Watch the video presentation on YouTube at:
To purchase Slides or Handouts go to: https://www.etsy.com/shop/TeachingWithPower
ICEBREAKER
This first icebreaker is going to take just a little bit of prep work to set up. What you need is 100 pennies. You can put them in a jar or a plastic container or just leave them in a pile at the front of the classroom. Ask them: How many pennies do I have? Give a reward to whoever gets the closest. But then, ask them: Turn to 3 Nephi 26:6 to see how much of what Jesus taught the Nephites is recorded in the Book of Mormon? And there we discover that, if we take Mormon literally, not even a hundredth part. At this point, reach into the jar and pull out one penny. Of all that Jesus taught, this is about how much we actually have recorded. Just think of all the other wonderful things Jesus must have taught that we don’t have in the Book of Mormon. Now, in vs.9 he tells us that some of those greater things that Jesus taught would be made manifest in the future and I imagine we have a lot of those things in the Doctrine and Covenants, the Pearl of Great Price and in the collective revelations of our modern prophets. But in the Book of Mormon, what we have is 100th part. Now, with that in mind, what does that tell us about what Mormon DID decide to include then? That what is there, must be the most important things that he felt we should know in the Latter-days since the Book of Mormon was written specifically for us. It gives emphasis to what he did decide to include.
TRANSITION
And that’s why I find it fascinating that there is a message in these chapters that is repeated three separate times. We find basically the same subject matter in chapter 16, 20, and 21. That’s amazing to me. Of all the things he could have included in that hundredth part, he chose to emphasize this particular message even more.
SEARCH
I like to break down this message and summarize it into 6 simple words. If you know these 6 words, you’ll understand the message, and I’m going to let you discover them. Here’s a brief fill in the blank activity that will help you to do that. This will be available as a handout for download. (https://www.etsy.com/shop/TeachingWithPower)
And for fun, especially if you are teaching youth, I have them do this quick fill in the blank activity first to get them in the right frame of mind. The key is to fill in the blank with the word that rhymes with the other and solves the clue. So, for example, If the clue is “a headache” and the given word is BRAIN, what word could you put in the blank that rhymes with brain that would describe the clue? A headache is a BRAIN PAIN. Now see if you can do these others.
A band-aid:
SCRATCH _________
A joust:
________ FIGHT
Gardening:
SOIL _______
An Electrocardiogram:
_________ CHART
A realtor’s job:
____________ SELLING
Chewbacca’s Favorite Dessert:
___________ COOKIE
And here are the answers:
A band aid is a SCRATCH PATCH
A joust would be a KNIGHT FIGHT
Gardening would be SOIL TOIL
An Electrocardiogram would be a HEART CHART
And a Realtor’s job would be DWELLING SELLING
Chewbacca’s Favorite Dessert would be a WOOKIE COOKIE
So, that’s just for fun. But now to the important blanks to fill in. Here are the phrases with the missing key words. Look up each of the suggested references and you are going to find the word that fills in that blank and completes the message. It’s important to note that this message is taught in different orders and with different details and emphasis’s in the actual chapters, but this activity will at least give your students a basic understanding of what is taught in chapters 16, 20 and 21 and then in their personal study, they’ll be able to go through and pick out the message much more clearly and easily. Now when they discover the word, I would encourage them to mark it in each of those verses so that the meaning really stands out. Here we go.
1. In the last days, the Lord will restore the ____________ of his Gospel. (3 Nephi 16:7,16:10, 16:12, 20:28)
2. He will then ____________ his people from the 4 quarters of the earth. (3 Nephi 16:5, 20:13, 20:18, 21:1, 21:24, 21:28)
3. He will give them a _______ for their inheritance. (3 Nephi 16:16, 20:14, 20:29, 20:33, 21:4, 21:22, 21:28)
4. The Gentiles or anyone that accepts the fullness will be _____________ among his people. (3 Nephi 16:3, 16:13, 21:6, 21:22)
5. Together they will build _________. (3 Nephi 16:18, 21:1)
6. Those that do not accept the gospel will be __________ down like a lion among sheep. (3 Nephi 16:14, 16:15, 20:16, 21:12)
The first word. In the last days, the Lord will restore the FULLNESS of his gospel. This is a promise that the Lord made to many prophets of the past. Yes. There would be a general apostasy on the earth, but one day, he would bring about a restoration of his truth and his church. That restoration, of course, began in the year 1820 when a young boy decided to seek wisdom in a grove of trees. In chapter 21:6. Instead of speaking about the fullness of his gospel, he uses a synonymous phrase for the restoration here. Can you find it? He talks about bringing them to the knowledge of the "true points of my doctrine”. That’s the restoration. That’s what the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants teach us. That’s what’s been revealed line upon line, precept upon precept throughout the history of the church up to the modern day. The true points of his doctrine. We have been blessed in the latter days with the fullness of his gospel.
Now with the restoration of that fullness, what’s the next step? Our next phrase. He will then GATHER his people from the four quarters of the earth. That is the major work of the latter-days. The gathering of Israel. In his first big talk to the youth of the church, what was the subject that President Nelson decided to talk about? The gathering of Israel and the youth’s role in accomplishing it. Calling them to be a part of the great youth battalion. Most of what we do in this church is focused on that gathering. We gather by doing missionary work, we gather by perfecting the Saints, we gather by redeeming the dead through temple work. Our calling, our mission, our duty is to gather. There’s another synonym word we could throw in here to add to the idea of gathering. It appears 11 times in chapter 21. The word is work. The gathering if Israel is a great work for us to accomplish. What kind of work is it though? Back breaking work, mind numbing work, busy work. No, verse 9 calls it a great and marvelous work. If you’ve ever sincerely taken part in any aspect of the gathering Israel, you know what he’s talking about. It is great. It is marvelous.
What’s our next word? For this work of gathering, He will give them a LAND for their inheritance. What is the land being talked about here? The Americas—at least to provide them with a starting point for the gathering. We know from the Doctrine and Covenants that God played the decisive role in the creation of the United States. Why? So that there would be a land created where a freedom of religion would allow the restored church to be established and eventually flourish. If you want a little more detail on that you could watch my video for 1 Nephi 11-15 where an angel explains this to Nephi.
Next, the Gentiles, or anyone who accepts the fullness will be NUMBERED among his people. The gospel is for everyone. Nobody is excluded. Remember that Jesus is a one by one kind of deity. Therefore, it shouldn’t surprise us that he numbers his people. Nobody escapes his attention. So as we endeavor to gather Israel, if they accept, they will be numbered. Every year in general conference, the church statistical report is read. It’s a powerful reminder that we, as a church, literally number and record every individual who has made a covenant to follow Christ. Records are important to the church and anyone who wishes to be a part of his church will be accepted and numbered among his people.
Next. Together, they will build what? ZION. The city of the Saints. In early church history, Zion was seen as more of an actual physical location. Kirtland, Independence, Nauvoo and Salt Lake City were all seen and referred types of Zion—a central gathering place for the Saints. And, there is another title for Zion that you could mark in these verses. That name? The New Jerusalem. Now our understanding and definition of what constitutes Zion, or the New Jerusalem has expanded over the years. Now, we define Zion by its stakes. Wherever we have a stake or district or ward or branch, that’s Zion. And Zion has now been established in countries all over the world as more of an idea or unity than a central location. Every time we attend a church meeting, every time we fulfill our callings, every time we minister, every time we pay our tithing or do family history work, we are building Zion.
Now the last word. We know what will happen to those who respond positively to the fullness of the gospel, who allow themselves to be gathered to this land. They are numbered and called to help build up Zion. But what about those who reject the fullness, or who oppose it? What will be their fate? Our last phrase. Those that do not accept the gospel will be TREAD down like a lion among sheep. Now what on earth could that mean? Sounds a little violent doesn’t it. I really don't think it means that church members are encouraged to engage in acts of retaliation against those that refuse to accept the fullness. I think it’s a message to those who will attempt to stop the growth and progress of the church. Trying to do that is like trying to stop a lion with a bunch of sheep. The lion is just going to tear right through them. They don’t even stand a chance. Another image is used in 20:18-19 where a man gathers sheaves together and a bull comes in with brass hooves and stomps on them, separating the wheat from the chaff. There are other images that suggest the same idea in other places in the scriptures. You’re probably most familiar with the the one in Nebuchadnezzar’s dream and interpreted by Daniel of the little stone cut out of the mountain without hands that rolls forth, gaining size and momentum until it breaks in pieces all the kingdoms of the world and fills the whole earth. D&C 65 refers to that same dream. It’s all the same message. And that message is: You can’t stop the church from growing. It’s like trying to stop a lion with sheep, like trying to stop a bull from separating wheat as he treads the sheaving floor, like trying to stop a giant rolling stone with a flimsy statue. It’s just not going to work. Either we become a part of the rolling stone, or we are crushed by it. Either we join the lion, or we are torn by it.
And then, we get yet another image for the church’s growth in 3 Nephi 22:2-3. A tent.
Isaiah says:
2 Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the
curtains of thy habitations; spare not, lengthen thy cords and
strengthen thy stakes;
3 For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left,
and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles and make the desolate
cities to be inhabited.
So the church will spread across the earth like a giant tent. I’m a backpacker, so I know that the more stakes you drive down, the stronger your tent is going to be. Maybe you've wondered why we call them the “stakes" of the church or we go to a “stake center” for “stake” conference. It’s because of this prophecy right here. So many people are going to join the church that they will begin to break forth out of it to the left and to the right. The curtains will have to be stretched, the cords lengthened, and the stakes strengthened.
A 14 BY 14 LOG SCHOOLHOUSE
I love the story Wilford Woodruff shares about a special priesthood meeting held in the little 14 by 14-foot log schoolhouse in Kirtland. An object lesson recommendation. I will often measure out a 14 by 14-foot square in my classroom and mark it with masking tape so that they can visualize that space. I tell them this story took place in a building that size, and at the time, could fit all of the priesthood holders of the church. Compare that to a modern-day priesthood session held in the massive conference center that, even with its immense size can only hold a small fraction of the worldwide priesthood body. Here’s what Wilford Woodruff describes what happened there:
"On Sunday night the Prophet called on all who held the priesthood to gather into the little log schoolhouse they had there. It was a small house, perhaps 14 feet square. But it held the whole of the priesthood of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who were then in the town of Kirtland, and who had gathered together to go off in Zion's camp. That was the first time I ever saw Oliver Cowdery, or heard him speak; the first time I ever saw Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball, and the two Pratts, and Orson Hyde and many others. There were no apostles in the Church then except Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery. When we got together the Prophet called upon the elders of Israel with him to bear testimony of this work. Those that I have named spoke, and a good many that I have not named, bore their testimonies. When they got through the Prophet said: "Brethren I have been very much edified and instructed in your testimonies here tonight, but I want to say to you before the Lord, that you know no more concerning the destinies of the Church and kingdom than a babe upon its mother's lap. You don't comprehend it." I was rather surprised. He said: "It is only a little handful of priesthood you see here tonight, but this Church . . . [will fill the Rocky Mountains] . . . It will fill North and South America-it will fill the world."
Wilford Woodruff, Conference Report, p 57, April 8, 1898
Now, what an incredibly bold statement for Joseph to make under those circumstances. When the church was so small, to make a prophecy of global proportions is really quite something. Some might say presumptuous. But he turned out to be prophetic, didn’t he? And you know what I would really like? I would like to know what he saw that night. What was the vision he had of the church? Obviously, it extended far beyond those circumstances. Did he see our day? Was that what he was looking at? I wonder what would happen if Joseph came to my ward this Sunday and we held a testimony meeting. Maybe we would get up and testify of how amazing the progress of the church has been since his day. Maybe we would triumphantly testify of a conference center filled with priesthood holders, or 16 million members, or 168 dedicated temples, or 67,000 full-time missionaries, or the fact that we have congregations in 160 different countries worldwide. Now I’m not sure, but I just wonder if Joseph would then walk up to the pulpit and say, “Brethren and Sisters, I have been very much edified and instructed in your testimonies here today, but I want to say to you before the Lord, that you know no more concerning the destinies of the Church and kingdom than a babe upon its mother's lap. You don't comprehend it. This church will fill the world.” What did he see that night? Maybe far beyond what we can even fathom now. Did he see 50 million members? 500,000 missionaries? 1,000 temples? Congregations in every single country on the planet? I don’t know, but I imagine we would be very surprised if we could tap into that same vision on that night in a little 14 by 14-foot log schoolhouse in the obscure town of Kirtland Ohio in 1834.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
Some Questions:
What are some of the most exciting Church milestones you’ve witnessed as a member of the church in your lifetime?
What opposition have you seen to the church and what helps you to disregard it?
What are you willing to do to help move the church forward?
CONCLUSION
To conclude this portion, a little story. I remember on my mission in Brazil that the most popular news program in the country did a report entitled “The Mormons of Utah”. Unfortunately, the program wasn’t even about the church. It was about the fundamentalists down in Southern Utah with reports of abuse and scandal. But they never differentiated between that and the actual Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I’ll never forget talking to one of the stalwart members of the church in the area. He was so distraught. He said, “This is going to destroy the church in Brazil.” Well, did that news report destroy the church in Brazil? I’m happy to tell you that no, it didn’t. In fact, that very week two new families were baptized into the ward. There wasn’t even a blip in the growth of the church. The lion was not deterred, the stone was not stopped. Protesters at General Conference, Anti-church websites and books, social crusaders, and apostate groups have never succeeded in slowing let alone stopping the growth of the church. Brigham Young once said that when people kick the church, they only succeed in kicking it upstairs. Whenever we get discouraged by the opposition, let’s keep this prophecy in mind. Maybe that’s why it appears three times in 3 Nephi. So that we never forget the destiny of Christ’s church in the Latter-days.
Joseph Smith famously said:
“The Standard of Truth has been erected; no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done.”
― Joseph Smith Jr. (History of the Church, 4:540.)
THE HERITAGE OF THE SERVANTS
Well, speaking of opposition to the church and opposition in general, 3 Nephi 22 is a beautiful message of comfort to all of the Lord's servants. In fact, in 22:17 he says that this chapter represents the heritage of the servants of the Lord. I like to leave this chapter very open ended with my students and ask one simple question. What is your favorite message of comfort from this chapter and why? Give them time to read, and then let them share. If you allow your students time to study and ponder, this will lead to a meaningful discussion of God’s mercy.
THE GREATEST DEAL EVER
ICEBREAKER
Moving on, I like to start this next section with the following quote and challenge. It was something said by President Joseph F. Smith. He said: “By this principle the loyalty of the people of this Church shall be put to the test. By this principle it shall be known who is for the kingdom of God and who is against it. By this principle it shall be seen whose hearts are set on doing the will of God and keeping his commandments, thereby sanctifying the land of Zion unto God, and who are opposed to this principle and have cut themselves off from the blessings of Zion. There is a great deal of importance connected with this principle, for by it, it shall be known whether we are faithful or unfaithful.
Joseph F. Smith, "Gospel Doctrine, 225”
What is the principle that he’s talking about here? I would call this a litmus test commandment, because it’s not that it’s the most important commandment we can keep, but, like Joseph F. Smith says, it really indicates who is really for the building up of Zion, and who is only partially committed. I call it the great separator. Any ideas on what that would be?
The answer? You could go to 3 Nephi 24:8 for a hint. What is it? Tithing.
TRANSITION
The law of tithing is just one of those things that really separates the committed disciples of Christ’s church. In 3 Nephi 24, Jesus quotes Malachi chapter 3 almost word for word, and Malachi had some very important things to say about tithing. I think it’s significant that Joseph F. Smith said that this principle would be a separating one, because that’s exactly the same perspective that Malachi takes. Malachi begins by speaking of the Second Coming, and he asks a question in verse 2-3.
2 But who may abide the day of his coming, and who shall stand
when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner's fire, and like
fuller's soap.
3 And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; and he
shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver,
that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.
So, the initial question there is, who is going to survive the second coming? Who will abide it? Because when he comes, only the pure will remain. The Second Coming will separate and purge the silver and gold from the dross. Tithing, apparently, is a part of that separating, purging process.
That truth is clearly taught in D&C 64:23
23 Behold, now it is called today until the coming of the Son of Man, and verily it is a day of sacrifice, and a day for the tithing of my people; for he that is tithed shall not be burned at his coming.
Because of this verse, I’ve heard some jokingly refer to tithing as fire insurance. And though I do think it provides us with spiritual protection, I feel that tithing is so much more than that. It’s not something we do because we fear some future painful calamity. In fact, I often refer to tithing as the Greatest Deal ever offered man.
SEARCH
To begin. A question. What does Malachi compare not paying your tithing to in 3 Nephi 24:8-9?
There it says:
8 Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say:
Wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings.
9 Ye are cursed with a curse, for ye have robbed me, even this
whole nation.
So not paying your tithing is like robbing God. Now I can imagine somebody taking offense at that and saying “Hey now, If I don’t pay my tithing, you could accuse me of not being supportive or that I’m unwilling to sacrifice, but robbing God? How is that robbing him? That’s my money, from my paycheck, that I earned, so I’m not robbing anybody.” How would you answer somebody that said that?
The answer is in D&C 104:14-15.
14 I, the Lord, stretched out the heavens, and built the earth, my very handiwork; and all things therein are mine.
15 And it is my purpose to provide for my saints, for all things are mine.
So the answer to that argument is that all things really do belong to God. This is a very important starting point for our discussion on tithing, because if you don’t believe this truth, none of the rest of the points are going to work for you. This is the foundation principle. All things come from God. So I would say to that person. Who blessed you with a healthy body that makes it possible for you to work? Who sent you to the type of situation in life where you could get an education which made it possible for you to get your job? Who blessed you with your mind that allows you to work the way you do and earn what you do? Or King Benjamin’s suggestion: Who gave you your life, and is lending you breath from day to day and moment to moment? Who created the world and its abundance? Really, when it comes down to it. All things are God’s. He’s just allowing us to use them and be stewards of them. Now until you come to that realization, paying your tithing will always be difficult. And you can see why right? If I look at it as God’s money, he is only asking for 10% of what is his, and he is graciously offering you 90% of what’s his. If I look at my paycheck as his, then I can easily say: “Oh, you want 10% of your money, well, sure, I can give you what’s already yours. And I can hold on to 90%. Wow! That’s very gracious of you.
Sometimes for fun, to make this point, I ask if anybody has any cash on them. Usually someone does. And I ask if I can see it. They give it to me and then I turn to another person in the class and hand them the money and say: Here, here you go. It’s yours. And then I say: See, look how easy that ways to give away somebody else’s money. That wasn’t hard for me at all. I can give away your money all day long and it doesn’t affect me. But if it’s my money. Well, that’s a bit harder to do. So start there. All things are God’s, and all he asks is 10% of what’s already his.
Now back to 3 Nephi 24. In verse 10, Malachi is going to tell us what God uses that 10% for. I mean, do we send that money to God, put it in a rocket ship and send it off to Kolob? No, what’s God going to do with money. Is there some big money bin in Salt Lake where they just hold onto it until the millennium and God can collect his due? No. What does the beginning of verse 10 tell us the purpose of tithing is?
It’s so that “there may be meat in my house”. What does that mean? It’s so that God can have a way to run and maintain his house, or his church. in a temporal world, even the church has temporal needs. So what is tithing money used for? To maintain the church. To build chapels and temples, and then continuously maintain those buildings. To pay the electric bills, and the heating and cooling systems, and landscaping to keep the grounds beautiful and conducive to the Spirit. To print hymnbooks and lesson materials. To provide religious education to the youth. To run church programs. And then I like to ask this. We say we are paying tithing to God, but really, who uses the churches and temples? Who uses the hymnbooks and lesson manuals? Who benefits from religious education and other church programs? We do! God doesn’t take those things for himself. He gives it right back! Just in a different form. This is looking like a pretty amazing deal, isn’t it!
4 BLESSINGS
And then, it doesn’t stop there. Then he says, “You know what. Since you are so willing to sacrifice and give up 10% of what actually belongs to me, I’m going to bless you for that. I’m going to give back more than you gave. Now I ask my students to look for all the blessings God promises to those who will offer their tithes in verses 10-12. I see at least four.
He will open the windows of heaven and pour out a blessing that there shall not be room enough to receive it. I love that imagery. I picture that above everyone’s home there is a horizontal window directly above it. And when we offer our tithing, God calls out to the angels, “Open the windows of heaven for the Jones family!” And the angels pull the lever, and, whoosh the windows drop open and out pours the blessings. And you’re like. “AHHHH, I’m drowning in blessings!” There will not be room enough to receive it. Now that can mean temporal blessings and prosperity, but I don’t really think that’s the spirit of it. When most of us hear the word “blessings”, I think our minds immediately go to temporal blessings. I’m so blessed, because I have a home, and a job, and food to eat, and clothing to wear. But I think that’s a pretty limited view of blessings. More importantly, blessings include truth, personal guidance and revelation, happiness, gospel knowledge, comfort, confidence, protection from evil, weaknesses turning into strengths, and on and on, these are the real and most important blessings of life. Gordon B. Hinckley once said: "I do not say that if you pay an honest tithing you will realize your dream of a fine house, a Rolls Royce, and a condominium in Hawaii. The Lord will open the windows of heaven according to our need, and not according to our greed. If we are paying tithing to get rich, we are doing it for the wrong reasons.” I believe that faithful paying of our tithing will provide us with temporal blessings, but more importantly, it will increase in spiritual blessings. They will be poured out upon us.
A second blessing in verse 11. I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes. In this case, I don’t believe the devourer is Satan. Ok. I think it’s another power. If you read the rest of the verse, I think there’s a clue. He shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the fields. I think the devourer, is time. Time will not devour your goods. He will rebuke it. Not destroy it. I think God will still work within the realm of reasonable reality. But I think it could mean that things will last longer for you. You will get more use out of them. Your clothing, your investments, your material possessions. I had an Uncle who owned a truck that he used for his business. He put 400,000 miles on it without any major repairs needing to be done. Other than routine maintenance costs, that truck just lasted and lasted and lasted. God rebuked the devourer of time. He called it his tithing truck, because he sincerely believed that God was blessing him in that way because of his commitment to tithing. My parents washer and dryer lasted for 25 years before it needed to be replaced. They attributed that blessing to tithing. I have seen that in my life too. We have things that have lasted well beyond what was expected. Now I’m not suggesting that if you pay your tithing, you won’t ever have repairs or unforeseen costs or financial issues in your life. I just believe that those kinds of things will be less, will be fewer, if you faithfully make that sacrifice. The devourer will be rebuked or held back for your benefit. We may not even realize the blessings that we’re being given because we just can’t know what would have happened otherwise. What accidents didn’t happen, what things didn’t break down, what pitfalls were avoided. I think it would be cool to someday have revealed to us these “invisible blessings”. To understand and know what would have happened had we not made the sacrifice.
In verse 12, all nations shall call you blessed. We’ll stand out. Our commitment will be recognized and admired by others. Who knows, people from outside the church may say “Wow, look at those members of the Church of Jesus Christ. Did you know they pay 10% of everything they make to their church? Now that’s dedication. Maybe there’s something to them and their gospel”. Perhaps it becomes a great missionary tool.
And finally, “Ye shall be a delightsome land”. Another blessing for tithing. Happiness. God will give you a more delightsome life. Not a trouble free one, but a happy one. I believe this is true. And that has given me a delightsome life.
ORANGE OBJECT LESSON
Well, I hope that these verses have brought you to the conclusion that I’ve come to about tithing. That it is actually the greatest deal that you have ever been offered in life. When you look at it this way, it’s hard to even consider tithing to be a sacrifice. While teaching, if you feel your class is still not quite grasping these concepts, you could try this little object lesson that I’ve used to great effect. I go out and buy 10 oranges and place them in a bucket. I tell my class to imagine the following scenario. You’re walking down the street and a friend walks up to you and says, hey, I want to make a deal with you. And you say, OK, what is it? I have this bucket of 10 oranges, and I want to know if you want them. You say sure, but what’s the catch? And your friend says, well, I’ll give them to you, BUT, (and you’re like, oh, here it comes) I only ask that you give one of them back to me. And you look questioningly at them and say. You mean, I can have the other 9 and you just want me to give 1 back? And they say, yep, that’s it. Deal, or no deal. And you say: OK, deal. They hand you the bucket, and you pluck one of them out and say, “Here you go.” Now that’s our first tithing principle right. All things are God's, and he blesses us with all of that, because all things are his, and all he asks is for 10%. But as you are going to walk away, your friend stops you and says, hang on, (and now your like, oh yeah, now comes the catch). And he runs around the corner, and with that orange that you gave him, he peels and juices it and comes back with a giant glass of orange juice and says, I want you to have this with the orange you gave me, and he hands you the orange juice. See, that’s our second principle of tithing. He gives it right back to us, but in a different form, the blessings of his church. Now you’re about to walk away with your bucket of 9 oranges in one hand, and your glass of orange juice in the other, when he stops you again and says “hang on, one more thing. I’m so impressed that you would be willing to make that kind of deal with me. I’m so grateful for sacrifice in giving up the one orange, you know what I’d like to do for you? And he whistles, and you hear a truck backing up. Beep, beep, beep, and PSSSHHHH, the bed of the truck starts to lift and out pours a giant pile of more oranges, burying you in them. So much that you don’t have room enough to receive them. You look at your friend who has a giant smile on his face and says, “pleasure doing business with you” and he turns and walks away. If that kind of thing happened to you, wouldn’t you say that that was a pretty good deal? Yeah. The greatest kind of deal you’ve probably ever made. That’s tithing right. He will pour out the blessings of heaven from his windows when we are willing to make that special offering.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
Questions you might ask:
Which of the four blessings have you seen come into your life through tithing?
How would you respond to someone that said, “Tithing is ridiculous, the Church asks way too much of us!”
Has the Spirit inspired you to make any changes based on what you learned here? Are you willing to make them?
CONCLUSION
I love the law of tithing. I am so convinced of its power in my life that I wouldn’t dare stop making that offering. I don’t think I could afford it. I don’t have any of those amazing stories where I had to choose between paying my bills or paying my tithing, and then I paid it, and a check out of nowhere appeared. Those kinds of things do happen at times and are wonderful manifestations of these principles. But here’s my experience with tithing. This I know, I’ve always paid it, and I have never known a day of want in my life. God has blessed me immeasurably. Spiritually and temporally. Spiritually more than temporally, but certainly the windows of heaven have poured out their abundance upon me and my family. I believe that Lord will do the same for you through a commitment to this greatest of deals. In the Lord’s refining and separating process before the Second Coming, may you be found on the gold and silver side of things, and not the dross.
3 NEPHI 25 PRINCIPLES WILL BE COVERED NEXT YEAR IN DOCTRINE & COVENANTS 2
3 NEPHI 26-BABES DID OPEN THEIR MOUTHS
And one final thought from chapter 26. In the last part of that chapter, you have this wonderful scene where Christ looses the tongues of the children and even the little babies begin to speak and teach. And they teach great things to the people. Even greater things than Christ himself had taught. I read that and I have to ask myself, why did he do that? What lesson was he trying to teach him and us, with that? I try to visualize it. How would I feel if as a parent, my little 7 year old son turned to me after I’d taught a lesson and said: That was great Dad, but I’d like to teach you some deeper things about the gospel that I don’t think you’ve learned yet. Or can you imagine if you had a little infant in your arms, and it turned it’s innocent little face up to you and then said, “Mom, Dad, I’d really like to teach you some things about the plan of salvation that I think you’ve misunderstood”. That’s the experience these Nephites had. Do you think you could ever look at that child in the same way again after that? Whenever you looked into their faces, you would remember the incredible wisdom that came out of their mouths. I think it’s one of the greatest lessons on humility ever taught. Perhaps it reminds us that even the wisest of us can learn from the simplest. We should all be willing to listen as well as share. One of my favorite things about being a teacher is when my students teach me. And they do. I’ll be honest with you and admit that many of the insights that I teach on this channel have come from things I’ve learned from my students over the years. We’ve got to be willing to learn as teachers, as well as teach. From somebody who has taught the scriptures for many years, I know that sometimes even teaching the gospel can be a temptation to pride. When we get a little too used to hearing the sound of our own voices teach important things. Whenever I’m tempted to feel that pride, I remember this story in 3 Nephi. What greater way of demonstrating humility in teaching is there than what Christ does here. He allowed them to teach even greater things than he himself had taught. I think most of us I think would want to teach the most beautiful truths or the best stories, or the most important lessons. I know I feel that way sometimes. But Christ allowed the perceived least among the people (the little children) to teach the highest, and deepest, and most beautiful things. Hopefully, we can remain teachable teachers and be willing to open our ears as well as our mouths.
Comments