Timothy Keller Sermons Podcast by Gospel in Life

I’d like to look at two objections, two problems people have with God today. First of all, the problem of evil and suffering. How could a good and powerful God allow that? Secondly, the problem of the exclusiveness of religion. If you think you have the truth, if you think your religion is right, if you think you have the superior take on spirituality, doesn’t that lead to exclusion and oppression and abuse?
You say, “Well, you’re a minister, so obviously you don’t think those problems are very big.” No. I think that’s quite wrong. They have great weight, and I think we’re all in the same boat here. Whether you believe in God or you really don’t believe in God, you still have those problems.
The real question is are they insurmountable? Is there a way through them? I would like to at least give you a way through. Let me give you something to consider as a possible way through.
This talk was given by Rev. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on November 9, 2003 as part of the Redeemer Open Forum series. Open Forums were specifically designed for skeptics or those wrestling with the claims of Christianity.
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 some ways, the key prayer in Mozart’s requiem is in the “Rex Tremendae,” the king of terrible majesty. It says, “… who saves those who are being saved freely.” In spite of all the talk about judgment day, we get mercy.
Now on what basis do we get mercy? On what basis do we get rest, if we don’t deserve it? When modern people in Western society listen to something like Mozart’s Requiem, there are certain questions that come up right away.
First, did Jesus really die like that? Was he a sacrificial lamb? Was Jesus crucified on the cross? Did that really happen historically, or was that just made up? Second, why did Jesus have to die like that? What’s the whole idea? Why was it even necessary? Third, what difference does it make to us?
This talk was given by Rev. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on April 4, 2004 as part of the Redeemer Open Forum series. Open Forums were specifically designed for skeptics or those wrestling with the claims of Christianity.
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 we’re going to do is look at the question–who is Jesus Christ?
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is both intellectually credible and existentially satisfying. I’ve come to see over the years that those are the two tests of any valid worldview, philosophy or religion. It has to be both rational, coherent, and it has to be true. It has to meet my needs. It has to connect with my experience.
Don’t come to Christianity because it’s relevant–though, it certainly is. Don’t come to Christianity because it’s exciting–though, absolutely, it is. Don’t come to Christianity because it’ll meet your needs–though, it certainly will. Come because it’s true. And because it’s true, it’ll meet your needs, it’s exciting, and it’s relevant.
This talk was given by Rev. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on May 1, 1994 as part of the Redeemer Open Forum series. Open Forums were specifically designed for skeptics or those wrestling with the claims of Christianity.
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.

Miguel de Cervantes, Albert Camus, Aldous Huxley, Tolstoy, Voltaire, Shakespeare, Jesus Christ–they all know the average person is so busy in both work and play that you go years and years without asking yourself, “What is my reason for doing all this? What is my reason for life? What’s my whole life about?” Put another way: “When all is said and done, what will I have really accomplished?”
Do you want freedom? The great thinkers will say that if you want absolute freedom to live your life the way you want, you have to admit the utter meaninglessness of life. If you want complete freedom, you must face utter meaninglessness. That’s the first point.
The second point is nobody can live that way. To really believe life is meaningless gets you into convolutions that are emotional, psychological, logical, philosophical. You can’t even live that way, because life does have meaning. Let me argue that both freedom and meaning are found in Jesus Christ.
This talk was given by Rev. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on February 27, 1994 as part of the Redeemer Open Forum series. Open Forums were specifically designed for skeptics or those wrestling with the claims of Christianity.
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.

I want to talk about the reasoning behind belief in God–what the reasons for God and belief actually are. Why is the reason for God important? How does it work? What are the actual reasons for God?
This talk was given by Rev. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on March 2, 2008 as part of the Redeemer Open Forum series. Open Forums were specifically designed for skeptics or those wrestling with the claims of Christianity.
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.

Each week we’re choosing one of the things that most trouble people today about Christianity. The problem with Christianity we now come to centers around the Bible. Many people in a place like New York would say this: “There are many good things in the Bible, but you shouldn’t take every word of it literally. There are legends in there. Don’t insist on it being entirely trustworthy and completely authoritative in everything it says.”
What do we say to that? I’d like to argue (to the contrary, of course) that you should trust the Bible. You can and should trust the Bible in three ways: historically, culturally, and, most of all, personally.
This sermon was preached by Rev. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on November 5, 2006. Series "The Trouble with Christianity: Why it's so Hard to Believe it". Scripture: Luke 1:1-4, 24:13-32; 1 Timothy 1:9-11, Deuteronomy 2:24-27.
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.

Every week, we’re taking one of the things that in our culture troubles people the most about Christianity. We’re now going to look at the Christian teaching that God is a judge and a judge who consigns people to hell.
Someone says, “How can you possibly reconcile the concept of judgment and hell with the idea of a loving God? They just don’t go together.” What do we say about that? I’d like to argue that understanding what the Bible says about hell is crucial for understanding your own heart, for living in peace in the world, and for knowing the love of God.
This sermon was preached by Rev. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on October 22, 2006. Series "The Trouble with Christianity: Why it's so Hard to Believe it". Scripture: Luke 16:19-31; Romans 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 in a series taking the things that people in our culture (especially in New York City) are troubled by with regard to Christianity. This time, the objection could be put like this. The Christian church has a long history of oppression, and people acting in the name of Jesus Christ have engaged in systemic, economic, and cultural oppression of various races and classes. Therefore, the beliefs of Christianity are not credible and we shouldn’t believe them.
What do we say to this? Here’s three things we can learn from the book of James that address the problem. First, the passage will teach us the biblical God actually chooses the poor and the oppressed. Secondly, anyone with a true spiritual connection to that God inevitably does the same. Thirdly, we will learn how we can make that connection.
This sermon was preached by Rev. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on October 15, 2006. Series "The Trouble with Christianity: Why it's so Hard to Believe it". Scripture: James 2:1-17.
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.

We’re looking at the things that trouble people the most about Christianity. Now, we come to one that could be put like this: “Christians believe they have absolute truth. They have some things everyone should believe and everyone should do. But people who have absolute truth,” the objection goes, “undermine freedom. They tend to oppress people who are different than they are and impose their views on others. Everyone should be free to determine their own truth and what is right or wrong for them.”
What do we say to that? There are three things to say. Truth is a lot more important than you would think, freedom is a lot more complex than you would think, and Jesus is a lot more liberating than you think. Those principles are found in this passage. Let’s look at them.
This sermon was preached by Rev. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on October 8, 2006. Series "The Trouble with Christianity: Why it's so Hard to Believe it". Scripture: Galatians 2:4-16.
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.

We’re looking at the problems people in our culture, and especially in New York City, have with Christianity. We’re now going to look at the one you could call the problem of evil and suffering. And it’s a very formidable one for Christian belief.
The problem goes something like this. If God allows evil and suffering to continue because he can’t stop it, then he might be good, but he’s not all-powerful. On the other hand, if God allows evil and suffering to continue because he could stop it and yet won’t stop it, then he might be all-powerful, but he’s not good. It’s a pretty formidable argument. What do we say to it?
Let’s first look at why getting rid of your belief in God in order to understand evil and suffering will not help. And then three ways, according to Peter, we can face suffering and evil in our lives. Peter says you have to look back to something, you have to look ahead to something, and you have to look into something to handle evil and suffering in this world.
This sermon was preached by Rev. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on October 1, 2006. Series "The Trouble with Christianity: Why it's so Hard to Believe it". 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.

We’re beginning a series looking at the main objections, the main problems, people in our culture have with Christianity. The objection we’re looking at now can be summed up in one word: exclusivity. The problem is this: how can you possibly claim your religion is the only true religion, that you have the one truth?
Religion, generally speaking, has a very strong tendency to divide people and create strife amongst human beings. In fact, I would go so far as to say religion tends to create a slippery slope in the heart that moves all the way down to even oppression and violence. So what do we do about this? We have to do something.
I would suggest that right now, people are trying to address the divisiveness of religion in two ways. There are two main strategies people are taking, but I’d like to show you they won’t work. Lastly, I’d like to give you a strategy that I think will.
This sermon was preached by Rev. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on September 24, 2006. Series "The Trouble with Christianity: Why it's so Hard to Believe it". Scripture: 1 John 4:1-10.
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.

This particular passage is about the devil. Here’s what we’ll learn: there is a devil, and the devil works through our own heart sin.
This sermon was preached by Rev. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on May 15, 1994. Series "Splendor in the Furnace; 1 Peter, Part 2". Scripture: 1 Peter 5:5-11.
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.

Peter is very, very realistic about the troubles of life. Yet he gives us a secret here. He says it’s possible not just to survive suffering but to use suffering–not just to get through it, but to actually use it.
There are two things this passage tells us. First, what troubles, griefs, and losses really are–what their nature is. Secondly, how you should respond to them. As I think I’m going to show you, understanding their nature is 50 to 70 percent of responding. To understand what trials are, you’re already halfway home to responding to them in such a way that’s profitable and beneficial to you.
This sermon was preached by Rev. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on May 8, 1994. Series "Splendor in the Furnace; 1 Peter, Part 2". Scripture: 1 Peter 4:12-19.
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.

“The end is near. Therefore, be clear minded, sober, love one another, serve.” Let’s look at what this verse teaches in both its form and its content, because it’s very striking and very practical.
This sermon was preached by Rev. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on April 24, 1994. Series "Splendor in the Furnace; 1 Peter, Part 2". Scripture: 1 Peter 4:7-11.
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.

To the world, the ways in which Christians behave will not just look different; it will look crazy. Peter says that you will be looked upon as extremely strange, going against nature even, in many ways. As a result, you’re going to have lots of abuse heaped on you.
Inside the Christian faith, you can often see how obvious it is that we should live in certain ways. But outside of the Christian faith, the world has a whole different plausibility structure and set of assumptions. Therefore, the way Christians act looks absolutely berserk, absolutely bizarre, strange, and crazy.
But Peter says, “You live according to the will of God.” And the question immediately arises–how do you do that? How can you live a life like that in the face of not just a kind of abuse, but really, a war of plausibility structures?
This sermon was preached by Rev. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on April 17, 1994. Series "Splendor in the Furnace; 1 Peter, Part 2". Scripture: 1 Peter 4:1-6.
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.

Today we continue a special series of meditations by Tim Keller — "Trusting God in Difficult Times." This new series is meant to encourage you to trust God more deeply and to meditate on his word and what it promises, to give you strength and hope in difficult times. Today’s meditation is from Ecclesiastes 8 and includes a Q&A with Tim and Kathy Keller.
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.

1 Peter is about how we can live in such a way that the trouble and pain and suffering that inevitably comes into our lives will not crush us or make us weaker things, but instead make us stronger–refine our character, turn us into great people. How does that happen? How can the sufferings of life actually become tools that hone you and polish you and refine you?
What we need is right here in verse 16: “Be ye holy; for I am holy.” That’s the heart of this passage. First of all, it teaches us God is holy. Secondly, it teaches us we can be holy. Thirdly, we can be holy because God is holy. No hope otherwise.
This sermon was preached by Rev. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on October 17, 1993. Series "Splendor in the Furnace; 1 Peter, Part 1". Scripture: 1 Peter 1:13-21.
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.

Today we continue a special series of meditations by Tim Keller — "Trusting God in Difficult Times." This new series is meant to encourage you to trust God more deeply and to meditate on his word and what it promises, to give you strength and hope in difficult times. Today’s meditation is from Psalm 150 and includes a Q&A with Tim and Kathy Keller.
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 theme of the whole book of 1 Peter is about how a Christian can face troubles and suffering in such a way that it turns us into something splendid, instead of crushing us.
In the Christian life, suffering and glory are inextricably bound up together, because our great forerunner, our great pioneer and savior Jesus Christ, came to glory through suffering. As a result, that is the pattern for all of us. Suffering and glory are bound together.
This sermon was preached by Rev. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on September 26, 1993. Series "Splendor in the Furnace; 1 Peter, Part 1". 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.

Job is a man who is plunged into agony, and for chapter after chapter, we’ve been seeing Job confused and angry, crying out to God in prayer. Two things keep coming up through all that. Job says, “I don’t want to suffer without explanation, and I don’t want to suffer without vindication.” He keeps saying, “I want to appear before God. I want to talk to God. I want to meet God face to face.” Therefore, if you’re reading through the book of Job, you know the only way this story can end is for God to actually show up and respond to Job.
And God does. This is the climax of the whole book. There are three things we’re going to learn about this final climactic appearance of God before Job. Let’s look at the argument of God, the silences of God, and God’s wonderful, terrible storm.
This sermon was preached by Rev. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on February 10, 2008. Series "Job - A Path Through Suffering". Scripture: Job 38:1-3; 40:8-12; 42:1-10.
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.