Come Follow Me - Luke 2; Matthew 2
Invite Sharing
The words of angels:
The thing that sticks out to me, and that I noticed with the previous lesson is that the Angels always proceed their message with "Fear not."
Now...we know, from what is recorded in scriptures, that Angels appear at a number of times throughout history for a couple of reasons.
They appear to chastise or they appear to convey a message.
We know that they don't only appear to the most worth of individuals, for instance:
-Nephi's brothers Laman and Lemuel when they are beating him up outside of Jerusalem
-The would-be Apostle Paul
-Alma the Younger
But in each of these cases they appear to chastise those they appear to.
So I wonder if when you see an angel your mind immediately goes to all of the worst things you have done in your life or any of the things that you may have done lately that you haven't repented of.
Let's say you go to work and an angel appears before you as you're walking from your car into the building.
Do you immediately start thinking "I wonder what this angel has to tell me" or do you start thinking "Maybe I shouldn't have said that to my wife. Maybe I should have been nicer to my kids. Have I called my mom recently?"
Especially because to assume that an angel is there to share a message with you you are either of some importance in the grand scheme of heaven OR the angel has a message for you.
To mere shepherds, an angel appearing would surely be a call to repentance, as they are of no importance and not worth sharing a grand message with.
So I think I understand a little better why Angels will either start their message with "Fear not" or "Why are you doing this thing?" If an angel asks you a question, you're in trouble.
The words of Simeon:
Simeon says "A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of the people Israel."
Not many Israelites at the time of Jesus were open to the idea of Him being a light to the Gentiles. In fact, they were pretty sure that He was going to come and destroy the Gentiles and to be the king of the Jews. He was going to come and destroy the enemies of the Jews and fight their battles for them, so it is interesting that Simeon (a "just and devout" man) knew that the Savior would come to be a light to the Gentiles.
I wonder what exactly what Simeon meant when he said "(Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."
The footnote points to the moment when the Savior is on the cross and Mary stood by him and witnessed His death.
I can understand the piercing of her heart in anguish, but what thoughts of many hearts would be revealed?
Parenting your Father:
The last thought for today while reading Luke 2 is that it must have been very difficult to be the parents of the Savior.
When Mary chastises Him in the temple for not being where they thought He should have been, He responds that He must be about His Father's business.
What do you say to that?
"Oh, sorry! Guess you're right."
How do you parent, correct, and/or teach someone who has all of the answers?
It would be interesting to know whether there were times when they did correct Jesus when He was younger.
As well - He was perfect. Does that mean He honored His father and mother, like the commandments say to do? And if so, what does that imply here? Were they in the wrong for being worried about where He was?
Or is our understanding of perfection incorrect? I have no doubt that He was perfect. That is how He was able to be a sacrifice for all mankind, but what does that perfection mean?
This is another aspect of the Gospel, like the Atonement, that I will never fully understand in this life, and it's OK because ultimately that has zero significance on my salvation in the end.
We know what kind of life He led, and we are invited to emulate it, knowing very well that we will not be perfect in this life.
Teach the Doctrine
There are many witnesses of the birth of Christ
Shepherds - It was the middle of the night and they were working. When the angel appeared to them it says they "came with haste". There was no hesitation to heed the message they had received. And after they had witnessed, they made known the message that was shared as well. And they rejoiced in it.
Shepherds are ideal converts to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
They hear truth. They embrace it with full purpose of heart and share it with everyone they meet.
Simeon - I wrote quite a bit about SImeon yesterday up above and his attitude toward the Savior. He looked forward his whole life (that we are aware of) to the day when he would get to see Christ, and he, too, rejoiced upon finally seeing the prophecies fulfillment. Simeon's story is one of patience. He remained faithful to the message he had been given and did not become bitter because his desires were not fulfilled on his time table.
Anna - Anna is similar to Simeon in that she remained faithful to whatever truth she had and continued to look forward to greater truth. What I learn from Anna is that we need to keep doing what we know to be right. We aren't told if she had been given a similar promise to Simeon. We just know that she served in the temple for many years, which is exactly what she should have been doing. Giving our time and our talents to the Lord will result in blessings.
Wise Men - The wise men traveled from "the east". One could probably assume this was nowhere nearby and that these men likely traveled at their own expense a great distance to see the Savior. I learn a number of things from their story:
1. God is aware of all of His children. Even in "the east" they had known somehow of the prophecies concerning the Savior's birth. How, we are not sure, but truly God cares for, and is mindful of, more than just His chosen people.
2. We should be willing to sacrifice much, if not all, to be able to know Christ.
3. We can give a gift to the Savior, and that is our heart. By choosing to sacrifice to follow Him, we show Him that we have willing hearts.
Why is it significant that these witnesses came from different walks of life?
Again, I think this goes to show that the Savior is aware of all of us. There is no soul that is outside of His reach. No person too old, too young, too imperfect, too distant to be able to return to Him.
Reflection
After getting to teach the lesson in Gospel Doctrine today, I was amazed at just how much of what I was able to find was what other people were able to find as well:
1. If you're looking for a king, you would not have looked where Jesus came from.
2. The Lord is aware of us all!
3. The significance of the different people whose stories are told in these chapters. (No importance, promised by the Holy Ghost, just a devout follower, and respected outsiders)
4. Seeking the Lord with haste.
There were also some points that I had not considered:
1. Each of the people who met Mary & Joseph testified to them of the importance of their Son's mission.
-This would be an absolute trip. It is a pretty big deal to have an angel appear to you and tell you that your Son will be important (very important, in this case). It is a whole different deal if other people whom you have never met then begin telling you the same thing. Even strangers from far-off lands.
2. We often think of Bethlehem of being a pleasant city. It is "Royal David's city" and was the birthplace of the Savior, so it can't be all that bad.
But we often forget that many young men were slaughtered in this city at the request of Herod.
-This reminds me of the principle taught last week (or two weeks ago?) about people who have seemingly perfect lives. We compare ourselves to them. We compare our bodies to their bodies. We compare our children to their children. We compare our stuff to their stuff. And it always looks better for them.
But we don't know the things that those people have had to go through, or what things they are silently struggling with.
"Many tears have been shed in Bethlehem" ~ Bro. Hoopes
3. Another testimony that God knows the end from the beginning, is it possible that God sent the wisemen to give Mary and Joseph gifts that would allow them to flee immediately when warned Joseph was warned in a dream? Those precious gifts given to them may very well have helped them to escape the slaughter of the other children born in Bethlehem at that time.
We only got through the one activity of talking about these different examples, but the discussion was so good that I didn't want to cut it off and I think that the class was also very wrapped up in this lesson.
If all of the lessons this year go as well as, if not better than, the lesson yesterday then I will be a happy teacher!
The words of angels:
The thing that sticks out to me, and that I noticed with the previous lesson is that the Angels always proceed their message with "Fear not."
Now...we know, from what is recorded in scriptures, that Angels appear at a number of times throughout history for a couple of reasons.
They appear to chastise or they appear to convey a message.
We know that they don't only appear to the most worth of individuals, for instance:
-Nephi's brothers Laman and Lemuel when they are beating him up outside of Jerusalem
-The would-be Apostle Paul
-Alma the Younger
But in each of these cases they appear to chastise those they appear to.
So I wonder if when you see an angel your mind immediately goes to all of the worst things you have done in your life or any of the things that you may have done lately that you haven't repented of.
Let's say you go to work and an angel appears before you as you're walking from your car into the building.
Do you immediately start thinking "I wonder what this angel has to tell me" or do you start thinking "Maybe I shouldn't have said that to my wife. Maybe I should have been nicer to my kids. Have I called my mom recently?"
Especially because to assume that an angel is there to share a message with you you are either of some importance in the grand scheme of heaven OR the angel has a message for you.
To mere shepherds, an angel appearing would surely be a call to repentance, as they are of no importance and not worth sharing a grand message with.
So I think I understand a little better why Angels will either start their message with "Fear not" or "Why are you doing this thing?" If an angel asks you a question, you're in trouble.
The words of Simeon:
Simeon says "A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of the people Israel."
Not many Israelites at the time of Jesus were open to the idea of Him being a light to the Gentiles. In fact, they were pretty sure that He was going to come and destroy the Gentiles and to be the king of the Jews. He was going to come and destroy the enemies of the Jews and fight their battles for them, so it is interesting that Simeon (a "just and devout" man) knew that the Savior would come to be a light to the Gentiles.
I wonder what exactly what Simeon meant when he said "(Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."
The footnote points to the moment when the Savior is on the cross and Mary stood by him and witnessed His death.
I can understand the piercing of her heart in anguish, but what thoughts of many hearts would be revealed?
Parenting your Father:
The last thought for today while reading Luke 2 is that it must have been very difficult to be the parents of the Savior.
When Mary chastises Him in the temple for not being where they thought He should have been, He responds that He must be about His Father's business.
What do you say to that?
"Oh, sorry! Guess you're right."
How do you parent, correct, and/or teach someone who has all of the answers?
It would be interesting to know whether there were times when they did correct Jesus when He was younger.
As well - He was perfect. Does that mean He honored His father and mother, like the commandments say to do? And if so, what does that imply here? Were they in the wrong for being worried about where He was?
Or is our understanding of perfection incorrect? I have no doubt that He was perfect. That is how He was able to be a sacrifice for all mankind, but what does that perfection mean?
This is another aspect of the Gospel, like the Atonement, that I will never fully understand in this life, and it's OK because ultimately that has zero significance on my salvation in the end.
We know what kind of life He led, and we are invited to emulate it, knowing very well that we will not be perfect in this life.
Teach the Doctrine
There are many witnesses of the birth of Christ
Shepherds - It was the middle of the night and they were working. When the angel appeared to them it says they "came with haste". There was no hesitation to heed the message they had received. And after they had witnessed, they made known the message that was shared as well. And they rejoiced in it.
Shepherds are ideal converts to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
They hear truth. They embrace it with full purpose of heart and share it with everyone they meet.
Simeon - I wrote quite a bit about SImeon yesterday up above and his attitude toward the Savior. He looked forward his whole life (that we are aware of) to the day when he would get to see Christ, and he, too, rejoiced upon finally seeing the prophecies fulfillment. Simeon's story is one of patience. He remained faithful to the message he had been given and did not become bitter because his desires were not fulfilled on his time table.
Anna - Anna is similar to Simeon in that she remained faithful to whatever truth she had and continued to look forward to greater truth. What I learn from Anna is that we need to keep doing what we know to be right. We aren't told if she had been given a similar promise to Simeon. We just know that she served in the temple for many years, which is exactly what she should have been doing. Giving our time and our talents to the Lord will result in blessings.
Wise Men - The wise men traveled from "the east". One could probably assume this was nowhere nearby and that these men likely traveled at their own expense a great distance to see the Savior. I learn a number of things from their story:
1. God is aware of all of His children. Even in "the east" they had known somehow of the prophecies concerning the Savior's birth. How, we are not sure, but truly God cares for, and is mindful of, more than just His chosen people.
2. We should be willing to sacrifice much, if not all, to be able to know Christ.
3. We can give a gift to the Savior, and that is our heart. By choosing to sacrifice to follow Him, we show Him that we have willing hearts.
Why is it significant that these witnesses came from different walks of life?
Again, I think this goes to show that the Savior is aware of all of us. There is no soul that is outside of His reach. No person too old, too young, too imperfect, too distant to be able to return to Him.
Reflection
After getting to teach the lesson in Gospel Doctrine today, I was amazed at just how much of what I was able to find was what other people were able to find as well:
1. If you're looking for a king, you would not have looked where Jesus came from.
2. The Lord is aware of us all!
3. The significance of the different people whose stories are told in these chapters. (No importance, promised by the Holy Ghost, just a devout follower, and respected outsiders)
4. Seeking the Lord with haste.
There were also some points that I had not considered:
1. Each of the people who met Mary & Joseph testified to them of the importance of their Son's mission.
-This would be an absolute trip. It is a pretty big deal to have an angel appear to you and tell you that your Son will be important (very important, in this case). It is a whole different deal if other people whom you have never met then begin telling you the same thing. Even strangers from far-off lands.
2. We often think of Bethlehem of being a pleasant city. It is "Royal David's city" and was the birthplace of the Savior, so it can't be all that bad.
But we often forget that many young men were slaughtered in this city at the request of Herod.
-This reminds me of the principle taught last week (or two weeks ago?) about people who have seemingly perfect lives. We compare ourselves to them. We compare our bodies to their bodies. We compare our children to their children. We compare our stuff to their stuff. And it always looks better for them.
But we don't know the things that those people have had to go through, or what things they are silently struggling with.
"Many tears have been shed in Bethlehem" ~ Bro. Hoopes
3. Another testimony that God knows the end from the beginning, is it possible that God sent the wisemen to give Mary and Joseph gifts that would allow them to flee immediately when warned Joseph was warned in a dream? Those precious gifts given to them may very well have helped them to escape the slaughter of the other children born in Bethlehem at that time.
We only got through the one activity of talking about these different examples, but the discussion was so good that I didn't want to cut it off and I think that the class was also very wrapped up in this lesson.
If all of the lessons this year go as well as, if not better than, the lesson yesterday then I will be a happy teacher!
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