Jeffrey has been talking about baptism and the resurrection of the just today at breakfast. Jesus Christ of course, can resurrect someone whenever, or however he wants. Those who are baptized can (if qualified) be resurrected in the Resurrection of the Just. That means early and is for a select group of people. Christ would like to make that a very large group of people.
My mind has been focusing on this principal as he went down all the scriptures that talk about baptism and the Resurrection of the Just and how they connect.
Today in church while the sacrament hymn was playing, I looked at the sacrament table, that is like a shroud over the bread and water – or flesh and blood of Jesus Christ. I thought about the saints in 3 Nephi when a group of them were gathered at the temple talking about all the things that had gone on that year regarding the death of Jesus Christ and the destruction in their land. Jesus Christ appears to them and one of the first things that happens is they are all baptized again. Well, I presume again as they seem to be faithful people who were already at the temple.
Then Jesus Christ gives them the sacrament and tells them how important it is. The very next morning he has the sacrament again. If the first thing Christ does when he comes to visit a people is give the ordinances of baptism and the sacrament, it must be very important.
As the young men very carefully lifted once side of the cloth covering the bread and carefully lifting the other side that covers the water a scripture in John six came to mind where Jesus tells his disciples:
“53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise 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, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.”
It was shortly after that some of his disciples turned and walked with him no more. They felt this was hard.
The sacramental prayers tell us just what is meant by eating his flesh symbolized by the bread and drinking his blood symbolized by drinking the water. We are to be a witness of God at all times and places, we are to follow his commandments, and remember him. We are to become like him and take on his characteristics. He doesn’t ask us to do this all at once, but to take time each week to remember him to become like him to be so close we become just like him. When we eat or drink it becomes part of who we are. That is what he is asking that we become like him and part of who he is to our very core.
We should be becoming like him every week.
If we are like Him, then his Father in a future day, will welcome us to live with Him.
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