Here are some questions based on last Sunday’s sermon text (John 12:12-16), in case they’re helpful to you for personal growth or group discussion…

• [12-13] In the ancient world, when a king returned home victorious in battle, the city would greet him with fanfare and palm branches—like Jerusalem greeted Jesus. What victory did Jesus win? What opponent(s) did he vanquish? What real difference does that make in your life?

• The crowd cries out from Psalm 118. What is Psalm 118 about? How do you think they meant it when they said it to Jesus? Would the Apostles understand it the same way now?

• Even though the crowd’s celebration was probably based on a misunderstanding of who Jesus was and what he had come to do, their celebration is good and right. They praised him better than they knew. Have you ever done that? Is it possible to do anything else? Has Jesus ever received from anyone the praise he was due, from a pure heart and with a perfect understanding?

• [14-15] Read Zechariah 9. God promised to judge Israel’s enemies and to free Israel from their oppression. He would do this by his king—a humble king (the significance of his riding the donkey). Do you believe that Jesus is humble? How can his humility conquer enemies and set people free? How can his humility reveal anything about God? How does it challenge your perspective to consider that God is humble?

• [16] Why did the crucifixion, death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus (and the fulfillment of his promise to give the Holy Spirit to his disciples) so radically change the understanding of the disciples about who Jesus was and what he had come to do? Can we say now that we know better than the crowd did in Jerusalem that first Palm Sunday? Do we have better reason to praise Jesus now than they did?