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TO THOSE LITTLE OF STATURE (Luke 19:1-10)
ICEBREAKER
Ah, I’m so excited to cover this little story found in Luke 19. The story of Zacchaeus. Now let me begin by admitting that I can’t even SPELL this man’s name right even when I’m looking straight at it in the scriptures, and so I wouldn’t consider myself an expert on its pronunciation, but I did look up a video on how to pronounce it and they said it Zacchaeus. Which is actually how I’ve always said it, but I’ve also heard people call him Zach e us or Zach a us. But either way, regardless of how you say his name, it’s a charming story with a profound message.
So for an icebreaker you’ll need a crisp new 20$ bill and an old, crumpled up and dirty 20$ (and sidenote, I didn’t make this one up, I got this idea from a Dieter F. Uchtdorf talk way back in April 2010) But what you do is take out the new 20-dollar bill, and ask, how much is this worth? Answer: 20$. Then you take out the crumpled and dirty 20-dollar bill and ask the same question, how much is this worth? And again, the answer is 20$. Now why is that? This one is so much cleaner, newer, and nicer? Why are they worth the same? Because, in our economy, no matter what the bill looks like on the outside or how worn or used or unappealing it looks, it still retains its full 20-dollar value.
TRANSITION
Now I want you to keep this principle in mind as we take a look at the story of a man named Zacchaeus in Luke chapter 19.
SEARCH
So let’s begin by learning a little more about this man with a marking activity. I want you to look for and mark all the things we learn about Zacchaeus in vs. 1-4, and vs 7. What words are used to describe him?
And there we see that he was:
Chief among the publicans-which means he was a tax collector
He was rich-as many of the tax collectors were
He was little in stature-which means he was short, just a little guy
And he is described as being a sinner-at least in the eyes of the people in his community. That’s the way he was perceived. His profession automatically brought that label with it.
And as you look at that list, you begin to realize why the people of Jericho might have been tempted to treat him the way they do. And how do they treat him? Verses 1-4
And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho.
2 And, behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich.
3 And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.
4 And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see him: for he was to pass that way.
Ah, and I really do love this story and Zacchaeus as a personality. There’s just something delightfully charming about picturing this little guy enthusiastically shimmying up the tree to see Jesus. I mean, you just don’t usually see grown men climbing trees.
But how did the people treat him? Mark their reaction in a different color. I would mark the phrase “and could not for the press”. They crowd him out. They despised him. He has a job they despise, publican, a social status they despise, rich, a religious status they despise, sinner, and besides all that, he’s short, so he has a physical appearance that they despise. And I can just imagine him trying to make his way through the crowd to see Jesus and people just blocking him, and mumbling, “Oh boy, here comes Zacchaeus,” and shoving their backs closer together to obstruct his way. There was nobody willing to say, “Hey Zacchaeus, come on up here, I know it’s hard for you to see, let me help you through the crowd.” And that phrase: “he was little in stature” really stands out to me. I know that means that he was short, but more than that, in their eyes, he’s little in stature. He’s seen as less than them. They look down on him literally, and figuratively. He’s not part of the “press” or the “crowd.” He’s little in social stature.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
Now we’re going to pause here for a moment to liken the scriptures to ourselves. In our day, what are some of the things that make people “little of stature” in the eyes of others? What are some of the reasons we exclude people, ignore them, or look down on them?
And we would probably come up with a lot of the same reasons that the people of Jericho despised Zacchaeus for, right? Perhaps there is something about their physical appearance that we don’t approve of, they’re too tall, too short, too overweight, not “beautiful” in the worldly sense, they dress differently, they have a disability, maybe even racial or ethnic differences cause us to see them differently. Maybe it’s something about their personality, They’re a little odd, socially awkward, they do something that’s annoying, or they have some quirks about them or some weaknesses that make them “little of stature” in our eyes. Maybe we see them differently because of their religious status, they aren’t active, or they’re not religious at all, they live according to different standards. Zacchaeus’s are all around us: in our workplaces, our wards, our schools, in the lunchroom and hallways, in our neighborhoods, and just in society in general. They’re the people that for whatever reason just don’t seem to fit in. Or, we don’t allow them to fit in. They are not part of the “press”, the “in crowd.” So they get pushed to the margins—left on the outside looking in, or up in their trees, alone, looking down, just hoping to maybe catch a glimpse of the excitement that everybody else seems to be experiencing.
SEARCH
Now let’s read the rest of the story because Jesus is going to show us, by example, what we should do, when we encounter the Zacchaeus’s of our lives.
Read verses 5-10 and mark the phrases in a different color that show how Jesus treated Zacchaeus and make that your label.
5 And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to day I must abide at thy house.
6 And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.
7 And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner.
And maybe we should pause and mark that verse in our “How the people treated him” color. They murmur about Jesus going to be his guest because of the way they see him. “What?” they complain, “Jesus is going to Zacchaeus’s house? That short little sinner guy? Oh brother. Why him? He’s the last person in the city who I would expect a man like Jesus to want to spend time with.”
8 And Zacchaeus stood, and said unto the Lord: Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken any thing from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.
So he really is a good man. He’s not dishonest and he tries to make things right if a mistake has been made.
9 And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham.
10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.
So what could we mark here? Some possible answers:
:5 He saw him. We too need to see these people, not ignore them, or look right through them. Jesus was capable of seeing the individual through the crowd.
Also in vs. 5 “for today I must abide at thy house.” Jesus abode with him. He did much more than just notice him. He didn’t just wave or acknowledge his existence. He spent time with him, he gave him his attention and friendship. And I just think that that’s a wonderful visual for us consider. I just picture Jesus looking up at this little man clinging to his branch in the sycamore tree and with a pleased look on his face saying, “Zacchaeus, come on down! For today I MUST abide at THY house.” I like the word MUST, “I’ve just gotta hang out with you. I’m going to have lunch with you.” And then Zacchaeus , overjoyed, slides down the tree trunk to spend the day with Jesus. Of all the people Jesus could have had lunch with that day in the entire city of Jericho, he picks Zacchaeus.
We also might want to highlight how Jesus saw him in vs. 9. Earlier we discovered that when the people saw Zacchaeus, they saw a sinner, a traitor, an outcast, somebody little of stature. But what did Jesus see according to vs. 9?
He saw a son of Abraham. The Jews prided themselves as being the children of Abraham. He was the Father of their nation. And that’s significant because the people did not see Zacchaeus as one of them. This was Jesus’s way of reminding them that Zacchaeus was one of them, a fellow brother of their nation. Or maybe we would say: Jesus sees the son or daughter of God in everyone. In his eyes, there is NOBODY that sits outside that circle of his concern, his love, and his value.
And then I see two more verbs in verse 10 that we could add to our list here. Seek and save. Jesus sought these kinds of people out and endeavored to save them. And many of them really do need our saving. In many cases, the Zacchaeus’s and Zacchaeurina’s out there really struggle. They struggle to find their place, they struggle with their sense of self-worth, they struggle with life in general. And sometimes all it takes is a “Jesus” to come along and show them love, and attention, and that they are worth something in somebody else’s eyes.
TRUTH
So, our truth here: When I encounter the Zacchaeus’s of my life, I can follow the example of the Savior by:
:5 Seeing them
:5 Abiding with them (giving them my time and attention)
:9 Recognizing their worth as sons and daughters of God
:10 Seeking them out
:10 Saving them
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
Two things.
One, I would ask: Have you ever had an experience where somebody reached out to you like Jesus did that day with Zacchaeus in Jericho? What happened and how did it make you feel?
And you may want to share an experience like this of your own. I remember being in a situation in high school where I didn’t know anybody, and I felt very out of place, awkward, and uncomfortable. I was the Zacchaeus in that situation. And a young man deliberately came over, sat down next to me, and started talking to me like we were old friends. I was so grateful for that. It changed everything. I might have decided to never go back to that place if it wasn’t for him. Interestingly enough, that young man became one of my best friends. But I don’t think that would have happened if he had not “seen me” that day in my own sort of “sycamore tree” and “abiding” with me. He was following the example of the Savior that day.
Second, I like to give my students the “Zacchaeus Challenge”. I hand out to them this small sheet of paper that I’ve created and invite them to place it into their scriptures, sticking out the edge, when they’re done filling it out. Or if they don’t have paper scriptures, I ask them to put it somewhere where they are sure to see it. We’re more likely to do something if we physically write it down and put it into a place where we are sure to encounter it later. And the handout invites them to think of and write down the name of a “Zacchaeus” in their world. It asks:
Write down the name of a “Zacchaeus” in your own life.
And I’m confident that everybody should be able to think of at least one. Zacchaeus’s are all around us. And if they’re uncomfortable actually writing that person’s name down where it might be seen by someone else, then they’re welcome to either skip that step or just write their initials or some code word in its place. But then, encourage them to ponder this question.
What will you do to follow the example of the Savior the next time you see them?
And they should ponder a specific way that they could show that person Christlike love and attention like Jesus did that day in Jericho. Jesus decided to have lunch with his Zacchaeus, and he publicly defended his character and worth. What does that look like for us? Maybe it means we sit down with them at their lunch table or call them over to join ours with our group of friends. Maybe it means striking up a conversation with them and asking how they’re doing. Maybe it means inviting them to an activity, or dinner at our house. It may even be just as simple as smiling at them and saying hi. That would at least be a start. So what are you going to do? Once and only once you have carried out your plan can you remove your paper from your scriptures.
OR
There is another way to view and interpret this parable. Maybe you don’t see yourself as a part of the crowd in the parable. Maybe you feel like YOU are the Zacchaeus. You feel like you are the one on the outside of the press, looking in, or up in your tree, all alone. What’s the message of the parable for you? if you see yourself as a Zacchaeus, please recognize your value to Him and how much He loves you and is aware of you. Jesus always sees the individual through the press, and I can guarantee that HE SEES YOU. And he always has time for you. You are always welcome in his kingdom, regardless of how the people around you treat you. So come down out of your tree and be sure to sup with the Master.
CONCLUSION
So back to our analogy of the 20$ bill. How are people like that? It doesn’t matter what we look like on the outside, or how used up we might feel, or unappealing we think we are, we are all the same value. This is the way Jesus sees us. We are of incredible worth. Remember D&C 18:10—"The worth of souls is great in the sight of God.” AND THEREFORE, it’s the way that we can seek to see everybody else. When we see the Zacchaeus’s and Zacchaeurina’s, let’s not just stop at seeing them. Let’s invite them down from their trees and abide with them, for they also are sons and daughters of God. Let’s “SEEK TO SEE AND SAVE THOSE IN THE SYCAMORE TREES”
TRIUMPHAL ENTRY
ICEBREAKER
For an icebreaker, try this out:
Ask: Have you ever met anybody famous? What happened? And how did you feel when you met them?
Almost certainly there will be somebody in your classes that will have had some kind of an experience with a celebrity of some sort. And I’ve found that this question can be a really fun way to get the class talking and a bit more comfortable with each other. So let a few share, or even share an experience of your own. I might tell the story of the time I met and sat next to Steve Young at a priesthood session of general conference.
TRANSITION
Then transition to the scriptures by telling them that when Jesus entered Jerusalem for the last time, many of the people welcomed him as a celebrity of sorts. This event in the life of the Savior marks the beginning of what some call “Holy Week” or the final week of the Savior’s life. We refer to this particular event as, “The Triumphal Entry”. Through the three years of his ministry, Jesus had come to be quite popular throughout the entire Judean region and well-known by both friend and foe. Additionally, the miracle of the raising of Lazarus from the dead had really cemented his reputation as a miracle worker and proclaimed Messiah. So as he makes his way into Jerusalem we get to see a number of different reactions to his “entry”. How did people receive him?
SEARCH
Use the following handout to find those reactions. Look up the identified references and write down the reaction that you see. And if you do that you’ll find that in:
Matthew 21:15 They were sore displeased. This was the reaction of the chief priests and the scribes.
Mark 11:8-10 There was rejoicing, shouting of praise, people lay their garments down on the ground and cut down palm leaves and straw them in the way. They shout Hosanna! Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. They welcome him with great fanfare.
Mark 11:18 However, not everyone shares the same enthusiasm. There are people in the crowd that “sought to destroy him for they feared him.” This is referring to the Pharisees who are none-too-happy about Jesus making an appearance and his apparent popularity amongst the people.
Luke 19:48 Still, there were people that were “Very attentive to hear him”.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
Now let’s see if we can’t liken the scriptures to ourselves here. Imagine the city of Jerusalem represents you, your life. And every day, and every week, Jesus comes to our gates and requests to come in. How do we react when we encounter Jesus or his teachings? Which of the four reactions best describes our attitude when those matters of his gospel come riding in? Then invite your students to put check marks next to the reaction that best describes the way that they feel when the following gospel matters encounter us. Nobody else needs to see their answers but invite them to honestly ponder their response. Then identify the following items. General Conference. How do we respond when general conference weekend approaches? Is it, oh no, 10 hours of church this weekend! You gotta be kidding me. Do we get “sore displeased”? Or do you say, Yes! We get to hear the words of living prophets, Hosanna ,I can’t wait to hear what President Nelson has to say. I’m going to wave my palm leaf as Elder Holland approaches the stand. I am going to be very attentive to hear them.
How about commandments? Do we fear them? Seek to destroy them from our lives? Oh no, they’re talking about temple work again. Another lesson on obedience. Come on. I don’t want to hear about keeping the Sabbath Day holy. Please don’t bring up that topic, that’s the one thing I struggle with. Or do we react to the commandments with rejoicing, “Yes, I’m so glad we have this guidance to keep us safe from the consequences of sin.” Hosanna, I needed to hear that today, I’m going to try to do better at that one.
And just ask them to ponder their response to each of the following things: Scripture study, prayer, church, serving in a calling, ministering. In each of these areas, is it a “triumphal entry” into our lives, or a “sore displeased” entry?
Riding on a Donkey
After that activity, another thought. I believe there’s something significant about the WAY in which Christ enters Jerusalem. On a donkey. Why do you think he rode in on a donkey? What’s the message in that?
And I believe there’s much more to the answer to that question than just to fulfill some Old Testament prophecy found in the book of Zechariah, but to teach us something about his character. In Jesus’s day, when a general or a conqueror had won some kind of great victory in battle, he would ride into the city on a war horse with great pomp and celebration. That was referred to as a triumphal entry into the city. Jesus rides a donkey. What message was he trying to send with that? Perhaps he’s emphasizing the fact that he was a different kind of conqueror. Like he said in Luke 9:56 .
56 For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. . . .
He was not the warrior Messiah that the Jews expected to come and save them from Romans, but the carpenter and teacher Messiah, who came to save them (and all of us) from death and sin. This ride was in honor of THAT victory.
1
Remember that that’s the way Jesus is going to approach us too. He’s not going to force it down our throats. He’s not going to coerce, or bully, or intimidate us into doing his will. Jesus is all about invitation and the honoring of agency. At this point in the plan, that’s the methodology. Now there will come a day when he comes differently. And that’s the Second Coming. In the Book of Revelation, John describes Christ descending from the heavens on a white warhorse in Revelation 19:11, to reprove and defeat all evil. All those who time and time again refused to accept him in his gentle, unintimidating, inviting, donkey riding state. Only after he has given them many opportunities to accept him. I guess the question for us is: Which animal do we want to receive Jesus riding on in our lives? Do we want the donkey riding Jesus? Or the warhorse Jesus? Because one way or another, he’s coming. “Every knee shall bow” and “every tongue confess” that Jesus is the Christ.” (Philippians 2:10-11)
Cleansing the Temple
And then, when we do invite Christ into the Jerusalem of our lives, what is going to be Jesus’s first order of business? What was the first thing he did the next day after entering the city? Look for the answer in Mark 11:15-17
And the answer is that he cleanses the temple. He drives out the moneychangers and the people buying and selling there. And as a teacher, you could choose a lot of different ways to approach this story. You could talk about the sacred nature of the temple, or about righteous anger and the necessity to “reprove betimes with sharpness”. But what I like to do is to continue with the comparison that Jesus entering the city is like Him and his Gospel entering our lives. So, how can the cleansing of the temple relate? What is one of the things you can expect Jesus to do if you invite him sincerely into your life?
And I believe they’ll make the connection that Jesus will seek to cleanse us of the things that don’t belong there. We’re all familiar with the statement that our bodies are like a temple, right. Jesus wants our temples to be clean. And so when he comes in, He and his gospel will, very directly, challenge us to clean up! He’s probably going to demand that we get rid of some things that shouldn’t be there.
And I love the juxtaposition of these two stories right next to each other. At one moment, he’s the peaceful, unassuming, carpenter of Galilee riding into the city on a donkey, and the next, he’s tipping over tables, driving out animals, and publicly rebuking people. I think it’s important for us to understand both sides of his character and to be careful about overemphasizing either. In my experience, in the Church, we tend to emphasize the triumphal entry Jesus rather than the cleansing the temple Jesus. But he’s both. Jesus is the loving, forgiving, “suffer the little children to come unto me”, “neither do I condemn thee”, “weep at the funeral of Lazarus”, kind of Redeemer. But on the other hand, he is also a “rebuke the Pharisees”, “get thee behind me Satan”, “close the door on the unprepared 5 virgins”, “You have made my father’s house a den of thieves” kind of Redeemer too. When you welcome Jesus into your life, don’t be surprised if he starts to require some changes. When he asks you to clean up certain things out of your life-- to put out the “moneychangers” of your spirit and the things that just don’t belong in your temple. And that can be painful sometimes.
As Jeffrey R. Holland once reminded us:
“Come as you are,” a loving Father says to each of us, but He adds, “Don’t plan to stay as you are.” We smile and remember that God is determined to make of us more than we thought we could be.
Jeffrey R. Holland (Conference Report, April 2017)
And then, one of my favorite C.S. Lewis quotes:
“Imagine yourself a living house. God comes in to rebuild that house. At first, perhaps, you can understand what He is doing. He is getting the drains right and stopping the leaks in the roof and so on: you knew that these jobs needed doing and so you are not surprised. But presently he starts knocking the house about in a way that hurts abominably and does not seem to make sense. What on earth is He up to? The explanation is that He is building quite a different house from the one you thought of –throwing out a new wing here, putting on an extra floor there, running up towers, making courtyards. You thought you were going to be made into a decent little cottage: but He is building a palace. He intends to come and live in it Himself.”
(Mere Christianity)
And I would change just one word in that quote and replace the word palace with the word temple.
TRUTH
When Jesus enters into my life, receive Him with rejoicing, and expect some cleansing.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
Have them answer the following questions in a journal or on a sheet of paper.
What about Jesus or his gospel makes you want to shout Hosanna and wave palm leaves in the air? For me, it’s his message of mercy and atoning grace. THAT makes me want to shout Hosanna.
What do you need to allow Jesus to cleanse out of your life? You know, have we allowed the adversary to set up shop in any area of our temples? Our language, our media choices, our thoughts, the way we treat others. Can we allow him to cleanse that part of ourselves? Maybe sometimes, for our own good, Jesus needs to come in with a little more sharpness or admonition to correct those things. Sometimes he’s got to braid the little whip to “whip us into shape” a little. Not a big whip, a little one, just enough to make us realize that it’s vital we make a change.
CONCLUSION
And so, I encourage us all to invite Him in. Let’s let Jesus have a triumphal entry into every area of our lives. When we see him coming, in any form that takes, I urge us all to rejoice and shout Hosanna for his presence and his message. Remember that he’ll come on a donkey, in peace and in the spirit of invitation. And then, once he’s in, let’s not be surprised when he starts to cleanse us. Let’s allow him to get to work on us so that we can become the temples he knows we can be. And I can promise that if we do, he will make us into something far greater and more exquisite than we ever thought we could be.
THE TWO GREAT COMMANDMENTS (Matthew 22:35-40)
ICEBREAKER
For an icebreaker to this next section I would do some kind of an object lesson on the importance of balance. And here’s one idea. Bring in a 2x4 and lay it flat on the ground. And then invite a student to come and walk across your impromptu balance beam. More than likely, they’ll be able to do it. But then tell them that you’re going to have them try it again but with a bit more of a challenge to it. Then you invite them to walk across the beam while carrying some kind of weight in one hand. That weight could be a weight from a weightlifting set or a stack of books, or any object or group of objects that has some heft to it and require them to hold it away from their body. They won’t be able to do it. The weight will be too great on one side of the board for them to keep their balance. But then, tell them you’re going to give them one more chance to do it. You’re not going to take away the weight from their hand, but that you are going to add more weight for them to carry. BUT they can carry the weight in the other hand. Now what this should do, is make it much easier for them to balance as they walk across the beam as the weights equal each other out.
TRANSITION
This little activity illustrates the importance of balance. If you weight only one side of anything it’s going to fall. If you’re going to add any kind of weight to the equation, then two objects of equal size should be placed on opposing sides to help balance it out. That principle holds true spiritually as well. When it comes to gospel principles, we must always seek to find and maintain a balance between extremes. The adversary always works in extremes. It doesn’t matter to him which side of a principle we fall off of, as long as we fall. For example, we must seek to find a balance between the principles of faith and works, justice and mercy, heart, and mind. And when it comes to obedience, we might err by being drawn to the extreme of toxic perfectionism on one side and complete and total apathy on the other. There’s a middle way between those two extremes that we must seek to find. And we must seek that principle of balance in all gospel truths. Almost anything can be taken to an unhealthy extreme. Well in Matthew 22:35-40 we find illustrated one of the most important balances that Jesus ever taught.
SEARCH
What is it? What two gospel principles does Jesus talk about here that must have balance? Let’s read it together.
35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.
38 This is the first and great commandment.
39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
What are the two principles? Love God, and love your neighbour. Those are balancing principles. And here I might tape or place some labels on the two weights I used in the object lesson. “Love of God” on one, and “Love of Fellow Man” on the other, and refer to them throughout the lesson. Something that I find fascinating here is that Jesus felt compelled to add that second commandment to his answer. That wasn’t part of the lawyer’s initial question. He just asked what the greatest commandment was. And the greatest commandment is to love the Lord thy God. But Jesus felt compelled to tack that on to the end of his first answer. As if he couldn’t just let that first commandment stand alone. Also, look at how he introduces it. The “second is like unto it” as if to say, “These commandments come in a pair” They are two ends of the same stick. Don’t teach or seek to live ONE without also considering the other.
And I would ask my class “Why? Why is it so important to keep both in mind?” What happens if I overemphasize one at the expense of the other? What if I only consider my love for God and his commandments, but I don’t consider my fellow man? Or, what if I only consider my love for my fellow man but not for God? And let them ponder that for a minute. And I want YOU to ponder that for a minute. Why?
Because if you overemphasize one at the expense of the other, you can very quickly find yourself in dangerous spiritual territory. What do I mean by that?
Think of this world’s religious history. What kinds of things have been done to people in the name of a love or devotion to God? Sadly, terrible things. Because, if I just consider my love for God, but I’m not so concerned about my fellow man, and I don’t consider his/her agency or well-being, that’s where we get things like suicide bombers, terrorist attacks, crusades, inquisitions, burnings at the stake, holy wars, mercy killings, and a slew of other terrible atrocities that have been committed in the name of a zeal for God. Or on a different level, a person may find themself focusing so much on THEIR own relationship with God or matters of the work of his gospel that they may begin to neglect their families or people in their communities. Or, I may upset this balance by focusing so much on my commitment to doctrine, ordinances, proper authority, accurate beliefs, and proper religious practices, that I dismiss, ignore, look down on, or mistreat those who disagree with me on those matters. As a missionary, I can upset this balance if all I want to do is go around and prove everybody else wrong with a “We have the truth” kind of attitude, without a love and concern for them and their well-being. As Paul taught in 1 Corinthians 13:
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
I mean, that’s a perfect way of describing how somebody may do great things in the name of God, but if they have no charity or love for their fellow man, it means nothing. It’s out of balance. Or . . .
On the other hand, though, what if all I do is focus on a love of man and not of God? What problems could that cause? Well then, we may begin to tolerate almost any behavior under the sun, no matter how unrighteous, or in opposition to God’s plan, in the name of love for mankind. We may begin to see everything as relative morality, that nothing anybody does is really right or wrong, it just depends on the person. We may begin to enable people in spiritually destructive behaviors. And that’s not a love for our fellow man at all. Perhaps this could be manifest in indulgent parenting or teaching or leadership that holds no accountability or expectations over those they have responsibility for. This imbalance could also manifest itself by someone giving in to peer pressure or going along with the crowd so as not to cause any friction, make a scene, or just to keep the peace. Sometimes we need to stand up and stand up boldly for the truth, in a “Captain Moroni and the title of Liberty”, or “Let your light so shine before men” kind of way, regardless of who it offends or upsets.
So why was Jesus sure to declare both commandments? Because there must be a balance and a commitment to both God and man to truly walk his path of discipleship. Maybe that’s why God referred to his path as a straight and narrow one, like our balance beam here.
And as in all things, Jesus is the perfect example of this balance. Can you think of any stories from the life of the Savior that demonstrate a love for both God and man?
A couple of stories that come to my mind. How about the woman taken in adultery? He showed love for her by not condemning her, and a love for God and his commandments by directing her to go and sin no more.
There’s the story where James and John desire to call down fire from heaven to consume the Samaritan village that refused to allow Christ to enter. Jesus shows a love for man by rejecting their solution and a love for God by seeking to teach Samaritans his gospel whenever he had the chance.
The cleansing of the temple that we just looked at is an example of this. He showed a zeal for God by clearing out his Father’s house, but he didn’t hurt people or cause injury.
And on and on, all throughout the gospels you can see examples of Jesus walking that path with perfect balance.
And I do understand the point that if I really do love God, I will love my fellow man, because that’s what God’s gospel asks me to do. Loving my fellow man is a part of my love for God. Sadly, people don’t always seem to get that principle. It’s easy, in our enthusiasm and passion for what we believe to be right and true, to look at those who don’t share our conviction as less than, wrong, or delusional. I can’t think of any religion, including our own, that doesn’t have some examples in their histories of loyal believers of their faith doing terrible things to their fellow man in the name of devotion to God.
Now you might recall in our most recent General Conference, President Nelson giving a masterpiece of a talk on this very idea. I recommend you read the entire talk but let me just give you a small excerpt that I feel highlights this idea of balance. He said:
“Brothers and sisters, the pure love of Christ is the answer to the contention that ails us today. Charity propels us “to bear one another’s burdens” rather than heap burdens upon each other. The pure love of Christ allows us “to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things”—especially in tense situations. Charity allows us to demonstrate how men and women of Christ speak and act—especially when under fire.
Now, I am not talking about “peace at any price.” I am talking about treating others in ways that are consistent with keeping the covenant you make when you partake of the sacrament. You covenant to always remember the Savior. In situations that are highly charged and filled with contention, I invite you to remember Jesus Christ. Pray to have the courage and wisdom to say or do what He would. As we follow the Prince of Peace, we will become His peacemakers.”
Russell M. Nelson
(Conference Report, April 2023)
What a beautiful way, President Nelson, of illustrating a balancing the two great commandments.
VIDEO
One other idea. You might consider showing this video from President Oaks that specifically covers this topic of loving people and loving God’s law at the same time. Ask your students: What counsel from President Oaks can help us to balance the two great commandments? Look for specific guidance he gives. Then discuss their answers after they watch.
TRUTH
If I truly wish to follow Christ, then I must seek to love both God AND my fellow man.
LIKEN THE SCRIPTURES
I would encourage my students to ponder the following questions:
Am I out of balance in any way in this principle? How might I correct myself?
What could I do to grow in showing my love towards God?
What could I do to grow in showing love towards my fellow man?
CONCLUSION
And my friends, I pray that we can find that balance in walking the Lord’s path. May we seek to always be loyal and committed and staunch defenders of the faith. And may we also be peacemakers and lovers of mankind, full of charity towards all people. That is the mark of a true disciple of Jesus Christ. Someone who has found the middle way and can do both. A person that lives the TWO great commandments.
A quick note on this here before we move on. We’re going to revisit this idea of loving God and others in even more depth when we study the teachings of Christ at the last supper. It’s the major theme of that sermon. Jesus will teach us the best ways TO show love for God and our fellow man.
WE WOULD SEE JESUS
One final, brief thought here. Since many of you out there are teachers, there is a one-verse thought from John 12:21 that I’d like to share with you quickly. This little verse means a lot to me as a teacher. And what’s happening here is that a group of Greeks are visiting Jerusalem and they run into Phillip and make a request of him. They say, “we would see Jesus”. They want to meet with him and talk to him. And what does Phillip do? Does he sit them down and try to teach them himself? Does he try to deflect them to somebody else? Does he ignore their request? No, He immediately brings them to Jesus, who then teaches them. Now that is our role as teachers of the gospel. We are Phillips. Our objective is to bring people to see Jesus. I always like to keep that in mind when I’m preparing a lesson or teaching a lesson. My listeners are not there to see me. The focus should not be on me at all. It’s the Savior. I want them leaving my classroom loving Him, and the scriptures, and the gospel. As teachers, we are merely tools in his hands. And so I try to picture my listeners at the beginning of every class, looking longingly up at me and saying, “We would see Jesus”. And my whole goal and drive is to take them to Him. It’s a very subtle but significant change in perspective and has made a huge difference in my teaching.
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