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.

Psalm 100, Thankful, Thoughtful, Cheerful Worship

God is worthy of the most excellent kind of worship. In Psalm 100 we find a universal summons for all the earth to bring to God this most elevated and acceptable worship to Yahweh, our Maker, Sustainer and Redeemer. In this first study in Psalm 100, we look at the grounds for gratitude in worship, namely, creation, care and the cross. May the Lord purge any tinge of unbelief from our hearts and by His Holy Spirit enable us to be true worshippers who evermore come to Him with thankful hearts.

John 12:1-8, What is Christ Worth to You? (Part 3)

We were saved primarily to be worshippers, not benefactors. In this study, we examine the final verses of this passage and consider the great value and importance of worshipping Christ over the admirable yet lesser priority of charity and the abominable ambition of selfish gain. The chief end of man is indeed to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. May we worship and serve the Lord as He so rightly deserves.

John 12:1-8, What is Christ Worth to You? (Part 2)

Christ was worthless to Judas. His protest of Mary’s lavish gift puts on display what was in his heart: atheism and contempt. He has no understanding of God who is to be worshipped, who is revealed in the Son of God incarnate; and he expresses disdain for the Lord whom he values far less than Mary’s perfume. This is the heart of the unconverted: worship-less and contemptuous toward Jesus. But to the converted, Christ is everything to us, and we long to worship the Lord day and night forever and ever, as we will in heaven, for we are His worshippers.

John 12:1-8, What is Christ Worth to You?

John takes us from the conspiracy of the Jews to Jesus’ triumphal entry by way of a burial preparation. Jesus heads to Jerusalem to die. In this transition passage, John highlights for us the worthiness of Christ. The Son of God who bore our sins is worth more than anything else in this world. We find this front and center through two individuals of Mary and Judas. Christ’s worth was superlative and supreme for Mary. The opposite was true of Judas. May the Holy Spirit probe our hearts and help us see just what Christ is worth to us.

John 11:45-53, No Setbacks for Our Sovereign God

The aftermath of Lazarus’ resurrection may be seen as a setback to Jesus’ ministry. While many of the Jews who had come to Bethany believe, some take word to Jesus’ enemies, the Pharisees, and this triggers a chain reaction that sets the stage for Jesus’ crucifixion. Is this all a setback in the plan of God? No. This is all a part of God’s plan of redemption. Whether it is hostility in general or it is the highest level of government authority, God is bigger them all and weaves the black thread of evil into His beautiful tapestry of redemption, to bring many sons to glory, first His only begotten Son, then His many adopted sons.

John 11:40-45, Jesus is no hyper-Calvinist

We live under the sovereign control of God whose purpose cannot be thwarted. But should this make us passive and lazy in our sense of participation in the works of God? In this study of the gospel of John, we see Jesus also living under the sovereignty of God, and yet He is in no way passive. He actively maintains a sharp focus on the purpose of God, He prays and seeks for God’s purpose to come to pass, and He actively participates in the work of God to raise Lazarus ultimately for the glory of God. May we like Christ actively pray and labor to bring to pass the revealed will of our sovereign God.