Gospel Basics

Jesus Christ Asked Us to Take the Sacrament

We are cleansed and healed as we remember our Savior each week.

The Last Supper, by Carl Heinrich Bloch

Before He died, Jesus Christ ate one last meal called the Last Supper. At the end of this meal, He introduced the sacrament to His followers. He broke bread and blessed it. “This do in remembrance of me,” He said (Luke 22:19). Then He blessed and shared a cup of wine.

Part of Weekly Worship

When the Church of Jesus Christ was restored to earth, the sacrament became part of weekly worship. During church, the sacrament is blessed and passed by those who hold the priesthood. They pray using words from the scriptures (see Doctrine and Covenants 20:75–79). Then each person in the congregation eats bread and drinks water to remember Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for us, the way He asked us to.

Preparing to Partake

To get ready to take the sacrament, we should honestly think about our lives and choices. We should repent of the mistakes and sins of the past week, including asking God for forgiveness. We don’t need to be perfect to take the sacrament, but our hearts should be humble.

More Than Bread and Water

Taking the sacrament is a sacred, holy time. The sacrament prayers remind us that as we take the bread and water, we are remembering the body and blood Jesus Christ gave for us. We promise to follow Him and live a Christian life. We promise to try to keep God’s commandments. In return, the Holy Spirit will comfort, guide, and heal us.

Renewing Covenants

When those of us who have been baptized take the sacrament with a pure heart, we renew the covenant we made at baptism. This includes receiving the Holy Ghost and being cleansed from sin as if we were baptized again. This is the hope and mercy Jesus offers each one of us. It is never too late to repent and be forgiven.

What Do Scriptures Say about the Sacrament?

We should examine ourselves spiritually, honestly looking inward, before taking the sacrament (see 1 Corinthians 11:28).

After He was Resurrected, Jesus showed His people in the Americas how to take the sacrament (see 3 Nephi 18).

Modern prophets have told us to use bread and water for the sacrament, but what we eat or drink doesn’t really matter (see Doctrine and Covenants 27:2). Sometimes those with allergies need to use another bread-like substance.

Words to Remember

We hope you have enjoyed learning about the sacrament. Here are some other gospel terms that you can learn about in this issue:

Priesthood: God’s power here on earth (see page 12).

Sustain: When we raise our hands at church to show we support someone in their calling (see page 27).

Millennium: A thousand years of peace that will happen when Christ comes again (see page 29).

Hymns: Sacred songs for worship at church and home (see page 30).