Welcome to February!
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February, Week 1
Day 1
Primary
1. Read Matthew 4.
2. Before he began his ministry, Jesus went into the wilderness and fasted. Fasting can help us feel closer to our Heavenly Father. After he had fasted, Satan came and tried to convince Jesus to use his priesthood for selfish purposes. Jesus resisted temptation, and did not listen to Satan.
3. Watch the video “Jesus is Tempted.”
4. After this experience, Jesus began to call disciples and preach to the people. He promised his disciples that if they followed him, he would make them “fishers of men.” What do you think that means?
5. Listen to the song “Books in the New Testament.” This time, listen to the whole song.
Youth
1. Read Matthew 4.
2. Following His baptism, Jesus spent 40 days fasting and communing with Heavenly Father in the wilderness. After this experience, the devil tempted Jesus. Why does Satan try to tempt us to sin? (2 Nephi 2:17-18, 27)
3. Using scripture, Jesus resisted each temptation. It is important to remember that Jesus would eventually satisfy His hunger and even turn an earthly substance into food (see John 2:1–11). He would also receive divine confirmation of and assistance with His ministry (see Matthew 17:1–5; Luke 22:41–44), and He will one day rule the world (Zechariah 14:9; Revelation 11:15). However, for Jesus to have obtained these desired ends in the ways Satan tempted Him — instead of waiting for the right time and the right way — would have been a selfish abuse of the Savior’s power. Jesus would establish His divine identity as the Son of God in ways that aligned with Heavenly Father’s will, not with Satan’s bidding.
4. Following His experience in the wilderness, the Savior went to Galilee and dwelt in the city of Capernaum. Later, we have another account of Christ calling disciples to come be “fishers of men.” What do you think it means to be a fisher of men? Despite the temporal concerns they might have had about leaving their work to follow the Savior, the scripture says that they “straightaway left their nets” to follow Christ. Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said:
If the Savior were to call you today, would you be just as willing to leave your nets and follow Him? …
Nets come in many sizes and shapes. …
… We might define a net as anything that entices or prevents us from following the call of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God.
Nets in this context can be our work, our hobbies, our pleasures, and, above all else, our temptations and sins. In short, a net can be anything that pulls us away from our relationship with our Heavenly Father or from His restored Church. (“Follow Me,” Ensign, May 2002, 15)
5. Listen to the song “Books in the New Testament.” This time, listen to the whole song.
Day 2
Primary
1. Read Luke 4:1-32.
2. Today we read another account of how Jesus was tempted in the wilderness. Afterwards he went to Nazareth, where his family was from, and taught in the synagogue. Jesus told the people that he was the Messiah, but they did not believe him. They said, “Is this not Joseph’s son?” Why do you think the people in Nazareth did not believe Jesus was the Savior?
3. Watch the video “Angry People in Nazareth.”
4. Listen to the song “He Sent His Son.”
Youth
1. Read Luke 4:1-32.
2. After Jesus returned from the wilderness, He began to preach in the synagogues in Galilee. Soon, He returned to His hometown of Nazareth. While there, He stood in a synagogue and read from the book of Isaiah. Although the Jews had been waiting for centuries for Isaiah’s prophecy to be fulfilled, many did not accept that Jesus was the Messiah when He declared, “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears” (Luke 4:21). As you read Luke 4:20–30, try to put yourself in the place of the people of Nazareth. Is there anything that might prevent you from fully accepting Christ as your personal Savior?
3. What Old Testament stories was Jesus referring to in Luke 4:24-27? Jesus performed very few miracles in Nazareth because the people there generally lacked faith in Him. What principle can we learn about faith when we contrast the people in Nazareth with the widow and Naaman? (When we demonstrate our faith in Jesus Christ, we can see miracles occur.)
4. Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles provided the following commentary about the faith demonstrated by the widow of Zarephath and Naaman compared to the faith of those in Nazareth in Jesus’s day:
Where there is faith, there is the miracle; where there is no faith, no miracle is wrought. And if the prophets of old went outside the fold of Israel to find those worthy of their ministry, so Jesus would go outside Nazareth to find receptive souls who would believe in him and receive the blessings that he came to bestow. Should the people of Nazareth desire to see the wondrous works done elsewhere, then let them accept Him who now preached in their synagogue, and they too would receive the blessings of heaven. (The Mortal Messiah, 4 vols. [1979–81], 2:26)
5. Watch the video “Jesus Declares He is the Messiah.”
Day 3
Primary
1. Read Luke 4:33-44 and Luke 5:1-16.
2. You may recognize the events in these verses as the same ones we read about in Mark 1 last week, just in more detail. Jesus performed miracles like casting out devils, healing the sick, and cleansing a leper. He also began calling his apostles. In this version of the story, Jesus performs a miracle by telling them where to cast their nets. Even though they had fished all night without catching any fish, they obeyed. When they fished where Jesus told them to, they caught so many fish that their nets began to break. Jesus told them to follow him and become fishers of men – meaning, that they would do missionary work with Christ.
3. Watch the video “Jesus Chooses His Apostles.”
4. Listen to the song “I Will Follow God’s Plan.”
Youth
1. Read Luke 4:33-44 and Luke 5:1-16.
2. Because they did not have faith in Him, the people of Nazareth had not received miracles. By comparison, the people of Capernaum received many miracles. While there Christ cast out devils and healed the sick, so many that when he left the people begged him not to go. How do these accounts illustrate the principle that as we demonstrate our faith in Jesus Christ, we can see miracles occur?
3. Read Luke 5:1-5 again. What did Jesus tell Simon to do? What did Simon tell the Savior about their previous efforts to catch fish? What might Simon’s own fishing experience have led him to think when the Savior told him to let down the nets again?
4. Simon trusted in the Lord. Look at Luke 5:6-9 to see what happened. Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles said:
This life is an experience in profound trust — trust in Jesus Christ, trust in His teachings, trust in our capacity as led by the Holy Spirit to obey those teachings for happiness now and for a purposeful, supremely happy eternal existence. To trust means to obey willingly without knowing the end from the beginning (see Prov. 3:5–7). To produce fruit, your trust in the Lord must be more powerful and enduring than your confidence in your own personal feelings and experience, (“Trust in the Lord,” Ensign, Nov. 1995, 17)
If we do what the Lord asks even when we do not understand why, He can provide greater blessings than we could have anticipated.
5. Watch the video “Follow Me, and I Will Make You Fishers of Men.”
Day 4
Primary
1. Read Luke 5:17-39.
2. This part of the chapter talks about a man who was paralyzed. His friends carried him to the Savior so that he could be healed. When Jesus saw him, he told the man his sins were forgiven. The Pharisees objected, saying Jesus did not have the right to forgive sin. Jesus asked them whether it was easier to tell someone their sins were forgiven than to tell a man who was paralyzed that he could walk. Then he told the man to get up and walk. The man was healed.
3. Watch the video “The Man Who Could Not Walk.”
4. Listen to the song “Baptism.”
Youth
1. Read Luke 5:17-39.
2. This part of the chapter deals with a man who had “palsy” (meaning he was paralyzed). Since he could not walk, his friends carried him to Jesus to be healed. When Jesus saw the faith of the man and his friends, he told the man his sins were forgiven. The Pharisees objected, saying that Jesus did not have the authority to forgive sin. Christ asked whether it was easier to forgive sin, or to tell a paralyzed man to walk – then he did exactly that, showing that if he had the power to do one, he could do the other.
3. Commenting on the scribes’ and Pharisees’ questioning of the Savior’s authority to forgive sin, Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught the following:
This event in the life of our Lord was visible and irrefutable proof that he was the Messiah; and it was so recognized by those among whom he ministered. He had borne frequent verbal testimony that God was his Father and had supported that personal witness with an unparalleled ministry of preaching and healing. Now it was his purpose to announce that he had done what no one but God could do and to prove that he had done it by a further manifestation of his Father’s power.
Both Jesus and the ‘doctors of the law’ who were then present knew that none but God can forgive sins. Accordingly, as a pointed and dramatic witness that the power of God was resident in him … , Jesus did what no imposter could have done — he proved his divine power by healing the forgiven man. (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. [1965–73], 1:177–78)
4. President Harold B. Lee taught the following about the greatest miracles today:
The greatest miracles I see today are not necessarily the healing of sick bodies, but the greatest miracles I see are the healing of sick souls, those who are sick in soul and spirit and are downhearted and distraught, on the verge of nervous breakdowns. We are reaching out to all such, because they are precious in the sight of the Lord, and we want no one to feel that they are forgotten. (“Stand Ye in Holy Places” Ensign, July 1973, 123)
5. Watch the video “Jesus Forgives Sin and Heals a Man Stricken with Palsy.”
Week 2
Day 1
Primary
1. Read John 2:1-11.
2. At the wedding in Cana, Mary told Jesus that the wine had run out. According to the Joseph Smith Translation, Jesus responded to His mother by asking, “Woman, what wilt thou have me to do for thee? that will I do.” Jesus is an example of how we should treat our mothers. This is the first recorded miracle that Jesus performed, and he did it to help his mother.
3. Watch the video “The Wedding in Cana.”
4. Listen to the song “I Will Follow God’s Plan.”
Youth
Read John 2:1-11. Be sure to click on the footnote in verse 4 so you can read the Joseph Smith Translation of Christ’s response.
2. In Cana, the Savior performed the first public miracle of His earthly ministry when He turned water into wine. Wine was a customary drink at a wedding feast. Sometimes the wedding feast would continue for multiple days. To run out of wine would have been embarrassing for the hosts of the feast. Mary seemed to feel some responsibility for the feast, so when the wine ran out, she approached her Son and asked for His help in an effort to save the hosting family from embarrassment. Jesus’s response demonstrated respect and compassion for His mother’s desire to help at the wedding.
The Savior’s response to His mother may seem abrupt as it reads in the King James Version, but both the Joseph Smith Translation and the Greek version indicate that He spoke with respect. Elder James E. Talmage (1862–1933) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained: ‘The noun of address, “Woman,” as applied by a son to his mother may sound to our ears somewhat harsh, if not disrespectful; but its use was really an expression of opposite import. … When, in the last dread scenes of His mortal experience, Christ hung in dying agony upon the cross, He looked down upon the weeping Mary, His mother, and commended her to the care of the beloved apostle John, with the words: “Woman, behold thy son!” [John 19:26]. Can it be thought that in this supreme moment, our Lord’s concern for the mother from whom He was about to be separated by death was associated with any emotion other than that of honor, tenderness and love?’ (Jesus the Christ, 3rd ed. [1916], 144–45).
The Joseph Smith Translation also helps us understand that Jesus not only asked His mother what she wanted Him to do, but He also expressed willingness to do it: ‘Woman, what wilt thou have me to do for thee? that will I do’ (Joseph Smith Translation, John 2:4 [in John 2:4, footnote a]). The question ‘What have I to do with thee?’ essentially meant ‘What do you want me to do?’ (John 2:4). (New Testament Student Manual [Church Educational System manual, 2014], 208)
3. What did Mary tell the servants to do? (John 2:5) How did this demonstrate her faith in Jesus? What did Jesus tell the servants to do? (John 2:6-7)
4. During Jesus’s time, waterpots made from stone were considered ritually pure for use in religious ceremonies. It was the practice of Jews to ceremonially purify themselves prior to eating a meal by washing their hands using the water from these waterpots.
After the servants filled the pots with water, Jesus directed them to fill cups from these water pots and take them to the person in charge of the feast. Jesus had turned the water into wine – and into better wine than any that had been served previously. This miracle both supported his mother, and strengthened the faith of his disciples.
5. Watch the video “Jesus Turns Water into Wine.”
Day 2
Primary
1. Read John 2:12-25.
2. The thousands of visitors who came to Jerusalem for the celebration of Passover needed to purchase animals to offer as sacrifices in the temple as part of their worship. Money changers exchanged Roman and other currency for temple currency so that sacrificial animals could be purchased, and other merchants sold the needed animals. While the commerce needed to happen, handling such business at the temple was disrespectful and irreverent. Jesus didn’t want the buying and selling to be happening IN the temple.
3. Watch the video “Jesus and His Heavenly Father’s House.”
4. Listen to the song “He Sent His Son.”
Youth
1. Read John 2:12-25.
2. The thousands of visitors who came to Jerusalem for the celebration of Passover needed to purchase animals to offer as sacrifices in the temple as part of their worship. Money changers exchanged Roman and other currency for temple currency so that sacrificial animals could be purchased, and other merchants sold the needed animals. While the commerce needed to happen, handling such business at the temple was disrespectful and irreverent.
3. Read the following statement by President Howard W. Hunter. Look for for how Jesus’s understanding of the holiness of temples contributed to His decision to drive the money changers and merchants from the temple.
The reason for the tempest lies in just three words: ‘My Father’s house.’ It was not an ordinary house; it was the house of God. It was erected for God’s worship. It was a home for the reverent heart. It was intended to be a place of solace for men’s woes and troubles, the very gate of heaven. … [Jesus’s] devotion to the Most High kindled a fire in his soul and gave his words the force that pierced the offenders like a dagger. (“Hallowed Be Thy Name,” Ensign, Nov. 1977, 53)
4. What impure influences does your family need to keep out of your home so it will be a sacred place — like the temple? What will you do to keep those things out?
5. Watch the video “Jesus Cleanses the Temple.”
Day 3
Primary
1. Today read John 3.
2. When we are baptized, which Jesus called being “born of water,” we receive a remission of our sins and can “enter into the kingdom of God” (John 3:5). Jesus taught that we must be baptized to return to Heavenly Father. He also taught that God sent Jesus to earth because he loves us so much.
3. There are two Doctrinal Mastery verses in today’s chapter. First is John 3:5.
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
4. Second is John 3:16.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Youth
1. Today read John 3.
2. Like Nicodemus, some people may wonder how to be born again. President Ezra Taft Benson taught:
In addition to the physical ordinance of baptism and the laying on of hands, one must be spiritually born again to gain exaltation and eternal life. (“Born of God,” Ensign, July 1989, 2–4)
Therefore, being born again requires more than simply being baptized and confirmed. In order to be born again one needs to live in such a manner that the Holy Ghost changes the heart. Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught:
We begin the process of being born again through exercising faith in Christ, repenting of our sins, and being baptized by immersion for the remission of sins by one having priesthood authority. …
Total immersion in and saturation with the Savior’s gospel are essential steps in the process of being born again. (“Ye Must Be Born Again,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2007, 21)
Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained that to be born again is a process that requires time:
You may ask, Why doesn’t this mighty change happen more quickly with me? … For most of us, the changes are more gradual and occur over time. Being born again, unlike our physical birth, is more a process than an event. And engaging in that process is the central purpose of mortality.
At the same time, let us not justify ourselves in a casual effort. Let us not be content to retain some disposition to do evil. Let us worthily partake of the sacrament each week and continue to draw upon the Holy Spirit to root out the last vestiges of impurity within us. I testify that as you continue in the path of spiritual rebirth, the atoning grace of Jesus Christ will take away your sins and the stain of those sins in you, temptations will lose their appeal, and through Christ you will become holy, as He and our Father are holy. (“Born Again,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2008, 78)
The Savior’s teaching in John 3:5 affirms that ordinances are necessary to enter the kingdom of God. As the Prophet Joseph Smith taught,
Being born again, comes by the Spirit of God through ordinances. (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Smith [2007], 95)
President Boyd K. Packer of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles likewise stated,
Good conduct without the ordinances of the gospel will neither redeem nor exalt mankind; covenants and the ordinances are essential. (“The Only True Church,” Ensign, Nov. 1985, 82)
3. Watch the video, “Jesus Teaches of Being Born Again.”
4. There are two Doctrinal Mastery verses in today’s chapter. First is John 3:5.
5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
5. Second is John 3:16.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Day 4
Primary
1. Read John 4.
2. While traveling to Galilee, Jesus passed through Samaria and taught a woman at a well. Water is so important to us that without it we would die. What did Jesus compare to water when he taught the woman? When we are thirsty, a drink of water helps us feel better, but we will become thirsty again. Jesus said that he had “living water,” that would help her to never be thirsty again. If we come unto Jesus Christ and partake of His gospel, then we can receive eternal life.
3. Watch the video “The Woman at the Well.”
4. In the second half of this chapter, Jesus performed another miracle. A man had a son who was very sick. Everyone thought he would die. The man traveled a long way to ask Jesus to heal his son. Jesus told the man to go home. His son was healed.
5. Watch the video “The Leader’s Son.”
6. Listen to the song “Baptism.”
Youth
1. Read John 4.
2. In John 4, Jesus left Judea and traveled to Galilee through Samaria. Jews typically traveled around Samaria rather than passing through it because of the hostility that existed between Jews and Samaritans. Read John 4:6-9. What did Jesus ask the woman he met when he stopped there? Why was she surprised?
3. How did Jesus respond? (John 4:10-12) Fresh water is the most valuable resource on earth. We might initially think that gold or gems are more valuable, but without water, we would die. According to verse 10, what did the Savior offer the woman? (The phrase “gift of God” refers to Jesus as the Savior of the world.) What did Jesus say about the water He offered? Elder David A. Bednar said:
The living water referred to in this episode is a representation of the Lord Jesus Christ and His gospel. And as water is necessary to sustain physical life, so the Savior and His doctrines, principles, and ordinances are essential for eternal life. You and I need His living water daily and in ample supply to sustain our ongoing spiritual growth and development. (“A Reservoir of Living Water,” 2)
If we come unto Jesus Christ and earnestly partake of His gospel, then we will receive eternal life.
4. Watch the video “Jesus Teaches a Samaritan Woman.”
5. In the second half of the chapter, Jesus performed another miracle. (John 4:46-54) A man traveled to see him, to ask for healing for his son who was very sick. He asked Jesus to come with him, because he believed that Jesus could heal his son. Jesus told the man to go home, and that his son would live. When the man returned home, the people there told him that his son began to get better as soon as Jesus told him to go home. In this way two people were blessed: the son was healed, and the father had his faith strengthened.
Week 3
Day 1
Primary
1. Read Matthew 5:1-26.
2. One day, Jesus taught a lesson to his disciples that we call the Sermon on the Mount. He taught how people can be happy and blessed. He taught that we should be peacemakers, and share our light with others. When we live the way that Jesus taught, we can be happy.
3. Watch the video “The Sermon on the Mount.”
4. There is a Doctrinal Mastery scripture in today’s reading! Matthew 5:14-16. (There is a song for this scripture, if you want to listen to it.)
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Youth
1. Read Matthew 5:1-26.
2. Everybody wants to be happy, but not everyone looks for happiness in the same places. Some search for it in worldly power and position, others in wealth or in satisfying physical appetites. Jesus Christ came to teach the way to lasting happiness, to teach what it truly means to be blessed. What do you learn about obtaining lasting happiness from Matthew 5:1–12? How is this different from the world’s view of happiness?
3. We call the teachings Christ gave in the Sermon on the Mount the “Beatitudes.” The Beatitudes are a series of teachings that describe a refined and spiritual character They are arranged in such a way that each statement builds upon the one that precedes it.
4. Watch the video “The Sermon on the Mount: The Beatitudes.”
5. There is a Doctrinal Mastery scripture in today’s reading! Matthew 5:14-16. (There is a song for this scripture, if you want to listen to it.)
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Day 2
Primary
1. Read Matthew 5:27-48.
2. Jesus gave new commandments that built on the commandments that were given in the Old Testament. One of the lessons he taught was that even though the law of Moses said not to kill, the law that Jesus gave was to not even be angry with others. Why do you think it is so important not to let our actions be controlled by anger? What can we do when someone does something that causes us to feel angry? (Jesus said that we should be “reconciled” with our brother. This means to make up with each other after a fight.)
3. Listen to the song “I Will Follow God’s Plan.”
Youth
1. Read Matthew 5:27-48.
2. As Jesus Christ continued the Sermon on the Mount, He taught how He came to fulfill the law of Moses, and He introduced the higher law of the gospel. Just as a view from higher ground can give us greater perspective, the Savior taught His disciples a higher law to give them greater perspective. This greater perspective can help us become more like Him and Heavenly Father. The Savior taught that He came to fulfill the law of Moses — not to do away with any of the eternal truths in the law. Jesus Christ restored the fulness of the gospel that had been lost due to wickedness and apostasy. He corrected false teachings and fulfilled prophecies made by Old Testament prophets.
3. Read Matthew 5:21-24, to see what the law is that the Savior gave about anger. The phrase “without a cause” in verse 22 is removed in the Joseph Smith Translation (in Matthew 5:22, footnote b). Elder Lynn G. Robbins of the Quorum of the Seventy explained:
How interesting that the phrase “without a cause” is not found in the inspired Joseph Smith Translation (see Matthew 5:24), nor in the 3 Nephi 12:22 version. When the Lord eliminates the phrase “without a cause,” He leaves us without an excuse. “But this is my doctrine, that such things should be done away” [ 3 Nephi 11:30 ]. We can “do away” with anger, for He has so taught and commanded us.
(Lynn G. Robbins, “Agency and Anger,” Ensign, May 1998, 80)
President Thomas S. Monson (1927–2018) clarified our role in controlling our anger.
To be angry is to yield to the influence of Satan. No one can make us angry. It is our choice. If we desire to have a proper spirit with us at all times, we must choose to refrain from becoming angry. I testify that such is possible.
(Thomas S. Monson, “School Thy Feelings, O My Brother,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2009, 68)
4. Watch the video “Sermon on the Mount: A Higher Law.”
Day 3
Primary
1. Read Luke 6:1-19.
2. The law of Moses had very specific rules about what was and was not lawful to do on the Sabbath. The Pharisees were watching Jesus, to see if he would break a rule from the law of Moses, so they could accuse him of doing wrong. When Jesus healed on the Sabbath, they thought that was against the law of Moses, but Jesus asked them if it was lawful to do good on the Sabbath day. What do you think that means? What should we do that is “good” on Sundays?
3. Watch the video “Doing His Father’s Work on Earth.”
4. Listen to the song “Baptism.”
Youth
1. Read Luke 6:1-19.
2. Imagine that in sacrament meetings on Sunday you hear an announcement about a service project for a family that lives nearby. After the announcement is made, you overhear four different responses.
- “That family has been through a lot lately. I am happy to help in any way that I can.”
- “There had better be refreshments afterward, because if there aren’t, I’m not going.”
- “I don’t really want to go, but I could use some help next week with a project that I’m organizing, so I should probably help out now.”
- “If my friend is going, I will go.”
What do these examples suggest about the reasons why people sometimes serve?
3. While Jesus was in Galilee early in His ministry, He healed a man’s withered hand on the Sabbath. According to the law of Moses, there were a lot of things that you were not supposed to do on the Sabbath. The Pharisees were watching Jesus, to see if he would do something he was not supposed to, so that they could accuse him of doing wrong. Jesus healed the man anyway. What did Jesus tell them? (Luke 6:9) What does this tell us about what we should do on Sundays?
4. Watch the video “Jesus Heals a Man on the Sabbath.”
Day 4
Primary
1. Read Luke 6:20-49.
2. Some of the lesons in these verses seem to be repetitions of the Beatitudes, but some are different. Jesus taught that we should serve others, without expecting anything back. He also taught that we should give generously to others. If we are generous to others, then our Heavenly Father will be generous to us. What does it mean to be generous? It means to give more than we have to. As we serve others and give generously, we will become more like our Heavenly Father.
3. Listen to the song “He Sent His Son.”
Youth
1. Read Luke 6:20-49.
2. Some of the lessons in these verses seem to be repetitions of the Beatitudes, but some are different. Read Luke 6:31-35. What counsel did Jesus give his disciples? According to verse 35, what should we expect in return for doing good to others? If we do good to others without expecting anything in return, what does the Lord promise will happen? (If we do good to others without expecting anything in return, our reward will be great and we will be the children of the Highest.) Although we are all children of God, those who do good to others fulfill their divine potential by becoming like Heavenly Father.
3. What are some examples Jesus gave of ways we can be good to others? (Luke 6:36-38) How do these phrases describe the way in which Heavenly Father rewards us as we give to others? (As we generously give to others, Heavenly Father blesses us more generously.) In what ways can we be generous in giving to others?
4. Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles listed some possible reasons why we serve and identified the reason why we should serve:
People serve one another for different reasons, and some reasons are better than others. Perhaps none of us serves in every capacity all the time for only a single reason. Since we are imperfect beings, most of us probably serve for a combination of reasons, and the combinations may be different from time to time as we grow spiritually. But we should all strive to serve for the reasons that are highest and best.
What are some of the reasons for service? I will suggest six reasons, from the lesser to the greater.
Some may serve for hope of earthly reward. …
Another reason for service—probably more worthy than the first, but still in the category of service in search of earthly reward—is that motivated by a personal desire to obtain good companionship. …
Some may serve out of fear of punishment. …
Other persons may serve out of a sense of duty or out of loyalty to friends or family or traditions. …
One such higher reason for service is the hope of an eternal reward. …
The last motive I will discuss is, in my opinion, the highest reason of all. In its relationship to service, it is what the scriptures call ‘a more excellent way’ (1 Cor. 12:31).
‘Charity is the pure love of Christ’ (Moro. 7:47). …
This principle—that our service should be for the love of God and the love of fellowmen rather than for personal advantage or any other lesser motive—is admittedly a high standard. The Savior must have seen it so, since he joined his commandment for selfless and complete love directly with the ideal of perfection. (“Why Do We Serve?” New Era, March 1988, 6, 7; see also Dallin H. Oaks, “Why Do We Serve?” Ensign, Nov. 1984, 12–15)
Week 4
Day 1
Primary
1. Read Matthew 6:1-15.
2. As Jesus continued his Sermon on the Mount, he taught the people that they should not do good things just so other people will see and think they are righteous. He also taught the people how they should pray. Jesus taught that the people should pray sincerely. Heavenly Father knows what we need before we need it, but we are still supposed to pray. Prayer can help us forgive others and resist temptation.
3. Watch the video “Jesus Teaches About Prayer.”
Youth
1. Read Matthew 6:1-15.
2. In Matthew 6, the Savior continued His Sermon on the Mount and taught about different motives a person may have for doing righteous acts. (‘Alms’ are acts of religious devotion, such as giving to the poor.) According to verses 1-4 why do some people perform alms? If we perform acts of devotion to please Heavenly Father rather than to seek the attention of others, then He will reward us openly.
3. Think about some phrases that are often repeated in prayers. The Lord’s warning against “vain repetitions” is not necessarily a prohibition against using the same or similar words each time we pray. Thus, it is not inherently wrong to use oft repeated words or phrases when praying. Rather, what matters is the sincerity and devotion with which the prayer is given. The Lord warns against prayers that are mechanical, shallow, or empty. Our prayers should be humble, heartfelt, and expressed with faith.
4. The Savior provided instruction and a pattern for the proper way to pray. His own example of prayer is known as the Lord’s Prayer, found in Matthew 6:7–15. What specific doctrines or principles concerning proper prayer did the Lord teach?
- Meaningful prayer is sincere and avoids vain repetitions.
- Heavenly Father knows our needs before we pray.
- We can follow Jesus Christ’s example by praying for Heavenly Father’s will to be accomplished.
- We can receive Heavenly Father’s forgiveness as we choose to forgive others.
- Prayer can provide us strength to resist temptations.
5. Watch the video “Sermon on the Mount: The Lord’s Prayer.”
Day 2
Primary
1. Read Matthew 6:16-34.
2. In this part of the chapter Jesus talks about treasure. When we think about treasure we may think of gold and jewels, but Jesus told us that we should value things of a more eternal nature. We need to focus on the things that will help bring us closer to Heavenly Father, and we cannot serve Heavenly Father and seek for worldly riches at the same time.
3. Listen to the song “I Will Follow God’s Plan.”
Youth
1. Read Matthew 6:16-34.
2. What do you think of when you hear the word “treasure?” What did Jesus teach about this type of treasure? What type of treasure should we seek instead?
3. The Savior taught that we should keep our eye single to the glory of God. (God’s work and glory is to “bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of man” [Moses 1:39].) What can we do to keep our eye single to the glory of God? Jesus also taught that man cannot serve both God and mammon (meaning, the world). In your life, what is an example of how setting your heart on worldliness could distract you from serving God and laying up treasures in heaven?
4. President Ezra Taft Benson said:
We must put God in the forefront of everything else in our lives. …
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. (“The Great Commandment—Love the Lord,” Ensign, May 1988, 4)
5. Watch the video “Sermon on the Mount: Treasures in Heaven.”
Day 3
Primary
1. Read Matthew 7:1-14.
2. Jesus taught the people that they should treat others how they wanted to be treated. This is something called the Golden Rule. He also taught not to look for the faults in others when we have faults ourselves. People should worry about becoming better people themselves, not looking for things that others are doing wrong.
3. Listen to the song “He Sent His Son.”
Youth
1. Read Matthew 7:1-14.
2. In Matthew 7:1, the Savior may seem to be saying we should never judge, but in other scriptures (including other verses in this chapter), He gives us instructions about how to judge. If that seems puzzling, the Joseph Smith Translation of this verse might help: “Judge not unrighteously, that ye be not judged; but judge righteous judgment” (in Matthew 7:1, footnote a). What do you find in Matthew 7:1–5, along with the rest of the chapter, that helps you know how to “judge righteous judgment?”
3. President Dallin H. Oaks of the First Presidency clarified that there are some kinds of judgments that we are encouraged to make:
There are two kinds of judging: final judgments, which we are forbidden to make, and intermediate judgments, which we are directed to make, but upon righteous principles. …
… Let us consider some principles or ingredients that lead to a “righteous judgment.”
First, a righteous judgment must, by definition, be intermediate. It will refrain from declaring that a person has been assured of exaltation or from dismissing a person as being irrevocably bound for hellfire. …
Second, a righteous judgment will be guided by the Spirit of the Lord, not by anger, revenge, jealousy, or self-interest. …
Third, to be righteous, an intermediate judgment must be within our stewardship. We should not presume to exercise and act upon judgments that are outside our personal responsibilities. …
Fourth, we should, if possible, refrain from judging until we have adequate knowledge of the facts. …
A fifth principle of a righteous intermediate judgment is that whenever possible we will refrain from judging people and only judge situations.
(Dallin H. Oaks, “‘Judge Not’ and Judging,” Ensign, Aug. 1999, 7, 9–11)
Day 4
Primary
1. Read Matthew 7:15-29.
2. What does it mean to know something by its fruits? Imagine you are walking in a field and see a tree. What kind of tree is it? What if apples are growing on the tree? Would you know what kind of tree it was then? Jesus taught that we can know whether something is good or bad by the ‘fruit’ it produces. What kind of ‘fruit’ do you make in your life?
3. Jesus also taught the parable of the wise man and the foolish man. (Listen to the song!) We need to build our life on a strong foundation so we cannot be washed away. By centering our life on the gospel, we can have a strong foundation that will last when the storms of life come.
4. Listen to the song “Baptism.”
Youth
1. Read Matthew 7:15-29.
2. What does it mean to know something by its fruits? Imagine you are walking in a field and see a tree. What kind of tree is it? What if apples are growing on the tree? Would you know what kind of tree it was then? Jesus taught that we can know whether something is good or bad by the ‘fruit’ it produces. What kind of ‘fruit’ do you make in your life?
3. Similarly, we can make decisions about who to listen to by examining their fruits. Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles stated:
When we think of false prophets and false teachers, we tend to think of those who espouse an obviously false doctrine or presume to have authority to teach the true gospel of Christ according to their own interpretation. We often assume that such individuals are associated with small radical groups on the fringes of society. However, I reiterate: there are false prophets and false teachers who have or at least claim to have membership in the Church. There are those who, without authority, claim Church endorsement to their products and practices. Beware of such. …
… Beware of those who speak and publish in opposition to God’s true prophets and who actively proselyte others with reckless disregard for the eternal well-being of those whom they seduce. (“Beware of False Prophets and False Teachers,” Ensign, Nov. 1999, 62–63)
4. In Matthew 7:24-27, Jesus taught the parable of the wise man and the foolish man.
- According to verse 24, what actions did the Savior say would make someone like a wise man who built on rock?
- According to verse 26, what actions did the Savior say would make someone like a foolish man who built on sand?
- What do you think the rain, floods, and wind represent in these analogies (see verse 27; see also Helaman 5:12)?
If we hear and act on the Lord’s teachings, then He will strengthen us to endure our trials. If we hear the Lord’s teachings but do not follow them, then we will not have the support we need when trials come.
You’re done with February, please proceed to March!
