God Locking Himself into Death Row

"Jesus came because what was needed was the death of a man who was more than a man. The incarnation was God locking himself into death row."

-John Piper, Good News of Great Joy

Life is Cheap in Norway: C.S. Lewis on the Sentence of Anders Breivik

John Piper has a helpful article dealing with Norway's sentence of a man who killed 77 people to only 21 years in prison.

http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/life-is-cheap-in-norway-c-s-lewis-on-the-sentence-of-anders-breivik

Free Download of John Piper's "Bloodlines"

John Piper is making his book Bloodlines available for free download today. Here's the link.

http://www.desiringgod.org/blog/posts/download-bloodlines-for-free

I Have a Dream: The Full Speech

If you've never seen the whole speech, today would be a good first time. Let it be part of your history for today. And whatever else you may think of Dr. King's personal life, thank our Lord Jesus that Lily and Rosie Hays are allowed to drink out of the same water fountain.

God's Mercy to Returning Prodigals

If you haven't read The Pleasures of God by John Piper, sell one of your other shirts and buy it. Even Piper himself, I believe, would say that it's his best. Here he recounts the story of the return of the Prodigal Son.

"The father runs. Can you see them both running? Or maybe the boy was too stunned to run. Perhaps he couldn't believe his eyes. Maybe the smell of pigs was still on him. Maybe the thought flashed through his mind to turn and escape this utterly unexpected demonstration of affection. But he does not turn. Jesus says the father embraced him and kissed him--pig smell and all. Can you see that embrace without feeling the emotion? I can't... I know that I am that son in Jesus' story. And I cannot comprehend that the Father in heaven- the great and glorious Creator of all the universe and Sovereign over all things- throws to the wind all dignified self-consciousness and runs to me and embraces me and kisses me, as though-- no! it is no fiction-- rather, because he is happy with me. He is glad with all his heart that I am part of the family. This is why I cannot see that embrace without pausing to let my eyes and throat recover." 

--John Piper, The Pleasures of God 

Missions Exists Because Worship Doesn't

In light of missionary Charles Woodrow's visit to Grace Baptist Church today, I thought the following excerpt would be appropriate:

"Missions is not the ultimate goal of the church. Worship is. Missions exists because worship doesn't. Worship is ultimate, not missions, because God is ultimate, not man. When this age is over, and countless millions fall on their faces before the throne of God, missions will be no more. It is a temporary necessity. But worship abides forever.

Worship, therefore, is the fuel and goal of missions..."  

--John Piper, the opening lines of his classic book on missions, Let the Nations Be Glad (available here:  http://www.amazon.com/Let-Nations-Be-Glad-Supremacy/dp/0801036410/ref=pd_sim_b_4) 

These lines from Piper have also inspired at least two songs:

(1) "Mission's Flame" by Matt Redman, for song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qENs_lJFmXU; for lyrics: http://www.stlyrics.com/songs/m/mattredman20504/missionsflame929476.html
(2) "Send Me" by Lecrae, for song: http://reachrecords.com/releases/show/After-The-Music-Stops; for lyrics: http://reachrecords.com/lyrics/show/Send-Me

Are You a Jerk?

"A jerk is a person who nitpicks about the way a question is asked rather than taking the opportunity to address the issue in a serious way."

John Piper