Easter Message from the Holy Land

I was lucky to be asked to speak in church today on Holy Saturday. I was asked to speak about the Atonement and it was a great opportunity to collect my thoughts about the significant truths I have learned here in Jerusalem. Here is the talk I gave: 

The prophesied events which Jesus Christ accomplished from Thursday until Friday evening took place not far from where we are today. But even though they happened a stones throw from us here, they are of the same efficacy established throughout the world from Arizona to Provo to India to Japan.

Over the last 3.5 months the Lord has been gradually revealed to me much in the same manner that he revealed himself gradually to his apostles. I learned about the premortal divine council and the one who stood among the noble and great ones, who was like unto God and affirmed the plan of the Father. I learned of the cosmic creation enacted by the Son whom God appointed to make the worlds. I learned about the forming of mankind, done “In our image”. I studied our Israelite heritage: Jehovah’s promises to Father Abraham and his son Isaac. Of Joseph being sold into Egypt and rising to a position where he could grant forgiveness and mercy. I learned about the institution of a groundbreaking law which was to prepare the hearts and actions of the people to receive the Messiah and the blessings of the temple, I read the words of the prophets and envisioned there looking forward to the day of their redemption, not only from the Assyrians and Babylonians, but from wickedness.

But, I had also learned about the convictions of 1 billion Muslims and a country full of Jews and was feeling pretty liberal about the religions of the world. My mind reflected on the viewpoints of those religious and nonreligious around me: was it possible that the lawyer Gamaliel in Acts 5 speaking about Jesus of Nazereth could be right? That he was merely another man, who got men to join him, and then was slain only to have his followers scattered and drift into obscurity. Was this Jesus, who didn’t build great palaces and fortresses like Herod really be that fascinating? In so many ways I was thinking like those of old: Can anything good come out of Nazereth? Ironically I had come to the Holy Land and I was hating a prophet because I was in his own land.

It was a blessing that my viewpoint of Jesus Christ was stripped down to its bare bones. To seeing a man, Josephs son. In a lot of ways I saw a regular ole Jew, one who observed feasts, one who studied and applied the Torah, a good man. Even as I began to read his teachings and see his miracles I wondered intellectually how he was similar to contemporaries of his day and I at times sought to justify the miracles which he did as possibly exaggerated stories or mostly symbolic motivations. But as the weeks wore on I began to grow grace to grace as his disciples did. I began to behold the man.

Things came together on the last day of my trip to the Galilee. We started the day out studying what’s been called by President Harold B. Lee the “blueprint for perfection”. I sat on the Mount of Beatitudes and heard the testimony of my peers, I sat in the church and tried to translate the Latin beatitudes into English, and then I sat in the garden looking down to the banana plant where it was more likely Jesus had actually taught, and there I translated the words of Christ’s sermon into principles which I wanted to live by.

We went to the traditional spot where Peter and the disciples had returned to fishing in the sea of Tiberias. The disciples had returned to fishing. Much like I was a few weeks away from returning to my nonclimbing Petra, nonseeing the “teatres” of Turkey, and non 3 square meals a day life, a return to My own chosen trade. And there it was that Jesus appeared to the disciples on the shore, and when Peter realized it was the Lord he jumped into the water and swam to shore. This sense of urgency caught ahold of me and I realized that I had to sacrifice for the Lord. I furiously began to write the things which, largely based off of latter-day revelation, I would be choosing to give up for the Lord and his latter-day work throughout my life, things ranged from: not being as literate about NFL football as I would like to be, to giving 10% and more of my cash money to the church.

It was safe to say that my faith and trust in Jesus Christ was gaining new life like I had hopped for previous to my pilgrammage, but which I literally hadn’t seen coming. As we got ready to board a ship and cross the sea, I felt as the disciples, “What manner of man is this that even the waves and winds obey him?” I reflected on the day previous and felt another surge of the Spirit as I felt to answer like Peter when asked, who say ye that I am? Thou Art the Christ the Son of the Living God.

Soon upon returning to Jerusalem I was able to visit the Garden where the “workshop” for the revelations which I had in Galilee had taken place 2000 years previous. Here in Gethsemane, the carpenter built the foundation of love, sacrifice, and empathy, which was critical to the covenants which I renewed on my trip to the Galilee. I furiously began to turn to messianic scriptures in the psalms and words of the prophets and my teeth were sinking into the fulfilled prophecy.

Here in Gethsemane came the humble man, to some the son of Joseph, but to me the firstborn of the Father, the Only Begotten Son. Psalm 89:26 He (Christ) shall cry unto me (God), thou art my father, my God, and the rock of my salvation. Also, I will make him my firstborn, higher than the kings of the earth.

I see Christ in Gethsemane asking his disciples to watch for him a little longer. I see the fatigue that can set in on us when we have resolved to change and covenant. Psalm 69:20 Reproach hath broken my heart; and I am full of heaviness: and I looked for some to take pity, but there was none; and for comforters, but I found none.

Here in Gethsemane came the great Rabbi, a master teacher of the scriptures but also one who taught with the authority of God, and this I know because I felt the spirit of God enter and change my heart. I saw that learning was applying knowledge. Psalm 34:15 The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto their cry. The face of the Lord is against them that do evil. The righteous cry and the Lord heareth, and delivereth them out of their troubles. (But I realize that only Christ was righteous, only his heart was broken and only he was contrite) The lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivereth him out of them all. He keepeth all his bones; not one of them is broken. The Lord redeemeth the soul of his servants; and none of them that trust in him shall be desolate.

I am empathetic for Peter in denying the Christ. I look back on yesterdays and realize that I am full of hypocrisy. Even after great revelation we still falter in enduring to the end. Psalm 69:8-9 I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother’s children. For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

The green hill is not far away. Jesus was taken to the cross and there the Lord forgave the Roman soldiers, who like all who sin in ignorance are forgiven. Thus the weight of the revelation which I had, made me more accountable to God. I see how when we don’t live up to the potential we know we have, we are similar to the soldiers who don’t actually give the Lord the refreshment he needs. Psalm 69:21 They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.  

I thought of the miracles. I realized how real are the miracles of family, knowledge, having the restored gospel, the gifts of the spirit, priesthood. How real they have been in and influenced my life and the lives of those around me. I imagine Christ on the cross and wonder why he didn’t just let himself down. Psalm 22:7 All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake the head saying, He trusted on the Lord that he would deliver him: let him deliver him.           In not saving himself, he saved me, and that’s the miracle which the scorners missed.  

I see more than just a good man when I see Christ as a willing sacrificial sheep to the slaughter. Psalm 22:16-18 The assembly of the wicked have inclosed me: they pierced my hands and my feet. They part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture.           I see a perfect man, he who hath clean hands and a pure heart.

And then the return of the temptations, infirmities, and pains of Gethsemane and the moment of utter aloneness which I would not have appreciated if I had only seen Jesus as a nondivine human. Psalm 22:1 My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Why art thou so far from helping me, and from the words of my roaring?       The Father left him, no angel to strengthen him. Psalm 69:4 They that hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of mine head.  

It is amazing to me that when trying to deepen my testimony of Jesus Christ, the way to do that is to cast my sins, my trials, and my deficiency upon him. This act of faith is what binds us to him. Psalm 31:5 Into thine hand I commit my spirit; thou hast redeemed me, O Lord God of Truth.      

I share my testimony with Joseph Smith that “The fundamental principles of our religion are the testimony of the apostles and prophets, concerning Jesus Christ, that He died, was buried, and rose again the third day, and ascended into heaven; and all other things which pertain to our religion are only appendages to it.” And do so in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.