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.

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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.

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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.