

Light + Truth
Desiring God
Classic sermons from John Piper to help you see Christ clearly and treasure him truly. Five days a week, 20 minutes per episode. Hosted by Dan Cruver.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Dec 8, 2025 • 23min
The God Who Created You for Himself
Explore the profound question of why God created you. Hear John Piper discuss how God's love and self-sufficiency shape our purpose. Discover that we exist not to fulfill God's needs but to showcase His mercy. Learn about servanthood as an expression of looking to God for grace, and how our service can reflect His fullness. Piper also addresses the importance of expressing doubts to God without falling into bitterness. This thought-provoking discussion transforms how we understand our relationship with the divine.

7 snips
Dec 5, 2025 • 22min
The God Who Empowers Obedience
What if your simplest acts of obedience revealed divine strength? John Piper shares how God's glory is displayed through our actions. Discover how he explains that God is the source of everything we have. Learn from King David about the nature of our gifts and how our willingness comes from Him. Piper highlights everyday obedience as a sign of God's power at work and urges believers to actively participate, ensuring that all glory goes back to God.

Dec 4, 2025 • 21min
The God Who Lacks Nothing
In this insightful discussion, John Piper, a Reformed pastor and theologian renowned for his expositional preaching, explores the theme of God's unshakable joy. He reveals that God's delight is rooted in His infinite sufficiency and explains how He acts from fullness rather than need. Piper contrasts human longing with divine fullness, citing C.S. Lewis to illustrate our desires for true satisfaction. He also discusses how God's grace transforms our lack into generosity and why God can grieve while maintaining His ultimate goodness.

Dec 3, 2025 • 24min
No Wasted Pain
Suffering can be a profound catalyst for spiritual growth, driving us closer to God. John Piper shares gripping stories, like the courageous sacrifice of Jack Lucas at Iwo Jima and the selfless heroism of pilot Ray Dollins. He emphasizes how pain can deepen our joy in God, illustrating this with insights from Johnny Erickson Tada and Nate Saint's legacy. The discussion weaves through God's sovereign plan in our trials, spotlighting families like the Backstroms who affirm their trust in Him amidst suffering.

Dec 2, 2025 • 21min
The Better Possession That Cannot Be Taken
Discover the strength of Christian joy as John Piper explores its depth compared to fleeting pleasures. He delves into how suffering can reveal authentic faith, and emphasizes the importance of finding satisfaction in God. Piper discusses the courage of early Christians who joyfully embraced loss for their faith, drawing parallels to Moses' choice of reproach over worldly indulgence. The episode highlights Jesus' endurance through the cross, urging believers to follow Him despite challenges, and to look forward to a lasting home with God.

Dec 1, 2025 • 22min
Cheerful Giving, Cheerful Living
In this discussion, John Piper, a renowned Reformed pastor and theologian known for his emphasis on joy in Christian living, dives deep into why God loves cheerful givers. He highlights that true generosity springs from joy, not obligation. Piper tackles the challenge of finding joy in God over merely performing good deeds and emphasizes that pastors should lead with eagerness and happiness. He encourages reaching out to the marginalized, stating that such acts increase our joy now and eternally. Ultimately, he calls for radical love and practical service to the poor.

Nov 28, 2025 • 26min
How Gladness in God Becomes Love for People
John Piper, a Reformed pastor and theologian known for his emphasis on joy-driven generosity, delves into 2 Corinthians 8 in this engaging sermon. He explores how true love gives freely, even in hardship, emphasizing that generosity stems from God’s grace. Piper highlights the Macedonians' remarkable ability to give beyond their means, driven by joy despite their affliction. He contrasts legalistic duty with genuine love that overflows through delight in God, illustrating his points with compelling stories of sacrificial joy in action.

Nov 27, 2025 • 25min
The Joy God Commands
John Piper, a Reformed pastor and theologian known for his impactful expository preaching, dives deep into the importance of joy in God. He asserts that gladness is not optional but essential to obedience, emphasizing its integral role in the Christian life. Piper warns that neglecting this joy can lead to spiritual peril, and he illustrates how true joy in Christ transforms self-denial into greater satisfaction. Ultimately, he argues that God is glorified when we find our delight in Him, connecting the pursuit of joy to loving service.

Nov 26, 2025 • 21min
The Gain That Death Cannot Take
John Piper, a renowned Reformed pastor and theologian, passionately delves into the profound question of whether death can truly be gain. He emphasizes that God's glory should shape our understanding of the gospel and explains how death can magnify Christ. Piper unpacks Philippians 1:20–21, highlighting that longing to be with Christ reflects a deeper satisfaction in Him. He argues that our fulfillment in Christ, even in death, ultimately brings Him the greatest glory.

Nov 25, 2025 • 29min
Glory That Satisfies the Soul
John Piper, a renowned Reformed pastor and theologian, dives deep into the pursuit of beauty and greatness, illuminating how we were designed to marvel at Christ's glory. He addresses the objections to God's self-exaltation and proposes that God is most glorified when we find our deepest satisfaction in Him. Piper discusses Jesus' delayed healing of Lazarus as an act of love, highlights the significance of Jesus' prayers for glorification, and emphasizes that true love seeks eternal joy in God, revealing our true purpose in life.


