Because of Him

For many Christian denominations we are entering the Holy Week. Today is Palm Sunday, when Christ triumphantly enters Jerusalem; Friday is Good Friday, when Christ was crucified; and Sunday is Easter Sunday, when Christ was resurrected. We celebrate all of these because of the events that happened a single week in the life of one man – Jesus Christ. His life, and especially the events of that last week, has affected the life of every person that has ever lived or will ever live on this and many other worlds. Because of him the world was created and we are here (John 1:3). Because of him, we will all live again after we die.

On Palm Sunday, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding a donkey. Kings would show power by riding a horse into a conquering city; whereas a King would ride a donkey as a token of peace. Jesus Christ was the Prince of Peace and as such riding a donkey into Jerusalem would represent peace. The people of Jerusalem cut down palm branches and spread them before him and shouted:

“Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.” (Matthew 21:8-9)

What happened to the people between Palm Sunday and Friday when they cried: “crucify him”? (Luke 23:21) Why would many of the same people who would worship him as their messiah turn against him and want him put to death? I would guess it is that most of both crowds had no idea who Jesus was and were just following along with those a few believers and then a few Jewish rulers that hated Jesus. We have all seen the affect a crowd can have on others as they work them into a frenzy everyone just joins in not really knowing what is going on.

Which group would we have been part of? Are we among the believers, those who cried “crucify him”, or are we another group that had no idea what was going on and did not even pay attention to all the fuss? If you have the day off work because of Good Friday or Easter, is it another day off work or do you go to your house of worship and give thanks because of life we celebrate this holy week?

Because of him all sickness and pain will be done away. Because of him, death has no victory and we will live again. Because of him, we can find happiness in this life and in the life to come. Because of him, we can be forgiven and cleansed of our sins. Everything that I am is because of him.

I invite you to come worship with us, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. You can find the nearest church by clicking here and putting in your address. Even if you don’t want to worship with us, please go to your church and give thanks of all you have because of him.

Please watch this 1-minute video titled “Because of Him”. Your questions and comments are always welcome. 

Hosanna to God and the Lamb

Temple Dedication Tickets

Today we had the privilege of participating in the dedication of the Provo City Center Temple. All regular meetings for wards in Utah were cancelled and members were able to participate in the dedication by going to Stake Centers where the dedications were broadcast. It was a wonderful experience.

I have had the opportunity to witness several temple dedications. We were in the celestial room of the Seattle Temple when President Spencer W. Kimball dedicated that building. We also were able to be at the Portland Temple dedication when President Ezra T. Benson dedicated that one. We have participated in the broadcast of other temples as they were dedicated including the Bountiful Utah Temple, , Mt Timpanogos, Utah Temple, Palmyra New York Temple, the Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple, the Nauvoo Illinois Temple, Oquirrh Mountain Utah Temple, Brigham City Temple, Ogden Temple (rededication), Each temple is dedicated to be The House of the Lord and is Holy.

The first LDS temple built was in Kirtland, Ohio in 1836 and there are now 150 dedicated temples around the worldwide, 15 temples currently under construction, and and another 17 temples that have been announced or publicly proposed (Temples of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).

The Provo City Temple was built from what was left of the Provo Stake Tabernacle that was originally built in 1898 and was destroyed in a fire in 2010. David W. Madsen, Provo City Temple Presidency First Counselor compared our lives to the how the Provo City Temple was born of the ashes of the old Tabernacle. He said we all must rise out of the ashes of our old lives and become new by going to the House of the Lord and make covenants with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. It is in the Lord’s House that we learn what we need to do to return to live with them as eternal families.

At the end of the dedication everyone participated in the Hosanna Shout. The Hosanna Shout began with the Jewish Feast of the Tabernacles and was a part of the celebration remembering the 40 years that Israel wandered in the wilderness. Shouts of hosanna were given as the congregation waved palm branches. When the Savior entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the crowd waved palm branches and shouted “Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.” (Matthew 21:9). Today is Palm Sunday when we remember his triumphal entry into Jerusalem prior to his suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane, his crucifixion and eventual resurrection. What a beautiful way to celebrate Palm Sunday than to dedication a temple, the House of the Lord, and to participate in the Hosanna Shout. At the dedication of the new LDS conference center on October 2000, President Gordon B. Hinckley led the congregation gathered there in the Hosanna Shout. Before doing it he explained the purpose of it. He said:

“Now, my brothers and sisters, in a moment I shall offer the dedicatory prayer, in which all of you are invited to join. Immediately at the close of the dedicatory prayer, we invite each one of you who may wish to participate to stand and join with us in the Hosanna Shout. This sacred salute to the Father and the Son is given at the dedication of each of the temples. It has also been given on a few occasions of historic importance, such as the laying of the capstone on the Salt Lake Temple and the celebration of the centennial of the Church in the 1930 general conference.

“We feel it is appropriate to give the shout here, as we dedicate this great building, the likes of which we may never undertake again. Any mention of this by the media should recognize that for us this is a very sacred and personal thing. We request that it be treated with deference and respect.

“I will now demonstrate the shout. Each one takes a clean white handkerchief, holding it by one corner, and waves it while saying in unison, “Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna to God and the Lamb,” repeated three times, followed by “Amen, Amen, and Amen.”

What a wonderful tribute to our Lord Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father? As we enter the Easter season and contemplate what our Lord Jesus Christ did for us by providing for us his infinite atonement and his resurrection from the dead my whole frame shouts with the heavenly hosts “Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna to God and the Lamb, Amen, Amen, and Amen.