Lesson 29

Jesus Christ’s Triumphal Entry and the Last Supper

Purpose

To help each child understand the importance of partaking of the sacrament each week as a reminder to always remember Jesus Christ.

Preparation

1. Prayerfully study Matthew 21:1–11; Mark 14:12–26; Luke 19:29–38; 22:15–20; and Doctrine and Covenants 20:77, 79. Then study the lesson and decide how you want to teach the children the scripture account. (See “Preparing Your Lessons,” p. vi, and “Teaching from the Scriptures,” p. vii.)

2. Additional readings: the heading to Doctrine and Covenants 27, Doctrine and Covenants 27:2, and Gospel Principles,chapter 23.

3. Select the discussion questions and enrichment activities that will involve the children and best help them achieve the purpose of the lesson.

4. Materials needed:

   1. A Bible or a New Testament for each child.

   2. Several copies of the Doctrine and Covenants.

   3. Pencil and paper for each child (optional).

   4. Pictures 7-28, Triumphal Entry (Gospel Art Picture Kit 223; 62173), and 7-29, The Last Supper (Gospel Art Picture Kit 225; 62174).

Suggested Lesson Development

Invite a child to give the opening prayer.

Attention Activity

Divide the class into groups, and ask the children to think of things they might do in their homes if they were going to have special guests come to visit their families, such as cleaning the house, preparing special foods, and so forth. Have each group act out what they would do, and let the rest of the class guess what they are doing.

• If the Savior were coming to your home, what would you do to prepare? Tell the children that this lesson will teach them about a time when people prepared a special welcome for the Savior to show how much they honored and respected him.

Scripture Accounts and Discussion and Application Questions

Display the picture Triumphal Entry. Teach the children the account of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem (Matthew 21:1–11; Luke 19:29–38). (For suggested ways to teach the scripture account, see “Teaching from the Scriptures,” p. vii.)

• What did the people do when they heard Jesus Christ was coming into their city? (Matthew 21:8–9.) How do you think they felt about Jesus? How do you think you would have felt if you had been there?

• Why did the people shout “Hosanna” as they walked into Jerusalem with Jesus? (Help the children understand that this was their way of praising and worshiping Jesus and showing that they believed he was the Son of God.) How do we worship Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ today? (When we attend sacrament meeting, read the scriptures, sing hymns, pray, and partake of the sacrament.)

Teach the children the account of the Last Supper from Mark 14:12–26 and Luke 22:15–20. Show the picture of the Last Supper. Explain that the Passover was a ritual meal the people ate each year to remind them of the time when the destroying angel passed over the houses of their forefathers in Egypt and did not kill their firstborn sons (see Exodus 12:21–30).

• Why do we call this Passover meal the Last Supper? (Luke 22:15–18.) What did Jesus do at this meal? (Mark 14:22–24.) Why did he do this? (To teach the importance of his atonement. He instituted the sacrament to help us always remember him and his atonement.)

• What did Jesus say the bread represented? (Mark 14:22.) What did Jesus say the wine represented? (Mark 14:23–24. Explain that we use water today instead of wine.) Help the children understand that the bread and water are symbols, or reminders, of Jesus’ body and blood.

• How was the Last Supper similar to our sacrament service today? Remind the children that just as Jesus broke the bread and blessed and passed the bread and wine, priesthood holders perform the same duties today. You may want to take this opportunity to help the boys in your class understand that when they receive the Aaronic Priesthood, they will be receiving the authority to represent Christ in the sacrament service.

If any of the children ask why we use water instead of wine for the sacrament, refer them to Doctrine and Covenants 27:1–2.

• Have the children read Doctrine and Covenants 20:77, 79. What are these two scriptures? Explain that Jesus revealed the wording for the sacrament prayers and that the priests are instructed to repeat them as written in the Doctrine and Covenants.

• When we say “amen” to the sacrament prayers and partake of the sacrament, what are we promising to do? What does the Lord promise us in return? Why is it important for us to always remember Jesus? What can you do to always remember the Savior? (See enrichment activity 3.)

Enrichment Activities

You may use one or more of the following activities any time during the lesson or as a review, summary, or challenge.

1. Review the baptismal covenants from lesson 6. Explain that the promises in the sacramental prayers are the same as those in the baptismal covenants. When we partake of the sacrament, we are renewing our baptismal covenants. You could display the following wordstrips:

   I promise

   to take upon myself the name of Christ.

   to always remember him.

   to obey his commandments.

   The Lord promises me that

   I will always have his Spirit with me.

2. Ask the children if they were given their names for particular reasons. Ask those children who were named for others to talk about what it is like to have that person’s name. Ask those who have special family names to talk about what it means to them to have that name. Then talk with the children about what it means to take upon ourselves the name of Christ when we become members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Help the children understand that our actions as members of the Church should be appropriate for one who is a follower of Jesus Christ.

3. Have the class list ways we can remember Jesus both during the sacrament and in our daily lives. Suggestions might include:

   During the sacrament:

   Think of how he suffered and died for us.

   Think of the words to a sacrament hymn.

   Think of stories from Jesus’ life (have the children suggest specific stories).

   Think of one of Jesus’ teachings that you want to start living or live better.

   Think of your baptismal covenants.

   In our daily lives:

   Pray to Heavenly Father each day in the name of Jesus Christ.

   Obey our parents.

   Be kind to family members.

   Read the scriptures.

   Obey the commandments.

   Be reverent in sacred places.

   Help others in need.

   Attend our Church meetings.

   You could have the children each write down one of these suggestions on a piece of paper and keep it as a reminder during the week.

4. Discuss the purpose of sacrament hymns with the children by asking the following questions:

   • Why do we sing a hymn just before the sacrament is blessed?

   • Whom does the sacrament hymn tell us about?

   Encourage the children to listen to the words of the sacrament hymn each week. You could sing one of the sacrament hymns with the class or play a tape of the music while everyone listens and thinks about Jesus. You might use “Jesus, the Very Thought of Thee” (Hymns, no. 141). You might also ask the ward chorister to use this as the sacrament hymn in the next sacrament meeting.

5. Sing or read the words to “In Memory of the Crucified” (Hymns, no. 190).

Conclusion

Testimony

Bear your testimony of Jesus Christ and of his love for each of us. Emphasize that remembering him will help us make right choices so we can be with him again. Encourage the children to think of the Savior as they partake of the sacrament each week and to promise to live as they should.

Suggested Home Reading

Suggest that the children study Mark 14:12–26 at home as a review of this lesson.

Invite a child to give the closing prayer.