“June 12–18. Luke 22; John 18: ‘Not My Will, but Thine, Be Done,’” Come, Follow Me—For Sunday School: New Testament 2023 (2022)
“June 12–18. Luke 22; John 18,” Come, Follow Me—For Sunday School: 2023
Gethsemane Grove, by Derek Hegsted
June 12–18
Luke 22; John 18
“Not My Will, but Thine, Be Done”
Consider what you will do to invite the Spirit into your class as you discuss the sacred events in these chapters. Prayerfully seek ways to help class members deepen their love for the Savior and their faith in Him.
Invite Sharing
Invite several class members to share what they felt as they read this week and what verses helped them feel this way.
Teach the Doctrine
We become more Christlike when we choose to submit our will to the Father’s.
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The Savior’s example of submitting to the Father’s will can help your class members when they need to do the same. To start a discussion, you could invite class members to share experiences when they submitted themselves to something they knew God wanted them to do. Ask them to share how they knew what God wanted them to do and how they were blessed for submitting to His will. Invite the class to read Luke 22:39–46 and talk about why the Savior was willing to submit His will to His Father’s. How can we follow the Savior’s example?
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In addition to the Savior’s act of submission to God in Luke 22:42, what other examples of His submissiveness do we find in Luke 22 and John 18? How did the Savior submit to His Father’s will throughout His life? What can we do to be more like Him? The statement from Elder Neal A. Maxwell in “Additional Resources” might help inspire class members to consider how they can submit their will to God’s.
Jesus Christ performed an infinite Atonement for us.
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Luke 22:39–46 describes what happened in Gethsemane. To help class members understand the personal significance of this sacred event, maybe you could write on the board questions like What happened in Gethsemane? and Why is it important to me? Class members could find answers in Luke 22:39–46; Alma 7:11–13; Doctrine and Covenants 19:16–19; and the video “The Savior Suffers in Gethsemane” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). They could also find answers in President Tad R. Callister’s message “The Atonement of Jesus Christ” (Ensign or Liahona, May 2019, 85–87).
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In the Book of Mormon, Jacob calls the Atonement of Jesus Christ “an infinite atonement” (2 Nephi 9:7). To help class members understand what this means, you could share President Russell M. Nelson’s teachings in “Additional Resources” and ask class members to list the ways that the influence of the Savior’s sacrifice could be considered infinite. They could also read the following scriptures and add to their list: Hebrews 10:10; Alma 34:10–14; Doctrine and Covenants 76:24; and Moses 1:33. How can we show our appreciation for what the Savior has done for us?
Peter’s Denial, by Carl Heinrich Bloch
We can be faithful to Jesus Christ despite our fears and weaknesses.
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To help class members visualize the events in Luke 22:54–62, you might show a picture, such as Peter’s Denial (ChurchofJesusChrist.org), or the video “Jesus Is Tried by Caiaphas, Peter Denies Knowing Him” (ChurchofJesusChrist.org). Class members could share what they learn from Peter’s experiences that inspires them to be faithful to Jesus Christ.
Additional Resources
Submitting our will to the Father.
Elder Neal A. Maxwell taught: “As you submit your wills to God, you are giving Him the only thing you can actually give Him that is really yours to give. Don’t wait too long to find the altar or to begin to place the gift of your wills upon it!” (“Remember How Merciful the Lord Hath Been,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2004, 46).
The infinite Atonement.
President Russell M. Nelson taught:
“[Jesus Christ’s] Atonement is infinite—without an end. It was also infinite in that all humankind would be saved from never-ending death. It was infinite in terms of His immense suffering. It was infinite in time, putting an end to the preceding prototype of animal sacrifice. It was infinite in scope—it was to be done once for all. And the mercy of the Atonement extends not only to an infinite number of people, but also to an infinite number of worlds created by Him. It was infinite beyond any human scale of measurement or mortal comprehension.
“Jesus was the only one who could offer such an infinite atonement, since He was born of a mortal mother and an immortal Father. Because of that unique birthright, Jesus was an infinite Being” (“The Atonement,” Ensign, Nov. 1996, 35).
Improving Our Teaching
Be a humble instrument of the Spirit. “Your purpose as a teacher is not to make an impressive presentation but rather to help others receive the influence of the Holy Ghost, who is the true teacher” (Teaching in the Savior’s Way, 10).