Grow Guide | April 13, 2025
Text Study for Sunday, April 13, 2025
Series Theme: Palm Sunday
Reading: Luke 19:36-40 (processional gospel), 41-48 (preaching gospel)
Connecting Question
What’s been a public celebration you remember well? A community parade? A sports team victory?
Prayer for Illumination
God of mercy, you promised never to break your covenant with us.
In the midst of the multitude of words in our daily lives,
speak your eternal Word to us,
that we may respond to your gracious promises
with faithfulness, service and love.
Amen.
CONTEXT
Sunday is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week. We have been spending Lent reflecting on Jesus revealing himself to the disciples and to us. This week the tone of our text changes, take notice. It is the fulfillment of all God has promised with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The text for this week has joy, celebration, anger, grief, frustration, condemnation, and praise. Consider where you are in this story.
From Dr Matt Skinner at EntertheBible.org:
Jerusalem occupies an important position in Luke’s geography. The Gospel begins and concludes with scenes of people at worship in the Jerusalem Temple. Jesus laments the unfaithfulness that characterizes the city (13:33-35; 19:41-44), making Jerusalem come across as a kind of composite character or a symbol of misunderstanding God’s intentions, at least temporarily. While Matthew and Mark emphasize Galilee as the place for Jesus’ followers to meet him after his resurrection, in Luke they encounter the risen Lord in and near Jerusalem, where they are instructed to remain until the Holy Spirit comes.
Look at the Book
How is it with your Spirit as we head to the final week of Lent?
Do you have any hopes for connecting with God or others this Lent?
Open to Luke 19. What are the cities just outside Jerusalem that Jesus visits? Look at a map in your Bible to see the geography.
Turn to Luke 19:36. What are people’s response to Jesus? What are they doing? Why is this act important?
Luke wants us to see that Jesus is like a king. Why will this be a problem?
Who is someone in your life that knows how to make an entrance? Why?
What are the disciples shouting in verse 38? What is the response of the religious leaders around them? Why?
Verse 41 is a big change in tone from the public celebration. What happens?
Where else does Jesus weep in the Bible? Why does he weep in that story? Flip back to Luke 13:34-35. Luke 19 is the second time Jesus weeps over Jerusalem. What image does Jesus use for God?
Jesus goes from weeping to what emotion in Luke 19:45-46? Why does Jesus act like this?
How do these stories speak to you today?
What would you like to talk about that we have not yet?
Taking it Home
How are certain people groups being mistreated today that makes you angry and upset? If nothing is making you angry, why might that be? Is it okay for Christians to be angry?
God of the promise, you call your people together into your one mission in Christ’s name. Make us brave, grant us peace, challenge our expectations, and empower us to truly follow your Spirit’s lead. You are our one God who calls us together as one people, and we thank you in Jesus’ name. Amen.