Palm Sunday
Sermon Recap
We know what it is like to watch a parade, from small town parades to big parades on TV. Marching bands. Hot air balloons. Floats. Sometimes even animals. Our experience is a contrast to the parade that captured the attention of the people of Jerusalem on what we now call Palm Sunday. That parade was a single person – Jesus – riding on a donkey.
As Jesus came into town riding on a donkey, the people lined the streets and cried out, “Hosanna”, which means “Save us!”. They had been waiting for a long time for someone to rescue them from the Romans, who had taken the land of Israel and were ruling over the Jews. The Romans had war-horses and an enormous army. You might think it would take bigger horses and a bigger army to defeat them, but Jesus came riding in alone.
Five hundred years before the time of Jesus, the prophet Zechariah had looked ahead to the day of Israel’s rescue. “Look, your king comes to you! Triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey,” (Zechariah 9:9). Without saying a word, Jesus was claiming to be that king.
But Jesus didn’t come to be a out-bully the Romans. He is the kind of king who comes close to people who are sad. When you are sad, when you are left out – Jesus has his eyes on you.
In just a few days, the people will get angry at Jesus. They were tired, and tired of waiting. When Jesus came in on a donkey, they became hopeful. But when he didn’t rescue them like they wanted, their hope got quiet. Their “hosanna” got quiet.
Maybe you know that feeling, waiting for God to fix your situation in a very specific way. Maybe your own hosanna has gotten quiet. Even so, Jesus is the kind of king who hasn’t stopped coming close to those who need him.
Christ came for the ones being hurt, and also to change the hearts of those doing the hurting. We know what it is to be hurt, and, in honesty, we know what it is to hurt other people. So we remember that we are calling out to a good king. Even if our shouting has faded into a whisper, we never stop praying, “Hosanna – save me. Have mercy on me.”
Entering Conversation
We recognize that every small group has its own conversational dynamics. Feel free to use either set of questions below – or use your own! – in order to structure your talking together. As you do, remember that our goal, always, is not to end up with merely better knowledge of the teaching, but to help each other respond to what was taught.
1. Reflect back on what you heard in this sermon, or on the thoughts that have come afterwards. What stood out to you, either because it was new/interesting, or because you felt like the Spirit directed your attention to it?
2. What might it look like to respond in some way to what you heard? (NB – this is where community can be helpful. Sometimes we don’t know what to do with what we heard, but others can help us identify ways of responding. Be free to help each other, graciously and gently, listening for what the Spirit may be prompting.)
3. As you close your time, pray together. Practice naming your fears and anxieties before God, inviting Him to carry those concerns and help you learn to trust His care.
-OR Feel free to use any of these:
1. As an ice-breaker: does anyone remember going to a parade when you were young? What do remember seeing? Feeling?
2. The people of Israel were desperate for a national rescue, but Jesus came to rule and rescue in a different way. What particular hopes do you have for America to be a more Christian nation? How might the mission of Jesus on Palm Sunday frame those hopes – or re-frame them?
3. “Hosanna!” is sometimes thought to be a word of praise, but it is actually a cry for help – “Save us.” Is there a way in which that prayer resonates with you right now?
4. As you close your time, pray together in a way that seems appropriate to your discussion. End your prayer time by standing and praying the Lord’s Prayer together, inviting children to pray with you if your group has children present.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name.
May your kingdom come.
May your will be done on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen