Heart Comes Before Head

October 28, 2017
Grand Canyon University Phoenix, Arizona
John Piper

The glory of God and

• Knowing
• Scripture
• Reading

God’s glory

“If anyone's will is to do God's will, he will know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority. The one who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory; but the one who seeks the glory of him who sent him is true, and in him there is no falsehood.”
‭‭John‬ ‭7:17-18‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Willing governs knowing

• if I will what God wills
• then I can know v17
• if I want God’s glory (not mine)
• then I can know v18

God’s glory

Example 1

“The heavens declare the glory of God”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭19:1‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.”
‭‭Romans‬ ‭1:19-20‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Example 2

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
‭‭John‬ ‭1:14‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Example 3

“In their case the god of this world [the devil] has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness," has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭4:4, 6‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭1:18‬ ‭ESV‬‬

“Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.”
‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭2:2-3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

The glory of God shines through scripture.

For example... like

God’s glory shines through

• The glory of nature
• The glory of Christ’s incarnation
• The glory of the gospel

“Jesus answered him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God."”
‭‭John‬ ‭3:3‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Only by new birth can we

• will what God wills
• treasure God’s glory above all
• see God’s glory in scripture

“how the mystery was made known to me by revelation, as I have written briefly. When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ,”
‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3:3-4‬ ‭ESV‬‬

To read a super-natural book, we need to become new creations, and then read it to connect to God’s glory