Lesson 125: Philippians 4
Introduction
Paul
instructed the Saints in Philippi to be prayerful and to seek whatsoever is
righteous. He also declared his confidence in the enabling strength of Jesus
Christ. Paul concluded his epistle with another expression of thanks
to the Philippian Saints for the support they gave him in his times of need.
I.
Philippians 4:1–14 Paul instructs the Saints in Philippi to be prayerful and to
seek whatsoever is righteous
---Before
class, write each of the following statements on separate pieces of paper, and
give each of the papers to different students:
“I
am worried about passing an upcoming test.”
“I
am worried about a family member who is sick.”
“I
am worried about standing up for my beliefs.”
“I
am worried about whether I can be a successful missionary.”
---Begin
the lesson by writing the word worry on the board. Point out that throughout
our lives, we will experience challenges or circumstances that may lead us to
worry. Invite the students who have the papers to stand and read their
statements one at a time. Ask the class to think about times they have had
similar worries.
- What are other worries we might experience due to challenges or difficult circumstances?
---Ask
students to write in their class notebooks or scripture study journals about a
challenge that they or someone they know is worried about. Invite students to
look for a truth as they study Philippians 4 that can help them when they
worry.
---Remind
students that in Paul’s epistle to Church members in Philippi, he commended the
Church members’ faithfulness (see Philippians 2:12) and taught them about the
eternal rewards that are available to those who sacrifice for and are faithful
to Jesus Christ. Summarize Philippians 4:1–5 by explaining that Paul
counseled the Saints to stand firm in faithfulness to the Lord, rejoice in the
Lord, and let their gentleness (see verse 5, footnote a) be evident to
others.
---Invite
a student to read the first phrase of Philippians 4:6 aloud. Ask the class to follow
along, looking for Paul’s counsel to the Saints. Refer students to verse 6, footnote a to help them
understand that the phrase “be careful for nothing” means to not be overly
concerned about anything.
---Write
the following phrase on the board:
As faithful followers of Jesus
Christ, if …
---Invite
a student to read the remainder of Philippians 4:6 aloud. Ask the class to follow
along, looking for what Paul counseled the Saints to do instead of worry. You
might explain that supplication is a humble, earnest request.
- How would you summarize Paul’s instructions in verse 6? (Write students’ responses on the board as an “if” statement similar to the following: As faithful followers of Jesus Christ, if we pray with supplication and thanksgiving, …)
---Add
the word then to the statement on the board. Invite a student to read Philippians 4:7 aloud. Ask the class to follow
along, looking for the blessing Paul promised for praying with supplication and
thanksgiving. Explain that the word keep in this verse means guard (see verse 7, footnote c).
- How would you summarize the blessing Paul promised? (Write students’ responses on the board after then. Students should have identified a principle similar to the following: As faithful followers of Jesus Christ, if we pray with supplication and thanksgiving, then God will bless us with His peace.)
- When we worry, how can expressing gratitude in our prayers help bring us peace?
- What does God’s peace guard our hearts and minds from?
---Invite
a student to read aloud the following statement by Elder Richard G. Scott
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Ask the class to listen for additional
ways God’s peace can help us:
“Because He respects your agency,
Father in Heaven will never force you to pray to Him. But as you exercise that
agency and include Him in every aspect of your daily life, your heart will
begin to fill with peace, buoyant peace. That peace will focus an eternal light
on your struggles. It will help you to manage those challenges from an eternal
perspective”
(“Make the Exercise of Faith Your First Priority,”
Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2014, 93).
- According to Elder Scott, how can God’s peace help us with challenges we experience?
- When have you prayed with supplication and thanksgiving in a time of worry and been blessed with God’s peace?
---Ask
students to refer to the worry they wrote about earlier in the lesson.
Encourage them to pray with supplication and thanksgiving instead of worrying.
If students wrote about someone else’s worry, encourage them to share this
principle with that person.
---To
prepare students to identify an additional principle that Paul taught the
Philippian Saints, divide the class in thirds. Assign a third of the class to
think about their favorite food item, another third of the class to think about
a humorous image or story, and the remaining third to think about an image of
or experience in the temple. Invite students to focus their minds on this
thought for 30 seconds.
- What effect, if any, did focusing on this thought have on you?
---Point
out that what we think about can influence our desires and behaviors. Invite a
student to read Philippians 4:8–9 aloud. Ask the class to follow
along, looking for what Paul admonished the Philippians Saints to think on and
do. You might explain that “think on” means to give careful, continuing
thought.
---Invite
students to consider marking each type of thing that Paul instructed the Saints
to focus their thoughts on.
- In addition to thinking on these things, what did Paul counsel Church members to do?
- What blessing did Paul promise the Saints if they would follow his teachings and example?
- What principle can we learn from what Paul taught the faithful Saints in Philippians 4:8–9? (Students may use different words, but they should identify the following principle: If faithful Saints focus their thoughts on whatsoever is righteous and if they follow apostles and prophets, then the God of peace will be with them.)
- How can focusing our thoughts on whatsoever is righteous influence our desires and behaviors?
---Ask
the class to turn to the Articles of Faith in the Pearl of Great Price. Invite
a student to read aloud the thirteenth article of faith. Ask the class to
follow along, looking for similarities with Philippians 4:8.
- What similarities do you notice between these two verses?
---Point
out that when the Prophet Joseph Smith cited this “admonition of Paul” from
Philippians 4:8 in the thirteenth article of
faith, he changed “think on these things” to the more active “we seek after
these things.”
- Why do you think it is important for us to seek after things that are honest, true, chaste (or pure), virtuous, lovely, and praiseworthy?
- How would seeking after such things help us focus our thoughts on such things?
---Divide
students into groups of three or four. Give each group a copy of For the
Strength of Youth (booklet, 2011) and the following handout. Assign each group
two of the following topics from For the Strength of Youth: “Dating,” “Dress and Appearance,” “Education,” “Entertainment and Media,” “Friends,” “Language,” and “Music and Dancing.” (Adjust the size of groups
and the number of topics depending on the size of the class.) Instruct students
to follow the directions on the handout.
Philippians 4:8–9
Write
your assigned topics here:
For
each of these topics, discuss the following questions:
- How can we use Paul’s instruction in Philippians 4:8–9 to guide our choices relative to this topic?
- As we strive to follow Paul’s instruction, what challenges might we encounter relative to this topic?
Then
discuss the following question:
- Why is having the God of peace with us worth the effort of seeking righteous things and following the apostles and prophets?
©
2015 by Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
---After
sufficient time, invite a student from each group to report to the class what
his or her group discussed for each question.
- As you have focused your thoughts on righteous things, how has the God of peace shown He was with you?
---Encourage
students to write in their scripture study journals or class notebooks one way
they can improve their efforts to focus their thoughts on righteous things and
follow God’s apostles and prophets.
---In
Philippians 4:10 Paul thanked the Philippian
Saints for the support and care they had offered him during his trials.
---Invite
a student to read Philippians 4:11–12 aloud. Ask the class to
follow along, looking for what Paul told the Saints he had learned.
- What had Paul learned to do in all circumstances?
---Invite
a student to read Philippians 4:13–14 aloud. Ask the class to
follow along, looking for who the source of Paul’s strength was.
Philippians 4:13 is a scripture mastery passage.
Studying scripture mastery passages will help students increase their
understanding of basic doctrines and be prepared to teach them to others. You
may want to suggest that students mark scripture mastery passages in a
distinctive way so they will be able to locate them easily. Refer to the
teaching idea at the end of the lesson to help students with their mastery of
this passage.- Who did Paul say was the source of his strength?
---Paul’s
statement in verse 13 pertains to his ability, in the
strength provided by Jesus Christ, to do all things that were pleasing to or
required by God, including being content in any circumstance.
- What truth can we learn from verse 13? (Using their own words, students should identify the following truth: We can do all things through Jesus Christ, who gives us strength [see also Alma 26:12].)
- What can we do to access the strength that Jesus Christ provides?
---Invite
a student to read aloud the following statement by President Dieter F.
Uchtdorf of the First Presidency. Ask the class to listen for what this
strength can enable us to do:
“God pours out blessings of power
and strength, enabling us to achieve things that otherwise would be far beyond
our reach. It is by God’s amazing grace that His children can overcome the
undercurrents and quicksands of the deceiver, rise above sin, and ‘be
perfect[ed] in Christ’
[Moroni 10:32]” (“The Gift of Grace,” Ensign or Liahona, May
2015, 108).
- In what ways might we experience this strength or grace? (Possible answers include increased resilience; resolve; courage; patience; perseverance; and physical, mental, or spiritual stamina and power.)
- When has Jesus Christ given you strength to do something good? (Consider sharing a personal experience as well.)
II.
Philippians 4:15–23 Paul closes his epistle to the Philippians with an
expression of thanks
---In
Philippians 4:15–23 Paul again thanked the
Philippian Saints for supporting him in his times of need. The Saints’ gifts
were a pleasing offering to God, and Paul promised that God would meet their
needs as well.
---Conclude
by sharing your testimony of the truths discussed in this lesson.
Scripture Mastery—Philippians 4:13
Help
students memorize Philippians 4:13 by writing the verse on the
board and saying it aloud together. Erase one word and say the verse aloud
again. Repeat this until all the words have been erased.
Commentary and Background Information
Philippians
4:6. Expressing thanksgiving in the midst of challenges
President
Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the First Presidency taught about how having an
attitude of gratitude can bless us in any challenging
circumstance we might encounter, which includes those that might cause us
worry:
“Most
of the scriptural references do not speak of gratitude for things but rather
suggest an overall spirit or attitude of gratitude. …
“We
can choose to be grateful, no matter what.
“This
type of gratitude transcends whatever is happening around us. It surpasses
disappointment, discouragement, and despair. …
“When
we are grateful to God in our circumstances, we can experience gentle peace in
the midst of tribulation. In grief, we can still lift up our hearts in praise.
In pain, we can glory in Christ’s Atonement. In the cold of bitter sorrow, we
can experience the closeness and warmth of heaven’s embrace. …
“Gratitude
to our Father in Heaven broadens our perception and clears our vision” (“Grateful in Any Circumstances,” Ensign or Liahona,
May 2014, 70, 75, 77).
Philippians
4:6–7. The peace of God
President
Thomas S. Monson taught about the peace that can come if we pray:
“There
will be times when you will walk a path strewn with thorns and marked by
struggle. There may be times when you feel detached—even isolated—from the
Giver of every good gift. You worry that you walk alone. Fear replaces faith.
“When
you find yourself in such circumstances, I plead with you to remember prayer. I
love the words of President Ezra Taft Benson concerning prayer. Said he:
“‘All
through my life the counsel to depend on prayer has been prized above almost
any other advice I have … received. It has become an integral part of me—an
anchor, a constant source of strength, and the basis of my knowledge of things
divine. …
“‘… Though
reverses come, in prayer we can find reassurance, for God will speak peace to
the soul. That peace, that spirit of serenity, is life’s greatest blessing’
[Ezra Taft Benson, ‘Pray Always,’ Ensign, Feb. 1990, 4–5].
“The
Apostle Paul admonished:
“‘Let
your requests be made known unto God.
“‘And
the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and
minds through Christ Jesus’ [Philippians 4:6–7].
“What
a glorious promise! Peace is that which we seek, that for which we yearn.
“We
were not placed on this earth to walk alone. What an amazing source of power,
of strength, and of comfort is available to each of us” (“We Never Walk Alone,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov.
2013, 121).
Philippians
4:8. The admonition of Paul
“Paul
admonished the Saints to ‘think on’ (to give careful, continuing thought to)
things that are true, just, pure, lovely, and of good report (Philippians 4:8). When the Prophet Joseph
Smith … cited this ‘admonition of Paul’ in the thirteenth article of
faith, he changed ‘think on these things’ to the more active ‘seek after these
things’ (Articles of Faith 1:13; italics added). Elder
Joseph B. Wirthlin (1917–2008) of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
discussed the admonition to ‘seek after these things’:
“‘The
word seek means to go in search of, try to discover, try to acquire. It
requires an active, assertive approach to life. … It is the opposite of
passively waiting for something good to come to us, with no effort on our part.
“‘We
can fill our lives with good, leaving no room for anything else. We have so
much good from which to choose that we need never partake of evil. …
“‘If
we seek things that are virtuous and lovely, we surely will find them.
Conversely, if we seek for evil, we will find that also’ (“Seeking the Good,” Ensign, May 1992, 86)” (New
Testament Student Manual [Church Educational System manual, 2014], 437–38).
Elder
Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles likewise counseled
members of the Church “to look for that which is good and edifying in all
things. …
“In
view of all that prevails in the world, it might be easy to center our
attention on negative or evil things, or to dissipate our energies on causes
and enterprises of doubtful worth and questionable productivity. …
“I
think the Latter-day Saints have a great obligation pressing in upon them to
rejoice in the Lord, to praise him for his goodness and grace, to ponder his
eternal truths in their hearts, and to set their hearts on
righteousness. …
“There
is an eternal law, ordained by God himself before the foundations of the world,
that every man shall reap as he sows. If we think evil thoughts, our tongues
will utter unclean sayings. If we speak words of wickedness, we shall end up
doing the works of wickedness. If our minds are centered on the carnality and
evil of the world, then worldliness and unrighteousness will seem to us to be
the normal way of life. If we ponder things related to sex immorality in our
minds, we will soon think everybody is immoral and unclean and it will break
down the barrier between us and the world. …
“On
the other hand, if we are pondering in our hearts the things of righteousness,
we shall become righteous” (“Think on These Things,” Ensign, Jan. 1974,
46–48).
Philippians
4:13. Jesus Christ gives us strength to do all good
things
The
strength Jesus Christ gives us to do all good things is referred to as grace
(see Bible Dictionary, “Grace”). President Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the First
Presidency taught the following about this strength Jesus Christ gives us to do
all good things:
“A
powerful expression of that love [of Christ] is what the scriptures often call
the grace of God—the divine assistance and endowment of strength by which we
grow from the flawed and limited beings we are now into exalted beings of
‘truth and light, until [we are] glorified in truth and [know] all things’ [Doctrine and Covenants 93:28]. …
“… God
pours out blessings of power and strength, enabling us to achieve things that
otherwise would be far beyond our reach. It is by God’s amazing grace that His
children can overcome the undercurrents and quicksands of the deceiver, rise
above sin, and ‘be perfect[ed] in Christ’ [Moroni 10:32].
“Though
we all have weaknesses, we can overcome them. Indeed it is by the grace of God
that, if we humble ourselves and have faith, weak things can become strong [see
Ether 12:27].
“Throughout
our lives, God’s grace bestows temporal blessings and spiritual gifts that
magnify our abilities and enrich our lives. His grace refines us. His grace
helps us become our best selves. …
“Do
we understand our indebtedness to Heavenly Father and plead with all our souls
for the grace of God?” (“The Gift of Grace,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2015,
107–9).
Elder
John H. Groberg of the Seventy shared an example of how God gave a
faithful man strength that enabled him to accomplish a righteous task (see “The Lord’s Wind,” Ensign, Nov. 1993, 26–28).
Supplemental Teaching Idea
Philippians
4:6. Replacing worry with prayer
After
students identify the principle that as faithful followers of Jesus Christ, if
we pray with supplication and thanksgiving, then God will bless us with His
peace, consider doing the following to help them understand a practical benefit
of applying this principle rather than worrying:
Draw
on the board a picture of a car or another vehicle your students are familiar
with. Ask students to name the different gears of the vehicle (reverse,
neutral, and driving gears). Remind students that if the gas pedal is pressed
while the vehicle is in neutral, the car doesn’t move even though fuel is being
used.
- •
How
is pressing on the gas pedal when the vehicle is in neutral like worrying?
(When we worry, we expend our emotional fuel and energy in an unproductive
way.)
- •
How
is prayer an effective use of our emotion and energy? How can the peace we
receive by praying help us move forward in challenges or circumstances instead
of worrying?
© 2016 by
Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
Lesson 126: Colossians
Introduction
Paul
taught of Jesus Christ’s preeminence (superiority,
greatness, or excellence) and warned against false doctrine. He encouraged the
Colossian Saints to set their affections on heavenly things and develop the
characteristics of Christ. Paul also instructed them to be gracious and wise in
their interactions with others.
I.
Colossians 1–2 Paul teaches of Jesus Christ’s preeminence and warns against
false doctrine
---Draw
the following picture on the board.
- If a severe windstorm came, which of these trees would be more likely to fall? Why?
---Invite
a student to read aloud the following statement by Elder Neil L. Andersen
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. Ask the class to listen for the
whirlwinds we need to beware of.
“More concerning than the prophesied
earthquakes and wars [of the last days] are the spiritual whirlwinds that can
uproot you from your spiritual foundations and land your spirit in places you
never imagined possible, sometimes with your barely noticing that you have been
moved” (“Spiritual Whirlwinds,” Ensign or Liahona, May
2014, 18).
- What are some examples of spiritual whirlwinds that can uproot or separate us from our faith in Jesus Christ? (You may want to invite students to list their answers on the board near the drawing of the whirlwind.)
- Why can these spiritual whirlwinds be more troubling than physical challenges, such as earthquakes or wars?
---Invite
students to ponder what spiritual whirlwinds might be affecting them.
---Paul
wrote an epistle to the Church members in Colossae (referred to as Colossians)
after learning about influences and false teachings there that threatened to
uproot them from their faith in Jesus Christ. (You may want to invite students
to locate Laodicea, which is a short distance west of Colossae, on Bible
Maps, no. 13, “The Missionary Journeys of the Apostle Paul.”)
Invite students to look as they study Colossians for how Paul sought to
strengthen the Church members’ faith in Christ and for the blessings of having
deeply rooted faith in Christ.
---In
Colossians 1:1–11 it says that after greeting the
Saints in Colossae, Paul acknowledged their faithfulness and explained that the
gospel brings forth fruit, or blessings, in the lives of those who accept and
live it. Paul then taught them about Jesus Christ.
---Invite
several students to take turns reading aloud from Colossians 1:12–19. Ask the class to follow
along, looking for truths Paul taught about Jesus Christ. (You may want to
explain that the word “invisible” in verse 15 is translated from the Greek word aoratos,
which can also mean “unseen.” Note that Hebrews 11:27 indicates that Moses saw “him who is invisible,” meaning usually
unseen [see also D&C 67:11].)
- What did Paul teach about Jesus Christ? (Using students’ words, write the following truth on the board under the tree with deep roots: Jesus Christ is the Redeemer, the firstborn of Heavenly Father’s spirit children, the Creator of all things, the head of the Church, and the first to be resurrected.)
- Why do you think it is important for us to know and believe these truths about Jesus Christ? How can knowing and believing these truths strengthen our faith in Him?
---Refer
to the word Redeemer in the statement on the board, and explain that Paul
reminded the Colossian Saints why they needed a Redeemer.
---Invite
a student to read Colossians 1:20–22 aloud. Ask the class to follow
along, looking for what Paul taught the Colossian Saints about their need for a
Redeemer.
- According to verse 21, how does someone become alienated or separated from God?
- What is the meaning of the word reconcile in verse 20? (To bring into agreement or harmony.)
- According to verses 20 and 22, how did Jesus Christ reconcile us to God? (Explain that the phrase “made peace through the blood of his cross” refers to the Atonement of Jesus Christ.)
---The
blessing of being reconciled to God is conditional. Write the following phrase
on the board: We can be reconciled to God through the Atonement of Jesus Christ
if …
---Invite
a student to read Colossians 1:23 aloud. Ask the class to follow
along, looking for what is required to be reconciled to God.
- What is required on our part to be reconciled to God?
- What does it mean for us to “continue in the faith grounded and settled”? (To remain steadfast in our faith in Jesus Christ.)
- Based on what we learn from verse 23, how would you complete the statement on the board? (Using students’ words, complete the principle on the board as follows: We can be reconciled to God through the Atonement of Jesus Christ if we continue to be grounded and settled in our faith.)
---Direct
students’ attention to the drawing on the board, and ask:
- Whom do you know who is like the tree with deep roots—grounded and settled in his or her faith in Christ?
- How is his or her example a blessing to you?
---Invite
students to read Colossians 2:4, 8 silently, looking for the
spiritual whirlwinds that were threatening to uproot the Colossian Saints.
- What were the spiritual whirlwinds that threatened to uproot the Colossian Saints? (Explain that there were several philosophies and traditions being taught by some who were trying to diminish the importance of Jesus Christ.)
- Why would believing false teachings, including teachings that diminish the importance of Jesus Christ, make it easy for someone to be spiritually uprooted?
Invite
a student to read Colossians 2:5–7 aloud. Ask the class to follow
along, looking for counsel Paul gave to help the Saints avoid being led astray
by worldly philosophies and traditions.
- What does Colossians 2:5–7 teach that can help us avoid being led astray by false worldly philosophies, religious teachings, or traditions? (Students may use their own words to identify a principle similar to the following: By being rooted and built up in Jesus Christ, we can avoid being led astray by worldly philosophies and traditions.)
---Write
the following questions on the board:
What
do you believe is one of the most important things we can do to be rooted and
built up in Jesus Christ? Why do you believe that one thing is so important?
---Divide
students into groups of three or four. Invite each student to explain his or
her answers to the questions on the board to group members. After sufficient
time, ask a few students to report what they learned from group members.
---Invite
students to review the personal spiritual whirlwinds they pondered at the
beginning of class. Invite them to write in their class notebooks or scripture
study journals what they will do to remain rooted and built up in Jesus Christ
and to avoid being uprooted by spiritual whirlwinds.
II.
Colossians 3–4 Paul encourages the Colossians to set their affections on
heavenly things and be wise
---In
Colossians 3–4 Paul exhorted the Colossian Saints to cease
from unrighteousness and develop the characteristics of Jesus Christ. He also
encouraged them to be prayerful and wise, especially in their interactions with
non-Christians. He then relayed the greetings of several of his fellow
servants, including Luke.
---Share
your testimony of the truths discussed in this lesson.
Commentary and Background Information
Colossians
1:15, 18. Jesus Christ is the Firstborn
The
phrase “the firstborn of every creature” (Colossians 1:15) testifies that Jesus Christ is
the firstborn of all our Heavenly Father’s spirit children. The First
Presidency affirmed:
“Among
the spirit children of Elohim [God the Father] the firstborn was and is Jehovah
or Jesus Christ to whom all others are juniors” (“The Father and the Son: A Doctrinal Exposition by the First
Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles,” Ensign, Apr.
2002, 18).
The
phrase “the firstborn from the dead” in verse 18 means that Jesus Christ was the
first person on this earth to be resurrected. He is also called “the
firstfruits of them that slept” (1 Corinthians 15:20).
Colossians
1:16–17. Through Jesus Christ “were all things created”
Elder
Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles explained that Jesus
Christ is the Creator and has governing power over all His creations:
“Under
the direction and according to the plan of God the Father, Jesus Christ is the
Creator, the source of the light and life of all things. Through modern
revelation we have the testimony of John, who bore record that Jesus Christ is
‘the light and the Redeemer of the world, the Spirit of truth,
who came into the world, because the world was made by him, and in him was the
life of men and the light of men.
“‘The
worlds were made by him; men were made by him; all things were made by him, and
through him, and of him’ (D&C 93:9–10)” (“The Light and Life of the World,” Ensign, Nov.
1987, 63; see also John 1:1–3; Hebrews 1:2; D&C 76:24; Moses 1:33).
Colossians
2:9. “The fulness of the Godhead bodily”
Speaking
of Jesus Christ, Paul testified, “For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the
Godhead bodily.” This phrase indicates Jesus Christ is fully divine and
possesses the full power of godhood (see also Matthew 28:18).
Supplemental Teaching Ideas
Colossians 3.
Paul encourages the Colossians to set their affections on heavenly things
Draw
the following illustration on the board, large enough so that students can
write inside each drawing. Write Put off above one drawing, and write Put on
above the other drawing.
Explain
that as recorded in Colossians 3:1–4, Paul exhorted the Saints to
focus their attention on heavenly things rather than earthly things and taught
that Jesus Christ would appear in glory at His Second Coming.
- •
If
you were present when the Savior appeared in glory, what clothing would you
want to wear?
- •
What
do you think would be more important than the clothing you would wear?
Explain
that in Colossians 3:5–15, Paul taught the Saints in
Colossae what they should “put off” (verse 8) and what they should “put on” (verse 10) as Jesus Christ’s disciples.
Divide the class in half, and invite one half of the class to read Colossians 3:5–9, looking for what Paul taught we
should put off. Invite the other half of the class to read Colossians 3:10–15, looking for what Paul taught
we should put on. (You may need to define the following: fornication [sexual
immorality], inordinate affection [lust], and evil concupiscence [evil
desires].)
After
sufficient time, invite several students to write on the board within the
appropriate drawings what Paul said should be put off or put on.
Direct
students’ attention to the drawing labeled “Put off,” and ask:
- •
What
do you think it means to put off these things?
- •
How
might someone who had committed these sins and had not repented of them feel in
the Savior’s presence? (See also Mormon 9:3–4.)
Direct
students’ attention to the drawing labeled “Put on,” and ask:
- •
How
might someone who has put on these characteristics feel in the Savior’s
presence?
- •
As
a person puts on these characteristics, who are they becoming like? (Jesus
Christ [see Colossians 3:10]. Write the following principle
on the board: As we put off unrighteousness and strive to put on the
characteristics of Jesus Christ, we become new individuals who are like Him.)
- •
How
can we develop these characteristics of Jesus Christ?
Ask
students to think of someone they know who is striving to put on the
characteristics of Jesus Christ. Consider asking a few students to share how
this person has developed those characteristics.
Invite
students to ponder what sins they may need to put off and what characteristics
of Jesus Christ they need to put on. Ask students to make a goal to put off
specific sins and put on certain characteristics of Christ. Invite students to
write their goals in their scripture study journals or on a piece of paper.
Explain
that as recorded in Colossians 3:16–25, Paul gave the Colossian
Saints instructions that would help them be more Christlike and have greater
peace in their lives.
Colossians
4:16. Paul instructs the Colossian Saints to read an epistle from Laodicea
Explain
that in Paul’s day, the branches of the Church read Paul’s letters aloud in
their congregations. Letters to one branch were sometimes passed along to
another so that more members could hear Paul’s teachings and counsel. Invite a
student to read Colossians 4:16 aloud. Ask the class to follow
along, looking for two different letters that Paul wrote. Ask students to
report what they find.
Explain
that the Bible contains the epistle Paul wrote to the
Colossians, but the epistle from Laodicea that Paul mentioned is now lost and
not found in the Bible today, along with other epistles of Paul (see 1 Corinthians 5:9; Ephesians 3:3). This indicates that the Bible
today does not contain all scripture that the Lord’s prophets and apostles have
written.
© 2016 by
Intellectual Reserve, Inc. All rights reserved.
Using
the board
Effective
use of a chalkboard or whiteboard during a lesson can prepare students to learn
and can invite meaningful participation, especially for those who learn
visually. On a board, a teacher can outline the major points or principles of
the lesson, diagram a doctrine, draw maps, develop flow charts, display or draw
pictures of things found in the scriptures, and do a multitude of other
activities that will enhance learning.
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