Jesus in the Meridian of Time Reading Assignment No. 15 Part One: The Public Ministry

Transcription

1 Jesus in the Meridian of Time Reading Assignment No. 15 Part One: The Public Ministry Introduction When Enoch was shown the big picture vision he saw shown the world from his day until the second coming: at least a five thousand year period. During this time wickedness dominated the world. Of those living in his day, God said to Enoch: among all the workmanship of mind hands there has not been so great wickedness as among thy brethren. He revealed to Enoch their fate: But behold, these which thine eyes are upon shall perish in the floods; and behold, I will shut them up; a prison have I prepared for them. In this state they would begin to suffer the torment suffering consequences associated with their wickedness. Then speaking of His Son, Jesus Christ, He revealed to Enoch: that which I have chosen hath pled before my face. Wherefore, he suffereth for their sins; inasmuch as they will repent in the day that my Chosen shall return unto me, and until that day they shall be in torment (Moses 7:36, 38, 37). Enoch asked, When shall the day of the Lord come? When shall the blood of the Righteous be shed, that all the that mourn may be sanctified and have eternal life? God responded, It shall be in the meridian of time, in the days of wickedness and vengeance (Moses 7: 36-46). One of the meanings given meridian in Webster s 1828 American Dictionary of the English Language is the highest point. The Savior s coming to this mortal world is the highest point of this world s existence. Indeed, it is the the highest point of eternity since Jesus came to offer Himself and infinite sacrifice for an infinite atonement for all of Heavenly Father s worlds. Speaking of all the worlds Christ created in behalf of the Father, Joseph Smith taught: Whose inhabitants, too, from the first to the last, are sav'd by the very same Saviour of ours ( A Vision, in Times and Seasons, Feb. 1, 1843, pp. 82-3). Jesus Christ came to this world in the meridian of time to execute three important purposes that would be at the center of Heavenly Father s eternal plan to bring about the immortality and eternal life of man. Two of these purposes would be accomplished in His three year public ministry: (1) establishing a new kind of kingdom, the church; and (2) as both an exemplar of true discipleship and an exemplar of Heavenly Father, the object of true worship. At the end of His public ministry, Christ would fulfil the third purpose for coming to this mortal world: to perform the atoning sacrifice. I have come unto the world, the Savior said to the Nephites, to bring redemption unto the world, to save the world from sin (3 Ne. 9:21). The next two reading assignments focus on the Savior s earthly mission. The concern of this reading assignment will be to examine the two major aspects of the Savior s public ministry. The next reading assignment will study the Savior s atoning sacrifice. Key Concepts and Teachings The Public Ministry When the Savior was about thirty years old, John the Baptist who was the forerunner to prepare the way for the coming of Jesus Christ began calling the people who lived in Judea to repentance. Sometime later, the Savior came to John and was baptized. After a period of fasting, He began his ministry. Some of those who had come to John began to follow Jesus. He also began calling people to repentance. During this ministry, He set about accomplishing two important works: Jesus Christ is the King of this world. He was the king of ancient Israel. As its King, Jesus Christ came to this mortal world to establish His kingdom. But it would be a new kind of kingdom. It would be an organization called the church an introductory kingdom. An organization that could exist in most any political realm to gather out Israel from among the nations and prepare them for His second coming when He would reestablish the fulness of His kingdom. Jesus came exemplify proper discipleship and to exemplify who and what is Heavenly Father. 1. A New Kind of Kingdom The Davidic Covenant We find the story of the birth, ministry, atonement, death, and resurrection, and ascension of Jesus Christ

2 within the pages of the New Testament. Truly, it is the greatest story ever told. This story should be read and reread over and over again. The opening verse of the New Testament Matthew 1:1 beginning the first of four versions of life of Jesus Christ is interesting in what it assumes the reader should know to comprehend this wonderful story: The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. Abraham and David are among the fathers to whom promises and covenants were made. We have discussed the Abrahamic Covenant and the promises made about his posterity in blessing all nations of the world with the blessings of the gospel. We also looked at the promises made to Joseph who was Lord s instrument to save his father Jacob and his eleven brothers from certain death due to the wide spread famine in his day. We also learned that the posterity of Joseph Ephraim and Mannaseh would the Lord s instrument in the last days by which he would save the posterity of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob from the famine... of hearing the words of the LORD (Amos 8:11). Through the restoration of the gospel by Joseph Smith, a descendant of Joseph sold into Egypt, scattered Israel would be recovered and restored to the land promised Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (JST Gen 49:8-11; 50:30-36). David was also one of the fathers to whom promises were made by God. He was the second of three kings that ruled the united twelve tribes of Israel. Moses brought the children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage and eventually to the promised land. Joshua led them into the promised land. Then for a few hundred years, each of the twelve tribes of Israel tried to govern themselves but failed. Eventually, they asked Samuel, the high priest and chief judge, to ask the Lord for a king to govern the twelve tribes as a single body. The Davidic Covenant David was the second of three kings over the united twelve tribes of Israel. After he was anointed king, David immediately conquered the city of Jerusalem a Canaanite city located between the tribes of Benjamin and Judah--and made it the capital of Israel (2 Sam. 5:6-12). He led Israel in defeating and subduing the neighboring countries who were their enemies expanding the size of his kingdom. He also built himself a palace from which to govern his expanded kingdom. David felt uncomfortable about having a palace while Jehovah s throne was in a tent. He asked the prophet Nathan, if he could build a house, or temple, to Jehovah. Nathan approved the idea. But that night, Jehovah spoke to Nathan and told him that David was not to build Him a house. Rather, Jehovah was going to build David a house! This was the beginning of the a series of important promises made to David by covenant. It is the capstone covenant made with the fathers. Read 2 Samuel 7:11-17 These verses speak of three major promises. These promises are very relevant to each of us. Remember, there isn t anything God does that is not relevant to his work and glory. Examine each promise closely. Promise No. 1 David was promised that he would have a son through whom the Lord would establish a kingdom for ever. Initially, this meant a Davidic dynasty family line of ruler would be established through this son, who would rule the house Israel forever. This would fulfill a promise made by Jacob to Judah in his patriarchal blessing Read Gen. 49:10. In this promise, Jacob stated that unto him shall the gathering of the people be. This finds ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Though initially fulfilled by Solomon, this ultimately is fulfilled in Jesus Christ. Read Acts 2:29-36; 13: Promise No. 2 The second promise made to David was that Jehovah would be to Solomon a father, and Solomon adopted as Jehovah s son. In other words, Solomon would be as the firstborn of God, a position originally given to all the house of Israel (Ex. 4:22). This right of service would continue through the Davidic line (Ps. 2:7; 89:27). It continued until the kingdom of Israel broke their national covenant and were scattered the nations of the world. The Lord s prophets had prophesied that this would occur. They also prophesied that a messiah (Heb. one who is anointed or set apart ) to be king of Israel would come again. For example: Read Jeremiah 23:5-6; 33: Because of these promises, there developed an expectation for a new Davidic king of Israel. This has become known as a messianic expectation those expecting the coming of one who has been anointed or set apart to become the king of Israel. It is important to understand that related to this promise is the following: those who come Jesus the Christ Christ is the Greek word that means the same as the Hebrew word, messiah, one who is anointed-- through faith, repentance, covenant at baptism, and the Gift of the Holy Ghost, become adopted to Jesus Christ, becoming his sons and daughters (see Mosiah 5:5-8; 15:11; 18:14-22; 27:24-28; Moses 6:64-68). As sons and daughters that become joint heirs with Jesus Christ

3 (Rom. 8:14-17). When Jesus Christ returns the second time, He will take His rightful place as King of Israel. Those who have become rightful heirs with Jesus Christ will rule and reign in the eternal house of Israel with Him during the Millennium and in the celestial kingdom forever and ever (see Rev. 3:21; 20:6; 22:5). Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles wrote: Those who gain exaltation in the highest heaven of the celestial world shall wear crowns. Perhaps literal crowns may be worn on occasion emblematic of their victory over the world and signifying that they rule and reign as kings and queens in the eternal house of Israel. But at all times they will be "crowned with honor, and glory, and immortality, and eternal life." (D. & C. 75:5.) (Mormon Doctrine, 2 nd Ed. [1966], 173) Thus the Apostle Paul wrote that Jesus Christ is the firstborn among many brethren (Rom. 8:29; emphais added). Promise No. 3 If Solomon and, because of the preceding promise, shall commit iniquity, the Lord will not reject Israel. Instead, He will first humble them through chastening. But [His] mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took if from Saul. This promise of mercy is implied in the Abrahamic Covenant but stated outright in this covenant. The Book of Mormon teaches that for mercy to be appropriately granted, the law of justice must first be satisfied. Alma tells us that it is requisite with the justice of God that men should be judged of according to their works. If their works were good then justice demands the blessing of the works. However, their works were evil, justice demands the consequence of a broken law (Al. 41:3-4). The atoning sacrifice offered by Jesus Christ answers the end of a broken law (see 2 Ne. 2:7, 9:26; Mosiah 15:9; 42:15). This act of mercy satifies the demands of justice making it possible for us to escape the eternal consequences of sin. For Jehovah to extend mercy to his children, justice must be satisfied. This is the primary reason Jesus Christ came to mortality. After Christ s atoning sacrifice ending in his physical death and resurrection, Jesus Christ ascended into heaven and hath sat down on the right hand of God, to claim of the Father his rights of mercy which he hath upon the children of men (Moroni 7:27). Isaiah called these rights of mercy the sure mercies of David (Isa. 55:3). Enoch saw that Christ s act of mercy extends to those who have died and are in spirit prison. He saw the wicked shut up in a prison where they are in torment. But God told him that Jesus Christ hath pled before my face. Wherefore, he suffereth for their sins (Moses 7:38). The Annunciation to Zacharias John the Baptist: the Forerunner to the King The Old Testament ends with prophecies made by the prophet Malachi. The Savior had the last two chapters of his book included in the Nephite records and Mormon included them in the Book of Mormon. An important prophecy made by Malachi refers to a forerunner who would prepare the way before the coming of Jesus Christ at the beginning of both his mortal ministry and his Millennial reign. Read Malachi 3:1 (3 Ne. 24:1). The messenger who was to prepare the way for the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ was John the Baptist. Zacharias, a priest, and his wife Elisabeth, were foreordained to bear and raise John. To prepare them, the angel Gabriel who was Noah was sent to Zacharias when was alone in the temple while offering the incense, symbolizing the prayers of the people, associated with the daily sacrifice (see Luke 1:5-19). Gabriel told Zecharias of John s mission: Read Luke 1: Note 17a states that Elias is the Greek form of the Hebrew name, Elijah. Notice that John s mission was identical to that of the prophet Elijah. John s work was to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. When John was born, Zecharias prophesied in typical Hebrew poetry form blessings flowing from both the work of both the forerunner, John, and the King of Israel, Jesus Christ. As you read this remarkable prophecy, note the continued references to the promises or covenants made to the fathers: Read Luke 1: Note the references to David and Abraham, covenant, and mercy Annunciation to Mary Six months after appearing to Zacharias, Gabriel appeared to a young girl named Mary. She was a descendant of David. Read Luke 1: What promises made to King David are mentioned in these verses? Mary left Nazareth and made her way to Zacharias and Elizabeth s home. When Elizabeth first saw here, we are told that the baby in her womb, John the Baptist, leaped... for joy (Luke 1:39-45). In response, Mary said: Read Luke 1: What promises to David and Abraham does she speak of in these verse?

4 A New Kind of Kingdom The Church of Jesus Christ When Jesus came, he established a kingdom, different than what had existed from Adam through the monarchies of ancient Israel. It initially would be religious and not political. It would be a kingdom that could exist in many lands under most forms of governments throughout the world. Elder D. Todd Christofferson spok of this in the April 2015 general conference of the Church: D. Todd Christofferson Quorum of the Twelve Apostles Beginning with Adam, the gospel of Jesus Christ was preached, and the essential ordinances of salvation, such as baptism, were administered through a family-based priesthood order.(moses 5:58-59; see also 6:22-23) As societies grew more complex than simply extended families, God also called other prophets, messengers, and teachers. In Moses s time, we read of a more formal structure, including elders, priests, and judges. In Book of Mormon history, Alma established a church with priests and teachers. Then, in the meridian of time, Jesus organized His work in such a way that the gospel could be established simultaneously in multiple nations and among diverse peoples. That organization, the Church of Jesus Christ, was founded on apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone. (Eph. 2:20) It included additional officers, such as seventies, elders, bishops, priests, teachers, and deacons. Jesus similarly established the Church in the Western Hemisphere after His Resurrection. ( Why the Church, Ensign, Nov. 2015, p. 108) Instead of a kingdom with the high priests with local priests and Levites, a general chief judge with local judges, princes and elders as ancient Israel was governed, the Lord built his Church on a different foundation. Let s look at the Apostles teachings regarding the structure of the Church of Jesus Christ: Read Ephesians 2: What provided the foundation of the Church? Read Ephesians 4: What were some of the offices in the Church? What was were the various purposes of the Church? 2. Jesus Christ The Exemplar Learn of Me Read Matthew 11: What invitation did the Savior offer? Read 3 Nephi 27:27. What kind of person out we to be? Jesus Christ is our exemplar! He accomplishes this in two ways. First, He is an exemplar of true discipleship. Second, He is the exemplar of who and what is Heavenly Father. The following will help you learn more about this aspect of the Savior s mortal ministry. Exemplar of True Discipleship The Savior s example of discipleship is seen in these words that he said to the apostles: Read John 13:15. Russell M. Nelson, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles has taught of the importance of this aspect of the Savior s mortal ministry. Russell M. Nelson President of the Quorum of the Twelve Aposltes The Lord s second far-reaching objective in mortality was to serve as an example for us. His exemplary life constituted His mortal ministry. It included His teachings, parables, and sermons. It encompassed His miracles, loving-kindness, and long-suffering toward the children of men (see 1 Nephi 19:9). It embraced His compassionate use of priesthood authority. It included His righteous indignation when He condemned sin (see Romans 8:3) and when He overthrew the tables of the money changers (see Matthew 21:12). It also included His heartaches. He was mocked, scourged, and disowned by His own people (see Mosiah 15:5) even betrayed by one disciple and denied by another (see John 18:2 3, 25 27). Wonderful as His ministerial acts were, they were not and are still not unique to Him. There is no limit to the number of people who may follow the example of Jesus. ( The Mission and Ministry of Jesus Christ, Ensign, Apr. 2013, 36) In a recent broadcast January 2017 to the young adults of the Church, Elder Nelson offered a suggestion about how to increase their discipleship: As members of His restored Church, we know that Jesus Christ, our Master, is our ultimate Mentor. As a true millennial, you were born to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ. In fact, the only way to be a true millennial is to be one of His true disciples! How can you increase in your discipleship? I have an invitation for you that will help it s an assignment, actually if you choose to accept it. Commence tonight to consecrate a portion of your time each week to studying everything Jesus said and did as recorded in the Old Testament, for He is the Jehovah of the Old Testament. Study His laws as recorded in the New Testament, for He is its Christ. Study His doctrine as recorded in the Book of Mormon, for there is no book of scripture in which His mission and His ministry are more clearly revealed. And study His words as recorded in the Doctrine and Covenants, for He continues to teach His people in this dispensation. This may seem like a large assignment, but I encourage you to accept it. If you proceed to learn all you can about Jesus Christ, I promise you that your love for Him, and for God s laws, will grow beyond what you currently imagine. I promise you also that your ability to turn away from sin will increase. Your desire to keep the commandments will

5 soar. You will find yourself better able to walk away from the entertainment and entanglements of those who mock the followers of Jesus Christ. To assist you, refer to the Topical Guide for references under the topic Jesus Christ. ( Prophets, Leadership, and Divine Law, an address given in the Worldwide Devotional for You n g Adults, Jan. 8, ; see lds.org/broadcasts/article/worldwide -devotional-for-young-adults?lang=eng) like, how completely devoted He is to His children in every age and nation. In word and in deed Jesus was trying to reveal and make personal to us the true nature of His Father, our Father in Heaven. ( The Grandeur of God, Ensign, Nov. 2003) Exemplar of Heavenly Father Jesus Christ was also an exemplar of Heavenly Father, the object of our worship. Consider the following teachings found in the New Testament: Read Colossians 1:15 This verse teaches two important truths about Jesus Christ. What is the first truth? The Greek word translated image in this verse is eikon and means likeness...whether painting or statue, an image in a mirror, and metaphorically a living image, representation (Liddell & Scott, Greek-English Lexicon [1978], p. 485). Read Hebrews 1:3 In this verse, we are told that Christ is the express image of the Father; express image translates the Greek word charakter, meaning impression, image, or impress made on a coin (Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, 10 vols., ed. Geoffrey W. Bromiley [1974], 9:418). Obviously, the English word character comes from this word. This verse teaches that the nature of Heavenly Father His character and attributes are impressed on Jesus Christ just as the image of a king or president is impressed on a coin. In other words, if you want to know who and what Heavenly Father (or Mother) is like, the Son is the express image of nature of God; in Christ, the character and attributes of God are found perfectly. Read John 14:7-9. What did the Savior teach the apostles in these verses? Let s hope that we, unlike the Savior s apostles, have not missed this important aspect of the Savior s ministry. Elder Jeffery R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve spoke of this important aspect of the Savior mission. The following is the opening paragraph from this talk. The reader ought to read the whole address: Jeffrey R. Holland Quorum of the Twelve Apostles Of the many magnificent purposes served in the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ, one great aspect of that mission often goes uncelebrated. His followers did not understand it fully at the time, and many in modern Christianity do not grasp it now, but the Savior Himself spoke of it repeatedly and emphatically. It is the grand truth that in all that Jesus came to say and do, including and especially in His atoning suffering and sacrifice, He was showing us who and what God our Eternal Father is

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