It was Thursday night...the final days of the Savior's mortal ministry had begun. Jesus gathered for the Passover supper with those closest to him; His twelve apostles. The Passover meal included the Passover lamb symbolic of His life as the "Lamb without blemish" that would soon be slain for the sins of the world: The scriptures tell us that the Savior and His disciples sang a hymn and then the Lord instituted the emblems that would from the time forth serve as the sacramental remembrance of His suffering. Bread broken and wine blessed...in remembrance of His soon to be broken flesh and blood shed.
Then, the night time walk to Gethsemane, the garden located at the foot of the Mount of Olives, which had previously served as a place of refuge for the Savior and His disciples. I suspect no talking and laughter took place that night. The walk to Gethsemane was a pensive and sober walk. There, the Savior, carrying the weight of the sins of all mankind asked His disciples to watch and said, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death." (Matt.26:38) In the garden He prayed, "O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me, nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt." (Matt. 26:39) Gethsemane literally means "olive press". In the garden, pure olive oil was pressed out of the olive fruit by the means of an olive press. But, that night would be different. The press or the weight would not be the press to extract oil from a fruit, but the press would be upon the creator of heaven and earth, the Savior of mankind. That which would cause the oozing would not be an olive press, but the press would be of the weight of sin that would cause blood and sweat to ooze from every pore. While He prayed and suffered, the disciples slept. How could they do that? Sleep, when He had asked them to watch? Truly, He was alone in His suffering as the Father withdrew His spirit so Jesus could accomplish the atonement alone and be an infinite sacrifice for all.
One cannot fully understand the suffering or the pain of the combined sin of all mankind. We know the anguish we each feel when we commit rather small, but nevertheless persistent sin in our own life. Do you remember moments of emptiness, despair, personal embarrassment, sadness, and worry that have been the result of sin? Now consider all who have lived or who will yet live - the combined sin of all. The weight and burden cannot be calculated or understood by mortal man. It is not known how long Jesus prayed...but we know it was at least several hours. Three times he returned to the garden to complete the ordeal after finding his disciples asleep. Could they not watch an hour, or two, or three? After the suffering came the betrayal and the all night trials and then the taunt of the crowds; "Crucify Him", they cried, "Crucify Him.". Only a few days before, they had shouted hosannas to the Most High as He entered Jerusalem. Do you feel sad about backsliding investigators or converts? The Savior understands! He too had to endure the backsliding of the multitudes, many of whom had once been enthusiastic converts.
Then came the scourging; thirty-nine lashes with bone and iron embedded in leather straps designed to tear the flesh. Scourging was a painful torture reserved for the most hardened criminals. Scourging by itself often resulted in death. Following the scourging, a crown of thorns was pressed into His head and brow. More taunting, and then came the climb to Calvary's hill where Christ was nailed to a cross with nails in His feet, hands and wrists. Crucifixion was a cruel form of death. Death occurred primarily from shock, asphyxiation and dehydration. Hours passed...His cry... "Father forgive them for they know not what they do... It is finished!" (Luke 23:24, John 19:30)
A disciple of Christ is one who never forgets the pain of the atonement, but rejoices in the victory of it all. On the morning of the third day, death's grasp gave way to resurrection's miracle. The witnesses to His resurrection testify to the eternal truth- "He is Risen!" (Matt. 28:7) He has won the victory!
In the Book of Mormon, Lehi, speaking to his son Jacob, summed up our purpose as disciples and missionaries. He said, "Wherefore how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that He may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise...And because of the intercession for all, all men come unto God; wherefore, they stand in the presence o f him, to be judged of him according to the truth and holiness which is in him." (2 Nephi 2:8-10)
We are the ones to make known these things unto the inhabitants of the earth. We are the ones with His priesthood and gospel light. As Ephraim's posterity, we are charged to declare this message to the ends of the earth. He gave His all for us...are we giving our all to Him? Are we giving our time, out talents and our full devotion, to His work? If we are, His atonement will be sufficient for us and all the blessings of peace in this life and eternal life in the world to come, will be ours.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
-President Robert L. Bauman- Zone Conference- October -2005- California Oakland Mission
Then, the night time walk to Gethsemane, the garden located at the foot of the Mount of Olives, which had previously served as a place of refuge for the Savior and His disciples. I suspect no talking and laughter took place that night. The walk to Gethsemane was a pensive and sober walk. There, the Savior, carrying the weight of the sins of all mankind asked His disciples to watch and said, "My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death." (Matt.26:38) In the garden He prayed, "O My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me, nevertheless not as I will but as thou wilt." (Matt. 26:39) Gethsemane literally means "olive press". In the garden, pure olive oil was pressed out of the olive fruit by the means of an olive press. But, that night would be different. The press or the weight would not be the press to extract oil from a fruit, but the press would be upon the creator of heaven and earth, the Savior of mankind. That which would cause the oozing would not be an olive press, but the press would be of the weight of sin that would cause blood and sweat to ooze from every pore. While He prayed and suffered, the disciples slept. How could they do that? Sleep, when He had asked them to watch? Truly, He was alone in His suffering as the Father withdrew His spirit so Jesus could accomplish the atonement alone and be an infinite sacrifice for all.
One cannot fully understand the suffering or the pain of the combined sin of all mankind. We know the anguish we each feel when we commit rather small, but nevertheless persistent sin in our own life. Do you remember moments of emptiness, despair, personal embarrassment, sadness, and worry that have been the result of sin? Now consider all who have lived or who will yet live - the combined sin of all. The weight and burden cannot be calculated or understood by mortal man. It is not known how long Jesus prayed...but we know it was at least several hours. Three times he returned to the garden to complete the ordeal after finding his disciples asleep. Could they not watch an hour, or two, or three? After the suffering came the betrayal and the all night trials and then the taunt of the crowds; "Crucify Him", they cried, "Crucify Him.". Only a few days before, they had shouted hosannas to the Most High as He entered Jerusalem. Do you feel sad about backsliding investigators or converts? The Savior understands! He too had to endure the backsliding of the multitudes, many of whom had once been enthusiastic converts.
Then came the scourging; thirty-nine lashes with bone and iron embedded in leather straps designed to tear the flesh. Scourging was a painful torture reserved for the most hardened criminals. Scourging by itself often resulted in death. Following the scourging, a crown of thorns was pressed into His head and brow. More taunting, and then came the climb to Calvary's hill where Christ was nailed to a cross with nails in His feet, hands and wrists. Crucifixion was a cruel form of death. Death occurred primarily from shock, asphyxiation and dehydration. Hours passed...His cry... "Father forgive them for they know not what they do... It is finished!" (Luke 23:24, John 19:30)
A disciple of Christ is one who never forgets the pain of the atonement, but rejoices in the victory of it all. On the morning of the third day, death's grasp gave way to resurrection's miracle. The witnesses to His resurrection testify to the eternal truth- "He is Risen!" (Matt. 28:7) He has won the victory!
In the Book of Mormon, Lehi, speaking to his son Jacob, summed up our purpose as disciples and missionaries. He said, "Wherefore how great the importance to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that He may bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the first that should rise...And because of the intercession for all, all men come unto God; wherefore, they stand in the presence o f him, to be judged of him according to the truth and holiness which is in him." (2 Nephi 2:8-10)
We are the ones to make known these things unto the inhabitants of the earth. We are the ones with His priesthood and gospel light. As Ephraim's posterity, we are charged to declare this message to the ends of the earth. He gave His all for us...are we giving our all to Him? Are we giving our time, out talents and our full devotion, to His work? If we are, His atonement will be sufficient for us and all the blessings of peace in this life and eternal life in the world to come, will be ours.
In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.
-President Robert L. Bauman- Zone Conference- October -2005- California Oakland Mission
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