Opening Events in the ministry of Jesus "Behold the Lamb of God"

One of my favorite primary songs is called Baptism. I love the simple message the song gives-

1. Jesus came to John the Baptist, In Judea long ago,
And was baptized by immersion In the River Jordan’s flow.

2. “To fulfill the law,” said Jesus, When the Baptist questioned why, “And to enter with my Father In the kingdom up on high.”

3. Now we know that we must also Witness faith in Jesus’ word,
 Be baptized to show obedience, As was Jesus Christ, our Lord.
http://www.lds.org/music/library/childrens-songbook/baptism?lang=eng

The son born of Elisabeth became known as John the Baptist. As with Jesus, son of Mary, so with John—precious little is recorded of their years of youth. A single sentence tells us all that we know of John’s life from his birth to his public ministry: “And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.” John’s message was brief. He preached faith, repentance, baptism by immersion, and the bestowal of the Holy Ghost by an authority greater than that possessed by him. “I am not the Christ,” he told his faithful disciples, “but … I am sent before him.” “I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.” Then occurred the baptism of Christ by John the Baptist. Later Jesus testified, “Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist.”

All of us need points of reference—even models to follow. John the Baptist provides for us a flawless example of humility, as he deferred always to the One who was to come—the Savior of mankind. As the Savior demonstrated, the consecrated life is a pure life.

While Jesus is the only one to have led a sinless life, those who come unto Him and take His yoke upon them have claim on His grace, which will make them as He is, guiltless and spotless. With deep love the Lord encourages us in these words: “Repent, all ye ends of the earth, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the last day” (3 Nephi 27:20).

John the Baptist was a choice spirit chosen to help build Heavenly Father’s kingdom by preparing the way for Jesus Christ; we are choice spirits chosen to help build Heavenly Father’s kingdom by helping people know more about Jesus Christ.

When we hear the transcendent truths of the gospel of Jesus Christ, hope and faith begin to blossom inside of us. The more we fill our hearts and minds with the message of the risen Christ, the greater our desire is to follow Him and live His teachings. This, in turn, causes our faith to grow and allows the light of Christ to illuminate our hearts. As it does, we recognize the imperfections in our lives, and we desire to be cleansed of the depressing burdens of sin. We yearn for freedom from guilt, and this inspires us to repent.

  Faith and repentance lead to the purifying waters of baptism, where we covenant to take upon us the name of Jesus Christ and walk in His footsteps.

 

To uphold us in the desire to lead a purified and holy life, we are endowed with the baptism of fire—the unspeakable gift of the Holy Ghost, a heavenly Comforter who accompanies and guides us as we walk in the path of righteousness.

You have felt the peace of a pure little child at times when you have tried to be like Jesus. It may have come when you were baptized. He did not need baptism, because He was pure. But when you were baptized, you had the feeling of being washed clean, like a little child. When He was baptized, the heavens were opened, and He heard the voice of His Heavenly Father: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” You heard no voice, but you felt the approval of Heavenly Father for having done what Jesus did.

Do you remember the feeling you had when you were baptized — that sweet, clean feeling of a pure soul, having been forgiven, washed clean through the merits of the Savior?

I love the innocence of a child as they are getting ready to be baptized. They are so in tune with what will be happening. I love watching their faces as they come out of the water. They look as though they have the light of Christ in their eyes. My cousin who is 33 was recently rebaptized after losing herself down Satan’s path. It took a lot of repentance and humility but she made it again. She said the feeling she had was like God had wrapped his arms around her welcoming her home. What an amazing gift to be able to come back if you choose the wrong path.

Those who seek to follow the Savior will understand the importance of the ordinance of baptism. The Lamb without Blemish saw fit to submit himself to baptism by one holding the authority of the priesthood in order to 'fulfill all righteousness.' How much more each of us has need of the cleansing and saving power of this ordinance and the other ordinances of the gospel." — Dallin H. Oaks,

 

Posted by Sister Angie Nelson

Birth and Youth of the Messiah, "Son of the Eternal Father"

Mary

A woman of faith and virtue.

 

As such, she was prepared for the time when she was needed. 

An angelic messenger. A calling issued for which she was ordained before she was born.
 But still, she could choose. Always there is agency.

 

Practical

"How can this be seeing I know not a man?" (Luke 1:34)

The angel Gabriel explains. The "holy child that shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God."(Luke 1:35)

Conceived through the power of the Holy Ghost.
 

                                              Obedient                                              

"And Mary said; behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word." (Luke 1:38)

Humble

Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart (Luke 2:19)

Joyful

"My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Savior. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden; for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name."(Luke 1:46-49)

 

A formula



Preparation, proper use of agency, trust in the Lord, obedience, humility

 then

great blessings

and

 

JOY

 

Who is this child that was to be born of Mary?

 

Son of the Eternal Father, descended from the Heavenly King. Descended also from King David. Two genealogies are given. Matthew's account lists legal successors to David's throne; not necessarily a father-to-son listing, but based on who in the family was the eldest surviving heir. Luke's record gives an actual father-to-son listing linking Joseph to King David. As Joseph and Mary were cousins, their genealogy was the same. Through Mary the blood of David was inherited and therefore, the right to David's throne. Elder James E. Talmage explains, "Had Judah been a free and independent nation, ruled by her rightful sovereign, Joseph the carpenter would have been her crowned king; and his lawful successor to the throne would have been Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews." 

The rightful king, the "Creator of all things from the beginning," and the greatest spirit in the premortal world was willing to come and submit himself to the greatest trial of mortality. "And lo, he shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people." (Mosiah 3:7) President Joseph Fielding Smith explains, "Without a doubt, Jesus came into the world subject to the same condition as was required of each of us-he forgot everything, and he had to grow from grace to grace. His forgetting, or having his former knowledge taken away, would be requisite just as it is in the case of each of us, to complete the present temporal existence." 

Born on earth in the humblest of circumstances, he started in the same way we all do, as a child required to learn and grow and walk in obedience and faith.

Christ was a little boy once

"And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, being filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon him. (Luke 2:40)

I love little boys.

I love how everything in the world is absolutely fascinating through their eyes. Have you ever tried to go for a walk with a 3-year old? It is not an excursion you would want to take when you actually need to arrive anywhere at a particular time because along the way you must examine in detail every stick, blade of grass, rock, bug, puddle, leaf......
We forget the miracle that every small thing that makes up our world is until we see it again through the eyes of a child. The intricate veins in each leaf. The masterpiece that is a spider's web. The brilliant green of the moss so soft beneath my fingers. The rock pushed deep into a pocket by chubby little fingers, special because the eyes of the little explorer saw not just a rock, but a heart. This one is for mom.

I have a shelf full of those rocks. Each presented with excited eyes, happy smiles, and dirty fingers.

Those are my treasures. From my little boys.
Even when they grow so tall that the top of my head becomes a convenient chin rest for them. So big yet, to me, still my little boys.

 Do you think Christ was like that?

I like to think that he was.
 Exploring the world with fascination and exuberance, delighted with the discovery of each new miracle created by the hands of a master. His hands.

Do we remember his greatest miracle? The masterpiece of all creation?

Jesus was perfectly obedient, and because he was, "he received all power, both in heaven and on earth." (D&C 93:17) But Jesus did not receive this great power and glory all at once. He received it piecemeal, step by step, degree by degree, "line upon line, precept upon precept" (D&C 128:21) until he received a fulness of the glory of the Father. (D&C 93:11-17)

Joseph Smith taught it this way:

 “When you climb up a ladder, you must begin at the bottom, and ascend step by step, until you arrive at the top; and so it is with the principles of the gospel—you must begin with the first, and go on until you learn all the principles of exaltation. But it will be a great while after you have passed through the veil [died] before you will have learned them. It is not all to be comprehended in this world; it will be a great work to learn our salvation and exaltation even beyond the grave” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 268).

We don't have to know it all while we are here!!
We just need to follow the footsteps of our Savior, the pattern that he set.

 

Perfection in this life is not reaching any certain endpoint, it is that we continue to climb the ladder and help each other along the way.
 

 

Posted by Sister Montgomery

 

Family Home Evening Ideas:

You MUST watch the video, "O Come Emmanuel" from the mormon channel! You will find the link on the sidebar on the homepage with the schedule under January 21st. I could watch it over and over - it is wonderful! Talk about the birth and mission of the Savior and then watch the video again!

Teach about the Godhead using the new Youth curriculum, "Come Follow Me"

 https://www.lds.org/youth/learn/yw/godhead/know?lang=eng

 Distinguish WHO is a member of the GODHEAD,  talk about EACH of the 3 member's ROLES as a member of the GODHEAD and then discuss how the GODHEAD is completely unified with ONE PURPOSE {Moses 1:39}.

Here is an analogy that can be found on Sugardoodle.

It involves holding up a candle and showing that just as the GODHEAD has THREE DISTINCT ROLES....so does the candle.

The actual CANDLE represents our Heavenly Father.

{Light the candle with a match}.

The FLAME represents our Savior, Jesus Christ - the Light of the World.

The OXYGEN needed for the flame to burn represents the Holy Ghost, whom we cannot see.

OXYGEN is necessary for the flame to burn. Otherwise, the candle would not work properly.

So it is with the Holy Ghost...we cannot see him, we only see the effect he has in our lives and in the lives of others.

Just as each one of these elements is necessary for the candle..the same is said with the GODHEAD.

Each member has a DISTINCT role.

 

From Marcicoombs.blogspot.com



The Promised Messiah

      My husband and his sister have another brother and  sister, twins, that they never knew. They had been given for adoption at birth.The sister hired a private detective to find her birth mother who courageously gave the detective permission to allow  herself to be contacted. Our family and this new sister were all amazed at the similarities in body build, personality, and mannerisms that were apparent in spite of sharing only one biological parent and being raised on opposite sides of the country. From the moment we met her it felt comfortable. Like she belonged to us and we to her. She sent us a picture of her twin brother. This man that we had not yet met looked so much like my husband that it was eerie.

     As I thought of the family traits we inherit from our earthly parents, I couldn't help but think of my own children. Children that my husband and I care for, nuture, teach, and lead, anxious that they are given all that they need to be successful in the world before they leave home to start families of their own.  That I want to reach their full potential. That I love more than my own life. Like my heart is walking outside of my body. Children that I want to have near me always.....Eternally.
It is fascinating to watch them grow and change, at times resembling one parent more strongly than the other but always a combination of both of us. I remember when my boys came to the hospital to meet their new brother for the first time. As you can see from the picture, they arrived looking almost exactly like their father, full of mischief and fun, ready for adventure at a moments notice.

    
There is a pattern here. Beginning in a time and place we don't remember. A heavenly family with a heavenly father and mother. Our family.

We look like them
Children who were created in the image of God

We can be like them
 Inheriting a divine rather than a human nature and destiny.

 They love us with a love beyond our comprehension

Their greatest desire is for us to reach our potential and to come home. To be near them always... Eternally.

We don't remember. How do we get there?

Our heavenly parents wanted to make sure we were given all that we needed to be successful in the world before we left home to form earthly families of our own. We needed someone to care for, nuture, teach, and lead  us.  To help us reach our potential. To show us the way.

 In Abraham chapter 3 we read of one who stood among us in the pre-existence, "who was like unto God."  Our oldest brother. And when the Lord said: "Whom shall I send?" he answered, "Here am I, send me."

Jesus Christ. Whom John called 'the Word.' Also known as 'the Way, the Truth, and the Life'.

The Way.

A life of perfect obedience. A perfect example. A pattern to follow.

How is it that one who had inherited both human and divine characteristics and who was subjest to all the same human afflictions as we are could lead us so perfectly?
Brigham Young told us "....we believe that Jesus Christ is our elder brother - that he is actually the Son of our Father and that he is the Savior of the world, and was appointed to this before the foundations of this earth were laid."

 He was "like unto God," and  He was called.

This was his individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose. (Family Proclamation, paragraph 2) We have this too. Callings to fulfill specific to our individual and eternal identities as daughters of God. To help us reach our potential. Purpose. A reason to be here.

Our heavenly parents wanted to make sure that we would know exactly who to follow on our journey back to them. That it would be very clear who would lead us. That we would find the Way.

We were given the Gospel of Jesus Christ from the very beginning. To let us know Christ was coming. And now, to let us know He had been here. To tell us He would be coming back.

The apostle Bruce R. McConkie taught, "And everything that has been given in the gospel and everything that has been in any way connected with it has been designed for the express purpose of bearing record of Christ and certifying as to his divine mission..."

Such as?

Each of the sacrament prayers asks twice that we remember Him.

"We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in his Son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Ghost.
(1st Article of Faith)

"The first principles and ordinances of the gospel are, first faith in the Lord Jesus Christ....
 (4th Article of Faith)

The first great commandment tells us we must love Him above all else.

And, of course, there is the Book of Mormon. One of the most precious gifts of the restoration. A second witness, with the Holy Bible, that Jesus is the Christ. That He is the Way.

Why do we need another witness? Why do we need the four testimonies of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John? Why is that every prophet that has ever lived, both ancient and modern, have to tell us the same thing again, and again, and again?

Because like our own children, we forget. We don't always listen. We have to be told more than once. Reminded again. And again.

It seems that these simple truths are often best taught through the words of the Children's primary songs like this one:

He Sent His Son

 

How could the Father tell the world of love and tenderness?

He sent his Son, a newborn babe, with peace and holiness.

How could the Father show the world the pathway we should go?

He sent his Son to walk with men on earth, that we may know.

How could the Father tell the world of sacrifice, of death?

He sent his Son to die for us and rise with living breath.

What does the Father ask of us? What do the scriptures say?

Have faith, have hope, live like his Son, help others on their way.

What does he ask? Live like his Son.

 

https://www.lds.org/music/library/childrens-songbook/he-sent-his-son?lang=eng&cid=email-shared

 

 

Posted by Sister Montgomery


Family Home Evening Ideas
 Learn the song 'He Sent His Son.' Talk about what the words mean.

Read "The Living Christ: The Testimony of the Apostles." There is a link on the sidebar of the home page where the January schedule is. Use pictures to represent the different parts as it is read, such as a picture of the earth or the creation, baptism of Jesus, Jesus healing someone, etc.

Read about the pre-existence and the creation in Abraham 3:22-28 and then read the Family Proclamation. Talk about individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose. And/or talk about what the responsibilities of mothers, fathers, and children are in families. Compare what the gospel teaches us about these things compared to the world.

Read a  talk from the most recent conference about the Savior such as "I Know it. I Live it. I Love it." by Ann M. Dibbs. Make T-shirts! Use her words or others such as 'Faith.' All or part of a favorite scripture maybe. Or decorate cookies with the words. Or make artwork with the words to hang up at home.



Four Testimonies

I love to read a great story.
The thing about this story....... it's true.

It starts with a family
And it was written for me.

How do I know?
Every prophet that ever lived testified that it was so. That's their job actually.
The four gospels they call it. Otherwise known as the four testimonies. Written by four men who were there. They lived, breathed, witnessed, experienced some of the most miraculous events in human history which they then recorded for us.

Who were these men?

Devoted disciples of the Savior:
Matthew - a tax collector. A Jew. Writing to the Jews about the Jewish King. He calls to attention how the life of Christ fulfilled Old Testament prophecy and includes many important discourses of the Master, such as the Sermon on the Mount.

Mark- A boy in Christ's time. Thought to have been a companion and interpreter for Peter. He skips most of the lengthy discourses but records over half of all the New Testament miracles. A man who is all about the action for his Roman readers.

Luke- A man of compassion. A physician, a healer writing to the Greeks of the ancient world. He portrays a compassionate picture of the Savior for us with an emphasis on forgiveness and love, pointing out through parables unique to his gospel (such as the Prodigal Son) that the sinner can find rest and peace in Jesus. He shows how Christ's ministry was also open to those considered inferior to the Jews and gives important insights to the role women played during the ministry and life of Jesus. He alone tells of the visit of the angel to Zacharias and Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist; he alone tells the journey of Mary and Joseph to Bethlehem and of the actual birth of Christ. It is interesting to note that his testimony both begins and ends....in the temple.

John- also known as the Beloved and the Revelator, he was eventually translated.
What does one do to earn titles such as these?!
His writings make up five books of the New Testament which are vastly different from the other accounts. He details much less of the places and events of Christ's ministry but brings things to a higher level by giving us a much more intimate portrait of the Master. He writes mostly to those who are already followers of Christ emphasizing Christ's relationship to the  Father, His association with the twelve, and so on. From his writings come a powerful witness of Jesus as the Son of God, of Jesus as the Messiah, of Jesus as the Good Shepherd, of Jesus as the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and of Jesus as the Resurrection and the Life. It was this John to whom the Lord placed the care of his mother, Mary, in the last moments of his life.

Where do we begin?
It is about 400 years since the time where the Old Testament leaves off. The Israelites have been almost comically disobedient. (What will future generations say of ours?)
Due to strife and apostasy, most of the twelve tribes of Israel have been carried away captive into other countries and only a remnant of the House of Israel remains in the promised land of Canaan-primarily the tribe of Judah. They find themselves subject to one new power after another including the Babylonians, Syrians, and Greek rule under Alexander the Great, among others. At one point the practice of Judaism was completely proscribed. Possession or reading of the Torah was punishable by death; observance of the Sabbath and circumcision were forbidden; Jerusalem's walls were destroyed and thousands of her inhabitants slain, while other thousands were sold as slaves. The temple was plundered and converted into an Olympian shrine, with an image of Zeus placed upon the alter and a pig sacrificed in honor of the false god.
Under this oppression came the rise of the Maccabees, a Jewish leadership that successfully expelled the Syrians. As this leadership degenerated into political corruption, the Jews next found themselves  subject to the tyranny and ruthless rule of Roman leaders.One of the first of these was Herod the Great who preserved his leadership at the expense of many lives, including a wife and some of his own children. It was he who ordered the massacre of Jewish children in Bethlehem shortly after the birth of the Savior.
Following Herod's death, the dominion  was divided into three parts governed by three different rulers. Pontius Pilate,whom we read about during the trial of Jesus, and two of Herod's sons, Herod Phillip and Herod Antipas. Herod Antipas is also mentioned in the New Testament in connection with the trial of Jesus and prior to that was responsible for the imprisonment and execution of John the Baptist.
It is in these circumstances we find the Jews looking for a political Savior. It does much to explain their disappoinment and disbelief when all that appears is Jesus, the son of a lowly carpenter.

"We know him. How could he be the Messiah?"
"Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary...? And they were offended at him." (Mark 6:3) And yet the Jewish leadership still felt he was a big enough threat to their power to seek his death, unknowingly helping to fulfill the mission of the Savior's life.

It was out of this setting of corruption and greed that the hope of eternal life and salvation sprang forth for us all.

 

 

Family Home Evening Ideas:

 

Discuss what a testimony is. Look under 'testimony' in the topical guide of the scriptures. Or use the gospel art pictures that have the story printed on the back for littler kids. See how many different testimonies you find. Have family members take turns sharing testimony with the rest of the family.

 

Try this activity - give each family member a little bit of cornstarch in the palm of their hand. Have them dip the fingertips of the other hand in some water and then just moisten the cornstarch. (All the cornstarch must be moistened, but too much water and it won't work.) Using their fingertips, have them work the cornstarch into a ball. You will see that as soon as you quit touching it, it will go flat again. Compare this to how you must constantly work on your testimony to keep it solid. (You might want to do this over some napkins or old towels!)

 

Posted by Sister Montgomery