Tim Keller 'Generous Justice'

Man, I'm out of date with updates on this blog. Need to get back up to speed.

 Just finished listening to Tim Keller's "Generous Justice" and, initial thought, I much prefer hearing Keller speak and share his ideas rather than someone else talking (the guy narrating the audio sounded to me like Steve Martin). The book was, as I expected, exceptional. Keller carefully lays out a case for the need for a greater outpouring, support and involvement with the poor and disadvantaged in society from a Christian perspective, citing among other places passages from patriarchs like Job and the compassion for the needy that was part of their life.

 The scope and detail of the book was comprehensive, but I would have liked to hear a little more about how compassion is shown to the orphan by means of adoption. I didn't catch much of that in the message, and think the cause of the fatherless has a natural connection to Scripture's frequent example of the theme of adoption (Abraham/Israel, Jesus, and even US!). Minor quarrel - the book was exceptional and heady enough in passages - namely dealing with the philosophical questions of the value of human life from a Scriptural perspective - that the book could almost use a second listen in places.

Luke 15:11-32 and "The Prodigal God: Finding Your Place at the Table"

We've been using Tim Keller's "The Prodigal God: Finding Your Place at the Table" as a component of our nightly family worship, and its quite excellent. Keller's manner of teaching is remarkably accessible, and it's clear how, as gifted he is in teaching, how he could bring this type of teaching style to a church in the heart of New York.  The DVD features a 30-min session of Keller's teaching on the parable of the Prodigal son from Luke 15:11-32, and gives emphasis to the fact that the parable isn't just about the younger son who runs away, but rather more shockingly is the role of the older brother - the one who, on the return of the younger son, refuses to be a part of the celebratory meal.  In the situaion with both sons there is rebellion against the father:  the younger son (indentified with the "sinners" and tax-collectors listening to Christ) flees to pursue his own interests and desires then returns in repentance, while the older son complains of his faithfulness to follow the rules and restrictions of the house all along, and expresses no joy at the return of the younger brother (the older brother being a a reflection of the Pharisees and teachers of the law - faithful to legalistic standards without a genuine love of the father.)
The DVD also features shorter segments that correspond with sections of the discussion guide, with plenty of thoughtful questions that can be discusses

Luke 15:11-32

Some notes on the parable of the prodigal son, or "sons", as Tim Keller referred to this passage in some of his messages. Most of these are notes taken some some of his Redeemer sermons (many of which are free from here.)

In Luke 15 Jesus tells the parable of the prodigal son, but the story is actually built around two sons. The younger one wants to leave and requests an early inheritance, basically the same as wishing his father dead. the analogy being built here is of one being ungrateful to God's goodness.

The younger son leaves, spends all of the money, and ends up feeding pigs, and even envying their food (and eating with pigs would have been highly taboo and shocking to the Jewish audiences.) Realizing his fallen state, the younger son decides to go home and, as he's returning he prepares what he will say in terms of an apology. Yet on the way home the father rushes to him, interrupting the son's apology message (here speaking about the fact that there is no stipulation on his return.

The younger son is welcomed back, but the story doesn't end here. The older brother refuses to celebrate with the father and younger son. Again here is an example of a son shaming his father, by refusing to be part of the banquet. The father appeals to the older son to come in, and the curious thing about the parable is that we don't know what happens. Does the older brother come in? We never find out, as the parable ends, a new chapter begins and Jesus starts telling a different parable.

One message about the younger son is that it can speak to the mentality of those who merely stay at church until they get what they want, and then they leave. This parable isn't just about "bad" people out there, but can speak to virtually anyone in the church who sees it with a mentality of "what will I get out of this?"

The older brother speaks of legalism and being faithful to the law, yet at the same time being lost by blind, rigid obedience to works-based righteousness. In this story, both brothers were lost and, at the close of the story, we only know that one of the brothers was saved.