Gospel Principles
Unit 7: Perfecting Our Lives
Chapter 26: Sacrifice
Concept 5: Sacrifice Helps Us Prepare to Live in the Presence of God
"Only through sacrifice can we become worthy to live in the presence of God. Only through sacrifice can we enjoy eternal life. Many who have lived before us have sacrificed all they had. We must be willing to do the same if we would earn the rich regard they enjoy (see Joseph Smith, Lectures on Faith, p. 58).
We may not be asked to sacrifice all things. But like Abraham, we should be willing to sacrifice everything to become worthy to live in the presence of the Lord.
The Lord's people have always sacrificed greatly and in many different ways. Some new converts to the Church have been cut off from their families. Lifetime friends have turned away. Some members have lost their jobs; some have lost their lives. But the Lord notices our sacrifices; he promises,
"Every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life." (Matthew 19:29).
As our testimonies of the Gospel grow, we become able to make greater sacrifices to the Lord. Note the sacrifices made in these true examples:
A member of the Church in Germany saved his tithing for years until someone with priesthood authority could come and accept it.
A Relief Society visiting teacher served for thirty years without missing an assignment.
A group of Saints in South Africa rode for three days, standing up, to be able to hear and see the prophet of the Lord.
At an area conference in Mexico, members of the Church slept on the ground and fasted during the days of the conference. They had used all their money just to get to the conference and had nothing left for food and shelter.
One family sold their car to get money they wanted to contribute to a temple building fund
Another family sold their home to get money to go to the temple.
Many faithful Latter-day Saints have very little to live on, yet they pay their tithes and offerings.
One brother sacrificed his job because he refused to work on Sunday.
In one branch, the youth gave freely and willingly of their time to care for the young children while their parents helped build the meetinghouse.
Young men and women give up good job opportunities to serve as missionaries.
Many more examples could be given of those who sacrifice for the Lord. Yet a place in our Heavenly Father's kingdom is worth any sacrifice we have to make of our time, talents, energy, money, and lives. Through sacrifice we can obtain a knowledge from the Lord that we are acceptable to him (D&C 97:8 "Verily I say unto you, all among them who know their hearts are honest, and are broken, and their spirits contrite, and are willing to observe their covenants by sacrifice yea, every sacrifice which I, the Lord, shall command they are accepted of me.").
Discussion
Think of the sacrifices you or your family members have made for the gospel and some of the blessings they have received as a result of the sacrifice.
Additional Scriptures
Luke 12:16-34 (where the treasure is, their is the heart)
Luke 9:57-62 (sacrifice to be fit for the kingdom)
"57 ¶ And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest.
58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.
59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.
60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.
61 And another also said, Lord, I will luke/9/61a">follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.
62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and llooking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.
him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."
D&C 64:23; 97:12 (today is a day of sacrifice)
D&C 64:23
"23 Behold, now it is called today until the coming of the Son of Man, and verily it is a day of sacrifice, and a day for the tithing of my people; for he that is tithed shall not be burned at his coming."
dc/97/12#12">D&C 97:12
"12 Behold, this is the dc/97/12a">tithing and the dc/97/12b">sacrifice which I, the Lord, require at their hands, that there may be a dc/97/12c">house built unto me for the salvation of Zion."
D&C 98:13-15 (those who lose life for the Lord will find it)
"13 And whoso layeth down his life in my cause, for my name s sake, shall find it again, even life eternal.
14 Therefore, be not afraid of your enemies, for I have decreed in my heart, saith the Lord, that I will prove you in all things, whether you will abide in my covenant, even unto death, that you may be found worthy.
15 For if ye will not abide in my covenant ye are not worthy of me."
Alma 24 (the people of Ammon sacrifice their lives rather than break their oath to the Lord)
The Lamanites come against the people of God The Anti-Nephi-Lehies rejoice in Christ and are visited by angels They choose to suffer death rather than to defend themselves More Lamanites are converted. Between 90 and 77 B.C.
Alma 27:5-10 (the people of Ammon offer to become slaves in payment of their sins)
"5 Let us gather together this people of the Lord, and let us go down to the land of Zarahemla to our brethren the Nephites, and flee out of the hands of our enemies, that we be not destroyed.
6 But the king said unto them: Behold, the Nephites will destroy us, because of the many murders and sins we have committed against them.
7 And Ammon said: I will go and inquire of the Lord, and if he say unto us, go down unto our brethren, will ye go?
8 And the king said unto him: Yea, if the Lord'saith unto us go, we will go down unto our brethren, and we will be their slaves until we repair unto them the many murders and sins which we have committed against them.
9 But Ammon said unto him: It is against the law of our brethren, which was established by my father, that there should be any slaves among them; therefore let us go down and rely upon the mercies of our brethren.
10 But the king said unto him: Inquire of the Lord, and if he saith unto us go, we will go; otherwise we will perish in the land."