Being a Disciple of Christ

Choice #2

Luke 10:38-42, 11:1-13, 12:13-40, 13:23-24, 14:16-33

Being a Disciple of Christ

Learning to be a Disciple of Christ is a lifelong pursuit. Each day I feel like I can improve and enjoy the process. President Faust describes what discipleship is,

"What is discipleship? It is primarily obedience to the Savior. Discipleship includes many things. It is chastity. It is tithing. It is family home evening. It is keeping all the commandments. It is forsaking anything that is not good for us. Everything in life has a price. Considering the Savior’s great promise for peace in this life and eternal life in the life to come, discipleship is a price worth paying. It is a price we cannot afford not to pay. By measure, the requirements of discipleship are much, much less than the promised blessings.

The disciples of Christ receive a call to not only forsake the pursuit of worldly things but to carry the cross daily. To carry the cross means to follow His commandments and to build up His Church on the earth. It also means self-mastery. ² As Jesus of Nazareth instructed us, “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.” ³ “And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple.” ⁴

The words of a beloved Primary song resonate with all who follow the Master:

I’m trying to be like Jesus;

I’m following in his ways.

I’m trying to love as he did, in all that I do and say. ⁵ "

I want to be more like the Savior. He is so loving, compassionate and kind to others. This week I learned more about how to be more like Him.

1.    Read Luke 10:38-42, 11:1-13, 12:13-40, 13:23-24, 14:16-33 and the institute student manual commentary for Luke 11:5-13, “The Parable of the Friend at Midnight” (pg 115) Make a list of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ and what the Savior taught about counting the costs of following Him.

a.)   Choosing Christ above all else – putting Christ first in our lives.

b.)  Let the Savior teach you – be a humble servant.

c.)   Forgive others.

d.)  Be willing and prepared to serve others at any time.

e.)   Ask for the Lord’s assistance when you need it. He can strengthen us to give us the energy, insight, and power to do all that is required of us.

f.)    Disciples remember who they are, children of a Heavenly Father, who loves them and knows their needs.

g.)   Disciples should not be materialistic and value temporal things. Covet not. Seek not for worldly riches.

h.)  Serve others. Give all to God. Time, energy, thought and life.

i.)    Have an attitude of gratitude. Live with a spirit of gratefulness in any circumstance.

j.)    Have faith that your Heavenly Father will provide for you what you need.

k.)    Prepare for the Savior’s return and be watchful.

l.)    Disciples are baptized, receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost and follow the Lord’s path.

m.) Be willing to sacrifice your time and all you are and have to God.

n.)  Disciples will do what the Lord commands. Obedience is required.

o.)   Love others.

p.)  Trust in Heavenly Father’s plan.

q.)  Be persistent, faithful and consistent in prayer.

2. Identify one of the teachings from your list that you would like to apply more fully in your life. Write a paragraph about how you could apply that teaching and what difference you believe it would make in your life.

We can always improve in becoming a true disciple of Christ. I would like to work on have a disposition of gratitude. I feel that if I am consciously trying to live with a grateful heart that I will be able to share with others the spirit of gratitude. To me gratitude is a gateway to a deeper joy in life. I am grateful for my blessings but President Uchtdorf shares a statement that teaches me how I can improve:

“As disciples of Christ, we are commanded to “thank the Lord [our] God in all things,”¹ to “sing unto the Lord with thanksgiving,”² and to “let [our] heart be full of thanks unto God. … Could I suggest that we see gratitude as a disposition, a way of life that stands independent of our current situation? In other words, I’m suggesting that instead of being thankful for things, we focus on being thankful in our circumstances—whatever they may be.”

–     “Grateful in Any Circumstance” April 2014

Implementing an attitude of gratitude will increase my level of humility and soften my heart. I see it as being contagious and allowing me to share with others my appreciation for them. I want to be a righteous example for my family and feel this is a good goal to improve.

3.    Read Luke 14:33; Omni 1:26; Mosiah 2:34; Matthew 13:44-46. Explain in writing what is ultimately required to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.

We must “forsake all” to be a disciple of Jesus Christ by using our agency to willingly follow the Lord, and be obedient to His commandments. We must “Come unto Him” will full purpose of heart, and accept His Atonement by using the Atonement to repent, make course corrections, and to be strengthened in weakness. We show our dedication to the Savior by having a testimony of His plan, the Plan of Salvation, by fasting and praying, and by enduring to the end.  Disciples of Jesus Christ remember they are “eternally indebted to” Heavenly Father and should follow Him with humility and meekness in spirit. Disciples of Christ are joyful because they have found the truth and feel the indescribable joy that comes from serving, loving and following Jesus Christ.

How to know if its True

Do you struggle to know if something is true? When I joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I needed to know if the doctrine I was being taught was true. We are taught in the Book of Mormon in Moroni 10:5, "And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." Jesus Christ invites each of us to be taught of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ and come to know Him by applying His teachings to our life. This week I learned more about the Savior and His invitation to "do his will" to know of His truth.

Choice 5: John 7:10–17. How to Know the Truth of the Savior’s Doctrine

1.    Review John 7:10–17. Then answer the following questions in writing:

What were the different reactions of the people about the Savior?

·      “some said, He is a good man;” (vs 12)

·      others said, “he deceiveth the people” (vs 12)

·      many would not say anything about Him because the feared the Jews (vs 13)

 How do these reactions compare to the way people think of Jesus Christ today?

I think the reaction of the people of not changed too much. Many accept Jesus as the Christ, the Promised Messiah while others think He was a prophet and a good person but not the Promised Messiah, not the Savior. There are many who do not know Him and saying nothing because they have not been taught of who He is and others don’t seem to get involved who say nothing.

What questions did the Jews ask about the Lord?

The Jews “marveled” and said, “How knoweth this man letters having never learned?” To them He was a carpenter’s son how would He know of such doctrine? They questioned his credentials to preach and call himself a Savior.

How do the following verses help explain the difference between where the Jews’ wisdom came from and where Jesus’ wisdom came from: Jacob 4:14; Colossians 2:8; Doctrine and Covenants 93:11–17?

In Jacob 4:14, the Jews “despised the words of plainness… and sought for things they could not understand. They looked beyond the mark.

Colossians 2:8 – Admonishes us not to be deceived from receiving blessings. Be humble to learn and do not allow others to influence us by being “puffed up” with their own wisdom follow God in faith.

Doctrine & Covenants 93:11-17 says that Jesus “..received not of the fullness at first, but continued from grace to grace, until he received a fulness.”

To summarize, it seems the Jews at the time of Christ, relied upon their own wisdom and did not see the Savior for who He was because of the blindness and pride of their mind. The Savior grew “grace to grace” He was taught by His Heavenly Father and through the Holy Ghost. He had a clear understanding of who He was and His mission.

What did the Savior instruct the people to do to gain a personal knowledge of the truthfulness of His teachings?

The Lord, Jesus Christ, invited them “If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” John 7:17

He invites all to gain a personal testimony by choosing to “do” and follow God teachings. This is how to know if the gospel of Jesus Christ is true.

1.    Read the institute student manual commentary for John 7:16–17, “What Test Did Jesus Prescribe to Know the Truthfulness of His Doctrine?” (pg. 108). Write a paragraph about a time in your life when you came to know the truth of a gospel principle by living it.

Jesus taught the people to apply what He was teaching them and they would know of its truth.

“As Jesus taught in the temple during the Feast of Tabernacles, some Jews marveled that He could teach as He did without having studied their theology. Jesus taught these people that His doctrine came from His Father and that those who applied the doctrine would know of its truth (see John 7:14–17). Of this teaching, President James E. Faust (1920–2007) of the First Presidency said: “We acquire a testimony of the principles of the gospel by obediently trying to live them. Said the Savior, ‘If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine’ [John 7:17]. A testimony of the efficacy of prayer comes through humble and sincere prayer. A testimony of tithing comes by paying tithing. … I testify that if you continue in the purposeful process of searching for and accepting spiritual light, truth, and knowledge, it will surely come. By going forward in faith, you will find that your faith will increase” (“Lord, I Believe; Help Thou Mine Unbelief,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2003, 22).” New Testament Institute Manual John 7

I remember a time in my life when I wanted to get closer to the Savior and come to know Him better in my life. I prayed and asked to have a closer relationship with my Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ as my Savior. I read the scriptures and served. I served my family, in my calling and really sought to know who needed to be encouraged. I prayed to know who needed to be uplifted and followed the promptings. I brought treats to people who I felt needed to be remembered. I made phone calls and visits. During this time I felt so uplifted. I also felt a deep love for those whom I was serving. I hoped they would feel the Savior’s love for them through a small act of kindness. My testimony of the Savior grew because I could see He loved us all. He was aware of our struggles and wanted me to help others. I came to know my Savior by serving, as He would have me do.

https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2014-01-003-young-jesus-teaching-in-the-temple?lang=eng

Getting through the hard times like Peter

Have you ever gone through a really difficult time in your life and wondered how you were ever going to get through it? I have. Several times I have either put myself in a difficult circumstance or life happens and I find myself in the middle of tribulation. There is a lesson I have learned to assist me as I journey through the storms of life. I know that I do not have to go through it alone. Being alone is horrible and you feel hopeless. In times of darkness, I prefer to have the Savior help me through it. Through the Atonement, He knows how I feel and can console me and give me guidance as I swim through the mirky waters of life. This week, Peter shows faith as he calls out to the Savior when he is sinking and Jesus immediately, without hesitation, reaches to save. Jesus Christ will do that for each of us.

Choice 3: Matthew 14:22–33. Walking on the Sea

1. Review Matthew 14:22–33. Identify in writing what the reaction of the Apostles was when they first saw the Savior walking on the water toward them.

In verse 26, it says the apostles “were troubled”. I interpret this to be confused. It isn’t normal for someone to be walking on water and for sure not walking on the top of the sea. I believe the apostles were puzzled as to what they were seeing.

2. What did Peter’s response indicate about him?

I see Peter’s response as an act of faith to even get out of the boat and to think he could also walk on the water towards the Savior is to be commended. He wanted to be with the Lord.

3. According to Matthew 14:30, why did Peter begin to sink?

Peter began to sink because of the natural elements around him. The wind gusting and took his attention off the Lord. Starting to doubt his ability to walk on the water towards the Lord and having faith that no matter what was happening that the Lord would come to his aid.

4. What did Peter do when he began to sink? What word in the verses describes the expediency or the timing when Jesus responded to Peter’s request?

Peter cried out to the Lord, “save me” as he was sinking. As he was sinking and feeling doomed, Jesus reached for him “immediately” and caught him.

5. Read Doctrine and Covenants 88:67. Write a paragraph describing what principle from this verse relates to what Peter did to successfully walk on the water. How can this same principle be applied to your life to assist you in walking over the storms of life?

Peter heard the Master’s voice to come to Him. Jesus wasn’t so close so that Peter would have recognized who Jesus was and when Peter asked the Lord if it was He, Peter responded to the Lord's invitation to “come.” (Matt 14:29) In Doctrine and Covenants 88:67, the Lord says, “my voice is Spirit; my Spirit is truth;” Peter heard and felt the Lord’s voice. He recognized Jesus’ voice. When I go through the storms of life, I can hear and feel the Savior’s voice calming me and giving me instruction if I am listening. I know I can do hard things with the Savior’s assistance. When I doubt my own ability, I seek my Savior’s help and He has always assisted me through the difficulty. He has taught me how to trust and rely on Him. I, being in the wilderness of life, need to live in a way to hear the Master’s voice. For He is mighty to save.