by Timothy J. Keller
The following sermons are in MP3 format. To download, right click and save to your heard drive.
Overview (Renewal)
Missions
We are smothering under our small ambitions. Our hearts and minds were made for nobler things. God does not bless Christians merely to fulfill their individual needs,but sends them out on mission to display Jesus and to meet the needs of others. Scripture: John 17:13-19; John 4:13-14; Isaiah 6; Genesis 12
Heaven
When the Bible speaks of the new heaven and the new earth,it is not speaking of an alternative to this world; it is speaking of the healing and restoration of this world. This gives Christians a reason to participate in restoring this fallen world. Furthermore,because Christians know that there is a perfect world coming,they don't put all their hope in the current world. Christians can sacrificially serve others because they value the things of the coming world more than the things of this world. Scripture: Revelation 21:21-22:5; Revelation 21:1-2; Genesis 3; Romans 8:18
Culture (YouTube)
Isaiah shows the way the riches of the world glorify God through the cultural activity in the new Jerusalem. God has saved this city from sadness,war,and darkness. In order to use our lives and our professions to cultivate a rich and godly culture,we must consider the goodness that God intends for culture,the brokenness of our culture,the diversity of culture,and how culture can be renewed. Scripture: Isaiah 60:4-11, 17-21
What is Christian Cultural Renewal?
Christians commonly think we can change the culture around us through evangelism or through great individuals. However, culture is primarily changed through communities. Dualism, the separation of the personal and public spheres - the way we often separate our faith from other areas of our lives - prevents us from having a stronger impact upon culture. This talk was given during a leadership training session at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City.
Work
Work
Our God works,is creative,and rests. We are made in his image and should mirror these attributes. In this letter,Paul gives the young Christians in Thessalonica practical advice on how to work,not only to be successful and to earn a living,but to fulfill our highest calling: to please God. Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12
Made for Stewardship
We are called to work because God also worked - He created the world! We can work for God by using our gifts for others. We also need rest from our work,which comes from our security in God through Christ. Scripture: Genesis 1:26-2:2; 2:7-9, 15
Work and Rest
The religious leaders in Jesus' time had a long list of rules regarding the Sabbath. When questioned,Jesus does not respond by dismissing the Sabbath,but rather redefines it - by dying on a cross. As Christians,we are able to enter into his rest and enjoy the same rest that God enjoyed after creation,by means of his works,not ours. The Sabbath is a blessing from God and one we will only enjoy if we understand it correctly. Scripture: Luke 6:1-11
Hope for Your Work (.pdf)
Many people think that if you believe in a literal second coming of Christ,then you won't care about improving this world at all. Yet,the Bible teaches the exact opposite. It is because Christians believe in a coming age without sin and injustice that they eagerly work in this world to bring about glimpses of the world to come. This belief influences everything a Christian does - including their work. Christians must not segregate their faith from their work,but must wrestle with the challenge of glorifying God in their vocations. Scripture: Titus 2:11-3:9; Matthew 24:36; Proverbs 3:27; Ephesians 6:5-8; Colossians 1:10,18; 1 Corinthians 10:31; John 17:15-18
Our Work and Our Character
What is the connection between faith and work? The Bible affirms the goodness of creation and therefore the goodness of work. In this sermon,we see how even 1st century slaves found dignity in their work through the Gospel. Yet,the Gospel provides us not only with the motivation to work but with the ability to rest - because the ultimate work is not dependent upon us,but has already been performed by Jesus. Scripture: Ephesians 5:21, 6:5-9; Luke 5:10-11; Psalm 130:4
Arts
Writing from a Christian Worldview
You can't make sense from facts without using them to create a story, and you can't make sense of a story without putting it in context of a macro-level worldview. All the stories we tell as Christians fall into the gospel worldview of creational good, fallenness, and redemption.
Christianity and the Creative Age
Tim Keller addresses questions facing those in professions, including whether creative work is becoming more valued by society; whether the creative class gets too much credit; and what current changes in creative jobs means for Christian artists. As Christians, we should embrace those like us and unlike us in order to humble ourselves, to push ourselves towards developing our gifts, and to build one another up.
Law
Arguing About Politics
The Pharisees pose a controversial question to Jesus when they ask him if they should pay taxes. Jesus responds with a revolutionary answer: He refuses political complacency,political simplicity,and political primacy. Jesus then models a revolutionary idea,showing his followers that the way to gain power is to give it away. Scripture: Mark 12:13-17
Re-Imagine Law
To examine the relationship between practicing law and Christianity, we must examine how we can re-imagine practicing law as Christians and how to re-imagine the law profession itself. To re-imagine practicing law as a Christian, we need to develop a Christian view of cultural formation. This means we need to do two things: understand how law is critical to cultural activity and carefully analyze our own idols. To re-imagine the law profession as a whole, we need to consider the history of law's secularization, recognize the myth of neutrality, and realize that Christians have a perspective that the law profession desperately needs. Also listen to Re-Imagine Law (Q&A).
Finance
Money; The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
Only in Christianity is the world intentionally created by God. The world is not created by accident and then ruled by God. Therefore, all of God's creation - including wealth - should be enjoyed. However, if our worldly wealth becomes our identity, we will remain in unfulfilling jobs; we will overwork to gain financial prestige; and we may become emotionally bipolar. This kind of wealth-based identity causes us to dangerously seal off work life from personal life.
Environment
The Song of Creation
Genesis tells the why of creation,not the how. It's a poem,a song about a historical event. The Christian doctrine of creation is that this world is good and the purpose of nature is to be a community. We can take joy in cultivating and enjoying the physical world. Scripture: Genesis 1:1-8, 31; Exodus 14,15; Judges 4,5; Revelation 21:2; Isaiah 40:14; John 1:1-3; Psalm 19:1-4
Lord of the Earth
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 the Lord of the earth. God never calls anyone into a covenant relationship unless it is a saving relationship. Scripture: Genesis 9:1-17; Psalm 19
Can Faith Be Green?: An Open Forum
Genesis shows us the goodness of creation, the stewardship of creation, the fallenness of creation, and the final restoration of creation. The Bible calls us as Christians to be careful stewards of creation because nature reflects God's goodness and because nature will ultimately be restored in heaven.