Holiness is a Risk
Notes
Transcript
Living Faithfully
Living Faithfully
Holiness is a Risk (Fasting)
Faith in Uncertainty (Dreams)
Faith in the Fire (3 Youths)
Speaking truthfully
Lessons of humility
Faith in the face of the Lion
Intro to the book of Daniel
Intro to the book of Daniel
Turn of the 7th Century BC (605 BC.) Nebuchadnezzar besiged Jerusalem after becoming allies with Egypt
1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it.
Took a wave of captives back to babylon. The took the brightest.
Leaves Jerusalem in a weakened state.
Book of Daniel covers the life of different babalonyan kings and persian kings
Risk is part of any pursuit
Risk is part of any pursuit
Opening Scenario
Quality inspector of a governmental medical supplier discovers contaminated syringes just before shipment. Needing her signoff she is threatened by boss to sign off on shipment, then by CEO. She is given the weekend to think and comply or be fired. She is the sole income of the house as her husband in in school
What is at risk in this story?
What are your reactions to this story? How would you feel in her shoes?
Identifying your emotions are key in order to identify when you are in a morally compromising situation.
Read Daniel 1:1-14
Holiness comes with Risk
Holiness comes with Risk
Key Concept: A world that opposses God will naturally oppose those who seek after Him. To go against the world, will naturally require a risk.
Too often we are surprised by difficulty and opposition to our faith.
Question: From the passage what is needed in order to face the opposition?
understanding of my morals
Daniel identified ‘unclean’ food in the kings delicacies.
Conviction or desire to live in a certain way.
8 But Daniel made up his mind 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.
Fellowship: Companions
What are the fruits of our pursuit of Holiness and the inherent risks?
What are the fruits of our pursuit of Holiness and the inherent risks?
Our pursuit of holiness with its inherent has two actions in our lives.
Preparation
Protection
Preparation:
This challenge for Daniel was a warm up.
What is more challenging
Can’t face the Lion without first eating your veggies
The yearning to be used by God in a special way is starts with small victories.
Protection:
Daniel saw that while the Babalonian empire was great externally, it was destined for destruction because of the internal pride and greed. (Dreams of the kings)
Our pursuit of Holiness serves as a protection from a road to destruction.
16 When I pondered to understand this, It was troublesome in my sight 17 Until I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end. 18 Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. 19 How they are destroyed in a moment! They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors!
Read Daniel 1:15 -21
Opportunities of Holiness
Opportunities of Holiness
At times we see the sacrifice of Holiness as a loss.
lossed promotions
lossed friendships
lossed opportunities
But frequently the opportinities of Holiness are not seen immediately.
16 So the overseer continued to withhold their choice food and the wine they were to drink, and kept giving them vegetables. 17 As for these four youths, God gave them knowledge and intelligence in every branch of literature and wisdom; Daniel even understood all kinds of visions and dreams.
Because of the lapse in time the pursuit starts with a purpose/resolve that must be seen through. (3 year program for the 4 youth)
At the end the King saw how impressive they were and gave them a special seat until the Babalonians were conquered by King Cyrus
