THE CHRONICLES OF DANIEL #2: FRUSTRATING DREAMS
DANIEL 2:1-23
SUNDAY PM JULY 25, 2004
INTRODUCTION: “FRUSTRATING DREAMS” – BOURNE IDENTITY, BOURNE SUPREMACY, BUTTERFLY EFFECT – MY OWN – PREACHING FOR A FRIEND’S CHURCH – WHAT ABOUT YOU?
TRANSITION THOUGHT: As the chronicles of Daniel continue, we move into year two of the reign of King Nebuchadnezzer. We also move into the second movement of God in the life of His servant Daniel. God is at work and He calls for His servant to be involved. When conviction comes, the finger of God upon a human heart, God places a servant near by to show the reality of God and the Help that God alone can bring. Our text tells the story of frustrating dreams and the power of God to organize a life and bless all those involved.
THESIS SENTENCE: GOD USES DREAMS FOR HIS GLORY!
I. FRUSTRATING DREAMS CALL FOR UNDERSTANDING VV. 1-13
A. FRUSTRATING DREAMS BRING ANXIETY
B.FRUSTRATING DREAMS CALL FOR INTERPRETATION
C. FRUTRATING DREAMS DEMAND ACTION
ILLUSTRATION: One of the keys understanding our relationship to God is in understanding that God wants us to obey Him not for His sake, but for ours. God loves us so much that He wants us to avoid the pitfalls and disappointments of this life. He knows that when we take on the attitude of Christ, we will be happy and satisfied. Our obedience to Him is to our great benefit in our lives today and forever.
I can remember my dad trying to explain to me that he wanted me to avoid the mistakes that he had made. He wanted me to do things the right way because it would make my life easier and I would be happier. This came from a father who, just like all of us, made his share of mistakes. Our Heavenly Father never made mistakes, but he knows us well. He knows our weaknesses and where we might stumble. He knows what tempts us, and He wants us to avoid that temptation. Our God is a God of Peace, and wants us to enjoy peace, but that peace comes out of obedience to His will.
Contributed by: Mark Christian
II. FRUSTRATING DREAMS CALL FOR EXPLANATION VV. 14-23
A. EXPLANATIONS BEGIN WITH THE RIGHT PEOPLE
B. EXPLANATATIONS INVOLVE FRIENDS
C. EXPLANATIONS INVOLVE GOD/ PLEADING/PRAYER
D. EXPLANATIONS COME FROM GOD/ GOD GIVEN WISDOM
ILLUSTRATION: False Standard of Measurement
A little boy came running to his mother, shouting, “Mother, I am nine feet tall.”
His mother responded, “Don’t talk such nonsense.”
“But,” he said, “I really am nine feet tall. I measured myself.”
“Well, how did you measure yourself?” asked his mother.
“I took off my shoe and measured myself with that. It is the same size as my foot, and I am really nine feet.”
With a smile the mother replied: “Now I understand, but I have to tell you that your measure was not the right one. We do not measure ourselves by the size of our own feet, but we must use a 12-inch ruler.”
Paul reminds us that, “Those who measure themselves by themselves ... are without understanding.” (2 Cor 10:12)
Contributed by: Gene Barron
III. FRUSTRATING DREAMS REVEAL A SERVANT VV. 24-28
A. A SERVANT KNOWS HIS PLACE/ USES THE LINE OF COMMAND
B. A SERVANT WILL STAND BEFORE THE KING
C. A SERVANT REVEALS HIS MASTER/ DOESN’T TAKE ANY CREDIT
ILLUSTRATION: THE DOG GONE STORY!
Many years ago before airplanes and the great jets of today, people had to travel by ships.
These great ocean going vessels were very slow sailing across long distances.
The King of Greece made the decision to travel to the USA. The King had heard of the vast land and
how God had blessed the Untied States, and he decided I will take my family and friends to see if what
we hear is true?
So the King of Greece and all those he invited boarded the ship and headed toward America.
The servant of the King would walk the King’s family’s beloved pet dog.
One day the servant in charge of the pet was exercising and playing with the King’s pet dog.
The servant was getting a little careless and the dog had gotten braver and braver running and
playing on the deck of the ocean-liner.
Another day the ship was in choppy water, the dog was running on the hard wood deck.
The little pet dog ran and jumped and when the dog landed, he slid into the ocean.
The servant ran as fast as humanly possible and told the Captain of the Ocean Liner about the
dog sliding off the deck into the ocean and how much the King and the King’s family loved that
pet dog.
The Captain of the ship refused to turn it around for a dumb old dog.
The servant said, "But it is not a dumb old dog, it is the King’s pet!"
The Captain said, "I am sorry, you should have been more careful! But I will not turn the ship
around for a dog!"
The servant started running as fast as possible toward the back of the ship.
The servant could see the swimming dog in the distance, the servant pulled his shoes off, grabbed
a life jacket, and jumped off the back of the ship.
The crew started yelling, "MAN OVERBOARD! MAN OVERBOARD!"
The Captain turned the ship around and went to save the man.
When they found the man floating in his life jacket, he had the dog safe in his arms.
Let us liken this story unto Jesus and the lost, hopeless --- worthless drowning humanity.
Jesus said, "FATHER, I WILL! I WILL GO AND GIVE MYSELF FOR THEM!" Contributed by: Wade Hughes, Sr
IV. FRUSTRATING DREAMS REVEAL A PLAN VV. 29-44
A. A PLAN SPEAKS OF THE FUTURE
B. A PLAN SPEAKS OF REALITY
C. A PLAN SPEAKS OF INTERPRETATION
D. A PLAN SPEAKS OF DIVISION
E. A PLAN SPEAKS OF GOD
ILLUSTRATION: GETTING PAST YOUR PAST
Consider Charles Colson, the aide to Richard Nixon who was sent to jail for Watergate. As as a result of his experience as a convicted felon, Colson founded Prison Fellowship, now the world’s largest Christian outreach to prisoners and their families. Prison Fellowship has more than 50,000 volunteers working in hundreds of prisons in 88 countries around the world. A ministry that has blessed millions of people got started twenty-five years ago because Charles Colson committed a crime. God’s eternal purposes for that man included even the sin that sent him to prison. It was a part of God’s plan from the very beginning.
But the story that matters most to you isn’t Peter’s, or Paul’s, or even Charles Colson’s. It’s yours. And what I want to say to you this morning is that the story of your life has not been ruined, not by your sin or anyone else’s. God’s good plan for your life is not buried under the mistakes of the past. God has a plan for your life, a good plan, a wise plan, a loving plan, a sovereign plan, and that plan is still in effect. You haven’t missed it. He is working out that plan in your life right now, today. Will you believe that? And will you renew your commitment this morning to seeking God, and following Him, and serving Him with your whole heart; free of the past, no longer weighed down by regret?
SOURCE: Alan Perkins in "Getting Past Your Past."
http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon.asp?SermonID=34927&ContributorID=5916
Contributed by: SermonCentral PRO
V. FRUSTRATING DREAMS REVEAL GOD AND HIS GLORY VV. 45-49
A. GOD AND GLORY IS A PROMISE
B. GOD AND GLORY CALL FOR WORSHIP
C. GOD AND GLORY CHANGE EVERYTHING
D. GOD AND GLORY IS A BLESSING TO HIS SERVANT
E. GOD AND GLORY IS A BLESSING TO HIS SERVANTS
ILLUSTRATION: David Brainerd was an American colonial missionary to the Indians who died at the age of twenty-nine. His diary reveals a young man intensely committed to God. Brainerd once said to Jonathan Edwards: “I do not go to heaven to be advanced but to give honor to God. It is no matter where I shall be stationed in heaven, whether I have a high seat or a low seat there...My heaven is to please God and glorify Him, and give all to Him, and to be wholly devoted to His glory.”
Contributed by: Donnie Martin
CONCLUSION: Frustrating dreams come to us all. Frustrating dreams make us think. Frustrating dreams can be God’s conviction upon us. Frustrating dreams should bring us to God. THE INTERPRETATION DOESN’T MATTER. THE GIVER OF THE DREAM IS ALL THAT MATTERS! WHERE DO YOUR DREAMS LEAD YOU?
BENEDICTION: NUMBERS 6: 24-26
