The following 12 minute John Piper sermon excerpt defines the most foundational choice you must make if you would be one of Christ’s followers.
The sermon text is Mark 8: 31-38.
The sermon excerpt deals largely with verses 34-38, but the entire text is as follows [emboldening is mine]:
31And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. 32And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. 33But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
34And calling the crowd to him with his disciples, he said to them, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. 35For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it.
36For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? 37For what can a man give in return for his soul? 38For whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
The entire sermon covers material that every believer struggles with daily, the choice of living for self or for God.
The entire sermon explains the motives that cause a person to choose a given way; the consequences inherent each way; an application that provides correct perspective and some motivation to begin.
Piper’s explanations and definitions are easy to understand; he brings light to the most foundational problem in the Christian life. If you have been struggling with this problem, then his sermon should provide motivation to choose wisely.
If you had not been aware of this most basic conflict in the Christian life, then the clarity he brings to it could enable you to more easily assess your current status and provide you with direction, motivation and a desire to seek God via prayer regarding these things.
I highly recommend listening to the entire sermon. Hopefully the excerpt will move you to see the value in doing that.
12 minute excerpt:
Prior to the 12 minute excerpt, Dr. Piper explained several key concepts that must be understood:
- “Believe,” its biblical meaning, which is far different than is commonly realized; the two selves that are talked about by Christ. Piper’s clarification makes them very easy to identify as they present themselves during your daily pilgrimage
- What advantages worldly people seek that keep them from following Christ
- The role of tribulation
- The golden thread of God’s sovereignty that is apparent in the gospel message; this is shown by looking carefully at the accomplishment of the gospel and the groups of people God used to bring it about
- God’s Sovereignty regarding your life and choices
- AFTER the excerpt above, Piper spent 10 minutes talking about application of the text to one’s own life
To read the transcript of the entire sermon, which includes a video of the sermon, click the link below:
https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/…
The entire sermon: