Hey everybody, welcome back.

This is week 37 of Creative Come Follow Me for the New Testament.

And this week we're going to jump into 2 Corinthians.

We'll be here for a couple weeks.

We cover chapters 1 through 7 this week, but don't worry, they're

actually pretty short chapters so you can move through it sort of fast.

The only hard part is it's Paul, so it's hard to ever move through Paul very fast.

But I will tell you that if you can give it some time and attention,

things will come to the surface.

Even on crazy, busy, hard weeks.

That's my week, you guys.

This was a rough week to try and blend in hard teachings.

So my advice to you is the same advice I gave to myself, which

is to pray desperately for the Spirit to help you understand.

And if you are earnest the way I was, understandings will come.

There is actually some incredibly beautiful teaching in this week's study.

For me, one of my favorite things that I learned, or maybe that just kind of

came to my mind as I was studying Paul.

So I was thinking back on the experience of Joseph in Liberty Jail.

And you know how there's that moment where the Lord says, thou are not yet

as Job, thy friends do stand by thee.

And so Joseph takes comfort in the fact that at least he still has his friends,

and there is some, there's some buffer to all the, all the hard that is out there.

I think Paul is walking that line.

It's not that he doesn't have any friends, it's that some have turned away.

So where we studied before in 1 Corinthians, and he wrote that epistle

to the Corinthian saints that, you know, initially he set up that branch on his

second mission, and he was writing to them to kind of touch base with them.

Now he's been back to Corinth another time to check on things and get things

in motion and it doesn't go well.

I don't know all the reasons why it doesn't.

It seems like scholars kind of debate what happened there, but

for whatever reason, people are questioning his apostolic authority.

They are.

pushing back.

In fact, they're angry that he had to change his travel plans, and they start

to cast their frustration at Paul and his mortal ness onto the nature of God.

They start to assume that if Paul is wrong in some way, or if Paul

can't be trusted to keep his travel plans, then maybe we shouldn't trust

in the God he teaches us about.

Like, they're projecting.

And I can see where that would Eat you up a little bit as an Apostle, because

all he wants to do is cast the bright light of Christ on everybody he can.

And if in any way, his choices limited people's sight of Christ.

it would make him ache a little inside.

So you can see him trying to teach both people.

The good news is he sends Titus with this, some people call it the letter of tears.

It's a letter that he references in this week's study.

We don't have the letter, but it seems like it's a letter of.

correction that some people take beautifully.

Titus comes back and tells Paul that they, their hearts are repentant

and they want to hear more.

Titus also comes back and tells Paul that there are some who are still teaching

false doctrines and leading hearts astray.

So in this week's study, in these first seven chapters, you're going to

see him address both of those groups.

And what I love about this is the common nature is Teach

about the character of God.

Teach about the mercy and goodness and ever reaching arm of God.

And if you teach that to both of those groups, there's hope.

That's Paul's big message.

Even though he himself has experienced what it feels like to

be betrayed and turned against and misjudged, he is teaching them about

mercy and where they can seek it.

And I just think it's a beautiful week of study.

So this is a chance for you to go grab your scriptures, grab your notes.

Your notes are gonna be a little bit shorter this week than they

regularly are, simply because of the amount of time I could offer.

It's not that I didn't study it, it's that I didn't have the time to.

Put it all in paper the way we normally do, but there's plenty of

resources out there to get you going.

So grab your scriptures, grab your notes.

It's time to get started.

I like how the chapter heading begins with God comforts and cares for his

saints because that's really what you're going to see over and over again

in like the first five or six verses.

In fact, they'll use the word comfort.

I don't know how many times, like here's verse four, who comforted us

in all our tribulation that we may be able to comfort them which are in

any trouble by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

He's, there's a lot of comfort in these first few verses and it's tempting

to see that as a God who will cushion us and make us feel comfortable.

That's just not the nature of God, especially after we, what we studied

in the Old Testament together.

So you guys remember when we were in Isaiah and we were talking

about how comfort in Isaiah's terms is more like, coaching.

It's like someone who the visual that always helps me is like a boxing ring.

And when you picture that corner coach, who's not in the ring with you

necessarily, but he is right there and he is guiding you throughout the match.

And then when the bell dings, you have a minute to go back and get patched up.

You know, like if you think about the movie Rocky or Creed or any of those, I

was talking to my YSAs about this, like the, a comforter is someone who will

sit in that corner and guide you to.

Progress.

It is not someone who will say, that's so hard for you to come get out of here.

Let me take care of you.

It's someone who will say that was a hard round.

Let's review what went well and what didn't go well.

Let me patch up what is broken and give you the strength and the

hydration you need so that you can.

Give back out there, because remember, our Heavenly Father is not

satisfied until we are like He is.

That's His end goal.

So His kind of comfort is different.

So when you see Paul talk about comfort and that we worship this

God who is a really good coach.

He's going to use his own life as an example because Paul's been

through some really hard patches.

A lot of people think that this reference that he has, like in verse

seven and eight, where he talks about being pressed beyond measure, that this

is probably referencing that time in Acts, I think it was like 18 or 19.

When the silversmiths were rallying against him, remember, and he's,

there's that big stadium of people that are rioting against him

and that things don't go well.

In fact, if you look at Paul's words, he says that we were pressed out of

measure above strength in so much that we despaired even unto life.

That's how.

Heavy the weights.

That's how heavy the weight Paul is carrying.

But what he is testifying of in this chapter, and honestly, in every chapter,

is that God comforts us in affliction.

I really love what he promises.

So if you look in 5.

It says, for as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our

consolation also aboundeth by Christ.

I don't think Paul is encouraging us to suffer.

I, I believe the same thing I talk about in my Time Out for Women talk

about that Elder Holland said that God doesn't inflict pain, that he

is not in his nature to do that.

I really think what he's promising is that he knows that being in this

fallen world we will experience pain, both from our own dumb choices and from

the dumb choices of others and just the nature of the world we live in.

And so what he promises is that he has a plan for all of that and that he make

all things work together for our good.

So Paul's encouraging us to, to just anticipate that and to realize that when

you are in need, You get to see him when you are on your knees because your life is

hard or things are stressful or straining, you'll turn to him and you'll get more

experience and closeness with him.

I just kind of think it's.

A sweet promise, right?

He's saying that, that excavation that happens in our soul as we

experience this mortal life gives us opportunities to be filled by a

rich, good source of nourishment.

And that's why he says, you don't need to be afraid of sufferings.

I just think sometimes I associate sufferings with like physical pain,

and I really think the sufferings he's talking about are the same

kind of sufferings that, you know, a boxer experiences in that ring.

They're the sufferings that come from wanting to be successful and

stretching yourself beyond what you thought you could do before, and

taking on challenges and facing fears.

Those are sufferings when it comes to.

The things of God and he's going to help us and comfort us in that coaching

kind of way throughout all of them.

So I love what he says in seven.

And our hope of you is steadfast, knowing that as you are partakers

of the sufferings, so shall you be also of the consolation.

The reason I like this, you guys, is I think what he's trying to say is if you

choose it, being a partaker means I.

Choose it.

Like if I am at a giant buffet and I partake of something, it means I

willingly choose that and I consume it.

I think that's what he's saying about suffering.

He's saying if you willingly choose to let things be hard, the same way an

elite athlete or a great boxer chooses to take on opponents that are scary

and hard because they'll be stretched and pushed and motivated to train.

That's what Paul's trying to get us to do.

He's trying to help us choose.

Again, I don't think he's Trying to get us to choose adversity.

Those will naturally happen all on their own, but I do think he's

inviting us to take on challenge.

I love this just because I have to remind myself of this all the time.

There are times when I get really comfortable with my world and my

talents and my, you know, my abilities and, and then I find Heavenly Father

offers me this opportunity to stretch.

And it's always scary and I'm always tempted to set it aside.

And when I choose to just trust and to just try, even if I fail

a little bit, it's that strain that connects me with Him.

Because I desperately need Him on those stretching moments.

And I think that's what Paul knows.

He's like, don't be afraid of adversity.

Don't be afraid of the tough training that comes with a really good coach.

You will be strengthened in him, lean in to the training.

So that's kind of what you're to see in the first chapter.

I also love the way, what he says it, what he says in nine, But we had the

sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves,

but in God, which raiseth the dead.

Paul's referencing his experience in this prison where he's

saying things were so hard.

That's in verse eight, that they were pressed above measure.

Things were so hard that they actually thought they might die.

And they took comfort in the fact that God can raise the dead.

I think Paul really believes this concept of Death has no sting.

He, he's not afraid to be a martyr for Christ because he knows there's

no victory of death anymore.

Christ has conquered it.

This great ultimate victory has occurred and he doesn't need to be afraid anymore.

And then 11.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Also helping together by prayer for us and for the gift bestowed upon

us by the means of many persons.

Thanks may be given by many on our rehab.

What Paul is telling the saints in Corinth is that the reason they

were able to get out of that mess that happened is by two big reasons.

First, the saints prayed for him.

And second, the grace of God.

And when those two forces come together, miracles happen.

Deliverance happens.

Even if someone isn't actually delivered from prison in those instances.

Peace comes and deliverance is found and that's what Paul's trying to teach

them and then in 12th for our rejoicing Is this the testimony of our conscience

that in simplicity and godly sincerity now with fleshy wisdom But by the grace

of God we have had our conversation in the world and more abundantly to you word

to me This is Paul saying basically His testimony comes from somewhere deeper.

I think he's been through enough hard, enough stretching moments, enough callings

that push him and stretch him, that his testimony sits somewhere non physical.

You know, I love that phrase, that it's not in fleshy wisdom.

It's not from a an experience.

The reason I like this is because oftentimes I psych myself out by

thinking that it's those physical, tangible, almost spiritual experiences

that would make me have a certainty.

And I feel like what Paul is basically saying is he's saying there's

something more grounding than that.

And it doesn't come from anything that happens in the flesh.

You know, because sometimes I hear people describe their spiritual experiences, you

know, about things like getting tingles all over or having their arm hair stand up

or feeling a big burning in their bosom.

And I just don't have those experiences very often.

But what I, I do have are experiences that I can't point to physically.

I just.

No, I just have a an understanding that is rooted deeper and I think Paul is trying

to teach me that those are valued They are they can't be taken from you though.

That is a rich spiritual experience So I shouldn't discount it and then in

15 he says this and in this confidence I was minded to come unto you before

that you might have a second benefit.

So Paul's planning to come to them again.

In fact, he hoped to come visit them again and to, you know, almost like

a visiting general authority come and help them, but it didn't work out.

Here's what's tricky is they took his choices, his travel plans changing as the

fact that he's kind of a flip flopper.

That's sort of what they call him when they say that yay, yay and

nay, nay, they're kind of saying like one day you said you would

come and one day you didn't come.

And then they start to attribute that.

To his teachings saying like if we can't trust you to come when you say you're

gonna come to our town Then maybe we can't trust anything you say and that's

where Paul steps up and he's like, let me help you understand I am mortal

and yes, there are things that are gonna change because of my situation.

God doesn't change That's what you see in 20 for all the promises

of God in him are yay And in him, amen unto the glory of God by us.

Now he which establisheth us with you in Christ and hath anointed us is God.

He's saying, I am an imperfect man and my travel plans may change

and I might even make mistakes.

I mean, I'm obviously putting some words in Paul's mouth, but he's

saying, don't ever let those things impact your understanding of God.

He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

And he anointed us.

He anointed me as an apostle to teach the word, even though

I am this imperfect vessel.

I, I will never be able to be perfect.

There's only been one perfect being, but he anointed me.

And so I will stand and I will do the work.

And then I love the way he phrases it in 22, who has also sealed us and given us

the earnest of the spirit in our hearts.

He's gonna use this word earnest a couple times this week, and if you want

to think about like an earnest payment You know like if you're buying a house,

and you say I have intent to buy that house So I'm gonna put earnest money down

meaning I'll take a portion of what will eventually be given to prove my intention.

What I really like is he's essentially equating the feelings we get from

the Holy Ghost as earnest payments.

He's saying what you feel from the Spirit is A payment, essentially.

It's a way that you can trust that there is more goodness to come.

I've just never thought of the spirit that way.

I think it's a way, what it reminded me of is, you know how we talked about with Adam

and Eve, that when they were, when they were driven out of the Garden of Eden,

they had those skins to take with them.

They had a piece of the garden with them that was handcrafted for them.

And so no matter what hardship they faced outside the garden, they could always look

down and remember, Oh no, we are loved.

And we, we belong to someone.

Need to go through this next stage and that's kind of what

I think the spirit is for me.

It's almost like this The way I have talked about with my YSAs and some ladies

in Idaho is I see it almost like a Costco sample You know, it's like he can't

give you the whole taste of the tree of life You have to you have to walk the

path and hold on to the iron rod But he will give you this Costco sample by, um,

like what the spirit can bring you to assure you that there is more to come,

that there is goodness that is worth the wrestle if you just stay on this path.

That's the spirit to me.

It's the, it's the sample of the goodness that will fill me at

some point if I stay on this path.

And then 24, he says, not for, not for that we have dominion over your

faith, but are helpers of your joy.

And for by faith you stand.

That's his job as an apostle is to be a helper of joy so that others

might access it and understand how to keep it and Understand how to not pay

attention to their circumstances But pay attention to the focus and find joy

there and he's gonna teach us how to do that a little bit better in chapter 2

In the margins of chapter two, I wrote softball and you won't understand why

unless you know me in high school.

So I played volleyball, like I told you guys, loved volleyball,

was great at volleyball.

I tried to do softball one year in high school.

I played a lot in young women's, felt pretty.

Pretty confident in my athletic abilities and decided to try out for the team

made the team things were going great for about the First half of the season

and then I hit this weird slump with my hitting Yes It was a really bad slump

where I started to strike out at almost every game multiple times and I was

so Frustrated by it and what was the most demoralizing wasn't the strikeout.

It was that my coach never Helped me and I didn't really come to her because I

was embarrassed anyway But like I was I think a sophomore in high school and she

never one time said hey Maria stay after practice Let's work on this or hey Maria.

Like not one time Did she try to give me batting tips and I found myself

in my head thinking oh, she sees no potential in me Yeah, I probably

never should have made this team.

She's not giving me any feedback I bet she doesn't want me on this team next year.

Now, as an adult, I look back on that and think, like, wow, that's

a terrible train of thought.

But because I didn't get any help, I just assumed that meant

she didn't see much potential.

What I love about the way the Lord teaches is He Always sees potential.

And because he sees potential, he will never stop correcting us.

He will never stop coaching with his kind of comfort.

That's what you see in four.

For out of much affliction and anguish of my heart, I wrote

unto you with many tears.

This Paul is talking about that letter that he wrote that was full

of correction that he worried about.

And he says, not that you should be grieved, but that you might know the love,

which I have more abundantly unto you.

A person who loves you.

will correct you.

You know, a person who really hopes for your long term welfare

won't just make you comfortable and say you're great just as you are.

You don't need any changes.

Someone who really loves you and really hopes for the best for you will constantly

coach you forward in a loving way.

And there'll be times when they step back so that you can catch your breath,

you know, just like any good coach will give you a chance to regroup and

you know, pull yourself together, but then they will Put you back on the

field or put you back in the ring.

And that's kind of what you're going to see in these verses.

Paul is saying, because I love you, I had to correct you.

I had to make some, I had to make some strong sayings.

It kind of reminds me of Jacob in the Book of Mormon when he had to come

and approach the Nephites, remember?

And he was saying like, I'm worried about the tender hearts in the audience

here, but I have to say these words.

That's kind of where Paul is.

And then he talks about an incident.

What's hard is, I don't really know the backstory.

I read some different theories from scholars, but something seems to have

happened with one of the members.

Some people think it's that guy we read about back in Acts, but

something happened where there was church discipline that was needed.

And now he seems to be struggling to blend back in to the saints.

So what Paul says in six is his punishment was sufficient.

He says sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.

So he's had his church discipline experience.

He's been.

forgiven and now it's time for you to welcome him back in.

I thought this was so fascinating.

He says in seven, so that contrary wise, you ought rather

to forgive him and comfort him.

Remember that kind of comfort to the, bring him back to the fold and coach

him, give him guidance and support and callings and, you know, bring him back in.

Um, perhaps such a one should be swallowed up over much sorrow.

If they don't provide that kind of

It's the same reason, I mean, in a small ridiculous way, I never tried out for

softball again because I just was overcome with like what I just assumed that meant.

And I feel like that's what he's warning about.

He's saying like, don't, don't let this happen to one of the saints.

In fact, I love where he takes it in eight.

He says, wherefore I beseech you that you would confirm your love toward him.

So it's not just.

You need to forgive him.

It's confirm your love for him.

That's hard to do, especially if the offense was personal in some way.

Even if he's been forgiven and was repentant and now is coming back

into the fold, to confirm your love is like the next step, right?

It's one thing to say, all right, I'm going to let all that go.

It's another thing to say.

I'm going to confirm that I love you.

I'm going to proactively act to let you know that I care about you.

That's charity.

That's a whole nother level, level of discipleship.

And that's where Paul needs them to go.

And I just think it's tender, right?

I think if I was that guy and I was in his spot to have an apostle

say, don't just treat him well.

But, show your love.

I think it's the same thing we saw the Savior do, like, with the

woman who had the issue of blood.

When she's healed and she's been dejected by her society for years, and

he elevates her and gives her dignity and asks her to rise and, you know,

points her out and says she is clean.

That is proving his love for her.

You know, he is declaring it.

That's what he's asking us to do.

Confirm your love.

And if that's hard...

What I love is the promise that we find in Moroni, where if you're

struggling to find that level of charity, you can pray for it.

Remember, it's a spiritual gift.

To be able to acquire the gift of charity takes spiritual effort.

So you can pray to have your heart comforted.

You can also pray to just love God better.

Because the promise is, if I struggle to love my fellow men, the best

thing I can do is love God better.

Because the more I understand the nature of God and see His actions, the more I

will understand my love for my fellowmen.

It's just this natural byproduct of coming to know the character of Christ

that I will see others differently.

I love that Paul understands that those tools are available

and he asks them to step up.

You know, remember, he's that coach in the corner and he's saying, I know

it's hard and I know you're a little bit battered and bruised from your past

experiences, but get back in the ring.

We are, we are saints of God.

This is what it looks like.

And so then he talks about his own experience for in, in nine, he says,

For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you,

whether you be obedient in all things.

This is Paul's, it's a test of sorts.

He's saying, I know this is hard and I know I'm asking a lot of you to show

love to this person that struggled and that may be even offended deeply.

I'm asking you to do this for me.

And he says, this is a test and it will tell me where your heart is.

Are you obedient in all things or not?

Show me that you can show charity.

And then in 10 he says that They can choose basically and he will

forgive who they forgive, you know, because as this general authority

sort of type person He's saying what you guys decide as a membership.

I will support and the Lord forgives In his way, so he's

promising that that can happen.

What is interesting to me is why he says it matters so much This is 11 less Satan

should get advantage of us We are not ignorant of his devices if they choose to

hold on to their grudges If they choose to let this divide up the members, then Satan

wins, you know, Satan gets that wedge in.

Remember that analogy of the wedge we've talked about so many times, that Satan

is just looking for some crack that he can insert this sliver of a wedge

in and then tap until that log splits.

Like, that's what he's hoping to do among the members.

And so Paul is saying, this rift of contention or disunity will spread.

We have to close the gap.

It's the exact same thing the prophet's asking us to do.

that we will set down grudges, let go of contention, and find ways

to come together as saints of God.

Because he knows the risks, just like Paul did.

And then he promises at the end of this chapter about triumph of Christ.

This is where Paul starts to kind of defend his authority as an apostle.

It's going to stretch over the next couple chapters, where he tries to

help them understand the authority that he has and why they can trust him.

And so it's a It's a bit of a defense, but he says, Now thanks be unto God,

which always causes us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savor

of his knowledge by us in every place.

For we are unto God a sweet saver of Christ, in them that are

saved, and in them that perish.

I think Paul's trying to say like, When you choose to be that

open hearted, forgiving, merciful person, you're, the Lord rejoices.

You know, when we take on those characteristics of Christ, even

when it's hard, and we want to push ourselves to accomplish it, He rejoices.

There is a sweet savor of Christ in our actions.

It's kind of a beautiful way to phrase it.

In 17, he talks about how there's many more who are trying to corrupt the saints.

We don't know numbers.

Like, I don't know how many people there are pulling people away from

truth and teaching false doctrines.

It's not as clear in Paul's writings as it is, like, in the Book of

Mormon, when you see a very clear anti Christ character come about.

And then you see the ramifications of their teachings.

In the New Testament, it's a little bit hazier.

But what I love is...

It doesn't really matter what the numbers are because in God's big

scheme of things, numbers don't matter.

So Paul's saying we're, we may not be as many.

Those who are faithful saints may not be as numerous as those who are leaving the

faith, but numbers don't matter to God.

I mean, look at all the examples in scripture.

My favorite is Gideon.

So you remember that from the old Testament, we talked about his 300.

You know, he had this giant army and then slowly had to

whittle it down to just 300 guys.

And then they don't even go and fight.

They do that thing where they have the lamps and they crash all the lamps at

once and it scares off the other army.

Like, I just think that's, that's the nature of God.

He's saying it doesn't matter at numbers.

I think that applies to us because it sometimes feels like a lot are...

Leaving the faith or are struggling in the faith and it feels like there's this

tide pulling people away and What Paul teaches and what the our prophets teach

today is this work will roll forward and it will fill the earth you just

have to understand and do your best like focus on your discipleship and

your choices and Then trust the Lord doesn't stress about, about numbers.

Things will work out.

In chapter three, Paul's going to touch on how the new law surpasses the old law.

I'm talking about the law of Moses and its purpose and how it has,

it's been superseded by this new covenant that Christ established.

And you can tell that there must still be struggle with people's hearts and

wanting the old style of discipleship that was very visible and measurable

and provable to the outer world.

And he's asking them to step to a higher plane.

It's similar to what we read in the Sermon on the Mount.

It's this invitation to do something from the heart.

He starts with talking about recommendations.

So the customs in this day were that if you were going to go to a new city and

people didn't know you there, you often would come with words of recommendation

from friends and family or business associates that you could be trusted.

What I like is Paul essentially says to them, You're my letters of recommendation.

You're my epistles.

And it's not written in ink.

It's written on the testimonies that you show forth.

It kind of reminds me of how the apostles teach today.

how our lives are a reflection of the truthfulness of the gospel, that the joy

we experience and that the light that we exude shows that the gospel is true.

Now you can see the impact of understanding the truths of God as

people join the church, as people embrace the Book of Mormon and see

their divine nature, they change.

Their countenance changes and their lives often change along with it and it's

proof that the gospel is real and works.

And that's kind of what Paul's trying to say here is.

The saints, your faith, your good works is, is evidence that this gospel is true.

And then he talks about how it's not because of him.

He has this humble stance in five.

He says, not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything of

ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God.

He knows exactly how small he is, like all of us do.

All of us know exactly what our talent level is and how, when we are stretched

and pushed, how much God adds to us.

to us.

I see that all the time, especially in really hard weeks like this one where

there's a lot for me to juggle and I know exactly what I'm capable of on my own and

I know I can see how much God helps me.

In fact, sometimes I wonder if I actually ever have known what I'm capable of on

my own because I think he's helped me.

all the time.

You guys, I just think my capabilities are very limited, but my capabilities

plus God's infinite goodness means I can accomplish a lot of things.

And this week is evidence of that, but I think that's what

Paul's trying to teach them.

I just love the way he phrases it.

So in three, for as much as you're manifestly declared to be the epistle

of Christ ministered by us, this letter of Christ that is Sent forth

by these apostles, written not with ink, but with the spirit of the

living God, not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.

Their discipleship is coming from a deeper place, just like the Savior invited

them to do on the Sermon on the Mount.

I mean, not this group, but all of us.

And so he's pleased with that outcome.

And then he says in seven, but if the ministration of death written and engraved

in stones was so glorious, meaning like when Moses came down and we had the

commandments and that beginnings of the law of Moses that came on those tablets,

if that was as glorious as it was, then imagine how glorious this new covenant is.

And that's what he's trying to guide their minds to.

So he says in six, who also has made us able ministers of the new

Testament or covenant, not of the letter, but of the spirit, the letter

killeth, but the spirit giveth life.

He's not saying that the law of Moses was bad.

He's just saying it's now been, it's now been superseded.

It's, it's now the law of Moses is dead and there is a new covenant

that is taking them to another level.

And that's what he's asking them to understand.

And so then he starts to talk about Moses.

And he basically explains that in the Old Testament, when Moses brought

those tablets of stone down, that moment of, of illumination on the

earth was so strong and so powerful that Moses's face itself lit up.

You guys remember this?

Like they had to put a veil over Moses's face because he was glorious to behold

because this new, these tablets of stone were now in place and the law of Moses

could begin among the children of Israel.

This, that was a huge moment to the point where his face had to be veiled.

And then he talks about later in the verses, like around 14, that when Christ

came, Things shifted the veil was torn this new covenant is now in place and

when Christ is resurrected and that temple veil Tore remember when they said it tore

from top to bottom that it represented this opening, that this glorious light

of the gospel of Jesus Christ now could beam out to all who would hear it.

And so that's what he kind of compares all throughout the end of chapter 3.

In 15 he says, But even unto this day when Moses is read,

the veil is upon their heart.

Talking about the Jews.

Nevertheless, when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away.

He's saying that in this time, they were a bit blinded.

In fact, it's phrased that way in 14.

But their minds were blinded, for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken

away in the reading of the Old Testament, which veil is done away in Christ.

Those who choose to hold on to the love of Moses are sort of

putting on Blinders, you know, he's saying they're choosing to hide.

I just talked to my institute class about this this week, because this

is in the book of Mormon as well.

It talks about we follow blind guides.

And I just think this is tempting.

Sometimes you think about anything, why on earth would I want a blind guide?

The whole point is for me to be led somewhere, but there's some really

convenient reasons to have a blind guide.

You know, like if you.

Are in a hurry to progress or if you're not, you're not loving the strain of

discipleship or if you're uneasy about the errors you'll see as soon as the

lights come on, you know, I had a, there were a couple of years where I didn't put

a new light bulb in our master bedroom closet because, well, one, it was just

one of those things I never got around to, but also because I didn't want to

see all the dirt, you know, like I knew I didn't vacuum in there very often.

I knew there were piles of donations that I'd never quite.

Okay.

So I got really comfortable getting dressed in the dark and like having

very limited sight in that closet.

And what I found really interesting is as soon as I finally did get around

to putting, changing the light bulb, like I forgot to turn on the light.

I was so used to it being dark that I.

neglected to even turn it on when I did have the power to do it.

And I feel like that's what Paul is trying to teach them.

He's like, there is a new light present.

And if you thought the law of Moses was glorious, and it was, then this new

covenant that Jesus Christ established is so glorious that it will Knock your

socks off and he's like it will teach you and correct you and help you in

all these ways Take off the blinders and see what he promises in that verse

is as soon as they do choose to see it They'll understand so that's what I

think what he means in 16 nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord meaning

their heart The veil shall be taken away as soon as they choose to turn to God

They'll see him more clearly and then 17 now the Lord is that spirit and the

spirit of the Lord is And this, where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

There's freedom when you can see clearly sometimes it's tempting to have a dark

closet because you just don't want to see But real freedom and real peace

comes from sight, you know Even if it's to see all the damage, you know the

same way Real freedom and real peace of mind comes when you actually go to the

dentist and find out how much is wrong Instead of like always being like, I

just got this dull ache and I'm not I don't want to know how bad it is I just

think that he's trying to say like it's always better to have light because when

you have light there's real freedom You can make choices about where to go next,

and when you're in the dark, you can't.

So he's encouraging them to like, take advantage and live up to

the privileges of the light that is present in this new covenant.

And then in 18, But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass

the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to

glory, even by the Spirit of the Lord.

Here's what I love about this.

I just think, especially from what we read before, that a glass in Paul's

day is not something you see through.

It's not transparent.

It's this.

Tin mirror something made of metal usually that you can see just a kind of

faint image of yourself reflecting back So what he's saying is our understanding

of God from our mortal lens, even though it's inspired is so profoundly limited

We are seeing through a glass and the promises as we come to him and choose

to be disciples of Christ As we choose to try to be more like him, that we

will slowly see more clearly that glass will slowly become a vibrant, reflective

surface because we will see ourselves.

You know, we will see his image in our countenance.

That's the promise.

That's how we come to know God because we'll see elements of ourselves that

we know are divine and that are.

As he is, that's, that's an incredible promise that I just love the way it's

phrased this idea of a slow progress, the idea of glory to glory and kind

of similar from what we read with Jesus's time of grace for grace.

I just think it's.

The visual that always comes to mind is like a very slow sunrise, you know, it is,

you almost can't tell the different, when that sun's going to crest the mountains.

You can just see it slowly get lighter and lighter.

And then all of a sudden there is just this bright beam of light

on the top of the mountain ridge.

And that's what I think is happening here.

He's saying, you won't recognize it.

You won't see those shifts in your countenance and in your image, but there

will be a time when you will see clearly.

What for a long time you saw through a glass darkly.

That's a pretty powerful promise.

Chapter four is like one of my favorite pep talks of all scriptural time.

I just think Paul is like, okay, so are you getting it now?

Like you are trying to grow from glory to glory.

You're trying to become like the Savior.

You're going to see him in yourself.

That's the goal.

And now he's going to say like, if that's your goal and now you see it's possible.

Why is holding you back?

His invitation is like, come join me in this effort.

I think that's why Paul's not afraid of tribulation and strain

because he's like, I get it now.

I get that as hard things happen to me and I turn to God, I am strengthened.

I am slowly seeing that sunrise creep up and I am getting stronger.

And he's Owning it, you know, like if you've ever been in a training regimen

where you're like starting to feel strong I've done a couple races and things like

that where you do a really strict training regimen to run long distances and there

gets to a point when you're like I'm okay.

You know, we're at the beginning of your training, you were really

struggling to even make it a mile or two without stopping.

And then you get to a point where you're like, I actually feel pretty good.

And it's still mile, you're like, it's mile eight and I'm still feeling okay.

Like that feeling of progress is infectious.

And Paul wants them to.

A big dose of it.

He's like, come and join me in this process of embracing the

heart 'cause it's always worth it.

So he says, in one, therefore, seeing we have this mis ministry, as we

have received mercy, we faint not, he's not gonna stop in his training.

He's gonna try and bring as many people on board as he can.

And then he talks about how it's gonna happen.

So in three.

But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost.

In whom the God of this world, meaning Satan, that's why it's

lowercase, is, hath blinded the minds of them which believe not.

Lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is in the

image of God, should shine unto them.

He's basically saying, like, Satan is trying actively to hide.

The light, what's remarkable to me is that's virtually impossible, right?

You just can't.

In fact, Will and I were talking about, I don't know if you guys have seen those

YouTube videos where they have that paint that they try and paint a room

with this black, black paint that is so dark that light can't penetrate it.

And he can't do it, you know, over time he figures out a way to do

it, but like no matter what he does anyway, that there's an entrance to

that room, no matter what he comes up with, there's always light that.

Slides through the cracks and the crevices.

I just think that's the nature of light.

Like, it will dominate darkness.

And it will always, Satan will always be actively trying

to block us from seeing it.

So he's saying, basically, if there are people around you who don't

understand truth, that's because Satan is trying to block their vision.

He's trying to put up blinders.

He's trying to get them to be distracted.

Don't let that happen.

Let the light of Christ shine out.

So if you look in five and six, you can see his invitation.

So in six, he says, For God, who commandeth the light to shine out of

darkness, has shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the

glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the

power may be of God and not of us.

To me, this is Paul saying, like, don't expect me or anyone else in

this mortal world to be perfect.

We aren't.

We are earthen vessels.

But the very fact that goodness can come from us should teach

you about the goodness of God.

And I think that applies to every one of us.

All the good that we're able to accomplish in this world comes

because of the light of Jesus Christ.

And so he's saying like, don't pay attention to the shabby vessel

that I am, you know, or Peter who was a fisherman, or, you know,

like, don't pay attention to that.

The very fact that he chose someone like Peter tells you about the grace

of Christ, that it is abundant.

So he's inviting us to let light shine.

He's saying light will pierce darkness.

You don't need to be afraid and you don't need to feel swallowed up.

Let the light of Christ shine out and watch what will happen.

Paul's evidence of that.

And so then he gives you his.

Pep talk about it in eight.

He says, we are troubled on every side, yet not distressed.

We are perplexed, but not in despair.

Persecuted, but not forsaken.

Cast down, but not destroyed.

He's saying, yes, we have temporary troubles.

All of us do.

And all of us always will.

But there is no permanence in our fear.

He's saying, we don't, there's no finality in it.

Because I know where this goes.

I know that this road of troubles and adversities leads me to Christ.

So no matter how many times you get pushed onto that road of troubles

and adversities, take comfort in the fact that you're going to get closer

to Christ in the process, and you'll come out the other side stronger.

That's how he makes all things work together for our good.

Because we voluntarily say, I'm in.

I'm in for whatever road you put in front of me.

I'm in.

And so he says, you don't need to be in despair.

I feel like all those words are, are falsehoods that Satan

tries to push into my mind.

He tries to get me to think I'm in a position of despair.

He tries to make me think that I am.

struggling and there's no hope and there's no exit strategy.

He wants me to feel destroyed and forgotten and what Paul promises is

as you come to understand Jesus Christ and especially I think as you're in

his training regimen and you start to see the growth and you feel that

sunrise kind of creeping up on the horizon you you won't be afraid.

He won't be in despair.

You'll be perplexed at times.

You'll struggle at times, but it won't be permanent.

It never is permanent, because light will conquer.

I just think it's one of the most powerful pep talks in all of the New

Testament, maybe even all of scripture.

Um, I also love how he continues in 11.

He says, For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus Christ's

sake, that the life of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.

This is Paul taking it to the extreme.

At least it sounds extreme from our perspective, but remember Paul's

in a position where, as an apostle, there's been martyrdoms already.

The other apostles have already been executed, some of them.

So it's, um, this is real to him.

And he's basically saying, that's okay with me.

I will, I will seal this.

If my blood has to be spilt, I will let that happen so that it will

be a testimony of what is true.

It's the exact same thing I felt like we heard from Joseph Smith when

we studied Doctrine and Covenants together, where he sealed His

witness with his life with his blood.

That's what it means to be a servant of God to be willing to

step to that level And Paul's ready.

He's not gonna be there yet, but he's ready if asked So then in 12, it says

so then death worketh with us, but life in you So, this was a, remember

I told you once, um, sometimes I write Pancreas Schmancreas in the margins

of my scriptures, this is one of those places, because I felt like, there were

some times, um, especially earlier in Jason's diagnosis that he wasn't sure

how, how long he was going to live, and I wasn't sure, and we've talked about

that a couple times before, but, um, Where he, he basically said this, he's

like, maybe this is happening to us.

He was 40 when he was first diagnosed.

And he's like, maybe this is happening so that our family can

have a certainty of eternity.

You know, maybe this will bring our kids to an understanding of God.

And if that's the case, he's basically said, I'm willing, I'm willing to do that.

Um, and I, I hated that.

And at the same time, I admired it.

I, I felt like that with Paul, I think he is someone who's saying.

He doesn't want to die.

He's not seeking to stop.

What he's saying is if it comes to that and you increase because

I go, then it's worth it to me.

And I just think that's Christlike leadership.

You know, it's a way of saying, I will sacrifice all things that are asked

of me so that you can be comforted.

That's what we saw in the very first verses where he said, the

reason I'm comforting you is so that you can comfort others.

And I feel like Paul is.

As evidencing that in his life choices, I just think it's an incredible strong

witness of what his testimony really is.

It's powerful.

Uh, when you flip the page, you'll see it continues, and he says, I

believed, therefore I have spoken.

We also believe, and therefore speak.

This is the promise.

Not all of us are going to be asked to be martyrs for Christ.

In fact, probably none of us, hopefully, but we are invited to

speak, which means I think sometimes your work suffers, your reputation

suffers, your popularity suffers.

Other things can die because you choose to speak up for Jesus Christ,

and I think he's asking us to.

Take that chance and it's worth the sacrifice.

That's what he's offering.

And I just think what he's saying is, if you're struggling to

speak, then increase your belief.

I love this because there have been times when I find myself

chickening out to, to teach truth in, you know, outside circumstances.

And I find myself, the more passionate I am about the gospel, the more I'm

in my scriptures and Desperately studying them for answers, the

easier it is for me to teach truth.

I don't hide from talking to my teenagers about the gospel.

I don't hide from telling even random people I encounter about spiritual things.

'cause I have, I'm in it and I believe it so much that it just sort of spills out.

, I think testimony tumbles out when your belief increases.

So that's his imitation to us is if you're struggling to testify, increase belief and

it will just come as a natural byproduct.

Okay.

14.

Knowing that which he raised up the Lord Jesus Christ shall raise us also up by

Jesus, and shall present us with you.

For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might

through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.

And then this is 16.

For which cause we faint not.

But through our outward man, though our outward man perish, yet the

inward man is renewed day by day.

I just, I think it's, you know, where he's heading.

He's going to teach us about being a new creature.

And that's what he's essentially saying.

He's like, even if this mortal body gets damaged or confined in jail or struggles

as it slowly breaks down, I increase.

That's the freedom of the soul that we've been studying these last couple weeks.

It's this understanding of, it doesn't matter about the physical so much.

It matters what happens inside and I get to choose what happens

inside, especially in my mind.

So Paul encourages us to.

Keep that in balance.

Set the outward man cares down and pick up what can last.

And all that is found in the inward man.

And then 17 and 18.

For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, sounds like liberty jail, right?

Worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

The weight of glory is fascinating to me, you know, because we can't really

weigh light, but that's what glory is.

Glory is light and power and radiance and there's weight to it.

And he's What you are sacrificing, what you are putting on the altar

of God by offering up your will to him is nothing compared to the glory

he wants to put on your shoulders.

You know what he wants to encircle you with and strengthen you like it is.

The comparison is so out of balance that he's like, Trust, trust

that it is worth the sacrifice.

And then in 18, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the

things which are not seen, for the things which are seen are temporal, but the

things which are not seen are eternal.

He's asking us to close our physical eyes and see things spiritually.

It reminds me of those faith walks that we used to do at girls camp.

You know, I don't know if you guys did these, but where you like

string a string through the woods and then you ask your girls to be

blindfolded and hold on to that string.

Hannah had one of those experiences at girls camp that my ward still

talks about because she was like, the brand, brand new beehive that was 11.

And she was tiny already, like a whole head smaller than anyone else her age.

She had a hilarious experience on one of those spacewalks, but that's kind

of what he's asking us to do here.

He's saying like, if you have to just shut your eyes completely from what

you think you understand about this world and about who you are, shut

your eyes and look somewhere deeper.

Trust that God can see more in you than you can see with your

physical eyes, you know, lean in.

Don't lean to your own understandings, just trust in his ways and he'll

direct your paths, that's the promise.

Paul's pep talk continues in chapter five.

This is where he's asking us to like set down our desires for this

temporary body and for something bigger.

I just love the way it's phrased.

If you look in one, it says, For we know that if our earthly

house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of

God and house not made with hands.

eternal in the heavens.

To me, this is not so much just our physical nature being set down.

This is not so much just like our body dying.

What he's asking us to be doing is becoming something else.

So he's saying, set down your natural man tendencies, let

those get folded up like a tent.

Tabernacle in this phrase, one of the things I learned

this week, I can't remember.

Where I learned, but they talked about this phrase tabernacle

means a temporary shelter.

It's something that's intentionally temporary So just like Elder Maxwell

taught us that we are travelers here.

We're not supposed to get comfortable in this world This is not our home.

This is our Probationary state it's our testing period but it is not our home And

so that's kind of what Paul's trying to say is like that's all gonna get folded

up at some point and what you need to choose is to To set down the natural man

tendencies while you're in this life.

Let that get folded up so that the building that God intends

to make of you can be erected.

You have to set it, you have to set all that down.

You have to let go of the scaffolding so that he can build

something sturdy and steadfast.

And so that's the building made without man's hands.

And then it too, it says, For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to

be clothed upon with our house from which is heaven, which is from heaven.

I think this is Paul saying like, I think, do you remember that, I can't remember

who it was, the conference talk about the dog that found its way back home.

And then he talked about how we would all, have this ache for home that we almost

have this internal homing device to get our way back to our father in heaven.

That's kind of what Paul's trying to teach us.

I think he's, he's saying inside, especially as you become more strong

disciples of Christ, you will yearn to set aside this mortal world and these

Fallen tendencies that we all have and hope for something better again I don't

think this is hoping for death so much as hoping to set down our sins and our

natural man tendencies you know the same thing we read from Nephi when he said he

was You know struggling in what he saw as wickedness and he wished he could just

get rid of it, but he's just Determined, you know like to pull himself up by

his bootstraps and go forward That's what Paul's trying to invite us to do

should say Look for the better part of yourself and amplify it while you're here.

And so in five he says, now he that hath wrought of the self same

thing as God who also has given us the earnest of the Spirit.

So that's that same promise.

It's that Costco sample of the tree of life that we get to consume

every time we feel the Holy Ghost.

It's a promise of the joy and the fullness that we will at some point have.

in abundance.

It's just a taste, but it is a reassuring, comforting taste that

will hold us just a little bit longer.

And then in six, therefore, we are always confident, knowing

that whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord.

For we walk by faith, not by sight.

For me, I tied this verse in seven back down to 18 of the previous chapters.

I think that's his imitation when he says we look not.

He's asking you to walk by faith, set aside all the things that the world

is telling you that you are, all the labels that they're trying to place

on you, all the Priorities that the world's trying to push onto you,

set all that down and walk by faith.

And then in nine, Wherefore we labor that whether present or

absent, we may be accepted of him.

And then ten is this pivotal point that all of us will hit.

He says, For we all must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that

everyone may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done.

whether it be good or bad.

It's the same thing President Nelson has expressed to us repeatedly, that all

of us at some point will stand before the judgment bar of God, that we will

all need to give an accounting, not just of our works that are mentioned

here, but of the desires that we had, the hopes of our heart, what, what

we did with our time and our talents.

All of us will.

There will be an accounting.

And so he encourages us to use that finish line point that he's describing

there at the judgment bar and saying, use that as a motivator to choose better.

I think it's really interesting where he goes in 11.

So he says, knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men.

But we are made manifest unto God, and I trust also are made

manifest in your conscience.

This is interesting because he's just been talking about God as this

comforter, this extender of mercies, and you know, this soft warmness.

And now he says, knowing therefore the terror of the Lord.

I just, this is kind of reminds me of the Book of Mormon.

You know how they often talk about the gulf of misery and endless woe,

and that like when Alma the Younger comes back from his three days being

down, he He appreciates the contrast.

He knows what he deserves, and he knows now, first hand, the goodness of God.

And so he...

He warns everyone for the rest of his life to choose the good because he

knows what the darkness feels like.

And that's Paul.

You know, he's had a, one of those split lives too.

He had a really similar moment on that road to Damascus.

And so he's saying, I know what that feels like, or at least he has an

inkling of what it would feel like to stand guilty in front of God and the

terror that would ensue as you are racked with your own guilty conscience.

Choose different.

That day is not today.

It's the same thing I love to teach my YSAs, like, yes, there will be a

day when we have to account for all of our choices, and I think we will

be met with an surprisingly merciful response, but I think we all have

to trust that that day will happen.

It's just not today.

Today, we have a chance to change and to do better and no matter where we are

in our discipleship, we can advance.

You know, we can lean into the strain and the strengthening training program

of the Lord and Become something better.

And that's where Paul goes next in 16.

He says, wherefore henceforth know we know man after the flesh.

Yeah, though we have known Christ after the flesh yet, now henceforth know him.

We know him no more.

There's a J S T on that one that helps clarify that.

He's saying what you used to be is no longer, you know when you became

saints in Christ, you are something different and you get that clearer in 17.

Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature.

Old things are passed away.

Behold, all things are become new.

This is, you know, we've talked about a couple of times and we'll talk about

the object lessons today as well, but this is the caterpillar to a butterfly.

You know, it is, you are something new and you are something better.

I think it's important because sometimes we start to think that our job is just to

get back to heaven, back to what we were before we ever came to this messy world.

And the same way, Adam and Eve were not seeking to get back to the Garden of Eden.

They were seeking to be get, to get back home and to be

someone who belongs at home.

Um, that's, that's what he's inviting us to do.

We have to be new creatures in order to fit in the home of God.

We have to be something new.

And it's a more glorious, perfected version of ourselves that we're seeking.

The same way he talked last week about those seeds, that, you know, the seeds

have to drop their outer shell and then they become this This advanced

version, this plant form that is a more glorious version of where they began.

That's what he's inviting us to do.

And how you do it is through reconciliation.

So that's where he goes next.

18.

And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by

Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation.

All who knows firsthand.

That terror of what we deserve and what can happen if we go down that road is

saying there is this incredible Merciful gift that comes through Jesus Christ

that God our Father who loves us and knows we can't live this life perfectly

offered a Savior for us, and He had to come here, and He had to condescend, and

He had to suffer as if He had sinned, as if He had to take out all of our sins and

suffer so that we could be reconciled.

So that in that moment, when we stand at the judgment bar of Christ,

there can be peace, and there can be joy, and there can be assurance.

That's, you know, that's His whole message.

It's the message of prophets and apostles today.

It's the ministry of Jesus Christ that offers this abundant hope.

And so he seeks that they will embrace it.

In 20 he says, Now we are ambassadors for Christ.

I love that phrase.

He's like, This is my job.

It's not just he's a representative of Christ.

He's an ambassador.

Meaning like, I'm going to go and I'm going to be promoting this.

I'm going to talk about all the glory that is in this good news of the gospel.

I will be this.

You know, ambassador, and then he says, as though God did beseech

you by us, we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

As an authorized witness of Jesus Christ, he's saying, essentially, I am saying

what Christ would say if he were here.

He wants you to be reconciled.

It just is sweet, right?

I feel it's the same thing that you have with our Priesthood leaders

today, when you go in for a Temple Recommend interview, it's this,

they want you to be reconciled.

They are authorized representatives who are there to help you

find a path back to him.

And they seek nothing more than for you to take advantage of

the atonement of Jesus Christ.

No matter where you are on your, on your discipleship spectrum,

they hope you will come closer because they represent his name.

And then 21, for he hath made him to be sin for us.

This is Heavenly Father describing Jesus Christ, saying he has made him sin for us.

This is.

Him taking on all the pains, all the afflictions, all the sins of

all mankind, so that we have hope.

Who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

Through the grace of Jesus Christ, and through the incredible gift of the

atonement that he offered us, we have hope, and Paul wants us to grab it.

That's why I think this is an incredible pep talk.

He's saying, He wants you so much, and he's giving you all the tools to access

it, and here's what happens if you don't.

So grab hold and be reconciled.

What I love about the doctrine of reconciliation, and you can learn more

about this if you go in the Gospel Topics, is it's not just that he pays our debts,

it's that he also gives us the credit as if we had been righteous all that time.

You know, that's why you get...

glorified and you receive this inheritance and are in joint error with Christ.

It means he doesn't just make up for the mistakes you had, he also grants

you the grace that you would deserve if you had made all the right decisions.

He gives you the reward for what would have been had you been perfect.

He just knows you can't be.

So he offers this incredible gift.

And I think that's a really powerful promise to add to the end of chapter five.

Remember when we studied Enoch's story in the Pearl of Great Price and how it taught

us a little bit about what it means to be.

In God's shoes that he feels all things, you know, that's where you learn

that God weeps and that he his heart hurts for the loss of his creations,

his children, and so you learn a little bit about what that's like.

I feel like six is teaching us what it's like to be an apostle, to have

that weight on your shoulders and hope.

To know the answers and to know the path that people can take and know that

they might not choose it is a heavy weight, but also one that brings joy.

And I feel like you can hear both of the, both of those things in Paul's words.

So for example, if you link to, he's, he's talking about Jesus Christ

and he's saying, remember what he said, he said, he would sucker you.

I love that phrase we talked about in the book of Mormon as well, but.

To succor means to rush to, you know, we've talked about in the Old

Testament, how it's like the, the triage person or the, the nurse and

the ER that rushes to your aid, no matter why you came in the doors.

That's what Jesus Christ is for us.

It doesn't matter how long you've departed from the covenant path.

It doesn't matter how many mornings you had before it, he rushes to you as soon

as your heart is turning towards him.

And then he teaches you how an Apostle feels.

So in four, But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God

in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes,

in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in watchings, and in fastings.

He's saying, We're going to go through this with you.

Like we are in this for the long haul.

It reminds me of what we studied in the Old Testament together.

I think it was Isaiah as well, but he was saying like here's two roads, you know,

he was describing two different rivers and he's saying like you could choose

this gentle curving river that goes by a tree or you can choose the Euphrates.

And if you choose the Euphrates, I'm right here with you, but it's

going to be a much rockier road.

I feel like that's what Paul's trying to say as well.

He's like.

I'm with you no matter what happens.

I'm still an apostle of God and I will always teach you truth, but

I'm never going to abandon you.

I'll stick with you through all the hard and endure hard himself

so that he can continue to teach.

I especially love that phrase in Watchings because I think That's particularly hard.

I think especially as parents, that's hard when you have to watch people make

choices that you know will eventually hurt and you just can't stop it.

You can mourn and you can teach and you can do all kinds of things, but

there is um, an ache that comes when you are Watching, but that's part

of what an apostle does as well.

So I kind of love those phrases and 60 says by pureness by knowledge by long

suffering by kindness by the Holy Ghost by love Unfamed by the word of truth by the

power of God by the armor of righteousness on the right hand and on the left Paul

knows that in all these things he has The promise that there will be angels to bear

you up, you know, it's the same thing we read in the Doctrines and Covenants.

And so he testifies of that.

And then in 10, he says, As sorrowful, yet always rejoicing.

As poor, yet making many rich.

As having nothing, yet possessing all things.

I love that when it comes to an apostle, right, it says they have no

wealth, but they get to help others find real satisfaction and real

fulfillment and, you know, it's, he's like, I don't, I don't need things.

I have an abundance.

It reminds me of what I think the Savior hoped for the rich young ruler.

And we don't know how his story ended, so who knows, but I just think.

When he invited him to set all that material weight down and follow him, what

he was saying is, you'll be this, right?

You'll have an opportunity to be poor, but have all things and

help other people find all things.

And you can see Paul's reached that settled place.

Um, I love the way he phrases it in 11.

O ye Corinthians, our mouth is open unto you, our heart is enlarged.

I think that's what happens when you become a leader in, in his church.

It doesn't matter if you're an apostle or a young women's leader

or, you know, a camp director.

I don't care what your calling is.

Your heart, it's enlarged.

Because you see people the way Christ sees them, even just a fraction

of how Christ sees them, and your heart just swoops around them.

It's one of my favorite things, or my favorite manifestations of the Spirit.

Like I told you, I don't feel things the way other people describe

the Spirit, but I can feel it.

You know, like some, a new person will walk into my class, um, and

I don't know anything about them, and they, I will instantly want to

like, You know, wrap my arms around.

No, not literally, but I want to like welcome them.

I want to make them feel safe.

I want to make sure they're coming back next week so that they, you know, like

I'm constantly thinking about them and praying about them and worrying for them

and I just I think that's what happens.

It's one of the, it's one of the beautiful promises of the spirit.

And you can tell that Paul's feeling it because his heart is enlarged.

I can't imagine if you taught as many people as Paul teaches over his decades

of missionary work, how big his heart is, how many people can fit into his heart.

Um, and then he talks about how they're almost like his children.

So in 13, now for a recompense in the same, I speak unto you, I speak as

unto my children, be ye also enlarged.

He's saying don't just look at my life and say, oh, isn't that great that

as an apostle he can love everyone He's saying now it's your turn.

We've demonstrated.

I've followed the pattern of Jesus Christ.

You can follow the pattern I'm teaching you of Jesus Christ and you can have

the same results But I think it means we have to set down the same mortal

things, you know We have to be willing to let go of what the Lord needs

us to let go of and choose a higher road I don't think that always means

letting go of all material things.

I do think it means letting go of what weighs you down.

You know, I think that's what the spirit teaches us as well as what we need to

set down and what we need to pick up.

And if we do it, we can be enlarged as he is enlarged.

I like it with that physical, you know, how we talked about the beginning,

the idea of him being our trainer and that, you know, We get to be

comforted by him and coached by him.

When you are enlarged, I feel like that's when you start to

see the results of your charity.

You start to have this natural inclination to love others.

You have a natural tendency to forgive and be merciful and to give

people the benefit of the doubt because your muscles are bigger.

You know, your spiritual muscles are Enlarged and you're like, it comes

naturally to you the same way as I increase my, you know, physical muscles

Running up the hill gets a little bit easier and that's his promise When you

feel page he talks about being a temple So in 16 he says and what agreement hath

the temple of God with idols for ye are the temple of the living God as God Hath

said I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be their God and they

shall be my people He's trying to say to the people you you're living below

your privileges God can walk among you.

He can be with you.

You can have his spirit as this earnest payment and know that he's

real if you will separate yourselves.

So that's where he goes next, in 17.

Wherefore, come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord.

And touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you.

This to me is Paul standing, do you guys remember that 80s movie with John

Cusack where he's holding that stereo above his head that say anything?

That's what I picture when I picture Paul in this moment, because he's

basically like standing outside the great and spacious building saying,

come out, like you're not happy there.

The road you're on isn't going to lead you where you think it is.

Come out, come back out and get on this path, hold tight to this iron rod and

get on this path where real joy is.

And I can promise you that as you get on that path and you hold that iron rod,

there will be sample people to give you a taste of what's coming down the road.

The spirit will fill you up in these key moments so that you know what's next.

It's worth it and you won't look back because you're a new creature now.

You won't want that glistening golden building anymore.

You'll want what is at the end of this road.

That's his invitation.

The call to action part, I think.

Reads, reaches this pinnacle moment in chapter seven because he says in

one having therefore these promises dearly beloved Let us cleanse ourselves

from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit Perfecting holiness in the fear

of God and just one verse previous, you know before when there were no

chapter breaks He talked about how it's the will of the Father to have

you be his to be children of Christ to be Covenant members of this group.

He wants you close and so he's like if you know that's the end of this road and

that every other road leads to Darkness.

That there is no other path.

Then let that motivate you to go, you know, to step aside from.

Everything that's tempting you and all the struggles you endure and lean

in to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I love how it's phrased in 4.

He says, Great is my boldness of speech towards you.

Great is my glorying of you.

I'm filled with comfort.

I'm exceedingly joyful in all our tribulations.

I just think this is Paul, right?

He has understood that the stretch and the strain, whether it comes from You

know, external circumstances like people throwing him in prison or internal

circumstances like struggling with the fact that people are disparaging

his name and saying he doesn't have authority and leading saints astray.

Like it doesn't seem to matter.

In fact, that's where he's going to go in five.

He says that he was troubled on every side without meaning external forces

were fighting and within were fears.

Nevertheless, God that comforted those that are cast down comforted

us by the coming of Titus.

So remember at the beginning I told you Titus is the one who

brought the letter back to Paul.

So after he had written them with some correction, then Titus brought

back a letter that said there are repentant hearts in Corinth.

People are changing and they understand and they are sorrowing

because of their choices.

And Paul Rejoices in their sorrowing which sounds awful except for the fact that this

is a certain kind of sorrow So what I'll teach you at the end of seven is this is

a godly sorrow So nine now I rejoice not that you were made Sorry, but you that

you sorrowed to repentance for you were made Sorry after a godly manner that you

might receive damage by us in nothing.

There's no permanent damage happening with godly sorrow It's designed to

trigger repentance It's evidence that your heart is taking a big turn in 10

for godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation Not to be repented of but

the sorrow of the world worketh death.

So you're saying this is a different kind of sorrow It's not shame.

It's guilt right guilt of what I could have been had I been better

guilt about choices I made that I knew better than to choose.

He's saying that guilt you feel is a good inclination I think it's kind of

similar to You know, as parents, when our kids are little, you sort of have

to let them make dumb choices sometimes.

I guess when they're older, you have to do the same thing, but

especially when they're little, like they, they learn the hard way.

They'll tumble down a couple stairs, or they'll run into sharp corners,

or they'll touch something sort of hot and get a small burn and then

never touch a hot thing again.

I just think that's what guilt is for our spiritual side.

It is a way for the Lord to teach us This is not a road for you.

This will not feel good.

There will not be joy here.

Turn back and go find peace.

And so Paul's saying, that's where you are.

To me, it reminds me a lot of Alma Sr.

Remember when he and King Mosiah were praying for their sons because

they were so far off course.

And so when they hear that Alma the Younger is down and he's been down

for three days and he's wracked with sorrow and torment, Alma Sr.

rejoices, but he feels assurance.

Because he knows his prayers are being answered, and he knows

what's going to happen next.

That his son is going to have a mighty change of heart.

And that's what his dad wants.

He doesn't want him to suffer.

He certainly wouldn't have chosen this path for him, the same way the prodigal's

father didn't want this path for him, but he does want That repentant heart.

So when the prodigal's father sees that repentant heart coming back towards

the house, he rushes out to meet him.

And I feel like that's what Alma Senior would do as well at King Mosiah.

Like, they would rush to meet their sons in this repentant heart.

And that's what Paul is inviting all of us to do.

He's saying, I see your sorrow.

I'm sorry it hurts, but it is causing rejoicing in my heart

because I know where it goes next.

It is a good, good thing.

In 13 he says, Therefore, we were comforted in your comfort.

Yea, and exceedingly the more joyed were we for the joy of Titus, because

his spirit was refreshed by you all.

They're coming together.

They're uniting again, and he's rejoicing in it.

Then 15 and 16, And in his inward affection is more abundant toward

you, whilst he remembereth the obedience of you all, how with fear

and trembling you received him.

I rejoice, therefore, that I have confidence in you in all things.

Now that he knows they're on the right path, he can be at peace.

You know, that's how we all feel as parents.

I think when your kids go through hard things or meet the ramifications

of dumb choices and then learn.

You rejoice with them because you've been in that same spot.

You've also been a teenager and made dumb choices.

And you know where it goes.

That you will find joy in the long run as you choose to learn.

And I think Paul's teaching that to us here as well.

Alright you guys, welcome back.

This is the creative side of week 37.

So this is where I try to inspire you to add a little bit of fun to your teaching.

I think especially with Paul.

Even though it's beautiful, like once you have a chance to study it

and kind of wrap your head around it, his teachings are incredible.

They're just hard to understand.

And I think especially for teenagers and younger kids, man, it's rough.

So I feel like whatever we can do to add a little bit of intrigue and

fun into their study will help them.

feel more comfortable with Paul.

You know, it's a way for them to just dive in a little bit and understand

it in, in some bits and pieces.

So if you're listening on the free podcast or maybe watching on YouTube, I'm just

going to walk you through the preview to give you an idea of what you could do.

And for those of you who are in the course, then stick with me.

You can keep watching and I'll walk you through each one individually.

and give you the printables and the notes so that you have all the tools

that you need at your disposal.

Not because I expect you to follow what I say perfectly.

In fact, I would never encourage you to do that.

I rarely say anything perfectly.

I hope you will just use it as a creative kickstart so that you can tweak these

to fit your seminary classes, your families, or your Sunday school classes.

Whatever helps, I'm all in.

Okay, let's walk through the preview.

My first hope was to add some shed some light for lack of a better term on

the beautiful phrasing that's in four.

I just loved the way he talked about how light casts out darkness

and that God commanded light.

It to push back the darkness to shine out in darkness.

And there's so many cool ways you can talk about that.

I just think there's a really simple way to teach it.

And that's by going in a really dark room and using a very small light source.

So for me, I would recommend getting any candle that you have on hand.

If you wanted to, you could get a few different kinds of candles and

demonstrate the power of light in dark spaces, even a small, tiny

light like this, what it can do.

And so I'll talk to you through.

How to pull that off in just a second.

Okay.

Your second one.

This is what I wanted to teach about Paul's advice to stop looking at

the things which are visible to us that he says that look not at things

which are seen that we're supposed to shut our natural eyes and trust.

You know, he encourages us to walk by faith in these verses.

And a really simple way to demonstrate that is with an inverted image.

So if you haven't seen these before, they tend to look something like this.

It's kind of a funky, weird image that you stare at for a while, and then you'll

see something kind of spectacular happen.

And that's, I think, what Paul is trying to teach us about

seeing the world around us.

That if we shut our eyes or try to see things with a better lens, we'll

start to see Christ in a whole new way.

So I'll walk you through that one as well.

The third one is, since it's Arts and Crafts Week, I wanted to bring back

something that we did in the Book of Mormon when we talked about being a new

creature, since Paul's emphasis this week is setting down the natural man and

becoming something new, and not just a better version of ourselves, but a new

creature, like something that is permanent and changed and Never to retreat again.

And my favorite demonstration of that is in a butterfly.

You know, when they transition from being a caterpillar to a butterfly, they never

retreat back to that caterpillar stage.

They might be, they might choose to live on the ground at times, but

they never go back to how they were.

And a really cool way to demonstrate that is with these

gorgeous flapping butterflies.

So if you haven't seen these before, back in 2020, we created

these for a teaching in Alma.

And I think it's really cool to see it.

In the New Testament as well.

So this year I'm giving you a couple of different sizes and I'll walk you

through how to create them, but they actually take five minutes or less

to make and have a big wow factor.

So I think your kids and your classes are going to love it for this one.

You just simply need cardstock.

I actually printed mine on photo paper so I could get that sheen and that

vibrancy, but if cardstock is all you have on hand, that can work as well.

The only other supplies you need are a smoothie straw or a boba

straw, and then just a regular drinking straw and some tape.

And you'll be all set for that one.

Okay, guys, grab your supplies and let's get started.

All right, everybody.

That is it for week 37.

Thank you for sticking with me.

This was a, this was a big week, you guys.

So thank you for understanding the notes that they will be back

to their normal length next week.

But this was a week where I had to consolidate my time as much as possible.

And that was one of the areas I decided to trim down.

So you kind of had to get the notes from all my margins this week, rather

than everything typed out perfectly, but I hope it inspires you to.

Get into your scriptures because I think even if you can't study

perfectly, even if you can't be seated at a desk and in a quiet

place, the Lord can teach you things.

I can witness that this week.

Like my mind was in a hundred places and when I needed help and

needed to be able to understand the verses, light and understanding came

and same thing can happen to you.

It takes work and you have to study, but I promise it can happen.

You can understand it.

And you can get guidance for how to live your life just a

little bit better this week.

And it's worth it.

I promise that Russell's worth it.

So get into your scriptures and enjoy it.

Um, if you need extra help, you can always come find me on Instagram.

I couldn't be there last week cause we had a holiday, but this

week I should be back on track.

So Monday morning at 10 AM, I'll be live and you can join me.

That's mountain time.

So if you're available, you can watch it live and interact with

me as we go through some of these insights, or if you can't catch it

live, you can always watch it later.

It'll be saved for about a week on my feed, but.

Otherwise, I hope you enjoy your week.

You guys, there's a lot to study and a lot to enjoy in Paul's words.

So dive in, I promise it's worth your time.

All right, you guys enjoy this week and I will see you on Monday.