Study 1: Jesus and His Followers Go To Jerusalem

Have you ever misunderstood someone's intentions? Perhaps you thought a friend was pursuing one path, only to discover their true purpose was entirely different. We are quickly approaching Easter and episode 42 chronicles Jesus' journey to Jerusalem. I'd like to spend a few moments reflecting on how those closest to Jesus struggled with discerning the significance of the journey and the man before them.

Learning Moment: Prayer sets the stage

Psalm 141:2 speaks of a fragrant incense that rises before God as a pleasing offering. While Martha busied herself with important preparations, Mary chose to prioritize that fragrant incense, recognizing that presence with the Lord sets the stage for everything else to follow. In choosing "the better portion," Mary reminds us that our prayers and time with God are not just activities but sacred offerings, just as the psalmist compared his prayers to the evening sacrifice. When we prioritize sitting in God's presence like Mary, we create space for the divine aroma of relationship to permeate every other aspect of our lives. Set the stage in your small group time with this fragrant incense.

From The Episode

As Jesus' ministry progressed, those around Him began to sense there was something different about this teacher from Nazareth. Every encounter seemed to highlight some amazing aspect of this :

• Mary recognized something profound about Jesus when she anointed His feet with expensive perfume, an act of extravagant worship that puzzled the others present. She understood enough to know this moment demanded her most precious possession.

• Meanwhile, James and John approached Jesus with lots of ambition, wanting to sit at His right and left in His coming kingdom. They recognized His authority but misunderstood the kind of kingdom He was establishing.

• The crowds grew upset when Jesus chose to dine with Zacchaeus because he was a despised tax collector. They couldn't reconcile a holy teacher associating with someone they considered "lost" and participating in the exploitation of the people around them.

• Yet these same crowds later welcomed Him into Jerusalem with palm branches and shouts of "Hosanna!" – treating Him as the arriving king they were longing for. 

Beneath these interactions lay a fundamental question: What exactly was Jesus coming to do? Many hoped for political salvation – a Messiah who would overthrow Roman rule and restore Israel's independence. This perspective surfaced repeatedly:

• When questioned about paying taxes to Caesar, many hoped Jesus would denounce Roman authority

• When Zacchaeus pledged to make restitution, some may have seen this as the beginning of economic justice

• When James and John sought positions of power, they revealed their expectations of a new political hierarchy

But Jesus consistently pointed to something else – a mission beyond their imagination. So what was this "something else" that Jesus came to establish? Reflecting back on some of these stories in episode 42, a few thoughts come to mind:

• Mary's act of devotion showed she glimpsed that Jesus' worth transcended earthly measures

• The crowds' hope, though misdirected, contained a seed of truth – a king was indeed arriving

• Jesus' profound teaching that while Caesar's image might be on coins, God's image is imprinted on every person pointed to His true mission: restoring humanity's relationship with their Creator 

Jesus came not to establish a political kingdom bounded by geography and military might, but to inaugurate a kingdom of transformed hearts. He came not to sit on a human throne but to reign eternally in the lives of all who follow Him.

Discussion and Application

As we continue to journey toward Easter, consider these things:

• Where might you be misunderstanding Jesus' mission in your own life?

• Are we, like Mary, willing to offer our most precious possessions in worship

• Do we recognize God's image in everyone we encounter, even those our government and society might reject?

May we all see Jesus not as the king we want Him to be, but as the King He truly is!