“A Seed, A Tree, A Savior!” GET TO THE POINT™ Come Follow Me: Alma 32-35

Get a copy of my book: https://www.amazon.com/Consider-Servant-Kendal-Brian-Hunter/dp/1555177522

Opening Hymn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AN1L2ZABMuQ

"A Seed, A Tree, A Savior!"
 
I. Intro
i. You're looking good today and it feels good to be with you.
ii. Patter.Mushrooms
II. News
i. Trump Assassination Attempt
1. Not a political podcast, off-brand. For example, Church hadn't released a statement on assassination attempt, or Pres. Biden and COVID-19.
2. However, political assassinations are relevant to the Book of Mormon, as we see in Book of Helaman, and Gadiaton Robbers
ii. Biden COVID-19, Wish him a speedy recovery
iii. The devil is the common foe of all mankind, not politicians. (BY, DBY, 69)
iv. Liahona Author's perspective on BOM. Gideon: sounds different, Sanderson in Mistborn and Kelsier, Spook. Teal'c, Yoda and Yoda-ish
III. Theme: "A Seed, A Tree, A Savior"
IV. Alma 32:
i. Those Compelled to be humble
1. Poor people
2. Choose to be humble, versus coerced.
3. Coercion sometimes doesn't work.
ii. Definition of faith
1. faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.
2. Faith versus knowledge
a. sign (Korihor)
b. Compelled belief is not faith
i. scientific, archaeological  proof, celebrity endorsement
ii. Divine compulsion
1. Alma Y, Paul, Zeezrom
2. Laman and Lemuel
c. At a point Know, faith dormant
i. Process of getting a testimony
ii. Psychological evasiveness, truth a game of peekaboo
1. Amulek
2. Korihor
iii. Brutish denialism, negative reframing, false memory syndrome
1. Laman and Lemuel
d. L on F, also principle action and power. God as faith
iii. The Great Experiment
1. Compare Word to a seed
a. Not faith
b. Word, is message or doctrine
c. Gift of spirit and word of knowledge and word of wisdom
d. "Have A word with you"
2. Plant
3. Nurture (vs neglect, or cast out)
4. Sprouts: know
5. Sprout versus a full tree
a. RM zealot effect, post mission burnout
b. Testimony, but not converted
6. Need a full tree, not a germinating seed
V. Alma 33
i. Alma pauses, and interacts with people
ii. Exploited Poor, not allowed to worship in Synagogues
iii. Three witnesses: Pray everywhere
1. Zenos
2. Zencok
3. Moses
a. Brazen serpent
b. Plumed serpent
c. A possible clue to Book of Mormon geography: did they live in an area with a lot of snakes?
VI. Alma 34: Amulek (liked each other)
i. Great question
1. And we have beheld that the great question which is in your minds is whether the word be in the Son of God, or whether there shall be no Christ.
2. Sherem, Korihor, Zoramite prayer, no Christ; they preach Christ.
3. Keep correct frame, not political parties, battle of sexes, or class or race warfare, but Christ: whom shall I send?
ii. Nature of Atonement
1. Infinite and Eternal
2. Not animal, not human, but God.
3. Mercy overpowereth justice
4. Repentance: either mercy or justice
5. Protester "No justice, no peace"
a. Mercy cannot rob justice (Alma 42)
b. It can satisfy justice
c. It can overpower justice
d. What would happen if switch to a mercy approach?
iii. Prayer
1. Reminder to do it
2. but also over temporal things: stock portfolios
3. HJG Manual chapter 19
iv. devotional life, but also help poor and needy
v. Repent in this life
VII. Alma 35
i. Alma and team leave
ii. City Fathers and Clergy get angry, destroy craft (Acts), cast out
iii. Relocate to Jershon (ANL)
iv. Zormanites correspond with Lamanites (Amalikiah)
v. Segway: strictness of word, sons
VIII. Christ Quotient
i. These chapters are perfect Missionary Guide, study and understand how to proselytize. Danger of manuals replacing scriptures.
ii. Prayer
iii. Christ is word, or seed we plant; key to testimony
1. ETB, Ch. 9:
a. "Our homes are not as strong unless we are using it to bring our children to Christ. Our families may be corrupted by worldly trends and teachings unless we know how to use the book of Mormon to expose and combat the falsehoods in socialism, organic evolution, rationalism, humanism, etc.
b. Our missionaries are not as effective unless they are “hissing forth” with it. Social, ethical, cultural, or educational converts will not survive under the heat of the day unless their taproots go down to the fulness of the gospel which the Book of Mormon contains.
c. Our Church classes are not as spirit-filled unless we hold it up as a standard.
d. And our nation will continue to degenerate unless we read and heed the words of the God of this land, Jesus Christ, and quit building up and upholding the secret combinations which the Book of Mormon tells us proved the downfall of both previous American civilizations.
2. Converts: Social, ethical, cultural, also DNA Mormon.
a. Look at roles of activities, creating social, or refreshment converts
b. More camping trips than temple trips, next to Oakland CA.
c. Some terrestrial benefits to these things, but our aim is Celestial.
iv. Nature and need of the Atonement
1. Why infinite?
2. Why eternal?
3. Why not animal, nor man, but God?
4. How does mercy overpower justice?
5. Why Christ alone could do this? Christ--that's the point

#comefollowme #encycloids #jesuschrist #cedarfort #BookofMormon #faith #Atonement #InfiniteAtonement #Prayer
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