The Greatest of These

Brothers and Sisters, I am grateful to be with you today. And for the wonderful opportunity that I have to serve in the Fraser Valley YSA. The work that you are doing here is essential to the gathering of Israel. I pray that the Holy Spirit may shed Heavenly Light unto our understandings and allow God’s tailored message to resonate within us.

Everything that Christ taught, His church, His gospel, all principles of religion point back to one single most fundamental truth. This truth is eternal and as old as time. Why did Jesus lay down His precious life for us? Many of us would say to ransom us from sin, to save us from the grave? Yes, but let’s not stop there, there’s much more than that. Why did the Council of Heaven work together to form the earth? So that we can come here, receive bodies, and learn how to use our agency effectively. Yes, but again, let’s not stop here, we’ve overlooked the most fundamental truth of this all. Why would God send His Firstborn, His unblemished lamb to be sacrificed for all of humanity? Why would He allow all of this to happen to His Son, for the one that deserves much and was given little, the one who merited to be exalted above all, who had to sink lower then all.

In Nephi’s account of his personal visionary experience, he inquires of the Spirit of the Lord to know the interpretation of the “tree which is precious above all” (1 Ne. 11:9) from his father’s vision. The response he receives is quite insightful and leads to deeper understanding of this fundamental truth. Nephi wasn’t just given the answer, he had to find it out for himself. He wrote (1 Nephi 11):

13 And it came to pass that I looked and beheld the great city of Jerusalem, and other cities. And I beheld the city of Nazareth; and in the city of Nazareth I beheld a virgin, and she was exceedingly fair and white.
14 And it came to pass that I saw the heavens open; and an angel came down and stood before me; and he said unto me: Nephi, what beholdest thou?
15 And I said unto him: A virgin, most beautiful and fair above all other virgins.
16 And he said unto me: Knowest thou the condescension of God?
17 And I said unto him: I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things.

Before we go further, remember, all of this was in response to Nephi’s question: what is the interpretation of the tree which my Father saw? I find it interesting the way that the Spirit of the Lord manifests the answer by first and foremost casting Nephi’s mind upon the condescension of God. The Spirit now continues to lead Nephi to the answer he’s seeking for.

18 And he said unto me: Behold, the virgin whom thou seest is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh.
20 And I looked and beheld the virgin again, bearing a child in her arms.
21 And the angel said unto me: Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal Father! Knowest thou the meaning of the tree which thy father saw?

The very question that prompted these visionary events, is brought back to Nephi. With Nephi’s enlightened understanding, “he answered him, saying: Yea, it is the love of God, which sheddeth itself abroad in the hearts of the children of men; wherefore, it is the most desirable above all things.” (v. 22)

It’s quite beautiful that the Spirit showed Nephi the condescension of God; and this was done to illustrate His love which ultimately is the very symbol of this tree. The love of God is that fundamental truth. As Peter says, “And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.” (1 Pet. 4:8) Above all things, that’s pretty big; that’s not to be taken lightly when he teaches that. John goes even farther, “God is love” (1 John 4:8, 16). Paul profoundly teaches in his epistle to the Romans, “Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” (Rom. 13:11) Love fulfills all of God’s commandments. Christ gave us the two great commandments to help us grasp this. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland put it simply:

“The first great commandment of all eternity is to love God with all of our heart, might, mind, and strength—that’s the first great commandment. But the first great truth of all eternity is that God loves us with all of His heart, might, mind, and strength. That love is the foundation stone of eternity, and it should be the foundation stone of our daily life.” (Tomorrow the Lord Will Do Wonders among You )

It’s important to consider, why is love above all things? Paul gives a beautiful explanation of this in his letter to the Corinthians. In 1 Corinthians, chapter 13 he taught,

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

Let’s pause for a moment. Even if Paul is speaking the words of Christ, if not being done in charity, availeth nothing. He goes further, even though he understands the mysteries of God and can work mighty miracles through faith, without charity, again comes to naught. Charity is a priceless endowment from God, it is above all other things. He writes, “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.” (1 Cor. 13:13) We should seek and pray earnestly for the gift of charity; for the love of God to fill our hearts and pour out to those around us. President Ezra Taft Benson taught:

“The Lord works from the inside out. The world works from the outside in. The world would take people out of the slums. Christ takes the slums out of people, and then they take themselves out of the slums. The world would mold men by changing their environment. Christ changes men, who then change their environment. The world would shape human behavior, but Christ can change human nature.” (Born of God)

Moroni synergizes with this in his teachings, “Now I would that ye should remember that God has said that the inward vessel shall be cleansed first, and then shall the outer vessel be cleansed also.” (Alma 60:23)

Reflecting upon the difficulties that he’s faced in life, Joseph Smith shared, “I am like a huge, rough stone rolling down from a high mountain; and the only polishing I get is when some corner gets rubbed off by coming in contact with something else, striking with accelerated force against religious bigotry, priestcraft, lawyer-craft, doctor-craft, lying editors, suborned judges and jurors, and the authority of perjured executives, backed by mobs, blasphemers, licentious and corrupt men and women—all hell knocking off a corner here and a corner there. Thus I will become a smooth and polished shaft in the quiver of the Almighty, who will give me dominion over all and every one of them, when their refuge of lies shall fail, and their hiding place shall be destroyed, while these smooth polished stones with which I come in contact, become marred.”

As Joseph Smith endured severe persecution and hardship, he cries out to God asking where He’s been. The word of the Lord speaks peace to his soul: “And if thou shouldst be cast into the pit, or into the hands of murderers, and the sentence of death passed upon thee; if thou be cast into the deep; if the billowing surge conspire against thee; if fierce winds become thine enemy; if the heavens gather blackness, and all the elements combine to hedge up the way; and above all, if the very jaws of hell shall gape open the mouth wide after thee, know thou, my son, that all these things shall give thee experience, and shall be for thy good.” (D&C 122:7) All of this, for his good, and not only for him, but for us too. All of the trials, tribulations, persecutions, as hard as it may seem to see at the moment, are for our good. Henry Drummond writes, “[This] is the practice which God appoints you; and it is having its work in making you patient, and humble, and generous, and unselfish, and kind, and courteous. Do not grudge the hand that is moulding the still too shapeless image within you. It is growing more beautiful though you see it not, and every touch of temptation may add to its perfection. Therefore keep in the midst of life. Do not isolate yourself." (The Greatest Thing in the World)

Only a few weeks after Joseph Smith received that revelation in Liberty Jail, he writes: “Therefore, dearly beloved brethren, let us cheerfully do all things that lie in our power; and then may we stand still, with the utmost assurance, to see the salvation of God, and for his arm to be revealed.” (D&C 123:17) At seemingly the darkest moment of his life, he finds hope and love through Jesus Christ.

This ultimately, is where we learn to love. Where Love is, God is. He that dwelleth in Love, dwelleth in God.

I know that God loves me and all of you. His fervent love, fills us with life, love, and joy. I’m grateful that He loved us so much that he was willing to send His Beloved Son to accomplish the greatest act of love in all of humanity. I stand with the Apostle John and declare, “greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) May we all be filled with the love of God, and spread that with all the world. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.