On October 2, 2006, Charles Roberts burst into an Amish one-room schoolhouse in Lancaster Pennsylvania. He shot ten girls, ages 6-13, killing five, before committing suicide. Incidents like this make the news, but what kept this in the news was the response of the Amish. The Amish visited Charles Roberts family after the shooting to tell them they were extended forgiveness. Members of the Amish community visited Charles Roberts widow, parents and parents-in-law to comfort them in their loss. One Amish father held Charles Roberts' sobbing father in his arms for an hour. The Amish even set up a charity fund for Charles Robert's widow and children. Over 30 Amish attended Charles Roberts' funeral. When does this kind of love come from? It is scandalous. When the Amish were asked how they could forgive and love, they only had one name,… Jesus.

John 13:1-17 - Scandalous Love - Audio - MP3
John 13:1-17 - Scandalous Love - Quicktime and iPhone Audio - M4A
John 13:1-17 - Scandalous Love - Manuscript - PDF
John 13:1-17 - Scandalous Love - Sermon Handout - PDF
John 13:1-17 - Scandalous Love - Small Group Work Sheet - PDF

In life, there are windows of opportunity. Once those windows close, opportunities are gone. As John 12 draws to a close, the final moments of Jesus' public ministry come to an end. The last window of opportunity slams shut. Like the crowds, each of us has a limited number of opportunities to respond to Jesus. We don't know which one will be our last chance.

John 12:34-50 - One Last Chance - Audio - MP3
John 12:34-50 - One Last Chance - Quicktime and iPhone Audio - M4A
John 12:34-50 - One Last Chance - Manuscript - PDF
John 12:34-50 - One Last Chance - Sermon Handout - PDF
John 12:34-50 - One Last Chance - Small Group Work Sheet - PDF

Applause… We want them. It is hard to live without them. What should we do when we can't make everyone happy? As Jesus enters Jerusalem, it is the high point of his ministry. A crowd of thousands cheer his arrival and ask him to be king. He can't make everyone happy. To gain the applause of God the Father, he needs to turn his back on the intoxicating pleasure of the crowd and embrace a horrifying death for us. Like Jesus, we also need to choose whose applause we will live for, our friends and neighbors or our Heavenly Fathers. Like, Jesus, to gain the applause of God the Father will involve a path of suffering. The applause of God the Father are worth it in the end.

John 12:12-33 - Living for the Applause of One - Audio - MP3
John 12:12-33 - Living for the Applause of One - Quicktime and iPhone Audio - M4A
John 12:12-33 - Living for the Applause of One - Manuscript - PDF
John 12:12-33 - Living for the Applause of One - Sermon Handout - PDF
John 12:12-33 - Living for the Applause of One - Small Group Work Sheet - PDF