Growing Deeper into the Love of Christ | Tim Horman
On Sunday Tim Horman shared a message introducing us to a new series - titled Deeper' - based upon Deeper by Dan Ortlund.
Below you’ll find a summary article of Tim’s message as well as video and audio versions as well as some small group discussion questions.
Going Deeper into the Love of Christ: A Call to Transformation
Tim’s latest sermon marked the beginning of a new series titled Deeper: How We Grow in Christ. This series, forming part of the church’s overarching theme for the year, invites believers to explore how they can experience the transformative power of Jesus’ love in a real and lasting way. Tim’s message challenges a common struggle among Christians: the frustration of striving to be faithful and obedient, yet seeing little real change in their spiritual lives. He examines why so many find themselves spiritually exhausted and offers a biblical invitation to a different way of living—a way rooted in abiding in Christ’s love.
The Problem: Frustration with Spiritual Growth
Tim opens with a question: What is the problem we are trying to solve? He acknowledges that many believers are familiar with calls to greater faithfulness—exhortations to pray more, serve more, and read Scripture more diligently. While these disciplines are good and necessary, they often leave people feeling exhausted rather than transformed. Many have wrestled with the same struggles for years, asking, If in Christ we have the victory, why don’t we see more of it in our lives? This frustration, he argues, can lead to cynicism, discouragement, and even resentment towards God.
He reflects on sermons he heard over the New Year period, many of which centred on doing better and trying harder. These messages, while well-intentioned, felt more like moralistic legalism than the gospel. They suggested that the Christian life is about working harder rather than about encountering the grace of Jesus.
The Danger of an Outward-Only Faith
Tim highlights a crucial misunderstanding that often pervades Christian discipleship. Some believe that transformation comes primarily through outward improvement—behaving in accordance with biblical law. Others think it happens through intellectual understanding—gaining more precise doctrinal knowledge. Still, others see it as primarily an emotional experience—feeling deeper connections in worship. While each of these has its place, none of them alone lead to true transformation.
He draws a parallel to the elder brother in the Parable of the Prodigal Son, who had done everything right but still felt distant from his father. Many believers, Tim suggests, have unknowingly fallen into a similar trap. They pursue outward holiness while neglecting the heart, leading to spiritual exhaustion rather than renewal.
The Invitation: Jesus Calls Us into Friendship
In contrast to the burden of self-effort, Tim emphasises that Jesus calls His followers into friendship rather than servanthood. He cites John 15:15, where Jesus says, I no longer call you servants… Instead, I have called you friends. This, Tim explains, radically reshapes the way believers should understand their relationship with God. Rather than striving to earn His favour, they are invited to abide in His love.
This is the heart of the Christian life: everything needed for true spiritual growth—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness—flows from a relationship of intimacy with Jesus. He references John 15:5, where Jesus declares, If you abide in me, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing. The key to transformation, then, is not more effort but deeper trust in Christ’s love.
The Revolutionary Truth: God Loves Us as He Loves Jesus
Perhaps the most astonishing statement in Jesus’ teachings, Tim notes, comes from John 17:22-23. Here, Jesus prays that His followers would know that God loves them even as He loves Jesus. This means that the Father’s love for believers is not based on their performance but on their identity in Christ.
Tim Keller, reflecting on this passage, argues that if Christianity were just about earning salvation through good behaviour, God would love people only as much as they deserve. But the gospel proclaims something far more radical: God loves us as much as He loves His own Son.
If this truth were fully grasped, Tim argues, it would transform how believers see themselves and live their lives. They would be free from fear, anxiety, and the relentless need to prove themselves. However, he acknowledges that many Christians struggle to truly believe this. They may assent to it intellectually but do not live as if it is true.
The Pathway to Transformation
Tim references Dr Martin Lloyd-Jones, who once said that most problems in the Christian life arise from failing to understand what is truly already ours in Christ. Growth is not about acquiring something new but about aligning our lives with the truth of what God has already done for us.
To illustrate this, Tim turns to the story of the woman with the issue of blood (Luke 8:43-48). She had exhausted all human efforts to be healed. Yet, in one moment of desperate faith, she touched Jesus’ garment and was instantly healed. More significantly, Jesus addressed her personally, calling her daughter. This moment, Tim suggests, was about more than physical healing—it was about salvation. Jesus was restoring her dignity, showing her that she was truly seen and loved by God.
This, Tim argues, is what every believer needs: a personal encounter with Jesus’ love. No amount of religious effort can substitute for this experience. When people come to truly know His love, transformation naturally follows.
A Call to Rest in Christ
Tim concludes by returning to Jesus’ words in Matthew 11:28-30: Come to me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. The Christian life is not about relentless striving but about resting in the finished work of Christ. His love is deeper than believers often realise, and the invitation remains open: to abide in that love and experience the fullness of life that Jesus offers.
Small Group Discussion Questions
Have you ever felt frustrated by a lack of transformation in your spiritual life? What do you think has contributed to that feeling?
Tim talks about the elder brother in the Prodigal Son story. Have you ever related to that character? In what ways?
In John 15:15, Jesus calls His followers friends. How does this change the way you think about your relationship with Him?
Do you find it difficult to believe that God loves you as much as He loves Jesus? Why or why not?
The woman with the issue of blood took a great risk to reach out to Jesus. What risks have you taken (or could you take) in your journey of faith?
How do you typically respond when you feel distant from God? Do you try harder, or do you rest in His love?
Tim suggests that true transformation comes from abiding in Christ rather than striving to improve ourselves. How can you practically live this out in your daily life?
What stood out to you most from this sermon? How do you think it applies to your current season of life?
Tim’s sermon is a powerful reminder that spiritual growth is not about self-effort but about deepening our understanding of Christ’s love. As the church embarks on this Deeper series, the invitation is clear: to stop striving and start abiding in the love that has already been freely given.