Tuesday Topic: John the Baptist Returns
💎 Eternal Truth: "John the Baptist restored the Aaronic Priesthood to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery"
On May 15, 1829, Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery went into the woods near the Susquehanna River. They had been translating the Book of Mormon and had questions about baptism. At the river, they prayed. Their prayer led to an extraordinary event.
📖 Read: Joseph Smith—History 1:68–72
68 We still continued the work of translation, when, in the ensuing month (May, 1829), we on a certain day went into the woods to pray and inquire of the Lord respecting baptism for the remission of sins, that we found mentioned in the translation of the plates. While we were thus employed, praying and calling upon the Lord, a messenger from heaven descended in a cloud of light, and having laid his hands upon us, he ordained us, saying:
69 Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah, I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness.
70 He said this Aaronic Priesthood had not the power of laying on hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost, but that this should be conferred on us hereafter; and he commanded us to go and be baptized, and gave us directions that I should baptize Oliver Cowdery, and that afterwards he should baptize me.
71 Accordingly we went and were baptized. I baptized him first, and afterwards he baptized me—after which I laid my hands upon his head and ordained him to the Aaronic Priesthood, and afterwards he laid his hands on me and ordained me to the same Priesthood—for so we were commanded.*
72 The messenger who visited us on this occasion and conferred this Priesthood upon us, said that his name was John, the same that is called John the Baptist in the New Testament, and that he acted under the direction of Peter, James and John, who held the keys of the Priesthood of Melchizedek, which Priesthood, he said, would in due time be conferred on us, and that I should be called the first Elder of the Church, and he (Oliver Cowdery) the second. It was on the fifteenth day of May, 1829, that we were ordained under the hand of this messenger, and baptized.
💭 Think About It
- Who appeared?
- What did he confer upon Joseph and Oliver?
- How did he confer it?
📖 Read: Doctrine and Covenants 13:1
1 Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness.
💭 Think About It
John the Baptist explained what authority belonged to the Aaronic Priesthood.
Find these three things:
- The keys of the ministering of __________________
- The gospel of __________________
- Baptism by immersion for the remission of _________________
- Why John the Baptist?
📖 Read: Matthew 3:13–17
13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
💭 Think About It
- What ordinance did John perform for Jesus Christ?
John the Baptist had possessed priesthood authority during his mortal life. Centuries later, the resurrected John returned as a heavenly messenger to restore that authority.
Which of these blessings have you experienced?
- Baptism
- The sacrament
- Ministering of angels
- Preparing to receive further priesthood blessings
- How have these blessings brought you closer to Jesus Christ?
✏️ Today's Question
What does the appearance of John the Baptist teach me about how seriously God takes priesthood authority?
No comments:
Post a Comment