Teachings of the Presidents of the Church
Ezra Taft Benson
Lesson 6
“Jesus Christ, Our Savior and Redeemer”
Lesson by Carly
Carly
began her lesson by reading a quote from President Ezra Taft Benson, “No other
single influence has had so great an impact on this earth as the life of Jesus
the Christ.” This is the foundation of
the gospel.
Because
our relationship with the Savior is so very personal it can be challenging to
discuss but here are some goals that Carly outlined for today’s lesson:
Feeling
the love Jesus Christ has for you.
Increased
gratitude for our Savior.
Increased
desire to share our testimony of Christ.
President
Benson said, “We declare the divinity of Jesus Christ. We look to Him as the only source of our
salvation.”
Carly
asked, “What are your favorite attributes of Christ?” Some responses were: Pure love, compassion, patience, kind,
courageous, strong. Carly read from a
compiled list of some of Christ’s attributes:
Faith, virtue, knowledge, humility, diligence, temperance, godliness,
charity, patience, kindness.
In
3 Nephi 27:27 Christ says: Therefore,
what manner of men ought ye to be? Verily I say unto you, even as I am.
This
is a lifelong pursuit and one decision at a time. It takes faith, repentance, keeping the
commandments and enduring to the end.
John 6: 24-28, 30-31, 34, 35:
24 When the
people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also
took shipping, and came to Capernaum
25 And
when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him,
Rabbi, when camest thou hither?
26 Jesus
answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because
ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.
27 Labour
not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto
everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God
the Father sealed.
30 They
said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and
believe thee? what dost thou work?
31 Our
fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from
heaven to eat.
35 And
Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never
hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
Jesus is the Bread
of Life. President Benson said, “I cannot recall a
time that I did not believe in Jesus Christ. It seems that the reality of His
life, death, and resurrection has always been a part of me.”
Carly continued with John 6:36-40:
36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and
believe not.
37 All
that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in
no wise cast out.
39 And
this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given
me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
40 And
this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and
believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the
last day.
Jesus has proclaimed himself-He is the bread of life. He came down from heaven to do the will of
the Father. All that believe in the Son
(partake of this bread) shall have eternal life.
President Benson said, “Everything He did was prompted
by His unselfish, infinite love for us.”
Carly asked the audience if we could remember a time
when we have felt the Lords love through someone else? Several sisters told specific instances when
they have felt the Lords love through the actions of others.
Former Relief Society General President, Bonnie Parkin
said, “I know that Heavenly Father loves us, sisters, as does his Son, Jesus
Christ. That love will never change—it
is constant. Do we frequently reject the
Lord’s love that He pours out upon us in mjch more abundance than we are
willing to receive? Do we think we have
to be perfect in order to deserve His love?”
Carly said that she thinks that when we allow
ourselves to feel His love, we begin to feel safe, and we realize that we don’t
need to be immediately perfect—it’s all part of the progression toward eternal
life.
President Benson said, “Faith in Jesus Christ consists
of relying completely on Him and following His teachings.” He also said, “Those who are captained by
Christ will be consumed in Christ. Their
will is swallowed up in His will. They
do always those things that please the Lord.
Not only would they die for the lord, but, more important, they want to
live for Him. Enter their homes, and the
pictures on their walls, the books on the shelves, the music in the air, their
words and acts reveal them as Christians.
They stand as witnesses of God at all times, and in all things, and in
all places. They have Christ on their
minds, as they look unto Him in every thought.
They have Christ in their hearts as their affections are placed on Him
forever.”
Carly played a short video: https://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2015-04-1010-he-lives-celebrate-easter-because-jesus-christ-lives?lang=eng
Carly close with her and President Benson’s
testimony: “With all my soul, I love
Him. I humbly testify that He is the
same loving, compassionate Lord today as when He walked the dusty roads of Palestine
