Monday, March 25, 2013

The Essence of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

Reference talk by Jeffrey R Holland in October 2012 Conference - The First Great Commandment

The life altering journey of the disciples began with instruction on where to place the net in order to productive. Jesus finds the discouraged fisherman on the shoreline and tells them to launch the boat out into the deep and cast their net. We read in Luke 5:5 that Simon Peter is a bit frustrated by  this suggestion, “Master, we have toiled all the night and taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net.” Following the guidance of Jesus they caught many fish, felt the spirit of a miraculous event and were filled with humility. Verse 8 goes on to tell us that in Peter’s emotional unworthiness he fell down at the knees of Jesus and said, “Depart from me; for I am a sinful man.” And in verse 11 we learn that they anchored the ship at the shore, left it and followed the Savior.

Jesus explained many times that he would not always be with them. Elder Holland explains, “they either could not or would not comprehend such a wrenching thought.” He references Mark chapter 9 verses 31 and 32 - “for he said unto them, The son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day. But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him.”

How often are we afraid to know truth and decide that we are more comfortable now knowing?

The disciples spent three glorious years with the Savior until his crucifixion. Once resurrected and physically gone from their presence the disciples were at a loss, “what do we do now” was the question they asked Peter.

Today I ask you to reflect on a life changing experience - giving birth to and raising children, a family vacation, a special event that you coordinated, a service project, pursuit of higher education. Do not think just of the vantage point of that event but ponder instead on the journey. What did you experience along the path and how were you changed by that experience?

I began the pursuit of my degree in August of 2011. While each individual has their reasons for attaining a degree my reason in the beginning was simply to satisfy my employer. It wasn’t long before I recognized that gaining knowledge is a spiritual experience and that what I am learning now I get to keep forever. This journey has been filled with life altering conviction and given me new insight into important truths. I am halfway into this journey and now I see the other end of the tunnel. Friends will often ask, “what are you going to do once you have your degree?”

This question is similar to that of the disciples, “what do we do now?”

Towards the end of his talk Elder Holland explains, “After an encounter with the living Son of the living God, nothing is to be as it was before. We can’t quit and we can’t go back.” The essence of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is to love. The world in which we live was created for us by a loving father in Heaven. LOVE is in everything and LOVE must be at the foundation of everything we do.  In reflection of your life altering experience consider the significance of the passion that energized you, apply what you learned along the way and then recognize that those moments are customized just for you. Love from a Father in Heaven who sees your potential and asks only that you love Him back. And this was essentially what he asked of Peter on that day. “Peter, do you LOVE me?”