Group Guide
This Week's City 7:
6. Is the Bible God’s Word? Jesus proved He is God by rising from the dead and said the Old Testament was God’s Word and gave authority to the Apostles to write the words of the New Testament, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, so that all the words of the Bible are God’s Word.
(Matthew 5:18; Luke 24:27, 44; John 14:25-26, 15:27, 16:12-13, 17:20; Acts 2:42; Ephesians 3:5; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21)
(Matthew 5:18; Luke 24:27, 44; John 14:25-26, 15:27, 16:12-13, 17:20; Acts 2:42; Ephesians 3:5; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:16-21)
Ice-Breaker:
- How do YOU picture Jesus?
Scripture
Mark 11
1 As Jesus and his disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. 2 “Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks, ‘What are you doing?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it and will return it soon.’ ”
4 The two disciples left and found the colt standing in the street, tied outside the front door. 5 As they were untying it, some bystanders demanded, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” 6 They said what Jesus had told them to say, and they were permitted to take it. 7 Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it, and he sat on it.
8 Many in the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others spread leafy branches they had cut in the fields. 9 Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around him were shouting,
“Praise God!
Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
10 Blessings on the coming Kingdom of our ancestor David!
Praise God in highest heaven!”
1 As Jesus and his disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the towns of Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. 2 “Go into that village over there,” he told them. “As soon as you enter it, you will see a young donkey tied there that no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 3 If anyone asks, ‘What are you doing?’ just say, ‘The Lord needs it and will return it soon.’ ”
4 The two disciples left and found the colt standing in the street, tied outside the front door. 5 As they were untying it, some bystanders demanded, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” 6 They said what Jesus had told them to say, and they were permitted to take it. 7 Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it, and he sat on it.
8 Many in the crowd spread their garments on the road ahead of him, and others spread leafy branches they had cut in the fields. 9 Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the people all around him were shouting,
“Praise God!
Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
10 Blessings on the coming Kingdom of our ancestor David!
Praise God in highest heaven!”
Discussion Questions:
- It's Passion Week! On Sunday, we looked at Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. We studied Scripture to see the truth of why Jesus came and how He chose to reveal Himself to the world. It's important that we look ONLY to the Bible to tell us who the real Jesus is. It's why we choose to study God's Word verse by verse, chapter by chapter, in context. Otherwise, we'll start to assume things about Jesus. This usually ends up with us constructing a "Jesus" in our own image. Because, we're awesome, right? We're sooo wise, sooo empathetic... why wouldn't he be just like us? But the truth is, a Jesus made in your own image doesn't exist. He isn't real. Do you think you might be susceptible to constructing your own version of Jesus based on what you think is right or feels good? Have you ever felt the tension between what you read of Jesus in Scripture and what you picture Him to be?
- The Jewish people in Jesus' day had long awaited the coming of the Messiah. And they thought that Jesus could be THE ONE! But they were WAY off on what the Messiah was coming to accomplish. They chose the symbol of the palm branch as Jesus rode into town. This symbolized their expectations of a military operation that would end in the overthrow of the Roman government. They expected Jesus to be their savior from Roman oppression. He would be their new earthly king! But this is not why He came. They saw what they wanted to see. We can do the same thing. Have you ever had expectations of Jesus that He just didn't live up to in your life? Have your wrong assumptions about Him ever led you to feel a little disillusioned?
- The Jewish people knew their Scriptures. Because of centuries of prophecies, they new a King was coming from David's line who would rule forever. This King would bring justice, peace and deliver God's people once and for all. And these are all true things! But the great irony of Palm Sunday is, they were celebrating the RIGHT King for the WRONG reasons. We can also pursue the right things but for the wrong reasons. What could be some deep-seeded, hidden motives behind your decision to go to church? Have quiet times with God? Pray? Give? Help someone in need?
- Jesus didn't choose the symbol of the palm... he chose the donkey. Israel expected a RULING King, but God appointed a REDEEMING King. They wanted someone to overthrow Rome, but God sent Jesus to overthrow sin and death. They pictured Him wearing a crown of gold, but instead He wore a crown of thorns. Jesus didn't come to establish an earthly kingdom, He came to establish an eternal one. Holy Sunday doesn't point to death, but to ultimate victory! It points to a second coming of Jesus when He will come down from heaven to Jerusalem on (not a donkey) but a white horse to rule as King of Kings and Lord of Lords! Jesus entered Jerusalem the first time LOW on a DONKEY, but He will return on a HORSE from on HIGH! How much are you looking forward with His anticipation to this day? How can we make sure we are keeping our focus in the right place this Easter season?
Prayer Topics:
- That we would make sure we are worshiping Jesus for the right reasons.
- That we would ONLY worship the actual Jesus found in Scripture, not one we construct.
- That we would live each day in expectation of His return.
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