What we all want to be loved by God, but why?

Why do you want to be loved by God?

Is it to escape eternal judgment?

Is it to be freed from the guilt of sin?

Is it to have a clean conscience?

Or is it because the consequences of sin have made a mess of your life?

Why do you want to be loved by God?

This was the topic taken up by John Piper in a sermon nearly 20 years ago, a clip sent

into us from a listener out there.

Here's Pastor John preaching in 2001.

Now a certain man was sick, John 111.

Now a certain man was sick, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha.

That was the Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair.

So this is clearly a picture of sweetness and love.

Mary loved Jesus and Jesus loved Mary.

Mark that word love.

It will show up several more times.

It was this woman whose brother Lazarus was sick, verse 3.

So the sisters sent word to him saying, Lord, behold, he whom you love, there it is.

He whom you love is sick.

But when Jesus heard this, he said, this sickness is not to end in death, but for the glory

of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified in it.

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