Mark 11:1-11 (NLT)

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.

1. Who is Jesus of Nazareth?

Rabbi • King • Messiah • Passover Lamb • God

2. Who am I?

Spectator • Fan • Follower • Child of God

Open for me the gates where the righteous enter,

and I will go in and thank the LORD.

²⁰ These gates lead to the presence of the LORD,

and the godly enter there.

²¹ I thank you for answering my prayer

and giving me victory!

²² The stone that the builders rejected

has now become the cornerstone.

²³ This is the LORD’s doing,

and it is wonderful to see.

²⁴ This is the day the LORD has made.

We will rejoice and be glad in it.

²⁵ Please, LORD, please save us.

Please, LORD, please give us success.

²⁶ Bless the one who comes in the name of the LORD.

We bless you from the house of the LORD.

²⁷ The LORD is God, shining upon us.

Take the sacrifice and bind it with cords on the altar.

²⁸ You are my God, and I will praise you!

You are my God, and I will exalt you!

²⁹ Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good!

His faithful love endures forever.¹

¹ Tyndale House Publishers, Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2015), Ps 118:19–29.

Rejoice, O people of Zion!

Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem!

Look, your king is coming to you.

He is righteous and victorious,

yet he is humble, riding on a donkey—

riding on a donkey’s colt.

¹⁰ I will remove the battle chariots from Israel

and the warhorses from Jerusalem.

I will destroy all the weapons used in battle,

and your king will bring peace to the nations.

His realm will stretch from sea to sea

and from the Euphrates River to the ends of the earth.

¹¹ Because of the covenant I made with you,

sealed with blood,

I will free your prisoners

from death in a waterless dungeon.²

² Tyndale House Publishers, Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2015), Zec 9:9–11.

REFLECT TOGETHER ON SUNDAY’S MESSAGE 

• Gather together with prayer and time of conversation, sharing, or even an ice-breaker.
• Review the main points from the sermon outline.
• Share with one another as a whole group or in smaller groups, using these prompts only as suggestions: 
• How did you hear the Palm Sunday passage (Mark 11:1-11) differently this year? 
• What part of the message are you still carrying with you into Holy Week? 

CONNECT WITH GOD (Select one of the practices below or choose a practice from a previous week.)

• The Practice of Rest 
• Read Psalm 62:5-8 three times and let the words wash over you.
• Read the below quote by Kate Bowler. 
• Journal and reflect on Psalm 62:5-8 and the question: “What does rest look like for you?” and “How will you integrate that into this week?”

“Rest does not have to mean taking a nap in the middle of the day (because really... who can do that?!). It can be anything that fills up your tank for love, creativity, and generosity. Calling an old friend. Gardening. Organizing the junk drawer. Going to bed 15 minutes earlier. Reading a book and not expecting to learn anything. What does rest look like for you? How will you integrate that into this week?” -Kate Bowler, A Good Enough Lent

• Practice of Gratitude (3-5 minutes): Select and Play a song from either our “Come With Me” playlist or the playlist for “Ash Wednesday” (Lent/Holy Week). Prepare your heart for Holy Week, the cross, and the coming resurrection.

solanabeach.church/come-with-me-music-playlist

As the song plays: 

• Listen. Breathe. Attend to the presence of God in your life at this moment. 
• You may journal, draw, doodle, or simply close your eyes and breathe deeply. Let gratitude define the next few minutes. 

CONNECT WITH SCRIPTURE (These are the Bible passages for Good Friday, March 29th and Easter Sunday, March 31.)

• Read together: 14:12-16:8 and use the “Come with Me” card, along with your Mark Bible Journal to engage with the Scripture passage for the coming week. 
• Observe: Dig into the scripture through doodling, highlighting and note-taking. Pay attention to words or phrases that seem important or raise questions for you. 
• Meditate: Meditate: Slow down. Read Mark 15:33-41 alongside Mark 16:1-8 individually and engage your imagination and senses to connect to the passage. Reflect on your experience in your journal. 
• Pray: What prayer of praise, gratitude, or confession arises from your heart and mind as you meditate on this passage? 
• Reflect together (in pairs): Spend time sharing your reactions and reflections of Mark 14-16 using this prompt as a guide.
• What do you find your heart drawn to? 
• What words, phrases, or images stand out to you? Why? 

DIG DEEPER  (Select 1-2 questions or customize the questions for your group.) 

• What have you noticed about the humanity of Jesus in these passages (Mark 14-16)? 
• How are you called to bear witness to your own humanity and to the humanity of those around you?
• As you prepare for Easter, what do the words of Mark 16:1-8 mean for you this year?
• Who finds the empty tomb in Mark 16:1-8? Why is that significant? 
• What happens after the women find the empty tomb? Why do you think it ends with verse 8? 
• How are you experiencing the crucifixion and resurrection story this Holy Week and Easter?

NEXT STEPS 

• Follow along with the “Weekly Readings” guide in the front pages of your Mark journal over the coming weeks. 

PRAYER 

This will be the final week of our winter small group! We’ve spent most of our winter session in Lent together. Share with a partner how you have been surprised, challenged, or renewed through Lent this year. Listen well to one another. Pray for one another as Lent comes to a close and the Easter ‘alleluia’ season is quickly approaching!