His self-exaltation is the ground and essence of his love toward us, and he does strengthen

his people.

He strengthens them by committing himself to work for their joy because their joy is both

their strength and his glory.

When people think about God's glory, they typically don't connect it to their personal experience

of joy. On the surface, they really don't seem to belong together.

I'm Dan Kruver.

In this episode of Light and Truth,

John Piper helps us see how God's passion to glorify himself

is also his commitment to our joy.

And at the end of the episode, you'll hear John Piper respond to

some thoughtful questions about what this actually means for our lives. This message

was originally delivered at the EFAC National Conference in Melbourne, Australia on

June 26, 1996.

This is why I created the term, which I've already been told once in this conference,

is not a good term.

And I know that the people I love most in this world don't like this term, namely Christian hedonism.

It sounds like the health and wealth and prosperity gospel, which I loathe.

But I tell you, when you start seeing things, what I'm seeing right here, what I'm telling you,

you grope for language to help people wake up to it because the church is deaf to these things by in large.

You are duty bound to pursue your happiness in God.

Sin is being indifferent to what magnifies God.

...