Small Group Study Guide

Ice Breaker Questions

1. If you were in a parade and could ride in on anything except a donkey, what would you ride and why? (Don’t say a Donkey)
   
   
2. What’s something in life that often leaves you feeling confused or uncertain?
   
   
3. If you could have perfect directions to one thing in life, what would it be?

Read Together – Matthew 21:1-9 (NLT)

Optional readers: assign verses to different people.

Key Recap (Leader Summary)

• Jesus Approaches Jerusalem (v.1)

• The Donkey & Colt (vv.2–3)

• Prophecy Fulfilled (v.4–5)

• Jesus Rides Into the City (v.7)

• Crowd Honors Jesus (v.8)

• Shouts of “Hosanna” (v.9)

Group Discussion Questions

• Why do you think Jesus chose to ride a donkey instead of a horse? (What message was He sending, and how does it contrast with what the crowd may have expected?)

• What does the crowd’s response—laying cloaks, waving branches, shouting “Hosanna”—tell us about their expectations of Jesus? (What kind of king were they hoping for?)

Read Together – Matthew 27:27-30

• Jesus was humiliated and mocked, even though He was innocent. Have you ever been misunderstood or treated unfairly for doing the right thing? How did you respond?

• This moment flips the world’s view of power and glory. What are some ways you’ve seen yourself or others chase after the world’s version of “glory” (success, fame, status)? How does Jesus challenge that view?

Action Steps

• Practice Humble Leadership This Week. Look for a way to serve someone quietly and without recognition, just as Jesus entered on a donkey rather than a throne. Example: Help a coworker behind the scenes, do a chore at home without announcing it, or show up for someone without needing a “thank you.”

• Lay Something Down Before Jesus. The crowd laid down cloaks and branches—symbols of honor and surrender. Reflect and journal: What’s something I’m still holding onto (pride, control, fear, expectations) that I need to lay down before Jesus? Then, intentionally give it over to Him in prayer or confession.

• Choose Reverence Over Routine. The soldiers mocked Jesus by pretending to honor Him. Ask yourself: Is there any part of my faith that has become performative? This week, take a spiritual practice you usually do out of habit, like prayer or worship, and slow down. Make it intentional, real, and reverent.

• Confront False Ideas of Glory. Take stock of what kind of “glory” or success you’ve been chasing. Write down: What kind of recognition or approval am I tempted to seek from others? Then ask: What would it look like to let go of that and pursue humility instead?

Prayer:

Jesus,

Thank You for being the kind of King who came in humility, not with force. You entered the city not to take power, but to give Your life. You chose the path of love over dominance, the cross over comfort. Lord, we confess the pride in our hearts—the parts of us that still chase after the world’s idea of success, the parts that struggle to lay it all down before You. We don’t want to be like the crowd that only praises You when things look victorious. We want to follow You even when the road leads to the cross. Help us to surrender the cloaks of control, the branches of expectation, and the crowns we’ve made for ourselves. Teach us to worship You not just with words, but with our lives.

As we go from here, let the image of You riding a donkey and wearing a crown of thorns remind us: True power is found in humility. True glory is found in sacrifice. May we live this week in light of Your love—boldly, humbly, and with hearts fully surrendered. In Your holy name, Jesus, Amen.

Optional: Scriptures for Personal Study

• Matthew 21:1-9

• Zechariah 9:9

• Isaiah 53:3-6

• Matthew 27:27-30

• Matthew 27:54

• Genesis 1
• Genesis 3