SERMON: Living in Babylon – Identity – Daniel 2 (9/3/2023)

Introduction

• Affects of cultural immersion...
  • I grew up in the South...
    • Lived in Alabama, South Carolina, Mississippi...
    • I went to college in the South...
    • I served churches in the South...
  • Then the Lord moved me to Ohio to lead a church there...
    • Mild culture shock...
      • The people of Ohio didn't understand some of my vocabulary...
        • Nekkid...
        • Poem (po-eeem)...
        • Yall...
        • Carry...
      • The people of Ohio ate wierd things...
        • They put cinnamon sugar in their chili and then serve it over spaghetti noodles.
        • Their favorite "church" dish was noodles on mashed potatoes.
        • Instead of drinking "Coke," they drank "pop."
      • They thought Ohio State was a football powerhouse.
    • Here is what I learned...
      • What we think of as "normal" is largely determined by our surroundings.
  • Another example of the effects of culture on what we think of as "normal" is to look at styles of clothes and hair...
    • Ladies, if you dressed and did your hair today in the way that was "normal" in 1975, people would laugh at you!
    • I remember in the 80's my teenage sisters had big big hair that probably required a can of hair spray every day.
      • And in their rooms, they had posters of boy-band singers with hair that looked just like their hair.
    • My junior year of high school, I think I went the entire year wearing nothing but green military camouflage pants.
  • Our culture largely determines what we think is "normal."
  • And our culture largely determines what we think is "right."
    • When I read history about Christians holding slaves and even about churches barring non-white people even a couple decades ago...
      • It is so hard for me to understand how people thought that was ok.
      • But, now that I've lived a few decades, here is what I've learned...
        • Please understand that I'm not excusing their sin...
        • But at least part of why they embraced something so awful is they were taking clues from their culture.
    • There was a time when churches advocated for abortions, the killing of unborn children!
    • Christians love to complain about all of the debauchery on television today...
      • But at the same time, the things we think are "ok" to watch have changed so much in the last 30 years, that we have to admit that most of our complaining about sin and sex on television is nothing more than an exercise in trying to feel better about our own sinful viewing habits.
      • And most Christians are just about a year or two behind what the world watches...
        • Two years from now, most of us will be watching what we condemn today, and we will be condemning something new (that we will be watching two years later).
    • More churches every day, even in Nacogdoches, are abandoning and rejecting what the Bible clearly teaches about sexuality and gender.
      • These churches are rejecting truths that THEY held up as absolutely non-negotiable just 10 years ago.
  • Here is my point...
    • Our culture exerts immense pressure on us to compromise and conform.
    • It is very difficult to resist that pressure.
      • It is uncomfortable to resist...
    • And our entire understanding of right and wrong can be changed by our culture without us even realizing it.
  • Is there any hope?
    • Any hope for us to live in this world and not be changed by this world?
    • James writes that a significant part of being a Christian is to "keep oneself unstained from the world."
      • James 1:27 | Pure and undefiled religion before God the Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world. (CSB)
      • Is that even possible?
    • Peter writes that we should resist the conformity the world demands by being "strangers and aliens."
      • 1 Peter 2:11 | Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and exiles to abstain from sinful desires that wage war against the soul. (CSB)
    • Paul says that we must "not be conformed to this age."
      • Romans 12:2 | Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God. (CSB)
• So, we are studying the first six chapters of the book of Daniel to learn how to live faithfully in a culture that rejects our faith...
  • Learn how to live godly lives in a world that rejects our very definition of godly.
• Daniel 2
  • Background of Daniel and his friends...
    • The exile...
    • The new culture...
    • Daniel and his friends learned to live and even flourish in Babylon while never compromising their faith...
  • Last week we focused on chapter one and saw something that Daniel and his friends did...
    • Today, I want us to look to Daniel 2 and recognize something about who Daniel was.
      • I want us to notice four unique marks of those who remain faithful in a fallen world.
  • Let's read...
    • Daniel 2:1 | In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams that troubled him, and sleep deserted him. (CSB)
    • Daniel 2:2 | So the king gave orders to summon the magicians, mediums, sorcerers, and Chaldeans to tell the king his dreams. When they came and stood before the king, (CSB)
    • Daniel 2:3 | he said to them, “I have had a dream and am anxious to understand it.” (CSB)
    • Daniel 2:4 | The Chaldeans spoke to the king (Aramaic begins here): “May the king live forever. Tell your servants the dream, and we will give the interpretation.” (CSB)
    • Daniel 2:5 | The king replied to the Chaldeans, “My word is final: If you don’t tell me the dream and its interpretation, you will be torn limb from limb, and your houses will be made a garbage dump. (CSB)
    • Daniel 2:6 | But if you make the dream and its interpretation known to me, you’ll receive gifts, a reward, and great honor from me. So make the dream and its interpretation known to me.” (CSB)
      • Now, that is a pretty hard assignment...
        • Difficult...
        • High risk...
      • What did the king's advisors have to say?
    • Daniel 2:11 | What the king is asking is so difficult that no one can make it known to him except the gods, whose dwelling is not with mortals.” (CSB)
      • The kings advisors got that part right!
    • Daniel 2:12 | Because of this, the king became violently angry and gave orders to destroy all the wise men of Babylon. (CSB)
    • Daniel 2:13 | The decree was issued that the wise men were to be executed, and they searched for Daniel and his friends, to execute them. (CSB)
      • This seems like a story that will not have a happy ending.
      • But there is about to be a plot twist...
        • A plot twist built upon the uncommon character of Daniel...
        • A plot twist that only occurs because there are four things true of Daniel that set him apart in that pagan culture...
        • What were those four traits, identifying marks?
• Before we find out, let's look back at verse 5...
  • Daniel 2:5 | The king replied to the Chaldeans, “My word is final: If you don’t tell me the dream and its interpretation, you will be torn limb from limb, and your houses will be made a garbage dump. (CSB)
• Listen church, parents, students...
  • Just as the king of the Babylonian culture was coming after Daniel and his friends...
  • The king of culture is coming after you, your future, and your family...
• There has never been a more important time for you and me to have the character of Daniel!

Identifying Marks of God's People 

I. Unshakable faith 

• So, the executioners show up to arrest Daniel and his friends and tear them limb from limb...
  • What is Daniel going to do?
    • Daniel is going to exhibit an unshakable faith!
• Let's continue to read...
  • Daniel 2:14 | Then Daniel responded with tact and discretion to Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon. (CSB)
  • Daniel 2:15 | He asked Arioch, the king’s officer, “Why is the decree from the king so harsh?” Then Arioch explained the situation to Daniel. (CSB)
  • Daniel 2:16 | So Daniel went and asked the king to give him some time, so that he could give the king the interpretation. (CSB)
• Notice Daniel's unshakable faith, his confidence in God...
  • He responded with tact and discretion...
    • There was no panic...
    • Daniel didn't wring his hands...
    • Daniel didn't attack the messenger (verbally or physically)...
      • (BTW, what if read  Daniel 2:13–14 before we called to talk to someone about why our AT&T bill is wrong again?)
    • Daniel didn't flee...
  • Daniel calmly collected additional information (2:15)...
  • Daniel went to the king and made an unbelievable promise (2:16)...
• How could Daniel respond so calmly and confidently?
  • Daniel believed and trusted that God was in control.
  • Daniel had an unshakable faith.
• Here is the first identifying mark of God's people...
  • God's people don't panic...
  • God's people don't despair...
  • God's people don't flee...
  • God's people don't quit...
• What should the world see when they look at God's people?
  • They should see people with an unshakable faith.
  • When we find ourselves panicking, free-king out, anxious, despairing...
    • We should stop and remind ourselves that God is in full control and he can be trusted!
  • I remember the first time I flew over the ocean...
    • Terrible turbulence...
    • The only thing that got me through was looking at the calm flight attendants...
    • That is what the world should see in us!

II.  Gentle resolve 

• In a sense, all four of the marks are the same.
  • Or at least every one expands on the previous one just a little bit.
  • We see that here with gentle resolve.
    • This resolve is the consequence of Daniel's unshakable faith.
• Let's go back and read 2:14...
  • Daniel 2:14 | Then Daniel responded with tact and discretion to Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon. (CSB)
    • Tact and discretion...
    • We saw this same kind of tact and discretion in chapter 1...
      • Daniel 1:8 | Daniel determined that he would not defile himself with the king’s food or with the wine he drank. So he asked permission from the chief eunuch not to defile himself. (CSB)
      • Daniel 1:12–13 | “Please test your servants for ten days. Let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then examine our appearance and the appearance of the young men who are eating the king’s food, and deal with your servants based on what you see.” (CSB)
• This may not sound like an important lesson, but it is key to faithful living and godly influence in a pagan world.
  • We must be gentle...
  • We must be resolute...
• Gentle...
  • Yes, Jesus made whips... Twice...
    • But only twice!
    • And he used those against religious hypocrites not the pagan and sinful culture.
  • Jesus was known as a friend of sinners.
  • We must be friendly, gentle, humble, kind...
    • Being in-your-face obnoxious never accomplished anything good!
• Resolute...
  • Jesus was kind, friendly, warm, gentle...
  • But Jesus was also resolute and uncompromising!
    • And Daniel...
• What does the world need to see in us?
  • Not anger...
  • Not an "I dare you" attitude...
  • Protesting Huxley book...
    • When I was in High School, many Christian parents organized a protest over the requirement to read an Aldous Huxley book, Brave New World.
      • The truth was that most of their 15-year-old sons had Playboy Magazines in their school lockers...
      • There wasn't likely anything in the Huxley book that was going to corrupt a teen in our school...
    • But the parents protested.
      • They were mad...
      • They were loud...
      • They were angry...
    • What if the parents had proposed a list of alternative books?
      • That is essentially what Daniel did in the first chapter.
    • What if the parents had a conversation with "tact and discretion?"
  • I'm not saying we should compromise our resolve.
    • But what if we were just as resolved to be gentle, kind, and friendly as we were to stand on our convictions?

III.  Shameless prayer 

• Notice the first thing Daniel did after promising the king that he would bring an interpretation...
  • Daniel 2:17 | Then Daniel went to his house and told his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah about the matter, (CSB)
  • Daniel 2:18 | urging them to ask the God of the heavens for mercy concerning this mystery, so Daniel and his friends would not be destroyed with the rest of Babylon’s wise men. (CSB)
• I told you these markers built on each other...
  • Unshakable faith...
  • Gentle resolve...
  • Now, shameless prayer...
• There are two things to notice about Daniel's prayer...
  • It was shameless.
    • I mean, he did not keep this quiet and secret.
      • He is later going to tell the king that he learned the dream and the interpretation from the Lord, implying that he prayed.
    • The first way people of the world should see our shameless prayer is...
      • They should know that we pray...
      • They should know that prayer is our first resort (not last resort)...
      • They should know that we shamelessly believe that the Lord hears prayer...
      • The word "pray" should be a part of our regular vocabulary when talking with those around us.
      • We should be known as a pray-er.
  • It was done alongside others.
    • Daniel didn't just pray alone!
    • Daniel asked others to pray.
    • Daniel had regular prayer partners.
• I love the historical account of Jesus, the disciples, and the boy possessed by a demon in Mark 9.
  • The disciples couldn't solve the problem...
  • Jesus did...
  • The disciples asked why they couldn't solve the problem...
  • Jesus answered...
    • Mark 9:29 | And he told them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer.” (CSB)
• Here is what Daniel declared after God answered his prayer...
  • Daniel 2:19 | The mystery was then revealed to Daniel in a vision at night, and Daniel praised the God of the heavens (CSB)
  • Daniel 2:20 | and declared: May the name of God be praised forever and ever, for wisdom and power belong to him. (CSB)
  • Daniel 2:21 | He changes the times and seasons; he removes kings and establishes kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. (CSB)
  • Daniel 2:22 | He reveals the deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with him. (CSB)
  • Daniel 2:23 | I offer thanks and praise to you, God of my ancestors, because you have given me wisdom and power. And now you have let me know what we asked of you, for you have let us know the king’s mystery. (CSB)

IV.  Signposting

• Let's see how the story ends...
  • Daniel 2:25 | Then Arioch quickly brought Daniel before the king and said to him, “I have found a man among the Judean exiles who can let the king know the interpretation.” (CSB)
    • Notice the words of Arioch...
      • "I have found a man... who can let the king know the interpretation..."
    • Arioch takes credit, personally.
  • Daniel 2:26 | The king said in reply to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to tell me the dream I had and its interpretation?” (CSB)
  • Daniel 2:27 | Daniel answered the king, “No wise man, medium, magician, or diviner is able to make known to the king the mystery he asked about. (CSB)
  • Daniel 2:28 | But there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has let King Nebuchadnezzar know what will happen in the last days. Your dream and the visions that came into your mind as you lay in bed were these: (CSB)
    • How does Daniel's attitude differ from Arioch's attitude?
      • Arioch took credit.
      • Daniel gave the credit to the Lord!
        • Daniel could have really used the information about the dream for personal profit and promotion.
        • But Daniel wanted to be very clear that it was the Lord who provided the answer.
• Daniel wanted to be a signpost for the glory of God.
  • Daniel wanted his life, his work, his words, his very presence to be a sign that pointed to the power, wisdom, and glory of God.
  • Let's read further...
    • Daniel 2:29 | Your Majesty, while you were in your bed, thoughts came to your mind about what will happen in the future. The revealer of mysteries has let you know what will happen. (CSB)
    • Daniel 2:30 | As for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because I have more wisdom than anyone living, but in order that the interpretation might be made known to the king, and that you may understand the thoughts of your mind. (CSB)
• What was the result of Daniel's signposting?
  • Daniel 2:46 | Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell facedown, worshiped Daniel, and gave orders to present an offering and incense to him. (CSB)
  • Daniel 2:47 | The king said to Daniel, “Your God is indeed God of gods, Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, since you were able to reveal this mystery.” (CSB)
• How can you and I be signposts for God's glory?
  • We should recognize that all good things come from the Lord.
  • AND, we should say it!
    • I can't because...
      • It's not very professional...
      • It is not something that will get me promoted...
      • It isn't accepted...
      • It isn't allowed...
    • Hogwash!
  • The only purpose you have is to bring glory to God!
    • The ONLY PURPOSE!
    • If you are doing something, working somewhere, under some constraints that keep you from bringing glory to God, then QUIT.
    • But in most cases...
      • If you aren't a jerk about it (and Daniel wasn't)...
      • You can (and should) point to the glory of God.

Conclusion 

• One more thing...
  • Who were the most direct beneficiaries of Daniel's risk, obedience, and faithfulness?
    • They were the least deserving people in the entire story...
      • The magicians, mediums, sorcerers, and Chaldeans...
        • They were spared.
        • They lived.
        • They lived because of the obedient faithful act of someone else...
          • Daniel
      • In fact, these advisors had an impossible, life and death problem...
        • But Daniel solved the unsolvable problem.
  • Jesus is the greater Daniel!
    • Who are the most direct beneficiaries of Jesus's work?
      • Underserving people like me and you...
    • Jesus's obedience and faithfulness becomes the substitute for our own.
    • And Jesus solved the unsolvable problem of the wages of sin is death!
      • Hebrews 2:14–15 | Now since the children have flesh and blood in common, Jesus also shared in these, so that through his death he might destroy the one holding the power of death—that is, the devil—and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the fear of death. (CSB)
    • [GOSPEL]