Justin - Jacob 5

Sisters and brothers in Christ, I was inspired to write and perhaps expound on Jacob 5:70-77 today. It has been a long time since I speak with you at all, and this is not with reason. During my absence, I was in the midst of a spiritual crisis, but was prompted today to write this piece, in hopes that you may be edified, just as I was edified as I was pondering upon it's words.

Brothers and Sisters, each and every one of us is called to work in the Lord's vineyard, to labor diligently amongst His Saints, to nourish them, to take care of their welfare, both physical and spiritual, temporal and eternal, but we all know that "they were few" (Jacob 5:70) would actually came to serve the Lord of the Vineyard.

Why were there only a few who came? Where were the rest who were also called but didn't come? I tell you, my sisters and brothers, that the few who came to labor diligently and with might in the Lord's vineyard are those who are chosen. They are the ones whom the Lord says "shall have joy in the fruit which I shall lay up unto myself against the time which will soon come" (Jacob 5:71).

Now, why wouldn't those who were called come and partake in the work of the Lord, and be numbered amongst His chosen few? Why would they let go of such a blessed privilege?

The answer can be found in two chapters of the Doctrine & Covenants. I would like you to turn your scriptures to D&C 121:34. Now, thus saith the Lord:

    "Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen? Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men".

This tell us that the desires of our hearts and the perspective of our minds are myopic, falling victim to the falsehood that this world is all there is to live for. We may denounce the fact that that is indeed our current state, and proclaim that we believe in eternal life with God, that there is life beyond death, but do our actions align with what we are proclaiming? Are we the type that says but doesn't do? Are we all talk but no action?

Now, if you don't mind, I would also like you to turn your scriptures to D&C 95:5-6, and please pay attention to what the Lord says:

    "But behold, verily I say unto you, that there are many who have been ordained among you, whom I have called but few of them are chosen. They who are not chosen have sinned a very grievous sin, in that they are walking in darkness at noon-day."

We learned that walking in darkness is a very grevious sin to the eyes of God. If we read a little further, God goes on to describe what walking in darkness mean: You would only walk in darkness when "you keep not my commandments, the love of the Father shall not continue with you, therefore you shall walk in darkness" (D&C 95:12). When we don't actively seek the face of the Lord, and we don't actively serve God and our neighbors, how then are we keeping the commandments of the Lord Jesus Christ? How then can we feel God's love for us and experience God's love in our lives. How then, my dear sisters and brothers, can those who stand in need of comfort, those who stand in need of ministering, and those who stand in need of the everlasting Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ experience of God's love in their lives through our laboring in the Lord's vineyard?

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I would hereby like to extend, if I may, a call, an invite, and perhaps an admonishment, that as fellow saints of God, may we be that few which are chosen, may we be like the apostles of Jesus Christ, when He beckoned them to come and follow Him, they followed, letting go of whatever is keeping them busy with, and followed Him, and lastly, may we be like the few servants of the Lord and labor diligently, with all their might, to labor in His vineyard and nourish the natural olive tree so that it may bring forth good fruit unto the Lord.

To those thinking or deliberating on serving a mission, I plead with you to think no more, deliberate no more, hesitate no more, for the invitation Jesus extended to His apostles, He extends to you all, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men" (Matthew 4:19). This is not an attempt to say that you would convert many souls because that would often give way to a prideful heart and a glorification of one's self, but rather, you would be fishers of men, leading and pointing lost souls to Christ, even those whose faith and testimony wavers. Go with a heart wanting and thirsting to help those in need of God's light and the Lord's Gospel in their lives, with a mind and a heart that does not forget that if a soul receives the Gospel or is eventually baptized into the Lord's Church, that it has got nothing to do with us, be it our labors or our works, but rather, all glory be unto God for the work that He has wrought in the pre-believers' hearts, that they may be prepared to come unto Christ when the Gospel is preached by us unto them. Notice how I use the word pre-believers instead of unbelievers, because the word "unbeliever" usually has a negative connotation to it, and as Latter-day Saints, who are called to be peacemakers, we should refrain from labelling others, for the act of labelling others is of the devil.

Not only are we to be the chosen few who labor in all diligence in the work of ministering, but we are to do so collectively, being united in the partaking of the labor of love, even to be of one heart, one mind, and one spirit. Of course, the work to be done in the Vineyard is not a task to be borne by us alone, it is the the work of the Lord, not the work of men, hence our Savior Jesus Christ bears this great task, for He has the power to accomplish such a task, but we as men cannot. However, we are blessed to be part of His work when we are called to partake of His work, to assist in our limited capacities and capabilities, to do His work. Of course, we, being the servants, handmaidens, and disciples of Jesus Christ, He gets all the credit, and all the glory, and all the reward that such a great task will bring forth once accomplished. It is by the grace of God that we can to partake in this inheritance, similar to that of Jesus, to enjoy what He has enjoyed, and to receive what He has receive, to be sons and daughters of the living God, to be heirs of God, and if heirs of God, then joint heirs with Christ (Romans 8:17), and if joint heirs with Christ, then we are to be as gods (D&C 132:20).

Brothers and Sisters, do not let your mouths water at the thought that we can become gods or become like God, if only it were that easy to lust and desire after such things while living a life void of Christ, void of discipleship in Him, and void of the taking up of our crosses and following Him and the intense and sincere laboring in the Lord's vineyard. But rather, let us not lust over these things for these things are unattainable by men, neither are they earned, but they are gifted unto all who would "suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together" and "the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us" (Romans 8:17-18). Of course, one has to be married and sealed in the temple of the Lord in order to qualify for such a gift. This has always been the way of the Lord, for a man and a woman to come together and be as one, even in the very beginning, through the creation of Adam and Eve.

Brothers and Sisters, I've only preached about the need to partake in the labor of love, but I have yet to tell you that this is only one part of the labor which is to be done in the Lord's Vineyard. The other two parts are, namely, to assist in the Gathering of Israel, and to assist in the strengthening of the stakes and the building up of Zion.

Now, these are three important aspects, which are: Partaking of the Labor of Love (Ministering), Assist in the Gathering of Israel, and Assisting in the Strengthening of the Stakes and the Building up of Zion. To explain it in a way that all can understand, partaking of the labor of love is focused primarily on the need to minister and serve amongst members of the Church while not forgetting to make ourselves available for our brothers and sisters who are not members of the Lord's Church, that need our assistance, those that need helping hands extended towards them. Assisting in the Gathering of Israel is focused primarily on those aren't members of the Lord's Church. It is, as of now, that of engaging ourselves in missionary service and the performing of sacred saving ordinances in the temple of the Lord on behalf of our beloved deceased or someone else's beloved deceased. Assisting in the Strengthening of the Stakes and the Building up of Zion means to magnifying our Priesthood and church callings, to be diligent in the fulfilling of the responsibilities and duties tied to your calling in the Church and exercise our priesthood authority righteously and according to the will of God, and not be influenced by pride and a boastful heart so as to exercise unrighteous dominion over those within our sphere of influence and those who are under our care.

Now, it may seem to you that laboring in the Lord's vineyard is all about works, but this is certainly not the case, for you are to labor diligently with faith, for as faith without works is dead (James 2:17), even so are works dead without faith and shall thus be counted as naught in the eyes of the Lord, for your labors unto the Lord are only accepted save they shall be done with faith and with diligence. Oh, what would works or faith do if it were not for the infinite Atonement of Jesus Christ, by which grace abundantly flows, so that men might be saved, that our diligent labors in the Lord's vineyard may bring forth the natural fruit, and thus, we may be blessed with the inheritance of Christ, even the gift of exaltation.

Brothers and sisters, it sure is tempting to labor diligently in the Lord's vineyard just so that we may be exalted, by setting our sights to become as gods, making that as our goal, and working towards it. For this I say unto you, my friends and compatriots in the battalion of God, whoever who lusts after the obtaining of the glory of God unto himself, will meet this same fate as that angel who fell from the heavens unto the Earth before men were formed, cast out and locked out of the celestial mansions of God, never to return. I tell you this also, that "the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart" (1 Samuel 16:7). If our hearts lusts after that of God's throne or to be God's equals, we shall be doomed to that lake of fire and brimstone as mentioned in the scriptures, which is endless and eternal torment.

Elder Theodore M. Burton puts this beautifully in his April 1972 General Conference talk, titled "Salvation and Exaltation", by which he preached that:

    "Exaltation comes as a gift from God, dependent upon my obedience to God’s law. No works I do solely of my own power can bring this to pass. Only by the grace of God has this course been opened to me, but only through obedience to the laws of God can I claim my inheritance in the celestial kingdom of my Heavenly Father as a son within his family. I cannot be exalted in my sins, but must work until I overcome them", by which one can only and truly overcome the world and one's spiritual filth when one has become perfected in Him, Christ our Savior, by which perfection is granted unto all those who were chosen by God and sanctified by the Spirit, through the grace of God because of Jesus' suffering at Gethsemane and His sacrifice at the Cross.

Now, what then should we desire? What then shall we work towards? We are taught that we are to think celestial and have an eternal perspective, if exaltation is not our goal but our reward for our faith, then what exactly are we suppose to focus our minds on?

My brothers and sisters in Christ, false teachers and false preachers have indoctrinated us to focus on ourselves, which leaves us self-centered, holding ourselves with high regard, considering ourselves as more superior than our peers. What the scriptures tell us is vastly different as compared to this worldly thinking. This is what the scriptures tell us, "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you" (Mathew 6:33). "He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him" (John 7:18), "And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole bodies shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you; and that body which is filled with light comprehendeth all things. Therefore, sanctify yourselves that your minds become single to God, and the days will come that you shall see him; for he will unveil his face unto you, and it shall be in his own time, and in his own way, and according to his own will" (D&C 88:67-68), "Every man [should][indeed][be] seeking the interest of his neighbor, and doing all things with an eye single to the glory of God" (D&C 82:19-20). Wherefore, these are what we are to seek for, for labor we, not so that we may be paid or rewarded, but out of our love for God and for our neighbors, having a sincere heart filled with gratitude to the work that Christ has done, whose work was finished when He gasp His last breath of air on the Cross, paying the wages, death penalty and price of sin through His suffering and His crucifixion, that we may no longer be slaves unto sin, but gain freedom in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Lord has repeatedly urged His chosen few to nourish the olive tree so that it may produce good fruits, and a truth I would like you to know, and that is whether the fruit ends up good or evil does not depend solely on the diligence of the servants in ministering the Word of God unto each of the fruit individually, but the fruit itself must allow itself to be nourished. It would not be wise or prudent that the servants of the Lord labor with all diligence and might unto those fruits if the fruits itselves are unteachable and prevent itself to be nourished, then this could in no wise be the servants' fault, and they are in no wise to be numbered amongst the slothful and stubborn servants, who labor with little to no diligence or might, but labor only as he or she pleases. As a matter of fact, each of us are fruits and each of us, if we choose to, are the Lord's servants, for all are called to do the work, but few are chosen, by which we are numbered amongst the Lord's chosen only if we ourselves first choose to do the Lord's work and then letting our actions speak for itself. Wherefore, we ought to minister and to be ministered unto, for no one is greater or lesser than the other, for "If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all" (Mark 9:35), and may I add this, that those who chose to be last of all, being in the depths of humility, those who are meek, teachable, and willing to learn, those who are truth seekers and peacemakers, shall indeed be numbered among the first at the last day.

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I would like to exhort you this day, to pay special attention in nourishing the fold of God. I would exhort you to do what is necessary to prevent members of the Church, members under your direct care and sphere of influence, from leaving the Church or to be excommunicated, so long as you do not interfere with their God-given right to exercise their own free agency, whether to leave or to remain in the Church. Please exercise Christlike compassion and rely solely upon the Holy Ghost and what you know best to best handle such disheartening circumstances in the best way possible, in a way that the Lord would be well pleased with.

Now, because we are in the topic of nourishing God's flock, may I suggest one way we can prevent members from leaving the Church if the cause of their leave is because they are not spiritually nourished? I would like to encourage all who are the Lord's chosen, to provide milk to those who can only drink milk, and provide meat to those who can handle meat, though occasionally providing milk to seasoned disciples so that they would not forget the basic but fundamental truths, doctines, and principles of the Lord, for even in milk can great things be made known unto us, things that we may have missed out previously or new and fresh perspectives may be unlocked. So, don't be too quick to despise the milk, and don't be too eager to have the meat, but receive that which you can presently handle.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, I would like to close off today declaring the Word of God unto you. Thus saith the Lord your God, "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned" (John 15:5-6). And thus saith the Lord your God also, "And when the time cometh that evil fruit shall again come into my vineyard, then will I cause the good and the bad to be gathered; and the good will I preserve unto myself, and the bad will I cast away into its own place. And then cometh the season and the end; and my vineyard will I cause to be burned with fire" (Jacob 5:77), "And how blessed are they who have labored diligently in his vineyard; and how cursed are they who shall be cast out into their own place! And the world shall be burned with fire" (Jacob 6:3), "And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire" (Matthew 3:10). Therefore, let us who are servants, serve and tend to the needs of the fruits, let us who are branches rely on the vine that is Jesus Christ, in all that we do, and understand that nothing we can do can, in any way, earn us our way back to heaven, and let us who are fruits, be open in mind, heart, and spirit, be teachable, humble, and meek, so that we may allow that which is spiritually nourishing to transform us into fruits that are meet unto the Lord our God. I do hereby testify of the truth of these things that I have written and quoted, in the most sacred and holy name of Jesus Christ, amen.