Radical With David Platt

It’s all too easy for Christians and churches to seek to serve God apart from the power of his Spirit. Yet Scripture teaches us that the Spirit is the One who reveals God’s truth and empowers God’s people. In this message from 1 Corinthians 2:1–16, David Platt reminds us that our only hope of believing, obeying, and proclaiming God’s Word comes through the power of God’s Spirit. That’s why our lives and our churches should be marked by desperate prayer for the Spirit’s help.

It seems all too common for us to take God lightly in our worship today. We tend to trivialize his greatness and disregard his holiness. In this message from Malachi 1:6–14, David Platt encourages us to listen and respond to God’s indictment of the worship of his people centuries ago. Those who are in Christ should experience God’s greatness and reflect his holiness, and as we do this we will accomplish the purpose God has for us.

Following a presidential election, Americans are experiencing a wide array of emotions. As our political leadership changes, it’s important for God’s people to recognize that the One who sovereignly rules over all things is still in control. In this message from Isaiah 6, David Platt points to truths about God that we need to recognize, regardless of the circumstances around us. The God who is absolutely holy and who fills the earth with his glory, deserves our fear, our trust, and our love. 

While God’s Word tells us to honor our government leaders, it is also clear that God alone is worthy of our fear and reverence. The One who created all things and to whom we must give an account as our just Judge is not to be treated lightly. In this message from Peter 2:13–17, David Platt urges to hear the repeated refrain of Scripture, “Fear God!” For followers of Christ, this fear gives us confidence in the face of every earthly fear that we might have. It is God, not worldly leaders and governments, who is sovereign over our lives. 

How do you exalt Jesus during a presidential election? Some Christians think this involves promoting a particular political agenda, while others want the church to denounce a certain candidate or party. One consequence of these kinds of approaches is that the church loses its distinctive witness to the gospel of Christ. In this message from 1 Peter 2:13–17, David Platt points us to some foundational biblical foundations for exalting Jesus in an election and beyond. Instead of putting our trust in and given our allegiance to worldly leaders, the church submits to and exalts the One who rules heaven and earth. We are united, even amidst political differences, around the Lord Jesus Christ.

In a culture that seems to be getting increasingly divided and contentious on a number of important issues, it’s easy to forget that the most important battle we face is spiritual. The world wars against our soul, and unless we are resisting its attacks in the power that God supplies, the consequences can be disastrous. In this message from 1 Peter 2:11–12, David Platt urges us to heed Peter’s exhortations about how we are to live as sojourners and exiles in a hostile world. By our good deeds, we bear witness—even to our enemies—that God is worthy of all glory.

People have all kinds of questions about the truth claims of Christianity, but in the end, there’s a question that all of us must answer: “Did Jesus rise from the dead?” We might call this the ultimate question. While various possible explanations have been offered as to how Christ’s tomb was empty on that early Sunday morning, Scripture’s account of Christ’s resurrection best accounts for the historical evidence. And as David Platt points out in this message from Matthew 28:1–15, if Jesus, in fact, rose from the dead, then this has startling implications for our lives and for all of history. All authority belongs to the One who has conquered sin and death.

What does it mean to live a “full” life? The way the world answers that question is very different from the answer God’s Word gives us. For followers of Christ, knowing and enjoying God is the essence of what it means to truly live. In this message from 1 Peter 1:13–25, David Platt urges us to be holy, to love God, to fear God, and to hope in God as our heavenly Father. This is what marks us as his beloved children.

In a time abundant hardship felt all around the world, how do we hold on to our faith in the midst of various trials? Whether these struggles are seemingly small or majorly significant, they each tempt us to lose faith in the sufficiency and goodness of God. But what Satan intends for evil, God intends for good, and His word assures us that we have much to hope for in Him. In this message from 1 Peter 1:3–12, David Platt urges us to continue hoping and trusting in God amidst trials we face in this world. 

As followers of Christ, it’s so easy for us to lose our bearings. Without realizing it, we begin to think and act as if this world is our final destination, as if our identity and security is found in temporary things. However, the apostle Peter tells us that we are “elect exiles” looking forward to our future hope at Christ’s return. Regardless of our current circumstances, our identity is in Christ. In this message from 1 Peter 1:1–3, David Platt urges us to find our security and our hope in Jesus Christ and his salvation.

While division in the church is always a danger, a number of factors make this especially true in recent days. Too many Christians are quick to slander, criticize, cancel, and separate from other brothers and sisters in Christ. In this message, David Platt draws on two passages—Philippians 1:27 and 1 Kings 19:1–8—in order to help and encourage the church toward greater unity in the gospel. In light of our identity in Christ and the mission he has given us, we dare not divide over lesser matters. By God’s grace and by the power of the Spirit, we must continue to pursue faithfulness to Christ and love for one another.

At the center of all human history stands the cross of Jesus Christ. It’s here that we see the character of God put on full display, the sinfulness of man at its worst, and a death that shaped all of history. In this message from Matthew 26–27, David Platt urges us to look to the One who gave himself as a substitute for sinners, for not only history but also our eternity depends on our response to Christ’s death in the place of sinners.

The fact that Christ has not returned after 2,000 years makes some people doubt the reality of his second coming, while others simply ignore it altogether. Instead of living with expectancy and seeking to faithfully endure, they become careless and fail to live in light of the judgment that is coming. In this message David Platt exhorts us to heed Christ’s warning in Matthew 25. Though Christ’s return seems to be delayed, he will return suddenly and all hearts will be exposed. Christ’s coming should shape the way we live in the present and the way we look to the future, for nothing short of heaven and hell are at stake. This message is Part 2 of the “Return of the King.”

When it comes to the topic of Christ’s return, many Christians either get confused or they become engrossed in speculation and date setting. Sadly, Christ’s second coming has little effect on the way they live today as his disciples. In this message from David Platt on Matthew 24, we are urged to live in light of the second coming by trusting in Christ now, by persevering in his power, and by expectantly longing for his return. As  we wait for that glorious day, the return of the king should compel us to proclaim the good news of his kingdom to the ends of the earth. This message is Part 1 of the “Return of the King.”

It’s sobering to realize that some of Jesus’s most sobering warnings were aimed at those who were considered to be the most religious. To appear to be living a holy life in the eyes of men is not the same thing as living a truly holy life before God. In this message from Matthew 23, David Platt urges us to heed Jesus’s warnings to the religious leaders of his day. Rather than living lives marked by hypocrisy, pride, and self-centeredness, God wants his people to live lives marked by a supreme love for him and a selfless love for others. 

Whether it’s through financial security, health, entertainment, or recognition and acceptance from others, people are looking for contentment and failing to find it. Even as Christians, we can fall into the trap of looking for contentment in all the wrong places. In this message from Philippians 4:10–13, David Platt points us to the place, or rather Person, where true contentment can be found. Here in Part 2 of our search for “The Secret of Contentment,” we will see why Jesus is all we need in any and every circumstance. 

Everyone is looking for contentment, but it seems to elude most people. We may be happy and feel secure temporarily, but when circumstances change, our contentment vanishes. In Philippians 4:10–13, the apostle Paul shares the “secret” of contentment, and he does it from prison. In this message, David Platt points us to the kind of contentment that doesn’t change with circumstances—the contentment that can only be found in Christ. This is Part 1 of in our search for “The Secret of Contentment.”

If someone followed you around on a consistent basis, what would their takeaway be? What would your conversations, actions, and priorities communicate to them? In this message from Philippians 4:9, David Platt talks about what it means to live a life worthy of imitation. Like the apostle Paul, we want those we influence to be consistently hearing God’s Word and becoming more like Jesus.

How do you experience the peace that God wants for his children? How can you be joyful in the midst of trials and uncertainty? How can you be gentle when the world seems chaotic? In this message from Philippians 4:8, we learn that experiencing peace and joy and other godly virtues requires us to engage in a battle, a battle for our minds. David Platt points us to the words of the apostle Paul, who tells us to set our minds on what is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, and commendable. For our faith to persevere and flourish, particularly in the midst of trials, we must intentionally think on these things.

At his first coming, Jesus came in humility and was largely rejected by the world and even his own people. However, when he returns, Christ’s authority and splendor will be unmistakable and inescapable. In this message from Matthew 21:1–22, David Platt points to various attributes of this Sovereign King who will return as Savior and Judge. It is now our privilege, by God’s grace, to give our entire lives to follow him.