Song About the Thousands of Witness That Saw Jesus Risen Again

"An Apostle's Witness of Christ," Ensign, Jan. 1984, 69

Again and again during our Lord's mortal ministry he issued a call that was at once an invitation and a challenge. To Peter and his brother Andrew, Christ said, "Follow me, and I will brand you fishers of men." (Matt. 4:19.) To the rich young man who asked what he must do to take eternal life, Jesus answered, "Go and sell that thou hast, and give to the poor … and come and follow me." (Matt. 19:21.) And to each of us Jesus says, "If whatever man serve me, allow him follow me." (John 12:26.)

Many people accept chosen to follow Christ, and nosotros constantly pray that many more will so choose, merely to a certain few of the Lord'south followers the call was more specific. Luke records that after Jesus had "continued all night in prayer to God," he "chosen unto him his disciples: and of them he chose twelve, whom besides he named apostles." (Luke 6:12, 13.)

To these chosen twelve, the call to follow Christ meant to forsake all and to physically back-trail the Lord in his ministry. Their call was a privileged one. They walked and talked with the Son of God daily. They knew the Lord intimately and feasted upon his discussion with humble and receptive hearts. They loved him, and Jesus called them his friends. (See John 15:14, fifteen.)

These twelve Apostles served a vital function in the Lord's plan. They were special witnesses of the Savior's divinity and of his literal resurrection. Not only did they know him during his mortal ministry, just they communed with him after his resurrection. The resurrected Redeemer appeared in the midst of his disciples in the upper room. They handled the Lord's hands and feet and learned that Jesus was not simply a spirit merely a resurrected being with flesh and bones. (Run into Luke 24:38, 39.)

These Apostles knew of the Lord's divinity and of his resurrection with a certainty beyond all disputation. With this knowledge, born of experience and confirmed by the Holy Ghost, they were commanded to "exist witnesses unto [Christ] both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost function of the world." (Acts i:viii.) Indeed, the give-and-take apostle means "1 who is sent."

The Apostles were chosen of God and "ordained" to exist witnesses of the resurrection (see Acts ane:22), and they subsequently went forth testifying boldly and powerfully of the Atonement and Resurrection. They participated in the about pregnant events related to the Savior's mission of redemption and were allowable to testify of these things to all people. The Holy Ghost then confirmed their words and so that all people could believe in Christ and be prepared to receive a remission of their sins. Paul told the Ephesian Saints that noesis concerning Christ had been "revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets past the Spirit." (Eph. 3:five.)

Because of the Apostles' special calling as witnesses of Christ, we learn that the household of God is "built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself beingness the chief corner rock." (Eph. two:xx.) Paul also taught that Christ gave Apostles and prophets "for the perfecting of the saints, for the piece of work of the ministry building, for the edifying of the trunk of Christ:

"Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect homo, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." (Eph. 4:xi–13.) Thus, the Apostles not only proclaimed the gospel but also took leadership of the Church to found unity and organized religion among the Saints.

In our solar day the Lord has again chosen Apostles. These Apostles have been ordained as special witnesses of Christ in all the world. They know of the reality of Christ and his redemption with a certainty born of the Spirit.

We are eternally grateful for the witness of Joseph Smith, "who was chosen of God, and ordained an campaigner of Jesus Christ." (D&C 20:ii.) In fulfilling his apostolic calling, Joseph Smith diameter this powerful witness: "And now, after the many testimonies which accept been given of him, this is the testimony, concluding of all, which we give of him: That he lives!

"For we saw him, fifty-fifty on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice beating record that he is the Merely Begotten of the Father." (D&C 76:22–23.)

The Prophet's witness, built-in of feel and of the Spirit, has been proclaimed throughout the earth, and the Holy Ghost has confirmed the truthfulness of that witness in the hearts of millions who have received the word with gladness. The pattern for proving spiritual things has been reestablished in our solar day. And an unbroken chain of succession has ensured that the apostolic calling has been with us continually since it was restored to Joseph Smith.

As an ordained Apostle and special witness of Christ, I give to you lot my solemn witness that Jesus Christ is in fact the Son of God. He is the Messiah prophetically anticipated by Old Attestation prophets. He is the Hope of Israel, for whose coming the children of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had prayed during the long centuries of prescribed worship.

Jesus is the Dearest Son who submitted to the will of his Father past being baptized by John in the river Jordan. He was tempted of the devil in the wilderness but did not yield to the temptations. He preached the gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation, and allowable all men everywhere to repent and be baptized. He forgave sins, speaking as one having authority, and he demonstrated his ability to practise so past healing the lame and the halt and by opening the eyes of the blind and unstopping the ears of the deafened. He changed water to wine, calmed the troubled waters of Galilee, and walked on that same water as if on solid ground. He confounded the wicked rulers who sought his life and brought peace to troubled hearts.

Finally, he suffered in the Garden of Gethsemane and died on the cross, giving his sinless life as a ransom for every soul who enters mortality. He did in very fact ascent from the dead on the third day, becoming the firstfruits of the resurrection and overcoming decease.

The resurrected Lord has continued his ministry of salvation past appearing, from time to time, to mortal men chosen past God to exist his witnesses, and by revealing his volition through the Holy Ghost.

It is by the power of the Holy Ghost that I bear my witness. I know of Christ'due south reality as if I had seen with my eyes and heard with my ears. I know too that the Holy Spirit will confirm the truthfulness of my witness in the hearts of all those who heed with an ear of faith.

During the most two millennia since he lived, endless thousands accept admired the Lord's attributes—his kindness, generosity, mercy, and charity. His teachings have been described by one classic writer as "a great sea whose smiling surface breaks into refreshing ripples at the feet of our niggling ones, but into whose unfathomable depths the wisest may gaze with the shudder of amazement and the thrill of dear." (Augustine, Confessions, xii. 140.)

Although his teachings and attributes have been of costive value to the homo family, they must be considered equally by-products of those things that really control our veneration and our worship—his amende for our sins and his resurrection from the dead. Unfortunately, too many men have worshipped at the shrine of Christ'south attributes and ethics merely have denied the divinity of their Redeemer.

The Lord's invitation to follow him is extended to more than persons than those who are ordained as special witnesses. The call is private and personal, and it is compelling. We cannot stand forever between two opinions. Each of us must at some time face up the crucial question: "Whom say ye that I am?" (Matt. xvi:xv.) Our personal salvation depends on our answer to that question and our commitment to that answer. Peter's revealed answer was "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Matt. sixteen:16.) Many, many witnesses tin requite the identical reply by the same power, and I bring together with them in humble gratitude. But we must each answer the question for ourselves—if not now, then later; for at the concluding mean solar day, every human knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus is the Christ. Our challenge is to answer correctly and live appropriately earlier it is everlastingly too tardily.

If, then, Jesus is indeed the Christ, as we so show, what must we practice?

Christ's supreme sacrifice tin can find full fruition in our lives only as we accept the invitation to follow him. This call is not irrelevant, unrealistic, or impossible. To follow an individual means to watch him or listen to him closely; to accept his authority, to take him equally a leader, and to obey him; to support and advocate his ideas; and to take him every bit a model. Each of us can accept this challenge. Peter said, "Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps." (i Pet. ii:21.) Merely every bit teachings that do not conform to Christ's doctrine are false, and then a life that does non conform to Christ's example is misdirected, and may not achieve its high potential destiny.

For those who take not yet embraced the gospel, following Christ ways that you must learn of him and obey his gospel. Jesus himself defined the gospel:

"Now this is the commandment: Repent, all ye ends of the world, and come unto me and be baptized in my name, that ye may be sanctified by the reception of the Holy Ghost, that ye may stand spotless before me at the final day.

"Verily, verily, I say unto you, this is my gospel; and ye know the things that ye must practice in my church building; for the works which ye have seen me do that shall ye also do; for that which ye take seen me practise even that shall ye exercise." (3 Ne. 27:20, 21.)

Each of us must receive the word of Christ through the scriptures and the teachings of his chosen servants. We then do religion in the word by repenting and being baptized, thus preparing ourselves to receive the cleansing and sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost in our lives. Nosotros invite each of you lot, if you have not already done and then, to listen prayerfully to the message of our missionaries.

Brothers and sisters, the dear of God has entered the earth for the benefit of all who will receive information technology. It is not just our sacred duty and obligation, but our opportunity and privilege to receive the gift then freely offered by Christ and to share this gift with others.

"In this was manifested the dearest of God toward united states of america, considering that God sent his simply begotten Son into the earth, that we might live through him.

"Herein is honey, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

"Beloved, if God so loved usa, we ought also to love 1 another." (one Jn. four:9–xi.)

I testify, in the proper noun of Christ, that "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should non perish, but have everlasting life." (John 3:xvi.) That we might accept Christ's loving invitation to "come up, follow me" is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

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Source: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/ensign/1984/01/an-apostles-witness-of-christ?lang=eng

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