Post # 117 – Come Follow Me -- “Behold, Thy King Cometh” – Week 20
Dear Family and Friends
This post takes us back to our lesson for week #
20. This lesson includes several of the parables of Jesus Christ for us
to study a little bit in depth. Here’s a question for you--What blessings have
come to you as you have studied the scriptures during the week? I would love to
hear from you concerning this question, so feel free to leave me a message in
the comments section😊 So, I have been
thinking here lately about myself and about my life…
I do not know what has brought this to my mind but,
do you remember the tortoise from the fable the tortoise and the hare? I think
I may be the tortoise😊 except some days I think I am more
often taking three steps forward and two steps back -- even in doing this I am
still getting that one step in, moving ahead step by step -- line upon line,
precept upon precept. As long as we are each moving forward continuously that's
what counts!!! Right??? We can learn so much from the tortoise you know 😊
And what did he say? Something like ‘slow and steady wins the race.’ So, if I am slow --- but I am also consistently studying the scriptures and sharing what I learn with each one of you – then am I not being slow and steady – to someday win this race of life. Which I cannot do without the love and support of my Heavenly Father and His Son Jesus Christ😊 and each of you -- my dear Family and Friends!!! Thank you for taking the time to read my posts and learn and study with me. I believe there is so much for us to learn all around us but especially in the scriptures.
I don’t want to be like the hare who ran too fast for
his own good, then he rested at the most inopportune time and that is when the
tortoise slipped by him unnoticed. It seems that the hare was too focused on the
material things -- the trophy for winning the race and the praise of those at the finish line i suppose. I believe if we are running
too fast in life for our own good, -- if we are spending so much of our energy
getting things in this world.
When we are working so much in order for our children can have so many opportunities than we had. Though in doing so it often makes it so that it doesn’t allow for quality family time or making more money for material things that we really do not need or can get along fine without -- we most likely will be missing out on the spiritual opportunities that the Lord has prepared for us if we are looking and watching for them😊
When we are working so much in order for our children can have so many opportunities than we had. Though in doing so it often makes it so that it doesn’t allow for quality family time or making more money for material things that we really do not need or can get along fine without -- we most likely will be missing out on the spiritual opportunities that the Lord has prepared for us if we are looking and watching for them😊
The hare might be compared to the five foolish
virgins who were I such a rush to be there for the bridegroom’s coming that
they forgot to be prepared and bring the extra oil they would need to keep them
through the night and they were hunting the needed oil when the bridegroom
passed by with the invitation to come to the wedding feast. I think both the
five foolish virgins and the hare were overconfident in their own abilities.
The hare had eaten and was sleeping when the tortoise passed by him, and the tortoise ended
up winning the race😊 Are my ramblings
making any sense to any of you???
Heavenly Father knows you
individually.
Elder Neal A. Maxwell declared: “I testify to you that God has
known you individually … for a long, long time (see D&C 93:23). He has loved you for a
long, long time. He not only knows the names of all the stars (see Psalm 147:4; Isaiah 40:26); He knows your names and all
your heartaches and your joys!” (“Remember How Merciful the Lord
Hath Been,” Ensign or Liahona, May
2004, 46). You can read the whole talk here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/2000/04/remember-how-merciful-the-lord-hath-been?lang=eng
The Savior knows us personally.
Most of us have likely felt overlooked or forgotten at times in our
lives. The account of Zacchaeus can help each one of us to better understand
that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know each one of us individually and They
care about each one of us individually. To liken this account to our lives, I invite
each of you to imagine yourselves as Zacchaeus,
What do you think he learned about the Savior from his experience?
What can we learn from Zacchaeus’s efforts about seeking the
Savior?
Can each of you think of any other instances in the scriptures
where the Lord called people by name. I love this section in the manual Come, Follow Me for Individuals
and Families for personal scripture study, so I had to put it in for each of
you to do for yourselves. I hope you enjoy your study😊
Ideas for Personal Scripture Study
The Lord judges not by the outward appearance but by the desires of the
heart.
In Jesus’s day, many people
assumed that the publicans, or tax collectors, were dishonest and stole from
the people. So because Zacchaeus, the chief publican, was wealthy, he may have
been even more suspect. But Jesus looked on Zacchaeus’s heart.
What does Luke 19:1–10 reveal about Zacchaeus’s heart? You might make note of the words in these verses that describe what Zacchaeus did to show his devotion to the Savior. What are the desires of your heart? What are you doing to seek the Savior, as Zacchaeus did?
What does Luke 19:1–10 reveal about Zacchaeus’s heart? You might make note of the words in these verses that describe what Zacchaeus did to show his devotion to the Savior. What are the desires of your heart? What are you doing to seek the Savior, as Zacchaeus did?
The Savior’s interaction with
the scribes and Pharisees forms an interesting contrast to his interaction with
Zacchaeus. As President Dieter F. Uchtdorf explained, “[Jesus] rose up in
righteous anger against hypocrites like the scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees—those who tried to appear
righteous in order to win the praise, influence, and wealth of the world, all
the while oppressing the people they should have been blessing” (“On Being Genuine,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2015, 81).
In Matthew 23, the Savior used several metaphors to
describe hypocrisy. Consider marking or listing these metaphors and noting what
they teach about hypocrisy. What are you inspired to do differently because of
the Savior’s teachings?
See also Doctrine and Covenants 88:62–63; 137:9; Bible Dictionary, “Hypocrite.”
I have made a chart for you to fill out below. Search the scriptures to find out who the person was in each of the scripture references listed in the chart😊 charts seem to help me visualize things better because it puts all the information in one place😊 for me that is very helpful!!!
Instances where the Lord
called people by name.
Scripture References
|
Whom did the Lord call
by name?
|
Have you had experiences that have
confirmed to you that the Lord knows you personally? I would love to hear about
them if you would like to share them with me😊
Jesus Christ is our King.
We did an activity in class, our teacher asked us what things
are generally associated with a king. As we wrote our answers down on a paper
that he had provided. He would draw a paper out of a bag where he had put them.
Then he would draw on the board the things we mentioned that are associated
with a king, such as a crown or a throne, scepter, meanwhile the we would try
to guess what he was drawing. Then he had other class members come up to draw a
colt and tree branches. Then He asked us: What do these things have to do with
a king? Our teacher then showed us the picture of the Savior’s triumphal entry
into Jerusalem. Have you seen a picture depicting this before?
This comes from the Come, Follow Me for Individuals and families:
The accounts in Matthew 21:1–11; Mark 11:1–11; Luke 19:29–44;
and John 12:12–16 describe
the beginning of the last week of the Savior’s life, including His triumphal
entry into Jerusalem. Those who recognized Him as their King showed their
devotion by anointing Him (see John 12:1–8),
putting clothes and palm branches along His path into Jerusalem, and shouting
praises.
Consider how the following resources can deepen your understanding of the events that began the last week of the Savior’s life.
Consider how the following resources can deepen your understanding of the events that began the last week of the Savior’s life.
*** An ancient example of anointing a king: 2 Kings 9:1–13
*** An ancient prophecy of the triumphal entry: Zechariah 9:9
*** Prophecies about how the Savior will come again: Revelation 7:9–10; 19:11–16
*** How can you
receive the Savior as your Lord and King?
1 And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage
and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples,
2 And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over
against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied,
whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him.
3 And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye
that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.
4 And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the
door without in a place where two ways met; and
they loose him.
5 And certain of them that stood there said unto them,
What do ye, loosing the colt?
6 And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded:
and they let them go.
7 And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat
upon him.
8 And many spread their garments in the way: and others
cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in
the way.
9 And they that went before, and they that followed,
cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that
cometh in the name of the Lord:
10 Blessed be the
kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in
the highest.
11 And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple:
and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was
come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.
You can find the video here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/bible-videos/videos/the-lords-triumphal-entry-into-jerusalem?lang=eng
We took turns reading
the verses, then he asked us:
How did these people recognize Jesus as their King?
How do we worship Jesus Christ as our King through our words and actions?
The disciples followed His instructions explicitly == showing their love for the Savior😊 The owners of the donkey showed their love by allowing the disciples to take it back for Jesus to ride into Jerusalem😊 The people spread their clothing and palm branches on the street before Jesus as He rode the donkey into Jerusalem, showing their love for Jesus😊 😊
How did these people recognize Jesus as their King?
How do we worship Jesus Christ as our King through our words and actions?
The disciples followed His instructions explicitly == showing their love for the Savior😊 The owners of the donkey showed their love by allowing the disciples to take it back for Jesus to ride into Jerusalem😊 The people spread their clothing and palm branches on the street before Jesus as He rode the donkey into Jerusalem, showing their love for Jesus😊 😊
There has been one way suggested for each of us to better understand
that Jesus Christ is our King, that is for us to review the hymn “Come, O Thou King of Kings,” Hymns, no. 59,
or another hymn about Jesus as our King. What words from the hymn remind us of
the truths in Matthew 21:1–11; Mark 11:1–11; Luke 19:29–44;
and John 12:12–16? Okay, so we can find the
words of the hymn here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/hymns/come-o-thou-king-of-kings?lang=eng
Now let’s look up these scriptures
together and see just what we can find😊
1 And
when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount
of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,
2 Saying
unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied,
and a colt with her: loose them, and
bring them unto me.
3 And
if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath
need of them; and straightway he will send them.
4 All
this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet,
saying,
5 Tell
ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and
a colt the foal of an ass.
6 And
the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,
7 And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their
clothes, and they set him thereon.
8 And
a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down
branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.
9 And
the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh
in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
10 And
when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?
11 And
the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of
Galilee.
29 And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage
and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his
disciples,
30 Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your
entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and
bring him hither.
31 And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto
him, Because the Lord hath need of him.
32 And they that were sent went their way, and found even
as he had said unto them.
33 And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof
said unto them, Why loose ye the colt?
34 And they said, The Lord hath need of him.
35 And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments
upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon.
36 And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way.
37 And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of
the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and
praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen;
38 Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the
Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.
39 And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said
unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.
40 And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if
these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.
41 And
when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,
42 Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in
this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.
43 For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,
44 And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within
thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of
thy visitation.
12 On
the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that
Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,
13 Took
branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna:
Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the
Lord.
14 And
Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,
15 Fear
not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass’s colt.
16 These
things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus
was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.
The two great commandments are to love God and
love others as ourselves.
President Dieter F. Uchtdorf taught that making things other
than the two great commandments the center of our lives is like shooting arrows
at a blank wall and drawing targets around the arrows (see “Aiming at the Center,” Ensign or Liahona, Jan.
2017, 4–5). You can read the whole talk
here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/liahona/2017/01/aiming-at-the-center?lang=eng
Do you think maybe if we explore this analogy it might help each
one of us to better understand Matthew 22:34–40? One way that we can do this might be done with our
families, roommates, or friends, by laying a large sheet of paper on the floor
and let you family members take turns dropping a pen or pencil onto it. Then you
can draw targets where their pens or pencils hit the paper and label each
target with a commandment. Then after reading Matthew 22:34–40 together, you could
draw a new target that encircles all of the other targets and label it “Love
God and Love Your Neighbor.”
How does focusing on the two great commandments help us obey God’s
other commandments? If we are focused on
loving God, and our neighbors, then we are serving others, helping others
whenever we can. In doing these things we do not have time to be selfish and
focus on ourselves. Truly loving God and our neighbors means that we are
treating others as Jesus taught us to do, we would be following His great
example. We would not have the desire to be more, to get more, to become more,
to have more than our neighbors. We would not have any desire to harm another
person or living thing for that Matter.
How can we make sure we focus our obedience on these two commandments?
How can we make sure we focus our obedience on these two commandments?
this next section is coming from the Come, Follow Me for
Individuals and Families:
The
two great commandments are to love God and love others as myself.
If you ever feel overwhelmed as you strive to
follow Jesus Christ, the Savior’s words to the lawyer in Matthew 22 can help you simplify and focus
your discipleship. Here’s one way to do this: Make a list of several of the
Lord’s commandments. How does each item on your list connect to the two great
commandments? How would focusing on the two great commandments help you keep
the others?
We will be protected as we avoid
following blind guides.
Our class has a discussion about the term “blind guides,” which
the Savior used to describe the spiritually blind Pharisees and scribes? (Matthew
23:16).
Okay, here’s an idea for you: I want you to pretend that you
have a very dangerous type of obstacle course to get through and you are assigned
a guide as are the others who are taking the course, except your guide cannot
see – they are blind. What do you think
it would be like for you to follow a person who couldn’t see? Now, let’s try
something else😊
Let’s read together Matthew 23:13–33 and make list in our scripture journals of the characteristics of a blind guide, as described in these verses. If you would like to add to the list, let’s consider looking more deeply into this by searching some additional scriptures that teach about spiritual blindness, such as 2 Corinthians 4:3–4; and 2 Corinthians 4:3–4; 2 Nephi 9:28–32; Jacob 4:14.
Here is another chart for you to add to if you like. I have written in some of the things I think fit in each box, but you might find more to add to it as you study these verses together with your family and friends😊
Scripture
verse(s)
|
Characteristics
of a Blind Guide
|
stiffnecked people; despised the words
of plainness, and killed the prophets; sought
for things that they could not understand; looking beyond the mark,
|
How can we recognize and avoid blind guides?
It is important for us to
understand that the scribes and Pharisees were more focused on the gold and
gifts in the temple than the true meaning of the temple – let’s take a look at Matthew
23:16–22. I think now might be a good time for me to share with you the
parable of the pearl and the box by President Boyd K. Packer from our
lesson: The parable of the pearl
and the box.
President Boyd K.
Packer shared this parable: “A merchant man seeking precious jewels found at
last the perfect pearl. He had the finest craftsman carve a superb jewel box
and line it with blue velvet. He put his pearl of great price on display so
others could share his treasure. He watched as people came to see it. Soon he
turned away in sorrow. It was the box they admired, not the pearl” (“The Cloven Tongues of Fire,” Ensign, May 2000, 7). You can read the whole talk here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/liahona/2000/07/the-cloven-tongues-of-fire?lang=eng
What might distract us from enjoying the true blessings of the temple?
of sacrament meeting? Not coming prepared. Thinking about other
things instead of focusing on what is in front of you. Not getting enough rest
the night before. Not allowing enough time to refocus our minds upon the Lord
and opening our hearts to what He is teaching us. Letting our minds wander off
on worldly things – our everyday life can be a distraction sometimes😊
The praise of men can prevent us from being
valiant disciples of Jesus Christ.
·
Some people who
believe in Jesus Christ may be unwilling to stand up for His gospel, especially
in societies that disregard or mock religious beliefs.
42 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did
not confess him, lest they
should be put out of the synagogue:
What lessons does John
12:42–43 have for us today? We
should not be afraid to share our beliefs with others. We should not fear what
men can do, because God is on our side😊Our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ will
help us in our endeavors to share Their Gospel with others, we only need ask
for it! 😊
Now, let’s search through the following scriptures and identify
people who desired to please men and people who desired to please God: Exodus
32:1–8; 1 Samuel
15:18–25; Matthew
14:1–10; 1 Nephi 6:1–6; Mosiah
17:1–12; and Moroni
8:16. Well guys, I have made another
chart for you, I hope it is as helpful for your learning as it is for mine😊
Scriptures
|
Desire to please men
|
Desire to please God
|
Aaron
|
Moses
|
|
Saul
|
Samuel
|
|
Herod
|
John
|
|
Nephi
|
||
King Noah
|
Abinadi // Alma
|
|
Mormon
|
What do we learn from these examples? It is so important for us to realize our responsibility to express our faith in public settings, we can read more about this in a talk by Elder Robert D. Hales, “Preserving Agency, Protecting Religious Freedom,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2015, 111–13. You can read the whole talk here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/liahona/2000/07/the-cloven-tongues-of-fire?lang=eng
I want to encourage you to share what you have learned with your
family including the following: The Savior
prophesied that in the last days even the very elect could be deceived (see Joseph Smith—Matthew 1:22). 22 For in those days there shall also arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and
wonders, insomuch, that, if possible, they shall deceive the very elect, who
are the elect according to the covenant.
In the next
readings you will find in these chapters the key to avoiding deception in the
latter days. Let’s read them together for next week’s lesson – are you ready to
read? Let’s begin with Joseph
Smith—Matthew 1; Matthew 25; Mark 12-13; and Luke 21
An extract from the
translation of the Bible as revealed to Joseph Smith the Prophet in 1831: Matthew 23:39 and chapter 24.
CHAPTER 1
Jesus foretells the impending destruction
of Jerusalem—He also discourses on the Second Coming of the Son of Man, and the
destruction of the wicked.
1 For I say unto you, that ye shall not see me henceforth
and know that I am he of whom it is written by the prophets, until ye shall
say: Blessed is he who cometh in the name of the Lord, in the clouds of heaven,
and all the holy angels with him. Then understood his disciples that he should
come again on the earth, after that he was glorified and crowned on the right hand of God.
2 And
Jesus went out, and departed from the temple; and his disciples came to him,
for to hear him, saying: Master, show us concerning the
buildings of the temple, as thou hast said—They shall be thrown down, and left
unto you desolate.
3 And
Jesus said unto them: See ye not all these things, and do ye not understand
them? Verily I say unto you, there shall not be left here, upon this temple,
one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down.
4 And
Jesus left them, and went upon the Mount of Olives. And as he sat upon the
Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying: Tell us when
shall these things be which thou hast said concerning the destruction of the
temple, and the Jews; and what is the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world, or the destruction of the wicked, which is the end of the world?
5 And
Jesus answered, and said unto them: Take heed that no man deceive you;
6 For
many shall come in my name, saying—I am Christ—and shall deceive many;
7 Then
shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you, and ye shall be hated of all nations, for my name’s sake;
8 And
then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another;
9 And
many false prophets shall arise, and shall deceive many;
10 And
because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold;
11 But
he that remaineth steadfast and is not overcome, the same shall be saved.
12 When
you, therefore, shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, concerning the
destruction of Jerusalem, then you shall stand in the holy place; whoso readeth let him understand.
13 Then
let them who are in Judea flee into the mountains;
14 Let
him who is on the housetop flee, and not return to take anything out of his
house;
15 Neither
let him who is in the field return back to take his clothes;
16 And
wo unto them that are with child, and unto them that give suck in those days;
17 Therefore,
pray ye the Lord that your flight be not in the winter, neither on the Sabbath
day;
18 For
then, in those days, shall be great tribulation on the Jews, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, such as was not before sent upon Israel, of God,
since the beginning of their kingdom until this time; no, nor ever shall be
sent again upon Israel.
19 All
things which have befallen them are only the beginning of the sorrows which
shall come upon them.
20 And
except those days should be shortened, there should none of their flesh
be saved; but for the elect’s sake, according to the covenant, those days shall be shortened.
21 Behold,
these things I have spoken unto you concerning the Jews; and again, after the
tribulation of those days which shall come upon Jerusalem, if any man shall say
unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there, believe him not;
22 For
in those days there shall also arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and
wonders, insomuch, that, if possible, they shall deceive the very elect, who
are the elect according to the covenant.
23 Behold,
I speak these things unto you for the elect’s sake; and you also shall hear of wars, and rumors of wars; see that ye be not troubled, for all
I have told you must come to pass; but the end is not yet.
24 Behold,
I have told you before;
25 Wherefore,
if they shall say unto you: Behold, he is in the desert; go not forth: Behold,
he is in the secret chambers; believe it not;
26 For
as the light of the morning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west, and covereth the whole
earth, so shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.
27 And
now I show unto you a parable. Behold, wheresoever the carcass is, there will the eagles be gathered together; so likewise shall mine elect be
gathered from the four quarters of the earth.
28 And
they shall hear of wars, and rumors of wars.
29 Behold
I speak for mine elect’s sake; for nation shall rise against nation, and
kingdom against kingdom; there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
30 And
again, because iniquity shall abound, the love of men shall wax cold; but he that shall not be overcome, the same shall be
saved.
31 And
again, this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world,
for a witness unto all nations, and then shall the end come, or the destruction of
the wicked;
32 And
again shall the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, be
fulfilled.
33 And
immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of heaven
shall be shaken.
34 Verily,
I say unto you, this generation, in which these things shall be shown forth, shall
not pass away until all I have told you shall be fulfilled.
35 Although,
the days will come, that heaven and earth shall pass away; yet my words shall not pass away, but all shall be fulfilled.
36 And,
as I said before, after the tribulation of those days, and the powers of the heavens
shall be shaken, then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven, and
then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn; and they shall see the Son of Mandcoming in the clouds
of heaven, with power and great glory;
37 And
whoso treasureth up my word, shall not be deceived, for the Son
of Man shall come, and he shall send his angels before him with the great sound of a trumpet, and they
shall gather together the remainder of his elect from the four winds, from one end
of heaven to the other.
38 Now
learn a parable of the fig tree—When its branches are yet tender, and it begins to
put forth leaves, you know that summer is nigh at hand;
39 So
likewise, mine elect, when they shall see all these things, they shall know
that he is near, even at the doors;
40 But
of that day, and hour, no one knoweth; no, not the angels of God in heaven, but my Father
only.
41 But
as it was in the days of Noah, so it shall be also at the coming of the Son of Man;
42 For
it shall be with them, as it was in the days which were before the flood; for until the day that Noah entered into the ark they
were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage;
43 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so
shall also the coming of the Son of Man be.
44 Then
shall be fulfilled that which is written, that in the last days, two shall be in the field, the one shall be taken,
and the other left;
45 Two
shall be grinding at the mill, the one shall be taken, and the other left;
46 And
what I say unto one, I say unto all men; watch, therefore, for you know not at what hour your Lord doth
come.
47 But
know this, if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would
come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to have been
broken up, but would have been ready.
48 Therefore
be ye also ready, for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of Man
cometh.
49 Who,
then, is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler
over his household, to give them meat in due season?
50 Blessed
is that servant whom his lord, when he cometh, shall find so
doing; and verily I say unto you, he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
51 But
if that evil servant shall say in his heart: My lord delayeth his coming,
52 And
shall begin to smite his fellow-servants, and to eat and drink with the
drunken,
53 The
lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and
in an hour that he is not aware of,
54 And
shall cut him asunder, and shall appoint him his portion with the hypocrites; there
shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
55 And
thus cometh the end of the wicked, according to the prophecy of Moses,
saying: They shall be cut off from among the people; but the end of the earth
is not yet, but by and by.
Jesus gives the parables of the ten
virgins, the talents, and the sheep and the goats.
1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto
ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
2 And five of them were
wise, and five were foolish.
3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil
with them:
4 But the wise took oil
in their vessels with their lamps.
6 And at midnight there
was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
7 Then all those virgins
arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said
unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
9 But the wise answered,
saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you:
but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
10 And while they went to
buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door
was shut.
11 Afterward came also the
other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour
wherein the Son of man cometh.
14 For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far
country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto
them his goods.
15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man
according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
16 Then he that had
received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
17 And likewise he
that had received two, he also gained other two.
18 But he that had
received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord’s money.
19 After a long time the
lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
20 And so he that had received
five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained
beside them five talents more.
21 His lord said unto him,
Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
22 He also that had
received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents:
behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
23 His lord said unto him,
Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I
will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
24 Then he which had
received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering
where thou hast not strawed:
25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth:
lo, there thou hast that is thine.
26 His lord answered and
said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not
strawed:
27 Thou oughtest therefore
to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming
I should have received mine own with usury.
28 Take therefore
the talent from him, and give it unto him
which hath ten talents.
29 For unto every one that
hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
30 And cast ye the
unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing
of teeth.
31 ¶ When
the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit
upon the throne of his glory:
32 And before him shall be
gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33 And he shall set the
sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then shall the King say
unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the
world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was
a stranger, and ye took me in:
37 Then shall the righteous
answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a
stranger, and took thee in? or naked,
and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we
thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall
answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of
the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41 Then shall he say also
unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me
no drink:
43 I was a stranger, and
ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye
visited me not.
44 Then shall they also
answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger,
or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45 Then shall he answer
them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
Jesus
gives the parable of the wicked husbandmen—He speaks of paying taxes, celestial
marriage, the two great commandments, the divine sonship of Christ, and the
widow’s mites.
1 And he began to speak unto them by
parables. A certain man planted a
vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and
digged a place for the wine fat, and built a tower, and
let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country.
2 And at the season he sent to the
husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of
the vineyard.
3 And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty.
4 And again he sent unto them another
servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled.
5 And again he sent another; and him they
killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some.
6 Having yet therefore one son, his well beloved,
he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son.
7 But those husbandmen said among
themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall
be ours.
8 And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the
vineyard.
9 What shall therefore the lord of the
vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto
others.
10 And have ye not read this scripture;
The stone which
the builders rejected is become the head of the corner:
11 This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous
in our eyes?
12 And they sought to lay hold on him, but
feared the people: for they knew that he had spoken the parable against them:
and they left him, and went their way.
13 ¶ And they send unto him certain of the Pharisees and of
the Herodians, to catch him
in his words.
14 And when they were come, they say unto
him, Master, we know that thou art true, and carest for no man: for thou
regardest not the person of men, but teachest the way of God in truth: Is it
lawful to give tribute to Cæsar, or not?
15 Shall we give, or shall we not give? But
he, knowing their hypocrisy, said unto them, Why tempt ye
me? bring me a penny, that I may see it.
16 And they brought it. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription? And they said
unto him, Cæsar’s.
17 And Jesus answering said unto them,
Render to Cæsar the things that are Cæsar’s, and to God the things that are
God’s. And they marvelled at him.
18 ¶ Then come unto him the Sadducees, which say there is no
resurrection; and they asked him, saying,
19 Master, Moses wrote unto us, If a man’s
brother die, and leave his wife behind him, and leave no children, that his brother should
take his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
20 Now there were seven brethren: and the
first took a wife, and dying left no seed.
21 And the second took her, and died, neither
left he any seed: and the third likewise.
22 And the seven had her, and left no seed:
last of all the woman died also.
23 In the resurrection therefore, when they
shall rise, whose wife shall she be of them? for the seven had her to wife.
24 And Jesus answering said unto them, Do ye
not therefore err, because ye know not the scriptures, neither the power of
God?
25 For when they shall rise from the dead,
they neither marry,
nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven.
26 And as touching the dead, that they rise:
have ye not read in the book of Moses, how in the bush God spake unto
him, saying, I am the God of
Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?
28 ¶ And one of the scribescame,
and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered
them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all
the commandments is, Hear,
O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
30 And thou shalt love the
Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength:
this is the first commandment.
31 And the second is like, namely this,
Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment
greater than these.
32 And the scribe said unto him, Well,
Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other
but he:
33 And to love him with all the heart, and
with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength,
and to love his neighbour as himself, is
more than all whole burnt offerings and
sacrifices.
34 And when Jesus saw that he answered
discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no
man after that durst ask him any question.
35 ¶ And Jesus answered and said, while he taught in the
temple, How say the scribes that Christ is the Son of David?
36 For David himself said by the Holy Ghost,
The Lord said
to my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool.
37 David therefore himself calleth him Lord;
and whence is he then his son? And the common
people heard him gladly.
38 ¶ And he said unto them in his doctrine, Beware of
the scribes,
which love to go in long clothing, and love salutations in
the marketplaces,
39 And the chief seats in the synagogues,
and the uppermost rooms at feasts:
40 Which devour widows’ houses, and for a
pretence make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation.
41 ¶ And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how
the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.
43 And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them,
Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow
hath cast more in, than all they which have cast into the treasury:
44 For all they did cast
in of their abundance;
but she of her want did cast in all that
she had, even all her living
.
.
Mark 13
Jesus tells of the calamities and signs
preceding the Second Coming—There will be false Christs and false prophets—He
gives the parable of the fig tree.
1 And as he went out of the temple, one of his disciples
saith unto him, Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!
2 And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these
great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not
be thrown down.
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives over against the
temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,
4 Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?
5 And Jesus answering them began to say, Take heed lest
any man deceive
you:
6 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.
7 And when ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars, be
ye not troubled: for such things must
needs be; but the end shall not be yet.
8 For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against
kingdom: and there shall be earthquakes in divers places, and there shall be
famines and troubles: these are the beginnings of sorrows.
9 But
take heed to yourselves: for they shall deliver you up to councils; and in the
synagogues ye shall be beaten: and ye shall be brought before rulers and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them.
11 But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought
beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall
be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.
12 Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and
the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and
shall cause them to be put to death.
13 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
14 ¶ But
when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the
prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then
let them that be in Judæa flee to the mountains:
15 And let him that is on the housetop not go down into
the house, neither enter therein, to take any thing out of his
house:
16 And let him that is in the field not turn back again
for to take up his garment.
17 But woe to them that are with child, and to them that
give suck in those days!
18 And pray ye that your flight be not in the winter.
19 For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation
which God created unto this time, neither shall be.
20 And except that the Lord had shortened those days, no
flesh should be saved: but for the elect’s sake, whom he hath chosen, he hath shortened the
days.
21 And then if any man shall say to you, Lo, here is Christ; or, lo, he is there; believe him not:
22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even
the elect.
23 But take ye heed: behold, I have foretold you all
things.
24 ¶ But
in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon
shall not give her light,
25 And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in
heaven shall be shaken.
26 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and
glory.
27 And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather
together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the earth to
the uttermost part of heaven.
28 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When her branch is yet tender, and putteth forth
leaves, ye know that summer is near:
29 So ye in like manner, when ye shall see these things
come to pass, know that it is nigh, even at the doors.
30 Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.
31 Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
32 ¶ But
of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the
angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.
34 For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his
house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and
commanded the porter to watch.
35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of
the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the
morning:
36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.
37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
Jesus foretells the destruction of the
temple and of Jerusalem—He tells of the signs to precede His Second Coming and
gives the parable of the fig tree.
1 And he looked up, and
saw the rich men casting their gifts into the treasury.
2 And he saw also a
certain poor widow casting in thither two mites.
3 And he said, Of a truth
I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in more than they all:
4 For all these have of
their abundance cast in unto the offerings of God: but she of her penury hath
cast in all the living that she had.
5 ¶ And
as some spake of the temple, how it was adorned with goodly stones and gifts,
he said,
6 As for these
things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be
left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
7 And they asked him,
saying, Master, but when shall these things be? and what sign will there be when
these things shall come to pass?
8 And he said, Take heed
that ye be not deceived: for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near: go ye not
therefore after them.
9 But when ye shall hear
of wars and commotions, be not terrified: for these things must first come to
pass; but the end isnot by and by.
10 Then said he unto
them, Nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against
kingdom:
11 And great earthquakes
shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be
from heaven.
12 But before all these,
they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being
brought before kings and rulers for my name’s sake.
13 And it shall turn to
you for a testimony.
15 For I will give you a
mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
16 And ye shall be
betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and some of you shall they cause to be put to death.
17 And ye shall be hated
of all men for my name’s sake.
18 But there shall not
an hair of your head perish.
20 And when ye shall
see Jerusalem compassed with armies, then know that the desolation thereof is nigh.
21 Then let them which are
in Judæa flee to the mountains; and let them which are in the midst of it
depart out; and let not them that are in the countries enter thereinto.
22 For these be the days
of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.
23 But woe unto them that
are with child, and to them that give suck, in those days! for there shall be
great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people.
24 And they shall fall by
the edge of the sword, and shall be led away captive into all nations: and Jerusalem shall be trodden down of the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.
25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of
nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things
which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
27 And then shall they see
the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
28 And when these things
begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
29 And he spake to them a
parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;
30 When they now shoot
forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.
31 So likewise ye, when ye
see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.
32 Verily I say unto
you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be
fulfilled.
33 Heaven and earth shall
pass away: but my words shall not pass away.
34 ¶ And
take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.
35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of
the whole earth.
36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to
pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
37 And in the day time he
was teaching in the temple; and at night he went out, and
abode in the mount that is called the mount of
Olives.
38 And all the people came
early in the morning to him in the temple, for to hear him.
Here’s an activity for you to do – we did
this in our class – enjoy learning with your family😊 you
can make a chart like I have or just divide your paper into two columns. Write the
scriptures on one side and the names you find on the other side next to the
verse or verses of scripture. Look up each scripture reference to find our whom
the Lord called by name in each verse or verses😊.
As an added extra you can learn
about each person in further family home evenings. you could take one person
each week if you have younger children and if you have older children you might
ask them each to find out about their favorite person😊 or assign them a person or draw names from a hat😊 whatever way works best for your family! 😊
SCRIPTURES
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PEOPLE
THE LORD CALLED BY NAME
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Here in the section that follows are ideas for your family scripture study and they come directly from the Come, Follow Me for individuals and Families:
Ideas for Family
Scripture Study and Family Home Evening
As you read
the scriptures with your family, the Spirit can help you know what principles
to emphasize and discuss in order to meet the needs of your family. Here are
some suggestions:
How did Mary show her love
for the Savior? How do we show our love for Him?
How can we show respect to others as they express or defend
their religious beliefs? What social consequences sometimes discourage us from
expressing or defending our belief in Christ? For examples of people who would
not give in to social pressure, see Daniel 1:3–20; 3; 6; John 7:45–53; 9:1–38; and Mosiah 17:1–4.
How do we show our reverence and respect for the temple? What
can we “cast out” of our lives that keeps us from experiencing the temple as a
“house of prayer” (Matthew 21:12–13) and a place of spiritual
healing? Consider singing “I Love to See the
Temple,” Children’s Songbook, 95.
What lessons from the parable
of the man with two sons might help your family? For instance, you could use
the story to discuss the importance of sincere obedience and repentance.
Perhaps your family could write a script to dramatize the parable and take
turns acting out different roles.
Well my dear Family and Friends, here we
are at the end of our lesson and today’s post😊 I
hope you have learned as much as I have with this lesson. I believe that we
learn more and more every time we study our scriptures – I guess that would be
the line upon line, precept upon precept – the Lord gives us what we are ready
for😊 Our Heavenly Father knows and loves each
and every one of us individually.
No matter what we have done our Lord and
Savior, Jesus Christ will meet us where we are and lift us up to become better😊
I am so grateful that we have the opportunity
to repent each day and that we can renew our baptismal covenants every Sabbath
day when we take the Sacrament – our Heavenly Father is merciful,
His plan for us covers every single thing! Enough rambling for today –Remember who you are and who the Lord knows that you can become – with His help😊 rely fully upon Him, put Him first in you lives and everything else will fall into place! Until my next post, please make it a grand week😊
His plan for us covers every single thing! Enough rambling for today –Remember who you are and who the Lord knows that you can become – with His help😊 rely fully upon Him, put Him first in you lives and everything else will fall into place! Until my next post, please make it a grand week😊
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