What do you expect from God, and what happens in your heart when he does not act the way you want? This Palm Sunday sermon (Luke 19) shows a crowd hailing Jesus as king, only to cry out for Barabbas a few days later, because they were waiting for a military liberator, not a Savior riding in on a donkey. From the absurd advice of a 1950s handbook for wives to the packed churches on the night the Berlin Wall fell, the preacher warns that our own expectations can hide the true King from us. Listen and ask yourself whether your expectations are blocking your view of what Jesus really came for.
Discussion questions
For your small group or for personal reflection after the sermon.
- Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey rather than a horse like a victorious ruler. What did this sign tell the crowd about what kind of king He is, and how did the first hearers understand it?
- Why does Jesus weep over Jerusalem at the very moment the crowd is joyfully shouting "Blessed is the king" (Luke 19:41-44)? What did the people of the city fail to recognize?
- The crowd expected a political liberator from Rome, and a few days later they shouted for Barabbas to be released. Which of your expectations of God might be hiding who He really is?
- How do you react when God doesn't act the way you expect, for example with your marriage, your relationship with your children, or your past? What happens to your worship and gratitude then?
- Jesus drives the sellers out of the temple because it was meant to be a house of prayer for all nations. How does the story of Michał and his roommate show that our lives can either distort or reveal God's image?
- Who can you point to the true King this week through your life and words, instead of focusing on your own needs?
