“Lesson 41—Doctrine and Covenants 27:1–14: ‘Do It with an Eye Single to My Glory,’” Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual (2025)
“Doctrine and Covenants 27:1–14,” Doctrine and Covenants Seminary Teacher Manual
Lesson 41: Doctrine and Covenants 27–28
Doctrine and Covenants 27:1–14
“Do It with an Eye Single to My Glory”
After the organization of the Church in April 1830, the persecution of Church members continued. One day, as Joseph Smith was traveling to obtain wine to use for the sacrament, he was stopped by a heavenly messenger who shared truths intended to help the Saints. This lesson can help students better prepare to take the sacrament with an eye single to the glory of God.
Possible Learning Activities
The sacrament
Consider displaying the following scenario. Place students in pairs with one person being the friend in the scenario. Invite students to briefly role-play this situation before moving on.
Alternatively, invite students to come up with their own scenario involving someone who does not understand or has not been having good experiences with the sacrament.
Your friend mentions to you, “Everyone says that the sacrament is so important, but it doesn’t really feel like that big of a deal to me. What am I missing?”
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What questions might you ask?
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What might you share?
Invite students to think about the following:
Ponder your recent experiences partaking of the sacrament. Are your experiences with the sacrament meaningful? Why or why not?
As you study Doctrine and Covenants 27, look for truths that can guide you and others to have more meaningful and powerful experiences through the sacrament.
The sacrament: what matters and what does not
In August 1830, Newel and Sally Knight traveled from Colesville, New York, to visit the Prophet Joseph Smith and his wife, Emma, in Harmony, Pennsylvania. Both Emma and Sally had previously been baptized, but because of persecution from a mob, neither had been confirmed members of the Church and given the gift of the Holy Ghost. Before the Knights returned home, Joseph and his friends decided to partake of the sacrament together and perform the confirmations.
With this background in mind, read the heading to Doctrine and Covenants 27 to see how this revelation was received.
Invite students to share what they found that was interesting to them. Consider explaining that the heavenly messenger relayed a message from the Savior. If students ask why we use water instead of wine in the sacrament, invite them to look for a principle revealed in this section that can help answer that question.
Read Doctrine and Covenants 27:1–2, looking for what Joseph learned about the sacrament.
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What stood out to you? Why?
Invite several students to share their thoughts. Look for ways to show that you appreciate their answers.
If students do not naturally share truths, consider asking, “What do you learn from these verses about how we should partake of the sacrament?” As students answer, use their words to write a principle on the board. It may be similar to the following: we should partake of the sacrament with an eye single to the glory of God, remembering Jesus Christ and His Atonement for us.
If useful, consider asking students what phrases from these verses they would like to ponder or better understand. The following material can help:
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What do you think it means to partake of the sacrament with an eye single to the glory of God?
Having an eye single to the glory of God means to be spiritually focused on the Savior and His redeeming work and not on ourselves (see Marlin K. Jensen, “An Eye Single to the Glory of God,” Ensign, Nov. 1989, 27–28). Students could read Doctrine and Covenants 88:67–68 to see the promised blessings for having an eye single to God’s glory. Students might also share what they think it means to be filled with light.
Help learners come unto Jesus Christ: The following material is meant to help students come unto Christ through seeing the sacrament and the Atonement of Christ as personal gifts for them. For more training on how to encourage students to come unto Jesus Christ, see the training titled “Give invitations that help learners recognize the Lord’s love, power, and mercy in their own experiences.” This training is found in Teacher Development Skills: Focus on Jesus Christ.
The angel revealed the Savior’s message to remember that the Savior’s body “was laid down for you” and his blood “was shed for the remission of your sins” (Doctrine and Covenants 27:2; emphasis added).
Consider encouraging students to mark the phrases “for you” and “your sins.” They may want to write their own name in their scriptures next to these phrases to personalize this verse. Students could also mark similar phrases in Luke 22:19–20, from when the Savior administered the sacrament to His Apostles.
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What do you think it means to remember the Savior’s sacrifice “for you” personally and for “your sins” as you partake of the sacrament?
For an example of someone who realized the personal nature of the Savior’s sacrifice and the sacrament, watch “That I Might Draw All Men unto Me” from time code 7:16 to 9:14, available at ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
A prophecy and a promise
To emphasize His teaching, the Lord prophesied that He will administer the sacrament in the future. Read Doctrine and Covenants 27:5 to see the prophecy. (See also Luke 22:18.)
Scan Doctrine and Covenants 27:6–14 to see who else will return.
Encourage students to imagine this occasion and ponder how they feel about the Savior’s promise to return and partake of the sacrament with His followers. Ask them to ponder what they might feel if they are there. You might ask students to share what this prophecy teaches about the importance of the sacrament.
Be careful not to speculate about this meeting and how it might transpire.
Refer to the statement by Elder Bruce R. McConkie of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (1915–1985) in “Additional Resources.”
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How might being with the Savior affect you while partaking of the sacrament?
Personal application
Do two or three of the following activities to help you prepare to partake of the sacrament with an eye single to the glory of God.
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List truths about the Savior you think would be powerful to remember during the sacrament.
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Record in your journal experiences when the Savior has helped you or someone you know. Explain why it may be helpful to remember experiences like this during the sacrament.
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List scriptures or hymns about the Savior and His sacrifice for you that you feel would be helpful to ponder during the sacrament. Consider including certain lines or phrases you find especially helpful and why.
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Reflect on your own need for the Savior’s sacrifice. This could include pondering your own covenants with the Lord and any sins of commission (when we do what we shouldn’t) or omission (when we don’t do what we should) that require repentance.
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List possible distractions you need to avoid during the sacrament and why you feel you should avoid them to have a more meaningful experience with the sacrament.
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List other ways you can focus on the Savior during the sacrament and why they might be helpful.
Invite students to discuss what they learned and felt as they did the activities they chose.
Invite them to again reflect on their own experiences with the sacrament as they do the following:
Prayerfully choose what you will do to partake of the sacrament with an eye single to the glory of God this coming Sunday. Make a plan for how to implement that action. Consider how doing this in the next several sacrament meetings could impact you and your relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Seek Their help as you strive to follow through on your plan.
Testify of the Savior’s power that can come through the ordinance of the sacrament. Consider sharing an experience you have had with the sacrament. Encourage students to seek their own experiences.