Below are the quotes that were used in the video.
President Ezra Taft Benson: “If that account doesn’t shake you, then you’re unshakable. It is one of the sweetest accounts and one of the greatest things to build a testimony I think you will ever read.” (Church News, 29 August 1987)
C.S. Lewis: “As to ‘caring for’ the Sermon on the Mount, if ‘caring for’ here means `liking’ or enjoying, I suppose no one ‘cares for’ it. Who can like being knocked flat on his face by a sledge hammer? I can hardly imagine a more deadly spiritual condition than that of a man who reads that passage with tranquil pleasure. This is indeed to be ‘at ease in Zion’.” (God in the Dock, 182)
Sermon at the Temple Outline
President Russel M. Nelson: “The term perfect was translated from the Greek teleios, which means ‘complete.’ …
Note that the word does not imply ‘freedom from error’; it implies ‘achieving a distant objective.’ …We need not be dismayed if our earnest efforts toward perfection now seem so arduous and endless. Perfection is pending. It can come in full only after the Resurrection and only through the Lord. It awaits all who love him and keep his commandments” (Ensign, Nov. 1995, 86, 88.)
Truman G. Madsen: “All the counsels of the sermon remain unreachable except through a rebirth, a life derived from Christ’s life. No fruits are promised without roots. The entire sermon is preceded by the requirement of baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost.” (First Nephi, the Doctrinal Foundation, 310)
Becoming a whole or complete person 3 Nephi 12-14
President Ezra Taft Benson: “When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives. Our love of the Lord will govern the claims for our affection, the demands on our time, the interests we pursue, and the order of our priorities.
“We should put God ahead of everyone else in our lives. …(Ensign, May 1988, 4.)
Joseph Smith and Judging:
“I went one day to the Prophet with a sister. She had a charge to make against one of the brethren for scandal. When her complaint had been heard the Prophet asked her if she was quite sure that what the brother had said of her was utterly untrue.
“She was quite sure that it was.
“He then told her to think no more about it, for it could not harm her. If untrue it could not live, but the truth will survive. Still she felt that she should have some redress.
“Then he offered her his method of dealing with such cases for himself. When an enemy had told a scandalous story about him, which had often been done, before he rendered judgment he paused and let his mind run back to the time and place and setting of the story to see if he had not by some unguarded word or act laid the block on which the story was built. If he found that he had done so, he said that in his heart he then forgave his enemy, and felt thankful that he had received warning of a weakness that he had not known he possessed.
“Then he said to the sister that he would have her to do the same: search her memory thoroughly and see if she had not herself unconsciously laid the foundation for the scandal that annoyed her.
“The sister thought deeply for a few moments and then confessed that she believed that she had.
“Then the Prophet told her that in her heart she could forgive that brother who had risked his own good name and her friendship to give her this clearer view of herself.
“The sister thanked her advisor and went away in peace. (They Knew the Prophet, Jesse W. Crosby, p. 144)
Ideas for teaching:
C.S. Lewis: “As to ‘caring for’ the Sermon on the Mount, if ‘caring for’ here means `liking’ or enjoying, I suppose no one ‘cares for’ it. Who can like being knocked flat on his face by a sledge hammer? I can hardly imagine a more deadly spiritual condition than that of a man who reads that passage with tranquil pleasure. This is indeed to be ‘at ease in Zion’.” (God in the Dock, 182)
Sermon at the Temple Outline
- 3 Nephi 12:1-16 – Becoming Celestial in Character
- 3 Nephi 12:17-48 – Celestial vs. Telestial Law Contrasted
- 3 Nephi 13:1-14:27 – Celestial Lifestyle Described
President Russel M. Nelson: “The term perfect was translated from the Greek teleios, which means ‘complete.’ …
Note that the word does not imply ‘freedom from error’; it implies ‘achieving a distant objective.’ …We need not be dismayed if our earnest efforts toward perfection now seem so arduous and endless. Perfection is pending. It can come in full only after the Resurrection and only through the Lord. It awaits all who love him and keep his commandments” (Ensign, Nov. 1995, 86, 88.)
Truman G. Madsen: “All the counsels of the sermon remain unreachable except through a rebirth, a life derived from Christ’s life. No fruits are promised without roots. The entire sermon is preceded by the requirement of baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost.” (First Nephi, the Doctrinal Foundation, 310)
Becoming a whole or complete person 3 Nephi 12-14
- 12:1- honor covenants.
- 12:1-2 – give heed to the apostles and prophets.
- 12:3- humble and “come unto me.
- 12:4- have compassion and comfort others.
- 12:5- be teachable.
- 12:6- have righteous desires and be filled with Holy Ghost.
- 12:7- extend mercy.
- 12:8- pure in heart.
- 12:9- avoid contention, be a peacemaker.
- 12:10-11- stand up for the truth at all times.
- 12:14-16- be an example.
- 12:22- control anger
- 12:28- control lust
- 12:33-37- develop honesty, integrity, keeping your word
- 12:38-45- love everyone including enemies
- 13:1-5- don’t be a hypocrite
- 13:6-13- praying
- 13:14-15- be forgiving
- 13:16-18- fasting
- 13:19-21- avoid worldliness
- 13:24-33- serve God put Him first
- 14:1-5- Don’t judge
- 14:7-8- seeking for answers from the Lord
- 14:13-14- stay on the path of righteousness
- 14:24-27- be converted
President Ezra Taft Benson: “When we put God first, all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives. Our love of the Lord will govern the claims for our affection, the demands on our time, the interests we pursue, and the order of our priorities.
“We should put God ahead of everyone else in our lives. …(Ensign, May 1988, 4.)
Joseph Smith and Judging:
“I went one day to the Prophet with a sister. She had a charge to make against one of the brethren for scandal. When her complaint had been heard the Prophet asked her if she was quite sure that what the brother had said of her was utterly untrue.
“She was quite sure that it was.
“He then told her to think no more about it, for it could not harm her. If untrue it could not live, but the truth will survive. Still she felt that she should have some redress.
“Then he offered her his method of dealing with such cases for himself. When an enemy had told a scandalous story about him, which had often been done, before he rendered judgment he paused and let his mind run back to the time and place and setting of the story to see if he had not by some unguarded word or act laid the block on which the story was built. If he found that he had done so, he said that in his heart he then forgave his enemy, and felt thankful that he had received warning of a weakness that he had not known he possessed.
“Then he said to the sister that he would have her to do the same: search her memory thoroughly and see if she had not herself unconsciously laid the foundation for the scandal that annoyed her.
“The sister thought deeply for a few moments and then confessed that she believed that she had.
“Then the Prophet told her that in her heart she could forgive that brother who had risked his own good name and her friendship to give her this clearer view of herself.
“The sister thanked her advisor and went away in peace. (They Knew the Prophet, Jesse W. Crosby, p. 144)
Ideas for teaching:
- Coming to Christ is the context of the sermon at the temple.
- “Perfection is pending.”
- Let the Spirit guide you to ‘be in tune.’
