Monday, August 15, 2016

Sunday Lesson, Aug 14th

Our lesson last week came from the Howard W. Hunter manual, Chp. 15, The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. Our teacher summarized the story for us about Pres. Hunter when he was a young man and had turned 12. He had not been baptized yet and therefore could not receive the Aaronic Priesthood and be ordained a deacon. Young Howard was disappointed that he could not pass the sacrament with the young men at church. He recalls, "I sat in sacrament meetings with the other boys. When it was time for them to pass the sacrament, I would slump down in my seat. I felt so left out." Months after his 12th birthday young Hunter persuaded his father to let him be baptized. He was soon after ordained a deacon. "I remember the first time I passed the sacrament," he said. "I was frightened, but thrilled to have the privilege."

Years later as an Apostle of the Lord, Howard W. Hunter would regularly participate in the ordinance of the sacrament with other General Authorities in the Salt Lake Temple. Elder David B. Haight described the experience of hearing him bless the sacrament: "I wish the Aaronic Priesthood boys throughout the Church could have the same opportunity of hearing Elder Hunter bless the sacrament as we have had in the temple. He is a special witness of Christ. As I have listened to him ask our Heavenly Father to bless the sacrament, I have felt of the deep spirituality in his soul. Every word was clear and meaningful. He was not in a hurry, not rushed." Pres. Hunter had a lifelong reverence for the sacred emblems of Christ's atoning sacrifice.

The Passover declared that death has no permanent power on us. Pres. Hunter often help church members understand the significance of the sacrament by explaining it's connection to the ancient celebration of the Passover. "Passover is linked with the Christian observance of Easter . . . . The Passover [and Easter] testify of the great gift God has given and of the sacrifice that was involved in its bestowal. Both of these great religious commemorations declare that death would 'pass over' us and could have no permanent power upon us, and that the grave would have no victory."

During a feast commemorating the Passover, the Savior instituted the ordinance of the sacrament. After much preparations for the Passover meal for Christ and his disciples, Jesus sat down with them and taught them a newer and holier meaning of the bread and wine. "He took one of the flat, round loaves of unleavened bread, said the blessing over it, and broke it into pieces that he distributed to the Apostles, saying: "This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me." (Luke 22:19).

Pres. Hunter says, "In this simple but impressive manner the Savior instituted the ordinance now known as the sacrament of the Lord's supper. With the suffering of Gethsemane, the sacrifice of Calvary, and the resurrection from the garden tomb, Jesus fulfilled the ancient law and ushered in a new dispensation based on a higher, holier understanding of the law of sacrifice....This is the majesty of the Atonement and Resurrection, not just a passover from death, but a gift of eternal life by and infinite sacrifice."

Pres. Hunter then teaches us, "How fitting it was during the observance of this ancient covenant of protection [the Passover meal] that Jesus should institute the emblems of the new covenant of safety - the emblems of his own body and blood. As he took the bread and broke it, and took the cup and blessed it, he was presenting himself as the Lamb of God who would provide spiritual nourishment and eternal salvation."

Our participation in the sacrament is an opportunity to review our lives and renew our covenants. We need to work hard to prepare ourselves to partake of the sacrament worthily. We should ask ourselves this question: Do I place God above all other things and keep all of His commandments? Pres. Hunter says, "To make a covenant with the Lord to always keep His commandments is a serious obligation, and to renew that covenant by partaking of the sacrament is equally serious. The solemn moments of thought while the sacrament is being served have great significance. They are moments of self-examination, introspection, self-discernment - a time to reflect and to resolve."

Doctrine and Covenants 59:9-10 says: "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; For verily this is a day appointed unto you to rest from your labors, and to pay thy devotions unto the Most High."

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