2.290 Unto Them I Have Given Power
Show Notes
Join Allen Roberds in a reflection on 3 Nephi 12:1, where Jesus Christ establishes the pattern of calling Twelve Apostles and granting them power and authority. This episode explores how this ancient divine pattern continues in the modern Church of Jesus Christ through its living prophets and apostles, who serve and testify of Christ.
Key Points
- Jesus Christ initiated a foundational pattern by calling twelve disciples and empowering them to baptize and minister, a principle found in 3 Nephi 12:1.
- Listeners are blessed when they heed the words of these chosen leaders, who receive divine power to lead and to baptize with water, preparing the way for the baptism of fire and the Holy Ghost.
- The pattern of establishing a Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and a prophet is consistently shown throughout scripture, from the New Testament to the Book of Mormon, and is reestablished in the modern Church of Jesus Christ.
- Modern prophets and apostles serve as Christ's chosen leaders, providing guidance and bearing powerful testimony of a living Jesus Christ to the world today.
My friends, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the Prophet, and his counselors are here to serve us. They're here to testify of a living Jesus Christ.
Episode Resources
Full Transcript
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, it's great to have you with me.
Today let's be anxiously engaged in a good cause and bring to pass much righteousness. So many foundational pieces of the gospel are inside of our readings this week. Have you noticed that?
We're reading this week Doctrine and Covenants sections 115 through 120 as well as 3 Nephi chapters 11 through 14. We've talked about the Lord's name of the Church in the latter days. His establishment of tithing in our dispensation.
The coming of Jesus Christ to the Nephites. The day we look forward to the coming. All of that's been just inside of our readings this week.
We're going to establish another foundational piece of the gospel of Jesus Christ today in our reading. We're going to do so by shifting over to 3 Nephi 12. I'm going to open up right off the beginning here, letting us know that Christ has selected some specific people.
Bear with me. 3 Nephi chapter 12, verse 1 is a bit of a long one, but we're going to get through it together. It says this: And it came to pass that when Jesus had spoken these words unto Nephi and to those who had been called. Now the number of them who had been called and received power and authority to baptize was 12.
And behold, he stretched forth his hand unto the multitude, and cried unto them, saying, Blessed are ye, if ye shall give heed unto the words of these twelve whom I have chosen from among you to minister unto you, and to be your servants. And unto them I have given power, that they may baptize you with water. And after that ye are baptized with water.
Behold, I will baptize you with fire and with the Holy Ghost. Therefore blessed are ye, if ye shall believe in me, and be baptized, after that ye have seen me, and know that I am. Now there is a lot inside of that verse, but I think it's timely, especially (you know I try to record these episodes to be able to be listened to at any given time) and occasionally, especially something like what recently happened here in the Church, it's worth addressing for us here and now in these episodes.
We have had a change in Church leadership. As of the recording of this episode, our prophet and President Russell M. Nelson has passed away and our new prophet, the 18th prophet of this dispensation, is now President Dallin H.
Oaks. Now, where did he come from, and what about the Twelve? You'll notice here in 3 Nephi chapter 12 that Jesus Christ establishes the same pattern for the Nephites that he did in New Testament times.
So it would follow that we then, if we truly believe that Jesus Christ is establishing his Church today on the earth, reestablishing it the same way he would have in old times, he would call Twelve again. My friends, you and I, we believe in a Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. We believe in a prophet and the Presidency of the Church.
I love the piece inside of verse 1, that is Christ telling us, "If ye shall give heed unto the words of these twelve whom I have chosen among you to minister unto you and be your servants, blessed are ye." My friends, the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, the Prophet, and his counselors are here to serve us. They're here to testify of a living Jesus Christ. They did so as the new Presidency was introduced to the world.
Each one of them took the opportunity to bear testimony, including President Holland, the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. I am grateful that Jesus Christ follows the patterns he has established in scripture. We see it in the New Testament.
We see another testament of it in the Book of Mormon, in 3 Nephi 12. We see it again inside of Doctrine and Covenants and inside of our living Church today. May you and I take counsel from the Lord Jesus Christ and seek these Twelve that we may follow them in the power and authority that Jesus Christ has given them to lead us and to serve.
That is something I am grateful to the Lord for being on the earth at a time when his leadership is here. That's all for today, my friends. Lift up your hearts and rejoice. Cleave to the covenants you have made and together we will be savory salt.
This transcript was generated using AI and may contain errors. I do my best to review and edit them when I can.