Saturday, October 29, 2011

Sacrament - Clearest Example of Its Importance in the Scriptures

When thinking about why John would include Jesus' explanation of his body and blood being critical for eternal life, I thought of who he wrote the book of John for. It's widely believed John wrote this gospel specifically for the members of the Church, the Saints. He goes into great detail redacting a speech Jesus gave the day after he fed the 5,000. None of the other gospels give this speech. The speech essentially explains that Jesus is greater than Moses and that while Moses offered manna to the people, which fed them temporarily, Jesus offered spiritual bread and water, which ensured eternal life and living with the Father forever.

The promises for eating the living bread(body) and living water (blood) of Christ are great. Jesus promises eternal life and living with the Father for those who do. Every Sunday we partake of the Sacrament, which consists of bread to represent the body of Christ and water to represent the blood of Christ. It is a representation of what we're asked to do, to come unto Christ and by doing so, accept his Sacrifice for us. John's inclusion of this helps to illustrate how critical the Sacrament is for Church members. I appreciate his emphasis on this.

Here's some of the verses from John 6:

52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye aeat the flesh of the bSon of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

54 Whoso eateth my aflesh, and drinketh my bblood, hath eternal life; cand I will draise him up at the last day.

55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, adwelleth in me, and I in him.

57 As the living Father hath asent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall blive by me.

58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.

I should also mention that John 6:66-68 are among my favorite verses in all of the scriptures. After many left Jesus because of his teaching about his role as the Savior of the world, Jesus asked the apostles if they would also leave. I believe Peter's response is similar to mine. I have thought many times that I could never leave the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints because I could not find the truth or have the experiences I have in this church any other place. I am absolutely convinced of this. Here's the verses:

66 ¶From that time many of his adisciples went back, and bwalked no more with him.

67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?

68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the awords of eternal life.

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