The Sacrament

Luke 22:19, 3 Nephi 18:6-11, and 1 Corinthians 10:16-21 all talk about the sacrament prayers. Although each is written by a different author, they are essentially identical - with the exception of one word. Luke and Nephi record that the Lord explained that his body had been "given" for us and Paul does not. To me that simple word is vital to reminding us that the atonement was a sacrifice that the Savior freely gave to save each of us.

1 Corinthians 11:27-29 and 3 Nephi 18:28-29 give counsel on partaking the sacrament worthily. Paul is speaking to the Corinthians individually and and counsels them to examine their personal worthiness prior to taking the sacrament. In 3 Nephi, the Savior is counseling the leaders of the Church. He counsels them not to knowingly allow someone who is unworthy to take the sacrament.

Paul explains that we must not take the sacrament unworthily because when we take the sacrament, we are making a promise to God to serve Him. If we make ourselves unworthy to take the sacrament through sin, we are not serving God, rather we are serving the devil and making a mockery of the Atonement.

I want to make sure that taking the sacrament is more meaningful in my own life. I know that the sacrament is vital, but sometimes it is easy to let my mind wander instead of focusing on what I'm doing and the promises I'm making. I am going to better prepare myself by focusing on the things I can do better to follow the Savior's teachings during the time that the sacrament is being blessed and passed.

Baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the Sabbath

In Acts 19-20 it records the Apostle Paul’s work among the Corinthians. Paul performs as number of priesthood ordinances among the Corinthians, such as baptism, giving the gift of the Holy Ghost, healing blessings, blessing the sacrament, and raising the dead.

When Paul first met with the Corinthian saints he found that they hadn’t been baptized properly, and had not received the gift of the Holy Ghost – so he taught them the true manner of baptism and performed that ordinance for the people.

This story helps to explain why people have to be baptized to join the church today even if they were previously baptized in another religion. Baptism is an essential ordinance, but it isn’t the end of everything. Baptism is required to inter the kingdom of God, but it is also necessary in order to receive the Holy Ghost.

Paul baptized the Corinthian saints and then gave them the gift of the Holy Ghost through the laying on of hands, which means that he put his hands on their heads and using priesthood authority, gave them the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Around this time the Sabbath day was changed from Saturday to Sunday to commemorate the day that Jesus Christ was resurrected as recorded in John 20:1, 19.

Knowing Who God Is

I was reading in Acts 17 last night, and one thing really stuck out to me: in order to really worship God, you have to know who He is.

During the Great Apostasy, many vital truths were lost to the world. Among these lost truths was the truth of who God is. As authority and revelation ceased, people began to build up their own ideas of what God was. They imagined Him as an un-embodied spirit, as a man with all of the worst of human passions, as an unknowable and unapproachable three in one thing. All of these ideas of the Lord made it difficult, if not impossible to truly worship the Lord. Some people began to worship saints and have them intercede for them before the Lord. Other people discounted religion altogether and opted instead for secularism and atheism.

When Joseph Smith entered a grove of trees to ask what church to join, God answered his question and revealed to the world once again His true nature. From the First Vision we learn that God has a physical, perfected body. We learn that the Father, Son and Holy Ghost are three separate and distinct individuals. We learn that God does exist, and that He is vitally interested in each one of us.

By understanding the nature of God, we are able to trust him and love him. Before coming to this earth we lived with our Heavenly Father, and we knew and loved him. When we came to this earth and veil was placed over our minds, but that relationship still exists. President Ezra Taft Benson spoke in a devotional at BYU in 1974 about this very thing. "Nothing is going to startle us more when we pass through the veil to the other side than to realize how well we know our Father and how familiar his face is to us."

Stephen and Abinadi

I recently read in the Book of Acts about Stephen. Stephen was one of seven men chosen to assist the Twelve Apostles following Jesus Christ’s resurrection and ascension into heaven. The Bible talks about Stephen having so much faith that he did great miracles before the people. He testified that the Law of Moses had been fulfilled through Christ, and told them of their sins. The people were so angered by his words that they took him outside the city and stoned him. His last words were a testimony that Jesus Christ was on the right hand of God, and a plea to forgive those who were killing him. I have read this account a number of times, but it never ceases to impress me. Stephen was so intent on his mission that instead of focusing on himself and the pain he had to be in, he was able to forgive those who were ending his life.

From Stephen we can learn a lot of things. First off we learn that the Savior fulfilled the Law of Moses, and that it is no longer necessary or appropriate to live that law. We also learn about the nature of the Godhead from him. As he lay dying, Stephen said that he saw “the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.” So we know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have tangible bodies. We also know that they are two separate individuals.

Stephen reminds me of Abinadi from the Book of Mormon. Abinadi also died as a martyr. He was killed for telling the people of their sins and testifying of Jesus Christ, just the same reason the Stephen was killed by the Jews.

Both of these martyrs bore powerful testimonies before their deaths. They testified of the Savior, Jesus Christ, and of his atoning mission. I’m grateful for their testimonies and the strength they bring me as I learn about them. I hope that I can share so powerful a testimony to those around me.