Wednesday March 13, 2013

Institute - Last Night

Hebrews

p. 381 and 382 - "The Life and Teaching of the Apostles" (manual)

Hebrews - what the Law of Moses really meant
46.5 2nd paragraph in manual
   "One of the great contributions of the book of Hebrews is that is shows the ever-present role of Jesus Christ in men's lives. While the scriptures are replete with references to Jesus' atoning sacrifice, to his resurrection from the dead, and to his ascension into heaven, they do not deal at length, as Hebrews does, with the ongoing work of the Redeemer now. That is what Hebrews is all about.
Law of Moses - Law of Performances

Ch. 1:1-3
"God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
"Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
"Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high"
  V. 2 WORLD'S - plural = many
Who is Jesus Christ?
 - upholder of all things
 - purged our sins
 - sat on Right hand of God

Ch. 4: 12-13
"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
"Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do."
 - The Word of God: quick, powerful, sharper than 2-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit . . .
 - footnote 12a - (1)Alma 31:5; (2) Doctrine and Covenants 6:2; (3) Doctrine and Covenants 11:2; (4) Doctrine and Covenants 12:2; (5) Doctrine and Covenants 14:2; (6) Doctrine and Covenants 33:1
(1) "And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just - yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them - therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the virtue of the word of God."

(2) "Behold, I am God; give heed unto my word, which is quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword, to the dividing asunder of both joints and marrow; therefore give heed unto my words."

(3) "Behold, I am God; give heed to my word, which is quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword to the dividing asunder of both joints and marrow; therefore give heed unto my word."

(4) "Behold, I am God; give heed to my word, which is quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword, to the dividing asunder of both joints and marrow; therefore, give heed unto my word."

(5) "Behold, I am God; give heed to my word, which is quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword, to the dividing asunder of both joints and marrow; therefore give heed unto my word."

(6) "Behold, I say unto you, my servants Ezra and Northrop, open ye your ears and hearken to the voice of the Lord your God, whose word is quick and powerful, sharper than a two-edged sword, to the dividing asunder of the joints and marrow, soul and spirit; and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."

The truth cuts into you
Virtue also means power - substitute it in Alma 31:5
  "And now, as the preaching of the word had a great tendency to lead the people to do that which was just - yea, it had had more powerful effect upon the minds of the people than the sword, or anything else, which had happened unto them - therefore Alma thought it was expedient that they should try the power of the word of God."

"True doctrine, understood, changed attitudes and behavior. The study of the doctrines of the gospel will improve behavior quicker than a study of behavior will improve behavior . . . That is why we stress so forcefully the study of the doctrines of the gospel." - Boyd K Packer

Hebrews 4:12
"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart."
- footnote b
  - quick = living
    - "The word of God is living"

Doctrine and Covenants 1:30
"And also those to whom these commandments were given, might have power to lay the foundation of this church, and to bring it forth out of obscurity and out of darkness, the only true and living church upon the face of the whole earth, with which I, the Lord, am well pleased, speaking unto the church collectively and not individually"
You cannot place limits on God

Doctrine and Covenants 85:6
"Yea, thus saith the still small voice, which whispereth through and pierceth all things, and often times it maketh my bones to quake while it maketh manifest"
 - The Spirit fills the room

Have you ever felt the spirit pierce your heart?

Hosea 6:5
"Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets; I have slain them by the words of my mouth: and thy judgements are as the light that goeth forth."

The spirit of God is a loving thing
The spirit is a diviner of thoughts and the heart

John 1:1
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
 - The Word = Jesus Christ
 - Joseph Smith Translation "In the beginning was the gospel preached through the Son. And the gospel was the word, and the word was with the Son, and the Son was with God, and the Son was of God."

Word of God is a descerner of thoughts and intents of our hearts

Hebrews 4:13
"Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do."
You can't hide from God

"Guys, he's Jehovah, what do you not get?"

(1) 1 Nephi 8:30 and (2) 1 Nephi 15:23-24
(1) "But, to be short in writing, behold, he saw other multitudes pressing forward; and they came and caught hold of the end of the rod of iron; and they did press their way forward, continually holding fast to the rod of iron, until they came forth and fell down and partook of the fruit of the tree."
 - The Iron Rod is the Word of God

Doctrine and Covenants 6:16
"Yea, I tell thee, that thou mayest know that there is none else save God that knowest they thoughts and the intents of thy heart."
  - God knows thy thoughts only

Heavenly Father gives us the benefit of a doubt
If you move forward, he's pleased
God sees everything we can be
  - he wants us to move forward

Alma 7:10, 11, 12
"And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God.
"And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.
"And he will take upon him death, that he may loose the bands of death which bind his people; and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities."
 - Christ suffered ALL for us
 - Succor = runs to; he knows how to run to us - to comfort us

Christ suffered Gethsemane, then suffered all those pains again while on the cross

Christ was the only one every truly alone in this world

"The Brilliant Morning of Forgiveness", Boyd K. Packer, October 1995 talk
 - "Christ's work will never be done until everyone, except the sons of Perdition, has accepted his word."

Hebrews 4:14-16
"Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
"For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."
 - we have that great high priest

Being tempted is part of life

What does Paul mean to "hold fast to our profession"?
 - Profession - what you've learned

The Prophet is the high priest of the Earth
Stake President is high priest of his stake

p. 383 (picture) robes of the high priest

President Kimball, "We hold the keys"

God is infinite

What does "to come boldly to the throne of grace" mean to you?
 - go without fear

You can never go out of the bounds of the Atonement
 - The Atonement is Infinite

Elder Holland, "There is no place so dark that the atonement cannot shine"
 - April 2012 Conference talk

Doctrine and Covenants 98:40
"And so on unto the second and third time; and as oft as thine enemy repenteth of the trespass wherewith he has trespassed against thee, thou shalt forgive him, until seventy times seven."

If you don't forgive someone, it hurts you more in the long run

"It is not possible for you to sink lower than the infinite light of Christ's Atonement shines." - Elder Holland, "The Laborers in the Vineyard", April 2012 talk

Hebrews 5:4
"And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron."

Who can have/hold the Priesthood?
    Men
Priesthood is the power and authority of God - They perform his will
 - sacrament - every week
 - blessings

Hebrews 6:1-2
"Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God.
"Of the doctrine of baptisms, and of laying on of hands, and of resurrection of the dead, and of eternal judgement."
  V. 1 footnote, not leaving

Do you get to heaven by works or faith?
   Both

"His Grace is Sufficient" - talk by Brad Wilcox (on YouTube)

Why did Christ pay for us?
     - to get us on a higher plane

Mosiah 2:20, 23-24, 25
". . . if you should render all the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power to possess, to that God who has created you, and has kept and preserved you, and has caused that ye should rejoice, and has granted that ye should live in peace with another. . . . . . Ye cannot say that ye are even as much as the dust of the earth; yet ye were created of the dust of the earth; but behold, it belongeth to him who created you."

Moses 1:39
"For behold, this is my work and my glory - to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man."

President Uchtdorf, "You Matter to Him"

Boyd K. Packer, "The Brilliant Morning of Forgiveness"
  - "Christ's work was not done . . . called to his mission"

How can we obtain perfection?

Hebrews 6:10-12
"For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the Saints, and do minister.
"And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end:
"That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises."

p. 386 Perfection is an achievable goal (46-25)
 - "Being perfect means to triumph over sin."

Saying 'no'

p. 386 (44-26) Why do we procrastinate?
p. 386 (46-28)
 - A deep abiding testimony is of great assistance in becoming perfect

Hebrews 8:10-12
"For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
"And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
"For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
 - all shall know the Lord
 - when we repent, He will remember our sins no more

Old Testament = Old Covenant
New Testament = New Covenant

Hebrews 9:11
"But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building"
  - the tabernacle is of Christ
 - good things are to come
V. 12
"Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us."
 - the Savior went in once and obtained redemption for all of us

"An High Priest of Good Tidings to Come" - Elder Holland talk on YouTube, 5 minutes

How is he a high priest of good things to come in your life?

"An High Priest of Good Things to Come" - Elder Holland, 1999 October talk (and recently)
 - story of his car in the snow
 - "There is help and happiness to come"
 - "Don't give up"