The Blessed Rest of Self-Forgetfulness

The most life-changing message I have ever heard is a sermon entitled "The blessed rest of self-forgetfulness" by Tim Keller (preached 2/24/02). I listened to it for the first time on the way to Clearwater Beach, Florida in May of 2004. It was a timely message because I was about to engage in a role where I felt totally inadequate and where a lot of anxiety was to come. However, God delivered me in a really cool way, I think mainly by helping begin to live in this self-forgetful way. I listened to that sermon several times over that summer and it has been the my chief prayer for my sanctification since then.

Keller recently wrote an article in Christianity Today about this subject of gospel humility and self-forgetfulness. It's a great summary of the sermon he gave several years ago. Here's a couple of paragraphs:

"Christian humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less, as C. S. Lewis so memorably said. It is to be no longer always noticing yourself and how you are doing and how you are being treated. It is 'blessed self-forgetfulness.'

Humility is a byproduct of belief in the gospel of Christ. In the gospel, we have a confidence not based in our performance but in the love of God in Christ (Rom. 3:22-24). This frees us from having to always be looking at ourselves. Our sin was so great, nothing less than the death of Jesus could save us. He had to die for us. But his love for us was so great, Jesus was glad to die for us."

Read the whole thing

(HT:Justin Taylor)