Sacrament Talk 08/22/2010: Sacrifice Brings Forth the Blessings

Aaron Kinser (San Bernardino First Ward - 08/22/2010)

When Did Sacrifice Begin?

When Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden for violating the Lord’s prohibition of eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the Lord continued to give word and commandment to Adam and Eve. Among the first commandments given to our first parents was to take the firstlings of their flocks and offer them unto the Lord in sacrifice.

They obeyed, though they knew not why such a command was given. Some time later an angel appeared and inquired of Adam the reason for such sacrifices. Declaring his ignorance, Adam stated the Lord’s command was reason enough. The angel then explained that sacrifice was commanded as “a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and truth.” (Moses 5:7). Adam was further commanded to have faith in the Savior and to repent of his sins.

This ordinance of sacrifice, instituted with Adam continued throughout Old Testament times. After the Law of Moses was given, following the expulsion from Egypt, the Lord again commanded that his chosen people were to offer sacrifice of the firstlings of the flock. These sacrifices, like the Son of God, were to be without blemish. (see e.g. Lev. 9:2-3). The Lord would not accept the leftovers as a sacrifice. Rather, he expected his faithful to select the best that they had and offer them to him.

The reasons that sacrifice was required of the Lord’s people were twofold. (M. Russell Ballard, “The Law of Sacrifice,” Liahona, Mar 2002). First, sacrifice is a test of faith. The Lord sent us to earth to test us and see if we would “do all things whatsoever the Lord [our] God shall command [us].” (Abr. 3:25). When we have true faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and recognize the importance of the gospel, we place him and the gospel first in our priorities. The second reason for sacrifice is that it brings us to Christ. As faithful followers of our Redeemer, the Israelites’ sacrifices were to prepare them for the sacrifice of the Savior that would come among them. It was to teach them how to learn about and draw nearer to the Redeemer of all mankind.

After the Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, the institution of blood sacrifices was fulfilled and no longer practiced. Rather, a new sacrifice was demanded: that of “a broken heart and a contrite spirit.” (3. Ne. 9:20). This involves recognition of one’s own sins and short-comings and offering them on the symbolic altar.

The Savior also explained what sacrifice was required of his people when he declared, “For whosoever will save his life, shall lose it; or whosoever will save his life, shall be willing to lay it down for my sake; and if he is not willing to lay it down for my sake, he shall lose it. But whosoever shall be willing to lose his life for my sake, and the gospel, the same shall save it.” (Mark 8:37-38 (JST)).

Jesus further explained the law of sacrifice when he was approached by a young ruler. This young ruler came to the Lord and asked what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus commanded him that he should follow the commandments and abstain from adultery, murder, theft, lying, and other such sinful behaviors. The young man responded that he had done these things since his youth. Jesus, clearly knowing the heart of this young man, said, “Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.” (Luke 18:22). Hearing this, the rich young man went away sorrowful.

Jesus then expounded, saying that it is difficult for those with riches to enter the Kingdom of God. (Luke 18:24-25). It is not necessarily the riches that will keep a man from Heaven, but rather the love of the same. The young man’s shortfall was not that he had the wealth; rather, it was that, when asked, he was unwilling to part with them for the sake of the Kingdom.

Our Pioneers Truly Sacrificed All that They Had

Like the saints of former days, latter-day saints are, and have been, expected to continually sacrifice for the Kingdom of God. Think about our pioneers. These faithful few joined the church because of their love of God and hope for the joy that his gospel brings to those that accept it.

Yet, mobs organized against them, their homes were destroyed, their were leaders jailed or tortured, their possessions were taken, they were driven out of cities that they had toiled for years to build, their temples taken and desecrated, and laws passed permitting their extermination. We cannot fathom the struggles and trials that they faced. While some did not have the faith to withstand these trials and to make the necessary sacrifices, many stayed the course and were blessed for it. To stay such a course required more sacrifice than many of us today can appreciate.

Additionally, I love to look at the example of the prophet Joseph Smith. There are few, I think, that could withstand and endure the trials and tribulations that he was asked to suffer. I think of the children he lost, the tarrings and featherings which he was subjected to, and the agony of betrayal as many of his closest friends turned against him and vilified him. I think of his false accusations and imprisonment, the struggles of providing for his family while trying to lead a church in its infantile state, and his unjust martyrdom while in the hands of those charged to maintain justice. Thinking of the pioneers and their lives, President N. Eldon Tanner of the First Presidency once asked, “Where would the Church be today without the sacrifices of the pioneers who suffered privation, hardships, trials, and discouraging experiences?” (N. Eldon Tanner, “Sacrifice,” Ensign, Jun 1981).

We Too Are Expected to Sacrifice

Although we are not asked to offer the firstlings of our own flocks on the altar, although we are not driven from our homes in the dead of winter by angry mobs, the expectation and commandments that latter-day saints sacrifice is no less present before us. But having obtained the peace and security for which our forefathers fought and sacrificed, some might ask why we mush continue to sacrifice? Isn’t the point of the gospel to experience the joy and blessings that come from being a faithful follower of our Father in Heaven?

We must sacrifice today for the same reasons that those of old were expected to sacrifice; sacrifice is a test of our faith and brings us to Christ. Sacrifice tests our faith by asking us to show what we care about more. We rightly decry the idea that simply professing a belief in Christ will merit salvation in his kingdom. We argue that more is required and right we are. If we claim that we believe in the Savior and wish to follow him, then we are often tested like the young ruler in New Testament times. We are not asked to sell all that we have and follow Christ, but we are asked to be willing to do so. We do not always know when we will be asked to sacrifice and what the offering will be, but our hearts must be such that we are ready should the Lord demand it of us.

A prime example of this willingness is found in the story of Abraham and his son Isaac. (Genesis 21-22). Abraham and his wife Sarah had wanted a child of their own for many years. They pleaded with the Lord to bless them with such, but even up until they were very old, no child was born. When Abraham was near 100 years old and his wife Sarah 90, the Lord appeared unto Abraham and informed him that a child would be born of Sarah. Though skeptical at first, how great must have been their joy when they were blessed with Isaac.

As great as their joy must have been, so their sorrow when Abraham was commanded to take Isaac to the top of a mountain and offer him in sacrifice to the Lord. In all difficulty, Abraham submitted to the will of his Father in Heaven and did as he was commanded. Eventually the Lord stopped Abraham from killing his son, but stated that Abraham was being tested to see whether he would withhold anything, including his own son, from the Lord. Although he was not asked to go through with it, we should note that it was not until Abraham and grabbed the knife and stretched forth his hand to kill his son that the Lord stopped him. Abraham was willing to sacrifice, even though he, like Adam, was not fully aware of the Lord’s reasons for such a command. Both Adam and Abraham only received an explanation for the commandment after they were faithful in keeping it.

To some it might seem that given the relative abundance and ease of life which we now enjoy, it should be easier to give to the Lord, but that is not necessarily the case. President Brigham Young cautioned, “Poverty, persecution and oppression we have endured; many of us have suffered the loss of all things in a worldly point of view. Give us prosperity and see if we would bear it, and be willing to serve God. See if we would be as willing to sacrifice millions as we were to sacrifice what we had when in comparative poverty” (Deseret News Weekly, 26 October 1870, 443). This may be the situation that many of the latter-day saints face today. But we must remember that “of him unto whom much is given much is required.” (D&C 82:3).

In addition to being willing to give all that we have to the Lord, we must be willing to keep his commandments. Elder Russell M. Nelson, of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles taught that “the laws of obedience and sacrifice are indelibly intertwined.” (Rusell M. Nelson, “Lessons from Eve,” Ensign, Nov. 1987). When we are obedient to the Lord’s commands, we are offering the only thing that is truly our own: our will. All that we have earned or been given in this life is from the Lord. As King Benjamin taught, we are “eternally indebted” to the Lord. Because of the Lord’s respect and love of agency, our will is our own. The Lord will command, inspire, and even entice us to follow him, but he will not force us .

As we are willing to sacrifice, we also are drawing nearer to Christ. As we seek to obey this law of sacrifice, our faith is increased and we can draw nearer to the Lord. Joseph Smith explained this relationship between faith and sacrifice thus: “Let us here observe, that a religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation; … it is through the medium of the sacrifice of all earthly things that men do actually know that they are doing the things that are well pleasing in the sight of God. When a man has offered in sacrifice all that he has for the truth’s sake, not even withholding his life, and believing before God that he has been called to make this sacrifice because he seeks to do his will, he does know, most assuredly, that God does and will accept his sacrifice and offering, and that he has not, nor will not seek his face in vain. Under these circumstances, then, he can obtain the faith necessary for him to lay hold on eternal life” (Lectures on Faith).

Our willingness to sacrifice is what brings us to Christ and prepares us to be heirs of all that our Father has in his kingdom.

There Are Many Ways That We Can Sacrifice

Despite the fact that we are asked to be willing to give all of our time, talents, energy, and heart to the Kingdom of God, or the church, it is not likely that we will be asked to sacrifice that much. So, how can we keep this commandment?

Some are asked to give much, others little. One way in which families can sacrifice is to send their young men and women into the mission field. For many of us, this had been a sacrifice, but not a burdensome one. Yes, we miss the young men and women, but we are proud for them and want them to continue. This is not necessarily the case for all. For example, there was a young Korean missionary serving in my mission who was the only member of his family. His parents had no interest in the church and were strongly opposed to his serving a mission. Yet he went. He was essentially disowned, his letters returned, and his phone calls unanswered. By serving a mission, he sacrificed much more. Yet he served because he knew that the gospel is true.

There are countless other ways that we can sacrifice. When we pay tithing and fast offerings, we are sacrificing our finances and wealth to the church. It does not matter the amount. The widow’s mite was more valuable than all the riches of that sorrowful young ruler. The widow’s willingness to give her all added value beyond measure to the pittance she gave.

When we do our home-teaching or visiting-teaching, or fulfill our callings in the church, we are giving of our time and ourselves. The same when we read the scriptures, pray, serve a mission, or attend the temple. When we act as member-missionaries, we are giving of our comfort and convenience.

And so it is with every commandment the Lord gives us. We are asked to sacrifice, but we are promised great blessings.

Great Blessings Follow Those Who Sacrifice

As discussed, our willingness to sacrifice increases our faith and brings us to Christ. Were there nothing else, this would be enough. The priceless value of forgiveness and salvation is without equal. Yet, we are blessed in many more ways. The Lord promised that blessings will always accompany the keeping of commandments. Doctrine and Covenants 130:20-21 teaches us that “[t]here is a law, irrevocably decreed in heaven before the foundations of this world, upon which all blessings are predicated—And when we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.”

One discussion that I had with my mission president brought about an interesting twist on a well-known scripture. The scriptures declare that “of him unto whom much is given much is required.” (D&C 82:3). My mission president pointed out that while this is true, the converse of this is also true. Thus, “to him of whom much is required, much is given.” The Lord has the choicest blessings in store for those who are willing to sacrifice their all for him. He promised that “there is no man that hath left house, or parents, or brethren, or wife, or children, for the kingdom of God’s sake, who shall not receive manifold more in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting.” (Luke 18:29-30).

If we are willing to sacrifice, we will truly be blessed in ways that we cannot fathom. Just as Adam and Abraham were asked to sacrifice without fully understanding the reasons, we too are often asked to sacrifice “not knowing beforehand” the reasons for the sacrifice. (1 Ne. 4:6).

We likewise may not know what the blessings from such sacrifices until after we have made the sacrifice. There are some blessings that are specifically promised to those who are willing to keep the commandments, which is a form of sacrifice. Those who follow the Word of Wisdom are promised that they “shall receive health... shall find wisdom and treasures of knowledge...[a]nd shall run and not be weary, and shall walk and not faint.” (D&C 89:18-20).

The specificity of those blessings is not found in all commandments. To those who keep the law of tithing and sacrifice a tenth of their earnings to the Lord, he promises that he will “open...the windows of heaven, and pour [them] out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.” (Malachi 3:10). The form of this blessing is not always known to us beforehand, but we know that the Lord “cannot lie.” (Titus 1:2).

Earlier I asked where the church would be today without the sacrifices of the pioneers? So I ask, Where will the church be tomorrow is we are unwilling to sacrifice? If we are unwilling to sacrifice, our faith will not gain the necessary root to survive and grow. But if we are willing, our faith will take root such that it cannot be removed. We will be blessed, as will the Kingdom of God on the earth. I testify that I know these things to be true and that the sacrifice truly does bring forth the blessings of heaven. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.