Understanding the Importance of Apostles, Prophets, and Revelation in the Church

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Apostles and prophets play essential roles in providing guidance and revelation in the Church, while priesthood authority is necessary for the proper functioning of God's work on earth. The Great Apostasy highlights the consequences of turning away from true doctrine and rejecting authorized servants. Recognizing and understanding these principles are crucial in maintaining spiritual light and avoiding spiritual darkness.

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DISCUSS Why are apostles and prophets essential? Why is priesthood authority needed in the Church? What role does revelation play in the Church? Why do you think it is important to understand the Great Apostasy and its consequences? Finish this sentence: Apostasy occurs when people turn away from the true doctrine of the gospel and reject the Lord s authorized servants.

In the relatively short span of years the people turned against Christ and His Apostles. The collapse was so great we have come to know it as the Great Apostasy, which led to the centuries of spiritual stagnation and ignorance called the Dark Ages. I need to be very clear: Our Heavenly Father loves all of His children, and He wants them all to have the blessings of the gospel in their lives. Spiritual light is not lost because God turns His back on His children. Rather, spiritual darkness results when His children turn their collective backs on Him. It is a natural consequence of bad choices made by individuals, communities, countries, and entire civilizations One of the great lessons of this historical pattern is that our choices, both individually and collectively, result in spiritual consequences for ourselves and for our posterity ( Learning the Lessons of the Past, Ensign, May 2009, 32).

The Apostasy Wilford Woodruff Video A Search for Truth (15mins) http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2010-07-02-a-search-for-truth?lang=eng

The Apostasy The Piano was invented in 1698 by an Italian, Bartolomeo Cristofori. There are over 12,000 parts in a piano, 10,000 which are moving. There is approximately 18 tons of pressure being exerted by the stretched piano strings. The first note is A and the last note of the keyboard is C. "You can tune a piano, but you can't tuna fish"

The Apostasy Which keys could we do away with? How is the gospel like a piano? 17 points of the true church (story).

17 Points of the True Church The true church must bear the name of Jesus Christ (Eph 5:23) The true church must have a foundation of Apostles and Prophets (Eph 2:19-20) The true church must have the same organization as Christ's Church (Eph 4:11-14) The true church must claim divine authority (Heb 4:4-10) The true church must have no paid ministry (Acts 20:33-34; John 10:11-13) The true church must baptize by immersion (Matt 3:13-16) The true church must bestow the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands (Acts 8:14-17) The true church must practice divine healing (Mark 3:14-15) The true church must teach that God and Jesus are separate and distinct individuals (John 17:11; 20:17) The true church must teach that God and Jesus have bodies of flesh and bone (Luke 23:36-39; Acts 1:9-11; Heb 1:1-3) The officers must be called by God (Heb 5:4; Ex 28:1; 40:13-16) The true church must claim revelation from God (Amos 3:7) The true church must be a missionary church (Matt 28:19-20) The true church must be a restored church (Acts 3:19-20) The true church must practice baptism for the dead (1Cor 15:16&29) "By their fruits ye shall know them." (Matt 7:20) SUMMARIZE THE STORY: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aTk-LebVUO8

The Foundation Ephesians 2:19-21, 4:11-14

What evidences do we have that an Apostasy occurred? 2 Thessalonians 2:1-3 After the deaths of the Savior and His Apostles, men corrupted the principles of the gospel and made unauthorized changes in Church organization and priesthood ordinances. During the Great Apostasy, people were without divine direction from living prophets. Many churches were established, but they did not have priesthood power to lead people to the true knowledge of God the Father and Jesus Christ This apostasy lasted until Heavenly Father and His Beloved Son appeared to Joseph Smith in 1820and initiated the restoration of the fulness of the gospel (True to the Faith: A Gospel Reference[2004], 13).

APOSTASY/RESTORATION TIMELINE 0 Christ born 30 Began ministry 33 Crucified 33 Apostles taught 42 Peter Ordains Bishop Linus in Rome (Catholicism) 43 Paul returns to Rome and finds apostacy under Linus rule (see Romans 1) and ordains a new leader (another man named Linus; see 2 Tim 4:21) 70 Romans destroy Jerusalem (Jews dispersed) 76 Linus formally established Roman Catholic church and is killed

James was killed in Jerusalem by Herod. Peter and Paul died in Rome. Tradition holds that Philip went to the East. Much more than this we do not know. They scattered; they taught, testified, and established the Church. And they died for their beliefs, and with their deaths came the dark centuries of apostasy. The most precious thing lost in the Apostasy was the authority held by the Twelve the priesthood keys. For the Church to be His Church, there must be a Quorum of the Twelve who hold the keys and confer them on others ( The Twelve, Ensign or Liahona, May 2008, 84).

APOSTASY/RESTORATION TIMELINE 180 Irenaeus Infant Baptism 312 Contantine has vision of a cross above the sun bearing the words, Conquer by This. 320 Constantine holds council at Nicea 382 Vulgate (Jerome Latin translation of the Bible) 785 Second Nicean Council - Saint Worship 1000 Pope Joan (?) 1095 First Crusade (Pope Urban) Salvation for success (200,000 died in 9 crusades) 1054 Great (East/West) Schism

As the centuries passed, the flame flickered and dimmed. Ordinances were changed or abandoned. The line was broken, and the authority to confer the Holy Ghost as a gift was gone. The Dark Ages of apostasy settled over the world ( The Cloven Tongues of Fire, Ensign, May 2000, 8). http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1601-1700/story-behind-king-james-bible-11630052.html

APOSTASY/RESTORATION TIMELINE 1200 Pope Innocent III Indulgences 1300 Renaissance 1390 John Wycliff (Latin Bible to English) 1455 Guttenberg 1492 Columbus 1505 William Tyndale (Greek/Hebrew Bible to English) 1515 Martin Luther 1523 Martin Luther excommunicated 1534 Henry VIII Episcopalian Church 1540 John Calvin - Presbyterians 1560 John Knox Puritans

APOSTASY/RESTORATION TIMELINE 1611 King James (English bible) 1620 Puritans move to Boston 1776 Revolutionary War 1783 U.S. Constitution 1805 Joseph Smith born 1820 First Vision 1830 The Church is Restored

What other events/evidences of the Apostacy have you learned about or witnessed?

The Polynesian God

In 1830, Arama Toiroa (Toy-rowa) gathered his relatives together just before his passing. His people asked, Where can we find a church where we can worship the true God? Toiroa answered, There will come to you a true form of worship; it will be brought from the east, even from beyond the heavens. It will be brought across the great ocean. When this Kara kia form of worship is introduced amongst you, you will know it, for one shall stand and raise both hands to heaven. When you see this sign, enter into that church. (In 1884 Elders Alma Greenwood and Ira Hinckley brought the gospel to the Wellington). NEW ERA, JUNE 1981, MAORI TRADITIONS AND THE MORMON CHURCH

In March 1881, Maori chiefs assembled to discuss religious problem, including why there were so many different churches and which one should the Maoris join. The most respected chief among them, Po tanga roa answered with one word, Tai hoa, which means wait. He retired to his own home and meditated, fasted, and prayed about the problem for three days. When he returned to the convention, he addressed his people, saying: My friends, the church for the Maori people has not yet come among us. You will recognize it when it comes. Its missionaries will travel in pairs. They will come from the rising sun. They will visit with us in our homes. They will learn our language and teach us the gospel in our own tongue. When they pray they will raise their hands. NEW ERA, JUNE 1981, MAORI TRADITIONS AND THE MORMON CHURCH

The Great Yellow God

In Western China are the Chiang Min. Professor Torrance, theologian in the University of Edinburgh, wrote: The religious observances of the Chiang seem to derive from a period in Israel s history The Chiang worship on a high place, with an altar of unhewn stones, a sacred tree behind the altar, and a white stone between them. God, whom they called Abba Malak, came to his people through the sacred tree (Abba means father and Malak is Hebrew for angel). They had a sacred rod in the form of a snake twisting round a pole, and they called their faith the white religion Torrance, Rev. T., China s Missionaries: Ancient Israelites (Thynne & Co. 1937)

Christianity in Chinese Characters Chinese for SHIP (eight) Chinese for DEVIL (Alive) in a Chinese for FORBIDDEN Before two Chinese for TEMPTATION Under (cover) near the (devil). Chinese for HOLY SPIRIT Coming from above like (beings) who work Chinese for RIGHTEOUSNESS (A lamb) over (mouths) in a (boat). (garden) (walks) a (deceiver). (trees) stands (God). (two trees) resides (rain) are three (signs and wonders). (you).

The apostolic and prophetic foundation of the Church blesses in all times, but especially in times of adversity or danger, times when we might feel like children, confused or disoriented, perhaps a little fearful, times in which the devious hand of men or the maliciousness of the devil would attempt to unsettle or mislead. Jeffrey R. Holland Ensign Nov 2004