Dan Lee
Genesis 50:15-20, Divine Sovereignty and Human ...

Joseph’s declaration in Gen. 50:20 reveals the breathtaking reality of concurrence. At the same time that men intend evil with their action, God intends good with that very action. The intentions reveal to us the two well-established and irrefutable doctrines of sovereignty and human responsibility. These two doctrines hold true to the farther extent of creation, including the fall of Satan, his presence in Eden, and the fall of man. All that has transpired perfectly accords with the eternal purpose of God. History is indeed the unfolding of the plan of God.

Dan Lee
John 17:22-26, For Love and Glory (Part-2)

Jesus prays regarding two kinds of glory. He speaks of glory in the present age for His people’s sanctification. God’s elect grow in conformity to Him as they behold His glory in Christ. Jesus also prays for future glory, that His people behold His full, divine, eternal glory in heaven. We are to behold the glory of God now for our sanctification and the glory of God in the future for our glorification.

Dan Lee
John 17:22-26, For Love and Glory

Jesus concludes His prayer with love and glory. Love is the focus of this sermon. The Lord prays that we would come to experientially know (taste) of the Father’s special love. This is the special love of the Father like His love toward His only begotten Son. Like that love, the Father loved His elect from eternity past and “in love predestined us to adoption as sons.” This is the love which Jesus wants us to savor. May the Holy Spirit reveal to us more and more of this awesome love of God.

Dan Lee
John 17:20-23, Salvation Blessing for the World

Jesus’ prayer reflects the heart of God that seeks salvation blessing for the world. Jesus sees the church as the vehicle by which the elect of God worldwide will come to faith in Him unto salvation. In this first installment on a two part sermon, we explore the facets of the church, our mission, our godliness, and the special love of God toward the elect (next sermon).

Dan Lee
John 17:14-19, A Dangerous Mission

Jesus’ prayer for His disciples is undergirded by the reality of a dangerous mission. He knows we will be hated by the world and targeted by the Devil. As such, we will need divine protection. Hence, He prays, “Keep them from the evil one.” Moreover, we will need to live holy lives if we are to make any meaningful impact for the gospel that reconciles and restored sinners to the holy and righteous Father. Our own lives would have to be sanctified in order for us to be useful to the Lord in leading the rest of His elect to this salvation. Therefore, the Lord prays, “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” The word of God that has regenerated us is the same word that will sanctify our lives. May the Holy Spirit through His word evermore conform us to Christ that we would be like Him on earth and make disciples for His honor and glory.

John 8:51, Faith and Grace in Discipleship

Jesus’ call to discipleship was always a call to faith and a call to grace. In this follow-up sermon on discipleship, we examine the broader scope of Scripture that paints the right picture of discipleship for the child of God. Discipleship is a means of dependence on Christ and a means of receiving His grace. Furthermore, we give some practical consideration as to how we can live as keepers of the word of Christ.

John 8:51, Never See Death

Jesus has come to give life. We all exist in spiritual death until our sins are forgiven and we enter into the joyful fellowship with God in holiness, righteousness and love. Jesus makes a universal invitation to all (“anyone”) to become His disciples and enter into this life in which we will never experience spiritual death, neither in this age or beyond. Those who are reconciled to God through Christ are never separated from God from here on out. What a blessing our God has given us through Christ.

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.