The Meaning of Grace

"What act could be more one-sidedly free and non-negotiated than one person raising another from the dead! This is the meaning of grace."
-John Piper

"And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved and raised up with him..."

Ephesians 2:1-6

Santa Claus=Bad News, Gospel=Good News

The declaration of Santa Claus goes a little something like this: Get your act together because whether you are naughty or nice determines the gift you receive, whether that be a good gift or a lump of coal.

The declaration of Jesus Christ goes a little something like this: You all alike have been naughty, and the reward you justly deserve is far worse than a lump of coal, it is death. On top of that, you can't possibly fix yourself or reverse your outcome. BUT, I lived the life you should have lived, and earned the reward or gift that you failed to obtain so that all who turn from their own act can receive me, and receive the ultimate gift, life in God. Whereas you deserve punishment for your track record, you can receive mercy, forgiveness, grace, and life in Jesus Christ.

My fear is that most of us functionally believe a Christianity that is more comparable to the Santa Claus declaration. If our good outweighs our bad, then we get a reward. This is not reality. This is not the gospel. This is, as John Piper puts it, actually very bad news. If you are banking on your own moral track record as your assurance, you can never be sure. You will constantly be wondering if you did enough, or if you are good enough. Simply put, you will never be good enough, and you will never do enough. All of us are sinners who are broken and distorted. But, there is one who did everything you couldn't do, and now freely offers himself to you. That is the good news of Jesus. Receive and rest in Jesus.

A little video from one of my favorite preachers of all time, John Piper:

An Ocean of Glorious Truth

A quote from John Piper found in the video I posted yesterday.

"Give yourself to this. It's my plea! Give yourself to this. Let us know, let us press on to know the Lord. Pray that God would show you these things in his word. Swim in the Bible everyday. Don't just give it a little touch before you leave to do what you really like to do. Swim in the Bible everyday. It is an ocean of bright, glorious, weighty, all-satisfying truth from the one from whom you were made!"

Something I need to be reminded of, and something I long to return to.  

The Supremacy of Christ

All I can say is wow! Please, please, please watch this. There is no other proper response to the magnificence, glory, and supremacy of Christ other than falling on our faces in humble adoration and worship.

Brian Regan On Grace

Not sure if there are any Brian Regan fans who read this, but I randomly came across this post from Barnabas Piper (yes, that is the son of John Piper) where he expounds on a Brian Regan comedy bit. First off, the clip from Brian Regan is absolutely hilarious and is a stunningly accurate picture of our self centeredness. Second, Piper does a fantastic job of using this video to expound on gospel truths. For your entertainment and edification, I encourage you to check it out.

Brian Regan On Grace

What Are You Gripped By?

"People that make a difference in the world are not people who have mastered a lot of things. They are people who have been mastered by a very few things, that are very, very great." ~John Piper

I love listening to this 1998 sermon by John Piper in which he delivers this quote. I listen to it before every football game. It gets me pumped up to live a life passionately following Jesus. It always makes me ask the questions, "What am I gripped by? What am I mastered by?" As Piper points out, the greatest thing we can be mastered or gripped by is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It's what we were made for.

There are a million things that compete for our hearts affections. Every second of everyday they pry us away, promising a false sense of satisfaction, joy and rest. I see in my own life how easily my heart is gripped by things other than Christ.

I need to be reminded of the ultimate glory that we were made for as humans. We were made for the glory of God. My prayer is that my life vividly shows that I am gripped solely by Jesus Christ. He is my life. He is my only boast. My life doesn't count for anything, if only I can finish my course and display the grace of my Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 20:24).

When it's all said and done, it won't matter how much you have or know. What will matter is whose you are. What will matter is what you spent your life gripped by.

Piper and Keller on Justification, Sanctification, and the Dynamics of Faith

Great stuff from two guys who have had a huge influence on my life. This was originally posted on Desiring God.

A Call for Tough and Tender Pastor's in Controversy

From John Piper, as posted by Justin Taylor:

It seems to me that we are always falling off the horse on one side or the other in this matter of being tough and tender—

wimping out on truth when we ought to be lion-hearted, or

wrangling with anger when we ought to be weeping. . . .

Oh how rare are the pastors who speak with a tender heart and have a theological backbone of steel. I dream of such pastors. I would like to be one someday.

A pastor

whose might in the truth is matched by his meekness.

Whose theological acumen is matched by his manifest contrition.

Whose heights of intellect are matched by his depths of humility.

Yes, and the other way around!

A pastor

whose relational warmth is matched by his rigor of study,

whose bent toward mercy is matched by the vigilance of his biblical discernment, and

whose sense of humor is exceeded by the seriousness of his calling.

I dream of great defenders of true doctrine who are mainly known for the delight they have in God and the joy in God that they bring to the people of God—who enter controversy, when necessary, not because they love ideas and arguments, but because they love Christ and the church. . . .

[Acts 15:1-3] is my vision: The great debaters on their way to a life-and-death show down of doctrinal controversy, so thrilled by the mercy and power of God in the gospel, that they are spreading joy everywhere they go.

Oh how many there are today who tell us that controversy only kills joy and ruins the church;

and oh how many others there are who, on their way to the controversy, feel no joy and spread no joy in the preciousness of Christ and his salvation.

This Momentary Marriage

A powerful video. Originally posted on Desiring God, a ministry of John Piper.

Pastors: Leading Their People to Death-Defying Devotion

"A high view of God's sovereignty fuels death-defying devotion to global missions"


"Pastors who believe that God is sovereign over all things will lead Christians to die for the sake of ALL peoples"

Just a couple opening quotes from David Platt's message he delivered at Together 4 the Gospel (T4G). I haven't read any of Platt's books (although I plan to) nor have I listened to much of his stuff, but from what I have heard, I love this guy and his passion for the gospel.

Being a Christian is intrinsically linked with mission. A legitimate belief in the God of the Bible fuels radical self-giving in the form of mission. I'm thankful for Platt, especially for that 2nd quote about pastors having the privilege of leading their people to die for the sake of the gospel going to ALL peoples. Most churches, and most pastors don't have the stomach to preach this. Yet, it is in the Bible. It is what Jesus said was necessary to follow him. Most pastors prefer to build up comfortable buildings for people to gather, giving them a few snippets of good advice for living, and enough assurance to soothe their religious conscious. This is nice, but this is not Christianity. This is not being a disciple of Jesus. This is not holding a high view of God's sovereignty. I'll be posting Platt's message here in a little bit. It is an hour long, but is well worth the time. John Piper is calling it the best sermon on missions he has ever heard. So, if you want to have your world rocked, check it out!

John Piper and Tim Keller: The Gospel and Race

I seriously can't wait for this! Two of my biggest heroes (Piper and Keller) talking about a subject very close to my heart. Also, Anthony Bradley (Covenant Theological Seminary grad and former professor) will be moderating. Tune in Wednesday, March 28th 6-8pm (central time).


Invitation to Piper and Keller on Race & the Christian from Desiring God on Vimeo.

The Inexhaustible God

All Sin Punished

"No one anywhere at any time gets away with anything. Every sin, every crime will be punished--either in hell or on the cross."


John Piper


These may come across as hard words from John Piper, but they get at what primarily happened at the Cross. The words are hard because they condemn every single person who has ever lived. Everyone has lied in their life. Everyone has sinned either in thought or deed. And because God is holy, He must judge this sin. The just or righteous judgement is death. All have sinned, and all sin is punished. 


But this is what makes the gospel good news. Jesus took the punishment for sin at the cross. For all who would believe in Him, Jesus died a substitutionary death on our behalf, taking upon himself the punishment we rightly deserve. Now, that's what I call love. 


We are all guilty and in our selves, deserve death. But God offers life to everyone who would turn from trusting in themselves, and turn to trusting His Son. 

How He Loves Sermon Jam

David Crowder Band with some Matt Chandler and John Piper mixed in.......doesn't get much better than that!

Bloodline of the Cross

The closing quote from John Piper's most recent book, 'Bloodlines: Race, Cross, and the Christian,'

"What I've tried to do with this book is show that the gospel of Jesus Christ, the death and the resurrection of the Son of God for sinners, is the only sufficient power for this effort, and the only power that in the end will bring the bloodlines of race into the single bloodline of the cross. It is the only power to bring about Christ-exalting harmony, which, in the end, is the only kind that matters, because all things were made through him and for him. To his grace, and his name, and his Father, be glory forever. Amen."

Piper's book has been a tremendous blessing to me. In particular, it has helped me to see how the pursuit of racial/ethnic harmony and reconciliation is so very close, and goes hand in hand with the Gospel of God's grace. It has opened my eyes to the implications that the gospel has on  this pursuit, as well as my own sins of partiality and indifference to injustice. Lastly, I am thankful for Piper's book as it was a needed reminder of the breadth and scope of the Gospel. God's plan from the beginning was to bless the nations through his Son Jesus. God is in the business of restoring that which is lost. He is redeeming for himself a single people united by the blood of His Son; and this united group of people will include people from every tribe and every nation. 

Christ: The Remedy to Partiality

"My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith

in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory."

Commenting on this verse, John Piper writes, 

"But James's point is this: if you know Christ as the Lord of glory-if you trust him as the one who is gloriously gracious and gloriously merciful and gloriously forgiving and gloriously strong and gloriously wise and gloriously loving-then you won't be controlled by this craving for human glory or by this fear that uses partiality to be safe. Christ will be your glory-all the glory you need. And Christ will be your security-all the security you need."

The Gospel is Not Right Wing or Left Wing

Currently, John Piper's new book 'Bloodlines: Race, Cross, and the Christian', is blowing me away. In it, Piper deals with the issue of racism and how the Gospel transforms racial relations and restores ethnic harmony. There is a lot more to be said there, but nonetheless, this book has opened my eyes to just how big and glorious the Gospel is, and just how negligent I can be regarding how the Gospel impacts my relationships with people and the pursuit of justice.

One section in particular that I found interesting was on the Gospel and politics. It the tendency of many Christians to pursue equality, justice or racial reconciliation through the ideology of a certain political party. Right wing or left politics aren't the answer to social justice. The Gospel is. I think many Christians make a huge error of trying to associate their political party with Christianity, as if one is more aligned with the Christian message. Piper writes,

"Because the gospel of Jesus Christ is not an ideology or a philosophy or a methodology or a therapy but a supernatural in-breaking of God into our lives, I am concerned at how many Christians do not bring it to bear personally, critically, and explosively on the political right and left. It seems to me that too many Christians gravitate to right-wing or left-wing politics because they see some parallel between a political plank and a part of the gospel. It's like saying that the party that uses candles must be the true one because they're shaped like sticks of gospel dynamite. The gospel was meant to explode with saving power in the lives of politicians and social activists, not help them decorate their social agenda. 


Jesus did not come into the world to endorse anybody's platform. He doesn't fit in. He created the world. He holds it in being by his powerful word. He will return some day to judge the living and the dead. And he came the first time to die so that left-wing activists and right-wing talk-show hosts would be broken in pieces for their sin and put back together by the power of grace. He came so that from that day on Jesus himself would be the supreme treasure and authority of our lives. He came so that we would become radically devoted to the glory of God. He came so that the only kind of racial diversity and racial harmony we would pursue is Jesus-exalting, God-glorifying, and gospel formed."

Gospel: The End of Arrogance

I've been looking forward to starting John Piper's new book, 'Bloodlines: Race, Cross, And The Christian'. Thus far, I've had the pleasure of diving into the forward by Tim Keller and Piper's preface. Here's a quote from the preface.

"God has spoken. And he has acted. He has entered our world in the person of his Son. His word, his action, and his incarnation are the end of ethnic arrogance for those who embrace him as the Treasure of their lives."

What a great reminder that the Gospel is the end of all pride, whether it be pride in social, academic, monetary, or ethnic status. At the cross, I see how truly sinful I am. I see that Mike Berttucci is so jacked up that this (a bloody crucifixion) was the necessary ramification for my sin. I'm so bad that Christ had to die for me. Yet, I am so loved by God that he was pleased rescue me. Jesus went to the cross for the joy set before him. From this perspective, it seems pretty silly to think that I am, in any way, better than another human. I am saved solely by the grace of God. Christ died for me when I was yet a sinner (Romans 8:5). This is the end of arrogance, whether it is ethnic arrogance, or simply arrogance in personal relationships. The Gospel ends arrogance. 

Relax, Eat, Drink and Be Merry

"The land of a rich man produced plentifully, and he thought to himself, 'What shall I do,

for I have nowhere to store my crops?' And he said, 'I will do this: I will tear down my barns 

and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.

And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; 

relax, eat, drink, be merry.' But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul 

is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?'

So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich towards God."

Luke 12:16-21

What do you say to your own soul? Are you primarily looking to store up treasures for yourself? Do you find yourself living for your own personal comfort? Do you live to 'relax, eat, drink, and be merry'. This is the wasted life, and this is the sad reality of most people in the world (especially in America). 

Everything given to us in the life is given from God, and it is given for the purpose of glorifying His name. If we are given talents, they are to be used to make His name look great. If we have money, it is meant to be handled in a way that makes God look like the ultimate treasure. This passage reminds me of the last verse of a song by Lecrae, 'Don't Waste Your Life'. 

If you're trying to figure out what to do with ya life,
If you make a lot of money hope your doin' it right,
Because the money is God’s, you better steward it right, 
You stay focused, you ain't got no ride,
Your life ain't wrapped up in what you drive,
The clothes you wear, the job you work,
The color your skin, nah you're Christian first,
People get it living for a job,
Make a little money start living for a car,
Get em a wife, a house, kids and a dog,
Then they retire, they living high on the hog,
But guess what? They didn’t ever really live at all,
To live is Christ, and that’s Paul I recall,
To die is gain and for Christ we give it all,
He's the treasure you’ll never find in a mall,
See your money, your singleness, marriage, talents, your time,
They were loaned you to show the world that Christ is divine,
That’s why its Christ in my rhymes,
That’s why its Christ all the time,
See my whole world is built around Him,
He’s the life in my lines,
I refuse to waste my life,
He’s too true to chase that ice,
Here’s my gift and time,
'cause I'm constantly tryna ta be used to praise the Christ,
If He’s truly raised to life, 
Then this news should change your life ,
And by His grace you can put your faith in the place that rules your days and nights,
YES!

In the end, God is too worthy, beautiful and glorious for us to waste our lives on ourselves. The joy, comfort and peace from knowing the Living God are infinitely more valuable than the joy, comfort and peace from a large bank account, or from safe retirement, or to live our lives to 'relax, eat, drink and be merry.' This is an attitude in my own life that I must fight for everyday. I need to remind myself of how marvelous the Gospel of God's grace is. I need to taste God's goodness. In these moments of gospel sanity, the lure of living to 'relax, eat, drink and be merry' fades away' and a passion to live for the Living God arises.  

The Tragedy of Living for the American Dream

This sermon clip never gets old. I need to be reminded that the gospel of Jesus bids us to die to ourselves and to live to Christ, counting all things as loss compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Jesus as Savior. The comfort of the 'American dream' pales in comparison to the joy of being found in Christ. Further, this joy of being found in Christ empowers us to live radically as part of God's mission to bring redemption to the world.