Examples of the love that Jesus Christ has for us.

[RachelleDrew]

I've been working on a talk, the subject being "The love of Christ". Which is truly an easy subject matter to be given because his love for us is so obvious. I was done with it, but then went back to make some revisions because I wasn't satisfied.

I came to the conclusion that while his death on the cross in order to save mankind from their sins was a very obvious display of his love for us and for our father in heaven, it wasn't the only way that he expressed his devotion to man. The life that Christ led and his actions and choices were a constant reassurance that he cares deeply for the people who live on this earth. I started inserting some bits about his life before the death and resurrection.

I really need to wrap up this talk tonight, but i'm a little stumped on finding more examples of how the life he led before his death was an example of his love for humanity too. I've been digging through my scriptures, but my brain is overloaded right now. Can anyone think of any parables or scriptures that might be of help?

I'm still planning on discussing how he sacrificed his life for us through his death, but i've just got this nagging feeling that it's important to discuss the love he expressed for us throughout his life too.

Any help would be appreciated.

[marts1]

How about all those miracles of healing for instance.

[Dravin]

What about Lazurus? John 11

[RachelleDrew]

I used the instances about healing. Specifically I mentioned him healing the leper, which I thought was a really compelling story.

[RachelleDrew]

Lazurus! Awesome suggestion! This is why I love this site..

[bytor2112]

You might consider HIS role in the pre-existence and also detail exactly what Christ's Atonement has meant to all mankind. Not only did HE break the bands of physical death, so that all will be resurrected, but HE also bridged the divide caused by Spiritual death.

Check out this talk from Elder McConkie:

We do not know, we cannot tell, no mortal mind can conceive the full import of what Christ did in Gethsemane.

We know he sweat great gouts of blood from every pore as he drained the dregs of that bitter cup his Father had given him.

We know he suffered, both body and spirit, more than it is possible for man to suffer, except it be unto death.

We know that in some way, incomprehensible to us, his suffering satisfied the demands of justice, ransomed penitent souls from the pains and penalties of sin, and made mercy available to those who believe in his holy name.

We know that he lay prostrate upon the ground as the pains and agonies of an infinite burden caused him to tremble and would that he might not drink the bitter cup.

We know that an angel came from the courts of glory to strengthen him in his ordeal, and we suppose it was mighty Michael, who foremost fell that mortal man might be.

As near as we can judge, these infinite agonies—this suffering beyond compare—continued for some three or four hours.........

[Justice]

My personal favorite is how the woman who was caught in the act of adultery was brought before Him. According to the law she should have been stoned.

It is fitting that He said he who among you who is without sin let him first cast a stone at her.

He opened the doorway that it was His right to throw the first stone, since He was without sin.

But, He did not condemn her. Instead, He suffered an unimaginable pain and suffering in Gethsemane and on the cross for her so that she can be forgiven.

Pretty amazing that He would do this just in case she would repent.

[Kukui]

I like all the answers given and I may be a little too late to offer a suggestion, but what does it for me is when I study the last hours of Christ’s life from Gethsemane to the cross.

Also people say that in D&C 19 that Christ was bearing his testimony so I like to change the words to the first person as follows:

15 …and [my] sufferings [were] sore—how sore [i knew] not, how exquisite [i knew] not, yea, how hard to bear [i knew] not.

16 For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;

17 But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I;

18 Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit—and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink—

Then when I am trying to comprehend the suffering He went through I think of D&C

76: 107 … have trodden the wine-press alone, even the wine-press of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God.

At this point I am literally shaking with horror and I ask myself, “How could He do it?” “How could He do it?”

And then I remember Matthew 22

36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.

Then it is so very clear to me that no one has ever kept this commandment so completely as Jesus has.

Edited February 26, 2010 by Kukui

[RachelleDrew]

These were all really good suggestions. Thank you all for sharing them! My brain wasn't working properly last night, so I was having a hard time finding things that would fit. Bytor I LOVE that talk too.

[Moksha]

The two Greatest Commandments sometimes gets short shrift when competing with the word of wisdom, but emphasizing them in your talk would be great.

[Moksha]

BTW, the sacrifice leading to the atonement would be high on the list of examples.

[Blackmarch]

I've been working on a talk, the subject being "The love of Christ". Which is truly an easy subject matter to be given because his love for us is so obvious. I was done with it, but then went back to make some revisions because I wasn't satisfied.

I came to the conclusion that while his death on the cross in order to save mankind from their sins was a very obvious display of his love for us and for our father in heaven, it wasn't the only way that he expressed his devotion to man. The life that Christ led and his actions and choices were a constant reassurance that he cares deeply for the people who live on this earth. I started inserting some bits about his life before the death and resurrection.

I really need to wrap up this talk tonight, but i'm a little stumped on finding more examples of how the life he led before his death was an example of his love for humanity too. I've been digging through my scriptures, but my brain is overloaded right now. Can anyone think of any parables or scriptures that might be of help?

I'm still planning on discussing how he sacrificed his life for us through his death, but i've just got this nagging feeling that it's important to discuss the love he expressed for us throughout his life too.

Any help would be appreciated.

I"m particularly fond of the moment when he's on the cross and he asks the Father to forgive them for they know nnot what they do.