Lesson 19 – Luke 18:1-8, 35-43; 19:1-10; John 11
Before
Elder Hugh B. Brown left on a mission, his mother told him: “Hugh, you remember when
you were a little boy and you would have a bad dream or wake up in the night
frightened? You would call from your room, ‘Mother, are you there?’ and I would
answer and try to comfort you and remove your fears. Now as you go on a mission
and out into the world, there will be times when you will be frightened, when
you feel weak, inadequate, alone, and have problems. I want you to know that
you can call to your Heavenly Father as you used to call to me and say,
‘Father, are you there? I need your help.’ Do this with the knowledge that He
is there and that He will be ready to help you if you will do your part and
live worthy of your blessings. I want to reassure you that He is there and will
answer your prayers and needs for your best good” (told by
Marvin J. Ashton, “Know He Is There,” Ensign, Feb. 1994, 50).
In
this lesson we will study scriptural accounts that can help us develop greater
faith that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ know and love each of us.
Jesus presented the parable of the unjust judge and
the widow.
Jesus
presented this parable to a group of Pharisees.
Luke
18:1
According to this verse, Jesus gave the parable of the unjust judge and the
widow to teach men that they should always pray and be tireless about prayer.
Elder
James E. Talmage taught,
“Jesus did not indicate that as the wicked judge finally yielded to supplication
so would God do; but He pointed out that if even such a being as this judge,
who ‘feared not God, neither regarded man,’ would at last hear and grant the
widow’s plea, no one should doubt that God, the Just and Merciful, will hear
and answer” (Jesus the Christ, 3rd ed. [1916], 436).
Luke
18:7; Alma 34:27 To pray always indicates that we need to pray throughout the day—at any
time we need to communicate with Heavenly Father. And when we are not in
prayer, we can have a prayer in our hearts throughout the day.
Luke
18:7-8; 2 Nephi 32:9, D&C 90:24 Blessings that can come to us when we pray always
include protection and justice, the Lord’s support as we act in his service,
and that all things shall work together for our good.
Persevering
in prayer is an act of faith. Sometimes, when we have persevered in prayer and
feel that we have not received an answer, we should heed the counsel of Elder
Richard G. Scott, who said: “It is a mistake to assume
that every prayer we offer will be answered immediately. Some prayers require
considerable effort on our part. … “When we explain a problem and a proposed
solution [to our Heavenly Father], sometimes He answers yes, sometimes no.
Often He withholds an answer, not for lack of concern, but because He loves
us—perfectly. He wants us to apply truths He has given us. For us to grow, we
need to trust our ability to make correct decisions. We need to do what we feel
is right. In time, He will answer. He will not fail us” (Ensign,
Nov. 1989, 30-31).
Think
about the principles and lessons you have learned as you have persevered in
prayer.
A blind man demonstrated his faith and was healed by
Jesus.
Luke
18:38-42
The blind man near Jericho showed that he had faith in the Lord by calling to him
for mercy. As you consider his faith, think about how you have been blessed as
you have exercised faith in Jesus Christ.
Luke
18:43 Records how this man showed gratitude when he received his sight. Ask
yourself, “How can I show my gratitude to the Lord”.
Jesus was received in Zacchaeus’s home.
Luke
19:2
Zacchaeus was chief among the publicans and was a rich man, but publicans were
Jews who worked as tax collectors for the Roman government, and therefore, the
Jews generally disliked the publicans and considered them to be traitors and
sinners.
Luke
19:3-4
Zacchaeus showed his great desire to see Jesus by climbing a tree.
Luke
19:5 Jesus
told Zacchaeus to get down and take him to his house.
Luke
19:6
Zacchaeus responded with joy to Jesus’ words.
Considering his example, think about what you can do to receive the
Savior joyfully into your home.
According
to verse 7, people reacted unfavorably when Jesus went to stay with Zacchaeus
because of their prejudice toward publicans. Jesus’ response to Zacchaeus
differed from the response of the others. Many people shunned Zacchaeus because
of his profession as a publican. Sometimes we may make similar judgments
against others, excluding them or thinking that we are better than they are.
Elder
Joe J. Christensen said: “There are those who wake up every morning dreading to go to school, or
even to a Church activity, because they worry about how they will be treated.
You have the power to change their lives for the better. … The Lord is counting
on you to be a builder and give them a lift. Think less of yourself and more
about the power you have to assist others, even those within your own family” (Ensign,
Nov. 1996, 39).
Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.
John
11:1-5
Soon after Jesus went to Zacchaeus’s home, he received a message from his
friends Mary and Martha that their brother Lazarus, who was also Jesus’ dear
friend, was sick. Two days later, Jesus directed his disciples to go with him
to Bethany, the city in Judea where Mary, Martha, and Lazarus lived. When Jesus returned to Bethany, Lazarus had been
dead for four days.
John
11:20-27
Martha, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went out to meet him and
expressed her testimony of the Savior’s divine mission.
John
11:33-35
Jesus groaned and wept when he saw Mary and many others weeping.
Despite
her strong testimony, Martha’s faith seemed weak when Jesus asked that the
stone be removed from Lazarus’s tomb, so the Savior counseled her to believe.
John
11:41-42
Jesus’ prayer before he raised Lazarus teaches us about his relationship with
his Father.
John
11:43-44
records that Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead.
Jesus
had already raised two people from the dead (Mark 5:22-24; Mark 5:35-43 and
Luke 7:11-17. Raising Lazarus from the dead was different from the two previous
instances because the daughter of Jairus and the son of the widow of Nain were
raised from the dead soon after their body and spirit had separated. They had
not been placed in tombs. Lazarus had been dead for four days, and his body was
already in a sepulchre.
The
miracle of raising Lazarus from the dead was a witness of the Savior’s divine
mission.
John
11:45-46
This miracle had differing effects on the people who witnessed it.
The
principles taught in the accounts discussed today can strengthen our faith in
Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.
As
Elder Thomas S. Monson said: “The passage of time has not altered the capacity
of the Redeemer to change men’s lives. As he said to the dead Lazarus, so he
says to you and me: ‘… come forth.’ (John 11:43) Come forth from the despair of
doubt. Come forth from the sorrow of sin. Come forth from the death of
disbelief. Come forth to a newness of life. Come forth” (Ensign, May
1974, 50).
Look
for ways in which you can strengthen your faith in Heavenly Father and Jesus
Christ.
These lessons are posted on
the Internet at http://www.neumanninstitute,org