Peter Chen
Psalm 127:1, Without the LORD, Frustration!

This familiar psalm reminds us that the ultimate worker and provider in all our endeavors is the LORD. While the natural principle of cause and effect is indeed taught in Scripture, this psalm shows us that that principle must always be accompanied by the understanding that the LORD is the crucial provider in all our affairs. Whether it's our homes or the house of God, our greatest need is the LORD’s provision. In this unique psalm of Solomon, the Holy Spirit teaches us that human strength and ingenuity alone do not guarantee success. It is the LORD and His provision that ensure true success. May we learn to pray, depend on the LORD, and carry out His work with hearts that wait on Him.

Peter Chen
Revelation 7:1-14 The Protection of God's People

Revelation 7 shows that the wrath of the Lamb will be poured out on those who dwell on the earth, not upon Jesus’ own beloved people. John is shown two groups that will stand despite the intense judgments to come and contrary to the unbelievers’ outcry (6:17): the 144K Israelites and the raptured Gentile church of God. This sermon is part one of two sermons on Revelation 7 on the important topic of the rapture and its implications.

Peter Chen
Micah 5:2-4 The Messianic Message of Micah

Micah prophesied of the Messiah that He is the LORD God and that He is the shepherd over His people. This is the true message of Christmas that woos us to worship Christ, to love, honor, and serve Him. May we ponder deeply the wonder of Christmas, that the LORD, the eternal God, came from heaven in human flesh, born in Bethlehem, born of a woman, in the person of Jesus, to seek and save that which was lost and to shepherd all His elect who repent and trust in Him, to guide them away from sin and in the pathway of sanctification all the way home to glory.

Peter Chen
Psalm 37 - God: Your only refuge!

Psalm 37 is a Psalm written by Israel’s greatest king, king David. It reveals only two possibilities for the end of a person’s life. The wicked will be cut off by God’s judgment. Although they prosper abundantly in the present, their end is certain. They are not satisfied with prosperity, so they seek to destroy the righteous. Yet, the righteous seek refuge in the LORD. A repeated refrain in the Psalm is, “do not fret.” The path for settling your soul is through seeking refuge in God. The Christian’s heart is encouraged through this revelation of God, who sustains the righteous. Moreover, the Psalm directs Christians to trust, with great hope, in the LORD. The result is that they can progress through life’s difficulties and into eternity because of the salvation of God. He truly delivers those who seek refuge in Him from evildoers.

Dan Lee
Revelation 4-6, The Reign of God

The revelation of the future is given from the perspective of heaven. God reigns as the supreme ruler and deity who is enthroned and worshipped in heaven. What is true in heaven becomes the reality on earth as the revelation of the future unfolds. This revelation commences with Jesus breaking open the seals and shows the backdrop against which the judgments of God will come: ordinary and natural suffering in the fallen world and the persecution of Christians and their holy prayer for justice. In response to their prayer, divine wrath is poured out upon the world (with the seventh seal [8:1] and the trumpet and bowl judgments that ensue). All of this affirms the resounding biblical call to be ready for Christ. He is indeed coming quickly. May we be dressed in readiness and keep our lamps lit.

Psalm 130, Depend on Grace

As we look ahead to the new year, let’s steer away from the common worldly attitude of self-dependence, self-sufficiency, and self-confidence and instead look humbly and with faith to the Lord for His grace. The psalmist in this precious psalm shows us how OT saints looked ahead to the Lord with faith and humility for His redemption promise to be fulfilled. May we also be men, women and children who drink richly from God’s grace each day by trust in Him and in His word with humble dependence. In His word do we also hope!

Matthew 2:1-12, The Challenge of Christmas

In this familiar Christmas story of the magi and king Herod, we see two diametrically opposed responses to the Messiah. They both had a knowledge of the Messiah by the providence of God, but one responded with worship and the other with suspicion and an attempt to exterminate the Messiah. Matthew presents to us the Messiah as the Savior and King whom people either humbly worship (as the magi did) or repudiate Him (as Herod did). How will you respond to the Lord this Christmas season, as you are also bombarded with the knowledge of the Son of God who has come to save His people from their sins (Matt. 1:21)? This is the challenge of Christmas.

John 8:43-37, Why Must Sinners Be Born Again

Jesus said, “Unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). What we discover in this passage are the reasons why sinners desperately need to be born again. Without the work of God in their hearts, people are unable to receive God’s word, they are imitate their spiritual father, the Devil, and they hold fast to an irrational bias against the truth. May the Lord regenerate souls and bring them to Himself.

John 8:37-42, The DNA of the children of God

In this passage, Jesus addresses Jews who were not the children of God. He demonstrates this by showing them the traits of the children of God, which were markedly absent in their lives. These traits enable us to gauge where we stand before God. Are you a child of God or not? This passage shows us how even those who “believed” may not be truly Jesus’ disciples who are born again. May the Lord help us to see the truth about who we are in the sight of God.

John 8:30-36, Freedom from Sin

Sinners are enslaved to their sins. Instead of the power and ability to say no to sinful inclinations, they are bound by their lusts, pride and selfishness and they are unable please God. The Savior promises freedom from this enslavement to sin. He directs us to two actions and two promises. He who has paid the penalty for our sins also leads us away from a life of sin to live fruitfully for the glory of God. May we all gain His wisdom to continue in His Word and thereby experience the freedom which He promises to those who follow Him truly.

John 8:19-30, The Consequences of Denying the Truth

Only fools say no to the Savior. They overlook the dire consequences to refusing Christ and denying His truth. As Jesus points out in this conversation with the Pharisees, denying the truth of Christ is to forfeit the knowledge of God, entrance into heaven and the Savior who alone can save them from their sins. We must never refuse Christ but wholly embrace Him. Always say yes to Christ.