Session 3 – Leading People to the Prodigal God (Tim Keller)
Next up, the reason I’m here in the first place: Tim Keller.
I say, “the reason I’m here” because I probably would have declined the invitation if I hadn’t seen Keller’s name. That would have been a mistake. The previous speaker (Gary Hamel) was phenomenal and covered most of the same points that Dan Rempel and I covered in our session at the EMMC Gathering 09. I’ll be looking into him some more.
But first a musical number by a kid named Josh Wilson. He did a killer instrumental arrangement of Amazing Grace, and then using live loops did an original number.
What a fantastic opportunity, playing via satellite to approximately 120,000 people. How do you land a gig like that?
On to Tim Keller:
Younger brother is like the sinners around Jesus; older brother is the Pharisees around Jesus. The story is for us, the religious people. Both are alienated from the father, who represents God.
Younger brother gets the money by being bad; older brother gets it by being good. Its more difficult for the good person to repent. The bad boy is found in spite of his badness; the good son is lost BECAUSE of his goodness.
The condition of our hearts is so persistent that we keep going back to religion. When things go bad, elder brothers get furious, because they think God owes them because of their good behavior.
Older brothers very rarely enjoy God. They pray a lot when things are bad and not at all when things are good. They loathe people who disagree with them.
You can’t stay angry and bitter with someone unless you think you’re better than them. They are sensitive about criticism but merciless in criticizing others. Repentance becomes a matter of pride.
Control, control, control… over self, over others, ultimately over God.
You must repent for your reasons for right doing. He quotes John Gerstner as having said, “There is nothing that separates us from God more than our damnable good works.”
Revival/renewal is not a system of steps. The Gospel is not religion or irreligion. Its not moralism but it’s also not “live any way you want”.
Keller’s 5 Things
1. Leaders – work this into your own heart. Expereince revival yourself. We try to help others to gain self-fulfillment. This is elder brother behavior.
2. If you’re a preacher/teacher, always move beyond biblical principles to the gospel. All sin is a result of doubting the gospel. Never end the teaching without pointing out Jesus bearing on the topic. Psalm 23 application. Make
3. Get a group of leaders together and take them through a book like The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith
4. Work it into the congregation
5. [I don’t think he got to five. He was pressed for time.]
One evidence that renewal is taking root is gracious disagreements.
Keller ends with prayer – the first speaker to do so
[Side note: Why is it that Keller, who is pretty lock-step with Piper and Carson, gains a hearing amongst the non-Calvinist, egalitarian crowd? Style and delivery make a huge difference. The same goes for Ed Stetzer.
On another note of interest, at the bookstore and on the literature, Driscoll and Brashears’ “Vintage Church” is on sale.]
