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Approaching Easter
A Devotional Series::Week of March 20
“The King Has Come” (Luke 19:28-48)
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Day 1 | Luke 19: 28-40
Appetizer
Consider an occasion where you traveled far - or paid a considerable price
- to experience an event? How did the event captivate your attention? What
made it so meaningful and worth the effort to attend?
Big Idea
This “Palm Sunday” passage is fascinating for many reasons. First, we see
Jesus’ ministry intensify in what we know to be the final week of His
earthly ministry and the culmination of His purpose on earth. Having
already drawn a crowd nearby by His raising of Lazarus from the dead
(see John 12:1-8), he presents himself in Jerusalem at the beginning of
the very crowded Passover week celebration. Second, we see God’s
astounding faithfulness in fulfilling prophesy in accurate detail
(e.g. Daniel 9:24-27 (timing of Jesus’ birth), and Zechariah 9:9-17
(riding a colt). Third, we see Jesus’s unconventional entrance; hardly the
conquering warrior on a white horse that the people may have expected
from the Messiah! Finally, Jesus challenges the offended religious leaders.
Upon their insistence that he silence the crowd’s shouts, He instead
insists that “even the rocks” would shout out affirmation of Who He was.
Main Course
1. The crowds shout “blessed is the King who comes in the name of the
Lord”. What do you think they were hoping to see happen as the result of
Jesus’ coming?
2. What is the significance of Jesus’ triumphal entry - and inevitable death
- occurring during the observation of Passover?
Dessert
God makes promises throughout His scripture. For example, He promises
to forgive our sins when we repent and trust in Him. He promises to
provide for our needs. He promises steadfast love to His children. He even
promises to bring profound meaning and purpose through life’s hardships.
How have you seen God’s promises in scripture fulfilled in your life already?
Make a point to share these “God at Work” stories with your friends,
co-workers or family this week.
Day 2 | Luke 19: 41-44
Appetizer
Have you ever offered someone your counsel but you could tell they “just
didn’t get it”? Was it because the information was difficult? Or because
they were distracted with other things?
Big Idea
In the previous passage (vs 28-40) we read that the people rightly rejoiced
in recognizing Jesus as their promised Messiah, but they greatly misunderstood the purpose of His coming. Previously - and on numerous occasions
- we read that Jesus had warned His disciples and the crowds about his
coming death (e.g. Luke 17:25), but they simply did not understand.
Focused only on their immediate context, they were looking for a Messiah
who would lead them in an ‘exodus’ away from Roman oppression. Sadly,
we know that within a week, the crowd’s shouts of “blessed is He who
comes” would become the demand to “crucify Him!” In this passage Jesus
laments over this, weeping over Jerusalem’s lack of understanding of what
He came to accomplish.
Main Course
1. Have the pressures you’ve experienced in life ever drawn you away from
following the Lord? In what ways?
2. Because of their lack of understanding and unbelief (vs 43), Jesus
laments of the coming destruction for Jerusalem (70 A.D.). How can lack of
belief - or misunderstanding God’s ways - bring destruction in our lives?
3. Jesus says that His followers did not understand that His unfolding plan
was for “peace”. What peace does He speak of?
Dessert
Consider the prayers you’ve prayed, asking the Lord work through different
issues you face. Are you holding these requests with open hands? Even if
He never answered them the way you were specifically praying, could you
still trust Him? Would you still follow Him?
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Day 3 | Read Luke 19: 45-48
From time to time, we all are guilty of substituting our devotion to God with
our own personal desires and ambition. Have you caught yourself doing
this recently? How so?
Big Idea
In this passage, Jesus first drives out the merchants from the temple, then
committing to daily teaching there. In this dramatic scene, we see Jesus’
righteous anger over the ways that man replaces the righteous worship of
God with the prideful exaltation of self. Despite the observation of Passover, we see how God’s people failed to rightly understand their need for a
Savior. They did not understand that Jesus would not simply waive the
penalty for their sin, but that He would fulfill that sentence by becoming
the actual “unblemished” sacrifice that Passover called for. Additionally, we
see the intensified plot of the religious leaders to sentence Jesus to death.
Main Course
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1. Historical accounts indicate that the selling of goods in the temple was
often a specific merchant trade that minimized ‘inconvenience’ for Jewish
travelers transporting animals long distance to make sacrifice. How is
prayer and worship seemingly “inconvenient” for us at times? How should
we rightly view this instead?
2. Read and consider John 4:23-24. This scripture supports one of our 4
“pillars” at Harvest Bible Chapel; the pillar of Unashamed Adoration. How
can the descriptives ‘spirit and truth’ inform our worship in ways that honor
God rightly? How can it keep us from engaging in the false worship that
results in the exaltation of ourselves?
Dessert
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What are the distractions that try to hinder your focused expression of
worship when we assemble together weekly at Harvest? How can you
address these distractions? Could doing so maximize your personal
capacity for “unashamed adoration” in the coming weeks leading up to our
joyful Easter Sunday celebration?