Friday, September 01, 2006
1 Nephi 3:30
30 And after the angel had spoken unto us, he departed.George Burns is quoted as sayingThe secret of a good sermon is to have a good beginning and a good ending; and to have the two as close together as possible.The angel seems to have understood this principle wonderfully well. Studies show that people only remember the first and the last thing that is said. Everything else is easily forgotten. If you have something important to say, keep it short.
The proverbs a short, yet powerful and meaningful. People like Ben Franklin and Confucius are remembered for the lessons they taught with just a simple phrase or two. The Lord taught in short parables rather than long dissertations. There is a power in simplicity. It is through small and simple means that great things are brought to pass. A simple truth taught clearly can be more effective than a long winded lecture on the same subject.
If we look back at 1 Nephi 3:29, the angel uttered 3 sentences, as the text is rendered in English. Three simple, easy to understand, sentences.
In this verse, the angel then departs. The message is short and to the point. There is no lecture, not even a command to stop beating their brothers. Just an almost rhetorical question as to why they are beating their brother. Then another question to re-iterate a previous prophecy and then a statement of the Lord's will for them. Having delivered the message, the brothers are once again left alone.
It is interesting to note that even a visit from an angel did not remove the need for faith. The only command the brother received was to return to Jerusalem. They needed to work out for themselves how to do that and what to do there.
Now consider Saul on the way to Damascus in Acts 9:1-6:1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest,The Lord spoke three sentences to Saul. Again, no command to stop doing what he was doing, just a question about his motives for doing it. Then, same as with Nephi and his brothers, a command to act, but no description of what would happen or how it would turn out. Saul had to exercise his faith in the Lord and follow Him literally blindly, into Damascus to later learn the will of the Lord.
2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven:
4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?
5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
6 And he trembling and astonished said, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And the Lord said unto him, Arise, and go into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do.Tags:
posted by Matt 9:21 AM
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