We began our discussion of Spectacular Sins and Their Global Purpose in the Glory of Christ by John Piper. We began where most good books begin: in the Introduction. We looked at Joni Eareckson Tada’s observation, ”When it comes to holocausts or other horrors, most of us assume God has his hands tied and his back to the wall. We figure the devil wreaks havoc when God’s not looking; we rationalize the Lord’s ‘mistakes,’ figuring he absentmindedly took his hands off the wheel when tragedies happen.” Have you ever found yourself thinking along those lines? How does the author say we can avoid self-pity or rage and endure such catastrophes with faith and hope? The author leads us to the window of the Scriptures to let us know that God has not been caught by surprise when bad things happen, He doesn’t stand aloof and He isn’t powerless. No, He sent Jesus, Who willingly identified with a sinful and suffering humanity, took our guilt and, despite all appearances, won the victory over and through some of the most spectacular sins. Here are some of the questions we discussed:
- John Piper begins with the creation of the universe. For what purpose does the author tell us the universe was created? What does that imply about our purpose in life?
- What is the apex of Christ’s glory and what part did evil play in fully displaying that glory?
- What is the author’s purpose in writing this book? Do you think his assessment of Christians in the West is accurate or has merit?
- Why do many Christians have a wimpy worldview – what’s missing and where can we go to get what we need to pump up our sometimes wimpy view of God?
- Are you facing or have you faced suffering or a trial or persecution that put your Christian worldview to the test? What kept you from breaking?
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