Timothy Keller Sermons Podcast by Gospel in Life

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.

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 Luke 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.

We’ve seen that Job is a devout believer in God, a pillar of his community, and suddenly and inexplicably everything is taken away from him–his wealth, health, family–and he’s plunged into darkness. In this middle part of the book, there are these long speeches by Job, and true to reality, most of the time he’s basically expressing confusion and anger.
Then in this passage, Job wrestles through to a couple of high points of remarkable faith and insight. What we see here is Job coming to grips with three resources that everywhere in the Bible we are told Christians have in order to face suffering. Everywhere from the Old Testament to the New Testament, we’re told Christians have these three resources in order to face suffering: to know the comfort of the presence, to know the challenge of the glory, and the joy of the resurrection.
This sermon was preached by Rev. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on January 20, 2008. Series "Job - A Path Through Suffering". Scripture: Job 13:20-24; 14:7-17.
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.

How do you get through the inevitable suffering that will come to you? The answer is comfort. A shock absorber system in a car doesn’t eliminate the bumps in the road, but it keeps the car from being shaken into pieces by the bumps. You have to have sources of comfort and strength when you go through suffering–not that it eliminates the suffering, but that the suffering won’t actually shake you to pieces.
Job had three friends. They show up, and from basically chapter 3 all the way into the 20s, they speak to Job in cycles to try to comfort him, to try to help him interpret and understand his suffering. And they do an absolutely terrible job of comforting.
Yet, even by looking at how they don’t comfort well, we’re going to learn something about where the sources of comfort must come from. We’ll look at this passage under three headings: the bad comfort we get from Eliphaz, the better comfort we actually see in Job, and the ultimate comfort we get from somebody else.
This sermon was preached by Rev. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on January 13, 2008. Series "Job - A Path Through Suffering". Scripture: Job 5:1-7; 6:1-10.
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.

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 126 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.

There’s nothing more certain than that you’re going to suffer. When you suffer, it’s so natural to ask the question: Why? In fact, instinctively, sometimes it’s the very first thing out of your mouth when tragedy hits. Why me? Why this? Why now? Why them?
There is no book of the Bible or piece of literature in the whole world that addresses the great “why question” of suffering with the intellectual and philosophical integrity, the emotional and dramatic realism, and the spiritual wisdom of the book of Job.
Right out of the gate, we get some major advice about how to suffer the inevitable burdens of human life. We’re going to learn here, first, you have to avoid pat answers to the question of suffering. Secondly, you need to embrace living without an answer to the question. Thirdly, you need to anticipate the ultimate answer to the question of why.
This sermon was preached by Rev. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on January 6, 2008. Series "Job - A Path Through Suffering". Scripture: Job 1:8-22.
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.

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 42 and includes a Q&A with Tim and Kathy Keller.
Today's podcast is brought to you by Hope for New York. 
In light of the Covid-19 pandemic, GivingTuesday is promoting May 5th as a special giving day — GivingTuesdayNow — to promote giving to nonprofits during this extraordinary time of need.
Today, Tim and Kathy Keller would like to invite you to make a gift to Hope for New York's Relief Fund. Their ministry mobilizes volunteers and provides financial resources to support over 60 non-profit affiliates serving poor and marginalized communities in New York City.
As you can imagine, the need since mid-March has grown exponentially. Presently, almost all affiliate programs have been modified or limited due to COVID-19, but the affiliates are determined to continue caring for the most vulnerable populations across five boroughs.
Every gift makes a difference. You can give to Hope for New York at gospelinlife.com/nyc and 100% of your donation will provide critical relief grants and resources to Hope for New York’s affiliates.
Thank you for your generous support of this vital ministry.

Suffering is like the Great Wall of China. There’s no way around it. Many are personally suffering at the present moment. Others are not, but are nevertheless rightly troubled by it. Both groups of people will inevitably ask the question–why? But they’ll ask it in different ways.
Let’s look at the general problem of suffering with the question: How do we understand it? And then the personal problem: How do we survive it, how do we face it?
This special talk and Q&A were held at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on October 2, 2013.
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.