ENGAGING GOSPEL DOCTRINE (EPISODE 152)
LESSON 26
“To This End Was I Born”
Hook
Most of us try to avoid thinking too much about the inescapable fact that each
of us is going to die. As my father joked, this life is a terminal condition we all
share.
Manual Goal To help class members feel the Savior’s love for them and
increase their love for him and their gratitude for his atoning
sacrifice.
EGD Goal
To help class members appreciate and learn from the stories of Jesus’ death, as
well as respect and accept death in a way that enriches life.
Lesson 26: (Jesus’) Death
I. Sunday School
a. Jesus’ death in context (emphasis, balancing Jesus’ life, teachings, death etc)
b. Review the reading
c. What we can learn from Jesus’ statements on the cross
i. “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34)
ii. “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43)
iii. “Behold your son; behold your mother” (John 19:26-27)
iv. “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34/Matt 27:46)
v. “I thirst” (John 19:28)
vi. It is finished” (John 19:30)
vii. “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46)
(Words of Forgiveness, Salvation, Relationship, Abandonment, Distress,
Triumph, Reunion)
d. Coping with death (How can we face death, ours and the death of loved ones,
with grace and respect?) (talk specifically about untimely or unexpected, tragic
death)
i. Loss/missing loved ones
ii. Regrets, not having fully lived/done all we wanted
iii. Untimely, unfair, tragic death
e. Mourning with those who mourn (Lars and the Real Girl, Job’s friends)
f. Experiencing life before death
g. Conclusion I
II. Scripture Study
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a. Return to the reading
b. Gospel writers’ perspectives on Jesus’ death
i. Mark (human Jesus in anguish)
ii. Matthew (Died and buried according to the scriptures, heightened irony,
eschatological turning of the age)
iii. Luke (Jesus died as a righteous prophet, very in control)
iv. John (Super Jesus ascends to heaven, providing believers with a new
family)
c. Jesus’ death in historical context
i. Why was Jesus killed?
ii. Did Jesus expect to die?
iii. How Jesus’ followers understood his death; implications
III. Study Notes
a. Did Jesus need to die?
b. Coping with death/responsible approaches to death
c. Conclusion II
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Regrets of the dying
How to mourn, sitting with the dying, etc.
Find On Being about dying and mourning, other good podcasts/resources
Doula for the Dying: http://www.phillyvoice.com/doula-dying-connecting-birth-and-death/
The chaplains on suffering: http://mormonmatters.org/2013/05/20/174-175-the-chaplains-onsuffering/
Near Death Experiences: http://mormonmatters.org/2013/01/29/149-150-near-deathexperiences/
Grieving: http://mormonmatters.org/2013/07/12/181-grieving-and-can-we-do-it-better/
http://www.onbeing.org/program/contemplating-mortality/11072013
Regrets of the dying: www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2012/feb/01/top-five-
regrets-of-the-dying
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President Uchtdorf, Regrets of the dying: https://www.lds.org/general-conference/2012/10/ofregrets-and-resolutions?lang=eng
http://bycommonconsent.com/2013/01/26/being-someone-to-sit-with/
http://bycommonconsent.com/2010/06/29/we-come-over-and-sit/
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