Group Guide

June 11th, 2023

This Week's City 7:

1. Who is Jesus? I believe Jesus is God because Jesus said He is God and proved it by rising from the dead and appearing to His disciples, His brother James, 500 others at one time and Paul.
(Mark 3:21; John 8:58, 10:30-33, 14:9-11; Acts 9:1-6; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Colossians 1:15-20; Hebrews 1:2-3; James 1:1)

Ice-Breaker:

What's a symbol that brings you a certain pride or emotion? Example... Raider Red, the Matador, your high school mascot, etc.

Discussion Questions:

Have someone read Luke 19:28-44 aloud.

In verse 28 of Chapter 19, Luke gives us a story we are all familiar with. Jesus makes His return to Jerusalem to crowds of people praising him. They line the streets, laying garments and palm branches in front of Him. Remember, they have no idea Jesus is coming to die. They think he's coming to be crowned a king. They had a preconceived idea about how God would accomplish all that was written about in the prophets, but they were way off. So many of them missed it altogether. We can all be guilty of this in our own lives. Has there been a time when God accomplished something in YOUR life that was in a much different way than you expected?
Clayton made the point on Sunday that Jesus chose the most humble of transportation methods... a donkey. He could've ridden in on a white horse to show his power, which would've been customary. His disciples could've carried Him in on their shoulders. But he chose a symbol of humility and not military might and strength, which directly fulfilled Zechariah 9:9 that says, "See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey." Jesus was the perfect picture of true humility. He came to be a different kind of King; one who serves others and lays down His life for them. How often do you take the humble route in your own life? How often are you serving those that can do nothing for you?
Once again, the pharisees reveal their hearts by referring to Jesus as "teacher," which was an address used for Jesus by those outside the circle of His followers who refused to see Him as Lord. It reveals what they thought of Him and, quite frankly, what many today think of Him. Even so-called "believers" can treat Jesus as though He is merely a good teacher, prophet, a man with wisdom. He is only "Lord" when your whole life is submitted to His Lordship... every part of you. Is He Lord of YOUR whole life? Or do you unintentionally relegate Him to a teacher by your decisions, attitudes and things you withhold from Him?
Everyone on the road that day was preoccupied with all of their own baggage and expectations. It wasn't that their issues weren't real. It's that they distracted them from their REAL NEED... peace with God. And Jesus was on His way to make that a possibility. They believed peace and prosperity would come through policy or the economy. And Jesus weeps because they don't understand. How much of our lives are distractions from the main point? And how often do we miss the heart of God, who sent Jesus to set us free from the power of sin, which would bring us absolute peace?
Jesus demonstrated in these verses that His is the perfect balance of grace and truth. He rode in on a donkey. He spent His life humbly serving people. But He also pointed people towards the truth of the Kingdom and the age to come... when He will ride in from the clouds on a great, white horse. How much different would your life look if you did everything in your power to live a life of grace and truth? Do you tend to be heavier on the grace side or truth side?

Prayer Topics:

That we would be a people that don't miss the point.
That we would serve in humility like Jesus did.
That we would be people of grace and truth.

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