David Platt Messages

As followers of Christ, we have the privilege of proclaiming the greatest news in all the world—that God has sent his Son, Jesus Christ to die on the cross for sinners and then to rise from the dead, conquering sin and death! However, if we’re honest, proclaiming this good news isn’t always easy. Our sins, weaknesses, and fears often get in the way. Gratefully, God hasn’t left us alone in this tas...

Despite all man’s attempts to build earthly kingdoms, God is establishing his kingdom as the gospel goes forward throughout the world today. And he has promised to consummate this work when Jesus, the world’s true King, returns in all his glory. Amazingly, God uses us in his kingdom work, both in receiving and scattering the seed of his word. In this message from Mark 4:21–34, David Platt helps us...

One of the biggest mistakes we can make is to seek to carry out Christ’s mission in the church without looking to the Word of God and relying on the Spirit of God. Even with the best of intentions, we can begin to trust in our own wisdom rather than in God’s power. In the message from 1 Corinthians 2:1–5, David Platt urges us to treat God’s Word as if our lives, and the lives of others, depended o...

There are points in our lives where all of us ask, “God, why is this happening to me? God, why now? God, how long will this go on?” Gratefully, God can handle our questions, and though we don’t always get the answers we’re looking for, God doesn’t leave us without hope. We can trust that his wisdom is greater than ours, and we can persevere knowing that he will keep his saving promises to those wh...

There’s not much worse than getting to the end of your life only to find out that you’ve missed the very point for which you were created. Sadly, this isn’t only a reality for unbelievers—Christians can also spend their lives on things that miss God’s ultimate purposes in the world. In this message from Revelation 7:9–17, David Platt urges us to consider our ultimate purpose in life from the persp...

Although many Christians talk about prayer and know that it is important, how much time do we actually spend doing it? How often do we feel our need for God? How often do we honestly confess our sins before him? Do we ever pause long enough to reflect on his Word and its implications for our lives? In this unique message from Nehemiah 9, David Platt leads his congregation through the prayer that I...

God desires for people from all nations to hear and receive the gospel of Jesus Christ. Scripture tells the story of the spread of this gospel, a story that culminates with people from all nations worshiping the Lamb who was slain. However, today there are approximately 3.2 billion people who are considered unreached, which means they have little or no access to the gospel. And many of them are su...

Amidst all of our planning and our good intentions for the coming year, we can easily overlook our greatest need—God himself. We need his grace and power if we are to glorify him and carry out his will for our lives. That’s one of the main reasons why prayer and fasting are so critical for us as individuals and as churches. In this message, David Platt looks at the role of prayer and fasting in th...

For Christians who do not face hostility for their faith, it can be all too easy to forget that we are involved in a spiritual war. And the stakes are eternal. Satan wants to stop the church from believing and spreading the gospel, and he wants believers to be lured into all kinds of sin and deception. In this message from 1 Timothy 6:11–21, David Platt urges us to engage in this spiritual war by...

In a world filled with spiritual and physical needs—lack of gospel access, extreme poverty, exploitation, etc.—how should the church respond? And what does our use of money say about us? In this message from 1 Timothy 6:17–19, David Platt warns of the danger of the love of money as well as the eternal reward for those who use their resources for God’s glory and the good of others. Riches are not i...

We don’t normally associate the birth of Christ with concepts like justice, poverty, and oppression. But this is one of the reasons Jesus came—to put an end to injustice and to change the way his people relate to the poor, the vulnerable, and the oppressed. In this message, David Platt considers how the words of “O Holy Night” relate to Luke 4:16–21. Christ came to save us from our sins and to fre...

The angels had the privilege of making the most momentous announcement in human history: the long-awaited Messiah had been born! And this Messiah was none other than Christ the Lord, Immanuel, God with us. In this message, David Platt helps us consider the lyrics of the Christmas song “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing” based on Luke 2:8–14. We’re reminded that the angels’ announcement was for God’s gl...

How can you have hope in a world filled with mourning, sin, and suffering? Is it possible to rejoice? It is if the One you’re waiting for is Emmanuel, God with us. In this message from Matthew 2:13–23, David Platt uses the song O Come, O Come Emmanuel to remind us of the glorious truths that relate to Christ’s coming. As we remember the good news of Christ’s first coming, we look forward to the co...

The desire to want more and to seek after satisfaction in the things of the world has always been a temptation for God’s people. How much more so when our culture teaches us to live as consumers and to expect that we deserve to have our desires fulfilled? Sadly, as followers of Christ, we can easily buy into these lies. In this message from 1 Timothy 6:3–10, David Platt encourages us to consider m...

Critics of the Christian faith sometimes charge the Bible with condoning slavery. However, just because Scripture addresses the topic doesn’t mean it approves of it. As David Platt points out in this message from 1 Timothy 6:1–2, Scripture forbids the mistreatment of anyone made in God’s image. Far from condoning slavery, Scripture actually lays the groundwork for undoing this practice that has tr...

Do you want Jesus so that you can get other things—health, comfort, security, success, etc.—or is Jesus himself your greatest desire? Is Jesus the means to some other end, or is he himself the end? In this message from Mark 3:7–19, David Platt challenges us to consider whether we are part of the crowd or part of the called. The crowd liked what Jesus had to offer, but those who were called saw Jes...

Life can be exhausting. The pace at work or at school can feel unmanageable. Family dynamics require continual attention. Friendships take time and patience. And that doesn’t even begin to touch on physical struggles or medical and mental conditions that weigh us down. It’s no wonder so many people, including followers of Christ, are tired. The good news is that Jesus is not indifferent to our fat...

Some Christians feel as if we get to re-define who the church is and what it’s supposed to do. But God hasn’t given us that responsibility. He himself has defined those things in his Word. In this message covering 1 Timothy 3:1–5:16, David Platt highlights who the church is, how it is to be led, and what it’s supposed to do. The church is to hold fast to Christ and the gospel, be led by qualified...

Our culture often views the Christian faith as being backward or overly restrictive in relation to women. But Scripture has an altogether different view of women and men and their respective roles in the church. In this message from 1 Timothy 2:8–15, David Platt points us to the apostle Paul’s instructions concerning how God has designed men and women to relate within the church, including how aut...

Many Christians go their entire lives without noticing the most urgent needs around the world, or even those right around them. They are unaware that multiplied millions—even billions—among the nations still have no access to the gospel. They are also unaware that many of these same people, the unreached, have extreme physical needs. In this message from Mark 2:1–12, David Platt challenges us to c...

Do you ever struggle with guilt over something you have done or someone has done to you? If so, there is hope in Jesus Christ. Jesus meets us, like no one else can, in the raw realities of our lives. He has come to save the dirty, guilty, ashamed, afraid, and alone. In other words, he has come for all of us. In this sermon on Mark 1:29–45, David Platt reminds us that Jesus alone is willing and abl...

What should the church pray about and who should the church pray for? And what should motivate our prayers? These are important questions, particularly given the important role God has given our prayers in the unfolding of his saving purposes. In this message from 1 Timothy 2:1–7, David Platt points us to the gracious will of God and the sufficiency of Christ as the motivation for our prayers. We...

What sustains and unites the church is not a pastor or a program, nor is it preferences concerning music. What sustains and unites the church is perseverance in the gospel. In this message from 1 Timothy 1:3–20, David Platt highlights the centrality of the gospel in the life of the church. The apostle Paul highlights the role of the law as well as the mercy that God showed him as the “foremost” si...

The greatest news in human history was announced nearly two thousand years ago, and it still rings true today. Regardless of your past or your upbringing or the sins you’ve committed, there is Someone who can change everything about your life … and your eternity. We’re introduced to this Person in Mark 1:1–15, and he is none other than Jesus Christ, the Son of God. In this message, David Platt ple...

The church is not simply a program or a building. It’s a spiritual family, a body of believers who share a common life and a common mission. In this message from Nehemiah 1–2, David Platt reminds McLean Bible Church of the biblical priorities of the church in order to refocus its efforts in the days ahead. Rather than focusing on divisions and distractions, the church should be eager to make disci...