The God Who Reconciles Sinners - Dr. Timothy Keller

21st Sermon in the Series : To Know the Living God

17 April 2011

Hebrews 9: 11-14

11 But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that are now already here, he went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made with human hands, that is to say, is not a part of this creation. 12 He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. 13 The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly clean. 14 How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!

• Cleansing our guilt and our shame
• Freud, in Civilization and Discontent, tells us that we are all egocentric. It is our guilt and our conscience that controls our egocentricity and allows civilization.
• Is there a feeling that something is wrong with us?
• God is repulsed by our sins which make us unclean.
• On the cross, Jesus is covered by our filth so that we can be part of his cleansing.
• Romans 8:1 - God Justifies the condemned
• See Cate Blanchett in Heaven
• The heart condemns us, but JC as the high priest cleans us.

The Holy One - Dr. Timothy Keller

20th Sermon in the Series : To Know the Living God

10 April 2011

Joshua 5:13-16; 6:1-5

13 Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”

14 “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the LORD I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord have for his servant?”

15 The commander of the LORD’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

1 Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in.

2 Then the LORD said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. 3 March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. 4 Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. 5 When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.”

• Holiness of God is an incomparable transcendent perfection.
• It is unmatched and unrivaled.
• Only when you really believe in God, do you find his Holiness beautiful because its the hardest concept to grasp as it calls us out for our shortcomings.
• We are the servant and are obedient exclusively to God.
• Something is holy when used solely for the service of God--like a pot---like we try to be.
• "Be holy as I am holy"
• Jesus gave utterly for us, so we should return the favor.

The Jealousy of God - Dr. Timothy Keller

19th Sermon the the Series : To Know the Living God

27 March 2011

Exodus 20:1-6

1 And God spoke all these words:

2 “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

3 “You shall have no other gods before me.

4 “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.

• Bad jealousy is basically envy as in Saul and David; its about ego and anger.
• Godly jealousy is angered love that stays love--It's a love that rescues and fights extinction.
• Love is dead in bad jealousy.
• Loving anything more than God is an idol and incurs the jealousy of God.
• Fidelity is a holiness of behavior.
• Love forgives the most and confines the least.
• Intimacy is the essence of love---I want to give it all to you because your love is my command--This is how we should serve God.
• How do we achieve it? God's love will die for us as did Jesus.
• John Dunn poem about chastity.