Timothy Keller Sermons Podcast by Gospel in Life

For centuries this famous passage has been called the parable of the prodigal son. But it’s a great mistake to think it’s a story about one son. It’s a story of two sons, of a younger and an older brother. If you don’t compare and contrast the two, you’re going to miss the radical message. Jesus is saying every thought the human race has ever had about how to connect to God—whether East or West, ancient or post-modern, religious or secular—has been wrong. Jesus shatters all existing human categories. Let’s look at the story, and then see three things Jesus is telling us: 1) Jesus redefines God, 2) Jesus redefines sin, and 3) Jesus redefines salvation. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on September 11, 2005. Series: The Vision of Redeemer. Scripture: Luke 15:1-2, 11-32. Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

In Mark 2, Jesus makes a claim that is so over the top, so out of all categories, so outrageous that the religious leaders don’t even have a word for it. They’ve called him blasphemous before, but this claim goes beyond their words. In this passage, two incidents are linked together, both having to do with the Sabbath. And what Jesus says is that he’s not here to reform religion—he’s here to absolutely end religion and replace it with himself. What we’re going to see is, 1) on the one hand, the futility of religion and, 2) on the other hand, the finality of Jesus Christ. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on February 19, 2006. Series: King’s Cross: The Gospel of Mark, Part 1: The Coming of the King. Scripture: Mark 2:23-3:6. Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

We’re looking at the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus. After his resurrection, Jesus is still teaching his disciples—and us—preparing us to go out into the world and represent him. And in John 21, he teaches the disciples four things that should be true of us if we’re Christians. Another way to put it is four marks the Christian church ought to have in the world. And those four marks are 1) supernatural unity, 2) new identity, 3) continuous intimacy, and 4) comprehensive certainty. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on April 23, 2017. Series: Jesus, Mission, and Glory: Doubters and Deniers. Scripture: John 21:1-14. Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

In our times, friendship is relatively ignored. Every other kind of love, every other kind of relationship is a hot topic. Everybody is writing about romance or family, while friendship is seen as uninteresting. And yet, friendship is absolutely vital. Do you understand how crucial it is to make, find, maintain, and develop friendships? Let me just ask three questions: 1) why is friendship so neglected today? 2) why is it so vitally important and crucial? and 3) how can the resources of the Christian faith help us understand friendship and galvanize, energize and recover friendship? This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on April 27, 1997. Series: Redeemer Open Forums. Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

Hannah is a woman in enormous pain. At the beginning of 1 Samuel, she is roaring with pain, roaring with grief. And yet, in Hannah, we have a case study of a woman at prayer, a woman who has a spiritual encounter with God. Hannah eventually becomes the mother of the prophet Samuel. And we can all learn something from her fascinating account. To understand this passage, we need to see 1) the anatomy of Hannah’s pain, 2) the change in Hannah’s heart, and 3) the secret in Hannah’s song. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on October 21, 2007. Series: Real Spirituality – Prayer and Beyond. Scripture: 1 Samuel 1:4-11; 2:1-10. Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

What’s described in Isaiah 60 never happened in human history and never can happen in normal human history—and it has much to teach us about how we view our work. Isaiah 60 looks to the end of time when God makes everything right and paradise is restored. And in that restoration, something happens that we often overlook: all the nations of the world bring their work products—their gold, silver, flux, and grain—as offerings to God. Just as there was work in the original paradise, there’ll be work in the future paradise. And so, what does that mean about our work? This text points to three things about work: 1) the goodness and dignity of work, 2) what’s wrong with work, and 3) how work can be healed. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on April 10, 2016. Series: Proverbs: Where We Are Going: The City and the Mission. Scripture: Isaiah 60:1-11, 18-21. Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

There are two typical approaches to work today, and both of them are wrong. Both of them cut right against what God meant work to be. One approach says, “Work is a curse—something to be endured for a paycheck.” The other approach says, “Work is my way to find self-esteem through achievement.” But the Bible, and the fourth of the Ten Commandments, shows us a different view of work. Let’s see what the fourth commandment and Ephesians 6 show us about work: 1) work is not a curse; it’s a calling, 2) work is not for yourself; it’s for him, and 3) three things to do if you’re unhappy with your job. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on October 22, 1989. Series: Proverbs: True Wisdom for Living. Scripture: Ephesians 6:5-9. Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

Proverbs says you’re not going to be a wise person unless you’re great at choosing, forging, and keeping terrific friendships. For the vast majority of your decisions, there will be many options that are all moral. Wisdom is being so in touch with reality that you know the right thing to do in the situations moral rules don’t address. And Proverbs says you will not lead a wise life unless you are really good at friendships. If we look at various verses in Proverbs, we can learn 1) the uniqueness of friendship, 2) how to discover a friend, 3) how to forge or build a friendship, and 4) where we get the power for friendship. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on May 29, 2005. Series: Proverbs: True Wisdom for Living. Scripture: Proverbs 17:17; 18:24; 25:17, 20; 26:18, 19; 27:5, 6, 9, 14, 17; 28:23; 29:5. Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

This is a startling passage. The context is that the Galatians, who became Christians out of pagan backgrounds, are now falling under the influence of teachers who say, “It’s not enough just to believe in Jesus Christ. You also have to obey everything in the Bible.” Paul says something here which is astounding. He says that if they do that, they will fall back under what he calls the slavery of the non-gods. So we ask ourselves three questions: 1) what are the non-gods? 2) how do they enslave? and 3) how can we be free? This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on February 22, 1998. Series: Galatians: New Freedom, New Family. Scripture: Galatians 4:8-20. Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

The meaning of Christmas is that God got flesh and blood. In Jesus Christ the holy and transcendent God became really and fully and truly human. He shared in our humanity. I submit to you that the traditional, moralistic religion has completely forgotten this whole idea. In fact, I submit to you that if you and I really understood the fact that Jesus Christ shares in our humanity, we’d live differently. What does that teach us about God? It teaches us three things: 1) God has a concern for the physical, 2) God has a knowledge of the sorrowful, and 3) God desires the relational. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on December 18, 1994. Series: The Nature of Faith. Scripture: Hebrews 2:14-18. Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

Abraham is a lot like many of us, who are not from where we now live. We’ve been brought somewhere from elsewhere. Abraham is the same. Abraham left his home community and became an exile. The Bible tells us repeatedly in the New Testament that each of us should see ourselves as exiles. We should live where we’re called to live as exiles. What does that mean? What did Abraham actually do in his exile? Let’s look at what the Bible says about how Christians are supposed to relate to the cities to which they’ve been called. We learn three things from this passage: 1) God builds cities, 2) God sends people to cities, and yet at the same time, 3) God frees us from cities. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on December 11, 1994. Series: The Nature of Faith. Scripture: Hebrews 11:8-16. Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

Hebrews is written to people who had suffered a great deal of persecution and difficulty. They were getting discouraged. Some of them were saying, “What good is this Christianity? We’re good people. Why are such bad things happening to us?” The writer is showing them that they have resources as Christians such that they can face life, no matter what it throws at them, with greatness and power and stamina. And in Hebrews 12, we come to the final case study that shows this. We come to Jesus himself. By looking at what Jesus suffered, why Jesus suffered, and how he suffered, we learn how we can face anything and triumph. This passage shows us three basic principles: 1) you will handle life’s difficulties depending on your focus, 2) you will deal with your troubles as long as you understand Jesus’ work, and 3) you should discern his model. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on December 4, 1994. Series: The Nature of Faith. Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-13. Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

The whole story of Moses and the leading out, the exodus, of the people of Israel out of Egypt and out of their slavery is all told in Hebrews 11 in just a couple of phrases. In the Passover’s ordinance of the death of a lamb and taking shelter under its blood, God gave the Israelites and anyone who wanted to read the Old Testament a clue to the meaning of the universe. Look at Jesus as Lamb, and a tremendous greatness of life will develop. This is the object of our faith. This is the thing we look at to become people of faith. From looking at Jesus as our Passover, Jesus as the Lamb of God, we get three lessons: 1) we see everybody deserves judgment, 2) Jesus’ death is a propitiation, and 3) the reason Jesus Christ was so weak as the Lamb was because his love was so strong. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on November 20, 1994. Series: The Nature of Faith. Scripture: Hebrews 11:27-29. Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

Is it possible in a throwaway culture, in a society of throwaway relationships, and in a society of throwaway identities to be a person who can endure and hyperstand? To hyperstand means you put your feet down and nothing can knock you off your feet. It’s like you’re in a river, but you can stand in the river. That’s what the book of Hebrews is about. And in the life of Moses, we see the secret of endurance, of someone who stands firm in the long run. Let’s look at 1) what Moses endured, and 2) how he did it. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on November 13, 1994. Series: The Nature of Faith. Scripture: Hebrews 11:23-30. Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

If we live a big life of faith, how will it show itself in the most specific and particular daily lifestyle details? The writer of Hebrews shows us the lifestyle of a person of faith. If circumstances and events and troubles no longer have the mastery over us, if we instead master them, what kind of people will we be in the way we live? We will be characterized by a lifestyle of openness and generosity. There are three kinds of openness and generosity that are mentioned in this passage: 1) living space, 2) social situations, and 3) your finances. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on November 6, 1994. Series: The Nature of Faith. Scripture: Hebrews 13:1-6. Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

How can you live a life so no matter what comes at you, you face it with equilibrium, you face it with poise, you face it with strength? Today we come to an incident in Abraham’s life which is called a test. In the beginning of this particular brief account, it says God tested Abraham. This is the secret of a great life. The secret of a great life is to understand you become great only through tests. We have to understand 1) there are tests, 2) how these tests work, 3) why we need these tests, and 4) how we pass these tests. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on October 30, 1994. Series: The Nature of Faith. Scripture: Hebrews 11:17-19. Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

There’s one guy who is so preeminently an example of a life of faith that three religions look to him as the paragon of faith. That guy’s name is Abraham. Here’s the story of Abraham’s life: God said, “Get out!” Abraham said, “Where?” God said, “I’ll tell you later. Just go.” The Lord said, “I will give you this land.” Abraham said, “When?” God said, “I’ll tell you later. Just wander around in tents.” The Lord said, “I will give you a son.” Abraham said, “How?” God said, “I’ll tell you later. Just wait around.” The Lord said, “Slay your son.” Abraham said, “Why?” God said, “I’ll tell you later. Just walk up the hill with him.” If you read the whole narrative, you’ll find that he fell down a number of times. But every time Abraham masters the situation. In the face of it, the circumstances didn’t master Abraham. How? Three principles: 1) he heard the call of God, 2) he obeyed the call of God, and 3) he looked to the city with foundations. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on October 23, 1994. Series: The Nature of Faith. Scripture: Hebrews 11:8-16. Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

Abraham had greatness in the face of a completely uncertain future. He had no idea what was coming, and yet he lived a life of greatness. How can we? The writer of Hebrews is writing to a group of Christians whose lives were going very badly. And in chapter 11, he says to them, “You don’t understand. The great men and women of God have never had designer lives. Yet they lived great lives.” And Abraham is perhaps the greatest case given. How we can live life with greatness, with stability, with confidence? There are three principles: 1) the negative principle, 2) the positive principle, and 3) the ultimate principle. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on October 16, 1994. Series: The Nature of Faith. Scripture: Hebrews 11:8-16. Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

Enoch is a very mysterious Old Testament figure. God took him right to heaven without him tasting death—because he walked with God. What’s so special about walking with God? In the garden of Eden, in the beginning of time, God took long walks with us every evening. And yet the minute human beings disobeyed God, they couldn’t stand intimacy with infinity anymore. Humans no longer walk with God. But suddenly, in Genesis 5, Enoch shows up and he still walks with God. What? It’s still possible? Yes, it’s possible by faith. Faith. You can do it too. Being a Christian is not about a general belief in God—it’s about walking with God. To walk with God is to 1) walk in peace with him, and to 2) walk in the presence of God. Let’s look at these two aspects and then, 3) look at how these two are drawn together. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on October 9, 1994. Series: The Nature of Faith. Scripture: Hebrews 11:5-7. Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.

Many of us are wondering how we’re even going to face Monday, but the men and women in Hebrews 11 didn’t just know how to face life—they were enabled to even go against the whole world. And the thing that enabled them was they were commended by God. Abel got the commendation from God—he was shown God accepted him as absolutely righteous, and as a result, he became one of these great hearts who can face the world, can face anything. By looking at Abel, and the contrast with Cain, we can have some understanding about how we also can know this same thing. The best way to understand the case of Cain and Abel is to ask: 1) how were Cain and Abel alike, 2) how were they not alike? and 3) are you Cain or Abel? This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on October 2, 1994. Series: The Nature of Faith. Scripture: Hebrews 11:1-7. Today's podcast is brought to you by Gospel in Life, the site for all sermons, books, study guides and resources from Timothy Keller and Redeemer Presbyterian Church. If you've enjoyed listening to this podcast and would like to support the ongoing efforts of this ministry, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/give and making a one-time or recurring donation.