WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:09.839 Now, I know this evening that as I come here, I know amongst us that wherever we're at spiritually, 00:00:09.839 --> 00:00:13.160 we're all a complete mixed bag. 00:00:13.160 --> 00:00:19.719 There are people sat amongst us who've had faith in Jesus for years, and some of us, 00:00:19.719 --> 00:00:21.480 it might be relatively new. 00:00:21.480 --> 00:00:27.120 Maybe this is the first time you've been to church in a long time or ever. 00:00:27.120 --> 00:00:33.480 But wherever we're at spiritually, there's a big question that I want us to address this 00:00:33.480 --> 00:00:38.920 evening, which is the question actually, the title of what I've given that our sermon 00:00:38.920 --> 00:00:46.000 tonight is, where is a faithful life following Jesus, the living God leave you? 00:00:46.000 --> 00:00:49.840 Where does living faithfully leave us? 00:00:49.840 --> 00:00:56.320 The reason I'm asking that is because in this passage we see where living a faithful life 00:00:56.320 --> 00:01:02.119 following the living God leaves this man, the prophet Daniel. 00:01:02.119 --> 00:01:05.359 Daniel's faith in the living God is part of who he is. 00:01:05.359 --> 00:01:08.040 It is central to his identity. 00:01:08.040 --> 00:01:10.560 It's what he's all about. 00:01:10.560 --> 00:01:17.120 His identity in this, perhaps you might say a pluralistic Babylonian society that worshiped 00:01:17.120 --> 00:01:22.280 many different gods, many different Bals and Astros that he finds himself in, that he lives 00:01:22.280 --> 00:01:23.280 in. 00:01:23.280 --> 00:01:29.719 And there are lots of similarities between Babylon and 21st century Britain because we 00:01:29.719 --> 00:01:37.599 live in a pluralistic society where identity or what we identify as is a hot topic. 00:01:37.599 --> 00:01:43.000 Now I know what you're all thinking as soon as you hear me say identity, you're all thinking 00:01:43.000 --> 00:01:46.319 I'm going to start talking about sexuality or gender. 00:01:46.319 --> 00:01:50.560 And don't get me wrong, of course, that's a part of it. 00:01:50.560 --> 00:01:56.159 But the reality is, the reality is that identity is such a bigger, such more a bigger issue 00:01:56.159 --> 00:01:58.600 than those two things. 00:01:58.600 --> 00:02:05.320 Our identity is such a bigger issue because it is what we construct our lives from every 00:02:05.320 --> 00:02:07.320 part of our lives that matters. 00:02:07.320 --> 00:02:13.840 Our job, our income, our political affiliations where we live, the car we drive, what we promote, 00:02:13.840 --> 00:02:16.319 what we turn our nose apart. 00:02:16.319 --> 00:02:22.519 All these are markers that identify and where we position ourselves within certain camps 00:02:22.519 --> 00:02:25.159 within society. 00:02:25.159 --> 00:02:32.719 And you know what's most telling to someone in their life what identity matters to them 00:02:32.719 --> 00:02:38.280 is when you're introduced to someone, what question do they ask you? 00:02:38.280 --> 00:02:39.719 What question do they ask you? 00:02:39.719 --> 00:02:44.560 The majority of the time it's, what do you do? 00:02:44.560 --> 00:02:45.560 Isn't it? 00:02:45.560 --> 00:02:48.920 The majority of the time you're introduced to someone, people say what do you do? 00:02:48.920 --> 00:02:54.719 And the expectation is that you're going to talk about your job or something that is an 00:02:54.719 --> 00:02:59.640 indicator of how you get value for yourself. 00:02:59.640 --> 00:03:00.879 This is what identity is. 00:03:00.879 --> 00:03:05.319 It's so much more than we think it is because it's actually the way that we construct value 00:03:05.319 --> 00:03:08.159 for our whole lives. 00:03:08.159 --> 00:03:13.159 The question, the reason I'm talking about this, because the question I'm really getting 00:03:13.159 --> 00:03:19.240 into is where does our faith fit into all of that? 00:03:19.240 --> 00:03:26.840 Where does following Jesus fit into all of those ways that we put value on ourselves? 00:03:26.840 --> 00:03:29.000 Does it fit in? 00:03:29.000 --> 00:03:36.479 Where does a faithful life of following the living God, Jesus Christ, leave us? 00:03:36.479 --> 00:03:42.039 And so as we ask that question of what that means for Daniel, what my hope and my praise 00:03:42.039 --> 00:03:46.599 is we'll see that what it means for Daniel is also true for us. 00:03:46.599 --> 00:03:50.560 And so there's three answers to that question that we're going to look at. 00:03:50.560 --> 00:03:53.399 Where does a faithful life to the living God leave us? 00:03:53.399 --> 00:03:56.560 And firstly, it leaves us as a foreigner. 00:03:56.560 --> 00:03:58.759 It leaves us as a target. 00:03:58.759 --> 00:04:02.799 And it leaves us as a victor, a foreigner, a target, and a victor. 00:04:02.799 --> 00:04:05.159 So firstly, as a foreigner. 00:04:05.159 --> 00:04:11.639 Now, I don't know when the last time you were visiting a foreign country was. 00:04:11.639 --> 00:04:15.000 Once not so long back, I was over in the States. 00:04:15.000 --> 00:04:17.839 I'm a classic Brit when I go away. 00:04:17.839 --> 00:04:22.959 Of course, I don't know about you, but I always like to try a little bit of something cultural, 00:04:22.959 --> 00:04:25.719 maybe something of the cuisine. 00:04:25.719 --> 00:04:28.680 But deep down, I know that I'm a foreigner. 00:04:28.680 --> 00:04:29.680 I don't really belong. 00:04:29.680 --> 00:04:34.759 I might, in the States, I might have spoke the language, but there's certain foods and 00:04:34.759 --> 00:04:37.279 ways of doing things that you just don't have. 00:04:37.279 --> 00:04:39.399 Now, don't get me wrong. 00:04:39.399 --> 00:04:44.000 I enjoyed a Southern breakfast, biscuits and gravy and grits delicious, but there was no 00:04:44.000 --> 00:04:46.639 baked beans, there's no haggis, no lawn sausage. 00:04:46.639 --> 00:04:50.839 I was in a foreigner in a foreign land. 00:04:50.839 --> 00:04:56.839 Daniel is a foreigner living in a foreign country, and things would have been different 00:04:56.839 --> 00:04:58.399 to him. 00:04:58.399 --> 00:05:04.359 He's an Israelite, and along with the rest of his countrymen, they've been expelled, exiled 00:05:04.359 --> 00:05:09.279 from their home country, the land of promise Israel. 00:05:09.279 --> 00:05:15.679 Before we get going with all this, I just want to pause and remind, sort of remind us, remember 00:05:15.679 --> 00:05:22.519 that the reason he's living in Babylon, that God has exiled them, the Babylonian empire, 00:05:22.519 --> 00:05:28.079 as you may remember, was the instrument that God used when they took Siege of Jerusalem. 00:05:28.079 --> 00:05:32.000 We get it all the way through Daniel, we're reminded of the Israel's history and what's 00:05:32.000 --> 00:05:33.000 happened to them. 00:05:33.000 --> 00:05:38.359 Daniel chapter one, the very first verses it starts with, it says, in the third year 00:05:38.360 --> 00:05:42.960 of the reign of Jehoiachim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem, 00:05:42.960 --> 00:05:44.199 besieged it. 00:05:44.199 --> 00:05:48.840 And we read verse three, then the king commanded Ash Penna's, his chief eunuch, to bring some 00:05:48.840 --> 00:05:51.439 of the people of Israel. 00:05:51.439 --> 00:05:55.400 Daniel is one of those people brought to Babylon, and the whole of the book is played out with 00:05:55.400 --> 00:05:56.400 that backdrop. 00:05:56.400 --> 00:06:02.560 It is worth pointing out that whilst they're still in Babylon, the Babylonians are conquered 00:06:02.560 --> 00:06:04.560 by the Persians. 00:06:04.560 --> 00:06:08.959 And it's in the last couple of verses in chapter five, just before our reading this evening 00:06:08.959 --> 00:06:13.959 where we get to chapter six, that we read that the time of the Babylonians, the Chaldeans 00:06:13.959 --> 00:06:16.920 has ended and there's a new king in town. 00:06:16.920 --> 00:06:23.040 Daniel five, last verse, verse 30, that very night, Bel Shazad, the Chaldean king was killed 00:06:23.040 --> 00:06:28.720 and Darius the Mede, the Persian received the kingdom being about 62 years old. 00:06:28.720 --> 00:06:30.279 Darius is the new king. 00:06:30.279 --> 00:06:34.279 He's the new king and Daniel's under him. 00:06:34.279 --> 00:06:39.719 Now all that said and done, okay, all that said and done, Darius has still been taken 00:06:39.719 --> 00:06:42.599 from his homeland to his new place. 00:06:42.599 --> 00:06:48.599 Whoever's in charge, personally, I'm not so sure what my mindset would have been like 00:06:48.599 --> 00:06:54.039 to any authority that existed over me that had taken me out of my home country being 00:06:54.039 --> 00:06:59.039 conquered and being escorted to a new land, Babylonian, Persian, whatever. 00:06:59.040 --> 00:07:06.720 Because he's still being ruled by, with a foreign nation that has conquered him. 00:07:06.720 --> 00:07:14.080 So I think, I don't know, but I think what we see in Daniel, it is surprising because 00:07:14.080 --> 00:07:19.840 one thing that we don't see, have you noticed we don't see any cynicism in him? 00:07:19.840 --> 00:07:23.520 There's no gossip or discussing the foreign leadership negatively. 00:07:23.520 --> 00:07:25.000 In fact, it's the opposite. 00:07:25.000 --> 00:07:29.920 He actually works for the good of this foreign nation. 00:07:29.920 --> 00:07:35.079 You look with me, we read that he's thought of, well, he's held in high regard. 00:07:35.079 --> 00:07:41.199 Verse two, he's one of the three high ranking officials given responsibility, protect the 00:07:41.199 --> 00:07:44.000 king's wealth and positions. 00:07:44.000 --> 00:07:45.000 Possessions. 00:07:45.000 --> 00:07:49.240 Verse three, he goes on to become the most distinguished governor in the land. 00:07:49.240 --> 00:07:55.560 He's given that position and power because we read he had an excellent spirit in him. 00:07:55.560 --> 00:08:04.040 And there's plans afoot even to help Daniel to set Daniel to help to rule the whole kingdom. 00:08:04.040 --> 00:08:10.120 It is helpful to notice this about Daniel that we never see in him any real complaining 00:08:10.120 --> 00:08:12.079 about the rulers of the country. 00:08:12.079 --> 00:08:18.079 There's no indifference in him despite him living in a foreign place that does not have 00:08:18.079 --> 00:08:23.240 God's law or rule as its ultimate priority. 00:08:23.240 --> 00:08:29.240 As followers of Jesus, as followers of the same God as Daniel, we find ourselves in a 00:08:29.240 --> 00:08:32.360 very similar position to him today. 00:08:32.360 --> 00:08:39.600 Now I'm not talking about the status within the nation as a high ranking official, but 00:08:39.600 --> 00:08:42.879 that we are foreigners. 00:08:42.879 --> 00:08:48.480 Jesus Peter calls us sojourners or exiles, Philippians three says that our citizenship 00:08:48.480 --> 00:08:52.039 is not anywhere in earth but is found in heaven. 00:08:52.039 --> 00:08:54.360 We are foreigners in the world we live. 00:08:54.360 --> 00:09:01.879 We belong to another kingdom and we live by God's kingdom values. 00:09:01.879 --> 00:09:08.279 The real issue, the things that we have to reflect on is if that is true, how do we respond 00:09:08.279 --> 00:09:11.279 to the world that we live in? 00:09:11.279 --> 00:09:15.480 Now there's a few options for you. 00:09:15.480 --> 00:09:17.480 You could, you could. 00:09:17.480 --> 00:09:21.559 You could separate yourself completely from the world, put yourself in a Christian bubble, 00:09:21.559 --> 00:09:26.000 immerse yourself entirely with Christians and Christian things and that's attractive 00:09:26.000 --> 00:09:31.000 because you could protect yourself from any negative influence. 00:09:31.000 --> 00:09:36.159 But the danger with that is you can view the world as dangerous and become cynical and 00:09:36.159 --> 00:09:41.639 full of condemnation about everything that's not allowed in your bubble. 00:09:41.639 --> 00:09:46.079 And I'm pretty sure that we could probably, or maybe we have, think of when that sounds 00:09:46.079 --> 00:09:49.039 attractive or where we've even done that. 00:09:49.039 --> 00:09:51.879 But notice that's not what Daniel does. 00:09:51.879 --> 00:09:57.879 Now Daniel works for the good of the culture and society that he's become a part of. 00:09:57.879 --> 00:10:02.159 No matter how ungodly they might be, he actually works to serve King Darius. 00:10:02.159 --> 00:10:06.079 He has an excellent spirit. 00:10:06.080 --> 00:10:11.759 He wants to influence society by demonstrating a set of values, a different model for living 00:10:11.759 --> 00:10:19.480 that fundamentally is directed not by Persian or Babylonian laws but by the law of God. 00:10:19.480 --> 00:10:24.200 It's exactly like Jesus Christ. 00:10:24.200 --> 00:10:29.360 When the living God comes to earth in the person of Jesus Christ, he swaps his home, 00:10:29.360 --> 00:10:35.240 heaven, for an earthly life taken on a human frame and human nature being born of a virgin 00:10:35.240 --> 00:10:37.639 and who does Jesus spend time with? 00:10:37.639 --> 00:10:43.159 Is Jesus constantly cynical and bemoaning the fact that he's on earth but not in heaven? 00:10:43.159 --> 00:10:49.799 That's not what Jesus is like because he comes to serve the world he made that is foreign 00:10:49.799 --> 00:10:53.120 to his true home. 00:10:53.120 --> 00:11:00.840 John 3.17, for God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world but to save 00:11:00.840 --> 00:11:03.159 it through him. 00:11:03.159 --> 00:11:07.719 He cares passionately about Jerusalem and all the places he visits. 00:11:07.719 --> 00:11:12.719 We see that in the interactions with his people. 00:11:12.719 --> 00:11:18.959 And so we need to not be austere about the world we live in, about Edinburgh or the decisions 00:11:18.959 --> 00:11:20.199 in Hollywood. 00:11:20.199 --> 00:11:25.719 Now that doesn't mean we can't respectfully debate and have opinions but with respect 00:11:25.719 --> 00:11:27.959 and gentleness. 00:11:27.960 --> 00:11:34.680 We are foreigners, exiles because Scotland is not a true home. 00:11:34.680 --> 00:11:40.879 Our citizenship is in heaven and therefore we mustn't look to get in needless confrontations 00:11:40.879 --> 00:11:53.480 that are fruitless but pray and work for the gospel that Jesus would save our nation. 00:11:53.480 --> 00:11:58.320 So work and celebrate the good that we see. 00:11:58.320 --> 00:12:03.000 Okay, secondly, so this is the first point. 00:12:03.000 --> 00:12:06.800 Where does a faithful life leave us? 00:12:06.800 --> 00:12:08.200 It leaves us as a foreigner. 00:12:08.200 --> 00:12:10.240 Secondly, it leaves us as a target. 00:12:10.240 --> 00:12:13.200 It leaves you as a target that you're marked. 00:12:13.200 --> 00:12:19.399 Now we're not entirely sure what Daniel has done to upset the people, what they object 00:12:19.399 --> 00:12:20.399 to. 00:12:20.399 --> 00:12:23.319 There's a number of suggestions that we could make. 00:12:23.319 --> 00:12:26.079 Perhaps it's jealousy at his high position. 00:12:26.079 --> 00:12:31.759 Perhaps it's the way he conducts himself in that role with godly integrity. 00:12:31.759 --> 00:12:34.600 Perhaps but perhaps. 00:12:34.600 --> 00:12:42.399 This is a slight stab in the dark but perhaps it could be connected to where his true loyalty 00:12:42.399 --> 00:12:43.399 lies. 00:12:43.399 --> 00:12:44.399 Perhaps. 00:12:44.399 --> 00:12:50.919 It's clear that Babylon is a pluralistic society like ours where different beliefs are tolerated 00:12:50.919 --> 00:12:56.279 but perhaps they're tolerated only up to a point. 00:12:56.279 --> 00:13:01.959 It seems to be well known that Daniel prayed three times a day and well known where he 00:13:01.959 --> 00:13:07.439 prayed and where well known whom he prayed to and he seems to be allowed to get on with 00:13:07.439 --> 00:13:09.279 that. 00:13:09.279 --> 00:13:17.079 I wonder if perhaps it's when the king's plan to set him up over the whole kingdom becomes 00:13:17.079 --> 00:13:22.519 known that that's just a line too much. 00:13:22.519 --> 00:13:23.519 That's just too much. 00:13:23.519 --> 00:13:25.120 A line is crossed. 00:13:25.120 --> 00:13:30.240 Perhaps that's a stretch too far that really someone to rule over the nation really needs 00:13:30.240 --> 00:13:33.439 to be Babylonian or Persian. 00:13:33.439 --> 00:13:37.399 That is totally committed to the kingdom of Darius. 00:13:37.399 --> 00:13:41.279 Having someone who obeys the laws of Yahweh, the Israelite god, running the country, that's 00:13:41.279 --> 00:13:43.279 too much. 00:13:43.279 --> 00:13:47.000 Perhaps. 00:13:47.000 --> 00:13:53.079 In the pluralistic world as long as religion remains private, that's okay but once it affects 00:13:53.079 --> 00:13:57.959 public society, once it influences, maybe that's a step too far. 00:13:57.959 --> 00:14:03.360 It's more than a reasonable assumption to make because the response that we see from 00:14:03.360 --> 00:14:09.080 these three men, it is dark, deceptive and devious. 00:14:09.080 --> 00:14:13.800 Daniel's character is so well thought of that trickery is the only way of getting around 00:14:13.800 --> 00:14:18.240 this, and so that's what their plan involves, is they pepper the king with flattery and 00:14:18.240 --> 00:14:21.759 manipulation and persuasion. 00:14:21.759 --> 00:14:27.680 They trick Darius to alter the law so that is illegal to pray to anyone except him, with 00:14:27.680 --> 00:14:31.680 the punishment being that the perpetrator will be thrown to the lions. 00:14:31.679 --> 00:14:36.719 It is a brilliant plan to trap someone but it's completely unjust. 00:14:36.719 --> 00:14:39.959 And Daniel's response is fascinating. 00:14:39.959 --> 00:14:42.199 It's fascinating. 00:14:42.199 --> 00:14:48.000 Do you notice there's not even a hint of deliberation? 00:14:48.000 --> 00:14:54.319 Verse 10, when Daniel knew that the documents would be signed, he went to his house, way 00:14:54.319 --> 00:14:58.559 out windows, in his upper chamber, open towards Jerusalem. 00:14:58.559 --> 00:15:03.199 He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his god 00:15:03.199 --> 00:15:06.559 as he had done previously. 00:15:06.559 --> 00:15:11.479 The men finding they bring their case to the king, again using flattery, manipulation, 00:15:11.479 --> 00:15:12.479 persuasion. 00:15:12.479 --> 00:15:19.639 Daniel's faith at this point appears to be sealed. 00:15:19.639 --> 00:15:23.599 We face a similar challenge. 00:15:23.600 --> 00:15:29.639 That faith is allowed but public faith, nah. 00:15:29.639 --> 00:15:35.560 A public faith that suggests that confronts the way things are done, the status quo, that's 00:15:35.560 --> 00:15:37.920 a stretch too far. 00:15:37.920 --> 00:15:45.240 Personal prayer is fine but don't you dare, don't you dare offer prayer to someone with 00:15:45.240 --> 00:15:47.240 same sex attraction. 00:15:47.240 --> 00:15:49.040 Don't you dare. 00:15:49.040 --> 00:15:51.360 Even if they ask for it, that's not allowed. 00:15:51.360 --> 00:15:55.840 Don't you dare bring your private faith into somebody else's life. 00:15:55.840 --> 00:16:00.039 Don't you dare attempt to influence a society with biblical values. 00:16:00.039 --> 00:16:04.159 It's the same for Jesus. 00:16:04.159 --> 00:16:08.879 I mean, if only he'd kept quiet, told the line with the religious elite, didn't claim 00:16:08.879 --> 00:16:14.600 to have authority over them, didn't point out their hypocrisy or eat with sinners. 00:16:14.600 --> 00:16:20.440 Imagine God eating with sinners. 00:16:20.440 --> 00:16:23.400 Imagine that. 00:16:23.400 --> 00:16:31.720 Upsetting the status quo and the Bayfriars blood. 00:16:31.720 --> 00:16:38.960 Being target, for us, I do wonder like being a target for following Jesus, it can seem 00:16:38.960 --> 00:16:42.840 still I think like a relatively new idea. 00:16:42.840 --> 00:16:46.840 I don't know if we're still, are we really, are we still prepared for this? 00:16:46.840 --> 00:16:53.000 The problem is that historically, Western ideals, they're founded upon Christian values 00:16:53.000 --> 00:16:59.519 and in days gone by, the Western morality and biblical morality had some sort of affinity 00:16:59.519 --> 00:17:02.320 but we've long left those days. 00:17:02.320 --> 00:17:06.039 And so following Jesus comes at a much higher cost than 50 years ago. 00:17:06.039 --> 00:17:09.440 You are a target if you live your faith publicly. 00:17:09.440 --> 00:17:14.559 The spiritual history of this country is an anomaly at best or an illusion of history 00:17:14.559 --> 00:17:23.200 because the status quo for Christians is that they've always been targets. 00:17:23.200 --> 00:17:36.079 At this point, I wonder for some of us, perhaps the question might come, is it worth it? 00:17:36.079 --> 00:17:38.639 Should I just throw in the towel? 00:17:38.639 --> 00:17:43.639 The thought of being a target doesn't leave a nice taste in my mouth or any of our mouths. 00:17:43.640 --> 00:17:51.000 I even remember the first time someone told me that following Jesus would come at a cost. 00:17:51.000 --> 00:17:56.360 My first thought, I didn't sign up for this, I'm happy with the forgiveness and blessings 00:17:56.360 --> 00:18:00.200 but the cost being a target, I'm not sure I'm up for that. 00:18:00.200 --> 00:18:02.520 Is it worth it? 00:18:02.520 --> 00:18:05.640 You may be well thinking that now. 00:18:05.640 --> 00:18:10.800 The only way we're going to deal with that question, the only way that, because those 00:18:10.799 --> 00:18:16.240 thoughts will come, if you haven't had them or you're not having them now, at some point 00:18:16.240 --> 00:18:19.000 in our life you will think that. 00:18:19.000 --> 00:18:24.079 The only way we're going to deal with that question is by looking at the final point 00:18:24.079 --> 00:18:28.159 where a faithful Christian life leaves you. 00:18:28.159 --> 00:18:33.279 Taking a glimpse of the future that lies ahead, and probably more than a glimpse, a sustained, 00:18:33.279 --> 00:18:40.240 long, hard meditation, that living a faithful life leaves you a victor. 00:18:40.240 --> 00:18:48.920 Victory is a reason that we press on through difficulty. 00:18:48.920 --> 00:18:51.920 It's the hope of victory or achievement. 00:18:51.920 --> 00:18:55.240 It is that. 00:18:55.240 --> 00:18:58.359 I love watching sport. 00:18:58.359 --> 00:19:06.279 I watch any live sport, even sports that I know very little about, especially, I don't 00:19:06.279 --> 00:19:08.640 know, you've probably done this during the Olympics. 00:19:08.640 --> 00:19:12.960 It comes around every four years, even the Winter Olympics, I don't know if you... 00:19:12.960 --> 00:19:19.759 There's sports there that I only watch once every four years, but when they come I'm absolutely 00:19:19.759 --> 00:19:26.920 transfixed on synchronized swimming or the diving, and within two minutes of watching 00:19:26.920 --> 00:19:33.320 it, as most of us, I'm sure, do, pretend to be an expert in all the things that come along 00:19:33.319 --> 00:19:41.879 with these peculiar or seemingly peculiar to me, because I don't watch them for four years. 00:19:41.879 --> 00:19:47.519 But the fascinating thing about the Olympics, isn't it, is that's part of the reason we're 00:19:47.519 --> 00:19:54.519 fascinated by that is it does take a certain character and drivenness if the highlight 00:19:54.519 --> 00:20:02.639 of your sporting career is one event that only happens every four years. 00:20:02.640 --> 00:20:07.200 It must be soul destroying if you get injured, you've trained for four years, and yet time 00:20:07.200 --> 00:20:12.640 and time again you see them pick themselves up and go again. 00:20:12.640 --> 00:20:16.840 When we're a target, when we face opposition as Christians, how do we pick ourselves up 00:20:16.840 --> 00:20:19.360 and go again when we face opposition? 00:20:19.360 --> 00:20:24.360 What gives us the hope to keep living out our faith in the public arena? 00:20:24.360 --> 00:20:27.080 What do we need to know? 00:20:27.080 --> 00:20:32.240 We need to know that a faithful life, it does mean you will be a target, but... 00:20:32.240 --> 00:20:37.839 This is the important thing, that label is only temporary. 00:20:37.839 --> 00:20:41.880 The foreign label as well, the foreign label and the... 00:20:41.880 --> 00:20:48.120 The foreign label and the target label, they're only temporary labels, it's not eternal. 00:20:48.120 --> 00:20:49.120 You know what I mean by that? 00:20:49.120 --> 00:20:53.960 It's not an eternal label, but you will always be a victory in Christ. 00:20:53.960 --> 00:20:57.279 You will always be able to claim God's victory as your own. 00:20:57.279 --> 00:21:03.399 The realization of His promises to you, to claim an inheritance that is a promise. 00:21:03.399 --> 00:21:07.960 The promises He made to the second Adam, to the Lord Jesus, are yours to take hold of 00:21:07.960 --> 00:21:12.240 as you find yourself in relationship with Him. 00:21:12.240 --> 00:21:16.799 When we face trouble, what we really need to look, is a fresh art, is the promises of 00:21:16.799 --> 00:21:21.920 God and we find three that we find when we look at Daniel. 00:21:21.920 --> 00:21:27.360 The promise of deliverance, the promise of justice and the promise of God's everlasting 00:21:27.360 --> 00:21:28.360 reign. 00:21:28.360 --> 00:21:32.400 The promise of deliverance, the promise of justice and the promise of God's everlasting 00:21:32.400 --> 00:21:33.400 reign. 00:21:33.400 --> 00:21:35.400 Verse 17, look with me. 00:21:35.400 --> 00:21:41.080 And a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his 00:21:41.080 --> 00:21:46.920 own signet and with the signet of his Lord's, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. 00:21:46.920 --> 00:21:53.480 Matter of fact, Daniel is dead, he's dead. 00:21:53.480 --> 00:21:58.440 And there's no hiding what this points to. 00:21:58.440 --> 00:22:08.960 When the stone is rolled in front of Jesus' tomb, there is a dead body inside. 00:22:08.960 --> 00:22:11.360 King Darius is in a panic. 00:22:11.360 --> 00:22:12.880 He thought a great deal about Daniel. 00:22:12.880 --> 00:22:13.880 He can't sleep. 00:22:13.880 --> 00:22:14.880 He fasts. 00:22:14.880 --> 00:22:20.400 He says, verse 16, may your God whom you serve continually deliver you. 00:22:20.400 --> 00:22:25.560 And the first time, actually, the first time we hear Daniel speak in this whole chapter, 00:22:25.560 --> 00:22:27.920 verse 21, it's to tell us he's alive. 00:22:27.920 --> 00:22:30.480 O King, live forever. 00:22:30.480 --> 00:22:34.240 My God sent his angel and shut the lion's mouths and they've not harmed me because I 00:22:34.240 --> 00:22:36.120 was found blameless before him. 00:22:36.120 --> 00:22:39.080 And also before you, O King, I have done no harm. 00:22:39.079 --> 00:22:47.000 And King C. sent Daniel's literally lifted out the grave with den of lions. 00:22:47.000 --> 00:22:54.679 Now, just, I just want to pause just for the sake of Clare, this is not saying that you 00:22:54.679 --> 00:23:00.599 should expect deliverance in this life at different moments. 00:23:00.599 --> 00:23:05.759 Daniel does, but the whole point as New Testament believers is really this is pointed to our 00:23:05.759 --> 00:23:08.759 ultimate deliverance. 00:23:08.759 --> 00:23:13.799 On that first Easter Sunday, a different stone was rolled away. 00:23:13.799 --> 00:23:19.240 The one that was put across the tomb where Jesus dead body lay. 00:23:19.240 --> 00:23:25.200 The Almighty God delivered Jesus from death and he walked out of the tomb. 00:23:25.200 --> 00:23:29.680 The resurrection, all of Christianity hangs upon it. 00:23:29.680 --> 00:23:33.319 And the real deliverance that we all long and hope for is when we arise on the other 00:23:33.319 --> 00:23:40.879 side of death, we arise in the arms of Jesus. 00:23:40.879 --> 00:23:45.359 If you're asking, is it worth it? 00:23:45.359 --> 00:23:49.799 Jesus' victory over death, his deliverance from death is ours. 00:23:49.799 --> 00:23:53.279 We've been buried with him and we will be raised with him. 00:23:53.279 --> 00:23:58.639 It is the promise of eternal deliverance, of eternal rescue and redemption arising on 00:23:58.639 --> 00:24:02.559 the other side of death in the arms of Jesus. 00:24:02.559 --> 00:24:07.319 Being a foreigner is temporary, being a target is temporary, but you'll always be a victor 00:24:07.319 --> 00:24:13.200 in Christ and he is the prize. 00:24:13.200 --> 00:24:19.359 He is the one we run the race to receive. 00:24:19.359 --> 00:24:24.119 The consequences for the men who are responsible for all this, they are drastic. 00:24:24.119 --> 00:24:25.919 There is the promise of justice. 00:24:25.919 --> 00:24:30.679 They receive the punishment, meet it out for Daniel and the angel is not there to save 00:24:30.679 --> 00:24:31.679 them. 00:24:31.680 --> 00:24:34.720 But it's just, no sin will go unpunished. 00:24:34.720 --> 00:24:37.320 It is the promise of justice. 00:24:37.320 --> 00:24:44.400 In light of recent darkness that we've seen throughout, across the globe, we've seen 00:24:44.400 --> 00:24:51.560 unprecedented darkness in the last year or so in Ukraine, now in Sudan. 00:24:51.560 --> 00:24:59.480 We've seen the constant, horrible, brutal shootings in the States. 00:24:59.480 --> 00:25:07.799 The list could go on and, but ultimately here we have the oppressors, those who've committed 00:25:07.799 --> 00:25:13.200 vile crimes will be held to account for their actions against the living God. 00:25:13.200 --> 00:25:19.400 Hostility against you will be dealt with. 00:25:19.400 --> 00:25:25.599 Now of course we hope and pray that oppressors will, enemies of God will repent and turn 00:25:25.599 --> 00:25:28.120 from wickedness, but we were once enemies too. 00:25:28.119 --> 00:25:32.679 Just by grace we've been saved, the gift of God, but if He doesn't we can hold on to 00:25:32.679 --> 00:25:34.559 the fact that God is truly just. 00:25:34.559 --> 00:25:35.559 There's nothing hidden. 00:25:35.559 --> 00:25:40.839 There's no corruption in Him and people are held account for what they've done. 00:25:40.839 --> 00:25:47.439 Lastly, the promise of God's everlasting reign. 00:25:47.439 --> 00:25:52.039 Look with me at what Darius writes to all the nations of the earth, end of verse 25. 00:25:52.039 --> 00:25:54.000 Peace be multiplied to you. 00:25:54.000 --> 00:25:58.559 I make a decree that in all my royal dominion, people are to tremble and fear before the 00:25:58.559 --> 00:26:03.559 God of Daniel, for He is the living God, enduring forever. 00:26:03.559 --> 00:26:07.000 His kingdom shall never be destroyed and His dominion shall be to the end. 00:26:07.000 --> 00:26:11.819 He delivers and rescues, He works signs and wonders in heaven and on earth. 00:26:11.819 --> 00:26:17.759 He who has saved Daniel from the power of the lions, the living God. 00:26:17.759 --> 00:26:21.880 He's the Lord of lords and the King of kings and His dominion. 00:26:21.880 --> 00:26:27.040 His reign will last forever. 00:26:27.040 --> 00:26:31.760 Of which of the leader can that be said? 00:26:31.760 --> 00:26:38.120 Pharaoh is dead, Herod is dead, Nero is dead, Henry the eighth is dead, King James the first 00:26:38.120 --> 00:26:44.600 is dead, Muhammad is dead, Napoleon is dead, Hitler is dead, Stalin is dead, Idi Amin is 00:26:44.600 --> 00:26:45.600 dead. 00:26:45.600 --> 00:26:47.000 Where are they now? 00:26:47.000 --> 00:26:50.600 Jesus is alive. 00:26:50.599 --> 00:26:52.719 His kingdom will reign forever. 00:26:52.719 --> 00:27:01.039 It will never be destroyed and His followers were found in Him and given His reign to reign 00:27:01.039 --> 00:27:05.879 with Him, to share in His glory forever. 00:27:05.879 --> 00:27:10.159 And so as we come in for landing, we've tried to answer the question, where does a faithful 00:27:10.159 --> 00:27:13.480 life to the living God leave us? 00:27:13.480 --> 00:27:17.240 It leaves us a foreigner, we're strangers and aliens in this world, but our home is 00:27:17.240 --> 00:27:20.359 heaven, we belong to the kingdom of God. 00:27:20.359 --> 00:27:27.000 It leaves us a target, faithful, godly living woman where opposed just like the Lord Jesus, 00:27:27.000 --> 00:27:28.199 but it leaves us a victor. 00:27:28.199 --> 00:27:30.079 In Jesus is victory. 00:27:30.079 --> 00:27:36.799 His resurrection life is giving to us and His kingdom will reign forever. 00:27:36.799 --> 00:27:42.479 But one more thing, one more thing, I want to point as we close, when Daniel's in the 00:27:42.479 --> 00:27:48.879 den, did you notice he's not in there alone? 00:27:48.880 --> 00:27:52.560 The angel is with him. 00:27:52.560 --> 00:28:00.360 God sends his angel to minister to him in the moment of his metaphorical death, in the moment 00:28:00.360 --> 00:28:09.840 where you think he's alone, but the angel is with him. 00:28:09.839 --> 00:28:22.000 The living God provides ministers to Daniel in the middle of one of his darkest moments. 00:28:22.000 --> 00:28:28.399 But it reminds us that in Jesus' darkest moment, he really was all alone. 00:28:28.399 --> 00:28:35.639 He was totally alone and separated from his father so that we never would be. 00:28:35.639 --> 00:28:38.959 So that we never would be. 00:28:38.960 --> 00:28:45.519 When we look across the darkness in our world and we think of the Christians in Ukraine 00:28:45.519 --> 00:28:53.600 and Sudan across our world, this assures us that Jesus was alone on the cross so that 00:28:53.600 --> 00:29:00.079 in the darkness of people's lives, these people will never be alone. 00:29:00.079 --> 00:29:01.960 Jesus is by their side. 00:29:01.960 --> 00:29:05.480 And whatever you're going through or will go through in this life, Jesus will always 00:29:05.480 --> 00:29:07.840 be with you. 00:29:07.839 --> 00:29:10.720 Always with you. 00:29:10.720 --> 00:29:23.039 Let me pray. 00:29:23.039 --> 00:29:30.559 Living God, we praise you and we thank you that we are found in you, that you have given 00:29:30.559 --> 00:29:37.439 us life and we pray that we ask for your help that you would equip us and help us to 00:29:37.440 --> 00:29:43.160 walk faithfully with you all of our days. 00:29:43.160 --> 00:29:45.880 The goodness and mercy would follow us. 00:29:45.880 --> 00:29:55.120 And we ask, Lord, we know that in this life, living faithfully will mean that we're, because 00:29:55.120 --> 00:30:00.320 we live according to the values of the kingdom of heaven, that we're foreigners, that our 00:30:00.320 --> 00:30:03.200 home is not Scotland but is heaven. 00:30:03.200 --> 00:30:09.400 We know that we're going to be a target when our faith is lived out publicly. 00:30:09.400 --> 00:30:12.440 But I pray that you would strengthen us and help us and equip us. 00:30:12.440 --> 00:30:22.880 I pray that you'd motivate us by the fact that our future is with you, raised to life, 00:30:22.880 --> 00:30:29.319 that you have made us a victor in your Son, that your victory over sin, over death and 00:30:29.319 --> 00:30:33.000 over evil is our victory too, as we're found in you. 00:30:33.000 --> 00:30:39.160 And so, bless us, we pray, we ask for this, in Jesus' name, amen.