No Matter What
Griffith Baptist Church – 4/20/08
P.M. Service
Text: Daniel 6:10-15
Main Verse:
The Introduction
Polycarp (A.D. 70-155) was bishop of Smyrna and a godly man. He had known the apostle John personally. When he was urged by the Roman proconsul to renounce Christ, Polycarp said: ’Eighty and six years have I served Him, and He never did me any injury. How then can I blaspheme my King and my Savior?" ’I have respect for your age," said the official. ’Simply say, ’Away with the atheists!’ and be set free." The aged Polycarp pointed to the pagan crowd and said, ’Away with the atheists!" He was burned at the stake and gave joyful testimony of his faith in Jesus Christ. Wycliffe Handbook of Preaching & Preachers, W. Wiersbe, p. 214
"I am a nobody telling everybody about Somebody who will save anybody who will call on Him."
--Reggie Jackson, quoted by Dr. Adrian Rogers
What do people catch you doing that speaks for God no matter what?
Let’s look at Daniel at what has transpired so far in Daniel 6:1-9
Now we come to Daniel and his life as it is now
1. He is undisturbed by the new law
2. He goes about his business as if nothing has taken place
3. His greatest concern is God.
By the way, shouldn’t that be our greatest concern?
Daniel lived his life in the “No Matter What” mode. So how do you live your life?
Transition Statement: We need to realize first that no matter what happens, we need to be obedient to God.
Body
1. No Matter What, Obey God – Acts 4:1-20 (18-20)
A. Daniel knew of the law and yet obeyed his God anyway
B. Confidently - in God’s Commands (13)
i. Proverbs 3:26 – For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.
ii. We have unsure footing in this life unless we have confidence in God
iii. People ought to see our confidence, not arrogance
C. Courageously - in the face of opposition (19-20)
i. Righteous is being filled with the Holy Spirit and obedient to what God tells you to do, in everything - Proverbs 28:1 – The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion.
ii. He strengthens our heart - Psalms 31:24 – Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD.
iii. We will tackle what most men would shrink away from
iv. We will face obstacles that only come from holy strength
Transition Statement: Second, despite the opposition, we need to always be a people of prayer.
2. No Matter What, Pray to God – Acts 12:1-12 (5,12)
A. Daniel was aware it could cost him his life but he prayed anyway
B. Ceaselessly (5)
i. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 – Pray without ceasing.
ii. Don’t quit because you don’t see results
iii. In fact, no results, you keep going till you get results, whatever God wills.
C. Considerately (5)
i. Thoughtful and caring
ii. We pray honestly
iii. We pray specifically
iv. We pray respectfully
Transition Statement: Third, no matter the circumstances, we need to praise God.
3. No Matter What, Praise God – Acts 16:16-25 (25)
A. Daniel gave thanks (end of verse 10), as was his custom, despite the danger involved
B. A good Presbyterian minister of Old Scotland, of the staid and orthodox type, had a poor old woman in his congregation who was in the habit of saying, "Praise the Lord," "Amen," when anything particularly helpful was said, This practice greatly disturbed the minister and one New Year’s day he went to see her. "Betty," he said, "I will make a bargain with you. You call out, ’Praise the Lord’ just when I get to the best part of my sermon and it upsets my thoughts. Now if you will stop doing it all this year, I will give you a pair of wool blankets." Betty was poor, and the offer of the blankets sounded good. So she did her best to earn them. Sunday after Sunday she kept quiet. But one day a minister came to preach who was bubbling over with joy. As he preached on the forgiveness of sin and all the blessings that follow, the vision of the blankets began to fade and fade, and the joys of salvation grew brighter and brighter. At last Betty could stand it no longer and jumping up she cried, "Blankets or no blankets, Hallelujah!"
C. Constantly
i. Psalms 34:1 – I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
ii. You an always find something to praise God about
iii. God did something for your today.
iv. Are you ashamed to admit it?
D. Candidly – open and honest
i. Psalms 22:22 – I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.
ii. Praise to God is not something we keep to ourselves – that is selfish Christianity
iii. Praise to God is not something we put off – that is lazy Christianity
iv. When Jesus rode into Jerusalem and His disciples praised Him, the Pharisees told Jesus to rebuke them, and He replied - Luke 19:40 - And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.
Transition Statement: Last, we need to get tough and trust our God, whether times are good or bad.
4. No Matter What, Trust God – Acts 20:17-24 (22-24)
A. Daniel trusted God through the toughness of life, even when he knew it could cost him his life.
B. Fear knocked at the door. Faith answered. There was no one there. Source unknown
C. Completely
i. Proverbs 3:5-6 – 5Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. 6In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
ii. Trust Him with everything
iii. Lean on Him for everything
iv. Acknowledge (perceive, experience) Him in everything
v. Follow Him through everything
D. Consistently (24)
i. Psalms 105:4 – Seek the LORD, and his strength: seek his face evermore.
ii. Your not done till you have finished the course of this life
iii. Operate on the basis of building on the previous day and constantly moving forward
iv. No war was ever won by constantly retreating.
v. Consistent Christianity is what the world needs to see.
Conclusion:
There comes a point in time when we are all faced with the decision to go God’s way or cave in to make man happy.
Which do you choose?
