How Timothy Keller preaches Christ from all of Scripture

Last week I promised to return to the theme of preaching Christ from all of Scripture. I've learned a lot from the ministry of Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church. His preaching lectures from Gordon-Conwell are extremely helpful. Here's how Keller preaches Christ from all of Scripture:

The following may actually be four points in a presentation, or they may be treated very quickly as the last point of a sermon. But more generally, this is a foundational outline for the basic moral reasoning and argument that lies at the heart of the application.The Plot winds up: WHAT YOU MUST DO."This is what you have to do! Here is what the text/narrative tells us that we must do or what we must be." The Plot thickens: WHY YOU CAN'T DO IT."But you can't do it! Here are all the reasons that you will never become like this just by trying very hard." The Plot resolves: HOW HE DID IT."But there's One who did. Perfectly. Wholly. Jesus the—. He has done this for us, in our place." The Plot winds down: HOW, THROUGH HIM, YOU CAN DO IT."Our failure to do it is due to our functional rejection of what he did. Remembering him frees our heart so we can change like this…"

This isn't the only way to preach Christ, but the beauty of this approach is that it steps around some of the hermeneutical traps. For more information, you can order Keller's lectures from Gordon-Conwell.Update:  Resurgence has reposted the entire article that is the source of the above quote.