The first recorded Bible Bash

So this week we talked about Jesus Christ's baptism, being tempted by Satan, the calling of the Twelve Apostles, and the Sermon on the Mount. And it all was really amazing this week!

So first, did you know that Jesus got baptized in the lowest source of fresh water in the world? It gives more meaning to the symbolism in the temple of the baptistry being underground.

Now the temptations- Brother Griffin pointed out that in all three, Satan is trying to get Christ to take the easier way out. It's easier to just make bread than to go back and then find some. If He'd thrown Himself off the temple and been saved by an angel, He would have instantly had more followers. And Satan tried to tell Jesus that He could have kingdoms without performing the Atonement, which was the easy way out. Also, this is the first recorded Bible Bash. Jesus and Satan are both using scripture to back up their arguments. We also talked about how Satan doesn't come blindly at you. He knows your weaknesses. A couple fun thoughts- "How long have you been single? Try millenia! You can wait." "Satan hates your guts because he doesn't have any." Brother Griffin also talked about how Jesus rejected temptation as soon as it came. If we give it time in our brain to rationalize, sin is much more likely to win. But if we outright reject it the moment it appears, it can't win. And I think that's so accurate.

When we were talking about Jesus calling the Apostles, one thing mentioned is that Peter probably gets more corrective feedback than anyone else in the New Testament. And Brother Griffin proposed that this is because he takes it better than almost anyone else. He accepts the correction and works to improve. And I want to say it was Elder McConkie he quoted saying, "If you're not receiving correction from the Lord, you're not praying right." Or something like that. And it makes me feel better remembering that Peter got corrected too.

Another awesome thought from someone in my class: "God used my weaknesses to make them stronger." I hope I can be like that on my mission.

Now for my favorite part- the Sermon on the Mount. First, if you compare Matthew 5 and 3 Nephi 12, the last verse of both, in Matthew 5, Christ doesn't include Himself in that list of perfect people yet, but in 3 Nephi, He does. When He had finished His work, He was complete, and therefore perfect. I still have a lot more to do first to complete the work that God has given me to do, and it's nice to know that I don't have to be perfect now.

Now for the best part- did you know that the Beatitudes are the greatest lecture on repentance ever?

 Here's the picture of the board. First in repentance, you have to be poor in spirit, or lacking. Then you mourn for what you've done wrong. Then you work on being meek, or teachable. Then you hunger and thirst after righteousness and seek to know the right. You have to be merciful and accept that other people have gaps to overcome just like you do. Then you have to be pure in heart and have the right intent. Then you have to take that peace that you've gained through repentance and share it with others by being a peacemaker. Then you have to be willing to be persecuted for righteousness sake, making those changes permanent, and not just in the easy times.

And did you ever noticed that only two have the same promise- poor in spirit and persecuted for righteousness sake? That's because it's a cycle. You just keep climbing up towards being with God. I thought that was the coolest thing ever. When you look at the Beatitudes like this, it fits so well with how we work to become more like our Father in Heaven.

Know that you are loved!