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[00:00:00] INSIGHTS INTRODUCTION
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Hey everybody, welcome back. This is week 26th of Creative. Come follow me for the New Testament and we are at about the halfway mark. You know, I remember when we looked at the schedule for the very beginning of the year thinking, wow, we're gonna spend half the year in the gospel. And now that we're here, I feel like I could have used a little bit more time.
In fact, I found myself, I don't know, resistant to getting to that last chapter. Like I told you guys, I bought the, you know, the wide margin Courtney Casper Scriptures for this year, and I didn't have a single mark in them when we began the year. So to see that we were on that last chapter of every gospel and I was finally marking up that final moment.
It was hard. It was, it was good, but it was hard. Thankfully, every one of these last chapters is focused on this beautiful resurrection morning and what happens, and this thickening cloud of witnesses that we get to see this week, you'll hear them testify, and I just [00:01:00] delighted in it. I thought it was so fun to hear.
Not just the fact that they're testifying, but also see them wrestle with trying to come to terms with what they thought was gonna happen and what actually is true. And I think all of us in our discipleship are constantly stepping into those waters of trying to set aside false traditions and false hopes and lean into what is real and right in front of us and everlasting.
That's what you're gonna study this week. I particularly loved in Isaiah. So when you go back into Isaiah, it's in 25 verse eight I think, is when he says that the Lord will swallow up death in victory and then he will wipe the tears off all phases. That's this week because of what he accomplishes this week.
Tears are no more, you know, like you're gonna see a lot of people sorrowing and mourning. And then there is this shift to joy and rejoicing and even a new kind of fear about, okay, where do we go next? And I just think it's so [00:02:00] instructive for all of us. I also love that in particular, this week because we're studying the resurrection, I feel like it's the other side of the atonement of Jesus Christ.
So remember the last few weeks we've been talking about Garden of Gethsemane and the crucifixion and the redemptive power of the atonement of Jesus Christ. And although I think that plays out all the way through the resurrection, I also think this week is especially, Right in teaching us about the enabling power of the atonement of Jesus Christ.
This could be cause I was just listening to a devotional from my El Elder Bedner all about this. This idea of his atonement gives us power to accomplish things we could never accomplish on our own. And as we choose to, like dig in and trust in God, we can accomplish things individually and as a people that simply couldn't be accomplished in any other way.
In fact, there's a great quote, it's in the notes, but if you go from elder Christofferson, he basically says this. He says, given the reality of the resurrection of Christ, doubts about omnipotence, omniscience, and benevolence of God, the father are groundless. If you can choose to believe in this miracle [00:03:00] that will study this week, everything else can align.
Every other miracle is smaller. Every other gift of God is. Smaller, you know, like this is the grandest greatest miracle of all. And it should evidence to us the love of God, the love that he has for the people that will study this week, the love that he has for us, the love that he has for his son, and the way that love will manifest is just remarkable.
So grab your scriptures, grab your notes. There's so much to study. It's time to get started.
[00:03:39] MATTHEW 28
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For most of this year's study, we've focused in on Matthew to give us the basics of the story and then added things from the other gospels. This week's a little bit different. Matthew and Mark are sit shorter and don't have quite the depth of experience that you're gonna find in Luke and in John especially, cuz we'll be in two chapters of John.
So we'll spend most of our time there. But I do think there's some good setting of the stage [00:04:00] that happens in Matthew and in Mark. So when you go into Matthew, you're gonna find out this is the Sabbath day, right? This is the end of the Jewish Sabbath and be the beginning of what we call the Sabbath. In fact, most of the scholars that I read said this is what begins the idea of having the Sabbath be on Sunday, because the resurrection happens on Sunday.
He comes again on another Sunday, and it starts this pattern. But it's sort of where we left off last week. So remember how I told you that I see the women who want to go and take care of the body of Jesus and can't do it as completely as they hoped to? In fact, they can't even touch the body of Jesus.
They have to leave it to others. They struggle. I imagine that would've been incredibly hard after having watched all that they watched firsthand. We know they were close to the cross. I would've found myself aching and saying to heavenly Father, why couldn't you just let me? In fact, in my perspective, it would've been a really valid reason.
To break the Sabbath. You know, this would've been one of those situations where I would've said The [00:05:00] OX is, and the mire. I talked to some of you about this on the live last week, but I felt like if there was ever an excuse to break the Sabbath, this was probably it, you know, where his body wasn't cared for the way it needed to be, and they wanted to care for his body.
They wanted to take every thorn out. They wanted to clean the wounds they wanted, I imagine, to do this right, and if it were me, I would've done, but because these are disciples of Jesus Christ in a way that I probably can't comprehend, they know that to truly honor the Lord that is gone, they will not break his Sabbath.
And so they hold back and they trust that God can perfect this. I, I just think this is such a beautiful example of elder Stanfields message about allowing God to perfect the harvest, because by choosing to honor the Sabbath, which happens on a Saturday, then when they come on Sunday with spices, they get to witness a remarkable, So that's what happens when we jump into Matthew 28.
You're gonna see women come, it varies [00:06:00] a little bit from gospel to gospel, the order of things, and I think this is a week where you really shouldn't struggle to find a perfect harmony between the gospels. The short version is essentially you're gonna see a group of women who come and they find the tomb empty, and there are angels who tell them he is risen and they're sent to send a message to the apostles.
The apostles will come and see the tomb, and then. In that course of time they see the resurrected savior. There's variation based on which gospel you read about, who sees him when. But the basic message is the same. First they see the empty tomb and they hear the witness of angels, and then later they see the savior himself.
So that's kinda what you're gonna see here. Several women are coming to take care of the body and, and they see an angel instead. In fact, I think it's really interesting that they're, what happens first? So if you go in the verses, it says, behold there was a great earthquake for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone from the door and sat upon it.
And his countenance was like lightning and his arraignment white as snow. And for [00:07:00] fear of him, the keepers did shake and became as dead men. But the women stand here. This is what I like in five. And the angel answered and said unto the women, fear not ye, for I know what that you seek, Jesus, which was crucified.
Here's what I like about this. First, we know from the Joseph's translation of almost every gospel that there are actually two angels here. We don't know who they are. We know they're referred to as male angels in several or in one of the gospels, and that in one gospel, the angels referred to as young, so I don't know who these angels are, but they roll back the stone and allow these women to see.
What I think is remarkable is that even though the guards fall because of this dazzling thing, the women can stand, and I think that's because. They've been accustomed to celestial light to some degree. They've walked with the savior, they've seen miracles. They've seen Lazarus come from a tomb. They have seen things.
And so therefore they don't fear quite as much as others. And I love that because we've been setting that all year. Remember we talked about even in Luke two, that [00:08:00] the shepherds are afraid of the angels at first, cuz it's this holy experience. And holy experiences are sometimes scary at first, especially if your eyes aren't accustomed to celestial light.
And that's what I love about this is I think it shows that there is a progress that's happening in the eyes and hearts of these women that they in this moment can stand and can hear the witness of these angels. I think it's what happens to us, even though I might have been a little panicked the first time I went to the temple, as my eyes got accustomed to celestial light, I get more comfortable and new.
New spiritual experiences are less jarring. And that's should be evidenced to me that I'm on the right track, right? That I'm, I'm getting stronger. In fact, there's a quote in the notes that talked about how this is the goal of life is essentially to become as lightning. You know, he calls it, um, celestial Light.
I'm trying to remember who it was. It's in the notes. But he talks about how our goal is to accumulate light and that as we are resurrected to a glorified [00:09:00] body, it's, it's about the light. And I, there's more in the notes, so go on and study it. But I love this idea of having a countenance like lightning.
Something that is radiant and powerful all at once. And so the women see him and they hear the witness. He is not here for, he has risen. He said, come to the place where the Lord lay. This I think is interesting. These two angels testify that Christ is risen and then they invite the women to come and see.
They're not gonna see the resurrected savior at this time. They're just gonna see where he was. And I found myself wondering. Why, like if you've heard the witness of an angel, why is it that you have a chance to go and see? And I think, I don't know the answers, but I do think there is some compassion and some strength in being able to be close to where miracles happen.
I, I think we wanna be careful cause I don't think you have to, you know, step in the holy lands to get a witness of Jesus Christ. But I do think there is power in proximity. I learned this from Elder, I can't remember if it was a [00:10:00] devotional or a conference talk, but he talked about how there is power in being close to where things happened and that we should try to get those opportunities if we can.
So just last week we sent Will to E F Y, but I thought wouldn't it be cool if we can make it work to send him somewhere? Where he could get this power of proximity experience. So Jason and I talked about, and we sent him to Navu instead of to Provo, because I wanted him to love Navu. I wanted him to feel close to Joseph Smith.
And this was an opportunity that just, I couldn't resist. Right? And I think that's, there's a piece of that in this story. We're supposed to seek out ways to be close and to get our own witness of sacred spaces. And so you can see that play out with these women. Then they run with joy cuz now they know that he's risen.
And so they go and run to tell the apostles. And in the process, in verse nine, as they went to tell that his disciples behold Jesus met them saying all hail, and they held him by the feet and worshiped him as they're on the way to tell the apostles. Then they meet the savior. [00:11:00] And I actually think there's beautiful harmony in that with a lot of other verses we've read that when you choose to get up and go get up and witness when you don't know how it's gonna be received.
In fact, we know from the other gospels that they're not gonna believe these women, they don't know how it's gonna be received. But they know what they know. They know they've seen the spot where he was, where his body, his broken body was. Remember we learned from last week that these women actually watched Nicodemus and Joseph Mia placed the body in the sr.
They've seen that broken, wounded, bruised and bloodied body be placed in into this ur and now they see it's empty and so they can witness that and on the way they experience the savior. I think that's faith. I think when we show faith and we have the guts to like act not knowing exactly how it's gonna play out.
We, we encounter the savior in those moments. I think it's what we see with Nephi and the plates. It's as he's in the process that he comes to know truth and that I thought was a powerful witness [00:12:00] to me. So they go, they go to tell the apostles and they sit and Jesus tells them, be not afraid. Go tell my brother.
And that they go into Galilee and there they'll see me. So the idea is like, get them outta Jerusalem. Tell them to go to Galilee where they can find me. So in 11 now, when they were going, behold some of the watch came into the city and showed unto the chief priests all the things that were done. This is something you only get in Matthew.
That's why we can't just jump straight into the Luke account in the Matthew account. You learn that. The guards recognize what has happened, at least to the body of Jesus that is gone and that this tomb is opened and they are worried and they go to the Jewish priests first. Those leaders and the leaders talk to them and ask them to concoct a story.
Basically what they say, if you look in 13, you can see that the Jewish leaders bribe them with large sums of money. I wonder sometimes how it compares to the 30 pieces of silver, but they bribe them to say that they were asleep and that the disciples came and stole the body away. Which is interesting, right?
What, what the Jews promise is if you get in trouble, cuz a Roman [00:13:00] guard can get killed for falling asleep on the job or for not doing his job. So he, they say to them, we're gonna cover for you. It's, it's that phrase that I thought was interesting. It's in 14, and if this come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him and secure you.
That's their promise. This to me, has the adversary's fingerprints all over it because he loves to make these promises that he will secure. You make up this lie, convince people and I will secure you. It reminds me of Lati in the Book of Mormon. It is this, he will eventually poison you by degrees, but I think this is often how false stories about the gospel or about doctrines begin.
There is an initial deceit and it's. He promises to secure you. And so things, things start to spin. And what you see in the verses is that this is still reported to this day. Remember the, the gospels are written decades after the Savior's life. So decades later, this is still a rumor that is circulating, that the the guards were [00:14:00] asleep and that the disciples came and took the body.
It's causing breaches of faith in people still, much like any antit truth literature out there does today in our day. And you can kinda see its beginnings in the Matthew account. So then the 11 disciples go to Galilee. They're on a mountain in the Matthew account, they're on a mountain, and Jesus comes to them.
You get a shortened version and Matthew will go a lot deeper in Luke, but it says in 17 when they saw him, they worshiped him. But some doubt it. I actually thought that was a really completely understandable. Reaction. Remember, this has never happened before. It's never occurred in the history of ever. In fact, a lot of the quotes I have in the notes are from prophets who speak this exact thing.
Like it's understandable that the apostles struggled with doubt because there's no precedent for this. And so they believe and worship and then also doubt. And I don't know if they're talking about the same people or if they're saying some of the apostles worshiped him and some of them doubted. I kinda like the idea of them being [00:15:00] conflicted, cuz I feel like that all the time.
You know, like there are times when I believe and teach my kids about the power of prayer, and then they'll come to me and say, Hey mom, I can't find my lunchbox. I probably should pray about it. And my heart just like panics for a second. Like, oh, their faith is on the line. Heavenly Father, please answer their prayers.
And I say that because I believe in the power of prayer, but I've also had prayers that don't get answered. And I know all the reasons why they might not get answered. And so it's hard. It's hard to, it's hard to hold onto faith and still wrestle with doubts at the same time. And that's what you see happening with the apostles.
What I love is the Savior's response in Matthew because you see this flow where he understands that they're wrestling with what they want to believe is true, and what they are afraid might be true and they're, they're struggling, and so he gives them this flow of promises. In 18, he talks about who he is.
Now all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. You can go in the footnotes and or in the notes and find links to that perfection. Pending talk from President Nelson. It references this verse because now he is [00:16:00] perfected in a different way. He has all power, all authority, all ability to do all things, and I think that's the first way he tries to comfort them in there.
Juggling of their emotions. Remember who I am and who I am now. Now that this work is accomplished, I have all power. And then in 19 go he therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost because I have all power as your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
You should go forth and spread it out to everyone else. They're not gonna feel any more capable than they were five minutes ago, other than the fact that now they see him and they know he is with them. And that's what he says in 20, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I've commanded you and Lo I am with you always.
I think that's the third of this flow. First he says, I have all power. Second, he gives them a charge to use that power for good. And then 20 he says, I'm gonna stay with you. I'm with you always. Even though he isn't gonna be [00:17:00] physically with them like he is in this moment, they will always have him if they stay close, especially once they have the gift of the Holy Ghost.
So I think it's this. Promise. It's the exact same promise he gives to all of us in our callings, whether they be official church callings or callings just to care and love for the people around us. You know, like he promises that same offering. You don't have to worry about your inadequacies. I have all power.
I'm giving you this calling. Remember, I'm with you always. You plus me equals infinitely capable, right? That's the promise. And I think you see that beautifully laid out in the Matthew account.
[00:17:42] MARK 16
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Mark's account is almost always the fastest. His, his was written first, so we get less detail in the mark account than we get in others. But there are some important things noted. A lot of it's gonna sound similar, so you're gonna see the women who bring sweet spices with the hope to anoint his body and they have this obstacle.
This is one of the reasons I really like [00:18:00] the Mark account, because there's this obstacle in their way in that they know there's this great big stone in front of the slicker and it's sealed and there's guards and how are they gonna get past it. In my mind, I really picture this similar to what Ne Levi felt with his brothers trying to get the plates where he's like, I know Leban doesn't like us.
I know he's trying to kill us. I know there are guards like, but I will go and I will do. I think that's what the women do here. We don't have that, that verse of declaration, but basically they know that there's this massive stone and there are guards and they're like, We're going anyway. You know, I just think this is what happens when your eyes are accustomed to being around someone like the savior.
They're like, there must be a way. We have a good intent. We kept the Sabbath day. Holy. We're trying to do something good for our Lord. He'll make a way. And so they go. And so they wonder on the way in three, who will roll away the sa Booker. And then in four, when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away for, it was very great.
And entering into the Sep where they saw a young man sitting on the right side clothed in a long white garment and they were frightened. And in six it says, and he [00:19:00] said unto them, be not a frightened. You saw Jesus, you seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified. He is risen, he is not here. Behold the place where they laid him, so similar to what we read in Matthew, the J s t clarifies that there's two angels that speak to these women and they get to see this layering of truth.
I actually love this about the way. The way we are taught spiritually, it's never in this big brash moment. It's always in these little layers of understanding. First they see the stone and that's one layer of like maybe there's hope. Maybe there's maybe right. Then they get the next layer, which is these two angels who witness that he's not here.
The Jesus that you are seeking, that mortal Jesus, he's not here. He has risen and I don't think risen just means like ascended cuz we're gonna learn that he's yet to ascend all the way to his father. I think it means he is elevated. He's no longer the Jesus of Nazareth that you knew. He is more. He is perfected.
He is risen in a [00:20:00] bigger way. So that's that second one, they hear the witness of the angels, and then they get this charge to go and do something. They have to go and they have to tell the apostles what they've seen and what they know so far. They also get to see for themselves that the slicker is empty.
They're gonna see the same things that we see, that the apostles will see that not just that the tomb is empty, but that there are linens there, and that you know that there is hope. For me, I feel like when Heavenly Father teaches me things, it's often just to give me a little bit more hope. Here's the truth, Maria, hope just a little more and let that truth sink in and let that hope grow in you and then be ready for the next one.
I'm gonna give you even more hope. You know, that's the whole message of the resurrection. So I think you see that in there. You also learn in the market count. That he actually first appears to Mary Magdalene. This is important cuz we're gonna see that in John as well, but that when the savior appears to them, remember they just see angels and the empty tomb.
At first, he will first appear to Mary and then she will tell it to the women and then they'll all go to talk to the apostles. [00:21:00] So that's what you get intent, just you get a shortened version of it. I think it's interesting what's happening with the apostles. So if you look in 10 and she went and told them that that had been with him and as they, as they mourned and wept, it's been three days, uh, since the Savior's crucifixion.
The apostles are still together, they're still in quorum, they're still, they're still holding on a little bit, but their hearts are broken. They're weeping and they don't understand. I can almost picture conversations, you know, like, what did he say? Didn't he say something about three days? Didn't he say, you know, like I, I picture them going through their scriptures, their scrolls, and trying to.
Find as many prophecies and revelations about this as they possibly can. I imagine them frantically hoping I don't picture this moment as they've lost all faith. In fact, I feel like that can't be true. Knowing what we know about the apostles. For me, one of the ways I found comfort is I found myself wondering, even if they knew he would [00:22:00] be resurrected and that he would overcome death and hell and ascend and become a God like they, you know, this next thing on the right hand of the Father, like he had taught them, they may not know what that means.
You know, if I were Mary for example, I might have trusted that he would indeed be resurrected and. Glorify, you know, create all these miracles. I don't think Mary knows that that means he's gonna come back to where she is. I don't think they know that a resurrected Jesus will come back to talk to them. I, I wouldn't have assumed that.
I would assume that if he is resurrected, he's off doing something far more important than visiting me on these dusty worlds in Palestine. You know, I would never have thought he's coming back to me. But that's what it says. Even in the living Christ. I don't have it in front of me, but there's this great phrase where it says that he went to visit those he loved in life, of all the places he could have been and all the places he could have witnessed, he comes to these people who he loves.
So I think they're not faithless, they're just. Wrestling with what they believe and what they thought about the savior [00:23:00] and what is true, and they don't know how to come to terms with it. So when they doubt the women, I don't think it's, cuz they're women. You know, I, I know there's some precedent for that, that women weren't witnesses at this time in courts of law.
But I don't think that's it. I think they're, they're grappling with their own understandings of what resurrected beings even are and will do. And the fact that they're saying no, he came back here, he came back to us. I think they're, they're probably struggling with that a little bit. The other reason I think it's not about women is because if you look in 12 and 13, this is when they make a little reference to what we're gonna read in deeper understanding in Luke.
That there are two disciples on the road to am Emmaus, who actually walk with the savior for a long time and are taught by him. So they reference those two as well. And they don't believe them either. So this isn't about the apostles not believing women. I, I just think they're. They're struggling, all of them are trying to wrestle with what's in front of them.
And so when the savior comes, he Chas the word that he is afraid, which I love cuz of what we reading in James, you know, like with Joseph Smith, that he afraid if not, unless you are someone who has [00:24:00] additional light and truth and you are afraid to hope. And that's I think what he's trying to say in 14. So he says afterward he appeared unto the 11 as they sat at meet and abraded them with their unbelief and their hardness of heart because they believe not them, which had seen him after he was risen.
These are people who are gonna testify to the world. They're gonna be special witnesses of Jesus Christ and they're going to expect that others will believe on their words. So I think the first big demonstration of humility is that you can believe on the words of others. Women, men, anyone who comes to testify of Jesus Christ, that they have seen him, they should believe and they didn't.
So he abras them. He doesn't, you know, kick them out of the apostleship. He simply says, let's get back on track. You know, it's this alignment. He's, he's aligning them back again. So in 15 he says unto them, gogi into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved.
But he, that believeth not shall be damned like we've talked about [00:25:00] before. When I picture that word damned, I don't picture it like sent to hell. I picture it like, your progress has stopped like a dam on a river or a creek. It is, we, we can't progress any further. That's what he's trying to help all the world understand.
If you want to progress further, and I know you do, cuz it's in your divine d n a to seek progress, then you need me. You need my gospel. You need, you need my atonement that I've offered you. That's what he's inviting the apostles to go to all the world and to preach. And then there's this. Transformation that happens.
Were just in 10. They were scrambling and mourning and weeping. Now they've seen the resurrected Lord for themselves and they know it's true. All those things are true. Everything he taught is true. All of it is absolutely true. And so they can go out and they can preach. There's this great quote, it's in the notes from President Faust when he talked about this.
He says, knowledge of the resurrected savior transforms all of us to be confident, settled, unafraid, and at peace in our lives as followers of the divine Christ. It should help [00:26:00] us carry out all burdens, bear any sorrows, and also fully savor all the joys and happiness that can be found in this life. Don't you love that as you trust that the resurrection is real, especially as you listen to special witnesses testify that he.
Indeed lives, then we should be able to enjoy the joys of this life. It's not just about looking forward to some future day when we receive a fullness and happiness. It's about enjoying what we have right now and delighting in this work of the gospel. And that's what we see in 20. And they went forth and preached everywhere.
The Lord working with them and confirming the word with signs following in 17, he talks about how signs will follow them that believe, and that's his promise. He's saying, I know you feel small, and I know you feel inadequate to do this work. I'm asking you to preach to all the worlds, and you are these fishermen who live in this little town, but remember who I am.
Signs will follow them that believe miracles will happen. In fact, we're gonna study that for the second half of the year.[00:27:00]
[00:27:04] LUKE 24
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Okay, now we're gonna jump into Luke, and this is where we see a little more depth to the story. So it begins in the same place. The women are going to the Sep Laur in order to anoint the body of the Savior and they see an empty tomb. What's interesting is the question that the angels ask. So if you go on verse five, and they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth and they said unto them, why seek the living among the dead?
He's not here but is risen. Remember how he spoke unto you when he was yet in Galilee saying the son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and the third day rise again. This, to me, is one of the most beautiful gifts of the spirit, that he brings things to our remembrance.
I think that's what this angel is demonstrating. He's saying, this isn't new information. Actually, this is something you learned before. I think it's the same gift that's offered, you know, to the St. Stripling warriors when they're in battle and they remember their mother's words, even if they themselves are doubting the certainty of the situation.
They know their mother's knew it, and so [00:28:00] the Holy Ghost brings that back to their remembrance. I just think there's peace in that promise because sometimes I find myself. Grappling for every bit of, you know, I find myself frantically trying to hold it all in my head. In fact, um, when my kids talk to me some days on recording days, like today, I find myself not making full sentences or I'm struggling cuz I'm trying to balance all the things I'm trying to remember in my mind and deal with the house and all this stuff.
And I, I worry that I'm gonna lose it. I can't keep it all at once. And what I've learned over and over again, you guys, is that if I just show up and try to teach, the spirit will bring what is needed back to my remembrance. I won't do it perfectly. I'll never, I'll never hit the, you know, stop button and feel perfectly assured.
What I can feel is peace, that what was needed to be said has been said. And he'll, he'll perfect the harvest. So I love that. That's their message to them. Like, remember he taught you all of this. And then it starts to settle in that the hope grows as this truth settles into the soil. And then they go to [00:29:00] tell the apostles, and the words words are a little harsher.
In Luke, it says, their words seem to them as idle tales and they believe them not, and that's pretty harsh, but if you go into more detail on those words, it means they really think these, these claims are preposterous. And you can take that super harshly, but I actually think what happens in the very next verse tells you that there's more trust in that relationship than we might read into.
Then arose Peter in verse 12 and Aran unto the ur. I think if they thought these stories were preposterous and completely fabricated, Peter wouldn't have gotten up and he wouldn't have run. He may have overtime when it was convenient, stopped by the Sep Flickr if he didn't think this was a real story.
But the fact that he gets up and he runs tells me that Peter hopes, and he, he trusts these women to some degree. He's again, wrestling with. Everything else, but he hopes enough and trusts in these women enough to run, and I love Peter for that. He runs at their [00:30:00] witness and then he goes and he sees the clothes.
Luke does a little better job, I think, of explaining what they see in the empty tune. So when you, when you see them stooping down, they see the linen clothes lying by themselves and they depart. This is in 12. Then Peter Rosen ran into the Sep Booker and stooping down. He beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves and departed wandering in himself at that, which was come to pass.
We're gonna get even more depth in John, but the reason I think the linen clothes are so important is because it evidences to Peter and probably to the women as well, that this body was not stolen. You know, if, if I was the Jewish leadership and I was gonna take this body and hurt it in some way, or hide it in some way, if I was a Roman soldier and I was gonna take this body and do something with it, if I was even a disciple of Jesus Christ and I was trying to, Make it appear that he was resurrected.
I would take the linen clothes with the body. There's no reason for them to unwrap the body. Even a disciple, if they truly were a disciple of Jesus Christ, they would never have carried [00:31:00] an, an uncovered Lord. It, they wouldn't have dis disgraced him that way to carry his body out. So there's, to see the linen clothes means he cannot be stolen.
He cannot be there. There is truth to what these women are saying. He is risen because a arisen Lord like they saw with Lazarus. In fact, sometimes I wonder if the women and Peter who were both at the rising of Lazarus, when, remember when the Savior said to them that they needed to help him take off the grave clothes.
I wonder if that's why, because he wants that memory to come vividly back in this moment when they see the grave clothes off because they know that the savior himself would've sat up and removed slowly these strips of cloth and set them to the side. That's evidence. You know, I think the spirit teaches us in layers and the experience they had with Lazarus is confirming things to Peter now.
And now he wonders, you know, he's not fully there. He doesn't get it completely, but he hopes his hope is shooting up out of the ground. And I just think it's [00:32:00] an incredible to watch. So then you see almost like a a side story. Luke starts to teach us about the disciples on the road to Emmaus who are dealing with the same kind of conflict.
So basically they're on the road, they're talking, we don't know who these disciples are other than we know the name of one of them is Cleopas, but we don't know if the other one is his wife or an apostle. Some people think it's Peter. We don't know. There's a lot of theories, but no one knows exactly. All we do know is that they are firm believers in Jesus Christ and they are struggling because what they firmly believed about Jesus Christ.
Hasn't come to pass cuz they know it's the third day. So if you look in the verses in 15, Jesus himself drew near unto them and went with them, but their eyes were holding that they should not know him. They can't see him yet as he is. I don't know if that's because he physically looks different or if, because their, you know, the last picture they had in their mind was of his bloodied, bruised, broken body that was lifeless.
And so the, the juxtaposition of those two things maybe was too much for them. Or maybe the spirit [00:33:00] isn't going to give them an understanding until they take a few more steps forward and learn more about who he really is. That's my theory. But you can see it play out in the verses. So he says to them, why are you sad?
What manner of communications are these that you have one to another as you walk and are so sad? And then they answer and they basically say to him, we're struggling. Aren't there a stranger in Jerusalem and has known the things which have come to pass? What things is what Jesus responds. And then in 19, They said unto him concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet, mighty indeed and word before God at all the people, and then in 21.
But we trusted that it had been he, which should have redeemed Israel. And beside all this, today is the third day since these things were done, they are, their beliefs about what the savior came to do are not aligned with what is true. And so they feel a, a struggle. There's a great devotional, I referenced it in the Easter videos.
Um, it's from Jan Martin. She spoke at, she's a religious scholar at byu. [00:34:00] She spoke at an Easter conference at B Y U and one of her talks about how this experience on Easter morning is a really beautiful way for us to handle people who struggle with doubt. Because basically what you see is people who are disillusioned from the faith they thought they had, who learn something new and feel.
Jarred and then they align themselves and believe. She talks about how disillusionment can be a beginning of a beautiful faith if you're willing to set aside old traditions that are untrue and grab hold of what is true. And the other thing she pointed out in that talk that I loved and she said, what the savior does in these encounters is he lets them mourn what is lost.
They hoped he would be a conquering messiah. They hoped that the King of Israel would be back on the throne and things would be back to how they were. They hoped for good things. And to lose those good things hurts a little bit. The experience I had, that's, that I would offer [00:35:00] is like I talked to you guys before when I was 20 and I went to the garden tomb.
I was visiting with my parents. We, we got to take this tour with Michael Wilcox, who I love. And I fully expected that when I went into the garden tomb, cause we saved it towards the end of the trip that I would. Feel something, you know, cuz it was the holiest of holy places. And I thought for sure I would feel something.
And I didn't know the spirit very well, but I was like, when I step in there, I'm gonna feel something. And then I let everybody else in the tour and there's like 80 people in our tour. I let everybody else go through. First I sat and sketched on the side and then I got my turn. There was nobody else around.
And I was like, this is it. This is how I'm gonna know that Jesus Christ lives, that this whole thing is real. So I step in the tomb and nothing happens. I stay there thinking maybe it needs a minute. You know, like I, I don't know. I, I stood there for a while, uh, maybe a minute and felt nothing. And I was so, because what I hoped was true, that in this holy of holy places, I would feel the spirit.[00:36:00]
Turned out wasn't true. I don't think it means that that is an holy place or that the spirit couldn't have spoken to me there. What I needed to do was align my understandings with what is true. Does heavenly Father want to speak to me? Of course. Does he send his spirit to witness to me? Of course he does.
Can I command it to happen wherever I think it should happen? No. And in fact, it wasn't until I went back and studied the life of Jesus Christ and started to really learn of him in my scriptures that I came to an understanding of that he lives. That's where my witness came. And so now I feel like if I stood in that same space, I probably would feel something very different cuz now I know him differently.
But I didn't get all that when I was 20 and I was disillusioned a little bit and it would've been tempting at that time to then walk away and think, this is all a sham. All the things you guys tell me about their feeling of spirit, it's a sham, but I couldn't, I had to wrestle with it. That's what's happening here.
What I love is the same thing that helped me get through. That disillusioned phase is what helps these apostles as well, because when the savior [00:37:00] walks with them, he expounds the scriptures. He doesn't show him scars, he doesn't give them examples of his story and like say, well, let me tell you what happened on the boat in, in Galilee.
Like he doesn't, he instead goes back to the scriptures because essentially what they have right now are two data points that are out of alignment. They have the original Messiah that they thought they understood from the Old Testament, from what they had in the scrolls, and then they have the one that's with them right now that they don't quite see yet.
And if I could put punch a hole through those two things, they, the light wouldn't shine through both. Right? So what he's saying is like, actually, I need you to understand who I was in the scriptures. And then that brings things into alignment. So he studies the scriptures with them, he expounds them and says, let's look back at all the scriptures that witness of me.
And if you read those more carefully, then all of a sudden those two points of light align. And I get this clear, clear understanding. That's what happened to me as well as it came to understand who the savior really was and how the spirit really works. By studying the scriptures, I got [00:38:00] alignment and then I didn't need to be afraid anymore.
It was the beginning of a new part of my discipleship, but I had to set down my old assumptions in order to get there. Does that make sense? I just think that he takes time to let them mourn for what they lost and misunderstood and then teaches them the doctrine of the gospel first, I think is incredible evidence to us of how we should help those.
We love when they wrestle with their faith, when they encounter some peace of church history or some misunderstanding about doctrine, or maybe they simply believe something that isn't true, and when they come to an understanding of the truth, there's gonna be a grief process, and then there's a point where we rebuild.
And that rebuilding doesn't come by me teaching you everything about polygamy or me teaching you everything about church history. It comes from me teaching you what is true in scriptures. That's where faith grows and it's where faith can last. And I love that the savior evidences it. I know it took a little long, but I just think that's a, a beautiful witness of how we could do things better and how I want to do [00:39:00] things better.
So then he takes it one step further as they go. They get to a Emmaus, which is like a six mile journey, roughly six or seven miles. We don't know exactly where that city is now, but most people think it's about, based on the, the measurements in the verses that it's probably about six miles away. And they invite him to abide with him to come in.
You know, he wants to keep going. He in fact says almost like, I'm gonna keep going. And they say, no, come abide with us. And then he offers up bread, he breaks the bread with him, and it's in this ordinance of sorts that they see him. I actually think that's exactly how we see him. We study him in the scriptures.
We come to an understanding of his character and his goodness. As I study the scriptures, I'm really feast on them. And then when I participate in ordinances, then I know him. My eyes open and I see why all that matters and how it applies to me. And I feel like that's what happens with these disciples on the road to Emmaus.
Like when they finally get to home and there is an ordinance that happens, they recognize him and they see him and then they recognize what they had felt all [00:40:00] the time. This is when in 32 and they said one to another, did our hearts did not our heart burn within us while he talked with us by the way.
And while he opened to us the scriptures and they rose up the same hour and returned to Jerusalem and found the love and gathered together and said with them, the Lord is risen. Indeed. They know now. Now they know now because they recognize him from the scriptures. They recognize the, the savior that they should have seen in the scriptures and the one that walked with them and performed this beautiful ordinance, and they align.
And so now they can stand up with boldness and say, he's Ed. I know he who he is. I know exactly who he's supposed to be and what work he came to do. I know now, and let me tell you. And so they just can't, they can't hold it in. I just think it's beautiful. I think it's a beautiful illustration of how we can overcome our own issues with doubt and fear and go on to greater faith.
So they know him. They testified to the 11, and there is this little mention that there was a visit that happened with Simon Peter. We don't know what that is. That's why some people think he's the other [00:41:00] disciple on the road to Emmaus, but we don't know. At some point he witnesses to Peter that he, he, he appears to Peter and then they go, so in 35 and they told what things were done in the way and how he was known of them in the breaking of the bread.
And as they thus fake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them and said, peace be un you again. On the way as they testify, the Savior comes, he can't come unless we are actively showing our faith, we are engaging in our discipleship. Then he comes and he witnesses that what we're doing is true. And so that's what happens to him.
I also love that they, they don't just tell that they saw the savior. They talk about how they know the savior, how they recognized him through the scriptures and through the ordinance. And then there's this interesting, interesting thing that happens. So in 37, because the apostles don't see the alignment the way these two disciples on the road to Emmaus do, yet they're afraid.
So in 37, but they were terrified and frighted and suppose that he, they had seen a spirit and he said unto them, why are you troubled? And why do thoughts arise in your hearts? [00:42:00] This could be totally me interpreting this verse differently, but I think what he's trying to say is, why are you letting your mind talk your heart out of what you know is true?
What you feel in this moment? Cuz my mind does this all the time. I'll feel something and then my mind gets in the way and says like, yeah, but maybe that's just coincidental that that happened. You know, I think he's saying like, put your mind aside for a second. Tell me what you feel. And he's asking him to, like, why are you letting thoughts creep into your hearts?
And then he invites them to handle him. Remember, the reason they're afraid is cuz they think he's a ghost. They think he's a spirit. And so he says to them, you don't understand what a resurrected body is. Come and handle me. See the wounds, know that it's me. The one you just saw three days ago. It's me, but I'm, I'm different now.
I am risen, expanded different. And so he talks to 'em about meat, like, do you have any meat? I, I will eat it. It's this. He's trying to help their testimonies of what a resurrected being. Is grow. And so he does by letting them handle him that he is, he [00:43:00] has flesh and bones, he is someone who can eat and drink.
He is as they are, but fuller and perfected. And so then he gives them what will really last, which is not handling his body or hearing his, you know, seeing him eat honeycomb. What really will last is when he opens their hearts to the scriptures. So just like the disciples on the road to Emmaus in 45 then opened.
He, their understanding that they might understand the scriptures. They were struggling the same way those two disciples were with understanding what they thought, they knew, what they believed about the savior and truth. And whenever we bridge the gap between what we believe and what is actually true, we find power.
And I think what Savior's trying to tell us is the place you find that power is in the scriptures. If you wrestle and struggle without getting the scriptures, if you worry about what you understand, listen to the words of the prophets, both ancient ones and modern ones, and find peace in my word. That's where we find lasting peace.
That's why people like, I think Paul, who never actually gets to see the [00:44:00] Savior, can witness just as powerfully as those who did see the savior because he understands the scriptures because he, he can see the, the alignment. You know, I, I don't know Paul's whole story. Maybe there was a chance where he does see, but I think there's power in the word and he's trying to help us remember that.
And then he talks about what they're gonna preach, that they're gonna preach repentance and remission of sins, that it needs to be preached among all nations, beginning in Jerusalem. But then he tells them that there's gonna be a phase. That begins their process of taking the gospel to all the world that they're needing to stay in Jerusalem until something happens, and that until phase is, I think that day of Pentecost.
He uses an interesting word though. It says, um, in 49, behold, I send the promise of my father upon you. But Terry, in the city of Jerusalem, until you be ined with power from on high. When you look into the root understanding of what that word means, it's, it has two big meanings. The first is that you are clothed in something, that you dress or cloth someone or cloth oneself in something.
And the second is that you take on the characteristics, [00:45:00] virtues, or intentions of another. That's what it means to, and do them with something or to endow them with something, it means they'll be clothed, either physically or spiritually, and that they will be blessed with. Power to be as he is, and that's the power that will come as they get a fullness of the Holy Ghost.
So he leads them as far as they can to Bethany and then he blesses them. It almost feels like a father's blessing again. I think there's significance that they go to Bethany because that's where Lazarus was raised. That's, you know, this is a place where they know and they've seen miracles already. And as he goes there he, he goes up and so they rejoice.
He's carried into heaven and then in 52 they worship him and return to Jerusalem with great joy and they were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. I just think it's cool that despite the fact that there is so much hostility and hard feelings regarding the leaders of the temple and what happened, that they still see this as a holy place.
And they know that if they wanna commune with God, they have to stay. They have to [00:46:00] continually go to the temple the same way. I think the women honored the Sabbath day, despite the fact that the Jewish leaders didn't, there is power in. Holding to the commandments as best you can, and that's where they'll find strength and peace until, you know, 50 days from now when things get pretty cool.
[00:46:22] JOHN 20
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Okay, time to get into John. You guys, this is gonna feel the most familiar to you probably because it's basically what you see in the Bible video. This is where you see the women see the empty tomb first, and then they rush to tell the apostles, the apostles look. And then you have that exchange with Mary Magdalene by herself at the tomb.
It's just this beautiful demonstration of the Savior's love for his people and. A desire to teach them a little bit at a time. So at the beginning in verse one, you can see he comes, the first day of the week comes Mary Magdalene goes to the Sep Booker. You have to also read it with verse two, cuz in verse two, when they go to tell the apostles what has happened, she says the word we and we know not where they have [00:47:00] laid him.
So I think this is still the same story where they're Mary and others go to the Seppa crew, find it empty, and then go to tell the apostles that he's not here. And so the two apostles go. Peter and John run, just like we read before, there's this lovely little moment where even though John is younger and faster gets to the tomb first he looks in, but he doesn't step in.
And I think it's this deference to the senior apostle. So when Peter does come, he allows Peter to go in first and Peter sees the clothes. So in six, and then Simon Peter following him and went into the ceur and see at the linen clothes lie and the napkin that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.
I think if you were gonna watch someone. Um, take off the grave clothes. That would probably make sense, right? The head, the headpiece was the last one to go on, and it's these thin strips, often a long, thin strip that covers the entire head. So that would naturally come off first, and then the rest would come off next.
It's this, there's a separation there. There might be more to what that [00:48:00] means, but I think there's beauty in it. I also love, and this is probably pure tradition, but remember how I told you that in Israel, we talked to the man at the garden tomb and he spoke about carpenters of this day, and that if you were gonna hire a carpenter to build you a table, one of the ways you would go to his workshop and check on it throughout the day.
Kinda like we check on a house being built, you can go anytime to check on how your table's coming along and when you saw a folded. You know, apron or napkin on the table. It meant it is finished. This, this piece is done. I love that too. I don't know if it's real, but I love that too. I also heard some beautiful parallels to folding these linen grave clothes and how we fold our temple clothing after, uh, you know, session or something that there are some sweet similarity there as we appreciate it.
So I think there's a lot of different ways you could study it. So go and see what the spirit says to you. But I do love that they both acknowledge it, that that is a, that's how they know that the savior has risen. And when you go a little further in nine, it says, for as yet, they knew not the scripture that he must rise again from the dead.
And [00:49:00] so they go home, they don't understand yet what this all means. They have hope and they think something may have happened. And I think because of the grave clothes, they're pretty sure he's not stolen and there's nothing. Amis, but something has changed and so they go home. In my mind, I don't think this is the two disciples retreating back to, well, I guess we tried, you know, that just doesn't feel like Peter to me or John to me.
If I were Peter and I was in the spot, I would be like, I gotta get home and I gotta get to my scriptures. You know, like I bet he's pouring over his notes and his journals and his, the writings of the prophets who came before him saying like, oh, what do we know? What do we know so far? I see them going home to study, not going home to, to pout, but that's just my interpretation.
And then you see what happens with Mary. So she stays, she stood without the slicker in 11 weeping, and as she wept, she stooped down and looked into the Sep Booker and see two angels in white sitting, the one at the head and the one other at the feet where the body of Jesus had laid. And they say unto her, woman, why we piss thou?
And she say, thought to them because they've [00:50:00] taken away my Lord. And I know not where they have laid him. Again, this is pulling from that Jan Martin talk, but I love that they're. They're not accusing her of doing anything wrong. The fact that she's weeping is a natural extension of what she has been through.
And this process of reconciling your disillusionment, right? This is, it's a normal thing. So I love that they take the time to let her put words to what she's feeling, even though they're angels. And they probably can understand a lot more than she realizes. They let her speak her sorrow. And I think that's beautiful.
And I think as we are trying to take care of people we love who are grieving, whether about faith or about grief that happens in their mortal life, I think letting them take time to articulate why they hurt is a beautiful thing. And I love that you see it in the Easter story. And then she explains, her feeling is she doesn't know where he is.
I think this is a very maternal pain. You know, it is. Um, she, she wants [00:51:00] closure and she wants a place to visit and she, you know, like there is something. Hard if you don't have a place that you can go to sorrow, especially when Jerusalem is in commotion and there's so many people that are saying all kinds of lies about them and you love and revere.
To not have a place to go to honor him would be hard. And so then you get a little deeper peace in 14. And when she had thus said, she turned herself back and saw Jesus and knew not that it was Jesus. And then 15 Jesus sayeth thunder woman. Why we thou whom thou, she's supposing him to be the gardener sayeth un him.
Sir, if thou was born him, hence, tell me where th hus laid him and I will take him away. First, I just love Mary's heart. You know, she is, she doesn't understand what's happening. She doesn't recognize him. Just like the disciples on the road to Emmaus didn't recognize him. And her first instinct is if you've put him somewhere, Let me take him.
You know, I pictured, um, the Pieta, you know that statue, is it Michelangelo, it like, it's um, it's Mary, the mother [00:52:00] of Jesus holding the broken body of Jesus Christ. And it's this gorgeous moment, but you can see how big he is compared to her cuz she's sitting and he is stretched out. And that's how I picture this moment with Mary Magdalene.
I'm like, how would she possibly carry him anywhere? But she loves him that much and she's like, wherever he is and whatever state his body is in, just give him to me. And doesn't that sound like someone who loves deeply? You know, I just think it's evidence of her heart that she offers that. I also love that his question is the same as the angels woman.
Why we, here's what I love about this, you guys, when I picture the resurrection, and I don't know what it's exactly gonna look like, but I was watching a. A movie about a, it was a bombing that occurred and then there was this refugee camp set up where people would go and they would read the boards to see who made it and who didn't.
And you could see all these mothers trying to describe their children, um, to the people who were keeping track of things and seeing who was alive and who wasn't. And there was this one mother who mentioned that there [00:53:00] were freckles behind her son's ear. And something about that, I just like, only a mother would know that, and I love that that's how she identified him.
And the beauty of it was the person said, oh, he's here. And then there was this reunion that you got to watch of a mother and her son, and they are reunited. And I know this is Mary Magdalene, not Mary the mother of Jesus, but there is, um, a rejoicing that happens. And I think that's what will happen in the resurrection for every single one of us.
I think it's almost like this beautiful queue, you know, almost like if we go into a big stadium or something and there's a line, probably hundreds or thousands of lines that you stand in and you. Get to the front and they say, whom? See thou? And you get to say who it is you hope to see. And because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, they will say, oh, I know right where they are.
Go to section G. You know, like there is no one who will be turned away or who will be sorrowing at that point, cuz everyone will be alive again. Everyone will be whole again. And that is the promise of the resurrection, [00:54:00] that everyone will have a moment like Mary where they think there is a chance that he is lost forever.
And instead they say, oh no, he's right here. And that's what happens when the savior turns to her and says Mary and hearing her name, just like so many others in scripture, like Joseph in the Grove, when they hear their name, they know who he is. And so she turns and says, Rami, you know, she, everything turns in that moment.
For Mary, her disillusioned faith is now on a whole new trajectory of truth and it's. A beautiful truth, right? I he wipes away all tears. That's the promise. All tears. You know, we've talked about that before. Like that promise in Isaiah is, um, an intimate gesture there. I could probably count on one hand the number of people I would let wipe tears off my face.
That is a intimate gesture. And he says he will wipe the tears off all faces. There will be an intimacy to the resurrection as we come and we find who we love on the other side of the veil and as [00:55:00] we are united, and he will wipe away all tears. I just, you know, like, you can't, you can't give this enough light.
It is just a beautiful, absolutely powerful witness of why we are here and why it's all worth it. Um, so then you see what happens next. Uh, he says, hold me, not basically, In the verses it says, touch me not, but we know from the Joseph translation that he's basically saying to her, I, I can't stay here. I don't think it's that she couldn't touch him.
Cause remember, the apostles are gonna handle his hands and the women are going to worship at his feet and hold onto his feet. I don't think it's that she can't touch him. I think it's that she can't hold him. And I could relate to this cuz I remember when Hannah was coming home, so our oldest and she was coming home from her mission.
I was so excited to get her home. But I also knew that Jake was there. You know, Hannah and Jake had dated before their missions. They wrote to each other their entire missions. I talked to Hannah lots of times on her mission about how Jake was so supportive and how she still was crazy about him and she couldn't wait to be home and see Jake.
I knew it was funny because she came home during [00:56:00] Covid, so we had to have one of those car parade things. And I can still visualize Jake sitting on top of his car. Near our house watching this parade of Hannah come through and thinking, oh, I can't hold her. You know, like she's home and I'm so grateful she's here, but she's not gonna stay here.
In fact, she got married really fast after that. Like they, they did and got engaged and were, by the end of the summer they were, they were married and I couldn't hold her. And I think that's what he's saying to Mary. I think the same way. I didn't feel sad in that moment cuz I knew Jake was the next great thing that Hannah would be able to do.
You know, she was coming off this mission, this great thing. And the next great thing would be Jake. They'd get sealed and they'd have these two beautiful boys and who knows how many others. And I knew even though it was hard to not have her, to hold her, I knew what was coming next was what needed to come next.
And I think that's how Mary can ho process all of this. Cuz she knows that about the savior. He's taught her, she knows her scriptures and so she's okay even in this hard moment of letting go. She's okay. [00:57:00] And so she does. So if you go on the verses, you can see that he says he's going to ascend to his father and then he has to go and witness to the apostles.
This is different than what you see in some of the other gospels cuz you're gonna see the interaction with Thomas and you just have to love Thomas. Basically, he appears to most of the apostles. So remember there's only 11 left now and they, they gather 10 of them and Thomas isn't there and they see the savior and he shows himself to them.
And then when Thomas finally comes, he says, well, I can't believe, I actually think this is fascinating. So if you look in the verse in 25, it says, the other disciples therefore said unto him, we have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nails and thrust my hand into his side.
I will not believe. This is essentially, I mean me at a tiny, tiny degree when I'm standing in the tomb and saying to the Lord, unless I feel something in this minute, I will not believe, I will not. You know, like I, and I just don't think we can make those. We don't get to bargain like that. When it comes to the [00:58:00] spirit, what I think is incredibly gracious about the Lord is, and his love for Thomas is he gives Thomas this opportunity.
Eight days later he comes back and he's there with the Apostles, and now Thomas can see him. What I thought was fascinating, and I learned this from President Hunter, is we don't actually know if Thomas did handle the savior. He set that as a boundary saying, unless I can do this, I can't believe. And then when the savior comes and invites Thomas, so if you look in 27, then say he, to Thomas, reach hither thy finger and behold my hands and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side and be not faithless, but believing.
And Thomas answered and said unto him, my Lord and my God. I like to imagine that maybe Thomas didn't need what he thought he needed. I, I think he thought he would need to touch the savior and maybe he just needed to see with his own eyes and feel what he feels in that moment. And that was enough. I don't know if that's true or not, but I love that it was President Hunter that taught him.
I think there's some, there's some possibility that that's true. I love it because that happens with me all the [00:59:00] time. There are times when I think I'm setting a boundary saying, well Father, if I don't feel something in the tomb, I can't possibly believe in you. I'm gonna think this is all a sham. And then I don't feel it and I stay faithful.
And he says, Maria, I know you thought you needed that. Lemme show you what you really need. You know, and then you come to terms with all of, I just think there's beauty in that story. I also love knowing that Thomas goes on to lead a life of incredible apostleship. We're gonna study some of it like he is never faithless again, but there is a warning in his story and that's in 29.
And Jesus says, UN him, Thomas, because thou has seen me that has believed, blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed. I wonder sometimes if that first encounter with the apostles deliberately had Thomas away, don't, I think if you were Thomas, you would've wondered like, why wasn't I there?
The savior came, I'm an apostle. Why wasn't I there? And I wonder if it was an opportunity for Thomas to deepen his testimony because he would have to lean on the testimonies of everybody around him and decide if it was true. And that didn't happen. And so Thomas missed a chance [01:00:00] to have a, a testimony from the spirit by listening to others.
I, I don't mean to cast any negative light on Thomas. I actually think he's remarkable. Um, but I wonder sometimes if the reason the Lord prevents. Spiritual encounters like the garden tomb for me from happening is because he actually wanted something deeper. The reason I think I didn't get a witness in the garden tomb is cuz he wanted me to get in my scriptures and he wanted me to get a real understanding from the spirit.
And maybe that happens with Thomas too, I don't know. But I do kind of love his story. When you flip the page, you see this last little bit, that while he's in this room with the shutters drawn with his apostles, many other signs are given, says, and many other signs truly did Jesus do. In the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book, if you go into the original translations of these, that word signs, it can also mean tokens and marks.
I wonder if there's more temple imagery here. Then we realize, cuz there it's not written, it's a sacred thing that happens to help them know that he is exactly who he says he is. It's, he shows them the marks. He helps 'em understand scripture. And then there are these beautiful [01:01:00] signs, whatever they are, to help them understand and have a solid testimony so that their trajectory changes and they are.
You know they, they're in this army of God that will go out and teach to all the world what is true. And then you have John's witness at the end in 31. But these things are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of God, and that believing you might have life through his name.
Doesn't it just sound like the Book of Mormon? Like that's the whole point of everything John has written down so that we might believe it's the might that I love, cuz John's hope had to grow and so does ours that you might believe, and that when you do believe, you'll understand that you have a grander hope than you ever could get anywhere else.
I just think the message of John is a powerful one, but we're not gonna end in 20. We actually get to add on what we find in 21. So let's go there next.
[01:01:56] JOHN 21
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For the record, we don't know how much time passes between John 20 and John [01:02:00] 21. It could just be a couple days later. But the disciples are out on the water fishing. There's some, like in Elder Hollands talk, he kind of implies that they don't know what to do next. They're kind of like, well, we had this incredible experience.
Great, now we're gonna go back to our old lives. That's very possible. I mean, he's an apostle, seems like a pretty legit way to read this story, but it's also possible they're just hungry and they're out fishing. And in this experience, the savior who loves to bring all things to our remembrance says, I'm gonna help you remember who you are, Peter and who you are, apostles.
And so he creates, A similar miracle to what began Peter's coming, which is the multitude of fishes. So as they're out, they're about a hundred year, a hundred yards into the water and the savior's on the shore, and they obviously don't recognize him. It's the night. And so he calls them and says, children have any meat.
And just like that first night, they've caught nothing. What I think it's really interesting is, I mean, the chances of catching nothing is really, really slim, right? There are seven guys. They've got great big nets. They've worked all night long [01:03:00] on a sea that always has fish. I could see where if they didn't have enough to feed everybody, or maybe they didn't catch enough that they could sell at market, but to not catch anything is probably the first light bulb that goes off in Peter's head that something is familiar.
And then he directs them what to do next, and he says, I want you to cast on the right side of the ship. I think it's interesting to compare this miracle to the first one because the first time all Peter had to do was go off a little bit and then put his net in the water and fish seemingly swam into it.
You know, so much that it filled too boats. This is different Now. Peter's direction is more specific. He's saying, not only do I want you to put your net in the water, I want you to cast it on the right side of the ship. I want you to do something very specific. The reason I think that matters is I think he's showing us progress in faith because Peter learned to trust in God in that first time when he just let his net down.
Now he knows better, and so he should be able to do something harder, which is to be a more specific command. Here's how I grapple with this. So you remember at the beginning when I was saying, sometimes it makes me nervous [01:04:00] when my kids say things like, oh mom, the keys are missing. Just pray to find the keys.
You know? And you're like, because I've had experiences where. I've said prayers, like really meaningful prayers, hoping for an answer and an answer didn't come. And so I panic in those moments. But what I think helps me is to understand that that doesn't mean my faith is lacking. It means my faith has advanced and the Lord's not just gonna hand me the keys.
He'll do that with Violet cuz her faith is at that point, my faith has grown more. And so he's saying, Maria, you can't just throw your net in the water. In fact, I need you to put it on the right side of the ship even though you've caught nothing. Put it on the, in my way, on this side of the ship. And if I'll do that, then I can get answers.
I think sometimes I, I wrestle with the thinking, maybe I'm teaching my kids wrong cuz I'm not evidencing the faith that they have, but my faith is different. My faith has matured and so my expectations are. Different for me to get an answer to a big, serious prayer. I can't offer a, the same kind of prayer I would if my keys were missing.
It might mean fasting. It might mean going to the temple. It might mean studying [01:05:00] the words of prophets or the words of the scriptures, like it might mean casting my net on the right side. And so I love that you see that with Peter's advancing discipleship. And so they do. And this multitude of fishes comes into their net, not as many as they had last time, but a multitude of fishes compared to the zero that you had before.
It's this incredible miracle, right? And so then in this moment, they begin to recognize, so this is seven. Therefore, the disciple whom Jesus loves sayeth unto Peter, it is the Lord. And now when Peter heard that it was the Lord, he gt his fisher's coat unto him where he was naked and then cast himself into the seat.
This is how you know when Elder Holland describes Peter. He's the irrepressible Peter, because he just leaps into the water. What I love about this is John, Recognizes it and makes the connection. And when he testifies of that to Peter, Peter acts, I think this is why we work in quorums and presidencies and because sometimes you'll get clear understanding, even in a, in a, you know, couple.
I think sometimes you get a clear understanding and you testify of that, and then the next person can act. I think [01:06:00] it's this, you know, flow that is supposed to happen. I also love that Peter puts his clothes on. I mean, in every movie you've ever seen of somebody who dives into the water to rescue someone or to swim a far distance, do they ever put extra things on?
You know, like what you normally see is people taking stuff off and jumping into the water. I think this tells you something about the Peter's, about Peter's respect for the savior, that he will not appear to him. Unclothed, most of the scholars I read said Fishman did not. In fact, the Jews were very careful about modesty.
So the chance of him being fully naked is pretty slim. But that he probably had a loin cloth on. And in this moment, he would not appear before the resurrected savior like that. He would be soggy and drenched fine, but he will be clothed. And so he puts his clothes on and you imagine that a hundred yard swim is a lot harder when you have a coat or a cloak on, but he does it anyway.
I, I just love that piece of the story. They come to the shore and they see that the saber already has fish ready, which that was just this interesting twist. He does have them bring the fish in and count them and things, but [01:07:00] he already has things prepared. And I think he's trying to teach them what apostles do.
Like your job is to go and send out this message of hope to people. I have prepared for you. You're worried about how the logistics are gonna work and how you're gonna get to all nations and there's only 11 of you. How are we gonna get this to work? I, I have things prepared. That's what I think of when I see him making the food for them on the beach.
And so then he asks that beautiful interchange. This is when you should just read Elder Holland's talk. He just says it so beautifully. But, um, he asked Simon, love this down me more than these. I think we often tend to read that saying like a gesture to the fish. Like, do you, can you walk away from all of this?
Like, I had you walk away from it last time. That's probably the way to read it. Most of the. Quotes I read focused on that. I think it's also possible that he's gesturing to the other apostles. Cuz remember, Peter thought he loved the Lord the most. He said he would never deny him. He said he would never turn away from him.
And now Peter knows his own weaknesses and he's saying like, do you love me more than these? Like you are together. I need you to [01:08:00] lead. I don't know exactly, but I think he's asking Peter to step away from the old Peter and step into this new leadership role and he gives him a chance to testify of his love for the Savior three times.
And to me, it's just this harmony, right? It's filling those holes that have been carved out of Peter's heart with each of the three denials. The savior now fills up with a witness. He's been able to witness not just to the savior, but to all the apostles, to hear him testify that, yes, Lord, you know that I love you.
And because the Lord does know that about Peter, he asked him to feed his sheep. Because that's what he asked of us too. He says, if you love me, keep my commandments and big pieces of our discipleship is taking this gospel to all the world. We won't have the same role as the apostles then or now, but we have a mighty work to do.
And so he's inviting us to lean in and and choose to, to be a part of that feed his sheep. What I think is interesting is he doesn't say to Peter how to feed his sheep. Like they're [01:09:00] probably still wrestling with the same questions, like, how do we get to all the world and how can we possibly that there's only 10 of us or 11 of us, like how are we gonna.
He doesn't answer any of those questions. What he says is go, because what we've seen evidenced by the women in this week's chapters, and even with Peter and John is answers come in the way. So just try. I think what the Savior's saying is, Peter, you know enough to begin, you know, if I was gonna feed sheep, how I would do it, you know, how I treat people and how I look for people on the margins and how I teach in little moments and big moments.
You know how I feed my sheep. So go and do that. Likewise, do what I did and I will help you get it to all nations. And that's exactly what we've seen carry out. There's also this, um, exchange about John. John, the author of this book is the one who will live, you know, indefinitely as a translated being until the resurrection of, or until the saint coming of the Lord.
And so you see this. Interesting exchange where Peter's saying like, what about him? And basically the savior says to him like, why do you care about [01:10:00] that? I've given you a call and you direction. You do what I've called you to do. Don't worry about John. And I think that's guidance for us as well, that oftentimes we get hung up on getting started cuz we don't understand all things.
And what he's saying is, you know enough for you to start, go and do and let me worry about the rest. And isn't that the message he gives to all of us every day as we all grapple with uncertainty and try to move forward? He says, don't worry about all the details, don't worry about your neighbor, don't worry about this other, just focus on what I've asked you to do.
And if you begin to do it, Then miracles will flow and that's what he promises. And by the end of this chapter, you have verse 25 where it says, and there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written, every one. I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written.
The beauty of being at this halfway point in the year, you guys', we have many books to go, you know, we're gonna see the acts of Jesus Christ performed by his apostles for the next six months. So settle in you guys. I know we can't read all the books that could be written, but there's a bunch more that we [01:11:00] can't read and I think it's gonna be a really good end of the year.
[01:11:09] CREATIVE PREVIEW
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Welcome back you guys. This is the creative side of week 26, where we get to take all the things we're learning and try to find ways to pass it on to others. And is there a better week for that than this week? I mean, this is the week where the savior himself tries to expound the scriptures to those who have witnessed his resurrection and in the hopes that they'll be able to.
Take it to others. It's all the world. And that's our goal too. So I'm gonna give you three easy object lessons that you could try to pull off, or hopefully at least kickstart some ideas for you. If you're watching this on YouTube or maybe listening on the free podcast, I'll just give you a quick preview.
And then for those of you who are watching on the full course, just continue watching and you'll see the next 15 or 20 minutes where I break down each one, and then also give you the notes and the printables and all the supplies you might need. But I promise they're easy. You're gonna love this week.
All right. First and foremost, I wanted to do an object lesson that simply evidences the miracle of the resurrection. Yeah. I [01:12:00] want my kids to see something that seems impossible and to be a witness of it so that we can talk about the many, many witnesses of the resurrected savior. I think it's teaches us about his grace when we learn about this enabling power that, that the atonement of Jesus Christ, and especially this, this week on the resurrection, shows us.
So it's essentially a magic trick, sort of similar to what we did last week with, with a whole new twist. For this one, you just need, the printable has a sun on it. We're gonna show a sun rising where a sun should not rise or how a sun should not rise. So you need the printable, it's front and back, and then a paperclip of any kind, and then a rubber band that's got a, a slice in it.
So just take, it's, ideally you want something that's kind of thin, and the longer rubber band you can get, the cooler, this trick will look. So find a rubber band that's thin and sort of big, and then make a slice in it so you have a long, narrow strip and you'll be good to go. Second one is really simple to explain.
It's the game's spoons. So if you haven't played this before, this is a classic girls camp game to play. You just need a regular deck of cards, you play with [01:13:00] rook cards, whatever you have on hand. And it is a game where you're trying to seek out four of a kind, because this is creative comp. Follow me, I couldn't have you just play spoons.
So I'm gonna teach you electric spoons, which is just our family's way of playing the game of spoons, but with things that glow. So you'll play it at night and you know, do something fun. So if you want to, you could grab glow sticks like this. The marker size ones are usually the easiest, but you could form bracelets or whatever you have on hand.
Um, and you can either play those at a table, put them all on the table, or you can play out in the yard. And I'll explain how to pull that off. This is just to teach you about the reconciliation process that has to happen with each of these witnesses. There is a mourning that happens as they struggle with what they thought was gonna happen with the savior, and then an understanding that happens as they come to know who he really is and the work he really is doing for the world.
There is a process of. Of reconciling what they thought they knew and what is true. And we're gonna teach that with the game of spoons. So grab a deck of cards and a couple spoons or glow sticks and you'll be all set. The third one is really easy [01:14:00] to explain cuz it's the end of the second quarter. You guys we're officially at the halfway mark of the year, which means we have to have a cahoot challenge.
So I've taken the last 13 lessons and created 25 questions on Kahoot so that you can put your family's skills to the test to do this one, you just need something to display the Kahoot on. So something that can show a, you know, a webpage, like cast it up to your tv and then devices. If you only have a few devices in your family, cuz you're, you don't have teenagers, yeah, then you can play on teams and just use a couple, but you'll need a couple smart devices and then something to cast the game up, up on and you'll be good to go for that one.
Okay, lights on the light on the supplies this week, you guys. It should be easy to gather what you need, so go get what you need and let's get into the details.
[01:14:43] WRAP UP
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That's it, you guys. Week 26 is a wrap and we are officially halfway through the year. So I hope no matter how great your family did these, my family is pretty good at doing all the object lessons, maybe not always as good at teaching all the doctrine.
So I'm hoping to move things forward in the next six months. I'm hoping to fill in some [01:15:00] gaps and then move forward as we study the lives of these apostles. I think if anything this week teaches us why it's worth our attention to focus on their words because they've seen things and witnessed things that are utterly remarkable in the entire history of time.
So they deserve our attention. So I hope you take some time to stick with us the next six months where we study what they accomplished because of what they were endowed with, I think will be. Completely remarkable. So I hope you enjoy it. If you have questions and you want more, come join me on the live.
That's Instagram 10:00 AM on Monday. That's Mountain time, so you can come and join me for that hour, or you can watch it later if you prefer, but it's a good spot if you have questions to message me during the live and I can try and answer those. If something about the object lessons is unclear, you're certainly welcome to kind of pop on there and ask me more information.
If you're in the course and you have questions, it's a little faster to get to me if you put something on the discussion board, so leave a question there or a comment or a photograph and I would be thrilled. But otherwise, I just hope you enjoy. This week we're about to transition into a whole new phase of the New Testament, [01:16:00] so give this week it's due, and focus in on this miraculous resurrection of the Savior, Jesus Christ.
I think it is a message of profound hope, and the promise is that by knowing it and understanding it, it will help us feel. Peace in this world of commotion and then we can, God will wipe away all tears, right? That's the promise. So I hope you enjoy it. All right, you guys. That's it for week 26. I'll see you on Monday.