Today, we look at one of John Piper's favorite Bible texts on the Christian life.

The text that I'm thinking of is 2nd Thessalonians, chapter 1, verses 11 to 12.

Pastor John doesn't talk about this text a lot, but when he does, you immediately sense

its significance.

He has mentioned it here on the podcast a few times.

A while back, speaking of 2nd Thessalonians 1, verses 11 to 12, he said, quote, I encourage

everybody to meditate on every single phrase in those 2 verses, end quote.

That was an APJ 1473 that he said that.

And the text pops up on the podcast annually in early January.

Whenever we talk about New Year's resolutions, that's because Pastor John calls it, quote,

the most important text in the Bible on resolutions.

That's a claim he made in APJ 1415 and back way back in APJ 246.

He called it, quote, a theology of resolutions in 2 verses, end quote.

But this same text has year-round value because it offers us 8 steps of sanctification or

8 indispensables for Christian living.

As we see in today's episode in a great little sermon clip from 2012, here's Pastor John

to explain, 2nd Thessalonians chapter 1, verses 11 to 12, here he is.

So let's read these 2 verses again, verse 11, to this end and what he means by that in

the preceding verses is so that you will be able to marvel at the Lord when he comes.

To this end, we always pray for you that our God may make you worthy of his calling and

may fulfill every resolve for good or good resolve.

And every work of faith by his power so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified

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