NOTES: 1] Jesus acts out ZECH 9:9-10. See PS 118, too. 2] vv. 30-31 seem to refer to a pre-arranged password. See vv.47-8, & c.f LK22:10+. 3] The cloaks on the road may refer to 2KINGS 9:13. 4] 'Lord' / 'master' (31, 34) = 'owner', which is really what we mean when we call God 'Lord'. 5] 'Disciples' here means a much wider band than just the 'Twelve'.

WARMING UP: If we were to throw something down in front of a Ruler today, what might it be? What wouldn't it be?

TREASURES OLD & NEW: Afterthoughts from, follow-up to last week’s Group, or since?

EXPLORING GOSPEL:

28-31    How strong a sense do we have of Jesus' determination to go to (& die in) Jerusalem? Is that kind of determination part of our own journey? Are we as determined to journey as & where God wants us to as we are to do things we want to do? If we need to correct that balance, how might we go about it? Are there more donkeys or war-horses in our churches today?

32-35     Are there jobs (like going to borrow a donkey!) that fall to us in our church, but that we find too embarrassing, too hard, too beneath our dignity, etc., & that we'd rather not do? Or just plain don't / won't do? Does someone else do them, or do they just stay undone? How much do we really regard God as our 'Owner'? Compared with whom? What does God, our 'Owner', need us to do for him today? Are we as focussed on caring for God as the disciples are on making Jesus comfortable on that donkey?

36-38    Are we, today, as demonstrative of God's presence among us as Ruler as we might be? Or do we leave that to the 'happy clappies'? Why? Has 'enthusiasm' become a dirty word for so many of us that it's about died out? Is the fact that we (mostly) seem to take God so seriously, paradoxically one reason people don't take us, our religion, & our God too seriously? How long is it since any of us 'praised God joyfully with a loud voice'? (Before we say 'But we sang hymns last Sunday', was it really praise? Was it really joyful? Was it really with a loud voice?) Or is that, unlike those in Jesus' procession, we haven't seen too many deeds of power' lately?
             How strongly do we believe, in mind & heart  that Jesus is still the 'king who comes in the name of the Lord'? How many ways can we identify that he 'comes' now? Do we bless God as much as we expect him to bless us? Where do the 'peace' & 'glory' bits fit in now?

39-47   Do we ever find ourselve sacting more like Pharisees than Jesus-followers? Why might Jesus cry over our city / community today? Can we see 'ramparts' of any kind being thrown up around us, enemies hemming us in, etc.? Are we aware that our 'time of visitation' is always now? Are there still 'crooks' operating in & around our churches today? Who or what might we still need to 'overthrow' today? And put in their place..........?