ALPHA MAAMA (A.M.)

Tu‘apulelulu ‘Epeleli 26, 2018

Ko hono fakasino mai ‘o e koosipelí

(the gospel made visible)

Fehu‘i #43

Ko e hā ‘a e ngaahi sakalamēniti pe ngaahi ouau fakalotu?

Ko e ngaahi sakalamenití pe ngaahi ouaú, kuo tuku mai ‘e he ‘Otuá  pea fakahoko ‘e Kalaisí, ‘a ia ko e papitaisó mo e kai ‘o e ‘ohomohé, ko ha ngaahi faka‘ilonga hāmai pea mo e sila ke fakamahino kuo ha‘i fakataha kitautolu ko ha fakataha‘anga (komiunitī) ‘o e kau tui, ‘aki ‘a e pekiá mo e toetu‘ú. Pea ‘i he‘etau faka‘aonga‘i mo fakahokó, ‘oku ngaue‘aki leva ia ‘e he Laumālie Ma‘oni‘oní ke fakahā kakato mo sila‘i ‘a e ngaahi palomesi ‘a e koosipelí kiate kitautolu.

What are the sacraments or ordinances?

The sacraments or ordinances given by God and instituted by Christ, namely baptism and the Lord's Supper, are visible signs and seals that we are bound together as a community of faith by his death and resurrection. By our use of them the Holy Spirit more fully declares and seals the promises of the gospel to us.

LOMA 6:4

Pea ko e me‘a ‘i hotau papitaiso ki he‘ene pekia, pea tā na‘a tau kaungā telio mo ia; koe‘uhi, hangē na‘e fokotu‘u ‘a Kalaisi mei he pekia ‘e he ‘Afio ‘a e Tamai, pehē ke fai‘aki ‘e kitautolu foki ha mo‘ui ‘oku fo‘ou hono anga.

LUKE 22:19-20

Na‘a ne to‘o foki ha fo‘i mā, ‘o ne fakafeta‘i, mo ne pakipaki ‘o ‘ange kiate kinautolu, ‘o ne pehē, Ko hoku sino ‘eni, ‘a ia ‘oku foaki koe‘uhi ko kimoutolu: mou fai ‘eni mōku fakamanatu. Na‘a ne to‘o pehē foki ‘a e ipu, hili ‘a e ‘ohomohe, ‘o ne pehē, Ko e ipu ni ko e fuakava fo‘ou ia ‘oku fai‘aki hoku toto, ‘a ia ‘oku lilingi koe‘uhi ko kimoutolu.

ROMANS 6:4

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order

that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

LUKE 22:19-20

And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”

Commentary - TIMOTHY KELLER (cont…)

Some places in the Bible, such as 1 Corinthians 10 and 1 Peter 3, seem to say that it's the sacraments that actually receive the blessings of salvation. But the sacraments stir up our faith, and faith is what actually receives the blessings and what saves us. So J. I. Packer puts it like this: “As the preaching of the Word makes the gospel audible, so the sacraments make it visible, and God stirs up faith by both means.” Sacraments, therefore, function as a means of grace on the principle that, literally, seeing leads to believing.

Liliu faka-Tonga:

‘Oku ‘i ai e ngaahi potu tohi ‘i he Folofolá, hangē ko 1 Kolinito 10 pea mo 1 Pita 3, ‘oku hā mai ‘o hangē ia, ko e ongo sakalmēnití  ‘oku ma‘u mei ai ‘a e ngaahi tapuaki ‘o e fakamo‘uí. Ka ‘oku ‘ikai. ‘Oku ue‘i (hunuaki) ‘e he sakalamenití  ‘etau tuí, pea ko ‘etau tuí  ‘oku ne ma‘u ‘a e tapuaki hotau fakamo‘uí. Ko e fakalea eni ‘a e taha ‘o e kau matao he Folofolá (J.I. Packer); “Hangē ko hono Malanga‘i ‘o e Folofolá pea tau ongona ai ‘a e kosipelí, ‘oku hanga ‘e he sakalamenití ‘o fakahā sino mai ia, pea ‘oku fakatou ngaue‘aki ‘e he ‘e he ‘Otuá ‘a e ongo foungá  ni ke ue‘i mo hunuaki ‘etau tuí ” Ko ia ai, ko e ongo sakalamenití, ‘oku ngaue mai ko ha fakahā‘anga ‘o e kelesi ‘a e ‘Otuá ‘i he fakakaukau ko eni, ‘oku tataki kitautolu ‘i he me‘a ‘oku tau mamata ki aí, ke tau tui.

Prayer

Giver of the Gospel, you have given us signs of your grace that can be seen, felt, and tasted. Help us to observe them according to your commands. May they turn our eyes away from ourselves and onto your saving work. Keep us from exalting the signs in any way that distracts us from the Savior to which they point. Amen.