Wednesday, January 26, 2011

The Sacrament - An Ordinance of Renewal


Good afternoon dear brothers and sisters. I bring to you greetings from our District Presidency. I bear witness that they are called of God. They love you, care for you and I saw them kneel and pray for all of you.

In a way of introduction, I am Brother Ganzon. I joined the church 26 years, and a year after my baptism I served a mission in Baguio. And a year after my mission I was married in the Philippines-Manila Temple. I arrived in Hong Kong 20 years ago to work as a design architect. Since then, I was called to serve in various church callings. I served as Hong Kong Island 1 branch president for 5 and a half years. During my service, I learned and knew a lot the difficulty that each one of you sisters are facing during your stay here, most especially being far away from your home and family. I know that coming to church on Sundays brings rest and comfort to your loneliness. Being surrounded by church members is indeed a wonderful blessing.

I was assigned by our district president to deliver to you today a message about the importance of the sacrament meeting.

Sometimes when we were new to the Church we may have wondered why we are invited to come to church every Sunday to partake of the sacrament.

I grew up in another church before I joined this church. Sundays then was just another day for me. It was a good day for being free from school or work. It was the best day to go out for beach outing, watch movies, going out with friends, and many other things that I can’t do during weekdays.

But when I was baptized in the church my Sundays began to have a different meaning. It became a ritual for me to wake up early, say my morning prayer, take an early shower, wear my Sunday’s bests, read my scriptures, and off to serve in the church.

Life for me has a different meaning since then. Life has been more meaningful. My understanding, that when a man is baptized he starts a new journey towards exaltation walking through the straight and narrow path. And often times, it is not that easy. We may fall and stumble along the way. The road to exaltation is rough and ragged. There are humps and bumps all along the way. Perfection is not easy. Temptation is all around keeping us away from our eternal goal. When we sin we fall short of the glory of God which makes it impossible for us to return to His presence someday.

The holy sacrament is a sacred ordinance of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. When we were baptized, we covenant to do God’s will and to obey His commandments. By partaking of the sacrament we renew all the promises we have made with Heavenly Father and pledge ourselves to take upon us the name of his Son, to always remember him and keep his commandments. When we partake of the sacrament each Sunday we have the opportunity to go through our baptismal covenants again without going down through the waters of baptism. It is a weekly process to cleanse us from our sins. When I partake of the sacrament I felt cleansed again from the mistakes I have done during that week. Again I am ready to face the world without fear that any moment I die my soul is ready to face the Lord spotless and clean.

Over the years, I have participated in many sacrament meetings, and to me they really are more than just another meeting. Partaking of the sacrament provides me with a sacred moment in a holy place. After receiving my priesthood in the office of the priest I had the opportunity to pass the sacrament for the first time in our ward. As I watched the tray go up and down the rows of the members of the Church, I noticed that not everyone approached the sacrament with the same attitude. There were those who seemed to partake of the sacrament just as a matter of routine, but there were many, many who accepted the sacrament with great reverence.

In section 59 of the Doctrine and Covenants, the Lord has commanded us: “And that thou mayest more fully keep thyself unspotted from the world, thou shalt go to the house of prayer and offer up thy sacraments upon my holy day” (D&C 59:9).

One of the first commandments given to Adam was that he should worship the Lord and offer the firstlings of his flocks as an offering to Him. This ordinance was given to remind the people that Jesus Christ would come into the world and would offer Himself as a sacrifice.

“And Adam was obedient unto the commandments of the Lord.

“And after many days an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying: Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam said unto him: I know not, save the Lord commanded me.

“And then the angel spake, saying: This thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and truth” (Moses 5:5–7).

From that day on until the time of our Savior, Heavenly Father’s children were commanded to offer sacrifices. The night before he was crucified, the Savior instituted the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper to help us remember Him and the Atonement He made for all mankind.

The Book of Mormon, in 3 Nephi, chapter 18, gives us a detailed account of the Savior’s administration of the sacrament to the Nephites:

“And it came to pass that Jesus commanded his disciples that they should bring forth some bread and wine unto him.

“And while they were gone for bread and wine, he commanded the multitude that they should sit themselves down upon the earth.

“And when the disciples had come with bread and wine, he took of the bread and brake and blessed it; and he gave unto the disciples and commanded that they should eat.
“And when they had eaten and were filled, he commanded that they should give unto the multitude.

“And when the multitude had eaten and were filled, he said unto the disciples: Behold there shall one be ordained among you, and to him will I give power that he shall break bread and bless it and give it unto the people of my church, unto all those who shall believe and be baptized in my name.

“And this shall ye always observe to do, even as I have done, even as I have broken bread and blessed it and given it unto you.

“And this shall ye do in remembrance of my body, which I have shown unto you. And it shall be a testimony unto the Father that ye do always remember me. And if ye do always remember me ye shall have my Spirit to be with you.

“And it came to pass that when he said these words, he commanded his disciples that they should take of the wine of the cup and drink of it, and that they should also give unto the multitude that they might drink of it.

“And it came to pass that they did so, and did drink of it and were filled; and they gave unto the multitude, and they did drink, and they were filled.

“And when the disciples had done this, Jesus said unto them: Blessed are ye for this thing which ye have done, for this is fulfilling my commandments, and this doth witness unto the Father that ye are willing to do that which I have commanded you” (3 Ne. 18:1–10).

His instructions are very clear that we should be willing to do what He has commanded us to do. As the Doctrine and Covenants tells us:

“It is expedient that the church meet together often to partake of bread and wine in the remembrance of the Lord Jesus” (D&C 20:75).

The purpose of partaking of the sacrament is, of course, to renew the covenants we have made with the Lord.

Long time ago, beautiful music was played during the passing of the sacrament. The church leaders soon stop that practice because members minds were centered on the music rather than on the atoning sacrifice of our Lord and Savior. During the administration of the sacrament, we set aside the world. If we were to become casual in partaking of the sacrament, we would lose the opportunity for spiritual growth.

As parents, we have the responsibility of teaching your children the importance of attending sacrament meeting weekly. It should be a regular family practice.

May we always remember Him and keep His commandments, which He has given us to fulfill the purpose of life and the hope of the eternities that are to come. This is the Lord’s work in which we are engaged. God lives. Jesus is the Christ, the Savior of the world. In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.