" could be encapsulated in the simple commandment to love (Matt. 22:37-40).  Over and over, Jesus was showing them how to live real religion, but only a few got the message.

Question:  Are we too busy living our religion to live the gospel?

"When we truly understand what it means to love as Jesus Christ loves us, the confusion clears and our priorities align.  Our walk as disciples of Christ becomes more joyful.  Our lives take on new meaning.  Our relationship with our Heavenly Father becomes more profound.  Obedience becomes a joy rather than a burden" (Pres. Dieter F. Uchtdorf, "The Love of God," Ensign, Nov. 2009, p. 21).

"All of the cute handouts, well-orchestrated meetings and finely decorated events can never compensate for true love of the people we serve.  A person will be able to read past this 'fluff' and see if your actions and intentions truly show that you have love and concern for them, or if you are simply trying to mark your box as 'done.' Instead of spending money and time on elaborate programs and materials, why not spend the time attending an event of that person's, dropping by during a Sunday walk to say 'Hi,' or offering your time to help them?  We have recently been the beneficiary of many of these acts of kindness and can testify that this is how we truly know members around us sincerely care; even those who are not 'assigned' to us."  (James & Andrea Nye, Logan Utah East Stake Star, March 2011, Vol. 32, Issue 1.)

The gospel of Jesus Christ is not the "icing on the cake," but the "bread of life."

THE BREAD OF LIFE

I found two wonderful articles on the Bread of Life, and I am providing links to them, rather than picking out quotes or paraphrasing, because they are just too good to slice up.  The first relates the events of John 6 to the Exodus.  The second tells how the spiritual hunger of today can be alleviated by coming to Christ, the Bread of Life.

Thomas R. Valetta, "The True Bread of Life," Ensign, Mar. 1999

Jeffrey R. Holland, "He Hath Filled the Hungry With Good Things," Ensign, Nov. 1997

(Note:  If you have the time and means and a smallish class, you may want to make mini loaves of bread using frozen Rhodes Texas Roll Dough.  Thaw and roll into 4-inch loaves and place them either in 2 x 4 inch mini loaf pans, or an inch apart from each other in a rectangular pan.  Follow the instructions for rising and baking printed on the package.  Or use your own homemade bread or roll dough.  Put each loaf in a small plastic bag, and tie it with a tag that has John 6:35 printed on it.)

New Testament Lesson #11 "He Spake Many Things unto Them in Parables"

Matthew 13

WHY PARABLES?

"The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side.  And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore.  And he spake many things unto them in parables" (vs. 1-3).  (Remember the awesome acoustic effect of the Bay of Parables?  If not, you can read about it in "The Calling of the Apostles" in a previous post.)

"And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?  He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.  For whosoever receiveth, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance; but whosoever continueth not to receive, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.  Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand" (vs. 10-13 JST).  Then he quoted a prophecy of Isaiah's about this very thing (vs. 14-15).

Why would Jesus not want everyone to understand what he was really teaching?

The answer can be found in the words "receiveth" and "continueth not to receive."

Parables were a great way to give each individual a kind of trial, a sample of the gospel.  If they were sincerely interested in the doctrine behind the parable, they could simply ask later and he would tell them.  But in his mercy, he provided this extra step so that spiritual knowledge was not obtained too easily, because:

"Of him unto whom much is given much is required, and he who sins against the greater light shall receive the greater condemnation" (D&C 82:3; see also Luke 12:36-48).  Or as Peter said, "For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.  For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them" (2 Peter 2:20-21).  The Lord was protecting the insincere, the spiritually handicapped, from knowledge that would condemn them.

But for those who will take the one extra step--to ask--great treasures are found.  "But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them" (Matt. 13:16-17).

As we look at the parables, notice how they are placed in a way that enhances our understanding.  There is a theme to each parable, to pairs of parables, and to the entire set.

THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER (vs. 3-8)

In explanation of this parable, Elder McConkie wrote, "The seed is the word of God, the gospel of salvation.  Jesus preaches it and he directs his servants so to do.  And the seed is the same whether sown by the owner of the field or by the servants whom he employs.  And as to whether the seed sprouts and grows and ripens and is harvested, such depends not upon the seed, but upon the soil...Thus, this parable of the sower, as we are wont to call it, might more aptly be considered as the parable of the four kinds of soil.  The growth of the seed depends upon the nature of the soil; it depends upon the hearts and minds and souls of the hearers of the word (McConkie, p. 249).

There are four different types of soil:

1) the way side
2) the stony places
 3) the thorny soil
4) the good ground

The Savior himself explained the parable very well to his disciples later (vs. 18-23), and so it is easy for us to understand.  But we must always relate the parables to ourselves and see where we stand, and how we can improve.  We are the soil.  We are probably each of the four types of soil at some point in our lives.  What kind of soil are we right now?

1) The way side refers to the paths or roads through farmers' lands. 

They are unplowed and are hardened by the treading of many travelers' and beasts' feet and the rolling of heavy cart wheels.  A seed sown in such a place will simply lie on top of the ground, easy prey for birds. 

In this condition of soil, we have already had our hearts filled with false doctrines and worldly knowledge.  We have become eye-rollers, scoffers.  We already know too much to accept simple gospel truths. 

Or our hearts have been hardened by the trials of life.  We don't believe God speaks to us or cares about us. 

It is easy for Satan, just like the birds, to snatch away the truth from us, because we never provided a space for it to enter our hearts in the first place.

2) The stony places have a thin layer of soil with rock underneath. 

The rock can trap water for a time, providing a great opportunity for the seed to sprout up quickly.  But once the rainy season is over, the rock collects heat and bakes the seedling, while also keeping its roots from digging deep for a permanent water source.

Are we sometimes a stony place?  We got super-excited about something we heard at General Conference, and we felt the Spirit prompt us to do it, and we were going to follow through on it, we really were...but then we got busy...or it was too hard...or we forgot...or we lost interest.  A lack of commitment is the problem.  We become fair-weather saints.  When it is fun and easy to live the gospel, we do it with zest.  But when the going gets hard, the initial excitement has worn off, and real depth of commitment and sacrifice are required, we give up or wander off. 

Or sometimes the rocks under the soil are our unrepented-of sins.  As long as we leave them there, they provide a very effective barrier between ourselves and the spring of living water under the ground.  When the light of truth shines down on us, the rock of sin heats up and kills the seed.

3) Thorns or noxious weeds will easily choke out any good seed.

Probably every one of us falls into this category over and over throughout our lives.  We get carried away with wordly things--schedules, commitments, aspirations, appearances, entertainment, conflicts with others, earthly appetites or addictions--and these take up "all of our time, talents, and everything with which we have been blessed," so there is little left for building the kingdom.

We're so out of focus that we don't notice the overgrowth, or it may be that we like the lush look of the weeds.  Either way, we don't bother to pull them and eventually they choke out the seed.

4) The good soil is prepared to receive seed, and provides space and nourishment for the seed.  It is in full view of the sun, and is willing to accept the rain as another necessary ingredient of growth.

Anyone can become good soil, but it takes work and sometimes pain. 

1) The long, sharp tines of the harrow can be raked through the hardened dirt of the wayside path.  The dirt can be overturned with a plow or a shovel.  Fertilizer can be worked into the soil.  It's painful, it's unpleasant, but it's necessary.

2) The rocks can be dug up and hauled away from the stony ground.  It is backbreaking, painstaking, time-consuming work.  But it can be done.

3) The weeds can be killed and pulled.  Extra care must be taken with weeds, however: if the dead weeds are left on the soil for any period of time, they will drop their seeds in an effort to preserve themselves, causing many more weeds to spring up in their place.  They must be cast far away from the garden.

4) It sounds like a lot of work to prepare soil for seed, and it is, but the payoff is huge:  "He that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth and endureth; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundred fold, some sixty, some thirty" (Matt. 13:23).  Wow!  That is an amazing return!

THE PARABLE OF THE WHEAT AND THE TARES (vs. 24-30, 36-42 JST)

Perhaps this parable is here just to remind us that 1) even if the soil of our hearts is prepared, tilled, cleared, and weeded, we will still be surrounded by challenges, but 2) we can endure to the end without being "choked out" by the weeds, and 3) we will triumph eventually.  The struggle will be worth it and the harvest will still be great.

THE PARABLE OF THE MUSTARD SEED (vs. 31-32)

Bruce R. McConkie reported that both of the symbols in this parable would have been well-known, and the meaning would have been clear to any listening.  Mustard seeds were often used by the rabbis as examples of the smallest things possible.  A tree with branches large enough to host birds was clearly known in ancient Israel to symbolize "a mighty kingdom that gave shelter to the nations" (McConkie, p. 260-261).  (See Ezekiel 17, 31 and Daniel 4.)

"Mustard seeds are highly renowned for the high amounts of glucosinolates, which are believed to have anticancer properties. They are a good source of iron, magnesium, niacin, phosphorous, calcium, omega-3 fatty acids and zinc" (Ask Dr. Gott website).  Whether ancient Israel knew all of the nutritional and medicinal properties of mustard may be doubtful, but Christ did, and perhaps this information has meaning for us today to symbolize how the gospel helps us to grow spiritually, and heals and prevents spiritual disease and decay.

Isn't the mustard blossom the cheeriest-looking little thing?  When seeing this little gem of a flower, it's easy to feel the gigantic hope in the itty-bitty, expressed in the parable of the mustard seed.

Joseph Smith explained the parable of the mustard seed:  "Now we can discover plainly that this figure is given to represent the Church as it shall come forth in the last days.  Behold, the Kingdom of Heaven is likened unto it.  Now, what is like unto it?

"Let us take the Book of Mormon, which a man took and hid in his field, securing it by his faith, to spring up in the last days, or in due time; let us behold it coming forth out of the ground, which is indeed accounted the least of all seeds, but behold it branching forth, yea, even towering, with lofty branches, and God-like majesty, until it, like the mustard seed, becomes the greatest of all herbs.  And it is truth, and it has sprouted and come forth out of the earth, and righteousness begins to look down from heaven, and God is sending down His powers, gifts and angels, to lodge in the branches thereof.

"The Kingdom of Heaven is like unto a mustard seed.  Behold, then is not this the Kingdom of Heaven that is raising its head in the last days in the majesty of God, even the Church of the Latter-day Saints" (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 98-99).

The Church has made a short video of its growth up until the year 2007, with beautiful and inspiring music, which you can download here.

THE PARABLE OF THE LEAVEN (v. 33)

In ancient Israel, bread was leavened by simply letting it sit long enough for the yeast in the environment to work its way into the dough and grow and ferment there, similar to the way we might make sourdough bread.

Elder McConkie points out that, while the tiny mustard seed grew into a large tree that showed the kingdom of heaven in a way that all the world could see, the invisible "leaven worked silently, without observation, unknown to many among men, to establish the plans and purposes of Divine Providence...In this parable of the leaven we see the glory and triumph of the kingdom in the hearts of men...The leaven of life, the leaven of righteousness, the leaven of the word of God--the yeast of eternal truth--is 'kneaded' into the souls of men.  Then its spreading, penetrating, life-giving effect enlarges the soul and 'raises' sinners into saints" (McConkie, p. 262).  Both visible world growth and invisible inner growth are miracles prophesied in Christ's parables, and being fulfilled today.

THE PARABLE OF THE HIDDEN TREASURE (v. 44)

There has always been hidden treasure in Israel (Wright, p. 249).  Many civilizations passed through, conquering or being conquered, over the centuries.  Men leaving for battle, or for a long journey, used the earth itself to keep their treasures safe while they were gone.  If they returned, they could reclaim their buried treasure.  If they did not, it remained to be found by someone else.  With all the upheaval and unrest in the middle east throughout its entire history, the burying and finding of treasure were familiar topics with Christ's audience.

The treasure belonged to the land on which it was hidden.  If one found buried treasure, the wise thing to do would be to rebury it, and discretely purchase the land.  Of course, it was expensive to purchase land and the man in the parable had to sell everything he had to buy it, but if there was buried treasure on the land, he knew the return would be much more than the purchase price.

This parable also has a twin:  The parable of the pearl of great price.  "Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it" (vs. 45-46).

In the first parable, the man stumbled across the treasure accidentally.  In the second, the merchant sought a pearl.  The converts to the Church fall in both categories, but what matters is whether they recognize the worth of the find so that they are willing to "sell all" to obtain it.

THE PARABLE OF THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE (v. 45-46)

One of our books of scripture got its name from this parable.  "The Pearl of Great Price began as a mission pamphlet, compiled and published in 1851 by Elder Franklin D. Richards, then president of the European Mission of the Church.

“'It is presumed,' Elder Richards wrote, 'that true believers in the Divine mission of the Prophet Joseph Smith, will appreciate this little collection of precious truths as a Pearl of Great Price that will increase their ability to maintain and to defend the holy faith by becoming possessors of it.' (Preface, 1851 ed., p. v.)

"Pearls grow and develop until they become priceless. Our fourth volume of scripture likewise grew from a small beginning as a mission pamphlet to occupy a position beside the Bible, the Book of Mormon, and the Doctrine and Covenants" (Clark).

The original pamphlet edition of The Pearl of Great Price contained the book of Abraham, parts of Joseph Smith's Bible translation, selected revelations now found in The Doctrine and Covenants that dealt with basic ordinances of the gospel, the second coming of Christ, and the rise of the latter-day Church.  There were extracts from Joseph Smith's history, explanatory revelations about Bible passages, a poem by John Jacques entitled "O, Say What is Truth?" (which is now in our hymnal) and Joseph Smith's 13 Articles of Faith.

"The Pearl of Great Price was not originally compiled by an official committee of the Church and did not become a collection as a direct result of a commandment to the President of the Church or by specific appointment from the First Presidency, so far as the record shows" (Clark).  Many Europeans in the 19th century recognized the great worth of President Richards' Pearl of Great Price and consequently joined the Church.

President Richards' pamphlet was a perfect example of the scripture, "For behold, it is not meet that I should command in all things; for he that is compelled in all things, the same is a slothful and not a wise servant; wherefore he receiveth no reward. Verily, I say, men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause, and do many things of their own free will, and bring to pass much righteousness" (D&C 58:27).

We, like President Richards, can see a need for the gospel in the world around us, or in our own little circle of family and friends, and share the "pearl of great price" which we have found with them.

THE PARABLE OF THE GOSPEL NET (vs. 47-50 JST)

"The net here meant is a draw net or a seine, which may be as much as half a mile in length; it is leaded below so it will sweep the bottom of the sea, while corks keep the top floating near the surface.  As it is swept along the beach it gathers in fish of every sort without reference to their ultimate use or worth" (McConkie p. 266). 

Here is an illustration of a modern-day seine:

Like the parable of the wheat and the tares, this parable tells of a large group of people, some of whom are wicked and some of whom are righteous.  The big difference in the two parables, however, is that the wheat and tares are growing in the field of the world, but the fish are all inside the gospel net: they are members of the Church.  Among these, Elder McConkie says, "Some are repentant and worthy and will be put in vessels; others are swept along by the tides of social pressure.  Some are drawn in by the tight net of business necessity and economic advantage; yet others join with the saints to inherit property, marry selected persons, or gain political preferment.  And all such shall be cast away with the wicked to be burned." 

Yikes!

"Those in the Church are not perfect, and more than church membership is needed to save and exalt.  Baptism alone is not enough: thereafter...they 'must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men'; they must feast 'upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end'" (McConkie, p. 266).

CONCLUSION: THE PARABLE OF THE HOUSEHOLDER (v. 52)

The last parable was important counsel which the true disciples of the Lord followed, but which was a stumblingblock for the leadership of the Jews:  "Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old."  The man in this parable recognized the worth of newly acquired treasure as well as that which had been handed down in his family.  Imagine someone who rejected a gift of great worth just because it was new!  How strange!  

The Old Testament was to be combined with the teachings of Christ which we now have in the New Testament, but many of the Scribes and Pharisees clung to the Old Testament while not realizing its very God, Jehovah, stood before them, offering more.  Christ's teachings were unnerving to many of his listeners.  They were comfortable with the scriptures and commandments they already had, but did not want Christ to elaborate on them, to add more light to them, or to change them.  Tradition was truth in their minds.

For us in the latter-days, the Book of Mormon and latter-day revelations are to be added to the Bible.  Christ also prophesied to Nephi that people of the latter-days would reject the new treasure.  "A Bible!  A Bible!" they would cry.  "We have got a Bible, and there cannot be any more Bible" (2 Nephi 29:3).

But we, if we are wise, will make a place in our garden for the seed the Savior sows every day and week in our lives.  We'll not worry about the tares around us, but will keep growing and reaching for the sun.  We'll help the kingdom expand in the world as a mustard tree, and in our hearts as a leaven.  We'll treasure truths we stumble upon, and truths we seek for diligently.  And if we do so, we will reap the blessing promised by Christ as he taught these parables:

"Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father.  Who hath ears to hear, let him hear" (v. 43).


SOURCES:

Bruce R. McConkie, The Mortal Messiah: From Bethlehem to Calvary, Book 2
Fred H. Wright, Manners and Customs of Bible Lands
James R. Clark, "Our Pearl of Great Price: From Mission Pamphlet to Standard Work," Ensign, Aug. 1976

Where Are You?

Just for fun, I'd love to have readers tell where they live.  Blogger keeps some general data on pageviews, which is great, but it would be fun to have a personal report.  If you'd like to disclose your country, state, or city, just add a comment below.  (Names or profiles are not necessary.)  Thanks for reading!

New Testament Lesson #10 "Take My Yoke Upon You, and Learn of Me"

Matt. 11:28-30; 12:1-13; Luke 7:36-50; 13:10-17

Our lesson starts with the beautiful scripture:

"Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" (Matt. 11:28-30).

WAIT...WHAT?

How does this saying jell with all those other things Christ said?  Things like:

"He that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me" (Matt. 10:38).  A cross is not an easy burden! 

"Every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life" (Matt. 19:29).  That doesn't sound easy!

"One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me" (Mark 10:21).  Okay, trading in everything you have for a cross?  That does not sound like a good deal.

And what happened to all those early Apostles who did this?  Did even one of them die a natural death?  No.  They were all martyrs for the cause.  Was that an easy burden?

And even in our latter-day luxury, as members of the Church, we are required to give all that we possess, our time, our talents, everything!  There are a whole lot of commandments, expectations and demands imposed upon us by our religion. 

How is that easy?

THE PARADOX OF THE CHRISTIAN WAY

A paradox is a "statement or proposition that seems self-contradictory or absurd but in reality expresses a possible truth" (Dictionary.com).  Christ's Way is very possibly the greatest paradox that ever was.  David H. Stern, a Messianic Jew (a Jew who believes in Christ), states it this way:  [Christ] speaks of his own easy yoke and light burden.  These two are sometimes contrasted in a way implying that in comparison with Judaism, Christianity offers 'cheap grace.'  But this saying...must be put alongside remarks such as [the "take up your cross" scripture].  The easy yoke consists in a total commitment to godliness through the power of the Holy Spirit.  It at once requires both no effort and maximal effort--no effort, in that the necessary moment-to-moment faith can not be worked up from within but is a gift of God; and maximal effort, in that there is no predeterminable level of holiness and obedience sufficient to satisfy God and let us rest on our laurels" (Stern, p. 44).

So how does it work?  What does this paradox really mean?

THE COST AND BENEFITS OF DISCIPLESHIP

Camille Fronk (Olson) listed five ways in which our burden becomes light when we are yoked with the Savior.

1) We can dispose of unnecessary baggage:  sins not repented of; sins repented of but still dwelled upon in guilt; being judgmental or competitive; worldly aspirations; grudges.  We are warned against many of these pitfalls in the Sermon on the Mount. 

2) We can gain sustaining power through the covenants we make.  They are the primary source of power in life.  When we covenant, God promises to bear us up.

3) We get mutual support from other saints, as agreed in our baptismal covenant.  There is a synergy in the Church.  We help each other, and we gain wisdom from each other's trials without having to personally experience them all ourselves.  We rejoice with each other, and our joy is doubled.

4) The Lord makes us stronger.  We build spiritual muscle through consistent use.  We learn step by step, line upon line.

5)  Christ teaches us how to carry burdens, how to be "meek and lowly of heart."  We learn from him how to never be weary of well-doing, how to be patient in trials, how to submit to God's will.  Jesus knows how to carry a heavy burden.

The vendor in the picture below illustrates how a yoke helps--with the yoke, he can carry a much heavier load than he could with his arms.  Because of the leverage and balance provided by the yoke, the burden is distributed so well that it feels significantly lighter than its actual weight.  The vendor is able to reap the benefits of the heavier burden in his sales.  The yoke is a tremendous boon to him.

THROWING OUT THE YARDSTICK

Until we take Christ's yoke upon us, we expend a lot of effort checking to see if we have given enough to the Savior.  We have our checklist of commandments.  We have our Mormon culture that adds even more to the checklist.  We have things we need to give up in our lives, and things we need add.  When we try to keep track of our checklist of individual commandments, it is as if this vendor were trying to carry all of these items in his arms.  We don't find the burden easy until we give ourselves over completely, and that is why Christ taught us to "Love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you" (Moro. 10:32).  When we take up the yoke of Christ, we throw out the scales and the yardstick.

"It sounds so hard to give in a trusting, unmeasured way.  And yet it is the measuring that wears us out...It is precisely this exhaustion the Lord is adressing when he says, 'Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest'...

"Once I believed that I could give well-being to others with no yoke at all--by telling them that they were wonderful just the way they were.  Now I know...I was trying to give them pride.  It must surely have stood in the way of their peace.  A yoke is necessary, I now know, but not a heavy 'checklister's yoke.'  It is the light burden and the easy yoke of giving your whole heart--doing all you can and looking to the Lord to make up for your inadequacy...We can have peace...It comes through identifying that the need of our heart is grace, and that grace comes when the motivation for our unmeasured doing is founded in love" (Rasband, p. 29-30).

A FORMULA FOR SUCCESS

This leads us into one way in which Christ teaches us how to carry heavy burdens so that they will be light.
There is really only one commandment: To love.  "For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" (Gal. 5:14).  There are many different ways in which to express that love, including making and keeping covenants, serving in the kingdom, learning about our Savior, giving up our sins through the Atonement.  Often we get confused and base our obedience not on the real commandment, the commandment to love, but on some fear-based motivation.  Therefore, almost every "commandment" we "keep" can be either a heavy burden or a light and joyful burden.

There are two principles of the gospel that work hand-in-hand with love, forming a magnificent trio with which we can "do all things through Christ which strengtheneth" us.  They apply to our very salvation, but they also apply to everyday situations and problems.  In order to achieve goals, make changes, repent of sins, magnify our callings, or make any positive, permanent steps toward becoming more like Christ and receiving his peace in our lives, we must exercise faith, hope, and charity.  These three comprise a true formula for success in any righteous endeavor. 

"Christ truly said...If ye have faith ye can do all things which are expedient unto me" (Moro. 10:23).  "Faith is a principle of action and of power...True faith always moves its possessor to some kind of physical and mental action" (Bible Dictionary, Faith).  Faith refers to the works that you do to create the change.  Your faith must be based on Jesus Christ and his ability to help in you in order for it to have full effect.  Exercising your faith gives you reason to hope for change, even "hope for a better world," both in this earthly existence and in the next life.

"...Hope cometh of faith, maketh an anchor to the souls of men, which would make them sure and steadfast" (Ether 12:4).  Hope seems an unassuming, ethereal principle, but it is absolutely essential to this process.  "If ye have no hope ye must needs be in despair; and despair cometh because of iniquity" (Moro. 10:22).  What?  Despair is a sin?  What is the sin?  A lack of faith in Christ.  (See "The Miracle of Peace" in a previous lesson for more on this.)  Faith and love form the breastplate of righteousness, but hope is the helmet, the vision, the perspective, the frame of mind that makes the other two efficacious (1 Thess. 5:8).

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, if ye have not charity, ye are nothing, for charity never faileth.  Wherefore, cleave unto charity, which is the greatest of all..." (Moro. 7:46).  Why is charity essential?  Because it is the only thing that works!  Let's look at a familiar scripture:  "No power or influence can or ought to be maintained...only by [the attributes of charity:] persuasion, long-suffering, gentleness, meekness...love unfeigned..." (D&C 121:41).  Let's revisit this scripture, not worrying about what we ought to do.  "No power or influence CAN...be maintained..."  It isn't just that we should have love; it is that love is the only motivation that will work to effect lasting change.

Plug this formula into any problem you are having, any sin issue you need to overcome, any relationship challenge, any habit you would like to change, any goal you would like to reach, any trial you must endure, and you will find that it is a true formula for success.

Let's take a change that is easy for many to relate to:  Getting in good physical condition.  If the motivation is self-loathing because of your past sloth and overindulgence, and embarrassment over your extra pounds, you may succeed for a while, but eventually the feelings of resentment and deprivation will take over.  For lasting success, the motivation needs to be love-based:  gratitude and respect for your mortal body, greater energy to do the things you love, ability to enjoy nature more easily, longevity of life, etc.  Any motivation that is not love-based is fear-based and works in opposition to the mind of Christ.  "For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind" (2 Tim. 1:7).

You must also exercise faith.  You must take action.  You must employ a fitness plan that is based on true principles so that you can have faith in the process.  The guidance of the Spirit can help you know which path to take.  You must have faith that Jesus Christ will help you to succeed.  Therefore, you must also have a knowledge that your goal is in line with his plan for your life.  This can be validated through prayer and the ensuing personal revelation.  You must also have faith in yourself and in your ability to change with the Savior's help.

And you must not overlook hope, which so many often do!  Hope is the expectation, the vision, the attitude of success.  You must be positively focused at all times, even when--especially when--the going gets rough.  You need a clear vision of what you hope to accomplish, and an expectation that it will come to pass.

Without an ongoing state of hope, you will lose faith and stop action. 

Without the action of faith, you will lose hope or have a false hope. 

Without love, you will run out of patience and energy before the process is completed with the resulting change solidly in place.

The divine formula of faith, hope and charity is one way that Christ's easy yoke makes our burdens light.

BOTH HARDER AND EASIER

C.S. Lewis wrote:  "The ordinary idea which we all have before we become Christians is this.  We take as starting point our ordinary self with its various desires and interests.  We then admit that something else--call it 'morality' or 'decent behaviour,' or 'the good of society'--has claims on this self: claims which interfere with its own desires.  What we mean by 'being good' is giving in to those claims.  Some of the things the ordinary self wanted to do turn out to be what we call 'wrong': well, we must give them up.  Other things, which the self did not want to do, turn out to be what we call 'right': well, we shall have to do them.  But we are hoping all the time that when all the demands have been met, the poor natural self will still have some chance, and some time, to get on with its own life and do what it likes.  In fact, we are very like an honest man paying his taxes.  He pays them all right, but he does hope that there will be enough left over for him to live on.  Because we are still taking our natural self as the starting point.

"As long as we are thinking that way, one or other of two results is likely to follow.  Either we give up trying to be good, or else we become very unhappy indeed.  For, make no mistake: if you are really going to try to meet all the demands made on the natural self, it will not have enough left over to live on.  The more you obey your conscience, the more your conscience will demand of you.  And your natural self, which is thus being starved and hampered and worried at every turn, will get angrier and angrier.  In the end, you will either give up trying to be good, or else become one of those people who, as they say, 'live for others' but always in a discontented, grumbling way--always wondering why the others do not notice it more and always making a martyr of yourself.  And once you have become that you will be a far greater pest to anyone who has to live with you than you would have been if you have remained frankly selfish.

"The Christian way is different: harder, and easier.  Christ says 'Give me All.  I don't want so much of your time and so much of your money and so much of your work: I want You.  I have not come to torment your natural self, but to kill it.  No half-measures are any good.  I don't want to cut off a branch here and a branch there, I want to have the whole tree down...Hand over...the whole outfit.  I will give you a new self instead.  In fact, I will give you Myself: my own will shall become yours.'" (Lewis, p. 1076-1077).

THE REST OF THE LORD

Now let's go back to those early martyrs.  How was the yoke easy and the burden light for them?  We will let Paul answer for himself:

"Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.  And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulations worketh patience; and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us" (Rom. 5:1-5).

"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God" (Rom. 8:28).

"If God be for us, who can be against us?...For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 8:31, 38-39).

"Why face life's burdens alone," President Howard W. Hunter asked, "or why face them with temporal support that will quickly falter?  To the heavy laden, it is Christ's yoke, it is the power and peace of standing side by side with a God that will provide the support, balance, and the strength to meet our challenges and endure our tasks here in the hardpan field of mortality."

SOURCES:

David H. Stern, Jewish New Testament Commentary
C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, quoted in The C.S. Lewis Bible
Camille Fronk [Olson], "The Cost of True Discipleship," BYU Women's Conference, May 1999
Howard W. Hunter, "Come Unto Me," Ensign, November 1990 talk given at BYU Women's Conference, May 1999
Ester Rasband, Confronting the Myth of Self-Esteem
Joseph Fielding Smith, Gospel Doctrine, p. 58

Beautiful Painting

For those of you who have read beyond lesson #7 (most of you), I just want to draw your attention to a wonderful painting that was shared by a reader in the comments following that lesson this week.  Shari Lyons shared a link to her husband Howard Lyons' painting of the Savior calming the sea.  It includes his messages about the state of our faith as it compares to the disciples in the boat.  Thank you so much, Brother and Sister Lyons!  That is truly inspirational and absolutely gorgeous!

Here is the link:

http://fineart.howardlyon.com/2011/02/01/from-fear-to-faith/