Today on the verdict with Pastor John Monroe. Increasingly, Christians are at odds with our culture. We will learn from the example Of this young man, Daniel, who as a teenager stood for God. In a hostile. Culture.
Welcome to the verdict with Pastor John Monroe. What does it mean to be in the world but not be of the world? How can followers of Christ be engaged and involved in the culture without falling under its influence? And how can we resist the pressure to compromise? Today on the verdict, we're gaining key practical guidance from the life of Daniel.
Now, here's Pastor John Monroe to introduce his message titled Taking a Stand for God. I want to welcome you to the verdict. We're studying the Old Testament book of Daniel. As we read chapter 1, We see Daniel taking a stand for God in the middle of a pagan culture. Bamboolin was the superpower of the day.
Therefore, to take a stand against King Nebuchadnezzar was a very courageous act by young Daniel and his friends. Do you have that kind of faith? That kind of courage. Although Daniel was in Babylon, he resolved that Babylon was not going to be in him. Jesus says that we're to be in the world, but not of the world.
Daniel offers a brilliant example. of this truth. Let's continue to learn from Daniel so that we too. will take a stand for God in a hostile culture. I believe that the Bible.
Gives us a wonderful model of a believer who stands for God in a pagan and in an idolatrous culture. Daniel is going to help us to do that.
Now, let's open our Bibles to the book of Daniel. Daniel one verse one In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand. with some of the vessels of the house of God. And he brought them to the land of Shinar, that's Babylonia.
to the house of his God and place the vessels in the treasury of his God. Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel. Both of the royal family and of the nobility, youths without blemish, of good appearance and skilful in all wisdom. Endowed with knowledge, understanding, learning, and competent to stand in the king's palace. And to teach them The literature and language of the Chaldeans.
The king assigned him a daily portion of the food that the king ate and of the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king. Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah. And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names. Daniel he called Beltishazar.
Hananiah, he called Shadrach. Mishael he called Mishach, and Azariah he called Abednego. But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food or with the wine that he drank. Therefore, he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. and God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the side of the chief of the eunuchs.
And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink, for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own age?
So you would endanger my head with the king. Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, Test your servants for ten days. Let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then let our appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king's food be observed by you, and deal with your servants according to what you see.
So he listened to them in this matter and tested them for ten days. At the end of the ten days, it. was seeing that they were better in appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king's food.
So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink and gave them. vegetables. As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. At the end of the time, when the king had commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. And the king spoke with them, and among all of them, none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.
Therefore they stood before the king, and in every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. And Daniel was there. Until the first year. Of King. Cyrus.
What an amazing story. of integrity. First of all, let's think of Daniel's captivity We saw last week that Daniel The other three teenagers are taken Captive. Daniel takes a stand for God at the very beginning of his captivity. He could have made all of the excuses which in our therapeutic world would have sounded very, very convincing.
He could have said while they were away from home. I've gone through a tremendous shock. I'm a slave, I'm a captive. I'm separated from my parents. I'm overwhelmed by Babylon.
What can we do, a few young men, against the power and the might of Babylon, what can we do? How can a few men stands against the might of Babylon. Ah, but Daniel never reasons like that, because Daniel is made of sterner stuff. He doesn't whine. You see, God owns his heart.
Not Dublin. He takes a stand for what is right. I am sure Daniel's parents were probably greatly impacted by The revival of the word of God under that godly king, King Josiah, one of the great kings of Judah. As there became a revival with the word of God in Judah And these parents must have taught their boy well the word of God. After all, they called his name Daniel.
God is my judge. You can imagine his dad saying to him, Daniel, we've given you this wonderful name. God is my judge. Wherever you are, whatever your circumstances, Daniel, never ever forget that God is your judge and that God is watching you and that you're accountable to God, Daniel. Always do what is right, my boy.
And what rich dividends that training in the Word of God is doing As now, Daniel It's alone. Hundreds of miles away. From home. Ah, but he knows. His Bible And here is the key to Daniel's success.
Daniel's life is based on and regulated by the word of God. Is yours? Oh, I know most of us. If I served you, surveyed us, would say, I believe in the Bible, I believe it's the Word of God, I believe it's God's truth, but. That's different, isn't it?
From basing your life and regulating your life. on the word. of God. Daniel does that not based on what is expedient Not based on what's going to help him in his career in Babylon in difficult circumstances. He doesn't want to see how cool he can be in blending in to Babylon that I can look as cool as any Babylonian.
That's not the way that Daniel does. Daniel takes a stance. For God. Are some of you? in the business world.
compromising your Christian values. And integrity. You say, John, it's It's hard time. It's hard out there making a living. I understand that.
But is your life regulated? By the dollar, by that which is expedient. By the buck, by your desire to make a name for yourself, your desire to be promoted, your desire to be famous and successful, rather than the word. Of God. Don't you need my brother, my sister?
to take a stand For God Some of you are involved in sinful habits, sinful relationships. And you've compromised and you find yourself in this slippery slope in a moral situation, and you've compromised the biblical standards of purity and holiness. Others of you Although you are a true follower of Jesus Christ, have never yet taken a stand for God. Perhaps in your own family. You've never gone to your office, to your factory, to your school, to where you work, and make it clear that your allegiance is to Jesus Christ.
You're a secret disciple. and you have never yet taken a stand for The menu. What are you afraid of? The opposition against you. The opposition against me is puny compared with the opposition of Babylon against these men.
If you know the story of Daniel, you know that three of them are going to be thrown into the fiery furnace. Daniel himself is going to be thrown into the lion's den because of his integrity and because he takes a stand for God. Unlikely that's going to happen to any of us. What are you afraid of? In God's name.
Via Daniel Make a courageous choice. Take a stand for God. We need boys, we need girls, we need students. We need couples, we need singles, we need seniors who in effect draw a line in the sand and say, I will not do this, I cannot do this, I will not compromise my faith in Jesus Christ. I don't care about the crowds.
My commitment is to Jesus Christ. Today I take a stand for God. That's Daniel. How many Daniels? that we have the year this morning.
Daniel's captivity. Daniel's choice thirdly Daniels. confidence. You know, I believe that throughout all of Babylon No one. is more confident.
No one is more at peace. Than Daniel.
Now that wasn't because of his environment. That wasn't because of the culture, it was a very fierce culture against them. What gives Daniel such confidence? We learned that last week. He knows Who's in charge?
And it's not Nebuchadnezzar. He knows that God is in charge, he knows that God is sovereign of his past, of his present and of his future. He realizes that God will take care of his own. He realizes that God honors those who honor him. He realizes.
that above and beyond the mighty hand of Nebuchadnezzar is a mightier hand and a sovereign hand who is shaping his destiny, and that is the hand of the great sovereign God. And that gave him His confidence. Throughout the book of Daniel, we're going to see Daniel in pressure situations. situations which would have given most of us a lot of stress. But we will be amazed.
absolutely amazed. and his gracious and courteous confidence. Here in chapter one, he doesn't start shouting. He doesn't start. protesting, he doesn't go on a strike, as it were.
He doesn't panic. What does he do? with dignity. And grace. And in the fear of the Lord, he seeks permission.
From the commander. End of verse eight. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs, to allow him not to defile Himself. Daniel is taking a stand for God, and God is now honouring him. Those who honor God, God will honor verse nine, and God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs.
You see, God is at work. The commander is afraid of his for his own life. If something happens to these four young men over which I got Authority, Nebuchadnezzar is going to have my head. He's much more afraid than Daniel. And Daniel Calmly persists.
and then speaks to the overseer who's going to give them a test for ten days which they will pass with flying colours. Why? Daniel is confident. That God Is in charge. And that God is watching over them.
And are we surprised when we read in verse seventeen, as for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. Daniel is not intimidated. By the Babylonians? You're intimidated when there's hostility against Christians? Daniel As an example, Of trust.
in God of confidence In court. I'm saying to you this morning, take a stand for God As you take a stand for God, trust God. and leave the consequences of taking a stand to God. When you refuse to compromise, When you take a stand for God, When you trust God for His supernatural help, you will have a godly confidence. Isn't that right?
Think of the situations, Christian friends, where you have taken a stand for God. In difficult circumstances, you've done the right thing. Doesn't that strengthen your faith? Think of when you've done the opposite. Think of times in your Christian life when you've compromised.
Did that breed confidence in God? Absolutely no. Do you know what happens? Stress. Fear.
Anxiety confusion Daniel isn't confused. Daniel doesn't seem stressed. He takes a stand for God. and leaves the consequences with God. Even the might of Nebuchadnezzar cannot stand against the purposes of God in the lives of these young lads.
Proverbs twenty one, verse one. The king's heart Is like channels of water in the hand of the Lord. who turns it wherever he wishes. Daniel knows That Nebuchadnezzar's heart is in the hand of the Lord, and the Lord can turn it any way that he wants, because God is sovereign in Babylon and not Nebuchadnezzar. Didn't that give Daniel great confidence?
Doesn't that give you and me great confidence that irrespective of what goes on in our crazy society and the opposition against Christian and biblical values and the conflict within us as we fight against our own evil desires, that God is in control, and when we do the right thing and we trust God, Gods. Will honor us. And Daniel is confident. That after ten days of eating vegetables and drinking water, he and the others will look very healthy.
Now the issue is not that vegetables is better than meat. If you want to eat dandelion leaves and lettuce the rest of your life and nibble on carrots, that's okay. That doesn't make you more spiritual. That's not the point of the message. No.
Daniel knows. that Gods We'll take care of him. As they honour God and not defiling. themselves. The Babylonians also thought That the king's food and wine had some special powers.
After all, it was given to the king and that some magical power would be in this food and this drink which would help the young men, but Daniel is demonstrating that his trust for his success, for his appearance. For his success as a student at the University of Babylon is not in Babylon but is in God, he will not defile himself and he takes a stand for God. Do you have such a strong confidence in the Lord? To trust the Lord. Are you prepared today to do what is right and to leave the consequences to God?
You say, John, if I refuse to compromise in my work, I might lose my work. My business might fail. Relationships might end. I may appear very, very foolish. Yes, all of that is possible.
I understand that. But will you not trust God? to take care Of your future? Do you believe that or don't you? Do you believe that you're in charge or God is in charge?
If you do it God's way, Are you not relying on God to take care of your future and of your present? Do what is right. Leave the consequences to God. He never fails. Take.
a stand for God. Finally, very quickly, Daniel's career. Daniel and his friends After three years, when the results come out, they are the top graduates. and the University of Babylon. In fact, verse twenty In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all of his kingdom.
How's that? Oh, I'm sure Daniel and his friends were very bright young men, I'm sure they worked hard in learning the language and literature of the Chaldeans, I'm sure they were very disciplined, but it is God's Who gave them? The knowledge, the intelligence, the wisdom and the understanding that's very clear in verse seventeen. You see, the false gods of Babylon can never ever compete. With the true God.
God is honouring these young men. who take a stance. For him. Daniel's career is going to bring him to the highest positions in Babylon, to the highest positions in the succeeding empire and kingdom, the kingdom of the Medes and the Persians. Daniel is going to be very successful because he takes a stand for God, he's a man of integrity, and God always honours those who honour him.
That doesn't mean always immediate academic or material success, but it does mean That God In his own way. and his own time. We'll honour you. 1 Peter 5, verse 6: Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that. At the proper time.
He may. Exalt you. Do what is right. Humble yourself under God's mighty hand, realizing that God is sovereign and you're going to shelter in the shadow of the Almighty. Do that.
So that At the proper time. God Mate Zaltu. God will take care of you. He'll protect you. He will lead you.
He will bless you abundantly, but do what is right. Daniel doesn't look for a compromise. He knows that the food and drink will defile him. He asked the question, what will eating this food and drinking this wine do to me? And he knows the answer it will lead him on a path of compromise'.
It will lead him on a path of disobedience to the law of the Lord. He then will just be like the pagan Babylonians. How then can he expect God to bless him?
So Daniel takes a stand in this morning. As I conclude, Am I asking you? Yes, you. who profess to follow Jesus Christ, I'm asking you to take a stand for God. Will you do that?
This passage just convicted me. I wish, in God's grace and with His strength, to take a stand for God. Will you do that? to take a stand for God even if you stand all alone.
Now you know the sand you must take. You know that. in your life. Don't go with the flow. Be different.
Be courageous. For some of you today, taking a stand for Christ means coming forward and openly professing Jesus Christ as your personal Saviour and Lord for the first time. You are a follower of Christ, but you have never openly taken a stand for Christ, and today taking a stand for Christ means that you openly confess them. as your saviour. And Lord.
For some of you today, taking a stand for God means That you will end. an unhealthy, a sinful relationship. For others of you, taking a stand for God means that the way you do business, the way you work The way you deal with people. The way you run your home. Is going to be changed.
You're going to take a stand for God. For some of you, You have a sinful habit. Perhaps it's pornography or drugs or alcohol. or gossip, whatever it is. and it is ruining your life and the life of those you love, today, in God's grace, take a stand for God.
Will you do that? Will you draw a line and say, now, in God's grace, I'm going to take a stand for God? Stand. For what is rights? Let us stop the compromise.
Stand for truth. stand for integrity. Stand for Christ in God's name. Take a sound. This is the verdict, featuring the Bible teaching of Pastor John Monroe.
There's still more to hear when John returns in just a moment, so stay with us. From matters of truth and identity, to the subjects of love and grace, our world seems more confused than ever. but to find truth and certainty about who we are and find peace, we must turn our attention away from the world and look to the Word of God. To help he do that, John wrote a booklet titled Eternal Security, Finding Certainty in a Chaotic World. Through this special resource, John shares his personal testimony, along with a careful examination of Scripture, to offer us clarity on matters of eternity.
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Now, here's Pastor John Monroe.
Well, what's your verdict? Daniel's choice is a very courageous one. It's wonderful that God honors Daniel and his friends. God has promised to honor those who honor Him. Jesus said, Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
So in our sleazy culture, don't compromise. Don't be swayed or distracted. Trust God. Obey Him. there to be a Daniel.
And don't forget to join me next time. as we continue the amazing story of Daniel living for God in a hostile world. Thanks for joining us today on The Verdict. I'm Michelle Davies. Today's program with Pastor John Monroe was produced and sponsored by Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.
