Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
After spring break I was reticent about another 8 weeks of early morning seminary class. But the last two days have been great.
We started and finished Galations in the New Testament these 2 days. There are 3 or 4 lessons in the manual to choose from each day with really good ideas. But I hate to spend the whole lesson time on just one of those lessons; I like to cover more. I struggled with Galations 3-6. There was a lesson on how the law of Moses was a school master to bring and prepare people for the gospel of Jesus Christ and the atonement. They suggested using pictures of a bike with training wheels. In the student manual the topic of Abraham and becoming of his seed and Christ's seed - equal heirs. Then there was the lesson on the fruits of the spirit and what one sows one reaps. So how do they all go together? I wondered. Usually the answer is to go the scriptures and see these themes in there and what sequence they are in.
There are 3 chapters on the Abraham theme. Previously I had read and marked the scriptures that seemed real good. So I had the kids take turns reading these marked passages.
Galations 3:7-9 they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. etc the gospel was preached to Abraham (vs 8) vs 16 now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. vs 19 Wherefore then serveth the law? Paul wonders outloud why was the law of Moses given. the answer? continue vs 16: It was added because of transgressions. Then jump to vs 24: The law was our school master to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by faith. 25: but after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster . You just plain have to open your scriptures and read Galations 3:26-29 it is beautiful.
I used my dog as an example. She is very energetic and we keep her on a leash a lot. We used to get so frustrated how she would run away and not come to us when she was a puppy. The leash was her school master or law of Moses. It kept her from certain joys or fullness of being able to run everywhere, but it kept her safe from the road, neighbors, or strangers or certain problems and sins. Now that she is 4, she actually can be off the leash and know to stay in our yard for short times and she comes when called.
In chapter 4 of Galations, Paul uses Hagar and Sarah as an alegory see verse 22 - 24. Jump to verse 30. I always felt bad that Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael away. He loved Ishmael. But Ishmael had mocked Isaac, the son of the free woman. Sending away Hagar is like sending away the law of Moses when the true and full gospel is come, fulfilling the Law. We are to be free and of the promise, not in bondage. Abraham's promise is through Sarah and Isaac. There are many on the earth who believe that the promise is through Ishmael, but that is not our belief or Paul's. Now begin Chapter 5. Isn't verse 1 beautiful? To supplement this thought, I showed the Testimony of Elder Nelson on the Abrahamic covenant found on the DVD witnesses to Christ - the one where all the apostles take turns bearing testimonies. It is beautiful.
Now the key to how chapters 3,4 and 5 blend with chapter 6 and the sowing and reaping is in Galations chapter 5, verses 13-15. There is another bondage one who is free from the law of Moses must be aware of. The freedom to sin, which brings one into bondage worse than the law of Moses. Paul admonishes us to use our freedom to love and serve on another. He brings up 2 types of fruits. Draw two trees, make them big. Label one Sin. I had each student come up and write one of the works of the flesh on the board. I was surprised how much they enjoyed this. One though it was cool that he got to write murder. see verses 19-20 for all the sins one can write on their sin tree. Now the other tree is 'fruit of the Spirit'. verses 22-23. I had two students wanting to write long suffering. I commented on how pretty or big or upside down they wrote their words. One student was assigned to write 'etc' on both trees. Now read Galations 6: 7-9. Do not be decieved, God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. " (keep reading, )reap corruption or everlasting life.
There's a real cute video, only 3 minutes for the Seminary about the law of the Harvest. It shows a commuity planting a garden, then coming back to harvest. when they cut open a watermellon tomatoes fall out. When they pull up a carrot, its a banana. The corn had a carrot under the husks etc. It was funny. Of course, one student says that happens in their garden, or with God anything is possible, but the point is, you should only be able to reap what you sow.
It was a good lesson. I bore testimony of how blessed we are to be children of Abraham, with the fullness of the gospel and priesthood and how we should use our blessings to sow good that we may reap good. something like that. Take care and have a great day!
Well, if you want something more to think about, for Galations 2, verses 16-17. , justification is to be washed clean from sin through the atonement. Now picture a water power plant such as the one in Spokane that we just saw with waterfalls and turbulent white water and purple trams above letting tourists ooh and ah. The power plant is us. The water is the atonement. How do you get the water to make electricity for your personal worthiness home? The water must be channeled into a device with rotating turbines that harness the power. Baptism, repentance, faith , sacrament etc- all those things help us to harness the power of the atonement. The electricty then takes the power to our home, which can then be worthy to be part of the Kingdom of God. Something to think about. love ya' bye.
We started and finished Galations in the New Testament these 2 days. There are 3 or 4 lessons in the manual to choose from each day with really good ideas. But I hate to spend the whole lesson time on just one of those lessons; I like to cover more. I struggled with Galations 3-6. There was a lesson on how the law of Moses was a school master to bring and prepare people for the gospel of Jesus Christ and the atonement. They suggested using pictures of a bike with training wheels. In the student manual the topic of Abraham and becoming of his seed and Christ's seed - equal heirs. Then there was the lesson on the fruits of the spirit and what one sows one reaps. So how do they all go together? I wondered. Usually the answer is to go the scriptures and see these themes in there and what sequence they are in.
There are 3 chapters on the Abraham theme. Previously I had read and marked the scriptures that seemed real good. So I had the kids take turns reading these marked passages.
Galations 3:7-9 they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. etc the gospel was preached to Abraham (vs 8) vs 16 now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. vs 19 Wherefore then serveth the law? Paul wonders outloud why was the law of Moses given. the answer? continue vs 16: It was added because of transgressions. Then jump to vs 24: The law was our school master to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by faith. 25: but after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster . You just plain have to open your scriptures and read Galations 3:26-29 it is beautiful.
I used my dog as an example. She is very energetic and we keep her on a leash a lot. We used to get so frustrated how she would run away and not come to us when she was a puppy. The leash was her school master or law of Moses. It kept her from certain joys or fullness of being able to run everywhere, but it kept her safe from the road, neighbors, or strangers or certain problems and sins. Now that she is 4, she actually can be off the leash and know to stay in our yard for short times and she comes when called.
In chapter 4 of Galations, Paul uses Hagar and Sarah as an alegory see verse 22 - 24. Jump to verse 30. I always felt bad that Abraham sent Hagar and Ishmael away. He loved Ishmael. But Ishmael had mocked Isaac, the son of the free woman. Sending away Hagar is like sending away the law of Moses when the true and full gospel is come, fulfilling the Law. We are to be free and of the promise, not in bondage. Abraham's promise is through Sarah and Isaac. There are many on the earth who believe that the promise is through Ishmael, but that is not our belief or Paul's. Now begin Chapter 5. Isn't verse 1 beautiful? To supplement this thought, I showed the Testimony of Elder Nelson on the Abrahamic covenant found on the DVD witnesses to Christ - the one where all the apostles take turns bearing testimonies. It is beautiful.
Now the key to how chapters 3,4 and 5 blend with chapter 6 and the sowing and reaping is in Galations chapter 5, verses 13-15. There is another bondage one who is free from the law of Moses must be aware of. The freedom to sin, which brings one into bondage worse than the law of Moses. Paul admonishes us to use our freedom to love and serve on another. He brings up 2 types of fruits. Draw two trees, make them big. Label one Sin. I had each student come up and write one of the works of the flesh on the board. I was surprised how much they enjoyed this. One though it was cool that he got to write murder. see verses 19-20 for all the sins one can write on their sin tree. Now the other tree is 'fruit of the Spirit'. verses 22-23. I had two students wanting to write long suffering. I commented on how pretty or big or upside down they wrote their words. One student was assigned to write 'etc' on both trees. Now read Galations 6: 7-9. Do not be decieved, God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. " (keep reading, )reap corruption or everlasting life.
There's a real cute video, only 3 minutes for the Seminary about the law of the Harvest. It shows a commuity planting a garden, then coming back to harvest. when they cut open a watermellon tomatoes fall out. When they pull up a carrot, its a banana. The corn had a carrot under the husks etc. It was funny. Of course, one student says that happens in their garden, or with God anything is possible, but the point is, you should only be able to reap what you sow.
It was a good lesson. I bore testimony of how blessed we are to be children of Abraham, with the fullness of the gospel and priesthood and how we should use our blessings to sow good that we may reap good. something like that. Take care and have a great day!
Well, if you want something more to think about, for Galations 2, verses 16-17. , justification is to be washed clean from sin through the atonement. Now picture a water power plant such as the one in Spokane that we just saw with waterfalls and turbulent white water and purple trams above letting tourists ooh and ah. The power plant is us. The water is the atonement. How do you get the water to make electricity for your personal worthiness home? The water must be channeled into a device with rotating turbines that harness the power. Baptism, repentance, faith , sacrament etc- all those things help us to harness the power of the atonement. The electricty then takes the power to our home, which can then be worthy to be part of the Kingdom of God. Something to think about. love ya' bye.
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