Join the Festal Procession
April 9, 2006 - John 12:12-19
Open It
How do people usually react when they meet a celebrity? Why?
Who are today's religious celebrities?
Explore It
What had the crowd heard about Jesus? (12:12)
How did the crowd greet Jesus when He arrived in Jerusalem? (12:13)
What title did the crowd ascribe to Jesus? (12:13)
What prophetic event took place? (12:14-15)
What had been written about this event? (12:15)
When did Jesus' disciples realize the significance of these events? (12:16)
What did the crowd that was with Jesus do when he raised Lazarus? (12:17)
Why did many of the people go out to meet Jesus? (12:18)
How did the Pharisees react to this event? (12:19)
Get It
What did you hear about Jesus that led you to seek him?
How should Jesus be the ruler in our lives?
When are you reluctant to allow Jesus to take his rightful place as Savior in your life?
What area of your life is difficult for you to share with Christ?
How should we honor and worship Jesus as supreme?
How should we spread the word about Jesus?
Apply It
What specific area of your life do you need to yield more consistently to the authority of Jesus? How?
With whom do you need to share the good news about Jesus Christ? How can you?
How will you honor and worship Jesus with your life today?
Notes
John 12:13: Jesus began his last week on earth by riding into Jerusalem on a donkey under a canopy of palm branches, with crowds hailing him as their king. To announce that he was indeed the Messiah, Jesus chose a time when all Israel would be gathered at Jerusalem, a place where huge crowds could see him, and a way of proclaiming his mission that was unmistakable. On Palm Sunday we celebrate Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.
John 12:13: The people who were praising God for giving them a king had the wrong idea about Jesus. They were sure he would be a national leader who would restore their nation to its former glory, and thus they were deaf to the words of their prophets and blind to Jesus' real mission. When it became apparent that Jesus was not going to fulfill their hopes, many people turned against him.
John 12:16: After Jesus' resurrection, the disciples understood for the first time many of the prophecies that they had missed along the way. Jesus' words and actions took on new meaning and made more sense. In retrospect, the disciples saw how Jesus had led them into a deeper and better understanding of his truth. Stop now and think about the events in your life leading up to where you are now. How has God led you to this point? As you grow older, you will look back and see God's involvement more clearly than you do now.
John 12:18: The people flocked to Jesus because they had heard about his great miracle in raising Lazarus from the dead. Their adoration was short-lived and their commitment shallow, for in a few days they would do nothing to stop his crucifixion. Devotion based only on curiosity or popularity fades quickly.