Filling our Nets - Jesus makes many things possible

This story from John 21 illustrates how the Lord can magnify our efforts in all things. Taken in the context of being fishers of men and preaching the gospel, this verse makes it clear that with the Lord's help, many, many people can and will come into the church to learn the fulness of the gospel. Having the Lord's help is critical.

John 21:3 Simon Peter saith unto them, I go a fishing. They say unto him, We also go with thee. They went forth, and entered into a ship immediately; and that night they caught nothing.

4 But when the morning was now come, Jesus ^astood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.

5 Then Jesus saith unto them, Children, have ye any meat? They answered him, No.

6 And he said unto them, Cast the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes.

7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.

Jesus' willingness to spend time with us

There's an account in Luke of Jesus speaking with two disciples (perhaps Apostles, it doesn't mention their name) just after he was resurrected. He walked with them on the road to Emmaus. We don't know at what point he joined them, but we do know the length of the trip. The journey was 30 furlongs, which translates into 7.5 miles. If they were walking fairly quickly, it would take them 2 hours to walk that far. Then, after the group arrived at their destination, they stopped to eat and Jesus stayed with them and taught them some more.

I am amazed by Jesus' willingness to spend time with people even at this important time, just after his resurrection. I am convinced that he is very willing to spend time with people and teach them and help them. It's something that gives me hope and also gives a good example.

Here's the verses from Luke 24:

13 ¶And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about ^athreescorefurlongs.

14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.

15 And it came to pass, that, while they ^acommuned together and reasoned, ^bJesus himself drew near, and went with them.

16 But their eyes were ^aholden that they should not know him.

17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications arethese that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?

18 And the one of them, whose name was ^aCleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?

19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:

20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.

21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.

22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;

23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.

24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.

25 Then he said unto them, O ^afools, and slow of ^bheart to ^cbelieveall that the prophets have spoken:

26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?

27 And beginning at ^aMoses and all the ^bprophets, he ^cexpoundedunto them in all the ^dscriptures the things concerning himself.

28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.

29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.

30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.

31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

32 And they said one to another, Did not our ^aheart ^bburn within us, while he ^ctalked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,

34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath ^aappeared to^bSimon.

35 And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.

Feeling the Spirit

Many times we think of "feeling the Spirit" as something that causes our "bosom to burn" because of a verse in D.C.9 that is repeated often. I am not a huge fan of this verse b/c if that's the only time we have the Spirit, then most of us don't feel it very often. In Oliver's case he needed some immediate feedback on what he was doing (translating), so it was important to have a "yes" or a "no" right in the moment. Few of us are in similar situations.

D.C. 50:22 explains that one moment when we feel the Spirit often is when we're learning. And in those moments, both the teacher and the learner can experience certain things that indicate the Spirit is present. D.C. 50: 21-22:

21Therefore, why is it that ye cannot understand and know, that he that receiveth the word by the ^aSpirit of truth receiveth it as it is preached by the Spirit of truth?

22Wherefore, he that preacheth and he that receiveth, understand one another, and both are ^aedified and ^brejoicetogether.

If you receive the word or preach the word by the Spirit there will be a few results: 1) you will likely understand something you didn't understand before, be edified (in Spanish edificio means a building; edified means something akin to that - having an increase in knowledge), and/or feel happy.

This week I was teaching in Gospel Doctrine and a man made a comment about Mark 10:18, which we were reading. I have read this verse many times and never understood why Jesus said what he says here. The setting is the rich young man is coming to Jesus asking what he lacks. Here's the first two verses in the encounter. Mark 10:17-18:

17¶And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life?

18And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there isnone ^agood but one, that is, God.

The question I have always had is, "why in the world would Jesus say he isn't "good"? He's really good." This man in Sunday School said, "Jesus said what he did to show the rich young man the need for humility. Jesus modeled humility just before asking the rich young man to show humility by giving up what he had and following the Savior. Unfortunately the young man didn't make the connection or follow the example."

Oh dang. He was exactly right. No question that's a great explanation of what was happening. Jesus gave up all he had in Heaven to come down (which he didn't have to do - he was perfect), and he did so because he is humble. The rich young man was being asked to do the same, so Jesus was trying to teach him humility before hand.

I understood something I didn't understand before in that moment, learned that this story was about faith but also largely about humility, and I felt happy. I think that means I felt the Spirit. When we recognize that the Spirit can be felt in this way, not just a burning in the bosom, it becomes more clear that we feel the Spirit often.

Have a good day.

LaDon