Post # 80 – Come, Follow Me week # 7 

John  Chapters 2,3,4

Dear Family and Friends

John 2:1–11

Our lives are changed as we follow Jesus Christ.

The miracle of the wedding feast happened when Jesus turned water into wine. There was a wedding in Cana of Galilee; Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding and His mother, Mary was there. When Jesus and His disciples asked for some wine, she told them that there was no wine. I believe that this was the first of the many miracles that Jesus performed during His mortal ministry. I have a question for you. This one was asked of us in our Sunday School class. How would it be if you were to give an account of this feast as if you were one of the people who had attended the wedding?

The first person we hear from is Jesus’ mother Mary who comes to Him and tells Him that they have run out of wine. Now as I understand this story, Mary and her family were friends of the hosts of this wedding feasts and she was just trying to help them out. So, if you look at this miracle through Mary’s eyes, what would you see? Mary was Jesus’ mother, she knew that He could turn the water into wine. She believed it, she had faith that it could happen, so she told her servants to do whatsoever he asked of them.

Now look again at this miracle, but through the eyes of the servants, what would you see? Those men did not know who Jesus truly was, I don’t think. I think that they may only have known Him as the carpenter’s son, so they would not have known that He had the power to turn the water into wine. They did just what Jesus had told them to do – to fill the water pots to the rim with water. Then to draw some out and take it to the governor of the feast. i winder if the governor ever heard of this miracle.

I believe they were amazed when they had drawn out wine from the six pots of water. They were probably thinking to themselves ‘how could this have happened?’ ‘How did He do this?’ all we put into those pots were water… only plain water from the well!! And yet we draw out wine from these water pots! I can only imagine their amazement at such a thing happening right before their eyes. Jesus had not taken the water pots anywhere, they were not exchanged with others that had already been filled with wine. they saw it all happen i think right before their eyes 

 There is a third set of eyes in the story for us to look through – those of the ruler or governor of the town who was at the feast. He did not even know that a miracle had taken place, he was only pleased that they were still serving good wine. He made the statement that most people served the really good wine first and yet the hosts of this wedding feast had waited to serve the finest wine towards the end of the feast.

How are our attitudes toward miracles like those people who were at the feast? Are we like Mary – do we believe in the miracles of Jesus; do we believe that miracles still happen? Do we have faith in and put our trust in our Heavenly Father and His Son, our Savior, Jesus Christ? Do we have a hope in Him for our eternal life? Do we believe that Jesus Christ made an atonement for our sins and transgressions? Are we each using His Atonement in our lives?

Maybe we are more like the servants who are there to serve their master but don’t know Jesus Christ well, only as the carpenter’s son. We may know of Him, as the carpenter’s son or even as the Son of God but we do not know Him on a personal enough level to believe that He has the power to make miracles happen and are simply amazed at a miracle when it occurs? Are we more like the servants – do we only know of Him, but haven’t really learned enough about Him to have a tiny seed of faith? To even have a desire to know Him? To have taken Him into our hearts and trust Him and in His Atonement?

Or are we like the governor who did not even have any knowledge that a wonderful, amazing miracle had happened? All the governor knew was that the servants had brought him very good wine. He told the bridegroom that most people served the best wine in the beginning and then when the people had been drinking for awhile then the servants would bring out the wine that was of a lesser quality than what had been served in the beginning of the feast. The governor had no knowledge of Jesus or the miracle that had just been performed. This has definitely given me something to think about.

What was there in John 2:1–11 that has deepened your appreciation of the miracle of the wedding feast? I think looking at the story from a different perspective – through the eyes of those that were present at the wedding feast, has opened my eyes and my understanding a little more. I had never thought to look at this story in this way before. Maybe you all have and I an truly just a very slow learner maybe?

How did this miracle manifest the glory of God in verse 11?  11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him No ordinary man could have turned water into wine. It took the power of God to make this miracle happen. He was showing His glory in performing this miracle of turning the water into wine at the wedding feast. This miracle was the first of many that He did in Cana of Galilee.

John 2:13–22

We can defend sacred places and things.

What do we learn when Jesus cleanses the temple by tipping over the tables of the money-changers and sending the birds flying, chasing the animals out of the temple?  We learn that we are to keep the Lord’s houses sacred. we do not buy and sell goods or animals there. The temples are so peaceful and calm even on the outside. They are beautiful and clean I cannot even imagine there being this kind of behavior in the Lord’s house today.

What are some ways that we can defend the sacred places and things in our lives? I think it’s important for each of us to remember that we are in the Lord’s house and we need to act accordingly when we are there. I think about this whenever I see little children and the big ones sometimes too, running around in the Church building. They forget they are in the Lord’s house.Places like our homes, our church buildings – especially the chapel, the temples, church schools, and our scriptures. 

“This statement from President David O. McKay might help: “‘Make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.’ (John 2:16.) Making and spending money, … faultfinding, and particularly gossiping about neighbors in a house of worship, are essentially violations of this command given nearly two thousand years ago” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1956, 7). How can we preserve the sanctity of the temple and other holy places?”

Our homes should be the safe place for our families. A place where we can be protected from the ailments and the influence of the world. This is becoming harder and harder with the age of the internet, I phones, smart phones, I pads, kindles, and all other forms of devices that can reach out into cyber space. We as parents and other adults who are leading and guiding our children must be continuously aware of new content and be very diligent in your efforts to protect ourselves and our children from Satan’s cunning schemes and plans to destroy our families any way he can.

Our scriptures contain the sacred words of God, saved and preserved for our benefit and use. I have found that there is great comfort and a good refuge within the pages of our scriptures. I have felt such peace as I have read my scriptures, especially when I am reading the Book of Mormon. There is power that we can gain from the scriptures. And if we can learn them well enough the Holy Ghost will bring them to our minds as we need them to help and guide us in our lives. Now I want you to know that I am always working on this – I am striving each day to do better than the day before – to learn of Him! i hope and pray that you are as well:)

John 3:1–21

We must be born again to enter the kingdom of God.

These verses hold the story about Nicodemus and Jesus’s invitation in John 3:3 to be born again. What does it mean to be born again? Nicodemus was a ruler over the Jews and believed that Jesus was sent God. Most Pharisees did not believe that Jesus Christ was sent by God, but Nicodemus did, because he had seen the miracles Jesus had performed. I think maybe his was against their traditions I think so that’s why Nicodemus met Jesus the first time at night and in secret. I wonder if he would nave been is some kind of trouble had others known that he was meeting with Jesus secretly.

Nicodemus said to Jesus in John chapter 3 verse 2 Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these ^amiracles that thou doest, except ^bGod be with him. Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be born again to enter the kingdom of heaven. Verse 3 Except a man be ^aborn ^bagain, he cannot ^csee the kingdom of God. Nicodemus did not understand what Jesus was telling him, because he knew that it was impossible to go back to the womb and be born again.

In verse 4 Nicodemus asks: How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus was talking about being born spiritually through the Holy Ghost. Verse 5 Jesus says: Except a man be ^aborn of ^bwater and of the ^cSpirit, he cannot ^denter into the kingdom of God. The Prophet Joseph Smith taught, “Being born again, comes by the Spirit of God through ordinances” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 95).

Remember when we talked about John the Baptist and how he said that he could only baptize with water but the one who came after him would baptize with fire and the Holy Ghost? This was what Jesus was telling Nicodemus –that he had to be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost. In verse 6 Jesus explains:  That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. and continues in verse 7 That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.

In our church we believe that we must have faith to believe in Jesus Christ and have the desire to be baptized into His church – The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. With your faith you are willing to repent of your sins so that you can enter into the waters of baptism. After your baptism you are then confirmed a member of the church that is when you are given the gift of the Holy Ghost as your constant companion.

You must live worthy of continues companionship of the Holy Ghost. Our Heavenly Father prepared a way for us to renew our baptismal covenants each week when we worthily take the sacrament. So each week we can repent of our sins and transgressions and our poor choices before we take the sacrament and promise to do better the next week.

If you are not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and you would like more information about his sacred ordinance you can go here to visit with a missionary online: https://www.mormon.org/site/home

or here to have them visit your home: https://www.mormon.org/site/missionaries

or here to find a chapel near you: https://www.lds.org/maps/meetinghouses/

See also Mosiah 5:7; 27:25–26; “Salvation,” Gospel Topics, topics.lds.org; David A. Bednar, “Ye Must Be Born Again,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2007, 19–22.

There are many people – including my little brother who believe that people can’t change – not really change. This story of Nicodemus and how he did change is a good example for us of someone who changed because he chose to follow and live the gospel of Jesus Christ for the rest of his days in his mortal probation. At first, he was meeting with Jesus at night then he was speaking up for Him – publicly, and when Jesus died, Nicodemus bought spices for His body.The Prophet Joseph Smith taught: “Being born again, comes by the Spirit of God through ordinances” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 95).

John 4:6–34

Jesus Christ offers us living water and the “meat” of doing God’s work. 
These verses teach us about the story of the Samaritan woman whom Jesus met at Jacobs well. Jesus asked her for a drink of water. She asks Jesus how is it that you are asking me, a Samaritan woman for water. The Jews had no dealings with the Samaritans. Jesus tells her basically if you knew who I am you would be asking me for living water.

This woman did not understand what He was talking her so she said to Him – how could you give me water if you don’t even have anything ti draw the water from the well, which is very deep, where will you get this living water. She asks Jesus if He is greater than our father Jacob who gave them the well, he drank from it himself.

Jesus tells her that ‘whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again. But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. Jesus was teaching her about her spiritual thirst, that she would not be spiritually thirsty with the water that He would give her.

If we worship our Heavenly Father ‘in spirit and in truth’ it will quench our spiritual thirst. As we are doing the will of the Father our spiritual hunger and thirst will be filled. We must choose to say to ourselves and to our Heavenly Father ‘ not my will, but thine be done.’

The Samaritan woman asks Jesus if she can have this water of which He speaks. Jesus tells her to call her husband to come to the well.  She tells Jesus that she has no husband. Then Jesus proceeds to tell her that she has had five husbands and the man she was with at the time was not her husband, so she had been truthful to Jesus.

The Samaritan woman believes that Jesus must be a prophet.she tells Jesus that she knows ‘that Messias cometh, which is called Christ: when he is come he will tell us all things.’ It is then that Jesus reveals to her the He is the Messiah she is speaking of. When the disciples return the woman leaves and goes into town and tells the men, ‘Come see a man, which told me all things that ever I die is not this the Christ?’ the men come to see Jesus.

I am sure to see if this woman was telling the truth. His disciples meanwhile tell Him that He should eat and Jesus tells them that His ‘meat I to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work.’ How have you come to know that Jesus Christ is the Messiah? She referred to Jesus as a Jew; a prophet; ‘is this not Christ?’ I think that she must have had some learning about Jesus in order for to assume that He must be a prophet, and then later saying that He must be Christ. She had to have some knowledge of the teaching of the Bible.

Elder Dallin H. Oaks taught:

“We were born again when we entered into a covenant relationship with our Savior by being born of water and of the Spirit and by taking upon us the name of Jesus Christ. We can renew that rebirth each Sabbath when we partake of the sacrament.

“Latter-day Saints affirm that those who have been born again in this way are spiritually begotten sons and daughters of Jesus Christ (see Mosiah 5:7; 15:9–13; 27:25). Nevertheless, in order to realize the intended blessings of this born-again status, we must still keep our covenants and endure to the end. In the meantime, through the grace of God, we have been born again as new creatures with new spiritual parentage and the prospects of a glorious inheritance” (“Have You Been Saved?” Ensign, May 1998, 56).

Here are a list of videos of Jesus’s acts and teachings.

“Jesus Turns Water into Wine,” “Jesus Cleanses the Temple,” “Jesus Teaches of Being Born Again,” “Jesus Teaches a Samaritan Woman” (LDS.org)

What it means to be born again, quotes from Jesus Christ’s latter-day prophets and apostles.

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught: “You might as well baptize a bag of sand as a man, if not done in view of the remission of sins and getting of the Holy Ghost. Baptism by water is but half a baptism, and is good for nothing without the other half—that is, the baptism of the Holy Ghost” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 95).

Elder David A. Bednar taught: “Conversion … is mighty, not minor—a spiritual rebirth and fundamental change of what we feel and desire, what we think and do, and what we are. Indeed, the essence of the gospel of Jesus Christ entails a fundamental and permanent change in our very nature made possible through our reliance upon ‘the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah’ (2 Nephi 2:8). As we choose to follow the Master, we choose to be changed—to be spiritually reborn” (“Ye Must Be Born Again,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2007, 20).

Elder D. Todd Christofferson taught: “You may ask, Why doesn’t this mighty change happen more quickly with me? You should remember that the remarkable examples of King Benjamin’s people, Alma, and some others in scripture are just that—remarkable and not typical. For most of us, the changes are more gradual and occur over time. Being born again, unlike our physical birth, is more a process than an event. And engaging in that process is the central purpose of mortality” (“Born Again,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2008, 78).

Elder Dallin H. Oaks taught:

“We were born again when we entered into a covenant relationship with our Savior by being born of water and of the Spirit and by taking upon us the name of Jesus Christ. We can renew that rebirth each Sabbath when we partake of the sacrament.

“Latter-day Saints affirm that those who have been born again in this way are spiritually begotten sons and daughters of Jesus Christ (see Mosiah 5:7; 15:9–13; 27:25). Nevertheless, in order to realize the intended blessings of this born-again status, we must still keep our covenants and endure to the end. In the meantime, through the grace of God, we have been born again as new creatures with new spiritual parentage and the prospects of a glorious inheritance” (“Have You Been Saved?” Ensign, May 1998, 56).

Well dear Family and Friends, we have come to the end of this week’s lesson. As always, I hope and pray that I have shared something that is at least of interest to you. If you would like to see a post on a specific subject, please let me know in your comments. If you have not had the chance to ready and study these scripture stories, please take the time to do so as the scriptures are there for our profit and learning. 

Please continue to study and learn of Him as you study the New Testament this year. Until my next post, stay safe, and make it a grand week! I know that as we are learning of Him, we will also be helping our testimonies about Him grow – just like the little seed – springing up into new life! just as we spring up into new life after we are baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and are confirmed the newest member after we have received the gift of the Holy Ghost., and strive to keep our covenants and endure to the end.