Ethan's First Sacrament Talk

I was asked to give a  talk on Alma chapter 7:10-14

 And behold, he shall be born of Mary, at Jerusalem which is the land of our forefathers, she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, who shall be overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even the Son of God.

  And he shall go forth, suffering pains and afflictions and temptations of every kind; and this that the word might be fulfilled which saith he will take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his people.

The prophet Alma provides some very important information to help our understanding of Jesus Christ. He explains that Jesus Christ would be qualified not only to pay the price of our sins because He himself would be spotless and free of sin, but that by suffering great afflictions, pains, temptations and sorrow, He would understand anything we might go through in our lives.  We learn that Jesus not only loves us, but he understands us and has sympathy for our struggles.

Jesus Christ understands our grief, our fears, the weight of our trials and he offers to help us endure the burden well and to make it light.  He provides us a way to free ourselves from the guilt and pain associated with our sins. 

In Alma 7:14 it says; Now I say unto you that ye must ^arepent, and be born again; for the Spirit saith if ye are not born again ye cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven; therefore come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye may be washed from your sins, that ye may have faith on the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, who is mighty to save and to cleanse from all unrighteousness.

Alma explains what we must do to qualify for the gifts offered through the Atonement.  He says we must repent of our sins, and be baptized.  Once we repent we covenant with God through baptism that we will take upon us His name, will always remember Him and will strive to keep His commandments that we may always have His spirit to be with us.  Each week as we take the Sacrament we renew that covenant and we repeat that process as we endure to the end.

This is the true meaning of Christmas.  God loved us so much that He sent His son into the world to redeem us and make it possible for us to come back into his presence.  The freedom and hope he offers us goes beyond the boundaries of our short life on earth but into the eternities.  The life and mission of this child born in humble circumstances was so magnificent that choirs of angels sang at his birth, halleluiah; and on Earth, peace, goodwill toward men.

I’m grateful for the atonement of Jesus Christ and the hope that it gives to me and my family.  I hope we can remember this gift that was given to us and how we might receive it with gratitude as we celebrate Christmas this year.

 I say these things in the name of Jesus Christ Amen.