PALM SUNDAY

Opening Prayer

Jesus

Your example brings joy

but it also brings pain.

Open my heart to understand

both the joy and pain.

Help me to know You more deeply

as I experience both in the scriptures.

Amen!

Journal/Reflection Questions

Isaiah 50 :4-7

• Define a well-trained tongue. Would you say your tongue is well trained?
• Where do you see God each morning? How do you know He has your back?
• From whose perspective is this reading? What does it tell you about speaking out against injustice?
• What does God promise to those who hear His word and act on it?

 Philippians 2:6-11

• How have you emptied yourself to Christ this Lenten season? It is not too late.
• How does your body language show respect or disrespect to God when you pray? How can you better show the reverence you say you have with your words, through your body language?

 Luke 22:14-23:56

• What have you done to reject God in the last month, week, day, hour? What was the “benefit” we received?
• When did you last serve another person? How did you serve them? What was your motivation? What was their response?
• If you were there on the day of Jesus’ crucifixion, could you have stayed with Jesus until the very end? Who in this scripture can you relate to the most?  Why?

General Questions for Journaling

• Where do you see God each morning? How do you know He has your back?
• Who are the people in your life who have your back? How do you know?
• Name qualities of a humble person. Do you have any of these qualities? Do you know anyone who does?
• What gets in your way when you try to give your time to Jesus in prayer? What distracts you?
• If you believe Jesus is the King of Glory, how do you show your obedience to Him?
• What are some changes which cause anticipation? What are some changes which cause anxiety? How are they the same? How are they different?
• Is there some discomfort when standing up for what is right? Explain.
• What do you say is the opposite of love? Hate? Fear? Distrust? Selfishness?  Or something else? How does the opposite you choose affect your definition of love?
• When was the last time you defended your faith to another? Where is the line of defending and being hypocritical?
• Are there areas in your life where you have fallen asleep? How might God be calling you to wake up?
• Have you ever been in a state of extreme physical pain? How were you able to cope?
• Have you been with someone who has been in extreme physical pain? What can you do to help those who suffer?

Closing Prayer

Leader: At dawn

ALL:  YOU bring the sunrise to wake me.

Leader:  In the morning

ALL:  YOU clear the fog and give me a new day.

Leader:  During the day

ALL:  YOU are in each person and thing I see.

Leader:  In the evening

ALL:  YOU bring the night to slow me down.

Leader:  At bedtime

ALL:  YOU give me comfort as I rest.

Leader:  Each day

ALL:  YOU are with me to begin again!

Challenge for the Week:  Choose a scripture passage (limit to 3-5 words) from this weekend’s readings to focus on this week. As Holy Week approaches it is easy to get wrapped up in the ritual and movement, forgetting the meaning behind all of the pomp and circumstance. Use the scripture passage you chose to connect in a deeper way to the experience of Jesus, of the people around Him and the situation at hand. Seek to find a connection to an experience or situation you are currently or recently have been dealing with and then determine how God is leading you to conversion through this experience or situation. What will your scriptural mantra be this week???

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