AI Summary
5 min readPaul’s prayer in Ephesians 3 is not for non-Christians to become believers, but for believers to experience what they already possess. The apostle kneels before God and asks that Christians—people who by definition already have Christ dwelling in them through faith—would be strengthened so that Christ may dwell in their hearts through faith. This apparent contradiction points to a distinction between having something and actually drawing on it. As Keller puts it, there is a difference between having a billion dollars in the bank and actually spending it so it changes how you live. Most Christians know God loves them, but few are thunderstruck by it. The goal of the Christian life, Keller argues, is not just believing truths about God or obeying his commands, but experiencing his presence, his love, and his glory directly.
The dynamic: truth descending into the heart
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What you'll learn
- 1 (01:39) **Recap: Paul Prays for Experience, Not Just Belief** - Keller reviews last week's core point: Paul prays for Christians to experience God's presence and love, not just believe or obey.
- 2 (06:12) **Two Keys to Communion: A Dynamic and a Discipline** - Keller introduces the practical framework for moving toward experiential Christianity: a dynamic to understand and a discipline to develop.
- 3 (07:21) **The Dynamic: The Truth Begins to Shine (Mind Descends into Heart)** - The core mechanism is the truth of Scripture "exploding" inside the heart, moving from intellectual knowledge to personal, overwhelming conviction.
- 4 (14:42) **The Spirit's Role: Sensitizing the Heart Like Film** - Keller uses Clark Pinnock's analogy to explain how the Holy Spirit makes the truth transformative.
- 5 (20:29) **The Essential Discipline: The Art of Meditation** - Keller introduces meditation as the compound practice between Bible study and prayer that "prays the truth into the soul until it catches fire."
- 6 (27:03) **Augustine's Three-Part Method: Retentio, Contemplatio, Dilectio** - Keller lays out the classical structure for meditation, based on Psalm 1 and the church fathers.
- 7 (36:48) **The Christian Life as Whitewater Rafting** - Keller summarizes the process: skill (discipline) gets you into the river, but the river itself (God's presence) provides the thrill and progress.
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Show Notes
This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on August 29, 1993. Series: Salvation From the Outside In. Scripture: Ephesians 3:14-21.
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