3 Nephi 19

Verses 1-18: Christ's Church in Ancient America Begins

What does this teach me about the atonement?

This is the beginnings of the atonement's fruits, meaning that its power is beginning to multiply and to change people. I love the portrayal of the people's excitement at Jesus's coming, and the image of the people being divided into twelve bodies and ministered to by the twelve.  We see that Christ's power and influence is being transferred to His representatives on earth, and that they are teaching and caring for them as Christ would. This is the way Christ works.  He authorizes the spiritual transactions, beginning with baptism, through the assistance of His companion, the Holy Ghost.  The symbolic cleansing of baptism sets the stage for the transformative power of the atonement in our lives.  Our baptism is our invitation for Christ to reinvent us: born again as His child. 

I remember finding it rather odd, at first that Jesus should come and command them to pray when He's right there with them. I thought prayer seemed redundant in a way.  But now it makes perfect sense to me.  Jesus is training them for their spiritual survival and self-sufficiency (none of us are actually self-sufficient, but they needed to know how to sustain themselves when Jesus would no longer be physically present.). Communication with the Father, in Christ's name, is our lifeline.  It is the breath of our spiritual life. 

Lesson for me?

*Pray always, and love it. Don't neglect this vital part your day.  It's even more important than breakfast.

Verses 19-36: Faith and Christ's Prayer 

What does this teach me about the atonement?

Christ prays several times in this section, and first He speaks of belief, and then of faith. So I'm wondering, as a side question: is there any difference between belief and faith? I'm getting the impression that belief is to accept the truth of something, and faith contains that element, with the additional element of some degree of trust or reliance on that which you put your belief in: a belief that aligning with that something will result in good. In that sense, faith is a more highly developed form of belief. That feels right to me. Belief, as He states in His prayer, is what caused Christ to choose those disciples. And He prays that those who hear their teachings will believe their words, and receive the Holy Ghost. They believed, and prayed, and received the Holy Ghost. It seems that the Holy Ghost transforms belief into faith.  Then they prayed in faith and became visibly, radiantly clean. So as Christ said in His prayer, faith purifies us. His atonement made it so. Our faith cleanses us through the power of the atonement. Without it, none of us could begin our "apprenticeship" with Christ. We'd be stuck in our fallen state.  

Lesson for me?

*Let this passage fill you with hope!  These people were purified simply because they believed, prayed and had faith in Jesus. This made them radiant and Jesus smiled on them with warmth and joy. Just keep cheerful faith in Christ, pray, and keep trying. This will bring you joy now and infinite joy to come.

3 Nephi 18

https://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/3-ne/18?lang=eng

Verses 1-14: The Sacrament 

What does this teach me about the atonement?

The atonement provides the power to save us, and the sacrament is how we partake of that power- literally and figuratively. Because the atonement's power can only be fully activated in our lives by our acknowledgment of it, the Savior instituted a ritual by which His gift to us could be received again and again and again.  By actually taking the tokens into our bodies, we symbolically invite Him into our lives. And by degrees, we are changed.

He speaks of building upon His rock.  His "rock" is the sturdy truths of His doctrine, and His doctrine centers on the atonement. Our "building" is the construction of an eternal soul fit for God's presence. So, given that the atonement is the only thing that frees us from the sins that drag us down, without the atonement that construction literally cannot take place.  That's why the metaphor is so very apt.

Lesson for me?

The Savior says in this section that partaking of the sacrament shows Heavenly Father that we remember Christ.  Given everything that Christ has done for me, I can work harder to get to sacrament meeting on time, and not miss the opportunity to show Him that I remember Him.  And as I partake, I can remember the purpose of the sacrament, which is to point me toward Christ, that I might have the joy He longs to provide me.  

Verses 15-21: Watch and Pray

What does this teach me about the atonement?

The Savior felt the full force of all evil. He familiarized Himself with its effects without succumbing to them.  He knows well that the joy the people feel in His presence, fueled by His power, may easily be eclipsed by the wiles of Satan.  Christ loves us and knows our weaknesses.  He knows we can be taken in by Satan's distortions and deceptions.  Satan has so many means of twisting the truth and taking our focus away from the Savior.  Like me in a bad mood times a gazillion, Satan hates happy people.  The only counterfeit of delight available to him consists of spreading his misery.  Thus, what we learn here about the atonement is that, since it was all about saving us from suffering, this speech the Savior makes is an essential appendage to it; for if we don't join with the force that beat evil, and instead allow evil to claim us, evil wins. Christ's victory is no victory if His overriding mission to save us from suffering fails. We have our agency.

Lesson for me?

*Pray personally, as a couple, and as a family, and be watchful for Satan's favorite tools (as identified in the great story of Satan's garage sale): discouragement and doubt. As long as I choose to believe and keep trying, all will be well.  

Verses 22-34: Fellowship 

What does this teach me about the atonement?

The Savior feels a deep and abiding concern about every soul for whom He atoned. If we truly love and would follow Him, we must not reject or exclude any of these precious souls.  The Savior wants His followers to associate with one another, pray for one another and attend to one another's needs.

The Savior also commands that none partake of the sacrament unworthily.  This is because to affect to honor the Savior by partaking of the sacred tokens of His atonement, having committed grievous sins and not repenting, is mockery of the Savior. It amounts to looking Him in the face and telling Him, "I see you there, but I neither believe you nor want you."  This attitude is naturally antithetical to repentance and progress, and so the "damnation to his soul," the Savior mentions is a literal consequence: a halting of progression.

 Lesson for me?

*Instead of worrying about how others are treating you, remember the Savior's charge that all are to be included, and make an effort at church to be mindful of everyone around you.  Smile, say hi, ask about them, introduce yourself, and remember people in your ward family who are having challenges in your prayers.  It's another way to show the Savior your gratitude and love.

Verses 35-39: Setting Apart

What does this teach me about the atonement?

The Savior's atonement is the crowning event in His mission to glorify the Father.  Because the Father's glory is to bring us joy, and because the Savior loves us, He made that His own work and glory as well: to bestow upon us all the power and attendant joy that He's attained.  The atonement set the stage for humankind to progress, so He seeks out apprentices.  He laid His hands on His disciples and prepared them to go and care for His flocks.  This work continues today in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

Lesson for me?

*You can place your confidence in the Lord's servants on earth, however imperfect.  He calls them and enables them.  The structure or organization is a beautiful work of art.  You can also consider yourself among them as you carry out your sacred responsibilities at home and at church- one of Christ's apprentices.  Let this enlivened perspective lend meaning and purpose to even mundane seeming tasks, and be joyful.

3 Nephi 17

Verses 1-4: Go and Ponder

What does this reveal about the atonement?

Christ's atonement allows for our spiritual progress and increase of knowledge, which go hand in hand. His great gift is all about giving us everything He has and is- even though we don't deserve it, and that includes, and also necessitates, a deep personal understanding of the gospel and the Savior's mission. This is what He desires for each individual present when He instructs them to go to their homes and ponder and pray for understanding.

Lesson for me?

*I can carry out this commandment every day by continuing to seek understanding through pondering and prayer. In this way I can begin to claim the inestimable blessings He holds in store for me.

Verses 6-10: Healing

What does this teach me about the atonement?

This entire passage is symbolic of the spiritual healing Christ offers to all of us. We all have spiritual blind and deaf spots. We are spiritually and  emotionally halt and maimed, and spiritually lame.  And he heals us all!

When He tells the multitude that He has compassion for them, He means it. He literally and perfectly knows their pain.  Thus He finds joy in this healing work.

Lesson for me?

*As I go about my daily interactions, I can emulate my Savior by taking the attitude of a compassionate healer- trying to understand others' feelings as best I can, and helping to heal their pain through love.

Verses 11-25: Prayer & Little Ones

What does this teach me about the atonement?

This is perhaps the most beautiful account of the Savior's interaction with His beloved children in all of scripture. This demonstrates the attitude of One who sacrificed all for the love of another. The little ones are meant to represent all of us. By bringing them all forward, He shows us our spiritual potential. We are all little ones in His eyes: Gods and Goddesses in infancy. By focusing on Him and taking His perspective, we become what He knows we can be with His help. "Become as a little child," He instructs, a continual beginner. Because He atoned for us and gave us repentance, we can be made innocent again. We can try and fail, taking stumbling steps on the path of  discipleship, maturing by degree under His loving parentage, eventually becoming as He is.

The prayer He offered with words defying reduction to man's alphabets, begetting a joy our language has no words for, gave the multitude a tiny taste of what awaits them if they continue in Christ and His doctrine. And then He wept for the joy He felt in loving them and looking on their joy. That's the joy He's promised all of us.

Lesson for me?

*Just as "The eye hath never seen, neither hath the ear heard, before, so great and marvelous things as [the multitude] saw and heard Jesus speak unto the Father, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him (1 Corinthians 2:9)." 

That scripture came to reassure my heart once during a time of great despair and discouragement, and here it is again, just to give me energy to keep buggering on.  Don't ever trade inconceivable joy for a moment's pleasure, excitement or ease or a fleeting feeling of power over others. Stay with Christ and His love. 

3 Nephi 16

Verses 1-5: Gathering of Israel

What does this teach me about the atonement ?

We know nothing of the full extent of the souls Christ atoned for. Even so, He desires unity and love among them all. He has many branches dispersed so that if one is cut off by apostasy, adopting traditions that preclude faith, He may start afresh to plant seeds of faith among a new "crop". The goal is salvation and eternal life for His precious, beloved children, whatever their heritage and locale. 

Lesson for me?

*Remember Christ's love for His children everywhere. Pray for the missionary effort across the globe (and even in the next life!) and for your own missionary opportunities. 

Verses 5-20: Jews, Gentiles & the Latter Days

What does this reveal about the atonement? 

The atonement imparted the redeeming power for Christ to save and gather His people. Thanks to Him, they'll receive all the grace and saving knowledge they're open to accepting.  Christ has felt the weight and consequences of every sin He enumerates here. When one society rejects Him, He begins again with another. His endeavor is tireless and fueled by compassion. Thanks to Him, repentance is always available to us.

The same lessons from the first part of the chapter echo through the rest as well. Christ has different "strains" of people for the purposes of gospel dispersal and "germination", but in the end, all of His covenant children are "one fold", the House of Israel.

Lesson for me?

*You are His covenant daughter, and your persistence in that covenant, and your commitment to glorifying the Father by carrying out His will does more good than you can know or even imagine at this time. You are and will be an instrument of salvation affecting generations of His children. Remember the grandeur of the plan you're a part of.

3 Nephi 15

Verses 1-10
The Law of Moses

What do these verses reveal about the atonement?

Jesus says, "I am the law, and the light," and it's true, because Jesus provided the law in order to point the people toward the atonement, THE sacrifice. The law taught people principles of justice and mercy and vicarious sacrifice, and helped them to order their lives around them. Now the Savior takes His place as the apex of their lives, just where He needs to be in order to save them. A beautiful thing.

Lesson for me?
*"Look unto me and endure to the end". Keep in the covenant with Christ. Trust in Him and rely on Him.

Verses 11-24:
Other Sheep
What do these verses reveal about the atonement?
One fold. One Shepherd. One way. The atonement gave Christ the power and authority to save and gather His people. Like a gardener, He has nurtured new strains of His people when branches became corrupt and helped them begin anew in purity. Thus the "other sheep".

Lesson for me?
*The Lord is in His vineyard. Have faith in Him. Be a light to those around you. The Lord was sometimes cautious about disclosing information, and in some interactions it's appropriate for you to be as well. Be wise.

3 Nephi 14, Verses 13-27

Verses 13-14: Strait and Narrow

Once again, Christ knows how broad the path of destruction is, having felt the turmoil of every soul who walked that path. (I know that He said these same words in His mortal life, prior to the atonement, but I still can't help but feel that there's something to this, and that somehow He had access to that knowledge even then. There's so much I don't understand.)  

Few find the path, the way "which leadeth unto life (a continuation of life)?"

If Christ is indeed saying that the majority of people won't find Him (the way), it increases my gratitude to Him for being willing to perform the atonement for the few who would accept it. Such a generous act. I believe also that the strait gate and narrow way is meant to point to Himself- to focus attention on the singularity of His person as the one way to be saved. He's like the single vortex of the spiritual universe. He absorbed all evil and thus became the portal for all light and goodness. He is the way, the truth and the light.

Lesson for me?

*Remember this image you've found and keep your eye single to His infinite glory.

Verses 15-20: Fruits

Beware of false prophets, wolves in sheep's clothing, manipulators trying to appear noble. Look at what they've done with their lives. By their fruits ye shall know them.

What does this passage reveal about the atonement?

The Savior felt the full force of every evil act, including the insidious ways evil often masquerades as good.  He wanted to offer some guidance to prevent suffering.  He also wanted us to have a gauge of our righteousness- to know that worship alone does not make us His- but the acts of doing good and keeping His commandments.

Lesson for me?

*Stay strong in your relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ and keep their will paramount. Remember, all the while, that any and all injustice is known and settled by our all-wise, all-knowing and all loving Godhead. No need to fret about being taken advantage of. Just do what you can as directed by the Spirit. Be not afraid, only believe.

Verses 21-27: Obedience

What does this section teach me about the atonement? 

Our Savior makes the point that discipleship must encompass the heart as well as outward actions.  Anyone trying to appear worthy, with secret contentious thoughts, would not find heaven heavenly at all (to borrow a Brad Wilcox turn of phrase).  We must not only do that which makes us feel and/or appear good or important, but whatever the Father's will is- even when it conflicts with ours. Only he or she who has voluntarily paid the uttermost farthing in carrying out the will of the Father will truly know and trust Christ and the Father enough to want to make a home in their presence.  Christ's "Depart from me," will seem a mercy.

Christ and His atonement is the only source of power in the universe solid enough for us to build a foundation on.  He is our single source of strength and power.  Everything else will erode and falter.  He provided us the key to eternal life- an eternity of the best life has to offer.  He truly is, as Moroni writes, "every good thing," for every good thing is subject to Him and in alliance with Him and on "His team".  That is why turning from Him and doing anything other than what He asks amounts to building a house on the sand.  This metaphor has never felt more resonant before now.

Lesson for me?

*As you do all in your power to work the Lord's program and build confidence before Him, you have no reason to despair or fear or feel sorry for yourself.  Every toilsome act will bear some kind of beautiful fruit in the end. You are building on THE ROCK.

3 Nephi 14, Verses 1-12

Verses 1-5: Judge Not

What do these teachings of Christ reveal about the atonement?

The Savior knows that judgment can be antithetical to repentance and can dam our progress. He has felt, and knows, how pain can compound as we attempt to avoid it by shifting the blame to others.  As we do so, we add to our suffering needless loads of resentment, anger and self-pity.  He has felt all of this. He wants to save us from suffering. He also wants us to know, that even in cases where others have truly sinned against us and caused us to suffer, that His atonement removed the need for us to resent and blame. It was out of love for us, and love and deference  to His father, that He performed the atonement, and the same love causes Him to command us not to contend by judging and blaming, but to repent of our other sins. How else can we progress?

Lesson for me?

*When you approach resentment, remember the Savior's atoning sacrifice and His desire and power for it to effectively remove resentment and blame. Let thoughts of it soften your heart.

Verse 6:

This is one I don't understand so well. Having just instructed is not to judge, the Savior then asks us to compare certain people to "dogs" and "swine" and unworthy of "holiness" and "pearls". Keeping in mind the Savior's offering of love, and knowing thereby, that everything He commands us is meant to save us from vain and fruitless suffering, why would He say this? And what does it reveal about the atonement? Dogs and pigs are not evil necessarily, but ignorant and unprepared to benefit from gospel knowledge or fine things of great value. The Savior knows and loves people like this.  He knows that some people are better off not hearing what they're unprepared to hear, and that His disciples' efforts are better spent in a more fertile field.  We can love these people, but with the Spirit as our guide, it may be clear that they are not ready to bear the gospel light. The Savior felt the pain of everyone who has "cast their pearls before swine," and seen the resultant needless hurt and destruction and wants to prevent it where possible.

Lesson for me?

*Do not dismiss people out of hand, but stay open and try to listen as the Spirit invites or dissuades you to share the gospel.

Verses 7-11:

Ask, Seek and Knock

The Savior wants us to build a relationship of trust with Him and His Father- not to just passively receive gifts, but to enter into a dialogue of asking, seeing the question/need fulfilled, and acknowledging receipt, all the while increasing in confidence and gratitude before the Lord.  This process prepares us for grateful reception of the greatest gift, the Atonement. Asking the multitude to draw upon their own parental affection helps the people to begin to fathom the great love of the Father & Christ, and encourages them to trust in their benevolence.

Verse 12:

Golden Rule

Jesus asks the people to live a higher law. He knows that the best way to promote peace and reduce pain is to ask people to really search their hearts and act from love. 

"Would I wish to be treated that way?"

Jesus atoned for every unholy and hurtful act that occurs when people neglect that law.

"This is the law and the prophets," meaning... prophets preach repentance- they point to Christ.  Living the golden rule is continual repentance- continual turning from harm to healing. I'm just hazarding an explanation as to why Christ seems to be saying that the golden rule encompasses the gospel. It makes teachers and philosophers of us all, as we compare our acts against our experiences of being acted upon- beyond following a rote command.  Later, He pronounces that He is the law. He embodies the golden rule. The golden rule is the fruit of His bitter experience- a loving plea that such suffering might not proliferate among His children.  "Please. Please don't do to one another that which would hurt you- which has already hurt me. Such should be done away." 

But why is it "the law and the prophets"? What else am I missing? Law is truth. Prophets are the servants of truth- the mouthpieces of God- and what higher truth could we possibly be subject to- what greater knowledge than to know and feel the experience of another to be as real as your own? And not only as real, but as valuable, as important? This is the law of the celestial spheres- the multiplicity of joy- THE LAW.  It's what Christ feels for us and what we must feel for every soul.

Lesson for me?

*Read the preceding often and remember the feeling that came with it.  Allow it to humble you and to change you.