BIG IDEA
What would you do if you knew you had one week to live? Maybe you would gather all of your loved ones and spend time with them. Maybe you would eat a meal at your favorite restaurant and order at least three courses. Maybe you would make things right with someone you have had a conflict with. While we cannot know how many days we have left on earth, Jesus did. As He entered the last week of His life, He was keenly aware that His time on earth was coming to an end. We actually know some of the things that took place during His last week, and this week we are going to take a look at how Jesus spent Sunday-Wednesday during that week.
BREAK THE ICE
What would you do if you knew you had 7 days to live?
SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS
Bible Study Questions
1. Why is faith important when God asks us to do something that does not make sense to other people?
WATCH SERMON RECAP
2. Read Luke 19:28-40. What is significant about this moment?
Luke 19:28-40
"After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 30 “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’” 32 Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 They replied, “The Lord needs it.” 35 They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36 As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. 37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: 38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” 40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
"After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 30 “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’”
32 Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?”
34 They replied, “The Lord needs it.”
35 They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36 As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road.
37 When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:
38 “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”
39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
40 “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
3. What are some reasons why these people praised Jesus? (Remember, many Israelites were looking for a political ruler to rescue them from Rome.
4. Read Matthew 25:14-30, a story Jesus taught during His last week. Summarize the message Jesus was giving through this story.
Matthew 25:14-30
“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money. 19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’ 21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’ 23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ 24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’ 26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest. 28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’"
“Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his wealth to them. 15 To one he gave five bags of gold, to another two bags, and to another one bag, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. 16 The man who had received five bags of gold went at once and put his money to work and gained five bags more. 17 So also, the one with two bags of gold gained two more. 18 But the man who had received one bag went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money.
19 “After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. 20 The man who had received five bags of gold brought the other five. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with five bags of gold. See, I have gained five more.’
21 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
22 “The man with two bags of gold also came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘you entrusted me with two bags of gold; see, I have gained two more.’
23 “His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’
24 “Then the man who had received one bag of gold came. ‘Master,’ he said, ‘I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. 25 So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.’
26 “His master replied, ‘You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? 27 Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.
28 “‘So take the bag of gold from him and give it to the one who has ten bags. 29 For whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. 30 And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’"
Application
1. If you were to die today, how would people remember you and the life you lived?
2. What are some ways that God has gifted you? How can you do a better job investing in His Kingdom?
3. What action steps can you take this week to make a difference in the world?
MOVING FORWARD
Talk with your group for a moment about how you can specifically invest your gifts in the church. How might God use you and the gifts He has given you to advance His mission at Sagebrush? Then, share this with your group and commit to taking a step this week to find out how you can serve in that capacity.
Going Deeper
We learned during the weekend message that the Sunday that Jesus rode into Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover was known as Lamb Selection Day. This was a day when people picked out a lamb to sacrifice for their family’s sins. Then, later in the week, that lamb would be killed, and the sins of the family would be forgiven. This was deeply symbolic because Jesus was the Lamb of God who had come to pay the price of the sins of the world once and for all. Let’s take a few minutes to dive into the symbolism of this moment and the fact that Jesus was indeed the Lamb of God.
Read Genesis 3:20-24, verses that take place right after Adam and Eve brought sin into the world by sinning.
Read Exodus 12:1-13, verses that took place during the first Passover as God was in the process of rescuing the Israelites from Egypt.
Read John 1:29-31
Reflect:
The news that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world is the best news you will ever hear. It is too good to keep to ourselves. Bring a friend weekend is coming up on August 20th and 21st. Who can you bring along with you to one of our services that weekend to hear the hope of Jesus? Share with your group who you will bring and pray together that they will accept your invitations and that God would prepare their hearts to hear the message He has for them.
MONTHLY MEMORY VERSE (Available for download on Sagebrush App)
John 16:33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.
©2024 Sagebrush Church
