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I have an upcoming talk, with the assigned topic being “Doing the will of the Father.” I don’t mind the topic, it might even be good. But I need help because I’m not sure we (or at least I) know what the will of the Father is. There are some things Christ said (e.g. baptism), and I will use those. I’m not big into “knowing” the will of the Father through the Holy Ghost because I don’t believe feelings or emotion are reliable ways to know something. If there is a nuanced way to say one can know God’s will through the HG I’m OK with that – I have been known to say things without indicating I believe or do those things myself.
What I won’t do is give a talk about strict obedience or keeping the commandments with exactness. I will also not do “follow the prophet.”
Any thoughts, ideas, or input (including scriptures and stories) are appreciated.
I probably would focus on The Sermon on the Mount, since it addresses characteristics of godliness that lead to perfection (wholeness, completion, full development). I might start by referencing our ultimate goal being to become like our Heavenly Father and Mother (using both of those titles, rather than the more generic “heavenly parents”), then discuss the Sermon on the Mount as Jesus’ explanation of how to do that.
I would discuss the will of the father as Love.
Quote:“All the commandments rest upon love your neighbor and love your God.”
“He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.”
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails”
Love is self sacrificing. I also believe that love (similar to forgiveness) cannot be deserved. If I deserved love then I could then demand love as my right. Love is something that is given BEFORE it is earned.
Quote:“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son”
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”
I would love it if this story was shared:
https://www.tofw.com/blogs/pure-love-healed-our-family We live in a divided world. Battle lines are drawn and it seems more and more difficult to try to bridge the gap. I believe the “natural man” would encourage us to reject and demonize the other and there is plenty of that happening from all sides. Sometimes families get torn down the middle. I believe that the gospel calls us to be the “peacemakers” like this grandmother.
As a missionary, we would sing a hymn at every meeting. Always impatient, I felt that I was singing half my life away. I looked up the shortest hymn and recommended it at every opportunity.
😆 😆 😆 Somewhere in all that repetition, I think the message finally sunk in and it became one of my favorite hymns. It is the words of Christ unto us:Quote:As I have loved you,
Love one another.
This new commandment:
Love one another.
By this shall men know
Ye are my disciples,
If ye have love
One to another.
So many directions you could go with this, but one angle comes immediately to my mind. Keep in mind this is coming from someone who finds the concept of a literal father in heaven as taught in Mormonism very difficult to reconcile with my own experiences. Basically I feel agnostic these days. But speaking in Mormonese I think I could capture some of my thoughts without offending or alienating myself. One aspect that came to mind is how we all have an inherent sense of right and wrong and moral values. Framed within the concept of the “light of Christ” this can be powerful. Quote the BoM about that which entices to do good is of God. Thus, following our own conscience and striving to follow those things that lead to do good is following the will of the Father. There are some great quotes from leaders (including BY) about following this light and NOT just blindly following the prophet.
Taking this theme to the next level, you could expound on the how one of the very purposes of this life is to become like God, to become agents unto ourselves and not to be acted upon. “It is not mete that I should command in all things.”
As children, we need rules because our ability to decide for ourselves is not mature. But as a child grows they should gradually be given more autonomy in their decisions to prepare for adulthood. They go from following rules to following principles and making their own decisions.
Gospel progression should be similar. Jesus came with the gospel to replace/fulfill the Law of Moses. They were following rules and he gave them principles instead. Instead of don’t kill, don’t think about harming. Instead of don’t commit adultery, don’t lust. These principles gave more autonomy but also much more responsibility. We often crave rules because they are easier to follow. What’s easier – going home teaching once a month to follow the “rule” or striving to be an effective home teacher and help meet the needs of those you minister to? What’s easier – not going to a rated R movie (a rule when I was growing up) or following a principle of being selective and trying to watch uplifting, inspiring and thought-provoking things?
So why does God want us to follow principles instead of just rules? Because if we are trying to become like him, we need to develop the autonomy of making those decisions ourselves. For every “rule” or commandment, there is an underlying principle. As we strive to follow these principles, we practice this autonomy. We practice following the “light of Christ” or our conscience or the Holy Ghost (whatever you want to call it) and we progress.
Finally, we get hung up on following the “Spirit” vs our own thoughts. My point in all this, is that as we strive to live by principles rather than rules, we are living the higher law Jesus gave. Our own thoughts BECOME God’s thoughts because we become one with him. No need to get hung up on if it’s the Spirit. We can move forward with confidence because we understand the principle God wants us to understand. We are living the higher law and we are becoming a disciple of Christ and “whether by mine own mouth or the mouth of my servant it is the same.” If we are striving to become Christ-like, then our thoughts and actions less and less become dependent on direction from the Holy Ghost. Our own moral compass and light becomes the same thing.
Sorry – that was way longer than I planned on responding but that’s a direction I would feel comfortable taking it within my current level of belief. Good luck!
I was thinking a bit along the same lines as DoubtingTom. Talk about parallels on what YOU want for your children as a father. You don’t want them calling every time they need to decide what pair of shoes to buy. You want them to be self-sufficient (a current focus buzzword in the church). Maybe even pull in the Oaks talk “on becoming” from 2000 and say what you want your kids to become – not what checklist you want them to fill out.
I have holy envy for this catechism from the Catholic church: Quote:
Deep within his conscience man discovers a law which he has not laid upon himself but which he must obey. Its voice, ever calling him to love and to do what is good and to avoid evil, sounds in his heart at the right moment. . . . For man has in his heart a law inscribed by God. . . . His conscience is man’s most secret core and his sanctuary. There he is alone with God whose voice echoes in his depths.
Even as an agnostic deist (even with a capital A and a little D) this speaks to me. I try to obey that law in my heart regardless of who inscribed it there.
If I were giving the talk and felt I could be provocative, I’d start with the idea of holy envy, read that quote, and talk about the light of Christ as the highest law we’re called on to obey.
Thanks for all the responses so far. It really has been great. The Sermon on the Mount is good, Ray, I probably wouldn’t have thought of it on my own. I need to study and understand it better, and this may be just the opportunity to do that.
Thanks Roy – I do (think) I understand what “God is love” means, although that’s more a result of my FC and transition. I usually go heavy on the side of Jesus telling us to love one another, so your idea fits. BTW We did that song as opening hymn in SM this Sunday. Oh, and the linked story – it’s been done in stake conference last fall by the SPC that lives in our ward. I might get away with it, but it was actually one of the more powerful talks that conference and I think it’s well liked and remembered.
Tom, I agree there are lots of ways to go. The whole Light of Christ thing does fit and again I’m not sure if I would have thought of that on my own. I am very much into following principles as opposed to rules and since Jesus spent quite a bit of time trying to teach the Pharisees that idea it’s easy for me to go there.
Great point about our own children LH. Very applicable since mine are all grown and out of the house.
Reuben, thanks. I will most likely use that. I don’t see it as provocative at all.
Keep them coming!
I neglected to include in the OP that I have been given “reference” talks. The expectation is not that I rehash the talk, in fact the expectation is that I won’t do that. But I am expected to make some reference to them. In the past I have given a quote or two from the talks, sometimes only one of them. If one of the talks was especially good I quoted more. I’m not actually crazy about either of these two talks. They are L. Whitney Clayton’s “Whatsoever He Saith Unto You Do it”
https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/04/whatsoever-he-saith-unto-you-do-it?lang=eng ” class=”bbcode_url”> https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/04/whatsoever-he-saith-unto-you-do-it?lang=eng https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/04/and-this-is-life-eternal?lang=eng ” class=”bbcode_url”> https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2017/04/and-this-is-life-eternal?lang=eng The two top things that crossed my mind were – “Be Still and Know that I am God.” It’s an injunction, commandment, etc.
The second is sincere gratitude. I find when I am sincerely grateful I connect with the Divine is a deep and personal way. Not just speedy prayers but daily acknowledgement of this worlds beauty, your life, and so on.
And Reuben – I am stealing that quote, because it really is Holy Envy.
I would focus on the will of the father is for us to share out talents. I would share the parable of the talents. I would comment on the scripture in the BoM (Moroni?) that talks about the different talents people have. My whole talk would focus on developing and using our talents (which I also take to mean passion) as a way of fulfilling the will of the Father. But I would not make it vague like it so often is…I would comment on how to identify your talents (people point them out to you, or you feel passionate about doing something — often an expression of talent, or you are good at it without being able to explain the mechanics behind it). I would talk about developing them. The Candle on a Hill scripture would also apply.
I would also comment about how leaders need to be constantly on the lookout for talent — for the good of their organization and the good of the person with the talent. That callings should be extended on the basis of talent whereever possible. That happiness is the object of our existence, and our reason for being. And that leaders have a big impact on the happiness of others when they prayerfully consider the talents and dispositions of people when they suggest names for callings. In that way, leaders are fulfilling the will of the Father that we should exist so we have joy.
Yes, there are times when we must work in areas of weakness due to lack of resources, but making people more of what they already are, and delegating to talent generally works better than delegating to areas of weakness. Do so only after there is an absence of talent or out of sheer necessity.
Not as the default…Delegation success goes up, people enjoy their church experience more, etcetera when you delegate to talent.
I would then talk about how Christ worked in his talents. He was obviously a gifted speaker, so he used that talent to attract hundreds on the sermon on the mount. He was great at creating simple analogies that got his point across. He had talents of a teacher, where he would teach to people’s background and perspective (Fishers of men comment to his disciples). He had political talent “gift to Ceesar what is Caesar and to God what is God’s” or “let he who is without sin cast the first stone”.
Ask the congregation — what are your talents, how might you use them in the church? Leaders, do you do human resource accounting to see what talents are in the ward, and do you take the time to get to know the people in your stewardship so you can better align the needs of the ward and stake with the talent of the people in your stewardship?
You will have to be creative in working in your reference talk material, but there is always ways to do that.
What I just gave above is the guts of a comment I made in high priest group a couple weeks ago. It generated all kinds of support from the quorum. My wife actually heard about it in a separate meeting in a positive way.
I think it provides an alternate perspective to the conscription model of service that is scripturally based.
I think it is cool to see the different directions that you could go with this and still be faithful to the subject. Thanks everybody! :thumbup: Roy wrote:
I think it is cool to see the different directions that you could go with this and still be faithful to the subject. Thanks everybody!:thumbup:
I agree, Roy. I’m actually having a hard time deciding exactly where to go and how to include as many of these ideas as possible.
A couple weeks ago my bishop called to ask me to talk. I had to pass since I was out of town. When I mentioned it to my husband he felt bad for me. I told him I was bummed I didn’t get a chance to do it because Team StayLDS loves to help with talks. You throw a topic out and so many great ideas come in. Even if you don’t get to use them, it really helps generate clarity and creativity. He was mighty impressed with us. It’s one of the many cool things that happen on this Island of Misfit Toys. Good Luck DJ. Can’t wait for the return and report.
mom3 wrote:You throw a topic out and so many great ideas come in. Even if you don’t get to use them, it really helps generate clarity and creativity. He was mighty impressed with us. It’s one of the many cool things that happen on this Island of Misfit Toys.
:thumbup: I’m working on an angle here that differentiates between the will of God as things that are going to happen regardless (like the fall and the atonement) and the will of God as commandments to us that we can choose to obey or not obey (agency). Both are referenced in the Bible and In my mind I think I understand the difference and it’s an important difference. But after I make that distinction I’m not sure where to go with it because it basically becomes “keep the commandments” at that point. Thoughts?
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