Radical With David Platt

Are you trusting Jesus Christ as your life? That’s the all-important, eternal question that each of us must answer. It’s not enough to merely give assent to Jesus intellectually. As John 11 teaches us, Christ is the resurrection and the life, and he’s the only one who has conquered death. In this Easter message, David Platt urges us to respond to this truth—through faith and baptism—while we still have time. Those who trust in Jesus as their Savior and Lord can know that they have eternal life.

In the midst of suffering, we tend to doubt God’s goodness and our lives feel like they are spinning out of control. However, as we see from the example of Joseph, God is sovereign over every detail of our lives, including our suffering. In this message from Genesis 50:20, David Platt helps us see sin and suffering in the larger context of God’s providence and his redemptive purposes. Ultimately, God’s work through Joseph points us to Christ. The sin that led to Christ’s crucifixion was used to carry out our deliverance from sin.

When it comes to an issue like abortion, many Christians rightly see the need to defend the unborn through political and legal means. However, we often fail to see how abortion is connected to Scripture’s teaching on sexual morality, singleness, marriage, and the way we care for and disciple mothers and fathers in our churches. These issues have surfaced as we’ve made our way through 1 Corinthians 6–7, and now in this message from John 10:10 David Platt points us to a more holistic picture of what it means to address the issue of abortion and all those who are involved. Those who claim to be pro-life should be passionate about the abundant life that Christ provides for all who belong to him.

How often do we enter casually into worship before and communion with God because we have not taken time to consider who we are worshipping and communing with? Understanding who God is leads us to appropriate, biblical fear and awe. But the good news of the gospel is that God does not leave us hopeless in fear of his judgment. This God who spoke creation into being and sustains entire nations and is surrounded by multitudes of angels declaring his holiness has looked upon wretched sinners and reconciled us to himself. Furthermore, once we have been reconciled, he calls us to participate in this ministry of reconciliation for others. And when we fear God rightly, we obey him completely because we fear nothing else. Mentions:To register for Secret Church 21, go HERE.

Everyone is touched at some level by the topic of marriage and divorce. Sadly, in a world that has been ravaged by sin, God’s design for marriage has been distorted in a variety of ways. Even for many Christians today, divorce is seen as a valid option when personal expectations and needs aren’t being met. In this message from 1 Corinthians 7:10–16, David Platt urges us to consider how marriage is intended to display the gospel. He answers questions like, “Is divorce ever permissible? If so, under what circumstances?” The good news for those who have sinned in this area, or been sinned against, is that the grace of God is sufficient to restore and sustain you.Mentions:To register for Secret Church 21, go HERE.

God’s design for marriage and singleness is often twisted by the world and sometimes misunderstood by the church. However, as David Platt points out in this message from 1 Corinthians 7:1–9, God’s desire is that we would glorify him in both of these callings. Regardless of our station in life, we are to display the gospel by fleeing sexual immorality and embracing God’s good design.Mentions:To register for Secret Church 21, go HERE.

God doesn’t stop transforming us once we place our faith in Christ. Through a lifelong process called sanctification, God makes us look more and more like Jesus. In this message from 2 Corinthians 3:18, David Platt helps us understand the process of sanctification, including the fact that this is not something we do in our own strength. True, abiding transformation only comes about through the power of the Spirit as we continually behold “the glory of the Lord.” 

To many non-Christians, the Bible’s teaching on sexuality sounds restrictive, narrow, or even harmful. It pushes back against the idea that happiness is found in expressing your sexual desires in a way that makes you happy. However, as David Platt points out in this message from 1 Corinthians 6:9–20, our bodies belong to God and his design for sex is for our good. Though sin tempts us to reject or twist God’s Word, we can trust his design when it comes to sex, marriage, and our ultimate satisfaction.

Our culture assumes that people will only be happy when they are free to pursue sexual satisfaction in any way that they choose. This idea has infected the church as well, with the result that many professing Christians are left confused and broken as a result of sexual sin—whether their own or someone else’s. In this message from David Platt on 1 Corinthians 6:9–20, we’ll see that true satisfaction comes when we trust God’s design for our sexuality. And the good news for those who need forgiveness and healing for sexual sin is that the One who created us and knows what’s best for us has sent his own Son to make us new. 

Jesus died to ransom people from every nation, tribe, tongue, and language, and currently, there are over 3 billion people who are considered unreached, which means they have little or no access to the gospel. And many of these people are suffering physically as well. In light of these realities, how might the Lord be calling us—you and me—to address these urgent spiritual and physical needs? How might we leverage our lives for the sake of God’s glory among all nations? These are the kinds of questions David Platt urges us to answer in this message from Acts 13 and Revelation 5. How will you respond?

In a culture that emphasizes individuality and encourages us to think about our own comforts and preferences, the church should stand out. We have been told to lay aside our own preferences and to look out for the eternal good of our brothers and sisters in Christ. In this message from Hebrews 10:19–25, David Platt and fellow Pastor Mike Kelsey point us to the various ways Scripture encourages us to look out for and encourage one another in the church. We were never meant to live the Christian life as lone rangers.Your gift to Radical today will allow us to continue calling Christians to leverage every part of their life for the sake of making Christ known around the world. Together, we can be a part of reaching people in places where Christ is not yet known. Would you consider making a year-end gift today? 

Some Christians may be surprised to find out that heaven will be made up largely of people who do not look like them or have the same background. In fact, Scripture teaches that Christ is redeeming a people from every nation, tribe, and tongue. That’s why we need a global perspective of worship. However, as David Platt points out in this message from Revelation 7:9–17, there is a unity to this beautiful and God-glorifying diversity. Because the Christian’s fundamental identity is in Christ, we should gladly lock arms with other believers to give praise to the One who has died for us. There should be both unity and diversity in our worship.

Being a Christian doesn’t mean an escape from suffering. In fact, we may even experience more suffering as a result of being a disciple of Christ. In this message from 2 Corinthians, we’ll see what a Christian view of suffering should look like. David Platt points us not only to God’s comfort in suffering but also to the fact that our suffering gives us an opportunity to extend comfort to others in their suffering. By God’s grace, even the most difficult trials can be used for his glory.

After a year full of anxiety, heartache, and loss due to the pandemic, many people are just grateful that 2020 is over. However, what if it’s possible for God’s people not simply to survive but to thrive in the days ahead? And if it’s possible, what would that look like? In this message from Genesis 5:22–24 and Matthew 6:5–18, David Platt encourages us to consider the privilege we have of walking with God and drawing near to Him in prayer. Even through difficult days, we have the privilege of an intimate relationship with the God of the universe.

With all the differences within the body of Christ—politics, ethnicity, economic conditions, preferences, opinions, etc.—what is it that unites us? In this message from David Platt, we’ll see that the cross of Christ should unite God’s people. Furthermore, as the apostle Paul makes clear, it’s the cross that humbles us, transforms us, and undergirds who we are and what we do. Though it may seem foolish to the world, the cross is where God’s wisdom and power are put on display.

Have you ever wondered whether your faith would hold up under persecution? Or maybe you’re experiencing suffering right now, and you’re not sure how to press forward in faith. If so, then 1 Peter 4:12–19 has a needed word for you. In this message from David Platt, we’re encouraged not only to expect suffering but also to embrace God’s good purposes for his people through suffering. We can persevere knowing that Christ is worth it and our God will never forsake us.Your gift to Radical today will allow us to continue calling Christians to leverage every part of their life for the sake of making Christ known around the world. Together, we can be a part of reaching people in places where Christ is not yet known. Would you consider making a year-end gift today? 

What is the state of missions in the world today?Various barriers and other factors have led to a Great Imbalance in the way we use our resources and send missionaries. As a result, those with little or no gospel witness often go unnoticed while areas of the world that have been reached continue to receive the vast majority of our support.Why does “The Great Imbalance” still exist and what, if anything can be done about it? Radical's Global Strategy Team discusses these issues in today’s episode, “State of Missions.”Learn more about Urgent: urgentneeds.orgChurch Leaders Email Us: partnerships@urgentneeds.org

Whether it’s 5, 10, 20, 30, or even 90 years, each of us has only a short time to live in relation to eternity. So how do you make your life count for things that matter? In this message from 1 Peter 3:13–4:11, David Platt points us to the infinite value of Jesus Christ—the suffering Savior, risen Lord, and triumphant King who alone is worthy of our total allegiance. Though suffering may come, God’s people are “blessed” when they suffer for the sake of Christ. 

You may have heard someone described as being “so heavenly minded that they’re no earthly good.” However, this is a far cry from the way the Bible describes the transforming effect of the gospel. In this message from 1 Peter 3:8–12, David Platt points out the ways that God’s people ought to be distinct from the world based on God’s work in and through us. Our eternal hope radically changes the way we love and relate to one another.

When it comes to the topic of money, many Christians get uncomfortable. Perhaps they’ve heard too many appeals for money from pastors, or maybe they feel convicted about their own lack of giving. Regardless, this is not a topic that God has been silent about, so we need to know what Scripture says. In this message from 2 Corinthians 8–9, David Platt points us to the basis of Christian giving—God’s grace. How can those who belong to a Savior who was willing to go to the cross not be generous with their money and their lives?