A Few Thoughts on the Atonement
I taught Sunday School again today. The lesson was on the Atonement, in specific the events that occurred in the Garden of Gethsemane. Here are a few of the thoughts that I shared in my lesson:
The Atonement can be found everywhere in the scriptures if we just look. For example, in 1 Nephi 17:8, the Lord tells Nephi, "Thou shalt construct a ship, after the manner which I shall show thee, that I may carry thy people across these waters." The Lord "carries" us to the promised land. It is only through his Atonement that we can make it across the waters, past the trials of this life, and to the Celestial kingdom.
In Romans 8:16-17, we are told that we can be joint heirs with Christ, "if it so be that we suffer with him." What does it mean to suffer with Christ? As I read about Christ's experience in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46), I noticed that he took Peter, James, and John to the Garden and asked them to "watch" with him. I wonder if one possible way that we can "suffer with" Christ is by doing exactly what Jesus asked his disciples to do in the Garden: watch and pray. Be there, in a sense, and stay awake.
Finally, I noticed that before the Atonement occurred, Christ had the attitude "Thy will be done" (Matthew 26:39). Perhaps before the Atonement can become a reality in my life, I must also have the attitude, "Thy will be done."
The Atonement can be found everywhere in the scriptures if we just look. For example, in 1 Nephi 17:8, the Lord tells Nephi, "Thou shalt construct a ship, after the manner which I shall show thee, that I may carry thy people across these waters." The Lord "carries" us to the promised land. It is only through his Atonement that we can make it across the waters, past the trials of this life, and to the Celestial kingdom.
In Romans 8:16-17, we are told that we can be joint heirs with Christ, "if it so be that we suffer with him." What does it mean to suffer with Christ? As I read about Christ's experience in Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-46), I noticed that he took Peter, James, and John to the Garden and asked them to "watch" with him. I wonder if one possible way that we can "suffer with" Christ is by doing exactly what Jesus asked his disciples to do in the Garden: watch and pray. Be there, in a sense, and stay awake.
Finally, I noticed that before the Atonement occurred, Christ had the attitude "Thy will be done" (Matthew 26:39). Perhaps before the Atonement can become a reality in my life, I must also have the attitude, "Thy will be done."
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