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