Come Follow Me Matthew 6-9, Mark 2-5

Sermon on the Mount continues. I wish we had the same view of the Sea of Galilee. He is focused on three things. The way the Jews worshiped was focused on giving service, fasting, and praying. Last week focused on outward motions to what your heart is doing. It is true that in some cases it would be better to do the right thing in the wrong way or out of the wrong motive than to do the wrong thing, but Jesus’ point is clear: God cares about how we do our good works, and with what motive we do them. Motivation counts. You are the one that needs it, not necessarily for people to see you doing it. #1 Matthew 6:2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. I spent a lot of time as child concerned about this. My patriarchal blessing even mentions many of my blessings will be stored in heaven. I sometimes wish I had access sooner. As a child I thought this next part referred to taking the sacrament. #2 Matthew 6:3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth: 4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. What does doing righteous acts in secret suggest about a person’s motivation for doing them? (He or she wants to please Heavenly Father and serve others rather than seek attention from others.) Much like washing our hands, giving to the poor (and other good works) should some day be so habitual that they almost do not even register with us consciously. In such an ideal, we do not have to actively think about doing good deeds, we just do them. If you are doing faithful actions for the praise of others, you receive the reward of social praise and acceptance. Your desires are paid in full. By contrast, if we do faithful actions for God, they are true acts of consecrating our agency over to God, laying our “whole souls as an offering unto him.” We can then receive the enduring blessings of sanctification here and throughout the eternities. Portions of this may occur in this life, or the next – and it may happen bit by bit. President Benson:“When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives. Our love of the Lord will govern the claims for our affection, the demands on our time, the interests we pursue, and the order of our priorities. #3 Matthew6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. The specific ancient Greek word for closet was used for an inner chamber. It is a room where you would be able to be solitary. It is a store room where treasure was kept. There are treasures awaiting us in prayer. “True prayer is measured by weight and not by length.” What might make for a powerful prayer? How would you define that? The Lord’s warning against “vain repetitions” is not necessarily a prohibition against using the same or similar words each time we pray. The Lord is also warning against prayers that are mechanical, shallow, or empty. Our prayers should be humble, heartfelt, and expressed with faith. How could we improve our prayers? Is there is a time, place, or bodily position where you are most able to focus? Some people find it very helpful to kneel in their own quiet room while praying – which has been connected to the idea of kneeling before a King, Christ’s prayer in Gethsemane. There appears to be more than one position of prayer in the Bible – bowed heads (Exodus 12:27), falling to the ground (Job 1:20), standing (2 Chronicles 20:19), and kneeling (Psalm 95:6), as examples. It shows our trust to Heavenly Father and explicitly acknowledges that we recognize that we cannot do this on our own, that we have to go for Him for everything. We even recognize that our most basic daily needs are dependent on Him. Why does the Lord’s Prayer include the specific items Jesus mentions? He is Lord of all. It calls to mind Dieter F. Uchtdorf’s teaching that “This is a paradox of man: compared to God, man is nothing; yet we are everything to God.” Thy kingdom come, thy will be done. But if not… we must bend our will to our Father in Heaven. The only thing purely our own to give is our will. Neil L. Anderson said, “The surrender of our will to God’s will is in fact not surrender at all, but the beginning of a glorious victory.” #5Matthew6:11 11 Give us this day our daily bread. He isn’t asking for riches. Just as our physical body needs daily nourishment, so does our Spirit. Lead us not into temptation. God doesn’t lead us into temptation. Instead he allows us to be tempted. Pray to be given a way out. Sometimes he does give us more than we can handle, so that we will rely on Him. • Give us this day our daily bread: We acknowledge our constant need for Him physically. • Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors: We acknowledge that, having imperfectly dealt with temptation (we’re going to talk about judging in a moment), we will need forgiveness – and so do other human beings. We commit to a life of patience, charity, and grace for others and ourselves. • Lead us not into temptation: We acknowledge our own limitations as humans, and constant need for him spiritually. Are we really supposed to not give a single thought for tomorrow? Should I abandon my savings plan? Do not be extremely stressed out over tomorrow.” You should plan for the future, but you need to place ultimate trust in God. Don’t make yourself sick over it. What does it mean that “sufficient to the day is the evil thereof”? Are days evil? What is the message here for us? Evil means sin, especially wickedness, but it can also mean trouble or misfortune. It is actually translated “malice”, the intent to do harm. To me this suggests a poetic expression rather than literally saying a day can sin – the suggestion here is that a day has “malice” towards you, meaning a day is going to cause you trouble. Tomorrow is going to have plenty of troubles – do not add onto your troubles by being stressed out about them before the day even gets here. What did the Savior teach about judging? #6 What do you think it means to judge righteously (observe to avoid & improve) You are supposed to have an opinion. You should recognize swine, dogs, and false prophets. But don’t pass a verdict or condemn somebody. True to the Faith: “While it is true that you should not condemn others or judge them unrighteously, you will need to make judgments of ideas, situations, and people throughout your life. “Judgment is an important use of your agency and requires great care, especially when you make judgments about other people. All your judgments must be guided by righteous standards. Remember that only God, who knows each individual’s heart, can make final judgments of individuals. As much as you can, judge people’s situations rather than judging the people themselves. Whenever possible, refrain from making judgments until you have an adequate knowledge of the facts. Always be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, who can guide your decisions. Sometimes people feel that it is wrong to judge others in any way. While it is true that you should not condemn others or judge them unrighteously, you will need to make judgments of ideas, situations, and people throughout your life. “Judgment is an important use of your agency and requires great care, especially when you make judgments about other people. All your judgments must be guided by righteous standards. Remember that only God, who knows each individual’s heart, can make final judgments of individuals. As much as you can, judge people’s situations rather than judging the people themselves. Whenever possible, refrain from making judgments until you have an adequate knowledge of the facts. Always be sensitive to the Holy Spirit, who can guide your decisions.” Usually, judgments are based on false assumptions. Both the assumptions as well as the accusations can lead to anger and resentment. Judging a spouse harshly is usually an indication that something is amiss in our own lives. (an Ensign article offers this advice) Instead, we should ask ourselves, Why does this behavior or attitude of my spouse bother me so much? The answer to this question will probably help us discover what we can do to change. Once we have “cast out the beam” from our own eyes, we will be less likely to see faults in a spouse. Keep the lines of communication open. Couples who regularly talk to each other are less likely to have serious misunderstandings. Have realistic expectations for your spouse. Give your spouse the benefit of the doubt. Remember that people’s strengths and weaknesses differ. Everyone grows at his or her own rate. Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf “This business of beams and motes seems to be closely related to our inability to see ourselves clearly. I’m not sure why we are able to diagnose and recommend remedies for other people’s ills so well, while we often have difficulty seeing our own” If we focus on removing our own sins and weaknesses, then we will be less likely to judge others unrighteously. (Looking through windows) What can we learn from the Wise man who built his house upon the rock? If we hear and act on the Lord’s teachings, then He will strengthen us to endure our trials. If we hear the Lord’s teachings but do not follow them, then we will not have the support we need when trials come. President Dallin H. Oaks “There are two kinds of judging: final judgments, which we are forbidden to make, and intermediate judgments, which we are directed to make, but upon righteous principles. Why did the Savior command that we not judge final judgments? I believe this commandment was given because we presume to make final judgments whenever we proclaim that any particular person is going to hell (or to heaven) for a particular act or as of a particular time. We all make judgments in choosing our friends, in choosing how we will spend our time and our money, and, of course, in choosing an eternal companion. Some of these intermediate judgments are surely among those the Savior referenced when He taught that ‘the weightier matters of the law’ include judgment. “In the intermediate judgments we must make, we should take care to judge righteously. We should seek the guidance of the Spirit in our decisions. We should limit our judgments to our own stewardships. Whenever possible we should refrain from judging people until we have an adequate knowledge of the facts. So far as possible, we should judge circumstances rather than people. In all our judgments we should apply righteous standards. And, in all of this we must remember the command to forgive.” Elder M. Russell Ballard “When we think of false prophets and false teachers, we tend to think of those who espouse an obviously false doctrine or presume to have authority to teach the true gospel of Christ according to their own interpretation. We often assume that such individuals are associated with small radical groups on the fringes of society. However, I reiterate: there are false prophets and false teachers who have or at least claim to have membership in the Church. There are those who, without authority, claim Church endorsement to their products and practices. Beware of such. “Beware of those who speak and publish in opposition to God’s true prophets and who actively proselyte others with reckless disregard for the eternal well-being of those whom they seduce” What “pearls” should we not be casting before swine, and why? Many of the apostles were martyred. This teaching may partially reflect the practical need for the disciples to exercise caution in who they spoke to and how fully they explained their new faith. Part of discernment is making sure that, for honest people who are sincerely curious, we respond straightforwardly and do it in a way that truly answers all their questions fully and tries to help bridge gulfs of misunderstanding – but for people who are simply being bigoted or aggressive for its own sake, that we may need to withdraw and say, “this is clearly not a worthwhile dialogue.” Or perhaps the Spirit can tell us a better way to engage. Instagram Why does Christ say, “ask and it shall be given you” if we do not always receive what we pray for? Heavenly Father knows our needs before we pray. We can follow Jesus Christ’s example by praying for Heavenly Father’s will to be accomplished. We can receive Heavenly Father’s forgiveness as we choose to forgive others. Prayer can provide us strength to resist temptations. #4Why do we need to ask Heavenly Father for the things we need if He already knows our needs? There are blessings conditional on us asking for them. He is not in the business of spoiling us, He is in the business of exalting us. The Lord needs to see that we are willing to put forth the effort and ask. Don’t just expect answers. Bednar: “I testify that the tender mercies of the Lord are real and that they do not occur randomly or merely by coincidence. Often, The Lord’s timing of his tender mercies helps us to both discern and acknowledge them.” If we ask in accordance with His will we will receive answers. It is possible, given the context of the Sermon on the Mount and the recurring message of Christ about spiritual light and salvation, that what this is actually referring to is not asking for ANYTHING but asking for faith in Christ and a testimony of the Atonement. Or for help in discernment. Elder Donald L. Hallstrom taught, “Often we describe a miracle as being healed without a full explanation by medical science or as avoiding catastrophic danger by heeding a clear prompting. However, defining a miracle as “a beneficial event brought about through divine power that mortals do not understand”2gives an expanded perspective into matters more eternal in nature. This definition also allows us to contemplate the vital role of faith in the receipt of a miracle. King Nebuchadnezzar demanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego worship the golden image he set up as a god, threatening, “If ye worship not, ye shall be cast … into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.” Then he taunted them with “Who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?”6 These three devout disciples said: “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace. … But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods.”7 They possessed full confidence that God could save them, “but if not,” they had complete faith in His plan. Similarly, Elder David A. Bednar once asked a young man who had requested a priesthood blessing, “If it is the will of our Heavenly Father that you are transferred by death in your youth to the spirit world to continue your ministry, do you have the faith to submit to His will and not be healed?”8 Do we have the faith “not [to] be healed” from our earthly afflictions so we might be healed eternally? A critical question to ponder is “Where do we place our faith?” Is our faith focused on simply wanting to be relieved of pain and suffering, or is it firmly centered on God the Father and His holy plan and in Jesus the Christ and His Atonement? Faith in the Father and the Son allows us to understand and accept Their will as we prepare for eternity. Today I testify of miracles. Being a child of God is a miracle.9 Receiving a body in His image and likeness is a miracle.10 The gift of a Savior is a miracle.11 The Atonement of Jesus Christ is a miracle.12 The potential for eternal life is a miracle.13 While it is good to pray for and work for physical protection and healing during our mortal existence, our supreme focus should be on the spiritual miracles that are available to all of God’s children. No matter our ethnicity, no matter our nationality, no matter what we have done if we repent, no matter what may have been done to us—all of us have equal access to these miracles. We are living a miracle, and further miracles lie ahead. If you knew that the Savior were coming to visit your city or town today, whom would you bring to Him to be healed? Why? (prayer roll) It’s story time. Most every Jew under Roman occupation felt a reason to hate this centurion, yet he came to a Jewish teacher for help on behalf of his servant. This centurion had an unusual attitude towards his slave. Under Roman law a master had the right to kill his slave, and it was expected that he would do so if the slave became ill or injured to the point where he could no longer work.The centurion did not make a casual request. Matthew describes him as pleading with Jesus on behalf of his servant. He seeks a cure, but does not prescribe to the Lord how or where he shall work it; in fact, he does not put his request into words, but pleads the case, and lets the sorrow speak. And Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.” The centurion said, “Lord, I am not worthy that You should come under my roof. But only speak a word, and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority, having soldiers under me. And I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” It was completely against Jewish custom for a Jew to enter a Gentiles’ house; yet it was not against God’s law. centurion also showed great sensitivity to Jesus, in that he wanted to spare Jesus the awkward challenge of whether or not to enter a Gentile’s house – as well as the time and trouble of travel. He didn’t know Jesus well enough to know that He would not feel awkward in the least; but his consideration of Jesus in this situation was impressive. The centurion fully understood that Jesus’ healing power was not some sort of magic trick that required the magician’s presence. Instead he knew Jesus had true authority, and could command things to be done and completed outside His immediate presence. He understood that Jesus can heal with His word just as easily as with a touch. When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said to those who followed, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel! Now when Jesus had come into Peter’s house, He saw his wife’s mother lying sick with a fever. So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them. This clearly establishes the fact that Peter was married. Her sickness was much less severe than the leper, yet Jesus still cared for her. Jesus cares for smaller problems also. Then another of His “disciples” said to Him, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead.” Actually, this man did not ask for permission to dig a grave for his deceased father. He wanted to remain in his father’s house and care for him until the father died. This was obviously an indefinite period, which could drag on and on. The man wanted to follow Jesus, but not just yet. He knew it was good and that he should do it, but he felt there was a good reason why he could not do it now. What if you could spend a day in the life of the Savior? In the village of Capernaum in Galilee, there was a paralyzed man. Four men carried this man to the house where Jesus was. The house was so crowded that they could not enter it, they disassembled part of the roof of the house and lowered the man into the Savior’s presence. Mark 2:5-7 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee. (that’s not why we brought him – he’s paralyzed) 6 But there were certain of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts, 7 Why doth this man thus speak blasphemies? who can forgive sins but God only? 8 And immediately when Jesus perceived in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, he said unto them, Why reason ye these things in your hearts? 9 Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, Thy sins be forgiven thee; or to say, Arise, and take up thy bed, and walk? 10 But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (he saith to the sick of the palsy,) 11 I say unto thee, Arise, and take up thy bed, and go thy way into thine house. 12 And immediately he arose, took up the bed, and went forth before them all; insomuch that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, We never saw it on this fashion. Jesus Christ has the power to heal us spiritually and physically. I love that he discerned their hearts. The scribes were angered by His claim to grant forgiveness for sins. The scribes were given undeniable evidence that Jesus Christ had power to heal the sick and they heard Him testify that He could forgive sins. However, there is no indication that these men approached Jesus thereafter and sought forgiveness for their own sins. I have always missed the point. I thought this was about – who has sinned – the boy or his parents. Palsy wasn’t about sin. No. Christ forgave his sins because , as a pointed and dramatic witness that the power of God was resident in him, Jesus took (perhaps sought) this appropriate occasion to forgive sins. Being then called in question by the scripturalists who knew (and that rightly) that the false assumption of the power to forgive sins was blasphemy, Jesus did what no imposter could have done—he proved his divine power by healing the forgiven man. ‘Does it require more power to forgive sins than to make the sick rise up and walk?’ there could be only one answer! They are as one; he that can do the one, can do the other. Jairus asks the Savior to heal his dying daughter. On a narrow street, crowded shoulder to shoulder a woman grabs the edge of his robe. She is “unclean” because of her issue of blood. She has lived alone for 12 years. She secretly sits by the roadside. She doesn’t want to make a scene. And Jesus makes a scene. He stops what he is doing and asks, “Who touched me?” He already knows. He is the 911 emergency ambulance and instead He kneels and takes her by the hand and calls her daughter – a word of great tenderness in that time period. You might feel that you are being overlooked by everyone else. Just know that you are being taken care of by Him. The servant tells them Jairus’ daughter has died. Jesus knows Jairus’ heart and tells him, “Be not afraid. Only believe.” Jairus’ faith increased after watching the woman stricken for 12 years be healed to the level it would need to be for his daughter. They get to the house and the daughter has died. He takes her by the hand and raises her from the dead. Two blind men follow him. He heals them. Then a dumb man came and he healed him. Which of those things do you think were on his list to do that day? These are compassionate detours. Do you have room in your schedule to be moved with compassion? Which can be life changing for people Why would the Pharisees consider it a violation of God’s laws to pluck corn or heal someone on the Sabbath? Jewish teachers added their own rules and interpretations, called the oral law or tradition, to the law of Moses. These added rules were intended to prevent violation of God’s law, but they also prevented some people from understanding the true purpose of certain commandments, including the command to keep the Sabbath day holy. We can keep the Sabbath day holy by glorifying God and doing good works. I gave a talk in sacrament meeting on this topic, but I didn’t share this. Elder Mark E. Peterson “Our observance or nonobservance of the Sabbath is an unerring measure of our attitude toward the Lord personally and toward his suffering in Gethsemane, his death on the cross, and his resurrection from the dead.” What sign will you give to the Lord to show your love for Him? And then there is the man people hear crying at night and cutting himself in the tombs – where no one is supposed to be. It is what Jesus does. He meets us where we are. Jesus looks past all of the outside appearance and asks, “What is your name?” The answer, “Legion” – meaning 6,000 armed and strong warriors of evil. Christ is mightier than any of those things. And there are pigs and a cliff. And then the man is clothed. Did Jesus bring the clothes? And he just wants to sit at Jesus’ feet. He tells him “Go home to your friends. Tell them what great thing the Lord has done for thee.” And you will remain healed if you do that. The miracle is renewed in us and everyone who hears it. The power of one person with a testimony of Christ. He tells everyone. When Christ comes back, the whole town is waiting for Him because of that one. The most unlikely man to be the missionary. He changed 100s of people. Fear reigned and now hope. The harvest is plenteous, but the laborers are few. Pray ye the Lord of the harvest will send laborers. The harvest is people. The laborers are me and you. This week, I challenge you to choose which of the Lord’s Sermon on the Mount admonitions you can apply in your daily life. Next week, choose another and continue until you have considered each for a week. We will become more like Christ. Take a compassionate detour.