Timothy Keller Sermons Podcast by Gospel in Life

To be able to handle life, there’s nothing more practical than to know that Jesus is your advocate.
This isn’t just an abstract doctrinal issue. Because this whole book of Hebrews is written not as a theological treatise, but as a piece of intense pastoral counseling. 
So let’s ask three questions: 1) why do we need an advocate? 2) how is Jesus Christ the advocate we need? and 3) what difference will it make in your life if you receive him as such?
This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on March 6, 2005. Series: Christ: Our Treasury (The Book of Hebrews). Scripture: Hebrews 7:18-27.
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 Hebrews is telling us we’ll never make it through life without counseling—daily counseling.
A main theme of Hebrews is that life in this world is a journey, spiritually speaking, through a wilderness. In verse 13, it says the only way we’re going to get through it is with this little word: the Greek word, parakaleō. It’s often translated as encouragement, but it comes closest to what we today would call counseling. 
Let’s ask the text these questions: 1) why do we need counseling? 2) what kind of counseling do we need? 3) who can give it to us? and 4) how do we receive it?
This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on February 27, 2005. Series: Christ: Our Treasury (The Book of Hebrews). Scripture: Hebrews 3:12-13; 4:14-5:7.
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.

Hebrews is written to first-century, urban people who are so weary with troubles and difficulties that they’re in danger of giving up. What do they need? 
It’s pretty obvious from this passage what the writer is trying to get across: because eight times in eleven verses we see the word “rest.” It’s not just a crucial message for them, but for us too. We live in a culture that’s probably more in need of this message than any other culture in history. 
This passage shows us 1) the importance of rest, 2) the two levels of rest, 3) the ordeal you need to go through in order to get rest, and 4) the author of rest.
This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on February 20, 2005. Series: Christ: Our Treasury (The Book of Hebrews). Scripture: Hebrews 4:1-13.
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 book of Hebrews is written to a group of urban, first-century Christians who were struggling with fear and discouragement because their lives were so filled with troubles. 
The question this book asks is if God loves us so much, why are our lives so hard? In almost every passage, the answer it gives is that fear and discouragement can be dealt with by looking at Jesus. 
Hebrews 2 says if you really want to deal with fear and discouragement in your life, you need to see that Jesus is 1) the king who gets involved with us, 2) the captain who faces death for us, and 3) the brother who is proud of us.
This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on February 13, 2005. Series: Christ: Our Treasury (The Book of Hebrews). Scripture: Hebrews 2:5-18.
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.

If God is so committed to our joy and our glory, if he loves us so much, why is our life so hard? 
That’s what the book of Hebrews is about and the answer, in a nutshell, is life is a journey. It’s a journey from weariness into rest. It’s a journey from alienation into the presence of God. It’s a journey from isolation into the city of God. And the only way you’re going to get home is by fixing your eyes on Jesus. The whole idea of Hebrews is you don’t get home through bursts, through sprints, but in a sustained, long-term way. 
In Hebrews 1 and 2, we learn what Jesus has to do with this question: 1) what he brings, 2) why he brings it; and 3) how it can change our lives.
This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on February 6, 2005. Series: Christ: Our Treasury (The Book of Hebrews). Scripture: Hebrews 1:1-4; 2:1-4.
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.

Psalm 126 has always helped me. It has never filled my soul with glory. It has always made me quiet and reflective. Because it’s a perfect overview of the emotional life that the life of faith brings.
You’re going to weep. In this world, you will weep. But how are you weeping? What are you doing with your sorrows? They need to be sown. They need to be invested. They need to be planted, in a sense, or they need to water.
Psalm 126 tells us 3 things about how we’re supposed to address our sorrows: 1) it tells us to expect weeping, 2) it tells us to expect new kinds of tears, and 3) it tells us to sow our tears. 
But let me say there are three principles: 1) the life of faith is a life of both rejoicing and weeping, 2) the life of faith is a life of greater rejoicing and greater weeping, and 3) the life of faith is a life of interdependent rejoicing and weeping.
This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on July 13, 1997. Series: Happiness and Weeping. Scripture: Psalm 126.
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 tells his disciples that no one will take away their joy. Now that’s pretty amazing. He knows to whom he is talking. He is speaking to men who are going to be persecuted. They’re going to be robbed of everything they own. They’re going to be tortured. They’re going to be put to death.
The Bible says there is a joy that is not subject to circumstances, that the deepest troubles can’t put out, that can coexist and overwhelm the greatest grief. And these three verses in Romans 8 have the heart of it. In these three verses, you have three principles. This is the basis for joy.
Your joy will be strong to the degree you understand and grasp these three things: 1) our bad things turn out for good, 2) our good things can never be lost, and 3) the best things are yet to come.
This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on July 6, 1997. Series: Happiness and Weeping. Scripture: Romans 8:28-30.
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.

Jesus was about to come into Joseph’s life, and Joseph thought he was doing the right thing to arrange things so it wouldn’t happen. Joseph was going to dismiss Mary quietly. But the angel comes to Joseph and says, “Your problem is you’re a coward. Do not be afraid.”
This passage shows us that you can’t be a Christian unless you have courage. Or put another way, to let Jesus into your life, to receive Jesus into your life, takes courage above all. 
Another way to put it is you will not receive Jesus into your life unless you have the courage to accept three other things. They’re all here: three things Joseph had to accept. You can’t receive Christ unless you have 1) the courage to accept the world’s disdain, 2) the courage to accept the adventure of his lordship, and 3) the courage to admit you’re a sinner.
This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on December 21, 1997. Scripture: Matthew 1:18-24.
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 undertstood 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.

In the Christmas stories, a theme that’s more important than you might think is the theme of exile and home.
The book of Isaiah is filled with prophecies about a future messianic age brought by a future messianic king who would put all things right. Because Christians believe that messianic king was Jesus, we’re looking at these prophecies to help us grasp the richness of what Christmas means and who it was who was born in the manger. 
Let’s take a look at Isaiah 35 to see 1) what the text means, 2) what Christmas means, and 3) what it means for how we actually live our lives.
This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on December 22, 2013. Series: Jesus, Our Hope (Advent). Scripture: Isaiah 35:1-10.
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.

The themes of Christmas, if grasped, are life-transforming.
We’re looking at the book of Isaiah, at the prophesies of the messiah. Because Christians believe the messianic king that Isaiah prophesied was Jesus, we believe these prophecies help us understand the richness of the meaning of Christmas and who Jesus is. 
Isaiah 11 tells us three things about this great prophesied king: 1) the justice of the king, 2) the wisdom of the king, and 3) the identity of the king.
This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on December 15, 2013. Series: Jesus, Our Hope (Advent). Scripture: Isaiah 11:1-10.
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 does Christmas mean?
The Old Testament book of Isaiah helps us come to grips with the riches of Christmas. If I could put it in one sentence, it tells us that Christmas means the unexpected, ultimate light comes through the God-man, which can only be received by grace. 
Let’s look at it: Christmas means 1) God does something unexpected, 2) the salvation has to do with the ultimate light, and 3) the hope you get can only be received as a gift of grace.
This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on December 8, 2013. Series: Jesus, Our Hope (Advent). Scripture: Isaiah 9:1-7.
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.

The end of a worship service is always about mission. A minister says, “Let us go forth to serve the world as those who love our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.” Then the people say, “Thanks be to God.” 
Do you realize how significant this is? You are being sent out into the world to give your life in service, now reshaped by the knowledge that Jesus Christ is your Savior, and you’re filled with his love. 
Let’s look at Psalm 67 to learn about 1) the fact of mission, 2) the character of mission, 3) the dynamic for mission, and 4) the consolation of mission.
This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on September 21, 2008. Series: Liturgy: What we do in Worship. Scripture: Psalm 67:1-7.
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.

What is a benediction? Is it a little perfunctory ceremony that helps everybody know it’s time to find your purse and get ready to leave? No. I’d like to show you tonight that the benediction is the meaning of your whole life. 
If you understand the benediction, when it’s said to you, your whole life should flash before your eyes. A benediction is a blessing. 
So let’s look at 1) what God’s blessing is, 2) how it comes, and 3) how it reshapes your life.
This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on September 14, 2008. Series: Liturgy: What we do in Worship. Scripture: Numbers 6:22-27.
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 sermon on how to listen to sermons. 
Psalm 19 is a great Psalm, and it can teach us a lot about what it means to listen to the Scripture be read and taught. How do we listen to the Scripture read and taught?
We’re going to learn three things here: 1) we need a real word from God, 2) why we need that word, and 3) how to receive that word.
This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on September 7, 2008. Series: Liturgy: What we do in Worship. Scripture: Psalm 19:1-14.
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.

Every week we gather for worship, and we move through the same order of service. But after a while, do we realize what we’re doing?
We’re going to look at each of the elements of our services, so we can understand them and catch ourselves when we’re going through the motions. This week let’s look at the call to worship: what does it mean to be called to worship? 
In Psalm 147, we can see 1) what we’re called to do, 2) why we’re called to do it, 3) how we’re called to do it, and 4) when we’re called to do it.
This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on August 24, 2008. Series: Liturgy: What we do in Worship. Scripture: Psalm 147:1-20.
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.

Psalm 103 is about how to handle life in general. It, in a sense, gives you the key approach to handle all of life’s circumstances, all of life’s situations, no matter what they are. And at first, this key feels anticlimactic. 
What does it say the whole problem of our hearts is? That we need to praise the Lord with our entire souls. How? By not forgetting his benefits. David is saying, “The main thing I need to do, the main thing you need to do, is to not forget.” I know that’s anticlimactic. But it’s because of ur word for remember is so much more shallow than the biblical and Hebrew concept. David is calling for something far deeper than mental recall, and he’s dealing with something far more transforming than just counting your blessings.
We’re going to learn here 1) why we need to remember, 2) where we need to remember, 3) what we need to remember, and 4) how we need to remember.
This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on March 19, 2000. Series: Psalms – The Songs of Jesus. Scripture: Psalm 103:1-22.
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’ve experienced God as a God of grace, how does that change our attitude toward money?
The early church was an economic subculture that was radically different from the culture around it. In fact wherever the early church is described, we see the Christians’ drastic generosity—so drastic that it seemed unreasonable to those outside the church. Why were they so different? The answer is an experience of God’s grace.
Grace revolutionizes 1) our attitude toward money, 2) our procedure, and 3) the benefits of giving. 
This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on November 8, 1992. Series: The Attributes of God. Scripture: Acts 4:32-37.
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 make a gift to Gospel in Life this Giving Tuesday, you can do so by visiting https://gospelinlife.com/tuesday.

Guilt and shame, having your heart broken under a sense of failure and general unworthiness—I feel this is probably more rampant in places like New York than anywhere else. Do you know why? Because we have so many successful people in New York, people who, in many ways are driven more acutely than other people by this fear of failure or unworthiness. 
In Psalm 130, we see guilt and shame likened to a hole, to something we’ve sunk down in. And then we’re shown a way out that’s available for a person who’s in that hole of guilt and shame. And then we see a little bit about the process of how you climb out. 
So let’s look at: 1) sinkhole of guilt and shame, 2) the rope that’s given to a person sinking in guilt and shame, and 3) the climb out.
This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on March 12, 2000. Series: Psalms – The Songs of Jesus. Scripture: Psalm 130:1-8.
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.

Your first sound, our first sound, is a wail of fear. The baby comes out saying, “Why is it so cold? Who has a finger down my mouth? Who’s grabbing me? What’s going on?” That’s the way you come into the world. Fear, therefore, is maybe the most primal of all emotions. 
In Psalm 3, David has something to be afraid of. He has literal armies after him, trying to kill him. But right in the middle of the psalm, he says he will not fear and he will sleep in the midst of this. He’s found a way of praying his fear so he’s able to handle it.
What do we learn from David about fear and how to handle it? The answer is 1) there are two levels down into fear, and 2) there are four steps out.
This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on March 5, 2000. Series: Psalms – The Songs of Jesus. Scripture: Psalm 3:1-8; Genesis 15:1, 8.
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.