Advertise on podcast: Jeff Lee's Sermons

Jesus is the good shepherd who leads His people, provides for their needs, guards them from destruction, and ultimately sacrifices His life so that they might live.

In John 9 Jesus heals a man who was blind from birth and in doing so enables us to see the need we all have of being cured of spiritual blindness that we might see the truth of God's Word.

Jesus' feeding the 5,000 is one of the most well known miracles of his ministry.  However, the greater reality that it points to is not just feeding empty stomachs, but satisfying hungry souls.

In John 4 an official comes to Jesus in order to have his son healed.  In doing so he displays remarkable faith in the person and work of Jesus.

The first miracle that Jesus performs is a straightforward miracle that comes to the rescue of a young couple celebrating their recent wedding.  We'll see tonight that Jesus' sign has far greater implications than just this wedding celebration.  Jesus has come to bring God's favor on those who believe by cleansing them from their sin and restoring the joy of fellowship with God Himself.

The prologue to John's Gospel invites us into the rich, theological nature of his thinking and writing.  These verses provide an overview of what to expect in the coming chapters of this Gospel.

Near the end of John's Gospel, he gives us reason for recording the life and ministry of Jesus.  His purpose is simple, that we may believe.  We begin this semester at the end of the book of John so that we might study and read this Gospel with his intention in mind - that we may believe.

The story of Ruth finally comes full circle as Boaz redeems Ruth in marriage.  The story is not just about Boaz and Ruth, but also prepares us to see the way in which God prepares the way for King David as well as great David's greater Son.

The hope that Boaz will be a redeemer to Ruth and Naomi picks up steam in chapter 3. Naomi hatches a plan for Ruth that will unfold under the cover of darkness and continue the uncertainty of what will happen between Ruth and Boaz.

Though an outsider and a Moabite, Ruth lives by faith in the promises and provisions found in God's Word.  The Lord proves faithful to Ruth and Naomi, preparing us to see the hope of redemption.

Tonight we make the transition from the book of Judges to Ruth.  Ruth's story unfolds in the period of the Judges and is an encouraging reminder that even in the darkest days, God is still at work in the lives of His people.

This is perhaps one of the darkest and heaviest stories in the Old Testament.  The moral degradation in Israel points to the need for a true king who will rule the hearts and lives of the people of God.  That king not only rules, but also saves, forgives, renews, and cleanses His people from all their sin.

In many ways Samson's story leaves us longing for what could have been had Samson's life demonstrated a pattern of faithfulness.  Yet God still used Samson to bring deliverance to His people and even point us forward to the one who's life doesn't leave us longing, but rather imparts to us the fulness of a life blessed by God.

In chapter 15 we pick up Samson's story midlife and discover that God still uses messy, broken people to accomplish His purposes.

It's hard to finish well.  While there is much in Gideon's life to commend, his struggle at the end of life has much to teach us about the importance of finishing well.