That Our Children May Know

2 Nephi 25:26 - "And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins."

Elder M. Russell Ballard - “We should remember that it is His name that appears on our places of worship; we are baptized in His name; and we are confirmed, ordained, endowed, and sealed in marriage in His name. We partake of the sacrament and promise to take upon ourselves His name--and become true Christians. Finally, we are asked in the sacrament prayer to ‘always remember him.’” 

Elder J. Reuben Clark - "Brethren, it is all right to speak of the Savior and the beauty of his doctrines, and the beauty of the truth. But remember, and this is the thing I wish you...[to] always carry with you, the Savior is to be looked at as the Messiah, the Redeemer of the world. His teachings were ancillary and auxiliary to that great fact.”

Elder Tad R. Callister - "Just as the physical body weakens with the onslaught of disease, it seems that in the same way we weaken spiritually as we embrace each new sin. Perhaps we lose our capacity or will to absorb light and truth. Perhaps, like an injured muscle, we lose strength and resiliency to confront each new temptation. Whatever the mechanics, spiritual death seems to result in a form of spiritual degeneration or entropy. As with physical death, there needs to be some power to reverse the decaying process, to heal our spiritual wounds, to strengthen our spiritual fiber. Again, the Atonement is the source of that reversing power, that fount to which men 'may look for a remission of their sins’"

Elder Neil L. Andersen - “As the world speaks less of Jesus Christ, let us speak more of Him. As our true colors as His disciples are revealed, many around us will be prepared to listen. As we share the light we have received from Him, His light and His transcendent saving power will shine on those willing to open their hearts.”

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Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:12

Welcome to Seek This Jesus, a daily podcast dedicated to drawing closer to the Savior through the powerful truths found in the Book of Mormon. Each episode, we focus on one verse that helps us walk more faithfully in his footsteps.

SPEAKER_02 0:31

There are many good things we can discuss, study, and devote our time to. The gospel contains rich doctrine, inspiring history, beautiful principles, and practical counsel for everyday life. Yet all of those things ultimately have one purpose to bring us to Jesus Christ. If our study, our teaching, and our worship do not deepen our relationship with Him, then we have missed the central message of the gospel. Nephi understood this. Near the end of this remarkable chapter, after teaching about Isaiah, the scattering and gathering of Israel, the restoration, grace, and the coming of the Messiah, he summarizes everything with one unforgettable declaration. It is almost as if he says If there is one thing I hope for my children never forget, it is this. Our verse today is Second Nephi twenty five, twenty six. And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins. As we study this verse today, along with teachings from elders M. Russell Ballard, J. Ruben Clark, Tad R. Callister, and Neil L. Anderson, we will consider why every part of our discipleship should point us and those around us to Jesus Christ. Nephi uses five powerful phrases. We talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies. Notice that Christ is not simply one topic among many. He is the center of every activity Nephi describes. Their conversations pointed to Christ, their joy was found in Christ, their preaching testified of Christ, their prophecies foretold, Christ. Their sacred writings preserved a witness of Christ. Then Nephi explains why. That our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins. That word source is profound. There is only one source of forgiveness. There is only one source of redemption. There is only one source of lasting hope. Nephi wanted future generations to know exactly where to turn when burdened by sin. Elder M.

SPEAKER_00 3:17

Russell Ballard taught We should remember that it is His name that appears on our places of worship. We're baptized in His name, and we are confirmed, ordained, endowed and sealed in marriage in His name. We partake of the sacrament and promise to take upon ourselves His name and become true Christians. Finally, we are asked in the sacrament prayer to always remember Him.

SPEAKER_02 3:52

Everything about the restored gospel centers on Jesus Christ. Every ordinance points us to Him. Every covenant connects us with Him. Every Sabbath we promise once again to remember Him. The gospel is not simply a way of life, it is a relationship with the living Savior. Elder J. Ruben Clark gave this important reminder Brethren, it is all right to speak of the Savior and the beauty of his doctrines and the beauty of the truth. But remember, and this is the thing I wish you to always carry with you. The Savior is to be looked at as the Messiah, the redeemer of the world. His teachings were ancillary and auxiliary to that great fact. The Savior's teachings are magnificent, but Elder Clark reminds us that they are not the ultimate message. The central truth is who is Jesus Christ is. He is the Messiah, He is our redeemer. His teachings matter because they come from the one who has power to save us. Elder Tad R. Callister then explains why the Savior alone is our source of hope. Just as the physical body weakens with the onslaught of disease, it seems that in the same way we weaken spiritually as we embrace each new sin. Perhaps we lose our capacity or will to absorb light and truth. Perhaps like an injured muscle we lose strength and resiliency to confront each new temptation. Whatever the mechanic, spiritual death seems to result in a form of spiritual degeneration or entropy. As with physical death, there needs to be some power to reverse the decaying process, to heal our spiritual wounds, to strengthen our spiritual fiber. Again, the atonement is the source of that reversing power, that fount to which men may look for remission of their sins. Sin is not merely the breaking of a rule, it weakens us spiritually. Left alone we cannot reverse that process, we cannot heal our own spiritual wounds. That is why Nephi says we must not we must know the source to which we may look. Jesus Christ does not simply forgive sin. Through his atonement he restores what sin has damaged and strengthens what has become weak. Nephi's words also invite us to evaluate what naturally fills our conversations. If someone listened to us for a week, would they hear us talking about Christ? Would they hear us rejoicing in him? Would they recognize that our hope rests in him? Speaking more of Jesus Christ does not require formal sermons or lengthy discussions. It often happens naturally as we express gratitude for his blessings, bear simple testimony, discuss the scriptures with family or explain why our faith influences the choices we make. Elder Neil L.

SPEAKER_03 7:09

Anderson taught As the world speaks less of Jesus Christ, let us speak more of him. As our true colors as his disciples are revealed, many around us will be prepared to listen. As we share the light we have received from him, his light and his transcendence saving power will shine on those willing to open their hearts.

SPEAKER_02 7:38

Those words feel especially relevant today. We live in a world where the Savior is often ignored, misunderstood, or pushed aside. Rather than becoming discouraged, Elder Anderson invites us to respond by speaking of Christ more frequently. When Jesus Christ becomes the center of our conversations, our homes change. Our friendships change, our teaching changes. Most importantly, our own hearts change. The more we speak of him, the more we think of him, the more we think of him, the more we trust him. The more we trust him, the more we experience the healing, forgiveness, and joy that only He can give. Nephi wanted his children to know where to look for our remission of their sins. That same invitation extends to us today. In moments of weakness, confusion, guilt, or discouragement, we know exactly where to turn. We look to Jesus Christ, the only true source of redemption, strength, and eternal hope. So here is today's challenge. Find one opportunity today to intentionally speak of Jesus Christ, share a scripture, express gratitude for something he has done, bear a simple testimony, or discuss one of his attributes with someone you love. Then notice how keeping the Savior at the center of our conversations also keeps him at the center of our heart. Thank you for listening to Seek This Jesus. I hope this message helps you draw a little closer to the Savior, Jesus Christ. Please, don't let this podcast be your only scripture time today. As we open the scriptures for ourselves, the Spirit will teach us things no podcast ever could. If you are exploring the truths of the Book of Mormon for the first time, you can receive a free copy using the link in the description found in every episode of Seek This Jesus. I invite you to come back tomorrow for another verse and message to help you stay focused on Jesus Christ. Until next time, keep seeking this Jesus.