The Gospel Coalition Conference: Day 2, Final Session, John Piper, "The Triumph of the Gospel in the New Heavens and the New Earth"

I didn't take notes for John Piper's closing session. I didn't take notes because, well, I just love listening to Piper preach. Piper, especially in his opening, spent a good deal of time encouraging younger pastors to lean on God and trust him for help in all the pastoral duties that can feel so overwhelming and impossible (how to counsel this or that person, what to say in this or that crisis, how to prepare this or that sermon, etc.). Piper expressed his own love for the pastorate and testified to how his sweetest years with God have been his years as a pastor as God has shown himself faithful, never failing to come through and provide for him as a needy pastor and leading him into experiences of God's grace that he'd never dreamed of.These words of gentle counsel were particularly encouraging to me as a young pastor. I can be such a fool--often letting the overwhelming weight of pastoring my sheep eclipse the reality that God is sovereign and faithful, a God who loves to provide for needy, desperate pastors. I needed this gentle encouragement/rebuke/counsel. I think I'll need to be reminded of this throughout my whole ministry.Piper then went on to expound Romans 8:18-24, exhorting pastors to memorize this whole chapter for, as Piper believes, this is the most important chapter in the whole Bible (he says Romans 3 is a close second). Piper drew 4 points out of this text. I didn't write them down. They were long. They were good. They dealt with the reality and horror of present suffering (Piper spoke much about the suffering experienced by the many disabled children and parents of such children in his church) in our lives and in creation and the superior reality that the gospel will ultimately triumph as God will usher his people into a new heaven and a new earth that will be far beyond anything we can presently dream or imagine.The conference is now over. I need to say goodbye to some people, pack my things, find a ride to the airport, and then do some final preparation in order to teach at our 20s gathering back in California tonight. If you think of it, please pray for me as I prepare for tonight and as I digest all that I experienced at this conference and seek to apply it in my life, marriage, and ministry.