Sunday School 16 - Mosiah 1-3

Class, 

Mosiah 3:19 says, "For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father."

The story starts with the gathering of the people of Benjamin. I believe it was a holiday and dedication and ordination of his son to the kingdom of Benjamin. The people pointed their tent doors to the temple and the audience was so big the talk was written and handed around. Benjamin made an effort to show his personal service to his people. He showed that the government was upon his shoulders and he had tried to show tremendous effort to show that he would show God that he had tried to be accountable for his people. In his talk he showed how he wanted to be the man that took any trial God would give him.

We are sons and daughters of a king, the King of Heaven. When we are tried we need to see as parents, we try our own children with pain (doctor and dental visits) and mental trials too (school and church). These trials spark us to better and greater things. The apostles like to quote Plutarch saying...

"The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be kindled" 

Benjamin wanted us to know the same. Our children, investigators, classmates are the kindling meant to spark. The gospel intices us to research and look for God where ever he can be found; scriptures prayer, fasting, fiction, nonfiction, music, movies etc. He is in everything if you look for Him. He is in the stars and adoms, the beginning to the present, He seems to part of your life.

Now we need to put off the natural man. Paul asks us to crucify it (Galatians 5:24). CS Lewis said speaking as if God...

"Give me all of you!!! I don’t want so much of your time, so much of your talents and money, and so much of your work. I want YOU!!! ALL OF YOU!! I have not come to torment or frustrate the natural man or woman, but to KILL IT! No half measures will do. I don’t want to only prune a branch here and a branch there; rather I want the whole tree out! Hand it over to me, the whole outfit, all of your desires, all of your wants and wishes and dreams. Turn them ALL over to me, give yourself to me and I will make of you a new self---in my image. Give me yourself and in exchange I will give you Myself. My will, shall become your will. My heart, shall become your heart." 

It is hard to not be angry, jealous, bigoted, lustful, proud etc. It's natural to be such but when we think of such, God doesn't come to mind. He is kind, benevolent, charitable, slow to anger, quick to warn, etc. Benjamin wanted us to work, work hard to know God, know his Joy, Charity, His Faith in us. We may go though rough days, death, pain and sorrow may fill some of those days but know this, the pain and suffering of the Savior increased His compassion for the rough times we may be called to go though. God watched His son die, but more than that, He has been there for every death, every pain. He he rescues when it's to your benefit and allows it for the same purpose. Everyone goes through w wine press so that others can taste the sweetness and bitterness and share in our sorrow and faith (deep resounding trust) that we have experience. 

Brothers and sisters we are here for a purpose, to learn, share and grow. Do your best and you will see the blessings of God. Have a great week. 

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