Daniel 4 - Resolved faith

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Good morning. Those of you who don't know me, I'm Pastor Doug. So we're opening the word today in Daniel 4? Yeah, thanks Potsy. I thought I might have lost my place there. So just before we start, just a reminder too that we have a working bee next Saturday morning at 7 o'clock. And great to my fellowship, cleaning out the shed, trim a few trees. If you've got a trial to bring it, we need you to register. If you could let us know, fellows, if you're coming or anyone who wants to come. Ladies and gentlemen, kids, everyone's welcome. But yeah, great things happen when people get together. We look after and steward God's provision for us. Well, we've already prayed about that this morning, but what does it look good to be good stewards? So looking at Daniel so far, how are we going with that? Who's read ahead? Oh, right. So who's just keeping up? Okay, who's reading after I preach to see if I got it right? Thank you, Pastor David. Solidarity in the pastoral team there. Just to make sure that Pastor Doug's not saying things. But I was wondering whether or not how much attention you've been paying. So I'm going to give you a quiz this morning before we start. Before we open in prayer, because I can't pray before the... So this is what you were called so far. So first one, Daniel resolved to refrain from consuming the royal food because of A, he desired to detox. B, the food was too rich and he wanted to avoid a Babylon belly. C, the abstinence was in obedience to God, or D, by choosing the alternative, they bought honor to God. So who's going to go for A? B, C, D? Okay, and look at the rest, you have no idea, do you? Just hopefully that I'm looking around, I'm going to vote as everyone else has voted because that's what we do. He's obviously been to a few church meetings. Okay, next slide. We've got five questions. First one's true or false. Daniel applied for the rights to the 10-day veggie diet. We don't know. Probably I'd say false. How many components made up the statue in chapter two? You can shout it out. We'll take cheats. You know how every classroom has an outdoor, please feel free. Yeah, there's four, wasn't there? Four, gold, bronze, iron and clay. Yep, okay. What bought the statue crumbling down? A stone forged by no man that was cast at the feet of the statue and was there forever. So that's what bought the stone down. And thank you for helping me out with those answers there. Potts, you're doing a great job. Number three, the kingdom of Kadesa changed his selfish, arrogant and narcissistic ways. True or false? Yeah, false. Up to this stage. We never know what chapter four might bring. And last one on C. Who was in the furnace? Hebrew names knownly. Okay, was it Michelle, Daniel, Azariah or Hananiah? Was it Daniel, Michelle, Hananiah and the sons of God? Or was it Hananiah, Michelle, Azariah and Jesus? C, we'll go with C. C, I'll take D as well because a lot of the common trees are saying that that was Jesus in the background. So who got 100%? Thank you Dwayne. And who just fibbed? No one. Okay, that's good. Okay, now the sit-alins is over. Let's get back to genual chapter four. Great chapter because this is a really special moment, almost an intimacy in how someone of faith in a foreign culture can just walk alongside someone until they understand and declare the sovereignty of God. It's pretty exciting, isn't it? It'd be pretty special to be included in that number. Let's pray. Father, we thank you, Lord, just reflecting through the first three chapters of Daniel. You're seeing your hand, Lord, at work. Lord, seeing how you, Lord, intercede and show your way. Father, we pray as we Lord, contemplate chapter four today. Lord, just teach us from us. Lord, just show us your way, your light and your truth. Father, for the difficult questions that are asked later on, we pray, Father, for your spirit to walk beside us there as well. But Lord, we just thank you, Lord, for your word that teaches us, rebukes us, Lord, and holds us close to you. Father, we thank you and pray as you for that. Lord, we ask these things in your name, amen. So Daniel chapter four, Unresolved Faith, and I'm sorry, Resolved Faith, not Unresolved Faith. And when I was reading this, I came up with this little subtitle, Gulp, How Do I Tell Him? Because in the midst of chapter four, Daniel is overcome with that intrepidation of how do I tell this spoke the truth? Because the truth is not good. But let's read the scriptures up until that point together. They're starting with the starter chapter four. Actually, I'm going to start chapter four verse four, because the first part of chapter four is actually, according to the ancient text, is part of the previous chapter. For some reason, those doing the translation in the modern terms have put it under Nebuchadnezzar's dream of a tree. I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at home in my palace content and prosperous. I had a dream that made me afraid. As I was laying in bed, the images and visions that passed through my mind terrified me. So I commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be brought before me to interpret the dream for me. When the magicians, enchanters, astrologers and diviners came, I told them the dream, but they could not interpret it for me. Finally, Daniel came. And he came into my presence and I told him the dream. He is called Belgezzar after the name of my God and the spirit of the holy gods is in him. So it's interesting, isn't it, that Nebuchadnezzar gave a name to Daniel that was inflecting or interpreting, understanding through a pagan system. Sort of like a nickname, I suppose. In verse nine, I said, Belgezzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and no mercy too difficult. Sorry, so no mystery too difficult for you. Here is my dream, interpret it for me. These are the visions I saw while lying in bed. I looked and there before me stood a tree in the middle of the land. Its height was enormous. The tree grew large and strong and its tops touched the sky. It was visible to the ends of the earth. Its leaves were beautiful. It's fruit abundant and on it was food for all. And under the wild animals found shelter and the birds lived in its branches. From it every creature was fed. In the visions I saw while lying in bed, I looked and there before me was a holy one, a messenger coming down from heaven. He called in a loud voice, cut down the tree and trim off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit that the animals flee from underneath it and the birds from its branches. But let the stump and its roots bound with iron and bronze remain in the ground, in the grass of the field. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven. Let him live with the animals among the plants of the earth. Let his mind be changed from that of a man and let him be given that mind of an animal. Still seven times, till seven times passes by for him. Decision is announced by the messengers. The holy ones declare the verdict so the living may know that the most high is sovereign over all the kingdoms on the earth and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them to the lowest of people. This is the dream that I, Nebuchadnezzar, had now Belshazzar tell me what it means for none of the wise men of my kingdom can interpret it. But you can because the spirit of the holy gods is in you. When we encounter somebody, we're in that special position where in a conversation and someone asks us the question, what is this about God? I don't understand. What is it something? Can you just explain this to me because I've been thinking about this recently. And we're in that special position where we can say, well, after a prayerful consideration, this is what I believe God is saying. Daniel's in that place. He has found favor in the court of the king. He's been given a nickname, which in Australian culture is a way of fondness. So we understand that or I understand that as people who call me nicknames all my life. And so we have this opportunity to see how does Daniel process this? How does he approach it in such a way that brings glory to God? We know he's a man of God because we've learned in the first three chapters, he's made it quite clear that God is there and very present. Is he present in your life? Is there something that God is teaching you today will teach you today? Open your hearts and minds to him to see what he says. So let's have a look at how Daniel has this special encounter with Nebuchadnezzar and the words and the way that he approaches it, I think is a lesson for us all. The way that he approaches this pagan king who's so full of himself, so arrogant, he makes this huge decrees and goes overboard. And here we have Daniel being given this place to be in his presence. Here we have believers in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, born again in the spirit, in the presence of a pagan world. What does he teach us? Well, the first one, I believe, is that conceitedness is met with compassion. Conceitedness is met with compassion in verse 19. Daniel also called Belchazar, was greatly perplexed at a time and his thoughts terrified him. So he said, Belchazar, do not let the dream or its meaning alarm you. Belchazar answered him, my Lord, if only the dream applied to your enemies, its meaning to your adversaries. We understand that Daniel, straight away God gave an interpretation, straight away Daniel had the word to share. He said, how am I going to say this? Because he was so concerned, he had a relationship with this person. And there's something very special about the relationship we have with people who don't believe in Jesus. We are God's person and we are God's hands and feet in that circumstance. And so we have the sovereign of God weighing heavily on us. We have all this stuff inside us to share. And then we have a question that's pretty pronounced. How do we approach it? Well, he approaches it with compassion. The Bible tells us that he was greatly troubled by it. He was even terrified to it. Why? You see, his genuine compassion was for the confused and for the lost. He was condemningly feeling that I need to share this. I need to share it in such a way that he's going to be able to comprehend it so that I can explain it clearly to him. Because Daniel's seen the whole message right to the end. It's like us, we know how the Bible ends. Yeah, we win in the end. Everyone know that? Oh, sure, I hope I haven't spoiled it for you. I remember a young person and young adults tell me that one day. I looked at the end of the Bible, Doug, and it works out, we won. It stuck with me. But here we have the big picture. We know the big picture. How do we get a person to just walk towards God by revealing the truth compassionately with them? A revelation of outcomes to all who listen to it. And he had this revelation, didn't he? So this compassion comes there. A gentle word turns away wrath. Been able to be prepared to give an answer, the Bible tells us. And so we're at this point where all these things, and this is not a good story to be telling someone. This is not something that you can say, well, if I can just sugarcoat this, then King Nebuchadnezzar won't be too offended. Sometimes you've got to be able to tell people, I'm sorry, but the Bible tells you're going to hell unless you receive Jesus, Lord and Savior. Sometimes you do it gently. Sometimes he has a way of going around it for you, but he'll reveal that to you. But if we keep that understanding, that when we come across people who are conceited, people who are struggling with reality, the compassion overcomes conceitedness. And such was the heart, this special intimate relationship that Daniel had. The second one was that declared with candor. Now, not only does he prepare to give a word, but he actually declares it with compassion. He complies it with just that sensitivity. Just because he's right doesn't mean he thumps the Bible and says, this is what happened. He comes across in such a way where he's accepted, but the truth is still there. In verse 26, the command to leave the stump and its roots means that your kingdom will be restored when you acknowledge that heaven rules. When you turn and repent, that's when you'll be restored. When you accept Jesus as Lord and Savior, that's when you have a relationship with God. You'll know you're going to heaven because it'll be personal, be spirit-filled. That's what he's saying to them. It's the truth he's saying to them. Let me just read that again. Your kingdom will be restored when you acknowledge that heaven rules. In all humility and with sincerity, confess his ways. Daniel can speak from experience. This is what God has done in my life. This is how God has guided me. How can I help others understand this? How can I help Nebuchadnezzar understand it? He says to Nebuchadnezzar, you need to confess. You need to acknowledge who God is and he'll restore you. Now, we can take the restoration of the whole kingdom and all the pomparity and all that stuff around, but what he's actually saying deep down is you can have relationship with the most high God, the sovereign Lord God, when you acknowledge his rules. Don't we struggle with rules? It's a tough one, isn't it? Now, how many people put their seatbelt on before they leave the yard and do it as they're driving down the street? I hope a bus driver would because that would be a bit... Hang on 42 people in my bus. Just sit there while I just put the seatbelt on while I'm stirring with my knees through traffic. No. Good on you, Pete. Great example. I'm not saying that Pete never does that, did I? I was watching a clip, a TikTok clip the other day and it was this American who's getting used to Australia and she was commenting about all the things Americans needed. Aren't you said Australians love following rules and they love upholding rules? I think there's a bit of a fine line. You know that one where someone cuts into you in traffic? What is the rule for merging, by the way? Are you allowed to beep? Okay, right. Mental note. We acknowledge God's rules and we know and confess his ways. This is what God has done for me. This is how I understand who God is. And then in verse 27, therefore, Your Majesty, be pleased to accept my advice. Renounce your sins by doing what is right and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed that you may then prosperity will continue. He gives him the whole outstanding thing, doesn't he? You need to turn around, stop what you're doing. You need to understand the rules of God and you need to change your ways and you'll be restored. He did it with, he declared the truth. He declared the truth with candor. Basically, he's saying there's one way to be right with God and that is to repent. How does that sit? One way to be right with God is to repent. It sounds too simple, doesn't it? But that's what God is. He doesn't want to make it complicated for us. He's trying to get through to Nebuchadnezzar. This is what he needs to do as well. The third aspect of it is the brokenness awaits a braggart. Even though when the words are on his lips, a voice came from heaven, this is what is declared to you, King Nebuchadnezzar. Your authority has been removed immediately, he says in verse 33. King Nebuchadnezzar just said, oh, look at all I've done here. I've done such a wonderful job. I've put all this stuff out. I've had this wonderful thing and straight away the very thing that God had warned him about was his downfall and his braggartness, his self-importance, himself saying, I'm bigger than this, is a thing that declared to God, okay, that's it. Daniel repeatedly warned him, don't do this, repent now. You don't need to lose all this. You don't need to be busted up and broken down. But sometimes that's what it takes for God to get through to us. Sometimes we have to be in that spot where we have to pay attention to him. And when we pay attention to him, it says in the Scriptures, 1 John 119, that he's merciful and just and restores into righteousness. When we confess, Lord, I've got it wrong, please help me. God doesn't keep accounts. He wants us to keep short accounts with him. See, Nebuchadnezzar's mindset is in the statement, I, I, Nebuchadnezzar, I have done this, I have done that. There's a bit of an illustration that I love about this, and it's really, it can be applied to any situation. But it's about the opportunity we have to just acknowledge who's God is in all things that happen, not just live on our own reputation to be humble about it. And when we have this, we have this situation where we have a throne, a borrowed this of Campus Crusade, I thought it was a great illustration, used it for years, that when we have the throne of heaven, the moment we put ourself on the throne and the cross at the foot, we're saying we know more than God. We're saying that we have the answers. We are in control. I can't let God do this. If I let God have control, I won't have control. And straight away, that turns into a battle then, about who is going to have the outcome. You've got to speak in your heart today about the things that you are struggling with to release to him. This is his message for you today, repent now. Quietly pray and ask him to take that away. Quietly ask him, Lord, I am so sorry. Show me how to work through this. Put people in my life if need be, Lord, like Daniel did with Nebuchadnezzar, to show me how I can walk righteously with you. Because this world we live in is a world full of self-importance. It's a world full of a culture that says that people are bigger than God and they are in control. And that's the message he has for Nebuchadnezzar. No, I'm in control because you're going to be broken down about this. If you want some relevance about this understanding of the throne with self sitting on the seat, some of the things that happen is a list of God here. I'll just read it to you. I won't look at anyone's face just in case you think I'm talking to you. Ignorance of his spiritual heritage, unbelief, disobedience, loss of love for God and for others, poor prayer life, no desire for bubble study, legalistic attitude, impure thoughts, jealousy, guilt, worry, discouragement, critical spirit, frustration and aimlessness. That's just the short list. When self is on the throne, the fruit of that are some of those things I read out. It doesn't mean you're a vile, foul creature. It doesn't mean you're worthless. It just means that God is saying, if this is part of your life, you need to deal with this. If it isn't here, just come to me. It's okay. Just repent. Just say, I'm sorry, Lord, help me to get through this. Because when we try and do it at our own strength, it's not going to happen. When Nebuchadnezzar was right at the pinnacle and he could have said, okay, I'm going to repent now, it never happened because his self-importance got in the way. The fourth one, transformation comes with repentance. Great story. Verse 34, at the end of that time, I again, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes towards heaven and my sanity was restored, then I praised the Most High. I honoured and glorified him who lives forever. When he raised his eyes to heaven, when he worshipped the God, do you notice the language has changed from the first three chapters? Not one of the Most High Gods, but the High God. His sovereignty was declared. He declared the sovereignty of the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords. And so he walked with him then and he got close to him. I honour and glorify him who lives forever. So we have Daniel, who had this truth to share, and he had this burden on his heart to share it. He shared it with this person that he had grown into a relationship with of someone. And he shared the truth with such a way that even if the guy, when he went through the bad stuff, all of a sudden he remembered, hang on, Daniel told me what would happen. If I just turn my life around now, if I acknowledge who God is, folks, we can be in a situation where we can say a word to someone when they're, you know, when they're 15. And then later on in life, they don't walk close with God, they have their struggles, they make poor choice, the consequences of that, and then there'll be a revelation moment. And I go, hang on a second, I remember what such and such said. And that's when I connected with God again. That's a powerful testimony. On two fronts, one, the person repents and thank you Jesus, they're walking with God. Secondly, the faithfulness of the person who shared with Canada the truth they needed to know. If you've ever been in that experience, praise God, you've been that person that's been the God person in that person's life. If you're remembering now of a God person in your life, praise God for it. I'm excited when I hear things like the young ladies doing a Bible study together. You know, the faithfulness to those three ladies leading that is going to be, well, let's impart the word of God on these girls. We love them, some of them are our own, so we've got to love them, but some aren't our own. And we're going to love them. And show them that God is teaching us and we can teach them. And wherever they walk in years to come, there'll be a time, I believe, when the revelation will come. I remember what Lacey said. I remember what Amy said. I remember what Cardi said. And I'm going to ask someone to help me out, find that out. When you confess through your mouth and believe in your heart, that Jesus is Lord, you will be saved. Romans 10, 9. If anyone here today have been struggling with their faith and they're struggling about where to put it in the line, can I encourage you to read those words for yourself in Scripture or ask a person sitting next to you to read them with you and pray over them, that you'll be restored in heaven. Every time we get up to preach, Dave Dillon and I and Dave and Alan and all the others who've been preaching over the years, and Adrian as well, our heart is that people will come closer to God, but we can't make that happen. The Holy Spirit makes that happen. And when the Holy Spirit speaks, He prompts us in ways we cannot found them. And we just have to say those simple words, Lord, I am so sorry. I'll lift my eyes up to heaven as Nebuchadnezzar did and it can be restored. He's never too late. In verse 37, now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the God of heaven because everything he does is right and all his ways are just. And those who walk in pride, he is able to humble. Personal testimony, those who walk in pride, he's able to humble. I thought maybe he's, you know, he's shout to the Lord. He's shouting to the Lord. This is what God has done for me. Daniel's faith was resolute. He was resolved that even in a foreign context, in a foreign culture, that he was going to stay close to God and speak God's truth when prompted. He was able to then go before Nebuchadnezzar, the man he had a relationship with, who'd witnessed to and had shown the power of God's hand and share the truth. And even when Nebuchadnezzar ignored it and still 12 months later went and did exactly the thing that he'd warned him about. The words came back. If I lift my eyes to heaven, he will restore me. What a great God we have. What a sovereign King we encounter every day. So those of you who are taking notes at home and taking notes now, I've got four things to finish with. So worship team, if you'd like to come up and get yourselves ready to finish off the service as we worship in song. The four things are this, meet concededness with compassion and alternatively ask yourself, how is my heart in relation to my achievements? Who do you give glory to in your achievements? Declare the truth with candor, openness and honesty. In a personal question, how do I respond when God's truth is pointed out to me? How do I respond when God's truth is pointed out to me? Do you get cranky with him? What do you say? Yes, Lord, I'm sorry. I need to repent. Third one, be present to pick up the pieces. Who can I talk to when this, when the time is this happens? So I don't know, we present to help people pick up their pieces, which we're all called to do. Also when we are feeling like we're falling to pieces, who is around me that I can talk to, that I trust? Celebrities, sorry, celebrate with the transformation. How can I tell about my transformation by God? One of the greatest powerful testimonies we have is the life we leave in faith, our authentic life in faith, the real us, warts and all. As you can guess, and I always see things a bit differently, I see, I suppose, and humbly ask that, Lord, give me the words that I can help people have the tools to be able to live their faith out as disciples, Lord, as evangelists, as people who can share their faith in such a way that people come to know Jesus as Lord and Savior. My prayers for that for you too, that you'll have wonderful divine opportunities where you may even have to point out something that's a bit icky, but you do it in such a way that they go, I can accept this from you because you are being consistent and authentic with me. Let me pray. Father, we thank you, Lord, that Daniel wasn't mute, Lord, that he wasn't reluctant, even though it terrified him, Lord, to share the truth with Nebuchadnezzar. Lord, you gave him the courage, Lord, you gave him your Spirit, Father, to speak with love and grace. Thank you for the compassion that Daniel had demonstrated for us today. Lord, we thank you that you walk with us in this world, this corrupt world we live in, Father, and you don't expect us to be on our own. Lord, you take your Spirit with us, you guide us by your Spirit. Father, we thank you for every opportunity we have, Lord, that we may be able to walk in your presence. Lord, help us to be, Lord, your hands and feet. Help us, Lord, to be able to answer those questions with just authenticity and grace, because you have shown that to us. I will give you praise for who you are in your name. Amen.