The beauty of God shines most brightly in his darkest hour

"Pressed by the bible to know one thing"

"I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified"-1 Corinthians 2:2. One of my favorite Pastors, John Lawson, once said you only need a 7th grade education to understand the bible. You only need to know one thing and be great at it, that the sole purpose of life is to exalt the name of Jesus. Similar to what John the Baptist said, he must increase and I must decrease. John Piper echoes the same thing, he says you dont need a high IQ to enter the kingdom of heaven, or good looks, or a lot of money. But you do need to be great at a few things and be great at them.

"A Tragedy in the Making"

John Piper explains that if your sole aim in life is the American Dream than that is a wasted life. John Piper explains most people are always asking if only I could have a good wife/husband, job, retirement, car, etc. Making worldly possessions your only aim is like chasing the wind. Jesus has living water that will never make us thirsty again, we must honor him to take it.

"3 lives and deaths were No tragedy"

John Piper now gives a stark example of a wasted life, and a life that glorifies God. He tells the true story of 2 missionary women in Cameroon who died after their brakes failed and their car fell off the cliff. Their lives were not wasted, Piper explains how these 2 women devoted their life to helping the poor and needy, and did it with great passion. " Whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it"- Mark 8:35

"An American Tragedy how not to finish your one life"

John Piper contrasts this with a wasted life, a couple that was featured on a story of Readers Digest, who took early retirement, moved to Florida, and now pass their days on their big trawler boat, like playing softballs, and collect sea shells. Piper illustrates how the judgement would look for that couple saying "Look Lord, see my shells". Being born in Mexico and seeing the poverty I came from, I am thankful for the great opportunities I've been given in this country, but too many people are too caught up in retiring early. I see it every day on Linkedin Posts about climbing the financial ladder. Or my family who are work and invest their money like their life depended on it to retire and travel. Their insanely wealthy, but it seems like its never enough.

"Pretend I am your Father"

John Piper makes a humble plea make your life count for something, do not waste it on the world's definition of success. Do not be enticed by the riches and splendor of this world. Be like Jesus who after being offered all of this resisted the devil and instead chose to serve God. Be like Jesus the standard by which we should live by.

"I love the vision of Louie Giglio"

Louie Giglio had a great impact on Pipers life, through the conferences he held in the late 90's and early 2000's called Passion and One Day. Louie encouraged the attendees to make a "268 declaration". Isaiah 26:8 says " Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desires of our hearts". The 268 decleratioin challenged Piper to make "knowing and enjoying god the passionate pursuit of his life".

"The mans whose single passion made all else Rubbish"

Paul was a great example of someone who valued glorifying Christ above all else. We see it in Acts 20:24 "I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the Gospel of the grace of God". Or in Phillipians 3:7-8 "Whatever gain I had, I counted as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ"

"Christ Crucified, the Blazing Center of the Glory of God"

God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him. When we are most content and keeping his ways, and avoid every offering from the devil, then we know Jesus is the living water that never makes us thirst again.

"The Shocking Summons to Boast in a Lynching Rope"

Piper says few verses are more radical than Galatians 6:14 "Far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." Piper comments that boasting in the cross is like boasting in any other form of torture, be it the electric chair, or gas chamber. None is as cruel as dying by Crucifixion. Piper then expounds should we really only be boasting in Christ dying on the cross? Piper then describes multiple excerpts were Paul boasts in things other than the cross, such as our sufferings (2nd Chorinthians 12:9), or our weakness (1st Thessalonians 2:19)

"Boast only in This" Means "Let all Boasting be in this"

According to Piper, Paul meant that whatever you may be going through, be it a trial or a season of prosperity praise and boast about the Lord. Let god be your refuge when your weak and your satisfaction on a serene day.

"Christ Bought Every Good Thing and Every Bad Thing That Turned for Good"

We were redeemed when Jesus died for us on the cross. Without the cross we deserve nothing but judgement. Every thing we enjoy in christ was bought at a price. As Gods creation, Piper explains that we are creatures in which god is not obligated to give us anything. Job 1:21 says "He gives, he takes, and does no injustice. 2nd Piper explains we are sinners and all fall short of the glory of God. All we deserve from him is judgement, Romans 3:19. Or to put it another way we are not in control of our life, God controls every breath, and has the hairs on our head numbered. A great illustration is given in James 4:13-14.

"Welcomed Mercy or Mounting Wrath"

Every breath we take is a gift from god. Romans 2:4 says that God's kindness is intended to lead us to repentence. Those who harden their hearts are setting up for a cruel judgment. 

"Deserving Nothing but Inheriting Everything - Why?"

How did God purchase our salvation and everygood thing god gives us under the sun? The answer by his blood. John Piper explains that god sometimes uses terrible things for good causes. In this case Jesus dying on the cross gave us the gift of the holy spirit which brings everlasting joy, and much more joy in the life to come

"Risking for the Wrong Reasons"

Do not risk your life for the wrong reasons, to show your self righteosness, or exemplify your own ability for asceticism. Instead humble yourselves, and keep perspective. You are risking money time and pleasure in this world for something greater in the one to come. Keep god at the center and let him be your only satisfaction. Doing all things in him the supreme being who satisfies.

"The Power to Risk is in the Promise of God"

John Piper draws attention to one of the paradoxes in the bible. In Luke 21:16-18 Jesus says to his disciples, "Some of you they will put to death. You will be hated by all for my name's sake. But not a hair of your head will perish". The explanation given in the bible is that although are carnal bodies will persecuted and subject to torment by the rulers of this world, absolutely nothing can seperate us from the Love of God. While we still have breath, we can give our life to Jesus. But dont wait till your old in age, for we are not in control of our lives.