One day, while perusing my scriptures, I noticed that when I marked passages that were interesting to me, I didn’t usually mark entire verses, but phrases within a verse. Sometimes I would only mark two words, or three words at a time. Sermons don’t have to be long, sometimes they can be as brief as a sentence. Here is one of my favorite “Sermons in a Sentence:”
Consider this interesting verse from some of the last words of Nephi:
“I glory in plainness; I glory in truth; I glory in my Jesus, for he
hath redeemed my soul from hell” (2 Nephi 33:6).
We are accustomed to speaking of our Heavenly Father and the Lord
Jesus Christ in King James English. We pray in “thees,” “thys,” and
“thous,” scriptural pronouns that provide a bit of distance, a verbal
reverence that is appropriate and comfortable. Perhaps this is why
Nephi’s intimate phrase my Jesus stands out. “My Jesus” appears only
once in our entire standard works, from Nephi’s closing testimony in
the Book of Mormon. Yes, Jesus is Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, the
Great I AM, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Father of heaven
and earth, the Lord Jesus Christ, and the Lord God Omnipotent. But to
Nephi in his later years, He was also “my Jesus.” Nephi lost his
father and was hated by his brothers, so for him, the Savior was both
as infinite as the universe and as intimate as a friend. James Ferrell
has written, “[Jesus’] work on our behalf is at once infinite and
infinitesimal; it is so big that he offers redemption to all, and yet
so small that he offers redemption to me” (Falling to Heaven [2012],
53).
(Excerpt from Sermons in a Sentence, 39).
I have your book Sermons in a Sentence. When I read this passage it changed me. I want that kind of relationship my Savior, and I will do everything I can to have that kind of relationship with Him. The glorious truth is I know that He wants that kind of relationship with me too.
I feel the same way
Just what I needed to read today. The sermon that is short and sweet. Thank you for your example and light sharing.
Just a correction: You use “Immaculate Conception” to dercsibe the conception of Jesus which is wrong. Actually the Immaculate Conception is a doctrine made infallible in the Catholic Church to dercsibe the sinless birth of Mary in preparation for her future as the mother of Jesus. The Immaculate Conception has nothing to do with the conception of Jesus. Your comment is good though.
For years ive been collecting your CDS and books. Thank you for the wonderful inspiration you have been. Ever thought of visiting south africa?
I believe that thee, thine, thou, was really the familiar form in Nephi’s time.
I noticed that phrase also, and have found the same comfort you speak of regarding my intimate relationship with my Savior because of it. How blessed we are to know how personal and real our relationship with Christ can and should be! Thank you for the chance to reflect!