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[00:00:00] INSIGHTS INTRODUCTION

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Hey everybody. Welcome back. This is week 35 of Creative. Come Follow me for the New Testament This week, we're still in the book of First Corinthians. We're gonna cover from chapter eight all the way through 13. And we don't quite get to the end of First Corinthians, but we get to this really lovely ending place where he has that beautiful discourse on charity.

In fact, I would say this week for, for a theme that would kind of flow throughout all the chapters is a big emphasis on unity. I think that's why we end in charity, but let me walk you through it. One of the things I really love about how Paul approached this is similar to what we heard from President Nelson about.

Setting down contentions and finding ways to get along with each other and reaching out to our brothers of other faiths and just other people around the world. I think you see that same message in Paul. He actually does it in the exact same order. So when he focuses on unity, his first emphasis is on being unified with Jesus Christ.

Finding a [00:01:00] way personally to self-evaluate, set aside temptation, trust in the help that's available to you, and find a way to come closer to Christ. Once you have that unity established, then he wants you to step on that foundation and build a better unity with the members of the church. So in the middle of this week's chapters, you're gonna see some guidance on how they, as a body of Christ can do better, how they can have better sacrament meetings, how they can recognize each other's spiritual gifts and trust in them and share them.

There's focus on how to have unity among the membership. And then he takes it to this next level where he says, once you've built that really solid foundation where you individually are close to Christ and you are close to the members of the church now I want you to take those spiritual gifts and the light and knowledge you have and take it out to the world.

I just think he's asking us to have this steady foundation so that as we are charitable and we show this pure love of God to our fellow men, we are steady. There's just a beautiful. [00:02:00] Arc to his message. In this week's chapters, there's this great quote, there's a talk from President War than who, you know, I love.

I just really love his talks. He's the former B Y U president. I think he's at Yale now, but, um, he had a talk about unity and diversity and there was this simple line that he said. He said, God is the author of diversity and the source of unity. That's what you're gonna find this week. He is, he appreciates diversity and created it on purpose so that we could make this beautiful, resonant sound as we sing out in unison.

It's just powerful. I hope you love it. Grab your scriptures, grab your notes. There's a ton to study, so let's get started.

[00:02:46] 1 CORINTHIANS 8

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Alright guys, when we begin in chapter eight, you have to remember what we talked about last week that these are Paul's answers to questions that we don't actually have access to. So you sort of have to guess at what their questions were. This one's a little easier 'cause of what you see [00:03:00] in one. It seems like the struggle they're having is what to do with meat that's been offered up in idle worship.

Can it be consumed if a friend invites you over and they're not part of your faith and they serve this kind of meat? Should I eat it or should I make a big stand and say, no, I don't eat that kind of meat. Like, well, how do I navigate? And although that seems really foreign to our world, the situation isn't, we often are in that same spot where you're like, What do I, how do I handle this exactly?

What's the, what's the right course to take? So that's Paul's guidance in eight. He's trying to help them know how to judge tricky situations, how they should move forward. And I love where he begins. He says Knowledge, puff it up. But Charity edify, I think what he's saying is, when in doubt, be kind, um, not kind at any cost, but kind.

Meaning see people with a love of God, you know, charity is that pure love of Christ. So choose to hold on to what lasts these policies and practices, especially related to idle worship and meet consumption. [00:04:00] They're sort of temporary, right? We don't have guidance about idol worship in the word of wisdom 'cause it's not a situation we deal with today.

But I think it's something that he's trying to help them understand, like, this is a temporary situation, but the charity that you're gonna develop, That will last. So focus on charity, but he also has some cautions. The first one comes in three when he talks about, this is verse three, but if a man, if any man loved God, the same is known of him, I think his first, his first advice for how to navigate these tricky situations is to seek a closer unity with God.

'cause the closer I am to God, the better I have the Spirit with me. Right? I, I have access to that power to know how to see as he sees and how to handle hard situations. The Spirit is incredibly capable of helping us navigate tricky situations. I just think it's remarkable. There's been a few spots where I've been in conversations with people I love, or friends or my kids' friends that the spirit has.

Help me know the right words to say, where I can speak my thoughts and my [00:05:00] mind and teach truth and also be kind and also be empathic. And that's hard. So you need the help with the spirit to navigate it. So I think he, that's his first line of guidance is seek a better unity with God. And then he reminds them that this is like, the meat itself is not gonna cause evil to happen in you.

It's where is your heart? Focus on the heart. I think what he's trying to say to them is, you're worried about the wrong things. Focus deeper What? What really matters. So if you see in six, five, and six, he talks about how there's one God and we worship one God. And if we know that and we believe that, then we don't have to worry too much about these practices that are in the communities around us.

He does give them some cautions in eight and nine. Basically what I think he's saying is, Be cautious about your choices 'cause people are watching you. And I don't think he means that in a threatening way. I think he's saying you're an example and people will see your example and they will, they will choose to [00:06:00] deviate off of it a little bit.

So if I set my example off the covenant path, then the people that come after me might be much farther. You know, we have the same thing in conference lots of times where you hear about, you know, warnings to parents to say like, we need to lead powerful examples of what it looks like to love this faith.

Because if you don't, your kids will deviate much further away than you even started. And that's kind of what he talks about in the verses. He says that you'll embolden, if you look in 10, it says, shall not the conscience of him, which is weak, be emboldened to eat those things which are offend, offered to idols as I choose to consume because I feel like it's the best course for me.

You have to be aware of the fact that other people are watching, especially people like your children who are learning from your example. So be cautious in your choices and do the best you can. And then I like what he says in 13. Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend Paul's choice here.

In fact, elder Maxwell quotes this verse in one of his talks, and he basically says he made huge [00:07:00] sacrifices to avoid all meat in the hopes that he wouldn't offend people around him. This isn't just offend meaning like hurt somebody's feelings. Offense in a scriptural way is create a stumbling block or create even the beginnings of apostasy.

So I think what Paul's trying to say is you're, you might need to make big sacrifices in order to keep people close to the covenant path. Choose wisely and and be cautious in your choices and seek not to offend. And if you do that, then you'll have an increased. Access to the power of God. I really think that's kind of his theme throughout.

One of the things I love about chapter eight is I feel like he's essentially teaching us the story of the Good Samaritan. He's saying, you're gonna get in these ticky social situations where these aren't your people and you're not, the customs don't fit, but your heart, if it's full of charity, will go out to that person and you will seek, and you will help and you will lift, but you'll do it in God's way.

You'll find because you have access to the spirit, you'll find a way to do it [00:08:00] that doesn't have to compromise your standards, and that's the promise he offers innate.

[00:08:09] 1 CORINTHIANS 9

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Sometimes I wonder if the question that leads to nine is the same question we all hear today all the time, right? If you are keeping commandments, are you really free? Sounds like you're kind of confined and trapped. It's that same sort of myopic mortal thinking that we get stuck in at times and I feel like Paul's trying to help them see bigger.

So he talks about his Christian liberties. That's how it's phrased in the, like the chapter description. 'cause he starts off, am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ? Our Lord are not ye my work in the Lord. I don't know where he's writing this from. Most people think this came on his third mission.

It, it could be that he's, you know, writing this from a jail cell and that the jailers are taunting him, saying like, oh, you really think you're free? Like, look where you are. I don't know. I don't know his circumstances exactly, but here's what I love about Paul's guidance. What he is saying is real freedom.

It [00:09:00] doesn't have anything to do with my circumstances. There's this beautiful talk from Marian g Romney. I quoted it extensively in the notes. It's like from 1981, I think, and he talked about freedom of the soul and that it's very different than circumstantial freedom. It is something that. Can last and endure in any circumstance.

And he, he quoted D NNC 1 21 45, where it talks about virtue garnishing their thoughts, unceasingly, that, that your confidence will wax strong in the Lord. That, that's freedom of the soul. It's, I, I know where I stand with God and I know who I am and I know and who I've trusted, and so I feel at peace. It doesn't matter where I am, even if Paul's in chains in a prison somewhere.

He has this stance of freedom. And I love this, especially from what we've read in the other scriptures. Like we saw this same stance with Joseph in Liberty Jail, but he doesn't feel trapped by his circumstances. He doesn't plead to his jailer's day and night. He pleads to God for relief. He knows, [00:10:00] he knows who he is, and he knows where the source of real freedom comes from.

You see this with Alma and aMule when they're in prison, like they just. Although I'm sure they are uncomfortable. Uncomfortable. They are not afraid. And that's freedom of the soul. And that's what Paul wants for these people. 'cause they're going to navigate a tricky world, especially as Christians in this world coming down the road.

There will be incredible hostility against them. And he's, he wants them to be able to dig deep, you know, to understand that your circumstances don't determine your freedom that comes from God. And so he teaches them a little bit about it. He talks about how he has power to do all kinds of things to eat and to work and to do, to like, enjoy the fruits of his labors.

I love what he says in 10 says ore altogether. For our sakes. For our sakes. No doubt this is written, that he, that plow with should plow in hope. And he that thresh in hope should be a partaker of his hope. I think that's his message. He plow in hope, meaning like [00:11:00] trust that there is something bigger.

There's potential in trusting in God when you plow plow in hope. Jason and I were just laughing about this. He got braces recently and it seems silly, but that was like a big move because to get braces meant we had confidence that, that he was gonna be able to wear those for a long time. And that that the sacrifice of you know, a few months or a couple years of social uncomfortableness and the awkwardness of having a mouth full of metal would be worth it 'cause he would have this better smile down the road, which is significant for us.

'cause there were times when we didn't know how much more road Jason had, right? So for him to put on braces was plowing in hope. He was basically saying, no, I trust, I can't control the circumstances and I'll be okay no matter what, but I'm gonna hope I'm going to make calls towards hope. And I just think that's Paul's invitation to us.

No matter what your circumstances are. Plow and hope. Trust that it, it's not your [00:12:00] efforts that will create the joy that you are seeking that will come from God and he sees you. And he, if he can make a whole field thrive, he can certainly make joy sprout up in our lives. I, I love the phrase, plow in hope.

And then he talks about how they have to suffer at times and how he navigates it. I really like M 14. He says, even so half the Lord ordained they, which preach the gospel. Sorry, let me rephrase even. So half the Lord ordained that they, which preach the gospel, should live the gospel. This is how he plows in hope, because he is constantly not just preaching the word to people, but he is living it firsthand.

And in order to live the gospel, you have to be willing to navigate the ups and downs of discipleship. You have to be willing to put in the time and the obedience, even when there aren't immediate rewards. Same way a farmer who plows a field, there is a phase of time when nothing is above the ground. You know, like you've put the seeds in, you fertilize the soil, you've done everything you can, and you just.

Hope, right? You plow in hope that something will sprout [00:13:00] up, and that's what Paul has to do as an apostle as well. In 16, he says, for though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of for necessity is laid upon me. Yay. Woe unto me if I preach not the gospel. He's accountable to God for this calling, but he, he's basically saying like, this is who I am.

It's become a part of me, and there's no glory that comes to me as I do my calling. Well, the glory goes to God. That's, that's where the real reward is. I think the reason that's important is it means Paul's not working right now for the rewards he'll see in this life. The same way, if I was called on a mission, I shouldn't only serve with the expectation that people are gonna get baptized because of my efforts.

My hope should be that I can just show love to my fellow men and send out, you know, a charitable heart to everybody I encounter and trust that the rewards that God offers down the road. We'll be worth it. I don't need immediate rewards here. I, I, I want joy in the promise. I really like that talk from, I think it was Joy Jones where she was talking about her [00:14:00] ministering assignment and that for a while she was so frustrated 'cause they would knock on the door and get rejected all the time.

And it wasn't till they changed their mindset to be more about, I'm doing this because I love God, not because I expect a relationship to happen. That shifted her heart, you know? Then she could minister with a different heart and eventually that door did open and things got better. But I, I, it was that shift of, oh, I'm not doing this for an immediate kickback or even a delayed mortal kickback of any kind.

I'm doing this out of gratitude and love for God, and I trust that he will make all things work together for my good. I think that's Paul's stance. Then we go a little bit further. He talks about how he's not gonna abuse his power, that he's not gonna take advantage. In fact, he deliberately. Condescends a little bit, kinda like we talked about last week, where he talks about how he's not gonna come speaking ELO eloquently.

He's not gonna, should dazzle them with all his language skills. He says that in a different way in verse 19. For though I be free from all men, yet I have made myself servant unto all [00:15:00] that I might gain. The more Paul's stance here is I am free and no matter what my circumstances are or whether I'm in bonds or not, I have a freedom of the soul and I choose to serve.

I choose to give my life in service just the same way the Savior did. That's a big stance of faith and I just think it's inspiring to see how he does it. He goes a little further and he talks about how, how he related to everybody. So in 20 he talks about, and unto the Jews I became as a Jew and then in 20, those without the law, I became as those without the law and to the weak, I became as weak that I might gain the weak.

I made all things to men that might by all means, save some. He deliberately, um, acclimate to his environment so that he can bring people to Christ. Again, I don't think this is ever a compromise of his standards or of the commandments, but it's his way of saying like, wherever I go, I'm going to love the people.

I'm gonna find a way to connect with them [00:16:00] and love them and understand their traditions. If meat offends them, I'm not gonna eat meat anymore. If they're, you know, if they're worried about, Whatever it is, he will acclimate himself to their environment so that he can show the love of Christ and as soon as they feel a connection to him, they'll feel a connection to the gospel and they'll want to come closer.

So that's his strategy. I just think it's so applicable to us today. Then you go a little bit further and he has this athletic metaphor, which, you know, I love those, but he, he is basically comparing it to the games. So every couple years there's games in Corinth, sort of like they have every four years with the Olympics and they, this is a very familiar metaphor to them 'cause people are constantly training and hoping to win the games.

What I think is powerful about Paul's example, this is around 24, he says, knowing now that they, which run in a race run all but one receive at the prize, so run that you may obtain. He's saying like, you have everything you need to accomplish what is in front of you. Run. It's this. Call to action, [00:17:00] right?

They're not gonna be passive recipients of the gospel anymore. He wants them to be active and proactive in their discipleship. What I love is, you know how we kinda like tease our kids about how they're, they live in that everyone gets a trophy generation. Paul's message is sort of similar. He's saying like anyone who chooses to run the race and finish the race that the Lord sets in front of him using the guidelines and the strength that the Lord offers.

All of you receive the prize. That's his promise. If you simply run the race, you'll receive the reward. And it's not a corruptible reward, like a crown of leaves that they would give their athletes or even a crown of gold. It's an incorruptible crown. That's what he says in 25. So he's saying, run. I just love that metaphor.

It's like, go forward. I love it. Especially 'cause later in the New Testament we're gonna see how Paul talks about running the race that was set before him and how he's finished his race. You can tell that this metaphor is constantly in his mind that he is. Seeking to run whatever course God sets in front of him, even if it's [00:18:00] different than what he anticipated, he will run.

And so then in 26, I therefore so run not as uncertainly. So fight eye, not as one that beeth the air, but I keep under my body and bring it into subjection less that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a cast away. He's basically saying I choose to control my mortal appetites.

I choose just like a great athlete would, right? They control their diet, they control their exercise, they fine tune their bodies. In fact, there's this great talk from Elder Anderson where he talks about your four minutes. I dunno if you guys remember this talk, it's in the notes this week. But he talked about how elite athletes will train for years for like a few minutes of spotlight in the Olympic Games.

And those four minutes of time he equates to this mortal life. He's basically saying like, the amount of time that we've spent training for this mortal experience is like an Olympian, and this is your four minutes. This is your time to shine and to demonstrate the strength of character that you built over countless years of time [00:19:00] before you ever got here.

This is our chance. It's this tiny probationary state where we get to shine, and so he invites you to shine out in your four minutes the same way Paul invites you to run, and I just love those metaphors.

[00:19:20] 1 CORINTHIANS 10

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The very end of chapter nine in verse 25, Paul talks about what it takes to be this kind of disciple that can run the race and finish the race. And the word he uses is they striveth I, it's not perfection, it's not flawlessness, it's a desire to strive. I just really love that word choice 'cause I think it's so compassionate and it anticipates additional help from a more powerful source.

What's really powerful about 10 is he essentially gives you an example of what happens when you stop striving. So where at the end of nine, he was pushing us to be someone who strives to finish that race. 10 is where he focuses in on the children of Israel and talks about how they ceased [00:20:00] striving. They ceased that seeking after that connection with God and it caused.

Them to miss their chance. I, there's somebody who was destined to be an elite athlete and had this fantastic training plan set up by the Lord. You know, you can see that in the verses. He basically talks about how they ate meat from heaven. You know, they had manna fall down and quail came out of nowhere, and they drank from a rock.

They had this. Very close connection with the Lord. And then over the course of time, they started to get comfortable in their own success. I think the same thing that happens to elite athletes, right? If I start to get really strong and I start to win races, I start to think I don't need a coach anymore.

Even though it was the coach that got me into this shape in the first place. It's really easy to think, no, I think I got this, actually, I think it was me that did this all along. And that's sort of what Paul's warning about. He's like, that's what happened to the children of Israel. They started to turn back to idols.

They turned to fornication. They were murmuring, they were, they refused to look at the snake on the pole. Like [00:21:00] they, he's like, they forgot their training and they set aside promise, which means they set aside that potential to stand on that podium and finish the race. So the rest of 10 is his guidance to us for how to avoid that same problem.

He basically says that the whole reason that's written down is so that we can learn from their example and we can do better, and then he gives us a couple strategies for how we can do it. The first one happens in 12 and 13. So 12 says, wherefore let him that think if he standeth take heed lest he fall.

I just love this one. Like it doesn't matter if you won a couple battles like th there's a big long race ahead of you and you need to stay with your coach and keep the training plan that he set up and this is his advice for how to do that. And 13, there is no temptation taking you, but such as a comment man, but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that which you're able.

But will with the temptation also make a way to escape that. You may be able to bear it. Oh, you guys, we can spend like 10 minutes on just that verse. There's so many things in there that I really [00:22:00] love. For example, first off, if you look in the footnotes on Taken, what he refers to in that is like things that are seizing upon you.

Uh, if you're in a spot where temptation seizes upon you, the promises, you'll have help. I really like this when you think about what Joseph Smith, because I feel like that's what happened to him in the Grove. He didn't deserve that darkness that fell on him. It's not like he was going into some seedy part of town like it.

It's something that seized upon him, and the promise was in that moment, if you stay, even though darkness feels like it is surrounding you, you will have a way to escape. And for Joseph, it was this piercing light that came down and pushed the darkness back. I just think there's. That's his promise. You are not going suffer temptations that are beyond your ability to handle.

I think it's really powerful if you add on what we learn in Alma. So I wrote down his Alma 13, this is in the notes, but 27 through 29. This is where he cautions us to, to humble ourselves and to watch and pray always that you may not be tempted about, which you can [00:23:00] bear above, which you can bear. Like I think that he's implying that you actually can fall into temptation.

I mean that, that makes sense, right? All of us fall into temptations that we probably could have avoided. What Elder Holland teaches in his book at Day Start Rising is he basically says if you fall into temptation, if you succumb to temptation, what that probably means is that there was an escape route and you either chose not to see it or chose not to take it.

You know, one of the two happens. 'cause he promises you have options to escape. You have. Tools at your disposal, like at Alma's guidance to pray and to watch? Always. I think it's part of the reason we hear in the Lord's Prayer where he says, you know, that we won't fall into temptation. He's praying that we won't stumble into those problems because he wants us to guard against them.

So I, I love that promise. I also think the phrase, common temptations is a powerful one because Elder Maxwell taught me, this is in the notes too, but he says this idea that temptations are common to man. He says, some of the temptations that we're gonna deal with in this [00:24:00] life are very common. You know, they're the same strategies Satan's been using for generations of time, which means the strategies that help the prophets and people in the scriptures overcome those temptations can help us too.

There are common ones that are just part of mortality, and then he talks about how there are customized. Adversities and trials and that they kind of excavate the soul a little bit, and they're intended to give you opportunities to come closer. I love his words. He basically says it's a chance to greatly enlarge your soul as you go through this process of taking that escape route, trusting that he will, he will give you what you need when you need it.

Uh, then he talks about another strategy in 17. So where he is first given us guidance on how we can connect better with God and how we can set aside temptations and trust in these escape plans that the Lord will provide for us. Then he gives us a second guidance, which is to appreciate the sacrament.

You're actually gonna hear him talk about sacrament a few times this week. I really like his choice of the [00:25:00] sacrament. Well, for lots of good reasons, but a big one is that it's almost this bridge. The sacrament is a very individual experience for me, right? It's something that I do privately. I have my own thoughts, my own things I'm wrestling with.

I partake the sacrament individually, but I do it in a great big group. And what's beautiful that about that is it reminds you that you all need each other. We're all in this race together. This is not me striving by myself. This is all, all of us are in our four minutes together. And so I think the sacrament is that sweet promise that remember, you're not doing this on your own.

Remember, I've given you help and I've given you strength both in the members around you and in the promises I've made to you specifically. You've got this, you know, it's, it's just this strong coaching that comes. Then he talks about how we need to choose our own discipleship. So if you look in 23, especially if you look at the J S T, he says, all things are not lawful for me, for all things are not expedient, all things are not lawful for all things.

Edify not. I think this [00:26:00] is, and this might just be my interpretation, I think this is Paul telling us we need to judge our own discipleship. We need to. Trust that we can make good decisions about our boundary lines. And my boundary line might be very different than others. Um, because of my sensitivity to the spirit and how it works with me.

I might have different limits about movies that I consume or books that I listen to than other people do because I can just tell from the spirit that something's not right for me. I think this is really important. I was just talking about a baptism. My Y Ss a got baptized, so her name's Michelle, and she asked me to speak at her baptism on the Holy Ghost.

And so I spoke about the Holy Ghost, and we weren't using that metaphor of being in a swimming pool. And that often you're in a swimming pool and you're in it for so long that you don't even realize you're warm, you know, you're just comfortable. And it's not until you get out of the swimming pool that you realize.

Oh, there's a big chill outside. You know, you've ever had that where you get outta the pool and you immediately wanna like bundle up in a blanket almost 'cause you're so cold and you didn't realize it was so cold outside 'cause you've been warm for so long. That's how [00:27:00] the spirit works for me. There are times when I feel this shiver and I'm like, oh wait, I think I just stepped out of a pool and I got it.

I need to get back in. What's interesting to me is oftentimes the people around me will say, whatcha talking about Maria? The weather's pine. It's really warm out here. It's 90 degrees. Why are you shivering? And I don't think they mean any ill will by it. It's just not up to them to decide how I feel and what my temperature is.

And so I have to have the integrity to say, no, I, I'm cold and I gotta go. I'm getting back in the water. And it's hard sometimes. It's really hard sometimes, but, but Paul's inviting us to be that kind of disciple. Be somebody who. You know how you feel and you know what it feels like to be warm and you know what it feels like to have that chill run down your spine and you need to choose.

'cause I think even in indecision, I'm basically starting to acclimate to the environment, right? If I stay outside of that pool long enough, I get pretty comfortable and then my body feels fine. And I think they were right all along. It's nice out here. [00:28:00] And so I think it's, it's a warning. I like that he wants our discipleship to be individual and thoughtful.

And it's powerful to me. I also really like how he talks about conscience. In fact, by the end, he says basically, you know, that question that they were wrestling with about whether or not to eat or if you're at a person's house, should I eat the food that they're giving me? And he said, don't worry about all that.

In fact, I love the way he praises in 33, even as I please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many that they may be saved. I think his emphasis here is the same one it was before. He's saying focus on charity, choose. Come close to God. Know your boundaries, know your limits, and then seek to be kind in your environment.

Do the best you can to take care of others. In fact, the big question I think is what you see in 31 says, do I do all to the glory of God? That's his guidepost. Whatever I do, does it glorify God My choices? Are they adding glory to God? If they are, I'm on the right track. If they detract [00:29:00] from God, then I'm off.

Of course,

[00:29:08] 1 CORINTHIANS 11

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I'm just gonna warn you up front, 11 is a bit of a minefield, so tread lightly in 11 and make sure you layer on a lot of modern revelation. 'cause otherwise it just gets sticky and hard. Uh, but I think there's a lot of beautiful guidance that's offered. When you have a more holistic approach to chapter 11, it starts off just fine.

You guys, the first two or three verses are really comfortable. So in one it says, be followers of me even as I also am of Christ. Now, I praise you brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the ordinances as I delivered them to you. This is Paul saying, well, I think what's tricky about their circumstances, none of these people knew Christ.

None of them saw, well, I, I would assume none of them got to see him in the way that even Paul has seen him at this point in time. You know, Paul's been able to experience the resurrected savior, and these people don't have that. They and the gospels aren't written yet. So they don't [00:30:00] have all the stories and the parables and the miracles to study.

And I think what Paul's trying to say is like, you can. You can look to me. I don't think he's seeking glory or praise. I think he is trying to provide an example of what a disciple looks like. The same way President Nelson and the apostles and the women leaders of the church are not trying to say they are perfect disciples, but they do invite us to look to them for guidance on how to make decisions in this world, right?

In our world today, I think it's part of the reason why God calls leaders 'cause we need touch points that can relate to our day and our time. So you get a little bit of that in the first couple verses. Then in three it says, but I would have you know that the head of every man is Christ and the head of the woman is the man and the head of Christ is God.

This is showing this delineation of source. I will, I will warn you that I. I struggled with this verse a little bit because I couldn't find a common answer. I studied probably six different books. I went to several articles online. I listened to a couple podcasts, [00:31:00] and every scholar I read had a different interpretation of this verse and what it, what it meant.

One of my favorites was, um, from a B Y U professor. She has a YouTube, like a Come Follow Me also for on YouTube. And she talked about how those Greek words can be translated differently. I give you links to all of her stuff in the notes, but, uh, basically she was saying that the head isn't, you shouldn't think of it as like someone in a, in authority over, or ruling over, but more head like a headwaters, like the source of, and so you could see that chain, how God links to Jesus Christ and is the source of Christ and how Jesus Christ was the creator of Adam.

And so he's, they're link there and then from Adam comes Eve, and you could see how the source flows. I just couldn't find that from other places. So I always get a little nervous if I, I can't find a prophet or an apostle who also says those same things or anything. So I, I would just. Tell you to tread lightly as you go into these verses, I will tell you one of the most comforting things I found was in the K Follow Me manual itself.

So if you look in the manual, it says basically from four to [00:32:00] 11, our, our Customs of Paul's Day, that don't apply to us. I just thought the phrasing was so specific. It says in one Corinthians 11, four through 15, Paul referred to cultural customs that we do not follow today, period. It was so then when you get into these other verses about women veiling themselves and about like all the hair traditions and all those things, I think there are many interesting interpretations out there.

The, the one I'm telling you about on YouTube is interesting and I liked her idea about veils. It was all fascinating to me. I just don't think you have to get hung up and in it, what I do think you should get hung up on is what the eternal truth that is packed in the middle of those verses, and that's what you find in 11.

Nevertheless, neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man and the Lord. That's the one that matters most. You can tell that 'cause of all the verses that you find in chapter 11. This is the one that has a hundred conference talks that link to it because of the importance of marriage and it being ordained of God and the promise that we have about salvation, that [00:33:00] we actually can't be exalted, we cannot get to the, the celestial kingdom singly.

We need each other. And that men or women are given, you know, created by God to compliment each other and even complete each other as Elder Bednar says. So I think there's a, a lot of beautiful guidance about 11. I just wouldn't get too hung up in all the other ones. Explore the theories, be curious and learn more, but don't get caught in them.

That's, that's my advice too. Um, when you go a little bit further, I think you learn more about this connection. I really love Sister Bingham's talk. I think it was from 2020. It's in the notes, but she talks, her whole message was about unifying together that men and women need to be unified. And she used the example of Adam and Eve that they are this.

A beautiful example of men and women coming together to accomplish hard things and relying on each other's strengths to accomplish good work together. I think that applies in marriage situations. And even as we work within the church and in the greater world, I think men and women have gifts and propensities that are [00:34:00] specific to them, and that we are designed to use those together to create something even greater.

That's the work of God. So you can see some of that and you can find more of it in the notes. When you go a little further, you're gonna see guidance about the sacrament. Here's what's weird and is unfamiliar to us. Their sacrament services look nothing like what ours look like. They were more like a feast.

They would actually have a meal together. And what's problematic is there's divisions that are happening, almost like Zu mites that you see in the Book of Mormon. It sure seems like there's some social class issues because all these saints are supposed to come together for this feast, but they don't all get off work at the same time.

And some. Take more than they're due and some are getting drunk in at at this meal. And Paul is like, stop. I just think his guidance is strong. So he, he talks in 22, what have you not houses to eat and drink in or despise you the Church of God and shame them that have not, what shall I say to you? Shall I praise you in this?

I praise you. Not remember, he is a leader in the faith, [00:35:00] so he's not gonna mince words. This is an ordinance and they are defiling it. And so he is calling them back saying like this will not happen. And I love the next three verses for how he teaches them how to change this habit. Like they've fallen into this tendency to treat the sacrament like a feast and a celebration.

And he's like, you're forgetting what this is all about. So in 23 for I have received of the Lord, that which I also delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread. And when he had given thanks, he break it and said, take eat. This is my body, which is broken for you.

This too in remembrance of me. And in 25 after the same manner. Also, he took the cup and when he had sucked saying, this cup is the New Testament in my blood. This do ye as often as he drank it in remembrance of me. That's Paul's way to neutralize all these divisions and all of this trouble. He's like, you've forgotten.

Look back to why we do this at all. What's the purpose of all of this? It's so that you can remember. The [00:36:00] reason I like the way Paul handles this is now they can filter all their choices through that lens. If the lens of will I remember the savior and in his humble guidance to remember him and to partake of this, these small offerings, to remember his body, to remember his blood.

If I filter all my choices through that lens, then it's really easy for me to remember to not take more than I'm due and to make sure that I have a sacrament service when as many people as possible can come and to make sure that we're not. Sloppy in our behavior or in our appearance. I think it's the same reason.

Remember that talk from Elder Hollands? He gave a talk about the sacrament meeting. It's the one where he says, like, women that are trailing Cheerios will always have an excuse. I can't remember the name of the talk. I think it's in the notes. But it's that same idea of like, we need to remember what this is and do our very best look, our best, act, our best, be kind and charitable to each other, and, and judge not so that we can have the spirit in this meeting.

You should go and read Elder Hollands talk as you read [00:37:00] these verses, but it's, it's, I think it's in the notes. But then he talks about eating and drinking unworthy and how risky that is. This can get delicate, especially with people like my Ysa because they have a tendency to fixate on this verse and think that they, they should stop taking the sacrament 'cause they have some struggles or they have some repenting that they're in the process of the guidance.

I found, and I can give you some links to the notes, um, is. You should go through some questions. In fact, I wrote them down in my margins. It says, did a leader, your ecclesiastical leader ask you not to? If not, then you might be okay to partake of the sacrament. Continue to take it until a leader asks you not to.

If you have questions about whether you're worthy to partake of the sacrament, ask a leader first before pulling yourself out of that situation. Then I, I loved this one. I can't remember, I think it was elder Groberg. It's in the notes, but he said, do you desire to improve and do you believe that he can help you improve If you even have those mo thoughts and in your heart, and a, a leader hasn't asked you to stop retaining the sacrament for taking the sacrament.

It's a [00:38:00] gift that's designed to help you close the gap between you and Christ and to feel the spirit more fully and to understand so, Give yourself a lot of leeway and do the best you can. And when you have questions, ask, don't, don't assume, ask. Ask your bishop if you need to stop part, taking the sacrament and, and then make choices from there.

But when you can and you desire to be better, continue to partake, I think that's partaking worthy. And that's what Elder Groberg says in his talk. Because basically he says, if you eat or drink unworthily, you're drinking damnation to your soul. And just like we've talked about many times, like that sounds like a really harsh phrase, but I think what he's saying is damnation meaning like you are stopped in your progress.

You can't move further. You can't partake of the gifts of the atonement and that cleansing power if you're doing it unworthy. So if there are issues and sins in your life, correct, get help and seek answers so that you can make changes. I love what you see in 31 tacked onto the end of this guidance about the sacrament.

'cause as for if we would judge ourselves, we [00:39:00] should not be judged. To me, I think this is. Sometimes it's tempting or I've heard other stories, especially from talking to my ysa, where people will judge others about whether they're taking the sacrament or not. It's easy for them to think like, well, he shouldn't be taking the sacrament, or she maybe shouldn't, 'cause I know what she did on Saturday.

Like, that's not what Paul's guidance is about. He's saying you self-evaluate, you decide for yourself where you stand and how you feel about this ordinance. And then you, you don't judge. There are people in positions of authority that are leaders who are set apart to be judges in that way, and it's not us.

So I just feel like his guidance is to use this as a lens to look at my own. My own issues. There's a great talk from Elder Callister that's in the notes this week where he invites us to do just this. He's like, use that sacrament time to set aside all pretense and all self-deception and say, oh my father, how am I doing and what do you need me to set down this week?

What do you need me to pick up and I'll do it? That's the [00:40:00] posture of repentance that helps the sacraments, you know, do its mighty work. So I think that's the guidance that you'll see in 11.

[00:40:12] 1 CORINTHIANS 12

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There are lots of places in scripture where you can study spiritual gifts. You see them in Moroni, in the book Mormon. You get them in the doctrine covenants. What's unique about Paul's approach, I feel like, is that he focuses in on those gifts that increase testimony of Jesus Christ. He starts there in three.

He's talking about how those who testify Jesus Christ are testifying with the Spirit. The Spirit is a, that's one of his sacred roles, is to testify Jesus Christ. And then he links it to spiritual gifts by saying, as people use their gifts, it increases my testimony. Because remember, he's trying to help us be more unified as a body of Christ, as the members of this faith, to strengthen each other and to edify each other.

So if I use my spiritual gifts and they testify of Christ, then it will increase the testimonies of those around me. So he kinda lays those out. But first he starts by almost a disclaimer, five and six. He [00:41:00] says, there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord, there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God, which worketh in all and then seven.

But the manifestation of the spirit is given to every man to profit with all. The intent of all of these gifts is so that the body of Christ will be strengthened. Remember, this is to knit our hearts and make us all stronger so that we can then go out and do this great work of gathering and bringing people into the covenant.

That's, that's the whole intent of spiritual gifts. They're not to divide us or make us show off. They're, they're designed to help us strengthen each other. So he talks through some of them in eight, nine, and 10. I just love his focus that these are all gifts that increase my testimony of Jesus Christ.

For to one is given by the spirit, the word of wisdom to another, the word of knowledge by the same spirit to another faith by the same spirit and to another, the gifts of healing by the same spirit to another, the working of miracles to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits. Like he goes through this big list, tongues and interpretation [00:42:00] of tongues, and he basically says that all these gifts are given.

In order that the body of Christ might be strengthened and it is the will of God who determines what gifts are given to who, but that every person has a gift. I actually think that he says it's every man is given a gift. I don't know that that's limited to the members of this faith. I think it's to every man, to every man and woman out there, there is a gift given.

I think when you come into the covenant path, you increase your access to more spiritual gifts. I really like, uh, president Nelson. There's a quote in the notes this week where he talked about when we're trying to seek to increase our ability to receive revelation, he promised unlimited spiritual gifts.

I just think that's pretty remarkable, right? He's saying like, you don't need to. If you peg yourself as one of these spiritual gifts and say, well, I, I might be good at this, but I'm terrible at those other ones. He's saying like, you have a limited potential. And like the doctrine covenants teaches, we should seek after every good gift, we should seek to increase our potential.[00:43:00]

Because the better I can get at finding ways to use my gifts to test testify of Jesus Christ, the stronger the whole body is. And that's our goal. So I love that he kind of emphasizes that back again in 11 and then also in 12 he says, for as the body is one and half many members and all the members of that one body being, many are one body.

So also is Christ haing. This is a big, this is a big group and we are all united in the Savior and we're all needed, all these spiritual gifts are divvied up by our father in heaven so that we can all be edified and strengthened. And then I think, His whole discourse about the body of Christ. You know how just 'cause the hand isn't the other hand, it shouldn't get jealous.

Like there he gives all this guidance so that we don't get too tripped up on spiritual gifts. 'cause it's really easy to get envious. It's really easy to get insecure and I think he's trying to warn against a lot of that. So like in 12, I feel like he's basically saying like, don't worry about what you lack.

You're part of a team. You know what the spiritual gifts that I'm [00:44:00] lacking others have and will bless and strengthen each other. In 13, he reminds him that they're all one body in Christ, meaning Christ is over all of this and he will make sure that all your needs are met in 15. I feel like he's saying, don't let comparison steal your joy.

You know, take. Ownership and stewardship of your gift and be grateful for it. And don't continually look out, look up for reassurance, but don't, don't look out and compare your gifts to others. And then in, from like 17 to 20, I feel like he's basically saying, don't seek to be the same. You know, he's talking about the body of Christ and how you shouldn't.

If the body was all made up of eyes, then where's the hearing? This, I think this is tempting for us. Sometimes I see other people's spiritual gifts and I want to be just like that. I, you know, like I want to mimic their gifts and instead of let mine compliment theirs. And so he's saying like, we need all kinds.

Remember what President we said at the beginning where he said that he is the author of diversity. He created all kinds of gifts to go with all kinds of spirits for this very [00:45:00] purpose. So let his work roll out and do the best you can with your gifts and, and see what he has in store for you. I also love the guidance he gives around 22.

This is, I can't remember. General authority said it's in the notes, but he gave a talk all about these verses about those who are feeble or think they are feeble, feeble among us. So in 22 name much more of those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary, and those members of the body, which we think to be less honorable.

Upon these, we bestow more abundant honor and are uncommonly parts have more abundant comeliness and this is 24 for our comely parts have no need, but God has tempered the body together having given more abundant honor to the part which lacked. Okay. I know that's a, a jumble of words to some degree, but I actually feel like there's so much beauty in this doctrine there because he's basically saying those who feel like they lack are given abundance in other ways.

I like this when it comes to special needs because I'm kind of sensitive to special needs. You know, with Jack's autism, I [00:46:00] feel like one of the most powerful things I've ever learned in the church is by watching. People in my congregation care for those with special needs. Uh, not just kids, but like adults with disabilities or long-term health issues.

I think that's what he's saying is he, those feeble members of the church actually bring out the Christian goodness in the rest of us. We, we experience charity at the pure level of God. 'cause we see it in other people. Uh, there are some in my ward that I can, I see the way they interact with those who would seem weak or feeble.

And their example is a testimony to me. It actually strengthens my testimony and I feel like I know the savior better. 'cause I've watched the way they interact with others. And that's what I think he's trying to say is like, there's abundance in all of this. God hasn't planted you in a place that is, you know, lacking and nourishment without caring about you and giving you comfort.

He will. He knows exactly who has [00:47:00] what gift. He knows exactly where he's planted you, and there is abundance. I just think that's a really powerful promise. Every one of us is needed. Every one of us and our gifts that he's blessed us with are needed in this body of Christ, so we all need to lean in to whatever our gift is.

I also like in 26, it says, and when one member suffer, all the members suffer with it, or one member be honored. All the members rejoice with it. This is mourning with those that mourn and comforting those that stand in need of comfort. He's saying that's what happens when we all share our spiritual gifts.

When we strengthen each other, we find this. Our hearts become knit and none of us suffers alone. I think that's powerful. One of my favorite parts is at the very end, so this is in 31, but Covet earnestly the best gifts, yet I've shown to you a more excellent way. He's saying, don't worry about competing with each other.

If the, you know, there's countless spiritual gifts. There's so many of them. You can read in the notes. There's big lists of all the spiritual gifts that apostles or [00:48:00] prophets have mentioned, and in addition to the ones in the scriptures, but he's saying there are some gifts that are more excellent. In fact, that's his phrase, A more excellent way.

And what you're gonna find in 13 is his guidance on that, those very best gifts, rather than getting fixated on the gifts of healing or the gifts of prophecy, or the things I, I might be lacking, he says, focus your whole heart on these gifts, and if you focus on these gifts, you'll have everything you need.

And that's what we're gonna find in chapter 13.

[00:48:34] 1 CORINTHIANS 13

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Paul's more excellent way, rather than seeking after every spiritual gift, like seeking the gift of tongues and the gift of prophecy and the gift of Revelation and all those gifts, he's saying, focus on charity first. If I focus my heart on having a heart like Christ, then all other things will. Okay. Yeah, I just think he's saying like, don't pay attention to all the people near you and the other spiritual gifts you see, focus in on this one that every single one of us need.

In fact, if you don't have it, you are [00:49:00] nothing. It is a strong phrase, but he'll say it in a really powerful way. So like in verse one, he says, though I speak with the tongues of men and angels, I have and have not charity, I am become a sounding brass or a tinkling symbol. I mean, people might have seen Paul and his spiritual gifts and thought, oh, so I could just be like, Paul, you know, if I could just speak with tongues, if I can just learn all the languages of all the countries I visit, then I could be, and he's like, none of this matters.

All these spiritual gifts are good, and they're designed to edify the body of Christ, but none of it lasts. Remember, that was his very first verse. That we studied this week. Charity is what edify it. And so he's gonna try and help us understand what charity really is. And though I have the gift of prophecy, this is verse two, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge.

And though I have all faith so that I can remove mountains and have not charity, I am nothing. I actually wonder if these, this is Paul actually describing his own spiritual gifts. These are probably things people recognized in him that he was capable of all of these things. And he's saying, none of these matter if I'm missing charity, none of this makes any difference [00:50:00] for me it, it doesn't last.

And I love what you're saying in three 'cause it defines more clearly what charity really is. Though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. It's interesting to me 'cause I tend to associate charity with service. You know, if I, if I wanna increase my charity, that means I'm gonna increase my service.

Where I get stuck on that is sometimes I just assume my service is like, okay, I gotta give away my stuff, or I've gotta give away my time, or I've gotta give away my money. Like, you know, like I just assume that's what that means. And I think to increase charity means I've gotta give away things and what Paul is saying in that, versus even if I give away everything I have, in fact, if I give every bit of myself and I don't have charity, it's nothing the same way.

Sometimes I get in a service project, you guys and my heart's just not in it. I'll give the time and I'll give the money and I'll put in the hours, but my heart's not in it. And he's like, there, there's no point to that. What you are missing is the love of God. Charity is the pure love of Christ, which means you're gonna see your fellow men the way Christ would see them.

You're gonna [00:51:00] see needs, you're gonna have compassion like he has, you're gonna. Take on this lens of how would Christ see the situation and how should I act? I think that's what he tries to describe in those next few verses. He's, he helps 'em understand what charity is, and it's not just about service and giving away your time and talents.

It's something much deeper. Here's what charity is, Infor charity suffereth long and is kind. Charity envious, not charity. Vth not itself, is not puffed up, does not behave itself. Unseemly, Sheth not her own, is not easily provoked and thinketh no evil. Rejoice it, not an inequity, but rejoice it in truth.

Beareth all things. Believe with all things hope, with all things, and endure with all things. Charity never faileth. Uh, that's his sanitation. Right? I even love that it has a bit of a feminine sound to it 'cause these are such beautiful qualities. You know, we don't know much about our heavenly mother, but I love that these are divine characteristics that.

Have a feminine touch to them. I don't think that means they don't apply to men as well. I think the savior [00:52:00] of Embodi, all of these. But I do love, there's a great talk from Elder Holland where he associates these verses with motherhood, and I just think it's beautifully done. But I love, I love these guidelines.

There's so many of these that I fall into often, you know, like, think it's no evil. I, um, I, I think it was Wendy Ulrich. I heard a, a podcast from her once where she, I think she's a therapist and she was giving guidance about how to think. It's no evil. I don't know, remember if she associated this verse in particular, but she said, I just come to every situation and think what's the most generous reason I can explain their behavior?

Or something like that. That stuck with me for the last several years. You guys, no matter if it's my kids or somebody on the highway, or I try in my mind to be, what's the most generous excuse I could give for their behavior? And that comforts me. You know, I think that's, think it's no evil, or at least on the path towards it, is this choice to.

Assume the best. I think you see a few others. I really love rejoicing. In truth, I think it's, it's easy to rejoice in truth that's comfortable. You know, [00:53:00] that's easy. What's hard is to rejoice in truth. That corrects me. You know, I get that sometimes with the sacrament, where I get some guidance about how I need to do things a little bit differently the next week or do things a little bit better, or be a little kinder to rejoice.

And that truth is harder for me. I, but I think that's what discipleship is. It's saying I'm rejoicing that you're communicating with me, that you care enough about me. You know, like we've talked about before, if you're on a team and your coach doesn't give you any feedback and doesn't give you any guidance, then you know you're not a very good player, or they don't see much potential in you.

And the very fact that my most common personal revelation is about how I can course correct, tells me that he's a coach that cares a lot about me and sees a lot of potential in me. So he continues to give me feedback, and I have to rejoice in that truth. So I, I just think you could study almost every single line of those verses and.

Get insights and understands. I added some more to the notes, but I love a few of those. I also love the phrase that charity never fail with because I think it's, [00:54:00] it's that promise. I told you guys, I had that quote on my wall as a teenager that said, I think it was Washington Irving, and he said, um, charity is or love is never wasted.

If not reciprocated, it will flow back and soften and purify the heart. That's how I feel about charity too. Like it gets never wasted. My love that I extend to others is never wasted because as I act in his name and act the way he would, his grace flows back my way. No matter what they do on their end or how they receive it, or if they're offended by it, it doesn't matter.

His grace and strength flows back to me and I am edified in the process. That's how charity never fail. I just think that's a beautiful promise. 'cause it means you don't have to worry so much about the results of the goodness you're trying to do. You just trust that it was inspired and therefore it's good and therefore, It's done.

I will do what needs to be done. I just think there's beauty in that promise. He has this really interesting guidance in nine and 10. He says, for we know in part and we [00:55:00] prophesy in part, but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. Paul is basically saying the same thing that President Nelson says to us today, that this, the restoration is ongoing.

This is a living church. He's saying we have limited understanding in our day, but what's powerful is Paul's been teaching them how, how to use and act on that limited understanding and as they act in in obedience, they get strength from it. I think that's what he's talking about in 11. So when you go into 11, he says, when I was a child, I speak as a child.

I understood as a child, I thought as a child, but when I became a man I put away childish things. I think this is Paul's discipleship path. You know, we've talked about a couple times about this idea of like, I begin with a place of testimony of faith and then I have to wade through a lot of complexity and then I end up on this other.

Belief and testimony and faith, the way I've described it to my wife says, is like with missionaries, missionaries who stand and speak in sacrament, meaning before they leave, testify about how good missions are and how they'll [00:56:00] bring you closer to Christ, and how they can't wait to be a missionary. They give almost the same testimony at the end in the key doctrines that they teach, but it is a much different testimony.

It's a testimony of a man or a woman who's had to wade through a lot of middle, you know, they've had to go through all the complexity and all the adversity and all those moments that really test your faith and really strengthen you from within. And their testimony at the end of a mission is still, missions are good.

Missions will bring you closer to Christ, but, but it's a testimony that is no longer, you know, simple in its innocence. It is tested and proven and true. And that's what I feel like Paul's trying to say. Like, I've set aside all those childish things. I've proven this work. I know that it's true. My life is a witness that it's true.

And so he's trying to help them. Invigorate this desire to get to that other place. I think the way we accomplish it is by what you see in 12 and 13. So 12, he says, for now we see through a glass darkly, but then face-to-face. Now I know in part, but [00:57:00] then shall I know Even as, as also I am known. Glass darkly is not a window, it's, it means a mirror.

So if you look in the footnotes, you can see this is a metal. What they would use as a mirror is like a piece of metal, and they would see their reflection. But because it's a piece of metal and not a reflective surface, by nature, it's not a perfect reflection. It's dark it, it's limited in it sight. What I really like about that is he's basically inviting you to see yourself better.

It's not so much about seeing the world around you with clearer vision. First, you need to see yourself. Clearer. And he says, the more light and more knowledge that comes from this gospel, the better you'll see yourself. I actually think his recommendation for how to clean that mirror is in faith and hope and charity.

He says, you're seeing yourself darkly. You're not seeing the real version of you. There was a, I can't remember who said it, but there was a quote in the notes this week that said, we tend to see ourselves as yesterday and today, and God sees us as yesterday, today, and forever. And that's what I think Paul's trying to teach them.

He's like, [00:58:00] your reflection of yourself is not who you really are. You need to develop faith and hope and charity. And when you develop those beautiful divine gifts, you'll see yourself more clearly and you'll absolutely see your heavenly parents more clearly, your savior more clearly. And you'll find that peace of conscience that Paul seems to have, you know, despite all the hard that's around him and all the adversity, he's.

He can stand and he can wax confident in the presence of God. That's, I think that's what he wants them to get to. And so that's how he ends it in 13 and now abide his faith and hope and charity. These three at the greatest of these is charity. One of the things I love about that last verse is I feel like it's a lesson in unity all on its own.

You know, faith, hope, and charity are these divine characteristics that we need to acquire, but they work in harmony with each other. So where he's been teaching us about unity and how God is the author of diversity, but also is the source of unity, faith, hope, and charity are are like that. It's almost an example of that.

These three beautiful characteristics that we need that are separate and distinct, but also work together [00:59:00] in this perfect harmony. I just think there's a lot to learn there, and luckily we have a couple more chapters of Corinthians next week to study even more.

[00:59:14] CREATIVE PREVIEW

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Welcome back you guys. This is the creative side of week 35. So just like every week, my goal here is to help you create meaningful and memorable and simple tools in order to help your kids understand the doctrines just a little bit better. I've got three easy ones for you this week, but they're loaded with fun.

So I hope you stick around. For those of you are listening on the free podcast or maybe watching on YouTube, you'll see just a sample of what we have in store, hopefully, so that it inspires ideas in you. A lot of these can be replicated without my specific printables, and I hope that happens for you. If you are in the course, you are welcome to jump online and access the printables, the notes, and all the tools you're gonna need to pull these off, but I hope, I hope it's worth your time.

I think we've got some fun things in store. Okay, let's break down what you need for each object lesson. The first one, supplies wise, you really don't need [01:00:00] anything other than the printable. If you don't wanna do the printable this week, you also could do a video game night. 'cause this is where I'm gonna help my kids understand the idea of I.

That God makes an escape. Remember how I talked about in the insights that I love this idea of relating video games to making an escape. Not because I love video games or even play them, but because my kids do and anything that I can do to connect their talents and their loves to the gospel is, is a win in my mom book.

So for this time, you could either have a video game night and teach these principles, or you could use the printables and create your own. Video game on paper. So I'm gonna walk you through how to pull this off, but you just need card stock for these and maybe a phone if you want to make a stop motion like we did, but I promise there's lots of fun embedded in this one.

Okay, that's your first one. The second one we're gonna talk about the concept of neither is the man without the woman, nor the woman without the man. I, I think it's a pivotal doctrine that our kids understand that we are designed to complete each other. There's lots of great quotes in the notes about this.

The idea of exaltation being something that is a [01:01:00] family matter, that you need a ceiling to occur so that you can even obtain the celestial kingdom. That's pivotal doctrine, and I think it also teaches us something about. Ourselves a little bit as we are unique and different, but designed to compliment each other.

So you could just teach this with a simple pair of shoes and talk about how there's are left and a right and how they're different, but go together. But that just seemed boring to me. So I decided we need to take it up a notch. And that's why I created this bizarre, it is what I'm calling self walking shoes.

'cause you guys, that's what this does. You are gonna roll this down the hall and it will appear like the shoes are walking without any legs. It's magical and just entertaining to watch and it will help your kids understand this really critical doctrine. So that's the second one for that one. You just need a roll of packing tape or painter's tape.

Anything about that diameter duct tape would work. Um, and then you also need a straw, like a standard drinking straw and a skewer, and then just the printable and you'll be good to go. Okay, last one. This one's the simplest of the three. This is to talk about that idea of the body of [01:02:00] Christ and how we're all needed in the body of Christ.

And that when we each. Use our spiritual gifts and do the best we can to amplify the gifts we've been given and to demonstrate them in a righteous way, then the body of Christ is glorified. And I think one of the simplest and most relatable ways to teach us is with music. So I don't really have anything to hold up for this one, 'cause I'm gonna direct you to a video that the church puts put out that demonstrates this really beautifully with different artists and different people playing different instruments.

You can actually break that video down and teach this simple object lesson about the body of Christ. As you watch this incredible medley of songs. I, I hope you enjoy it. So for that one, you don't need any supplies, just a smartphone or, you know, whatever you wanna dem, show the video on and you'll be all set.

All right, you guys, once you have those supplies on hand, come on back and I'll teach you how to pull each one of these off.

[01:02:48] WRAP UP

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All right, you guys. That's it for week 35. Okay. Next week we only have three chapters. I can't wait. They're chapters in First Corinthians, and that'll end that book for us. But there's, there's good things coming.

So enjoy this week of study. If you [01:03:00] need extra help with the insights or the object lessons, you are more than welcome to join me on the live. So that's Monday morning at 10:00 AM I'll pop on if you're following me on Instagram already. Then you'll get an alert that says, I'm going live. You can just join in.

We'll chat through the insights for 40 minutes or so, and then talk through some of the object lessons in more detail. So it's a good place to ask questions if you have them. And then the other thing I would say is I just wanted to say thank you to those of you who have left reviews, especially for the podcast lately.

I've seen a few new ones come in. It doesn't matter to me if you just click the stars or if you actually type out a response, but it has been really fun to me to see how the podcast helps and how the YouTube channel's working for you. So special thanks to those of you who left reviews and left comments in the course.

They tend to come at moments when I really need it, and so I just. Wanna say thanks. So thanks for being here, you guys. I hope you enjoy week 35 and then come back next week 'cause there's more good stuff coming at the end of verse Corinthians.[01:04:00]