David Platt Messages

While the world has many ideas about what it means to truly live, Jesus offers us a path to life that seems counterintuitive––in order to live, you have to die. This truth from John 12:24–26 applies not only to the eternal life that comes to us through Christ’s death, but also to our own death—death to self, death to the world, and even death for the sake of the gospel. Drawing on a recent trip to...

Scripture teaches us that supernatural love exists eternally in God. Therefore, if we claim to know God, then it only makes sense that our lives would be characterized by love. In this sermon from 1 John 4:7–5:5, David Platt points out the centrality of God’s love for the Christian life, particularly as that love has been demonstrated in the death of Christ. Now, for those who possess God’s Spirit...

Whether we realize it or not, we are all involved in a spiritual war. Thankfully, God has not left us to our own strategies or abilities. In this sermon from 1 John 4:1–6, David Platt exhorts us to trust in the truths of who Christ is and what He has accomplished for our salvation as we engage in spiritual battle. By the power of God, our victory is assured. Explore more content from Radical .

If we claim to love God, then our lives should reflect a love for His children, that is, our brothers and sisters in Christ. The good news is that God enables this love for others by His Spirit, and Christ has given us the ultimate demonstration of love by laying down His life for us. In this sermon from 1 John 3:11–24, David Platt urges us to reflect on God’s love and then demonstrate this love i...

The incredible promise of Scripture is that by God’s grace, those who have trusted in Christ are declared to be His children and will one day be united fully with Him. In this sermon from 1 John 2:28–3:10, David Platt exhorts us to see the beauty of God’s love for us and how He has equipped us to live not for this world but for the world to come, when we will see Him as He is. Explore more content...

What will happen to me after I die? That’s a question that confronts everyone, regardless of their background or religious affiliation. Thankfully, the Bible is not silent on this eternally important question. In this sermon based on Revelation 21, David Platt explains the Bible’s teaching on what happens to us after we die. For the unbeliever, the sobering prospect of God’s righteous judgment awa...

Many people claim to love God even though their lives demonstrate a love for the world. However, as 1 John 2:3–17 reminds us, these two loves cannot coexist. In this sermon, David Platt encourages us to examine our lives to see whether we genuinely belong to God. None of us will reach sinless perfection in this life, but a love for God will be evident in our desires and in our obedience. Explore m...

It can be difficult for anyone to admit that they’ve sinned. Even as Christians, we have a tendency to want to deny or make excuses for things we do wrong. Our sin may even lead to doubt whether we have eternal life. In this sermon from 1 John 1:5–2:6, David Platt reminds us that, instead of hiding or denying our sin before a holy God, Scripture invites us to confess it and to find the forgiveness...

There are a lot of areas in life where it’s ok to lack certainty. However, when it comes to our relationship with God and our eternal destiny, we should want to know for certain where we stand. Thankfully, God wants His people to have this same assurance––the assurance that we have eternal life in Jesus Christ. In this sermon from 1 John 1:1–4, David Platt encourages us to believe and experience t...

We often don’t understand the full significance of a story until we get to the end. That’s certainly true in the book of Ruth, as Ruth’s redemption is put in the larger framework of God’s redemptive purposes. In this message from Ruth 4, David Platt shows us how Ruth’s redemption looks forward to King David and the Redeemer who would come from David’s line. We’re reminded that, even in the most di...

Our culture has a distorted picture of what it means to love someone. The focus is on my desires, needs, and happiness. Gratefully, this kind of love is nothing like the love of the Lord for His people. In this message from Ruth 3, David Platt highlights the indescribable love of God. This is a self-giving love that protects and provides for those in need, much like Boaz showed toward Ruth. Ultima...

While the world often ignores or mistreats those who are weak and vulnerable, the Lord takes a different posture toward those in need. In this message from Ruth 2, David Platt points us to the God of Israel’s abundant mercy toward a needy Moabite woman named Ruth. Like Ruth, we too need God’s mercy. And, for those who have received that mercy in Jesus Christ, we should be extending mercy to the mo...

One of the most difficult aspects of suffering is the feeling that God is far from us. We assume that loneliness, cancer, the death of a loved one, and other forms of suffering are evidence of God’s indifference or anger. However, the book of Ruth reminds us of God’s faithful love in the midst of suffering. In this message from Ruth 1, David Platt encourages us to trust in the God who sovereignly...

There is no better news than the message of God’s grace in the gospel. Followers of Christ rightly celebrate this as our greatest joy and our life. However, it’s all too easy to ignore one of the ways we should respond to this good news––by making it known to all the peoples of the world. In this message from 2 Corinthians 4:13–18 at The Gospel Coalition 2013 Missions Conference, David Platt urges...

Whether due to cultural opposition, sins and weaknesses within the body of Christ, or the routine, daily struggles that come with following Christ, it’s easy to forget the amazing privilege God has given to the church. No other institution or organization can claim to have Christ as its head. In this message from Ephesians 1:22–23, David Platt highlights the significance of the church’s relationsh...

There are many ways churches can serve their own members and their communities, but we cannot forget the global scope of Christ’s mission. As David Platt explains from Romans 15–16, the church should be about spreading God’s praise among all the peoples. Whether by praying, giving, or going, every member should play a role in getting the gospel to those who have never heard. It is the church’s pri...

If God has all power and knowledge, even over the future, then do our prayers really matter? And if they do, then what difference should that make in our lives and in our churches? In this message from Exodus 32–33 at Together for the Gospel 2014, David Platt urges believers to depend fully on the God who is sovereign over all things. God uses the prayers of His people to accomplish His purposes i...

Many Christians recognize that the church’s weekly gathering is important, but they seem to give little thought as to why. Why should we gather regularly for corporate worship, and what should our priorities be when we gather? In this sermon from John 4:1–26, David Platt identifies the kind of worship that pleases God. We gather as God’s people, not to be entertained or to listen to the thoughts o...

Without realizing it, many followers of Christ have had their views of government shaped by political debates, the media, and popular culture. They give little thought to Scripture’s teaching on this important topic. In this sermon from 1 Peter 2:13–17, David Platt helps us think through a biblical view of government as well as the Christian’s responsibility to governing authorities. While we shou...

In order for a business, an organization, or a government to be effective, good leadership is essential. It’s no surprise, then, that bookstores are filled with advice on how to identify an effective leader. But what about the church––how do we know who is qualified to lead God’s people? In this message from 1 Timothy 3, David Platt points out the biblical qualifications for elders and deacons. In...

If we only listen to the competing voices in our culture, then we’re likely to ignore the most important realities in life––eternal realities. Where else will we hear about God, salvation, heaven, hell, and judgment, unless we are confronted with God’s Word on a weekly basis? In this sermon from Acts 20:25–38, David Platt urges pastors and all Christians to consider why God’s Word must be supreme...

Thankfully, when it comes to God’s design for the church and its mission, we’re not left to our own wisdom and creativity. God has graciously given us His Word, a perfect revelation of who He is and what He desires for His people. In this sermon from Acts 20:1–24, David Platt urges us to submit our lives and our churches to the authority of Scripture. God intends for His people to teach it, discus...

We don’t normally think of words like accountability and discipline in a positive light, but in Scripture God gives us these things for our good. God’s people are called to care for one another in the context of the church, both in terms of teaching and encouraging one another and, if necessary, calling one another to repent of sin. In this sermon David Platt points us to accountability and discip...

What counts as Christian fellowship? A group Bible study? What about praying with someone? Is it considered fellowship if we’re simply eating with or spending time with other believers? These are important questions. As David Platt explains in this sermon, Scripture makes fellowship among God’s people a top priority. Based on Romans 12, we’ll see how God’s mercy in the gospel grounds the fellowshi...

Some truths are so important that they’re worth giving our lives for. The gospel certainly fits in this category, which is why the Reformers were willing to die to make sure that the good news of Christ was proclaimed faithfully according to God’s Word. In this message from Together for the Gospel 2016, David Platt urges us to learn from the example of the Reformers. Their deaths several centuries...