The First Sacrament

Every year the Jews had a feast called the Feast of the Passover. It helped them remember how God had saved the Israelites in Egypt long before, in the time of Moses. Ex. 12:27; Luke 22:7

Jesus and the Twelve Apostles needed a place to eat the Passover feast. The Savior sent Peter and John to get a room ready for it. Luke 22:8

They found the room and got the feast ready. Luke 22:9–13

Jesus and all the Apostles went there and ate the Passover feast. Luke 22:14

At the meal, Jesus gave His Apostles the sacrament for the first time. He took bread in His hands, blessed it, then broke it into pieces. He told the Apostles to eat the bread. Matt. 26:26; Luke 22:19

Jesus told them to think of His body when they ate the bread, to remember that He would die for them. Matt. 26:26; Luke 22:19

Jesus poured some wine into a cup. He blessed the wine. He told the Apostles to drink it. Matt. 26:27

He told them to think of His blood when they drank the wine, to remember that He would bleed and suffer for people’s sins. Matt. 26:28; Luke 22:20

Jesus also told the Apostles that wicked people would kill Him. Eleven of the Apostles were very sad. They loved the Savior and did not want Him to die. Jesus knew that one of the Apostles, Judas Iscariot, would help the wicked people. Matt. 26:2, 14–16, 21–25

Illustrations by Paul Mann