In a 2011 sermon on John 11 verses 1 to 16, John Piper recounted the story of the raising of Lazarus. The sermon is titled "This illness is for the glory of God." In it, he explained the love of Christ and how Christ showed his love by letting Lazarus die.

It's a crazy story we need to think about. Here's a clip of what John Piper said in that 2011 sermon. Now let's look at it again so you can see it. Verse 5 and 6. "Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. Therefore, when he heard that Lazarus is ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was, and he did not hurry to his side because he loved them." Because he loved them, he did not go to them.

John intends, and Jesus intends, for everyone seeing this to ask, "Now how is that love?" It's okay to ask that if you don't ask it with a snooty attitude. He expects you to ask that. How is it love to let him die? I would like you to come if it were my brother.

That's a good question. And the answer is very clear in this text. Very clear. But not common or acceptable without the work of the Holy Spirit in your life. The key to this is, "Love lets him die because his death will help them see the glory of God." That's why verse 4 is here.

This is not about death. This is about the glory of God and the glory of the Son through him. That's what this is about. And since I love them, I'm going to put that on maximal display at great cost to Lazarus and his sisters. A cost that most people do not want and are not willing to pay.

You're going to take my brother to show your glory? Yes. That's where many of you are right now, shaking your heads, saying, "I don't think I want that for a Savior." That's where you are. This is one of the reasons why Christianity is hard to believe in for many people.

Because it defines love in a way that is so different. So what is love? If love says, "I love you, Lazarus. I love you, Mary. I love you, Martha. I know he's mortally sick and that I could come and spare him death, but I'm not because I love you." How, Jesus?

"Because in his dying, I am going to get great glory. My father is going to be seen as mighty over death in a way he would not any other way. So I'm going to let you pass through this horrible experience of losing your brother." You fill in the blank.

Here's what love is. Love means giving us what we need most. Most people would probably be okay with that definition of love. Love means giving us what we need most, especially if it costs you something. What do we need most? What human beings need most is a full and endless experience of the glory of God.

That's what human beings need most. Most of them don't know that. That's why we preach. That's why we share the gospel. Most people don't know what human beings need most is a full and endless, joyful experience of the glory of God as their supreme treasure. All satisfying treasure. That's what human beings need most.

They need to be changed into the kind of people who will see that, and then they need to receive that. A revelation to your soul of the glory of God is what this text says love gives above life. We were sitting in here on Wednesday night, singing our lungs out in a beautiful time of praise and prayer.

One of the songs we sang loud and repeated was the loving kindness of the Lord is better than life, better than life, better than life. And I'm sitting there thinking, does anybody here believe that? Really? I think they did, but many people do not. You can tell they don't by the way they react to death.

It's good to cry. Really good. Because loss is loss to us. Hurts more than almost anything. But not to the dead. A revelation to your soul of the glory of God is what the human soul needs. Seeing, admiring, marveling at, savoring the glory of God in Jesus. When someone is willing to die or let your brother die to give you that, he loves you.

Here's another way to say it. I'm struggling to define love biblically. I don't care what Hollywood thinks love is. I don't care what the television thinks love is. I don't care what you think love is. I care infinitely what love is in this book. Because that's reality. Opinions don't matter.

Reality really matters. And here's another way to say it. Love is doing whatever you have to do to help people see and treasure the glory of God as their supreme joy. Wow. That is one of the most poignant sermon clips I've ever heard from Pastor John. And it was sent in to us by Brian Hughes.

Brian, thank you for emailing this clip in to us. John Piper returns tomorrow to answer another one of your questions. You know, he often talks about risk and mission, and one podcast listener wants to know whether comfortable Christians are compromising Christians. We'll find out tomorrow. Well, for everything related to this podcast, go to DesiringGod.org/AskPastorJohn.

I'm your host, Tony Reinke. I'll see you tomorrow. (end) (end)