Lesson 20

SACRAMENT

Objective:  The sacrament is the Savior’s way for us to remember him and the sacrifice he made in our behalf.

Lesson ideas:

* The sacrament was introduced to us at the Last Supper (Matthew 26: 26).  Up until then real animal sacrifices were made to know of the sacrifice Jesus would make for us.

* On the American continent, just after his resurrection, Christ let the people touch him and shortly after introduced the sacrament.  How impressive it must have been to take the bread in remembrance of him after having the privilege of touching him, especially the wounds in his hands and feet.

* The sacrament is a time to reflect and remember our Savior.  This time is the most important part of the sacrament meeting.  It’s a time to think of our Lord and Savior.  It’s a time to think of how we can improve our lives and become more in tune with what Christ would have us do.

* We meet once a week to partake of the sacrament.  It is easy to get off track, so by coming once a week helps us repent, work harder, and keep moving forward to our goal of eternal life, which is the gift Jesus gave us through his atonement.

* Listening to the sacrament prayers reminds us of the covenant we made when we were baptized: “…witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him, and keep his commandments” The promise to us if we do those things is: “That they may always have his Spirit to be with them.”

* With permission from the presiding authority, a Bishop or Branch President, sacrament can be given in the home where a person is not able to attend sacrament meeting.  No one is denied access to this ordinance where the desire to honor and remember our Savior is and can’t make it to church because of certain circumstances.

As we sing the sacrament hymn, listen to the words closely to receive a better understanding of why we take the sacrament.  In hymn #181, “Jesus of Nazareth, Savior and King” the words in that song remind us that Jesus was bruised, broken, torn for us.  And every week we witness the bread being broken at the sacrament table, which represents Christ’s body being broken and torn for us.  The sacrament used to be bread and wine, now its bread and water.  (D&C 27: 2-4) tells why it was changed and remember it does not matter what we use as long as we partake of it with an eye single to his glory.

Scriptures:

Bible

1 Corinthians 11:24 Take eat this is my body

1 Corinthians 11: 25 cup...remembrance of me

John 6: 54 he that eateth my flesh

LDS Scriptures

3 Nephi 18:1-4 He took the bread

D&C 4 & 5 Sacrament prayers

D&C 20:40 administer bread

Activities:

* Remember game: Bring out a tray of things related to Christ’s life like a loaf of bread, container of water, picture of his baptism, pictures of his healings, figures of Christ praying or the Christos.  Have everyone study the items on the tray, then take the tray away.  On a piece of paper write a list what was on the tray.

* We have the opportunity to watch the priesthood bless the sacrament.  Sing a sacrament song together.

* Listen to the Sacrament prayers and tell something the prayers tell us.

* Bring out a lunch sack that has a sacrament cup and a little piece of bread in it.  Let a child bring it out of the sack and ask what these two things represent.  Variation:  blind fold eyes and pass a sacrament cup and bread around the room and have them tell what it is.

* Play the reporter game:  This time find out who set up the sacrament, why, what do we use for the sacrament, and when do we have the sacrament.

Reporter:  The purpose of a reporter is to find out the who, where, when, and why of the story.  An example might be to find out about Alma the younger.  What happened to change Alma, who was with him, what were they doing and why or what happened to change his life?

Songs:

Hymns

# 193 I Stand All Amazed

# 187 God Loved Us So He Sent His Son

# 190 In Memory of the Crucified

# 182 We’ll Sing All Hail to Jesus’ Name

Children’s Songbook

# 73 Before I take the Sacrament

# 155 Remember the Sabbath Day

# 72 The Sacrament

# 71 To Think about Jesus