“Not Conformers But Transformers”

(OUTLINE)

Introduction:

Context:

3. 1:8 Daniel purposed in his heart

He made up his mind not to be a conformer

erMore than food, but obedience to the Law

Daniel boldness was contagious

Be willing to evaluate your actions and purpose in your heart, no matter what, you will be loyal in heart to the Lord

4. 1:9 God brought Daniel into favor and goodwill and gave him ability

In chapter 2, God gave the king distressing dreams and Daniel the ability to interpret

Daniel and friends were promoted

5. (3:4-7) The command to worship the golden image

The people fear the fiery furnace and worship the image

6. (3:8-18) The friends refuse to worship the image

Against the first two commandments

Their faith to trust God for better or worse (Whatever God decides is best)

7. (3:19) Full of furry, the king made the fire really and threw the friends in as the King watched in disbelief

God rescued the friends

8. (3:28) The King praises the God and makes a decree

Because the friends were unwilling to conform, God was glorified and the King possibly was saved

Theme: Set Apart

The Hebrew word most often translated as “set apart” in the Old Testament is qadash. It carries the meaning of something or someone being “separated” or “consecrated” for a special purpose. When God commands something or someone to be “set apart,” it means they are designated and equipped for God’s holy service.

To be set apart, is it only for a select few, such as; for the prophets, priests, and pastors? God calls the church, all His people to be set apart

Revelation 3:15–16 ““I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.”

There is a battle and you must choose a side

One of the major problems in the world is the church is not set apart.

The church should be influencing the world, but sadly the world is influencing the church

Introduction: How can God’s people resist the pressures that can squeeze them into conformity with the world?

You guys are bombarded with subtle messages that condition you to accept the immorality of the world

(Some of those pressures) YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, Snapchat, (Promote many ungodly things, such as, images, activities, language, which seek to normalize sin)

Even Disney movies have hidden messages or your watching Nickelodeon on tv and the next thing you know your watching commercials that are promoting things the Bible prohibits

Modern music such as rap, promotes the miss-treatment of women or promotes gang violence , drug and alcohol abuse and other things of that nature

How about the influence of friends, and relationships. Do they help you to become more like Christ or more like the unbelieving world?

Warren Wiersbe said this, Conformers are people whose lives are controlled by pressure from without, but transformers are people whose lives are controlled by power from within

“Not Conformers, but Transformers”

In the Book of Daniel, we’re going to focus on four people; Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego who were unwilling to conform to the pattern of the world, even with their life at stake.

If anyone had an excuse to conform it would be them, but they refused to take the easy way out despite attacks on their life

Because of their unwavering obedience they helped transform a ruthless king into a King who blessed, praised, and honor to the One True Living God (4:30)

Context:

God’s warning (God warned through the prophets)

The warning came to the Jews who were called to be set-apart, but they became just like the Gentiles

They had ungodly leaders (Kings, civic leaders, and false prophets)

They were guilty of Idolatry, immorality, and injustice towards the poor

The Jews refused to repent and change their ways, so God gave them over to their enemies, initiating the period of Jewish history known as the Babylonian captivity or the Babylonian exile, which lasted about 70 years

2. God’s judgement (Through Nebuchadnezzar)

In the Bible, Nebuchadnezzar is one of the most well-known Old Testament villains. He conquered Jerusalem (twice), destroyed Solomon’s temple, and took many Jews captive

The fall of Jerusalem, temple burned down, sacred furnishings brought to the temple of Babylon , and of course, they were taking into captivity

Secular history records Nebuchadnezzar as a brutal, powerful, and ambitious king

2.1 King Nebuchadnezzar, the King of Babylon comes into Jerusalem and besieged it (V1)

a) The King gave the instructions to get the best looking, the most gifted, the best of the Hebrews to serve in the kings palace

Imagine the chinese storm the shores of America and take people captive

b) The King picked Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego and he provided them daily provisions of the King’s delicacies, after three years of training they would be ready to serve in the Kings’s palace

Three years of training for them: The purpose of the food, names, and education was simple. This was an effort at total indoctrination, with the goal of making these young Jewish men leave behind their Hebrew God and culture. Undoubtedly, Nebuchadnezzar wanted to communicate to these young men, “look to me for everything.” Daniel and his friends refused, insisting that they would look to God.

1. (V8) Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself

a) He made up his mind and he strengthened himself in the way of the Lord

Daniel was bold for the Lord, sometimes it only takes one person to take a stand for the Lord which boldness for the people who are with Daniel

b) It’s only food, what’s the problem?

First, according to Lev 11:47, the Jews had to eat kosher food, they had a specific diet God commanded them to eat.

Second, it was probably sacrificed to idols, which is prohibited in (Deut 32:38)

Third, eating the king’s food implied fellowship with Babylon’s cultural system, which is condemned in (Ezek 4:13)

#1 To be set apart in this world you must make up your mind or purpose in your heart that you will not conform to this patter of the world

Despite being taken to a foreign land, Daniel did not conform like the saying goes, “When in Rome do as the Romans do.”

1.2 (V9) God brought Daniel into favor and goodwill the chief of the eunuchs

a) Daniel’s obedience brought favor, knowledge, skill in all literature and wisdom, plus God gave Daniel understanding in all visions and dreams, according to 1:17.

God who is all knowing, Knew Daniel and his three friends would be faithful so God equipped for His purpose

1.3 (2:1-49) Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream

God gave Nebuchadnezzar a dream that really concerned him

His magicians, sorcerers, and astrologers were unable to determine the meaning of the dreams

Daniel 2:27–28 “Daniel answered in the presence of the king, and said, “The secret which the king has demanded, the wise men, the astrologers, the magicians, and the soothsayers cannot declare to the king. But there is a God in heaven who reveals secrets, and He has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream, and the visions of your head upon your bed, were these:”

Daniel gives God glory and doesn’t try and take credit for the work He is doing

Daniel explains the dream

Daniels favor grows with the king

2. (3:1-7) Nebuchadnezzar the king made an image of gold

a) The image of Gold: 90 feet tall by 90 feet wide

A cubit is the length of an average forearm

The king gives the command to worship the image (3:4)

The people conform out of fear and fall down and worship the image (3:7)

2.1 (V13-18) Nebuchadnezzar in raged because Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego refused to worship the golden image

a) Sharach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego disobey the king orders to keep God’s commandments

1 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me.

2 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My Commandments.

b) The Friends trusted God with their life as they purposed in their heart to obey the Lord, even if it means death.

3. (V24) The King was astonished when he saw four men walking in the hot fire

3.1 (V28) Nebuchadnezzar spoke saying, “Blessed be the God who delivered His servants who trusted in Him

#2 God allows difficult circumstances in our life that He might be glorified through us, as we live set apart in this world

Imagine if they were unwilling to be set-apart, then God would not of been glorified

Where Christians get it wrong is they think about serving God in term of being their own comfortability

4. (4:34) Is it possible one of the Bible’s most well known villains gets saved at the end of his life?

Daniel 4:34 “And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever: For His dominion is an everlasting dominion, And His kingdom is from generation to generation.”