Jacob 1 - That We Might Persuade Them to Come Unto Christ I'm taking an online economics class right now, which prompted me to think of the definition of economics in the context of the scriptures. Economics is the study of the allocation of scarce resources. In the case of Nephi and his successor Jacob, the plates upon which they engraved their record was a scarce resource. They were costly to make and difficult to engrave, and instilling a tradition of passing them through generations was surely cumbersome. Recognizing the great importance of spiritual things and the challenge of maintaining records, Nephi instructed Jacob to prioritize religious instruction saying, " if there were preaching which was sacred, or revelation which was great, or prophesying, that I should engraven the heads of them upon these plates, and touch upon them as much as it were possible, for Christ’s sake, and for the sake of our people" (Jacob 1:4). This priority was not only reflecte...
... And Were Filled
When Christ instituted the sacrament among the Nephites, the record notes that "he took of the bread and brake and blessed it; and he gave unto the disciples and commanded that they should eat. And when they had eaten and were filled, he commanded that they should give unto the multitude," and that the multitude ate "and were filled" (3 Nephi 18:3-5). This phrase also follows the blessing and partaking of the wine. The Nephite disciples "did drink of it and were filled; and they gave unto the multitude, and they did drink, and they were filled. (3 Nephi 18:9). The language is somewhat ambiguous, but I don't imagine that this phrase literally means that the Nephites ate a meal of bread and wine and were physically satiated. Either way, I'm curious to know what it means to be figuratively "filled" by the sacrament. When we take the sacrament we are promised that we will always have the spirit to be with us if we take upon us the name of Christ, keep the commandments, remember Christ. Physically, eating food nourishes and satiates us. It helps us survive and give us energy to do things. I like to think of the sacrament and the role of the Holy Ghost in this way. Christ also emphasized the singular importance of the sacrament and warned against embellishing or adding to it saying "whoso among you shall do more or less than these are not built upon my rock" (3 Nephi 19:14). I think we all face the temptation of placing additional expectations on ourselves and others. Sometimes when I'm disappointed in myself of my situation (because I haven't lived up to an invented standard) I'll chide myself by saying, "You sure have a lot of rules for being happy!" The gospel is simple. What God expects of us is limited and achievable.
The parallels between taking the sacrament and eating continue. We need to eat regularly to survive, and the sacrament is a weekly ritual. Christ warned the Nephites to be consistently vigilant to avoid sin. He said, "ye must watch and pray always lest ye enter into temptation; for Satan desireth to have you, that he may sift you as wheat” (3 Nephi 18:18). Food keeps us alive and gives us energy. Good nutrition also helps us stave off disease. God has designed our spirits and our bodies to need constant support. Spiritually this nourishment comes in the form of scripture study, prayer, and the sacrament.
Ye Shall Not Forbid Any Man from Coming Unto You
Christ made a particular point in commanding the Nephites to meet weekly and partake of the sacrament worthily that “ye shall not forbid any man from coming unto you when ye shall meet together” (3 Nephi 18:22). I don't see many people actively uninviting friends and family from coming to church. There are no bouncers or ID checks or tickets to enter a chapel. In principle most members of the church are committed to sharing the gospel and inviting others to come. And yet there are many who do not feel welcome or included in ward congregations. What are the subtle things we do that unintentionally alienate and inadvertently forbid those that could most use the comfort and healing of the gospel from joining in Sunday worship?
I recently interpreted for a member of our Area Presidency, Peter F. Meurs, as he provided training for Stake Presidents and Bishops in northern Taiwan. He posed a hypothetical question about a new member recently ordained the the Aaronic priesthood. He directly asked the bishops what they would do if this new brother in the church came to bless or pass the sacrament wearing a black t-shirt and tennis shoes. With some hesitation, the consensus among the bishops was that they would still let him participate in the priesthood ordinance. Elder Meurs then pressed them asking, "What if he smelled of cigarette smoke" implying that he was not perfectly keeping the Word of Wisdom. The silence was almost painful as bishops grappled internally with the question before one finally answered, "I would still let him pass the sacrament." Elder Meurs confirmed that we can have tolerance and patience for those working to change and align their lives and behavior with God's counsel. He warned that criticism and unrealistic expectations could derail this individuals spiritual progression. There is a higher good to be gained by granting space to grow without demanding immediate perfection.
We might feel that certain values, beliefs, and ways of thinking are incompatible with a life in the church. But the fact is we all fall short of the standard of Christ. None of us have it all figured out. Christ taught “I have commanded that none of you should go away, but rather have commanded that ye should come unto me, that ye might feel and see; even so shall ye do unto the world; and whosoever breaketh this commandment suffereth himself to be led into temptation“ (3 Nephi 18:25). If we push others away we put ourselves in spiritual danger. Christ's commandment is clear: “ye shall not cast him out from among you, but ye shall minister unto him and shall pray for him unto the Father, in my name“ (3 Nephi 18:30). God does not need us to be gatekeepers. Bishops have a unique role as a Judge in Israel to discipline those who deliberately undermining the faith of others, but for most of us our role is to minister. Christ extended the promise that if “ye shall not cast him out of your synagogues, or your places of worship, for unto such shall ye continue to minister; for ye know not but what they will return and repent, and come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal them; and ye shall be the means of bringing salvation unto them“ (3 Nephi 18:32).
Our love and tolerance of others is more powerful change agent than our enforcement of rules. Of course we all aspire to live to God's higher standard, but criticism and rejection prevent all of us from getting there.
Application Questions
How can I make my weekly experience with the sacrament more meaningful?
In what ways am I "forbidding others from coming to you?" How can I help other feel more welcome at church?
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