Seventy

 

The Lord Appoints and Instructs Seventy

In the tenth chapter of Luke, the Lord, being Jesus Christ calls his seventy and sends them out into the world in pairs just like modern day missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He instructs them to take not concern for themselves and councils them to leave their money and worldly possessions behind.  Sending them as lambs into world of wolves, He asks them to trust in Him, to focus on proclaiming his word. They are to go from place to place, town to town greeting all those that would receive them with a salutation of peace, invoking the Spirit wherever they go. Christ gave them power to tread on serpents and scorpions, they being evil spirits and again counseled His seventy to rejoice in the Lord and not in the powers he grants them, for their names are written in Heaven. 

Articles of Faith 1:6

“We believe in the same organization that existed in the Primitive Church, namely, apostles, prophets, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and so forth.” Lds.org 

The Lord has appointed a quorum of seventy to go forth and proclaim the gospel in every city and place even in these the latter days of the final dispensation. And once more the harvest it truly great and the labors are few, so just like when Christ walked the earth, he has need for said laborers to reap the good harvest. Furthermore the council to heal the sick and preach the repentance still applies and is done with authority and instruction from the Lord to the seventy.

A Brief Testimony

I have met these special missionaries and received instruction from them. They are wise in the ways of the Lord and are humble in that knowledge, baring their testimonies wherever they go. They inspire Christ’s disciples and preach repentance unto all. I know that they are truly messengers of the Lord and are appointed or called to do His work. 

The Healing of the Man Born Blind

John 9. The Healing of the Man Born Blind

A chart with three columns labeled “Pharisees,” “Blind Man,” and “Parents.” Each column has words or phrases from John 9:13–38 that show the spiritual blindness or spiritual sight of the Pharisees, the blind man, and the parents.

PHARISEES	BLIND MAN	PARENTS
He keepeth not the Sabbath day.	Whether he be a sinner or no, I know not: one thing I know, that, whereas I was blind, now I see.	He is of age; ask him: he shall speak for himself.
How can a man that is such a sinner do such miracles?	Why herin is a marvelous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.	These words spake his parents, because they feared the Jews:
We are Moses’ disciples.	Now we know that God heareth no sinners: but if any man be a worshiper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.
We know that God spak eunto Moses: as for this fellow, we know not from whence he is.	Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was blind.
Thou was all together born in sin, and dost thou teach us?	If this man was not of God, he could do nothing.

Physical blindness is often thought of as a difficult handicap in this life. Similarly, spiritual blindness can be a handicap of shorts, preventing us from seeing truth and light.

There are so many things in this world that can obstruct our view and cause spiritual blindness. Pride, unbelief, pornography, anger, worship of false idols, etc. these are just a few of the worldly things that can cover our eyes when we are not careful.

When we are spiritually blind, we wonder around lost in this world, tripping over hazard after hazard until we either fall into an everlasting pit, or call out for a guiding aid. Our Savior will reach out to us just as he did for Peter, after he lost sight of Jesus on the water and began to sink.

Like the blind man in the scriptures, we can recover our sight when we believe in the Lord and do as he commands. I know this to be true, because I have experienced it in my life. Before I was a member of the Church, I was a much younger man who was blind and lost in the world.

I was a liquor salesman; it was my job to supply the bars with my portfolio of alcohol. Another part of my job was to indulge in consumption, and I was very good at that. I was what you could call a functional alcoholic, drinking, smoking, using drugs, and being promiscuous. I let the things of the world blind me and it was just as I was sinking in to despair that a very special friend reach out to me and pulled me from the depth of my own destruction.

I was invited to church, and began to meet with the missionaries. Soon I quick my job, and found new employment. I gave up and forsake my vices and committed to baptism. I also got married and later sealed to the very person that saved me. My wife is one of my closest friends. She brought me to Christ and being blind, I asked to see. It took a lot of clay and a lot of washing, but it wasn’t long before I could see.

Like the blind man, my testimony has grown and continues to grow as it is challenged by other. Every time I bare it, I feel it grow stronger and stronger. And like the blind man, I know that Jesus was a prophet, and the Christ. I declare to all those that have ears to hear and eyes to see, that Jesus lives and that he loves us all. He is the Christ and the Savior of the world. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Walking on the Sea

Matthew 14:22–33. Walking on the Sea

 

Q: What was the reaction of the Apostles when they first saw the Savior walking on the water toward them?

A: In the 14^th book of Matthew, we read that Christ took his disciples out to sea on a boat, and then went away to pray leaving them to themselves. The seas being rough gave the disciples no choice but to strive to steady the ship and wait out the storm. In their fatigued state the Lord did appear unto them walking upon the waters of the turbulent sea in the fourth watch of the night, or in other words very early in the morning, sometime between three and six o’clock. Unsure of what they were seeing, they immediately digressed in their faith, giving into superstations and began to be fearful thinking they saw a spirit or ghostly being. 

Q: What did Peter’s response indicate about him?

A: According to James E. Talmage description of Peter in Jesus the Christ, Peter was relived, and being impulsive cried out that he should also walk on water and come to greet the Savior. It was almost as though Peter was still unsure that Christ was who he said he was and needed to test him, surely if he is who he says he is, he will make it so I can walk on water too, he must have thought. In his attempt to test the Lord, he found himself a victim to his own test and in part failed to accomplish his goal. 

Q: According to Matthew 14:30, why did Peter begin to sink?

A: Peter’s pride got the best of him and he called out to the Jesus, “Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.” And he did, Peter walked on the water for a moment, but then in the face of diversity, when he “saw the wind boisterous,” he lost sight of the Lord and with it his faith in Him and began to sink. 

Q: What did Peter do when he began to sink? What word in the verses describes the expediency or the timing when Jesus responded to Peter’s request?

A: When Peter began to sink, he cried, saying, “Lord, save me.” “And immediately, Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him.” Matthew 14:30-31 

Peter’s experience all though not completely successful does demonstrates that faith is a principle of power. His faith in the Lord Jesus Christ permitted him to walk on water Christ merely said “Come,” and Peter did. In that moment Peter did not hesitate to go, he leapt without looking and went unto to the lord. His eye was single to glory of God, meaning that he was focused on the Lord and in so doing was filled with truth and could not doubt and was capable of all things, even walking on water. It was only when Peter looked away that he began to let his faith dwindle in unbelief and sank. But again, trusting in the Lord, he called out that Jesus might save him. If we keep our focus on the truth and light that is our Savior Jesus Christ, then all things are possible. Every miracle that Christ preformed was predicated upon the recipient’s faith and because of their faith they were healed. (Doctrine and Covenants 88:67)

Recently my wife and I have begun the process of securing a home and are in a turbulent sea of uncertainty do to the government shutdown. At the moment, our loan approval is being held up; we do not know if we are going to be approved under a FHE loan or a HUD loan because the offices that determine that are closed. If our nation reaches a fiscal cliff and defaults on its debts, my 401K (that we are planning on using as a down payment) could dwindle to amounts that would not justify the penalties of an early withdrawal, and mortgage rates could go up. 

My wife and I are stressed as we face the wind boisterous seas of our life. However, after studying the scriptures and the verses mentioned above we know that as we focus on the Lord, and center our lives around Him, all things are possible and that we will secure a home in which we can bring up our family in God. I know this to be true and I testify of it in Jesus’ name amen.

The Lord Often Taught with Parables

The Lord Often Taught with Parables

Parables: In My Own Words

 (1) Parables are used to teach us according to our understanding and our faith. Each person who hears a gospel parable will gleam something different than their neighbor. As ones faith increases, so does their understanding and thus each time we hear the parable a new and deeper meaning is realized.

(2) Parable is a Greek word, which means to compare things side by side. In the gospel, parables reveal divine certainties. Parables are short stories with a moral lesson.

(3) In order to understand a parable, one must know the context and setting it was originally presented. When one knows these things, they can begin to distinguish between the interpretations of a parable, versus the application of a parable. You can apply a parable to any circumstance but to gain the original meaning or interpretation, you should know to where, when and to who it was originally address.

Additional rules are: (A) don’t impose forced meaning to secondary incidents. (B) Don’t draw parallel parables based on worldly things. (C) Keep in mind that some parables have double meanings, pay close attention to the wording and context. (D) When you share a parable, don’t add unnecessary emphasis on things that pull the attention away from the main line of teaching.

The following is a list of questions that can be answered with gospel parables.

·         What describes the future growth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? See the parables of the mustard seed and the leaven (Matthew 13:31-33)

·         Why does the Church send out so many missionaries? See the parable of the gospel net (Matthew 13:47-50)

·         How do you explain the remarkable growth of the Church, considering that it is fairly new compared to most world religions and started small in the American frontier? See the parables of the mustard seed and the leaven (Matthew 13:31-50)

·         ​Why are some members of the Church willing to sacrifice so much worldly wealth and recognition in order to maintain membership in the Church? See the parables of the treasure and the pearl of great price (Matthew 13:44-46)

·         Why do some Church members choose to leave the Church? See the parable of the tares (Matthew 13:24-30)

Real Application:

·         Considering the parables of the treasure and the pearl of great price (see Matthew 13:44-46), I know that I would be willing to sacrifice all that I have to obtain the treasure of gospel in order to have eternal life in heaven with my family. Perception is reality and having gained a testimony of the true gospel, I don’t feel that the things I have given up are really sacrifices at all. I have forsaken my sins and past life, to lay hold of God’s word. I have turned down career opportunities, given up recreational time to myself to serve the Lord and build his kingdom. I give of myself freely to know him and I believe I have been rewarded greatly for it.

Dissect the Parable:                                                     

·         (Q)What does the net represent in the parable of the net cast into the sea? (See Matthew 13:47). (A) The net is the gospel as it is sent forth into the entire world by those that would head the word of a living prophet and hasten the work of salvation. (Q)What does it mean to be gathered into the net? (A)This is in reference to the gathering of Israel upon Christ return. (Q) What is represented by the action of gathering the good into vessels and casting the bad away? (See Matthew 13:48-50). (A) This is in reference to the final judgment. Those that have been good and faithful servants will find themselves counted amongst Christ sheep.