231008 Daniel 1: Very Little Things

Luke 16.10a “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much”

Open your Bibles if you would to Luke 16. The title of today’s message is “Little things.” We are going to be joining the text in chapter 1 verse one as Jesus teaches a parable… Not one that many people are familiar with. It is unique in that it presents a negative example, an example that we certainly don’t want to follow but an example that nonetheless presents the truth that faithfulness in little things matters. In verse one it says...

INTRODUCTION: A Negative Example

Luke 16:1–13 | 1 Now He was also saying to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a steward, and this steward was reported to him as squandering his possessions. 2 “And he called for him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an accounting of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’ 3 “And the steward said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the stewardship away from me? I am not strong enough to dig; I am ashamed to beg. 4 ‘I know what I shall do, so that when I am removed from the stewardship people will take me into their homes.’ 5 “And he summoned each one of his master’s debtors, and he began saying to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6 “And he said, ‘One hundred baths of oil.’ And he said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ 7 “Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ And he said, ‘One hundred kors of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ 8 “And his master praised the unrighteous steward because he had acted shrewdly (CRAFTILY LIKE A FOX), for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light.

Restate:

This rich man has heard a bad report of his steward’s conduct and he has called him to account for his actions. This servant is not stewarding what belongs to him but what belongs to his master. So because the steward is physically weak, because the steward is too proud he looks ahead to the accounting that must soon happen and he devises a strategy - “I'm gonna cheat my master one last time but at least I'll make friends in the process.” He colludes with his master’s debtors and fixes the accounting to change the book keeping to reflect 500 gallons (2 Tons) of oil instead of 1,000 gallons (4 tons). Another debtor, the steward tells him to bring the accounting down from 20 tons of wheat to 16 tons.

What the steward did was wicked, it was wrong, it was faithless but there is a principle here that should not be lost and which Jesus will clarify in a moment. A guy has to look ahead. There is an accounting and provision needs to be made for that accounting. At some point in the future everyone will be brought to an account. We know that intuitively. Knowing that there is a future time when we will be brought to account it makes sense to make provision for that ultimate accountability. So when the accounting takes place the steward’s master accurately assessed the actions of the steward as shrewd, or crafty like a fox.

In verse 9 Jesus interrupts the parable to give His disciples an explanation… Use your resources, your life, your time well so that when you are brought to an account you will be welcomed by God. Let’s read in verse 9.

9 “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves from the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will take you into the eternal dwellings. 10 “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much, and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much. 11 “Therefore if you have not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth, who will entrust the true riches to you? 12 “And if you have not been faithful in the use of that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? 13 “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.”

Restate:

Jesus tells His disciples and Christian, that includes us by the way, that we are to make the most of what has been entrusted to us so that when it goes away, when this wealth fades, when this time disappears our faith will be rewarded by God. Make no mistake, Friend, we can never ever ever earn salvation but we can demonstrate who indeed is our Master by faithfully using what He has entrusted to us for the furtherance of His kingdom.

MAINPOINT

The main point of today’s message is found in Luke 16:10 ““He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much, and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.” REPEAT He who is righteous, having integrity in the very smallest of things will be also rightly be faithful in great things and the reward to come from God is the real and true reward. Faithfulness in little things matters as it reflects a heart that understands rightly that these things are not actually ours… we are simply stewards, and those that steward well will be rewarded.

ROAD MAP

Well, today we are going to see this principle lived out in the life of a 15 year old boy. A kid we are probably familiar with. This kid is about a month’s travel far from home, he is without his folks, his homeland is war torn and he has been taken by a foreign army to their capital - to Babylon - for the purpose of attending university.

Like many kid’s heading off to college he now has a certain amount of freedom… No longer is he bound by the restrictions and rules of his homeland and yet unlike many of the youth of today and back in that day, he voluntarily keeps himself under the good limitations, the right restrictions of the Law. This boy has integrity, he has understanding, he is faithful and we are going to see how God honors his faithfulness.

What I am hoping that we get out of this is merely what is reflected in our introduction and main point. We are just looking at different examples that explain the principle that “he who is faithful in a little thing is also faithful in much.” We will see this illustrated in the book of Daniel and how God rewarded Daniel’s faithfulness.

I want to encourage us, Christian to be faithful in the smallest of small things like Daniel did and I want to take time to show 4 or 5 practical ways we can cultivate faithfulness and then afterwards in conclusion I would like to look at the rewards promised to those who faithfully live for Christ in Luke 19.

PRAYER

Abba Father, You are the Giver of every good and perfect gift. Oh how wonderful to know You as Father, to know Your Son as Brother and Friend and to enjoy the comfort of Your Holy Spirit. This is Your time Father. This time is for glorifying You and honoring You by learning what Your Word says about faithfulness. We understand faithfulness by looking at Your own promises and actions in Scripture. These are trustworthy and good. We are hear to here from Your Word now, please captivate our attention, our whole heart. May You provoke our hearts and minds to action, to obedience, to faith. Ultimately we desire to honor You not only in word, but also in deed. You are worthy of this Father. It is in the perfection of Christ’s righteousness and in none of our own merit we come to You. Amen.

CONTEXT

PAUSE Open your Bibles to the book of Daniel chapter 1. We are going to read through the context in verses 1-7 and I will make a couple of comments and then we will see how Daniel was faithful in the little things and the rewards that God gave him for it. In our timeline last week we left off at the final ultimate destruction of Jerusalem in 586BC… Today we are going to backtrack 20 years to about 605BC and this is where we are going to be introduced to Daniel.

Daniel 1:1–7 | 1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 And the Lord (ADONAI EMPHASIZING SOVEREIGNTY) gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the vessels of the house of (THE) God; and he brought them to the land of Shinar (BABEL, LAND OF WICKEDNESS), to the house of his god, and he brought the vessels into the treasury of his god.

Restate

In 605BC the first of three assaults took place against Jerusalem by king Nebuchadnezzar who was in the first year of his reign. He was fresh from combat in Egypt and he has come to bring to heel Jehoiakim who had allied himself with Pharoah Neco who had slain king Josiah his father. Nebuchadnezzar looted Jerusalem and the took the temple treasures back to Babylon. Verse 3

3 Then the king said for Ashpenaz, the chief of his officials, to bring in some of the sons of Israel, including some of the royal seed and of the nobles, 4 youths in whom was no defect, who were good in appearance, showing insight in every branch of wisdom, being thoroughly knowledgeable and discerning knowledge, and who had ability to stand in the king’s palace; and he said for him to teach them the literature and tongue of the Chaldeans.

Restate

One of the best ways to destabilize a potentially rebellious region was to take the next generation of leaders away and king Nebuchadnezzar took only the best of Judah’s royalty, the good looking, smart ones. He took them 900 miles away and enrolled them in university to learn what the Chaldeans had to teach them. Verse 5

5 And the king appointed for them a daily ration from the king’s choice food and from the wine which he drank, and appointed that they should be educated three years, at the end of which they were to stand before the king. 6 Now among them from the sons of Judah were Daniel (GOD IS MY JUDGE), Hananiah (YAHWEH IS GRACIOUS), Mishael (WHO IS WHAT GOD IS?), and Azariah (YAHWEH HAS HELPED). 7 Then the commander of the officials set names for them; and for Daniel he set the name Belteshazzar (PROTECT HIS LIFE!), for Hananiah Shadrach (COMMAND OF AKU), for Mishael Meshach (WHO IS WHAT AKU IS), and for Azariah Abed-nego (SERVANT OF NEBO).

These boys, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah are in all likelihood only 15 years old have been taken to learn what Chaldean’s had to teach and it says in verse 5 they were to be fed from the king’s table. What the king ate is what they would eat. But what this pagan king ate did not align with what God had designated for the people of God.

Diving into the dietary laws of the people of God is somewhat beyond the scope of this message but if you are curious about Israelite dietary laws and its applicability to the Christian I would suggest the following references for your future study. Leviticus 11 and Mark 7:19 .

My goal today is to look at how Daniel was faithful in little things which is somewhat unexpected and definitely refreshing. We will also look at how God rewarded his faithfulness. The message is in three parts. Verses 8-13 are point 1 which I have titled “Resolved.” Daniel resolved what he would do… Let’s read in verse 8...

SERMON

I. Resolved (v8-13) 8 But Daniel set in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drank; so he sought permission from the commander of the officials that he might not defile himself. 9 Now God granted Daniel lovingkindness and compassion before the commander of the officials, 10 and the commander of the officials said to Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has appointed your food and your drink; for why should he see your faces looking more haggard than the youths who are your own age? Then you would make me forfeit my head to the king.” 11 But Daniel said to the overseer whom the commander of the officials had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days, and let us be given some vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 “Then let our appearance be observed before you and the appearance of the youths who are eating the king’s choice food; and deal with your servants according to what you see.”

Explain

The text says that Daniel set in his heart, your text might says, purposed if your are reading the KJV or resolved if you have the NIV. All of these words communicate the moral fortitude Daniel had. He had a month of travel time to think things through and he determined, he purposed that he would maintain his purity. What was wrong with the kings food? Well, it likely had been ritually or ceremonially sacrificially offered to Marduk or Bel the gods of king Nebuchadnezzar first. 1 Corinthians 10:20 “No, but I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they SACRIFICE TO DEMONS AND NOT TO GOD. And I do not want you to become sharers in demons.” says that sacrificially offering food up to false gods is actually worse than that they are offering it to demons. Daniel resolved he would not defile himself. He made an intentional choice to keep Torah, the Law regarding what God had said the people of God could eat. He was faithful in this little thing. I will keep God’s commands…

So, catch this, he asked permission to do so in humble submission and he was denied! The chief over all the officials knew king Nebuchadnezzar did not allow him to do anything less than what he had commanded and he had commanded him to feed these exiles from his table! If he didn’t - it would mean his head.

What is Daniel to do? Very wisely Daniel transitions the accountability from middle management to their direct supervisor for a ten day test. “Give us vegetables, give us water and check on us in a week and a half and we will see who is doing better, us or the young men eating the rich food from the king’s table.

Lot’s of questions float through my mind… were their peers so starved for food from their long journey and the privations of Judah that they gorged on the rich food and it harmed them? What were they eating? What were they drinking? Were they gluttonously eating all they could get their hands on… there is no telling but it is fascinating what happens on this diet of vegetables that Daniel and Hananiah, and Mishael and Azariah go on.... A vegan diet that in no way should have had the result that it did. Let’s continue on to v14-16. This is our second point Tested

II. Tested (v14-16) 14 So he listened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of ten days it was seen that their appearance was better and that they were fatter than all the youths who had been eating the king’s choice food. 16 So the overseer continued to withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink, and kept giving them vegetables.

Explanation

This is no less than a miraculous work of God. Daniel’s faithfulness in this seemingly small thing is rewarded by a change in appearance, increased vitality and health. The Hebrew word for vegetables has been translated as “pulse,” meaning food like beans, chickpeas and also even alfalfa. It is hard to imagine 15 year old boys gaining weight on hummus and hay… But that is what happened, God blessed their faithfulness by providing them food that they could eat and blessed them physically by changing their appearance. So we see that they passed the test of their faithfulness and now God is going to bless them further. Verse 17-21 is our 3rd and final point, titled Blessed.

III. Blessed (v17-21) 17 And as for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and insight in every branch of literature and wisdom; Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and dreams. 18 Then at the end of the days which the king had spoken of for bringing them in, the commander of the officials brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 And the king talked with them, and out of them all not one was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; so they stood in service before the king. 20 And as for every matter of wisdom in understanding which the king sought from them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and conjurers who were in all his kingdom. 21 And Daniel continued until the first year of Cyrus the king.

Explanation

Should we take away from this narrative that if we go vegan we are going to look healthier and get smarter and even be elevated socially or politically? Is God a magic gumball machine that can be manipulated to pump out material blessing mechanically… no, no, I hope that is not what we come away thinking… the main point is that Luke 16:10 ““He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much.” Daniel and his friends were faithful in this little thing and now God is going to entrust to them that much more.

What are the blessings that God gave them? He gave them knowledge, insight, understanding, He gave them strength to stand in the presence of the king. He made them better than those who had status and position. God gave them the ability to do even more because they had faithfully stewarded what God had already entrusted to them.

TRANSITION TO APPLICATION

Today we have looked at Christ’s understanding of faithfulness, that faithfulness in little things is indicative of a heart that is faithful in big things Luke 16:10 ““He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much.” We have furthermore seen this demonstrated in the life of Daniel. Daniel was faithful in even what he ate and God used him over the 70 years of captivity through multiple kingdoms to wisely guide and lead kings, like Nebuchadnezzar, Darius and Cyrus.

Christian, is it not im

APPLICATION: Increasing in Faithfulness

Fear the Lord - Take Yahweh seriously Proverbs 1:7 “The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of knowledge; Ignorant fools despise wisdom and discipline.” - WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE - Daniel saw the truth in Deuteronomy 28 and Leviticus 26 lived out. In these chapters the blessings of obedience are revealed as are the curses for disobedience. He saw the realities and he believed. We have the same Word of God if we are to be faithful and to increase in faithfulness we must start off with a reverential fear of God that believes what He has said

Ask for wisdom to discern how you should steward - James 1:5–8 “But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith, doubting nothing, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.” - WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE Pray brother, pray sister that God would give you discernment as to how you should go about doing this. Do not abandon your wrestlings with God until you gain the peace of understanding that the Giver of every good and perfect gift will lavishly pour out on you everything that you need for the work that He has appointed for you.

Increase in honesty Psalm 15 “A Psalm of David. O Yahweh, who may sojourn in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy mountain? He who walks blamelessly, and works righteousness, And speaks truth in his heart. He does not slander with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor takes up a reproach against his friend; In whose eyes a reprobate is despised, But who honors those who fear Yahweh; He swears to his own hurt and does not change; He does not put out his money at interest, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.”

Test Yourself with God’s Word Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” - WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE - Spiritually appraise your motivations, your reasons for doing whatever you are doing

Harness your gifts 1 Corinthians 4:2 “In this case, moreover, it is required of stewards that one be found faithful.” 1 Peter 4:10 “As each one has received a gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God—” - WHAT DOES THIS LOOK LIKE God has entrusted spiritual gifts, talents, resources, time, your life to us to steward… we must understand we have been bought with a price and we are not our own… understand what the will of God is, your sanctification.

CONCLUSION

Luke 19:11–27 | 11 Now while they were listening to these things, Jesus went on to tell a parable, because He was near Jerusalem, and they thought that the kingdom of God was going to appear immediately. 12 So He said, “A nobleman went to a distant country to receive a kingdom for himself, and then return. 13 “And he called ten of his slaves, and gave them ten minas and said to them, ‘Engage in business until I come back.’ 14 “But his citizens hated him and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We do not want this man to reign over us.’ 15 “And it happened that when he returned, after receiving the kingdom, he ordered that these slaves, to whom he had given the money, be called to him so that he might know how much they had made in business. 16 “So the first appeared, saying, ‘Master, your mina has made ten minas more.’ 17 “And he said to him, ‘Well done, good slave, because you have been faithful in a very little thing, you are to be in authority over ten cities.’ 18 “Then the second came, saying, ‘Your mina, master, has made five minas.’ 19 “And he said to him also, ‘And you are to be over five cities.’ 20 “Then another came, saying, ‘Master, here is your mina, which I kept put away in a cloth; 21 for I was afraid of you, because you are a strict man; you take up what you did not lay down and reap what you did not sow.’ 22 “He said to him, ‘From your own mouth I will judge you, you worthless slave. Did you know that I am a strict man, taking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I did not sow? 23 ‘Then why did you not put my money in the bank, and having come, I would have collected it with interest?’ 24 “Then he said to the bystanders, ‘Take the mina away from him and give it to the one who has the ten minas.’ 25 “And they said to him, ‘Master, he has ten minas already.’ 26 ‘I tell you that to everyone who has, more shall be given, but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. 27 ‘But these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence.’”

0:15Hrs | 0:15Hrs Reset Manuscript with notes outline etc

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When disputing be kind - not harsh or abrasive

God is going to judge (Hebrews 4:13 “And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are uncovered and laid bare to the eyes of Him to whom we have an account to give.” )

Understand what is right Ecclesiastes 10:4 “If the ruler’s temper rises against you, do not abandon your position, because calmness causes great offenses to be abandoned.”

If

, attractive as physical beauty was perceived as indicative of moral and intellectual ability

The fourth year of Jehoiakim was this was the first year of Nebuchadnezzar’s reign and he had just destroyed Pharoah Neco (Jeremiah 46:2 “To Egypt, concerning the military force of Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt, which was by the Euphrates River at Carchemish, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon struck down in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah:” )

Ezekiel 14:14 “even though these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job were in its midst, by their own righteousness they could only deliver themselves,” declares Lord Yahweh.”

CROSS REFERENCES

Mark 7:19 “because it does not go into his heart, but into his stomach, and goes to the sewer?” (Thus He declared all foods clean.)”

1 Corinthians 10:20 “No, but I say that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they SACRIFICE TO DEMONS AND NOT TO GOD. And I do not want you to become sharers in demons.”

OBSERVATIONS

NAC Moral/Ceremonial defilement by not draining the blood from the meat (swine/horseflesh) and offered to pagan deities

K&D suggests that freedom from personal responsibility is what motivated the boys to ask from the overseer what they had earlier requested from the commander of the officials because the commander of the officials did not want to lose his head