Luke Chapter 15

Jesus gives the parables of the lost sheep, the piece of silver, and the prodigal son.

 1Then drew near unto him all the ^apublicans and sinners for to hear him.

 2And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them.

 3¶And he spake this parable unto them, saying,

 4What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine ^ain the wilderness, and go after that which is ^blost, until he find it?
[JST Luke 15:4 … and go into the wilderness after that which is lost …]

 5And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing.

 6And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.

 7  I say unto you, that likewise ^ajoy shall be in heaven over one ^bsinner that ^crepenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

 8¶ Either what woman having ten pieces of silver,  [her dowry, probably also worn as jewelry] if she lose one ^apiece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it?

 9And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.

 10 Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the ^aangels of God over one ^bsinner that repenteth.

 11¶And he said, A certain man had two sons:

 12And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of ^agoods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living.

 13And not many days after the younger son gathered all together, and took his journey into a far country, and there ^awasted his ^bsubstance with ^criotous living.

 14And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that land; and he began to be in want.

 15And he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country; and he sent him into his fields to feed swine.

 16And he ^awould fain have filled his belly with the ^bhusks that the swine did eat: and no man gave unto him.

 17 And when he ^acame to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father’s have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!

 18 I will ^aarise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have ^bsinned against heaven, and before thee,

 19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.

 20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had ^acompassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.

 21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more ^aworthy to be called thy ^bson.

 22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet:

 23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry:

 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.

 25 Now his elder son was in the field: and as he came and drew nigh to the house, he heard musick and dancing.

 26 And he called one of the servants, and asked what these things meant.

 27 And he said unto him, Thy brother is come; and thy father hath killed the fatted calf, because he hath received him safe and sound.

 28 And he was angry, and would not go in: therefore came his father out, and intreated him.

 29 And he answering said to his father, Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid, that I might make merry with my friends:

 30 But as soon as this thy son was come, which hath devoured thy living with harlots, thou hast killed for him the fatted calf.

 31 And he said unto him, ^aSon, thou art ever with me, and ^ball that I have is thine.

 32 It was ^ameet that we should make merry, and be glad: for this thy brother was dead, and is alive again; and was lost, and is found.

D&C 18:  (Shepherd and woman)

 10 Remember the ^aworth of ^bsouls is great in the sight of God;

 11 For, behold, the Lord your ^aRedeemer suffered ^bdeath in the flesh; wherefore he ^csuffered the ^dpain of all men, that all men might repent and ^ecome unto him.

 12 And he hath ^arisen again from the dead, that he might bring all men unto him, on conditions of ^brepentance.

 13 And how great is his ^ajoy in the ^bsoul that ^crepenteth!

 15 And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one ^asoul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father!

 16 And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the ^akingdom of my Father, how great will be your ^bjoy if you should bring many ^csouls unto me!

Alma 31:  (Desire and What we need to succeed)

 34 O Lord, wilt thou grant ^aunto us that we may have success in bringing them again unto thee in Christ.

 35 Behold, O Lord, their ^asouls are precious, and many of them are our brethren; therefore, give unto us, O Lord, power and wisdom that we may bring these, our brethren, again unto thee.

Mosiah 26: (Forgiveness)

 30 Yea, and ^aas often as my people ^brepent will I forgive them their trespasses against me.

D&C 58:

  42 Behold, he who has ^arepented of his ^bsins, the same is ^cforgiven, and I, the Lord, remember them no more.

Luke 17:

 11 ¶And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.

 12 And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were ^alepers, which stood afar off:

 13 And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.

 14 And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the ^apriests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed.

 15 And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God,

 16 And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him ^athanks: and he was a Samaritan.

 17A nd Jesus answering said, Were there not ten ^acleansed? but where are the ^bnine?

 18 There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.

 19 And he said unto him, Arise, go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole. (rescued)

Matthew 18: 

 11 For the ^aSon of man is come to ^bsave that which was lost.^c

 12 How think ye? if a man have an hundred ^asheep, and one of them be gone astray, doth he not leave the ninety and nine, and goeth into the mountains, and seeketh that which is gone astray?

 13 And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray.

 14 Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these ^alittle ones should ^bperish.

Moses Taken to a High Mountain -- Elder Holland

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uqjwr7KXI30&feature=player_embedded

Lesson 18: “He Was Lost, and Is Found”

"Lesson 18: “He Was Lost, and Is Found”," New Testament Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, (2002)

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Rescue

Purpose

To help class members understand the joy that comes when we repent and when we help others repent.

Preparation

1. 1. Read, ponder, and pray about the following scriptures:
   
   1. a. Luke 15:1–10. Through the parable of the lost sheep and the parable of the piece of silver, Jesus teaches the worth of souls.
      
   2. b. Luke 15:11–32. Through the parable of the prodigal son, Jesus teaches that Heavenly Father finds great joy in forgiving the repentant. The Savior also teaches his followers to be forgiving.
      
   3. c. Luke 17:11–19. A man whom Jesus has healed of leprosy returns to thank him.
      
2. 2. Additional reading: Matthew 18:11–14.
   
3. 3. If the pictures The Prodigal Son (62155; Gospel Art Picture Kit 220) and The Ten Lepers (62150; Gospel Art Picture Kit 221) are available, use them during the lesson.
   
4. 4. Suggestion for teaching: Jesus often asked questions to encourage his listeners to apply the principles he taught (see Matthew 16:13–16; Luke 7:41–42). Prayerfully prepare questions that will encourage class members to participate in discussions and will help them understand and apply the principles being taught. (See Teaching, No Greater Call [36123], pages 63–70.)
   

Suggested Lesson Development

Attention Activity

As appropriate, use the following activity or one of your own to begin the lesson.

Invite class members to tell about a time when they lost something important to them or when a family member became lost. Then ask the following questions:

• • How did you feel when the object or person was lost? How did you feel when the object or person was found?
  

You may also want to ask class members to tell about experiences they have had with being lost and later found.

Explain that Jesus often taught spiritual lessons by relating them to common experiences of the people. This lesson discusses some parables that teach the importance of searching for and finding those who are lost.

Scripture Discussion and Application

As you discuss the following scripture passages, help class members understand that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love each of us and want us to return and live with them again.

1. The Savior teaches the worth of souls.

Read and discuss Luke 15:1–10. Explain that Jesus presented the parable of the lost sheep and the parable of the piece of silver after the Pharisees and scribes murmured, “This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them” (Luke 15:2).

• • In the parable of the lost sheep, the shepherd left ninety-nine sheep to find one that was lost (Luke 15:4). In the parable of the piece of silver, the woman sought diligently for one lost coin (Luke 15:8). What can we learn from the actions of the shepherd and the woman? (See D&C 18:10–13.)
  
• • In what ways might a person be “lost”? What is our responsibility toward those who are lost? (See Luke 15:4–5, 8; Alma 31:34–35.)
  President Gordon B. Hinckley said:
  “Some of our own … cry out in pain and suffering and loneliness and fear. Ours is a great and solemn duty to reach out and help them, to lift them, to feed them if they are hungry, to nurture their spirits if they thirst for truth and righteousness. …
  “… There are those who were once warm in the faith, but whose faith has grown cold. Many of them wish to come back but do not know quite how to do it. They need friendly hands reaching out to them. With a little effort, many of them can be brought back to feast again at the table of the Lord.
  “My brethren and sisters, I would hope, I would pray that each of us … would resolve to seek those who need help, who are in desperate and difficult circumstances, and lift them in the spirit of love into the embrace of the Church, where strong hands and loving hearts will warm them, comfort them, sustain them, and put them on the way of happy and productive lives” (in Conference Report, Oct. 1996, 118; or Ensign, Nov. 1996, 86).
  
• • How should we respond at the return of a person who has been lost? (Have class members look for an idea that is repeated in Luke 15:5, 6, and 9. See also verses 7 and 10 and D&C 18:15–16.)
  

2. Jesus teaches that Heavenly Father rejoices in forgiving the repentant.

Read and discuss Luke 15:11–32. Display the picture of the prodigal son.

• • In the parable of the prodigal son, what did the younger son do with his inheritance? (See Luke 15:13. Note that prodigal means wasteful.) What are some ways that people today make errors similar to those of the prodigal son?
  
• • What happened to the prodigal son after he had wasted all his inheritance? (See Luke 15:14–16.) What application does this have in our day?
  
• • When the prodigal son was in want, who in the far country cared for him? (See Luke 15:16.) What can we learn from this?
  
• • Whom did the son think of when he saw that no one in the far country cared for him? (See Luke 15:17.) What can we learn about repentance from the son’s attitude? (See Luke 15:18–19.)
  
• • What did the father do when he saw his son returning? (See Luke 15:20.) How did the father respond to his son’s confession? (See Luke 15:21–24.) How is the father’s response like the Lord’s response when we repent? (See Luke 15:7; Mosiah 26:30; D&C 58:42.)
  
• • In what ways are we like the prodigal son? (See the quotation below.) What hope does the parable of the prodigal son offer us?
  Referring to the parable of the prodigal son, President Gordon B. Hinckley said: “I ask you to read that story. Every parent ought to read it again and again. It is large enough to encompass every household, and enough larger than that to encompass all mankind, for are we not all prodigal sons and daughters who need to repent and partake of the forgiving mercy of our Heavenly Father and then follow His example?” (“Of You It Is Required to Forgive,” Ensign, June 1991, 5).
  
• • Why was the elder son angry with the way his father received the younger son? (See Luke 15:25–30.) How did the father respond to the elder son’s complaint? (See Luke 15:31–32.) Why is it sometimes difficult to welcome back a “prodigal son” who has repented? What can we learn from this man’s response to his returning son? (See Luke 15:32.)
  

3. A man whom Jesus has healed of leprosy returns to thank him.

Read and discuss Luke 17:11–19. Display the picture of the ten lepers.

• • As the Savior went to Jerusalem, he healed ten lepers (Luke 17:11–14). Of those ten lepers, how many returned to express gratitude? (See Luke 17:15–16.) What are some reasons that we, like the nine ungrateful lepers, do not always express our gratitude for the blessings we receive? Why is it important that we express gratitude to the Lord?
  
• • Although all ten lepers were cleansed, only the man who returned was made whole (Luke 17:14, 19). What is the difference between being healed and being made whole? (See the quotation below.) How do our gratitude and faith help us become whole?
  Bishop Merrill J. Bateman taught: “In becoming a whole person, the grateful leper was healed inside as well as on the outside. That day nine lepers were healed skin deep, but only one had the faith to be made whole” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1995, 16; or Ensign, May 1995, 14).
  

Conclusion

Testify that we feel great joy when we repent and return to the Lord and when we help others return. You may want to express appreciation for Jesus’ parables and other teachings that show God’s love for his children and his desire that we love one another.

Additional Teaching Ideas

The following material supplements the suggested lesson outline. You may want to use one or more of these ideas as part of the lesson.

1. The parable of the unprofitable servant

Read and discuss the parable of the unprofitable servant (Luke 17:5–10).

• • Jesus presented this parable after the Apostles requested of him, “Increase our faith” (Luke 17:5). What can we learn from this parable about how we can increase our faith? (Answers could include that we grow in faith by diligently serving the Lord.)
  
• • Why are we unprofitable servants even when we do everything the Lord commands us to do? (See Mosiah 2:20–25.) What does this reveal about the Lord’s love for us?
  

2. The parable of the laborers in the vineyard

Read and discuss the parable of the laborers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1–16).

• • In this parable, what did every laborer in the vineyard receive?
  

Emphasize that those who worked one hour received the same pay as those who worked the entire day. We should not be concerned about who receives the most or who does the most in the service of the Lord. The perfect Judge of all, who knows our hearts, will judge us with mercy and grant us “whatsoever is right” (Matthew 20:4, 7).

3. Video presentations

The fourth segment of “New Testament Customs,” a selection from New Testament Video Presentations (53914), may be useful in explaining how lepers were regarded in New Testament times and what a great, life-changing blessing it was for the ten lepers to be healed by Christ.

This segment also contains information about how the Jews of the New Testament measured time. You may want to show this portion if you discuss the parable of the laborers in the vineyard (see the second additional teaching idea), to help class members better understand the householder who “went out about the third hour” and also the sixth, ninth, and eleventh hours (Matthew 20:3, 5–6).

_____________________________________________
My notes:
We can take a dual view of the stories:
We are each the lost sheep, the lost coin, the prodigal child.
We also are each responsible to find and welcome back with joy that which has been lost.

For part of the lesson, we will discuss our own missionary experiences -- finding or being found, welcoming back.

The Lost Wedding Ring
      A week or so ago my daughter and her husband and their beautiful baby girl who live in Nevada went camping.   They had a wonderful time and baby Avi took to camping like a raccoon takes to food left on a picnic table.
     They were camped near to a stream, and as they gathered wood for a fire, my son-in-law Gunnar was  on the other side of the stream, throwing sticks over the stream to their campsite.  He was about done when he noticed that his wedding ring was missing.  The fit of his ring had been such that depending on the temperature is either fit just right or was just a bit loose.  Gunnar and Heather combed the area looking for it until it grew too dark,  without any luck.  They went to bed, sick at heart.  Heather suggested that since they'd most likely need to get a new ring, Gunnar could pick a different kind if he wanted.  He responded (very wisely for a young husband) that he just wanted the ring (or one like it) that she'd picked for him.  That night it snowed.  They were warm enough in their tent once they put another layer of blankets under the air mattress, but they knew that if there had been any chance of finding the ring, that chance had narrowed.  Gunnar got the damp, cold wood to light for a morning fire and breakfast, and looked around more for the ring.
    When they were ready to go, and Heather and Avi were ready in the truck,  Gunnar said he wanted to go look one more time.   They had been praying to find the ring, but he said another prayer and went over the area one more time.  There,  just barely above the water line, and just barely holding on to the bank above the stream, was his ring.  That which had been lost was found.

April Conference 2011 -- Elder Grow of the Seventy tells about his brother who  "Like the prodigal son, “he came to himself.” ¹ He began to reach out to the Savior and to make his way back home and to faithful parents who never gave up on him."



Elder Maynes in April Conference 2011:
This poem by C. C. Miller titled “The Echo” illustrates the importance and impact parents have as they influence their children:

’Twas a sheep not a lamb

That strayed away in the parable Jesus told,

A grown-up sheep that strayed away

From the ninety and nine in the fold.

And why for the sheep should we seek

And earnestly hope and pray?

Because there is danger when sheep go wrong:

They lead the lambs astray.

Lambs will follow the sheep, you know,

Wherever the sheep may stray.

When sheep go wrong,

It won’t take long till the lambs are as wrong as they.

And so with the sheep we earnestly plead

For the sake of the lambs today,

For when the sheep are lost

What a terrible cost

The lambs will have to pay. ⁶

^{June 2033}  

Parables of Jesus: The Lost Coin   By Elder J. Kent Jolley   Of the Seventy

coloring page for good shepherd

http://lds.org/images/Magazines/Friend/Archive/friendlp.nfo:o:1d54.jpg

Easter Reenactment

I was just listening to an NPR report about this.

http://www.npr.org/2011/04/20/135575926/mexicans-hope-for-miracles-in-staging-of-the-passion
http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/710-the-passion-of-christ-in-ixtapalapa-a-mexico-city-neighborhood

The Good Shepherd

Sukkot

from http://www.hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Fall_Holidays/Sukkot/sukkot.html

The festival of Sukkot has a prophetic dimension awaiting fulfillment. As the Day of Ingathering of the harvest, Sukkot prefigures the gathering together of the Jewish people in the days of the Messiah's reign on earth (Isaiah 27:12-13; Jeremiah 23:7-8). Indeed all of the nations of the earth that survived the Great Tribulation will come together to worship the LORD in Jerusalem during the Feast of Sukkot (Zechariah 14:16-17). Sukkot also foreshadows the LORD's sheltering Presence over Israel in the millennial kingdom. No longer will Israel be subject to the oppression of the goyim, but God Himself will place His sanctuary in her midst (Ezekiel 37:26-28). Yeshua the Mashiach did indeed come to "sukkah" (or "tabernacle") with us (see John 1:14) in order to purge our sins from us and to redeem us to Himself. Yes, by the eye of faith we see the revelation of the True Shechinah of the LORD God Almighty in the Person of Yeshua our beloved Mashiach. Nevertheless, we still eagerly await His return to establish His Kingdom and set up His everlasting Sukkah with us -- so that that we may know, love, and abide with the Him forever!  Maran ata, LORD Yeshua!   ___________________________________ http://www.lttn.org/R5_Article4_Sukkot.htm What is the Source of this Great Joy at Sukkot? We can find no better illustration for this than the unique festival of Sukkot. For the booths in which Israel live during these days symbolize her rock-steady, unshakable faith in the One G-d of Israel. Just in the fall, as the days are getting shorter and colder, most people are coming indoors. It is no longer pleasurable to sit outside as it was in the summer. But this is just when “every citizen in Israel” moves from the comforts and security of home, and takes up residence in temporary dwellings, thanking G-d for the harvest in this season and recalling His constant, enveloping presence. This knowledge is true joy! Unconcerned with sunshine or warm weather, these temporary dwellings do not appear to be “secure” in the physical sense…they may shake a little in the wind; their roofs are but thatches, open to the stars. But yet Israel sits within, unmoved and unaffected by what may be mistakenly perceived as a hostile world—for like the booth, this world is temporary, and we are but temporary dwellers within her. But just as we are surrounded by the walls of this hut, so we are surrounded by the constant, protective presence of G-d Himself. The winds may shake and the elements may confront us, but the shadow of the sukkah is the shadow of the Divine Presence. The Sacrifice of Seventy Bulls During Sukkot in the time of the Holy Temple, a unique sacrifice was offered on the altar—with a unique intention. In chapter 29 of the book of Numbers, the Bible outlines the sacrifices which are to be offered over the span of the holiday. Counting the number of bulls which are offered over the seven day period, we find that the total number was seventy. And in chapter 10 of the book of Genesis, there are seventy nations mentioned. These are the primordial nations, sometimes referred to as the “seventy languages,” which represent all humanity. The Talmud (BT Sukkah 55:B) teaches that the seventy bulls that were offered in the Holy Temple served as an atonement for the seventy nations of the world. Truly, as the rabbis observed, “if the nations of the world had only known how much they needed the Temple, they would have surrounded it with armed fortresses to protect it” (Bamidbar Rabbah 1, 3). Here we can already sense that inherent within the very nature of the holiday, an inexorable bond—as expressed through its sacrificial requirements—links it to the earth’s peoples. Sukkot was mandated by the Creator Himself to be a holiday for all the world. ________________________ http://www.messianic-torah-truth-seeker.org/Torah/Sukkoth/sukkot5761.html "Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation (Isa 12:3)

General Conference Wordle

Source

Radio Program: "I Am the Good Shepherd"

http://radio.lds.org/playlist?lang=eng&audioNumbers=97006

Program about Living the Gospel at School

http://radio.lds.org/programs/enduring-it-well-episode-12?lang=eng

Paintings of Christ Healing the Blind Man

Sebastiano Ricci

Christ Healing the Blind Man 1712 - 1716

 La Vista Church of Christ

Christ Healing the Blind Man, El Greco

Eustache Le Sueur
ca. 1616, Paris, France - ca. 1655, Paris, France
School: French -- I love the movement in this one -- the blind man reaching toward Christ, Christ reaching toward him.

Lesson 16: I Was Blind, Now I See

"Lesson 16: “I Was Blind, Now I See”," New Testament Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual, (2002)

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Lesson 15 was  “I Am the Light of the World” Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem (7 days + 1 Feast of Conclusion), woman taken in adultery

The word "Sukkot" means "booths," and refers to the temporary dwellings that we are commanded to live in during this holiday in memory of the period of wandering. The Hebrew pronunciation of Sukkot is "Sue COAT," but is often pronounced as in Yiddish, to rhyme with "BOOK us." The name of the holiday is frequently translated "Feast of Tabernacles," which, like many translations of Jewish terms, isn't very useful. This translation is particularly misleading, because the word "tabernacle" in the Bible refers to the portable Sanctuary in the desert, a precursor to the Temple, called in Hebrew "mishkan." The Hebrew word "sukkah" (plural: "sukkot") refers to the temporary booths that people lived in, not to the Tabernacle.     http://www.jewfaq.org/holiday5.htm

Pentacost = fifty days from Passover  http://www.jewishpath.org/essaysajewishanalysis.html

Notes from Institute class with Blair VanDyke:  There is also the symbolism of the Living Water.  During the Feast of  Tabernacles,  there was also a daily ritual in which a priest would take a golden cup to the Pool of Saloam (spelling) and dip cup of water (living water coming from the springs of Gershen (spelling)  at Hezekiah's Tunnel.  There may or may not have been one day in the days of the feast that the Priest did not take water from the pool, and  people may or may not have been allowed (under the law of the feast) to drink water.  It would have been at this time that the Savior announced Himself as the Living Water.  

Purpose

To help class members have a greater understanding and appreciation of Jesus Christ as the Light of the World and the Good Shepherd.

Preparation

Questions for Lesson 16

1. 1. Read, ponder, and pray about the following scriptures:
   
   1. a. John 9.  

      John 9 (Lesson 16)

      Jesus affirms that he is the Light of the World and heals a man who was born blind. The healed man testifies to the Pharisees and worships Jesus.

   
   

   1. b. John 10:1–15, 25–28. Jesus teaches that he is the Good Shepherd and that he will lay down his life for his sheep. The Lord’s sheep are those who hear his voice and follow him. 
      

      John 10 (Lesson 16)

   
   
2. 2. If the following materials are available, use them during the lesson:
   
   1. a. The picture Christ Healing a Blind Man (62145; Gospel Art Picture Kit 213).
      
   2. b. Segment 3 of “New Testament Customs,” a selection from New Testament Video Presentations (53914).
      
3. 3. Suggestion for teaching: “It is wise to fear that our own skills are inadequate to meet the charge we have to nourish the faith of others. Our own abilities, however great, will not be enough. But that realistic view of our limitations creates a humility which can lead to dependence on the Spirit and thus to power” (Henry B. Eyring, in Conference Report, Oct. 1997, 114; or Ensign, Nov. 1997, 82–83).
   

Suggested Lesson Development

Attention Activity

      The world today is so saturated with doctrines of men that it is easy to forget and lose faith in that all-important account of the Savior’s life and ministry—the New Testament. This sacred volume is the centerpiece of scriptural history, just as the Savior Himself should be the centerpiece of our lives. We must commit ourselves to study it and treasure it! --  L. Tom Perry --Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

As appropriate, use the following activity or one of your own to begin the lesson.

Ask class members to think of several physical infirmities that Jesus healed during his mortal ministry. List their responses on the chalkboard. Then point out that part of this lesson is about Jesus healing a blind man—a miracle he performed often.

• • Why do you think healing the blind was such a significant miracle in the Savior’s ministry? What might healing the blind symbolize spiritually? (The Savior’s power to help us overcome spiritual blindness and “see” or understand spiritual truths.)
  

Explain that the scriptures studied in this lesson focus on seeing and hearing the Savior and on our responsibility to help others do the same.

Scripture Discussion and Application

As you teach the following scripture passages, discuss how they apply to daily life. Encourage class members to share experiences that relate to the scriptural principles.

1. Jesus gives sight to a man who was born blind.

Discuss John 9. Invite class members to read selected verses. Display the picture of Jesus healing the blind man.

• • Before healing the man who was born blind, Jesus proclaimed, “I am the light of the world” (John 9:5). In what ways did Jesus bring light to the blind man? (See John 9:6–7, 35–38.)
  
• • The man who had been blind testified several times that Jesus had healed him (John 9:10–11, 15, 17, 24–25, 27, 30–33. You may want to encourage class members to mark these passages in their scriptures). What can we learn from this man’s example? (Answers could include that we have a responsibility to share our testimonies. Point out that the man courageously testified to many people, even those who rejected his testimony and threatened him.)
  
• • How did this man’s testimony grow as he continued to share it? (Compare verses 11, 17, 33, and 38.) How has your testimony grown as you have shared it?
  
• • How did the Pharisees react when they heard about the miracle? (See John 9:16.) Why do you think they refused to acknowledge that Jesus had performed this miracle by the power of God? (Answers may include pride, anger about Jesus healing on the Sabbath, fear that they would lose power or popularity, and so on.) How did the Pharisees try to discredit Jesus? (See John 9:16, 18–20, 24, 28–29, 34.) How do some people today deny the power of God?
  
• • How did the parents of the man who had been blind respond when the Pharisees asked them about the miracle? (See John 9:18–23.) Why did the parents respond this way? (See John 9:22.) How are we sometimes like this man’s parents? How can we be more valiant in our testimonies?
  
• • How did the Pharisees punish the man when he continued to testify that Jesus had healed him? (See John 9:34. Explain that being cast out meant being excommunicated.) What did Jesus do when he heard that the man had been cast out because of his testimony? (See John 9:35–37.) How has the Lord blessed you for remaining faithful during adversity?
  

If you are using the video presentation, show “The Synagogue” now.

• • In what way could the Pharisees see, and in what way were they blind? (See John 9:39–41. They knew the law very well, but they were blind to its true purpose. They refused to see that Jesus came in fulfillment of the law.) What is the difference between seeing with our eyes and “seeing” or understanding spiritually? What are some causes of spiritual blindness? What can we learn from this account about how to overcome spiritual blindness?
  

2. Jesus teaches that he is the Good Shepherd.

     One of my early memories is of Sunday School.  Back then we took the sacrament in Sunday School and then again later in the day in Sacrament Meeting.  There was a Sunday School meeting for adults, and at the same time one for children.  We children would all meet together to partake of the sacrament and have a brief meeting, then would divide into our classes.  I remember one that was held in what must have been an attic room, and that once the lesson was done, there were toys to play with, including a Fisher Price Ferris Wheel that fascinated me.   Primary was held in the middle of the week, after school, and where I lived we rode the bus to the church for Primary. 

     Our Junior Sunday School room was upstairs in the three story building that was our chapel.  In my mind there was a lot of white woodwork, and even, I think, white benches.  There was much of light pouring in through the windows.  My memory of that room (accurate or not) seems very temple-like.

     I'm mentioning this all because I remember a large flannel board picture of a beautiful setting -- a green pasture, blue skies, green trees -- that was on display on an easel at the front of our junior Sunday School meeting room.  On that flannel board was a picture of Jesus.  I don't know what the procedure was for putting them on, but somehow each child ended up represented by a picture of a lamb -- with those lambs surrounding the cut-out representing Jesus.  I would look at that picture and know that I was loved by and under the care of The Good Shepherd.

Read and discuss John 10:1–15, 25–28. In these verses, Jesus described how a shepherd would protect and care for his sheep. Explain that in Jesus’ time, sheep were led into an enclosure called a sheepfold for the night. One of the shepherds would guard the door while the others went home to rest. If a wild animal got into the sheepfold, the shepherd would give his life if necessary to protect the sheep. In the morning, each shepherd would return and call his sheep. They would recognize his voice and follow him to pasture.

• • In Jesus’ discussion of the shepherd and his sheep, whom do the sheep represent? (See John 10:4, 27.) Who is the shepherd? (See John 10:11.) What are some qualities of a good shepherd? (You may want to list these qualities on the chalkboard as shown below.)
  
  1. a. He knows his sheep, calls them by name, and leads them (John 10:3–4, 14).
     
  2. b. He is the door of the sheep, allowing them to enter the fold to be saved and find pasture (John 10:7, 9).
     
  3. c. He gives the sheep “life … more abundantly” (John 10:10).
     
  4. d. He gives his life for the sheep (John 10:11, 15).
     
• • What is the difference between a shepherd and a hireling? (See John 10:11–14.) How is Jesus the perfect example of a shepherd? (Using the list you have written on the chalkboard, discuss how Jesus exemplifies each of these qualities. See 2 Nephi 9:41–42 as you discuss how Jesus is the door of the sheep. As you discuss Jesus’ willingness to give his life for us, see John 10:17–18.)
  
• • How do sheep recognize their shepherd? (See John 10:3–4.) How can we hear the Lord’s voice? (See D&C 1:37–38; 18:33–36; 97:1.) How are we protected when we know and follow the voice of the Good Shepherd?

2 Nephi

41O then, my beloved brethren, ^acome unto the Lord, the Holy One. Remember that his paths are righteous. Behold, the ^bway for man is ^cnarrow, but it lieth in a straight course before him, and the keeper of the ^dgate is the Holy One of Israel; and he employeth no servant there; and there is none other way save it be by the gate; for he cannot be deceived, for the Lord God is his name.

42And whoso ^aknocketh, to him will he open; and the ^bwise, and the learned, and they that are rich, who are puffed up because of their ^clearning, and their ^dwisdom, and their riches—yea, they are they whom he despiseth; and save they shall cast these things away, and consider themselves ^efools before God, and come down in the depths of ^fhumility, he will not open unto them.

D&C 1:

37^aSearch these ^bcommandments, for they are true and ^cfaithful, and the prophecies and ^dpromises which are in them shall all be fulfilled.

38What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my ^aword shall not pass away, but shall all be ^bfulfilled, whether by mine own ^cvoice or by the ^dvoice of my ^eservants, it is the ^fsame.

D&C 18

[2Behold, I have ^amanifested unto you, by my Spirit in many instances, that the ^bthings which you have written are ^ctrue; wherefore you know that they are true.

3And if you know that they are true, behold, I give unto you a commandment, that you ^arely upon the things which are ^bwritten;

4For in them are all things ^awritten concerning the foundation of my church, my gospel, and my ^brock.

5Wherefore, if you shall build up my ^achurch, upon the foundation of my gospel and my ^brock, the ^cgates of hell shall not prevail against you.]

33And I, Jesus Christ, your Lord and your God, have spoken it.

34These ^awords are not of men nor of man, but of me; wherefore, you shall testify they are of me and not of man;

35For it is my ^avoice which speaketh them unto you; for they are given by my Spirit unto you, and by my power you can read them one to another; and save it were by my power you could not have them;

36Wherefore, you can ^atestify that you have ^bheard my voice, and know my words.

D&C 97

1Verily I say unto you my friends, I speak unto you with my ^avoice, even the voice of my Spirit, that I may show unto you my will concerning your brethren in the land of ^bZion, many of whom are truly humble and are seeking diligently to learn wisdom and to find truth.
[Verily, verily I say unto you, blessed are such, for they shall obtain; for I, the Lord, show mercy unto all the ^ameek, and upon all whomsoever I will, that I may be ^bjustified when I shall bring them unto judgment.] 

If you are using the video presentation, show “The Shepherd” and “The Sheepfold” now.

• • Who are the thieves and robbers who try to enter the sheepfold? (See John 10:1. They are people who try to harm the Lord’s followers or lead them astray.) How can we discern between true shepherds and those who try to lead us astray? (See John 10:10.)
  
• • How are the sheep rewarded for following the Good Shepherd? (See John 10:9–10, 28.) How have you been blessed for following the Savior?
  

Conclusion

Testify that Jesus is the Light of the World and the Good Shepherd. As appropriate, share with class members how the Lord has helped you to see spiritually and to follow him.

Additional Teaching Ideas

The following material supplements the suggested lesson outline. You may want to use one or more of these ideas as part of the lesson.

1. Our responsibilities as shepherds

• • How are we also shepherds for the Lord’s sheep? What can we do to help others hear and follow the voice of the Good Shepherd?
  Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught: “Anyone serving in any capacity in the Church in which he [or she] is responsible for the spiritual or temporal well-being of any of the Lord’s children is a shepherd to those sheep. The Lord holds his shepherds accountable for the safety (salvation) of his sheep” (Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed. [1966], 710).
  

2. “Other sheep I have” (John 10:16)

• • To whom did Jesus refer in John 10:16? (See 3 Nephi 15:21–24.) When did these “other sheep” hear the Savior’s voice? How could this verse help someone who is investigating the Church to have a better understanding of the Book of Mormon?
  Elder Howard W. Hunter taught: “Those who are familiar with the life and teachings of the Master from their knowledge of the books of the Bible will be interested to know there is also a record of his appearance to the people of the Western Hemisphere—the other sheep to whom he made reference. It is titled the Book of Mormon after the prophet who compiled and abridged the records of the peoples of the American continents. The Book of Mormon is another witness for Christ and records his teachings to the other flock in the New World” (in Conference Report, Apr. 1983, 19; or Ensign, May 1983, 16).
  

3. Different ways of seeing

To help class members more fully appreciate the ways the Savior helps us see, make a wordstrip for several different meanings of the word see (suggested definitions appear below). Place the wordstrips in a hat or box, and have class members take turns choosing a wordstrip and explaining how the Savior helps us see in the way it describes. This idea could be especially effective for youth classes.

to perceive by the eye

to understand

to be aware of

to imagine as a possibility

to discover

to direct attention to

to look at from a particular point of view

My thoughts:
There is a line in Shakespeare's King Lear, "See better, Lear."  He and we have need to see better.  The Savior can help us to do this.