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Sermon Discussion Guide - 03/29/2026
Published March 28, 2026
Kings and Kingdoms:
Crowned With Thorns
Sermon Recap
This sermon shows the crucifixion as Jesus’ coronation, not a tragic accident. In John 19, Jesus is revealed as the true King - the One who does not destroy what He touches, but transforms it, turning a cross into a throne and shame into salvation.
Ice Breakers
- If you had to wear one ridiculous “crown” for a full day, what would you pick: a tiara, a Viking helmet, a cowboy hat, or a Burger King crown? Why?
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What is the most uncomfortable outfit or costume you’ve ever had to wear?
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What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever kept because “it might be useful someday”?
Discussion Questions
1. When was a time you felt pressure to protect yourself instead of doing what was right?
- Context: The sermon highlights how Pilate, the religious leaders, and the crowd all used their power to preserve themselves. In contrast, Jesus faced betrayal, injustice, and suffering without retaliating or abandoning His purpose in John 19.
- Application: Where are you most tempted to self-protect right now, and what might faithfulness look like instead?
2. How have you seen power used in a way that damaged people rather than helped them?
- Context: One of the sermon’s main ideas is that every king has power, but the real question is what that power does to the people it touches. Jesus stands apart from every other ruler because He does not crush His enemies; He transforms what He touches, even through the cross.
- Application: How does seeing Jesus as this kind of King reshape the way you trust Him or follow Him?
3. What is something painful, unfair, or broken in your life that you would love to see God redeem?
- Context: The sermon emphasizes that Jesus turned the cross from an instrument of shame and death into the place of rescue and salvation. He did not escape suffering by force; He transformed the very thing meant to erase Him.
- Application: What would it look like for you to invite Jesus into that painful place and trust Him to bring redemption, even if He does not remove it right away?
4. What is something you keep replaying in your mind, trying to fix, prove, or carry long after it should have been released?
- Context: In John 19:30, Jesus says, “It is finished.” The sermon pointed out that some of us live as though the cross was unnecessary, while others live as though it was unfinished - as if we still need to earn forgiveness or punish ourselves for our past.
- Application: Are you more likely to minimize your sin or keep carrying guilt and shame, and what would it mean to actually believe Jesus finished the work?
5. Who has shown you grace in a way that changed how you saw yourself?
- Context: The sermon ends with a clear next step: name what you’ve been carrying, hand it to Jesus, and then let His grace overflow through you toward someone else. Because Jesus transforms what He touches, His grace is meant to move through us, not just stop with us.
- Application: What is one specific way you can respond to Jesus’ finished work this week through forgiveness, service, honesty, or reconciliation?
Prayer
- Make sure to spend time in prayer as a group when you meet.
- Have group members share prayer requests, and pray for them.
- You could have one person pray for all the requests, or each member pray for one person.
- Keep a record of those requests and ask about them on a weekly basis.
Leader Tip
Keep bringing the conversation back to application. It is easy for a group to stay with ideas instead of action. Help people move from talking about truth to responding to it personally and taking tangible next steps.