My Brothers And Sisters, I Would...

Elder Sterling W. Sill Assistant to the Council of the Twelve ¶

My brothers and sisters, I would like to recall to your minds one of the great scenes of the holy scriptures. It has been referred to as the Lord's triumphal entry into Jerusalem. After a long absence, Jesus and his disciples were making their way toward the temple for what was to be the last three days of the Lord's public ministry. As he came near the historic city, he wept because of the wickedness of its people. ¶

The feast of the passover was at hand, and as he approached the city, other travelers, Jerusalem bound, merged with his party at the crossroads. Soon there was an imposing procession, with Jesus as the central figure, riding upon a colt, in fulfillment of an ancient prophecy. As they entered the Holy City, the people cast branches of palm trees in his path, thus carpeting his way as for the passage of a king. And for the time being he was their king, and the voices of the multitude sounded in reverberating harmony, saying, "Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is [the King of Israel,] that cometh in the name of the Lord." (Matt. 21:9.) ¶

This picturesque scene might well symbolize another coming, as the scripture projects our minds ahead to that time when with holy angels he will appear in flaming fire to cleanse the earth of sin and to inaugurate the millennial era of a thousand years of peace, during which he will reign personally as King of kings. ¶

We Would See Jesus

Among those attending this particular passover were certain Greeks who sought a conference with the Master. In making their request through Philip, they said, "Sir, we would see Jesus." (John 12:21.) In these five words they were also voicing an idea that has the greatest significance for every age. That is, what could be more helpful in our own days of miracles, atheism, and crime than for everyone to have an unshakable testimony of, and an inspiring personal relationship with, the divine Ruler of this earth. ¶

Since that long ago day, some nineteen wide centuries have come and gone. And we now have the judgment of time shining upon the life of Christ, enabling us to see it in clearer perspective. We are now aware that he is much more than a prophet from Nazareth. He is also the Son of God, the Savior of the world, the Author of life, the Redeemer of men, and the giver of all good things. By our absorbing the spirit of his life, understanding his doctrines, and following his example, this ancient Grecian request to see Jesus might well be granted in our own behalf. Certainly this request should represent the universal desire of all people, for as the sun is the center of the solar system, so is the Redeemer the center of our lives. Without the sun our solar system would fly apart, and without God the greatest values in our lives would be lost. As the apostle Peter said, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 4:12.) ¶

This Is Life Eternal

The prophets have looked forward to his coming since time began, and even as Jesus was being born, wise men from the east were asking: "Where is he [who] is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him." (Matt. 2:2.) And that is what wise men have been asking and doing ever since. The Master himself said, ". . . this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent." (John 17:3.) ¶

After the people had listened to the preaching of the gospel at Pentecost, they were pricked in their hearts; and desiring the better way of life that had been recommended, they cried out to the apostles: ". . . Men and brethren, what shall we do?" And Peter answered: "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts 2:37-38.) ¶

Jesus Found In Different Ways

People have found Jesus in different ways. The Greeks found him through Philip; the wise men from the east were led to Bethlehem by his star; Peter was taken to Jesus by his brother Andrew; and Paul found him through a miracle on the Damascus road. Jesus gave his own formula for discovery when he said, "If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine. . . ." (John 7:17.) He said, ". . . seek me diligently and ye shall find me. . . ." (D&C 88:63.) However, the greatest tragedy of our world remains the fact that so many never attain this all-important objective. ¶

And yet only he who fails to seek fails to find. ¶

Emerson pointed out the consequences of failure in this important quest when he said, "On the brink of an ocean of life and truth we are miserably dying. Sometimes we are furtherest away when we are closest by." So frequently that is true. Think how near they were who lived contemporaneously with Jesus. He walked among them; they heard him speak; they knew of his miracles; and yet they were so far away that they said, "His blood be on us, and on our children" (Matt. 27:25), and so it has been, and so it may be with us. We are so near and yet we may be so far away. We are standing on the brink of an eternal life, and yet each must take the steps that will bring him there. ¶

A Well Of Living Water

Jesus gave us the best approach for this accomplishment when, on the last day of the passover feast, he stood up and cried, "If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, . . . out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water." ¶

(John 7:37-38.) That is, our eternal success is not like pouring water into a cistern; rather it is like opening a living spring within ourselves. Through the Prophet Jeremiah the Lord said, "For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out . . . broken cisterns, that can hold no water." (Jer. 2:13.) And Jesus elaborated upon this idea by saying, ". . . unto him that keepeth my commandments I will give the mysteries of my kingdom, and the same shall be in him a well of living water, springing up unto everlasting life." ¶

(D&C 63:23.) What a tremendous possibility for us! ¶

As Jesus was passing through Samaria on his way to Jerusalem, he stopped to rest at Jacob's well near the ancient city of Sheckem and requested a drink from the woman of Sychar. He said to her, "If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me a drink; thou wouldst have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water. ¶

"But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but [it] shall be in him a well of living water springing up into everlasting life." (John 4:10, 14.) ¶

The Greatest Enrichment

Water is the universal element, and it is the symbol of life. Jesus used it to describe a personal testimony of his divinity. Pure water will also be one of the secrets of the earth's regeneration in preparation for its millennium. ¶

The Lord said, "And in the barren . . . ¶

ground shall no longer be a thirsty land." (D&C 133:29.) However, the richest treasures do not come from water breaking forth in the wastelands of the desert. ¶

The greatest enrichment comes when we acquire a personal testimony of the divine mission of the Savior of the world and a firm determination to make our lives productive in godliness. Dr. Henry C. Link once said that nothing puts so much order into human life as to live by a good set of sound principles. And the soundest principles are the principles of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Water is also a symbol of cleanliness, and Jesus indicated that after cleansing ourselves with the soap and water of repentance, we should be baptized and have our sins washed away by his atoning sacrifice. ¶

Black Night Of Apostasy

Five days after the Greeks sought their interview, Jesus was crucified. In the following years his apostles were slain, his doctrines were changed, and the long black night of apostasy settled upon the world. In foretelling this event, the Lord again used water as a figure of speech about obtaining the word of the Lord. Through the Prophet Amos he said, "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: ¶

"And [men] shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it." And the Lord added, "In that day shall [they] faint for thirst." ¶

(Amos 8:11-13.) ¶

Gospel Shall Be Preached

But God always provides the remedy before the plague. On the Tuesday before his crucifixion on Friday, the Lord sat on the Mount of Olives and foretold the wars and troubles that would immediately precede his glorious second coming to the earth. And he himself made a solemn promise, saying, "And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come." (Matt. 24:14.) In the early spring of 1820 in upper New York State, in fulfillment of this promise, God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ reappeared upon this earth to reestablish among men a belief in the God of Genesis, the God of Calvary, and the God of the latter days. The eternal springs were reopened; divine revelation was again established from heaven. And the gospel of Jesus Christ was restored to the earth in a fullness never known before in the world. The universal thirst is now being relieved for all of those who effectively seek their Redeemer. By divine order the world has now been given three great volumes of new scripture, outlining in every detail those simple principles on which the exaltation and eternal happiness of every human life depend. On every fundamental point of doctrine we again have an authoritative "Thus saith the Lord." We also have the testimony of many new witnesses supporting those of old that God lives, that the gospel is true, and that many of the great events spoken of in the scriptures are about to be fulfilled. ¶

Testimony Of Modern Prophet

In our own day another prophet has known God as Moses did, face to face, and in bearing his certain witness he has said to us, "And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: that he lives! "For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father — 'That by him, and through him, and of him, the worlds are and were created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God." (D&C 76:22-24.) The greatest opportunity of our lives is found in following the spirit of this ancient Grecian request, saying, "Sir, we would see Jesus" (John 12:21); and in consequence of our faithful, righteous search, we may have an inspiring personal testimony of his divinity springing up in our own hearts. ¶

Unseen Spiritual Powers

Modern travelers to that ancient city of Sheckem near the site of Jacob's well tell us that there are rivers of water flowing beneath the streets. ¶

During the daylight hours they cannot be heard. But when evening comes and the clamor dies out of the streets, when kindly sleep rests upon the city, then quite audibly in the hush of the night you can hear the music of these buried streams. ¶

God has provided our earth with great underground reservoirs and buried rivers that may be brought to the surface to keep our earth productive and beautiful. Likewise, there are some great unseen spiritual powers that can be used to vitalize our spirits and make our lives beautiful and happy. ¶

And in the quiet obedience of our faith and love of righteousness, God may touch these hidden abilities implanted in the depths of our souls and release great spiritual strength to purify our lives and bring about our eternal exaltation in his presence. ¶

As someone has said, "What cool sparkling pure water is to the welfare of the rose, so is the spirit of Christ to my life." That we may drink freely from those living waters that even now are springing up unto eternal life I humbly pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. ¶