Is Christianity just a ticket to heaven, and Jesus merely the one who hands it out? This message shows that the New Testament writers call Jesus Christ, the Anointed One, the King, almost 500 times, and that the Gospels announce from their opening lines the birth of a ruler whose kingdom will never end (Luke 1, Matthew 21). Jesus is Saviour, but that is not the whole truth about him, and the difference reshapes not only your eternity but also your today. Listen if you want to see Jesus more fully than you have so far.
Discussion questions
For your small group or for personal reflection after the sermon.
- Matthew describes Jesus entering Jerusalem on a donkey as fulfilling Zechariah's words: "See, your king comes to you, gentle." What did this picture tell the first hearers about what kind of king Jesus is?
- The crowd shouts "Hosanna to the Son of David" and a few days later "Crucify him." How did people's expectations of the Messiah, like Peter's at Caesarea Philippi, shape the way they responded to Jesus?
- The sermon reminds us that Christ is not a surname but a title meaning the Anointed One, the King. What changes in your understanding of the Gospel when you read "Jesus Christ" as "Jesus the King"?
- The speaker warns against treating Jesus like a ticket agent handing out tickets to heaven. Where does that way of thinking come from, and how does it show up in your own faith?
- After entering Jerusalem, Jesus goes to the temple and establishes his kingdom there. Which areas of your life are like a temple the King wants to cleanse and bring under his rule today?
- What specific decision, plan or relationship do you want to consciously surrender to Jesus as your King, not only your Savior, during this Holy Week?
