Welcome to week 6 of Lent, and our final instalment of this our Bible journalling course. This week we are looking at Luke’s account of Palm Sunday in Luke 19:28-44, and reflecting on what it would have been like to be there. We’re working with Jane MacLaren to bring you an online Lent group, looking at the traditional Gospels through the format of Bible journalling. Jane is a non-stipendiary priest with a passion for helping people explore their relationship with God through this technique.
The intro post here explains what we’re doing and why, and has a list of all the posts in the series.
Bible Journalling Notes for the Sixth Sunday in Lent 2018: Luke 19:28-44
This week’s Lectionary readings are from Mark’s account but we are going to look at the story in Luke – as we celebrate Palm Sunday, what was it like to actually be there?
Read Luke 19:28-44
Picture the scene: the crowds have heard more and more about this ‘teacher’ from Galilee.
News has arrived from Jericho that even Zacchaeus, the miserly Tax collector, has had a change of heart! The disciples are trying to make arrangements according to Jesus’ wishes, but at the same time, they are confused. They have a vague feeling that something big is happening but they don’t know what. Meanwhile, the Pharisees are anxious about things getting out of hand and appeal to Jesus to give a rebuke that will calm everything down.
Imagine yourself at the scene. What do you see and think and feel? Hear the shouts, feel the breeze from the branches waving around, smell the donkey! Which characters do you identify with? Represent the scene on your page and note your thoughts and feelings.
The crowds had definite expectations of this new hero, just as we have expectations when we worship and pray. Death on a cross was certainly not what they had in mind at this point. How does this relate to your own expectations and experience of the Christian life?
Journal some of your hopes, dreams, disappointments – and ask God for his reassurance. We have Holy Week ahead of us – there is more heartbreak to come. But do not lose hope. There is resurrection on the way…
Get the printer-friendly notes here.
Focus on Technique
6. Experiment
We’ve tried a few different techniques over the last few weeks. You’re bound to have a couple of favourites. This week, pick a technique you really enjoyed and see what else you can do with it. Perhaps you could combine a couple of different techniques together? Or maybe you want to try a different colour palette? Try a vibrant mishmash or a subdued monochrome with just one accent colour. Remember, this whole journal is about spending the time with your Creator; play with your creativity and be open to where it leads.
Click here to download the printer friendly version of this week’s reflection.
There’s no video this week but pop along to the YouTube channel for a recap of all the technique videos from the series, along with a few extras. (The video from last week has gone up there too – in case you missed the fact that I’ve added it to the original post.)
Editor’s Note: This is the last instalment of our series. We really hope you’ve enjoyed it. We’re going to keep the Facebook Group open for a little while, so if you’d like to join it and share how you’ve got on with the course, we’d love to see you in there. And if you’d like to join our mailing list to hear about how the course went and any further plans we have for similar events, you can do so here. We’ll be sending out a little survey asking for feedback and investigating future possibilities. Enjoy Holy Week and have a lovely Easter.