Brothers and sisters I would like you to just sit back and relax for just a moment. Imagine if you will that you are in a train rolling across the country side in the midwest. As you look out the window you can see how the spring rains have made everything so green and lush. The leaves on the trees flutter in the wind as the train speeds past. The grasses close to the tracks are bending to touch the ground from the motion of the train. As you look ahead you can see the banks of a river. The train tracks below begin to leave the ground the are suspended on some kind of trellis work. Looking below you discover that you are on a bridge. The ground continues to drop off below until you are over the river. The cold water from the spring run off is rushing quickly off to sea. What a pretty sight you say to yourself as you look to the bank on the other side.
Now brothers and sisters I would like to share with you what happened to make our journey across that cold and fast river possible. As each and everyone of us enjoyed the comforts of the cabin car that we were in another incident happen on the tracks below.
The bridge that we just crossed was a turnable bridge. During most of the day the bridge set with its length running up and down the river so that the ships could navigate the river. But during certain time of the day when a train was coming a switchman would turn and lock the bridge into position for the train.
As we crossed the bridge this morning the switchman followed the instructions as he had done many times before. As the train reached the prescribed position the switchman would press the controls that would turn the bridge so the train could cross. This morning was an exception however; as the bridge was turned into position it would not lock and the switchman knew that if the bridge was not locked the bridge would wobble and the train would jump the tracks and crash into the cold waters below, and each and every one of us would die.
The switchman knew not to panic as he could hear the train approaching ever closer to the bridge. He must simply go to the other side of the bridge and lock the bridge manually. He would have to hold back the lever firmly as the train passed. As he hear the whistle of the train he took hold of the lever and leaned backward applying his weight to it, locking the bridge. He must keep applying pressure to keep the bridge locked, He knew that the many lives of us on the train depended on his strength.
Then coming across the bridge from the direction of the control shack, he heard a sound that made his blood run cold! -- " Daddy, where are you? His four year old son was crossing the bridge to look for him. His first impulse was to cry out to the child, "Run Run" but the train was too close; the tiny legs would never make it across the bridge in time. The man almost left the lever to run and snatch his son and carry him to safety, but he realized that he could not get back to the lever in time. Either you and I on the train must die or his son must die there was no other alternatives.
He took just a moment to make his decision. We all know the what decision was made because we are hear. But I think maybe the saddest part is that we never knew that they tiny little broken body was thrown mercilessly into the cold river by the train that we were riding in. Not one of us was aware of the pitiful figure of a sobbing man still clinging tightly to the locked lever long after we had safely passed.
You know there many similarities that we can draw from this story we can maybe get a small glimpse of what our Heavenly Father felt when he allow his son to be crucified for our sins. But this day I would like to dwell on taking advantage of the opportunity that has been extended us to be forgiven of our sins through covenants we make each sunday with the Lord. I would like us to stop and think for just a extra minute this afternoon what the Savior really did for us, that it may not be in vain for our behalf.
"The covenant we make as members of the Church each time we partake of the Sacrament, should constantly be uppermost in our minds. Never should we eat the bread or drink the water, without a full realization of just what we are doing, and what it means to us." said President Joseph Fielding Smith.
As I travel Around the country I see signs put up by religious organizations saying that Jesus saves, Jesus died for sinners. I think that this is not totally correct he did not die for all sinners. Thats the way man would like it to be or at least sometimes but it is just too easy. He died for sinners, yes, in one way. He died for all men. He died for every creature, whether man or beast or whatever it is that partakes of death because of the fall of Adam.. The Lord cursed the earth and the fall came upon the earth and everything in it. The Lord died on the cross to give the resurrection to every soul. Every soul is to receive the resurrection. No matter what, every soul is redeemed that partook of the fall. We have the Lord's word for it in (D&C 29:22-26.)
It is a natural and logical thing then that the Lord would redeem everything that suffered the fall because of the transgression of Adam. Because he is going to renew it. So in that Way, the Lord died for every soul, for every creature, to give them back the body that they possessed, so that immortality will come to them. But the Lord did not die to redeem every soul from his sins. The Lord died on the cross to redeem only those who keep his commandments.
But, behold I say unto you that I, the Lord God, gave unto Adam and unto his seed, that they would not die as to the temporal death, until I, the Lord God, should send forth angels to declare unto them repentance and redemption, through faith on the name of mine Only Begotten son.And thus did I, the Lord God, appoint unto man the days of his probation that by his natural death he might be raised in immortality unto eternal life, even as many as would believe ;And they that believe not unto eternal damnation; for they cannot be redeemed from their spiritual fall, because they repent not. (D&C 29:42-44.)
And again, the Lord has borne witness unto us and declared that he does not by his death save sinners. Through the atonement of Jesus Christ he promises me and you And every member of this Church who will keep his commandments that we will have the privilege of freedom from our sins,unless we've sinned unto death. But he never promised to cleanse from sin any man who would not repent and receive the gospel. If we are still not sure from that passage, Lets look at one more:
For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I.
(D&C 19:16-17.)
so the unrepentant sinner, the man that will not receive the gospel of Jesus Christ and turn away from his sins And get the remission of his sins in the waters of baptism will have to pay the price of his own sinning, or else this scripture does not mean what it says: "For behold, I God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent; But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I." Now I think that's clear enough, isn't it?
Now it's the duty of the members of the Church to walk humbly and faithfully in the knowledge and understanding of the atonement of Jesus Christ.
Again if I may quote from President Joseph Fielding Smith " I wish we could get the members of the Church to understand more clearly the covenants they make when they partake of the Sacrament at our sacrament meetings. I have the feeling that A very large percentage of the members of the Church do not realize what it means to eat a little morsel of bread, drink a little cup of water in remembrance of the shedding of the blood of our Savior, Jesus Christ, And his sacrifice upon the Cross."
Let's review a little more closely the blessing. I am going to read it humbly so we'll understand what's in it:
O God, the Eternal Father, we ask thee in the name of thy son, Jesus Christ, to bless And sanctify this bread to the souls of all those who partake of it, that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy son, and always remember him And keep his commandments which he has given them,that they may always have his spirit to be with them. Amen. (D&C 20:77.)
Here we have five covenants. Every time we eat the bread and drink the water we renew the covenant we have made to remember Jesus Christ.We renew the covenant to take upon us his name and always remember him and keep his commandments. Covenants which we renew every time we partake of the sacrament
The covenant made embraces the following:
(First), that through the sanctified bread and water, we too, sanctify ourselves in partaking of it before our Heavenly Father, and in the name of Jesus Christ.
(Second), that we eat in remembrance of his broken body and of his blood that was shed for us. To eat in remembrance of him does that mean that I would just remember that nearly two thousand years Ago wicked men took him, hung him on the cross, drove nails in his hands And feet, And left him there to die? or does it have a far deeper meaning than that.
Why was he on the cross?
What benefit comes to me because he was on the cross?
What suffering did he go through on the cross that I might he redeemed or relieved of my sins?
Well,naturally A person would think: he had nails driven in his hands And his feet and he hung there until he died. But thousands died that Way. That was the favorite Way of putting people to death in that period of time. Not only did they die on crosses, but they covered their bodies with oil and set them on fire, which maybe was merciful because it brought life to an end more quickly.
Well, what else did he suffer?
This is a thing I think that most of us overlook. I Am convinced that his greatest suffering was not the driving of nails in his hands and in his feet and hanging on the cross, as excruciating and terrible as that was. He was carrying another load that was far more significant And penetrating. How? We do not understand clearly, but we can get a glimpse of it if we consider that.
There isn't one of us who hasn't done something wrong and then been sorry and wished we hadn't. Our conscience strikes us and we have been very, very miserable have you gone through that experience? Here we have the son of God carrying the burden of my transgressions and your transgressions and the transgressions of every soul that receives the gospel of Jesus Christ.
His greatest torment was not the nails in his hands or in his, feet, as bad as they were, but the torment of mind in some way that is not clear to me. But he carried the burden our burden. I added something to it; so did you. So did everybody else. He took it upon himself to pay the price that I might escape that you might escape the punishment on the conditions that we will receive his gospel And be true and faithful in it.
(Third), that we are willing to take upon us the name of the son, and not be ashamed of him. We belong to the Church of Jesus Christ, and if faithful have taken upon us his name. We are called by his name, the name given to the Church, the name the Lord said the Church would be known by in the last days. I think,we can get a pretty clear understanding of what it means to take upon us his name and be called by that name when we read in the fifth chapter of Mosiah the covenant that King Benjamin placed the people under. He (King Benjamin) placed his people under this covenant:
And now, these are the words which King Benjamin desired of them; and therefore he said unto them: Ye have spoken the words that I desired; And the covenant which ye have made is a righteous covenant. And now, because of the covenant which ye have made ye shall be called the children of Christ [those who covenanted to take upon them the name of Christ], his sons, and his daughters; for behold, this day he hath spiritually begotten you; for ye Say that your hearts have changed through faith on his name; therefore, ye are born of him And have become his sons And his daughters [spiritual sons And daughters of Jesus Christ ].
(Mosiah 5:6, 7.)
And they made this covenant
8 And under this head ye are made free, and there is no other head whereby ye can be made free. There is no other name given whereby salvation cometh; therefore, I would that ye should take upon you the name of Christ, all you that have entered into the covenant with God that ye should be obedient unto the end of your lives.
9 And it shall come to pass that whosoever doeth this shall be found at the right hand of God, for he shall know the name by which he is called; for he shall be called by the name of Christ.
10 And now it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall not take upon him the name of Christ must be called by some other name; therefore, he findeth himself on the left hand of God.
11 And I would that ye should remember also, that this is the name that I said I should give unto you that never should be blotted out, except it be through transgression; therefore, take heed that ye do not transgress, that the name be not blotted out of your hearts.
12 I say unto you, I would that ye should remember to retain the name written always in your hearts, that ye are not found on the left hand of God, but that ye hear and know the voice by which ye shall be called, and also, the name by which he shall call you.
(Mosiah 5:8-12)
When take upon us his name. We make a covenant with him, and in that covenant today, just as it was in the days of King Benjamin, we become the spiritual children, sons and daughters, of Jesus Christ, For did not he beget us in the sense of giving us life-eternal life through the resurrection of the dead?
(Fourth), we covenant that we will always remember him. This embodies the willingness to love and honor him.
(Fifth), that we will keep his commandments which he has given us. Have you every stopped to think what we commit to each week as we covenant to keep the commandments. One of those commandments is the sacrament itself.
28 And now behold, this is the commandment which I give unto you, that ye shall not suffer any one knowingly to partake of my flesh and blood unworthily, when ye shall minister it;
29 For whoso eateth and drinketh my flesh and blood unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to his soul; therefore if ye know that a man is unworthy to eat and drink of my flesh and blood ye shall forbid him.
(3 Nephi 18:28-29)
What does it mean to partake of the sacrament unworthily? I f any of the members are not in good standing; if they have in their hearts any feelings of hatred, envy, or sin of any kind; they should not partake of the sacrament. If there are any differences or feelings existing between brethren or sisters these differences should be adjusted before the guilty parties partake otherwise they eat and drink unworthily. The promise for those that will partake of the sacrament worthily is: Found in Mormon 9:29:
See that ye are not baptized unworthily; see that ye partake not of the sacrament of Christ unworthily; but see that ye do all things in worthiness, and do it in the name of Jesus Christ, the son of the living God; and if ye do this, and endure to the end, ye will in nowise be cast out. (Mormon 9:29)
The blessings and promises made to us if we do these things, are that we shall always have his Spirit to be with us.
I pray that we may partake of the sacrament worthily each week that we have his spirit to be with us, that we can endure to the end, will not be cast out . In the Name of Jesus Christ. Amen.