The gospel is as Paul sums it up in 1 Corinthians 153, Christ died for our sin according to

the Scriptures. Three statements, Christ died. He was cut off out of the land of the living for

our sins, for the transgression of his people. According to the Scriptures, that is Isaiah 53a.

Paul learned his gospel from Isaiah. If the gospel is that Christ died for our sins according

to the Scriptures, how does the gospel then prepare us for both life and death? That's the question

that John Piper answers in this episode of light and truth as he expounds the suffering and death

of Christ for Isaiah 53. This sermon was originally preached at Bethlehem Baptist Church on March 28, 1993.

Did you know that spring is one week old? It is one week old. And every time spring comes,

lint comes. Now sometimes wonder, if God did it right, because I don't wonder too long,

because spring is a time when the flowers, at least you start to dream about them,

and the sun comes out and it starts to get warm and it's happy. And that awful February,

Minnesota oppression looks like it begins to lift, and it doesn't feel like the time for lint.

Suffering, death, burial. And it may be that you are just full of expectations this

spring season. Maybe you're ready to start your garden. Maybe you're still all worked up about the

boys, Minnesota State Basketball Title, or maybe you're all worked up about the deluge of NCAA

games, or maybe you want softball season to get started, or maybe the golf courses to dry off,

or maybe you want to get out on the road with your bike so that there's wind in the face,

and you don't just drip on the floor of your study with no wind while you're biking,

or maybe you want one of those late-night walks together with somebody special without frostbite.

It's a good season. It's a happy season. It's meant to create a sense of expectation and hope,

the way God designed it, I believe. So why talk about suffering and death and burial?

The answer is an answer that takes some maturity to appreciate. The older you are, I predict,

...