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Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Gospel Doctrine OT C1: Work and Glory


Gospel Doctrine Old Testament
C1 “This is My Work and My Glory” (Moses 1)
“Remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.” Moroni 10:3
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Bro. McConkie (1st couns gen sun sch pres) said: “We’re an Old Testament church.  This is illustrated by the fact that the powers and keys we profess to have today were turned to the Prophet Joseph Smith by….Elijah, Elias, and Abraham.” (Church News Jan 4 by R Scott Lloyd)

Start with a review of the preview

Video: “Importance of the OT”

*Gen Sunday Sch Presidency encourages us to study/read OT. (Church News Jan 4 by R Scott Lloyd)

Bro. McConkie (1st couns) said: “When the Church did that (study aids: footnotes, cross references, Topical Guide and JST), it was one of the most important things to have happened, certainly in our lifetimes, and probably in this dispensation. The study aids tie the Standard Works together as a unit to augment one another in teaching and clarifying gospel precepts.”

Bro. Osguthorpe (pres) said, “Church members have what a friend of his characterized as ‘an embarrassment of riches’ in the array of scriptures that are available to them. “What that means is, if you’re having trouble understanding, say, Isaiah, there’s help on the way. And the help is right there in those footnotes. That’s why we have these additional books of scripture, to help understand these principles of the gospel.”

Bro. Richardson (2nd couns) said, “There is great power when we use scripture to help us understand scripture.”
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Class activity 
Select two class members and hand them a bag that contains a few everyday items. Tell them they are going to play a game, but do not give instructions or explain the object of the game. Ask participants to open the bag and begin playing. (Bags contain no instructions and participants wonder what to do). 

To understand a game, we must understand its object or purpose. Similarly, to understand our lives on earth we must understand the object or purpose of our lives. 

  1. ??What is significant about the book of Moses? Out of all the scriptures, these books of Moses were completed lost, deleted. No record whatsoever. Joseph Smith translated Book of Mormon from written record. Book of Abraham is also a translation. JST comes from the bible. But the book of Moses was revelation. ??What makes this book and this chapter specifically so important? We’ll find out!

Video? : “Plain and Precious Truths”

1N13:29  - “-because of the many plain and precious things which have been taken out of the book, which were plain unto the understanding of the children of men, according to the plainness which is in the Lamb of God-because of these things which are taken away out of the gospel of the Lamb, an exceedingly great many do stumble, yea, insomuch that Satan hath great power over them.”

Moses 1 answers a few important questions:
1-Who we are, who God is, who Satan is
2-Why we are here, How to overcome the influence of the adversary
3-What we are supposed to do and how

C1 is a vision given to Moses. It is believed to have happened between Moses’ experience with the burning bush and the exodus.

Video“I Am a Child of God”

??What truths do we learn in v1-6?
-Face to face talk
**Who God is! v3 “Behold, I am the Lord God Almighty, and Endless is my name; for I am without beginning of days or end of years;” v6”mine Only Begotten is and shall be the Savior, for he is full of grace and truth; but there is no God beside me,” All things are present, He knows all.
**Who we are! v4 “Thou art my son;” v6 “Thou art in the similitude of mine Only Begotten;”
-Our place- v4 “I will show thee the workmanship of mine hands;”
-God’s works are numerous, without end and never cease
-v6 “I have a work for thee”

??What difference does it make for us to know who we are? It gives us confidence and an understanding of our worth. Example? If we know who we are-then we know who we are not!!! Example?
It helps you know where you belong. Media fast then when you turn TV or movies back on, its like an assault on your spirit. Or when you watch something with your kids. You would watch it but you wouldn’t want your kids to watch it.

Elder Dalln H. Oaks: “Consider the power of the idea taught in our beloved song “I Am a Child of God.” … Here is the answer to one of life’s great questions, ‘Who am I?’  I am a child of God with a spirit lineage to heavenly parents. That parentage defines our eternal potential. That powerful idea is a potent antidepressant. It can strengthen each of us to make righteous choices and to seek the best that is within us. Establish in the mind of a …person the powerful idea that he or she is a child of God, and you have given self-respect and motivation to move against the problems of life.” (Gen Conf Oct 1995).

The principle is, not only am I a child of God, so is every one else.  ??How does this influence how you treat relationships in your famiy, with your children, spouse, siblings, neighbors, friendships?
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God builds him up, then, v7- he shows him the world so he can place himself in it, gain perspective. Remember he was raised in the royal courts, then fended for himself in the desert for a while. Now he understands he is a child of God. v10”Now for this cause I know that man is nothing, which thing I never had supposed.” How is this concept true?
Natural vs spiritual/ Deep Concept! v11
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Then Satan comes. Moses has already learned who God is and who he is. Now we learn who Satan is.
v12 “Moses, son of man, worship me.” Knowing who we are also helps us know who we are not.
v13 “Who are thou? For behold, I am a son of God, in the similitude of his Only Begotten; and where is thy glory, that I should worship thee?”
** If we could answer challenges with that response, what a difference it would make. Depression, anger, fear, social media, chastity, word of wisdom.

**Moses’ rejection probably hurt Satan deeply, hitting him where it hurts the most. For 3 verses Moses goes on, twisting the knife. v16 “Get thee hence, Satan;”

**What is Moses doing here? He is learning to discern. ??How do we learn to discern? Scripture study, repentence, trust the Spirit, put the Lord first in our lives, take sacrament, be obedient

??What does Moses do in his battle with Satan?
-knows who he is   -knows who God is   -keeps commandments(v17)   -will not cease to call upon God (v18)
-fears then calls on God (v20)    -received strength (v20)    - rejects again (v20)
??What does Satan do?
-cried w/ a loud voice, ranted, demanded worship (v19)    -tremble(v21)    -cried w/ a loud voice, weeping, wailing gnashing of teeth(v22)

??What do we learn about fighting Satan from Moses’ experience?
-- Rejection v16, 18, 20, 21
– what is the pattern? v20 Moses began to fear, THEN he called on God, THEN he received strength.
-- After the battle, Moses gets the comfort and confirming of God’s love and mercy. v26 “And lo, I am with thee, even unto the end of thy days;”
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v8 he saw the world  AND   v27-29 he saw the world
** Its like a retake on an exam. This time Moses asks, “Tell me, I pray thee, why these things are so, and by what thou madest them?” (v30)
The answer, “For mine own purpose have I made these things” (v31) He mentions worlds without number, and creating Adam, and the involvement of His Only Begotten.
Moses asks, “tell me concerning this earth, and the inhabitants thereof,” (v36) Essentially, tell me about me.
The answer, “The heavens, they are many, and they cannot be numbered unto man; but they are numbered unto me, for they are mine.” (v37)  “For behold, this is my work and my glory—to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man.” (v39).
-Don’t let v37 get lost.

What’s the difference between the two? On the 1st take – Moses learns that he is nothing compared to what he had seen. On the retake – he learns that his immortality and eternal life, (his happiness and return to Heavenly Father) is God’s work and glory. Essentially God tells Moses, man is not nothing, man is everything!

“Remember how merciful the Lord hath been unto the children of men, from the creation of Adam even down until the time that ye shall receive these things, and ponder it in your hearts.” Moroni 10:3

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