Last Sunday, before Sacrament meeting, one of the counselors approached me and my wife with a slip of paper. \u201cWe don\u2019t think our speakers are going to show up today, and this is our backup procedure.\u201d The paper read, \u201cplease take a few minutes to discuss a favorite scripture or two that has strengthened your faith in Christ, brought you comfort, or deepened your understanding of the Gospel.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n As it turned out, the speakers did not show up and the first three people given these slips of paper took a combined total of 15 minutes. Add the rest hymn, and I had 30 minutes of sacrament meeting, a pulpit, and any topic I wanted. \ud83d\ude42 <\/span><\/p>\n I\u2019d like to talk today about something basic in the Gospel, coming unto Christ. I\u2019d like to begin with a scripture from Hebrews. <\/span><\/p>\n <\/span>Hebrews 4:14-16<\/a> <\/span>Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. <\/span>15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are\u2013 yet was without sin. <\/span>16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. <\/span>(This the other Bible scriptures were read out of my NIV study Bible, which I alway tote to Church.)<\/span><\/p>\n Once we understand that Jesus vicariously suffered our pains and sicknesses as well as our sins, our guilt and our struggles should not drive us away from God, but towards him, boldly approaching the throne of grace in time of need and expecting grace and mercy. <\/span><\/p>\n Tell me and I forget, but show me and I remember, right? Well, I have some examples. <\/span><\/p>\n Let\u2019s look at three prayers from the scriptures that depict someone humbly praying to God for mercy and grace and atonement in full awareness of their sins. <\/span><\/p>\n First, to Psalm 51<\/a>. (Pages flipping.) <\/span>Some of the Psalms were used or recited in the rituals of the Israelite temple, but some of them are prayers. Psalm 51 is attributed to King David. (Read large chunks of the Psalm. Advisable for you to do so.)<\/span><\/p>\n Psalm 51:10 <\/span>Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. <\/span><\/p>\n This verse in particular, with David praying for a steadfast heart, <\/span>reminds me of another incident from the scriptures. Recall Peter\u2019s vehement swearing that he would defend Jesus and not deny him, yet when the time came, he denied Jesus three times and \u201cwent out and wept bitterly.\u201d (At this point, I tried to paraphrase the following from President Hinckley.)<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWhat pathos there is in those words! Peter, affirming his loyalty, his determination, his resolution, said that he would never deny. But the fear of men came upon him and the weakness of his flesh overtook him, and under the pressure of accusation, his resolution crumbled. Then, recognizing his wrong and weakness, \u201che went out, and wept.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n As I have read this account my heart goes out to Peter. So many of us are so much like him. We pledge our loyalty; we affirm our determination to be of good courage; we declare, sometimes even publicly, that come what may we will do the right thing, that we will stand for the right cause, that we will be true to ourselves and to others.<\/span><\/p>\n Then the pressures begin to build. Sometimes these are social pressures. Sometimes they are personal appetites. Sometimes they are false ambitions. There is a weakening of the will. There is a softening of discipline. There is capitulation. And then there is remorse, self-accusation, and bitter tears of regret.<\/span><\/p>\n One of the great tragedies we witness almost daily is the tragedy of men of high aim and low achievement. Their motives are noble. Their proclaimed ambition is praiseworthy. Their capacity is great. But their discipline is weak. They succumb to indolence. Appetite robs them of will.\u201d (Gordon B. Hinckley, \u201cAnd Peter Went Out and Wept Bitterly,\u201d Ensign<\/em>, May 1979, 65<\/a>. This has been reprinted at least one other time in the Ensign<\/em>.)<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n Lastly, we turn to the Book of Mormon, for everyone primary child\u2019s favorite character, Nephi. Nephi\u2019s family had deep split, and Lehi was the only glue holding the clan together. Lehi suspects he\u2019s about to die, and 2 Nephi 1 through the middle of chapter 4 represent Lehi\u2019s deathbed talks to his children. Once Lehi dies in 2 Nephi 4, spiritual responsibility for the clan\u2019s spiritual welfare falls upon Nephi, and the responsibility weighs heavily on him. The latter part of 2 Nephi 4 is Nephi\u2019s lament. We don\u2019t tend to think of Nephi as a sinful character, but listen to his own words in verse 17-19<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cO wretched man that I am! Yea, my heart sorroweth because of my flesh; my soul grieveth because of mine iniquities. <\/span>18 I am encompassed about, because of the temptations and the sins which do so easily beset me. <\/span>19 And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n
\nHere\u2019s what I ended up delivering, about 15-20 minutes worth. <\/span><\/p>\n
\nSecond, is the prayer of Ezra in Ezra 9. Ezra was a scribe who came with the Israelites when they returned from bondage in Babylon. (Selected verses read. Ezra 9 has been translated for the Naccle here<\/a><\/a>.) <\/span><\/p>\n