It's Saturday night as this is what I have prepared for tomorrow. Let's hope it goes well!
(One the board)Define:
Ordinance-a rite or ceremony (baptism is the first)
Gospel Principle-a true belief or teaching (first two are faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and repentance)
Covenant-a two way promise between you and the Lord
Intro:
(Last year, I taught plenty of lessons about baptism…but to six, seven and eight year olds...we'll see how this goes!)
I was that pain-in-the-rear-end kid, and teenager, that always wanted to know why…why, why, why, why? I suppose nothing has changed because that's what came into my mind when I looked at the title of this lesson.
As sisters attending RS, the vast majority of us are baptized already. We’ve both been taught about, and made the commitment to, the covenant of baptism. So why are we learning about it all over again? And what are we supposed to be learning now-post baptism- that we don’t already know? How should my lesson today differ from those I taught the children in Primary?
Between my own thoughts and the thoughts of modern day prophets I’ve come up with a few reasons why we should continually learn about and ponder our baptism. What reasons can you come up with?
Why we need to learn about baptism long after we exit the waters ourselves:
-So we can teach our children
-So we can review and recommit to the covenants we’ve made
-So we can make the sacrament we partake of each week more meaningful, as it was intended to be
-To help us more fully live the gospel
-To remind us of the importance of baptism for the dead (give ourselves a kick in the pants and remind us to reach whatever person goal we have set for the temple-to help those who are waiting for us to do their work)
‘When we understand our baptismal covenant and the gift of the Holy Ghost, it will change our lives and will establish our total allegiance to the kingdom of God. When temptations come our way, if we will listen, the Holy Ghost will remind us that we have promised to remember our Savior and obey the commandments of God.” Elder Robert D. Hales
So let’s start at the basics...
Why is it imperative that we be baptized?
-For the remission of our sins (Acts 2:38, 22:16)
-To become members of the Church (D&C 20:37)
-To receive the Holy Ghost (Moses 6:52)
-To show obedience (Jesus was baptized to fulfill all righteousness, Matthew 3:15, 2Ne 31:12-13)
-To enter the Celestial Kingdom
What are a few key ingredients to baptism?
-Correct mode of baptism-by immersion (D&C 20:73-74...Paul taught that it is symbolic of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection-Romans 6)
-By those who have proper priesthood authority (so as to not mock God? Done in right spirit for the right reason? So God can covenant with us?)
-Age of accountability (Mormon said it was a mockery to baptize children because they aren’t capable of sinning, Moroni 8:9-22, Matthew 19:14)
Why is authority to perform a baptism important (my thoughts?-Again, so you’re not mocking God, so it’s done in the right spirit for the right reason, because if one isn’t authorized of God, God cannot make a covenant with them)
What might you say to a friend who believes that infants need to be baptized? (We believe that man will be punished for his own sins, not for Adam’s transgressions…Jesus spoke of little children saying “of such is the kingdom of heaven”-Matthew 19:14)
What covenants/promises do we make?
Alma explained that we must WANT to be called the people of God, to help and comfort each other, to stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things and in all places. When we have the desire to do these things, we should be baptized. When we do, we make a covenant with him. We promise to:
-Repent & Come into the fold
-Bear one another’s burdens
-Stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all places
-Serve God and keep his commandments
(Mosiah 18)
President Brigham Young said: “All Latter-day Saints enter the new and everlasting covenant when they enter this Church. They covenant to cease sustaining, upholding and cherishing the kingdom of the Devil and the kingdoms of this world. They enter the new and everlasting covenant to sustain the Kingdom of God and no other kingdom. They take a vow of the most solemn kind, before the heavens and earth, … that they will sustain truth and righteousness instead of wickedness and falsehood, and build up the Kingdom of God, instead of the kingdoms of this world” (Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Brigham Young [1997], 62–63)
What does the Lord promise?
-Forgive our sins (Acts 2:38, D&C 49:13)
-Pour out His Spirit more abundantly upon on us (Mosiah 18:10)
-Give us daily guidance and the help of the Holy Ghost (Acts 2:38, D&C 20:77)
-Let us come forth in the First Resurrection (Mosiah 18:9)
-Give us eternal life
When we make this covenant with the Lord we are instantly blessed. We start anew. We often hear about “Gateway” drugs or “Gateway” behavior. The term is typically used negatively. Well here’s where we’re going to give “Gateway” a new meaning…Baptism is a “gateway” to a new beginning; the unlocking of a door that will lead us to where we need to be in order to receive exaltation. A “gateway” we get to re-enter into each week as we partake of the sacrament.
2 Ne 31: 17-18
17 Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and a baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.
18 And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive.
(If time, read…)
We cannot take lightly the law given to us to teach our children the doctrine of repentance; faith in Christ, the Son of the living God; and of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hands when eight years old, which is the age of accountability appointed by God. We need to do a better job of teaching our children and our grandchildren to understand what it means to enter the kingdom of God, for we will be held accountable. Many members of the Church do not fully understand what happened when they went into the waters of baptism. It is very important for us to understand the marvelous gift of the remission of sins, but there is much more. Do you understand and do your children understand that when they are baptized they are changed forever? …
When we are baptized, we take upon ourselves the sacred name of Jesus Christ. Taking upon us His name is one of the most significant experiences we have in life. Yet sometimes we pass through that experience without having a full understanding.
How many of our children—how many of us—really understand that when we were baptized we took upon us not only the name of Christ but also the law of obedience?
Each week in sacrament meeting we promise to remember the atoning sacrifice of our Savior as we renew our baptismal covenant. We promise to do as the Savior did—to be obedient to the Father and always keep His commandments. The blessing we receive in return is to always have His Spirit to be with us.
The gift of the Holy Ghost, given to us when we are confirmed, gives us the ability to discern the difference between the giving ways of the kingdom of God and the taking practices of the world. The Holy Ghost gives us the strength and courage to conduct our lives in the ways of the kingdom of God and is the source of our testimony of the Father and the Son. As we obey the will of our Father in Heaven, this priceless gift of the Holy Ghost will be with us continually.
We need the Holy Ghost as our constant companion to help us make better choices in the decisions that confront us daily. Our young men and women are bombarded with ugly things of the world. Companionship with the Spirit will give them the strength to resist evil and, when necessary, repent and return to the strait and narrow path. None of us are immune from the temptations of the adversary. We all need the fortification available through the Holy Ghost. Mothers and fathers should prayerfully invite the Holy Spirit to dwell in their dedicated homes. Having the gift of the Holy Ghost helps family members make wise choices—choices that will help them return with their families to their Father in Heaven and His Son, Jesus Christ, to live with Them eternally.
The scriptures confirm that the truly converted do more than just forsake the enticements of the world. They love God and their fellowmen. Their minds and hearts are centered on the Savior’s atoning sacrifice. From the moment of their respective conversions, Enos, Alma the Younger, Paul, and others turned wholeheartedly to the task of bringing themselves and their fellowmen to God. Worldly power and possessions lost their former significance. The sons of Mosiah refused an earthly kingdom and risked their lives for the sake of others. These faithful sons were driven by the hope that they might be able to help save even one soul—thus winning for themselves and their brethren a place in God’s eternal kingdom.
By choosing to be in His kingdom, we separate—not isolate—ourselves from the world. Our dress will be modest, our thoughts pure, our language clean. The movies and television we watch, the music we listen to, the books, magazines, and newspapers we read will be uplifting. We will choose friends who encourage our eternal goals, and we will treat others with kindness. We will shun the vices of immorality, gambling, tobacco, liquor, and illicit drugs. Our Sunday activities will reflect the commandment of God to remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. We will follow the example of Jesus Christ in the way we treat others. We will live to be worthy to enter the house of the Lord.
We will be examples “of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (1 Tim. 4:12).
We will receive “a mighty change … in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually.” We will keep our “covenant with our God to do his will, and to be obedient to his commandments in all things … all the remainder of our days” (Mosiah 5:2, 5).
We will demonstrate that we “are desirous to … be called his people, and are willing to bear one another’s burdens, that they may be light;
“Yea, and are willing to mourn with those that mourn; yea, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort” (Mosiah 18:8–9).
Elder Robert D. Hales
Elder Robert D. Hales October 2000 General Conference Address "The Covenant of Baptism: To Be in the Kingdom and of the Kingdom"
Gospel Principles Chapter 20: Baptism
Why wouldn't I read your lesson? :) By the way, this could be a horrible thing for me ( it will never happen but it crossed my mind) you know how I hate crowds and people... You get my drift lol
ReplyDeleteBy the way, your lesson was awesome and I think I will probably read it again when its more quiet in my house :P