Lessons on the Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ and His Apostles
Lesson No. Thirty-Four
The Sacrament and the Plan of Ordinances
The sacrament unifies us with God and His Son and with each other in the great plan of salvation – Paul taught that the sacrament is an ordinance that we share with other believers, and that this ordinance helps “many” to become “one” in Christ (1 Corinthians 10:17). Worthily partaking of the sacrament unifies us with God as His children and with each other as brothers and sisters in the great plan of salvation.
Knowledge of the plan of salvation has been restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. The plan of salvation teaches how the children of God can “progress toward perfection and ultimately realize their divine destiny as heir of eternal life” (The Family – A Proclamation to the World). Partaking of the sacrament reminds us of the central role of the Lord Jesus Christ in the plan of salvation.
“The plan of ordinances” describes an essential part of the plan of salvation – Because of the restoration of the Gospel and through the teachings of the Book of Mormon and of latter day prophets the knowledge of the plan of salvation has been restored in the latter days. As part of this restoration the Prophet Joseph Smith introduced the doctrine of “the plan of ordinances.” In Nauvoo in 1840 while restoring the doctrine of temple worship, the Prophet Joseph spoke of “the plan of ordinances for the salvation of [Adam’s] posterity unto the end” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 167).
The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that “the ordinances of the gospel…were laid out before the foundations of the world” and “are not to be altered or changed. All must be saved on the same principles” (Ibid).
The importance of ordinances in enduring to the end of our mortal life – Latter day revelation teaches that God has established unchangeable, eternal ordinances as an essential part of the plan of salvation. The Lord emphasized the importance of ordinances when He said, “in the ordinances [of the priesthood] the power of godliness is manifest” (D&C 84:20). This is true with all the ordinances of the gospel, and it is especially true with the ordinance of the sacrament. By partaking of the sacrament weekly and continuously striving to repent we receive the enabling grace of Christ which gives us power to endure to the end and stay on the path which leads to eternal life.
Partaking of the sacrament is an important part of retaining a remission of our sins from day to day – King Benjamin taught the importance of retaining a remission of our sins from day to day. (See Mosiah 4:10-12, 26) From ancient and modern prophets we learn that if we have faith in Christ and repent and are baptized and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost we can receive a remission of our sins. We retain a remission of our sins from week to week as we repent and renew our baptismal covenants by worthily partaking of the sacrament.
Our testimony of the blessings that come from partaking of the sacrament – My wife Susan and I are service missionaries at the University of Utah Hospital and at the Huntsman Cancer Hospital. Every Sunday we are assigned part of a patient floor where we hold mini-sacrament meetings in individual rooms with patients who are members of the Church and who desire to partake of the sacrament.
We have found that committed members of the Church are very grateful for the opportunity to renew their covenants. An opportunity to partake of the sacrament is a reminder of our dependence on the Lord, and of our continuing need to repent and improve. Some patients may not be as committed to the Lord and His Church as they once were. But on the Sabbath, in their hospital room, as they partake of the sacrament they often recognize this as an invitation for them to return and become one with the Lord and with His Church.
One of the great blessings from our service at the hospital is that each time we participate in a mini sacrament service, in an individual hospital room, we are reminded that we must be willing to take upon us the name of Christ, and always remember Him, and keep His commandments which He has given us. And we know from experience that if we do these things His promise is fulfilled, and we enjoy the companionship of His Spirit.