Christ and The Everlasting Gospel

This week in Christ and the Everlasting Gospel we studied the final acts of the Atonement where Christ gives up  His life by choice on the Cross as well as the Resurrection.  It was interesting to go into detail about how Christ was nailed to the cross the brutal methods they used.  Also all the symbolism of the sponge that was used to give Christ a "drink" was fascinating. One scripture I read this week in John 20 tells of Thomas' experience with the Risen Lord.  It reads: "...then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing." (John 20:26-27) It has always touched me to think of Christ with scars in His hands and feet as permanent reminders on His perfected body of what He did for us.  It is not just a reminder that He had nails driven through His hands

The week I've been waiting for in this class finally came!  This week was all about the events of the Atonement which includes: Christ's trial and judgement The Garden of Gethsemane The Crucifixion The Resurrection is the pinnacle event of the Atonement and we haven't talk about it yet, but I'm excited to do so next week. Professor Griffin pointed out to us on Thursday that that night about 2000 years ago, Christ had His final supper with His disciples and later entered the Garden to suffer for all mankind's sins, pains, and temptations.  That realization hit me really hard the next morning after having a terrible night.  I slept maybe 3 hours that night because of the stress and suffering I felt from some of the events going on in my life.  When I realized in the morning that that was the same night that Christ suffered, I felt an even stronger bond with Christ.  I felt comfort knowing that He felt the same feelings I was feeling.  He was there by my si

Today, on Palm Sunday, I write about Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem.  In Matthew 21 it reads: 6 And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them, 7  And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set  him  thereon. 8  And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed  them  in the way. 9  And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed  is  he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest. 10  And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? 11  And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. Laying their garments down for Christ's donkey to walk on was a massive expression of love and reverence.  During this week as we prepare for Easter Sunday and General Conference, let us direct our thoughts to Christ.  Let us think about how much

I love the way Jesus Christ teaches while performing a miracle.  In many of the miracles Jesus Christ performs, he is surrounded by Pharisees or other parties who doubt His divinity.  He uses these moments to teach important principles.  I especially love how He often uses their words or actions to display those principles too. In Mark 10: 51-52 it reads: And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight.   And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way.  I love how Jesus first asked the man what he wanted.  In the bible dictionary under Prayer it actually says that God has many blessings in store for us, but he waits for us to ask  for them!  So hear Jesus is asking the man to state what he wants and then Jesus will give it to him.  It's also important to note that he says that the man's fa

This week in my religion class we studied the parables that Jesus told.  My favorite parable has always been the parable of the wicked husbandmen.  This can be found in Matthew 21:33-46. I just love how Jesus Christ shows how the Lord worked through prophets to help tend to his vineyard (Earth), but the people wouldn't accept them and killed them.  Then he sends his own son, or heir, to go tell the husbandmen off, but even still they pay no respect for the Lord and kill His son. It is an easy parable for me to understand and see in the dispensations of prophets and Christ Himself.  Let us always remember what Christ said in verse 42: " Did ye never read in the scriptures, The  stone  which the builders  rejected , the same is become the head of the  corner : this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?" Christ is the stone the builders rejected!  He has become the head of the corner and it IS 'marvellous in our eyes'!

This week we went into depth in the miracles of Jesus Christ.  As part of the reading I did, I read John 2:23.   "Now when he was in Jerusalem at the  passover , in the feast  day,  many believed in his  name , when they saw the  miracles  which he did." I think it's interesting that they believed in Him only after  they saw His miracles.  Do we believe in Him only if we see a miracle or evidence of Him in our lives?  Do we constantly seek for evidence that the gospel is true?  Or do we choose to believe in Him?  I believe faith is a choice we make.  My brother is not active in the Church and he has a problem with the concept of faith.  He simply can't (or doesnt want to) choose to believe in something that he cannot logically prove.    I can't think of anything in the Gospel that can be proven true.  I believe God made it that way.  We must seek truth from Him and Him alone.  I encourage anyone who is looking for proof to find it from God. (But that proof H