Life Group Notes – April 10 2022

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All Nations Church

Life Group Study

Palm Sunday

Week of  April 10^th,  2022

Study by Wayne Arcand

 

Possibly too often we are careless with our words and say things that reflect the thought patterns of the world and not those of a follower of Jesus. The hand of God is working in our lives and we may not recognize it as such. How often have you said or heard, ” it just happened that…”, and chalked it up to coincidence. But was it coincidence?

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Luke 19:28-44 (NIV)

Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King

²⁸ After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. ²⁹ As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, ³⁰ “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. ³¹ If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”

³² Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. ³³ As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”

³⁴ They replied, “The Lord needs it.”

 

1. As we read Luke 19:28-34:
   1. What questions do you think were going through the disciples’ minds as they were following Jesus’ instruction?
   2. How would you have felt if you were the disciple that found the colt and just started to untie it without talking to the colt’s owner?
   3. What is remarkable about verses 32 to 34?
   4. What do you think the disciples’ discussion would have been about as they led the colt away?
   5. What lessons are there for us in these verses?

 

Luke 19:³⁵ They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. ³⁶ As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.

³⁷ When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:

³⁸ “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”

 

2. What was the mood of the people in Luke 19:35-38?
   1. What was the symbolism of spreading their cloaks on the road?
   2. What was the symbolism of riding on a colt? (some research required)

 

3. Compare this prophecy of Zechariah 9: ⁹ Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (about 520 BC) to the passage from Luke 19:
   1. Consider the above passages from Zechariah and Luke 19:
      1. What confidence does this give you in the prophesies of scripture? Why? What other examples can you support your answer with?
      2. Why is this confidence important?

 

4.  Luke 19:³⁹ Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”

⁴⁰ “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

1. What is the meaning behind Jesus’ response to the Pharisees?
2. Is there a principle here that can apply to us? Explain.

 

 

5. Luke 19: ⁴¹ As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it ⁴² and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. ⁴³ The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. ⁴⁴ They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.”

How often do we feel we should reach out to someone, take a stand on an issue, perhaps get involved in an area of ministry and choose not to do so? I will do it later, I still have time,  may be our justification for not actively pursuing what we feel prompted to do. There may be consequences that we don’t foresee when we put off acting.

1. Why did Jesus weep over the city?
2. What would have brought Jerusalem peace?
3. Why was it hidden from their eyes?
4. Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD as a result of the Jews rebelling against Roman authority.
   1. How does the rebellion of the Jews and the resulting destruction of Jerusalem relate to Luke 19:44?
   2. Does Romans 13:1-2 suggest how things might have turned out differently for the Jews? Explain.

 

For Reflection:

Perhaps all too often we ignore the prompting of the Holy Spirit because we feel it doesn’t matter. We may have an agenda and will get around to what God wants in our time frame. This is really just rebellion against God. There may be only one window of opportunity for us and that is the one God provides. To ignore that may result in unexpected consequences.  Jeremiah 29:11 tells us, “¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” In order for this to happen, we need to live the admonition of Romans 12:1 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship”. Are you trying to do your own thing or are you allowing the Spirit of God to work in you and through you?