Scripture
Today, I am going to begin this sermon a little different from my other sermons. We are going to begin by the reading of God’s Word first. Please stand as we read Daniel 4:1-9
Daniel 4:1–9 (NKJV)
1 Nebuchadnezzar the king,
To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth:
Peace be multiplied to you.
2 I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me.
3 How great are His signs,
And how mighty His wonders!
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And His dominion is from generation to generation.
4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at rest in my house, and flourishing in my palace. 5 I saw a dream which made me afraid, and the thoughts on my bed and the visions of my head troubled me. 6 Therefore I issued a decree to bring in all the wise men of Babylon before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 7 Then the magicians, the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers came in, and I told them the dream; but they did not make known to me its interpretation. 8 But at last Daniel came before me (his name is Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god; in him is the Spirit of the Holy God), and I told the dream before him, saying: 9 “Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the Spirit of the Holy God is in you, and no secret troubles you, explain to me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its interpretation.
Introduction
It has been seven years since the people gathered on the plains of Dura to worship the 90 foot statue of Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar has seen God work at least two recorded time up to this point.
Nebuchadnezzar had a series of dreams that worried him, and so he called in the wise men of Babylon to tell him the dreams and their interpretation. They couldn’t do it, but God revealed the dreams and their interpretation to Daniel, and he went before the king to tell him what God has revealed to Nebuchadnezzar.
And on the plain of Dura, God revealed Himself to Nebuchadnezzar through the defiance of the three Hebrew men who refused to bow down to the statue. They were thrown into the fiery furnace, God showed up in the furnace, and they were unharmed. Nebuchadnezzar recognized the greatest of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego’s God. And he proclaims blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego.
Seven years have passed, like I told you, and it looks like Nebuchadnezzar is writing out his personal testimony of what God has done in his life. But this is not a personal testimony of God at work in his life but rather it is a selfie of his life. I want you to know the difference.
Point 1
Just because you know the language that Christians speak does not make you a believer. It just says that you been hanging around Christian and picked up some of the things that they say along the way.
Daniel 4:1–3 (NKJV)
4 Nebuchadnezzar the king,
To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth:
Peace be multiplied to you.
2 I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me.
3 How great are His signs,
And how mighty His wonders!
His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
And His dominion is from generation to generation.
Nebuchadnezzar begins his letter to his followers in the same manner that Paul begins his letters to the Galatians, Ephesians, Colossians, and Philippians. Listen how Paul begins his greetings to these four churches.
Philippians 1:2 (NKJV)
2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
And Nebuchadnezzar says: Peace be multiplied to you.
And we would think to ourselves, Nebuchadnezzar must have given his life over to Christ. He sounds just like Paul in the way he goes about starting his letters to these four churches.
If Nebuchadnezzar engaged you and me in a conversation about the many works and signs of God, and he discusses with us God’s kingdom and His rule forever and ever, you would say that man is a believer.
But nothing could be further from the truth. What we can say about Nebuchadnezzar is that he probably spends a good amount of time these last seven years with Daniel and his friends, and he picked up their language.
Let’s be honest, a lot of unbelievers know the language of Christians.
Point # 2
Just because God does a miracle in my life, does not make me a Christian. It just says that God is trying to get my attention probably for the purpose of my salvation.
Daniel 4:2 (NKJV)
2 I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me.
Nebuchadnezzar shows us that God does do miracles in the life of unbelievers, or he does miracles in the life of believers so that unbelievers can see God at work.
Nebuchadnezzar can point to the miracle that happened to him when God revealed the dream and its interpretation. Also, Nebuchadnezzar can point to the miracle that happen to the Jewish men in the fiery furnace when God appeared with those men in the furnace and as result nothing happened to them. He saw God doing that miracle for these young men, but still Nebuchadnezzar did not turn his heart over to God.
When God does a miracle in the life of an unbeliever or does a miracle in the life of a believer that an unbeliever witnesses, it is for the purpose of turning that unbeliever to Jesus.
Point # 3
Just because you are impressed with what God has done in your life or in someone else’s life does not make you a believer. There is a world of difference between being impressed at what God had done and falling under the conviction of the Holy Spirit unto salvation.
Daniel 4:2 (NKJV)
2 I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me.
Daniel 4:8 (NKJV)
8 But at last Daniel came before me (his name is Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god; in him is the Spirit of the Holy God) ...
Nebuchadnezzar was definitely impressed with what God had done. Daniel telling the king the dream and interpretation, which impressed him. The three Jewish men come out of the fiery furnace that impressed the king. No matter how much he was impressed, it was not enough to change his heart.
Nebuchadnezzar gives away in verse 8 the true condition of his heart. Despite God doing signs and wonders, despite Daniel’s God who will rule and rein forever, Nebuchadnezzar was true to his false god- Bal.
And think how foolish this is: Bal has done nothing for Nebuchadnezzar this entire book; our god has done something for the king and yet he chooses to stay with Bal.
Let’s be honest, there are people in your life just like Nebuchadnezzar that God has done more than enough to show Himself to them, but it has not been to change their heart and accept Jesus as their Savior.
Point # 4
Just because I know someone who knows God doesn’t make me a believer. The error of this type of thinking is huge- it means an eternity in hell.
Daniel 4:8–9 (NKJV)
8 But at last Daniel came before me (his name is Belteshazzar, according to the name of my god; in him is the Spirit of the Holy God), and I told the dream before him, saying: 9 “Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the Spirit of the Holy God is in you, and no secret troubles you, explain to me the visions of my dream that I have seen, and its interpretation.
Twice Nebuchadnezzar says about Daniel that the Spirit of the Holy God is in him. Nebuchadnezzar just told us that he follows Bal, but Daniel is my go to guy because the Holy Spirit of God is in him.
I can see Nebuchadnezzar telling Jesus as Jesus judges him, well I knew Daniel and he knew You. When I need something, my god cannot deliver, Daniel’s God can. But I chose to trust my God.
Let me make this clear: you are never going to get to heaven on someone else’s coat tail.
I cannot tell you how many times in my life when I asked if you are a Christian that I got the response, well my family is Christian, or I have been baptized or my favorite I go to the Baptist church down the block.
Conclusion:
Nebuchadnezzar at first glance looks like he is writing his personal testimony of Jesus in his life. But you cannot have a personal testimony until you have Jesus in your heart.
No Jesus, no testimony, all you have is a selfie.
