Carol's Corner of Space: May 2023

“Behold, Thy King Cometh”.

Matthew 21–23; Mark 11; Luke 19–20; John 12

*Does anyone have any thoughts or stand-out moments that you and your family had as you studied the lesson this week? We need to look for these moments throughout the week as we study. Take a moment to ponder about how the studying went and what the key message was for you and your family.

Read Luke 19:1-10

1 And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.

2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchæus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.

3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the ^apress, because he was little of stature.

4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.

5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchæus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.

6 And he made haste, and came down, and ^areceived him joyfully.

7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.

8 And Zacchæus stood, and said unto the Lord; Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him ^afourfold.

9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.

10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to ^asave that which was ^blost.

*Imagine yourselves as Zacchaeus. What do you think he learned about the Savior from his experience? What can we learn from Zacchaeus’s efforts about seeking the Savior?

There have probably been times that you have likely felt overlooked or forgotten in their lives. This account of Zacchaeus can help us understand that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know us and cares about us.

President Henry B Eyring, in April Conference 2017 taught us “ Jesus was able to see Zacchaeus not as the corrupt tax collector others saw, but as an honest, upright son of Abraham. (If you walk with the Savior long enough, you will learn to see everyone as a child of God with limitless potential, regardless of what his or her past may have been. And if you continue walking with the Savior, you will develop another gift He has—the ability to help people see that potential in themselves and so repent.”

It is important that we treat other as Christ did.

In the December, 2021 Liahona Joseph Bahr said, “Wherever you are on your journey back to Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, whatever circumstances or hardships you might be facing, never forget who you truly are. As President M. Russell Ballard, reminded us, “You are a child of Heavenly Parents and will be forever—no matter what.”

We are neither abandoned nor forgotten. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ cherish us and are rooting for us, and They are with us at every turn to help us return home. Even in the darkest of times, Christ’s light can always shine, reminding us of our divine heritage and helping us move forward on the covenant path.”

Elder Jeffrey R Holland has told us: “No one of us is less treasured or cherished of God than another … He loves each of us – insecurities, anxieties, self-image, and all… He cheers on every runner, calling out that the race is against sin, not against each other.”

The Savior knows us personally.

Play He Loves Me (5:06). As you listen to the words of this song, think about how much the Savior loves you.

If you didn’t already know, this song was written by our very own, Jeff Goodrich. Jeff is such a wonderful example of being a disciple of Christ. I hope that the spirit bears witness to you of how much you are loved.

“The Savior loves you and knows you personally. He knows of your challenges. He knows of your circumstances. He knows the profoundest concerns of your souls. He also knows your faith and your desire to serve Him”. Those are words from our prophet, Russell M Nelson. (Russell M Nelson (Instagram), February 13, 2020.od.). Each is equal in His eyes. The implications of this truth are profound.”

Elder Neal A Maxwell in May of 2004 said, “ I testify to you that God has known you individually, for a long, long time. He has loved you for a long, long time. He not only knows the names of all the stars; He knows your names and all your heartaches and your joys! By the way, you have never seen an immortal star; they finally expire. But seated by you are immortal individuals—imperfect but who are, nevertheless, “trying to be like Jesus!”

We are indeed known and loved.

*What role does Christ play in your life?

Jesus Christ is our King. Matthew 21:1–11; Mark 11:1–11; Luke 19:29–44; John 12:12–16

Read Mark 11:1–11

Mark 11

1 And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples,

2 And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him.

3 And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.

4 And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him.

5 And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt?

6 And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go.

7 And they brought the ^acolt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him.

8 And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way.

9 And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; ^aBlessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord:

10 ^aBlessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.

11 And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.

*Show the picture of the Savior’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

What a beautiful experience for Christ.

When Jesus arrived at Jerusalem just days before He accomplished His Atonement, those who recognized Him as their King showed their devotion by anointing Him, putting clothes and palm branches along His path into Jerusalem, and shouting praises.

*In what ways do you acknowledge or proclaim Christ as your king today?

*Did everyone recognize Jesus as their King?

We are going to look at some scriptures that tell us some of the attitudes that were taking place.

(Michael Wilcox: Teaching With Power)

Scripture Reference	How People Received Him
Matthew 21:15	Sore displeased
Mark 11:8-10	Rejoice: Shout with praise
Mark 11:18	Sought to destroy Him
Luke 19:48	Very attentive

Which of those reactions describe our own attitudes? Evaluate yourself in the areas that I will go over. This is a self-reflection. I won’t be asking you to share.

General Conference

Following commandments

Scripture Study

Prayer

Church

Serving in a calling

Serving in a difficult calling

Ministering

Think of your answers were there any areas that you might need to work on changing your attitude.

* What are some ways that we can worship Christ through our words and actions?

The two great commandments are to love God and love others as ourselves.

Read Matthew 22:34–40

34 ¶ But when the Pharisees had heard that he had put the Sadducees to silence, they were gathered together.

35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, ^atempting him, and saying,

36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt ^alove the Lord thy God with all thy ^bheart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy ^cmind.

38 This is the first and great ^acommandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt ^alove thy neighbour as thyself.

40 On these two commandments hang all the ^alaw and the prophets.

We are going to quickly look back at a couple of the stories from this lesson and notice behaviors about loving God and loving people.

Love God

Mark 11:1-10 (Triumphant Enty)

Love People

Luke 19:1-10. (Story of Zacchaeus)

-Go out of your comfort zone

-Look past the crowd for the ones in need

-Give the things that are hard to give

-Call them by name

-My Lord hath need …

-Receive them joyfully

-No hesitation

-See the good in them

-Speak kindly to others

President Ezra Taft Benson taught us, “We must put God in the forefront of everything else in our lives. When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives. Our love of the Lord will govern the claims for our affection, the demands on our time, the interests we pursue, and the order of our priorities.”

“Brotherly love is impartial and, therefore, universal. One who has brotherly love is concerned for any and every man, whether he be sinner or saint, attractive or unattractive, of the same or of another faith or race.”

Elder Dieter F Uchtdorf Jan 2017 in talking about this scripture reference said:

Please note the last sentence: “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

The Savior not only showed us the target, but He also identified the bull’s-eye.

As members of the Church, we covenant to take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ. Implicit in that covenant is the understanding that we will strive to learn about God, love Him, increase our faith in Him, honor Him, walk in His way, and stand steadfastly as witnesses of Him.

The more we learn about God and feel His love for us, the more we realize that the infinite sacrifice of Jesus Christ is a divine gift of God. And God’s love inspires us to use the path of true repentance, which will lead to the miracle of forgiveness. This process enables us to have greater love and compassion for those around us. We will learn to see beyond labels. We will resist the temptation to accuse or judge others by their sins, shortcomings, flaws, political leanings, religious convictions, nationalities, or skin color.

We will see every one we meet as a child of our Heavenly Father—our brother or our sister.

We will reach out to others in understanding and love—even those who may not be particularly easy to love. We will mourn with those who mourn and comfort those who stand in need of comfort.

And we will realize that there is no need for us to agonize about the correct gospel target.

The two great commandments are the target. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. As we accept this, all other good things will fall into place.

If our primary focus, thoughts, and efforts are centered on increasing our love for Almighty God and extending our hearts to others, we can know that we have found the right target and are aiming at the bull’s-eye—becoming true disciples of Jesus Christ.

*How can obeying these two great commandments help us become like Jesus Christ?

Referring to the two great commandments found in Matthew 22:37–39, President M. Russell Ballard taught:

“Obedience to those two commandments provides a way to experience more peace and joy. When we love and serve the Lord and love and serve our neighbors, we will naturally feel more happiness that comes to us in no better way.

“Loving God and loving our neighbors is the doctrinal foundation of ministering; home-centered, Church-supported learning; Sabbath-day spiritual worship; and the work of salvation on both sides of the veil supported in the Relief Societies and the elders quorums. All of these things are based on the divine commandments to love God and to love our neighbors. Can there be anything more basic, more fundamental, and more simple than that?” (“The True, Pure, and Simple Gospel of Jesus Christ,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2019, 29).

In the last conference, our Prophet gave us this message: “Brothers and sisters, the pure love of Christ is the answer to the contention that ails us today. Charity propels us “to bear one another’s burdens” rather than heap burdens upon each other. The pure love of Christ allows us “to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things”—especially in tense situations. Charity allows us to demonstrate how men and women of Christ speak and act—especially when under fire.

Now, I am not talking about “peace at any price.” I am talking about treating others in ways that are consistent with keeping the covenant you make when you partake of the sacrament. You covenant to always remember the Savior. In situations that are highly charged and filled with contention, I invite you to remember Jesus Christ. Pray to have the courage and wisdom to say or do what He would. As we follow the Prince of Peace, we will become His peacemakers.”

If we do as our prophet has asked, we are truly loving our neighbors.

We will be protected as we avoid following blind guides. Matthew 23:13–33 (Additional scriptures that teach about spiritual blindness, such as 2 Corinthians 4:3–4; 2 Nephi 9:28–32; and Jacob 4:14. )

We have been cautioned to be aware of and avoid blind guides in our lives. Some of the things that fit in this category are: liars, murderers, worshipers of idols, people who despise words of plainness and seek for things they can’t understand. There are also those who think that they are more learned and wise and know best so they set aside the counsels of God.

Others are blinded and follow those who think they know more, instead of seeking the spirit and looking for what the prophets have taught us. They let social pressures take over.

I think this is something that is happening more than ever in the world today. It’s too easy for opinions to be out in the world and others listen without studying themselves and find themselves moving further away from the Savior.

When we are guided by the prophets, we actually follow the counsel because of the Savior. His grace is sufficient for each of us. Let us have the courage to follow, sustain, and defend the Lord’s guidance given though prophets. It won’t always lead to smooth sailing, but it always will lead to promised blessings and personal growth.

Testimony

We have been given clear directions on what we need to do to return to our Heavenly Father and Jesus. It is not hit and miss, the way is clearly marked.

We need to be the kind of person that Christ was – follow his example in all we do.

What manner of man ought we to be I even as I (Chirst) am.

Close with song: What Manner of Man (4:07) written by Jeff Goodrich