[MUSIC PLAYING]
As a final and specially prepared
Passover supper was ending, Jesus
took bread, blessed and broke it,
and gave it to his apostles, saying,
"This is my body, which is given for you.
This do in remembrance of me.
This cup is the New Testament in my blood,
which is shed for you.
This do in remembrance of me."
Since that upper room experience on the eve of Gethsemane
and Golgotha, children of the promise
have been under covenant to remember Christ's sacrifice
in this newer, higher, more holy and personal way.
With a small cup of water, we remember the shedding
of Christ's blood and the depth of his spiritual suffering,
anguish, which began in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Tarry ye here.
Watch with me.
It would be the supreme contribution
to a plan designed from before the foundation of the world,
for the happiness of every man, woman, and child who would ever
live in it.
The hour of atoning sacrifice had come.
God's own son, his only begotten son in the flesh,
was about to become the Savior of the world.
Father, all things are possible unto Thee.
Take away this cup from me, nevertheless not
my will, but thine be done.
The Savior's spiritual suffering, and the shedding
of his innocent blood so lovingly and freely given.
Christ suffered for the sins and sorrows and pains
of all the rest of the human family,
providing remission for all of our sins
as well, upon conditions of obedience to the principles
and ordinances of the gospel he taught.
With a crust of bread-- always broken, blessed and offered
first-- we remember his bruised body and broken heart.
The Savior's physical suffering guarantees
that through his mercy and grace every member
of the human family shall be freed from death
and be resurrected triumphantly from the grave.
And surely that is why this particular ordinance,
with all its symbolism and imagery,
comes to us more readily and more
repeatedly than any other in our life.
It comes in what has been called the most sacred, the most
holy of all the meetings of the Church.
It should be a powerful, reverent, reflective moment.
It should encourage spiritual feelings and impressions.
In the simple and beautiful language
of the sacramental prayers those young priests offer,
the principal word we hear seems to be remember.
If remembering is the principal task before us,
what might come to our memory when
those plain and precious emblems are offered to us?
And this shall ye do.
And it shall be a testimony unto the Father,
that you do always remember me.
And if ye do always remember me, ye
shall have my spirit to be with you.