On Saturday March 17th, 1990, the city of Boston was dressed up in green, probably drinking beer, and celebrating St. Patrick’s Day. For the citizens of Boston there was peace and safety. Yet, the early hours of Sunday March 18th, a vehicle pulled up near the side entrance of Boston’s Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. Two men in police uniforms pushed the Museum buzzer, stated they were responding to a disturbance, and requested to be let in. The guard on duty broke protocol and allowed them through the employee entrance. At the fake officers’ request, he stepped away from the watch desk. He and a second security guard were handcuffed and tied up in the basement of the Museum. The thieves departed with 13 of the Gardner’s works of art 81 minutes later.
The FBI has the artwork valued at $500 Million dollars and still 31 years later the museum is offering $10 million dollars for information leading to the recovery of the lost art. It is the largest unsolved art heist in modern history.
One of the paintings stolen was, Rembrandt’s 1633 painting Christ in the Storm on the Sea of Galilee. The museum’s webpage describes the painting: “The biblical scene pitches nature against human frailty – both physical and spiritual. The panic-stricken disciples struggle against a sudden storm and fight to regain control of their fishing boat as a huge wave crashes over its bow, ripping the sail and drawing the craft perilously close to the rocks in the left foreground. One of the disciples succumbs to the sea’s violence by vomiting over the side. Amidst this chaos, only Christ, at the right, remains calm, like the eye of the storm.”
In March 1834 Joseph Smith was in Freedom, New York, proselyting and recruiting members to march to the aide of the Missouri saints in Zion’s camp. They stayed in the house of Warren Cowdery (Oliver’s older brother). Experiencing the preaching and the spirit of the message Warren was converted. Later that year Warren wrote to Oliver requesting a “preacher of our order” that would build up the Church in his community. Two months later Joseph Smith received a revelation appointing Warren to be the answer to his own request. This is now Section 106 of the Doctrine and Covenants.
In the In the revelation the Second Coming of the Jesus Christ is compared to a “thief in the night.” We can learn from Warren’s revelation how to prepare, so that when Jesus comes, we will not be fooled by imposters, let our guard down, and be robbed of our most valuable possession— a testimony of the truth, the calm assurance of knowing that Jesus Christ is our Savior and that His Church and Restored Truth are here to bless our lives.
The Power of Footnotes
If you were Warren Cowdery reading this revelation you would recognize many borrowed phrases and imagery from the New Testament. Warren didn’t have footnotes guiding him straight to reference—but you do. Footnote 4b sends you to 1 Thessalonians Chapter 5 in the New Testament.
Study 1 Thes. 5:2-23 and answer the following questions:
- When will the Savior come again?
- Why is a woman going into labor and a thief in the night a good metaphor for Jesus’ Second Coming?
- What does it mean to be “children of the day” according to Footnote 4a?
- What kind of sleep is verse 6 referring to?
- According to verses 8 and 9, what are the sings that we are “of the day”, in other words, prepared for Him to come again?
- Paul calls the Thessalonians “children of light.” Jesus tells Warren and the Saints in Freedom, NY to gird up their loins, that you may be “children of light (D&C 106:5).” Study 1 Thes. 5:12-23 and write what it means to be a child of light.
This reference to the Second Coming is when Christ will reveal himself to the whole world. The scriptures describe that day as a day when “the curtain of heaven be unfolded, as a scroll is unfolded, and the face of the Lord will be unveiled (D&C 88:95).” Those who will not be able to abide the glory of God on that day will perish. What does Doctrine and Covenants 88:95-98 say will happen to those who are prepared?
Warren eventually left the Church, for much of the same reasons his brother Oliver did. In the revelation he was promised “a crown for him in the mansions of [God the] Father (D&C 106:8).” Vereses 6 and 7 warn Warren of vanity and the “crafts of men.” How are these two a threat to our receiving the grace and assurance of god?
Count the Cost
Lyman Sherman was the recipient of a revelation from Joseph Smith, now known as Section 108. Read this short biography on his life and determine: though his life ended early, was he robbed?
“Wrought Upon” to Seek a Revelation, By Lisa Olsen Tait
Child of Light
The Savior is not a thief—Satan is. He is trying to get us slip into a spiritual slumber or acclimate to darkness so that we will be unprepared to see God when he unveils His face. The largest heist of modern art remains a mystery. On the day of His coming, it’ll be no mystery who can abide His presence. Look up D&C 106:5b What will it be like to be present when the Savior returns for those who are unprepared?
What can you do to become a “child of light?”
How can you be more spiritually prepared for the sudden storms and coming of Jesus Christ?
Are you intentionally living as a child of light or is your light borrowed from parents, family or friend?
In what areas of your life can you be more ‘watchful’ and ‘sober’ so that you avoid living spiritually sleepy?
The Savior is not a thief—Satan is. He is trying to get us slip into a spiritual slumber or acclimate to darkness so that we will be unprepared to see God when he unveils His face. The largest heist of modern art remains a mystery. On the day of His coming, it’ll be no mystery who can abide His presence. Look up D&C 106:5b What will it be like to be present when the Savior returns for those who are unprepared?
It’s not the faithful that will be robbed. Those who are not prepared will be robbed of the joy of seeing him again.
What can you do to become a “child of light?”
How can you be more spiritually prepared for the sudden storms and coming of Jesus Christ?
Are you intentionally living as a child of light or is your light borrowed from parents, family or friend?
In what areas of your life can you be more ‘watchful’ and ‘sober’ so that you avoid living spiritually sleepy?
Confessions of a Little League Dad 
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