Opening Prayer
Spend a few moments preparing your heart to apply the principles drawn out of the Bible passage.
Icebreaker
Share about a time when an unexpected disruption in your life turned out to be a blessing in disguise. How did you respond initially versus how you feel about it now?
Text
Luke 19:28-48
28 And when he had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’” 32 So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. 33 And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” 35 And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. 36 And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. 37 As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, 38 saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” 39 And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” 40 He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”
41 And when he drew near and saw the city, he wept over it, 42 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. 43 For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side 44 and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.”
45 And he entered the temple and began to drive out those who sold, 46 saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a den of robbers.”
47 And he was teaching daily in the temple. The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy him, 48 but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on his words.
Discussion Questions
Understanding the Text
Scene 1 • Jesus and the Disciples ascend to Jerusalem.
Why do you think the Bible refers to traveling into Jerusalem as “going up,” or “ascending” even if the approach might include a descent from Mt. Olivet?
Why is it significant that Jesus chose to ride on a donkey that had never been ridden before?
What does this teach us about how God works?
Where does the crowd who is praising God proclaim there is peace?
What is the significance of this?
How does Jesus respond to the celebrations and declarations of the coming of God’s King?
What does this say about how He understood Himself?
Scene 2 • Resistance from the Pharisees in the crowd
The Pharisees told Jesus to silence His disciples (v. 39). What does their reaction reveal about their relationship with Jesus?
How might we sometimes respond similarly?
Jesus wept over Jerusalem despite the celebration happening around Him (v. 41-44).
What does this reveal about His heart?
How does this challenge or comfort you?
Scene 3 • The cleansing at the Temple
What were people doing at the Temple that caused Jesus to react so strongly as to drive them away?
Who was Jesus protecting, and what does this teach us about His priorities?
Jesus expressed righteous anger toward religious leaders taking advantage of genuine seekers (v. 45-46).
Sermon Summary
Jesus came as both King and Servant as seen in the symbolism of palms (victory) and cloaks (servanthood). The big idea of the sermon was that the way of Jesus requires allegiance, not mere acceptance. While we often talk about "accepting Jesus," true discipleship demands surrendering to His kingdom authority, even when it disrupts our plans. While some avoid the Kingship of Jesus, others of us avoid it.
Which word better describes your current relationship with Jesus (“acceptance” or “allegiance”)?
The good news is that Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection confront our avoidance and abuse and ally us with His plans, purposes, and protection. His death absorbs the abuse and avoidance, His burial removes it, and His resurrection offers us allegiance and is the guarantee that God is for us.
Personal Reflection
Pastor Kurt said, "We discover our allegiance by what we allow to disrupt us." Looking at your calendar and priorities this past week, what do your disruptions reveal about your true allegiances?
God's disruptions are often invitations to healing. When Jesus disturbs our comfort, He's often trying to restore us. What would it look like practically for you to welcome Jesus' disruption this week rather than resist it?
What specific area might He be inviting you to surrender?
Application & Action
If Jesus exercised His kingship in my life this week, what would be disrupted?
Closing Prayer
Father, we recognize that Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection weren't just historical events. They were Your ultimate disruption of death itself. Because He is alive, His invitation to allegiance is also an invitation to resurrection life. What feels like death in the disruption is actually the pathway to new life. Fill us with the Holy Spirit so that by faith we welcome disruption and confess, “The Lord has need of this.” Amen.