Radical With David Platt

 What are you holding onto that is keeping you from the fullness of God in your life? Jesus calls his followers to radical surrender to his lordship and radical love for him. Yet, the sad reality is that many people choose the passing pleasures of sin and the comforts of this life. In this message from Mark 10:17–31, David Platt urges us to find true and eternal life in Jesus. Don’t hold back from living for him. ________I want to personally invite you to this year’s Secret Church. We are going to dive word-for-word into the book of Jonah, and as I’ve been studying this book, I cannot wait to explore it with you! Most people just know it’s a story about a fish swallowing a man, but it is so much more than that, and it contains shocking relevance to our lives and the world around us today.Learn more about Secret Church and sign up at https://radical.net/secret-church

There is a constant temptation for all of us to settle for a safe, easy, comfortable Christianity that consists of casually going through motions on Sunday morning and moving on with our lives however we want to live them.  But that is not biblical Christianity, and it’s not what we’re made for. In this message from Exodus 14, David Platt urges the church to pursue the Lord’s lead and not to hold back from following him. Relying on God’s Word and empowered by his Spirit, we look expectantly for how the Lord will work out his saving purposes in and through us.––––––––––––In David Platt's newest book, Don't Hold Back, he challenges Christians to break free from an American gospel that prioritizes comfort, power, prosperity, politics – and to pursue instead the full beauty of the gospel of Jesus.Learn more at DontHoldBackBook.com

When is the last time you acknowledged that you were desperate for God? When is the last time you came to him, pouring out your heart, longing for his presence and grace and power to obey him? In this message from Isaiah 54:2, David Platt exhorts us not to hold back in our pursuit of God and in our desire to bring glory to him. As the bride of Christ, the church should not want to hold back in becoming all that God intends for us. This message is drawn from themes from David’s new book, Don’t Hold Back: Leaving Behind the American Gospel to Follow Jesus Fully.––––––––––––In David Platt's newest book, Don't Hold Back, he challenges Christians to break free from an American gospel that prioritizes comfort, power, prosperity, politics – and to pursue instead the full beauty of the gospel of Jesus.Learn more at DontHoldBackBook.com

We don’t usually think of boasting as a good thing. Drawing attention to our talents, wealth, status, etc., is often a sign of sinful pride. However, there is something we should boast in as followers of Christ—the cross. In this message from Galatians 6:11–18, David Platt gives us five reasons we have to boast based on Christ’s death on the cross. Justification by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone means boasting in the cross alone. ________I want to personally invite you to this year’s Secret Church. We are going to dive word-for-word into the book of Jonah, and as I’ve been studying this book, I cannot wait to explore it with you! Most people just know it’s a story about a fish swallowing a man, but it is so much more than that, and it contains shocking relevance to our lives and the world around us today.Learn more about Secret Church and sign up at https://radical.net/secret-church

The greatest evidence of the Spirit-filled life is not dramatic signs and wonders but rather love for other believers. As Christians, we combat self-obsession and vain competition through humble confession before God. In this message on Galatians 6:1–10, David Platt warns us against self-centeredness and self-righteousness while pointing us to the marks of true spiritual community.––––––––––––In David Platt's newest book, Don't Hold Back, he challenges Christians to break free from an American gospel that prioritizes comfort, power, prosperity, politics – and to pursue instead the full beauty of the gospel of Jesus.Learn more at DontHoldBackBook.com

 Few topics are more off-putting and offensive to non-Christians than the Bible’s teaching about hell. Even some Christians seem to be embarrassed at this topic. For many people, the idea of eternal punishment seems to be incompatible with a God of love. However, no one spoke more pointedly and arrestingly about hell than Jesus himself. And he told us this to warn us—he wants us to take heed. In this message, David Platt considers Christ’s words about hell in Mark 9:42–50 and urges us to respond appropriately. Hell is a dreadful reality that is consistent with God’s perfect justice and holiness toward sinners. At the same time, heaven is a glorious reality for all who turn from their sin and from trusting in themselves to trust in Jesus. Because of Christ’s sinless life, sin-bearing death, and glorious, bodily resurrection, those who trust in Him can know that they have eternal life. ––––––––––––In David Platt's newest book, Don't Hold Back, he challenges Christians to break free from an American gospel that

Christians often talk about being “free,” but do we realize what we’ve been freed to do? Or have we adopted the world’s definition of freedom? In this message from Galatians 5:1–25, David Platt helps us understand the kind of freedom that God gives us in the gospel—a freedom that results in neither legalism nor license. It’s a freedom that enables us to live by faith in God in the power of the Spirit. With this kind of freedom, we can walk in hope and with love for God and others.––––––––––––In David Platt's newest book, Don't Hold Back, he challenges Christians to break free from an American gospel that prioritizes comfort, power, prosperity, politics – and to pursue instead the full beauty of the gospel of Jesus.Learn more at DontHoldBackBook.com

Do you want to be “great”? Before you answer that question, it’s important to get the right definition of greatness. Sadly, the world’s definition of greatness is often polar opposite to the Bible’s definition of greatness. In this message from Mark 9:30–37, David Platt points us to Jesus’ interaction with his disciples about what true greatness looks like. With the cross before him, Jesus taught and demonstrated for us that true greatness isn’t self-serving and it doesn’t seek to gain the approval of others. Instead, it finds its satisfaction in God and is therefore freed up to serve God and others. 

 When we hear the word “freedom,” we usually think about having the ability to do whatever we want to do or what we think is best. However, God frees us from our sin and from the law’s condemnation so that we might live in a relationship with him and walk in obedience to his Word, even when it’s difficult. In this message from Galatians 4:8–31, David Platt highlights the freedom the gospel brings in terms of our relationship with God. We no longer live for fading earthly pleasures because we’ve been freed to live in light of our new, heavenly home. 

 In the busyness of our schedules and the pressing needs of everyday life, it’s easy for us to ignore the things that matter most—things that have eternal significance. In this message, David Platt urges us from Genesis 1:27 (and other Scriptures) to resolve to live for what really matters now and forever. We need to be able to answer questions like, “Who am I?”, “What is wrong in the world?”, “How can it be made right?”, and “How can I experience life to the full, both now and forever?” The start of a new year is a good time to reset by pursuing life to the full through praying, fasting, and hearing and obeying God’s Word. 

There may not be a greater privilege in all the world than to be adopted into God’s family, and yet this is precisely what God has done for us by sending His Son who was fully God and fully man to redeem us through the cross. In this message from Galatians 3:26–4:7, David Platt points us to the amazing reality of our spiritual adoption into God’s family through Jesus Christ. God not only adopts us through His Son, He also sends the Spirit of His Son into our hearts. As former rebels deserving of God’s wrath, those who are in Christ now have the privilege of calling God our Father. 

Who was the baby born in a manger that we celebrate at Christmas? This is a question everyone has to answer, and it’s one that divides people across the world and throughout history. In this Christmas message, David Platt highlights the mystery of Christ’s incarnation based on Colossians 2:5–11. The baby born in Bethlehem was both fully God and fully man; the One through whom all things were made yet who walked among us. And it is only through Christ’s life, death, and resurrection that we can be saved. Each of us must respond to him.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? 

Regardless of how many times you’ve heard the gospel, every Christian needs to be reminded of how God’s grace relates to our faith and our obedience. We tend to believe we can earn God’s favor by keeping his law, on the one hand, or else we abuse his grace by using it as an excuse to live how we want. In this message from Galatians 3, David Platt helps us understand the relationship between God’s grace and God’s law. The gospel reminds us that Christ has obeyed the law in our place and died to take the punishment we deserve. Therefore, the blessing of God comes to us freely by grace through faith.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? 

The astounding part of Christ’s first coming is not simply that he was—and is!—fully divine, but also that he was—and is!—fully human. The baby in Bethlehem was fully God and fully human. The One through whom the world was created became a servant in order to save us from our sins. In this message from David Platt, we reflect on Philippians 2:7 and the mystery of Christ’s humanity and deity dwelling in one person. The idea that God would come in the form of a servant should fill us with awe, gratitude, and praise.

Who was the baby born in Bethlehem two thousand years ago? The answer to that question divides people into the various religions of the world, and it also determines where everyone will spend eternity. In this message from Philippians 2:5–6, David Platt points us to the astounding reality that Jesus Christ is fully divine—God the Son—and yet he took on flesh to save us. Though we cannot fully comprehend the mystery of the Trinity, we can know God truly as he has revealed himself in his Word.

 The poor and vulnerable are often easy to overlook, but Scripture teaches that true religion consists in caring for them. Though we may not receive earthly notoriety or gain, the Lord has commanded his people to care for those most in need, including widows and orphans. In this message from James 1:27, David Platt urges us to obey Scripture’s commands concerning a faith that is “true and undefiled,” and we do this not merely because we feel obligated but more importantly because we want to reflect the mercy of the God who calls himself the father of the fatherless and the protector of widows. This message was given at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina, during their Stand for Life emphasis. 

Many people in our culture cringe when they hear words like leadership, authority, and submission. The same is true for some Christians, particularly those who have experienced harsh, self-serving, or abusive leadership in the church. However, our response to bad leadership as followers of Christ should not be to reject all forms of leadership. Our response should be to embrace good, biblical leadership. In this message from Hebrews 13:17, David Platt points us to the Bible’s teaching on biblical leadership in the church. God has given leaders as a gift to the church, not to serve for their own interests but to serve for the glory of God and the good of others. Submission to this kind of leadership is good for our souls.

There is no better news than to hear that God’s pleasure in you is not based on your performance for him. And yet, it’s all too easy for us to slip back into thinking that we can somehow secure our standing before God by our efforts and our works. In this message from Galatians 2, David Platt points us to Scripture’s teaching about how we are justified, or declared righteous, before God. God’s free and undeserved grace comes to us by faith alone based on what Christ has done on our behalf.

We usually attach a lot of weight to someone’s first and last words. In Matthew’s Gospel, the first and last words of Jesus have to do with fishing for men and making disciples of all nations. The question for followers of Jesus is, Do we see these words as weighty? How does it affect our lives to know that Jesus has given his people a mission, a mission that starts right where we live but doesn’t stop there—it extends to the ends of the earth. In this message from Matthew 28:18–20, David Platt reminds us why we need biblical mission. We were made to glorify God and to make him known among all nations. This message is in a series covering biblical traits that should be a part of every church.

Most people feel uneasy when they think about discipline and accountability. They want to be independent and call their own shots. But for those who belong to Christ, discipline and accountability should be seen as spiritual safeguards. And God has provided these things through the local church. In this message from Hebrews 12:3–11, David Platt helps us see why accountability and church discipline are evidence of God’s love and concern for his people. The various steps for church discipline laid out by Jesus in Matthew 18 are intended to preserve the church’s holiness and restore those who are walking in sin. This message is the next in a series identifying twelve traits of a biblical church.