Post # 150 –
Come, Follow Me --
Week # 44 –-- November 11–17 -- Hebrews 7–13 --- “An High Priest of Good Things to
Come”
Dear Family and Friends
My son’s wedding was amazing. I
never had a fancy wedding when I got married so it was interesting to learn and
to be a part of their wedding😊 they had a father – daughter dance; then a mother – son dance; then they had a dollar
dance where you pay money to dance with the bride or groom😊 it was
all so much fun. It was fun to watch everyone having so much fun!!!
I tried to get my granddaughter
to go out when they tossed the bouquet to all of the single ladies, but she was
having nothing to do with that😊I was sad that all of my children and my
grandchildren were not able to come, but I do understand work schedules only
too well😊 Though I am blessed with a more flexible one,
which I greatly appreciate and feel very blessed to have my job😊
I am allowed to leave and come
back where I have my doctor’s appointments or go to the dentist, or have my
tests done every three months, or going to my chemo every three weeks, or
physical therapy three times a week for my lymphedema. I am definitely bless to
work at such a good place and with such caring people😊😊 they are
truly my extended family, just like the ward I belong to at church they too
have become my family😊
I am so grateful to have each one
of them in my life just as I am grateful to each of you dear reader and cyber
study buddies😊today’s lesson covers Hebrews chapters 7 through
13, as you read and study these chapters please do think about what the Lord’s
message was at that time for the Hebrew Saints. You might also want to look for
the Lord’s message to you, your family members and friends😊
I have mentioned this
before I am sure, but our instructor often asks us as a class if any of us want
to share verses from our readings that are meaningful to us. This week he asked
us about verses that helped us “draw nearer [to God] with a true heart in full
assurance of faith” as it says in Hebrews chapter 10 verse 22😊
22 Let us draw near with a true
heart in full assurance of faith, having our
hearts sprinkled from an
evil conscience, and our bodies
washed with pure water.
Even
faithful Saints at times suffer “reproaches and afflictions” that can shake
their confidence (see Hebrews 10:32–38).
Paul knew that Jewish converts to Christianity were experiencing serious
persecution because of their new faith. To encourage them to stay true to their
testimonies, he reminded them of the long tradition of faithful believers from
their own history: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sara, Joseph, Moses—“a cloud of witnesses” that God’s promises are real and worth waiting for (Hebrews 12:1).
This heritage of faith is shared by all those who look “unto Jesus [as] the
author and finisher of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2).
Because of Him, whenever adversity makes us want to “draw back,” we can instead
“draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith” (Hebrews 10:22, 38).
For us, as for the ancient Saints, Jesus Christ is our “high priest of good
things to come” (Hebrews 9:11)
Living worthy of the covenants and blessings of the Melchizedek
Priesthood leads to exaltation.
Our instructor asked us as a class to
share several true statements about the Melchizedek Priesthood. He referred us
to read “Melchizedek
Priesthood” in True to
the Faith, 101–2). He said we could then search Hebrews
7:1–22 for phrases that support the
statements that he had written on the
board. He said we could also use
the Topical
Guide or the Guide
to the Scriptures to find other supporting
scriptures.
This was a pretty fun activity – its one you might try at home with
your family members and friends asking them the same questions and giving them
the same guidance of where to look😊
Earlier in my church membership I think I
would have asked the same question as did Paul in Hebrews
7:11, this would be because
I knew very little about the priesthood back then☹ u
have learned so much from this lesson about both of these amazing priesthoods
and the blessings that have come into my life because of worthy priesthood
holders😊
11 If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received
the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after
the order of Melchizedek, and not be called after the order of Aaron?
The question Paul asked, “What further need
was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchizedek, and
not be called after the order of Aaron?” this meaning, why do we need the
Melchizedek Priesthood in addition to the Aaronic Priesthood? These were
questions that were also asked of us in class. We were directed to find possible
answers in True to the Faith, “Aaronic
Priesthood” and “Melchizedek
Priesthood.”
You can learn more about the Aaronic
Priesthood here:
And the Melchizedek Priesthood here:
Our instructor also asked each of us to consider the all of the
blessings that we each have because of these two priesthoods. Then we read the following
quotation by Sister Sheri L. Dew:
The blessings of the Melchizedek Priesthood
are available to all.
Sister Sheri L. Dew,
former counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency, said: “The blessings
of the priesthood are available to every righteous man and woman. We may all
receive the Holy Ghost, obtain personal revelation, and be endowed in the
temple, from which we emerge ‘armed’ with power. The power of the priesthood
heals, protects, and inoculates all of the righteous against the powers of
darkness” (“It
Is Not Good for Man or Woman to Be Alone,” Ensign, Nov.
2001, 13). you
can read or listen to her whole talk
here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2001/10/it-is-not-good-for-man-or-woman-to-be-alone?lang=eng
How have you and your family members and
friends experienced these blessings?
Did you read or listen to Sister Dew’s
talk? She is amazing isn’t she😊 So, are you each learning as much as I
am about the Priesthood of God?
As always, the following personal scripture
study ideas come from our Come, Follow Me for Individuals and Families manual:
Ideas for Personal
Scripture Study
The Melchizedek Priesthood is the higher priesthood.
For
centuries, the Jews had exercised the Levitical Priesthood, also known as the Aaronic
Priesthood. But with the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ came the greater
Melchizedek Priesthood, which offered even greater blessings. What do you learn
about the Melchizedek Priesthood from Hebrews 7?
Here are some examples of truths you might find:
Joseph Smith Translation,
Hebrews 7:3, 21:Those
who are ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood “are made like unto the Son of
God” and are “[priests] forever.”
3 For
this Melchizedek was ordained a priest after the order of the Son of God, which
order was without father, without mother, without descent,
having neither beginning of days, nor end of life. And
all those who are ordained unto this priesthood are made
like unto the Son of God, abiding a priest continually.
21 (For those priests were made without an
oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will
not repent, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek;)
Hebrews 7:11:The Levitical Priesthood does not offer “perfection”
and was therefore superseded by the Melchizedek (see D&C 84:18–22).
18 And the Lord confirmed a priesthood also upon Aaron and his seed, throughout all their generations, which priesthood
also continueth and abideth forever with the priesthood which is after the holiest
order of God.
19 And this greater priesthood administereth the gospel and holdeth the key
of the mysteries of the kingdom, even the key of the knowledge of God.
21 And without the ordinances thereof,
and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not
manifest unto men in the flesh;
Hebrews 7:20–21:The Melchizedek Priesthood is received through an oath
(see D&C 84:19–44).
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/84?lang=eng
What blessings have you received from the
Melchizedek Priesthood and its associated ordinances?
See
also Alma 13:1–13; https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/alma/13.28?lang=eng
Doctrine and Covenants 121:36–46; https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/dc-testament/dc/121?lang=eng
Gospel Topics, “Melchizedek Priesthood,” topics.lds.org; https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/melchizedek-priesthood?lang=eng
Guide to the Scriptures, “Melchizedek,” scriptures.lds.org; https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/gs/melchizedek-priesthood?lang=eng
Henry B. Eyring, “Faith and the Oath and Covenant of the priesthood,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2008, 61–64; https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2008/04/faith-and-the-oath-and-covenant-of-the-priesthood?lang=eng
Dallin H.
Oaks, “The Keys and Authority of the Priesthood,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2014, 49–52. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2014/04/the-keys-and-authority-of-the-priesthood?lang=eng
Ancient and modern ordinances point to Jesus Christ.
You know that we do participate in ordinances today that, even
though we don’t offer animal sacrifices, in a similar way, point our souls to
Christ and as Elder Bednar taught
provide “authorized channels through which the blessings and powers of heaven
can flow into our individual lives” (David A. Bednar, “Always Retain a Remission of
Your Sins,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2016, 60).
Do
you know the meanings of the ancient ordinances described in Hebrews
8–`10 and
their symbolic meanings? It may be
helpful for you and your family members and friends to search these chapters
looking for the ancient ordinances and their symbolic meanings. For example,
what does the blood of bulls and goats represent aw found in Hebrews
9:13–14?
13 For if the blood
of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean,
sanctifieth to the purifying
of the flesh:
14 How much more
shall the blood
of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without
spot
to God, purge
your conscience
from dead works to serve the living God?
24 For Christ
is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which
are the figures of the true;
but into heaven
itself, now to appear in the presence
of God for us:
25 Nor yet that he
should offer himself often, as the high priest
entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;
26 For then must
he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in
the end
of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice
of himself.
The video “Sacrifice and Sacrament” (LDS.org) might be
helpful as well😊 you can find it here: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media-library/video/2011-03-050-sacrifice-and-sacrament?lang=eng
How have these modern ordinances blessed us and helped to point
us to Jesus Christ? What can we each do to make these ordinances more
meaningful in our lives and keep us more focused on the Savior?
This next
section on personal scripture study ideas come from our Come, Follow Me for
Individuals and Families manual:
Ideas for Personal
Scripture Study
Ancient and modern ordinances point to Jesus Christ.
The original Hebrew readers of this
epistle would have been very familiar with the ancient tabernacle and the
ordinances Paul described. But some did not fully recognize that the purpose of
these ordinances was to point to the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
In
biblical times, on a yearly holiday called the Day of Atonement, a high priest
entered the holiest place (or Holy of Holies) in the Jerusalem temple and
sacrificed a goat or lamb to atone for the sins of Israel. Paul explained that
Jesus Christ is a high priest who offers a single sacrifice—His own life—to atone for the sins of the world (see Hebrews 9:24–10:14).
Think about the ordinances you
participate in today. How do these ordinances point you to Jesus Christ?
To
learn more about ancient Jewish ceremonies and their symbolism, see the videos
“The Tabernacle” and “Sacrifice and Sacrament” (LDS.org).
Faith requires trusting in God’s promises.
I want you to think about something for a
moment: How would each one of you describe faith in one sentence? This is a
question you might ask your family members and friends and then you could read
the definition Paul gave us in Hebrews
11:1. 1 Now faith
is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence
of things not seen.
In our class we were divided up into
groups and asked to choose one of the people that are mentioned in Hebrews
chapter 11 and study them.
Abel; Enoch; Noah; Abraham; Sara; Isaac;
Jacob; Moses; Joseph, Rahab; David; Samson; the Israelites of Egypt; these are
a few that I found, maybe you have found more😊
these people have a lot to teach us if we will but listen😊
We were told that we could use the footnotes or the Guide
to the Scriptures to review the person’s experiences in the Old
Testament. When the time was up a spokesman from each group shared with the
rest of the class what their group found. For example, in the Guide to the
Scriptures it shares this about Abel:
Abel
In the Old Testament, a
son of Adam and Eve.
·
Offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than did his brother
Cain, Gen. 4:4–5 (Heb. 11:4; Moses 5:16–21).
You can gain so much if you will use this
wonderful resource as you continue your study in the New Testament😊 Then
we were asked this question: How did these people show that they felt an
“assurance of things hoped for”?
In Hebrews 11:1, footnote b, we are
referred to the Joseph Smith Translation of Hebrews 11:1
1b substance = GR assurance, basis,
foundation. JST Heb. 11:1 … assurance of things hoped
for …
JST, Hebrews 11:1
-- Joseph
Smith Translation
1 Now faith is the assurance of
things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
It may be helpful for you to ask your
family members and friends what other examples of faithful people can each one
of them share? When have we exercised faith in promises that had not yet been
fulfilled? It might also be helpful to make up your own game to help your
family members and friends learn about faith from what you have learned from
Hebrews chapter 11😊 You could use the following questions that
are answered in Hebrews chapter 11 in your game:
You could team up your family members and
friends and ask them the questions allowing the first group to give their
answer and show that where they found their answer in Hebrews chapter 11 they
would get the point and then on to the next question and the ext. whichever
team has the most points wins😊when your game is done you may want to
ask your family members and friends what they learned from these verses that
helps them to understand faith a little better😊
Now that you have studied through Hebrews
10:34–38; 11,
and learned about Paul’s teachings on faith. Do you think your family members
and friends would benefit from learning about faith from other resources? If
you honestly think they would then you may want to ask your family members and friends,
the following questions about faith:
What is faith? How do we develop faith?
In what ways are we blessed when we exercise our faith? What happens when we
choose not to exercise our faith? Then while you are in your family study group
or even during your family home evening you could have each one share what they
learned.
You could even have your family members
and friends pair up to find the answers😊 here
are some resources your family members and friends might include in their search for the answers
about faith: Alma
32:21–43; Ether 12; “Faith in Jesus Christ,” Gospel
Topics, topics.lds.org; https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/gospel-topics/faith-in-jesus-christ?lang=eng
and
Bible Dictionary, “Faith,” https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bd/faith?lang=eng
When your family members and friends have
shared what they have learned about faith during their search through these
resources you might ask them the following questions: What could they each do to
strengthen their faith?
Do
you remember the counsel given to the Hebrew Saints who were tempted to “draw
back” from their faith? This can be valuable to your family members and friends
who may be themselves struggling with their testimonies. If you have forgotten
this counsel you might try searching through Hebrews
10:34–38 and Elder Jeffrey R. Holland’s
statement to rediscover this counsel”
“Cast not away therefore your confidence.”
Elder Jeffrey R.
Holland taught:
“Sure it is tough—before
you join the Church, while you are trying to join, and after you have joined.
That is the way it has always been, Paul says, but don’t draw back. Don’t panic
and retreat. Don’t lose your confidence. Don’t forget how you once felt. Don’t
distrust the experience you had. …
“With any major decision there are cautions and considerations
to make, but once there has been illumination, beware the temptation to
retreat from a good thing. If it was right when you prayed about it and
trusted it and lived for it, it is right now. Don’t give up when the
pressure mounts. … Face your doubts. Master your fears. ‘Cast not away
therefore your confidence.’ Stay the course and see the beauty of life unfold
for you” (“Cast Not Away Therefore Your
Confidence,” Ensign, Mar. 2000, 6–11).
Elder Holland gives
us such good advice here😊 I have included his talk that he gave
at BYU in case you would like to listen to it as well as the talk when it came
out in the Ensign magazine if you just want to read it😊There
are so many people in the world today who are casting away their confidence in
the Lord and His gospel, why do you think this is so?
35 Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath
great recompence of reward.
What can we each do to build and maintain the faith and
confidence necessary to “receive [God’s] promise”?
36 For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.
The videos “Good Things to Come” and “An
High Priest of Good Things to Come” (LDS.org) could help you
and your family members and friends to have a great discussion on faith😊 This
is such an important topic as well as being one of the first principles of the Gospel
of Jesus Christ. Having faith in Jesus Christ is needed so much in our world
today as much as if not more so than these times that we have been studying in
Hebrews!
This next section on personal scripture study ideas come from
our Come, Follow Me for Individuals and Families manual:
Ideas for Personal
Scripture Study
Faith requires trusting in God’s promises.
If
someone asked you to define faith, what would you say? Sister Anne C.
Pingree, former member of the Relief Society General Presidency, drew on language
from Hebrews 11 to
give this definition: “Faith, the spiritual ability to be persuaded of promises
that are seen ‘afar off’ but that may not be attained in this life, is a sure
measure of those who truly believe” (“Seeing the Promises Afar Off,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2003, 14).
Consider
developing your own definition of faith as you ponder the ideas in Hebrews 11.
What do the examples of the people mentioned in this chapter teach you about
faith? (See also Ether 12:6–22.)
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/ether/12?lang=eng
See
also Alma 32:21, 26–43; https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/alma/32?lang=eng
Jeffrey R. Holland, “An High Priest of Good Things to Come,” Ensign, Nov. 1999, 36–38; https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/1999/10/an-high-priest-of-good-things-to-come?lang=eng
This next section on family scripture study and family home evening ideas come from our
Come, Follow Me for Individuals and Families manual:
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:
You might invite family members to share
spiritual experiences when they felt “illuminated” with truth. How can these
experiences help us “cast not away therefore [our] confidence” in times of
trial or doubt?
How
can you help your family members learn from the faithful examples mentioned
in Hebrews 11?
It might be fun to act out the stories of some of these examples. Or perhaps
your family could discuss the examples of other faithful people you know—including ancestors, Church leaders, and
members of your community.
According
to this verse, why was Jesus willing to endure the pain and suffering of the
cross? What does this teach us about how we can endure our trials? President
Russell M. Nelson gave some helpful insights on this verse in his
message “Joy and Spiritual Survival” (Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2016, 81–84).
Why does the Lord chasten and correct us?
What do family members notice about the way the Lord sees chastisement as you
study these verses together? How do these verses affect the way you give or
receive chastisement?
For
more ideas for teaching children, see this week’s outline in Come, Follow Me—For Primary.
You and your family members and
friends might be familiar with Joseph
Smith’s experience reading James
1:5, which led to the First Vision. But for this weeks
upcoming reading you might want to look for new insights about James
1:5 as they read it this week in the context of
James’s broader message.
Here we are at the end of our lesson for
this week😊 I hope and I pray that I have somehow
shared something with you in this post that has uplifted you and given you a
desire to learn more on the topics that we have discussed.
Maybe you will want to write about the in
your scripture journal😊
As always, please remember who you are!!!
You are each one a child of God!
You are
important!!! You are doing better than you think you are. Remember too, that
you have not gone so far that the blessings of the Atonement of Jesus Christ
cannot reach you and help and heal you, give you a second, or third chance to
change and have a better life.
I know that
repentance can be hard, but it is worth the effort that you put into it. Sincere
repentance makes all the difference in the world.
I know He is there for you
with outstretched arms – waiting to lift you, to embrace you, because He loves
you, just as He loves me. Jesus Christ is our Savior. He already paid the price
for all of our individual sins. This is something for you to think about and
ponder on until my next post, please make it a grand week😊
No comments:
Post a Comment