During Holy Week, we celebrate the most significant events in the history of the earth. We commemorate the final events of the Savior’s life, including His atoning sacrifice, which broke the bands of death (Mosiah 15:8-9, 20, 23) and redeemed us from our sins (Alma 5:21, 27). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints provides two Easter study plans, one of which follows the New Testament account of the Savior’s final week, while the other focuses on the Savior’s postmortal ministry in the Americas. In this post, I’ll focus on the Savior’s final week in mortality, incorporating insights from the Book of Mormon which help us appreciate the significance of those events.
Happy Easter!
Outline
- Palm Sunday – We can welcome Jesus, like the people of Jerusalem and of Bountiful, in the spirit of Hosanna.
- Temple Monday – Jesus can purge us so that the Spirit of the Lord can dwell in us.
- Preparation Tuesday – Several parables teach us how to be ready for His return.
- Wisdom Wednesday – We can learn from the Savior’s answers to difficult questions.
- Passover Thursday – The Last Supper prefigures His suffering in Gethsemane.
- Good Friday – He was lifted up on a cross so that He could lift us all closer to God.
- Paradise Saturday – He organized the spirits to bless all of God’s children.
- Easter Sunday – He emerged from the tomb, victorious over death.
Key Themes
- Jesus overcame every obstacle we will ever face. We can be redeemed, reunited, restored, and resurrected.
- Because of Jesus, we will all be resurrected. As Job and Amulek testified, we will stand before God in our bodies.
- We partake of the sacrament to show God that we remember His Son. As we eat the bread and drink the water to our souls, our souls are filled.
- There is a paradise in the world of spirits, a place of happiness, peace, and rest! Jesus organized His disciples to help all of God’s children, on both sides of the veil, receive His salvation.
Connections
- Jesus used a metaphor of a bitter cup to describe His suffering in Gethsemane and on Golgotha. Later, when He visited the Nephites and the Lamanites, He said, I have drunk out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me” (3 Nephi 11:11).
- Jesus taught that we must take up our cross and follow Him. In the Book of Mormon, Jacob urged us to “believe in Christ, and view his death, and suffer his cross and bear the shame of the world” (Jacob 1:8).
Applications
- Cultivate a deep respect for sacred places. Remember that your reverence for the temple is a reflection of your reverence for God.
- Be a unifying influence, by overcoming conflicts in your own heart and in your relationships.
- If you are mistreated, respond with dignity and restraint. In some cases the best answer is respectful silence.
- Be patient and long-suffering, following the Savior’s example of suffering on our behalf.
Recommended Posts
- How Is the Word “Atonement” Used in the Book of Mormon?
- What Is the Significance of the Savior Bleeding “from Every Pore?”
- Redeemed, Reunited, Restored, Resurrected – Alma 11:40-45
Blog Posts: March 26-31
Mercy
1. God is merciful. 2. He extends “arms of mercy” toward us. 3. The Savior’s bowels are filled with mercy because of what He suffered. 4. He earned the right to offer us mercy. We claim that mercy by repenting. 5. Mercy is central to God’s plan for us.
Christmas, Easter, and the Book of Mormon
The birth of Jesus Christ and His death and resurrection are prominently featured in the Book of Mormon. Christmas is important because of Easter. President Nelson taught that Easter is the most important religious observance for followers of Christ.
He Suffereth It
The word “suffer” can have 2 meanings in English: (1) endure pain, and (2) allow or permit. When Nephi tells us that Jesus suffered being smitten, scourged, and spat upon, he meant both. Jesus endured unfathomable pain for us, and He did it willingly.
How Oft
Shortly after the Savior’s death, a group of people in the Americas heard Him affirm that even though they had rejected His invitations many times before, He would continue to invite them to be gathered home: “How oft will I gather you,” He assured them.
Jesus’s Ministry to Captive Spirits
Isaiah prophesied that the Messiah would “proclaim liberty to the captives.” Peter taught that after the Savior’s death, He “preached unto the spirits in prison.” That work continues today. The reach of the Savior’s Atonement is immeasurable.
“He Is Risen”
Jesus prophesied that He would be killed and would rise again the third day. His disciples didn’t understand, but angels later reminded them of this prophecy. Nephi wrote that Jesus would rise “with healing in his wings.” He has power to heal each of us.
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