And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease... These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying... Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. The calling of the twelve apostles and the apostles' reception of priesthood power are critical steps to the organization of Jesus' Church, that continue to bless lives today. Calling of the Twelve ApostlesThe word apostle comes from the Hebrew word ἀπόστολος, or apostolos, which means "a messenger, envoy, delegate, one commissioned by another to represent him in some way" (http://biblehub.com/greek/652.htm). Let's explore that definition. Messenger: The twelve apostles are Christ's messengers. Their responsibility is to share the "good news," or Jesus' gospel. After Jesus' death, when Peter went back to fishing with some of the other apostles, Christ appeared at sea. Later, while dining with Peter, Jesus gave powerful instruction where he thrice instructed Peter to "feed my sheep." (John 21:15-17). In a loving way, Jesus reminded Peter of his purpose. It was not to leave the ministry and everything he had learned to return to fishing; rather, he was to share Jesus' gospel with the world, thus providing the Bread of Life. Envoy, Delegate, One Commissioned: According to the Merriam Webster dictionary, an envoy means a "messenger or representative." A delegate means "a person acting for another." Commission means "an authorization or command to act in a prescribed manner or to perform prescribed acts" or "authority to act for, in behalf of, or in place of another." Each of these terms refers to the concept of authority. An envoy is given authority by a master to be his messenger or representative. A delegate is given the authority to act for another person or entity (e.g., for a government). A commissioner is given authority to act in a person's place--to be their mouthpiece, as well as their hands. The Apostles Reception of Priesthood PowerWhat do we know about the priesthood power given to Jesus' apostles? The Topics section of LDS.org teaches that there are two meanings to the word "priesthood:" "First, priesthood is the power and authority of God. It has always existed and will continue to exist without end (see Alma 13:7–8; D&C 84:17–18). Through the priesthood, God created and governs the heavens and the earth. Through this power, He exalts His obedient children, bringing to pass “the immortality and eternal life of man” ( Moses 1:39; see also D&C 84:35–38). Second, in mortality, priesthood is the power and authority that God gives to man to act in all things necessary for the salvation of God’s children. The blessings of the priesthood are available to all who receive the gospel" (https://www.lds.org/topics/priesthood). During the 19th Century, priesthood power was restored to the Earth as part of the restoration of Jesus' church. A timeline of the restoration of Jesus' gospel, church, and priesthood can be found here: https://www.lds.org/topics/restoration-of-the-gospel). Blessings of the PriesthoodHow does having the priesthood on the earth today bless my life? Specific times when I was grateful to have the priesthood power of God on the earth include the following:
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"I am the first and the last; I am he who liveth, I am he who was slain; I am your advocate with the Father" "And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives! For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father— That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God." The document "The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles" describes many of Jesus Christ's most important names and roles:
And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles. Before choosing and calling his twelve disciples, Jesus went unto a mountain to pray. He continued all the night in prayer. Would I even have words to say after the first 30 minutes of praying to God? Jesus was an expert ponderer and an expert communicator. In today's busy world, it is so easy to avoid silence with distraction. Technology makes us ever-farther away from God's creations. It would do me good to spend time each day to ponder in silence. Just a minute or two of meditation would go a long way. It would also do me good to spend more time in prayer. I once had a roommate that spent a long time each night on his knees in prayer. I was always impressed by the length of his prayers. While I realize that the content of our prayers is more important than the length of our prayers, I do believe that Spiritual impressions require time and patience. By following Christ's example and putting more time into our prayers, our prayers can be more meaningful and we can be more receptive to God's answers. Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou? He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour. What was Jesus' house like? Words that come to mind: clean, organized, comfortable, humble, practical, well-lit. Would it be set apart from other houses, with a yard and garden? Or would it be in the center of a bustling downtown. While I can only guess, I picture it on the outskirts of town--close enough to receive visitors, but far enough to avoid unnecessary distractions and noise.
Today, scattered around the earth, are over 150 temples. A temple is literally the house of the Lord. "The Lord is in his holy temples." (Habakkuk 2:20). What are temples like? Clean, organized, glorious, beautiful, peaceful. quiet, well-lit, detail-focused, calm, peaceful. One cannot describe the Temple without describing the emotions felt therein. [For more information on LDS temples, including pictures and videos, see http://www.mormontemples.org/.] [For another commentary on this subject, read BYU assistant professor Gaye Strathearn's article "Simon and the Woman Who Anointed Jesus' Feet."] And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee’s house, and sat down to meat. And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. The creditor in Christ's parable loved equally the two debtors. He forgave them both completely. However, the debtor who owed more than a year's worth of wages loved the creditor more. Let me explain with a modern-day parable. Say there are two students in a class. One has an A-, the other has a C-. At the end of the semester, the teacher raises both students grades to a A+. Which student will remember the teacher's generosity the most? Surely the student who had the C-. While discussing Jesus' parable of the two debtors with a cousin, some questions arose. "So if the person in the parable with the most debt is the most sinful, does that make fully repentant sinners more grateful for the Atonement, and more loving of the Savior, than those who have not lived a life of sin? Is repentance of great wrongdoing a prerequisite for a strong relationship with Jesus Christ?" These are very important questions. But before I attempt to address them, let me continue with the scriptural account. And he [Jesus] turned to the woman, and said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thine house, thou gavest me no water for my feet: but she hath washed my feet with tears, and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss: but this woman since the time I came in hath not ceased to kiss my feet. My head with oil thou didst not anoint: but this woman hath anointed my feet with ointment. There are many takeaways from Christ's words. What first stands out to me are the woman's faith-filled actions and her love for the Savior. This woman was a sinner, but aren't we all sinners? Don't we all fall short every day? Now, some thoughts on my cousin's questions. I believe the answer lies in an understanding of repentance--what it is, and what it means to truly repent. The Bible Dictionary defines repentance as the following: The Greek word of which this is the translation denotes a change of mind, a fresh view about God, about oneself, and about the world. Since we are born into conditions of mortality, repentance comes to mean a turning of the heart and will to God, and a renunciation of sin to which we are naturally inclined. As the definition states, we are all naturally inclined to sin. Mosiah 3:19 teaches that "the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord." We all require a change of mind, a fresh view of the world. This is made possible only through Christ's atonement. Sure, some people mess up more than others. But we all fall short of God's perfect bar and desperately need Christ's atonement. And "who am I to judge another, when I walk imperfectly?" (See https://www.lds.org/music/text/hymns/lord-i-would-follow-thee.)
I do not believe that a strong relationship with the Savior necessitates repentance from serious sin. We must remember that the scriptures are written by prophets, and often include exceptions to the rule. Both Alma the Younger and Saul (who later became Paul) underwent powerful, life-changing conversion processes. But even lifetime members of Christ's Church must gain a personal testimony of Christ's gospel. While reading about the woman who anointed Christ's feet, I was especially impressed when Christ said, "Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven." According to Christ, the woman was forgiven because she loved much. Those who love little are not forgiven. Isn't that interesting? Forgiveness from God is more about our love for him, and our desire to change and be like him, than it what we've done. So how can we come to love the Savior and use his Atonement, regardless of what we've done? Perhaps this is oversimplifying things, but I believe that it has a lot to do with being in the right place at the right time, so that the Spirit can guide us. This may mean attending a sacrament meeting and bearing a testimony when prompted. It may mean reading the scriptures as a family, or having a family discussion at the dinner table. It may mean going to a service project, even if you don't really want to go. I believe that as we go where God wants us to go, and do what God wants us to do, God give us the blessings and testimony-enriching experiences that we need for our current circumstances. I know that I need the Atonement of Christ. I also know that learning about and using the Atonement is a lifelong pursuit. I am grateful for a loving Savior who lets me wet his feet with my tears. I am grateful for this mortal experience--for the opportunity to learn and grow and become better today than I was yesterday. I am grateful for my Savior's perfect example. I am grateful for the reality of repentance and the peace that comes through forgiveness. I know that Jesus Christ lives, and that the purpose of this mortal journey is to change our hearts and minds so that we may become like him. The defining character of Jesus Christ, and the essence of his Gospel, is charity. But charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him. Each day, Christ demonstrated pure love to others through his words and actions. In doing so, he helped others come to know the Father. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. The ultimate demonstration of Christ's pure love is his infinite atonement. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. For my love to have meaning, it must take action. Elder Dallin H. Oaks taught, "Love is meaningless unless it is directed toward something or someone. We love our parents. We love our brothers and sisters. We love the Lord" (https://www.lds.org/general-conference/1994/04/faith-in-the-lord-jesus-christ).
My communications with those I love should be filled with honesty, transparency, clarity, and humor. I know that as I take time to demonstrate my love for others, my life is filled with joy and I can better feel God and Christ's love for me. Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel. Note: Scholars are "practically certain" that Nathanael is the same person as the apostle Bartholomew. For more information, read https://www.lds.org/manual/jesus-the-christ/chapter-16.
Jesus Christ miraculously knew that before Philip came to tell Nathanael about Christ, Nathanael had been under a fig tree. "It was the fig-tree of his own garden,... [see Zechariah 3:10] and not at the corners of the streets, or to be seen of men, [where Nathanael] was in the honesty of his heart praying to God. Unseen as he thought by any eye, he was seen by Him to whose coming every true Israelite looked" (http://biblehub.com/commentaries/john/1-48.htm). From this account, I know that Jesus knows the innermost thoughts and desires of my heart. Only he understands my exact circumstances, and knows how I feel. Nathanael asked, "Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?" Nathanael was from Cana of Galilee; the Galileans and Nazarenes generally viewed each other with contempt. "The question is asked by an inhabitant of a neighbouring village who looks upon the familiar town with something of local jealousy and scorn" (http://biblehub.com/commentaries/john/1-46.htm). Yet, Nathanael's bias towards Nazareth did not prevent him from acknowledging, worshiping, and following Christ, the Galilean. Jesus' first words to Nathanael were, "Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no guile." Nathanael was a true Christian, a seeker of the consolation of Israel. He was without guile, or "cunning deceit" (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/guile). My goal is to be like Nathanael, so that even when Jesus knows the innermost thoughts and intents of my heart, he can call me a member of the House of Israel indeed, in whom there is no guile. Based on Luke 5:1-11Peter the salesman has been cold-calling potential customers all week, but no one is biting. As he begins a new day's work, his boss comes over and asks why his numbers are so low. Peter describes his countless phone calls and overtime hours. But, he admits, he hasn't made a sale in over a week.
Later that day, as Peter hangs up after another futile call, Jesus enters the office. Jesus asks Peter if he will stop his calls so that Jesus can use the office to preach. Peter thinks about his boss' visit that morning. He thinks about his sales quota and his miserably low numbers. He thinks about his family at home, who are depending on him. Yet Peter feels something inside of him that prevents him from refusing. He agrees to Jesus' request, and Jesus walks to the front of the office to preach. As he begins to speak, people starts filing into the office. Sales partners. Curious coworkers from the department next door. Even people who do not belong to the company. People form a crowd around the office, trying to hear Jesus speak. Peter listens intently. As the work day comes to a close, Jesus concludes his remarks. Slowly, the crowd begins shuffling out of the office, until only Jesus and Peter remain. Jesus pulls a post-it note from his shirt pocket with a string of numbers written neatly on it. He hands the note to Peter, and says, "Call this number, and ask if they will buy your product." Peter quickly responds, "Master, I have worked all week making calls, but I haven't made a single sale." Then, after a short pause, he continues, "But even so, I will do as you ask." Peter calls the number, and sure enough, the woman at the other end is anxious to buy a massive order of the product. In fact, she belongs to a network of companies that have been looking for just the solution that Peter's company sells. She emails Peter a long list of company contacts, and Peter and his sales partners spends the rest of the month making sales just based on the list. At the end of the month, Jesus returns to the office. Peter is in the conference room, discussing a new product launch with his sales partners, James and John. When Peter sees Jesus entering the room, he falls to knees, followed by James and John. Peter cries out, "I am not worthy to be in your presence, Lord. I do not deserve the success and prosperity that you have brought to me and my family." Jesus motions for the men to stand up. He looks directly into Peters eyes, and loving responds, "Do not be afraid. From now on, you will serve God and offer something money cannot buy. Something of infinite worth. Leave your jobs, and follow me." At that very moment, Peter, James, and John exit the building, and, leaving everything behind, follow the Savior. And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the ship with the hired servants, and went after him. Every returned missionary at one time or another feels the heavy contrast between being a "fisher of men" and being a fisherman. Jesus called James and John to leave their fishing jobs and follow him. However, Jesus did not call Zebedee. Instead, Zebedee's work responsibilities increased because he no longer had the help of his sons. Zebedee was given different responsibilities than his sons, but he was still expected to 'increase the talents' he was given. Perhaps James and John would need financial support in their ministering, and Zebedee's fishing career would allow him to support his sons. At different times of our life, we have different mixes of responsibilities--family, work, church, civil, etc. God simply asks that we increase whatever talents we are given, during each stage of our lives. Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Among John the Baptist's followers were Andrew (Simon Peter's brother) and John (James' brother). When John the Baptist saw and testified of Christ to Andrew and John, they were quick to leave John and follow Christ, the Lamb of God. They understood John the Baptist's words: "I am not the Christ" (John 1:20); "he of whom I bear record cometh, who is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear, (or whose place I am not able to fill)" (JST Matthew 3:38). The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me. Philip came from Bethsaida, the same town as Peter, James, John, and Andrew. These four actively sought Christ, thanks to John the Baptist's preaching. Philip, on the other hand, was sought out and found by Philip.
If I lived in Bethsaida and had not heard about Jesus, how grateful I would be to be sought out by Jesus and asked to follow him. If I had heard about Jesus but had not made it a priority to follow him, how grateful I would be to be sought out by Jesus and given a second chance. Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither do they reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? I was touched by this scripture today. It reminded me of this simple yet powerful message from my uncle Deen: "God is there, he hears your prayers, and he loves you" (https://deseretbook.com/p/trust-lord-reflections-jesus-christ-deen-kemsley-66811).
I know that to be true. |
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