1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:20,560 Hey there everybody and welcome back another episode of Redeemed Through His Blood. 2 00:00:20,560 --> 00:00:23,920 Scott Durfey here joined with as always by David Durfey. 3 00:00:23,920 --> 00:00:24,920 How you doing David? 4 00:00:24,920 --> 00:00:32,240 I'm so good Scott, thankful for this time of year and new resolutions. 5 00:00:32,240 --> 00:00:34,440 Have you broken your new resolutions already? 6 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:35,440 Not all of them. 7 00:00:35,440 --> 00:00:36,440 Not all of them. 8 00:00:36,440 --> 00:00:40,200 Well, maybe I have broke all of them I'm not sure. 9 00:00:40,200 --> 00:00:42,000 I'm well on my way that's for sure. 10 00:00:42,000 --> 00:00:43,720 It's not a goal that's not one of them. 11 00:00:43,720 --> 00:00:45,160 Just so you know. 12 00:00:45,160 --> 00:00:47,160 But you know I do. 13 00:00:47,160 --> 00:00:50,480 Good time to examine your life. 14 00:00:50,480 --> 00:00:55,480 Do the past you know. 15 00:00:55,480 --> 00:00:56,480 I kind of started a new thing. 16 00:00:56,480 --> 00:00:57,480 I wish I would have done this. 17 00:00:57,480 --> 00:01:01,560 I wish I would have started this when I was in the mission field. 18 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:07,680 But write down a few lessons you learn every year. 19 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:15,360 You know so I've you know last several weeks been thinking about what lessons have I learned 20 00:01:15,360 --> 00:01:17,160 for 2023. 21 00:01:17,160 --> 00:01:24,320 I want to take going forward so I either don't make the same mistakes or so I can remember 22 00:01:24,320 --> 00:01:28,480 a few things I did right that I can remember those. 23 00:01:28,480 --> 00:01:32,400 I wish I would have been doing that for the last 70 years. 24 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:38,160 Well they say the best time to plan a tree was 70 years ago the next best time. 25 00:01:38,160 --> 00:01:39,160 To now yeah. 26 00:01:39,160 --> 00:01:40,160 There you go. 27 00:01:40,160 --> 00:01:41,160 Just start today. 28 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:42,160 Good advice. 29 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:43,480 That's all we can do. 30 00:01:43,480 --> 00:01:48,320 Well yeah this is a time when we you know start thinking about those things at least you know 31 00:01:48,320 --> 00:01:49,320 we should. 32 00:01:49,320 --> 00:01:54,320 I have a friend he called me this would have been 15 or 20 years ago he called me he says 33 00:01:54,320 --> 00:02:00,240 do you have any resolution set and I was in recovery you know and my mind was working 34 00:02:00,240 --> 00:02:04,320 around how do I make my life better and different things like that when I say recovery I was 35 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:09,200 in Alcoholics Anonymous and this friend was too and he says what are your New Year's resolutions 36 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:10,680 I says I don't even set those. 37 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:15,240 Those are just premeditated failures for me. 38 00:02:15,240 --> 00:02:16,720 Well I've changed since then. 39 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:21,160 I've totally changed my thought since then you know they're not premeditated failures 40 00:02:21,160 --> 00:02:27,080 they're they give me guidance and direction and things to maybe even check my life against 41 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:30,240 as I go along and they're a lot more important so all that's important. 42 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:38,920 Well hey Scott even failure is the only way right to succeed in fact I wrote this down 43 00:02:38,920 --> 00:02:43,400 the other day you know Walt Walt Disney had something to say about that. 44 00:02:43,400 --> 00:02:45,360 Yeah about failure. 45 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:46,360 About failure. 46 00:02:46,360 --> 00:02:47,360 Yeah he did. 47 00:02:47,360 --> 00:02:53,040 You know he says well this Walt Disney then Thomas Edison. 48 00:02:53,040 --> 00:02:59,240 Thomas Edison said I have not failed I've just found 10,000 ways it won't work. 49 00:02:59,240 --> 00:03:00,240 Exactly. 50 00:03:00,240 --> 00:03:02,160 He heard that just the other day. 51 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:09,160 And Walt Disney said the difference between winning and losing is mostly not quitting. 52 00:03:09,160 --> 00:03:14,560 Difference between winning and losing is most often not quitting. 53 00:03:14,560 --> 00:03:16,080 And anyway. 54 00:03:16,080 --> 00:03:20,520 Well you know Babe Ruth held the record for a while for the most strikeouts and the most 55 00:03:20,520 --> 00:03:25,280 home runs and you know and on it goes it's just a matter of how we view things. 56 00:03:25,280 --> 00:03:29,160 I think you know we live in a culture of fear of failure. 57 00:03:29,160 --> 00:03:37,880 And I think maybe myself and a lot of other listeners maybe maybe we didn't even set resolutions 58 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:40,440 because we're afraid that we're not going to keep them. 59 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:43,160 Why should I set resolutions when I know I'm not going to keep them. 60 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:46,120 Yeah that was my point to my friend right. 61 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:49,760 And that's just a fear of failure. 62 00:03:49,760 --> 00:03:53,440 And it holds us back right. 63 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:55,360 Keeps us from progressing the way we could. 64 00:03:55,360 --> 00:03:57,480 Well it should. 65 00:03:57,480 --> 00:04:02,000 Yeah I've done a lot of thinking about that fear of failure thing. 66 00:04:02,000 --> 00:04:06,400 Because you know I mean I don't know about you but I feel like that's been something 67 00:04:06,400 --> 00:04:11,400 that's been a struggle of mine for much of my life is a fear of failure. 68 00:04:11,400 --> 00:04:17,400 But as I've done some self work on this and I'm continuing to do it I'm no guru on this 69 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:18,400 don't get me wrong. 70 00:04:18,400 --> 00:04:20,320 I know you know that David. 71 00:04:20,320 --> 00:04:21,320 I know you know that. 72 00:04:21,320 --> 00:04:23,400 I have a lot to learn on this too Scott. 73 00:04:23,400 --> 00:04:29,640 I know you know that but just so that we don't cast any dispersions among our listeners 74 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:32,000 here. 75 00:04:32,000 --> 00:04:41,440 For me you know failure and the fear of failure it comes from my fear of comparison. 76 00:04:41,440 --> 00:04:47,200 Fear of comparing to somebody else or fear of comparing to a benchmark even. 77 00:04:47,200 --> 00:04:48,560 Because you know what's failure. 78 00:04:48,560 --> 00:04:53,640 Failure is your inability to reach a benchmark your inability to you know meet expectations 79 00:04:53,640 --> 00:04:54,640 in somebody's eyes. 80 00:04:54,640 --> 00:04:56,480 And it's always by comparison. 81 00:04:56,480 --> 00:04:57,480 Comparison is the thief of joy. 82 00:04:57,480 --> 00:04:58,480 We know that. 83 00:04:58,480 --> 00:04:59,480 Right. 84 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:00,480 Right. 85 00:05:00,480 --> 00:05:01,480 And that's how. 86 00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:03,880 That's how it that's how it rubs us of our joy is through comparison. 87 00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:06,280 You know I see myself as a failure. 88 00:05:06,280 --> 00:05:08,760 And pride is the source of all that. 89 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:09,760 Exactly. 90 00:05:09,760 --> 00:05:11,680 You know pride is the source. 91 00:05:11,680 --> 00:05:12,680 Yeah. 92 00:05:12,680 --> 00:05:16,120 You know somebody said I don't want to be rich. 93 00:05:16,120 --> 00:05:18,400 I just want to be richer than other men. 94 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:19,400 Yeah. 95 00:05:19,400 --> 00:05:20,880 Well that's because how do you measure rich. 96 00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:22,400 What is I know what is rich. 97 00:05:22,400 --> 00:05:25,560 Rich is nothing unless you have something to compare it to. 98 00:05:25,560 --> 00:05:28,600 You know elder or not elder president Hinckley. 99 00:05:28,600 --> 00:05:32,880 President Hinckley said one of the greatest he gave a whole talk on this. 100 00:05:32,880 --> 00:05:40,080 One of the greatest sins of our culture and our generation is the sin of coveting. 101 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:43,080 And coveting is comparison. 102 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:46,200 Really that's one of the seven deadly sins. 103 00:05:46,200 --> 00:05:50,560 And he he gave a whole talk on that is stop coveting. 104 00:05:50,560 --> 00:05:51,680 Stop comparing. 105 00:05:51,680 --> 00:05:58,960 Stop wanting more and more and to be better and better and best in all that we do. 106 00:05:58,960 --> 00:06:02,440 So I don't know Scott. 107 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:06,560 Fear is so connected to our insecurities. 108 00:06:06,560 --> 00:06:12,920 So and our pride and we've talked about fear enough on those podcasts but perfect love 109 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:19,320 cast without all fear and I believe that love that you know that we should pray with all 110 00:06:19,320 --> 00:06:22,080 energy of heart for the love of the Savior. 111 00:06:22,080 --> 00:06:28,560 And if we had charity I just and that would include loving ourselves seeing ourselves 112 00:06:28,560 --> 00:06:29,640 the way God sees us. 113 00:06:29,640 --> 00:06:33,360 I think that's charity. 114 00:06:33,360 --> 00:06:38,200 We wouldn't be so worried about us how we appear to others. 115 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:39,360 You're right. 116 00:06:39,360 --> 00:06:46,560 We would only be concerned about how God sees us and if we could see how he sees us 117 00:06:46,560 --> 00:06:49,360 and the love that he has for us. 118 00:06:49,360 --> 00:06:54,200 You know again that takes off more pressure and stress and anxiety from our life. 119 00:06:54,200 --> 00:06:55,920 It removes all of that. 120 00:06:55,920 --> 00:07:02,560 We're in the middle of talking about the events of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and it's 121 00:07:02,560 --> 00:07:06,760 always a humbling experience for us. 122 00:07:06,760 --> 00:07:11,080 I know and hope it'll be humbling to our listeners. 123 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:17,960 I want to begin today by just elder gong in April of 2020 conference quoting President 124 00:07:17,960 --> 00:07:19,120 Nelson. 125 00:07:19,120 --> 00:07:23,640 So here you have a prophet quoting the prophet. 126 00:07:23,640 --> 00:07:27,920 It's always good when you got a prophet quoting the prophet. 127 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:34,440 That always just my antenna goes up and I want to really get that. 128 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:43,280 Anyway, President gong April 2020 said President Russell M. Nelson teaches that Jesus Christ 129 00:07:43,280 --> 00:07:51,720 came to pay a debt he didn't owe because we owed a debt we couldn't pay. 130 00:07:51,720 --> 00:08:01,960 I think that's a kind of a sweet way of understanding the suffering and atonement of Jesus Christ. 131 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:07,720 Jesus Christ came to pay a debt he didn't owe because he was sinless. 132 00:08:07,720 --> 00:08:14,000 We've talked about that because we owed a debt we couldn't pay. 133 00:08:14,000 --> 00:08:20,520 I just think that's a sweet way to kind of describe her to find the atonement of Jesus 134 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:25,680 Christ and today we've talked about number one is sinless life and number two last week 135 00:08:25,680 --> 00:08:32,400 is guess how many and I'm really excited to talk about well I don't know if excited 136 00:08:32,400 --> 00:08:40,480 is the word but anxious I guess more anxious. 137 00:08:40,480 --> 00:08:45,120 Nothing I don't know that's these are not exciting things to talk about because they're 138 00:08:45,120 --> 00:08:52,960 kind of are humbling and it makes me contemplate where do I stand in all of this and what pain 139 00:08:52,960 --> 00:08:58,920 did I cause him and there's nothing exciting about that but no but but there's but there's 140 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:04,000 there's a lot of solace that comes from it may not be exciting but the answer to all 141 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:08,400 of our problems is what we're talking about and when we talk about the answer to all our 142 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:12,960 problems I'm not sure what adjective I would use either but I can I do tell you that brings 143 00:09:12,960 --> 00:09:18,360 me a sense of peace that is really unmatched by any other subject. 144 00:09:18,360 --> 00:09:23,600 That's probably the best word to describe it. 145 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:29,040 We're doing better Scott as a church in I think describing what happens on the cross 146 00:09:29,040 --> 00:09:38,040 and the importance of the cross and what happens on Calvary Golgotha because I I think 147 00:09:38,040 --> 00:09:44,320 that as a church for many years I was sensitive to this definitely felt it 10 20 years ago 148 00:09:44,320 --> 00:09:53,240 that we just really as a church under appreciate the cross and what it really does symbolize 149 00:09:53,240 --> 00:10:01,240 I know I know why we don't display it I understand that and I totally sustain and support what's 150 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:10,440 been said about that that our symbol is is not the the death of Christ but it's the the 151 00:10:10,440 --> 00:10:16,120 living Christ is the symbol of our faith that's presently Hinkley others have talked 152 00:10:16,120 --> 00:10:22,840 about how we're not gonna display the instrument of Christ's death and we're going to celebrate 153 00:10:22,840 --> 00:10:31,360 his resurrection and the newness of life that he represents I get that and I also understand 154 00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:39,000 you know many years ago better understood that the Catholics and other religions Greek 155 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:46,160 Orthodox and others you know that they they would pray through the cross they would became 156 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:56,000 something of a symbol of power and kind of magical yeah well they they they they gave 157 00:10:56,000 --> 00:11:02,560 it its own its own power it's this innate object they they they have given it and did 158 00:11:02,560 --> 00:11:05,720 give it and I got to be careful because I'm definitely not an authority on this but I 159 00:11:05,720 --> 00:11:10,280 do love the book by John Hilton called remember the cross right and he talks a little bit 160 00:11:10,280 --> 00:11:16,800 about this in there but you know but but they did give it you know more authority than than 161 00:11:16,800 --> 00:11:22,360 than what happened on the cross I mean we pray if you think about it from a symbolic 162 00:11:22,360 --> 00:11:27,160 reasoning right a lot of what we do we do through the cross but we don't do it physically 163 00:11:27,160 --> 00:11:31,160 through the cross we do it because of what happened on the cross and because of what 164 00:11:31,160 --> 00:11:35,720 happened on the cross we can say that we do it through the cross but that's that there's 165 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:42,760 a big difference right there Dave yeah it came it just kind of became an image of image 166 00:11:42,760 --> 00:11:51,200 yeah of almost almost worship and idol almost yeah and so I understand why why we don't display 167 00:11:51,200 --> 00:12:01,200 it and all of that but I think in the process of that we we just under we under appreciated 168 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:10,880 under taught what really happened there and I mean it's Elder Talmadge taught it Elder 169 00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:16,600 McConkey taught it that the cross and what happens on the cross not so much the cross 170 00:12:16,600 --> 00:12:23,760 but the crucifixion and and not even the nails or the crucifixion but what happened on the 171 00:12:23,760 --> 00:12:32,840 cross from 12 to 3 p.m. is just a Gethsemane intensified I mean that's those are the words 172 00:12:32,840 --> 00:12:43,080 of of Elder Talmadge that Gethsemane recurred intensified well I don't think we've taught 173 00:12:43,080 --> 00:12:46,760 that very well and I don't think that we've noticed and I think again I think we're doing 174 00:12:46,760 --> 00:12:53,520 better you know Brother Hilton's book and others including including our dear prophet 175 00:12:53,520 --> 00:12:59,440 president Elton I mean president Elton just recently said let me just read this this is 176 00:12:59,440 --> 00:13:06,400 from October 2018 Jesus Christ chose to submit to the will of his father and do something 177 00:13:06,400 --> 00:13:11,360 for all of God's children that no one else could do condescending to come to earth as 178 00:13:11,360 --> 00:13:17,360 the only begotten of the father in the flesh he was brutally reviled mocked spit upon and 179 00:13:17,360 --> 00:13:22,080 scourged in the garden of Gethsemane our Savior took upon himself every pain every sin all 180 00:13:22,080 --> 00:13:26,880 the anguish and suffering ever experienced by you and me and by everyone who has ever 181 00:13:26,880 --> 00:13:33,320 lived or will ever live under the weight of that excruciating burden he bled from every 182 00:13:33,320 --> 00:13:42,440 poor all of this suffering was intensified as he was cruelly crucified on Calvary's 183 00:13:42,440 --> 00:13:49,040 cross through these excruciating experience and his subsequent resurrection his infinite 184 00:13:49,040 --> 00:13:54,280 atonement he granted immortality to all and ransomed each one of us from the effects of 185 00:13:54,280 --> 00:14:01,160 sin on condition of our repentance so one more time the line I have underlined all of 186 00:14:01,160 --> 00:14:10,560 this suffering that began in Gethsemane was intensified as he was cruelly crucified on 187 00:14:10,560 --> 00:14:17,600 Calvary's cross and again it wasn't so much the nails but it's the spiritual death and 188 00:14:17,600 --> 00:14:28,400 the aloneness the isolation the the press the that reoccurred on the cross from at 12 189 00:14:28,400 --> 00:14:37,400 noon when it goes completely dark I mean the earth goes dark and and he cries out my God 190 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:44,720 my God why has thou forsaken me we maybe should just again review Scott that after 191 00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:51,680 Gethsemane and his betrayal that he he goes through the mockery of a trial with the high 192 00:14:51,680 --> 00:15:00,880 priests and the Sanhedrin and he is spit upon and he is slapped and again all that would 193 00:15:00,880 --> 00:15:09,040 have been more painful because he has been bruised by bleeding from every poor in Gethsemane 194 00:15:09,040 --> 00:15:17,160 and then when the by the way it's several have made this point that the the Sanhedrin 195 00:15:17,160 --> 00:15:24,680 and those who were so strict to obey the law were breaking the law you know some really 196 00:15:24,680 --> 00:15:29,120 a mockery really hypocritical that they're having a trial in the middle of the night 197 00:15:29,120 --> 00:15:37,280 which is apparently against the law in order in order to take him to Pilate as soon as 198 00:15:37,280 --> 00:15:46,440 the sun rises they they take him over to the Antonio Fortress and and just try to approve 199 00:15:46,440 --> 00:15:55,320 that he is committed treason and sedition that he is claimed to be a king that he's 200 00:15:55,320 --> 00:16:03,600 claiming to be greater than Caesar and making all of these accusations I mean the Jews they 201 00:16:03,600 --> 00:16:10,200 found him guilty of blasphemy claiming that he was God but they take him to Pilate and 202 00:16:10,200 --> 00:16:15,440 and say that he should be crucified because he's calling himself a king and committing 203 00:16:15,440 --> 00:16:24,800 sedition and treason by wanting to replace Caesar and Pilate of course interviews him 204 00:16:24,800 --> 00:16:30,200 can't find him guilty of anything finds out he's from Galilee he's a Galilean so Herod's 205 00:16:30,200 --> 00:16:39,240 in town and he takes him over to Herod has him stand before Herod and Herod asking questions 206 00:16:39,240 --> 00:16:44,720 Jesus won't even respond to Herod this is the son of the Herod who had all the babies 207 00:16:44,720 --> 00:16:51,960 killed this is Herod who had John the Baptist killed Herod the great and his sons that followed 208 00:16:51,960 --> 00:16:59,880 him were all pretty bad guys and Jesus doesn't respond to any of his questions so Herod becomes 209 00:16:59,880 --> 00:17:07,120 frustrated and they strip him put on a robe and send him back to back to Pilate and Pilate 210 00:17:07,120 --> 00:17:15,080 has a plan and Pilate presents Barabbas and says you have a you have a law that every 211 00:17:15,080 --> 00:17:21,600 Passover you let a prisoner go free and and they they chant Barabbas they want Barabbas 212 00:17:21,600 --> 00:17:26,920 to go free not Jesus and then they begin to chant crucify him crucify him I know this 213 00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:32,880 was mostly led by the Sanhedrin and Jewish leaders but I'm sure that others kind of 214 00:17:32,880 --> 00:17:40,720 got caught up into this mob mentality and so Pilate under the pressure of being unpopular 215 00:17:40,720 --> 00:17:46,440 or not getting along with the Jews turns him over to the Jews and and before doing that 216 00:17:46,440 --> 00:17:52,600 has him scourged that in and of itself would kill some people and again keep in mind Jesus 217 00:17:52,600 --> 00:18:00,800 is bled from every poor so his he's completely bruised when he's scourged making that pain 218 00:18:00,800 --> 00:18:09,200 even more intensified exponentially intensified I believe and then has the has the cross laid 219 00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:20,080 on his back and collapses and Simon carries it the rest of the way and by 9 a.m. by 9 220 00:18:20,080 --> 00:18:29,320 a.m. they're at Golgotha Calvary and they they lay him down upon the cross and and nail 221 00:18:29,320 --> 00:18:38,120 him to the cross with five nails two in his hands two in his wrists which the Latter-day 222 00:18:38,120 --> 00:18:44,840 Saints becomes really significant if you think of the temple and I think about the crucifixion 223 00:18:44,840 --> 00:18:50,680 every time I perform a live marriage because of how it takes place and his couples and 224 00:18:50,680 --> 00:18:56,200 ill at the altar one nail is driven through both of his feet one foot's laid on top of 225 00:18:56,200 --> 00:19:02,800 the other kind of the method of crucifixion so two nails in his hands two nails in his 226 00:19:02,800 --> 00:19:08,560 wrists one of his feet I don't know why but every time I see the number five almost every 227 00:19:08,560 --> 00:19:14,720 time I see the number five I think of that five nails that all becomes pretty important 228 00:19:14,720 --> 00:19:21,920 when we think about the temple ordinance and the signs and tokens and all of that and I 229 00:19:21,920 --> 00:19:31,920 just know that the bitter cup the bitterest of the cup was on Calvary Scott and he makes 230 00:19:31,920 --> 00:19:38,320 some statements he's by the way crucified between two thieves which means that he would 231 00:19:38,320 --> 00:19:45,520 you know die among transgressors so many parts the atonement of Jesus the events of the atonement 232 00:19:45,520 --> 00:19:52,080 of Jesus Christ fulfill Old Testament prophecy and this is another one of those that he would 233 00:19:52,080 --> 00:19:59,880 be among the transgressors and one of them rails on him I think that's a quote in the 234 00:19:59,880 --> 00:20:07,160 Gospels while another kind of says leave me alone and Jesus makes a statement today that 235 00:20:07,160 --> 00:20:13,720 shall be with me in paradise which we know to mean the world of the spirits not necessarily 236 00:20:13,720 --> 00:20:21,880 paradise but these two thieves would would go to the world of the spirits and he makes 237 00:20:21,880 --> 00:20:29,600 other statements one of the most heart wrenching for me I think is what he sees his mother John 238 00:20:29,600 --> 00:20:37,920 at the foot of the cross and he says to to John behold thy mother and he says to Mary 239 00:20:37,920 --> 00:20:43,680 behold thy son kind of gives some charge to John to help take care of Mary to watch over 240 00:20:43,680 --> 00:20:50,160 Mary and I there were probably other individuals there but when it goes dark I don't know how 241 00:20:50,160 --> 00:20:55,520 many stick around at 12 noon when it goes completely dark he makes the statement he cries out 242 00:20:55,520 --> 00:21:04,240 to his father my God my God why has thou forsaken me and this is when really all hell breaks 243 00:21:04,240 --> 00:21:13,960 loose I think we're really all of the all of the sins and the sufferings of Gethsemane 244 00:21:13,960 --> 00:21:21,800 or again pressed upon him but this time Scott this time there's no angel to strengthen him 245 00:21:21,800 --> 00:21:30,480 even according as he states it even his father has left him and now Elder Scott says something 246 00:21:30,480 --> 00:21:36,760 about that that no doubt God was aware and God was there and God was watching his son 247 00:21:36,760 --> 00:21:42,560 but but the father knew that Jesus had to fill all of this and go through all of this 248 00:21:42,560 --> 00:21:50,120 and he had to do it alone in order to really pay for all the sins and all the sicknesses 249 00:21:50,120 --> 00:21:55,840 and all the sufferings and all the sins of all the world he couldn't the father couldn't 250 00:21:55,840 --> 00:22:05,120 buffer it and even his spirit any strength or presence could not be there to assist 251 00:22:05,120 --> 00:22:11,760 assist Jesus Christ even though I'm sure the father painfully was aware of it. 252 00:22:11,760 --> 00:22:15,680 I think if we were with a group of people right now and we were sharing this I would 253 00:22:15,680 --> 00:22:20,720 invite everybody to just be quiet for a minute and just let that soak in because there's 254 00:22:20,720 --> 00:22:24,960 so much there David you know and I'm going to go back I actually want to go back and 255 00:22:24,960 --> 00:22:30,080 kind of bring it bring the light and maybe even shed light on a few of these experiences 256 00:22:30,080 --> 00:22:35,800 that were there but but as we as we do this I really I really invite us all to open our 257 00:22:35,800 --> 00:22:42,640 hearts open our minds and allow the spirit to testify to us if we will not just the truthfulness 258 00:22:42,640 --> 00:22:49,080 of these things but the power behind each of them and how we can relate to these experiences 259 00:22:49,080 --> 00:22:55,040 for example and the first one that I kind of want to point out is in Matthew 27 22 where 260 00:22:55,040 --> 00:23:00,240 Pilate has Jesus and Barabbas and you know incidentally and I think this is a good time 261 00:23:00,240 --> 00:23:02,080 to point this out too. 262 00:23:02,080 --> 00:23:09,000 Barabbas actually the name Barabbas is a little bit interesting because you know in that culture 263 00:23:09,000 --> 00:23:16,960 bar means son of right and Abba means father right and we actually saw Jesus call heavenly 264 00:23:16,960 --> 00:23:23,840 father Abba and in the Garden of Gethsemane right where he cries out to him right and 265 00:23:23,840 --> 00:23:30,120 so we know that it's not just doesn't just mean father but it's a very intimate pronoun 266 00:23:30,120 --> 00:23:35,600 of father in other words you you said daddy you know so here's Barabbas the son of the 267 00:23:35,600 --> 00:23:41,280 father again gets to be set free because of what happens on the cross with Jesus Christ 268 00:23:41,280 --> 00:23:46,400 and and that in and of itself is there's a lot of symbolism there that I get to look 269 00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:51,720 at you know where am I evil where am I rebellious where am I and and even though I don't deserve 270 00:23:51,720 --> 00:23:56,160 it there's I've done nothing just like Barabbas did nothing to deserve that being set free 271 00:23:56,160 --> 00:24:01,280 because of what was about to transpire he was nonetheless set free I think that's that's 272 00:24:01,280 --> 00:24:06,400 an interesting application but what I really wanted to point out was what Pilate said 273 00:24:06,400 --> 00:24:12,200 he saith unto them in verse 22 of Matthew 27 what shall I do with this Jesus who is 274 00:24:12,200 --> 00:24:16,680 which is called Christ and I just want to stop right there that's a question we all 275 00:24:16,680 --> 00:24:22,040 should be asking ourselves yeah and we should ask ourselves that on a very regular basis 276 00:24:22,040 --> 00:24:28,120 you know at the very least that that question or a form of that question by way of our own 277 00:24:28,120 --> 00:24:34,920 inventory by way of our own introspection by way of what our own revelation or inspiration 278 00:24:34,920 --> 00:24:39,760 that's being given to us but we should take that experience or that opportunity every 279 00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:44,840 single week when we partake of this sacrament to ask ourselves that same question what shall 280 00:24:44,840 --> 00:24:49,520 I do then with this Jesus which is called Christ what shall I do with it what shall 281 00:24:49,520 --> 00:24:54,760 I do with this Jesus that was that is called Christ will I allow his influence in my life 282 00:24:54,760 --> 00:24:59,840 to affect my week will I allow the week that's in front of me you know I'm talking about time 283 00:24:59,840 --> 00:25:06,760 here well well well I allow his influence to take care of my week W e a k weaknesses 284 00:25:06,760 --> 00:25:11,640 to you know so what shall I do with this Jesus who is called Christ I think that's extremely 285 00:25:11,640 --> 00:25:17,000 important for us to understand but then when he released Barabbas in 26 and when he had 286 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:22,760 they had scourged Jesus he delivered him to be crucified and we have to read this the 287 00:25:22,760 --> 00:25:27,360 soldier of the governor took Jesus into the common hall and gathered unto him the whole 288 00:25:27,360 --> 00:25:33,040 band of soldiers and they stripped him and put on him a scarlet robe now that's not we 289 00:25:33,040 --> 00:25:37,960 think you know with that if we don't have the full context of what has already happened 290 00:25:37,960 --> 00:25:44,200 in the Garden of Gethsemane that putting on of the scarlet robe it means something but 291 00:25:44,200 --> 00:25:50,480 it we we miss the poignancy of it because of the body bruised right and and the bleeding 292 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:57,320 from every poor that would just include more excruciating pain being heaped on him not 293 00:25:57,320 --> 00:26:02,680 only that but the mockery of the scarlet robe and then they plated crowns of thorns and 294 00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:07,080 they put it on his head and a read in his hand and they bowed on the knee before him 295 00:26:07,080 --> 00:26:12,160 and mocked him saying hell king of the Jews and and so on it goes you know I invite our 296 00:26:12,160 --> 00:26:17,800 readers to participate or or immerse themselves in that and after they had mocked in verse 297 00:26:17,800 --> 00:26:23,800 30 and they spit upon him as you mentioned Dave and took the read and smote him on the 298 00:26:23,800 --> 00:26:29,640 head and after they had mocked him and took the robe from him they put on his own raiment 299 00:26:29,640 --> 00:26:35,280 on him and led him away to crucify him. It's important for us to immerse ourselves not 300 00:26:35,280 --> 00:26:40,280 to just kind of take a you know high level surface view of what's taking place here in 301 00:26:40,280 --> 00:26:44,720 order for us to really have the ability to understand and appreciate the gift that's 302 00:26:44,720 --> 00:26:48,320 given by the giver of the gift and to put on the atonement of Jesus Christ in the way 303 00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:52,680 it's intended for us to be put on or for us to put it on we need to immerse ourselves 304 00:26:52,680 --> 00:26:56,480 in that experience and really understand what was happening there. 305 00:26:56,480 --> 00:27:02,720 And I think it's really critical somewhat painful to understand our role in all of this 306 00:27:02,720 --> 00:27:09,920 Scott you know when they made the passion of Christ when Mel Gibson made that movie 307 00:27:09,920 --> 00:27:16,720 the Jews were really upset I mean he got so many negative reviews because I guess the 308 00:27:16,720 --> 00:27:23,000 movie kind of made it look like the Jews had killed Jesus and of course the Jews think 309 00:27:23,000 --> 00:27:28,240 the Romans killed Jesus and anyway there's always some discussion and back and forth 310 00:27:28,240 --> 00:27:36,160 about who killed Jesus. Well Nephi in 600 BC knew who was going to kill Jesus and it's 311 00:27:36,160 --> 00:27:42,760 so interesting how Nephi describes this and views this. Nephi sees this we know King Benjamin 312 00:27:42,760 --> 00:27:48,800 we talked about how King Benjamin saw him bleeding from every pore before that ever 313 00:27:48,800 --> 00:27:56,240 occurred well listen to listen to how Nephi describes this in a couple of different places. 314 00:27:56,240 --> 00:28:02,920 In 1st Nephi chapter 19 Nephi writes, for the things which some men esteemed to be of great 315 00:28:02,920 --> 00:28:10,880 worth both to the body and soul others said it not and trample under their feet. Yea even 316 00:28:10,880 --> 00:28:17,560 the very God of Israel do men trample under their feet. I say trample under their feet 317 00:28:17,560 --> 00:28:22,440 but I would speak in other words they set him at naught and harken not to the voice 318 00:28:22,440 --> 00:28:31,960 of his councils. Verse 9, and the world not the Jews not the Romans it was the world that 319 00:28:31,960 --> 00:28:40,240 killed Jesus it was the world it was our sins that caused Jesus to suffer. Listen again to 320 00:28:40,240 --> 00:28:50,440 verse 9 and the world because of their iniquity that's you and me Scott that's us. They shall 321 00:28:50,440 --> 00:28:56,920 judge him to be a thing of naught when we sin when we sin we judge Jesus and his suffering 322 00:28:56,920 --> 00:29:05,640 to be a thing of naught. Wherefore they the world they scourge him and he suffer it and 323 00:29:05,640 --> 00:29:14,840 the world they smite him and he suffer it. Yea they the world spit upon him and he suffer 324 00:29:14,840 --> 00:29:27,120 it because of his loving kindness and his long suffering towards the children of men. 325 00:29:27,120 --> 00:29:36,640 Those verses always get me and I think it's really helpful since we know that we'll talk 326 00:29:36,640 --> 00:29:41,680 more about this when we talk about the conditions of repentance but part of the conditions of 327 00:29:41,680 --> 00:29:46,760 repentance is a broken heart and contrite spirit and I don't know if there's many verses 328 00:29:46,760 --> 00:29:54,040 that are more heartbreaking or bring me more contrition than those verses especially when 329 00:29:54,040 --> 00:30:01,240 it says we spit on him we spit on him we smite him we scourge him and then listen to this 330 00:30:01,240 --> 00:30:08,320 passage in 1 Nephi 11 which is the great chapter on the condescension of God which we talked 331 00:30:08,320 --> 00:30:16,320 about a month ago and we talked about Christmas God coming down and Nephi sees Mary and the 332 00:30:16,320 --> 00:30:25,960 great condescension of God and then this this baby that's born to Mary grows up and is healed 333 00:30:25,960 --> 00:30:32,080 and there's miracles and he refers to him as the Lamb of God this is in 1 Nephi 11 verse 334 00:30:32,080 --> 00:30:39,520 32 and it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again saying look and I looked and 335 00:30:39,520 --> 00:30:48,640 beheld the Lamb of God that he was taken by the people by the people yea the son of the 336 00:30:48,640 --> 00:30:58,640 everlasting God was judged of the world of the world and I saw and bear record and I 337 00:30:58,640 --> 00:31:12,160 Nephi saw that he was lifted up up on the cross and slain for the sins of the world 338 00:31:12,160 --> 00:31:19,400 that's who he did it for and that's it's the world and the sins of the world Scott that 339 00:31:19,400 --> 00:31:25,160 caused Jesus his suffering not the Jews not the Romans but all of us have contributed 340 00:31:25,160 --> 00:31:33,080 to that and that I'm really thankful that again the restoration and the scriptures make that 341 00:31:33,080 --> 00:31:40,760 really so much more clear describing again over and over again that he did it for the 342 00:31:40,760 --> 00:31:50,080 sins of the world and Jesus himself when he when he appears to the people in the Americas 343 00:31:50,080 --> 00:31:56,280 in Bountiful later on after his crucifixion and after his resurrection in 3 Nephi chapter 344 00:31:56,280 --> 00:32:03,240 11 it's so interesting to me how he chooses to introduce himself Scott of all the things 345 00:32:03,240 --> 00:32:08,800 that Jesus could say in introducing himself when he appears to the Nephites and the Lamanites 346 00:32:08,800 --> 00:32:17,520 in 3 Nephi 11 listen to how he introduces himself 3 Nephi 11 starting with verse 10 I am Jesus 347 00:32:17,520 --> 00:32:23,360 Christ whom the prophets testified shall come into the world and behold I am the light and 348 00:32:23,360 --> 00:32:28,800 life of the world and I have drunk out of that bitter cop which the father hath given 349 00:32:28,800 --> 00:32:36,840 me and have glorified the father in taking upon me the sins of the world in the which 350 00:32:36,840 --> 00:32:44,880 I have suffered the will of the father in all things from the beginning I just think 351 00:32:44,880 --> 00:32:50,440 that's so interesting of all the things he could say about himself he chose to introduce 352 00:32:50,440 --> 00:32:57,760 himself as partaking drinking out of the better cop I can think of the temple when I every 353 00:32:57,760 --> 00:33:05,680 time I read that the better cop and taking upon himself the sins of the world in which 354 00:33:05,680 --> 00:33:14,320 he has suffered and then later with his disciples in 3 Nephi chapter 27 he even gets a little 355 00:33:14,320 --> 00:33:20,040 more descriptive about his suffering and about his whole purpose and mission and I think 356 00:33:20,040 --> 00:33:26,520 this is fascinating he chooses he chooses Scott in the scriptures not to focus so much 357 00:33:26,520 --> 00:33:35,400 on get get 70 we have one account one first person account of his suffering in get 70 358 00:33:35,400 --> 00:33:44,400 which is in the we read it last week which is in doctrine covenants section 19 but 6 to 359 00:33:44,400 --> 00:33:50,680 1 7 to 1 in the doctrine in covenant since throughout the scriptures he chooses to focus 360 00:33:50,680 --> 00:33:59,040 upon the cross and upon his crucifixion again because get 70 is only where it started and 361 00:33:59,040 --> 00:34:10,880 it reoccurred and was intensified on the cross listen to what he says in 3 Nephi 27 and my 362 00:34:10,880 --> 00:34:17,600 father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross and after that I had been lifted 363 00:34:17,600 --> 00:34:24,280 up on the cross that I might draw all men unto me that as I have been lifted up by men 364 00:34:24,280 --> 00:34:30,600 even so should men be lifted up by the father to stand before me to be judged of their works 365 00:34:30,600 --> 00:34:36,200 whether they be good or whether they be evil then he goes on and kind of describes the 366 00:34:36,200 --> 00:34:45,240 doctrine of Christ about faith and repentance but he chooses to focus his disciples upon 367 00:34:45,240 --> 00:34:52,480 his suffering on the cross for all the sins of all the world that's six times in the in 368 00:34:52,480 --> 00:34:59,320 the doctrine covenants where he says I was crucified I was crucified for all the sins 369 00:34:59,320 --> 00:35:07,800 of all the world so Scott what really happens on the cross I just don't think I know as 370 00:35:07,800 --> 00:35:17,840 excruciating as any crucifixion would be you know that most would die from sophistication 371 00:35:17,840 --> 00:35:22,960 because they couldn't catch their breath from the the pain or hanging there from nails and 372 00:35:22,960 --> 00:35:29,920 they're not able to really feel their lungs full of air and anyway they then they could 373 00:35:29,920 --> 00:35:37,760 stay there for sometimes days on the cross before they would die his was a very intense 374 00:35:37,760 --> 00:35:43,360 experience and it wasn't the crucifixion that killed him it was his suffering for the sins 375 00:35:43,360 --> 00:35:51,480 of the world when he had paid the price when all the demands of justice had been met that's 376 00:35:51,480 --> 00:36:00,920 when he declares at 3 p.m. so he's crucified at 9 make some statements 12 noon it goes 377 00:36:00,920 --> 00:36:08,760 dark all hell breaks loose he cries out to the father and from 12 to 3 for 3 more hours 378 00:36:08,760 --> 00:36:14,240 which is the same amount of time that he was in Gethsemane he was in Gethsemane from 9 p.m. 379 00:36:14,240 --> 00:36:23,960 till midnight the night before now from 12 noon until 3 p.m. all of it all of Gethsemane 380 00:36:23,960 --> 00:36:34,520 is again pressed upon him intensified and by 3 p.m. he says it is finished and into 381 00:36:34,520 --> 00:36:40,600 thy hands I commend my spirit and he gives up the ghost it's recorded everyone I think 382 00:36:40,600 --> 00:36:52,720 is pretty shocked that in less than just six hours Jesus is dead but according to justice 383 00:36:52,720 --> 00:36:59,400 according to the law of justice he didn't need to suffer an ounce more or a millimeter 384 00:36:59,400 --> 00:37:05,840 more than he needed to to pay to meet all the demands of justice not only for the sins 385 00:37:05,840 --> 00:37:12,000 but for all the negative effects of the fall in the history of the world upon all of the 386 00:37:12,000 --> 00:37:20,080 people of not just our world but worlds it's incomprehensible it's impossible to conceive 387 00:37:20,080 --> 00:37:29,720 of what he suffered but we just want to remember every time we partake again in the sacrament 388 00:37:29,720 --> 00:37:40,200 as you as you ended our last podcast with that that torn piece of flesh you know that 389 00:37:40,200 --> 00:37:49,360 each individual bread is different each individual was covered each individual was suffered for 390 00:37:49,360 --> 00:37:56,560 in the suffering of Jesus I want to read what elder mcconkey says this is from a conference 391 00:37:56,560 --> 00:38:03,200 talk the purifying power of Gethsemane this is the last talk he gave before he died elder 392 00:38:03,200 --> 00:38:10,880 mcconkey which is really powerful people should go back and listen to that April 1985 he gives 393 00:38:10,880 --> 00:38:18,280 his final witness of Jesus Christ and his atonement then he talks about the three gardens the 394 00:38:18,280 --> 00:38:24,160 garden of Eden the garden of Gethsemane and the garden tomb and it's one of the I think 395 00:38:24,160 --> 00:38:33,400 one of the classic talks of the restoration really anyway he reads the with great mallets 396 00:38:33,400 --> 00:38:38,440 they drove spikes of iron through his feet and hands and wrists truly he was wounded 397 00:38:38,440 --> 00:38:44,160 for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities then the cross was raised that 398 00:38:44,160 --> 00:38:50,000 all might see and gape and curse and deride and they did you know all the gospel writers 399 00:38:50,000 --> 00:38:56,480 talk about how they mark and Matthew say they that people went by wagging their heads and 400 00:38:56,480 --> 00:39:01,760 they they challenged him if you if you be the son of God bring yourself off the cross 401 00:39:01,760 --> 00:39:07,560 and the one thief if you're the son of God save us so they were they were all deriding 402 00:39:07,560 --> 00:39:12,640 him you know those who were not really truly his followers and there aren't very many of 403 00:39:12,640 --> 00:39:19,600 those at this point of his well 33 years and they were even being led by the chief priests 404 00:39:19,600 --> 00:39:25,520 the chief priests and Matthew 2741 likewise also the chief priest mocking him with the 405 00:39:25,520 --> 00:39:30,320 scribes and elders said he saved others himself he cannot say if he be the king of Israel 406 00:39:30,320 --> 00:39:36,240 let him now come down from the cross and we will believe him so the mocking was you know 407 00:39:36,240 --> 00:39:41,320 not just from them well they were being led by the leaders and everything else too he 408 00:39:41,320 --> 00:39:48,360 was so degraded yeah so degraded Scott here's this innocent pure virtuous holy man they 409 00:39:48,360 --> 00:39:56,720 strip him and hang him on the cross and I just can't imagine you know I mean he he just 410 00:39:56,720 --> 00:40:03,240 suffered more than we can even begin to imagine more than anyone could ever suffer world without 411 00:40:03,240 --> 00:40:10,000 end other conkey says continues then the cross was raised that all might see and gape and 412 00:40:10,000 --> 00:40:16,560 curse and to ride this they did with evil venom for three hours from nine to noon then 413 00:40:16,560 --> 00:40:22,440 the heavens grew black darkness covered the land for the space of three hours as it did 414 00:40:22,440 --> 00:40:29,640 among the Nephites there was mighty storm as though the very God of nature was in agony 415 00:40:29,640 --> 00:40:36,440 and truly he was for while he was hanging on the cross for another three hours from noon 416 00:40:36,440 --> 00:40:46,560 to three p.m. all of the infinite agonies and merciless pains of Gethsemane reoccurred 417 00:40:46,560 --> 00:40:52,960 and finally when the atoning agonies had taken their toll when the victory had been won when 418 00:40:52,960 --> 00:41:01,160 the son of God had fulfilled the will of the father in all things then he said it is finished 419 00:41:01,160 --> 00:41:09,800 and he voluntarily gave up the ghost no one killed Jesus really Scott Jesus volunteered 420 00:41:09,800 --> 00:41:14,440 to give up the ghost I think that's an important doctrinal point no one could get no one could 421 00:41:14,440 --> 00:41:22,640 no one did no one could have ever killed Jesus he after he had paid the price after it was 422 00:41:22,640 --> 00:41:31,400 finished the atonement to his atonement was complete then he voluntarily gave up the ghost 423 00:41:31,400 --> 00:41:39,280 move on to maybe the fourth and final step which is his resurrection which we'll talk 424 00:41:39,280 --> 00:41:51,840 more about next time so it's got the crucifixion of Jesus Christ when we see across they tell 425 00:41:51,840 --> 00:41:59,880 my students you know if you see somebody else weren't across you shouldn't be condemning 426 00:41:59,880 --> 00:42:06,400 them you should just bow your head and get really humble and say thank you I mean when 427 00:42:06,400 --> 00:42:16,320 I see across that's what I think I don't I I mean I just think for way too long as a 428 00:42:16,320 --> 00:42:23,200 church people as an individual maybe to speak for myself you know it would it would bother 429 00:42:23,200 --> 00:42:29,840 me when I would see across or somebody wearing a cross or somebody displaying the cross and 430 00:42:29,840 --> 00:42:34,280 somebody had once given it given the analogy well if he was killed with a gun would we 431 00:42:34,280 --> 00:42:40,360 hang up a gun and and all of that's kind of silly because I get nobody or nothing killed 432 00:42:40,360 --> 00:42:48,600 Jesus it was all voluntary on his part nobody could when I see across now I think of I think 433 00:42:48,600 --> 00:42:56,080 of the five nails I think of his crucifixion of course but more than that I think of the 434 00:42:56,080 --> 00:43:03,080 Gethsemane I think if there's any blood left that that would have been oozed through his 435 00:43:03,080 --> 00:43:12,600 pores I think of my role in all of that I think of all the suffering all the sins all 436 00:43:12,600 --> 00:43:23,440 of the sicknesses that pressed upon him really from noon on that Friday good Friday we call 437 00:43:23,440 --> 00:43:33,240 it that Christian world calls that good Friday and good for us but bad for him and and all 438 00:43:33,240 --> 00:43:43,440 that happened there I I just I just hope our listeners can better understand and more humbly 439 00:43:43,440 --> 00:43:50,760 be grateful and express their gratitude I think sometimes we become a little bit of a Gethsemane 440 00:43:50,760 --> 00:43:59,080 church where we think Gethsemane is where he suffered for all of our sins well that's 441 00:43:59,080 --> 00:44:05,640 where it started for sure that's where it began and that was where it was pretty terrible 442 00:44:05,640 --> 00:44:13,600 but I mean we sing about Gethsemane seems like we people seem to prefer sometimes the 443 00:44:13,600 --> 00:44:20,320 songs about Gethsemane then they do the cross I know the cross is mentioned in several of 444 00:44:20,320 --> 00:44:27,920 our hymns but it's clear reading the scriptures what Jesus chose to focus on Scott and and 445 00:44:27,920 --> 00:44:37,840 that was that was the cross so I hope that when we see it that we'll just be more grateful 446 00:44:37,840 --> 00:44:44,080 when we think of it and remember it every Sunday when we take the sacrament that we'll 447 00:44:44,080 --> 00:44:51,000 try to imagine that we've talked about this before Scott that when he invites us to come 448 00:44:51,000 --> 00:45:02,160 under him you know that means go to Gethsemane and try to try to see that event with an eye 449 00:45:02,160 --> 00:45:08,800 of faith and try and see his suffering on the cross with an eye of faith and all that 450 00:45:08,800 --> 00:45:16,480 he did when he dies when he it is finished and he yields up the the ghost the veil of 451 00:45:16,480 --> 00:45:28,920 the temple is rent that heavy singular veil that heavy veil is rent cleaved cleaved I 452 00:45:28,920 --> 00:45:34,760 think it's so important you know the the Hebrews would talk about cutting a covenant and the 453 00:45:34,760 --> 00:45:42,040 blood involved in all of that and that that renting tearing ripping of the veil of the 454 00:45:42,040 --> 00:45:51,000 temple I think is so such a powerful symbol of what was taking place the the heart of 455 00:45:51,000 --> 00:45:58,280 Jesus being wrenched because of the spiritual death all of the injustices and sins for which 456 00:45:58,280 --> 00:46:09,760 he suffered so the and Scott more more important than all of those things you know we know 457 00:46:09,760 --> 00:46:19,040 I know you know I know most of our listeners know by the power and gift of the Holy Ghost 458 00:46:19,040 --> 00:46:27,440 we know that that really happened that's that's a historical fact it's a historical event 459 00:46:27,440 --> 00:46:33,840 but more important than that it's we've received a spiritual witness that he that he did that 460 00:46:33,840 --> 00:46:41,800 not only for the world but the Holy Ghost has testified that he did that just for me 461 00:46:41,800 --> 00:46:50,800 when we began our Christmas part of the podcast here one of our I think almost an entire podcast 462 00:46:50,800 --> 00:46:56,840 we talked about the witnesses of the birth of Jesus Christ and and that was a sweet 463 00:46:56,840 --> 00:47:00,480 experience for me to consider those that witnessed the birth and what would their 464 00:47:00,480 --> 00:47:06,520 hey experience have been and what would their hope have been and all of that I think that 465 00:47:06,520 --> 00:47:12,040 same thing about the witnesses of the crucifixion I wonder who all they would have been you 466 00:47:12,040 --> 00:47:16,960 know we do know we have an account of several who we know were there we know Mary was there 467 00:47:16,960 --> 00:47:22,320 we know John was there and maybe many others you know we know that there was there were 468 00:47:22,320 --> 00:47:28,080 Romans there we know all of that but but I think about that you know and my mind does 469 00:47:28,080 --> 00:47:34,000 this because I think how do I make application for me how do I how do I put myself in that 470 00:47:34,000 --> 00:47:40,360 spot on that day in that experience and what can I glean from that participation in it 471 00:47:40,360 --> 00:47:47,600 even if it is remotely even if it is centuries millennial ago and I think about that you know 472 00:47:47,600 --> 00:47:54,120 how would I have responded as I saw Jesus say to John here's your mother here's your 473 00:47:54,120 --> 00:48:00,040 son you know and and take care of her John you know do a good job buddy don't mess it 474 00:48:00,040 --> 00:48:04,360 up you know please take care of Jesus always thinking of others yeah you know and I and 475 00:48:04,360 --> 00:48:11,080 I think of you know maybe some Romans you know we there's a series out called the chosen 476 00:48:11,080 --> 00:48:16,640 now and in the chosen there's a particular Roman who says sure you John talks exactly 477 00:48:16,640 --> 00:48:23,200 who has you know this this pole you can fill the draw the pole I wonder how many of them 478 00:48:23,200 --> 00:48:29,520 felt that you know I wonder if those that were casting lots or those that were donning 479 00:48:29,520 --> 00:48:34,720 scarlet robes or even those that were you know had the handle of the cat of nine tails 480 00:48:34,720 --> 00:48:39,480 I always wonder did they feel something you know was there something different and and 481 00:48:39,480 --> 00:48:46,480 I there had to be I just believe that there had to be what I like to do in that is think 482 00:48:46,480 --> 00:48:52,240 okay what would how would I have responded and then how am I how's my life modeled today 483 00:48:52,240 --> 00:48:57,480 after how I would say I would have responded is my life congruent with the response that 484 00:48:57,480 --> 00:49:01,560 I declare that I would have had I don't know that it is always in fact I know that it's 485 00:49:01,560 --> 00:49:07,480 not very frequently and that's to that end and this is the beauty behind that to that 486 00:49:07,480 --> 00:49:16,280 end he hung there so that I could be relieved of the burden of my own guilt of feelings 487 00:49:16,280 --> 00:49:23,960 of inadequacy and and just not being able to do what he was able to do for me which was 488 00:49:23,960 --> 00:49:29,840 absolutely in eternity the most important event I've always been touched by elder boyd 489 00:49:29,840 --> 00:49:38,040 keep Packers description of the suffering of Christ many years ago in the April 1988 490 00:49:38,040 --> 00:49:45,760 conference elder Packer said upon him Jesus Christ was the burden of all human transgression 491 00:49:45,760 --> 00:49:56,840 all human guilt he by choice accepted the penalty for all mankind for the sum total 492 00:49:56,840 --> 00:50:07,920 the sum total of all wickedness and depravity for brutality immorality perversion corruption 493 00:50:07,920 --> 00:50:16,640 all for all addictions for the killings the torture and the terror for all of it that 494 00:50:16,640 --> 00:50:26,120 ever had been or all that ever would be enacted upon this earth in choosing he faced the awesome 495 00:50:26,120 --> 00:50:36,880 power of the evil one who was not confined to flesh nor subject to mortal pain he faced 496 00:50:36,880 --> 00:50:48,040 the awesome power of the evil one I mean completely guiltless and yet felt the full force I think 497 00:50:48,040 --> 00:50:57,360 of spiritual darkness and death and lived for several three hours through through that 498 00:50:57,360 --> 00:51:09,840 and it's just it's incomprehensible and so I hope our I hope our understanding and gratitude 499 00:51:09,840 --> 00:51:19,840 can increase as we contemplate what Jesus did for each of us I love what elder Redland 500 00:51:19,840 --> 00:51:26,680 said about the atoning sacrifice he performed the atoning sacrifice not just because he 501 00:51:26,680 --> 00:51:35,200 submitted his will to the will of the father but also out of love for us his pure love 502 00:51:35,200 --> 00:51:42,680 an attribute called charity you know he did it not just because he's obedient he did it 503 00:51:42,680 --> 00:51:50,040 out of pure love his elder president elchins made a big word of the word Hebrew word hessed 504 00:51:50,040 --> 00:52:01,720 hessed his loving kindness that was the key to his motivation was his hessed and and I'm 505 00:52:01,720 --> 00:52:07,280 thankful for that another another point I think we should make in regards to Gethsemane 506 00:52:07,280 --> 00:52:17,440 and the cross both is that when he is suffering in Gethsemane and on the cross Mosiah in Mosiah 507 00:52:17,440 --> 00:52:28,240 15 Abinadi says that he saw his seed I I think that's really interesting that some of the 508 00:52:28,240 --> 00:52:34,680 brother and have taught that in again this is incomprehensible and only a God with only 509 00:52:34,680 --> 00:52:43,440 a God is this even possible but that when he is suffering that he sees who he is suffering 510 00:52:43,440 --> 00:52:52,480 for and maybe what he is suffering for in his suffering in Gethsemane and on the cross 511 00:52:52,480 --> 00:53:02,400 he saw me and he saw you and he saw your pains and he saw your sins and your sicknesses and 512 00:53:02,400 --> 00:53:11,560 he saw mine and he saw all that he needed to see to know exactly not just feel it not 513 00:53:11,560 --> 00:53:20,440 just feel it but it became personal the the atonement of Jesus Christ is not just infinite 514 00:53:20,440 --> 00:53:29,800 Elder Maxwell but it is intimate it's intimate and I think in order for it to be intimate 515 00:53:29,800 --> 00:53:37,200 that he did see me and he did see you and he saw our weakness and he saw our sins and 516 00:53:37,200 --> 00:53:43,880 he saw our pains and our afflictions all of which he suffered for that they might be consecrated 517 00:53:43,880 --> 00:53:51,840 for again that there might be beauty out of ashes I love the the whole description that 518 00:53:51,840 --> 00:53:58,760 Isaiah gives of Jesus and his mission which Jesus chose these are the very this the very 519 00:53:58,760 --> 00:54:05,560 passage that Joseph's that Jesus that Jesus read in Nazareth when it was his turn to read 520 00:54:05,560 --> 00:54:14,400 and when he announced his his calling as the Son of God and the Savior of mankind the Messiah 521 00:54:14,400 --> 00:54:20,600 when he was asked to read this was the passage he chose to read which maybe is a perfect 522 00:54:20,600 --> 00:54:32,960 description of not just his not just his role but the the results and the consequences of 523 00:54:32,960 --> 00:54:42,640 his mission and his role so this is Isaiah 61 Scott the spirit of the Lord God is upon 524 00:54:42,640 --> 00:54:48,560 me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings under the meek he has sent me 525 00:54:48,560 --> 00:54:54,800 to bind up the brokenhearted to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison 526 00:54:54,800 --> 00:55:00,880 to them that are bound to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of 527 00:55:00,880 --> 00:55:08,040 our God to comfort all that mourn to a point under them this is verse 3 Isaiah 61 I love 528 00:55:08,040 --> 00:55:15,320 this to a point under them that mourn in Zion to give unto them beauty for ashes the oil 529 00:55:15,320 --> 00:55:21,200 of joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness that they might 530 00:55:21,200 --> 00:55:30,040 be called trees of righteousness the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified love 531 00:55:30,040 --> 00:55:41,600 that and I also love Isaiah's description well again quoted by Abinadi right of the 532 00:55:41,600 --> 00:55:49,760 suffering of Jesus Christ being bruised for our iniquities in Mosiah chapter 14 this again 533 00:55:49,760 --> 00:55:57,400 Abinadi Abinadi chooses to try to soften Noah's heart and others and the one thing that came 534 00:55:57,400 --> 00:56:03,720 out of all of that was that we got an Alma Alma one of Noah's high priests and what affected 535 00:56:03,720 --> 00:56:09,880 him what really calls people to repentance what really calls people to repentance is 536 00:56:09,880 --> 00:56:15,840 to understand the atonement of Jesus Christ and that's what Abinadi was trying to teach 537 00:56:15,840 --> 00:56:20,720 that's what Jacob tried to teach to his people that's what Nephi tried to teach to his brothers 538 00:56:20,720 --> 00:56:25,720 that's what Alma tried to teach that's what Alma the younger tried to teach to his sons 539 00:56:25,720 --> 00:56:33,200 Corianton his wayward son I mean there's nothing that probably should be more taught and understood 540 00:56:33,200 --> 00:56:39,560 again the atonement of Jesus Christ is the root of Christian doctrine and anything that 541 00:56:39,560 --> 00:56:44,840 doesn't touch his atonement will die if we teach anything that doesn't point us to the 542 00:56:44,840 --> 00:56:53,360 atonement of Jesus Christ it will die so this is from chapter 14 but it's really Isaiah 543 00:56:53,360 --> 00:57:02,600 chapter 53 verses 3 through 6 I think again of where was I as I read this every time I 544 00:57:02,600 --> 00:57:07,800 read this I think where was I when Jesus was suffering I I know I was in the premortal 545 00:57:07,800 --> 00:57:14,880 existence but did I did I get a peak did I did I get a glimpse did what did I did I 546 00:57:14,880 --> 00:57:20,640 take a look and turn away not because I did not because I wasn't grateful but I just couldn't 547 00:57:20,640 --> 00:57:26,480 bear to watch it all and when I read this I think about that was that me was that me 548 00:57:26,480 --> 00:57:38,640 in the premortal existence of anyway verses 3 through 6 of moseyea 14 he is despised and 549 00:57:38,640 --> 00:57:48,080 rejected of men a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and we hid as it were our faces 550 00:57:48,080 --> 00:57:56,680 from him he was despised and we esteemed him not surely he is born our griefs and carried 551 00:57:56,680 --> 00:58:05,640 our sorrows yet we did esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted but he was wounded 552 00:58:05,640 --> 00:58:14,560 for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities this chastisement of our peace 553 00:58:14,560 --> 00:58:25,320 was upon him and with his stripes we are healed all we like sheep have gone astray we have 554 00:58:25,320 --> 00:58:34,720 turned everyone to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all 555 00:58:34,720 --> 00:58:48,720 kind of knocks the breath out of me really Scott when I think of all that Jesus did for 556 00:58:48,720 --> 00:58:57,880 me all that he did for my family I think sometimes Scott I'm grateful for what he did for me 557 00:58:57,880 --> 00:59:03,640 but when I really really think about it it's kind of like I'm even more grateful what he 558 00:59:03,640 --> 00:59:11,400 did for my kids and what he did for my grandkids I know he saved me and I'm great so so so 559 00:59:11,400 --> 00:59:22,080 grateful but he also suffered and saved my kids my grandkids and he suffered for the 560 00:59:22,080 --> 00:59:31,680 injustices the insults the inequities the all that they suffered some of them born with 561 00:59:31,680 --> 00:59:41,520 my adopted son you know I think of all that he suffered for them and my gratitude is increased 562 00:59:41,520 --> 00:59:52,040 tenfold so anyway so thankful for the opportunity to discuss these sacred things and too sacred 563 00:59:52,040 --> 00:59:58,040 and too great to even begin to describe them I hope our listeners will study them and and 564 00:59:58,040 --> 01:00:05,800 feel the and not just have a cognitive understanding but come to a witness that these things are 565 01:00:05,800 --> 01:00:12,440 true by the gift and power of the Holy Ghost for themselves thanks for being with us everybody 566 01:00:12,440 --> 01:00:18,480 as we go through our week this week especially again and we will probably say this every 567 01:00:18,480 --> 01:00:24,200 Sunday about every Sunday as we go through this process especially as we focus on the 568 01:00:24,200 --> 01:00:29,040 events of the Atonement of Jesus Christ I hope that our sacrament experience is all 569 01:00:29,040 --> 01:00:34,440 that it's intended to be and it really is kind of up to us to align ourselves with 570 01:00:34,440 --> 01:00:39,240 him and with these things that we've learned and taught or relearned and refelt and felt 571 01:00:39,240 --> 01:00:43,920 today it's our prayer that God will bless us with his spirit that the administration 572 01:00:43,920 --> 01:00:47,960 of the things that we're talking about will be alive in our lives so that we can feel 573 01:00:47,960 --> 01:00:52,560 the peace and joy that comes from them thanks for being with us everybody we look forward 574 01:00:52,560 --> 01:00:55,480 to being with you again next week and until then be well.