Hey there everybody and welcome back another episode of Redeemed Through His Blood.
Scott Durfey here joined with as always by David Durfey.
How you doing David?
I'm so good Scott, thankful for this time of year and new resolutions.
Have you broken your new resolutions already?
Not all of them.
Well, maybe I have broke all of them I'm not sure.
I'm well on my way that's for sure.
It's not a goal that's not one of them.
Just so you know.
But you know I do.
Good time to examine your life.
Do the past you know.
I kind of started a new thing.
I wish I would have done this.
I wish I would have started this when I was in the mission field.
But write down a few lessons you learn every year.
You know so I've you know last several weeks been thinking about what lessons have I learned
for 2023.
I want to take going forward so I either don't make the same mistakes or so I can remember
a few things I did right that I can remember those.
I wish I would have been doing that for the last 70 years.
Well they say the best time to plan a tree was 70 years ago the next best time.
To now yeah.
There you go.
Just start today.
Good advice.
That's all we can do.
Well yeah this is a time when we you know start thinking about those things at least you know
we should.
I have a friend he called me this would have been 15 or 20 years ago he called me he says
do you have any resolution set and I was in recovery you know and my mind was working
around how do I make my life better and different things like that when I say recovery I was
in Alcoholics Anonymous and this friend was too and he says what are your New Year's resolutions
I says I don't even set those.
Those are just premeditated failures for me.
Well I've changed since then.
I've totally changed my thought since then you know they're not premeditated failures
they're they give me guidance and direction and things to maybe even check my life against
as I go along and they're a lot more important so all that's important.
Well hey Scott even failure is the only way right to succeed in fact I wrote this down
the other day you know Walt Walt Disney had something to say about that.
Yeah about failure.
About failure.
Yeah he did.
You know he says well this Walt Disney then Thomas Edison.
Thomas Edison said I have not failed I've just found 10,000 ways it won't work.
Exactly.
He heard that just the other day.
And Walt Disney said the difference between winning and losing is mostly not quitting.
Difference between winning and losing is most often not quitting.
And anyway.
Well you know Babe Ruth held the record for a while for the most strikeouts and the most
home runs and you know and on it goes it's just a matter of how we view things.
I think you know we live in a culture of fear of failure.
And I think maybe myself and a lot of other listeners maybe maybe we didn't even set resolutions
because we're afraid that we're not going to keep them.
Why should I set resolutions when I know I'm not going to keep them.
Yeah that was my point to my friend right.
And that's just a fear of failure.
And it holds us back right.
Keeps us from progressing the way we could.
Well it should.
Yeah I've done a lot of thinking about that fear of failure thing.
Because you know I mean I don't know about you but I feel like that's been something
that's been a struggle of mine for much of my life is a fear of failure.
But as I've done some self work on this and I'm continuing to do it I'm no guru on this
don't get me wrong.
I know you know that David.
I know you know that.
I have a lot to learn on this too Scott.
I know you know that but just so that we don't cast any dispersions among our listeners
here.
For me you know failure and the fear of failure it comes from my fear of comparison.
Fear of comparing to somebody else or fear of comparing to a benchmark even.
Because you know what's failure.
Failure is your inability to reach a benchmark your inability to you know meet expectations
in somebody's eyes.
And it's always by comparison.
Comparison is the thief of joy.
We know that.
Right.
And that's how.
That's how it that's how it rubs us of our joy is through comparison.
You know I see myself as a failure.
And pride is the source of all that.
Exactly.
You know pride is the source.
Yeah.
You know somebody said I don't want to be rich.
I just want to be richer than other men.
Yeah.
Well that's because how do you measure rich.
What is I know what is rich.
Rich is nothing unless you have something to compare it to.
You know elder or not elder president Hinckley.
President Hinckley said one of the greatest he gave a whole talk on this.
One of the greatest sins of our culture and our generation is the sin of coveting.
And coveting is comparison.
Really that's one of the seven deadly sins.
And he he gave a whole talk on that is stop coveting.
Stop comparing.
Stop wanting more and more and to be better and better and best in all that we do.
So I don't know Scott.
Fear is so connected to our insecurities.
So and our pride and we've talked about fear enough on those podcasts but perfect love
cast without all fear and I believe that love that you know that we should pray with all
energy of heart for the love of the Savior.
And if we had charity I just and that would include loving ourselves seeing ourselves
the way God sees us.
I think that's charity.
We wouldn't be so worried about us how we appear to others.
You're right.
We would only be concerned about how God sees us and if we could see how he sees us
and the love that he has for us.
You know again that takes off more pressure and stress and anxiety from our life.
It removes all of that.
We're in the middle of talking about the events of the Atonement of Jesus Christ and it's
always a humbling experience for us.
I know and hope it'll be humbling to our listeners.
I want to begin today by just elder gong in April of 2020 conference quoting President
Nelson.
So here you have a prophet quoting the prophet.
It's always good when you got a prophet quoting the prophet.
That always just my antenna goes up and I want to really get that.
Anyway, President gong April 2020 said President Russell M. Nelson teaches that Jesus Christ
came to pay a debt he didn't owe because we owed a debt we couldn't pay.
I think that's a kind of a sweet way of understanding the suffering and atonement of Jesus Christ.
Jesus Christ came to pay a debt he didn't owe because he was sinless.
We've talked about that because we owed a debt we couldn't pay.
I just think that's a sweet way to kind of describe her to find the atonement of Jesus
Christ and today we've talked about number one is sinless life and number two last week
is guess how many and I'm really excited to talk about well I don't know if excited
is the word but anxious I guess more anxious.
Nothing I don't know that's these are not exciting things to talk about because they're
kind of are humbling and it makes me contemplate where do I stand in all of this and what pain
did I cause him and there's nothing exciting about that but no but but there's but there's
there's a lot of solace that comes from it may not be exciting but the answer to all
of our problems is what we're talking about and when we talk about the answer to all our
problems I'm not sure what adjective I would use either but I can I do tell you that brings
me a sense of peace that is really unmatched by any other subject.
That's probably the best word to describe it.
We're doing better Scott as a church in I think describing what happens on the cross
and the importance of the cross and what happens on Calvary Golgotha because I I think
that as a church for many years I was sensitive to this definitely felt it 10 20 years ago
that we just really as a church under appreciate the cross and what it really does symbolize
I know I know why we don't display it I understand that and I totally sustain and support what's
been said about that that our symbol is is not the the death of Christ but it's the the
living Christ is the symbol of our faith that's presently Hinkley others have talked
about how we're not gonna display the instrument of Christ's death and we're going to celebrate
his resurrection and the newness of life that he represents I get that and I also understand
you know many years ago better understood that the Catholics and other religions Greek
Orthodox and others you know that they they would pray through the cross they would became
something of a symbol of power and kind of magical yeah well they they they they gave
it its own its own power it's this innate object they they they have given it and did
give it and I got to be careful because I'm definitely not an authority on this but I
do love the book by John Hilton called remember the cross right and he talks a little bit
about this in there but you know but but they did give it you know more authority than than
than what happened on the cross I mean we pray if you think about it from a symbolic
reasoning right a lot of what we do we do through the cross but we don't do it physically
through the cross we do it because of what happened on the cross and because of what
happened on the cross we can say that we do it through the cross but that's that there's
a big difference right there Dave yeah it came it just kind of became an image of image
yeah of almost almost worship and idol almost yeah and so I understand why why we don't display
it and all of that but I think in the process of that we we just under we under appreciated
under taught what really happened there and I mean it's Elder Talmadge taught it Elder
McConkey taught it that the cross and what happens on the cross not so much the cross
but the crucifixion and and not even the nails or the crucifixion but what happened on the
cross from 12 to 3 p.m. is just a Gethsemane intensified I mean that's those are the words
of of Elder Talmadge that Gethsemane recurred intensified well I don't think we've taught
that very well and I don't think that we've noticed and I think again I think we're doing
better you know Brother Hilton's book and others including including our dear prophet
president Elton I mean president Elton just recently said let me just read this this is
from October 2018 Jesus Christ chose to submit to the will of his father and do something
for all of God's children that no one else could do condescending to come to earth as
the only begotten of the father in the flesh he was brutally reviled mocked spit upon and
scourged in the garden of Gethsemane our Savior took upon himself every pain every sin all
the anguish and suffering ever experienced by you and me and by everyone who has ever
lived or will ever live under the weight of that excruciating burden he bled from every
poor all of this suffering was intensified as he was cruelly crucified on Calvary's
cross through these excruciating experience and his subsequent resurrection his infinite
atonement he granted immortality to all and ransomed each one of us from the effects of
sin on condition of our repentance so one more time the line I have underlined all of
this suffering that began in Gethsemane was intensified as he was cruelly crucified on
Calvary's cross and again it wasn't so much the nails but it's the spiritual death and
the aloneness the isolation the the press the that reoccurred on the cross from at 12
noon when it goes completely dark I mean the earth goes dark and and he cries out my God
my God why has thou forsaken me we maybe should just again review Scott that after
Gethsemane and his betrayal that he he goes through the mockery of a trial with the high
priests and the Sanhedrin and he is spit upon and he is slapped and again all that would
have been more painful because he has been bruised by bleeding from every poor in Gethsemane
and then when the by the way it's several have made this point that the the Sanhedrin
and those who were so strict to obey the law were breaking the law you know some really
a mockery really hypocritical that they're having a trial in the middle of the night
which is apparently against the law in order in order to take him to Pilate as soon as
the sun rises they they take him over to the Antonio Fortress and and just try to approve
that he is committed treason and sedition that he is claimed to be a king that he's
claiming to be greater than Caesar and making all of these accusations I mean the Jews they
found him guilty of blasphemy claiming that he was God but they take him to Pilate and
and say that he should be crucified because he's calling himself a king and committing
sedition and treason by wanting to replace Caesar and Pilate of course interviews him
can't find him guilty of anything finds out he's from Galilee he's a Galilean so Herod's
in town and he takes him over to Herod has him stand before Herod and Herod asking questions
Jesus won't even respond to Herod this is the son of the Herod who had all the babies
killed this is Herod who had John the Baptist killed Herod the great and his sons that followed
him were all pretty bad guys and Jesus doesn't respond to any of his questions so Herod becomes
frustrated and they strip him put on a robe and send him back to back to Pilate and Pilate
has a plan and Pilate presents Barabbas and says you have a you have a law that every
Passover you let a prisoner go free and and they they chant Barabbas they want Barabbas
to go free not Jesus and then they begin to chant crucify him crucify him I know this
was mostly led by the Sanhedrin and Jewish leaders but I'm sure that others kind of
got caught up into this mob mentality and so Pilate under the pressure of being unpopular
or not getting along with the Jews turns him over to the Jews and and before doing that
has him scourged that in and of itself would kill some people and again keep in mind Jesus
is bled from every poor so his he's completely bruised when he's scourged making that pain
even more intensified exponentially intensified I believe and then has the has the cross laid
on his back and collapses and Simon carries it the rest of the way and by 9 a.m. by 9
a.m. they're at Golgotha Calvary and they they lay him down upon the cross and and nail
him to the cross with five nails two in his hands two in his wrists which the Latter-day
Saints becomes really significant if you think of the temple and I think about the crucifixion
every time I perform a live marriage because of how it takes place and his couples and
ill at the altar one nail is driven through both of his feet one foot's laid on top of
the other kind of the method of crucifixion so two nails in his hands two nails in his
wrists one of his feet I don't know why but every time I see the number five almost every
time I see the number five I think of that five nails that all becomes pretty important
when we think about the temple ordinance and the signs and tokens and all of that and I
just know that the bitter cup the bitterest of the cup was on Calvary Scott and he makes
some statements he's by the way crucified between two thieves which means that he would
you know die among transgressors so many parts the atonement of Jesus the events of the atonement
of Jesus Christ fulfill Old Testament prophecy and this is another one of those that he would
be among the transgressors and one of them rails on him I think that's a quote in the
Gospels while another kind of says leave me alone and Jesus makes a statement today that
shall be with me in paradise which we know to mean the world of the spirits not necessarily
paradise but these two thieves would would go to the world of the spirits and he makes
other statements one of the most heart wrenching for me I think is what he sees his mother John
at the foot of the cross and he says to to John behold thy mother and he says to Mary
behold thy son kind of gives some charge to John to help take care of Mary to watch over
Mary and I there were probably other individuals there but when it goes dark I don't know how
many stick around at 12 noon when it goes completely dark he makes the statement he cries out
to his father my God my God why has thou forsaken me and this is when really all hell breaks
loose I think we're really all of the all of the sins and the sufferings of Gethsemane
or again pressed upon him but this time Scott this time there's no angel to strengthen him
even according as he states it even his father has left him and now Elder Scott says something
about that that no doubt God was aware and God was there and God was watching his son
but but the father knew that Jesus had to fill all of this and go through all of this
and he had to do it alone in order to really pay for all the sins and all the sicknesses
and all the sufferings and all the sins of all the world he couldn't the father couldn't
buffer it and even his spirit any strength or presence could not be there to assist
assist Jesus Christ even though I'm sure the father painfully was aware of it.
I think if we were with a group of people right now and we were sharing this I would
invite everybody to just be quiet for a minute and just let that soak in because there's
so much there David you know and I'm going to go back I actually want to go back and
kind of bring it bring the light and maybe even shed light on a few of these experiences
that were there but but as we as we do this I really I really invite us all to open our
hearts open our minds and allow the spirit to testify to us if we will not just the truthfulness
of these things but the power behind each of them and how we can relate to these experiences
for example and the first one that I kind of want to point out is in Matthew 27 22 where
Pilate has Jesus and Barabbas and you know incidentally and I think this is a good time
to point this out too.
Barabbas actually the name Barabbas is a little bit interesting because you know in that culture
bar means son of right and Abba means father right and we actually saw Jesus call heavenly
father Abba and in the Garden of Gethsemane right where he cries out to him right and
so we know that it's not just doesn't just mean father but it's a very intimate pronoun
of father in other words you you said daddy you know so here's Barabbas the son of the
father again gets to be set free because of what happens on the cross with Jesus Christ
and and that in and of itself is there's a lot of symbolism there that I get to look
at you know where am I evil where am I rebellious where am I and and even though I don't deserve
it there's I've done nothing just like Barabbas did nothing to deserve that being set free
because of what was about to transpire he was nonetheless set free I think that's that's
an interesting application but what I really wanted to point out was what Pilate said
he saith unto them in verse 22 of Matthew 27 what shall I do with this Jesus who is
which is called Christ and I just want to stop right there that's a question we all
should be asking ourselves yeah and we should ask ourselves that on a very regular basis
you know at the very least that that question or a form of that question by way of our own
inventory by way of our own introspection by way of what our own revelation or inspiration
that's being given to us but we should take that experience or that opportunity every
single week when we partake of this sacrament to ask ourselves that same question what shall
I do then with this Jesus which is called Christ what shall I do with it what shall
I do with this Jesus that was that is called Christ will I allow his influence in my life
to affect my week will I allow the week that's in front of me you know I'm talking about time
here well well well I allow his influence to take care of my week W e a k weaknesses
to you know so what shall I do with this Jesus who is called Christ I think that's extremely
important for us to understand but then when he released Barabbas in 26 and when he had
they had scourged Jesus he delivered him to be crucified and we have to read this the
soldier of the governor took Jesus into the common hall and gathered unto him the whole
band of soldiers and they stripped him and put on him a scarlet robe now that's not we
think you know with that if we don't have the full context of what has already happened
in the Garden of Gethsemane that putting on of the scarlet robe it means something but
it we we miss the poignancy of it because of the body bruised right and and the bleeding
from every poor that would just include more excruciating pain being heaped on him not
only that but the mockery of the scarlet robe and then they plated crowns of thorns and
they put it on his head and a read in his hand and they bowed on the knee before him
and mocked him saying hell king of the Jews and and so on it goes you know I invite our
readers to participate or or immerse themselves in that and after they had mocked in verse
30 and they spit upon him as you mentioned Dave and took the read and smote him on the
head and after they had mocked him and took the robe from him they put on his own raiment
on him and led him away to crucify him. It's important for us to immerse ourselves not
to just kind of take a you know high level surface view of what's taking place here in
order for us to really have the ability to understand and appreciate the gift that's
given by the giver of the gift and to put on the atonement of Jesus Christ in the way
it's intended for us to be put on or for us to put it on we need to immerse ourselves
in that experience and really understand what was happening there.
And I think it's really critical somewhat painful to understand our role in all of this
Scott you know when they made the passion of Christ when Mel Gibson made that movie
the Jews were really upset I mean he got so many negative reviews because I guess the
movie kind of made it look like the Jews had killed Jesus and of course the Jews think
the Romans killed Jesus and anyway there's always some discussion and back and forth
about who killed Jesus. Well Nephi in 600 BC knew who was going to kill Jesus and it's
so interesting how Nephi describes this and views this. Nephi sees this we know King Benjamin
we talked about how King Benjamin saw him bleeding from every pore before that ever
occurred well listen to listen to how Nephi describes this in a couple of different places.
In 1st Nephi chapter 19 Nephi writes, for the things which some men esteemed to be of great
worth both to the body and soul others said it not and trample under their feet. Yea even
the very God of Israel do men trample under their feet. I say trample under their feet
but I would speak in other words they set him at naught and harken not to the voice
of his councils. Verse 9, and the world not the Jews not the Romans it was the world that
killed Jesus it was the world it was our sins that caused Jesus to suffer. Listen again to
verse 9 and the world because of their iniquity that's you and me Scott that's us. They shall
judge him to be a thing of naught when we sin when we sin we judge Jesus and his suffering
to be a thing of naught. Wherefore they the world they scourge him and he suffer it and
the world they smite him and he suffer it. Yea they the world spit upon him and he suffer
it because of his loving kindness and his long suffering towards the children of men.
Those verses always get me and I think it's really helpful since we know that we'll talk
more about this when we talk about the conditions of repentance but part of the conditions of
repentance is a broken heart and contrite spirit and I don't know if there's many verses
that are more heartbreaking or bring me more contrition than those verses especially when
it says we spit on him we spit on him we smite him we scourge him and then listen to this
passage in 1 Nephi 11 which is the great chapter on the condescension of God which we talked
about a month ago and we talked about Christmas God coming down and Nephi sees Mary and the
great condescension of God and then this this baby that's born to Mary grows up and is healed
and there's miracles and he refers to him as the Lamb of God this is in 1 Nephi 11 verse
32 and it came to pass that the angel spake unto me again saying look and I looked and
beheld the Lamb of God that he was taken by the people by the people yea the son of the
everlasting God was judged of the world of the world and I saw and bear record and I
Nephi saw that he was lifted up up on the cross and slain for the sins of the world
that's who he did it for and that's it's the world and the sins of the world Scott that
caused Jesus his suffering not the Jews not the Romans but all of us have contributed
to that and that I'm really thankful that again the restoration and the scriptures make that
really so much more clear describing again over and over again that he did it for the
sins of the world and Jesus himself when he when he appears to the people in the Americas
in Bountiful later on after his crucifixion and after his resurrection in 3 Nephi chapter
11 it's so interesting to me how he chooses to introduce himself Scott of all the things
that Jesus could say in introducing himself when he appears to the Nephites and the Lamanites
in 3 Nephi 11 listen to how he introduces himself 3 Nephi 11 starting with verse 10 I am Jesus
Christ whom the prophets testified shall come into the world and behold I am the light and
life of the world and I have drunk out of that bitter cop which the father hath given
me and have glorified the father in taking upon me the sins of the world in the which
I have suffered the will of the father in all things from the beginning I just think
that's so interesting of all the things he could say about himself he chose to introduce
himself as partaking drinking out of the better cop I can think of the temple when I every
time I read that the better cop and taking upon himself the sins of the world in which
he has suffered and then later with his disciples in 3 Nephi chapter 27 he even gets a little
more descriptive about his suffering and about his whole purpose and mission and I think
this is fascinating he chooses he chooses Scott in the scriptures not to focus so much
on get get 70 we have one account one first person account of his suffering in get 70
which is in the we read it last week which is in doctrine covenants section 19 but 6 to
1 7 to 1 in the doctrine in covenant since throughout the scriptures he chooses to focus
upon the cross and upon his crucifixion again because get 70 is only where it started and
it reoccurred and was intensified on the cross listen to what he says in 3 Nephi 27 and my
father sent me that I might be lifted up upon the cross and after that I had been lifted
up on the cross that I might draw all men unto me that as I have been lifted up by men
even so should men be lifted up by the father to stand before me to be judged of their works
whether they be good or whether they be evil then he goes on and kind of describes the
doctrine of Christ about faith and repentance but he chooses to focus his disciples upon
his suffering on the cross for all the sins of all the world that's six times in the in
the doctrine covenants where he says I was crucified I was crucified for all the sins
of all the world so Scott what really happens on the cross I just don't think I know as
excruciating as any crucifixion would be you know that most would die from sophistication
because they couldn't catch their breath from the the pain or hanging there from nails and
they're not able to really feel their lungs full of air and anyway they then they could
stay there for sometimes days on the cross before they would die his was a very intense
experience and it wasn't the crucifixion that killed him it was his suffering for the sins
of the world when he had paid the price when all the demands of justice had been met that's
when he declares at 3 p.m. so he's crucified at 9 make some statements 12 noon it goes
dark all hell breaks loose he cries out to the father and from 12 to 3 for 3 more hours
which is the same amount of time that he was in Gethsemane he was in Gethsemane from 9 p.m.
till midnight the night before now from 12 noon until 3 p.m. all of it all of Gethsemane
is again pressed upon him intensified and by 3 p.m. he says it is finished and into
thy hands I commend my spirit and he gives up the ghost it's recorded everyone I think
is pretty shocked that in less than just six hours Jesus is dead but according to justice
according to the law of justice he didn't need to suffer an ounce more or a millimeter
more than he needed to to pay to meet all the demands of justice not only for the sins
but for all the negative effects of the fall in the history of the world upon all of the
people of not just our world but worlds it's incomprehensible it's impossible to conceive
of what he suffered but we just want to remember every time we partake again in the sacrament
as you as you ended our last podcast with that that torn piece of flesh you know that
each individual bread is different each individual was covered each individual was suffered for
in the suffering of Jesus I want to read what elder mcconkey says this is from a conference
talk the purifying power of Gethsemane this is the last talk he gave before he died elder
mcconkey which is really powerful people should go back and listen to that April 1985 he gives
his final witness of Jesus Christ and his atonement then he talks about the three gardens the
garden of Eden the garden of Gethsemane and the garden tomb and it's one of the I think
one of the classic talks of the restoration really anyway he reads the with great mallets
they drove spikes of iron through his feet and hands and wrists truly he was wounded
for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities then the cross was raised that
all might see and gape and curse and deride and they did you know all the gospel writers
talk about how they mark and Matthew say they that people went by wagging their heads and
they they challenged him if you if you be the son of God bring yourself off the cross
and the one thief if you're the son of God save us so they were they were all deriding
him you know those who were not really truly his followers and there aren't very many of
those at this point of his well 33 years and they were even being led by the chief priests
the chief priests and Matthew 2741 likewise also the chief priest mocking him with the
scribes and elders said he saved others himself he cannot say if he be the king of Israel
let him now come down from the cross and we will believe him so the mocking was you know
not just from them well they were being led by the leaders and everything else too he
was so degraded yeah so degraded Scott here's this innocent pure virtuous holy man they
strip him and hang him on the cross and I just can't imagine you know I mean he he just
suffered more than we can even begin to imagine more than anyone could ever suffer world without
end other conkey says continues then the cross was raised that all might see and gape and
curse and to ride this they did with evil venom for three hours from nine to noon then
the heavens grew black darkness covered the land for the space of three hours as it did
among the Nephites there was mighty storm as though the very God of nature was in agony
and truly he was for while he was hanging on the cross for another three hours from noon
to three p.m. all of the infinite agonies and merciless pains of Gethsemane reoccurred
and finally when the atoning agonies had taken their toll when the victory had been won when
the son of God had fulfilled the will of the father in all things then he said it is finished
and he voluntarily gave up the ghost no one killed Jesus really Scott Jesus volunteered
to give up the ghost I think that's an important doctrinal point no one could get no one could
no one did no one could have ever killed Jesus he after he had paid the price after it was
finished the atonement to his atonement was complete then he voluntarily gave up the ghost
move on to maybe the fourth and final step which is his resurrection which we'll talk
more about next time so it's got the crucifixion of Jesus Christ when we see across they tell
my students you know if you see somebody else weren't across you shouldn't be condemning
them you should just bow your head and get really humble and say thank you I mean when
I see across that's what I think I don't I I mean I just think for way too long as a
church people as an individual maybe to speak for myself you know it would it would bother
me when I would see across or somebody wearing a cross or somebody displaying the cross and
somebody had once given it given the analogy well if he was killed with a gun would we
hang up a gun and and all of that's kind of silly because I get nobody or nothing killed
Jesus it was all voluntary on his part nobody could when I see across now I think of I think
of the five nails I think of his crucifixion of course but more than that I think of the
Gethsemane I think if there's any blood left that that would have been oozed through his
pores I think of my role in all of that I think of all the suffering all the sins all
of the sicknesses that pressed upon him really from noon on that Friday good Friday we call
it that Christian world calls that good Friday and good for us but bad for him and and all
that happened there I I just I just hope our listeners can better understand and more humbly
be grateful and express their gratitude I think sometimes we become a little bit of a Gethsemane
church where we think Gethsemane is where he suffered for all of our sins well that's
where it started for sure that's where it began and that was where it was pretty terrible
but I mean we sing about Gethsemane seems like we people seem to prefer sometimes the
songs about Gethsemane then they do the cross I know the cross is mentioned in several of
our hymns but it's clear reading the scriptures what Jesus chose to focus on Scott and and
that was that was the cross so I hope that when we see it that we'll just be more grateful
when we think of it and remember it every Sunday when we take the sacrament that we'll
try to imagine that we've talked about this before Scott that when he invites us to come
under him you know that means go to Gethsemane and try to try to see that event with an eye
of faith and try and see his suffering on the cross with an eye of faith and all that
he did when he dies when he it is finished and he yields up the the ghost the veil of
the temple is rent that heavy singular veil that heavy veil is rent cleaved cleaved I
think it's so important you know the the Hebrews would talk about cutting a covenant and the
blood involved in all of that and that that renting tearing ripping of the veil of the
temple I think is so such a powerful symbol of what was taking place the the heart of
Jesus being wrenched because of the spiritual death all of the injustices and sins for which
he suffered so the and Scott more more important than all of those things you know we know
I know you know I know most of our listeners know by the power and gift of the Holy Ghost
we know that that really happened that's that's a historical fact it's a historical event
but more important than that it's we've received a spiritual witness that he that he did that
not only for the world but the Holy Ghost has testified that he did that just for me
when we began our Christmas part of the podcast here one of our I think almost an entire podcast
we talked about the witnesses of the birth of Jesus Christ and and that was a sweet
experience for me to consider those that witnessed the birth and what would their
hey experience have been and what would their hope have been and all of that I think that
same thing about the witnesses of the crucifixion I wonder who all they would have been you
know we do know we have an account of several who we know were there we know Mary was there
we know John was there and maybe many others you know we know that there was there were
Romans there we know all of that but but I think about that you know and my mind does
this because I think how do I make application for me how do I how do I put myself in that
spot on that day in that experience and what can I glean from that participation in it
even if it is remotely even if it is centuries millennial ago and I think about that you know
how would I have responded as I saw Jesus say to John here's your mother here's your
son you know and and take care of her John you know do a good job buddy don't mess it
up you know please take care of Jesus always thinking of others yeah you know and I and
I think of you know maybe some Romans you know we there's a series out called the chosen
now and in the chosen there's a particular Roman who says sure you John talks exactly
who has you know this this pole you can fill the draw the pole I wonder how many of them
felt that you know I wonder if those that were casting lots or those that were donning
scarlet robes or even those that were you know had the handle of the cat of nine tails
I always wonder did they feel something you know was there something different and and
I there had to be I just believe that there had to be what I like to do in that is think
okay what would how would I have responded and then how am I how's my life modeled today
after how I would say I would have responded is my life congruent with the response that
I declare that I would have had I don't know that it is always in fact I know that it's
not very frequently and that's to that end and this is the beauty behind that to that
end he hung there so that I could be relieved of the burden of my own guilt of feelings
of inadequacy and and just not being able to do what he was able to do for me which was
absolutely in eternity the most important event I've always been touched by elder boyd
keep Packers description of the suffering of Christ many years ago in the April 1988
conference elder Packer said upon him Jesus Christ was the burden of all human transgression
all human guilt he by choice accepted the penalty for all mankind for the sum total
the sum total of all wickedness and depravity for brutality immorality perversion corruption
all for all addictions for the killings the torture and the terror for all of it that
ever had been or all that ever would be enacted upon this earth in choosing he faced the awesome
power of the evil one who was not confined to flesh nor subject to mortal pain he faced
the awesome power of the evil one I mean completely guiltless and yet felt the full force I think
of spiritual darkness and death and lived for several three hours through through that
and it's just it's incomprehensible and so I hope our I hope our understanding and gratitude
can increase as we contemplate what Jesus did for each of us I love what elder Redland
said about the atoning sacrifice he performed the atoning sacrifice not just because he
submitted his will to the will of the father but also out of love for us his pure love
an attribute called charity you know he did it not just because he's obedient he did it
out of pure love his elder president elchins made a big word of the word Hebrew word hessed
hessed his loving kindness that was the key to his motivation was his hessed and and I'm
thankful for that another another point I think we should make in regards to Gethsemane
and the cross both is that when he is suffering in Gethsemane and on the cross Mosiah in Mosiah
15 Abinadi says that he saw his seed I I think that's really interesting that some of the
brother and have taught that in again this is incomprehensible and only a God with only
a God is this even possible but that when he is suffering that he sees who he is suffering
for and maybe what he is suffering for in his suffering in Gethsemane and on the cross
he saw me and he saw you and he saw your pains and he saw your sins and your sicknesses and
he saw mine and he saw all that he needed to see to know exactly not just feel it not
just feel it but it became personal the the atonement of Jesus Christ is not just infinite
Elder Maxwell but it is intimate it's intimate and I think in order for it to be intimate
that he did see me and he did see you and he saw our weakness and he saw our sins and
he saw our pains and our afflictions all of which he suffered for that they might be consecrated
for again that there might be beauty out of ashes I love the the whole description that
Isaiah gives of Jesus and his mission which Jesus chose these are the very this the very
passage that Joseph's that Jesus that Jesus read in Nazareth when it was his turn to read
and when he announced his his calling as the Son of God and the Savior of mankind the Messiah
when he was asked to read this was the passage he chose to read which maybe is a perfect
description of not just his not just his role but the the results and the consequences of
his mission and his role so this is Isaiah 61 Scott the spirit of the Lord God is upon
me because the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings under the meek he has sent me
to bind up the brokenhearted to proclaim liberty to the captives and the opening of the prison
to them that are bound to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of
our God to comfort all that mourn to a point under them this is verse 3 Isaiah 61 I love
this to a point under them that mourn in Zion to give unto them beauty for ashes the oil
of joy for mourning the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness that they might
be called trees of righteousness the planting of the Lord that he might be glorified love
that and I also love Isaiah's description well again quoted by Abinadi right of the
suffering of Jesus Christ being bruised for our iniquities in Mosiah chapter 14 this again
Abinadi Abinadi chooses to try to soften Noah's heart and others and the one thing that came
out of all of that was that we got an Alma Alma one of Noah's high priests and what affected
him what really calls people to repentance what really calls people to repentance is
to understand the atonement of Jesus Christ and that's what Abinadi was trying to teach
that's what Jacob tried to teach to his people that's what Nephi tried to teach to his brothers
that's what Alma tried to teach that's what Alma the younger tried to teach to his sons
Corianton his wayward son I mean there's nothing that probably should be more taught and understood
again the atonement of Jesus Christ is the root of Christian doctrine and anything that
doesn't touch his atonement will die if we teach anything that doesn't point us to the
atonement of Jesus Christ it will die so this is from chapter 14 but it's really Isaiah
chapter 53 verses 3 through 6 I think again of where was I as I read this every time I
read this I think where was I when Jesus was suffering I I know I was in the premortal
existence but did I did I get a peak did I did I get a glimpse did what did I did I
take a look and turn away not because I did not because I wasn't grateful but I just couldn't
bear to watch it all and when I read this I think about that was that me was that me
in the premortal existence of anyway verses 3 through 6 of moseyea 14 he is despised and
rejected of men a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and we hid as it were our faces
from him he was despised and we esteemed him not surely he is born our griefs and carried
our sorrows yet we did esteem him stricken smitten of God and afflicted but he was wounded
for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities this chastisement of our peace
was upon him and with his stripes we are healed all we like sheep have gone astray we have
turned everyone to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all
kind of knocks the breath out of me really Scott when I think of all that Jesus did for
me all that he did for my family I think sometimes Scott I'm grateful for what he did for me
but when I really really think about it it's kind of like I'm even more grateful what he
did for my kids and what he did for my grandkids I know he saved me and I'm great so so so
grateful but he also suffered and saved my kids my grandkids and he suffered for the
injustices the insults the inequities the all that they suffered some of them born with
my adopted son you know I think of all that he suffered for them and my gratitude is increased
tenfold so anyway so thankful for the opportunity to discuss these sacred things and too sacred
and too great to even begin to describe them I hope our listeners will study them and and
feel the and not just have a cognitive understanding but come to a witness that these things are
true by the gift and power of the Holy Ghost for themselves thanks for being with us everybody
as we go through our week this week especially again and we will probably say this every
Sunday about every Sunday as we go through this process especially as we focus on the
events of the Atonement of Jesus Christ I hope that our sacrament experience is all
that it's intended to be and it really is kind of up to us to align ourselves with
him and with these things that we've learned and taught or relearned and refelt and felt
today it's our prayer that God will bless us with his spirit that the administration
of the things that we're talking about will be alive in our lives so that we can feel
the peace and joy that comes from them thanks for being with us everybody we look forward
to being with you again next week and until then be well.