Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

A popular slogan that often appears on church billboards and signs reads, “If you were arrested for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict you?”

When people look at my life and your life, do they see Jesus?

If they see Jesus in our lives is it a Biblical view of Him or have we put Him into a box?

Maybe we are like Peter on the night when Jesus was betrayed and when pressure comes down we will go the other way.

Daniel had a faith in the One True God and he had the evidences of his faith throughout his whole life.

He had a consistent faithfulness in his talk and in his walk.

Now in his 80s he still had a consistent faith in God and an integrity in his work and life.

So much so that ever other administrator and government wanted to find something to accuse him of.

King Darius who was now the ruler of the Babylonian region was about to promote Daniel to second in command under him, but the other governors and leadership did not want this to come to be.

Yet, they could find skeletons in his closet, no dirt, no corruption in Daniel.

They knew the only thing they could do was to entrap him by making a law that would go against his God’s law and a scheme was hatched.

The decree was proposed.

For 30 days no petition or prayer to any god or person for a month except for King Darius!

Anyone caught violating this would be thrown into the den of lions.

While this is being done, Daniel knows what is happening.

They have gone behind his back and have plotted to get rid of him from their lives.

So how does Daniel respond?

Daniel 6:10— The Response of Daniel

10 When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem.

He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously.

10 But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem.

He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God.

He heard what was happening.

That it had been signed into law.

What he did not do:

Go complain or argue

Attack the people who schemed

He didn’t run away for 30 days.

He needs a vacation.

He didn’t close his windows in his house.

He could have done all of this.

What he did was.

He went home.

In his second floor room, opened his windows toward the west (toward Jerusalem), knelt down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before God.

It had been his custom since the days of his youth.

NLT “just as he had always done.”

His worship was not predicated on the law or what had been signed in.

So often when some injustice (real or imaginary) happens our first thought is to go to Facebook and complain about it or argue with the people who have the opposite view point.

Maybe we should take a page out of Daniel and get on our knees before the LORD and pray to Him and give thanks to Him and ask Him how or if we should respond.

Daniel was going to be able to respond to this, but it was done by praying to God.

Plan is working 11-12

Those who want the power and position have lined up their attack and their plan is working knowing the character of Daniel.

They know he will not worship anyone other than his God.

They have been observing him and now they lie and wait and see what they already knew he would do.

They run back to the king and make sure that the king still agrees with the law that has been made.

Is it still so?

The King agrees that the 30 day rule and the fact that it cannot be altered is still in affect.

The governors have both Daniel and the King exactly where they want both of them to be.

They move in for the kill.

Entrapment

A Way Out?

14 Then the king, when he heard these words, was much distressed and set his mind to deliver Daniel.

And he labored till the sun went down to rescue him.

15 Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no injunction or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed.”

The Faith of the King

16 Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions.

The king declared to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!” 17 And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet and with the signet of his lords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel.

A Long Night

The New King James Version (Chapter 6)

19 Then the king arose very early in the morning...

Application / Conclusion