Aug26’07
Experiencing the full power of the gospel through your life.
John 20:19-22
Why in the world do we come to church, gather ourselves as members for meetings and eat food together.
In your hand you have a few coffee beans. Each person who names Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior has been given certain gifts and abilities. In fact, I am fairly sure that each of us possesses numerous gifts, abilities and talents.
Let me review something I preached a couple of years ago.
Everyone is born with natural talents. These are the innate capacities of aptitude- how smart you are; your bent toward certain likes and dislikes; and the endowment of particular physical capabilities. Let’s face it: some are smarter than others; some like things others are so fond of; and some can jump higher and run faster.
Everyone has learned abilities. These are the skills that we have developed because of our childhood upbringing. Some of you know how to milk cows; I have never milked a cow. Some of you know how to take a motor apart and put it back together again; I have a hard enough time changing spark plugs. Some of us know how to shingle, shake and roll a roof; many of you wouldn’t be caught dead on a rooftop.
Then there are spiritual gifts that the Holy Spirit chooses to give to us. Some are gifted with healing, helping others, doing church administration and an assortment of gifts as the Spirit deems necessary for the body of Christ to minister.
I want to add a fourth: Appointed Ministers. These are those appointed, first by God and then affirmed by the Church, to particular ministry duties. Some are called to be apostles, prophets, pastors and teachers. These have to do with God’s calling to a certain ministry over the talents, abilities and spiritual gifts that they may already possess. To be a pastor or teacher is not about the gift as much as it has to do with the call.
Here’s the skinny: you are a minister and my goal today is convince each one of us of the value of ministry. We are in this together and we need to get together and be about the business of our heavenly Father.
Jesus clearly understood his mission on earth. He realized early on that he had to be about his Father’s business. And, finally, at the age of 33 he breathed his last on the cross: mission completed.
But yet, Jesus mission was not completed. There was a lot of unfinished business on earth that the Father needed to have accomplished. Have you ever wondered why Jesus did not live forever and get all the work done in healing and changing lives? That is where you come in.
Jesus does live forever and is getting the work done in healing and changing lives. That is why we exist as a church: to heal and change lives. His mission now becomes our mission.
I would like us to notice some important aspects of your ministry within this church that parallels the disciples in those early days of the Church.
1. Ministering with Peace over Fear.
They were afraid. But Jesus, twice, says “Peace be with you!” They were scared for their life.
This peace that Jesus spoke was not simply a greeting from a friend to another friend. This was a peace that echoed the “Shalom” peace that recalled the grand vision throughout the Old Testament of the salvation and restoration of Israel. Furthermore, this peace that Jesus speaks of is to remind them that he is the giver of peace. Earlier, the Apostle John relates to them what Jesus said in 14:27- “My peace I give you… do not be afraid.”
But how many of us are afraid of life? Of the unknown? Of ministry? Of stepping out by faith? Of obeying the Holy Spirit?
Let me make a few suggestions for you to have peace over fear when you reach out and love someone.
a. Accept the peace that Jesus offers.
The peace Jesus offers is not the kind of peace the world gives. What kind of peace is that? A peace that is earned. A compromising peace: you do this, we’ll do that. The world’s kind of peace is really unrest. They are “…like the tossing sea,” Isaiah 57:20 says, “which cannot rest, whose waves cast up mire and mud.”
b. Access peace through the Holy Spirit.
What is more, the blessed Holy Spirit fills us with this peace. Peace is not a frame of mind nor is it an attitude. This kind of peace is the fruit of the inner Spirit. This kind of peace stirs up, not mire and mud, but blessings to you and to those whose lives you touch by your inner, Holy Spirit filled peacefulness.
c. Abide in peace with your Heavenly Father.
This peace Jesus gives was the result of him bearing our punishment on the cross. (Isaiah 53:5) Job 22:21 reminds us of these words: “Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you.”
The peaceful person who lives above fear abides in peace with God. The result is untold blessings as God the Father works in and through your life.
For our context today, God is calling on us to realize his peace as we reach out into the lives of other people. This ministry should be ruled- not by fear of what others may say or who might oppose- but be ruled by the peace that overcomes fear.
Have you ever been afraid to say something righteous? You don’t need to be afraid. Have you ever been tongue-tied when you attempted to witness to someone? Have no fear. Allow the peace of Christ to rule in your heart since you were called to peace. (Colossians 3:15)
Not only does Jesus speak of peace but he breathes power into the lives of those he is sending.
2. Reaching with Power over Weakness.
There is nothing worse as an employee than to be sent to work without the proper equipment. There is nothing worse than to try and work on a car without the right tools. There is nothing worse than to try and lead people to Christ without power.
Imagine if Jesus told these guys: “Peace be with you. I am leaving in a few days, so good luck to you in carrying out all that I taught you.” Are you kidding?
These guys were weak. These guys were sacred. These guys were hiding. These guys were wanted- dead or alive. And then Jesus breathes on them to receive the Holy Spirit. This breath is his power and it is the same power that breathes through our lives as it has been passed down from the apostles, through the hearts of believers for some 2000 years and into our hearts this morning. “I’ve got the power” is more than a song but a reality for you today.
So how does this work?
a. We have the power of the Holy Spirit.
I like Ephesians 1:19-20- We must realize the Holy Spirit’s “...incomparable power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his might strength which he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead.” The same power that raised Christ from the dead is the same power that raises us to new life.
Whatever your weakness or fear, God the Holy Spirit is there to work miracles through your life. You no longer are weak but strong through him.
b. We have the power of prayer.
There is nothing like the power of prayer. I’m not talking about some kind of comfort we get from knowing that people are praying but I am talking about the kind of praying that sees prayers answered. People are saved, problems are solved and Jesus is glorified.
c. We have the power of blessing others.
Our prayer life should be blessing other people. Too often we easily get caught up in praying for our own personal miracles rather than praying for miracles for other people. When we pray, we must pray for the deliverance of others.
d. We have the power to set prisoner free.
Jesus call to ministry is our call to ministry. Don’t think for a moment that our call as a church or as people is just to warm the pew and sing heart-warming songs. Our call is one of power to rescue people from drug abuse, broken marriages and their slavery to sin.
This denomination was built on rescuing black people from slavery. Today, this church has a part in rescuing Mexican people from the slavery of sin and abuses. Today, we have a responsibility to not only reach them but to reach anyone in our ministry circle in our community.
If we don’t who will?
e. There’s power in the blood of Jesus!
This power that is ours is through the blood of Jesus Christ. There is no other or greater authority than the shed blood of Christ. This blood saves you and me and others from our sins. This blood gives us access to the throne of grace. This blood sprinkles our consciences and cleanses our hearts. This blood opens the door for the Holy Spirit to move in and through our lives. This blood empowers us to set the prisoners free, the give food to the hungry and clothes to the naked. There is power in the blood!!
Not only does Jesus give peace over fear and power over weakness, but we can now…
3. Experience Passion over Apathy.
If we are going to truly be a church with a “Grande Passion for Jesus, Others and You!” then we need to exhibit a passion that gives us delight in seeing God move and work.
Too many Christians are apathetic Christians. What do I mean?
Let me ask you this: Do we care enough to make a difference?
Do you care enough to allow the Holy Spirit to take over your entire life? Your finances? Your motives? Your everyday living? Your attitudes about other people? Your hopes and dreams?
If we are to experience passion over apathy, what does this kind of passion look like?
a. It isn’t about you.
Following Jesus does not mean that your wildest dreams will come true. Following Jesus does not mean that life will be comfortable and cozy. In fact, following Jesus may bring the opposite.
But it isn’t about me or you…
b. It’s all about God.
God knows the plans he has for us as a Church. We may have missed out on some of his plans already… I don’t know. But starting today, we can determine as a body of believers that we will make our lives and this ministry all about God. Why? Because this church belongs to his Son. Jesus paid the price that could not be paid to redeem us. We now belong to God, this Church is his and whatever he decides to do with it.
I do have a sneaking suspicion of what God wants to do with this church.
c. It’s reaching the lost.
He wants us reaching the lost. This needs to become a priority. This needs to be the ministry work of everyone here- not just the pastors and a few others.
So how do with do this?
Conclusion- We make a difference TOGETHER.
In order for us to make a difference means that we will make that difference together. You cannot enjoy the essence of ministry unless you are in the ministry with everyone else and ministering in unison with the heart-beat of God and God’s people.
Your few coffee beans won’t make much difference for anyone else. You can enjoy them, but put them together with others and see a “holy brew” take place. This calls for you and to crawl out of the gospel cup and see the world around us and see each other through the lenses of the cross.
Your teaspoon of coffee beans will make approximately one cup of coffee. I know, I make coffee by the pot and by the cup. However, put your coffee beans together and see what happens.
The more coffee you make, the fewer beans you need per cup. Why? Because the beans are doing something together and when God’s people get together, work together and bring people to Christ together, there is a multiplicity of ministry.
In other words, together we make a holy brew.
I have on this table a coffee grinder. What God desires for us to do, is take our few talents, abilities, gifts and callings, and put them together with everyone else. Grind them up and allow him to brew through us his will for ministry.
The result? Not just rich, wonderful smelling coffee, but a sacrificial aroma that pleases God.
How about it? Are you willing to allow our God to use you through this church ministry in reaching our community for Jesus Christ?
Friday, August 31, 2007
August 19, 2007 "The Best Part of Waking Up"
Aug19’07
Living a life of Prayer, Praise and Peace
Daniel 6:1-28
[Outline- first 6 points- from Warren Wiersbe Expository Outlines on the Old Testament, Quick Verse 6]
Imagine awaking tomorrow morning, pouring a cup of coffee, opening your Bible and communing with the Lord in your own back yard when suddenly armed guards scale your fences and arrest you. You would wonder what country you were in!
Of course, this seems a bit far-fetched for us as Americans. However, we have brothers and sisters around the world who cannot worship as openly as we do, they hardly dare to carry their Bibles in public and certainly have to be careful as to how they display their faith.
However, the reality for someone such as Daniel was a clear and present danger everyday. He not only was kidnapped as part of a noble family in Judah as a fifteen year-old, but was forced to work for foreign kings and leaders- many of whom not only did not worship the God he worshiped but were spiteful and hateful towards him. For over 80 years he established himself as a man who stood firm not to be defiled with the king’s meat and to be a man of integrity and humility.
Daniel made the most of his exile to a foreign land. Sure, he harbored the hope and prayer of returning to his home city of Jerusalem. But in the meantime, he made the most of every opportunity to serve the Babylonian masters that were over him.
In this 6th Chapter Daniel experiences a twenty-four hour period that is perhaps the most eventful of any Old Testament character. (So I will be attempting to cram a 24 hour sermon into 30-40 minutes.)
In this chapter we spend a day in the life of the prime minister of the Medo-Persian Empire. Daniel is not a teenager in this chapter; he is a man in his eighties. Old age was not going to get him down anymore than it did in his younger years. Age is no barrier to serving Christ, nor is old age any protection against temptation and testing. Because Daniel started young as a man of faith and prayer, he was faithful to the Lord even in his old age.
My goal is to help us realize that the best part of waking up for the Christian is that nurturing relationship we have with God through Jesus Christ. Your faith gets challenged everyday- certainly through temptation the devil brings and by other people who either despise the God we serve or misunderstand who we really are.
Daniel shows us that being faithful is the only way to live and that God honors the faithfulness of his people. Furthermore, God brings divine protection in times of hostility from the enemy of our soul.
1. A Dawn of Devotion
One of our people shared with the Wednesday Bible Study group that she was grateful for everyday that the Lord gives to her. I wonder if any of us- especially those of us under sixty consider the brevity of life enough to realize that each day that dawns is another opportunity to give praise to our Lord with our lives.
Daniel sets for us an example of how his day began.
How did Daniel begin each day? He prayed to the Lord. In verse10 we are told that Daniel prayed three times a day in a special “prayer chamber” on top of his house.
Psalm 55:17- “Evening, morning and noon, I cry out in distress and he hears my voice.”
Daniel started his day with the Lord and it’s a good thing that he did. Maybe that is a lesson for us to learn about our daily prayer habit. The enemy is always going to and fro seeking whom he may devour just as he was afoot against Daniel. And Daniel was going to face one of the greatest tests of his life.
Prayer was not an incidental thing in Daniel’s life nor was it accidental; prayer was the most essential thing in his life. And the same should hold true for us.
Notice a few things about Daniel’s prayer life:
a. He had special times of prayer.
You can be sure that he talked to the Lord all day long. The Apostle Paul speaks to the Thessalonians of praying without ceasing.” God certainly smiled on Daniel for his consistency in prayer by calling him “greatly beloved” or “highly esteemed.” (9:23; 10:11, 19), language that in the NT the Lord reserves for His own Son.
b. He had a special place for prayer.
It was Daniel’s faithful walk and consistent prayer life that made him one of God’s “beloved sons” (read John 14:21-23 carefully). How important it is to start the day with the Lord. Abraham had this habit (Gen. 19:27); so did David (Ps. 5:3) and our Lord Jesus Christ (Mark 1:35).
c. He had special answers to prayer.
Over and over Daniel came before the Lord in prayer believing that God will answer. A great example of this is found in 2;18 when faced with an “answer or else” command to interpreting the kings dream. “He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.”
d. He recognized his status in prayer.
Daniel realized that God was God and he was the child of God. He never lost sight of his status, if you will, with God. His prayer life was not one of treating God like Santa Claus but seeing God in his awesome power. Daniel was truly desperate for more of God and his prayer life showed this.
e. He assumed the same position in prayer.
Have you ever spent time on your knees praying before the Lord? Have you assumed the prostrated position on the floor before a holy and awesome God? Perhaps some of us would do well to not simply “kneel in my heart” but actually make it a truly physical act of an inward reality.
2. A Morning of Deception (6:1-9)
The Medo-Persian government under King Darius was governed by 3 prime ministers and 120 satraps- that is, provincial administrators. Darius realized that he was getting fleeced by some of these leaders so he reorganized his kingdom, making Daniel one of the top three “presidents” and then considered giving him the leadership keys over his whole kingdom. This shows us that…
a. A Christian does not have to compromise to succeed.
God had honored Daniel for his faithfulness, so that he was practically the second ruler in the land. There were actually 124 persons involved in the leadership of the land: Darius the king, the three presidents (with Daniel as #1), and 120 princes. We see that Darius was so impressed with Daniel that he was planning to make him the official second ruler. The promotions of Daniel in Babylon are proof that a believer does not have to compromise to succeed (Matt. 6:33).
b. The wicked are continually jealous.
The other 122 leaders were not too happy about Daniel’s success. For one thing, he was an alien and a Jew. Satan has always hated God’s people and always did his best to persecute them and eliminate them. The wicked always hate the just. Certainly godly Daniel was honest and kept careful watch over the affairs of state; the other leaders were stealing from the king and covering up their thefts with false accounts.
c. Sometimes opposition will not make sense.
The wicked lie about God’s people. In this case, they told Darius that all the presidents agreed on the plan to worship him (v. 7) even though Daniel had never been consulted. But Darius, in his puffed up pride and gullibility, agreed to sign the decree without first consulting with his best president. But history shows that Darius was easily influenced by flattery.
Sometimes opposition will come up against us and it just won’t make sense. It’s one thing to run into antagonism and know what the reasons are. And then there are those times when someone will oppose us that seemed like they were on our side.
d. The Christian always trusts God- no matter what!
But notice Daniel’s attitude in all of this: he trusted God (v. 23).
3. A Noon of Decision (6:10-13)
How many times have any of us received bad news? What do we do in those times? Do we stew in worry all day? Or do we hit our knees in prayer?
a. Daniel refused to altar his lifestyle to accommodate sin.
Daniel was one of the first ones to hear of the new decree, and he had to decide what to do. Of course, his godly character and spiritual walk had already decided for him: he would serve the Lord and pray to Jehovah just as he had always done.
b. Daniel refused to compromise his Biblical values.
Daniel could have made excuses and compromised. He was an old man who had served the Lord faithfully all his life. One little compromise at the end of his life could not do too much damage. Could he not be more useful to the Lord alive than dead? No. Daniel refused to compromise.
He chose rather to be eaten by lions than to miss one prayer meeting.
c. Daniel remained steadfast despite the peering eyes.
His enemies watched as Daniel went to his prayer chamber where the windows were always open (“Pray without ceasing”), and they could see him kneel and lift up his hands toward Jerusalem. Now they had him. But Daniel had peace in his heart. He was praying, giving thanks, and making supplication, and this is the formula for peace (Phil. 4:6-7).
d. Daniel had built a spiritual discipline that he was not about to break.
Daniel was used to praying and had been since he was a teenager. So to go to prayer in a time of distress was normal. He had built a spiritual discipline of prayer in his everyday life.
To our young people: It is important for you to see the wisdom in building spiritual habits when you are young.
4. A Sundown of Disappointment (6:14-17)
There are two very important realizations about Daniel’s predicament:
First,
a. King Darius was foolish and realized it too late. (v. 14)
Second,
b. Daniel’s Enemies reminded the king of the law. (v. 15)
The king realized what a fool he had been, but even his power and wealth could not alter the law of the Medes and Persians.
c. God did not want Darius to deliver Daniel; that was a privilege He was reserving for Himself.
Daniel was not depending on the king either. Psalm 146:3 tells us: “Do not put your trust in princes, nor in mortal men, who cannot save.”
Have we learned like Daniel the whole idea of trusting God no matter what circumstance we are in? When you are faced with a den of lions see what Daniel saw: God did not want to save Daniel from the lions’ den; He wanted to deliver him out of it.
And it may mean you go through a problematic situation, but in the midst of it- if you trust God- he will bring a deliverance that will blow you away.
5. A Night of Deliverance (6:18-23)
a. The contrast between Daniel and King Darius.
What a contrast between Darius in his palace and Daniel in the lions’ den. Darius had no peace, yet Daniel was perfectly at peace with himself, the Lord, and the lions. Daniel was in a place of perfect safety, for God was there.
Darius had labored all the previous day to save Daniel from judgment, yet he could not break his own laws. Daniel simply talked to the God of the universe and received all the power he needed. In every way, Daniel was reigning as king while Darius was a slave.
b. Daniel’s faith in God delivered him (6:23; Heb. 11:33).
It is amazing that he had any faith at all, after living in that idolatrous heathen land for so many years. His daily fellowship with the Lord was the secret: he had faith, and he was faithful. See Ps. 18:17-24.
Christians today face many temptations to compromise, and it often appears that the “safest” course is to go with the crowd. But this is the most dangerous course. The only really safe place is in the will of God. Daniel knew that it was wrong to worship the king and pray to him, because Daniel knew God’s Word. He would rather die obeying God’s Word than live outside of God’s will.
Satan comes as a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8-9) and uses our enemies to try to devour us (2 Tim. 4:17). However, God can deliver us if it is for His glory. It is not always God’s will to deliver His children from danger; many Christians have given their lives in the place of duty.
Jesus tells the Church at Smyrna in Revelation 2:10- “Be faithful even to the point of death and I will give you the crown of life.”
6. A Morning of Destruction (6:24)
Morning finally arrives. Coffee is brewing in the diners. People are beginning another day of business and life. But in the palace of the king judgment is coming.
But God came through. God delivered Daniel from the mouths of the lions. And the sin of the those opposed to him was truly revealed.
I’ve wondered what these guys were thinking the next morning? Fear certainly had come over them to see that Daniel had survived. The result of their sin- like any other sin- had huge ramifications
a. Sin is always a tragedy.
Sin- in any way or form- is a tragedy. This should be a lesson to any of us who strive to demean or bring down any of God’s people.
b. Reaping the whirlwind of what one sows.
Galatians 6:7 gives us this warning: “Be not deceived, God is not mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” Hosea 8:7- “They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind.”
Sin out of control has it penalty that is usually far greater than the crime itself.
It’s frustrating to see the results of what sin does in a person’s life. Look at these jealous leaders who attempted to dispose of Daniel in a false way: death. They brought the wrath of the King upon them that not only affected them but their wives and children.
Let me interject this warning: there are those Christians who have tried to bring down God’s leaders- especially pastors that they have disagreed with. Things are inappropriately said, rumors are invented and spread. In fact, if a spiritual leader falls from grace they seem to take great delight.
Furthermore, in our community more recently, the Village Council has made a personnel decision that some people have vehemently disagreed with. Now I am not setting them up as “Daniels” in this case, but they are governmental leaders that we must respect as Christians.
Whether they have made the right decision, recently, or not isn’t the issue here. What is an issue to me is the backyard gossip and unfounded accusations about council members. This is thoroughly and completely inappropriate. The same holds true for any of the same being spoken about the person they dismissed. I would hope that we as Christians and especially members of this Wesleyan Church set an example of doing what is right.
For any of us that have been falsely accused, hang in there. Truth and God somehow win out in the end.
c. God will always be glorified.
Remember, God always vindicates His own. “The righteous is delivered from trouble, and it comes to the wicked instead.” (Proverbs 11:18)
God permitted Daniel to go through this experience (vv. 25-27). Why? Because it brought great glory to His name. When Christians overcome temptation, they always glorify the Lord, even if only the angels and demons are watching. May we, like the Apostle Paul, desire that Christ might be magnified in our bodies, as he wrote “whether by life or by death” (Phil. 1:20).
7. The Dawn of New-found Faith. (25-28)
King Darius discovered through Daniel’s unshakable faith the realization of God and seems to have put his personal trust in him.
So what do we learn from King Darius’ and his reaction the next morning?
a. Our actions do influence other people.
b. Do right when people are looking and when people are not looking.
c. Trust God to see you through the tribulation.
d. Know that God has a bigger plan than you can see.
Conclusion: Final Lessons from the Lion’s Den:
• Daniel exhibited a life-time of trusting and obeying.
What is your life-time habit going to be? Do you trust God? Are you obedient to the work of the Holy Spirit in your life?
• Prayer is the heart-beat of your relationship with God.
Is prayer a spiritual habit that defines your private life with Christ? I don’t ask this to build up guilt but to draw each of us into a necessary lifestyle. Prayer to the Christian should be like water and food to a thirsty and hungry man.
• There's no need to worry about today... or tomorrow.
Do you worry about the situation and circumstances you are in right now? Worry is a natural by product of being human. But God calls us to supersede worry with trusting him.
Living a life of Prayer, Praise and Peace
Daniel 6:1-28
[Outline- first 6 points- from Warren Wiersbe Expository Outlines on the Old Testament, Quick Verse 6]
Imagine awaking tomorrow morning, pouring a cup of coffee, opening your Bible and communing with the Lord in your own back yard when suddenly armed guards scale your fences and arrest you. You would wonder what country you were in!
Of course, this seems a bit far-fetched for us as Americans. However, we have brothers and sisters around the world who cannot worship as openly as we do, they hardly dare to carry their Bibles in public and certainly have to be careful as to how they display their faith.
However, the reality for someone such as Daniel was a clear and present danger everyday. He not only was kidnapped as part of a noble family in Judah as a fifteen year-old, but was forced to work for foreign kings and leaders- many of whom not only did not worship the God he worshiped but were spiteful and hateful towards him. For over 80 years he established himself as a man who stood firm not to be defiled with the king’s meat and to be a man of integrity and humility.
Daniel made the most of his exile to a foreign land. Sure, he harbored the hope and prayer of returning to his home city of Jerusalem. But in the meantime, he made the most of every opportunity to serve the Babylonian masters that were over him.
In this 6th Chapter Daniel experiences a twenty-four hour period that is perhaps the most eventful of any Old Testament character. (So I will be attempting to cram a 24 hour sermon into 30-40 minutes.)
In this chapter we spend a day in the life of the prime minister of the Medo-Persian Empire. Daniel is not a teenager in this chapter; he is a man in his eighties. Old age was not going to get him down anymore than it did in his younger years. Age is no barrier to serving Christ, nor is old age any protection against temptation and testing. Because Daniel started young as a man of faith and prayer, he was faithful to the Lord even in his old age.
My goal is to help us realize that the best part of waking up for the Christian is that nurturing relationship we have with God through Jesus Christ. Your faith gets challenged everyday- certainly through temptation the devil brings and by other people who either despise the God we serve or misunderstand who we really are.
Daniel shows us that being faithful is the only way to live and that God honors the faithfulness of his people. Furthermore, God brings divine protection in times of hostility from the enemy of our soul.
1. A Dawn of Devotion
One of our people shared with the Wednesday Bible Study group that she was grateful for everyday that the Lord gives to her. I wonder if any of us- especially those of us under sixty consider the brevity of life enough to realize that each day that dawns is another opportunity to give praise to our Lord with our lives.
Daniel sets for us an example of how his day began.
How did Daniel begin each day? He prayed to the Lord. In verse10 we are told that Daniel prayed three times a day in a special “prayer chamber” on top of his house.
Psalm 55:17- “Evening, morning and noon, I cry out in distress and he hears my voice.”
Daniel started his day with the Lord and it’s a good thing that he did. Maybe that is a lesson for us to learn about our daily prayer habit. The enemy is always going to and fro seeking whom he may devour just as he was afoot against Daniel. And Daniel was going to face one of the greatest tests of his life.
Prayer was not an incidental thing in Daniel’s life nor was it accidental; prayer was the most essential thing in his life. And the same should hold true for us.
Notice a few things about Daniel’s prayer life:
a. He had special times of prayer.
You can be sure that he talked to the Lord all day long. The Apostle Paul speaks to the Thessalonians of praying without ceasing.” God certainly smiled on Daniel for his consistency in prayer by calling him “greatly beloved” or “highly esteemed.” (9:23; 10:11, 19), language that in the NT the Lord reserves for His own Son.
b. He had a special place for prayer.
It was Daniel’s faithful walk and consistent prayer life that made him one of God’s “beloved sons” (read John 14:21-23 carefully). How important it is to start the day with the Lord. Abraham had this habit (Gen. 19:27); so did David (Ps. 5:3) and our Lord Jesus Christ (Mark 1:35).
c. He had special answers to prayer.
Over and over Daniel came before the Lord in prayer believing that God will answer. A great example of this is found in 2;18 when faced with an “answer or else” command to interpreting the kings dream. “He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon.”
d. He recognized his status in prayer.
Daniel realized that God was God and he was the child of God. He never lost sight of his status, if you will, with God. His prayer life was not one of treating God like Santa Claus but seeing God in his awesome power. Daniel was truly desperate for more of God and his prayer life showed this.
e. He assumed the same position in prayer.
Have you ever spent time on your knees praying before the Lord? Have you assumed the prostrated position on the floor before a holy and awesome God? Perhaps some of us would do well to not simply “kneel in my heart” but actually make it a truly physical act of an inward reality.
2. A Morning of Deception (6:1-9)
The Medo-Persian government under King Darius was governed by 3 prime ministers and 120 satraps- that is, provincial administrators. Darius realized that he was getting fleeced by some of these leaders so he reorganized his kingdom, making Daniel one of the top three “presidents” and then considered giving him the leadership keys over his whole kingdom. This shows us that…
a. A Christian does not have to compromise to succeed.
God had honored Daniel for his faithfulness, so that he was practically the second ruler in the land. There were actually 124 persons involved in the leadership of the land: Darius the king, the three presidents (with Daniel as #1), and 120 princes. We see that Darius was so impressed with Daniel that he was planning to make him the official second ruler. The promotions of Daniel in Babylon are proof that a believer does not have to compromise to succeed (Matt. 6:33).
b. The wicked are continually jealous.
The other 122 leaders were not too happy about Daniel’s success. For one thing, he was an alien and a Jew. Satan has always hated God’s people and always did his best to persecute them and eliminate them. The wicked always hate the just. Certainly godly Daniel was honest and kept careful watch over the affairs of state; the other leaders were stealing from the king and covering up their thefts with false accounts.
c. Sometimes opposition will not make sense.
The wicked lie about God’s people. In this case, they told Darius that all the presidents agreed on the plan to worship him (v. 7) even though Daniel had never been consulted. But Darius, in his puffed up pride and gullibility, agreed to sign the decree without first consulting with his best president. But history shows that Darius was easily influenced by flattery.
Sometimes opposition will come up against us and it just won’t make sense. It’s one thing to run into antagonism and know what the reasons are. And then there are those times when someone will oppose us that seemed like they were on our side.
d. The Christian always trusts God- no matter what!
But notice Daniel’s attitude in all of this: he trusted God (v. 23).
3. A Noon of Decision (6:10-13)
How many times have any of us received bad news? What do we do in those times? Do we stew in worry all day? Or do we hit our knees in prayer?
a. Daniel refused to altar his lifestyle to accommodate sin.
Daniel was one of the first ones to hear of the new decree, and he had to decide what to do. Of course, his godly character and spiritual walk had already decided for him: he would serve the Lord and pray to Jehovah just as he had always done.
b. Daniel refused to compromise his Biblical values.
Daniel could have made excuses and compromised. He was an old man who had served the Lord faithfully all his life. One little compromise at the end of his life could not do too much damage. Could he not be more useful to the Lord alive than dead? No. Daniel refused to compromise.
He chose rather to be eaten by lions than to miss one prayer meeting.
c. Daniel remained steadfast despite the peering eyes.
His enemies watched as Daniel went to his prayer chamber where the windows were always open (“Pray without ceasing”), and they could see him kneel and lift up his hands toward Jerusalem. Now they had him. But Daniel had peace in his heart. He was praying, giving thanks, and making supplication, and this is the formula for peace (Phil. 4:6-7).
d. Daniel had built a spiritual discipline that he was not about to break.
Daniel was used to praying and had been since he was a teenager. So to go to prayer in a time of distress was normal. He had built a spiritual discipline of prayer in his everyday life.
To our young people: It is important for you to see the wisdom in building spiritual habits when you are young.
4. A Sundown of Disappointment (6:14-17)
There are two very important realizations about Daniel’s predicament:
First,
a. King Darius was foolish and realized it too late. (v. 14)
Second,
b. Daniel’s Enemies reminded the king of the law. (v. 15)
The king realized what a fool he had been, but even his power and wealth could not alter the law of the Medes and Persians.
c. God did not want Darius to deliver Daniel; that was a privilege He was reserving for Himself.
Daniel was not depending on the king either. Psalm 146:3 tells us: “Do not put your trust in princes, nor in mortal men, who cannot save.”
Have we learned like Daniel the whole idea of trusting God no matter what circumstance we are in? When you are faced with a den of lions see what Daniel saw: God did not want to save Daniel from the lions’ den; He wanted to deliver him out of it.
And it may mean you go through a problematic situation, but in the midst of it- if you trust God- he will bring a deliverance that will blow you away.
5. A Night of Deliverance (6:18-23)
a. The contrast between Daniel and King Darius.
What a contrast between Darius in his palace and Daniel in the lions’ den. Darius had no peace, yet Daniel was perfectly at peace with himself, the Lord, and the lions. Daniel was in a place of perfect safety, for God was there.
Darius had labored all the previous day to save Daniel from judgment, yet he could not break his own laws. Daniel simply talked to the God of the universe and received all the power he needed. In every way, Daniel was reigning as king while Darius was a slave.
b. Daniel’s faith in God delivered him (6:23; Heb. 11:33).
It is amazing that he had any faith at all, after living in that idolatrous heathen land for so many years. His daily fellowship with the Lord was the secret: he had faith, and he was faithful. See Ps. 18:17-24.
Christians today face many temptations to compromise, and it often appears that the “safest” course is to go with the crowd. But this is the most dangerous course. The only really safe place is in the will of God. Daniel knew that it was wrong to worship the king and pray to him, because Daniel knew God’s Word. He would rather die obeying God’s Word than live outside of God’s will.
Satan comes as a roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8-9) and uses our enemies to try to devour us (2 Tim. 4:17). However, God can deliver us if it is for His glory. It is not always God’s will to deliver His children from danger; many Christians have given their lives in the place of duty.
Jesus tells the Church at Smyrna in Revelation 2:10- “Be faithful even to the point of death and I will give you the crown of life.”
6. A Morning of Destruction (6:24)
Morning finally arrives. Coffee is brewing in the diners. People are beginning another day of business and life. But in the palace of the king judgment is coming.
But God came through. God delivered Daniel from the mouths of the lions. And the sin of the those opposed to him was truly revealed.
I’ve wondered what these guys were thinking the next morning? Fear certainly had come over them to see that Daniel had survived. The result of their sin- like any other sin- had huge ramifications
a. Sin is always a tragedy.
Sin- in any way or form- is a tragedy. This should be a lesson to any of us who strive to demean or bring down any of God’s people.
b. Reaping the whirlwind of what one sows.
Galatians 6:7 gives us this warning: “Be not deceived, God is not mocked. A man reaps what he sows.” Hosea 8:7- “They sow the wind and reap the whirlwind.”
Sin out of control has it penalty that is usually far greater than the crime itself.
It’s frustrating to see the results of what sin does in a person’s life. Look at these jealous leaders who attempted to dispose of Daniel in a false way: death. They brought the wrath of the King upon them that not only affected them but their wives and children.
Let me interject this warning: there are those Christians who have tried to bring down God’s leaders- especially pastors that they have disagreed with. Things are inappropriately said, rumors are invented and spread. In fact, if a spiritual leader falls from grace they seem to take great delight.
Furthermore, in our community more recently, the Village Council has made a personnel decision that some people have vehemently disagreed with. Now I am not setting them up as “Daniels” in this case, but they are governmental leaders that we must respect as Christians.
Whether they have made the right decision, recently, or not isn’t the issue here. What is an issue to me is the backyard gossip and unfounded accusations about council members. This is thoroughly and completely inappropriate. The same holds true for any of the same being spoken about the person they dismissed. I would hope that we as Christians and especially members of this Wesleyan Church set an example of doing what is right.
For any of us that have been falsely accused, hang in there. Truth and God somehow win out in the end.
c. God will always be glorified.
Remember, God always vindicates His own. “The righteous is delivered from trouble, and it comes to the wicked instead.” (Proverbs 11:18)
God permitted Daniel to go through this experience (vv. 25-27). Why? Because it brought great glory to His name. When Christians overcome temptation, they always glorify the Lord, even if only the angels and demons are watching. May we, like the Apostle Paul, desire that Christ might be magnified in our bodies, as he wrote “whether by life or by death” (Phil. 1:20).
7. The Dawn of New-found Faith. (25-28)
King Darius discovered through Daniel’s unshakable faith the realization of God and seems to have put his personal trust in him.
So what do we learn from King Darius’ and his reaction the next morning?
a. Our actions do influence other people.
b. Do right when people are looking and when people are not looking.
c. Trust God to see you through the tribulation.
d. Know that God has a bigger plan than you can see.
Conclusion: Final Lessons from the Lion’s Den:
• Daniel exhibited a life-time of trusting and obeying.
What is your life-time habit going to be? Do you trust God? Are you obedient to the work of the Holy Spirit in your life?
• Prayer is the heart-beat of your relationship with God.
Is prayer a spiritual habit that defines your private life with Christ? I don’t ask this to build up guilt but to draw each of us into a necessary lifestyle. Prayer to the Christian should be like water and food to a thirsty and hungry man.
• There's no need to worry about today... or tomorrow.
Do you worry about the situation and circumstances you are in right now? Worry is a natural by product of being human. But God calls us to supersede worry with trusting him.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Wednesday Nite Bible Study- "Paul's Six Questions" Romans 8:28-39
PAUL’S SIX QUESTIONS
Romans 8:28-39
1. The Question that Affirms Our Faith.
What shall we say in response to this? (v. 31a)
There is no need to fret over what God will do. In times of frustration where is our faith? In times of rejection where is our faith? In times of hardship where is our faith?
What should our response be?
We have a confidence due to our faith in Jesus Christ. We have a sure salvation.
(Isaiah 12:1-3)
2. The Question that Reminds us of God’s Power.
If God be for us who can be against us? (v. 31b)
God is for us and not against us. The all-powerful, the all-knowing and all-seeing God is on our side. This should give us the security that we need in the face of insurmountable odds. (Psalm 91:5, Job 11:18)
3. The Question that Acknowledges God’s Faithfulness.
Will he not also graciously give us all things? (v. 32b)
The proof is that He gave His very best on the cross. Surely He will freely give us anything else we need. As God’s children bought by the blood of Christ, we have the riches of his grace at our disposal. (Philippians 4:19; Titus 3:4-7)
4. The Question that Ridicules the World’s Objections.
Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? (v. 33)
Can anyone indict us for sin? No! We have been justified, and that standing before God never changes. (Hebrews 13:6, Psalm 112:7)
5. The Question that Mocks Satan’s Accusations.
Who is he that condemns? (v. 34a)
Can anyone condemn us? No! Christ died for us and lives now as our Advocate (lawyer) at God’s right hand. (Romans 8:1, John 3:18)
6. The Question that Confirms God’s Love.
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” (v. 35a)
Can anything separate us from God’s love? No! Not even the devil himself can separate us! (“principalities and powers”—v. 38). (John 10:28, Matt. 28:20)
God does not keep His child immune from trouble. Paul was not referring here to imaginary things, but to things that are dangerously real.
a. “Shall tribulation …?” Tribulation is never a grand, highly welcomed event; but whatever it may be—whether exhausting, irritating, or simply causing some weakness—it is not able to “separate us from the love of Christ.” Never allow tribulations or the “cares of this world” to separate you from remembering that God loves you (Matthew 13:22).
b. “Shall distress?” Can God’s love continue to hold fast, even when everyone and everything around us seems to be saying that His love is a lie, and that there is no such thing as justice?
c. “Shall famine?” Can we not only believe in the love of God but also be “more than conquerors,” even while we are being starved?
d. “Shall nakedness?” What about our Wesleyan brothers and sisters in foreign lands who were turned out of their homes at night, stripped of their clothes as they fled into the Sierra Leone jungle? Are they separated from the love of God?
e. “Shall danger or sword?” “Where does the love of God go when minutes are turned into hours?” (“Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” by Gordon Lightfoot) What about those loneliest moments a person bears prior to death itself?
Either Jesus Christ is a deceiver, having deceived even Paul, or else some extraordinary thing happens to someone who holds on to the love of God when the odds are totally against him. Logic is silenced in the face of each of these things which come against him. Only one thing can account for it—the love of God in Christ Jesus. (Oswald Chambers)
Romans 8:28-39
1. The Question that Affirms Our Faith.
What shall we say in response to this? (v. 31a)
There is no need to fret over what God will do. In times of frustration where is our faith? In times of rejection where is our faith? In times of hardship where is our faith?
What should our response be?
We have a confidence due to our faith in Jesus Christ. We have a sure salvation.
(Isaiah 12:1-3)
2. The Question that Reminds us of God’s Power.
If God be for us who can be against us? (v. 31b)
God is for us and not against us. The all-powerful, the all-knowing and all-seeing God is on our side. This should give us the security that we need in the face of insurmountable odds. (Psalm 91:5, Job 11:18)
3. The Question that Acknowledges God’s Faithfulness.
Will he not also graciously give us all things? (v. 32b)
The proof is that He gave His very best on the cross. Surely He will freely give us anything else we need. As God’s children bought by the blood of Christ, we have the riches of his grace at our disposal. (Philippians 4:19; Titus 3:4-7)
4. The Question that Ridicules the World’s Objections.
Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? (v. 33)
Can anyone indict us for sin? No! We have been justified, and that standing before God never changes. (Hebrews 13:6, Psalm 112:7)
5. The Question that Mocks Satan’s Accusations.
Who is he that condemns? (v. 34a)
Can anyone condemn us? No! Christ died for us and lives now as our Advocate (lawyer) at God’s right hand. (Romans 8:1, John 3:18)
6. The Question that Confirms God’s Love.
“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?” (v. 35a)
Can anything separate us from God’s love? No! Not even the devil himself can separate us! (“principalities and powers”—v. 38). (John 10:28, Matt. 28:20)
God does not keep His child immune from trouble. Paul was not referring here to imaginary things, but to things that are dangerously real.
a. “Shall tribulation …?” Tribulation is never a grand, highly welcomed event; but whatever it may be—whether exhausting, irritating, or simply causing some weakness—it is not able to “separate us from the love of Christ.” Never allow tribulations or the “cares of this world” to separate you from remembering that God loves you (Matthew 13:22).
b. “Shall distress?” Can God’s love continue to hold fast, even when everyone and everything around us seems to be saying that His love is a lie, and that there is no such thing as justice?
c. “Shall famine?” Can we not only believe in the love of God but also be “more than conquerors,” even while we are being starved?
d. “Shall nakedness?” What about our Wesleyan brothers and sisters in foreign lands who were turned out of their homes at night, stripped of their clothes as they fled into the Sierra Leone jungle? Are they separated from the love of God?
e. “Shall danger or sword?” “Where does the love of God go when minutes are turned into hours?” (“Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald” by Gordon Lightfoot) What about those loneliest moments a person bears prior to death itself?
Either Jesus Christ is a deceiver, having deceived even Paul, or else some extraordinary thing happens to someone who holds on to the love of God when the odds are totally against him. Logic is silenced in the face of each of these things which come against him. Only one thing can account for it—the love of God in Christ Jesus. (Oswald Chambers)
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