Jesus’ Model of Spirituality

Timothy Keller Sermons Podcast by Gospel in Life

Tim Keller

Religion & Spirituality, Religion, Religion & Spirituality:christianity, Christianity, Spirituality

4.8 • 15K Ratings

🗓️ 18 July 2025

⏱️ 43 minutes

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Summary

When people say, “I’ve tried prayer, and it didn’t work,” what Jesus is saying is, “You used prayer, not the way I designed it, but with a false model of spirituality.” For Jesus, the importance of prayer is revealed in a little unobtrusive word at the beginning of this passage in the Sermon on the Mount: the little word “and.” Right before Jesus talks about prayer, he talks about our engagement with the poor and the needs of the world. Then he says, “And when you pray …” Because in Jesus’ understanding, it’s the people who are characterized by the most radical interiority who have the most courageous, visionary engagement with the needs of the world. And before Jesus gives us a model of prayer, the famous Lord’s Prayer, he tells us two other models of prayer that we should avoid. Let’s look at 1) the two false models, 2) the true model, and 3) a few practical ideas on how to go about it. This sermon was preached by Dr. Timothy Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian Church on May 9, 1999. Series: The Mount; Life in the Kingdom. Scripture: Matthew 6:5-13. 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.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Welcome to Gospel in Life.
0:04.9	What does it really mean to live in a way that reflects God's kingdom?
0:08.9	For many of us, the kingdom can feel like an abstract idea.
0:12.9	But in today's teaching from the Sermon on the Mount,
0:15.5	Tim Keller shows how Christ offers us practical guidance
0:18.6	for living out a compelling vision of a new kind of community
0:21.9	shaped by grace.
0:29.0	In your bulletin, we come to the part of the Sermon on the Mount, very famous part.
0:34.2	Part that you, if you come to Redeemer, you actually recite part of this every week.
0:40.3	In Matthew chapter 5, pardon me, Matthew chapter 6, verses 5 through 13.
0:47.5	And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street
0:55.8	corners to be seen by men.
0:58.1	I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.
1:01.7	But when you pray, go into your room, close the door, and pray to your father who is unseen.
1:08.3	Then your father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.
1:13.1	And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like the pagans, for they think they will be heard
1:16.9	because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your father knows what you need before
1:21.8	you ask him. This then is how you should pray. Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come,
1:30.8	your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us
1:36.2	our debts as we have also, as we have forgiven our debtors, and lead us not into temptation,
1:41.8	but deliver us from evil.
1:46.0	This is God's Word.
	...

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