Home Group Material on
Actioning the Kingdom
1.
Starter
2.
Background
3.
Bible
Reading
4.
Study
Questions
Dr. J.B. Gambrel tells an amusing story from General Stonewall Jackson’s
famous valley campaign. Jackson’s army found itself on one side of a river
when it needed to be on the other side.
After telling his engineers to plan and build a bridge so the army could
cross, he called his wagon master in to tell him that it was urgent the wagon
train cross the river as soon as possible. The wagon master started
gathering all the logs, rocks and fence rails he could find and built a bridge.
Long before daylight General Jackson was told by his wagon master all the
wagons and artillery had crossed the river. General Jackson asked, “Where
are the engineers and what are they doing?” The wagon master’s only reply
was that they were in their tent drawing up plans for a bridge.
Jerusalem was the destination towards which Jesus had been heading for
some time. All Israel knew that it would be in Jerusalem that Messiah would
be enthroned as their King. The Passover feast was at hand, which brought
many pilgrims to Jerusalem and fuelled the fires of spiritual and messianic
expectations. Jesus had performed a number of spectacular miracles,
which attracted the crowds and further fuelled their enthusiasm and the
most spectacular miracle was the raising of Lazarus which had happened
very near to Jerusalem. So, the scene was set and it was now time for
Jesus to act: to enter Jerusalem as the King, the Messiah.
Mark 11:1-11
1
As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage and Bethany at
the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, 2 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. 3 If anyone
asks you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it
back here shortly.’”
4
They went and found a colt outside in the street, tied at a doorway. As they
untied it, 5 some people standing there asked, “What are you doing, untying
that colt?” 6 They answered as Jesus had told them to, and the people let
them go. 7 When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over
it, he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others
spread branches they had cut in the fields. 9 Those who went ahead and
those who followed shouted,
“Hosanna!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
10
“Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
11
Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked
around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany
with the Twelve.
a.
Jesus knows exactly what he is going to do and exactly when to do it.
He has no problem in keeping to God’s timetable. It is often very
different for us. As someone has said: “God’s timing is perfect but
often it seems maddeningly slow.” Why do you think we find such a
problem in waiting for God’s time? Share any experiences of this which
you have.
b.
At the opposite extreme, sometimes we are not ready to act when God
calls us. We can make all sorts of excuses: needing to be more sure;
needing to ask advice from older Christians; needing further
assurances or even signs from God. How can we be sure that it is not
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our fearfulness rather than our lack of certainty that is holding us back?
Is it possible to miss out on what God has prepared for us by being too
slow to act in obedience to his call? What happens then?
5.
Reflection
6.
Prayer
c.
All the gospel writers describe this event – often called ‘The Triumphal
Entry’ – but each one has a different emphasis. Mark’s emphasis is on
the lowliness and humility of what’s happening. “It is a kingship of
hidden majesty, of humble power to save.” (Donald English) What is
gained by this emphasis rather than, say, an emphasis on the
significance of the event (as in Matthew) or the triumph? What kind of
a king is Mark presenting to us?
d.
Luke tells us that the colt had never been ridden before, and yet Jesus
has no problem riding on an untamed animal. The disciples show no
hesitation in obeying his instructions either; nor do the owners of the
colt make any protest about it being borrowed. In all these incidents,
are we seeing quiet kingship in practice? What then can we learn from
this about the nature of Jesus’ authority?
e.
The spreading of the cloaks on the road was a customary way of
treating a king. (See 2 Kings 9:12b-13.) The word they shout:
“Hosanna” means “O Lord, save us!”. The crowds are therefore
welcoming Jesus as King and as Messiah (the Saviour). Do you think
they mean what they say and do? If so, do they understand the
significance? If not, why do they do it?
f.
Many are obviously caught up in the excitement and enthusiasm of the
occasion and simply follow the crowd. There may be both advantages
and disadvantages in being involved in a “crowd” activity. For example,
what are the advantages of worshipping together with hundreds of
other Christians? Share any experiences of this.
g.
“Group spirit and movement can hold us in the initial period of belief,
and can sustain us during difficult times. But it is no substitute for
individual understanding and commitment…We need the experience of
both social faith and personal growth.” (Donald English). Do you
agree? Which one are you personally more likely to neglect?
h.
We see Jesus’ patience and perfect timing again in verse 11. He now
doubt intends to clear the temple of the merchants but he is content to
wait until the next day. How can we learn this patience, especially in
our efforts to spread the gospel? Can we be too urgent in our
message? Or not sufficiently urgent? How do we get it right?
‘Hosanna’ was the shout of the throngs as Jesus entered Jerusalem for His
last week of public ministry. Even though the multitudes were shouting His
adoration, these were the same throngs that would be calling for His
crucifixion just a few days afterwards.

Praise God that Jesus is indeed the Saviour, the Messiah.

Pray that we, like him, may follow God’s timing in everything we do.

Pray that, as a church, we may pay careful attention to both
personal and congregational spiritual development.
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