Desiring God
Classic John Piper sermons, hosted by Dan Cruver—short daily listens.
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
Newest items first—play in the bar or open the episode page.
Sep 16, 2026 · 19 min
Why does God rescue rebels? John Piper shows from Jonah 4:1–11 how mercy received becomes mercy shown.
Sep 15, 2026 · 28 min
Can guilty sinners still cry for mercy? John Piper opens Jonah 2:1–10 to show that God hears guilty rebels who cry to him.
Sep 14, 2026 · 27 min
Why is self-reliance so foolish? John Piper opens 2 Chronicles 16:9 to show how it forfeits the help God gives to those who trust him.
Sep 11, 2026 · 16 min
What gain is worth risking your whole life for? John Piper opens Psalm 25 to show why joy in God frees us for sacrificial love.
Sep 10, 2026 · 28 min
What help do we have when suffering comes? John Piper opens 1 Peter 4:14 to show how the Spirit comforts God’s people.
Sep 9, 2026 · 28 min
How can rebels come to call Jesus Lord? John Piper shows from 1 Corinthians 12:3 how the Spirit’s power opens eyes to the beauty of Christ.
Sep 8, 2026 · 24 min
Why suffer for the nations? John Piper opens Hebrews 12:2 to show how future joy sustained Christ and compels us.
Sep 7, 2026 · 22 min
Is there a cause worth every risk? John Piper opens the Scriptures to show how Christ brings sinners out of darkness into the light of his joy.
Sep 4, 2026 · 20 min
Can we glimpse God’s love in the murder of Christ? John Piper opens Luke 22:1–6 to show that God reveals his love for us in the death he planned for his Son.
Sep 3, 2026 · 20 min
How did the darkest sin serve salvation? John Piper opens Luke 22:1–6 to show how God guided Judas’s betrayal to serve our salvation.
Sep 2, 2026 · 20 min
Why would God give rebels a king? John Piper shows from 1 Samuel 12 how God used Israel’s sin to prepare the way for Christ.
Sep 1, 2026 · 23 min
What can God do with great wickedness? John Piper opens 1 Samuel 12 to show how Israel’s rebellion became the path to Christ the King.
Aug 31, 2026 · 29 min
What kind of king saves the guilty? John Piper opens Genesis 49:8–10 to show that the Lion of Judah bears the guilt of his people.
Aug 28, 2026 · 17 min
What if betrayal becomes rescue? John Piper opens Genesis 37 to show how God turned Joseph’s suffering into salvation.
Aug 27, 2026 · 30 min
Why did God confuse human speech? John Piper opens Genesis 11:1–9 to show how divided languages become praise for Christ.
Aug 26, 2026 · 20 min
How does grace answer Adam’s curse? John Piper shows from Romans 5:12–21 how Christ’s obedience gives life.
Aug 25, 2026 · 25 min
How does Christ answer Adam’s fall? John Piper opens Romans 5:12–21 to show how grace triumphs over sin through Christ.
Aug 24, 2026 · 22 min
What hope is there for blinded hearts? John Piper opens 2 Corinthians 4:4–6 to show that God grants sight by shining Christ’s glory within.
Aug 21, 2026 · 22 min
Can the devil act outside Christ’s rule? John Piper opens Mark 1:27 to show that evil spirits obey Jesus’s command.
Aug 20, 2026 · 22 min
Are fallen powers outside Christ’s rule? John Piper opens Colossians 1:9–20 to show that even spiritual powers serve to magnify the glory of Jesus.
Aug 19, 2026 · 24 min
Where is Christ when calamity strikes? John Piper shows from Colossians 1:9–20 how Christ rules over all things for his glory.
Aug 18, 2026 · 28 min
How do we know the gospel is true? John Piper opens 1 John 5:7–11 to show how the Spirit himself confirms the gospel by giving us life.
Aug 17, 2026 · 27 min
Should we believe Paul’s words? John Piper opens Galatians 1:11–24 to show why Paul’s testimony about Christ can be trusted.
Aug 14, 2026 · 28 min
What did Jesus believe about the Bible? John Piper opens John 10:33–36 to show why Jesus’s trust in God’s word must become ours.
Aug 13, 2026 · 24 min
Can we trust the Bible’s words? John Piper opens 2 Timothy 3:16 to show why the original text matters for our confidence in Scripture’s content.
Aug 12, 2026 · 28 min
Why did the church need the New Testament? John Piper shows from Hebrews 1:1–2 how Christ’s authority gave rise to apostolic Scripture.
Aug 11, 2026 · 24 min
Where did Jesus look to find God’s words? John Piper opens Luke 24:44 to show that the Old Testament was Christ’s Bible.
Aug 10, 2026 · 14 min
Who gets to define spiritual reality? John Piper opens 1 John 2:23 to show why God’s truth centers on Christ and excludes every rival claim to authority.
Aug 7, 2026 · 25 min
Does Scripture still have supreme authority today? John Piper opens John 8:42 to show why Christ’s words stand above every competing claim to truth.
Aug 6, 2026 · 26 min
What part do you play in being born again? John Piper opens 1 Peter 1:13–25 to show that God gives new life, enabling us to embrace Christ by faith.
Aug 5, 2026 · 24 min
What changed when God’s kindness appeared? John Piper shows from Titus 3:1–8 how Christ’s coming brings the mercy that makes sinners new.
Aug 4, 2026 · 20 min
What does your new birth have to do with the future of the universe? John Piper opens Titus 3:1–8 to show that personal renewal is part of God’s plan to recreate all things.
Aug 3, 2026 · 22 min
What makes the gospel come alive? John Piper opens 1 Peter 1:13–25 to show that God calls dead sinners into living faith.
Jul 31, 2026 · 22 min
How does God awaken the dead? John Piper opens 1 Peter 1:13–25 to show that God grants new life through the gospel.
Jul 30, 2026 · 22 min
What if Christ never came in the flesh? John Piper opens 1 John 3:1–10 to show that without the incarnate Son, sinners have no new birth.
Jul 29, 2026 · 21 min
Is there any hope against sin’s power? John Piper shows from 1 John 3:1–10 how God the Son became man to destroy the devil’s works.
Jul 28, 2026 · 24 min
Why must dead sinners be born again? John Piper opens 1 John 1 to show that new birth frees us for faith, truth, and life.
Jul 27, 2026 · 19 min
Why do we resist the light? John Piper opens Ephesians 2:1–10 to show why dead hearts must be born again before coming to the light.
Jul 24, 2026 · 22 min
Why can’t we save ourselves? John Piper opens Ephesians 2:1–10 to show that only God’s life-giving love can raise dead sinners.
Jul 23, 2026 · 22 min
Why do we need more than forgiveness? John Piper opens John 3:1–10 to show that the forgiven must also be made new by the Spirit.
Jul 22, 2026 · 21 min
What makes the new birth possible? John Piper shows from John 3:1–10 how the Spirit gives new life by uniting us to Jesus, who is life.
Jul 21, 2026 · 25 min
Can religion give life to the dead? John Piper opens John 3:1–10 to show why new birth, not religion, gives spiritual life.
Jul 20, 2026 · 20 min
What awakens faith in a dead soul? John Piper opens John 3:1–18 to show that God creates life through the word of the gospel.
Jul 17, 2026 · 22 min
Is being born again just a religious title? John Piper opens John 3:1–18 to show that the new birth is a miracle of God, not a label we claim.
Jul 16, 2026 · 24 min
What awaits those who long for Christ’s appearing? John Piper opens 2 Thessalonians 1:3–10 to show that when the King returns, he will give us rest and kindle our amazement.
Jul 15, 2026 · 22 min
How does trusting God change the way we love others? John Piper shows from Romans 8:3–4 how the Spirit produces love through faith.
Jul 14, 2026 · 22 min
How do Christians practice righteousness without falling into legalism? John Piper shows from Romans 8:1–2 how sanctification flows from faith through the Spirit’s power.
Jul 13, 2026 · 24 min
How can God forgive the guilty and still be just? John Piper opens Romans 3:20–4:5 to show how Christ’s death vindicates God’s righteousness.
Jul 10, 2026 · 28 min
What will God weigh on judgment day? John Piper opens Romans 1:28–2:11 to show that our deeds reveal whether we belong to Christ.
Jul 9, 2026 · 24 min
Why is unbelief the root of every sin? John Piper opens Romans 14:23 to show that sin emerges from failing to trust God’s care for us.
Jul 8, 2026 · 25 min
Did the incarnation change history forever? John Piper shows from Hebrews 9:26–28 how Christ’s coming marked a new era in God’s story.
Jul 7, 2026 · 27 min
What hope remains when kings fail? John Piper opens Jeremiah 23:1–8 to show that God keeps his promise through David’s greater Son.
Jul 6, 2026 · 26 min
Can sin undo God’s purposes? John Piper opens 1 Samuel 12:6–25 to show that God sovereignly guides sinful choices for his glory.
Jul 3, 2026 · 25 min
Where will God’s weary people finally find rest? John Piper opens Hebrews 4:5–11 to show that only Christ brings us into the promised rest.
Jul 2, 2026 · 25 min
Why does God strip away our self-sufficiency? John Piper opens Psalm 78:1–19 to show how wilderness testing trains us to trust.
Jul 1, 2026 · 23 min
Why would God act so powerfully in one nation’s history? John Piper turns to Exodus 14 to show that God’s saving acts reveal his glory to the whole world.
Jun 30, 2026 · 23 min
Can God’s ancient promises really belong to you? John Piper turns to Genesis 12 to show that through Christ, God’s blessing reaches all who believe.
Jun 29, 2026 · 28 min
Why are none of us capable of perfect righteousness? John Piper opens Romans 5:12–19 to show that all men are sinners, desperate for a Redeemer, because of Adam’s sin.
Jun 26, 2026 · 25 min
Why is self-reliance a dangerous illusion? John Piper opens Psalm 148:5 to show that God alone gives and sustains life, calling us to childlike dependence on him.
Jun 25, 2026 · 24 min
Why must preachers do more than explain the Bible? John Piper turns to 2 Timothy 4:2 to show that true preaching exalts Christ as our greatest treasure.
Jun 24, 2026 · 24 min
What kind of preaching makes Christ look supremely satisfying? John Piper shows from 2 Timothy 4:2 how urgent preaching awakens hearts to treasure Christ above all.
Jun 23, 2026 · 29 min
What should you do when your joy keeps slipping away? John Piper opens the Psalms to show that joy is a lifelong battle to see God as an all-satisfying treasure.
Jun 22, 2026 · 26 min
Will you hold fast if faithfulness costs your life? John Piper opens 1 Peter 4:12–19 to show that God gives grace in suffering so his people can endure.
Jun 22, 2026 · 4 min
Listen Now
Jun 19, 2026 · 23 min
Why is global witness at the heart of the Spirit’s work? John Piper opens Acts 1:4–8 to show how the Spirit brings the nations to Christ and empowers his people to go.
Jun 18, 2026 · 27 min
What does it mean to live in step with God’s call? John Piper opens Ephesians 4:1–6 to show that grace should yield lowliness, patience, and unity.
Jun 17, 2026 · 27 min
Why do some hear Scripture and dismiss it as nonsense? John Piper shows from 1 Corinthians 2:14–16 that the natural heart cannot discern the worth of spiritual truth.
Jun 16, 2026 · 26 min
How does real change happen in the Christian life? John Piper opens Romans 15:14–21 to show how the Spirit and the word awaken obedience by grace.
Jun 15, 2026 · 24 min
What holds you steady when everything else shakes? John Piper opens Ephesians 1:11–14 to show that God seals believers so they rest secure in his love and power.
Jun 12, 2026 · 27 min
Can you receive the Holy Spirit and not know it? John Piper opens Acts 2:32–42 to show that the gift of the Spirit is a life-changing reality.
Jun 11, 2026 · 25 min
Will disease and decay have the last word? John Piper opens Romans 8:9–11 to show that God will make our mortal bodies alive with Christ’s glory.
Jun 10, 2026 · 28 min
What does Christ do with frail and failing hearts? John Piper shows from Matthew 12:18–21 how Jesus restores the broken instead of crushing them.
Jun 9, 2026 · 26 min
When you hear Jesus, whose voice are you hearing? John Piper opens John 3:31–36 to show that when Christ speaks, God speaks.
Jun 8, 2026 · 25 min
Why do some follow Jesus while others don’t? John Piper opens John 3:22–30 to show that God gives the bride to the bridegroom by the irresistible call of his voice.
Jun 5, 2026 · 21 min
Why would anyone gladly be forgotten? John Piper shows from John 3:22–30 how true joy is found in exalting Christ while we fade from view.
Jun 4, 2026 · 26 min
What makes a sinner stop hiding and come to Christ? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper opens John 3:16–21 to show that grace draws us into the light for cleansing.
Jun 3, 2026 · 20 min
What explains why some come to Jesus and others turn away? John Piper opens John 3:16–21 to show that unbelief is our guilt, but faith is God’s gift.
Jun 2, 2026 · 26 min
Can God’s love do more than invite? John Piper opens John 3:14–18 to show that Christ’s saving love conquers hardness, grants faith, and secures his sheep.
Jun 1, 2026 · 25 min
What can finally satisfy the endless thirst of the human heart? John Piper opens John 3:9–18 to show that only faith in Christ will truly satisfy us.
May 29, 2026 · 26 min
Why does Christ suddenly seem beautiful to some but not others? John Piper shows from John 3:1–10 how the Spirit makes Christ irresistibly compelling.
May 28, 2026 · 24 min
How does new life begin when you are spiritually dead? John Piper opens John 3:1–10 to show how the Spirit breathes new life, uniting us to Christ through faith.
May 27, 2026 · 25 min
The cure for your sin, shocking as it seems, involves a curse. John Piper opens John 3:1–15 to show that Jesus was lifted up as our curse so that we might receive eternal life.
May 26, 2026 · 25 min
Can you be drawn to Jesus and still miss who he is? John Piper opens John 2:23–25 to show that sign-driven belief is not the same as loving Christ himself.
May 25, 2026 · 20 min
Is there anyone who knows you completely and still loves you? John Piper shows from John 2:23–25 that Christ sees every heart and gives covenant love to those who believe.
May 22, 2026 · 22 min
Where do you go now to meet with God? John Piper opens John 2:12–22 to show that Jesus replaces the temple as the living meeting place with God.
May 21, 2026 · 17 min
Can Christ be trusted to meet his people’s needs? John Piper opens John 2:1–11 to show that the Savior who gave himself for his bride will not withhold what she needs.
May 20, 2026 · 23 min
What was Jesus revealing when he turned water into wine? John Piper opens John 2:1–11 to show the Son’s glory in pointing from ritual cleansing to his coming hour.
May 19, 2026 · 26 min
Can worship be heartfelt without drifting from truth? John Piper opens John 4:16–26 to show how God desires worship fueled by affections awakened by truth.
May 18, 2026 · 23 min
What makes one sin forever unforgivable? John Piper opens Mark 3:20–35 to show that spurning the Spirit can place a person beyond repentance.
May 15, 2026 · 25 min
What does Spirit-filled ministry look like in a dying world? John Piper shows from Luke 4:16–21 how the church joins Christ in his work of mercy.
May 14, 2026 · 25 min
What happens when your appetites call the shots? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper shows from Luke 4:1–14 how Jesus subdued his body to stand against Satan.
May 13, 2026 · 26 min
Why does chasing feelings leave us empty? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper shows from Luke 1:26–37 how the Spirit fills us by fixing our eyes on Christ.
May 12, 2026 · 28 min
What robs us of joy and the freedom to love others? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper opens Isaiah 44:1–5 to show how the Holy Spirit restores both.
May 11, 2026 · 23 min
How can you know the Bible speaks with more than human authority? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper opens 2 Peter 1:20–21 to show the nature of Scripture.
May 8, 2026 · 23 min
Why should believers live without fear? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper opens Romans 8:1–8 to show how the Spirit’s presence gives us courage.
May 7, 2026 · 25 min
What awakens dead hearts to see and savor Christ? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper opens John 3:3–8 to show how the new birth is a work of the Spirit.
May 6, 2026 · 26 min
How can finite sinners learn to delight in God? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper turns to John 17:26 to show how the Spirit is God’s own love given to us.
May 5, 2026 · 19 min
Can our trials separate us from Christ’s love? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper shows from Romans 8:35–39 that no suffering can sever us from God.
May 4, 2026 · 28 min
What makes a Christian unshakably secure? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper opens Romans 8:28–30 to show how God’s saving plan forms an unbreakable chain.
May 1, 2026 · 27 min
How do we pray when suffering hides God’s will? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper opens Romans 8:26–27 to show how the Spirit intercedes for us.
Apr 30, 2026 · 23 min
How can we endure deep suffering without despair? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper shows from Romans 8:18 how the glory ahead far outweighs today’s pains.
Apr 29, 2026 · 26 min
What kills sin? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper shows from Romans 8:13 that the Spirit flows with power as the word is heard and heeded.
Apr 28, 2026 · 22 min
What turns forgiven sinners into sacrificial servants? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper opens Romans 8:1–4 to show how the Spirit’s power yields a life of love.
Apr 27, 2026 · 20 min
Does obedience secure your right standing with God? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper opens Romans 8:1–4 to explain why pardon comes before progress.
Apr 24, 2026 · 21 min
When pain hits, do you assume God is against you? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper opens Romans 8:1 to show that “no condemnation” means God is unfailingly for you.
Apr 23, 2026 · 21 min
For those in Christ, acceptance before God is certain. In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper opens Romans 8:1 to show how being in Christ means no condemnation now and forever.
Apr 22, 2026 · 22 min
What makes our guilt so serious before God? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper turns to Romans 3:23–26 to show how rejecting God’s glory required the cross.
Apr 21, 2026 · 27 min
Why does sheer resolve fail against temptation? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper turns to Romans 8:13 to show how the Spirit uses promises to defeat sin.
Apr 20, 2026 · 26 min
Why are you tempted toward self-pity when obedience proves costly? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper opens Matthew 19:29 to show Christ himself repays every sacrifice.
Apr 17, 2026 · 24 min
What are you really chasing in life? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper turns to Isaiah 6:1–3 to show that only God himself can satisfy your restless heart.
Apr 16, 2026 · 21 min
Is hell an overreaction to human sin? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper explains why offending an infinitely glorious God is an infinitely heinous crime.
Apr 15, 2026 · 23 min
If Christ did not alleviate your earthly struggles, would the gospel still be good news? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper shows that rescue from God’s wrath is enough.
Apr 14, 2026 · 27 min
How do you persevere when few seem to believe? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper opens John 10:16 to explain why gospel labor rests on a Shepherd who gathers his own.
Apr 13, 2026 · 25 min
What makes missions unstoppable? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper opens John 10:16 to show how Christ’s certain purpose draws us into God’s global plan.
Apr 10, 2026 · 20 min
Why would God appoint martyrs? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper shows how our suffering carries Christ’s saving work to those who have not heard.
Apr 9, 2026 · 26 min
If there’s no resurrection, should we just live for comfort? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper shows why normal comforts make sense if we have no hope.
Apr 8, 2026 · 27 min
Why must God exalt himself to love you? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper opens John 4:23 to show that your joy is only complete when God gives you God.
Apr 7, 2026 · 25 min
Do we only need the gospel for the first steps of faith? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper opens Romans 1:8–15 to show why the gospel remains relevant for everyday obedience.
Apr 6, 2026 · 25 min
Why does Paul thank God for the faith of the saints? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper opens Romans 1:8–15 to show why faith is a gift that directs all thanks to God.
Apr 3, 2026 · 21 min
How can you be sure you’ll endure to the end? In this episode of Light + Truth, John Piper opens Romans 1:6–7 and points to a covenant love that will not release those Christ has purchased.
