Feast of the Tabernacles: Christ, Latter Day Light and Living Water!

Feast of the Tabernacles Initiated by the Lord Leviticus 23:34

Many believe that passover is the most important of the Jewish feasts but most Jews would

Feast of the Tabernacles

consider the Feast of the Tabernacles, to be the greatest and most joyous. This Feast,ls also known as the Feast of Booths or the Sukkot.  A Sukkot is a plural form of the word Sukkah which means a little three sided hut made with tree bows. I believe that when Peter suggested to erect a tabernacles to Moses and Elias and the Savior on the mount of transfiguration he meant lets build Sukkah.(Mark 9:5).The Feast of Tabernacles was, and still is an annual Jewish feast held six months after the Feast of the Passover in the fall. It lasts eight days, beginning and ending on the Sabbath, and commemorates the Lord’s blessings to the children of Israel during their travels in the wilderness. It also celebrates the year’s harvest and marks the end of the harvest season. It includes good food and thanksgiving.

Family Sharing a Meal in a Sukkah

The Old testament student manual (for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) explains; “at the Feast of Tabernacles more sacrifices of bullocks, rams, lambs, and goats were offered by the priests for the nation as a whole than at all the other Israelite feasts combined. The fact that it celebrated the completion of the fall harvest symbolizes the gospel reality that it is the mission of the house of Israel to gather all nations to Jehovah.”

Today The Feast of Tabernacles is still celebrated by many Jews, food is prepared inside but is eaten in for eight days in Sukkot, sometimes people sleep in huts as well, especially little children look forward to this joyous event. The feast of the Tabernacles in Jesus’s Day was a very important celebration, Jesus Christ our Savior, more than likely, would have, as a child, traveled traveled to Jerusalem with his family for the celebration of the Sukkot each year.  

During the Feast of Tabernacles anciently the temple in Jerusalem was illuminated by the flames from four enormous candelabra! The lights from the huge Menorah would have been seen throughout the entire city, the temple would shine with light. In the Women’s Courts huge lamps were also erected to illuminate the Festival. Young priests-in-training were given the task of filling huge lamps by climbing up to them on great ladders while carrying jugs of oil each day of the celebration, Jewish Priests would read and discuss scriptures about living water and living water would be poured in a basin at the base of the temple altar daily. The words of Zechariah 14:8 would be read, words that we associate with the last days... And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem…"

The Pool of Siloam at the Foot of Mount Moriah  - not fully excavated

On the seventh and last day of the ceremony conducted (as celebrated in Jerusalem, on the American contenant it is celebrated for 8 days.)a procession lead by a priest who holds an empty flask or cistern walks down to a pool which lies on the foothills of Mount Moriah, below in the City of David, to a pool called Siloam. This is the place where them miracle of the Blind man took place Jesus asked the blind man to wash the mud from his eyes in the Pool of Siloam (John 9)

The Al -Aqsa Mosque (gray dome) and Dome of the Rock (Gold Dome)
(excavations of Solomons Temple In foreground) 

A priest would have taken this stairway down to the pool of Siloam, scooped up into a flask, living water, from the pool and carry it back to the temple. This entire ritual in Jesus’s Day was an elaborate and celebratory one with much music and song and dance and the waving of palm branches. (Jews wave the four species, palm, myrtle, citron and willow - see photo) I don't know if this was the case in Jesus's day.

Anciently, at the end of the song phrases of prayer call for God’s blessing, was added it was the word Hoshana! which ment (“Please save”, “save us” or “save now!”). For this reason, the last day came to be known to the Jews as the Hoshana Rabba, meaning the Day of the Great ‘O Save’. The Old Testament Student manual explains - This prayer and song is closely akin to what we do in giving the Hosanna Shout today. (See Old Testament Student Manual Feast of Tabernacles)Priests in the day of Jesus may have dance as David of old danced before the ark (2 Samuel 6:16). As Latter Day Saints, we celebrate with thanksgiving the plan of the Father carried out by His Son Jesus Christ which is going forth to the entire world! This saving work is still happening we claim that the works of vicarious ordinances, like baptism of the dead, that take place in holy temples, are the literal fulfillment of prophecy and are something happening that Jesus approved of .(1 Cor 15:29) Christ truly is the living water he proclaimed himself to be and that water has not stopped flowing.

We see the profound impact as we relate to the settings of the Feast of the Tabernacles which surrounded Christ’s declarations of power. The Jews, as a people, were calling on Him and He answered, which strongly aggravated many Jews of the Sanhedrin. Though many believed. The Feast of the Tabrinacles was the setting whereby the Lord made these declarations:

John 8:12 ... I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life... and .John 7:37:38 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. The scriptures explain to us that as he spake these words many believed on him. (John 8: 30) John 7:40 Many of the people therefore, when they heard this saying, said, of a truth this is the Prophet. Meaning the Prophet who they were looking for in the celebration they were attending!

Then Jesus said if ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:35 -36) Then he told everyone that he himself is the TRUTH  John 8: 36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

We too express thanksgiving for the plan of the Father carried out by His Son Jesus Christ which is going forth to the entire world! This saving work is happening we claim that the works of ordinances, like baptism of the dead, that take place in holy temples are the literal fulfillment of prophecy.(1 Cor 15:29) Christ truly is the living water he proclaimed himself to be and that water has not stopped flowing. (Revelations 17:20)  

Seek Ye First The Kingdom of God

Matthew 5-7

This week Chris and I talked about the Sermon on the Mount - (this was the second lesson on the Sermon in Sunday School, last week it was the Beatitudes.) My husband and I referenced an awesome DVD called “Courageous”.  It is about a group of fathers and law enforcement officers who, with the aid of their beliefs, make strong commitments to be better fathers and stronger men.  It is a fictional movie but it is based on real truths. Here is a synopsis of a side story of the movie (Don't my synopsis of Javier is not a movie spoiler!)

(Movie Trailer From You Tube if your interested )

After making the commitment one man, Javier Martinez, finds himself faced with a real dilemma.  

“I would like to give you this promotion and you will be working in receiving in the warehouse.  You can have the job on one condition,  There are going to be 17 crates come in and but I want you to sign off that there were only 16.  The other crate is going somewhere else. I can count on you right?, You are on my team ok?”

Javier is torn, how can he lie?  He has made strong commitments to God to stand up for truth.  God has just blessed him with a good, permanent Job.  He has to determine what to do.  The boss gives him until 10:00am the next day to decide.  

Javier goes home and tells his wife Carmen of his dilemma,

“What can I do?” “He made it clear that I had to be a Team Player.” Carmen reply's “you finally have a job, you don’t want to lose it, maybe it is ok this one time.”

But, Javier decides to tell the boss that he can’t lie and say there are 16 crates when there are actually 17.  He knows that and he will have to turn down the promotion, he also realizes that he may also lose his job altogether.  He tells Carmen “I will call after the meeting at 10  if there is a problem.”

Before 10 the next day Carmen says another prayer.  Carmen looks at the clock, it is 10:10 and just then the phone rings.  She doesn't want to answer it, but finally, hesitantly she picks up the phone and after Javier says hello she immediately begins to console him. “It will be ok, she says.  You can find another job, we will be alright, you have done the best you could.” But, Javier, she finds, after she stops to listen to what he is saying, is explaining that it was all a test.   

The boss had asked 6 other men the same question, all had said they would sign off on the 16 crates, and let the 17th crate slide.  Only Javier had the integrity to be true. He received the manager's position.  His family was blessed for his being pure in his actions and his deeds.  

How can we tell if someone is a true disciple of Jesus Christ?  

Chris and I Showed 2 Bottles of Water. (one he got from pure well water and one that he got from the toilet!)

We Explained: One of these bottles of water contains pure water from our well, the other water comes from the toilet bowl. Which bottle contains the pure well water? How do we know, how can we tell?  We are the only one who knows, besides our Heavenly Father, where we got the water from.  

Chris tells me that his parents told him that one time, when he was a toddler, his mother asked him to go and get her a cup of water.  She didn't tell him where to get it from.  Yes, he was young, not tall enough to reach the sink, and so, guess where he got it from?  He didn't know better.  We do, our motives behind our actions can be pure and true.  I don’t know how she determined where he got the water from, I hate to imagine - but we are lucky, most of the time it is not necessary for us to judge each others water bottle, but when it is and if it is, we are told how we can judge.

Matthew 7:20  Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. One of the only ways to judge a true disciple is by their “fruits”  Sometimes it is not necessary to judge but if it is, and when it is, and if we are called upon to be a judge, Jesus tells us this righteous way.

The real test of a true disciple is the heart of that disciple. This lesson was all about the purity of the heart.  True disciples do the right things for the right reasons.

Matthew 6:19-21 (Where treasure is there will heart be also.)

How can we determine what it is we treasure? (One way is to evaluate the amount of time, money, and thought we devote to something.) Think about the things you treasure and silently consider what these treasures say about where your heart is.

We, as Javier, need to be assured that God will take care of us. How can we have peace, when things are tough?  

Matthew 6:28 -34 At the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told the parable of the wise man and the foolish man (Matthew 7:24–27). What is the “rock” on which we should build?

The Day before our lesson Chris and I, had to go and get ink for the printer and get the computer repaired.  It was a real dilemma, it was going to cost more than we had, we like Javier were on our last bits of change for the week.  We knew that today we would need to pay our tithing. Chris and I decided, after a bit of tough time and controversy that we would do the budget (we detest the budget). But, we didn't question our tithing we always pay our tithing, Chris had already written one tithing check for last week and we knew that we would need to turn it in plus the check for this week. We took the computer to Office Depot where they would do a free computer check.  It ended up being something pretty minor and didn't cost us anything. It works, it may cost something later but it works for now. Then, we went to pick up the ink from the refill store.  That man said, “I really didn't do much, it seemed that your ink was almost full, I did top it off, It wouldn't be fair for me to charge you, I simply made sure that is wasn't blocked.”  This is an example of how the Lord blesses us. I know that God takes care of us.  This has happened so many times in our life.  We have no reason to question it.  

•Jesus promised that if we “seek … first the kingdom of God,” we will be given all other things that we need 

Matthew 7; 8-11  For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?  Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

The Book of Mormon, another testament of Christ, repeats many of the Sermon on the Mount words to the Nephites in the Americas Long ago. The Saviors words to them, also confirms that we need to ask God for that which we need...

3 Nephi 18:19-20 Therefore ye must always pray unto the Father in my name; And whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, which is right, believing that ye shall receive, behold it shall be given unto you.

 

I know that God takes care of us, and that as we live as his loving disciples with true integrity and purity in our thoughts and in our motives our lives will be blessed. We are not perfect, we are asked to be perfect (Matt 5:48) but we can only achieve this with the help of our Savior,

We know that we can not receive perfection without him.

We Sang “ The wise man and the foolish man, as our lesson suggested” It is a childs primary song but it teaches an awsome lesson and since the lesson suggested it I wanted to sing it

(We did it - Well, most did, some of the class were kind of party poop-ers , and looked like "Why in the world should we sing that!" No worries, but a BIG thanks to those who sang!)

Remember the rains came down and the floods came up on both the houses!  But, the house on the rock stood still.  Psalms 46:10  

We encourage you to read the Sermon on the Mount, and apply it to your life!

What a wonderful world it would be if we all lived according to these words!  How blessed we are to have these words from our Savior right literally in the palms of our hands.

 

Born Again~

My husband Chris and I taught the Sunday school class this week.  We have been studying the story of Nicodemus from the bible.  We played the new song by Carrie Underwood because our lessons objective was to help the class understand that to live the gospel we must be "Born Again" and continue to follow Jesus Christ.  We are not the only Sunday School Teachers out here, we have about Seven teachers I believe, we alternate weeks, as members called to teach we take turns. It is our responsibility as teachers to get across the lesson objective and cover the material that we feel is inspired for members in our class to understand.  Lessons contain a wealth of information in each lesson.  So I set about studying the lesson material and praying what to teach.  It is a good way to learn and  the class is encouraged to study as well, so that we can each be "edified together"- Corinthians 14:26

It is amazing how things come to you as you pray for the class to be able to know and understand what Christ would have the class know. To know and understand what point to which "Jesus" would have us speak.  

My husband, Chris, came across an awesome song by Carrie Underwood, our son Christopher had told him that he had looked up the lyrics and that it was a very clear interpretation about truth of baptism which can apply all Christians We felt it appropriate to play the song in class, I felt that it would help convey the spirit of faith taken by all Christians to go to any minister and be baptized of the water. It takes so much faith for new members of Jesus Christs Church on the Earth to choose to take the hand of a Missionary Elder, called of proper authority come from God, and to go down into the waters of baptism, believing that as they do so with a true and honest, and humble heart that a change will begin in their lives. My daughter Jessica, teaching people in Mexico has been such a help to us and we pray people will listen to her message follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and be Baptized new members of his true church on the earth.

Here is the Carrie Underwood Message... we only played the song, and had the class listen for the message that they understood of truth in it.

We also,in  our personal studying referenced the Hawaiian Pidgin Bible.  It is a King James translation of the bible that helps the people of Hawaii, speaking the " Hawaiian Pidgin English" language to come to a clearer understanding of the  Bible.  Because it is such a simple, straight forward language our family has had fun looking to it for both interpretations and "humor" in Jesus's words. The story of Nicodemus is very interesting in the Hawaiian Pidjen Bible. We referenced only a few lines in class.

Here is the story if you would like to see the humor. http://www.pidginbible.org/Concindex.html

As teachers we are encouraged to follow lesson material in the Manuel, but we also are told to follow the spirit in choosing what we say and what we feel the spirit dictates. In sunday school we decided to use only a a line of that bible to our lesson taught from the Manuel.

"You a teacher come from the jews and you still don't know this stuff...

Faith in Jesus means Love for Fellowmen!

I am deeply moved by the beauty of humanity.  Oh yes, there is a lot of darkness out there but I choose to see the light. There is light in everyone. 

“There is so much good in the worst of us, and so much bad in the best of us, it doesn't behoove any of us to speak evil of the rest of us" ― Edgar Cayce

 As a small child in Primary School at Church I learned a very short but very important song; 

Jesus Said Love Everyone inspired from (Matthew 5:43-46)

Jesus Said Love Everyone, Treat them Kindly Too.

When Your Heart is Filled with Love, Others Will Love You!

What a beautiful message to learn as a small child!  I think that as adults we should sing it too!  I was happy that my daughter's friend Kailee also serving in the mission field, quoted this particular song to me in her e-mail this week. Kailee is serving her mission in the Philippines - my daughter is in Mexico  But their messages to the world are the same, Jesus loves you and as he does so should we love each other!  When we love Jesus we love our fellow human beings.  It is that simple.  

President Thomas S. Monson President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints spoke about this love. He said: "We cannot truly love God if we do not love our fellow travelers on this mortal journey."

Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of the faith, said the same...in his advice as to what we, as his disciples, should do in his absence. 

John 13:33-34
34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

I learned another song in the Primary School at Church.  It is called as I have loved you, it is a composition inspired by scripture -

 Matthew 22:37- In this particular scripture Jesus teaches everyone a great lesson.  He explains 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. 

On "LOVE" hangs all the commandments, and all the prophets, on LOVE ! We are all sinners, yet Christ loved us.  So also should we, each being sinners, love our fellow men!

Mormon Tabernacle Choir  Words: Luacine Clark Fox, 1914-2002

Music: Luacine Clark Fox, 1914-2002; arr. by Jo Marie Borgeson Bray, 1925-1998

Book of Mormon, Gold Plates, Jesus Christ and Joseph Smith.

What is the Book of Mormon About?
Surprisingly, the Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ, is not about Joseph Smith, it

is about Jesus Christ.  It is another testament of the Savior's visit to the Western Hemisphere.  Prior to the Saviors birth,God allowed many peoples to know of him. Though he lived in Jerusalem, and his birth was known and prophesied of the Jews, it was also known to other peoples that God loves and cares about.

What does it Talk About?
 It talks about different sets of peoples, and their arrivals and spiritual history, following both Kings and Judges in the land of the American Continent. The many groups of peoples are known as Nephites and Lamanites but it also referances other groups of peoples such as as the Jaredites and Mulikites and others.

When does it take place?
 It begins with an Old Testament prophet named Lehi, a contempary of the prophet Jeremiah,  who was testifying just prior to the Old Testament Jerusalem being taken captive into Babylon at the time of king Zedikiah. Lehi recorded events taking place on the American Continent  beginning around 600BC.  The record ends about 421AD. However, records are also referred to within it's pages about other groups on the continent some long before Lehi and his families arrival, one in particular of which is called the Jaredites, who left during the time of the Tower of Babel.

Why is it called the Book of Mormon?
It's full title is "The Book of Mormon, Another Testament of Jesus Christ". Mormon was a prophet, the last known prophet of the peoples on the American Continent.  Like old testament prophets and kings, records were kept.  Mormon abridged all of these records into a book.  Each of the chapters in the Book of Mormon are named after Prophets who kept the records.  The chapters of the Book of Mormon, though abridged by Mormon, were written by Ancient Prophets.

Why Should I Read it?
The Book of Mormon along with the Bible help us have a clear picture to who Jesus Christ and his Father are.  The Bible, though insightful, is full of many events that take place which happen because God is trying to help people to turn to him, and most of the time, throughout the Old Testament, they do not. Though there are many peoples in the Book of Mormon who also are in need of repentance, and the destruction of people because of unrighteousness eventually ends the Book of Mormon record, we get an insightful and better understanding of God and his love for those who are righteous, because of much of the righteousness of the peoples that recorded in it's content.  It can be utilized, along with the Bible to gain insight as to God, his true character and His Son Jesus Christ and their unfaltering and unyielding love for each of us.

What are the Gold Plates and Joseph Smith?
Joseph Smith, while calling upon God in prayer, was visited by an Angel, the Ancient Prophet For detailed info on translation click here.

Book of Mormon Stories
art by Jerry Thompson

Mormon, Mormon Told him of a Book, deposited in a rock, under a hill.  The account that Mormon had abridged.  Mormon instructed Joseph about the record and that it  gave the account of the former inhabitants of the American Continent. He was able to obtain the record and translate them. Through a means introduced to us in the Bible in many places Ex 28:30,  Lev 8:8, as well as Num 27:21, Deu 33:8 and many others. This means, This means, called Interpreters or Stones in the Book of Mormon Alma 37:21, Ether 3:23 were sealed up in the hill along with the record by the prophet Mormon. The record was written on plates of Gold, that is why they are often refereanced as the Golden Plates.  They lay hitten, deep in a hill,  under stone and in a  stone box, until God found a faithful servenat here in America, in whom He could confide.

What New insight does it Give us on Jesus?

And he Healed Them
Artist Gary Kapp

It helps us to know that many knew of him.  It gives us the added insight of Jesus's teachings to a different group of people, it also helps us see consistency and congruity in the gospels of the Holy Bible. The Bible and along with the Book of Mormon are a stronger witness of the truthfulness of Jesus's teachings.  Jesus called 12 apostles in the Old World as well as on the Americas. I personally love the teachings of Jesus and the healing of Children in the book of Mormon, and the tears he shed for them recorded in  3 Nephi 17 It helps me to see the great love Jesus has for  each of us.  The Holy Bible tells us that God is no respecter of persons Acts 10:34., He cares for all of his people, everywhere.  It makes perfect sense that Our Father in Heaven would teach others of his Son Jesus, of Jesus's arrival to Earth and of his teachings to all men women and children.
.

Does The Holy Bible talk about the Book of Mormon?

Yes! The Holy Bible does talk about the book of Mormon, in many places it references it, but interpretations are often miss understood.  I will give you 3 different witnesse as should be the case according to Matthew 18:16. Ezekiel 37:15 - 24 tells us of "sticks", meaning scrolls, It brings all people under the title of one title though in two lands, it references David as a father, and one King (Jesus Christ) being the King of them all.  Looking at the entire chapter of Ezekiel 37 gives great insight, the first entries speak of bones, that talk (meaning people, long burred, testifying through ancient records.) It talks of bones coming together and breath in them. wind and prophesy. These records are contained in the Book of Moromon and in the Holy Bible.  Isaiah 29:4, 11-12 The story of the History of the Lost Manuscripts of the Book of Mormon helps establish this prophecies fulfillment. also, Jesus spoke of Other Sheep, who would hear his voice and he would bring into the fold John 10:16 The book of Mormon teaches us that the Jews believed this to be the Gentiles but Jesus book of Mormon Peoples he was speaking of them. 3 Nephi 15:21-22.

How Can I know if the Record of the Book of Mormon is True?
You can Read it and ask God, the giver of all truth, if this record about Jesus is a true record from Him.  And, as the Book of Mormon Prophet Mormon states, after reading. .."IF you ask with real intent, having faith in Jesus Christ, he will manifest the truthfulness of it unto you,  By the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things." John 16:3.

To have a Book of Mormon Another Testament of Jesus Christ delivered to you Click Here.
If you do not have a Holy Bible,  you can also request a King James Version here as well.

Jesus Teaches We are God's Children & are Inspired of Him!

The nag hamadi Gospel of Thomas, states;

Thomas 1:3 "the (Father's) kingdom is within you and it is outside you. When you know yourselves, then you will be known, and you will understand that you are children of the living Father."

Thomas 1:50...'We are its children, and we are the chosen of the living Father.'

I have been interested in this and other statements of Jesus and from Jesus Christ that point to the fact that we are Children of God.

Are we in fact, children of God?  Ask yourself, is this true, ask God, am I your spirit child?

The King James Version of the Bible gives us a number of scriptures which seem to attest to this fact.

Psalms 82:6
I have said, Ye are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.

Jesus of course taught that we become "Children of the Most High" when we accept his message, he also taught that if we turn from his message we can become children of the devil.

The message that Paul gave to the Hebrews is that God is the father of our spirit. He includes both ideas of coming spiritually and of being spirit children, we can come unto God, and we are his spirit children.

Hebrews 12: 9
Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?

The message in Acts is very literal for it speaks of each of us being offspring of God.

Acts 17:29
For as much then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.

There is no doubt that God certainly is our Father, Jesus taught us, after his death, when he appeared to Mary Magdalene at the tomb that His Father was not just Mary's Father but  the father of all the brethren.

John 20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

James teaches the same thing.  He tells us also that we are made after God's image.

James3:9 
Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.

Jesus Christ, in being the Savior, saved us from something, besides sin, he saved us by showing us who we really are.

Luke 6:1-2 And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands. And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days?

His answer was this...
Luke 6:5 "And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath."

but Luke goes on to further explain by telling the story of  Jesus healing a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath Day, this gives us the additional needed insight we need to know because we are Gods children we have answers within us.

What did the Savior do before the healing, He asked questions; In this way he was stating very matter of factually, in front of priests of his day, you, the people can know.

Luke 6:9:"... Is it lawful on the sabbath days to do good, or to do evil? to save life, or to destroy it?

This is the type of question you would ask a priest or a rabbi, but Jesus Christ is addressing the people. Jesus is asking people to think it out for themselves - you have it within you, you figure it our!

Matthew 12:11 - 12 "...What man shall there be among you, that shall have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the sabbath day, will he not lay hold on it, and lift it out?  How much then is a man better than a sheep? Wherefore it is lawful to do well on the sabbath days.

Christ helps the people to reason it out.

I am glad that he has confidence in each of our abilities to reason. You can be inspired!"

Then is the miracle recorded in the text the healing miracle.

Matthew 12:13 Then saith he to the man, Stretch forth thine hand. And he stretched it forth; and it was restored whole.

Because we are Children of God his spirit dwells in us,
1 Cor 3:16  Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?

He is in you, you are his child, he will answer you. This is the Message spoken by Paul in The Acts of the Apostles. Feelings are how the spirit speaks.  Through strokes of ideas we learn of God.

Acts 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:  For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. (Italics added)

God, through his son, gave us the ultimate application of the Chinese Proverb: "Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."  Jesus didn't give us fish, He taught us how to fish. In fact, he taught us that we are fishermen. We can know truth.

Matthew 7:7-8 Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.

This means, God the Father of Our Spirit has confidence in your ability to listen to the spirit and know truth.

1 John 4:6  6 
We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.
 As we exercise our faith and accept Christ and his atonement we gain more truth. Then as we come to have a knowledge of this truth it will increase...As a well of living water springing up! This is exactly what Jesus told the woman at the well.

John 4:14 But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. Personal witness of truth are these revelations in our life.

You can figure it out for yourself Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior knew you could.  Why?   Because we are Gods offspring!  Want to know more... Click Here 

Jesus's Message of Baptism. Do I Need to be Baptized?

The Savior is recorded as saying the words "Come" "
Follow Me" and "I am the Way" many times in the gospels.

Come: move or travel toward or into a place thought of as near or familiar to the speaker.
Follow: to come after a person or thing proceeding ahead.
Way: A method, style or manner of doing something.

Jesus wanted  us to do the things that he did, be what he was and proceed in the style and manner that he proceeding in.

Matthew 11:28-30 Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Jesus spoke of Himself as being the "Way" in which to "Come" unto the Father, and his Father - God.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Jesus is saying, again, follow me and do the things that you see me do if you want to get back to your Father and my Father.

John 6:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.

The essence of Jesus's message to us, if it were to be distilled down to it's simplest form is this:  Follow Him,

John:17: 20 -23 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;  That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

Our Heavenly Father's love for us is immense. God loved us so much that he sent his Son (John 4:9-10)  And his request of us, is that we simply follow Him  What should we do to follow?  On the day of Pentecost, those who had felt the spirit of truth wanted also to know exactly this same thing, what do we do next?  Peter explains very explicitly the path or the way they are to follow;

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Jesus was Baptized, (Matthew 3:13-17 )  Mathew 3:16 Jesus was baptized by immersion.
 It pleased the Father that Jesus showed this example  Jesus did this so that we would know what we are to do. Jesus was perfect, yet he was baptized. We need to be baptized of the water and of the spirit.  We are to receive the gift of the Holy Ghost following Baptism. Peter had that authority or those keys given him, of the Son, to Baptize. As did John at the time of Jesus, in fact it was John who baptized our Savior, Jesus the Christ. recognized John, and praised him, saying that there was not any greater other than Jesus Himself -.

Being Baptized by immersion by one holding the proper authority was the way Jesus did it, and we are to follow.

Baptism is necessary to enter into the kingdom of God. The gate is narrow and the way is straight and not many will find it. (Matthew 7:13 -29)   It is important, to be baptized but also to be baptized by one holding the authority of a true priesthood.
"It was to the bank of this river (the Susquehanna, in Missouri) that the Prophet and Oliver Cowdery went on May 15, 1829, to pray about the importance of baptism. In answer to their prayer, John the Baptist appeared to them, conferring the Aaronic Priesthood, the type of Priesthood held of John the Baptist, on them and commanding them to baptize each other. "
(Teachings of the Presidents of the Church, Joseph Smith, Chapter 7)

I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is has this priesthood authoirty to baptise.  Click Here.  If you would like to speak with missionaries in person about this and other truths .
 My daughter is on a mission helping people to recognize the need for baptism by immersion by one holding the keys and Jesus's authority. She is very happy to explain to people about The Church of Jesus Christ and about the keys for the authority to be baptized. Missionaries volunteer their time to speak with people and show them the "way" of  the gospel. it is free and it is easy.  I know that Jesus will bless your life as you ,,,
Take the time to listen, and "Come and Follow Jesus's Way.  
Missionaries can help you learn what the first steps to Baptism are.  
Ask the Missionaries They Can Help YOU!