AI Summary
5 min readIn a sermon from 1993, Timothy Keller argues that the deepest human drive is not for sex, money, or power, but for access—the desperate need to be on the inside of the ultimate circle. Preaching from Ephesians 2:18—“For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit”—Keller unpacks how the gospel satisfies this longing in a way no human inner ring ever can.
The Two Evidences of God’s Power
Keller situates the verse within Paul’s broader argument in Ephesians. In chapter two, Paul presents two great evidences that God is powerfully present in the world. The first, covered earlier in the series, is that God brings life into deadness and brokenness. The second, which Keller is now addressing, is that God takes deeply diverse people—Jews and Gentiles, the far and the near, the immoral and the respectable—and fuses them into one new humanity. The church is not merely a voluntary association; it is a supernatural sign that God is at work. The blood of Christ gives everyone the same legal standing before God, obliterating the categories of “far” and “near.” But that is only half the story. The second way God unites people is by giving them a common mystical experience—access to the Father.
The Inner Ring and the Human Heart
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What you'll learn
- 1 (00:03) **Introduction: The Big Vision of the Church** - Keller introduces the series and frames the church as the second great evidence of God's power: creating a unified community from diverse, divided people.
- 2 (01:14) **The Key Verse: Ephesians 2:18** - Keller reads the single verse that contains the second way God unites people: a common mystical experience.
- 3 (05:55) **The Word "Both": A Shared Experience** - Keller explains that "both" (Jew and Gentile) means this experience is what actually unifies people, creating a bond that transcends all other differences.
- 4 (09:04) **The Word "For": The Purpose of Everything** - Keller argues that the word "for" reveals that the entire purpose of the triune God's work—the cross, the plan of salvation—is to give believers access to the Father's love, not just to forgive sins or grant eternal life.
- 5 (15:18) **The Word "Access": The Deepest Human Drive** - Keller unpacks "access" as being introduced to royalty, and connects it to the universal human need to be on the inside.
- 6 (29:10) **The Ultimate Inner Circle: The Trinity** - Keller concludes that the only way to truly satisfy the desire for access is through the Trinity, where through Christ we are brought into the very center of God's council.
- 7 (31:01) **"Through Him": The Only Way In** - Keller explains that access to the Father is only possible "through him" (Christ), who acts as the necessary introducer.
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Show Notes
This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on March 7, 1993. Series: Salvation From the Outside In. Scripture: Ephesians 2:11-18.
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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