PALM SUNDAY
AWAKENING THE WONDER
We read through the gospels the account of Palm Sunday, of Jesus entering Jerusalem on a donkey, fulfilling a prophecy that would change the world forever.
Those at the time who knew the Torah, God’s word, or had learnt of Jesus through his ministry and believed in who he was, lined the streets with cloaks and palm branches celebrating the outworking of Gods plan and Jesus’s part in it.
It is an event that has been written about, studied, and shared around the world more times than we could imagine, and its impact on the world and on people only continues to increase.
The question for us is, are we awake to the wonder of Jesus at work, then and now? Or do we need to be awakened?
REFLECT
Q. What stood out to you from Sunday’s message ‘Awakening the Wonder’, and why?
Q. Share what it means to you to be awakened to the wonder of Jesus.
READ
Jesus enters the city to a humble display of praise and honour LUKE 35-40 ‘They threw their own clothes on the colt, and they set Jesus on him. And as He went, many spread their clothes on the road. Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, saying: “‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD!’ Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
- They threw their own clothes on the colt, and they set Jesus on him
They threw their own clothes on the colt, spread their clothes on the road, began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice: The crowd extravagantly honoured Jesus and praised God for sending this King unto Jerusalem, saying Blessed is the King who comes in the name of LORD!
Q. What does it look like in our lives to be in wonder of what Jesus has done for us? How do we celebrate Jesus with others?
- The whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen
With a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen: Their praise was filled with remembrance. They remembered all the mighty works they saw Jesus do and they told of the great things God had done in their life.
Q. Why do you praise God? Share what Jesus has done in your life.
Luke 40-44 Jesus weeps over Jerusalem. Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace!”
- As He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it
This was a deeply moving moment for Jesus. His tears were not for His own fate in Jerusalem, but for the fate of the city itself. Wept might be rendered ‘wailed’; Jesus burst into sobbing as he lamented lost opportunity. The cry was that of a frustrated desire. He had visited the city, with the desire to deliver it from the things of destruction, and with the offers of the things of peace. The spiritual blindness of the rulers and people was such that they did not discern the meaning of the visitation.
Q. Are their areas in our life that Jesus weeps for us? For lost opportunities because we are blind to who He is, and what He has done?
Do we limit what Jesus can do in our lives with our own mindset and opinion like the Pharisees?
Do we miss opportunities Jesus is wanting to work in us and through us?
- If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace!
This was a turning point for the Jewish people. Their leaders had rejected Jesus and most of the people followed their leaders. Yet, if they had known Jesus and His work as Messiah, they might have been spared the destruction to come.
Q. Who are we following and who is following us? Do we reflect the peace, plan and purpose Jesus has for us?
PRAYER & ACTION
- Lord, help me to be awake to the wonder of who you are and what you have done and are doing in my life and to the lives of others.
- Share with others your personal testimony of salvation.
- Take time to reflect and remember what Jesus has done in your life. Start a list and write down your own testimonies, and that you hear of people celebrating what Jesus has done for them.
- Think about who you are following and who is following you. Do they/you reflect the peace Jesus came to give us in their/your lives/life?
- Challenge your mindset on anything that doesn’t align with God’s word. Look for scriptures to renew you’re thinking.