Timothy Keller Podcast

The gospel should change not just our inner being but also the way we relate to the outside world. Paul engaged with society every day. He was distressed, indignant and compassionate about the Athenians' beliefs, but he kept his eyes on the cross to inform his words. He recognized their idols and raised up Jesus as the only true God.

The gospel of Jesus Christ transcends cultural and socioeconomic differences. Here we have three examples of conversions in Philippi: of the religious, the oppressed, and the secular. The gospel is presented through rational discourse, a power encounter, and through practical embodiment of a gospel-changed life. The message of Christ liberates and transforms lives, and unites people who once had nothing in common into one family.

The Easter story tells us of a new beginning after disaster - that after death there is life. If you spiritualize the resurrection of Jesus, you will have comfort but not the truth. The message of Easter is that right now, Jesus has flesh and bones. This changes the way you think, the way you live, and the way you feel.

Adam and Eve sinned even before they ate the forbidden fruit. As soon as they asked themselves why they should obey God, they had sinned in their hearts. Sin is when we remove God as the ultimate authority and enthrone ourselves in God’s place. By elevating ourselves at the expense of God, God’s good world became broken. Yet, the story of Adam and Eve does not end with despair but with hope. God, in the midst of his judgment, promises that a day will come when one of Eve’s children will utterly annihilate the power of sin.

Romans 8:28 is one of the most famous verses in the Bible. People love the thought that God works out all things for good for those who love Him. Yet, Romans 8:28 is intimately connected with Romans 8:29-30 where God promises to bodily resurrect those He has called. In other words, the Bible does not promise that Christians will have more pleasant circumstances in this life than non-Christians. The Bible promises a better life to come—not better life circumstances in this world.

The Biblical view of sex is unique. It rejects the view, held by some conservative cultures, that sex is dirty. Instead, the Bible views sex so highly that it cannot be shared casually with anyone. Sex is meant to bind two people together. It renews the covenant that they have made with one another.

The rich young ruler in this passage had followed all the rules, but received an astonishing rebuttal from Jesus. Any encounter with the “real” Jesus shocks us. This young man’s religious assumptions failed him because he didn't understand the concept of “treasure in heaven,” and consequently, he was unable to recognize the true freedom and inheritance Jesus offers.

In Romans 12, Paul looks at the Gospel and then exhorts us as to how we should live in the light of what Christ has done. He urges us to give up control over our lives and become “living sacrifices” for God. Unfortunately, the problem with a living sacrifice is that it keeps moving off the altar. Unless we stare deeply at Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf, we will never trust God enough to become the living sacrifices that he calls us to be.

The story of Noah and the flood is about second chances and new beginnings; God is ready to give us another chance. God calls us into three great relationships: with the earth, with all the people on earth, and with himself, the Lord of the Earth.

Adam and Eve sinned even before they ate the forbidden fruit. As soon as they asked themselves why they should obey God, they had sinned in their hearts. Sin is when we remove God as the ultimate authority and enthrone ourselves in God’s place. By elevating ourselves at the expense of God, God’s good world became broken. Yet, the story of Adam and Eve does not end with despair but with hope. God, in the midst of his judgment, promises that a day would come when one of Eve’s children would utterly annihilate the power of sin.

Knowing God is not an anti-rational mystical experience. Knowing God occurs when the truth overflows from your mind into your entire being. Knowing God is when the truth you’ve heard a thousand times becomes experientially real, and you marvel at the miracle of God’s love for us.

Modern people are often uncomfortable when the Bible speaks of God’s jealousy. Yet, God’s jealousy is intimately related to God’s love toward us. The relationship that God calls us to is not merely one of subjects obeying a king. Rather, God calls us into a marriage relationship with Him, and His jealousy is spousal. God seeks a relationship with us that is characterized by priority, fidelity, and intimacy.

Modern people are often uncomfortable when the Bible speaks of God’s jealousy. Yet, God’s jealousy is intimately related to God’s love toward us. The relationship that God calls us to is not merely one of subjects obeying a king. Rather, God calls us into a marriage relationship with Him, and His jealousy is spousal. God seeks a relationship with us that is characterized by priority, fidelity, and intimacy.

The proper basis for prayer is to approach God as our loving, Heavenly Father and to view our relationship with him as a family relationship - not a business relationship. To be able to pray with this kind of confidence, we need to know that we have been adopted as his children, with all the privileges that entails, by the sacrificial death of his only begotten Son, Jesus.

Do we see Jesus as he is or merely as we would like to see him? That same question goes for religious people and skeptics alike. For skeptics and seekers “come and see” means to come, think, and examine the evidence. For Christians “come and see” means to come and be a disciple of Jesus. We may think we are following him when in reality we are just following our own hearts. Coming to Jesus with a heart that seeks to see him as he wants to be seen opens the way to a life-changing encounter. Come and see.