Is Zion a geographical location or a state of being? Can you be "walking in darkness at noon-day"? And what does it mean to be chastened by a loving God? D&C 94-97 answers these questions and more, offering powerful lessons on building God's kingdom—and ourselves—according to His patterns. Summary: In this episode, we explore four short but impactful sections of the Doctrine and Covenants.
We begin with D&C 94, focusing on the Lord's emphasis on following His "pattern" for our lives and the building of His kingdom. Next, we confront the "tough love" of D&C 95, where the Saints are chastened for their "very grievous sin" of neglecting the Kirtland Temple. We'll unpack the concept of "walking in darkness at noon-day" and how we can avoid sins of omission. We'll also discuss the promise of an endowment of "power from on high" and the need to remove the "incumbrances" or obstacles to God's work, as revealed in D&C 96.
Finally, we turn to D&C 97, which addresses the Saints in Zion as they faced intense persecution. We'll learn about obedience that requires sacrifice and the powerful truth that "this is Zion—the pure in heart." We'll see that building Zion is about becoming a people worthy of the place, and that opposition often precedes God's greatest blessings.
Call-to-Action: What "incumbrances" are in your way of doing God's work? Share your thoughts in the comments below! If you found this discussion insightful, please like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to stay "Unshaken" in your faith.
Chapter Timestamps:
0:00 Introduction
3:09 Patterns to Follow
13:49 Tough Love
24:25 Neglecting the Temple
40:45 Removing Roadblocks
50:59 Obedience at a Cost
1:00:58 The Bells of Hell
1:14:26 Zion Place of Zion People
1:27:41 One-Liners
