Sermon Study Guide

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The Way We Are Saved A Special Palm Sunday Message Matthew 21:1-11 April 14, 2019

BIG IDEA Jesus didn’t come to defeat culture, set up an evangelical kingdom, or take over Washington D.C. He came to rescue mankind from eternal destruction. Palm Sunday is about an offer to be King. He was rejected. But if you choose Him, you will be rescued. You will become a new person who is free, hopeful, and transformed. The ravages of sin will fall away and you will be reconciled to God. That’s what happens when you find the way to be saved.

THIS WEEK’S SCRIPTURE Context: Jesus announced himself as King on His famous (Palm Sunday) ride on a colt. He arrived in Jerusalem to the praise of crowds that lined the streets. But others in the city were skeptical. In the end, very few would acknowledge Jesus as the way to be saved. Matthew 21:1-11 Now when they drew near to Jerusalem and came to Bethphage, to the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, 5

“Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’ ” 6

The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. 8 Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to

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the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” 10 And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.”

DISCUSSION & APPLICATION 1. Jerusalem Was Divided Regarding the Identity of Jesus, But This Particular Crowd Was For Him. Matthew 21:9 – “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” The Lord’s announcement of His Kingship came in verses 2 and 3: “Go into the village in front of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord needs them,’ and he will send them at once.” The people placed tree branches and clothing down in front of Jesus. This would have been customary for a king. The fact that Jesus was riding on a donkey is significant. The Lord’s action fulfills the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9 and signaled that Jesus was a different kind of king. A donkey, rather than a horse, was a sign of peace. Zechariah 9:9 – Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. These are words from Psalm 118:26: Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. To Him, specifically, they shouted: “Hosanna to the Son of David.” Hosanna is from the Hebrew: “Save (us), we pray.” These are words of praise and of petition. They seemed to acknowledge Jesus as Messiah, the Seed of David who had come to save them. a. It’s ironic that the people would be praising Jesus now, and in a week’s time He would be hanging from a cross. Why do you think we go back and forth from praising Jesus to rebelling against Him so quickly? What are some ways that you can develop consistency in your own walk with Jesus?

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b. Jesus has announced Himself as King of the Universe. Do most people acknowledge Him as such? How can you help someone in your sphere of influence know the truth about Jesus and His saving power? Who?

c. Have you been saved by this King? Share your story of salvation with the group or write it down in a journal. Take time to thank God for the gift of salvation.

2. Others in Jerusalem Were Skeptical Matthew 21:10-11 – And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.” This is what the next week would look like. Some were praising Jesus and some wanted to kill Him. This is the war that is still being fought today. Jesus is a polarizing figure. But we don’t need to be intimidated by those that ridicule us: 1 Corinthians 1:19 – For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.” Jesus has been, and always will be, a dividing line. It’s either believe in Him or not. One must put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ as Savior in order to be saved. a. How do you experience this spiritual war in your own life? What arguments are used to discredit your faith? How do you come against those arguments?

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b. Culture is dazzled by fancy degrees and arguments. Jesus is simply calling you to believe. How does one come to a simple and foundational faith that lasts a lifetime? How can your group help you in this process?

c. Pray for someone that you know who desperately needs to know Jesus.

3. Jesus Deeply Felt the Pain of Rejection Luke 19:41-42 – And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, saying, “Would that you, even you, had known on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. Here He was, right before their eyes, and they were missing Him. This deeply grieved the heart of Jesus. These pilgrims were awaiting Messiah, but He didn’t look like they thought He would. He was a wanderer from a small village, the son of a carpenter, and certainly not one that looked like a King. And so they missed an opportunity to be saved. a. These people were watching Messiah enter Jerusalem with their very eyes. Yet, most ended up not believing in Him. How does this happen? How quickly can it happen in your life? What can you do to guard against it?

b. Jesus showed great emotion at this moment. What does this say about His love for you? Do you think He cares about you in this way? Can you embrace that?

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4. Jesus Came to Save Israel and He Can Save You Jesus is the way to be saved. He came, on this day, to announce His intention of saving Israel. But He wants to save you, too. A. Jesus Can Save You From Hopelessness 1 Corinthians 4:17-18 – For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal. 1. Are there days when you feel like there is no hope? How do you cope? Write down five verses that will help you combat the enemy at these times.

A. Jesus Can Save You From Your Past 2 Corinthians 5:17 – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 1. Do you walk in shame? Jesus can save you from that. Take time and pray. Release the past. Jesus came to save you from guilt that paralyzes you.

B. Jesus Came to Save You From the Ravages of Sin We need Jesus to help us because sin has made a wreck of our lives and separated us from God: Isaiah 59:2 – But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.

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Jesus can save you from this. It’s really quite simple: Romans 10:9 – If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Don’t leave this place without embracing Jesus as the one that saves. You will become a new person who is free, hopeful, and transformed. The ravages of sin will fall away and you will be reconciled to God.

PRAY Dear Lord, I am so glad that you are the King. I rely on you. My salvation comes because of your amazing sacrifice on the cross. Help me to apply this good news to every part of my life. Amen.

DIG DEEPER For further study this week:  

Counter Culture: Following Christ In An Anti-Christian Age – a book from David Platt Discipleship: What It Truly Means To Be A Christian – a book from A.W. Tozer

NEXT WEEK’S BIG IDEA Easter: “Three Days Later.” Invite your friends. We will celebrate the joy of Christ’s resurrection!

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