April 20, 2025
Easter Sacrament Talk
Intro:
Good morning brothers and sisters. For those who don’t know me, I am Elder Hall. I am from Draper Utah - a town south of Salt Lake City. I have been serving as a missionary for almost 18 months. I transferred into Dothan the week you became a ward. Elder Kupu and I have enjoyed serving here and have met some of the greatest people.
I want to begin by bearing my testimony.
I love the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Book of Mormon is true.
We have a prophet on the earth today who speaks with God daily.
I know God loves us and is aware of us.
I know Jesus Christ is my Redeemer and that HE LIVES! .
I love being a missionary and sharing these truths.
These truths have changed my life for the better.
I was asked today to speak about Easter - the empty tomb -- the resurrection -- and the effect this fact has had on so many lives.
President Benson said; "The greatest events of history are those that affect the greatest number of people for the longest periods. By this standard, no event could be more important to individuals or nations than the resurrection of the Master."
In Luke chapter 24 Some of the first to have their lives affected by the resurrection were Cleopas and his friend. Bear with me for a minute as I READ an account of their story written by Peter Marshall.
"They were walking on the road to Emmaus, a town just a few miles north of Jerusalem. So much had happened in the last few days. The week must have seemed like a terrible dream.
There had been Christ's triumphal entry into the city. … Then, swiftly there had been a change of events. There was Gethsemane and Christ's arrest. The rest was an agony of painful memories. He had died after six hours of suffering... Because of the rumor that Christ had said he would rise from the dead, the tomb had been sealed and a three day watch by soldiers was stationed at the tomb.
So deep in thought were the two men in these memories, that they did not notice the approach of a stranger. Suddenly, there He was walking beside them. And He said to them, "What is this conversation which you are holding with each other as you walk?"
They stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, "Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?"
And He said to them, "What things?"
And they replied, "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered Him up to be condemned to death and crucified Him. But we had hoped that He was the one to redeem Israel and besides all this, it is now the third day since this happened. Also, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning and did not find His body; and they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that He was alive.... But Him they did not see."
And He said to them, "O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into His glory?"
And He began with Moses and all the prophets and explained to them all the scriptures that referred to Himself.
Thus, the walk of seven and a half miles pass quickly. And when they reached Emmaus, the sun was fast sinking and soon it would be dark.
The two men begged the mysterious Stranger to spend the night with them, or at least to share their evening meal. Still they did not know who He was.
Why didn’t they recognized Him?
"Partly because Christ was the last person they expected to see.
And so they sat down to eat their evening meal. The Stranger stayed with them and gave thanks before He took bread in His hands. Perhaps His robe fell back. Perhaps they saw the marks of the nails in His hands. Whatever it was, in that instant they knew Him --and then He was gone! But they had seen Him with their own eyes.
And how did this affect their lives? They rose and ran, not walked, they RAN all the seven and a half miles back to Jerusalem to tell the other disciples the incredible news."
Many others had similar experiences.
Mary Magdalene, Simon Peter, most of the twelve saw him. He visited the apostles James, Paul and John. And from the Book of Mormon we know that He visited the Nephites, the Nephite 12, the Lost Tribes, and Moroni. And in modern times He visited Joseph Smith, Sidney Rigdon and Oliver Cowdrey.
John and Peter didn't know what to think as they had gone into the tomb that first Easter morning -- that is, until they saw what was inside the tomb -- and then they believed.
How were their lives changed and affected?
When their Master was arrested, the disciples had all fled. Peter was so fearful that he had denied ever even having known Jesus. After Jesus' death, the disciples stayed in hiding with the doors locked. Yet, after Christ resurrection, we find these same timid and frightened men preaching openly, apparently with no fear of anyone. Nothing could silence them.
It takes a very great conviction to change men so drastically.
Men do not invent a story so that they can be:
- crucified upside down, like Peter
- beheaded like James or Paul.
- stoned to death like Stephen.
- banished like John.
An illusion may sustain men for a time -- but an illusion does not build character strong enough to stand great hardship, great persecution. Only the truth can do that!
This principle applies in modern times. We read Joseph Smith’s testimony in D&C 76:22-23
22 And now, after the many testimonies which have been given of him, this is the testimony, last of all, which we give of him: That he lives!
23 For we saw him, even on the right hand of God; and we heard the voice bearing record that he is the Only Begotten of the Father—
This was no illusion, it was truth!
What happened to Joseph Smith? He died at the hands of an angry mob with this testimony still burning within his soul.
Conclusion:
My message today is this. Throughout the centuries, there have been men and women who were frightened, confused, and hopeless like the disciples or like young Joseph Smith who was troubled because he didn't know which church was true. Then they experienced the coming to know that their redeemer lives.
And you, too, may have this same comforting feeling. Your life today may be changed by Him. Your weaknesses may be turned into strength by His help. Your sorrows may be turned into joy by His comfort.
This is the real meaning of Easter; not the bunny rabbit and the colored eggs -- symbols that so often confuse and conceal the real meaning of what we celebrate on that day.
No newspaper will ever print the startling news that the body of Jesus of Nazareth had been discovered in old Jerusalem. Thank goodness we have an empty tomb! The glorious fact the empty tomb proclaims is that life for us does not stop with death comes. Death is not the end, but a door to eternal life. We will live on.
Because the resurrection is true, it is the greatest event in history that has affected the greatest number of people for the longest period.
Let it affect your life as well
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