3 Nephi 18:22-39
18:22-23 - I really like where Jesus goes next, and I think that it’s very interesting especially in contrast to our church culture today. Jesus teaches us, “And behold, ye shall meet together oft; and ye shall not forbid any man from coming unto you when ye shall meet together, but suffer them that they may come unto you and forbid them not.” I think that to move forward in this idea, we have to first define ways in which we, as a church, “suffer them that they may come unto you,” and in which ways we “forbid” them. For the most part, I’m going to say that the members of the church wouldn’t come out right and tell someone to leave, even though I have seen it on occasion. There are other, more subtle, but just as effective ways to tell people that they are not welcome in our church meetings, and these are the ones that I find the most common and exceptionally frequent. First, the looks, the looks and stares of judgment, the little sneers and faces that we pull when we see someone dressed in a way which we deem inappropriate, those are ways that people feel like they are forbidden to come to the church. We encourage people to come to church by welcoming them, sitting by them, getting to know them, listening to what they have to say, genuinely caring about them. Most people aren’t willing to step outside their comfort zone, and going to a church can be especially daunting, they are afraid of being judged, especially if they recognize that perhaps they are not living a life that is in keeping with the standards of the church. I tell my kids all the time, “whose job is it to tell people to repent?” “The prophet,” “and what is our job?” “To love them.” “That’s right, to love them and Jesus will deal with everything else.” Now that might not be completely accurate, because I’m sure that the Bishop can call people to repentance, I’m not exactly sure how all that works, and if my son is ever called to be in that capacity then I’m hoping that he’ll have the compassion and humility to do it according to the will of God, but until he’s called to preach repentance unto the people, I want them to learn, and my self-included, that people repent when they feel the love of God in their hearts and they can’t feel the love of God in their hearts when they are not welcomed into His house by those who are supposed to love and serve Him. What they are dealing with is none of our business, what we are dealing with is our own business, people need to leave each other alone and just be kind and supportive and uplifting. Jesus tells us to pray for those who attend our church, and I think that that goes back to the whole, why do we pray? So that God will know what to do? No, but so that we can be more considerate of those we pray for and learn to listen for God’s answers. I think I talked about this yesterday and when I was praying before bed last night I stopped and thought about what my kids, like thought in depth about what they need, how I hope that they feel, and I put that into words in my prayer and it was incredibly powerful. This also allowed me the opportunity to anticipate their needs, so when I picked my son up from school, instead of turning on the radio, I sang with him, we talked about all types of stuff and I might have done that anyway, but because I prayed about him the night before I had a heightened sense of awareness of what some of his needs might have been. It was actually quite an incredible thing.
18:24-31 - After telling us to accept anyone who desires to worship, Jesus says "Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up- that which ye have seen me do... And ye see that I have commanded that none of you should go away, but rather have commanded that ye should come unto me, that ye might feel and see; even so shall ye do unto the world." He tells us that he welcomes everyone and so should we, "and whosoever breaketh this commandment suffereth himself to be led into temptation." How would we fall into temptation if we don't welcome all with open arms? Well, we would be being judgmental, prideful, not in tune with the Spirit, all those things take us away from the "pray always" concept of humility and charity, that leaves us wide open for temptation. It's our own weakening that allows us to become vulnerable. Jesus again turns to His apostles and gives them one last commandment before going about his father's business, saying, "Ye shall not suffer any one knowingly to partake of my flesh and blood unworthily, when ye shall minister it; For whoso eateth and drinketh my flesh and blood unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to his soul; therefore if ye know that a man is unworthy to eat and drink of my flesh and blood ye shall forbid him." This is an interesting concept that I've never really understood either, I've heard everything from "don't let non members take the sacrament," to "it doesn't matter, they are like children." I also don't know exactly what they are to do if someone insists on taking the sacrament even though they know they are not supposed to. Do they stop the meeting and march over there and take it out of their mouths? Like I know that someone who is even a little bit aware of the significance of the sacrament won't openly mock God in that manner, but there has to be some who will. But it occurs to me that if the Bishop notices that they are taking the sacrament even though they are not supposed to, he can counsel them in the commandments of God, and then if they refuse to obey once they know better then it's that much worse for them. I don't think there will be big shows or anything like that, we all have our agency. The IM comments "Notice that in 3 Nephi 18:26 the Savior ceased speaking to the multitude and turned to the leaders 'whom he had chosen.' His message in verses 28-29 was given to priesthood leaders as a warning against allowing the unworthy to partake of the sacrament. We learn from these verses that members of the Church should leave the responsibility of determining worthiness to partake of the sacrament to those the Lord has called to make such judgments, such as the bishop or stake president. While serving as a member of the Seventy, Elder John H. Groberg explained what it means to partake of the sacrament unworthily: 'If we desire to improve (which is to repent) and are not under priesthood restriction, then, in my opinion, we are worthy. If, however, we have no desire to improve, if we have no intention of following the guidance of the Spirit, we must ask? Are we worthy to partake, or are we making a mockery of the very purpose of the sacrament, which is to act as a catalyst for personal repentance and improvement? If we remember the Savior and all he has done and will do for us, we will improve our actions and thus come closer to him, which keeps us on the road to eternal life. If, however, we refuse to repent and improve, if we do not remember him and keep his commandments, then we have stopped our growth, and that is damnation to our souls. The sacrament is an intensely personal experience, and we are the ones who knowingly are worthy or otherwise... As we worthily partake of the sacrament, we will sense those things we need to improve in and receive the help and determination to do so. No matter what our problems, the sacrament always gives hope. Most of these problems we must work out ourselves. For example, if we aren't paying our tithing, we simply determine to start so. But for some problems, we must see our bishop- the Spirit will let us know which." I really like that definition, even though when I take the sacrament, I usually feel incredibly guilty and remorseful reflecting on all the wrong that I had done the week before, but I do desperately desire to improve, so I guess that's a step forward.
18:32-39 - Verse 32 is incredibly powerful for me because it played a huge part in my divorce. I separated from my then husband in Feb 2011, and moved back home with my parents. It was a very difficult time for me and I prayed for a LONG time about whether or not I should get divorced, I remember distinctly praying about what I should do, like a year and a half after our separation and I read that verse that night and knew that it wasn't time yet. Jesus told me, "ye shall not cast him out of your synagogues, or your places of worship, for unto such shall ye continue to minister; for ye know not but what they will return and repent, and come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal them; and ye shall be the means of brining salvation unto them." I knew it wasn't time, so I put it off for a few more months, then once I had a bombshell dropped on me, then I knew that it was time to file. I thought back many times wondering why my answer was no that time when eventually it was a yes, and that's when I realized that if I had filed for divorce at any point previously to when I did, I wouldn't have found out what I found out and I would have always had doubts, I always would have wondered "what if I was wrong" but once I had the hard evidence in my face, then I was able to make a decision that was clear and no I live with no regrets about that. This is the way in which the Lord communicated to me and granted me peace and reassurance when I finally moved on. Finally Jesus touches his Disciples "whom he had chosen, one by one, even until he had touched them all, and spake unto them as he touched them." Seems pretty unremarkable, but the IM says, "The multitude did not know what the Savior did or said when He touched His disciples and spoke to them; however, Mormon informed us that the disciples testified 'that he gave them (the disciples) power to give the Holy Ghost.' Moroni fulfilled his father's promise to the reader that 'I will show unto you hereafter that this record is true' when he later gave an account of this event and the words Christ spoke to the twelve disciples. He further explained that when the Savior touched His disciples to give them authority, He was laying on His hands." Interesting take on the promise at the end of Moroni.
18:24-31 - After telling us to accept anyone who desires to worship, Jesus says "Behold I am the light which ye shall hold up- that which ye have seen me do... And ye see that I have commanded that none of you should go away, but rather have commanded that ye should come unto me, that ye might feel and see; even so shall ye do unto the world." He tells us that he welcomes everyone and so should we, "and whosoever breaketh this commandment suffereth himself to be led into temptation." How would we fall into temptation if we don't welcome all with open arms? Well, we would be being judgmental, prideful, not in tune with the Spirit, all those things take us away from the "pray always" concept of humility and charity, that leaves us wide open for temptation. It's our own weakening that allows us to become vulnerable. Jesus again turns to His apostles and gives them one last commandment before going about his father's business, saying, "Ye shall not suffer any one knowingly to partake of my flesh and blood unworthily, when ye shall minister it; For whoso eateth and drinketh my flesh and blood unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to his soul; therefore if ye know that a man is unworthy to eat and drink of my flesh and blood ye shall forbid him." This is an interesting concept that I've never really understood either, I've heard everything from "don't let non members take the sacrament," to "it doesn't matter, they are like children." I also don't know exactly what they are to do if someone insists on taking the sacrament even though they know they are not supposed to. Do they stop the meeting and march over there and take it out of their mouths? Like I know that someone who is even a little bit aware of the significance of the sacrament won't openly mock God in that manner, but there has to be some who will. But it occurs to me that if the Bishop notices that they are taking the sacrament even though they are not supposed to, he can counsel them in the commandments of God, and then if they refuse to obey once they know better then it's that much worse for them. I don't think there will be big shows or anything like that, we all have our agency. The IM comments "Notice that in 3 Nephi 18:26 the Savior ceased speaking to the multitude and turned to the leaders 'whom he had chosen.' His message in verses 28-29 was given to priesthood leaders as a warning against allowing the unworthy to partake of the sacrament. We learn from these verses that members of the Church should leave the responsibility of determining worthiness to partake of the sacrament to those the Lord has called to make such judgments, such as the bishop or stake president. While serving as a member of the Seventy, Elder John H. Groberg explained what it means to partake of the sacrament unworthily: 'If we desire to improve (which is to repent) and are not under priesthood restriction, then, in my opinion, we are worthy. If, however, we have no desire to improve, if we have no intention of following the guidance of the Spirit, we must ask? Are we worthy to partake, or are we making a mockery of the very purpose of the sacrament, which is to act as a catalyst for personal repentance and improvement? If we remember the Savior and all he has done and will do for us, we will improve our actions and thus come closer to him, which keeps us on the road to eternal life. If, however, we refuse to repent and improve, if we do not remember him and keep his commandments, then we have stopped our growth, and that is damnation to our souls. The sacrament is an intensely personal experience, and we are the ones who knowingly are worthy or otherwise... As we worthily partake of the sacrament, we will sense those things we need to improve in and receive the help and determination to do so. No matter what our problems, the sacrament always gives hope. Most of these problems we must work out ourselves. For example, if we aren't paying our tithing, we simply determine to start so. But for some problems, we must see our bishop- the Spirit will let us know which." I really like that definition, even though when I take the sacrament, I usually feel incredibly guilty and remorseful reflecting on all the wrong that I had done the week before, but I do desperately desire to improve, so I guess that's a step forward.
18:32-39 - Verse 32 is incredibly powerful for me because it played a huge part in my divorce. I separated from my then husband in Feb 2011, and moved back home with my parents. It was a very difficult time for me and I prayed for a LONG time about whether or not I should get divorced, I remember distinctly praying about what I should do, like a year and a half after our separation and I read that verse that night and knew that it wasn't time yet. Jesus told me, "ye shall not cast him out of your synagogues, or your places of worship, for unto such shall ye continue to minister; for ye know not but what they will return and repent, and come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal them; and ye shall be the means of brining salvation unto them." I knew it wasn't time, so I put it off for a few more months, then once I had a bombshell dropped on me, then I knew that it was time to file. I thought back many times wondering why my answer was no that time when eventually it was a yes, and that's when I realized that if I had filed for divorce at any point previously to when I did, I wouldn't have found out what I found out and I would have always had doubts, I always would have wondered "what if I was wrong" but once I had the hard evidence in my face, then I was able to make a decision that was clear and no I live with no regrets about that. This is the way in which the Lord communicated to me and granted me peace and reassurance when I finally moved on. Finally Jesus touches his Disciples "whom he had chosen, one by one, even until he had touched them all, and spake unto them as he touched them." Seems pretty unremarkable, but the IM says, "The multitude did not know what the Savior did or said when He touched His disciples and spoke to them; however, Mormon informed us that the disciples testified 'that he gave them (the disciples) power to give the Holy Ghost.' Moroni fulfilled his father's promise to the reader that 'I will show unto you hereafter that this record is true' when he later gave an account of this event and the words Christ spoke to the twelve disciples. He further explained that when the Savior touched His disciples to give them authority, He was laying on His hands." Interesting take on the promise at the end of Moroni.
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