The Savior Taught the Apostles about Leadership

In the world today many seek power and authority over others.  We see this in the work place, in homes and in relationships.  Using power and force over others leads to others fearing and disliking that individual.  Christ taught us how to be in a position of leadership while at the same time keeping a relationship of trust, love and emulation with those we have authority over.  The Savior taught that we can attain this through love and service.  He taught that the person in authority should be the one serving and loving.

I serve in the Relief Society in my ward. A few months ago we decided that we needed to do something more than visit the inactive sisters in our ward. Our president came up with the idea to find ways to serve them.  We decided that each time we visited an inactive sister we would ask her what we could do for her. Many times they would say that they didn't have anything but we didn't leave until they found something for us to do.  This has created a greater love and connection with these sisters and hopefully one day they will feel that love strong enough that they will want to join us at church.

What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ?

What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ?

Luke 10:38-42

From the story of Mary and Martha we learn that disciples of Jesus Christ leave the cares of the world behind and follow Him.

Luke 11:5-13

Disciples of Jesus Christ have faith in him, that he will answer their prayers and send the Holy Ghost to comfort and teach them.

Luke 12:13-21

Disciples of Jesus Christ lay aside the material things of the world and work to further the Lords work on the earth.

Luke 14:16-33

Disciples of Jesus Christ put nothing and no one above him. 

Institute Manual pg. 114

"There must be a consciousness of real need for prayer, and real trust in God, to make prayer effective; and in mercy the Father sometimes delays the granting that the asking may be more fervent. "

I realize that I am a Martha. I need to do better at laying aside the cares of the world and not worry so much about things that don't matter eternally.  My husband, children and my relationship with my Father in Heaven are the things that matter most.  I am determined to become more like Mary.  One things I can do to make this change is to pray for strength to lay aside the things of the world.  

To become a disciple of Jesus Christ we need to do more than go to church on Sunday.  In the scriptures we learn that to be a true disciple of Jesus Christ will put aside all things to follow him.  All worldly possessions, all idols, all passions, all selfishness, all our time and all our desires.  We will seek first the kingdom of heaven, fast, pray, endure to the end and offer our whole souls to Him.  

Why did the Lord teach in Parables?

In the bible dictionary we learn that Jesus taught in parables and that "without a parable spake he not unto them" (Mark 4:34)  There must be a very significant reason why he would choose this method of teaching. It Matthew 13:35 the Lord said, "That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world."  In the bible dictionary it says, "It was to veil the meaning. The parable conveys to the hearer religious truth exactly in proportion to his faith and intelligence; to the dull and uninspired it is a mere story." If we are spiritually prepared when we read the scriptures or listen to the words of the prophets, we will be able to understand what the Lord would have us learn.  Only he who seeks shall find.  

In my New Testament class we did the following research on different parables that the Lord taught.  

                                                                                        

1. In the Bible Dictionary, read the first three paragraphs under the entry “Parables” (pp. 740–41).
2. Read the following parables: parable of the tares (Matthew 13:24–30); parables of the mustard seed and the leaven (Matthew 13:31–33); parables of the treasure and the pearl of great price (Matthew 13:44–46); parable of the gospel net (Matthew 13:47–50). Next to each of the following questions match the name of the parable that best answers that question.
• What describes the future growth of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? Leaven
• Why does the Church send out so many missionaries? Net
• 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? Mustard
• Why are some members of the Church willing to sacrifice so much worldly wealth and recognition in order to maintain membership in the Church? Treasure, Pearl
• Why do some Church members choose to leave the Church? Tares
3. Address the following questions:
• Considering the parables of the treasure and the pearl of great price (see Mattthew 13:44–46), what sacrifices would you be willing to make to obtain the treasure of the gospel? What sacrifices have you or those you know already made for the gospel? Both my parents are converts and sacrificed family relationships and word of wisdom habits.  I don’t feel like I have sacrificed much because I consider everything I do with the gospel a blessing.  I guess I sacrifice my time as I serve in the Relief Society but it really doesn't feel like a sacrifice.  I know that it's important for me to stay home with my children and so I do sacrifice having some of the worldly things like a nice house and car so that we can afford for me to stay home.  
• What does the net represent in the parable of the net cast into the sea? (See Matthew 13:47). What does it mean to be gathered into the net? Missionaries. What is represented by the action of gathering the good into vessels and casting the bad away? Final Judgment (See Matthew 13:48–50).

"Woman, behold thy son!"

I really like the story found in John 2 about the miracle of Jesus turning the water into wine at the wedding feast.  The thing that impressed me the most about this even was the fact that it was so much wine.  We aren't talking about a few people here.  We know from verse 6 that there were six water pots containing two or three firkins of water. "And there were set there six water pots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins a piece." In the institute manual it tells us that a firkin is equal to about nine gallons. So we know that they served 100 to 150 gallons of wine at the wedding that day. The Savior is able to bless us in so many ways no matter how large or small.  Sometimes we may think that it would take too great a miracle for our problems to be healed through the Savior but we must take stories like this to help us realize the magnitude of the power of the priesthood and its power to create miracles in our lives.

In John 2:1-22 we can learn a great lesson.  In the story of Jesus and his mother at the wedding feast, Jesus speaks to his mother in a way that is not always understood correctly by most readers.  He says to her, "Women, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come." Although in the JST it says, " … Woman, what wilt thou have me to do for thee? that will I do; for mine hour is not yet come." which helps to clarify it a little more for me.  I'll admit that when I read this verse I felt a little uneasy at the way in which the Savior addressed his mother.  I found some peace of mind and clarification to this in the institute manual on page 29. It says, "To every son the mother ought to be preeminently the woman of women; she is the one woman in the world to whom the son owes his earthly existence; and though the title ‘Mother’ belongs to every woman who has earned the honors of maternity, yet to no child is there more than one woman whom by natural right he can address by that title of respectful acknowledgment."
The great lesson learned for me in this chapter was that when we have a questions about something we read in the scriptures, we must dig deeper for a meaning or an answer.  Many times if we will do this Heavenly Father will bless us to understand his mysteries and the things that we desire to know more fully.

The story of Jesus cleansing the Temple found in John 2:13-16 helps to remind me that my body is a Temple and that the Lord would have me keep it clean and unspotted from the sins of this world.  I need to not only keep my body healthy and clean but I need to purify it by repenting daily, reading my scriptures, attending the temple and fasting with a prayer in my heart each month.  The Savior has the power to cleans our soul or our temple just as he did in the New Testament.

The Childhood of Jesus Christ

And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.

Luke 2:40

I believe that Mary and Joseph taught Jesus about Heavenly Father and raised him to know God. However, I also feel that the Savior had to some degree, an understanding of who he was and what his mission was just as you and I can feel of our own mission and our God-like potential.  As we read in Luke 2 we find that by the age of twelve the Savior knew who he was and who is father was. When Mary and Joseph found their son in the temple teaching the "doctors", they questions him but he answered them saying, " How is it that ye sought me? wish ye not that I must be about my Father's business?"  

The Savior grew up in a family just as you and I, yet he was different.  He talked differently and acted differently then his brothers and sisters.  He worked alongside his father Joseph as a carpenter.  I'm sure that his father found that he was being taught by his son more than his son was being taught by him.  In JST of Matt 3:24-26, we learn that the Savior could not be taught. Not because he was not teachable but because he already understood all that earthly men could teach him. 
"24 And it came to pass that Jesus grew up with his brethren, and waxed strong, and waited upon the Lord for the time of his ministry to come.

25 And he served under his father, and he spake not as other men, neither could he be taught; for he needed not that any man should teach him."
 However, in D&C 93:12-14, John gives his testimony of the fact that even Jesus Christ from his birth, did not have a perfect knowledge of things but he received knowledge line and upon line.  Here a little and there a little until he received all that his father wanted him to.  "And he received not of the fulness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fulness;"  It is the same in our own lives.  We do not simple wake up one day and have a full testimony or a full understanding of the gospel.  He too receive grace for grace and line upon line.  We learn in 2 Nephi 28:30, that if we receive what we are given and believe, we will receive more. 
" For behold, thus saith the Lord God: I will give unto the children of men line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little; and blessed are those who hearken unto my precepts, and lend an ear unto my counsel, for they shall learn wisdom; for unto him that receiveth I will give more; and from them that shall say, We have enough, from them shall be taken away even that which they have."

The Savior had to go through the veil and forget all things just as we did.  We should not forget that although he is the only begotten of the father, he was subject to the feelings of a natural man as well.  He had temptation, trials and desires just as we do.  In fact knowing this about the Savior helps me to know and understand that He knows and understand what I am going through.  He understands my trials and my weaknesses and he knows how I can overcome them. 
I love this quote by Joseph Fielding Smith, "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."

I know that I am a child of God and that Jesus Christ is my elder brother.  I can do as he did and grow in knowledge and strength, grace by grace and line upon line.  Each day as I chose to repent and do better I am doing this.  Each day as I make choices I am growing as He did. If I continue to improve and repent of my mistakes, I will one day be exalted and be a God as my Savior has become.  I know this is true and I know that through the Atonement it is possible.