Hey everyone.

Welcome back.

This is week 48 of Creative.

Come follow me for the New Testament.

And this week we're heading into the home stretch, you guys.

We're basically going to focus in on the words of John for

the rest of the New Testament.

We're going to get the epistles of John today, and then later we're

going to read from the book of Revelation for the next two weeks.

We get this little sliver of Jude at the end of this week's study,

but most of the emphasis is going to be on the writings of John.

Now this is John the Beloved, like, Sons of Thunder John.

He's the one that, you know, he refers to himself as the disciple that Jesus loved.

He's got that softer gospel, that deeper, you know, when we studied the

gospels and John's words were always just a little bit deeper for me.

And so I feel like when you head into these epistles of John,

you want to keep that in mind.

He's someone who is a...

Beloved disciple of the Lord.

And I have to tell you, every other time I've read that nickname for John, I've

assumed it was because Jesus loved him so much, which I'm sure is true, but

I've also come to realize that I think it must mean that John loves others so much.

Because much of what he's going to teach us today is that in order to

show love for God, in order to really understand God, you need to love much.

People who are your friends, people who are your enemies, All people, you

need to learn and choose to love them.

And if you can do that, then you can become the sons of God.

And I think that's John's big message.

His situation is a little different than what we see with

Peter, but kind of similar.

He's facing apostasy and it's rampant, his is further on in time

and things are getting a little murky.

What I think is interesting about today's study is it sort of feels like that home

stretch of the Book of Mormon as well.

You know, when you shift into, you start getting Mormon's words and Moroni's

words at the very end of the Book of Mormon, and it almost seems like a lost

cause, you know, they have faith and they have a bright hope of the future, but

they know The trajectory of the Nephite people and they teach you instead.

It's like they're leapfrogging over who they know won't heed and

learn and instead reaching through time and trying to teach us.

I think that's John, you guys.

He's, he knows what's coming for this group of people.

He's gonna do everything he can to teach them in the hopes

that they will grab hold.

But I think his real message is written to us.

To invite us to grab hold of the truth of the gospel, to

really believe in Jesus Christ.

Not the Jesus Christ that we want him to be, or the picture that we want to paint

that's more comfortable, but the real Jesus Christ that John can witness of.

John knew Christ.

He handled the resurrected Messiah.

He has a sure witness, and he wants to share it with us.

So, I think this is a really rich week of study.

I think you're going to love it.

So, grab your scriptures.

Grab your notes.

It's time to get started.

One of the common versions of Christianity that was starting to branch away from

the truth was this idea that Christ didn't actually have a body, that

he was so holy and so divine that he actually never had a mortal form,

never condescended, never suffered.

He's just.

too, too divine for that.

And the risk behind that kind of apostasy, I think, is it negates

the gift of the atonement.

I was trying to think of a way to articulate this.

Honestly, have you ever had that experience where you get a gift from

someone and after they've given it off to you, you turn it around and

you realize it's been re gifted.

You know, like it's got a tag on it or maybe a card tucked at the

very bottom that they didn't notice and you realize it's been re gifted

and it kind of cheapens the gift.

I feel like that's what the adversary is trying to do with these false truths.

He's, he's trying to cheapen the gift of the atonement of Jesus Christ.

If he can persuade people to believe that the Savior didn't condescend, that

he never took on a mortal form, that he didn't have a mortal mother, all those

ideas, even if they seem glorious on the surface, because he's, you know, teaching

people that Christ is so divine that therefore he doesn't need to descend.

He doesn't, he doesn't need to take this form.

It's his way of eroding the power of the atonement of Jesus Christ.

If he can get people to believe that Christ was too good to suffer,

then he, he negates the gift.

He cheapens all of it and makes people doubt.

And if you doubt the gift of the atonement of Jesus Christ or the condescension

of the Savior and what he really offered, you wipe out so much truth.

So I feel like in the first chapter of John, you see John saying, I knew him,

not just I knew him in spirit, but I saw him, I heard him, I touched him.

He's speaking of all these different senses to say he was physically here.

He is someone who was real.

Let me teach you who he was.

So that's what you're going to see in the first few verses.

It says that which was from the beginning, which we have heard,

which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon and our

hands have handled the word of life.

He's not.

He's not casting Jesus Christ as only mortal, he's saying

he is the word of life.

He is this divine being, but he condescended and lived

among us and lived as we live.

Like John knows him firsthand and he has handled him and so he's

going to make that abundantly clear.

I just think his teaching strategy is so Straightforward there.

He doesn't want there to be any question because he knows the value of the

atonement of Jesus Christ And he knows that if people can understand the true

nature of Christ, then they'll grasp the value of their gift So that's where

he goes in two and in three and then he tells you what his goal is So in three

he says that which we have seen and heard declare We unto you that ye may also

have full fellowship have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with

the Father and with his son Jesus Christ This is an Apostle, a dear friend, a

close companion of the Savior who is saying you can have fellowship with us.

And when you have fellowship with the Apostles, when you have

fellowship with these profound witnesses of the Savior, you also

gain fellowship with God the Father.

He, he's trying to do the same thing the Savior did throughout his ministry,

which was to help them see that he is this gateway to come to know the Father.

So John got that message, and he's trying to help us get it.

And then he tells us why it's worth it, so in four.

And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare

unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

This, you almost wonder, I mean the Savior alluded to God the Father often,

he spoke of him frequently, but you have to think that John has a An insider's

perspective on how the Savior spoke of God the Father, and this idea of

Him being light, that God is light.

I think it's a beautiful metaphor for divinity, in that it is so bright, and it

is so permeating, and it is something that lasts, and it warms, and it illuminates.

I also think the idea of Him being...

Light, meaning like, not heavy, is powerful to me.

I think it's something that he lifts burdens, he lifts men from

being carnal and sensual and devilish to something higher.

I just think there are so many ways you could look at that word

light and it still fits with it.

Describing the Savior and describing God the Father.

And then in 7, it's his invitation.

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one

another and the blood of Jesus Christ, his Son, cleanseth us from all sin.

This is John's invitation.

He's saying, basically, once you have the light with you, come with us.

Like, when you choose to walk in the light, you come in a group.

You're no longer lonely or in isolation.

You're part of, you belong.

And what I love is, The way we belong is that we all need the grace of Christ.

I mean, John's a pretty fantastic guy, right?

He's the one that, according to modern revelation, never dies.

He's, he never experiences martyrdom like the others do because,

because of his relationship with the Savior and what he asked him.

So I feel like he is someone who is testifying to us, this is where you

find joy, this is where you find light, this is where you find peace.

Come walk in the light.

And what's gonna tie our hearts to his is that we both need

The grace of Jesus Christ.

No matter where I am on, on my spectrum of natural man, I find fellowship

with John the Beloved because we both need the Savior in the same way.

You know, our life stories are very different.

Our sins are different.

All those things are different, but we are fellows because of Jesus.

Both of us need him.

And I just think that's a beautiful, calming invitation.

And then in eight, he starts to talk about your other options.

He says, if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves

and the truth is not in us.

This is kind of that anti Korohor message, you know, in the Book

of Mormon when Korohor was telling like everybody survives.

On the creature, right?

On their managing the creature, and that there is no sin,

there's no need for an atonement.

I think it was the message of the adversary from the very beginning.

When he said, we don't need agency, it means there's no

need for a suffering savior.

If nobody can make mistakes, then there's no need for.

Suffering.

They're just glory.

That's what he was hoping for.

So I think it's clear that John's trying to teach against that message.

Yes, we all sin.

Yes, we all come short of the glory of God.

And here's how you access what he has intended for you.

And that kind of gives you the feel of one.

But then he's going to carry that message even deeper into chapter two.

John is like every great teacher you've had, parents, uh, priesthood leaders.

They teach you truth and commandments in the hopes that they can help you

bypass some of the common pitfalls that you might just roll right into.

By keeping the commandments, we avoid a lot of the, you know, natural man.

Woes and pains.

And so that's his goal.

You see that in one.

My little children, these things write I unto you that ye sin not.

He's hoping that we can avoid those common mistakes.

What I love is just like any parent and priesthood leader and great teacher,

they're gonna say, but you are gonna make mistakes and here's where there's help.

And that's what he says next.

And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father,

Jesus Christ the righteous.

And he is the propitiation for our sins, not for ours only, but

for the sins of the whole world.

Remember, John, like Peter, saw firsthand this gift of

the atonement of Jesus Christ.

John, I think, was even closer to some degree, because at least we have record

of him being at the crucifixion, and he's at the resurrection, he's certainly

in the garden, like, he has an intimate experience with this, similar to Peter's,

and so he, I imagine these words are.

Poignant for John to write and he's trying to get the gravity of this gift to sink

into our souls And so he calls him our advocate Well, I love and we've talked

about this before is I think we want to remember that advocate with the father

means the father is Also an advocate you can go in the notes and learn more from a

few different conference talks about this But the Savior only does the will of the

father always forever has done the will of the father Which means if he is advocating

for us That is the will of the father.

I think we see that in Moses 139.

We are his work and his glory.

Like he wants us home.

He is rooting for us to come home.

And the Savior is our advocate.

He is someone who is on that team.

So I love that.

I love that phrasing, our advocate with the father, meaning we've

got this, these two powerhouse cheerleaders on our team saying, like,

we're going to give you the tools.

We're going to give you the guidance.

We're going to give you what you need in order to come back home.

I just, I love that term advocate.

Maybe I love it because of.

My experience with Jack and all of his years of IEPs, you know, I felt

like when I went into the room for his annual IEP, pretty much everybody

in that room was advocating for Jack.

We all had different levels of understanding and not every one

of those meetings went perfectly.

Certainly I think I was the most vehement of all of the Advocates, but everybody

there was rooting for Jack to succeed.

And I really think that's the case here.

The only person that may be on that other side is the adversary himself.

In fact, you can go in the notes and read a couple of quotes on this, but

you're going to read that in the book of Revelation, that Lucifer is the accuser.

If there's anybody on that opposite side, it is not God, the father.

It is Lucifer who is.

Who has discounted us from the very beginning.

Yeah from the plan the original meeting He is someone who said they'll never make it.

Don't give them agency.

They can't make it on their own They can't be like you they can't fill in the blank.

That's Lucifer and what the Savior does is he advocates that we He

sits at that meeting and says, they can't let me give them the tools.

Let me offer myself.

So they can, there's a monumental difference between their two

perspectives and how they see us.

And I just love that John is trying to help us understand that in these last

words, he's trying to get that across.

Then he teaches us how we can offer gratitude and love back.

This is in three and hereby we do know that we know him

if we keep his commandments.

I think this must have been powerful for John because he is someone

who knew the Savior firsthand.

But the most of the people he's teaching probably don't, right?

They didn't know him in his mortal ministry.

They may not have seen the resurrected Savior, but what he's trying to teach

them is, Oh no, you can know him.

In fact, if you keep his commandments, you do know him, which

I thought was sort of fascinating.

I don't know if you've ever had these thoughts, but at conference, just this

last conference, there were a couple of people who referenced how they.

know Jesus Christ or how he is their, their greatest and closest friend or ally.

And sometimes I hear those, you guys, and I'm like, I don't quite feel that.

Like I revere the Savior.

I love him.

I love his gospel.

I, I admire and worship him, but I don't necessarily feel

like he's my closest friend.

I don't, that's probably wrong of me, but like, I don't.

I don't feel that just yet.

What I loved about reading John's words this time is I was like, do I keep

the commandments out of love for God?

Do I keep the commandments because he asked me to?

If I do, Then I know I know Him.

You know, I think I can always improve that relationship.

I think we learn that in conference.

We get to choose our relationship with God.

But I think what it tells me is I'm on the right track.

If I'm trying, and I'm diligently trying to come closer to Him, then that closeness

and that dependence and friendship, that will grow and increase for me as

my discipleship grows and increases.

As I better keep the commandments and honor my covenants, I'll be

more committed, and I'll feel more.

What I've heard of others.

And I just, I loved that verse.

It comforted my heart.

Um, okay.

In five, I also love five.

But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected.

Hereby know that we are in him.

This is his promise that as you keep trying, you'll come closer.

It's this stance of repentance that I just, that teaches you something.

I think a big part of John's message is, to avoid false teachers and avoid false

prophets and what he's saying is like all of us who are of truth all of us who are

walking in the light we are stumbling to something like we're gonna learn things

the hard way and we're gonna keep going we're gonna rally in this fellowship

because we all make mistakes and we're all gonna keep going forward i think that's

how I think he's saying it's possible.

It's possible to become perfected in him.

There's a great conference talk.

I can't remember who it's from, but it's in the notes, where he basically

says like, this isn't hyperbole.

This idea of when the Savior invites us to be even as he is, it's not hyperbole.

It's not this pipe dream.

It's possible.

You can become as he is in this lifetime to some degree, right?

We were supposed to grab hold of that invitation and move forward.

And then he warns about Darkness and Light.

This is from like 8 to 11, and I just loved it.

So he says, Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in

him and in you, because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth.

Got the truth.

They have a hold of these promises, and they want it to

beam out to anyone who can see.

Then in 9, he says, He that saith he is in the light, and hateth

his brother, is in darkness.

Even until now.

He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none

occasion of stumbling in him.

I think this is John's clear indicator of where is your

heart on this discipleship path.

If you love your brother, if you take care of your fellow men, if you're

seeking after their welfare, then he knows the state of your testimony.

They are inextricably linked, and he gets that.

And then 11, he has this interesting phrase.

But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and

knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

I thought this was fascinating, because you guys, I often think about extreme

bright lights blinding your eyes.

You know, I don't really think about darkness blinding you, but I've, I've

had this experience in the last couple of years, we got a new car a couple of

years ago, and my headlights are terrible.

It's not the actual like.

light itself.

It's just the way they're positioned.

They're terrible.

I don't realize how bad they are until I drive someone else's car.

Like I'll drive Jason's car or even Jack's and I can tell.

An incredible difference.

I can see how, over the course of time of driving my car that has the

poor headlights, I become blind.

Like, I don't even see the dangers that are there.

Oftentimes, especially when the weather is not great, like, I don't

even realize how close to catastrophe I am until I'm in someone else's car.

And I think that's what John's trying to warn you about.

He's saying, darkness is blinding.

Because it comes incrementally and it slowly Makes you feel safe.

I think that's the risk of apostasy.

You just creep away from the light and you feel safe and you think

yeah, nothing really happens.

So then you creep a little further and I just think That's blindness.

It's almost that poisoning by degrees that we read about in the Book of Mormon.

And he wants us to have our eyes wide open to the light.

I think some of the time I resist walking in the light because I just don't

want to know how much there is to fix.

You know, same reason I don't like to get on a scale and sometimes I don't

even want to check my mailbox because then I have to face whatever is there.

And oftentimes I prefer to live a little bit in the dark.

And I think he's saying, avoid, avoid that temptation.

Walk in the light.

Remember that when you come and you walk in the light, yes, you will see all your

weaknesses and all the things you need to work on, but you have me with you.

You have all the fellowship of the saints with you.

We're all.

Feeling those feelings and we're all going to link arms and do this together.

That's his invitation.

Let the Word of God abide in you.

Walk in the light.

See all your flaws and all the things you need and trust that that light

is actually what's going to help you resolve those and become stronger

for the next day's challenges.

That's his promise.

And then he says not to get too caught up in the ways of the world.

In 17, And the world passeth away, and the less thereof.

But he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.

Nothing else lasts.

That's what John knows.

And he's someone who has withstood the test of time.

He knows what things last.

Lasts, you know, he's still lasting himself and he has seen,

you know, nations come and go.

Think of where he is now, like he has seen, you know, huge empires fall.

He has seen, you know, metal that's the most valuable and seems like

you could never corrode, break down.

I just think Paul's or John's vantage point of having been on

this earth as long as he has.

He is someone that has a remarkable understanding of everything in the

world passeth away except for this.

Hold tight to the love of God.

Hold tight to what abides.

And then he reminds us what we have.

So if you look from like 19 to 27 or so, he starts to talk about

how we can avoid And the thing he speaks about is an anointing.

He is speaking about, well, he calls it an unction, which if you go in

the footnotes, you can learn a little bit more about this, but this is

an idea that you've been set apart.

You have been given a gift to help you.

To me, it sounds like, almost like the gift of discernment.

It's what the Holy Ghost offers.

There's even some ties.

If you go in the notes, you can see some ties from some apostles about

how this links in with some of the things that happen in the temple.

But this idea of an anointing that empowers you today

and empowers you eternally.

That's what you have.

That's what he's trying to teach these saints that they have.

He's like, I know these things look appealing to you.

Remember that you have something better.

I know the world can get confusing and these teachers sound impressive

and their doctrines sound inviting.

You have a way to know truth.

And that's what he invites you towards.

So in 20, he says, but ye have an unction or an anointing from the

Holy One, and ye know all things.

And then 27.

But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you.

And ye need not that any man teach you, but as the same anointing

teacheth you all of all things, and is truth, and is no lie.

And even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.

His invitation is, you don't need to be listening to all these other

opinions and voices about what is true.

You need to seek it out for yourself.

I felt like we learned this from Elder Pingree at conference, when

he said, there's two checkpoints.

Are the, you know, if you hear someone teach something, they say is doctrine.

Does it align with things that we read from prophets and

apostles in the scriptures?

Does it align with prophets and living apostles today?

If it does, then you know you're on the right track.

The second thing he mentioned was the Holy Ghost.

Does it taste good to your spirit?

I just, I was listening to some podcasts this week all about this

idea of how to discern doctrine.

I gave you some links in the creative notes.

You can go listen to them.

But I just think this is his invitation.

He's like, you don't need extra.

You need to know for yourself.

And I can tell you just in the last couple of weeks, you guys, I've had these

sweet experiences where I'm scrambling to understand the scholarly side of things.

I'm trying desperately to.

To dive in and understand it all and consume it all and

get my own understanding.

And then I have these sweet moments where the spirit just sort of like settles

into my heart where I know things.

You know, not grand things, I'm not claiming anything huge, but like

an assurance that what I'm reading is true and that I don't need to

worry so much about the details.

I just need to let that truth kind of settle into my soul.

That's what John's asking us to grab hold of.

He's saying, you're going to learn the truth from the leaders.

You're going to learn the truth from the scriptures.

You're going to learn it and have it assured from the spirit.

When you feel that, you know, you're on the right track.

That's where the eternal truth.

I

think the results of all of that confirmed and settled faith is you have

this, I think this is what President Nelson meant when he invited us to

overcome the world and find rest.

You just find this settled place where you can feel peace.

There was a great talk from Elder Uchtdorf where he said basically what

you find in this situation is you, you are someone who has humility and

dignity and a bold confidence in Christ.

And it was that combination that I really loved.

I feel like that's what he's trying to articulate in chapter three.

This is what people who have bold confidence in Christ and humility

and dignity feel like and sound like, and it's so powerful.

So in verse one, Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us

that we should be called the sons of God?

Therefore the world knoweth us not.

because it knew him not.

Remember, John's a fisherman, right?

He came from nowhere and he was brought, remember, God is light.

He is someone who lifts what seems heavy and seems terrestrial and he lightens it.

I just think John's whole life is evidence of that.

And he's saying, isn't it a wonder that we were chosen.

And not just John and the apostles who knew the Savior, but all of us who make

and keep covenants with God, we all get to receive a heaping dose of that light.

And he wants us to hold on to it.

And two, he says, Beloved, now are we the sons of God.

And it does not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when

he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.

That's his promise.

John has, you know, he was on the Mount of Transfiguration.

He saw the Savior.

He heard the voice of God the Father.

He knows.

Right?

He knows firsthand and up close what is awaiting.

I just don't think he sees it all perfectly yet.

You know, he's still mortal.

He's still figuring things out.

And he's saying, we don't know it all yet, but we do know that his promises are sure.

And let me tell you what he promised us.

That's his enthusiasm.

He's saying like grab ahold of this positive spiritual momentum

and let it push you forward.

And that's what he calls hope in verse three.

And every man that hath this hope in him purifies himself.

Even as he is pure.

I think, to me, what he's saying is, as your testimony of the Savior

grows, and you really grab hold of this hope, you purify yourself.

I don't mean without the Savior's help.

What I mean is, like, nobody's asking you to.

You don't have to be corrected by a priesthood leader or even,

you know, by outside influence.

You're corrected by the Spirit, because you see the gulf that is

between you and where the Savior is, and you want to inch your way closer.

So you rely on the grace of Jesus Christ, and you say, That's the old me.

I have something new.

That's hope.

It, it brings light to your eyes.

It gives you, you know, like belief that this can work for you.

And that's what you're seeing throughout this whole chapter.

I just think it's, positive and inspiring.

So again, six, he says, Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not.

Whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.

This is one of those places you're going to want to watch in the Joseph

Smith translation of a lot of different verses, because Joseph Smith helps us

understand more about what this means.

What Joseph often corrects is this idea of black and white.

Joseph talks about continuing in righteousness and those who are failing,

continuing in sin, like he's talking about this It almost sounds more fluid

in the Joseph Smith translation because he's saying that's what the Savior is

hoping for you He's not expecting you to have such a testimony of the Savior that

you never sin I think he's hoping that you will just continue in righteousness

that you will live with integrity to the knowledge you have so far and act on it.

Do what you can with the knowledge you have been given

so far and then he can help you.

So that's kind of what you're going to see.

So nine, whosoever is born of God does not commit sin for his seed

remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God.

This is this invitation that as we come closer to God, some of those potholes

that we would have fallen into in the natural man version of ourself.

We can bypass.

I think this is what president Nelson meant when he said the gospel life is

easier You know, he he talked about that at conference a couple conferences

ago where he said it's you know Life is hard but the gospel path is actually

easier and like his heart hurt for the people who thought that being a

disciple was harder because it really you run into all those potholes In

fact, there's another beautiful talk.

I can't remember who it was.

It's in, it's in the notes.

But he talks about that the opposite of this is also true.

That as we continue in sin, especially if we know it's sinful and we continue,

there is this darkness that creeps in.

It's that blindness, I think, that John was talking about before.

Because what happens is we lose the help of the Spirit.

So as we choose to continue in sin, our world gets hazier and we stop seeing hope.

I think this is what prevents us from Repenting sometimes because

we start to fear, you know, we fear disappointing our families or you fear,

you know, disappointing the bishop or Letting people down or we start

to fear in you know like the world's opinion of us and so we retreat from

repenting we retreat from Continuing in goodness and we continue in sin.

I think that's what happens like your world just gets dimmer.

There was this beautiful talk from Elder Maxwell, I think it's called something,

Laman and Lemuel, it's in the notes.

He talked about how this happens with Laman and Lemuel, that you can actually

see this play out where Nephi had hope and he had expectation of God's help

and Laman and Lemuel, despite having these incredible experiences, Don't.

They don't see things with clarity the way Nephi does.

And he points out that this is kind of what's happening.

Because they choose to murmur and they choose to continue in

sin, their world gets darker.

And so they don't recognize love the same way Nephi does.

When, you know, their father, Lehi, comes in with all the feelings of a tender

parent, Laman and Lemuel are hostile towards him and they bristle at his love.

And I think that's what happens when we continue in sin.

We lose the help of the spirit, which means we can't feel love the same way.

Almost as if, like, the receptors aren't functioning right.

I think that's what you see.

That's what he's warning us about in this third chapter.

Then he invites us to perceive love.

So if you look in 16, Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid

down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brethren.

I think this is how you Reorient.

You know, if you're, if you're on that dark road and you've forgotten what it

feels like to step into the light, I think his invitation is look closely

at the atonement of Jesus Christ.

Remember the Savior and let that wash over you.

I think that gift is so vibrant and so powerful that it pushes away darkness.

Even if it's years of darkness, that hope in Christ can push out and chase away

darkness, just like we read about earlier.

I think that's what he invites you to.

To me, this is those fast growing seeds.

Remember when we talked about Alma 32 and how you need to find fast growing

seeds that can help you See growth fast.

When you study the Atonement of Jesus Christ, that is a fast growing

seed, and it pushes away darkness.

It's almost like these windshield wipers that clear your vision so that

you can see what is in front of you.

That's John's invitation.

And then he says, it's not enough to know it, but you have to act.

That's in 18.

My little children, let us not love in word, neither in

tongue, but in deed and in truth.

And hereby we may know that we are of the truth.

We shall assure our hearts before him.

If you want confidence in Christ.

This is where you find it, by coming to have some sort of testimony

of the atonement of Jesus Christ.

I think a big piece of that testimony comes as we repent, as we

feel that relief of being forgiven and extend that relief to others.

I think that's where you get that hope back and your confidence starts to grow.

That's where you find it first.

I also like what he says in 20.

This is his way of saying, if you don't believe, trust in God.

I just think, when we think about repentance and we think about this

hope and we, our minds catch hold of it and we want it, oftentimes we resist

and think, yeah, but it's not for me.

You know, like, or that's great for everybody else, but my sin was...

I knew better, and I shouldn't have, and you start to make all kinds of

reasons why the Atonement of Jesus Christ can't quite reach your mistakes.

And 20 is where you should find comfort, because this is what it says.

For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our

heart, and knoweth all things.

This, I love, because I think what he's saying is, if you get those thoughts

in your mind of The Atonement is for others, but I'm too far gone, or I

made mistakes the Heavenly Father warned me about, and I did them anyway.

I'm too far gone, or I knew I was supposed to do scripture study for 20

years when I was a young mom, and I didn't do it, and I'm too far gone.

I've messed up my kids, or I've messed up my future, or I've messed

up my marriage, or whatever it is.

If you think you're too far beyond the reach of the Atonement of

Jesus Christ, what John says is, you don't know the mind of God.

He knows all things.

The reason I think this is so comforting.

It's because I think he can see things we can't see.

He can see the weaknesses we inherited, you know, either from biology, or from

the way we were raised, or from the friends we had in junior high that

persuaded us to do stupid things.

Like, whatever it was, he can see all things.

And he views you with that lens.

And he views you through the veil of Jesus Christ, right?

So he sees...

All things.

And he says, come back.

My arm always will be extended to you.

Come back home.

And that's what you read in 21.

Beloved, if our hearts condemn us not, then we have confidence towards God.

And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him because we keep his

commandments and do these things that are pleasing in his sight.

What Doctrine and Covenants promises and even the gospels is that There are no

scars left behind when we repent fully.

Uh, we, that is wiped clean.

Including, I think, all those possible futures that you envision.

I think one of the hardest parts about forgiving yourself is because you write

futures for yourself that aren't real.

You know, you start...

Thinking, well, but if I had gone on a mission when he prompted me to, then

I could have been this great person by this point in time, or if I had

done X, Y, and Z, then I could have been so much further down this road.

What I think he promises is, he understands and he sees all those things

and he's saying, we're starting today.

The same way, I think, when he helps people in the Gospels, you know, when he

met the woman who was taken in adultery, I think he says, go thy way and sin no more.

He, he is able to say, there, there is no...

alternative future that I'm measuring you against.

I, I just see where you are today.

How are you going to live up to the light you have right now?

And then tomorrow come back and let's increase it.

I think there's hope and promise in that.

One of the most beautiful examples of that to me is when you see him speak about

the guards on, when he's on the cross.

When he says, Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.

I think he gets that with us.

There are certain things that I think we make mistakes because

we know not what, what we do.

We don't see the ramifications of our choices that will happen 10 years down

the road and 30 years down the road.

And we don't appreciate it in those moments of teenage stupidity or, you know,

whatever it is, we make dumb mistakes.

I just think we, we don't quite get the weight of our choices and he knows that.

And I think his.

Example on the cross is one that should give us comfort.

He, he's our advocate.

And he will do what he can to see us clearly and to help us move forward.

That's his promise, and that's the love of God.

And that's what John teaches and witnesses of.

Psalm 23, and this is his commandment, that we should believe on the name of

his son, Jesus Christ, and love one another as he gave us commandment.

And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him.

And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the spirit which he hath given us.

If you doubt that this is possible for you, like all of us do at times,

rest on the fact that if you feel the influence of the Spirit, you

know you're on the right track.

I love that from President Eyring.

He spoke about that in conference where he said basically, If you

feel the Spirit, then you know the Atonement is at work in your life.

I just think there's comfort there.

He is in us as we are trying to work diligently.

to come to him.

No matter how many mistakes we made or how long we've been off the path or the damage

that we've incurred, like, I just think he's all in and he is our advocate with

the Father and we can find peace in that.

It can be

something we're afraid of.

It can be something we have confidence in.

Something that we, not so much because we feel like we've done a great job.

I think it's more that we've come to know Christ so well

that we know he is our advocate.

And herein is our love made perfect that we may have boldness

in the day of judgment because as he is So are we in this world.

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth out fear.

You guys, I, I just think this is what, I think it's what Nephi meant

and Mormon meant when they talked about the pleasing bar of God.

It means you don't need to be afraid of the judgment.

I think his invitation is to just trust in the power of grace.

Not that we should get comfortable.

In fact, I think the closer we come to understanding Christ, the more active

and agile we are in our discipleship.

I think there's new hurdles to cross and new reasons we need his

strength, but I think he wants us to feel confidence in those moments.

That when we come and see him again, we can wax confident in the presence

of God because we know who he is.

I think John knows abundantly well who the Savior is and

he doesn't need to be afraid.

I think it's that same stance we saw, I mean, I think you even see it in the

Garden of Eden when, you know, Satan is cast out or with Moses when Satan is Kind

of cast out and he just basically says like depart but get out of here There

is this stance of confidence meaning like I don't need to listen to you.

I'm not afraid of you anymore I think that's the confidence in Christ.

He's helping us get towards if we struggle in it I think there's some beautiful

verses in the Book of Mormon to help you So if you go in Moroni's words, you

can read his, his understandings about how you can grow in this confidence.

It involves all those things of discipleship that we've

talked about a hundred times.

You know, having faith and repenting where you can and listening to the voice

of the spirit and enduring to the end.

Like all those things help you get to that stance of confidence.

I think another thing that should help you is in 19.

We love him because he first loved us.

That's what Elder Holland taught.

It's what so many others have quoted Elder Holland teaching, this idea

that the first great commandment is that we love God, but the first great

truth is that He loved us first.

And I think that should give us confidence in Christ.

If we are worthy of that love, and of course we are, no matter how

we're living our life or who we are, we're worthy of God's love.

Because He loves us.

His love doesn't have boundaries.

I think what he hopes to do is love and bless us, and that takes obedience and

it takes diligence, but we are always and have always been worthy of God's love.

John knew that, and he's trying to help us know it, too.

John doesn't want to just give us tips.

He wants to help us know, like, how to gauge how you're progressing.

Almost like a good trainer.

They don't want you to just see that very end goal and hope for that.

They want you to see progress every week and every day even.

That's John.

So in the fifth chapter, he's gonna try and give us a way that we can know How

we're doing, like if we're trying to come closer to Christ and we're trying to

build up that confidence that he spoke of, how do we know if we're getting closer?

And I think one of the ways you know is in 2 and 3, he says, By this we

know that we love the children of God, that when we love God and keep his

commandments, for this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments,

and his commandments are not grievous.

I think that's how you know you're getting closer, is when the commandments actually

start to feel lighter or that that the effort that you have to put in in order

to keep them is worth it because you feel the rest of your life get lighter.

You know, I don't know that scripture study ever gets lighter for me.

As much as I study, it's still something that's kind of like hard

and I have to kind of push myself to do it at times, but it's that

the rest of my life gets lighter.

My marriage goes better.

My Relationship with my kids feels better.

My understanding of how to teach and do my calling, all those things get lighter.

So, in my mind, I, I focus in on the scriptures because I know what

they offer is lift everywhere else.

So, I think that's what he means.

I think some commandments are just always going to feel heavy,

but they won't feel grievous.

Meaning, I don't think you'll be casting your mind back in the

process and thinking, boy, I should have spent my time elsewhere.

You know, the same way you probably have never come out of the temple

and thought to yourself, well, that was a waste of two hours.

Like, it just doesn't happen that way.

You always kind of feel like, okay, I, I did what I needed to do so I could be

empowered to accomplish all the other things that are out in this world.

I think that's what he's saying is you won't grieve for the time

you won't be like Lot's wife who.

Cast her eyes back and wishes she could go back.

You'll be someone who sees these commandments as a stepping stone

to accomplish other things.

Or like a backpack that you can put on to carry your burdens.

It's easier.

I think that's, that's his invitation.

And so then he calls that overcoming the world.

So if you're looking for, for whatsoever is born of God, overcometh the world.

And this is the victory that overcometh the world.

Even our faith.

To me, I think the savior overcame the world, you know,

he overcame death and hell.

Each time I choose to set aside the natural man and yield to the

enticing of the Holy Spirit, I'm overcoming a portion of my world.

That's what I think John's inviting us to do.

He's saying, when you've accomplished that even just one time, so for

me, scripture study is like that.

I've, over the past four years, come to an understanding that my world gets easier

as I dive into my scriptures and find the lift and the light that's in them.

That's my portion of overcoming my world.

That peace I get, and I'm not going back anymore.

isn't overcoming.

And when I take that evidence, and I project it forward into other things,

like going to the temple regularly, or doing family history, or, you know,

whatever it is that I feel that the Spirit is pulling me to do better, He's

inviting me to overcome another piece of my world, and to lean on the grace

of the Savior to give me the strength to actually accomplish those things, the

same way I did with my scripture study.

I just think that's an invitation.

Overcome the world one piece at a time, and you'll come closer to me.

That's what he hopes for us, I think.

He teaches you a little bit more in this chapter about...

Being spiritually reborn.

So you're going to hear those three witnesses of the blood and the water and

the spirit, something that applies to physical, natural birth, that applies

to that, you know, second birth or that idea of being spiritually reborn, and it

applies to the atonement, and you can go into the notes and see that whole doctrine

kind of laid out for you, but I like where he goes at the end of this epistle.

It's in 11.

And this is the record that God hath given to us, eternal life, and this is

Eternal life and this life in His Son.

And then 13.

These things I have written unto you that you believe on the name of the

Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, that you may

believe on the name of the Son of God.

That's the whole reason John's writing.

It's the same thing you read in the Book of Mormon from people

like Mormon and Moroni or Alma.

This idea of like, the whole reason we talk of Christ and rejoice

of Christ and preach of Christ is that you will know Where to

look, you know, this life is hard.

You're gonna make mistakes.

You're gonna fall into those potholes I want you to know where to look where

can you turn for help in those moments?

How can you grow in strength and wisdom as I have and his answer is so clear

In fact, his answer is there's only one place you can go There's only one

path you can take and it goes straight through this life of the Savior Jesus

Christ it that is where you find And it's the only place that lasts.

And John is someone who values what lasts, right?

Fifteen.

And if we know that we he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have

the petition that we desire to fill.

I think all of us can come up with examples in our life where we've prayed

for things and not received them.

Even if we've been living super righteously or what

we think is super righteous.

There are times when we don't get what we receive.

But again, this is kind of what we talked about in previous weeks.

I think what we're truly supposed to be asking for are, I want the characteristics

of Jesus Christ to enlighten my character.

You know, I think if I, I'm praying to Heavenly Father for the gift of mercy,

or for the gift of patience, or the gift of knowledge, or I want to be able

to love people the way the Savior did, He finds ways to grant those prayers.

He finds ways to, either through adversity, or through blessings,

or through examples, He will find a way to help you grab hold of those.

gifts those characteristics those prayers are answered and I think maybe that's

what John is alluding to and then in 18 We know that whatsoever is born of

God sinneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself And that wicked

one toucheth him not keepeth himself to me is like You start to get the

self mastery that you don't fall into those potholes that draw everybody else

in you Get clear sight and so you're able to avoid common stumbling blocks.

You're able to keep yourself again I think this is the vine

and branches right any capability.

I have to avoid the natural man tendencies comes from the

great vine that is Jesus Christ.

You know, like, His commandments helped me get there.

His, the covenants I make helped me get there.

The scriptures and the prophets that He offered me, those helped me get there.

So He is still that vine, and these are fruits of branches.

But He's saying, you start to be able to do these things independently.

Not independently of the Savior, but independent of the world's

opinions and worries and fear.

That's what you're independent of.

Because you've learned to rely wholeheartedly on the gift of the vine.

And then 20, And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath

given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true.

And we are in him that is true, even the Son of Jesus Christ.

And this is the true God and eternal life.

That's John's big last words in these epistles.

Know Christ.

He has come to know him.

John knew him in his life.

ministry.

He knew the resurrected Savior.

I think just like Peter, John still knows him today and he urges us to do

the same, but he can't plant it in us.

You know, the same way we learned at conference, like you

can't pass on your testimony.

John can just do his best to teach us and then hope that we grab hold.

And that's his invitation.

The second epistle of John is a little bit different, where the first epistle

seemed to be directed at kind of the whole membership of the church.

The second epistle is targeted really closely, either to a congregation or

a couple congregations or to his wife.

So if you look in the verses, you're going to see him speak to an elect lady.

He'll call himself the elder and then he'll call this other group.

the elect lady.

Some people read this as speaking to a congregation because often a

congregation was used in a feminine form.

And that would make sense.

If you go on the Bible dictionary, you can learn more about this.

I kind of prefer the interpretation of John writing to his wife.

Not because I think there's any historical reason to necessarily

believe that just because I got more from it, reading it with that lens.

If that is the lens that fits for this one, I liked a lot of the things I read.

I just felt it was.

intimate to me.

What I think what must have been hard is that I bet John, similar

to other apostles, didn't get to be with his family much.

The same way I think Alma didn't get to be with his family much.

And his son, Alma the Younger, didn't get to be with his family much because

they spent so much of their life.

in the ministry.

We know that they had sons, and that means they had a wife.

They just couldn't all be together.

And since most of us have had intense callings where either we're pulled

away or our spouse is pulled away, or like we can relate right to this idea.

What I think is so sweet about the second epistle of John with this lens

of it being written to his wife is he's So grateful for what she has done.

He calls her an elect lady for a big reason and the big

reason is what you see him for.

I rejoice too greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth as we have

received a commandment from the Father.

Again, if this is a congregation to see that the young new converts are

grabbing hold and getting it means he's grateful to the leaders who are

teaching and those who are helping.

If it's his wife, that means he's grateful that she is Teaching that

he calls her elect because she's doing something that is a dignified

mighty important work Helping his children know how to walk in truth.

I think it's a walk piece that I like most It's not that you know If this is written

to his wife that the his children, you know have things memorized or no facts

about the scriptures or things like that Although they may know all those things.

It's that they're choosing to walk in truth that I think breaks open

John's heart I think it's the same way if you think about the stripling

warrior mothers or their dads.

Remember we talked about how the dads delivered coats to the

battlefield, like they did whatever they could to help their sons.

And the mothers clearly taught their sons powerfully because the sons

referenced the mother's teachings.

I think when those moms heard back from Helaman or whoever it was that wrote

to them to tell them about their son's mighty works in battle, their hearts must

have just like burst open knowing that in that moment of strain and pressure

and tension, their sons Leaned on their words that they trusted in the God that

these women taught all their lives.

I think that's what makes you elect At least in these words, I think when you

lean into the dignity that is parenting, whether you're a mother or a father or you

don't even have your own kids but you're trying to help take care of people you

love, I think there's great dignity in that work and nothing is more important.

And so when it's, when children are walking in truth, prophets rejoice.

I think that's what you see in John.

I just think he is

I think John knows what all of us have been taught at conference, that

the best way to secure our children and help them continue to walk

in truth is to walk it ourselves.

To partake of the tree and to speak often of its goodness

and constantly be beckoning.

That's how you hold tight to that next generation and you

invite them to walk in truth.

You yourself walk it and that's how they will come close.

And then he gives her this interesting warning.

So this is in 10.

If there come any unto you and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into

your house, neither bid him God speed.

I think this is his invitation to create a holy space and that sometimes

to create a holy space means Not everyone gets to come in here.

Not all technology gets to come in here.

Not all consumption of anything gets to come in my house.

This is a holy place.

The same way the temple that is another holy place has a recommend desk

and you have to qualify to come in.

I feel like to some degree that's our house and that we

as gatekeepers, as parents, get to decide what gets to come in.

And when you keep those boundaries and when you choose through the

spirit to know what those boundaries should look like, you preserve An

opportunity for your kids to grow.

To me, it's the same visual of like having those plastic protectors

around a young plant, right?

There's, I keep the world out to some degree, so that the light can come

in, but the deer can't eat the plants.

Like, that's the idea, is that during this growing up phase, you

are creating a safe, holy space.

So that they can grow strong and get deep roots and then that outer

shell can come down a little bit.

I feel like that's what John's reminding his wife of too.

And in that last verse he says he's coming home soon.

I just think this, if this is a letter to his wife that must have been a

sweet Little note at the end because he basically says I've got more to

say I've got more to teach and I can't wait to Tell it to you face to face.

This third epistle of John is even more targeted It seems to

be focused directly on one man.

His name is Gaius and he is someone who walks in truth What I love

about these verses is John basically praises him for what he knows What's

interesting to me is the reason John can praise Gaius's testimony is

because of how he sees that testimony actually enacted in Gaius's life.

This is basically what he says.

So this is verse 1.

The elder unto the well beloved Gaius whom I love in truth.

Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in

health, even as thy soul prospereth.

He knows Gaius soul is progressing, that he is growing in light and

truth, and he hopes the same thing happens for him physically, that

he'll have that same blessing.

And then three, for I rejoiced greatly when the brethren came and

testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in truth.

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.

Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren and to

strangers, which have been born witness of thy charity before the church.

Here's what I love about this, you guys.

Basically, what I think John is trying to say is, I've heard of your

good deeds, the way you take care of strangers, the way you take care of

your brother, and the way you care and have charity for your fellow men.

And therefore, I know the state of your testimony.

Remember, John is one who always weaves together love and testimony.

He's saying, if you're loving God and loving your fellow men, that I

know exactly where your testimony is.

I just think it's, you know, it makes me want to look at my life that way and

say like, okay, if the Lord looked at my ministering, would he know my testimony?

Would there be areas I need to work on?

If he looked at how I love the YSAs and how I try to do that calling, would

then he know where my testimony is?

I think the way we.

Care for each other, the way we look after strangers and seek to lift the

burdens and the hands that hang down.

It's evidence of our testimony.

Not just that we love God, but that we are willing to do and be what

He would do and be if He were here.

I just kind of love that piece.

He also warns about another man who seems like he's a leader of a congregation of

some sort that sees himself as preeminent.

So this is kind of almost like a contrast between Gaius and, what, what is his name?

Diatrophes, I think is how you pronounce it.

So basically, it's like you, you see this yin and yang right next to each other.

So Diatrophes is a leader in the church who has...

He's, uh, he's seen himself as more important.

Remember we've talked over and over again at this idea of the two

great commandments are to love God and to then love your fellow man.

And the better I get at loving God, the more clearly I'll

know how to love my fellow man.

So I can't ever reverse those two.

It seems like...

Diotrephes is choosing to love something else more.

In fact, it almost sounds like he's loving himself more, because

he's teaching false doctrine.

So, if you read in verse 9, he talks about Diotrephes who loveth to have preeminence

among them, and he receiveth us not.

That means that when John, the beloved, the apostle who walked with

the Savior from the very You know, the one who followed John the Baptist

and, like, was with the Savior all throughout his ministry and at his

crucifixion and his resurrection.

When John came to his congregation, to Atreus congregation, he

barred him from coming in.

I think it's the same way.

All of us have to be very careful in our callings and in our stewardships

that we are constantly allowing.

Correction to come in.

We're constantly seeking ways to align our teaching with what the brethren

teach, what we learn from the prophet and the apostles, like with the

scriptures, we are constantly trying to align ourselves because as soon

as we create separation, we cut off our ability to receive the spirit.

When I start to put myself in preeminence above.

what I have, what is true, the doctrine that is true.

I lose connection to the spirit and things go dark.

And that's what's happening in his congregation.

Cause basically what you see in 10 is that he won't receive the apostles and he

is excommunicating any people who don't believe in his version of Christianity.

So whatever he's teaching about Christ or any other alternative religion that he's

teaching, he basically excommunicates anybody who doesn't agree with him.

And this is just a.

Slippery slope, right?

You lose connection to the priesthood, you lose connection to the spirit,

and you can see how the gospel message starts to unravel fast.

And he warns about it.

So then in 11, he warns us.

Us and Gaas what to do in those situations.

Beloved, follow on.

Not that which is evil, but that which is good.

He that doth good is of God, but he that doth evil has not seen God.

I think he's trying to help us see like there's gonna be people like this.

There will be people who will leave the church and try to pull you out with them.

There will be people who try to teach a hybrid version of Christ's

gospel that you need some of these commandments, but not all of them.

Or that if the brethren were more.

In the know, they would, and then fill in the blank, right?

They would change this doctrine, or they would teach more about this, or any time

you're on that track, it's a slippery slope away from the Spirit, and away

from the blessings of the priesthood, and I think John's warring us pretty

strongly against any of those tracks.

He's saying stay centered on the words of the Apostles.

If you focus in on what the Apostles have taught and the witness they

offer, you're on solid ground.

Okay, now we get to jump for at least a few little verses into Jude.

Before we go into Revelation in the next two weeks, Jude is, um, from what scholars

believe, and even I think in the Bible Dictionary, it teaches that Jude is most

likely the half brother of Jesus Christ.

So, similar to James, somebody who grew up in the household of the

Savior and knew him intimately.

probably wasn't always a believer in him, but now after the resurrection

of the Savior, now is a leader of some kind in the church.

We just don't exactly know his role because it's not stated.

Um, he doesn't seem to be an apostle.

He seems to be a leader of some kind.

But he has similar concerns to John in that apostasy is looming

and he's worried about his saints.

In fact, I really like that when you read in verse three, he basically

saying, I was hoping to come to you to teach you about salvation, but there's

a bigger thing I need to talk about.

And his, his thing that he has to speak about is earnestly contending for faith.

That's how he phrases it.

I have to exhort you that you should earnestly contend for the faith, which

was once delivered unto the saints.

For there are certain men crept in unawares who were before of.

Old, ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our

God into lasciviousness and denying the only Lord God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Similar to John, I think, due to somebody who knows firsthand The

physical nature of Jesus grace.

He grew up with him.

He, he could probably see resemblance with his mother, Mary.

Like, I imagine Jude knows very clearly that the Savior is both divine and

mortal when he walked on this earth.

That he did indeed condescend and gave this great gift of his life.

to the world, and so he's going to testify about that.

And then he warns about the deceivers who will teach anything else.

So he talks about this idea of what happened before.

He's going to use a few different scriptural examples.

He is one of the only places where we see understanding about the pre existence.

Kind of like what we read in Abraham, where we learn about

the third of the hosts of heaven.

You get a feel for that in Jude.

It's not really in any other place in the New Testament, but in 6 he

says, And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own

habitation, having He hath reserved an everlasting chains under darkness

unto the judgment of the great day.

This is one of the only places you learn that that even occurred

in the pre existence, or that there is a pre existence.

Like, that's something that's a little murkier in the New Testament.

But in the Gospel of Jude, it's, or the Epistle of Jude, it's pretty clear that

the pre existence did happen and there are some who fell from the beginning.

I just think it's powerful to see that they left, you know,

they left their habitation.

They chose.

I think it's tricky in Jude because some of these are apocryphal,

meaning like we don't have the text of the story behind this example.

You can go in the notes and learn more in the Institute manual.

You can get some guidance about these stories, like about Michael and we just

don't have them in our New Testament.

So I felt like it wasn't as.

Worth as much of my time.

Remember Joseph Smith thought that the Apocrypha, these other

scriptures are there is good and there is some things that are wrong

and you just have to weigh them out.

So I think for our purposes, Jude's testimony is where I

got the most power from it.

So he warns about those who are going to speak evil and then he

tells you more about who they are.

These people who are trying to pull you away from the truth.

I like how it's phrased in 12.

These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you,

feeding themselves without fear, clouds they are, without water, carried about

of winds, trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up

by the roots, raging waves of the sea, foaming out of their own shame, and

wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever.

This is who...

who is teaching.

You know, these are the people that are trying to lead others away from Christ.

They are people who are clouds without water.

It's similar to what we read last week.

This idea of like giving people the impression that they can

sustain and nourish and lift you and then when you get up close

you realize it's just this mirage.

That there's actually no gift there.

There's actually no sustenance there.

What's particularly sinister about that is It exhausts you in the

process, you know, this process of trying to seek out truth where there

isn't truth actually depletes you.

I think that's what President Nelson warned about when he was trying

to say, like, it's not easier.

No other road is easier.

In fact, it's easier to live the gospel than it is to try any other road because

there simply isn't nourishment there.

That's Jude's message as well.

So he describes them.

These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts, and

their mouths speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in

admiration because of advantage.

He's warning that those who are leaving the church and trying

to entice you to come with them are They tend to be murmurs.

I thought this was an interesting beginning, right?

I think all of us have to guard against this in our own hearts.

It's easy to murmur.

It's tempting to murmur because I can be a full fledged disciple of Jesus

Christ and go through all the motions, but have my opinions and speak them, you

know, to others and kind of backbite.

And it's an easy, slippery slope.

So he warns that These people he's speaking to are not

somebody coming from the outside.

These are wolves within the flock who are starting to break down testimony through

their murmuring and their deception.

But then he tells you how to have an antidote to all of that.

That's in 17.

But beloved, remember the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord

Jesus Christ, how they that told you there should be mockers at the last time, who

would walk after their own ungodly lusts.

These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the spirit.

He's basically trying to help us remember that we were warned

this was going to happen.

Remember, the Savior himself spoke about wolves among the

flock, that that would happen.

So he's saying, take a stance of confidence that you know they're

coming and that you know you've been equipped to withstand.

I also think you've been equipped to help people come back.

You know, even if they're not the ones pulling people away, those who are

somewhere on that continuum of doubt and fear and that are drifting off, he gives

us some tips on how to help them, whether it be your own kids or friends of yours

or anyone you know that is waning in their testimony rather than getting stronger.

These are his tips.

So he says in 20, but ye beloved building up yourselves on the most

holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost.

I think the first tip, if you really want to help somebody who is drifting,

is to keep yourself solidly tethered.

Remember how we talked about this with a cave?

Like if you're going to go explore a cave, you get this line that takes

you to the outside of the cave.

You lock into that line and you never cut the cord, right?

You never cut that rope because as soon as you cut that rope, you are adrift and

the real strength is in that anchor point.

That is what he's saying.

Like if you're going to wander into that cave to try and rescue somebody,

keep that covenant line connected.

Don't ever cut your covenants in order to try and rescue because that implies that

I'm the rescuer and not the Savior So I think that's his invitation don't separate

build up yourselves and stay connected through prayer And then in 21 keep

yourselves in the love of God looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto

eternal life In order for me to be part of this rescue team, to really help somebody,

I have to keep the love of God with me.

Meaning, I need the spirit with me.

Which means I've got to live my covenants even closer than I have in the past.

If I'm hoping to really rescue, I need to stay tightly tethered.

I need to stay by the tree.

That's his invitation.

And then in 22, And of some have compassion, making a difference,

and others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even

the garment spotted by the flesh.

This to me is, you need both.

There are times when you're going to need to be compassionate,

understanding, I think even validating of people's fears and concerns, and

then, because you're tightly tethered to that anchor point, you can show

compassion, you can bring them back.

I think when it's your own stewardship, like your own kids

or your own situation, sometimes you're pulling them out of the fire.

Which means like, I'm going to shut down social media if it's really

causing your testimony to stumble.

Like, I think parents have those Options at their fingertips that you can say

things like, yeah, we're just not going to hang out with that person anymore.

Clearly it's causing some struggle.

I'm going to pull you out of that fire.

His warning is, don't get so close to the fire in your efforts to pull

them out that you yourself get burned.

You know, I don't need to go read every negative blog post that my

kid has read or my aunt has read.

I don't need to go wade into all that darkness.

I just need to rescue.

I need to keep that covenant line connected and Invite and beckon in.

And then 24.

Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling and to present

you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.

To me, this is Jude saying, never cut the rope.

Don't ever think that you don't need that anchor point.

It's tempting at times to think, well, I'll just step outside of my covenants

so that they know that I love them, and then they'll want to come back to Christ.

But the moment I cut that line, I lose my connection to the real rescue.

And he's basically teaching us, there's only one that can keep you from falling.

There's only one that can pull you out of that cave, and your

friends, and your loved ones.

There's only one source for that kind of rescue, and it comes...

from the Savior.

And that's what he says in 25.

To the only wise God, our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion

and power, both now and ever.

All right, you guys, time for the creative side of week 48.

So we have a lot of good options at our fingertips this week.

I had to just pick three, but I promise there's many more out there.

So hopefully this will at least just get the wheels of your mind spinning so that

you can find meaningful and memorable and simple ways to teach these beautiful

doctrines of John in your everyday life.

I think I've got some good options for you, but I promise

there's lots more out there.

Okay.

I'm going to give you a supplies list first and walk you through each of

the object lessons in a quick preview.

And then for those of you who are in the full course, just keep watching this

video and I'll talk you through each one individually, and then also give

you access to the printables and the notes so that you can pull them off.

But this should give you a good idea of what we have in store this week.

Okay, first and foremost, it's our last temple week of the year.

So remember my goal with these temple weeks that we added in the

2023 season is that you would have a version of temple prep for your kids.

That even if they're really young, you can start teaching these concepts that

we learn in the temple and reinforcing the importance of the temple, no matter

where your kids are or how close they are to actually Going into it and one

of the things we haven't really covered is the beginning of the endowment Which

is called the initiatory and since this week we talk a little bit about anointing

and the power that comes from anointing I thought this would be a good gateway

to speak just a little bit about the initiatory what it is Why we do it and

what your kids can expect from it This is one of those times when you're gonna

want to gauge based on your kids age and how close they are to actually attending

the temple Uh, how deep you go into this, but I give you some good links

in the notes so that you know, what's appropriate to say and what's helpful.

So hopefully that will help you.

I also give you some printables.

The idea behind these printables is really honestly, it's something

I wanted to make for myself.

And I just thought you guys might want it as well.

One of the things I wish I could do is to track my temple attendance better.

I have these goals to get to the temple more regularly, but

I don't really pay attention to.

Exactly how often that is.

And then sometimes it, a lot of times slips by.

So I thought if I had a tracker of some kind to just see my goals and

my progress, this would help me.

So in the printables this week, you have a couple different options.

First, I'm creating a simple printable tracker that you can hang on your wall.

It has some symbols at the bottom to represent the different kinds of

ordinances and you could make a plan.

Then I decided we might need one that was for the youth as well.

So I take all of this idea of the calendar for 2024 and I create this one.

So this is one that you're.

kids could hang on their wall or maybe in their closet somewhere to track

how often they get to the temple and also to store their temple recommend.

And since we already had that piece made, I decided we also should make

a little sleeve for your recommend.

So that if you don't have it laminated, or even if you do, that it can slide

in and out of your wallet and be just a little more elegant and a little more.

You know, temple like, so all those tools will be at your disposal with

the printable, but I'm hoping to give you an opportunity to speak

about the initiatory as you craft it.

And I'll walk you through that in just a second.

Okay.

Second thing.

This is to help you teach about stewardships.

John often talks about how it will be difficult, especially for

these saints to stay discipleship.

But the promise is that anytime the Lord asks us to do anything,

to walk in the light as he offers, he also promises an abundance of.

Light, something to give us hope, to give us strength, to bless us in the process.

And that's where this game come in, comes in.

So you're going to do a simple game that kind of.

It's maybe a cross between like a randomized game and

a white elephant exchange.

So for this one, you just need some paper plates, ideally a little bit

of curling ribbon, like what you'd wrap a, you know, Christmas present

with, and then some kind of cup that's opaque, like a solo cup would work.

We use these little ice cream cups.

There isn't like a set number of plates, depends on how big of a class you're

Talking to I mean if you're doing a seminary class you might want to have

like 25 plates in there I don't know So you want a good bunch of plates one

cup and then also some treats to stash on those plates So for us I use things

like little skittles I basically got dollar store items that I could put

on the plates as prizes and then we're gonna use it to teach us about How

whenever he asks us to do a work There are blessings that come along the way.

And I'll walk you through how to pull that off.

You also will want for that game, a pack of 10 Z dice.

You don't have to have 10 dice per player.

You could have six dice per player or five, but you want the same number of

dice for every player that's at the table.

And then you'll be all set for that one.

Last one.

Okay.

Winter is in full swing.

We have a couple inches of snow on the ground, so we're already

breaking out the hot cocoa.

And that made me think about this off take lesson.

Basically what happens in this week's study is you start to see.

The doctrines of Christ unraveling.

You can see people like Diotrephes who ban John from coming into his

congregation and people who are teaching hybrid versions of Christ.

Christ that doesn't have a body or Christ that's only godlike and never condescended

or Even versions of Christ that are things like, He is all mortal and has no

divinity, but just was blessed with grace.

Like, all these different versions of the true Christ are starting to crop

up, and you can see things unravel.

And the reason I thought we would focus on that in the object lesson

is, I wanted to re emphasize what we learned in conference.

This idea that it is critical for us and for our kids to know how

to judge what is true doctrine and what is some other version.

And the way we're going to do that, as weird as it sounds, is

by making these hot cocoa cozies.

So I don't know if you've ever seen this before.

Jason laughed at me when I pulled this out, but basically you're going

to make a cozy for your hot cocoa.

It's just this, you know, little cute wrap that you make out of a sock.

So you just need mugs that you have in your cupboard already

and then grab some socks.

The weirder and stripier and cuter they are, the better.

I just have like the dollar store version of Christmas socks

that worked awesome for us.

But you want to go buy something cheap and easy because you're going to cut it

up to create your cozy and it's going to actually help you teach about the

unraveling that happens in the apostasy.

We're going to tie it all together.

Okay.

Once you have those supplies on hand.

Come on back and I'll teach you how to pull off each one.

Thanks for being here.

You guys, that's it for week 48.

Hey, I hope you enjoy it.

We're in the home stretch and then we're going to go into the

book of revelation next week.

So if you don't remember on your discipleship dojo, we're

black belt level next week.

This is as big as it gets.

You guys, we've got good things on the horizon.

And then of course.

Book of Mormon is right around the corner to stick with us.

We're going to have a incredible year in 2024 as we come full circle.

I just think there's a lot of goodness in store and I can't

wait to tell you all about it.

So stick with me.

Remember, if you have questions about this week's teachings or

things that are coming up for us in 2024, come join me in the life.

You can find me there on Instagram at 10 a.

m.

Mountain time.

We'll talk through some of the insights.

I'll add in some understandings or ideas, tips and tricks about the

object lessons, and it's also a great place to field your questions.

So if you have something you don't understand, or you want more detail,

feel free to lob it at me during the live, or you can post it on the

YouTube comments or on the discussion boards in the posts, and I will.

I'll get those as quick as I can, but otherwise, enjoy the words of John.

Remember, his whole goal as someone who was a living witness of Jesus Christ,

someone who saw the Savior, knew Him, handled Him, and testified of Him is

to help us gain confidence in Christ.

We could know him more intimately and come to trust him.

If we can trust him, then there is abundant hope that's at our fingertips.

I think that's John's message, and I think you'll find it throughout his writings.

So go enjoy John, and I'll see you on Monday.