Stand Firm With The Lion (Of Judah) & Stand Firm Against All Lions

They can weigh up to 550 lbs. but still run at 50 mph for short bursts, covering 100 m in 5-6 seconds. A swipe of their paw can generate a strike force of up to almost 23,000 lb/ft. In comparison, a professional boxer’s knockout-punch registers only 925 lb/ft. They can open their mouth nearly a foot wide, allowing their long teeth and powerful jaws to puncture skulls. Do you know what animal I’m talking about? Lion.

Stuffed toys and cartoon versions of these animals have made us think that lions are cuddly, but they remain deadly animals. A man in Ghana was mauled to death this past August when he decided to climb into the lion enclosure at a zoo. Between 1932 and 1947 in part of Tanzania, three generations of lions stalked and killed 1,500 people—nearly a hundred people a year. It’s not surprising to hear that ancient kings kept lions on hand to dispatch their enemies. It also makes you appreciate what a miracle it really was that the prophet Daniel survived the night in a lions’ den. Today we’re going to learn how that was possible. We’ll discover that when you stand firm with The Lion (of Judah), you stand firm against all lions. (Read text.)

Our sermon text about the prophet Daniel is appropriate for our Reformation celebration today. Reformation commemorates God’s use of the 16th century German monk, Martin Luther, to rediscover the truths that we are saved by God’s grace and not by any efforts of our own. Advocating for this truth, however, brought Luther persecution. Such persecution and ridicule still await God’s faithful children today. Do you know how to endure? Daniel’s experience gives us instruction and inspiration.

You may remember that Daniel was a teenager when he was carried off from his home in Jerusalem in 605 BC by the Babylonians. But God blessed Daniel. He made him into a trusted advisor to the Babylonian kings—a position he held for 60 years. The Babylonians were succeeded by the Medes and Persians, but Daniel continued as a government administrator. He was so well-liked by the new king that Darius planned on promoting him above all the other governors in the land. This didn’t sit well with the other administrators. They conspired to engineer Daniel’s downfall. At first, they tried to find something wrong with the way that Daniel handled the king’s affairs, hoping they could discredit Daniel. But after searching, it became clear that Daniel had never taken a bribe or had been inefficient in handling the king’s affairs.

If someone were to look at the jobs we have done, would they also conclude that we have always been honest and hardworking? Had Daniel been employed at Walmart would he have ever stretched his lunch break beyond what was allowed? Would he have ever “accidently” dropped a box of merchandise so that he could purchase the now-damaged goods at a discount? Would he have aimlessly walked the aisles to kill time? It doesn’t seem so. And keep in mind that Daniel was working for a government that had destroyed his country and taken him captive. He had every reason to be a grumpy employee, but he wasn’t. He was faithful in all he did because he knew that he was serving God himself. And that’s a truth that applies to each one of us. No matter how difficult our job, no matter how underappreciated we may be, there is no room for negligence or dishonesty. For when we do our best, we give glory to our God and King.

If Daniel’s enemies couldn’t get him into trouble with his work record, they were certain they could exploit his faith. The schemers approached King Darius, appealed to his vanity, and urged him to write a decree which stated that for thirty days people could only pray to him. Anyone who disobeyed would be thrown to the lions.

If you were Daniel, what would you have done in response to the edict? Would you have stopped praying for the next 30 days, rationalizing that a dead Daniel would be no use to God or to his people? Or perhaps you would have resolved to keep praying, but do so in secret? Daniel did neither. Instead, he continued to pray three times a day with his window open towards Jerusalem as he had always done. And can you recall what kind of prayers Daniel offered? First of all, he gave thanks. Thanks!?! Shouldn’t Daniel have fired off a prayer of protest? Daniel was after all 80 years old. He had served God faithfully. Is this how God was going to repay that loyalty—to have his life end in the jaws of a lion?

Friends, especially those of you who are seasoned citizens, are you ready to face challenges like Daniel did in the golden years of your life? Or would you get upset if your retirement is thrown into turmoil? The longer I serve as a pastor, it becomes more tempting for me to think that God owes me. I’ve put in my time. I’ve had some tough ministry situations. Shouldn’t God make the last third of my ministry a breeze? That wasn’t God’s plan for Daniel, however. Not a cakewalk but a cat-walk awaited him. You see, even in Daniel’s final years God was exercising and refining his faith. Be ready when he does the same for you. Be ready by standing firm with The Lion.