ON CONSECRATIONA Lesson for the Ward Leadership

D. Calvin AndrusSterling Park Ward18 November 2005

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Introduction

• The following lesson is an expanded version of a lesson given by the Stake President at the recent Bishop’s retreat

• Please get out your scriptures and marking pencils

• In a few minutes I will pass out copies of these slides upon which you can take some notes

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Moses on Sinai, part 1

• Moses was preparing the people to see God, as he had seen God -- in short, he wanted to create a Zion society– Exodus 19:3-6 -- Lord’s offer

– Exodus 19:7-8 -- people’s acceptance

– Exodus 19:10-11 -- Lord to meet people

– Exodus 19:16-17 -- people come

– Exodus 19:21 -- something not right

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Moses on Sinai, part 2

• Exodus chapters 20, 21, 22, 23– Lord gives preparatory laws to sanctify the people so they will be ready to receive the fullness of the Gospel

• Exodus 24:4-8– People accept all the preparatory laws– Moses sprinkles them with bloodas a token of the covenant

• Exodus 24:9-12– Leaders go up to receivethe fullness of the gospel ofChrist, to be recorded on stone tablets

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Moses on Sinai, part 3

• Exodus chapters 25-31– While Moses is receiving the fullness of the

Gospel, Aaron builds the physical tabernacle

and creates the human governing organization

(Priesthood)

• Exodus 24:18 & 31:18– Takes forty days to get the

fullness of the Gospel on to

the tablets

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Moses on Sinai, part 4

• Exodus 32:1– The people just could not wait

• Exodus 32:9-10– The Lord wants to do the “Noah thing” and kill all the people and start over with Moses and his family

• Exodus 32:13-14– Moses wants to give the people another chance, for Abraham’s sake Adoration of the Golden Calf (1633-36) Detail

by Nicolas Poussin, National Gallery London

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Moses on Sinai, part 5

• Exodus 32:19– Party was worse than Moses imagined and so broke the plates containing the fullness of the gospel

• Exodus 32:26-28– Levites killed all who would not repent (a partial “Noah thing”)

• Exodus 32:31-32– Moses offered himself as a ransom for his people

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Moses on Sinai, part 6

• (JST) Exodus 34:1-2 – New tablets contain the preparatory law (“law as at first”) which we have come to know as the Law of Moses

– Moses failed in his quest to bring his people into the presence of the Lord

– Because of their unfaith-fulness, the people gave up their chance to be Zion society for 1500 years

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Enoch and the City of Zion

• Moses 7:4– Enoch sees Lord’s face

• Moses 7:10-12– Enoch preaches the gospel

• Moses 7:16– Lord dwells with people

• Moses 7:18– No poor among them

• Moses 7:19,21– City built and taken

The Voyage of Life: Youth (1842) Detailby Thomas Cole, National Gallery of Art

Moses had seen Enoch’s

success in a vision,

which example Moses

followed unsuccessfully

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Alma and the pre-Christ Church

• Mosiah 18:3

– Alma preached gospel

• Mosiah 18:16-17

– People baptized and

church formed

• Mosiah 18:27-29

– No poor among them

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Peter and the Eastern Church

• Acts 2:41-42– Baptism and obedience

• Acts 2:44-45– All things in common

• Acts 4:31-35– One heart, one mind, one accounting

Annanias and Sophronia

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Nephi and the Western Church

• 3 Ne 26:17 -- Teach and baptize

• 3 Ne 26:19 -- All things in common

• 3 Ne 26:20-21 -- Obedient, church

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Joseph and the Restored Church, part 1

• DC 51:3– (Ohio) Appoint portions to wants and needs

• DC 78:3-6– (Ohio) Equal in heavenly and earthly things

• DC 82:14-20– (Jackson County/Zion) Equal claim on property

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Joseph and the Restored Church, part 2

• DC 101:1-7– Wickedness among Saints

• DC 105:1-6– Zion’s Camp fails because people not united in Celestial law

• DC 105:9– Like Moses’ people had to live a lesser law, Joseph’s people have to live a lesser law Fishing River, Mo

From Google Maps

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Comments

• Every time a prophet tries to establish the church, he implements the “all things in common” social order

• Why?• So when will we once again have all things in common?

• Will we be ready?

• (Jacob 5:62-66)

From www.mormonchic.com

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Private Exercise

• What do I need to change in my life to be ready to have all things in common?

• What does my family need to change to be ready to have all things in common?

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Public Exercise

• How do we help those in our respective organizations become ready to have all things in common?

• Each organization to report one thing

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Assignment

• Each organization is to have

a leadership meeting where

you

– Teach this

same lesson

– Do the same

exercises

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Questions?