Living with Grace and Truth in a Broken Culture

We just celebrated Independance day for the USA. We celebrated the birth of the greatest nation in history. This nation was based on a Judeo Christian belief system.

Isaiah 33:22 NLT

22 For the Lord is our judge, our lawgiver, and our king. He will care for us and save us.

From this verse we can see that even our form of government came out of the bible. We have a judicial branch, a legislative (law-giver), and an executive branch (king). We used to be a nation, not perfectly by any means, but we were based on Christian principles.

However, we have moved away from that and …

We live in a broken culture. I don’t think that you can argue otherwise. It’s become an oppressive culture if you disagree with it and it will try to cancel you out when you do. In many aspects we are living in a post Christian world. We used to call ourselves a Christian nation, but I am not so sure we can do that now. Instead of sending the Gospel around the world, our government links monetary help to LGBT policies. That’s a big change. So let’s look at Daniel so we can learn how we can live and make a difference in this culture.

Daniel was a young Jew living in Judah during the reign of King Jehoiakim. Neb conquered Judah and captured the best and the brightest and brought them back to Babylon for indoctrination into the Babylon ways so they could serve the king. Judah (Israel) was conquered because they had turned away from God... and they paid the consequences.

We live in a culture that is moving away from God.

We live in a culture that is increasingly moving away from God, and even becoming hostile towards God, and living a godly life and we have to learn how to live a godly life in an increasingly ungodly culture.

Isaiah said,

Isaiah 5:20 NLT

20 What sorrow for those who say that evil is good and good is evil, that dark is light and light is dark, that bitter is sweet and sweet is bitter.

That’s happening more and more.

Let’s look at what our culture is saying.

Our culture today says that killing babies is ok. Now that Roe vs Wade has been overturned, there is a well funded movement to get abortion legalized in each state.

Years ago, when the pro-life movement began fighting against abortion, we all said, that abortion would lead to lack of care for the elderly as well, and so now we medicate people to death. We just give them more morphine.

Our culture says you can’t pray at public events. schools, ball games…

Culture says that Christianity cannot be in the public arena. They has been a false narrative about a line or a wall between church and state…It’s not there.

The intent of the founding fathers was to protect faith world from a government run amuck.

Prayer was pushed out of schools and school events…

President can’t meet with Christian leaders in the Whitehouse…

Cabinet members can’t have bible Studies.

Our culture today says you can pick your gender…

Our culture says you can do whatever you want to do…

Our culture says there are no moral absolutes… God says differently.

Jesus addressed this mindset in Matthew 7:13-14

Matthew 7:13–14 NLT

13 “You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. 14 But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.

We enter into the KOG on way… his way and that’s through a relationship with Jesus Christ. But he says that on the highway to hell, we can do anything we want to do.

We are in a election year so right the differences are very visible.

Dems vs. Republicans… and divisions within those.

Pro-life - vs pro-abortion

Gun freedom vs. gun control

Traditional Family vs. whatever today

Legal Immigration vs. Illegal entry

Helping the poor vs. not helping the poor

Free-speech vs. censorship or cancel culture

Sexual immorality vs. moral living

Capitalism vs. Socialism and communism

Civilized world vs. Terror world Worshipping God vs. I am God

We are going to have to learn how to balance between these extremes to learn how to stand firm and love well in this culture of compromise we live in.

Next week we will look at the Babylon mentality, what it wants to do and how we can restore sanity.

I try my best to get my answers to life from the Bible and because of that we will look to the Bible and to the life of Daniel today.

Book of Daniel – 1-6 History / last 6 chapters prophecy of the end times.

Bible was not written chronological order. OT 5 books law / historical books / poetry / Prophets (major and minor)

Daniel is both history and prophetical, but it was placed in the prophecy section of the Bible. It was put there so we would know that history was also prophecy. It was more than just great stories, it is a play book that we will need when the prophecies begin to take place.

Daniel lived in a country that turned away from God and they, even though they were God’s chosen people, paid a price. America is at the threshold of falling away from God. We move more and more that way every day.

I believe that we are at a place where we will either turn further away from God or turn back to him. If we don’t turn back to him, we will pay a price... just like other countries before us. We are actually already beginning to pay a price.

Daniel 1:1–6 NLT

1 During the third year of King Jehoiakim’s reign in Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 The Lord gave him victory over King Jehoiakim of Judah and permitted him to take some of the sacred objects from the Temple of God. So Nebuchadnezzar took them back to the land of Babylonia and placed them in the treasure-house of his god. 3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief of staff, to bring to the palace some of the young men of Judah’s royal family and other noble families, who had been brought to Babylon as captives. 4 “Select only strong, healthy, and good-looking young men,” he said. “Make sure they are well versed in every branch of learning, are gifted with knowledge and good judgment, and are suited to serve in the royal palace. Train these young men in the language and literature of Babylon.” 5 The king assigned them a daily ration of food and wine from his own kitchens. They were to be trained for three years, and then they would enter the royal service. 6 Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were four of the young men chosen, all from the tribe of Judah.

Daniel 1:1–6 “1 During the third year of King Jehoiakim’s reign in Judah, King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 The Lord (Adonai - owner or ruler) gave him victory over King Jehoiakim of Judah and permitted him to take some of the sacred objects from the Temple of God. So Nebuchadnezzar took them back to the land of Babylonia and placed them in the treasure-house of his god.

The prophets had been warning Israel for over 300 years - repent or face judgement.

3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, his chief of staff, to bring to the palace some of the young men of Judah’s royal family and other noble families, who had been brought to Babylon as captives. 4 “Select only strong, healthy, and good-looking young men,” he said. “Make sure they are well versed in every branch of learning, are gifted with knowledge and good judgment, and are suited to serve in the royal palace. Train these young men in the language and literature of Babylon.” “5 The king assigned them a daily ration of food and wine from his own kitchens. They were to be trained for three years, and then they would enter the royal service. 6 Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah were four of the young men chosen, all from the tribe of Judah.”

Culture is impactful and will influence us, and if we don’t realize that, then it will slowly change us today. The culture will influence us and we won’t even notice. (dress codes, view of police, view of work & work ethic, discipline of children, etc)

It’s the devil that’s using the culture to neutralize you and I.

Write this down

Culture has an agenda

The enemy will always use the culture to pull people away from God to become lovers of themselves. Here are some ways culture does this…

1. Culture will try to get you to change your identity.

Daniel 1:7 NLT

7 The chief of staff renamed them with these Babylonian names: Daniel was called Belteshazzar. Hananiah was called Shadrach. Mishael was called Meshach. Azariah was called Abednego.

Naming rights and even the names given show ownership. We have to decide if we are going to believe what the culture says about us and our faith or what God says about us.

Bullies will try to redefine you. Remember as kid… they would call guys with glasses 4 eyes…

It will cause you to wear a mask so that you fit in to society and to hide your insecurities. life of the party…

Devil used to tell me I can’t speak ... afraid of speech class... former boss ... last 33 years I have spoken to thousands...

The devil will try to re-write your identity and keep you from being what God wants you to be.

Look at the names…

Daniel means God is my judge

Belteshazzar means Whom Bel protects

or Lady protect the King. It is a A girl name... In every pagan culture, there has been gender confusion. Devil is not just trying to make you immoral, but to cause you to forget who you really are.

Hananiah means Yaweh is gracious

Shadrach means Illumined by the sun-god.

It can also mean after the moon God. The devil wants to mess up your relationship with God and to forget about the grace of God through the Lord Jesus Christ. He wants us to trade that for being one with mother earth.

Mishael means Who is like Jehovah

Meshach means Who is like Venus

The world wants you believe that all gods are equal; that all faiths are equal; and that no one religion is above another.

Azariah means Yahweh is my helper

Abednego means Servant of Nego

This means you are a slave to the culture. The culture says that you don’t need God, you are all you need. The world says that dependence on God is weakness.

These name changes were intentional. They were trying to eliminate any identification of God from these young men. It was a strategy of indoctrination. We have done the same thing here in our schools.

Our kids pay a price in our schools if they talk about Jesus. (a child was made to stand in rear of class for saying she believed in Jesus)

Listen, give God a chance to put the right label on you and in you.

This is important because

When the culture shifts, we must know who we are.

Daniel 1:8 NLT

8 But Daniel was determined not to defile himself by eating the food and wine given to them by the king. He asked the chief of staff for permission not to eat these unacceptable foods.

2. Culture will try to get you to compromise your standards.

They changed Daniel and his friends’ names. They taught them different languages. They taught them different history and Literature. Then they wanted to change their diet... not just their diet because for Jews, diet was linked to obedience to God. They were tearing these young men away from their faith walk.

Many of you feel the culture coming at you...subtly pushing you to accept things you know are wrong or not right. You are being pushed to move the plumb line of God’s word to where there are no moral absolutes.

God’s standards are for you... not against you. His commands are to protect you from harm and provide something good for you.

When culture shifts, we must reaffirm our convictions.

Daniel 1:9–10 NLT

9 Now God had given the chief of staff both respect and affection for Daniel. 10 But he responded, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has ordered that you eat this food and wine. If you become pale and thin compared to the other youths your age, I am afraid the king will have me beheaded.”

Daniel 1:11–14 NLT

11 Daniel spoke with the attendant who had been appointed by the chief of staff to look after Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. 12 “Please test us for ten days on a diet of vegetables and water,” Daniel said. 13 “At the end of the ten days, see how we look compared to the other young men who are eating the king’s food. Then make your decision in light of what you see.” 14 The attendant agreed to Daniel’s suggestion and tested them for ten days.

The culture will test us over and over again. Daniel and his friends were tested. They could live it up, or they could remain faithful to the Lord, and possibly face some consequences.

3. Culture will try to get you to create a confrontation.

We have to be prepared for this confrontation between us and the culture if we are going to follow the Lord and live the way He wants.

We have to be prepared for the tests that will come our way. They may not be like this guy...

ILL - A college student claiming to be a Christian was challenged by a Muslim student who said he did not really believe in the Bible... The student said he did, so the Muslim slapped him across the face... argued that he did not believe... the student turned the other cheek and the Muslim hit him again. He took a step back and said, you are the first real Christian I have met.

Your choice may be more like...

ILL – prolife - prochoice… pro-Israel or pro terrorist… Normal or Trans…

When the culture shifts, we must respond the right way.

For the most part, the church is not responding the right way… I don’t think.

There are a couple of extremes in church world…

Dogmatic Feeling

I am right and you’re wrong Everyone is welcome, no need to change

I’m right and you are going to hell… don’t care God loves everyone and would never send anyone to hell.

It’s my way or the highway because I am right. No moral absolutes. So now we have a generation of Christians setting the Bible aside and living the way they feel.

Moral absolutes Come in any way you want, it doesn’t matter.

There needs to be a balance between these two sides. There is truth and rightness on both sides, but we have been drawn into choosing sides and not searching for the common ground. We have to find the balance between the two.

Daniel had an uncanny way of balancing his faith with his culture to where he served three kings in two different empires.

So did Jesus... had a knack for being balanced.

John 1:14 NIV84

14 The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Let’s look at grace and truth…

Truth is God’s standard

John 17:17 NLT

17 Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth.

We love everyone. Everyone is welcome. But we believe the Bible is truth and God loves everyone, but he loves you enough not to leave you where you are.

Our approach might be different, but our message is the same one… the Gospel

Geared to the times... but anchored to the ROCK.

Grace is God’s Favor

Ephesians 2:8–9 NLT

8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.

51% gospel- your life is just good enough that your good outweighs your bad.

Bible says you have to be 100% good.

Look at this…

Without truth, we are corrupt. Without Grace, we are all condemned

Without truth, we become worldly. Without Grace, we become judgemental.

Truth without grace is mean. Grace without Truth is meaningless

Truth and Grace are medicine to our lives.

The WB, NO, our nation needs more people that will give GRACE and TRUTH – together.

Grace invites us to be free. The truth sets us free.

John 8:1–11 NLT

1 Jesus returned to the Mount of Olives, 2 but early the next morning he was back again at the Temple. A crowd soon gathered, and he sat down and taught them. 3 As he was speaking, the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in the act of adultery. They put her in front of the crowd. 4 “Teacher,” they said to Jesus, “this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5 The law of Moses says to stone her. What do you say?” 6 They were trying to trap him into saying something they could use against him, but Jesus stooped down and wrote in the dust with his finger. 7 They kept demanding an answer, so he stood up again and said, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone!” 8 Then he stooped down again and wrote in the dust. 9 When the accusers heard this, they slipped away one by one, beginning with the oldest, until only Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. 10 Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” 11 “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.”

We need to hold high God’s truth and freely give God’s grace to people we come in contact with.

Prayer time

Response -

1. God help us to navigate our culture the way Daniel did, the way Jesus did with Grace and Truth.

2. You know if you stand condemned, and you are carrying it yourself. We all stand condemned, it;s just some of us are not carrying it anymore, we gave it to Jesus.

3. Pray Salvation Prayer. Baptism is public profession.

“God thank you for sending Jesus to pay for my sin. Today I receive forgiveness and grace,. Today I open my life to your truth, your standards. Change me.”

Sing a worship song.