Tuesday, January 31, 2017

"Jesus Stooped Down..."

Mary Magdalene, The Woman Taken in Adultery, & The Syrophoenician Woman


INTRO:
·      Some of the most pivotal and influential spiritual experiences of my life have been within or facilitated by a spirit-led gospel discussion with wise women

"MARY MAGDALENE:
Matt 27:55-56, Mark 15:40-41, Luke 23:49, John 19:25 – witness to crucifixion w/Galilean ministry of women
Matt 27:61, Mark 15:47, Luke 23:55-56 – visited tomb where He was laid
Matt 28:1-8, Mark 16:1-8, Luke 24:1-12 – went to tomb on Sabbath, met by angel, He is Risen, go share
Mark 16:9-11 – Risen Christ first appeared to Mary, told disciples, believed not
Luke 8:1-3 – Mary healed of 7 demons, Galilean ministry of women
* John 20:1-18 – Mary visits on Sabbath, Christ is gone, disciples see He is gone and depart (v 10), Mary stays and weeps (v 11), angels, Jesus appears, calls her by name and is recognized (v. 16), tells disciples

o   Healed of 7 demons (7 being holy, whole)
o   “Returned the favor” by giving up what some suppose was a comfortable life in the fishing industry of Magdala to provide and care for Him, band of Galilean women
o   Witness to crucifixion (She was THERE, PRESENT)
o   1st Day after Sabbath, with group of women to anoint Christ’s body after hasty burial, saw body was gone
o   Sent to tell others, was not believed (world’s labels, idle tales Luke 24:11)
o   Wept by tomb (PAUSE)
o   1st to witness resurrected Christ


·      WOMAN TAKEN IN ADULTERY:

John 8:2-11

o   Presented to Christ by scribes and Pharisees having been caught in the very act of (some kind of) adultery, without the other party, used as a pawn to trap Jesus into choosing between the Law of Moses or Roman Law or some other way.  Logic tells us her partner was among accusers.
o   Jesus stoops to her level (he meets us where we are, like kneeling to speak to a child)
o   Writes in the sand (speculation of what he wrote, we will just note that he did)
o   “He without sin among you, cast the first stone,” accusers leave
o   Jesus asks about her accusers and she responds “No man, Lord,” (Lord = Sir) recognizing her faith in Him.
o   Go and Sin No More
o   His compassion in condemnation is interpreted to mean that at this time, he does not judge her. This was His offering of time and opportunity and encouragement to repent.
§  Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught, “In this context, the word condemn apparently refers to the final judgment.” Elder Oaks further explained that Jesus did not condone the woman’s sin, but He was allowing her time to repent and acknowledging that her final judgment would come later: “The Lord obviously did not justify the woman’s sin. He simply told her that He did not condemn her—that is, He would not pass final judgment on her at that time. This interpretation is confirmed by what He then said to the Pharisees: ‘Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man’ (John 8:15). The woman taken in adultery was granted time to repent, time that would have been denied by those who wanted to stone her” (“‘Judge Not’ and Judging,” Ensign, Aug. 1999, 8).
§  President Spencer W. Kimball (1895–1985) similarly taught about the Savior’s words to the woman: “His command to her was, ‘Go, and sin no more.’ He was directing the sinful woman to go her way, abandon her evil life, commit no more sin, transform her life. He was saying, Go, woman, and start your repentance; and he was indicating to her the beginning step—to abandon her transgressions” (The Miracle of Forgiveness [1969], 165).
o   The Joseph Smith Translation makes clear that the adulterous woman did follow the Savior’s counsel and reform her life: “And the woman glorified God from that hour, and believed on his name” (Joseph Smith Translation, John 8:11 [in John 8:11, footnote c]).

·      SYROPHOENICIAN WOMAN

Matthew 15:21-28* primary narrative

Mark 7:24-30 (JST) extra details:  v. 24 would that no man knoweth, v. 25 unclean spirit, v. 26 Greek/Syrophoenician
o   Jesus and disciples retreat to coast, respite (were not taking requests)
o   At this time, only proclaimed gospel to Jews
o   Scriptures clear in designating woman as an outsider:
§  Matthew:  woman of Canaan, noted Gentile
§  Mark:  Greek, Syrophoenician
o   Seeks Christ for daughter’s healing (unclean spirit)
o   Faith:  fell at His feet, called him Son of David
o   He said not a word (PAUSE)
o   Cried to disciples, they asked Him to send her away
o   Worshipped Him and asked a third time (persistent in coming to the Lord for healing)
o   Matthew 15:26-28 – Dogs (little dogs)
o   Willing to take crumbs (contrast to five thousand, sacrament)
o   Jesus grants request – even as thou wilt
o   Went home, daughter healed
§  “Our Heavenly Father will not leave our sincere petition unanswered.”  (Pres Thomas S. Monson)

·      THE PAUSE BEFORE THE MIRACLE
o   Important to note there is a PAUSE before each of these MIRACLES
§  Pause, beat, stillness, quiet
o   Examples from scriptures
§  MM:  Wept by tomb
§  AW:  Jesus waits to answer accusers
·      Jesus offers opportunity/time to repent
§  SW:  Jesus first does not answer
·      Jesus and disciples in the region for respite


Be still and know that I am God.
Psalms 46:10


§  Hebrew translation Be Still = Let Go
§  He calmed the seas and tempests
·      Psalms 107:29
o   “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.”  (Psalms 37:7)
o   Pause in the Lord’s pattern
§  When do we see pause in the patterns of our lives?
·      Pregnancy and engagement, quiet/music before prayers in meetings, Joseph kneeling in Grove, General Conference, reverent time in primary, Sabbath, temple
o   Why the pause?
§  Quiet contemplation
§  Diffuse confrontation, anxiety, noise of world
§  Peace and calm
§  HEAR THE SPIRIT

  “We are surrounded by persuasive voice, beguiling voices, belittling voices, sophisticated voices, and confusing voices.  I might add that these are loud voices.  I admonish you to turn the volume down and to be influenced instead by that still small voice which will guide you to safety.”  


(President Thomas S. Monson, “Keep the Commandments,” 10/15

§   “Let us be silent that we may hear the whisper of God.” (Ralph Waldo Emerson)
§  “Never let the noise of the world overpower the still small voice.”  (Elder L. Tom Perry)
§  “We must find quiet moments to seek greater light and truth.”  (Cheryl Esplin)
§  “God speaks in the silence of the heart.  Listening is the beginning of prayer.”  (Mother Teresa)
§  “Nowhere can anyone find a quieter or more untroubled retreat than in his or her own soul.  We need to turn some things down and turn some things off.  We need to be quiet.”  (Elder Jeffrey R. Holland)
§  “Being still does not mean don’t move.  It means move in peace.”  Lao Tzu
o   How do we adopt the pause in our lives?
§  Active, intentional, dedicated, God is invited
§  “Abide in Christ”



·      WORLD’S LABELS V. LORD’S
o   Examples from scriptures: What might people of their day, or ours, call these people who interacted with the Lord?  What made them “unworthy” in world’s eyes for being the FIRST to see Him resurrected, to be publicly relieved of execution, FIRST Gentile to be administered to (“But she’s a….)
§  MM:  Woman, Not to be believed (idle tales, believed them not)
§  AW:  Sinner, Victim
§  SW:  Outsider, non-member, bother, dog
o   By how Christ interacts with these women, we know what He calls them:  MINE
§  “He takes us as we are – and makes us more than we ever imagined.”  (Neill F. Marriott)
§  “Behold, mine arm of mercy is extended towards you, and whosoever will come … will I receive; and blessed are those who come unto me.”  (3 Nephi 9:14)
o   What does that make them to us?  OURS

“Let our hearts and hands be stretched out in compassion toward others, for everyone is walking his or her own difficult path.”  

            (Dieter F. Uchtdorf)

§  “God cares a lot more about who we are and about who we’re becoming than about who we once were.”  (Elder Dale G. Renlund)
o   Rapid fire:  What labels to we give each other and ourselves?
§  “But she’s a….” or “But I’m a …..”
§  Single, divorced, only 2 kids or too many kids, working, out of shape, quiet
§  We’ve all got STUFF
o   Labeling ourselves:
§  “May I suggest that you reduce the rush and take a little extra time to get to know yourself better.  Walk in nature, watch a sunrise, enjoy God’s creations, ponder the truths of the restored gospel, and find out what they mean for you personally.  Learn to see yourself as Heavenly Father sees you – as His precious daughter or son with divine potential.”  (Of Things That Matter Most, General Conference 10/10, Dieter F. Uchtdorf) (D. Todd Christofferson)

You can read or listen to the talk titled "The Savior's Respect for Women," by Robert and Marie Lund here: https://www.lds.org/ensign/2015/03/the-saviors-respect-for-women?lang=eng

You can listen, watch, or read a talk given at BYU titled, "The Worth of Souls is Great," by Kristin L. Mathews here: https://speeches.byu.edu/talks/kristin-l-matthews_worth-souls-great/

o   Kristin Matthews (BYU Devotional):
§  We have created categories such as nationality, race, ethnicity, sex, religious affiliation, political party, marital status, and so on to organize and make sense of humankind’s diversity. However, too often we use these seemingly descriptive systems to determine the worth of others. These human-made hierarchies of value can cause division, contention, and skewed understandings of self-worth.
Conversely, God’s system of valuing us promotes connection, compassion, and love. We are His children. He loves us unconditionally, eternally, and unchangingly. Our worth is infinite because we are His daughters and sons. No one spirit is more valuable than the other.

o   Thought question: What if we changed those labels to HIS and OURS?


·      HEALING

o   These are stories of healing
§  MM:  Cast demons out
§  AW:  Healing of soul, Relief from sin through the opportunity to repent
§  SW:  Emotional healing of SW, physical healing of daughter
o   Thought Question:  When we have fallen, and the Lord stoops down to meet us where we are, and we lay out our demons/sins/pains, what can he relieve from us?

“Our dispensation is not without its heroines. Countless women from every continent and walk of life have made dramatic contributions to the cause of Christ…  My question is: will you be one of those women?” 

M. Russell Ballard, Women of Righteousness, p. 69-70










*Class taught by Allison Martin Hansen

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