Latest / Scripture Central / Come Follow Me Insights (Jun 26 - Jul 2) Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20–21

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Come Follow Me Insights (Jun 26 - Jul 2) Matthew 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20–21 · Scripture Central

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Hello everyone. Thanks for listening to come.
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Follow me, insights with Taylor and Tyler, presented by
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scripture Central. We use a lot of visuals in our
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videos. So if you want to see the
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visuals, we invite you to find us on YouTube.
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Thanks for listening and enjoy. I'm Taylor and I'm Tyler.
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This is scripture Central's. Come follow the insights today.
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Matthew 28, Mark, 16, Luke 24 and John 2221.
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What a contrast last week's episode was one of the most
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painful difficult and in deep blocks of scripture that you can
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cover in a four-year cycle of studying the scriptures and
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today is probably the most triumphant and glorious and
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happy episodes the greatest event.
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This beautiful resurrection of Jesus Christ.
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First time where Where somebody is now.
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Brought out of the Grave into a glorified resurrected body.
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Keep in mind. Jesus raised three people from
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the dead. Yeah, but he didn't resurrect
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them during his ministry. He is the first fruits of the
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Resurrection, he brought them back to Mortal life but they
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would one day die again. In this case, what makes this
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one so triumphant is, Jesus would be resurrected never to
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die again and that's very significant and we invite you to
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Read these stories and hear them a fresh or even.
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Imagine this is your first time. You think about the earliest
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people who were converts to Christianity, they would have
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not known the story, they would have heard about the horrific
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Chris of crucifixion. Now, imagine as they are hearing
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the story shared with them, he came back, imagine the Deep
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spiritual and emotional impetus. It would be for the first
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hearers and listeners to say. This is the man, the Son of God
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that I will choose to follow and I hope that we can get some of
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that sense to of just how stunning the story is a story
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that we all are so familiar with but let's imagine, we're now
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hearing it for the first time that that is a great invitation
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to all. This to put on those fresh ears,
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fresh eyes to engage with these these story elements, as if
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we've never heard them before him, the the Wonder and the off
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at all. Now, before we dive into the
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actual versus in these chapters, let's pause for a moment and
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review, what the, what is going on on this Sunday morning?
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Remember that, they, they shift their care.
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Under over to the new day at Sunset.
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So, in a Jewish context, Jesus was was, he went into Gethsemane
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and then went through the trials and was placed on the cross, all
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of it after sunset on what we would call Thursday evening, but
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they would have called Friday. So this all happens on Friday
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and then he dies and is buried quickly in the Tomb before the
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sun sets on that. Good Friday as it's often calls
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in in broader Christian Christianity because now once
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the sun sets, you're on Saturday, which to them is the
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Sabbath day. And according to John's time
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frame also happens to be a High Sabbath.
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It's the Passover so you can't be interacting with the dead
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body of anybody during your Sabbath.
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Or especially during a Passover feast.
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And so they were hurrying very quickly to get his body prepared
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enough, to be able to place it in a tomb and put the stone in
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front of the Tomb. Knowing that they have
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technically under their tradition of the day, roughly
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three days. 72 hours to finalize that burial process.
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So, they knew it would be sometime early Sunday morning
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when they would be able to come have the stone Removed and
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finalize the burial process putting the, you know, cleaning
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up the body putting on the oils to spices.
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And then wrapping the body up to, then seal the tomb up for a
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year to allow the body to Decay and then they would come back a
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year later and they would take the bones and put them in an
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ossuary in the first century and put the ossuary in a niche
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inside of the Tomb. And now, the tomb is ready for
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the next phase. Remember who passes away to be
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able to go through that same process?
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And of course, Jesus is body. Would see no Decay.
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He's only going to be in there for all of Saturday, which
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notice this once again, is the Jewish Sabbath.
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And so, he's there for that full 24 hours.
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He's their only for a few, maybe one or two hours at the very
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most It's from Friday. And then from Sundown to early
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in the morning on Sunday, a few are so you add up that 24 plus a
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few here, 26, maybe plus a few here.
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He's only, he's only in the Tomb covering three days but it's
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it's a period probably closer to 30 to 40 hours somewhere in that
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range. Yeah.
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So now we jump into this story from Perspectives, Matthew,
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Mark, Luke and John, and it's fascinating.
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That none of them perfectly aligned with the details.
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And we've talked about this multiple times as we study the
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gospels, and this is our last lesson of the gospels before we
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now, Embark, next week into the book of the acts and through the
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Epistles and down to the Book of Revelation to finish out this
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new testament year. So this is the last time forced
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to mention the fact that isn't it beautiful, that we have four
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different unique perspectives for testimonies that Jesus died
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was buried and was resurrected, but they're going to have some
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difference of approach in a different view on who and when
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and how these events transformed So we begin in Matthew chapter
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28 and to build on that briefly. So even though those differences
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of details might be interesting, we don't want to lose fact about
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where the testimonies agree and it is the most important
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details, which is he died was buried and was resurrected.
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I might point out some years ago when I was in graduate school, I
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was a teaching assistant. This, is that a secular
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Institution for a new testament? Class and the professor
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assigned, this large class of 150 students, this group work to
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compare and contrast all the differences.
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Now it's an interesting little exercise, but the outcome for
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the students was that, well, I can't trust this.
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There's just so much discrepancy and we were walking away from
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that experience and I wasn't my class designed it was, I happen
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to be the teaching assistant. Like this is not the purpose for
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the gospels. So yes.
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Can you do that exercise? Sir, sighs more important, let's
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look for the testimony, that teaches the truth, I love that
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perspective. So let's jump in and let each of
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these bear their testimony to us today and quite frankly the end
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of the day these four testimonies don't mean very much
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if we don't have our testimony of the Savior and his
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resurrection there. These are all scripture is
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intended to help you and me dive.
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And have our own experience, have our own connection with
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Christ. And let's, let's let that
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process unfold as we start first with Matthew chapter 28.
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So, you notice in verse 1, it gives you the timing in the end
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of the Sabbath as it began to Dawn toward the first day of the
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week Came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the Sepulchre.
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So in Matthews account, you've got to Mary's coming.
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To the Sepulchre. And there's this great
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earthquake. And it says, for the angel of
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the Lord, descended from heaven and came and rolled back the
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Stone from the door and sat upon it.
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It's interesting to note that in Matthew and Mark and John.
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Joseph Smith is making the same adjustment through all the
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gospels. Whenever it only mentions one,
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Angel Joseph corrects every single time to say there are two
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a Angels must be a big deal from his prophetic view to say nope.
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There are two witnesses from the Heavenly realm.
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Who come to this this tomb experience and notice this
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beautiful phrase in verse five and six and the angel answered
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and said unto the women fear. Not ye for, I know that ye seek
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Jesus, which was crucified He is not here for, He Is Risen as he
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said come. See the place where the Lord
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lay, those are three of my favorite words, in all of
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scripture anywhere written in any book, He Is Risen that
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triumphal conclusion to his infinite atonement.
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It doesn't get any better than that in my opinion.
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As far as conquering death and hell, that awful monster that
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Jacob talks about in The Book of Mormon.
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And second, you find nine So they become the first
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missionaries. The first Messengers.
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Remember a couple of important words, the word Angel, itself
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means a messenger. Somebody sent forth to share a
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story or a message. So these angels are now in
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charging these two women to take on their role as angels as
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Messengers sent on a mission to spread the good news the gospel.
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So right here, the first messengers of the Gospel are
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these two Mary's which to me is fascinating because they're
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living in a world in a culture and a society that didn't always
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value the testimony or the witness of women.
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And your first Witnesses of the birth of Christ were Mary and
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her cousin. Elizabeth getting that testimony
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from John. And now, at the end of his life
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and the beginning of the Resurrection, this rebirth into
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the eternity' so to speak. Once again, you have women there
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who who are the witnesses of this, empty tomb getting the
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message from the Angels then being told is Taylor said, now
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you go and share this message with his Apostles and what I
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love about this. If we want to look at this, from
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the Egyptian, the word Mary means love and you have a
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doubling of love. The witness's love.
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Jesus was resurrected to share. Love the whole Plan of Salvation
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is about God's love and there's a double witness at his
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resurrection to emphasize this act was ultimately about That's
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powerful. So at this point, many of you
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probably are thinking, wow, this is, this is weird.
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I'm not used to hearing this part of the story, because let's
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be honest, most people, when they're making movies or when
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we're telling the story of the Resurrection.
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Most people don't go to Matthews account.
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Most people go to Luke and John, and we'll show you in a minute
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with Mark, but this will sound kind of unfamiliar to many of
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you. Listen to this.
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Next part verse 8, they departed quickly from the Sepulchre with
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fear and great joy and did run to bring his disciples word and
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as they went to tell his disciples behold.
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Jesus met them saying all hail and they came and held him by
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the feet and worshipped him. Again, we don't often depict
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this in films, you probably haven't seen this version of the
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story very often. And so then Jesus says, Be not
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Afraid, go tell my brother and that they go into Galilee and
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there shall they see me? And then it says, while they
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were going behold, some of the watch came into the City and
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showed under the chief priests, all the things that were done.
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So Matthews is the only account that actually picks up this
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story of. Wait a minute, we have, we had
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guards placed at that tomb, we cemented that stone in place and
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now it's empty what's going to happen.
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And so, Matthew picks up this story of how there's this
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conspiracy going on between the chief priests and these guards
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and them saying, Here's some money.
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Say if anybody asks you say that his disciples came and
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overpowered you and open the tomb and stole the body and and
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if if the leaders of the government get you in trouble
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will defend you and so Matthews, giving you that story here that
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from that time forward many people share this narrative and
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Matthews giving you the source of that narrative here.
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One of the words, I like back here at verse 9, it says all
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hail the underlying Greek word is to be rejoice and be glad and
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it comes from the word Eucharist, which we find in
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other Christian Traditions, which is used at their
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Sacrament. It means this Grace this good
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grace, that is come to you. And that's what Jesus is saying,
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that Grace is now available to always has been but it is my
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grace that you are now. Experiencing and the
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resurrection is about unfolding expanding and amplifying.
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God savings Saving Grace. So now Matthew's gospel ends
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with the final commission to the 12, from Jesus, in verse 19 and
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20 go, ye therefore and teach All Nations.
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Baptizing them in the name of the father, and of the son, and
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of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things
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whatsoever. I have commanded you and lo?
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I Am with You alway even unto the end of the world.
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Old, amen. Didn't even notice the beautiful
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symbolic book end here. That Matthew uses back in
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chapter 1, he told you, that Jesus would come into the ear
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into the world and be adopted by Joseph and he would be called
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Emmanuel God With Us. And now this book written
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largely to Jewish men Jewish audience, he ends with the
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closing bookend of Jesus saying, lo I Am With You Always even
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unto the end of the world. In other words, I'm leaving the
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Earth, I'm ascending to heaven. I'm not going to be physically
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with you. But I'm still Emmanuel God With
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Us. He isn't leaving us.
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He's not abandoning us. He might physically his
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presence. Might be leaving, but his
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promise is. I am with you always and I take
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that kind of, personally, I take that promise to be applicable to
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Saints throughout the ages that if you enter into a covenant
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relationship with Christ. Iced his promise to you, is the
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same as it was to those Apostles, as he is ascending to
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Heaven, that we will have his Spirit to be with us.
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We'll be able to have the benefit of his presence, his
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spiritual oversight and protection with us, always in
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all things. And quite frankly, there have
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been multiple times in my life where I can feel anxiety and
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stress, rising and feeling, I'm not.
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I can't do this. I can't I can't accomplish what
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needs to be happening. I can't endure this and there's
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this calm reassurance to say, wait a minute.
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I have the Lord Jesus Christ who has given me.
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Covenant, oh promises and he keeps his promises.
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I can lay this burden At His Feet.
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I'll keep moving forward doing the best I can but this promise
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is sure, and this has been Been a huge blessing in my life so
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many times that I've lost count. As I listened to the story again
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I try to put myself into the mindset of the original hearers
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of the story. They would have been familiar
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with ancient biographies. That would focus on a hero, the
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hero's journey, particularly how the hero exemplifies certain key
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characteristics in the manner, the their death.
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But in most of the ancient well in all the ancient biographies,
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the hero never comes back. So imagine the massive plot
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twist of awe and wonder for a Listener to hear that.
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The hero is back and it gets better.
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Not only has a hero come back. Jesus Is Back.
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He is promise to always be with us.
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Think about that as a listener first time hearing the story,
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wait, the heroes back and he's promised to always be with me.
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It's not simply that I should be inspired by the story, but I'm
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actually now invited to be in the story.
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That's actually How This Ends. You're welcome to the story.
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God's presence will always be with you.
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Now, it's your job to share this phenomenal stunning.
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Life changing story with everybody that you can reach and
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think about what happens every Sabbath day for us.
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When we go to a sacrament meeting, we make these promises
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that we will be willing to take upon us.
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His name, always remember him and keep his Commandments that
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he has given us. And what is the promise that
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they may always have his Spirit to be with them?
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What a, what a beautiful beautiful opportunity for us.
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To relive this story, every week, and by extension, think
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about it, and always remember him throughout the week, not
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just on the Sabbath day, which now brings us to Mark's account,
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which is is quite quite different than Matthew and Luke
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and John's account for a variety of reasons.
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You'll notice Mark's gospel was very quick paced very, very
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fast. It just moves too short.
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This one, what you have shortest book of the four gospels and the
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the fascinating element that happens here in Mark chapter 16
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as if you look at our oldest manuscripts, our earliest copies
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of the Bible, with the Book of Mark, all of them end in verse 8
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of chapter 16. It's like this ultimate
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Cliffhanger and I've sat through many hours.
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Some people talking about what a literary genius, Mark was to
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leave. Leave us on such a cliffhanger
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and I guess that's possible. That is absolutely a possibility
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that Mark did that on purpose. Left is just hanging on verse 8.
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But there's, there are other possibilities that in these
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early writings that are being put down by these gospel
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writers. They write on there are pieces
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of Paper. And then fold them together and
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then you bind them. It's also possible that the
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pages of a book, a codex that is put together like this.
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The most likely pages to get damaged destroyed ripped, lost
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somehow, become unreadable are going to be the first and the
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last because it's the same page when it's bound together in a
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codex, which I find Interesting. Because some of you will
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probably remember that Mark's gospel begins.
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When Jesus is aged 30 at his baptism, it just dumps you in
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skipping, the first 30 years entirely, it doesn't even give
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you a few verses explaining them.
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And now it leaves you with this Cliffhanger.
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It's, it's left me wondering, and we don't know, but it's left
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me wondering if perhaps that first and last page of his
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gospel or first couple Pages, who knows got removed.
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Or it. I guess it's possible that he is
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leaving us on this Cliffhanger. Look how it happens.
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Verse chapter 16 when the Sabbath was passed Mary
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Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James and James, and Salome
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had bought sweet spices that they might come and anoint him.
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So in Mark's gospel, you have three women now.
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Coming to do this work and anointing here doesn't use the
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Greek term Christ. It's a leaf 0 which is a
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different word for anointing. It's the the outcomes the same
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but it's more about what you would do for medicine or the
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preparation of a body for burial.
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So it's not that over and 19 him because he's a king.
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So there's a clear difference here.
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This is a burial anointing and not a Priestly anointing.
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Not a prophetic anointing. And not a Messianic were kingly
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anointing and isn't it? Beautiful, on that.
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Note that a week before, enjoy? John's gospel at a feast with
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Lazarus and Mary and Martha Mary anointed his feet and Jesus told
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the group she has anointed me for my burrial you don't anoint
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people until they've passed on and Jesus isn't going to be
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anointed by any of these women who come with the spices and
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ointments do it. He's already been anointed, it's
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great. And in the feast Earlier on
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verse 2 says and very early in the morning the first day of the
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week that's Sunday, they came unto the Sepulchre at the rising
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of the Sun. So you're saying that again,
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they're going to be some discrepancies on how how the
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timing works out between Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
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And and quite frankly, I don't care what the time of the day
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was as much as I care that there was a body in the Tomb of Jesus
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and now it It has resurrected and it's out of the Tomb
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notices. They come, they're concerned
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about how we're going to roll away.
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The stone verse 4 when they looked, and they saw that the
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stone was rolled away for. It was very great.
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It's a big Stone entering into the Sepulchre.
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They saw a young man sitting on the right side clothed in a
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long, white garment, and they were affrighted.
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Remember, once again, Joe Smith, if you look at the translation
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in the back of your Bible before the maps, he clarifies, it's two
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men. Two angels.
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So, he they say, be not a frightened, ye seek Jesus of
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Nazareth, which was crucified. He is risen.
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He is not here. You're looking in a grave for
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the Son of God. He's not here looking in the
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wrong spot, you digging and I love the fact they say behold.
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The place where they laid him. Like, if you don't trust what
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we're saying, let your own eyes give you evidence.
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The body isn't here, which means he has resurrected again for
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these early disciples. This is the first time this has
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ever happened. Now we all know what's going on.
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And so they're kind of shocked. Like, wait a second.
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He talked about this, but we've never actually seen this ever
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happen in all of human history. So, imagine anyone of us
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experiencing this, would we not also fill a little perplexed or
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frightened or concerned and you might need some Heavenly
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Messenger to say, it's okay. He said this was going to happen
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and now let's explain what's going on to you for you.
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So then the invitation of them is verse 7.
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But go Your way to tell his disciples, and Peter, that he
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goeth before you into Galilee there shall ye see him as he
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said unto you. So then verse eight ends with,
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and they went out quickly and fled from the Sepulchre for they
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trembled and were amazed, neither said, they any thing to
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any man for they were afraid. And that's how all of our
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earliest copies of Mark's gospel.
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And, and it causes these people to think, wow, Mark was amazing
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because these women are leaving as if They're looking at you
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saying, are you going to be afraid or you going to go and
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bear testimony? That Jesus is the Christ, the
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resurrected Lord and savior of all mankind.
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And again, that could be possible that Mark did that but
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it would be very unusual. I think, in his setting to just
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closed his testimony of of the savior's Divinity there, but I'm
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grateful, we have these additional verses that show up
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in later manuscript tradition. Actions that give us additional
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perspective. I totally agree.
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So, some copyist later on in the 5th 6th Century felt like that
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was a very unsatisfying way to end one of the gospels.
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So they went and they cobbled together elements from Luke's
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ending and John's ending and put them together and modified them
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slightly and created. I think a beautiful ending to
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Mark's gospel here if by the way through 20 By the way, who Among
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Us has not done that, have you ever taken the four gospel
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Resurrection accounts? And in a class or in a talk
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combine them into a single story.
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Absolutely. And nobody comes up afterwards
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and said, well, I really can't trust your testimony about the
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resurrection of Jesus. So it's okay that faithful
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people are attempting to tell the story to convince people of
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who Jesus is. And I love that that whoever put
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this longer ending in Mark together, that they ended with
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verse 19 and 20. This is the sign off for Mark's
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gospel. So then after the Lord had
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spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven and sat
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on the right hand of God and they went forth and preached
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everywhere. The Lord working with them and
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confirming the word with signs following, amen.
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So many power. Awful Concepts packed into those
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two verses. This idea of Jesus didn't just
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Ascend and then kind of dissipate into the nebula of
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space. He ascended to God, and he's now
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sitting in Yonder, Heavens on the right hand side of God,
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that's beautiful Doctrine, and also you, don't leave it with
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these women worried and Afraid. And her name is sure.
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Did they ever tell you when the message and frankly?
28:04
The answer is we know that, you know, that Because we have other
28:07
records that they did and we get that verse 20.
28:10
They went forth and preached everywhere.
28:13
They really did. Fulfill the commission that we
28:15
heard back in Matthew. Go The Messengers be
28:18
missionaries, share the gospel, the good news.
28:22
That Jesus is resurrected. Again, for the invitation is for
28:25
all of us. Now that we have heard, the
28:27
story. Let's not simply hoard it to
28:30
ourselves, but share it with the world.
28:32
Yeah. And so this, this is a
28:34
beautiful. Lending that applies not just to
28:36
those women, but also to the apostles and by default and by
28:41
extension it applies to us to go forth and know that the Lord
28:46
will be working with us back to Matthews.
28:49
Emmanuel God With Us and confirming the word with signs
28:54
following. Amen.
28:55
What a great ending now Lux ending his part of telling the
29:01
story I I love Luke's story, Luke, The Physician the Gentile
29:08
convert to Christianity later. He is presumed, he never met
29:12
Jesus Christ. He never saw him during his
29:15
ministry, but he's very focused on things of the corporeal
29:21
physical nature. That's that's what he kind of
29:23
specializes him. And so, as you get to Luke 24,
29:28
none of the gospel writers, focus more on the physicality,
29:32
the corporeal nature. Of the Resurrection quite to the
29:36
degree that Luke does notice. His opening here verse 1, now
29:41
upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they
29:44
came unto the Sepulchre bringing the spices, which they had
29:46
prepared and certain others with them to find out.
29:50
Who's there. You have to actually jump over
29:52
to verse 10 because the list gives you it was Mary Magdalene
29:56
and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and other women that
30:01
were with them which told these things under the apostles.
30:03
So it's a whole group of what might be referred to as the
30:08
relief society and what a beautiful thing, the errand of
30:13
angels is given to women. So the men might be perhaps
30:19
sleeping in that Sunday morning, it's early in the morning
30:22
according to this account and over in John's account, its
30:25
going to be while it was yet dark earliest, quite early.
30:30
Israel at that time of year. What time does the Sun come up?
30:33
Five? 5:30 5:00 5:00 a.m. and
30:36
sometimes even a little bit earlier.
30:38
So of course, the sun's gone down a little bit earlier in the
30:40
evening. But still, even in our day
30:43
people don't get up that early. It just they are motivated to do
30:49
the Good Deeds of that are expected to take care of a body
30:54
that wasn't fully prepared for burial.
30:56
And I wonder how many of you who are studying these chapters this
31:01
week. I know what it's like to get up
31:05
in the middle of the night, to take care of the needs of your
31:11
family, or of loved ones, who maybe have special needs, or
31:16
maybe our aging, or maybe a brand new baby.
31:20
There's something beautiful here that angels in heaven are silent
31:25
notes. Taking of these selfless acts of
31:29
relief and service and kindness and it brings mine Jesus own
31:33
statement in Matthew 25. When he says inasmuch as ye have
31:38
done it unto one of the least of these my brethren ye have done
31:42
it. Unto me, beautiful acts of
31:47
selfless service being being given by these women.
31:51
So they come in and they found the stone rolled away in verse
31:55
2. They entered in, they found not
31:56
the body of the Lord Jesus and it came to pass as they were
31:59
much perplexed. Thereabout behold, two men stood
32:02
by them. In shining garments.
32:03
So Luke's gospel, is the only one in the King James version to
32:06
get the two men. Joseph changes, Matthew Mark,
32:09
and John's account to match this to men and is says verse 6.
32:17
My favorite words again, he is not here, but is risen.
32:21
Remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee?
32:24
It's kind of this. It's not a rebuke but it's a
32:27
gentle reminder of He told you he would come to Jerusalem die,
32:33
be buried and be risen from the dead.
32:36
He's told you this multiple times, one way, I sometimes try
32:41
to help people understand this without distracting Too Much
32:44
from the court Act is sometimes you watch a really interesting
32:47
movie that's a little bit confusing and near the end.
32:51
When everything gets revealed they will do flashback to things
32:54
that go on earlier in the movie that you thought you understood.
32:57
But now as a movie, Concludes, you see in a new light, in
33:01
everything makes sense. It's like this big reveal you
33:03
like Aha. And there's a sense of like,
33:06
wow, that was an amazing story. And it's kind of what's going on
33:10
here and because these things were repeated and found
33:14
throughout the gospels, it's clear for the disciples, they
33:18
have had this big reveal moment. We're finally, they understand
33:22
how the story has fallen into place where as before they
33:26
didn't get it fun. So now you get 2 verse 8 and
33:31
they remembered his words. It's almost as if they're
33:34
experiencing this movie scenario that Taylor just described these
33:37
flashbacks of. Oh, you're right.
33:40
He did say this in this and he he prepped us for this and we
33:45
missed it back then but now it makes a lot more sense.
33:47
Verse 10 they returned from the Supple Supple Kerr and told all
33:51
these things unto the eleven and to all the rest, if you've got
33:55
all these people who had been gathered together there in
33:57
Jerusalem and And you then get the list of the, the women who
34:02
were telling these things to the apostles.
34:04
And then in verse 11, it says and their words seemed to them
34:07
as Idle tales and they believed them.
34:11
Not so, you can picture the statements of Being woken up.
34:17
It's early. Yeah.
34:18
Maybe it was you probably went to the wrong tomb we don't we
34:22
don't know if we can trust your words.
34:24
It I wonder if I may have been that same boat how many times in
34:29
my own life of people come and told me something that is too
34:33
hard to believe. In my immediate thought is like
34:35
show me the evidence or I need some more time on this and it's
34:41
a real Testament to these women that they were willing to stand
34:46
by Their witness their testimony and of course to these other
34:50
disciples who were given the time to come around and learn
34:54
for themselves and gain their own testimony.
34:57
Has there ever been a time in your life when you've told the
35:00
truth? You've borne a witness of
35:02
something you absolutely knew to be true.
35:06
And people didn't believe you. This is you're in good company
35:11
here, gratefully Peter verifies this verse 12, then arose, Peter
35:17
and ran unto the Sepulchre and stooping down he beheld.
35:20
The linen clothes laid by themselves and departed
35:22
wondering and himself at that which was come to pass.
35:26
So only Peter in Luke's gospel goes to the tomb to verify in
35:30
John's. We're going to get John joining
35:32
him and we'll cover that story in a few moments.
35:35
But you'll notice when they refer to the tomb it's always
35:38
Stooping down. If you go over to Jerusalem and
35:42
look at the Rock hewn tombs, most of them that date to the
35:46
first century, they're not big, huge open doorways.
35:50
They're usually down some steps into a hewn, out cave, and you
35:56
have to stoop down to see into them and that's what's happening
35:59
here with Peter in verse 12. And then you get the story of
36:03
cleopas and another disciple. We don't know who it is, it
36:07
could have been cleopas in his. Things could have been clearer
36:10
posting another disciples just two people.
36:13
One of them is cleopas on the road to Emmaus that it tells you
36:17
in verse 13, which was from Jerusalem about threescore
36:20
furlongs. So that's just over 36,000 feet.
36:24
If we do a rough comparison or just under seven miles away from
36:30
Jerusalem, this Village and they're walking and as they
36:36
walked and commune together in verse 15.
36:38
Jesus himself Drew near and went with them.
36:43
I love this story. These two disciples going home,
36:50
feeling a little bit confused about the testimonies they've
36:53
heard. And the events of the last three
36:55
days in Jerusalem, the sorrow, the misery, the tears and now
37:00
the the elated testimony of these women and Peter coming
37:04
back st. Yep, they got it right the tombs
37:06
empty and now they're walking home to To Emmaus.
37:09
And here's the stranger walking beside them and he's asking them
37:13
questions and he's listening to them and he's opening up the
37:16
scriptures and, you know, he's expounding things unto them and
37:21
he's describing the Old Testament prophecies and saying
37:27
things to them. In verse 26, such as ought not
37:31
Christ to have suffered these things, and to end to enter into
37:34
his glory. And beginning at Moses and all
37:37
the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures, the
37:42
things concerning himself. Did you notice what just
37:46
happened? Jesus is taking all the
37:50
scriptures and he's expounding them to these these two
37:54
disciples and he's showing how Jesus Christ is the Fulfillment
37:59
of those scriptures, brothers and sisters.
38:02
If we put on the lens of the Savior to read and interpret and
38:07
engage with the scriptures or far more likely to make sense of
38:11
them than if we try to leave him out and say No, they this
38:17
passage in the Old Testament, this passage in the New
38:19
Testament. This prophecy, it's not
38:20
referring to him. I love this verse that.
38:24
All the scriptures were expounded with things concerning
38:30
himself. It makes me think Tyler that in
38:33
some ways. What the invitation is is, was
38:36
when we engage in scripture study, we are on our road to
38:41
Emmaus and was you were talking, it made me think, yeah, it is.
38:45
We're on our road to Mason. We have to invite Jesus to help
38:49
us see how the scriptures testify of him.
38:52
Exactly. And of course when we get done
38:55
Jesus might say well I'm going to go spend some of the time the
38:57
vineyard we might find ourselves.
38:59
Even after that experience of seeing Jesus in the scriptures
39:03
and he's about to move off into other parts of the vineyard we
39:06
say, constraining him abide with us or it is toward evening and
39:13
the day is far spent. I hope I can Do that too in my
39:16
life and and don't you love the next line and he went in to
39:21
tarry with them. He didn't say no, I've got more
39:26
important things to do, more important people to see.
39:29
It's this beautiful concept that you see in scripture of ask and
39:33
you shall receive. It's almost as if he was waiting
39:36
for them to ask him to come and abide with them.
39:40
It's a beautiful thing. We have to hymns in our hymn
39:44
book abide with And abide with me tis, Eventide that come out
39:49
of that one, that one little beautiful sequence there of
39:53
Jesus. Now, coming with them.
39:56
And notice notice the, the point of transition in this story
40:02
verse 30, it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took
40:05
bread and blessed, it and Brake and gave to them, and their eyes
40:10
were opened, and they knew him and he vanished out of their
40:13
sight. It's that moment of the Breaking
40:16
of the bread and giving it to them that they can probably.
40:19
Now their eyes are now able to behold the marks in his hands
40:25
and perhaps in his wrist wrist and realize who they've been
40:28
talking to this entire time, that to me is one of the, the
40:33
Beautiful Stories of scripture to realize that Jesus the Christ
40:41
will often manifest himself to us.
40:44
In ways that we didn't recognize him, we don't we don't see him
40:49
for who he really is in those moments.
40:53
But it's such a powerful thing when he walks with us through
40:59
other people, and through other situations, and then makes
41:04
himself manifest through the breaking of bread.
41:07
And for me, I love the fact that he invites us to come every
41:13
Sabbath day to that sacrament To worship.
41:16
And it's in that breaking of the bread, the hopefully we can give
41:21
of our heart and our mind to him at least during that part of the
41:26
the sacrament service where we can more fully have eyes to see
41:31
and recognize where he has been walking with us during that week
41:37
and invite him and ask him to walk with us during the week
41:42
that we're about to begin. What's beautiful about this is
41:46
we think about the connection to Sacrament is that Jesus reveals
41:49
himself to us in that moment and many other moments and here, he
41:55
leaves. And what is the very next thing
41:58
that happens verse 32 and they said one to another did not our
42:03
heart burn within us while he talked with us by the way.
42:07
And while he opened to us the scriptures, so we're getting
42:11
this hint, that is not simply about having Its presence with
42:15
us physically which we all aspire to and longed for.
42:20
But the spirit that precious gift is freely available and
42:25
that is the mark that God is with you.
42:29
And we should seek that every day, particularly in those
42:32
moments where we have learned about Jesus, and I can say, for
42:36
my own life, I have had many moments of having my heart
42:40
burned, and it always is humbling and glorious.
42:45
And confirming to me that God is real and his love Israel.
42:51
And honestly, Tyler. This is one of the few places of
42:55
scriptures we have this kind of clarity about describing what
42:59
the spirit feels like. Think about all the pages we
43:01
have in scriptures. How many times we have
43:04
something? This brightly clear about how
43:08
the spirit works and we invite all of you to think about times
43:12
in your life when you have felt that burning and know and seek
43:17
to find those moments again and where appropriate share with
43:21
others. That's it's wonderful.
43:23
I will tell you in your mind and in your heart by the power of
43:27
the Holy Ghost is the promise from section 8, verse 2 and
43:32
that's being described beautifully.
43:33
As you said in verse 32 and now or do they do, they're not
43:37
they're not just going to sit there and smile at each other
43:40
and celebrate. They run back to Jerusalem in
43:43
the dark in the dark. This is about a seven mile just
43:46
under seven miles between if you use the descriptor here from
43:51
verse 13 and they go to the apostles and they tell Simon
43:56
Peter, everything that has happened to them.
44:00
And then verse 36 says, and as they thus spake, Jesus himself
44:03
Stood in the midst of them and said unto saith unto them.
44:06
Peace, be unto you. But they were terrified and
44:10
affrighted and suppose that they had seen a spirit and he said a
44:14
saith unto them. Why are you troubled and why do
44:17
thoughts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet that
44:22
it is I myself handle me and see for a spirit hath.
44:26
Not Flesh and Bones. As you see me, have once again
44:30
coming from Luke, The Physician focusing on the Poor real nature
44:34
of this. This resurrected this
44:38
resurrection and the body that Christ now has a flesh-and-bone
44:43
and he tells them come and touch handle and you turn the page
44:48
over and you get an additional thing.
44:52
That would have meant a great deal to.
44:53
Luke verse 42, they gave him a piece of a broiled fish and of
44:58
an honeycomb, and he took it and did eat before them the words.
45:03
Restore science means knowledge. And again we talked about in
45:07
your heart, in your heart and in your mind and they're seeking in
45:10
addition to the burning because the two people who had the
45:12
burning are actually part of this group.
45:15
Now they've had a witness in their heart and yet they are
45:17
also seeking for that intellectual additional knowing
45:21
in their mind and Jesus gives them evidence.
45:24
The word evidence is based on the word video or Vision, he
45:28
wants them to see and know and to feel he completes A full
45:34
picture for them. Now, the irony here is they
45:37
aren't the ones asking him saying here.
45:40
Eat this. We want to see if you're if
45:42
you're really a body of Flesh and Bones, they've already
45:47
handled and seen him. The irony for me, is it's Jesus.
45:53
Who asks them in verse 41, have you here, any meat?
45:58
Now, he already knows the answer to that question, but it's as if
46:02
he's saying, I want you now that you've handled my hands and my
46:06
feet, you know, I'm not a spirit, you know, I'm In the
46:10
Flesh here, I want to take it one step further and then verse
46:16
44 says he sayeth Thor. He said unto them.
46:20
These are the words, which I speak unto you while.
46:22
I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which
46:26
were written in the law of Moses and in the prophets and in the
46:29
Psalms concerning me, then opened he their understanding
46:33
that they might understand the scriptures.
46:37
There it is again. He's, he's pointing them to the
46:42
power of scripture as a lens through, which they can find
46:48
their Savior and see him for who he really is, and who they have.
46:52
Hopefully, the desire and the capacity to become more like and
46:58
then it finishes with verse 48 and ye are witnesses of these
47:03
things. You know, it would be a real
47:09
tragedy. If all we ever did was sat back
47:14
and waited to be told by other people what the scriptures mean,
47:18
and what they, what they say, it's great that we can have
47:24
experiences like this, where we teachers, and others can share
47:27
insights, and thoughts and perspectives.
47:29
But at the end of the day, this is an individual thing.
47:34
And a family thing that needs to be done, where we engage
47:38
ourselves with the words of scriptures.
47:42
Going for the Lord. Jesus Christ through our serious
47:47
deep study. And it's there where it's not
47:51
just his name and his titles are revealed.
47:54
But his attributes, his characteristics is Perfections
47:56
that we can then work on in integrating into our own life
48:01
and how we choose to live our life to strive to become more
48:04
like him. I love I love the scriptures not
48:10
because I love the books for the book sake, but because of what
48:16
they reveal to me about God and about Jesus Christ, and about,
48:21
who I'm striving to become Then he moves on in verse 49 and
48:28
behold, I send the promise of my father upon you.
48:32
But Terry in the City Jerusalem until you be endued with power
48:36
from on high. So it's a couple things going on
48:39
there. What he says, the promise of my
48:42
father, I read this as his holy spirit, the enduring presence of
48:47
God and then we got this interesting word in dude, which
48:50
we've talked about before. You've shared many times this
48:53
word of endowed, what does that mean?
48:55
So the Greek word and Duo means to be closed in a sacred garment
48:59
or to put on. So we're going to run.
49:02
Run into this word multiple times in the Epistles of Paul
49:06
and it's a clothing ordinance where we are endowed with power
49:11
from on high. This is not an Earthly man-made
49:15
thing. This is a god-given blessing and
49:18
reward this this gift, this endowment from Heaven, this
49:23
sacred clothing that you put on and pull later on is going to
49:27
tell us put on Christ the symbolism.
49:33
It's not about garments and about Temple clothing, for
49:37
Fabrics sake, those are just placeholders.
49:40
Those are object lessons for the real thing pointing to this idea
49:44
of, we take upon us, the name of Christ, we put him on, were
49:48
wrapped in the robe of his righteousness.
49:51
And that's where we find the power to move forward endowed,
49:54
with his power, to be able to push back that dark chain.
50:01
That the devil is holding veiling, the whole face of the
50:03
Earth from Moses chapter 7, it actually it ties into receiving
50:09
the gift of the Holy Ghost, which is a form of being clothed
50:13
with power of God. Now, sometimes in the church, we
50:17
hear people say the phrase he took out his endowments, or she
50:22
took out her endowments. And you never would say he took
50:27
out the Holy Spirit or she took out the whole Lee spirit, it's
50:30
receive which is different. And here, it's about receiving
50:36
an endowment. We don't take it out.
50:38
We receive. It is a gift and it's something
50:41
that comes from God. And as you think about the gift
50:45
of the Holy Ghost that you receive.
50:46
It's something that you are meant to wear with you,
50:49
symbolically as a protection and as an invitation to be connected
50:55
to God on a regular basis. We've talked throughout the Old
50:58
Testament Here we'll see it again here in the New Testament
51:01
Year. God wants to be in Covenant or
51:04
relationship and when we receive an endowment a clothing it's
51:08
reminder that it's as if he's been embracing us and he truly
51:12
is one with us. And this particular endowment
51:18
with power from on high, is an allusion to something that's
51:23
going to happen in Luke's volume to the book of Acts.
51:28
Remember Luke is the only one of the four gospel writers who's
51:30
going to write a second book that ends up in our in our
51:34
Biblical Canon and that's the book of Acts and he's going to
51:37
tell you about that Endowment in Chapter 2 of the book of Acts.
51:42
So we'll cover that next week. When they, when they are endowed
51:46
at the Feast of the Pentecost, which is seven weeks after
51:50
Passover, or 50 days after Passover, notice he finishes
51:57
here, his his volume 1, his gospel, by saying that Jesus led
52:02
them out, and lifted up his hands and blessed them.
52:06
And then while he blessed them, he was parted from them and
52:09
carried up into heaven. She get the Ascension here and
52:13
they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem.
52:14
With great joy and we're continually in the temple
52:19
praising and blessing God. Amen.
52:24
I would love to think that that verse 53 can apply to us today
52:33
with our living prophets and apostles receiving this
52:38
incredible endowment from Heaven.
52:40
This incredible blessing, and gift to build temples faster and
52:46
in more diverse parts of the world than ever before in the
52:50
history of the world to allow us.
52:54
To fulfill verse 53 to be continually in the temple
52:58
praising and blessing. God, you'll notice it's not just
53:01
going to the temple to check the box.
53:05
Its we go to the temple as a sign and of a willingness to
53:11
praise and glorify or bless God. What a beautiful privilege it is
53:18
it we call it Temple work. I think and there is a degree of
53:22
work associated with it and sacrifice associated with it.
53:26
But my Heavens the blessings and the rewards that we receive
53:33
compared to the work that we put in.
53:37
Can't even compare it to what we take out from that experience,
53:42
really like the underlying word here in verse 50 about where it
53:45
says, Jesus blessed them. The underlying Greek word is
53:50
what we get in our English eulogy.
53:53
A eulogy comes from two Greek words, good words.
53:57
So Jesus is blessing them but he seen good.
53:59
And kind and uplifting words and I take a lot of encouragement
54:02
from this. I'm sure he gave them a Norris
54:05
blessings but imagine the savior of the world.
54:08
Speaking kind words to uplifting words, help you just see your
54:13
true identity as a child of God. You imagine how good those words
54:18
must have sounded to them. So Think how can we be like
54:22
Jesus and spread? Good words to others and let
54:25
those good words about others, uplift them and be a blessing
54:29
where they can feel God's presence in our lives.
54:33
Now we shift over to John's account of the Resurrection.
54:38
Starting in John chapter 20. His is quite unique on a couple
54:43
of levels verse 1. Says the first day of the week
54:46
cometh Mary Magdalene early when it was yet dark unto the
54:51
Sepulchre and seeth, the stone taken away from the Sepulchre.
54:55
So, in his gospel, Mary's coming, she's the only one
54:58
mentioned then. She run us and comes to Simon
55:01
Peter and to the other. The disciple whom Jesus loved.
55:05
That's largely believed to be John the writer of this book and
55:10
she said unto them, they have taken away the Lord, out of the
55:13
Sepulchre and we know, not where they have laid him notice here
55:17
is says, we know, not where they have laid him.
55:21
The implication is, this is a plural form of the pronoun.
55:24
We implying that even though, John only told you Mary's name,
55:29
the implication is there were other women with her.
55:32
At the tomb. And so Peter, therefore went
55:35
forth and that other disciple and came to the Sepulchre.
55:40
So now Peter and John get up there, like, we're going to go
55:42
verify and I shouldn't laugh, but I like force for.
55:49
It's fun. So, they ran both together and
55:52
the other disciple did outrun Peter and came first to the
55:56
Sepulchre. Thank you John for Telling us
56:00
that you you be Peter in a foot race.
56:03
And he's so humble. He doesn't really put his name
56:05
in. He just for the astute reader.
56:07
They're like, oh, well, John's faster than Peter.
56:09
And then he had the respect to wait until Peter, the senior
56:15
Apostle to arrive. And once again, notice he
56:19
stooping down, he looked in, and he saw the linen clothes lying
56:24
yet when he went yet, he went not in and then come a Simon
56:29
Peter Him and went into the Sepulchre and seeth the linen
56:31
clothes lie and the napkin that was about his head.
56:35
Not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in
56:38
a place by itself. There's this sense of a not
56:42
close flung off willy-nilly enthroned on the floor.
56:46
I think it's interesting to hear that Jesus is a god of order.
56:51
It's such a small little detail, he's resurrected that matters
56:54
more than anything. It would it really have
56:56
mattered. Had there been a bit of a mess
57:00
of clothing or the linen cloth know.
57:03
But the fact that things are in order that you just covers
57:07
erected, the greatest event in all of like universe's history
57:12
and you've taken the time to put things in order.
57:15
We worship a god of order. So, John hair as the writer
57:22
tells you his story in verse 8, then went into also that other
57:27
disciple which came first to the Sepulchre in case you forgot and
57:31
he saw and believed Isn't it amazing that there's this
57:40
progression of conversion progression of testimony?
57:44
That leads to deeper conversion. He sees for himself, not that he
57:49
couldn't have believed. If Peter had borne testimony, or
57:52
if Mary, Magdalene is born testimony.
57:53
But there's something powerful about coming to know for oneself
57:58
or coming to believe for oneself and then they leave in verse 10
58:04
and went unto their own home. Home and verse 11 tells us, that
58:08
Mary stood without at the Sepulchre weeping.
58:11
And as she wept, she stooped down and looked into the
58:15
Sepulchre. So she's also getting down to
58:17
look into the Sepulchre. This weepings, interesting?
58:20
We see it again in verse 13. And it's, we've mentioned this
58:24
in other videos that there's two different types of weeping.
58:27
There's kind of the soft tears that are very quiet and then
58:31
there's a loud. Grief-stricken weeping.
58:34
This is the ladder. She Very audibly, expressing her
58:39
grief that her beloved Master is gone.
58:43
And verse 12 says, she sees two angels in white sitting again,
58:48
back in verse 1 that Joseph Smith translation tells us there
58:52
that two angels were sitting there on on the stone.
58:56
So Joseph had that detail there in John's gospel and here, over
59:00
in verse 12, now that she's come back and Peter and John have
59:03
left. Now she sees two angels again,
59:05
sitting the one at the head and the other at the feet where the
59:08
body of Jesus had Lain and they say unto her woman, why weepest?
59:13
Wow. And she say son to them because
59:15
they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have
59:18
laid him, she came wanting to do a very kind deed for the body of
59:26
Jesus. And in the end of this story,
59:32
the Lord Jesus Christ is going to come to perform a very kind
59:37
act or deed for Mary. Magdalene verse 14.
59:44
She thinks it's the gardener behind him and I'd like this
59:49
word Gardener in Greek, it means the one who watches over the
59:54
garden. I think the Earth is God's
59:56
Garden. It's What is Garden of Eden?
59:59
He'll make it his paradise again.
1:00:01
He's the one who watches over. Exactly.
1:00:04
So she she looks and she sees Jesus standing there.
1:00:07
And Jesus verse 15 says woman. Why weepest thou whom seekest
1:00:12
thou? And she supposing him to be the
1:00:14
gardener said unto him sir, if thou have borne him, hence, tell
1:00:19
me where thou Hast laid him and I will take him away.
1:00:23
You find that interesting and a little bit ironic that she
1:00:26
supposed him to be the gardener. He is a gardener as you've said,
1:00:32
he is the master, sower and Harvester and one.
1:00:38
Who knows how to produce fruit and Jesus saith unto her Mary,
1:00:45
one word her name and it's in hearing her name that she
1:00:49
recognizes him and she says unto him rabboni which is to say
1:00:54
master and Jesus saith unto her touch-me-not often in film
1:00:59
depicts. And you'll see her coming to
1:01:02
kind of embrace him and Jesus saying touch-me-not don't don't
1:01:07
touch me. If you look at the Joseph Smith
1:01:10
translation, footnote bottom the page he says hold me not and if
1:01:17
you look at Strong's Concordance, if you look at that
1:01:19
word for touch-me-not, the word actually implies much more of a.
1:01:25
Let me go. Let's stop holding on to me.
1:01:29
Don't hold me. Back, let go of me.
1:01:31
The idea being that she came up, and she's hugging him, she's
1:01:36
holding him and after a period of time, he says, okay, you need
1:01:43
to let go now because why I am not yet ascended to my father,
1:01:50
but go to my brethren and say unto them.
1:01:52
I Ascend unto my father and your father and to my God and your
1:01:56
God and If I could just speak on a very personal level for just a
1:02:05
moment. If you were to give me the
1:02:08
option, one wish granted to be able to be a witness of one
1:02:15
event in the entire history of the scripture Cannon and you
1:02:20
told me I could witness. One thing that is kind of
1:02:23
mentioned or referenced in the scriptures. this would be the
1:02:29
event between verse 17 and 18, it would be to see That most
1:02:42
glorious moment when the resurrected glorified perfected,
1:02:50
Lord. Jesus Christ.
1:02:53
Does indeed Ascend to heaven to his God and our God, to his
1:02:59
father in our father, when he can present himself to God and
1:03:05
say, behold I have finished the work, which thou gavest me to
1:03:09
do? It's all complete.
1:03:12
The infinite atonement is complete and to be able to
1:03:17
witness that Embrace. That would be the one event that
1:03:24
I would pick. But perhaps I do sin in my wish.
1:03:29
Maybe that's, that's very sacred ground.
1:03:34
But it's not. Unreasonable to imagine your
1:03:41
experience with that, the the day will come when you will get
1:03:46
to, and I will get to ascend into the presence of the father
1:03:52
and oh, how that can be such a glorious magnificent event.
1:04:01
For those who have Entered into and stayed in that Covenant
1:04:06
relationship with Jesus Christ. Is he now brings us into the
1:04:09
presence of the father to present us on his merits.
1:04:13
His mercy and his grace alone in, in that same kind of
1:04:18
setting. What a, what, a beautiful event
1:04:22
here. Verse 19, then tells us that
1:04:25
same day at evening being the first day of the week.
1:04:27
So it's Sunday evening. when the disciples were assembled for
1:04:31
fear of the Jews, King Jesus and stood in the midst and saith
1:04:36
unto them. Peace.
1:04:36
Be unto your notice earlier on it said the doors were shut.
1:04:39
So there's all of a sudden he's in the room but he didn't come
1:04:41
walking through any doors or Windows and when he had so said
1:04:46
he showed unto them his hands and his side, and then were the
1:04:49
disciples. Glad when they saw the Lord.
1:04:54
Then He blesses them. And later on verse 24,
1:05:00
introduces the story of Thomas, one of the twelve called didymus
1:05:04
didymus in the Greek is the twin.
1:05:06
So Thomas the twin and they tell him all about this experience,
1:05:10
in his response was except I shall see in his hands, the
1:05:14
print of the nails and put my finger into the print of the
1:05:17
nails and thrust my hand into his side.
1:05:20
I will not believe. Well, the reality is the other
1:05:25
Apostles, the other 10 Apostles, kind of said, similar things to
1:05:30
marry in the women they did, they didn't believe their words
1:05:32
and their testimony either. And so now eight days later in
1:05:37
verse 26, again, the doors were shut and the Lord appears this
1:05:42
time. Thomas is with them and Jesus
1:05:44
turns to him and says, Thomas reach hither thy finger and
1:05:49
behold my hands and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my
1:05:51
side. side and be not faithless, but believing And Thomas is
1:05:57
responses my Lord. And my God, And then the Lord
1:06:03
teaches this beautiful lesson, verse 29 is amazing and Jesus
1:06:07
saith unto him Thomas. Because thou Hast seen me thou
1:06:11
Hast believed blessed, are they? That have not seen and yet have
1:06:16
believed. And guess what?
1:06:18
That includes most of us That that is such a beautiful promise
1:06:23
that you don't have to touch the wounds to be able to believe the
1:06:30
testimony of special Witnesses in the scriptures and living
1:06:34
prophets, who are a special Witnesses of the resurrection
1:06:38
and of the name of Jesus Christ. What a, what a beautiful
1:06:42
conclusion to that story with Thomas.
1:06:46
Now chapter 21 is this beautiful prologue to John's gospel.
1:06:53
This this ending chapter where you've had these experiences and
1:07:00
in 21:3 Simon, Peter says unto these.
1:07:03
This handful of disciples were with him.
1:07:06
I go a fishing and they say unto him.
1:07:09
We also go with the and they went forth and entered into a
1:07:12
ship immediately and that night, they caught Caught nothing.
1:07:17
Once again it's a little embarrassing for the
1:07:19
professional fishermen here. The two fishing excursions that
1:07:22
are recorded in the gospels here.
1:07:23
And in Luke chapter 5, He catches nothing on his own, but
1:07:30
he catches everything when the Savior gets involved.
1:07:34
So, early in the morning verse 4, tells us that Jesus stood on
1:07:40
the shore, but the disciples knew not that.
1:07:42
It was Jesus. Then Jesus said unto thee, saith
1:07:45
unto them children. Have you any meat and they
1:07:48
answered him? No.
1:07:51
And he saith unto them, cast the net on the right side of the
1:07:54
ship and ye shall find find they cast.
1:07:57
Therefore, and now they were not able to draw it in for the
1:08:00
multitude of fishes at which point.
1:08:03
John in that early Dawn, light grabs Peter and says Peter, it
1:08:10
is the Lord we've seen this before at which point, Peter
1:08:14
puts on his Fisherman's cloak and he jumps into the sea and
1:08:17
swims to shore. Can you and he comes in to
1:08:21
Shore? And I love this verse 9, as soon
1:08:27
as they were come to land, they saw a fire of coals there and
1:08:30
fish laid, thereon and bread. He has a nice warm breakfast
1:08:37
ready for them. After a discouraging night of
1:08:40
catching nothing, and now they've got the the Nets filled.
1:08:43
So they bring up the fish to land verse 11, Simon Peter went
1:08:48
up and Drew the net to land full of great.
1:08:50
Fishes and 153, huh? 153 Tells you something.
1:08:59
They counted them. They're pretty proud of this
1:09:02
catch. We've numbered these fish.
1:09:05
And now, you get this incredible teaching moment where jesus
1:09:10
takes Peter aside and verse 15 says, so when they had dined,
1:09:16
Jesus saith to Simon Peter Simon son of Jonas.
1:09:22
Lovest, thou me more than these implication being these, these
1:09:26
153 fish and he says unto him. Yea Lord, thou knowest.
1:09:30
That I love thee and he saith unto him.
1:09:34
Feed my lambs and we think okay good that's a great lesson.
1:09:40
But Jesus says verse 16 Simon son of Jonas lovest thou me and
1:09:46
he saith unto him. Yea Lord thou knowest that I
1:09:48
love thee. He says unto him feed my sheep
1:09:53
and then the third time Simon son of Jonas lovest thou me
1:09:56
Peter was grieved because he said and said unto him.
1:10:00
The third time, lovest thou me and he said unto him.
1:10:02
Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee
1:10:07
and Jesus saith unto him feed my My sheep Elder, Jeffrey or
1:10:13
Holland. Gave a great talk in general
1:10:15
conference. Many years ago about this
1:10:17
passage and this idea that Peter didn't come to this earth to
1:10:22
become galilee's. Most prolific fisherman, he came
1:10:27
to this earth, to be the chief Apostle of the Lord, Jesus
1:10:31
Christ and to go and feed his sheep.
1:10:34
Not catch fish and to feed the Lambs.
1:10:39
And then Jesus prophesies to Peter after the manner of death,
1:10:44
that he's going to experience in verse 18.
1:10:47
When thou shalt be old, Thou shalt they foul shalt stretch
1:10:50
forth, thine hands and another shall gird thee and carry their
1:10:53
carry thee. Whither, thou wouldest not and
1:10:57
then the descriptor there in verse 19 is about his death and
1:11:02
then this invitation and when he had spoken this, he saith unto
1:11:06
him follow. Me.
1:11:10
The whole curriculum of the church that was introduced by
1:11:14
our prophets and seers. And revelator's was given a
1:11:17
beautiful name. Come follow me.
1:11:21
And here, the Lord is concluding this experience with Peter with
1:11:26
that simple invitation follow me.
1:11:30
Don't go fishing. That's your former life.
1:11:32
I want you to be a new creature. Follow me.
1:11:37
And Peter then turned and saw John following them.
1:11:41
And he starts asking this question about, what are you,
1:11:45
what are you doing with John? And verse, 22 says, Jesus saith
1:11:49
unto him. If I will that he tarry till I
1:11:51
come? What is that to thee?
1:11:53
Follow thou me. It's his invitation to say, stop
1:11:58
comparing stop looking at what I'm doing with other people and
1:12:01
what I promised other people focus on me, Peter, don't look
1:12:05
at John, look at me. Me if you're so focused on
1:12:08
following Jesus, you don't have time to compare where other
1:12:12
people are at on their path of following Jesus.
1:12:16
And frankly, it's kind of irrelevant other than inviting
1:12:19
them to follow him and isn't it, isn't it amazing?
1:12:24
This blessing this privilege to have prophets seers and
1:12:27
revelator's on the earth with us today and when we say, follow
1:12:31
the prophets, we know who they're following and we know
1:12:35
how closely they're following. Savior.
1:12:38
So consequently, we know who we're following.
1:12:41
So if we keep our Focus fixed on the Savior, and on his living
1:12:46
prophets, studying the scriptures through the lenses of
1:12:49
the Lord Jesus Christ. The path is is sure it's marked.
1:12:54
He is the way we're going to follow and become more like him
1:13:00
and it's such a beautiful conclusion to this.
1:13:02
Resurrection story. Notice the wording in these last
1:13:06
two verses. 24 and 25. It seems to be written by other
1:13:12
people. After the fact as a testimony
1:13:15
tacked, onto the end of John's testimony of this, this
1:13:18
invitation to follow. Thou me given to Peter.
1:13:21
Look at verse 24. This is the disciple, which
1:13:25
testify ass of these things and wrote these things and we know
1:13:29
that his testimony is true. So somebody speaking about John
1:13:33
now from a group third-person perspective and then this
1:13:39
beautiful verse 25. And there are also many other
1:13:44
things which Jesus did the, which if they should be written,
1:13:47
everyone. I suppose that even the world
1:13:49
itself could not contain the books that should be written.
1:13:54
Amen. Amen.
1:13:56
So, as we conclude this episode on the resurrection, this
1:14:01
greatest of great events in the history of the universe as far
1:14:04
as we're concerned. What a privilege it is to add
1:14:08
Our Testimony to the many, many testimonies given before these
1:14:13
for in the gospels, as well as countless people Through the
1:14:18
Ages testifying that Jesus is the Christ that he did.
1:14:22
Indeed die on calvary's Cross, he was laid in the Tomb and
1:14:27
heroes triumphant and came forth from the grave and he sits today
1:14:31
and throned in Yonder Heavens as the resurrected glorified, Son
1:14:35
of God. And perhaps more importantly as
1:14:38
our savior and Redeemer or more specifically, your savior and
1:14:44
Redeemer and we invite you to add your testimony, your gospel
1:14:50
to these that we've been studying and we leave that with
1:14:54
you as we celebrate this Easter lesson in the Glorious name of
1:15:00
Jesus Christ. Amen.
1:15:04
Know that you're loved and spread light.
1:15:06
And goodness.