ACCESS: This video is in English with the addition of American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and English captions. You can find the original video HERE.

What is the “meaning” of a text? Part 2
John Piper will continue to answer these questions:

1. What do we mean by the word “meaning”?
2. How do we use the word “meaning” in these LABS?
3. Specifically, what is the “meaning” of a written text?

Answer: The meaning of a text is what the author intended to communicate by his words.

Reason #1: The Bible assumes it. The Bible assumes that we are thinking of the “meaning” of texts as what the author intended to communicate.

Reason #2: The Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.
Or: As a reader, do unto authors as you would have readers do unto you as an author.

Scripture References
Matthew 7:12, 2 Timothy 4:13, 2 Peter 3:15-16

John Piper is founder and teacher of Desiring God and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary.

For more information on John Piper and Desiring God, check out desiringgod.org

For more information on Bethlehem College & Seminary, check out bcsmn.edu

Special thanks to John Piper and Desiring God for graciously letting us translate their material into sign language for the deaf to enjoy and benefit from.

ACCESS: This video is in English with the addition of American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and English captions. You can find the original video HERE.

1. God created us for his glory.

2. Therefore, it is man’s joyful duty to live for the glory of God.

3. All of us have failed to glorify God as we should.

What does this mean?

This means that we have not thanked or trusted or treasured or enjoyed or obeyed, and so have not glorified God as he deserves.

Scripture References
Romans 3:23, Romans 1:21-23, 1 Kings 8:46, Psalm 130:3, Romans 5:12

John Piper is founder and teacher of Desiring God and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary.

For more information on John Piper and Desiring God, check out desiringgod.org

For more information on Bethlehem College & Seminary, check out bcsmn.edu

Special thanks to John Piper and Desiring God for graciously letting us translate their material into sign language for the deaf to enjoy and benefit from.

ACCESS: This video is in English with the addition of American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and English captions. You can find the original video HERE.

1. God created us for his glory.

2. Therefore, it is man’s joyful duty to live for the glory of God.

What does this mean?

This means to be thankful to God for all things.

This means to trust him in all situations.

This means to love other people out of this trust and thankfulness.

This means to love and enjoy God supremely because he is our greatest treasure.

This shows in all these ways that God is all wise and all caring and all good and all just.

Scripture References
1 Corinthians 10:31, Psalm 50:23, Romans 4:20, Matthew 5:16, Matthew 22:36-39, Psalm 37:4, Philippians 4:4, Acts 17:25, Romans 11:35-36

John Piper is founder and teacher of Desiring God and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary.

For more information on John Piper and Desiring God, check out desiringgod.org

For more information on Bethlehem College & Seminary, check out bcsmn.edu

Special thanks to John Piper and Desiring God for graciously letting us translate their material into sign language for the deaf to enjoy and benefit from.

ACCESS: This video is in English with the addition of American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and English captions. You can find the original video HERE.

God created us for his glory.

• That his glory be known as the greatest Treasure.
• That his glory be enjoyed as the greatest Pleasure.
• That his glory be shown as the greatest Treasure.

Scripture References
Isaiah 43:6-7, Genesis 1:27, Psalm 19:1

John Piper is founder and teacher of Desiring God and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary.

For more information on John Piper and Desiring God, check out desiringgod.org

For more information on Bethlehem College & Seminary, check out bcsmn.edu

Special thanks to John Piper and Desiring God for graciously letting us translate their material into sign language for the deaf to enjoy and benefit from.

ACCESS: This video is in English with the addition of American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and English captions. You can find the original video HERE.

What is the opposite of Salvation? Destruction. The Bible describes hell in various ways. Paul describes it as “destruction,” “God’s vengeance” and “the wrath of God.” Jesus describes it as the “opposite of life.” John describes it as the “bottomless pit” and the “lake of fire that burns with sulfur.”

This is why Paul wept over unbelievers. He did not rejoice in the destruction of his adversaries. He wept over it.

Scripture References
Philippians 3:18-21, Philippians 1:28, 2 Thessalonians 1:6-8, 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10, Romans 5:9, Matthew 7:13-14, Matthew 5:29-30, Revelation 17:8, Revelation 19:20, Revelation 14:9-11

John Piper is founder and teacher of Desiring God and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary.

For more information on John Piper and Desiring God, check out desiringgod.org

For more information on Bethlehem College & Seminary, check out bcsmn.edu

Special thanks to John Piper and Desiring God for graciously letting us translate their material into sign language for the deaf to enjoy and benefit from.

ACCESS: This video is in English with the addition of American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and English captions. You can find the original video HERE.

Paul cried over the unbelievers who would be cut off from Christ for eternity if they died lost. We should too. Heaven and hell are real places and real people are going there. We should never be happy when an unbeliever dies. Even if that person had persecuted us for our faith and caused great harm to us and/or our community. Their ultimate punishment is so severer that we should bitterly weep over them dying lost and fervently pray for salvation for those who are still living.

Scripture References
Philippians 3:17-21, Mark 3:1-6, Luke 19:41-42, Romans 9:1-3, Acts 20:30-31, 2 Corinthians 2:4

John Piper is founder and teacher of Desiring God and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary.

For more information on John Piper and Desiring God, check out desiringgod.org

For more information on Bethlehem College & Seminary, check out bcsmn.edu

Special thanks to John Piper and Desiring God for graciously letting us translate their material into sign language for the deaf to enjoy and benefit from.

ACCESS: This video is in English with the addition of American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and English captions. You can find the original video HERE.

In the final part of the series, “Four Obstacles in Bible Reading,” we discuss how our hearts can become
dull, causing us to not feel anything when we read God’s Word.

Scripture References
Psalm 119:36, Psalm 119:18, Psalm 86:11, Psalm 90:14, John 15:11, Hebrews 13:5-6, Psalm 17:15, Psalm 63:5-6, Psalm 73:25-26

John Piper is founder and teacher of Desiring God and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary.

For more information on John Piper and Desiring God, check out desiringgod.org

For more information on Bethlehem College & Seminary, check out bcsmn.edu

Special thanks to John Piper and Desiring God for graciously letting us translate their material into sign language for the deaf to enjoy and benefit from.

ACCESS: This video is in English with the addition of American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and English captions. You can find the original video HERE.

In Part 2 of the series, “Four Obstacles in Bible Reading,” we learn about why we sometimes don’t see anything wonderous in the Bible and how to fix it.

Scripture References
Psalm 119:36, Psalm 119:18, Psalm 86:11, Psalm 90:14, Jeremiah 5:21, Ezekiel 12:2, Matthew 13:13, Deuteronomy 29:4, 2 Corinthians 4:4-6, Ephesians 1:16-19

John Piper is founder and teacher of Desiring God and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary.

For more information on John Piper and Desiring God, check out desiringgod.org

For more information on Bethlehem College & Seminary, check out bcsmn.edu

Special thanks to John Piper and Desiring God for graciously letting us translate their material into sign language for the deaf to enjoy and benefit from.

ACCESS: This video is in English with the addition of American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation and English captions. You can find the original video HERE.

In Part 3 of the series, “Four Obstacles in Bible Reading,” we discuss how distractions and misplaced priorities hinder our study of God’s Word.

Scripture References
Psalm 119:36, Psalm 119:18, Psalm 86:11, Psalm 90:14, Luke 11:17, 1 Samuel 7:3, Proverbs 3:5, Matthew 22:37, James 1:5-8, James 4:8, Matthew 6:24

John Piper is founder and teacher of Desiring God and chancellor of Bethlehem College & Seminary.

For more information on John Piper and Desiring God, check out desiringgod.org

For more information on Bethlehem College & Seminary, check out bcsmn.edu

Special thanks to John Piper and Desiring God for graciously letting us translate their material into sign language for the deaf to enjoy and benefit from.