Gospel Doctrine OT c42: Jeremiah- in their hearts

Gospel Doctrine OT – c42 Jeremiah-In Their Hearts

Last Sunday, we finished our lesson talking about the living waters. Jer 2:13. We try to put living water in broken cisterns. What does that mean?

To summarize, Marion D. Hanks said this:

“Material objectives consume too much of our attention. The struggle for what we need or for more than we need exhausts our time and energy. We pursue pleasure or entertainment, or become overinvolved in associations or civic matters. Of course, people need recreation, need to be achieving, need to contribute; but if these come at the cost of friendship with Christ, the price is much too high.

“For my people have committed two evils,’ saith the Lord to Israel; ‘they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.

“The substitutions we fashion to take the place of God in our lives truly hold no water. To the measure we thus refuse the ‘living water,’ we miss the joy we could have” (Gen Conf April 1972)

The living waters, the words of God, are what sustained Jeremiah. From the very beginning:

Jer 1:9 Then the Lord put forth his hand, and touched my mouth. And the Lord said unto me, Behold, I have put my words in thy mouth.

Jer 15:16 Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts.

This reminds me of what Nephi said is 2 Nephi.

2N32:3 Wherefore, I say unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do.

Jer 20:9 But his word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones

?? What do we do with the words of Christ? How do we feast on them? How do we make them a part of us?

Elder Wirthlin said: “Drink deeply of living water.

“The abundant life is a spiritual life. Too many sit at the banquet table of the gospel of Jesus Christ and merely nibble at the feast placed before them. They go through the motions – attending their meetings perhaps, glancing at scriptures, repeating familiar prayers – but their hearts are far away. If they are honest, they would admit to being more interested in the latest neighborhood rumors, stock market trends, and their favorite TV shows than they are in the supernal wonders and sweet ministerings of the Holy Spirit.

“Do you wish to partake of this living water and experience that divine well springing up within you to everlasting life?

“Then be not afraid. Believe with all your hearts. Develop an unshakable faith in the Son of God. Let your hearts reach out in earnest prayer. Fill your minds with knowledge of Him. Forsake your weaknesses. Walk in holiness and harmony with the commandments. Drink deeply of the living water of the gospel of Jesus Christ.” (Gen Conf 2006, “The Abundant Life” Joseph B. Wirthlin)

Jeremiah talks about the children of Israel and their exodus from Egypt. Lots of prophets mention it. ?Why? Because it is one of the most miraculous, grand-scale events ever!

The children of Israel relied on Moses to receive revelation for them during their sojourn in the wilderness. ?What great longing did Moses express in Numbers 11:29?

He wanted the people to learn God’s law and learn to listen to the Spirit for themselves.

Speaking of our day, Jeremiah said: READ Jer 31:33-34 “I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts”

Just like what happened to Jeremiah. Eat the words, feast on their words, write them in your heart so they burn in your bones.

We’ve already talked a little bit about how to do that. The manual asks this interesting question: ? How is our behavior affected when we have God’s law written in our hearts?

READ Jer 29:12-14

(Could one behavior that changes be the desire to share the gospel?)

  

The manual starts with an interesting question.

“If you could have witnessed or participated in any story or event in the Old Testament, which one would you choose? Why? What is happening in the Church today that might be comparable to some of the events you have chosen?

? What gives me the permission to say the exodus of the children of Israel from Egypt is one of the greatest miracles of all time?

Many generations later, Jeremiah saw visions of a latter-day event that the Lord said would be as great as the Exodus. READ Jer 16:14-16

What is he talking about?

Why do you think these events are as great as the Exodus?

Elder LeGrand Richards said that the fishers and hunters described in the Jer 16:16 are missionaries of the Church. What are the comparisons there?

“Where do you find those fishers and hunters that we read about in this great prophecy of Jeremiah? They are these 14,000 missionaries of this church.” (Conf Rep. Apr. 1971)

Now we have 88,000 missionaries.