Who is Jesus?
Small Group Study, week commencing 6th April
Welcome church family.
My name is Ian and I'm assuming that you are going to be linking in with a small group via Facebook, Messenger, Zoom or some other platform in the next few days.
Did you know that if you're using Zoom and forget to create a meeting password, there is an exceptionally remote possibility that someone could gatecrash your meeting if they discover your 9-digit meeting number?
Just for fun, let's suppose that happens, and suddenly, while you're chatting together a new window appears on your screen and in that window is a the grinning face of Boris Johnson.
I might be wrong, but I suspect two things might happen – some of us will want to congratulate him for taking brave decisions at a tough time while others of us will want to bend his ear about how issues he and the government haven't quite got right!
The point I'm making is this – because of who Boris is, there will be reactions to him – good or bad.
In his day, Jesus was the same. There were strong reactions to him because of who he was. Like him or loathe him, you couldn't ignore him.
Hence – Palm Sunday – when Jesus did something that could not be ignored.
Jesus could not be ignored
At our online weekend service, Roger was preaching about Palm Sunday. It was on that day that reactions to Jesus became increasingly polarised.
On that day, a huge crowd welcomed him triumphantly into Jerusalem and only a short while later another huge crowd was baying for his blood.
Can I suggest that you recap the story and chat about anything you think is significant.
Matthew 21:1-11
Let me share some insights about this which I hope will help you in your discussion.
On Palm Sunday. Jesus was revealing to anyone who would acknowledge it, the reality of who he actually was and why he came.
Roger highlighted that He showed himself to be Lord and King, Son of David and a prophet.
A statement object
Have a chat about a special object each of you owns – an object that's special to you that goes a little way to defining who you are. If someone saw you with that object, they would know something about you.
(For me it's going to be a bundle of sermon notes, or a piano – yours will be different I hope!)
Have a chat about some of your 'statement objects' and what you'd like them to say about you.
Jesus' statement object – a donkey
In Matthew 21 Jesus asked the disciples to collect a donkey. Taking that donkey sounds like stealing a car, although many experts think this was pre-arranged.
The Jewish documents at the time (Mishnah) tell us that pilgrims coming for the feast (as Jesus was) should walk to the city.
Jesus has just walked all the way from Galilee, so why now does get on a donkey?
In fact it's the only time we hear of Jesus travelling by any other means than on foot!
This is a deliberate gesture! Jesus is provoking a reaction.
Matthew 21:4: “[This took place] to fulfil what was spoken through the prophet.” (Zechariah, as it happens. See Zechariah 9:9.)
A donkey was a symbol of humility and even poverty because it was the most common beast of burden at the time.
However, back in the OT it was given a heightened significance when Solomon was crowned as king.
... Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet, … put Solomon on King David’s donkey, and escorted him into the city. Zadok ... took the horn of oil from the sacred tent and anointed Solomon [as king]. Then … all the people shouted, ‘Long live King Solomon!’ And all the people went up after him, playing pipes and rejoicing greatly, so that the ground shook with the sound. (1 Kings 1:38ff )
… the new king arrived on a donkey. That's what Jesus is re-enacting here!
Later on the prophet Zechariah picked up this image and heard God saying, “When the messiah comes, he'll arrive on a donkey!”
‘Say to [my people], “See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”’ (Matthew 21:5)
Now here's the thing. The disciples obeyed Jesus, and that paved the way for God to do something quite remarkable – show that Jesus was the messiah!
Here's something a deeper to talk about.
What's your reaction to this lock-down?
Are there ways in which we can give Jesus the place of kingship he deserves in your family, leisure, money, relationships, time, witness, work, worship?
Have a talk about some of these.
And finally, do pray for each other.
I feel it's worth praying for our mental well-being because there are so many messages from the media that can make us feel depressed, anxious or uncertain.
A key difference between the crowd praising on Palm Sunday and crowd baying on Good Friday was who they each listened to.
Personally I'm not watching the news so much as I used to because it's so unremittingly grim. I don't want to indulge in escapism, but neither do I want to feed my heart with a diet of negativity!
Why don't you do a bit of supporting each other over this.
God bless you!
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