Timothy Keller Sermons Podcast by Gospel in Life

In Jonah, the antagonists are the religious, moral people. It’s us. It’s the city-disdaining, city-phobic, religious, moral people. We’re the antagonists, and God is the protagonist. It all comes down to this last question when God says, “Should I not have compassion? Should I not love that great city?” This is what the story is about. It’s about God’s love for a big, unbelieving, unjust, violent, pagan city.  We can learn about three things here: 1) God’s call to the city, 2) God’s view of the city, and 3) God’s love for the city. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on October 14, 2001. Series: The Church in the City. Scripture: Jonah 4:1-11. 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.

History tells us the Assyrian empire brought cruelty and massacre to a new level. It was a violent empire that slaughtered helpless people. And Jonah’s response to it is anger. He wants them punished.  Yet, in the book of Jonah, we see one of the greatest surprising turns of all the stories in the Bible. God refuses to accept either the violence of Nineveh or the poisonous anger of Jonah.  Let’s look at three things that this text tells us about violence: 1) the surprising sources of violence, 2) the remarkable strategy we should take with violence, and 3) the ultimate solution for violence. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on October 7, 2001. Series: The Church in the City. Scripture: Jonah 3:1-4:5. 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.

Jonah’s spirituality was fine for his old world and his old situations. But when he’s faced with a new situation, it just collapses.  Then, when he’s in the belly of the fish, Jonah begins to reflect and pray, and as the prayer moves along, we see he has a spiritual breakthrough. Now the new situation is something he can handle. How do we, too, move to the next level?  By looking at Jonah’s prayer we learn about 1) the key to spiritual transformation, 2) the method of spiritual transformation, 3) the marks of spiritual transformation, and 4) the continual need for it. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on September 30, 2001. Series: The Church in the City. Scripture: Jonah 2:1-3:3. 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.

Jonah runs away for two reasons: fear and hate.  God has told Jonah to go to Nineveh to warn them, but Jonah refuses. He’s afraid to put himself in the midst of his enemies, but he’s also filled with hate toward them. So the book of Jonah addresses in a real way the questions “What do I do about my fear?” and “What do I do about my anger?” Let’s notice three features of the story: 1) the stormy sea shows us who we are, 2) the religious sailors show us the wrong thing to do about it, and 3) the willing substitute shows us the right thing to do about it. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on September 23, 2001. Series: The Church in the City. Scripture: Jonah 1:4-17. 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.

Words like sin, sinner, heathen and heretic have been used for centuries to exclude and oppress people. That’s one reason we need the book of Jonah.  Jonah gives a concept of sin that can’t be used to oppress people. In fact, it shows that it’s one thing to believe in sin and another thing to understand it in your own heart. Jonah was a prophet, but there was a kind of sin in his heart that flew under his radar—until it blew up.  Let’s look at four features in the narrative that each tell us something about sin: 1) the coming word, 2) the running man, 3) the deathly sleep, and 4) the stormy hope. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on September 9, 2001. Series: The Church in the City. Scripture: Jonah 1:1-10. 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.

In the old tales, if they were sending people out on a quest, they always gave them special gifts with special powers. That’s what Jesus is doing in John 14—he’s sending his disciples (us) out into the world.  The night before he dies, Jesus is giving mighty gifts with special powers to his disciples and to us. And of all the gifts that he gives, the greatest gift possible is this one: the Holy Spirit. Let’s see what we learn in this passage about 1) who the Spirit is, 2) what the Spirit does, and 3) why the Spirit can do it. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on February 5, 2017. Series: Jesus, Mission, and Glory: New Confidence. Scripture: John 14:16-26. 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.

God sent Jesus into the world to say the things he said and do the things he did — and it got him killed. Now Jesus is sending us into the world, and we should probably expect at least a hard time. In John 14, Jesus gives us gifts for the journey, gifts that will equip us for the difficult work of being his representatives. One of those great gifts is prayer. And if anybody is saying, “Oh, yeah, I know. What else?” then you don’t know. I don’t think any of us really know. Prayer is a mighty gift, and in a sense, everything we need to know about prayer is locked in one verse. We’re going to look at 1) the power of prayer, 2) the conditions for prayer, 3) the purpose of prayer, and 4) the foundation of prayer. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on January 29, 2017. Series: Jesus, Mission, and Glory: New Confidence. Scripture: John 14:12-15. 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.

Philip asks Jesus for something I think most of us can identify with. He asks Jesus to actually show them God. And at this, Jesus is exasperated.  Philip’s saying, “We believe in God, but it’s hard. So give us just one view, and that will be enough for the rest of our lives.” And essentially, Jesus says, “I’m offering you something greater than a vision, that through me you can know God.”  Let’s look at 1) what is possible, that through Jesus we can know God, 2) how it’s possible, and 3) why it’s possible. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on January 22, 2017. Series: Jesus, Mission, and Glory: New Confidence. Scripture: John 14:7-11. 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.

Trouble will come. And because we’re going to have trouble, Jesus says he wants to give us something so that our hearts are not troubled by the trouble. John 14 begins and ends with Jesus saying, “I don’t want you to be troubled.” So what is it that Jesus does to give us confidence and strength to face life as it is?  The first thing Jesus gives us to help us deal with the troubles of life is the knowledge of a real home for us. Jesus tells us 1) there’s a real home he’s preparing for us, 2) it’s in heaven, and 3) the road to it is through hell. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on January 8, 2017. Series: Jesus, Mission, and Glory: New Confidence. Scripture: John 14:1-3. 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.

To live a Christian life is much more transformative than just trying to live better. If you’re a Christian, you are a living stone in the temple of the Holy Spirit, and you are a holy priesthood called to do sacrifices to the Lord, because you’re related to the cornerstone, Jesus Christ. Now that’s quite an image. What does it all mean? Let’s unpack that under three headings: 1) what we are called to be, 2) what we’re called to do, and 3) how we can be enabled and empowered to do it. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on June 29, 2014. Series: Following Jesus. Scripture: 1 Peter 2:4-10. 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.

The Christian understanding of freedom is at complete loggerheads with what our culture tells us. And I’d say most of us as Christians have trouble understanding it ourselves.  An extremely important concept for understanding the Christian life is the freedom of a Christian. It’s a theme that runs all the way through the New Testament: the paradox that Christians are free through submission, free through service, free through obedience, free through submission to liberating authority. Let’s look at 1 Peter to learn about Christian spiritual freedom: 1) what it is, 2) what it brings, and 3) how it can grow in you. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on June 22, 2014. Series: Following Jesus. Scripture: 1 Peter 2:13-17. 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.

Living the Christian life is not a matter of willpower and self-effort. Because of the Holy Spirit in our lives, we have the potential for radical and organic growth and change.  2 Peter talks about moving from selfishness to unselfishness, from enslavement to freedom, from foolishness to wisdom. It’s talking about inward character change, about spiritual growth.  According to this passage, spiritual growth is 1) possible, 2) gradual, 3) essential, 4) practical, and 5) ultimately wonderful. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on June 8, 2014. Series: Following Jesus. Scripture: 2 Peter 1:3-11. 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 book of 1 Peter is probably more about suffering than anything else.  It might be the only book in the New Testament completely devoted to the subject of suffering. And it shows us that going through trials, troubles, and sufferings is one of the main ways in which we grow into Christlikeness.  So let’s see what we learn here about 1) the inevitability of suffering, 2) the good potential of suffering, and 3) the disciplines of suffering. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on June 1, 2014. Series: Following Jesus. Scripture: 1 Peter 1:6-9. 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.

When we become Christians we don’t just turn over a new leaf, we’re spiritually raised with Christ and his resurrection power comes into our lives. And so, what does such an empowered life look like? We’re called to be holy, but this is a difficult term to get ahold of. In our modern culture, both the word “sin” and the word “holiness” are almost never used anymore except ironically. But we need to take it seriously.  So let’s ask 1) what is holiness? 2) how does it grow and develop in us? and 3) why is it possible to be holy? This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on May 18, 2014. Series: Following Jesus. Scripture: 1 Peter 1:13-16. 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.

Jesus’ resurrected power is in our lives now. Even though we are not yet bodily resurrected, Christians are, according to Ephesians 2, raised with Christ and knowing the power of his resurrection. What does that mean? What does it mean to live that kind of life? What kind of life should we live now in light of the resurrection of Jesus?  Let’s look at 1) how we’re supposed to live as Christians, 2) the test by which we know whether we’re living that way, and 3) the power by which we can live that way. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on May 11, 2014. Series: Following Jesus. Scripture: 1 Peter 1:1-2. 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.

When we unite with Jesus Christ, his resurrection power comes into our lives.  Even though we believe we’ll be resurrected in our bodies at the end of time, there is already a spiritual resurrection that happens to us now. What does that look like?  Looking at this text, we can see 1) what happened, 2) where it happens, 3) how it keeps happening, and 4) why it happens. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on May 4, 2014. Series: Following Jesus. Scripture: 1 Peter 1:3-12. 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.

Jesus’ resurrection isn’t supposed to just change history—it’s supposed to change you and me. The New Testament everywhere says we should expect to encounter the risen Christ. And that’s how our lives are changed.  Peter is a case study for us, because we have here the story of how the resurrected Christ sat down with Peter at the fire by the Sea of Galilee—about how Peter’s life had fallen apart and how the risen Christ put it back together. How do we, too, meet and encounter the risen Christ?  We learn four principles here: if you want to encounter the risen Christ, 1) you have to believe in the resurrection’s reality, 2) you have to understand its achievement, 3) you have to submit to its pattern, and 4) you have to live its life. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on April 27, 2014. Series: Following Jesus. Scripture: Mark 14:27-31. 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.

Easter is too marvelous for words, but we’re going to try.  Luke 24 is an account of the resurrection: from the morning when the empty tomb was discovered, to the middle of the day when Jesus appeared on the road to Emmaus, to the evening when Jesus appeared to his disciples. And in that evening account, we see that Jesus said a number of things to his disciples. We can learn three things about the resurrection of Jesus Christ from what happens that evening: 1) the resurrection of Jesus Christ is a paradigm-shattering historical event, 2) the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the key to understanding the message of the entire Bible, and 3) the resurrection is the strongest message of hope possible. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on April 20, 2014. Series: Knowing Jesus. Scripture: Luke 24:36-49. 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.

For centuries now, on the Sunday before Easter, the church has observed the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem just days before he was crucified. It’s called Palm Sunday.  What does Palm Sunday mean? It means Jesus is king, and it’s important to see that’s not just an abstract proposition. Palm Sunday is about this: you can’t know Jesus Christ unless you know him as king. He can’t change your life unless you understand him as king. You can’t even understand who he is unless you understand him as king.  Luke 19 teaches us 1) Jesus is the true king, 2) Jesus is the weak king, and 3) how he can be your king. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on April 13, 2014. Series: Knowing Jesus. Scripture: Luke 19:28-40. 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.

Christianity gives us resources to help us live in a world that’s hard to live in. And in Luke 5, we see a resource we wouldn’t immediately think of as one — that is, that when Jesus calls us, he sends us out into the world to serve. Serving other people is draining, but it’s also strengthening. Because if you see that you should live for your neighbor’s fulfillment rather than your own fulfillment, paradoxically, that becomes a very fulfilling life. Jesus sends us out in three ways: 1) he sends us with our faith out into our work, 2) he asks us to take our faith out to the marginalized of society, and 3) he asks us to go out and help change people’s hearts toward God. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on March 16, 2014. Series: Knowing Jesus. Scripture: Luke 5:4-25. 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.