Week 1

Look Back

Which piece of the armor did you spend time focusing on to defend yourself against spiritual attack this week? How did it go?

Connect

As we go into the week leading up to the Easter story, which part challenges and/ or encourages you the most?

Look Up

Read John 12:12-19

1. What was going on culturally that made Jesus’ entry such a significant event? Why were people celebrating?
2. What was Jesus' response to the crowds and the priests? Why do you think he acted this way?
3. How did the disciples react to what was happening? What does this show us about following Jesus?

Read John 13:1-7

1. What feast were they gathering for and why is this important? What does it mean for us today?
2. Try to imagine being present at this meal and describe some of the key events that led up to this moment and what they show us.
3. What do these verses say was Jesus’ motivation for doing what he did? What does this tell us about God?
4. How did this whole event shift the thinking of what really happened on Palm Sunday?

Overall (Discovery Bible Study)

• What do these scriptures say about God?
• What do they say about people?
• How will I apply this to my life?

Look Ahead

As we prepare to celebrate an empty tomb this weekend, take some time to read through Luke 22-24, John 17-20, Mark 14-16, Matthew 26-2 Immerse yourself in the Easter story through scripture and prayer. Examine what it means for you personally but also us collectively as the Church.

Notes

Palm Sunday reveals so much about God’s nature and the nature of people. The parallels between us and them , their culture and ours, the world then and the world now is astounding. As we peek into 2 pivotal moments in history, look at the details and the people for what was really going on. Not so much to better have knowledge, but rather to look at and see where you would find yourself. Do we cry our Hosanna one minute and turn the next? Are we great at proclaiming God's grace on Sunday in church but lose sight by Friday? Tough questions but worthy to reflect on as we approach what happened on Good Friday. Leadership tip One other thing that is reflected is just how hard it is to lead people. As a leader, what you do matters. There are great days when all is going well and some really challenging days where it seems too tough to keep going. As leaders the more humility we reflect, the lower we go, the more”feet we wash”, the more we experience God’s grace in the midst. Keep going, you are making a difference