05/23/2023
Like so many, I posted this tribute to Tim Keller on my personal page. I'm adding it here for the Culture of Ready page.
Tim Keller: A Tribute
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness,
‘Make ready the way of the Lord,
Make His paths straight!’”
If you are a fan of reality television, I'm sure you've seen The Voice. For the uninitiated, the judges have their backs to a performer as he or she comes onstage to sing. The only focus or important element is the voice. If they like what they hear, the judges hit a buzzer and the chair turns to see the performer.
They are listening for an unmistakable voice. Unique…Distinctive…Inspiring.
The voice of one crying in the wilderness was a description in all four gospels of John the Baptist. It is also aptly described the clear, strong voice of one who regaled us with the beauty of the gospel for years, Tim Keller.
When I heard of Tim’s passing, it hit really hard. I guess I had lived in denial for some time. Surely his voice would be with us for years to come.
As the pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Tim did something most of us never thought we'd see: By the grace of God, plant a growing, gospel centered church in the heart of Manhattan. Tim spoke with a voice rich with intellectual elegance and, at the same time, an uncompromising commitment to the truth. In short, a city began to fall in love with Jesus as God used a man to tell the old, old story in a refreshing new way.
I had the privilege to meet Tim 20 years ago, as I served Redeemer in an advisory capacity. Memories have flooded my mind the last couple of days. Not just the profound moments but the human ones. Like the time he made fun of my lime green shirt against the backdrop of accepted monochromatic fashion of black and gray in New York.
Or the meeting as we were looking for event dates and Tim said, "No, I can't do it that week. I'm writing a book."
I responded incredulously, "Wait a minute. I just want to clarify...you're writing an entire book in one week?"
Tim smiled and looked at me, "You don't think I can do it?"
"On no, I'm sure you can...I'm just not sure I've had 'writing a book in one week' come up as a scheduling conflict before."
I also remember Tim telling me too many pastors write too young. Tim was 72 and all of his books have been written in the last 15 years or so, totaling over 3 million sold.
Then, there was the time I gave a report to Tim on the response to a new vision at Redeemer. The vision was signaling a time when Tim would step down as senior pastor and pass the baton to others. My concern was a future without Tim as Senior Pastor, if treated only as an assumption from the vision narrative, left too many emotional possibilities for people. "Tim, this needs room to breathe. We can't just infer a Redeemer future after you move on from Senior Pastor. We need to address it with the care and thoughtfulness only you can give it. We need to give people permission to grieve."
As I spoke, I saw tears in his eyes. You could see it and hear it. His voice, first and foremost, was a pastor's voice.
Read something...anything...Tim has written this week. You'll hear a singular, distinctive voice, clear with the melody of the gospel and strong with the harmony of God's love. In a world with far too many shrill voices, the rich tone of God's grace is unmistakable in everything Tim wrote.
To be clear, I'm not sad for Tim. He is with Jesus. I'm sad we won't hear his voice again this side of heaven. My sadness also harmonizes with an immense gratitude. Not simply a polite "thank you" but overwhelmed by the extravagant investment Tim has placed in all of us.
There will be those who are so much closer to Tim than me whose heart is aching and, at the same time, rejoicing. I cannot completely put into words, however, the distinction of Tim's voice and the impact it had on me. He taught me. God used him to shape me. My walk with Jesus is more real, more beautiful, more vibrant because of Tim Keller. For me, his voice has been unmistakable.
Whenever Tim preached, you could expect him to crescendo with the gospel in his conclusion. To no one's surprise, the truth and reality of the gospel was his comfort at the conclusion of this life. According to his son, Michael, Tim said, "I can't wait to see Jesus" and gave this account of his last moments:
"Dad waited until he was alone with Mom. She kissed him on the forehead, and he breathed his last breath," the tweet read. "We take comfort in some of his last words, ‘There is no downside for me leaving, not in the slightest.'"
For years, we turned around at the sound of Tim’s voice, captivated by the beauty of his wonderful Savior.
