Dan Lee
John 17:9-13, For the Joy of God's Elect

Jesus’ first petition for His disciples is found in these verses. Jesus prays that the Father would keep them in His name. Jesus prays for a special people, His disciples and He does so because He was about to physically leave His disciples. What He would no longer be able to do in His physical absence, He asks the Father to accomplish. May the Lord grant to us a greater work of His Spirit to draw us to walk in Jesus’ ways and thus live with His joy evermore in our hearts.

Dan Lee
John 17:6-8, Two Realities of Salvation

Jesus describes the salvation of His disciples from two perspectives, one from heaven and the other from earth. In heaven, salvation was the product of the intratrinitarian transaction between the Father and the Son. On earth salvation was the product of divine revelation through the word of God and the hearty response of faith on the part of believers. The heavenly realities evoke worship, humility, and thanksgiving. The earthly realities compel us to take seriously every word of our Lord Jesus Christ and act upon them by faith.

Dan Lee
John 17:3-5, Salvation for the Glory of God ...

In His prayer, Jesus defines eternal life for our benefit. Contrary to popular belief, eternal life according to the Son of God is a reconciled relationship with God that begins in the present and stretches out to eternity. Jesus also reveals to us that He is the God of eternal glory which is demonstrated through the cross which He was about to bear. In the cross of Christ, the glory of God’s grace shines brilliantly so that all the redeemed and all the angelic host would glorify God forever and ever.

Dan Lee
John 17:1-2, Salvation for the Glory of God

Jesus’ prayer in John 17 begins with a focus on the glory of God. Jesus prays that His impending death will ultimately glorify the Father and that this would come about through the granting (gifting) of eternal life to His elect. What Jesus’ crucifixion puts on display is the glory of God’s grace in salvation.

Dan Lee
Deuteronomy 27-34, Two Ways to Live

As Moses closes his final message to the children of Israel, he focuses on the consequences of obedience and disobedience. He does so by setting down before them two pathways: the pathway to life, good, and the blessing, and the other pathway to death, evil, and the curse. Along with these options for their future, he reveals to them their future in apostasy, judgment, and even a restoration afterwards. The Pentateuch closes with an allusion to the prophet like Moses to come, the Lord Jesus, who speaks from the LORD and all the people ought to hear. The call to choose life echoes throughout the ages, calling all to be reconciled and restored to God and to enter into His blessing through the Savior and Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 11:28-30, 28:18-20, Hear and Follow (Part 3)

Christ is not only the way to God as God, He is the provider/giver and He is the authority over all. In this third installment of studies in discipleship, we examine these two additional passages. Christ provides man with the knowledge of God, rest for the soul and a better yoke/burden. Furthermore, Christ’s authority is universal and its aim on earth is obedience. May the Lord help us to daily walk with Him and be an infectious influence to those around us.

John 14:6, Hear and Follow (Part 2)

In this sermon, we launch our study of 10 sayings of Christ. The first of these is John 14:6, where we hear in Jesus’ own words that He is divine way to God, the divine truth and the divine life. Furthermore, Jesus claims that He is the only way to God, and there is no other way to God. This is what Jesus has to say about Himself. Faith in Him is the exclusive way to knowing God (John 14:7-11) and to an eternity in heaven (John 14:1-5).

Matthew 11:28-30, Hear and Follow

Christ wants disciples from among all the nations. How can we participate in advancing this purpose of Christ? In this series, we explore how we can be better equipped to help others to hear and follow Christ. For anyone who is willing to learn, whether they are a new believer, professing believer, or even someone who may be undecided, everyone must hear in order for them to follow the Lord. May the Lord enable us to be a church full of faithful disciples who know how to lead others to a pattern of life that hears and follows Christ.

Proverbs 27:3-4, 7, 11-13, 15-16, 20-22, Men of Wisdom (Part 5)

Men of wisdom are men of sensibility. In this final study of Proverb 27, we examine this vital area of what it means to be men of wisdom. We must be sensible in all areas of life. In this study, we look at the areas of covetousness, cravings, connectedness, consequences, conversion, capital and commendation. May the Lord help us to sow the seed of wisdom so that we may grow into a flourishing tree to provide a shade for our children and our children’s children.

Proverbs 27:8, 18-19, 23-27, Men of Wisdom (Part 4)

Men of wisdom are also men of responsibility. God has assigned to each man a place in life, a set of biblical responsibilities that clarify the will of God in his life. And we are to never abandon that place of duty. Whether it is the duty of fatherhood or marriage or work, we are to faithfully fulfill our role that comes down to us as a charge from heaven. But above all, we must take care of the supreme duty to watch over the condition of our own hearts before God. It is from our hearts that flow springs of life, not only for us but for all those who depend on us.