Since Post 35u, I have been focusing on things the Savior of the World, Jesus Christ, said and did among the Nephite People as recorded in the Book of Third Nephi.
Painting: Harry Anderson
I have chosen to use the Chapter Headings in each of the remaining chapters of Third Nephi as I seek to identify how in each of them there is clear testifying that what Jesus did and taught among the Nephites is clear evidence that He is the Christ, The Son of God!
"THIRD NEPHI, CHAPTER 12
Jesus calls and commissions the Twelve—He delivers to the Nephites a discourse similar to the Sermon on the Mount—He speaks the Beatitudes—His teachings transcend and take precedence over the law of Moses—Men are commanded to be perfect even as he and his Father are perfect—Compare Matthew 5. About A.D. 34"
Not only did Jesus call and commission the twelve in America as He did in Palestine, I, as the author of this blog post used the very same painting depicting our Savior as he ordained his twelve in the Old World for His doing this with the twelve He called from among the Nephites. I did that because no painter has evidently painted a picture depicting that happening among the Lamanites. No matter. This serves to continue the emphasis that: our Savior did the same things in both lands as He set up His divine church.
I just now decided to carry on the same simile I did with the ordaining of the Twelve in America to the other thing mentioned in the Chapter 12 Heading: The Sermon on the Mount.
I happen to have access to two Sermon on the Mount paintings so I will use the one I didn't use the last time I depicted that event that took place in Palestine. I used that first one in my special Easter Season blog post.
We will just think of that which is depicted in this beautiful painting as happening in Central America among the Nephites. Who could tell the difference? We use our imaginations as we view pictures like this anyway.
Painting: Harry Anderson
I will now quote several sets of verses from Third Nephi Chapter 12. The first set has to do, of course, about His calling the twelve from among them:
1 AND it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words unto Nephi, and to those who had been called, (now the number of them who had been called, and received power and authority to baptize, was twelve) and behold, he stretched forth his hand unto the multitude, and cried unto them, saying: Blessed are ye if ye shall give heed unto the words of these twelve whom I have chosen from among you to minister unto you, and to be your servants; and unto them I have given power that they may baptize you with water; and after that ye are baptized with water, behold, I will baptize you with fire and with the Holy Ghost; therefore blessed are ye if ye shall believe in me and be baptized, after that ye have seen me and know that I am.
2 And again, more blessed are they who shall believe in your words because that ye shall testify that ye have seen me,
and that ye know that I am. Yea, blessed are they who shall believe in your words, and come down into the depths of humility and be baptized, for they shall be visited with fire and with the Holy Ghost, and shall receive a remission of their sins. (Highlighted Italics added for emphasis)
I add the following few verses from Third Nephi: (You will recognize them as being very identical to Jesus' words from the Sermon on the Mount. Again, He teaches in Central America as He did in Palestine:
3 Yea, blessed are the poor in spirit who come unto me, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
4 And again, blessed are all they that mourn, for they shall be comforted.
5 And blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
6 And blessed are all they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost.
7 And blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.
8 And blessed are all the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
9 And blessed are all the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.
10 And blessed are all they who are persecuted for my name's sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 And blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake;
12 For ye shall have great joy and be exceedingly glad, for great shall be your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets who were before you.
13 Verily, verily, I say unto you, I give unto you to be the salt of the earth; but if the salt shall lose its savor wherewith shall the earth be salted? The salt shall be thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and to be trodden under foot of men.
14 Verily, verily, I say unto you, I give unto you to be the light of this people. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
15 Behold, do men light a candle and put it under a bushel? Nay, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light to all that are in the house;
16 Therefore let your light so shine before this people, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven. (Highlighted Italics added for emphasis)
Now in ending this blog post I will provide you with the entire chapter 12 of Third Nephi through the following link. Again, After you have clicked on the link below and it is on your computer screen, scroll up and click on the word, Listen. After the Listen box is on your screen and you begin to hear the words of the reader, please click on the - (minus) sign to remove the box so it will not distract you. When you have finished reading and listening, please click on the white arrow in the blue box in the upper left hand side of your computer screen. That will take you back to this blog post.
I'll look forward to having you back in about three days to continue with me in my enjoyable effort of demonstrating that the Book of 3 Nephi of the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, truly does testify of Him.
____________________
I deeply appreciate your readership and hope you found very beneficial, that which was presented to you in this blog post.
If you have any questions about what you have read or viewed in this post or in any previous posts of mine, or if you even have a curiosity about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and or its teachings, please e-mail me. I'm Neil and my e-mail address is: jneilmelva@gmail.com. If you contact me I'll get back to you just as soon as possible.
I invite you to let your friends and relatives know about this blog if you think they would be interested. Please be advised that I also have two additional blogs. One is in Spanish: http://varsinaisella.blogspot.com/ and one is in Finnish: http://varsinaisesti.blogspot.com/ The content of each is translated from the English in this blog.
Neil Birch
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