Nephi tells us that he consistently taught his children about Christ, because he wanted them to know where to turn to overcome their sins. Sometimes those words aren't well-received at first, but they may eventually become a lifeline in a time of need.
The Branch of the Lord
The "branch of the Lord" in 2 Nephi 14 could mean at least three things: 1. The blessings we receive as we turn our hearts to God. 2. Jesus Christ, who came from the Father 3. We become the branch of the Lord as we bind ourselves to Him
Like a Flint
Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would "set [his] face like a flint" and would endure untold suffering without retaliation. Jesus fulfilled that prophecy, willingly enduring humiliation and violence at the end of His life.
Q&A with Nephi
After experiencing a far-reaching vision, Nephi answered a series of questions from his brothers. In this post, I list those five questions, summarize his answers, and discuss the significance of each answer for us.
Jesus Is the Christ
The Greek word Christos means "the Anointed One." It is the equivalent of the Hebrew word Mashiach (Messiah). Lehi taught his children that the Messiah would be the Savior of the World. Nephi and Mormon testified that Jesus is the Christ.
The Root and the Offspring
Jesus was a descendant of King David, but was also his progenitor, the source of his life and spiritual strength. Jesus highlighted these contrasting roles of Creator who lived among us by calling Himself "the root and the offspring of David."
Christ Is Born!
When Jesus was born, multiple people received independent confirmations that He was the Savior of the world. God really wanted us to know that His Son had been born, and He wanted us to listen and learn from the spiritual experiences of others.
“Worthy Is the Lamb”
In the book of Revelation, John describes an anxious moment in the premortal existence, where we all realized that none of us could fulfill God's plan for our happiness. We were overjoyed to learn that Jesus Christ could open the book and fulfill the plan
“A Little Lower than the Angels”
David marveled that God made us only "a little lower than the angels." Paul marveled at the opposite: that Jesus, who rules over the angels, was willing to live in mortality, placing Himself below them with us.
Prologue of Hebrews
God speaks to us in many ways, but none of those channels is so direct and so impactful as the words of His Son, Jesus Christ. Jesus is greater than angels, prophets and priests, and all of them point us toward Him.