’No Condemnation’ Means God Is for You

John Piper · April 24, 2026 · Desiring God — Light + Truth · 21m

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21:14

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For families

Ages Teens

John Piper opens Romans 8:1 by meeting people in their deepest fears—when life falls apart, we assume God is punishing us. This sermon gently but firmly declares that Christ removes condemnation entirely, then shows how that truth reshapes marriage, parenting, and our daily struggles. Teens can grasp both the emotional weight and the theological clarity here.

Worth knowing: The sermon includes extended reflection on parental failure and the grief of watching adult children struggle; parents may want to preview if their teen has experienced recent family difficulty.

The character of God Faith & trust The gospel

Talk about it together (4 questions)

When something bad happens to us—an accident, bad news from a doctor—what’s our first instinct about why God let it happen? What does ’no condemnation’ mean for that fear?
Piper says that knowing we’re not condemned changes how we treat people we live with (spouses, kids, friends). Can you think of an example of how feeling guilty or ashamed might make you harsher toward someone else?
The sermon talks about the difference between justification (being declared ’not guilty’) and sanctification (actually becoming more holy). Why does Piper say we need both?
Piper asks a hard question: if you could go to heaven and have everything you wanted except God, would that be okay? What does your answer tell you about what you actually treasure?