Text: Daniel 4:1-37, Title: Living in a God Hostile World, Date/Place: NRBC, 5/17/09, PM
A. Opening illustration: talk a little about the hate crimes bill that will potentially make preaching against homosexuality a crime…
B. Background to passage: This is a strange way to begin a text, but it begins and ends with praise to God. It was probably written after the following account as an indication of what was discovered. Or some have suggested that it was actually the doxology to chapter three. Whatever the case, we have the same old Neb. having dreams and visions of an egomaniac. And we have Daniel, humble, godly, and wise to rescue the day, and you have God who is still desiring to communicate with N. And all of this occurring in a land that is obviously hostile to the exclusivity of the God of the bible!
C. Main thought: From our text we will see three truths about how and why to live well in a God-hostile world.
A. Who not to be (v. 4)
1. It is very evident in the first words out of his mouth that ol’ N is still ol’ N. He is very similar to most people in our world that are absolutely self-focused. God has been continually trying to get his attention, or at least demonstrating His power since the first chapter. And this is a continuing theme that Neb just can’t seem to grasp. His heart is continually wicked, scheming, rebellious and hard. By the way, this is the last time that God deals with him. Surely now, after these previous dreams, and consultations from the wise men of Babylon, Neb knew that he was the tree; surely he knew that getting cut down by angels wasn’t good. So why go and ask at all? Surely he already didn’t like what he knew! But the main point is illustrated in v. 29-31—God hates pride, and Neb thinks that he is God, and he continually robs glory from the only One who is worthy of it. And it is for this that God finally ends mercy and space to repent.
2. Jam1:23-24, 4:6, Ps 115:1, Acts 10:25, 14:15, Philip 2:13, Rom 9:22-23, Pro 16:18,
3. Illustration: tell about God providing us with a core group in Maine, and me nearly missing it, “When God therefore wishes to lead us to repentance, He is compelled to repeat His blows continually, either because we are not moved when He chastises us with His hand, or we seem roused for the time, and then we return again to our former behavior. He is therefore compelled to redouble His blows.” –Calvin, The biggest idol we have can be ourselves. George Bernard Shaw put it rather neatly when he described a person in one of his plays as "a self-made man who worships his own creator!" talk about having a prideful reaction to finding this verse in my head, double-checking, and rejoicing in my own abilities, "There is nothing quite so dead as a self-centered man a man who holds himself up as a self-made success, and measures himself by himself and is pleased with the result."
4. Isn’t it strange how we are so clueless in our walks with God? Sometimes God has to do and redo something several times so that we may see. And if we don’t learn, He will do it again. We have need of not only endurance, but insight. Pray when things seem to go continually wrong, “what is it that you want me to understand?” And train your mind to look for things that God is saying, leading, and doing rather than just enduring. The bottom line is that honestly, we don’t do much of what we know God is telling us to do in the scriptures. He calls for help to see if someone will help him reinterpret the obvious. We would all rather hear what we want to hear. Don’t try to discern intricacies of the text or doctrines if you refuse to do what you already know. God will not open your eyes to truth, if He knows that you have predisposition not to follow it. And God will not tolerate pride in your life! He will be ruthless about breaking your sense of self-sufficiency, and replacing it with a sense of God-dependency/sufficiency.
B. Who to be (v. 8)
1. Daniel is our example of how to live under such a king. He was viewed by outsiders as one who had the Spirit of God living and working in his life. He was not troubled by secrets, revelations, or circumstances—seen as fearless. He was faithful do deliver the message to the king without alterations. And all that was done or said was done or said with the utmost respect and submission to authority. And finally Daniel, dispensed some much needed advice to the king.
2. Acts 2:13, Eph 5:18, Matt 6:25-26,
3. Illustration: the scary statistic that Josh McDowell gave the other night was that there was statistically no difference theologically between fundamental evangelical kids, and non-believers, you get those emails that talk about the bill that will take away our guns, or force kids back into government indoctrination centers (I mean schools), etc.? Piper talks about the “sages” in his church,
4. Believers are supposed to be different from the world. We are supposed to be peculiar. We are supposed to operate differently, think differently, spend differently, educated differently, love differently than the world in general. Does the world know you as someone in whom dwells the Spirit of God? Does the fruit of the Spirit constantly flow from your life? I am not saying, do they know that you are a “believer,” but do they know you as one through whom God works? Do we demonstrate ourselves as being worrisome, or calm? Do our worlds come apart at the first sign of trouble? Are we prone to hysteria? We are supposed to carry ourselves like we have a God who is large and in charge, and caring for every minute detail of our lives. Those are the most winsome occasions in life, when others watch us cruise through pain and difficulty with our eyes and faith fixed on Christ. Are we faithful to communicate the message of Christ to those around us? Our job is not to cower to their position, their power, their relationship and distort the message for our own benefit. Are we a fountain of godly advice to those near us? I know that many of your are, and for that I grateful. But godly advice is not always well received. Sometimes you must give advice that people don’t want to hear (like when people come to me with their minds made up about a divorce, pitch me their best justifications, then I tell them not to do it!) Be firm, be respectful, but be faithful to the One who had made you a spokesperson and an ambassador!
C. Why to be (v. 17, 25-26)
1. The “why” behind everything that we do is God. He is the reason that we exist, and do everything that we do. Several truths about him that are helpful to point out here. First is that His divine decree is the genesis for everything that goes on. His whole reason for doing this is to show Neb that He is in charge. And this is the message of the whole book of Daniel. God is a persistent teacher, and promises that Neb will learn that He is sovereign. Second, also is that God is absolutely merciful! It is obvious that Neb has already done enough to be judged of God, and yet, God gives more warnings, and more time. Evidently there was a long span of time between the dream and its fulfillment. What a show of mercy!
2. Ex 33:19, Deut 7:9, Ps 100:5, 103:17, 118:1
3. Illustration: talk about the parts of the movie Bruce Almighty and the requirement that you not mess with free will, for that is the highest thing.
4. It is much easier to believe this than to be taught it. Rest in the truth that God is absolutely sovereign! However, the sovereignty of God does not eliminate the responsibility of man to choose Christ. They are compatible even if we can’t explain it all. Tell about the conundrum about the normal means of sustaining life—eating. Know that He is completely in charge of your lives, and of governments, and marriages, and churches. His absolute freedom as the potter is very close to the core of what it means to be God. 2) This is why when people ask questions like about the fairness of God to do thus and so, we forget that we have already done enough evil for him to wipe us off the face of the planet. All of our lives are mercy. How could God know what we thought, dreamed about, or did yesterday and still allow us to live. That’s where the discussion on fairness should begin. But God is always mingling mercy and grace together.
A. Closing illustration:
B. Recap
C. Invitation to commitment
Additional Notes
• Is Christ Exalted, Magnified, Honored, and Glorified?
