God is the Gospel

This is the most important idea you will ever try to get a grasp on. Period.

Pastor John Piper is preaching on this idea at the Resolved Conference this week, and here is an excellent excerpt of his short exposition of John 11:

"How is it love to Lazarus to allow him to walk up to and through the horrors of death? And He gave the answer in verse 4, 'It is for the glory of God, so that the Son of God may be glorified through it.' It is more loving to Lazarus and his sisters and the onlooking Jewish people and you and I reading this, it is more loving that Lazarus die if God will be displayed as more glorious than if he live and God not be displayed as more glorious - which means that the essence and heart of loving human beings is exalting the glory of God for their enjoyment. That's what love is ultimately. You can define love in all kinds of lesser ways - doing good things for people, laying down your life for people, meeting the needs of people - and if you don't get to this point it is aiming at - it doesn't always hit it - it is aiming at their seeing and savoring the glory of God, you don't love them. If you don't want the people to whom you do good to see more of God and enjoy more of God and live forever in the enjoyment of more of God, you don't love them. The world will say you do, but you don't, because you don't care about the ultimate satisfaction of their souls forever in God."

Check it out.

PS - This is also a book by the same title.