Post # 94 – Come, Follow Me Week # 11

March 11–17

Matthew 10-12; Mark 2; Luke 7;11

Dear Family and Friends

This week we are studying Matthew 10-12; Mark 2; Luke 7;11 in the New Testament, just in case this is your first visit to my blog. I sometimes get behind, but I do try hard to keep up and share with you what I have been learning each week. This year we have been studying the New Testament. I also have been attending a Personal Finances for Self-Reliance group at my church and I have also been sharing with you what we have been learning in that group as well. Another thing I like to share on my blog is talks from the Ensign, New Era, and Friend magazines. Talks from our semiannual General Conferences and other topics that come to my mind about my journey with stage four breast cancer.

This lesson is for the week of March 11–17and as a mentioned before we are studying Matthew 10-12; Mark 2; Luke 7;11 “These Twelve Jesus Sent Forth”

First we will begin with  a couple of questions: Did you have any questions about Matthew 11:28–30. What answers did you find?

 Alright are you ready? Shall we begin? Let’s dive right into Matthew 10?  Here we go😊

The Lord gives His servants power to do His work.

·         The Savior commanded His Apostles to do things that can help us in our individual responsibilities.

·         Another way for each of us to review Matthew 10 is to search this chapter for something the Savior asked the Apostles to do and make a list. In class we were asked to draw a picture representing that thing, but I am not very good at drawing, so I made a chart for you of what I found. You can read through it and see if you found some other things. What have you learned about the commission of the Twelve Apostles in your study thus week?

·         How can studying the commission Christ gave to His Apostles in Matthew 10 help your each of us to better understand the role of modern prophets and apostles? I thought it might be helpful to compare the Savior’s commission to the Twelve to the commission given to the first Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in this dispensation, found in “Additional Resources.” How have each one of you been influenced by the ministry of the living Apostles?

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·         A commission to Jesus’ first Apostles.

·         A commission to latter-day Apostles.

·         Jesus commanded His Apostles to go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel    ·         He told them to ‘go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. ·         He commanded that they were to: ‘heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, and to cast out devils. ·         He told them not to carry money, or extra clothes, or extra shoes or staff. ·         They were to stay with those who were worthy in each town or city they traveled into. ·         They were to salute a house when they came to it, if the house was worthy they were to leave peace there ( I think this may mean to leave a blessing upon the home). ·         Jesus told them that He was sending them in like sheep into wolves’ dens so they muse be “wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. ·         Jesus said that they must “beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils and scourge you in their synagogues.” ·         Jesus told them that: when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. ·         He told them that they would be hated by all men ‘for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. ·         He said ‘when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another ·         Jesus told them that ‘the disciple is not above the master, not the servant above his lord/ ·         He also said: “Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered that shall not be revealed and nothing hid, that shall not be known. ·

·         When some of the first members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in this dispensation were called, Oliver Cowdery gave them a commission similar to the one Jesus Christ gave in Matthew 10. He said: ·         “‘You will have to combat all the prejudices of all nations. … I, therefore, warn you to cultivate great humility, for I know the pride of the human heart. Beware, lest the flatterers of the world lift you up. Beware lest your affections are captivated by worldly objects. Let your ministry be first. … [It] is necessary that you receive a testimony from Heaven for yourselves, so that you can bear testimony to the truth. … ·         “‘… You are to bear this message to those who consider themselves wise. And such may persecute you; they may seek your life. The adversary has always sought the life of the servants of God. You are, therefore, to be prepared at all times to make a sacrifice of your lives, should God require them in the advancement and building up of His cause. … ·         “He then took them separately by the hand and said, ‘Do you with full purpose of heart take part in this ministry, to proclaim the gospel with all diligence with these your brethren, according to the tenor and intent of the charge you have received?’ Each of which answered in the affirmative” (in Joseph Smith Papers, Documents, Volume 4: April 1834–September 1835, ed. Matthew C. Godfrey and others [2016], 243–44, 247; spelling and punctuation standardized).

 

·         I know that President Russell M. Nelson, his counselors and the Quorum of the Twelve were called to their divine callings to be Prophets, Seers, and Revelators. They were each called of God to be special witnesses of Jesus Christ.  Bear your testimony of the divine calling of the living prophets and apostles,

·         Each man that holds the priesthood is called a priesthood holder and each one can trace his line of authority back to the moment when Jesus ordained His Apostles,

The Twelve Apostles perform the Lord’s work today.

Matthew 10:17–20

When we are in the Lord’s service, He will inspire us with the words to say.

·         I have struggled a lot to be comfortable speaking to others about the gospel. I am sure that others have felt this way too, But I have realized that just as the Lord has promised the disciples that He would help them know what to say, I know that He would give us the words which we should say. He will help each one of us know the words we should use. 

What do we need to do to receive the Lord’s promised help for ourselves?  I believe that it’s important for us to know the words – we need to be familiar enough with the scriptures to use the references that the Lord  

·         Let’s read in Matthew 10:19–20; Doctrine and Covenants 84:85; and Doctrine and Covenants 100:5–8 to find the answers to this question. When has the Holy Ghost helped you know what to say?

·         Matthew 10:19–20

·         19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak.

·         20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you.

·         Doctrine and Covenants 84:85

·         85 Neither take ye thought beforehand what ye shall say; but treasure up in your minds continually the words of life, and it shall be given you in the very hour that portion that shall be meted unto every man.

·         Doctrine and Covenants 100:5–8

·         5 Therefore, verily I say unto you, lift up your voices unto this people; speak the thoughts that I shall put into your hearts, and you shall not be confounded before men;

·         6 For it shall be given you in the very hour, yea, in the very moment, what ye shall say.

·         7 But a commandment I give unto you, that ye shall declare whatsoever thing ye declare in my name, in solemnity of heart, in the spirit of meekness, in all things.

·         8 And I give unto you this promise, that inasmuch as ye do this the Holy Ghost shall be shed forth in bearing record unto all things whatsoever ye shall say.

Matthew 12:1–13; Mark 2:23–28

The Sabbath is a day to do good.

When Jesus was on the earth the Pharisees made up a lot of very strict rules to force people to observe the Sabbath day and keep it holy. They also had some traditions that they had created and over time this way of thinking literally clouded or fogged up their understanding of the true meaning of keeping the Sabbath day holy. Why do you think the Lord made the Sabbath day?

Maybe we should review the accounts in Matthew 12:1–13 and Mark 2:23–28 and learn what the Savior taught about the Sabbath day.

·         Matthew 12:1–13

·         1 At that time Jesus went on the sabbath day through the corn; and his disciples were an hungred, and began to pluck the ears of corn, and to eat.

·         2 But when the Pharisees saw it, they said unto him, Behold, thy disciples do that which is not lawful to do upon the sabbath day.

·         3 But he said unto them, Have ye not read what David did, when he was an hungred, and they that were with him;

·         4 How he entered into the house of God, and did eat the shewbread, which was not lawful for him to eat, neither for them which were with him, but only for the priests?

·         5 Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless?

·         6 But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple.

·         7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.

·         8 For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.

·         9 And when he was departed thence, he went into their synagogue:

·         10 ¶ And, behold, there was a man which had his hand withered. And they asked him, saying, Is it lawful to heal on the sabbath days? that they might accuse him.

·         11 And he said unto them, What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?

·         12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

·         13 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole, like as the other.

·         Mark 2:23–28

·         23 And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn.

·         24 And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful?

·         25 And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him?

·         26 How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him?

·         27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath:

·         28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.

·         

·         We can also  look in the  Joseph Smith Translation, Mark 2:26–27 

·         JST, Mark 2:26–27           Joseph Smith Translation

·         26 Wherefore the Sabbath was given unto man for a day of rest; and also that man should glorify God, and not that man should not eat;

·         27 For the Son of man made the Sabbath day, therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the Sabbath.

·          

·         the next place we can look for additional insights about the Sabbath in Exodus 31:16–17; Isaiah 58:13–14; and Doctrine and Covenants 59:9–13?

Exodus 31:16–17  Old Testament

16 Wherefore the children of Israel shall keep the sabbath, to observe the sabbath throughout their generations, for a perpetual covenant.

17 It is a sign between me and the children of Israel for ever: for in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and on the seventh day he rested, and was refreshed.

Isaiah 58:13–14     Old Testament

13 ¶ If thou turn away thy foot from the sabbath, from doing thy pleasure on my holy day; and call the sabbath a delight, the holy of the Lord, honourable; and shalt honour him, not doing thine own ways, nor finding thine own pleasure, nor speaking thine own words:

14 Then shalt thou delight thyself in the Lord; and I will cause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth, and feed thee with the heritage of Jacob thy father: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

Doctrine and Covenants 59:9–13

9 And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day;

10 For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High;

11 Nevertheless thy vows shall be offered up in righteousness on all days and at all times;

12 But remember that on this, the Lord’s day, thou shalt offer thine oblations and thy sacraments unto the Most High, confessing thy sins unto thy brethren, and before the Lord.

13 And on this day thou shalt do none other thing, only let thy food be prepared with singleness of heart that thy fasting may be perfect, or, in other words, that thy joy may be full.

·         What additional insights do we gain from these verses?   What traditions or rules might distract us from the real purpose of the Sabbath?

·         Even though the Pharisees  had all these strict rules and traditions concerning the Sabbath, we find in Matthew 12:12 that the Savior teaches us a simple principle, that: “It is lawful to do well on the sabbath”.

·         Matthew 12:12

12 How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

·         I know that those who live by this principle probably have little trouble keeping the Sabbath day holy. i on the other hand have always struggled with my family – (who are all inactive members of the church) to keep the Sabbath day holy, though over the years I have tried various things to try to jeep our Sabbath a holy day. Remember what we have learned in these verses as we have studied this lesson together today.

·         I know that it is difficult to keep the Sabbath day holy when you live with others who are not of your faith or those who have  wandered off the path and become inactive in the church, but I also believe that it is important to be a good example and to keep trying to include them in the commandment to keep the Sabbath day holy. 

What other principles have you found that help you keep the Sabbath day holy? Why so you think that teaching principles more effective than setting rules in developing spiritual self-reliance?

Then we read the following statement by the Prophet Joseph Smith;

Someone once asked the Prophet Joseph Smith how he was able to govern so many people in Nauvoo effectively. The Prophet explained, “I teach them correct principles, and they govern themselves” (see Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 284).

·         Are there other principles we can think of that help us obey God’s commandments? For example, what principles could help parents inspire their children to obey the Word of Wisdom or do family history research?

President Russell M. Nelson’s message “The Sabbath Is a Delight” (Ensign or Liahona, May 2015, 129–32) you can read it here: https://www.lds.org/study/general-conference/2015/04/the-sabbath-is-a-delight?lang=eng

and the videos with Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s counsel:

The blessings of Sabbath day observance.

In a series of three videos, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland teaches about the blessings of observing the Sabbath day: “Upon My Holy Day—Getting Closer to God,” “Upon My Holy Day—Honoring the Sabbath,” and “Upon My Holy Day—Rest and Renewal” (LDS.org).

You can find them here: https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/mar-11-17-matthew-10-12-mark-2-luke-7-11?lang=eng&_r=1

·         If we review these things, we might have a great discussion about the Sabbath day with our family.

·         It might be helpful for each of us to review “Sabbath Day Observance” in For the Strength of Youth. 

Sabbath Day Observance

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

Exodus 20:8

The Lord has given the Sabbath day for your benefit and has commanded you to keep it holy.

Honoring the Sabbath day includes attending all your Church meetings. Go to sacrament meeting prepared to worship the Lord and partake worthily of the sacrament. During sacrament meeting, be reverent and willing to learn. Refrain from activities that would distract you or others during this sacred meeting. Be on time for your meetings. As you do these things, you invite the Spirit of the Lord to be with you.

Prepare during the week so that you can reserve Sunday for the many uplifting activities that are appropriate for the Sabbath day. Such activities include spending quiet time with your family, studying the gospel, fulfilling your Church callings and responsibilities, serving others, writing letters, writing in your journal, and doing family history work. Your behavior and dress on the Sabbath should show respect for the Lord and His holy day.

Sunday is not a day for shopping, recreation, or athletic events. Do not seek entertainment or make purchases on this day. Let others know what your standards are so they can support you. When seeking a job, share with your potential employer your desire to attend your Sunday meetings and keep the Sabbath day holy. Whenever possible, choose a job that does not require you to work on Sundays.

Observing the Sabbath will bring you closer to the Lord and to your family. It will give you an eternal perspective and spiritual strength.

Isaiah 58:13–14; Doctrine and Covenants 59:9–13

What more can I do to keep the Sabbath day holy?

·         

·         Pretend that we have a friend who is not of our faith how do you think you might explain to this friend why you keep the Sabbath day holy—why they should keep the sabbath day holy:

Luke 7:36–50

As we are forgiven of our sins, our love for the Savior deepens.

·         As we study  in Luke 7:36–50 and as we seek forgiveness for our own sins what can we learn from the woman’s example and the Savior’s teachings? How does repentance strengthen our relationship with Christ? How could we use this account to teach someone what it means to seek forgiveness?

To Encourage Learning at Home

This is our challenge for this upcoming week: so I too send a challenge to you to read the parables in Matthew 13 and Luke 8; 13 and you too can look for an insight into a gospel principle you have gained from one of the parables in these verses.

Well my dear Family and Friends, here we are again at the end of this lesson. I hope and pray that something I have shared with each of you has been uplifting in some way and that you have each learned something from my sharing this lesson😊I know that it is important for each one of us to read and study the scriptures, so please do continue with me to study the New Testament this year.

As always, I want you to remember who you are – each one of you are a child of God. Remember that God loves you no matter what you may or may not have done in your lives.it is never too late to repent and come unto Christ. He wants each one of His children to return to live with Him after our mortal probationary life is over. Until my next post, keep on studying the scriptures, saying your prayers and do all you can to keep the Sabbath day holy😊