Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Family Dinner & Devotions, Mar 18-24


Something Old, Something New

Learn-By-Heart Verse for the Week (NIV Translation):
“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”  Luke 19:38

Something OldPsalm 118:26-29
Something New:  Luke 19:28-40

1.  Both the Old and New Testament readings proclaim, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”  Share a time when you experienced blessing because God entered into your life.

2.  In Luke, the Pharisees told Jesus to quiet the crowd singing “Hosanna.”  Jesus’ response is, “I tell you, if they [my disciples] keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”  In other words, the shouts of praise will never, ultimately, be silenced.  Reflect for a moment… has anyone or anything tried to “silence” you as you have tried to witness to your faith in God?  Can you give examples of how Christians are sometimes “silenced” in our modern-day culture?  Can you give examples of how the voice of Christians triumphs?

3.  This “Palm Sunday” scripture is our entry into Holy Week – it is a triumphal entry.  Yet things will make a hard turn when Jesus is betrayed by those close to him and then crucified on the cross.  What do you think happened in the course of those few short days to make for such a roller-coaster week? 

4.  Begin pondering and praying about how you want to spend Holy Week and Easter Sunday.  How can it be a powerful and transformative week for your family?

Prayer
Dear Jesus,
We shout “hosanna” and welcome you into our life.
We are blessed by your presence. 
Help us to proclaim the good news of your entrance into the world.
Shield us from any person or any thing that might try to silence us.
May we know that all of creation, even the stones, long to proclaim your grace.
We pray in the name of Jesus…
Amen.

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