AI Summary
5 min readIn a sermon from 1992, Timothy Keller observes that children are "bottomless pits" for love—no matter how much affection you give them, they always need more. He then makes a startling claim: adults are no different. We simply learn to hide our neediness. Keller argues that the deepest human problem is not a lack of love, but a failure to know the God who has already given us more love than we can absorb. The entire Christian life, he says, is about learning to internalize three specific truths that address this bottomless need.
The One Thing That Matters Most
Keller begins by pointing out that Paul, in his prayer for the Ephesians, asks for only one thing: "that you may know him better." Paul does not pray for healing, power, forgiveness, or peace. He prays for knowledge. This is not intellectual information, what Keller calls "speculative knowledge." It is "experimental knowledge"—the kind you learn by putting something into practice, like a lab experiment. The demons, Keller notes, believe in God and tremble, but they do not know him.
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What you'll learn
- 1 (00:03) **Introduction: The Core Problem** - Keller introduces the sermon's premise: our problems stem from not truly knowing God, and Paul’s prayer for knowledge is the one essential thing.
- 2 (10:13) **The Three Things Paul Prays You Will Know** - Keller identifies the three specific items Paul prays for in the Greek text: the hope of his calling, the riches of his inheritance, and his incomparably great power.
- 3 (12:09) **First: The Hope of His Calling** - Keller explains "the hope of his calling" as the assurance that comes from knowing God initiated your salvation, not your own decision.
- 4 (22:32) **Second: The Riches of His Glorious Inheritance in the Saints** - Keller explores the dual meaning of this phrase: we are God's treasure, and He is ours.
- 5 (33:09) **Third: His Incomparably Great Power for Us** - Keller explains that the power Paul prays for is the same power that raised Christ from the dead, and its first evidence is your very faith.
- 6 (42:29) **Conclusion: Living in Holy Consciousness** - Keller urges listeners to "suck on" these truths—the hope, the inheritance, and the power—to find true honor and freedom from fear.
- 7 Standout Quotes
+ Full timestamped outline available in the app
Guests on this episode
Show Notes
This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on October 4, 1992. Series: Salvation From the Outside In. Scripture: Ephesians 1:15-23.
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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