Ask Pastor John
John Piper answering tough theological and pastoral questions.
Channels · All Sermons · Pastors
Older episodes
- 553How Much Speculation Should We Bring into Sermons?Preachers are emissaries of God’s revealed truth. So how should we talk about parts of the text we don’t understand?
- 554Is Suffering a Paradox for Christian Hedonists?When Christ died, so did our sin-loving selves. Now, God sends suffering to weed out the sin that lingers and stunts our joy in Christ.
- 555Step One in Preparing to SufferWe ready ourselves to suffer well when we look our life dead in the eye and say with Paul, “I count it all as loss compared to Christ.”
- 556Christian Unity in Three StepsReal differences exist between real Christians. But where we lack unity of conviction, we can share unity of humble, sacrificial disposition.
- 557How Does Love Cover a Multitude of Sins?Christian love labors to overlook the sins of others, just as Christ went to the cross to forgive us, not to shame us.
- 558Christ’s Death Was No AccidentThe death of Christ was no accident. He came to be crucified, that he might hang the sins and sufferings of those he loves with him there.
- 559Should I Charge Other Christians for My Expertise?Christ bids his people both to wisely get and freely give, and he supplies us with the grace we need to discern when to do what with our talents.
- 560What Makes My Life Christian?How can Christians live so that, at bottom, we can say with Paul, “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me”?
- 561What Makes My Gift a Spiritual Gift?If God has given helpful skills to both believers and unbelievers, what makes the difference between a merely natural ability and a spiritual gift?
- 562What If I Don’t Have a Spiritual Gift?Paul and Peter charge Christians to use our spiritual gifts for the good of the church. But what if we don’t seem to have any spiritual gifts?
- 563Let the Nations Be Glad! — Thirty Years LaterThirty years after ‘Let the Nations Be Glad!’ was published, Pastor John reflects on the book’s beginnings and its lasting legacy.
- 564How Do I Pray from the Misery of My Sin?There is no distress that puts you beyond the good news that God brings — not even the distress caused by your own sin.
- 565Do Unbelievers Get a Second Chance After Death?In 1 Peter 3:19, we read that Christ “went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey.” What might Peter mean?
- 566How Does Baptism Save Us?If God saves his people through faith alone apart from works, why does Peter say that baptism now saves us?
- 567Pray Your Way into ThanksgivingHow can we aim to be done with anxiety and enjoy peace in any circumstance? By bringing every circumstance to God in prayer.
- 568Should We Seek to Suffer?Suffering may be the price of Christian love, but it is not the aim of Christian love. Our aim is to do as much good as we can on the lowly path of service.
- 569Give Young Christians a Chance to LeadOur churches grow in wisdom and maturity when the young honor the old, the old listen to the young, and all clothe themselves with humility.
- 570Amusing Ourselves from DeathOutside of Christ, the fear of death is a slave master that holds everyone in bondage — even those who seem unaware of their chains.
- 571How Can Satan Harm Christians?Scripture is clear that Satan is not ultimately sovereign — God is. But under that sovereignty, in what ways can Satan still harm God’s people?
- 572Build Structures to Serve Your CallingHow can leaders prevent the pressures of running an organization from squeezing out opportunities for face-to-face work and ministry?
- 573Satan Cannot Scare You into HellSatan may oppress you, attack you, and rage against you. But if you are in Christ, he holds no power to finally destroy you.
- 574How Can I Cast My Cares on God?Casting your cares onto God begins with believing that he really is the infinitely powerful, all-wise, always-good God he reveals himself to be.
- 575Good and Bad People-PleasingHow can we find freedom from living for the opinions of people? Pray for and pursue a big vision of God. Find a firm identity in Christ. Look to your eternal reward.
- 576John Piper’s 2022 Year-in-ReviewPastor John discusses personal and ministry highlights from 2022, including podcasts, books, global outreach, and a new goal for ‘Look at the Book.’
Get the Pray app
Keep listening to Ask Pastor John on your phone, and pick up where you left off.
