📖 Study Guide: “How to Be Beautiful, Sparkly & Attractive”

Based on Zechariah 9:9–17

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🗣 Opening Thought

We all long for peace, beauty, and a sense of worth. But where do we find it? This passage and message from Palm Sunday point us to Jesus—our gentle shepherd king—who brings peace not through power or might, but through sacrifice, gentleness, and love.

📜 Read the Passage

Zechariah 9:9–17 Read it aloud together or in silence. You can also reference Matthew 21:1–11 to see how this prophecy was fulfilled in Jesus.

🧠 Key Themes from the Sermon

• Jesus rides in peace: “Your king comes to you… gentle and riding on a donkey.” (v.9)
• True peace isn’t political, it’s personal: The war Jesus came to win was not against Rome, but against sin.
• Real beauty comes from God’s Spirit within us: “They will sparkle in his land like jewels in a crown.” (v.16)
• Peace is possible: “Even now, I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.” (v.12)
• Jesus is the gentle Shepherd-King: He comes not to crush us, but to forgive and restore us.

❓ Discussion Questions

Bible Understanding

• What stands out to you from Zechariah 9:9–17?
• Why do you think Jesus chose to enter Jerusalem on a donkey, not a war horse?
• What kind of king is described in this passage?
• What does verse 16 mean when it says we will “sparkle like jewels in a crown”?

Sermon Reflection

• Which story or illustration from the sermon stuck with you (Kathleen, Annie, Helen)?
• Andrew said, “The stuff that makes us unattractive… Jesus dealt with that by taking all of it on himself at the cross.” How does that hit home for you?
• Why do you think our culture gets beauty and peace so wrong?

Personal Application

• What “battles” are you facing internally right now?
• Where do you need to receive Jesus’ peace in your life?
• Do you struggle to believe that God sees you as beautiful or valuable? Why or why not?

🙏 Prayer Prompts

Spend time praying either silently or together:

• Thank God that He sent Jesus as a gentle and peaceful king.
• Confess where you’ve been chasing beauty, peace, or worth apart from Him.
• Ask for His peace to fill your heart, mind, and circumstances.
• Pray that you would begin to “sparkle like a jewel in His crown” as His Spirit lives in you.

“Lord, my life is anything but peaceful… I don’t see beauty when I see me in the mirror… I put these things at the foot of the cross. Clean me. Forgive me. Restore me.”

❤️ Final Encouragement

You don’t have to fight for peace. The King has already won. You don’t have to strive to be beautiful. He sees you as precious. Receive Him as your gentle Shepherd-King today.