We Talked: Now What?
Christ with Martha and Mary - Joos Goemaere
Jesus is utterly unpredictable. He’s a willing suffering servant, and he’s the life of the party. He fasts and lives simply, and feasts and drinks regularly. He is arguing with religious elites on minute, then amicably impressing them with his knowledge. He is denouncing sin one minute, and eating with sinners the next.
Is he a hypocrite? Far from it? Is he afraid to call out sin? Hardly. Is he harsh and judgmental with sinners? Never. Is he cold toward people who think they know it all? You bet.
We still have a long way to go in our journey of becoming Christlike, but if we trust in him and are willing to follow him, we’re already well on our way.
We can’t forget that this is also PALM SUNDAY! Easter is almost here - and while we’d usually be doing more to get ready for Easter, this year I think God intended for us to wrestle through what living like Jesus looks like in our present cultural moment.
Anchor Texts:
Matthew 11:18-19 NLT - Jesus - “A Glutton and a Drunkard”?!
Luke 19:1-10 NASB - Jesus - “Seeks and Saves the Lost”
Matthew 9:9-13 NASB - Jesus - “Healing sinners”
The Great Commandment - Matthew 22:36-40 NASB
The Great Commission - Matthew 28:19-20 NASB
Questions to Ponder:
Have you ever been looked down on because of the company you had over, or relationship you started up with someone? Why? By Whom? (Think of different chapters of life - elementary school,, high school, jobs, neighbours, church.)
What do you think of people when Jesus “heals sinners” but they don’t turn out looking exactly like you think they should? (Think of First Nations people or immigrants from India, China, or the Middle East, think about those who are very poor, homeless, or extremely rich and how all these lives might look very different from yours.)
Do we have room to recognize the ways those who are different from us can be part of the Kingdom? What Kingdom opportunities might a modern day Zacchaeus (rich, party culture, etc.) have that you don ‘t have, and vice versa?
How do Christians in our context tend to portray the world outside of our bubble of faith? What is healthy about those views, what needs to change?
Do any of the above verses challenge you in particular? What might God be saying to you through it?
The Theme for Kids:
Palm Sunday is the kick-off to Easter Week. We see the love of Jesus meeting our sin in a powerful way through the events of Holy Week.