Today, on the verdict with Pastor John Monroe. Daniel. Is prepared to be thrown to the lions, rather. Then disobey the word of God. He is trusting God and he's prepared for the consequences of what we would call his civil disobedience.
Welcome to The Verdict, featuring the Bible teaching of Pastor John Monroe. Whether you grew up in church or have no experience with the Bible, you've probably heard the tale of Daniel in the lion's den. Today, on the verdict, we're taking a fresh look at one of the most famous stories in the Bible. To understand how followers of Christ can make an impact in an unbelieving and often hostile culture.
Now, here's Pastor John Monroe. Today, we come to probably the best known story about Daniel. Like many people, I learned the stories of Wee Boy, Daniel in the Lion's Den.
Now, I love looking at lions, but the thought of being in a den of lions is extremely frightening. But we've previously seen That Daniel is a man of faith, a man of integrity, a man of great courage. Here is an example of someone who does what is right and leaves the consequences to God. What a tremendous way to live! What about you?
Are you in a situation where you're fearful or hesitant of doing the right thing? Perhaps people will misunderstand you, or reject you, or speak against you. Be strong, be courageous. Follow the example of Daniel. Don't compromise your integrity.
Daniel in the Lion's Den is probably the best known story. In the book of Daniel. Arguably, it's one of the best known stories in all of the Bible. I learned it from my mom and dad. I learned it in Sunday school.
In Sunday school, we used to sing a little song. Daniel was a man of prayer. Any of you know that song? Daily he prayed three times, even when they had him cast. In the den of lions.
In the den, in the den, fear could not alarm him. God just shut. The lion's mouths.
So they could not harm him. We want to look at this story that many of us know, like me, from our childhood. but to learn very important principles as we think of this outstanding man of God who literally was thrown into the lion's den.
Now we live in a world which is hostile sadly, increasingly hostile to those of us who are followers of Jesus Christ and who believe in biblical truth. It's unlikely that any one of us will be thrown into the lines then. That's very unlikely. But what about students who stand for Christ? and show.
If you do that, you may be ridiculed, you may be ostracized, you may be insulted. What about the individual who stands for God in his or her workplace? In the bank, in the hospital, in the office, in the factory, in the store. In the community, standing for Jesus Christ, often we're portrayed, aren't we, as kind of bigoted, narrow-minded, intolerant people? What is going to sustain us?
in a hostile world. What is going to make the difference? Are we just going to be part of the Background, as it were, blending in, or are we really going to make a difference for God in our society? I want us to think this morning of three characteristics which Dominate Daniel's life, and which in turn, I think, will be an encouragement to us. As we seek to live for Jesus Christ, in a world which is increasingly hostile to biblical values and biblical truth.
Here is how we can make an impact for God. In a hostile environment. And we want to learn, first of all, that Daniel is a man. of integrity. If you're going to make a difference for God, you must be.
A boy, a girl, a student, a man, a woman Of integrity, and that is certainly the case for Daniel. Let's open our Bibles. To Daniel six, then first of all, verses one. Through nine. Daniel 6, then verse 1.
It pleased Darius. to set over the kingdom One hundred and twenty satraps to be throughout the whole kingdom, and over them three presidents, of whom Daniel was one. to whom these satraps should give account.
So that the king might suffer no loss. Then this Daniel became distinguished above all the other presidents and satraps because an excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. Then the Presidents and the satraps sought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom. But they could find no ground for complaint or any fault because he was faithful.
and no error or fault was found in him. Then these men said, We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God. Then these presidents and satraps came by agreement to the king and said to him, O King Darius, live for ever. All the Presidents of the Kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the councillors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an injunction. That whoever makes petition to any God or man.
for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast Into the den of lions.
Now, O King, establish the injunction and sign the document so that it cannot be changed according to the law of the Medes and the Persians, which cannot be revoked. Therefore, King Darius signed the document and injunction. Daniel is a man integrity, as we have read. He is, first of all, trustworthy and reliable. Verse three says that an excellent spirit was in him.
In this new kingdom, now that Babylon has fallen, he was very important in the kingdom of Babylon, and in the new kingdom. Daniel is like cream, as it were, rising to the top. He is given important responsibilities in the new kingdom of the Medes and the Persians. Isn't it interesting that although Daniel It's from Israel. and is in a pagan country Serving pagan kings.
He is consistently placed in important positions. In fact, the King sees how good, how brilliant Daniel is as an administrator and is about to promote him, and that. elicits envy and jealousy. by others. Daniel is trustworthy.
Daniel is reliable and Trustworthiness and reliability are essential components of integrity. If we're going to make a difference in our world, it's not only going to be by what we say that is important but even more fundamentally, it's who we are, and we must be known in our hostile society here in the United States that we are known as followers of Jesus Christ, that we are people of integrity. trustworthy. and reliable. Are you a person of your word?
Are you trustworthy? When you make a commitment, do you keep to it? If I were to visit your place of work, would you be known? as a person who is trustworthy and reliable. Secondly, Daniel As a man of integrity, he is also hardworking and excels at what he does.
Do you notice that in verse four? That when these men, these evil men, try to find fault against Daniel, they find that he is faithful. He is faithful. They can find nothing against him. He doesn't shrink from his responsibility.
He is faithful. What he does is characterized by excellence. We live in an age of mediocrity and compromise, but Daniel is the kind of individual who excels at what he does. He would have appreciated what Paul Many years later, I was going to write to the Colossians in Colossians 3, verse 23: whatever you do, Work heartily as for the Lord and not for men. See, Daniel had realized even as a young teenager, taken captive to pagan Babylon, that although he was serving Nebuchadnezzar, although he's going to serve Belshazzar and Darias, more than that, he's serving God.
God deserves our very best. Yes, you may be employed by Bank of America. You may be employed by Presbyterian Hospital or Carolina Medical Centre. You may have a particular boss who employs you and who gives you a paycheck. But more than that, we're working for God.
And because of that, We are to be hardworking and excelling at what we do. Daniel is that. Is that kind of person as they investigate his life? They find him. A man of excellence.
A man. Who is faithful? He's trustworthy and reliable. He's hardworking, excelling at what he does. Thirdly, he is blameless.
Verse 4. No error or fault. was found in him. I find that remarkable. His accusers, verse 5, can find no grounds for complaint in him.
Daniel's relationship with God was well known by those who worked for him, and Daniel becomes the target of an official government investigation. They set up, as it were, a special prosecutor and they are going to get something against Daniel. He seems to do so well. There he is. And these men are very, very jealous.
There must be something that we can find. And so they investigate his life, but try as they might. They can find no grounds. for complaint or fault. against him.
What a testimony. Like our Lord. Daniel is an individual who is hated without a cause. Remember, Jesus said that in John chapter 15? They hated me without a cause.
There was no one Perfect like our Lord. But he was hated and eventually crucified. Here is Daniel. Outstanding integrity. But isn't it sad that those who live godly lives are often resented?
and even hated by the ungodly. But he is Blameless.
Now what would people find? if they investigated your life. They came to your work. went behind the scenes. Looked at your private life.
Any skeletons in the closet. Any secrets that you're hiding? I'm asking about your character. Your character, who you are inside. Daniel is a person of integrity.
Your ideal is what you wish you were. Your reputation is what people think you are. But your character is what you really are.
Now what are you really? Not what I think of you. But your character. Children? Your character is what you are.
And what you do when your parents are not around. That is character, isn't it? J. Campbell Morgan, the great preacher, was riding with DL Moody, the great American evangelist, when suddenly Moody asked Campbell Morgan, what is character anyhow? Morgan knew that the evangelist wanted to answer his own question, and so he kept quiet.
And Moody says, character is what a man is in the dark. What are you in the dark? I challenged The children, but let me Challenge those of you who are older.
Some of you travel out of town, you go to New York City. City of millions, no one knows who you are. You could do anything you like, meet anyone, do anything. What do you do in these circumstances? Not here at church surrounded by Christians But when you're on your own, When no one knows you, when in one sense you could do anything you want, that's character, isn't it?
And Daniel. is a man. of character. a man of integrity. Don't you agree that in every phase of life, not just in politics, But in every phase of life we need young people and men and women of integrity.
What an impact that would be for Jesus Christ. Daniel is like that, a man of integrity. Secondly, He's a man of prayer. Verses 10 and 11. When Daniel knew that the document had been signed He went to his house, called his friends and had a pity party.
Yeah. 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. Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before. His God. He's a man. Of prayer.
Daniel prays regularly.
Now, his work responsibilities must have kept him very, very busy. He's in the upper echelon of the kingdom of the Medes and the Persians, very high up. One of the top people, busy and important person. three or four cell phones But he still has time, doesn't he? to pray not once a day.
Not twice a day. but three times a day. and the accusers knew of his regular prayer and conspired against him. Isn't it interesting, verse ten? Makes it very clear that Daniel didn't start to pray because there was an emergency.
Because he knew that these men were against him. And it's not that Daniel then gets down on his knees and says, Oh, God, help me. These evil men are trying to tear me down. No. The text says verse ten as he had done previously.
His custom His invariable custom is to pray regularly to God, and he does this. With the windows open toward Jerusalem. Turn back with me in your Bibles to 2 Chronicles. Not that difficult to find. 1 Samuel, 2 Samuel, 1 Kings, 2 Kings, 1st Chronicles, 2 Chronicles.
Second Chronicles six, which may help us understand Why Daniel prayed the way he did? Second Chronicles six Verse thirty Six. Why is he praying? with his window open toward Jerry Salem. Daniel continue to pray you're a godly man, but Not only close the windows, man, make sure.
The shades are done. You can still pray. But don't do it as you normally do it. That's just going to. Inside these men, and you're going to end up in the lion's den.
No, says Daniel, I'm going to pray as I've always done. Second Chronicles six verse thirty six If they sin against you, for there is no one who does not sin, and you are angry with them, and give them to an enemy, so that they are carried away captive to a land far or near. E. g. Taken from Israel to Babylon.
because of your sin, as happened to Judah. Yet if they turn their heart to the land to which they have been carried captive, and repent, and plead with you in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned and have acted perversely and wickedly, If they repent with all their mind and with all their heart in the land of their captivity, to which they were carried captive, and pray, there it is, toward their land. Which you gave to their fathers, the city that you have chosen, and the house that I have built for your name. Then hear from heaven your dwelling place, their prayer and their pleas, and maintain their cause and forgive your people who have sinned against you. See, although Daniel lived most of his life All of his adult life.
in Babylon. His heart was never in Babylon. His heart was always in Jerusalem. the city. of God And Daniel is a man who knows the word of God.
And by praying towards Jerusalem, he is remembering God's covenantal promises to his people. He is longing for that day when the exile will be over and God's people will be back in the land. And he is praying not just for himself, no, he is praying for the people of God. Verse ten makes it clear that he knew that the document had been signed. He knew there is conflict now between the law of the Medes and the Persians and the law of God.
What is he going to do? Keep his position. Just pray in secret, close the windows, close the shades? No, says Daniel. I'm going to do it as I always did.
Daniel Throughout the book of Daniel, he is never, ever, ever intimidated by his accusers. He's much more concerned about the fear of God than the fear. of man. In the New Testament, Peter and the apostles are told by the religious establishment to stop preaching. And Peter says in Acts 5, verse 29, we must obey God rather than man.
Daniel is that kind of person. Peter and the apostles are prepared to die rather than to stop preaching the gospel because their Lord told them to preach the gospel. Daniel, as we will see, Is prepared to be thrown to the lions, rather. than disobey the word of God. He is trusting God.
and he is prepared for for the consequences of what we would call his civil disobedience. Do you know I think more and more We, the people of God, are going to find ourselves more and more against the laws of our country. as we see the way this country is going. And I can foresee a time, I hope I'm wrong. Not too thick.
Far distant when we will be faced. with either obeying the law of God Or obeying the law of man, may we be people like Daniel, of integrity and prayer. Daniel prays regularly, but he also prays frequently. Praying regularly would be praying once a week. But praying frequently, no, he prays three times a day.
We wonder at Daniel's wisdom, his composure, his insight, his courage, his faith. He's a spiritual giant of a man. Here is his secret of success. Notice it in verse three. He got down on his knees.
three times a day and prayed. One of the reasons Daniel can Acts so well in emergency situations is because he prays. frequently Three times a day he prays to God, giving thanks, making petition and plea before his God. Verse eleven. You see, to be anything for God, we must spend time with God.
And Daniel knows. His God. Paul writes in Colossians 4, verse 2: Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving. That's what Daniel is doing. He is praying steadfastly, he is praying frequently, he is being watchful and he is praying in an attitude of thankfulness.
Now here's a convicting question. How frequently do you pray? Once a week Once a day Oh, I know you pray in emergencies, we all do that. No one needs to sit To tell us when the emergency comes to pray, we do that. I'm not talking about that, I'm talking about regularly prayer.
If you're going to be strong in the Lord, there must be regular and frequent prayer. Before a penis can play with seeming spontaneity, Before a golfer can hit that wee ball with seeming ease, there has been Discipline. practice over and over and over again. It's the same in the Christian life. We want some kind of instant spirituality, don't we?
We think if we attend some weekend seminar or complete some course or read the latest Christian bestseller or view the latest Christian D V D series, we're going to turn into spiritual giants. No, absolutely not. These are helpful, but these are no substitute for doing what Daniel did. Here is Daniel in his eighties. He's an old man at this time in Daniel 6.
Praying three times a day, as is his custom, as he had done previously. 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 find We must turn our attention away from the world and look to the Word of God.
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Now, here's Pastor John Monroe. Well, what's your verdict? Are you a person of integrity? It's so easy to compromise, isn't it? to rationalize our failure to do what is right.
But Daniel's secret was that he spent time in prayer. We promise that those who wait on the Lord will be renewed in strength.
So spend time with God. Don't compromise. Join me next time as we see what happens to Daniel when he's thrown into the den of lions. 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.
