Marked | Week 6: Caution in Customizing Your King
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and just as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here shortly.’” They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they untied it, some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying that colt?” They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let them go. When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” —Mark 11:1–10 (NIV)
Today’s Truth: The king you want is not always the king you need.
“See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” —Matthew 21:5 (NIV)
“For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” —Mark 10:45 (NIV)
“Are you king of the Jews?” “Is that your own idea,” Jesus asked, “or did others talk to you about me?” “Am I a Jew?” Pilate replied. “Your own people and chief priests handed you over to me. What is it you have done?” —John 18: 34-35 (NIV)
Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” —John 18:36 (NIV)
Q: What kind of King are you customizing Christ to be?
Concerns in Customizing Your Own King:
⇒ There will always be
when we expect Jesus to be someone. The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. —Colossians 1:15–18 (NIV)
⇒ Shaping Jesus into our own image leads to
.
⇒ Experiencing Christ’s kingdom would come only through the. Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.” —Mark 8:34–35 (NIV)
Q: Are you letting Jesus be the King He wants to be in you?
Theme: Cheers to Crucify
Reflect Together: What impacted you the most from Sunday’s Message and the Marked Growth Guide?
Share Together: What type of crowd did you hang out with in High School? Were they a positive or negative influence on you?
Read Together: Mark 11:1-11
Discuss Together:
- What do you think was the purpose of the parade honoring Jesus? How did the people’s actions reflect the customs of that day, including the palm branches?
- What was the significance of riding the colt/donkey rather than a horse? What type of Messiah does that portray? How do these symbols contribute to the understanding of Jesus’ identity and mission?
- What message might Jesus have been trying to convey through his choice of entering Jerusalem in this manner?
- How does this event simultaneously reflect Jesus’ humility and kingship?
- “Hosanna” means “save us now” in Hebrew. What do you think the people were hoping Jesus would become for them?
- What might their expectations have been regarding Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem?
- When has there been a time you wished Jesus was what you wanted him to be rather than who the Bible describes Him to be? How are you grateful for this?
- What is the greatest challenge today in shifting from being a fan of Jesus, cheering in the crowd, to being a follower of Jesus despite any angry mob crying “Crucify Him!”?
- Are there one or more areas in our lives where we must let go of expectations and embrace God’s will, even if it goes against our desires?
Pray Together: What specific ways do you need prayer to rise above the crowd in the situations you are currently facing? Also, take time to share how God has answered prayer and other prayer requests that you have today.