We provide the link to this third party's website solely as a convenience to you. We can't do it without Him! He knows and loves you. Matthew 22 Chapter 22 Jesus gives the parable of the marriage of the king's sonPay tribute to Csar and to GodWorldly marriages endure in this life onlyThe first commandment is to love the LordJesus asks, What think ye of Christ? It inspires us to walk in righteousnessnot out of fear or obligation but out of an earnest desire to become even more like Him because we love Him. . If ye have experienced a change of heart [if you have ever felt it in your viscera, your eyes, or your backbone; if you have ever tasted it, sensed it, responded to it; if you haveeverhad this], I would ask, can ye feel so now? Yes! He hears your prayers and knows the desires of your heart. May God help us, may Christ inspire us, and may the . I have also had the recurrent remembrance of a college experience to deal with, and I confess that worries me even now. I went to him and said, I sense that you would like to talk to me and I have to tell you that we are missionaries. He that speaketh, whose spiritiscontrite, whose language is meek and edifieth, the same is of God if he obey mine ordinances. And what would this include? This is the first and great commandment. 19:18 Mark 11 Mark 13 Have ye walked, keeping yourselves blameless before God? The Apostle James called it the royal law. Paul told the Galatians that all the lawis fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself (Galatians 5:14; emphasis added). I pray all of you know the answer, and you should know it verbatim: And the King shall . Jesus so lived and so declared and so the scriptures teach. And they brought unto him a penny. I have already had a heartbreak in turning away because I sensed your need and had no money to give you. Elder Uchtdorf spoke Tuesday morning from the Marriott Center. . Sister Reyna I. Aburto, Second Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency, greets a BYU-Idaho student following a devotional held on June 4, 2019. 46 And no man was able to answer him a word, neither adurst any man from that day forth ask him any more questions. I went inside the long, narrow room, and there inside was my vision specifically fulfilled: a single, solitary little soul standing by the casket of her beloved, her husband of many years. Had a twinge of regret If we are to accomplish the greatest challenge, the greatest cause, and the greatest work on earth today, we need to labor together at the individual level; at the family level; as members of the divinely organized priesthood quorums and Relief Societies; interdependently as members of our wards, stakes, and the Church as a whole; and under the direction of priesthood keys.. Tags Elder Russell M. Nelson Related Collections Acts - 1 Corinthians Criticism 22 When they had heard these words, they marvelled, and left him, and went their way. Missionary emphasis was given and assignments were made, sending out the men two by two. D&C 138:1 (14). After we have done all the good things we have been called to do with as much sincerity as we have to commit to the cause, if we do not take a lively interest in those who have special needs, then we do not meet the conditions. I drove too swiftly all the way to that small town with its small mortuary. As long as we mortals live on this wonderful and beautiful planet, we will make mistakes. Out of this powerful story known to all of youthis story of a traveler from Jerusalem to Jericho who was set upon, robbed, wounded, and left at the wayside by thievescomes a basis for understanding who is the neighbor we are commanded to love and what our own status is as a neighbor to those in need. Loving God . We can proclaim publicly that we love Him. The next morning I called the branch president, a wonderful, gracious, Christ-like man who built and rebuilt and refurbished and brought homes up-to-date. [D&C 109:15]. Love should be our walk and our talk. When a lawyer asked Jesus which of the commandments was the greatest, He could have chosen any of the many commandments from the Old Testament, from the law of Moses, or from the Ten Commandments. [D&C 105:35]. Charity is a spiritual gift that we can pray for and live for; it is bestowed upon all who are true followers of Jesus Christ (Moroni 7:48). And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. We had good food in the apartment and I prepared some. I knew what the Lord had wanted us to learn that night. I dont think we should or need to choose between serving God and serving our fellowmen. We have learned that affliction and tribulation are part of living mortally and that Whosoever shall put their trust in God shall be supported in their trials, and their troubles, and their afflictions, and shall be lifted up at the last day (Alma 36:3). Two greatest commandments love God and love your neighbor. We all need By referring or linking you to this website, we do not endorse or guarantee this content, products, or services offered. It held its position, steadfast in the heavens, providing warmth and light to the earth. Love God, love your neighbor - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Lukes gospel then provides the setting for Christs sobering parable of the Good Samaritan by quoting the lawyer asking Christ, And who is my neighbour? (Luke 10:29). Sister Reyna I. Aburto, Second Counselor in the Relief Society General Presidency, meets with BYU-Idaho students following a devotional held on June 4, 2019. This teaching demonstrates the importance of learning to love God and ones neighbor. Such love comes from who God is (1 John 4:8), and it is practical (1 John 3:1, 4:9-10). Gifts they are, bestowed to support us as a foundation, pointing us toward the ultimate development of our eternal potential. Love Thy Neighbor: The Great Commandments - BYU Speeches Love God and Love Your Neighbor Collective Church 1K Likes, 44 Comments. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. The willingness to see through each others eyes will transform corrupt communication into minister[ing] grace. It may not change or solve the problem, but the more important possibility may be whether ministering grace could change us. Love for God and Neighbor - Ligonier Ministries Love is at the heart of God's commandments. They did notministerto those who were their neighbors. This new. . Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. Obedience becomes a joy rather than a burden. And . 30 For in the aresurrection they neither bmarry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the cangels of God in heaven. We cannot leave you here.. Mary thereafter had some of the happiest weeks of her life.. Love God, love your neighbor Matthew 22:37-40 Image people performing service icon To help you make good choices, God gives commandments. In the rest of the parable he said some harsh things to those on his left hand: Depart from me . Matthew 22:39 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Provo, Utah 84602. Our lives take on new meaning. By doing so, we can become born again [and] cleansed by blood, even the blood of [the] Only Begotten; that [we] might be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words of eternal life in this world, and eternal life in the world to come, even immortal glory.15. But our all-powerful Father in Heaven has promised that He will fight our battles for us., Fifth: Our Heavenly Father Is a God of New Beginnings. Is there someone who could prosper from a little note that says something sincere and generous and encouraging? They exemplified what it looks like to have pure, Christlike love.. We are all spirit children of our Heavenly Father and, as such, are brothers and sisters. Lesson Twenty-three: Loving Our Neighbors - The Church of Jesus Christ As ministering brothers and sisters, Latter-day Saints should willingly help one another because they love each other as children of Heavenly Father, regardless of needs, nationality or language spoken. "How much better it would be if all could be more aware of God's providence and love and express that gratitude to him. . TGLaw of Moses. There is one magnificent summation out of a multitude that might be read that I want to share with you to express my understanding of the spiritual maturity the Lord represents and wants us to attain. Sister Aburto testified that connecting oneself with a quorum or Relief Society helps us be part of the most important work there is., President Nelson has invited us to gather Israel on both sides of the veil, she said. [Matthew 25:3435]. Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat. They wanted more than anything to enjoy the blessing he was holding out to them, but they didnt really feel worthy. #lovejesus #loveothers #positivity #mindset". As President ThomasS. Monson taught last general conference, keeping one commandment helps us keep the other: We cannot truly love God if we do not love our fellow travelers on this mortal journey. There exists today a great need for men and women to cultivate respect for each other across wide distances of belief and behavior and across deep canyons of conflicting agendas. Sanctify yourselves and ye shall be endowed with power, thatye may giveeven as I have spoken (D&C 43:16; emphasis added). Love is a powerful emotion within all of the sons and daughters of God. I was just honestly telling him how I felt as a human being. They are the laws the scripture says alsomaketh you free (D&C 98:8)coupled with the truth, which shall make you free (John 8:32). She said, Oh, Bishop Garrett, I knewyouwould come.. whose son is he? 1. Jesus then said to the questioner and to us, Go, and do thou likewise (Luke 10:37). 37 Jesus replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.'[ a] 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. Note what is subsequently said in this same section. Elder Soares Dedicates New Mesa Temple Visitors Center, From the Top of the Temple to 65 Feet Underground, the Renovation of Temple Square Continues, When reporting about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, please use the complete name of the Church in the first reference. This is the first and greatest commandment.Matthew 22:37-38 (NIV) The starting place for being a good neighbor is loving God with all that we are. The Book of Mormon instructs us that if we have "faith, hope, and charity [we] will always abound in good . This principle is sacred in the eyes of God Almighty and his holy Son. Love God. Love your neighbor. Can you love your neighbor so - Medium Under His direction the Great Jehovah created this wondrous world we live in. True service is free of all selfishness and fosters Christlike love. The landlady was a gentle person who had a room where he could stay. Third: Learn to Love God and Your Neighbor The Apostle shared a "two-point diagnostic exam," rooted in Matthew 22:34-40, to help anyone be a better parent, be happier and be a better disciple of the Christ. Devotional We Are to Love God and Our Neighbors H. Reese Hansen April 8, 1997 I appreciated the opening prayer offered by Matt Jensen. . Though we are incomplete, God loves us completely. And the best reason to obey God's commandments is that you love Him. It wasnt a big expostulation. The Love of God - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints It was not particularly palatable for a little boy. "Love God [and] love your neighbor," Elder Uchtdorf said. He had caught that I had turned away. For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat (Matthew 25:4142). Love of God and love of neighbor are connected. "The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Behold, they have not learned to be obedient to the things which I required at their hands, he said to a group of his people who had a great commission and had not succeeded in it. "Love your neighbor as yourself.". He is filled with infinite love for you. You will remember that involved in the story were a priest (church leader or teacher) and a Levite (one of the tribe assigned to temple service). We might also be known as a people who attend church every Sunday for three hours, in a place where everyone is a brother or a sister, where the children sing songs about streams that talk, trees that produce popcorn, and children who want to become sunbeams. I ran fast and hard and got there a little ahead of them. This is. Importantly, he added, we can choose a better way. And so I ran, all the way. God the Eternal Father did not give that first great commandment because He needs us to love Him. Nevertheless, if we dont obey Him, all is in vain, for he that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.14, We increase our love for our Heavenly Father and demonstrate that love by aligning our thoughts and actions with Gods word. [Luke 6:38; emphasis added]. I have earnestly sought to understand what the scriptures teach about this matter. Since God is love,10 the closer we approach Him, the more profoundly we experience love.11 But because a veil separates this mortality from our heavenly home, we must seek in the Spirit that which is imperceptible to mortal eyes. Everyone is learning to love, to love better, and to love Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. 30 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.'[ a] 31 The second is this: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'[ b] There is no commandment greater than these." Read full chapter Footnotes Mark 12:30 Deut. All of us are imperfect, yet we all desire to be treated kindly despite our shortcomings. From Deuteronomy 6:5: "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." When Christ was asked by a contentious lawyer, Which is the great commandment in the law? (Matthew 22:36)or, as another gospel writer reported it, What shall I do to inherit eternal life? (Luke 10:25)he answered, as Matthew recorded it. I'm going to let you in on a little secretMatt had a special reason this morning to pray for the Spirit to be here today. His brief comment came soon enough to my anxious ear: Thank you, Mr. Hanks, he said, for that thoroughly unnecessary delineation of the obvious. The class then undertook to consider the deeper meaning of the matter at hand. One persons good ideasomething that may work for him or hertakes root and becomes an expectation. (PDF) Love of God and Neighbor | Don Schwager - Academia.edu And then he taught about talents and their bestowal and their enjoyment and their applicationor notand the consequences of our choices. "And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Only forgiveness heals., Some of our greatest opportunities to demonstrate our love will be within the walls of our own homes., When it is necessary for us to reprove another, we afterward show forth an increase of love [see D&C 121:43]., Love is expressed in many recognizable ways: a smile, a wave, a kind comment, a compliment., Other expressions may be more subtle, such as showing interest in anothers activities, teaching a principle with kindness and patience, visiting one who is ill or homebound.. One by one, her friends testified about the law of tithing, counseling her to pay her tithing before paying her other bills and to allow Heavenly Father to open the windows of heaven and pour blessings on her and her family. Loving and giving. During His mortal ministry, Jesus Christ summarized the commandments, saying, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. Sister Aburto shared an experience she had soon after joining the Church at 26 years old as a divorced single mother. Why does God tell us to love our neighbors as ourselves? - Ask Gramps Mark 12:33 (1337); Rom. 218 University Press Building Learn more about guidelines and necessary forms. Nonetheless, I undertake the challenge of speaking about the great commandments and, specifically, though they are inseparable, about the second great commandment. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, He said. But Jesus goes on to give us the second most important Commandment. God is found in . Photo by Brooklin Larson, BYU-Idaho. This is the bullseye of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Elder Uchtdorf, As long as we mortals live on this wonderful and beautiful planet, we will make mistakes. How do I love God with my heart, mind and soul . There is no commandment greater than these." So, biblical love is a decision to act that comes from a deep affection towards God. 42 Saying, What think ye of Christ? There are fundamentals of our faith so essential to our ultimate creative opportunities, possibilities, and associations that we call them first principles and ordinances. I want to add that one time I had wisdom enough to pick up a pen and paper and write a letter to a coach in our state. We need to admit our inability to fulfill the great commandment of loving God by ourselves. God loved us first (1 John 4:19) and our love for him is a response to his exceeding goodness and kindness towards us. Acknowledge Our Dependence on the Holy Spirit. We are created in the image of our heavenly parents; we are Gods spirit children. 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. Or both were too unimpressed, perhaps, with the weightier matters of which Christ spoke. I am going to talk specifically about one potential answer. Wo unto such an one, for he is not prepared, and the timeisat hand that he must repent or he cannot be saved! Amen. Apr 19, 2021 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? This is how it finishes. Christ joined mercy with just judgment and faith as the weightier matters with which we should be concerned (Matthew 23:23), and in this parable he defined mercy for us as the care and concern shown by the Samaritan who did not pass by on the other side but stopped to give immediate and sustained assistance. Love Thy Neighbor | LDSminds As we draw near to Heavenly Father, we become more holy. Are ye stripped of pride? They strengthened me, and they gently invited me to come unto Christ, she said. Dont feel downcast or despair if you dont feel worthy to be a disciple of Christ at all times. EXTRAS: Wait, who is my neighbor? The Divine Mission of Jesus Christ: Comforter, I Found Purpose after My Missionary Service by , The Church in KoreaGospel Light Shines through Hardship, Faith and Fortitude: Women of the Old Testament, Part 2, Strengthening Youth through Uplifting Activities, Love Thy Neighbor as Thyself, Ensign, September 2014, 1213, As we arise each morning, let us determine to respond with love and kindness to whatever might come our way. President ThomasS. Monson. You are now leaving a website maintained by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 14 For many are acalled, but few are bchosen. Helping Others Recognize the Whisperings of the Spirit, Seeking to Know God, Our Heavenly Father, and His Son, Jesus Christ, Joseph SmithProphet of the Restoration, Fathers and Sons: A Remarkable Relationship, Becoming More Powerful Priesthood Holders. They had no relatives and really no close friends. Maybe tomorrow there is something we can do to help.. In the days of serious struggle in the fledgling Church in June 1831, a conference was held in Kirtland, Ohio, at which significant priesthood matters were announced. Without the love of neighbor, there is no salvation As you read Gods word recorded in the scriptures, listen for His voice. Now, these fundamental laws we speak of, obedience to which all blessings are predicated upon, are in nature really opportunitiesgiftssince they open the way toward that spiritual maturity possessed in its fullness by our Father and our Lord and which they desire us to develop. "This is the first and great commandment." 4 Coupled with the second great commandmentto love our neighbor as ourselves 5 we have a compass that provides direction not only for our lives but also for the Lord's Church on both sides of the veil. We must always remember that all the law and the prophets point to the two great commandments. I told him the story. Sister Aburto gave five principles to consider: Jesus Christ is the perfect example of how to cultivate divine relationships, Sister Aburto explained. 15 Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might aentangle him in his talk. . Love is the healing balm that repairs rifts in personal and family relationships. BYU-Idaho students enter the BYU-Idaho Center on June 4, 2019, for a weekly devotional. Let them go two by two, and thus let them preach by the way in every congregation, baptizing by water, and the laying on of the hands by the waters side. You see, Matt did much of the research for my remarks. What we seek determines what we think and do. This is the first and great commandment.4 Coupled with the second great commandmentto love our neighbor as ourselves5we have a compass that provides direction not only for our lives but also for the Lords Church on both sides of the veil. Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me (Matthew 25:40). Look around you. I have a daughter with the same name; it is a beautiful name. Read more articles about BYU Education Week. When we truly understand what it means to love as Jesus Christ loves us, the confusion clears and our priorities align. There was a little girl who had had a hard time being born. Are there those who have need of a kind word or a gentle arm? Although there will always be those who stereotype the Church and its members in a negative way, most people think of us as honest, helpful, and hardworking. As a commitment to Christ and as an element of our religious faith, we must look for, seek for, and respond to the needs of those about us. I pray that some of the same sweet spirit from these scriptures we have read tonight will cause you to understand that you have much to give. Photo by Ericka Sanders, BYU-Idaho. I testify that God is in His heaven. [Alma 34:2829; emphasis added]. There is a remarkable line out of a long and important passage in the great story of Mosiah about one who turns aside a beggar: O man, whosoever doeth this the same hath great cause to repent[taking the attitude that he has had his chance, he wont work, his problems are his own fault];and except he repenteth of that which he hath done he perisheth forever, and hath no interest in the kingdom of God. He referred to the great question in the peoples mindswhether or not Christ was indeed the Son of God. [He] yearns for you to come to Him. Heaven may seem distant at times, but the scriptures offer hope: Ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search for me with all your heart.12, However, seeking God with all our hearts implies much more than simply offering a prayer or pronouncing a few words inviting God into our lives. . 2012 Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved. 79 LDS Quotes On Love | LDS Quotations The place of ordinances is discussed. The Lord has promised that those who keep His commandments will receive of the fulness of the Father, which includes eternal life. Elder Uchtdorf Shares Five Messages All of God's Children Need to Hear He also loves each one of Gods children, manifest in the way He approached those who came close to Him during His ministry on this earth and in the way we can feel His influence in our life when we turn to Him., To love someone specific, one needs the desire to get to know him or her and spend time together, preferably face to face, Sister Aburto said. Perhaps not all of us are inclined to consider loving and serving and giving to our fellowmen among them. Though we are imperfect, He loves us perfectly. We are important to God not because of our rsum but because we are His children. Gods love is so great that He loves even the proud, the selfish, the arrogant, and the wicked. Likewise, we cannot fully love our fellowmen if we do not love God, the Father of us all. No matter our distress, no matter our sorrow, no matter our mistakes, our infinitely compassionate Heavenly Father desires that we draw near to Him so that He can draw near to us.9. Sister Aburto asked the students to not give up on their faith, their efforts to live the commandments and get closer to God, or their efforts to develop love for others. Russell M. Nelson | "Thanks Be to God". For what we love determines what we seek. What this means is that, regardless of our current state, there is hope for us. May God bless you. Surely every missionary would have this marked in his mind and his book: And now behold, my beloved brethren[and sisters], I say unto you, do not suppose that this is all; for after ye have done all these things, if ye turn away the needy, and the naked, and visit not the sick and afflicted, and impart of your substance, if ye have, to those who stand in needI say unto you, if ye do not any of these things, behold,your prayer is in vain, and availeth you nothing,and ye are as hypocrites who do deny the faith. Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles delivers the keynote at BYU Education Week in the Marriott Center on August 17, 2021. JSTMatt. I said in my note to the coach, I have one son, and it probably wont happen, but if the good Lord were willing and that boy could play under your leadership, I would do anything I could to get him to you. I never met the man; I have not met him yet. 1 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, The dean of the school, who was teaching that class, had earned a reputation as a crusty and vigorous defender of the law, against ignorant and callow students.