Jesus Christ is the Lord of the Sabbath

February’s discussion on the Sabbath begins by asking the question “Why do you think that Jesus Christ is called the Lord of the Sabbath?” As we study the outlined scriptures, keeping that question in our minds and in our hearts, I believe the answer to that question will be clear and we will gain some very personal insights.

Let’s begin with the scripture found in Doctrine and Covenants 6:36 and 37, reading it as if it were written to each of us personally. The Savior is speaking here. What is He saying to me? “Look unto me in every thought; doubt not, fear not. Behold the wounds which pierced my side, and also the prints of the nails in my hands and feet; be faithful, keep my commandments, and ye shall inherit the kingdom of heaven.”1 There is so much packed in these two scriptures! Is He not telling us to look at the wounds in his hands, feet and side? Is He not telling us that because of His atoning sacrifice, if we are faithful and keep the commandments, we have nothing to fear? If we look to Him always and in all things, there is no reason to doubt? And is there a more beautiful assurance that, because of Him, one day we can return to our heavenly home to live with Him and our Heavenly Father?

The two scriptures in Ether and Moroni are also invitations to us. In them, Moroni invites us to seek Jesus so that grace “may be and abide in you forever”2 and to come unto Christ “that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ” and “sanctified in Christ by the grace of God, through the shedding of the blood of Christ, which is in the covenant of the Father unto the remission of your sins, that ye become holy, without spot.”3 These three scriptures invite us to look, seek and come. Looking, seeking and coming all have the purpose of drawing us to the Savior, allowing His Atonement to change us and redeem us.

Surely we can see some of the words in each of these scriptures helping to point our thoughts to the ordinance of the sacrament. As we partake of the emblems of the sacrament, it is a tangible as well as a spiritual reminder that Jesus Christ truly is the Lord of the Sabbath.

D. Todd Christofferson recently taught, “The symbolism of the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper is beautiful to contemplate. The bread and water represent the flesh and blood of Him who is the Bread of Life and the Living Water, poignantly reminding us of the price He paid to redeem us. As the bread is broken, we remember the Savior’s torn flesh. … As we drink the water, we think of the blood He shed in Gethsemane and on the cross and its sanctifying power.”4 He reminded us of the need to receive “the Savior’s atoning grace to take away our sins and the stain of those sins in us.”4 But there is something more Elder Christofferson wants us to remember. It goes to the very heart of the Savior’s invitation to look unto Him in every thought, to Moroni’s invitation to seek Jesus and come unto Christ, and to our sacramental covenant to always remember Him. “Figuratively eating His flesh and drinking His blood has a further meaning, and that is to internalize the qualities and character of Christ, putting off the natural man and becoming Saints ‘through the atonement of Christ the Lord.’ As we partake of the sacramental bread and water each week, we would do well to consider how fully and completely we must incorporate His character and the pattern of His sinless life into our life and being. Jesus could not have atoned for the sins of others unless He Himself was sinless. Since justice had no claim on Him, He could offer Himself in our place to satisfy justice and then extend mercy. As we remember and honor His atoning sacrifice, we should also contemplate His sinless life. This suggests the need for a mighty striving on our part. We cannot be content to remain as we are but must be moving constantly toward ‘the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ.’”4

So how do we accomplish this “mighty striving”? Certainly the sacrament is a tremendous blessing to aid us in that striving. Each week we can begin anew, repenting, making necessary corrections in our striving and worthily partaking of the sacrament. Robert D. Hales testified that “the sacrament give us an opportunity to come to ourselves and experience ‘a mighty change’ of heart—to remember who we are and what we most desire.”5 But mighty striving cannot be a Sunday-only thing. Cheryl A. Esplin said, “As we partake of the sacrament, we witness to God that we will remember His Son always, not just during the brief sacrament ordinance. This means that we will constantly look to the Savior’s example and teachings to guide our thoughts, our choices, and our acts.”6

Grace also plays an important part in our striving. Sometimes we find it hard to define or fully understand grace. I have truly enjoyed my additional study on the subject. The Bible Dictionary defines grace as the “divine means of help or strength, given through the bounteous mercy and love of Jesus Christ. … It is likewise through the grace of the Lord that individuals, through faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ and repentance of their sins, receive strength and assistance to do good works that they otherwise would not be able to maintain if left to their own means. This grace is an enabling power that allows men and women to lay hold on eternal life and exaltation after they have expended their own best efforts.”7

The apostles and prophets speak often of grace. These are a few of my favorite quotes:

“While Jesus is the only one to have led a sinless life, those who come unto Him and take His yoke upon them have claim on His grace, which will make them as He is, guiltless and spotless.” – D. Todd Christofferson8

“Trust and confidence in Christ and a ready reliance on His merits, mercy, and grace lead to hope, through His Atonement. …The power of the Atonement makes repentance possible and quells the despair caused by sin; it also strengthens us to see, do, and become good in ways that we could never recognize or accomplish with our limited mortal capacity.” – David A. Bednar9

“The mercy and grace of Jesus Christ are not limited to those who commit sins either of commission or omission, but they encompass the promise of everlasting peace to all who will accept and follow Him and His teachings. His mercy is the mighty healer, even to the wounded innocent.” – Boyd K. Packer10

“By His grace He will do for you what you cannot do for yourself.” – Neil L. Andersen11

The beautiful sacrament hymn, “With Humble Heart,” reminds us of our dependence on the Savior and our need for His grace in our lives to become more like Him.

With humble heart, I bow my head

And think of thee, O Savior, Lord.

I take the water and the bread

To show remembrance of thy word.

Help me remember, I implore,

Thou gav’st thy life on Calvary,

That I might live forevermore

And grow, dear Lord, to be like thee.

To be like thee! I lift my eyes

From earth below toward heav’n above,

That I may learn from vaulted skies

How I my worthiness can prove.

As I walk daily here on earth,

Give me thy Spirit as I seek

A change of heart, another birth,

And grow, dear Lord, to be like thee.12

The change of heart that we seek in our mighty striving would be in vain if not for the ordinances and covenants of the gospel and the grace of Christ. As Elder Bednar explains, “Ordinances and covenants are the building blocks we use to construct our lives upon the foundation of Christ and His Atonement. We are connected securely to and with the Savior as we worthily receive ordinances and enter into covenants, faithfully remember and honor those sacred commitments, and do our best to live in accordance with the obligations we have accepted. And that bond is the source of spiritual strength and stability in all of the seasons of our lives.”9

That leads us to our final scripture. Helaman 5:12 is one of my favorites. There are a few words in it that really stand out to me. I find it particularly instructive that we are told to “remember, remember.”13 That seems to be both an admonition and a pleading. And what are we to remember?—“that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation.”13 Oh how we should pay attention to the word must. The word when is also quite instructive—“when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you.”13 It seems clear that we are being warned that Satan will tempt us and try to weaken us, quite aggressively in fact! There is also a wonderful truth this scripture teaches. Satan will “have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.”13 This blessing is, however, conditional. Why will Satan have no power over us? The word if reminds us that it is imperative that we build our foundation on the Savior. He is the source of that power which gives us the strength necessary to withstand Satan’s tactics. But we must come to Him. He must be our foundation.

What gratitude and love should fill our hearts as we contemplate what the Savior has done for us! Especially on the Sabbath day, we should center our thoughts on Him. Russell M. Nelson reminds us, “The Sabbath was given as a perpetual covenant, a constant reminder that the Lord may sanctify His people. We partake of the sacrament on the Sabbath day in remembrance of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. We covenant that we are willing to take upon us His holy name. The Savior identified Himself as Lord of the Sabbath. It is His day!”14

May we strive to more fully keep each Sabbath day holy. May we look to the Savior in every thought. As surely as we seek Him and come unto Him, we will find Him. For as Jeffrey R. Holland lovingly reminded us, “In this and every hour He is, with nail-scarred hands, extending to us … grace, holding on to us and encouraging us, refusing to let us go until we are safely home in the embrace of Heavenly Parents.”15

References:

1. Doctrine and Covenants 6:36-37

2. Ether 12:41

3. Moroni 10:32

4. The Living Bread Which Came Down From Heaven – D. Todd Christofferson

5. Coming Unto Ourselves: The Sacrament, the Temple and Sacrifice in Service – Robert D. Hales

6. The Sacrament—a Renewal for the Soul – Cheryl A. Esplin

7. Grace – Bible Dictionary

8. Reflections on a Consecrated Life – D. Todd Christofferson

9. Therefore They Hushed Their Fears – David A. Bednar

10. The Reason For Our Hope – Boyd K. Packer

11. What Thinks Christ of Me? – Neil L. Andersen