Sunday

Hello My Sweet Girlies! So Easter is just a couple of weeks away. I always try to come up with ways to make sure Jesus is the focus of our Easter celebrations and one way we have done that is to walk through Passion Week together. I thought I would spend some time this year, putting together a little Bible study for us to do together, Sunday through Easter Sunday. I decided that I would post it here in case you find yourself one day wanting to do the same with your babies. You are 8 and 7 now and I think this study would be appropriate from now and for several years to come. I pray the Lord will fill you with the richness of His word through the study.

Sunday

“The Triumphal Entry”

Jesus has been very busy for the last few years, teaching and preforming miracles, but now his time on earth is coming to an end; by the end of the week he will be hung on a cross. Let’s take some time to look at how Jesus chose to spend His last few days on earth.

It is Passover week, the week set aside to remember how Moses and the Israelites were delivered from Egypt and how the Angel of Death “passed over” the Israelite homes that were marked with the blood of a lamb (Exodus 12:12-14). Jewish pilgrims were making their way from their towns and villages to the city of Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover Feast and to offer a sacrifice to the Lord (Deut 16:1-8).

Jesus is also making his way to Jerusalem and is staying in the town of Bethany at the home of some of his dearest friends, Lazarus, Mary and Martha. On Sunday, Jesus would make his way to Jerusalem but first he would go to Jericho.

Who would Jesus meet in Jericho? Read Luke 19:1-6 _________________________

Jesus actually had to back track to go to Jericho before he went to Jerusalem, why do you think Jesus went out of his way that morning? Read Luke 19:9-10

“For the Son of Man came to ___________ and to ___________ what was lost.”

Jesus went out of his way to go to Jericho so that Zacchaeus would be saved.

A large crowd began to follow Jesus and so he took this opportunity to share a parable with them, the parable of the Ten Minas.

According to Luke 19:12 What kind of man was Jesus talking about?_______________

________________________. Where was he going?___________________________

What was he going there to do?____________________________________________

And what would he do went his was finished?_________________________________

See if this reminds your of anyone when we are finished with today’s lesson.

The crowd continued to make their way towards Jerusalem. When they reached the Mount of Olives Jesus sent 2 of his disciples on ahead to get something for him.

What was it? Luke 19:30 _____________________________

Now, let’s take a trip back in time. Fasten your seat belts because we are going to go back 483 years! Turn in your Bibles to Daniel 9:24-26. Let me give you a little background on what is happening here. After God delivered Moses and the Israelites out of Egypt they didn’t always do what God asked them to do (sound a little like you and me?), and in fact found themselves in a whole mess of trouble. At one point, the city of Jerusalem fell under attack, the city and the temple that King David’s son, Solomon built was destroyed. The Jewish people were taken from the city and help captive in a city called Babylon. God told the prophet Jeremiah that they would be held captive for 70 years, one year for every 7 years that they didn’t allow the land to rest. You may recognize the name of one of those captives; his name was Daniel (remember he spent some time in a den of lions). Daniel has spent most of his life in Babylon, he is now in his 80’s and he longs to return to Jerusalem to rebuild the city and the temple that was destroyed. The 70 years of captivity are coming to an end and he begins to pray that the Lord will once again shine His face upon them and free them from the captivity in Babylon. While he is praying the Angel Gabriel comes down from Heaven to have a little chat with Daniel. Read Daniel 9:21-26.

Okay... ready for a little math?

Verse 25 - Gabriel gives a very important time span from when to when?

From the issuing of ______________________________________________________

until the _________________ ___________, the ___________ comes, there will be

_____________ ______________ and ___________-_______ _______________.

How many years are there in a decade? ______ How about a century?________

(The Hebrew word translated weeks (or sevens) refers to a period of 7 years, like the English word decade refers to a period of 10 years. )

So what is 7 + 62?________ x 7 years = ______________ years

The Jewish calendar during this time had 360 days per year.

What is 483 x 360?_____________ days.

483 years or 173,880 days from the issuing of the decree to restore and rebuild Jerusalem (this decree was given in Nehemiah 2:1-8 on the first day of Nisan 445 BC which equals March 14, 445 BC on our calendars) until the Anointed One comes. Hold on to your socks!!! This is where all our hard work pays off! March 14, 445 BC plus 173,880 days = April 6, 32 AD. Many Bible Scholars believe that the prophecy given in Daniel chapter 9 was fulfilled on the very Sunday that we are talking about! Jesus, is the Anointed One, the Ruler that has come.

Okay fasten your seat belts again, lets fast forward 173,880 days. Jesus had just sent his disciples to get a colt or donkey for him, one that has never been used before. But why a colt? Why not a horse? Something with a little more pizzazz than a donkey?

Turn to Zechariah 9:9 and fill in the blank. “... See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a _______________, on a _____________, the foal of a _______________.

Jesus fulfilled every prophecy that was ever told about him so that all could believe he was who he said he was. Now let’s take a minute and read what happened from start to finish. Read Luke 19:28-44 and picture what it may have looked like in your mind.

Jesus rides into the city of Jerusalem and the crowd goes wild! They have seen and heard about the miracles he has done, including one of his most recent miracles of raising Lazarus from the dead. They are certain that he has come to be their political king, a political figure like our President that would free them from their Roman bullies. But they misunderstood, Jesus was coming to free them from a much more serious problem than the Romans, he was coming to free them from their sin. He would be their Passover Lamb, given up and sacrificed to pay the penalty for them.

Look at verse 41. What did Jesus do when he approached Jerusalem and saw the city?______________________________

In verse 42 Jesus points out that the Jewish people should have known that He would come on that day, they had all the numbers and could have done the math. But they were looking for the wrong kind of king. They were looking for a King for their country and He was looking to be the King of their Hearts.

On Sunday, they were shouting “Hosanna and Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord”, but by the end of the week they would be calling for him to be crucified.

Is Jesus the King of your Heart? If not, stop right now “Confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord”, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead and you will be saved.” Romans 10:9