Watch
Before you watch the episode, ask folks to offer up highlights from Season 4, and make sure they all recall the final scene of the season as a whole — the moment Jesus began making his way toward Jerusalem atop Matthew’s “borrowed burrow.”
Discuss
To start your time of discussion, take a moment to read one of the Gospel passages that covers the events of Palm Sunday: Matthew 21:1-11, Luke 19:28-40, Mark 11:1-10, or John 12:12-19.
Jesus’s entrance into Jerusalem establishes him as king, and the people are clearly excited. What do you think they expect of him — and why?
In what ways do we share those same expectations of Jesus as king even today — and how has it impacted the way we interact with others?
Looking ahead, how does Jesus (1) defy, (2) meet, and (3) exceed the expectations of the people (and even us today)?
If this is how Jesus carries himself as king, how should anyone who wishes to be a citizen of his kingdom carry themselves?
Pray
If you close with a time of group prayer, maybe approach it a bit differently to ease anxiety and encourage more participation. Here’s some suggested verbiage to introduce this unique approach: “Each of us was comforted by something in this episode, and each of us was probably commissioned to live life in some new way in light of this episode. And this means each of us could offer up a prayer of thanks and a prayer for God’s help in living a new way of life. So, we’re going to pray, but here’s how we’re going to do it: I’m going to ask you two questions, and we’re going let your answers serve as prayers, seeing as God is obviously listening in on this...”
Closing Question #1
If you were to offer a word of thanks to God for something that comforted you in this episode, what would it be?
Closing Question #2
If you were to ask God’s help in living life in a new way in light of this episode, how would you sum up this new way of life?