Matthew 26; Mark 14; John 13

Matthew CHAPTER 26 Jesus is anointed—He keeps the Passover and institutes the sacrament—He suffers in Gethsemane, is betrayed by Judas, and is taken before Caiaphas—Peter denies that he knows Jesus.

Mark CHAPTER 14 Jesus is anointed with oil—He eats the Passover, institutes the sacrament, suffers in Gethsemane, and is betrayed by Judas—Jesus is falsely accused, and Peter denies that he knows Him.

John CHAPTER 13 Jesus washes the feet of the Twelve—He identifies Judas as His betrayer—He commands them to love one another.

Mary anoints Jesus

Matthew 26:6–13; Mark 14:3–9

With a humble act of worship, the woman described in these verses showed that she knew who Jesus was and what He was about to do (see Matthew 26:12). Why do you think her actions were so meaningful to the Savior? (see verse 13). What impresses you about the woman and her faith? Ponder how you can follow her example.

See also John 12:1–8.

The sacrament helps me think about Jesus.

Matthew 26:26–29; Mark 14:22–24

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Matthew 26; Mark 14; John 13” Help the children understand that taking the sacrament is a chance to remember what Jesus has done for us.

• Summarize the account of Jesus introducing the sacrament. You might use “Chapter 49: The First Sacrament” (in New Testament Stories, 124–26, or the corresponding video on ChurchofJesusChrist.org), or the video “Sacrament” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Why do we take the sacrament? Help the children understand that we remember Jesus during the sacrament.

New Testament Scripture Stories “The First Sacrament”

Friend June 2023 “The First Sacrament”

“The Sacrament Helps Us Remember Jesus” Friend September 2015 

Friend June 2019 “Jesus Taught about the Sacrament”

Friend April 2017 “Jesus Gave Us the Sacrament”

• Show the children a piece of bread and a cup of water. Ask them if they know what the sacrament bread and water stand for. Explain that these emblems help us remember that Jesus died for us and rose from the dead.

Read the sacrament prayers together (see Doctrine and Covenants 20:77, 79), and watch the video “Always Remember Him” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

Blessing on the Bread

Blessing on the Water

• Ask the children to close their eyes and think of someone they love, and then invite them to tell you about that person. Ask them to close their eyes again, think of the Savior, and then share things they know about Him. Encourage them to think about Jesus during the sacrament each week.

Friend April 2017 “Jesus Gave Us the Sacrament”

• Invite the children to show you what they can do to remember Jesus and be reverent during the sacrament.

Friend October 2020 “The Sacrament and Me” The sacrament is the most important part of church. To make the sacrament special, we …

We can show our love for Jesus by being reverent during the sacrament by…

• Help the children make the booklet described on this week’s activity page and use it to help them think about Jesus during the sacrament. Or let them search some Church magazines for pictures of Jesus and create a collage they can look at during the sacrament.

New Testament Coloring Book “The Last Supper”

Latter Day Kids “Always Remember Him” Lesson ideas

For Additional Resources see Resources for Teaching Children “Sacrament”

See also “Lesson 38: I Will Remember Jesus Christ during the Sacrament,” Primary 2: Choose the Right A” for story, activity, and lesson ideas.

“Lesson 29: Jesus Christ’s Triumphal Entry and the Last Supper,” Primary 7: New Testament 

Click on image to go to site where you can download this Sacrament Book

The sacrament helps me remember Jesus Christ and His sacrifice for me.

Matthew 26:26–29; Mark 14:22–24

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Matthew 26; Mark 14; John 13” How can you help the children have a more meaningful experience with the sacrament?

Watch the video “Always Remember Him” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org).

• Ask the children what they do to help them think about Jesus during the sacrament. Help them find scriptures or words from sacrament hymns that they could read during the sacrament, and then list them on a card that the children can refer to the next time they take the sacrament. Sing a few of these songs with the children (see Hymns, nos. 169–97).

“I Will Remember Jesus Christ” (December 2009 Liahona and Friend)
Create a booklet to write down things learned about Jesus Christ in the sacrament hymns.

• Write key phrases from the sacrament prayers on the board, and help the children memorize them. What do these phrases mean? Why is it important to renew our baptismal covenants every week?

O God, the Eternal ____________________, we ask thee in the name of thy Son, _______________________________, to bless and ____________________ this bread to the ________________ of all those who partake of it, that they may eat in _______________________ of the body of thy Son, and _______________________ unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the ____________________ of thy Son, and ____________________ remember him and keep his _________________________________ which he has given them; that they may always have his ____________________ to be with them. Amen.

Bonus: What’s different between the prayers for the bread and water? (Hint: see D&C 20:77, 79.)

Blessing on the Bread

Blessing on the Water

Friend June 2023 “A Small Act with Big Blessings” Match the questions and answers below. (See link for lesson ideas)

• Invite an Aaronic Priesthood holder to tell the children about his experience preparing, blessing, or passing the sacrament. What helps him prepare to do this? How does he feel as he does it? How do the bread and water remind him of the Savior?

• Ask children who have been baptized to share what they remember about their baptisms. How did they feel? What covenants did they make? (see Mosiah 18:8–10). Tell them that every week when we partake of the sacrament, it can be like being baptized again—we can be forgiven of our sins, and we renew our covenants.

Friend March 2017 “A Great Feeling” Paulo didn’t want the feeling he had when he was baptized to go away, but the next day he yelled at his brother. Through repentance and the sacrament he was able to get the feeling back.

Compare baptism covenants with sacrament prayer:

Friend February 2019 “The Baptism Covenant” Cut out and mix up these cards. Then take turns matching cards that go together. With each match, talk about that part of the baptism covenant.

Come, Follow Me—For Sunday School: New Testament 2023 Perhaps you can create a list together of questions that someone might have about the sacrament, such as “Why did the Savior give us the sacrament? Why are bread and water such powerful symbols of Jesus Christ? What do we promise as we partake of the sacrament? What promises do we receive?” Class members could look for answers in the following resources: Matthew 26:26–29; Doctrine and Covenants 20:75–79; and Gospel Topics, “Sacrament”

Elder D. Todd Christofferson taught, “Figuratively eating [the Savior’s] flesh and drinking His blood [means] to internalize the qualities and character of Christ, putting off the natural man and becoming Saints ‘through the atonement of Christ the Lord’ [Mosiah 3:19]. As we partake of the sacramental bread and water each week, we would do well to consider how fully and completely we must incorporate His character and the pattern of His sinless life into our life and being” (“The Living Bread Which Came Down from Heaven,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2017, 37).

Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: New Testament 2023 But that bread and water are sacred to us because they help us remember Him. They’re our way of saying, “I’ll never forget Him”—not just, “I’ll never forget what I’ve read about His teachings and His life.” Rather, we are saying, “I’ll never forget what He did for me.” “I’ll never forget how He rescued me when I cried out for help.” And “I’ll never forget His commitment to me and my commitment to Him—the covenant we have made.”

For Additional Resources see Resources for Teaching Children “Sacrament”

See also “Lesson 38: I Will Remember Jesus Christ during the Sacrament,” Primary 2: Choose the Right A” for story, activity, and lesson ideas.

“Lesson 29: Jesus Christ’s Triumphal Entry and the Last Supper,” Primary 7: New Testament 

Click on image to go to site where you can download this Sacrament Book

Jesus Christ showed me how to serve others.

John 13:1–17

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Matthew 26; Mark 14; John 13”The account of the Savior washing His disciples’ feet can inspire the children you teach to lovingly serve people around them.

Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families: New Testament 2023 In Jesus’s time, washing another person’s feet was a task for servants, not leaders. But Jesus wanted His disciples to think differently about what it means to lead and to serve. What messages do you find in the Savior’s words and actions in John 13:1–17?

• A few days in advance, ask one of the children to read John 13:4–9 and share the account with the class from the perspective of Peter. What was the Savior trying to teach Peter and the other Apostles? The children could talk about what they learn from this story about Jesus Christ. What do we learn about serving others?

• Read together John 13:12–17. Ask the children to each write about a time when the Savior served another person. Encourage them to include what they learn from His example. If they need help, they could look for examples in the video “Christlike Attributes” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Invite them to share what they wrote with the class.

I can love others as Jesus did.

John 13:34–35

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Matthew 26; Mark 14; John 13” Jesus showed His love by caring for those around Him. What opportunities do the children you teach have to show their love for others?

• Show pictures of stories the children have learned this year when Jesus showed His love for others (see past outlines in Come, Follow Me—For Individuals and Families). Read John 13:34–35, and help the children repeat the phrase “As I have loved you, … love one another.” How can we show our love for our family and friends?

Images of Jesus can be found here.

Friend April 2007 “Jesus Christ Loves Everyone”

Friend March 2019 “Lots of Ways to Say “I Love You” Play this game with family or friends. Do the action on the square when you land on it.

• Invite a child to hold a picture of the Savior as the class sings a song about the Savior’s love, such as “Love One Another” (Children’s Songbook, 136). Give the children paper hearts and invite them to draw a picture of themselves doing something to show their love for another person.

Disciples of Jesus Christ love others as He did.

John 13:34–35

Come, Follow Me—For Primary: New Testament 2023 “Matthew 26; Mark 14; John 13” When we are baptized, we make covenants to become disciples of Jesus Christ. In John 13:34–35, the Savior described how we can show that we are His disciples.

• Write on the board  one another; as I have  you (John 13:34). Invite the children to look up the scripture and fill in the blanks. What other things can we do to show we are disciples of Christ? The children might think of other words that would complete the sentence on the board, such as serve and served or teach and taught.

• Invite the children to read John 13:35 and think of people they know who are examples of disciples of Jesus Christ. Ask them to share how these people show love for others as the Savior did.

Friend November 2017 “The Vegetable Thief” Earl is upset when he sees a lady taking vegetables from their garden, but he learns what charity means when his mother has him give the lady their best vegetables for her starving family.

Friend June 2017 “An Extra Dose of Love” Ashley’s mom likes to get to church early to look for people who need an extra dose of love. She sends those people cards. Ashley thinks of a friend who might need a card.

Friend January 2018 “A Friend for Mr. Maurice” Carter’s neighbor, Mr. Maurice, seems mean. Carter’s father tells him that Jesus taught that we are to love everyone. Carter tries to be kind and help Mr. Maurice and finds out Mr. Maurice is easier to love than expected.

Friend May 2023 “Come, Follow Me Activities”

Story: Jesus Christ washed the feet of His apostles (see John 13:4–16). He loved them and wanted to serve them. Jesus told them to follow His example and serve each other.

Song: “‘Give,’ Said the Little Stream” (Children’s Songbook, 236)

Activity: Play this service game. Everyone sits with their feet in a circle. One player picks a number. Starting with their own feet, the player points to each foot in the circle and counts down from that number until they reach “one.” The foot numbered “one” is out. Then that player picks a number and counts down. The last person with a foot in the circle picks a service activity for the group to do.

Additional Resources

New Testament Seminary Student Manual (2023) “John 13”

John 13:26 . What is a sop?

The “sop” described in John 13:26 was a small piece of bread that those dining would use to scoop broth and meat from a bowl. Since it was a gesture of kindness and respect for a host to dip a sop and give it to a dinner guest, the Savior by this act presented Judas with an offer of friendship, perhaps one final opportunity for him to abandon his planned betrayal.

The Red Crystal