Here are some simple, family-friendly discussion starters based on the sermon. You can pick a few for one mealtime rather than trying to do them all at once.
1. Palm Sunday vs. Good Friday
- Why were people so excited to see Jesus on Palm Sunday?
- What were they shouting? What were they waving?
- Just a few days later, the same crowds were shouting “Crucify him!”
- How do you think that change happened so quickly?
- Have you ever liked someone when they did what you wanted, but turned on them when they didn’t?
- If you had been in Jerusalem then, which crowd do you think you might have been in, honestly?
2. Loving Jesus for What He Does vs. Who He Is
- The crowd loved Jesus because he healed people, fed people, and raised Lazarus from the dead.
- What are some “good things” Jesus has done in your life or in our family?
- The preacher said the main question is: “Do we love Jesus for what he does, or for who he is?”
- What’s the difference between those two?
- If Jesus stopped answering our prayers the way we like, would we still want to follow him? Why or why not?
3. Signs vs. the Destination
- The preacher used the Disneyland sign story: stopping at the sign instead of going to Disneyland.
- In your own words, what was the point of that story?
- Miracles are like signs pointing to Jesus.
- What are some “signs” you see (in nature, in people, in your own life) that point to what God is like?
- What might it look like in our family to enjoy God’s gifts, but not “stop at the sign”—to keep going on to know Jesus himself?
4. Who Is Jesus?
- John 1 says Jesus is the Word, was with God, and is God.
- If a friend at school said, “Who is Jesus really?” how would you answer in one or two sentences?
- The religious leaders were angry because Jesus claimed to be God and to show us what God is like.
- How does it help you to know that if you want to know what God is like, you just look at Jesus?
- The sermon quoted Jesus’ invitation: “Come to me, all who are weary … and I will give you rest.”
- Is there anything making you “weary” or tired inside right now that you’d like Jesus’ help with?
5. Bread That Fills for a Moment vs. Forever
- The crowd followed Jesus because he gave them bread and fish.
- What’s something you really like that still doesn’t make you happy for very long?
- Jesus said he is the “bread of life” who satisfies us forever.
- What do you think it means to be satisfied “inside” by Jesus?
- If Jesus doesn’t promise us lots of money or “nice things,” what does he promise us instead?
6. The Cross: Jesus Chose It
- The preacher said, “No one takes my life from me; I give it up.”
- How is that different from how we usually think about Jesus’ death?
- For “the joy set before him,” Jesus endured the cross.
- What do you think that “joy” was?
- How does it feel to know that you were part of that joy?
- If someone asked you, “Why did Jesus die on the cross?” what would you say?
7. Jesus the Lamb on the Throne
- In Revelation 5, John sees Jesus as a Lamb who was killed but is now on the throne.
- Why do you think Jesus is pictured as both a Lamb (gentle, sacrificed) and a King (powerful, ruling)?
- Everyone in heaven sings, “Worthy is the Lamb.”
- If you were writing your own short song or sentence of praise to Jesus, what might you say?
- How does it change the way we face problems when we remember that Jesus is on the throne right now?
8. Crown Him or Kill Him
- The quote from Tim Keller was: “Jesus gives us two choices: crown him or kill him. There is no in-between.”
- What do you think that means?
- What does it look like, practically, to “crown Jesus king” in:
- How we speak to each other at home?
- How we use our time and phones/devices?
- How we handle money or stuff?
- Is there any area of your life where you know you’re not really letting Jesus be king yet?
9. Bringing It Home
- If we really believe Jesus is who he says he is (God, King, Lamb, Savior), what is one small thing you’d like to change this week?
- Let’s each finish this sentence:
- “Jesus, even if you never did another miracle for me, I would still follow you because you are… __.”
- How can we, as a family, make sure we don’t just come to Jesus when we “want something,” but also just to know him and worship him?
You can end your discussion by praying a short, simple prayer together like:
“Jesus, we don’t just want your gifts, we want you. Help us to see who you really are and to crown you as King in our lives.”
ADULT THEMED QUESTIONS
Dan compares the crowd stopping at Jesus’ miracles to stopping at a sign for Disneyland instead of going to the actual destination. In what ways might we be guilty of stopping at the ‘signs’ in our spiritual lives rather than pursuing Jesus himself?
The sermon highlights how the crowds loved Jesus for what he could do for them rather than for who he is. How can we examine our own relationship with Jesus to ensure we are not treating him merely as a provider of blessings?
Jesus says in John 6 that the miraculous feeding was meant to lead people to believe in the one God has sent. What does it mean for miracles to be signs pointing to Jesus rather than ends in themselves?
The religious authorities were threatened by Jesus because he was revealing God directly to the people, bypassing their role as mediators. How does Jesus as our direct access to God change the way we approach worship and relationship with the Father?
Dan states that it was not what Jesus could do but who he claimed to be that got him killed. Why is the identity of Jesus so central and potentially offensive to those who reject him?
John 1 describes Jesus as the Word who was with God and was God from the beginning. How does understanding Jesus as the eternal Word made flesh deepen our appreciation of the incarnation?
The sermon presents two choices: crown Jesus or kill him, with no in between. What does it practically look like in daily life to crown Jesus as King over all areas?
Paul says he counts everything as rubbish compared to knowing Christ. What things in our lives might we be holding onto that prevent us from fully embracing this perspective?
In Revelation 5, all of creation declares Jesus worthy to receive power, riches, wisdom, strength, honor, glory, and blessing. How should this vision of Jesus’ ultimate exaltation shape our worship and priorities today?
Jesus went to the cross knowing all that would happen, for the joy set before him. How does understanding that Jesus chose the cross for us impact the way we respond to his sacrifice and live out our faith?
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