2.74 Assemble the Outcasts

In Matthew 5:13, Jesus calls us the salt of the earth, a bold reminder that our lives are meant to carry his flavor, his truth, and his love to the world. Join me each day to explore one verse of scripture and one thought, striving to stay full of savor and truly live as savory salt. Hello, my friends.

Great to have you with me. Today, let's be anxiously engaged in a good cause and bring to pass much righteousness. We are going to shift gears into the Book of Mormon after our week-long study of Doctrine and Covenants sections 20 through 22.

I hope you've enjoyed looking at kind of the administrative side of the Church of Jesus Christ as given to us by Jesus Christ. Now we shift gears into 2 Nephi 21, and then 2 Nephi chapters 22 and 23 tomorrow. Let's take a look at our verse for today and see what we can learn.

It's 2 Nephi chapter 21, verse 12. Inside of it, it says, "And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth." Now, who's this 'he' setting up the ensign? Well, we've been told by apostles and prophets that ensign is, of course, Jesus Christ himself and the church that he establishes on the earth.

And I love this piece here: He's going to assemble the outcasts of Israel. Who is that? Well, sometimes I consider myself an outcast, depending on the environment that I'm in.

This has really got me thinking because I've had experiences in my life. I've been blessed to be able to visit different countries around the world. As I've talked about a couple of different times, I served my mission in Mongolia.

But then aside from that, professionally, I've had the opportunity to do work in Europe and Africa, Asia, down to Papua New Guinea in the islands, Australia area, right? I've had the opportunity to attend church meetings, to go and serve in temples in different parts of the world. I can't help but think in a very loving way that as I've gone to those different locations, I've witnessed the assembly of the outcasts of Israel.

And again, I hope that's taken in all context of love because the gospel of Jesus Christ invites all to come into it, even those that are weighed down with sin or that may have made choices in their lives that have taken them down difficult paths. The Atonement of Jesus Christ allows all. And I love that.

I've experienced times in my life where I look around and I am definitely the outcast in this group of outcasts of Israel. Right? Like I'm different from them, but only on the outside.

On the inside, we're all believers of Jesus Christ. On the inside, we're all believers of Jesus Christ. I love the Spirit.

On the inside, we're all trying to do our best. We're all trying to repent on a daily basis. And I love gathering in those meetings and feeling the Spirit, because the Spirit comes to all those that seek Jesus Christ, that seek to repent.

So, my friends, in those moments when you're feeling maybe outcast for your beliefs in following Jesus Christ, if you're feeling like an outcast because you make different. Assembling the outcasts of Israel and gathering together the dispersed of Judah. Wherever you are, wherever you worship, the Lord Jesus Christ accepts that.

He wants to see you repent and follow Him. And I love witnessing that as I have the blessing and opportunity to see that in different sacrament