Our trust in God will tell a watching world that He is real.
Sermon #6: DANIEL UNHARMED IN THE LIONS’ DEN!
Sermon Series: IN EXILE: Living With Purpose In The Days of Daniel
Scripture Text: Daniel 6
Sermon Notes:
DANIEL 6:16-23 NIV
16 So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!”
17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed.
18 Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep.
19 At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den.
20 When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”
21 Daniel answered, “O king, live forever!
22 My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king.”
23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
- Where is your God?
- The rise of the “nones”
Ours is an offended generation. Everybody is offended by something, and they believe they have a right to not be offended. — Erwin W. Lutzer
The message of the cross is still the message that we are called to herald.
Daniel’s situation in chapter 6.
- Daniel is now an old man.
- He is now serving under a new king named Darius.
- He is still in Babylon.
DANIEL 6:3 NIV
3 Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.
DANIEL 6:6-8 NIV
6 So the administrators and the satraps went as a group to the king and said: “O King Darius, live forever!
7 The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions’ den.
8 Now, O king, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered-- in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.”
DANIEL 6:23 NIV
23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
Our trust in God will tell a watching world that he is real.
Our integrity shows to the world our trust in God.
Daniel’s trust in God was evidenced in his INTEGRITY
DANIEL 6:4 NIV
4 At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent.
A godly man in authority is a threat to every ungodly man under his authority.
The world is looking for Christians who are people of integrity.
Daniel’s trust in God was evidenced in his RESPONSE TO PERSECUTION
DANIEL 6:10 NIV
10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before.
Submission to authority is the primary principle above all else.
ROMANS 13:1-2 NIV
1 Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.
ROMANS 13:1-2 NIV
2 Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.
ACTS 5:29 NIV
29 Peter and the other apostles replied: “We must obey God rather than men!”
- If the state compels you to sin.
- If the state compels you to stop practicing your faith.
- If the state compels you to stop sharing the gospel.
– We must do so in a submissive manner.
We carry our cross well when we suffer well.
1 PETER 2:23 NIV
23 When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly.
We don’t suffer for the sake of suffering. We suffer for the glory of God.
Daniel’s trust in God was evidenced in his WITNESS
DANIEL 6:16-18 NIV
16 So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions' den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!”
17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed.
18 Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep.
DANIEL 6:19-20 NIV
19 At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. 20 When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?”
Some Darius has his eyes on you right now. Be careful about what you do and say. — Ray Pritchard
It’s about living a life of trust in Jesus and letting it overflow such that people around us will know that we are genuine believers of Jesus.
DANIEL 6:25-27 NIV
25 Then King Darius wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language throughout the land: “May you prosper greatly!
26 I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel. For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end.
27 He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”
Where is your God?
Are you a living witness of our Lord Jesus Christ?
You and I have the privilege of heeding the call to be a light that shines in the darkness. Let us be the light that a stumbling world desperately need. The light that points to Jesus!