Timothy Keller Sermons Podcast by Gospel in Life

Safe in the Plan

Sep 6, 2024

41:37

Snipd AI

Dive into the theological depth of Ephesians as a complex Greek sentence reveals God's overarching plan. Explore how history unfolds with Jesus at its core, harmonizing free will and divine purpose. The discussion contrasts existential despair with the hope provided by faith, emphasizing the power of the gospel in life and ministry. Delve into the necessity of suffering for healing, ultimately inviting listeners to recognize Jesus as the guiding force in a fractured world.

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Quick takeaways

God has a coherent and purposeful plan for history that ultimately centers on Christ, providing meaning and hope to humanity.

The relationship between human freedom and God's sovereignty highlights that while individuals make choices, they ultimately operate within God's divine orchestration.

Deep dives

The Divine Plan for History

There is a coherent plan for history as articulated in the Book of Ephesians, where God reveals His will with a purpose centered on Christ. This plan is not random or chaotic; instead, everything that happens is part of this divine blueprint intended to bring about ultimate fulfillment. For instance, the sermon discusses the contrasting perspectives present in literature and philosophy that suggest a meaningless existence, emphasizing that claims from figures like Shakespeare and Bertrand Russell advocating for a life without design are fundamentally flawed. The biblical message asserts that God’s purpose governs all events in history, thus providing hope and meaning to humanity.

Intro

2min

The Divine Plan: History and Its Purpose

2min

Existential Despair vs. Divine Purpose

15min

Understanding Gospel-Centered Life and Ministry

3min

Harmony of Free Will and Divine Sovereignty

16min

The Necessity of Suffering for Healing and Reconciliation

3min

No matter how long a sentence is, if you find the subject and the predicate, you can figure out the point of the sentence. In the original Greek, there are 202 words in this one sentence that spans from verse 3 to 14 of Ephesians 1.

The subject of this great sentence is God and everything God is doing. And the predicate shows that everything God’s doing is happening toward an end. There is a plan for history, and Jesus is the point of the plan.

Let’s take a look at these three things: 1) there’s a plan, 2) what’s in the plan, and 3) Jesus is the point of the plan.

This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on October 9, 2011. Series: A Study of Ephesians: Who is the Church? Scripture: Ephesians 1:8-11.

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.

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