Radical With David Platt

Many churches rarely teach on the new covenant ordinances of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. The biggest concern is how to fit them in without disrupting the weekly service. It’s little wonder, then, that baptism is viewed as optional by many Christians while the Lord’s Supper is either misunderstood or ignored. In this sermon David Platt explains the meaning of these two ordinances and answers the following questions: Why should I be baptized? How should I be baptized? Who should be baptized? When should I be baptized? Who should participate in the Lord’s Supper? Where should we have the Lord’s Supper? When should we have the Lord’s Supper? According to Scripture, baptizing believers and regularly taking the Lord’s Supper are crucial aspects of what it means to be a New Testament church.Explore more content from Radical.

Sadly, it’s not uncommon today for those who claim to be followers of Christ to show half-hearted commitment to Christ’s bride, the church. Like consumers, many Christians shop around for the best church “experience.” Others merely attend for an hour each week without any desire to meet needs among God’s people or to be a part of the church’s mission. There are even those who attempt to follow Christ apart from regularly gathering with God’s people. But as David Platt points out in this sermon from 1 Corinthians 12:12–27, God has not designed us to be spiritual lone rangers. We are fellow members of Christ’s body. For the sake of our own souls and for the sake of Christ’s mission, every follower of Christ should be committed to a local church.Explore more content from Radical.

It’s one thing for someone to hear the gospel and reject it, but what about those who have never even heard of Jesus? Are they okay, spiritually speaking, as long as they live a good life and follow the light they’ve been given? What is their standing before God? In this sermon, David Platt addresses these eternally important questions based on Romans 15. Given the staggering number of people in the world with little or no access to the gospel, this issue is not merely theoretical. Getting the gospel to the unreached is urgent. Explore more content from Radical.

Although we don’t always feel wealthy, evangelicals in America and in many parts of the West are some of the wealthiest people in world history. We have everything we need––food, clothes, houses, cars, jobs, education, savings accounts, vacations––and more. Yet, for many churches, God’s generosity toward us has not resulted in our generosity toward others. We have been content to stockpile God’s resources rather than use them for the spread of the gospel. In this message, David Platt highlights giving as one of twelve biblical traits of the church. Rather than listening to the culture, we should be listening to Scripture to see how God would have us use the resources He has entrusted to us. Explore more content from Radical.

We are taught from a young age to “be safe” in whatever we do. This isn’t bad advice for the everyday tasks God has given us to do, but when it comes to following Jesus, we can wrongly assume that God would never call us to something costly or dangerous. Our time, effort, and resources are spent on maximizing our comfort. However, Jesus said that following Him would mean forsaking everything. And while we aren’t to seek out suffering, we know that proclaiming the gospel in many areas of the world requires taking risks. In this sermon from Philippians 1:12–30, David Platt reminds us not to let comfort become an idol, but instead to pursue faithfulness to Christ, even if it costs us our lives. Being with Christ is infinitely better than any temporary security this world offers. Explore more content from Radical.

We live in a day where people are made uncomfortable by any claim of truth. Jesus taught that He Himself was “The Truth” and the only way to God. As He breathed His last on the cross, it seemed like He would be written off as a fraud. Easter Sunday serves as a reminder that God cashes in on all of His promises. In this sermon, David Platt encourages us from John 20 with testimonies to the resurrection. Through Christ being raised from the dead, our eyes have been opened to the truth and we now live in the hope of the resurrection, trusting that we will one day be with Him forever. Explore more content from Radical.

Our culture questions the very idea of truth. The fact that anyone would claim to know something, particularly as it relates to eternity, can sound arrogant. Yet in John 14:6 Jesus claims to be the “the way, and the truth and the life.” But what if we are accountable to God? And what if Jesus is who He says He is? If He actually died on the cross and rose from the dead, then His claim to be the way to God is not arrogant but the best news in the world. In this Good Friday message, David Platt urges us to consider and respond to the claims of Jesus Christ.Explore more content from Radical.

Our culture constantly tells us to look to our own abilities to find strength and success. Tragically, many churches in our day have taken that advice. In this sermon, David Platt shows us why this self-reliant attitude is contrary to what we see throughout the book of Acts as the gospel spreads across geographic and cultural borders. If the church is to carry out God’s mission, then it must rely on God’s power. Making disciples of all nations requires desperate prayer.Explore more content from Radical.

Holy Week is the time when Christians around the world remember the days leading to Jesus’ death and resurrection. Beginning on Palm Sunday, we’re going to dive into God’s Word each day to put ourselves in the shoes of those who walked with Jesus on the road to the cross. We'll see how these days affected their lives, even as we reflect on how they affect ours.Subscribe to Pray the Word: www.radical.net/praythewordExplore more content from Radical.

In John 17, we find what people have often called the “High Priestly Prayer” as Jesus prayed to the Father before His betrayal and crucifixion. What does this prayer have to do with us? In this sermon, David Platt gives three exhortations from John 17 concerning how we can leverage our lives in obedience to the Great Commission. Explore more content from Radical.

Discipleship is a common word used among Christians today, but it often is used without clarity. Why must the church be committed to helping Christians live every day in light of the final day? In this sermon, David Platt looks to God’s Word in order to explain what biblical discipleship is and how it is vital for the church.Explore more content from Radical.

What makes a church a church? After all, many religious groups meet regularly to talk about their common values and their common mission. Is there something unique about the gathering of Christ’s followers? In this sermon on Matthew 16:13–28, David Platt looks at the importance of biblical evangelism. We’ll see how the church’s identity is tied to believing and proclaiming the gospel.Explore more content from Radical.

Different pastors and church leaders in our day continue to offer their opinions on what the church should be about. As a result, churches are often left wondering whose preferences to follow and whose authority to listen to. In this sermon from 2 Timothy 3:10–4:8, David Platt points us away from the preferences of man to the church’s ultimate authority––God speaking through His Word. In this first of twelve traits of a biblical church, Biblical Preaching and Teaching, we’ll see why the faithful proclamation of Scripture shapes everything about the church’s life and mission.Explore more content from Radical.

A pastor who believes that God is sovereign over all things will lead his people to be a death defying missional people. Our sovereign God holds the destiny of the world in the palm of his hand. Therefore, his shepherds should lead their people to pray confidently, give sacrificially, go intentionally and die willingly for the spread of the gospel message to those who have never heard.Explore more content from Radical.

It’s so easy for churches to become self-focused. Our own comforts and concerns slowly begin to swallow up our time, energy, and resources. But Christ’s command to make disciples of all nations should compel us to move out with the gospel to a world in need. This is the church’s mission. In this third sermon in a three-part series on Matthew 28:16–30, David Platt encourages the church to make disciples and to multiply churches, both in our own neighborhoods and among unreached peoples across the globe.Explore more content from Radical.

There is no shortage of books, conferences, and consultants in our day offering to help churches find their mission. It’s as if God’s people have been left in the dark as to what we should be about. But what if Jesus has already given us our marching orders? In this sermon, David Platt directs our attention to Christ’s words in Matthew 28:16–20 in order to help us identify the church’s mission.Explore more content from Radical.

Churches often put their time, resources, and efforts into many doing good things, all the while failing to ask what their primary focus should be. Thankfully, God hasn’t left us in the dark when it comes to the church’s mission. In this sermon from Matthew 28:16–20, David Platt begins a three-part sermon series unpacking the vision, mission, and goal of the church. In this sermon we’ll see why glorifying God has to be the starting point for all that we do. Explore more content from Radical.

Depending on who you’re talking to, the issue of abortion brings up feelings of anger, guilt, or despair. Even many Christians view it primarily as a political issue. However, before abortion is a political or any other type of issue, we need to recognize it for what it is––a God issue. In this sermon on Psalm 139, David Platt urges Christians to take a God-centered perspective on abortion. This will involve both repentance and the pursuit of biblical justice on behalf those who are the most vulnerable. Thankfully, God’s grace in the gospel is sufficient to cover abortion and every other sin we commit against Him.Explore more content from Radical.

The topics of race and social justice often elicit strong emotions, which is why many pastors and churches tend to stay silent on these issues. However, David Platt argues that these are not topics the church can ignore. Our worship of God is integrally connected to the way we treat our neighbor, including those who don’t look like us. Based on Amos 5:21–24, this sermon exhorts us to consider our role in perpetuating racism, often without realizing it. Every follower of Christ should pray and work for justice in the culture around us. Explore more content from Radical.

If you want to grow a church and see the gospel spread, there is no shortage of strategies being offered today. Sadly, few of these strategies revolve around the power and authority of God’s Word. In today’s sermon from 2 Timothy, David Platt challenges us to rely on God’s Word to do God’s work. Not only do we need this life-changing Word in our own lives and churches, but also—there’s a world out there that has no hope without it.Explore more content from Radical.