What Does the Atonement of Jesus Christ Mean to You?

My Come, Follow Me studies for this week took me to Luke 22 and John 18 in a lesson titled “Not My Will, but Thine, Be Done.” The lesson was preceded by this bit of counsel: “Take your time reading Luke 22 and John 18 this week. Ponder and pray about what you read. Do this can give the Spirit opportunity to bear witness to your heart that the scriptures are true.” The lesson was then introduced with the following information: 

There were only three mortal witnesses to Jesus Christ’s suffering in the Garden of Gethsemane—and they slept through much of it. In that garden and later on the cross, Jesus took upon Himself the sins, pains, and sufferings of every person who ever lived, although almost no one alive at that time knew what was happening. Eternity’s most important events often pass without much worldly attention. But God the Father knew. He heard the pleading of His faithful Son: “Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him” (Luke 22:42-43). While we were not there to witness this act of selflessness and submission, we are witnesses of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. Every time we repent and receive forgiveness of our sins, every time we feel the Savior’s strengthening power, we can testify of the reality of what happened in the Garden of Gethsemane.

The principle that I feel impressed to discuss tonight is “The Savior suffered for me in Gethsemane” (Luke 22:39-46). First, we will look at the words of the scripture.

39 And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him.

40 And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation.

41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,

42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.

43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

44 And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.

45 And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow,

46 And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.

President Russell M. Nelson invited us to “invest time in learning about the Savior and His atoning sacrifice” (“Drawing the Power of Jesus Christ into Our Lives,” Ensign or Liahona, May 2017, 40).

I pondered what I could do to accept the invitation offered by President Nelson and I studied all the references under this section of the lesson. Here are the questions along with a simple answer for what I found in my study.

·         Why was the Savior’s Atonement necessary? To redeem all mankind from the effects of the fall of Adam. (2 Nephi 2:5-10, 17-26; 9:5-26; Alma 34:8-16; 42:9-26)

·         What did the Savior experience as He suffered? He trembled with pain and bled from every poor as He took upon Himself the sins, sicknesses, and problems of all mankind. (Isaiah 53:3-5; Mosiah 3:7; Alma 7:11-13; Doctrine and Covenants 19:16-19)

·         How does Christ’s suffering affect my life? His suffering gives me life as well as mercy and grace. (John 10:10-11; Hebrews 4:14-16; 1 John 1:7; Alma 34:31; Moroni 10:32-33; Dallin H. Oaks, Strengthened by the Atonement of Jesus Christ,” Ensign or Liahona, Nov. 2015, 61-64)

Gethsemane was a garden of olive trees and included an olive press. The press was used to crush olives and extract oil used for lighting and food as well as healing (see Luke 10:34). The process of extracting olive oil can symbolize the Savior’s suffering in Gethsemane because He was also pressed down with the weight of all mankind’s sins, sicknesses, and weaknesses. The load was so heavy that He bled from every pore.

President Russell M. Nelson taught the reason why the Atonement of Jesus Christ was an infinite atonement that only He could perform.

“[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).