Hosanna

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April 5, 2009 - Mark 11:1-11

Open It

  1. What is enjoyable about watching parades?

  2. What would you like or dislike about actually participating in a big parade?

  3. What kinds of events or occasions do we celebrate with parades?

Explore It

  1. Where did the events of this story take place? (11:1)

  2. What did Jesus tell His disciples to do? (11:2)

  3. What did Jesus ask the disciples to do? (11:2-3)

  4. How did the disciples' experience match with what Jesus said? (11:4-7)

  5. What did the people in the village do when the disciples asked to take their colt? (11:6)

  6. What did Jesus do with the colt? (11:7)

  7. How did Jesus enter Jerusalem? (11:7-11)

  8. Why did the people spread cloaks and branches on the road for Jesus? (11:8-10)

  9. What was the atmosphere of the crowd when Jesus rode into Jerusalem? (11:8-10)

  10. What did the people shout when Jesus entered the city? (11:9)

  11. What does the reaction of the crowd tell us about how they interpreted Jesus' entry into Jerusalem? (11:9-10)

  12. Why do you think Jesus went to the temple first but then went out to Bethany with His disciples? (11:11)

  13. Why didn't Jesus stay in Jerusalem? (11:11)

Get It

  1. What do you think the disciples thought about what Jesus asked them to do?

  2. Why do you think the people in the village let the disciples take their colt?

  3. What did Jesus communicate to the crowds by riding a donkey into Jerusalem?

  4. Why do you think Jesus went to the temple first but then went out to Bethany with His disciples?

  5. When has God told you to do something that you thought was unusual or difficult to justify?

  6. How should we imitate the disciples' example?

  7. Why do you think God does not always reveal His intentions or long-range plans for us when we find ourselves in difficult circumstances?

  8. What should we do when we do not understand what God is trying to accomplish in us and through us?

  9. What can we learn from the attitudes of the people who followed Jesus into Jerusalem?

  10. How can we express our praise to the Lord?

Apply It

  1. What could you do this week to celebrate what Jesus has done for you?

  2. How should you react the next time a situation arises that you don't understand?

NOTES

Mark 11:1-2: This was Sunday of the week that Jesus would be crucified, and the great Passover festival was about to begin. Jews came to Jerusalem from all over the Roman world during this week-long celebration to remember the great exodus from Egypt (see Exodus 12:37-51). Many in the crowds had heard of or seen Jesus and were hoping he would come to the temple (John 11:55-57).

Jesus did come, not as a warring king on a horse or in a chariot, but as a gentle and peaceable king on a donkey's colt, just as Zech. 9:9 had predicted. Jesus knew that those who would hear him teach at the temple would return to their homes throughout the world and announce the coming of the Messiah.

Mark 11:9-10: The people exclaimed "Hosanna" (meaning, "Save!"), because they recognized that Jesus was fulfilling the prophecy in Zech. 9:9. (See also Psalm 24:7-10; Psalm 118:26.) They spoke of David's kingdom because of God's words to David in 2 Samuel 7:12-14. The crowd correctly saw Jesus as the fulfillment of these prophecies, but they did not understand where Jesus' kingship would lead him. This same crowd cried out "Crucify him!" when Jesus stood on trial only a few days later.

Mark 11:11-26: In this passage, two unusual incidents are related: the cursing of the fig tree and the clearing of the temple. The cursing of the fig tree was an acted-out parable related to the clearing of the temple. The temple was supposed to be a place of worship, but true worship had disappeared. The fig tree showed promise of fruit, but it produced none. Jesus was showing his anger at religious life without substance. If you claim to have faith without putting it to work in your life, you are like the barren fig tree. Genuine faith has great potential; ask God to help you bear fruit for his kingdom.

11:13-26 Fig trees, a popular source of inexpensive food in Israel, require three years from the time they are planted until they can bear fruit. Each tree yields a great amount of fruit twice a year, in late spring and in early autumn. This incident occurred early in the spring fig season when the leaves were beginning to bud. The figs normally grow as the leaves fill out, but this tree, though full of leaves, had none. The tree looked promising but offered no fruit. Jesus' harsh words to the fig tree could be applied to the nation of Israel. Fruitful in appearance only, Israel was spiritually barren.

11:15-17 Jesus became angry, but he did not sin. There is a place for righteous indignation. Christians are right to be upset about sin and injustice and should take a stand against them. Unfortunately, believers are often passive about these important issues and instead get angry over personal insults and petty irritations. Make sure your anger is directed toward the right issues.

11:15-17 Money changers and merchants did big business during Passover. Those who came from foreign countries had to have their money changed into temple currency because this was the only money accepted for the temple tax and for the purchase of sacrificial animals. Often the inflated exchange rate enriched the money changers, and the exorbitant prices of animals made the merchants wealthy. Their stalls were set up in the temple's court of the Gentiles, frustrating the intentions of non-Jews who had come to worship God (Isaiah 56:6-7). Jesus became angry because God's house of worship had become a place of extortion and a barrier to Gentiles who wanted to worship.

11:22-23 The kind of prayer that moves mountains is prayer for the fruitfulness of God's kingdom. It would seem impossible to move a mountain into the sea, so Jesus used that picture to say that God can do anything. God will answer your prayers, but not as a result of your positive mental attitude. Other conditions must be met: (1) you must be a believer; (2) you must not hold a grudge against another person; (3) you must not pray with selfish motives; (4) your request must be for the good of God's kingdom. To pray effectively, you need faith in God, not faith in the object of your request. If you focus only on your request, you will be left with nothing if your request is refused.

11:24 Jesus, our example for prayer, prayed, "Everything is possible for you. . . Yet not what I will, but what you will" (Mark 14:36). Our prayers are often motivated by our own interests and desires. We like to hear that we can have anything. But Jesus prayed with God's interests in mind. When we pray, we should express our desires, but want his will above ours. Check yourself to see if your prayers focus on your interests or God's.

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