Read John 12:12-19

1) Palm Sunday is the first day of the last week of Jesus’ life. If today began the final week of your life, what would you do, who would you spend your time with, what would you say, and what would you change?

2) As Jesus entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, the crowd shouted to him: “Hosanna, hosanna!" or "Save me, save me!” Where in your life do you need Jesus to save you?

3) We cannot go to God, so God, in Jesus, came to us. What does it mean to your life that Jesus came to us in the midst of ordinary people? Give examples.

4) The Palm Sunday crowd wanted a king who would defeat the hated Roman rule and restore Israel to a nation again. But Jesus was a different kind of king and His Kingdom was nothing like the kingdoms of this world. When have you tried to reshape Jesus into a different kind of Savior in your own life? Why?

5) What is the most important faith lesson you have learned during this Lenten season? How will you practice it in your life?

Read John 19:28-30

1) Although we might prefer to turn away, why is it important for us to look at Jesus’ time on the cross?

2) In John’s Gospel, Jesus’ last words were “it is finished!” What do those words mean to God, to Jesus, to you?

3) What does it mean to you to find and define your future through Jesus?

4) Change is possible and new is possible, but it takes effort. Is there a gap between your words and your actions and how would you like that to change? Give examples.

5) During Lent, we have looked at the last week of Jesus’ life. If there was just one week left in your life, what would you say, where would you spend your time, and what would you do?

Read John 18:15-27

1) While praying in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was betrayed by one of his disciples, Judas, and defended by Peter, who cut off the ear of one of the high priests’ servants. Jesus tells Peter to put away his sword and then Jesus heals the servant. What do these actions reveal about Judas, Peter, and Jesus?

2) Peter was one of Jesus’ most trusted disciples and pledged his life and allegiance to his Lord. Yet Peter denied following Jesus, denied being a disciple, and denied even knowing Jesus. When have you, with words or actions, denied following Jesus, being a disciple, or even knowing him? Give examples.

3) Peter completely blew it on that night so long ago. Yet Jesus kept loving him, forgiving him, and calling him. All of us have “blown it” as well; what does it mean to you that Jesus still loves, forgives, and calls you?

4) In what order are your priorities today and what do you need to change to realign them to how Christ calls you to live?

Read John 15: 1-8

1) Jesus tells us that He is the vine and we are the branches. In vineyards, the spot where the vine and the branch are connected is the strongest point. In light of Jesus’ words, what does that mean to you?

2) When we worship together, we are nurtured by Christ and one another. What nurtures you in worship? Give examples. In what other ways are you connected to Christ and others? Give examples.

3) In a vineyard, a branch that doesn’t bear fruit is pruned. What needs to be pruned in your life so you might bear fruit for Christ?

4) What fruit are you bearing for Christ, at home, at work, at school, in the community, and in your church? Give examples.

Read John 13:1-5; 12-17

In today’s passage, Jesus sets a shocking example to his disciples; he acts as a servant and washes their feet.

1) Why did Jesus wash the feet of his disciples? What message was he trying to send to them and to us?

2) In what ways does our society instill in us the desire to be served? As followers of Jesus, why is serving others so critical?

3) What does serving mean to you? How do you serve at home, at work, at school, at church, or in other ways?

4) What is your reaction to the following statement and does it influence your life?
“Everybody can be great...because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve.
You don't have to make your subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul
generated by love.”
-Martin Luther King

Read John 12: 1-19

1) Lent gives us 40 days to prepare for Easter by engaging in spiritual disciplines like fasting, repenting, praying, additional bible study and service.
Which of these spiritual disciplines will you add to your life during Lent?

2) During the last week of Jesus’ life, Mary pours an extravagantly expensive jar of perfume on his feet. Judas questioned her decision by criticizing the cost.
Do you ever echo Judas by questioning the cost of your discipleship? In what ways?

3) Lent calls for us to empty ourselves of all the reasons and rationalizations we use to limit our discipleship. Where are you holding back in your discipleship?

4) How and where do you need to be more extravagant in your devotion to Jesus?

Read Mark 9:2-9

1) The Transfiguration story is found in three Gospels: Matthew, Mark, and Luke and is referred to in 2 Peter 1:16-18. Why is this repetition significant?

2) In today’s passage, a cloud appears and God’s voice is heard saying: “This is my Son whom I love.” At what other major event in Jesus’ life did we hear these words and why are they important to our faith?

3) In the Transfiguration story, God says from the cloud, this is my Son whom I love and then adds, listen to him. How do the last three words change our faith and our lives?

4) How often in your life would things have been different if you had listened to Jesus? Give examples.

5) Sometimes we develop selective hearing and only listen to Jesus when His words are sweet or simple, but ignore His words when they are challenging or difficult. Based on this statement, what is the difference between nice people and disciples? Which one are you?

Read John 13:34-35

1) The first four questions we have studied: 'Am I being honest with myself...really?, 'What kind of story do I want my life to tell?', 'Is there a TENSION that needs my ATTENTION?' as we make decisions, and asking 'What is the wise thing to do?', are basically focused on ourselves. But today’s question, what does love require of me, is focused on others. Is this shift significant and if so, why?

2) When considering the question, 'what does love require of me?', there are three necessary components for it to be effective in your decision making process. You must ask, answer, and then act upon the question. Which of these three do you find the most challenging to integrate this question into your life?

3) In 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, Paul gives us specific examples of what love requires of us. Read the passage and consider which of these attributes you would find to be the least demanding and the most challenging. Give examples.

4) In our passage, Jesus says “...as I have you, so you must love one another.” Jesus means for us to extend the same grace, love, mercy, and forgiveness that he gives to us. If you follow Jesus’ command, what difference might you see in your relationships as a spouse, a sibling, a parent, a boss, a coach, or any relationship in your life?

5) Jesus goes on to say: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” This statement means love is now a verb, an identifier, and a game changer. What does that mean to you in your own faith journey?