Well, good morning.
Will you pray with me?
Lord, as we look at your word now,
Lord, we are reminded of what a precious gift your word is.
That you have given to us, Lord,
a written revelation of who you are.
That you have written down to us, for us.
Lord, these words that tell us about who you are,
what kind of God you are in this world,
and what it means that we live in a God that is ruled and reigned over by you.
God, I pray this morning that we would be those who tremble at your word.
Because we tremble at you as we see your greatness.
Your majesty, your beauty.
Lord, your honor and glory.
Your grace and mercy.
Lord, as we see all these things in you, we pray.
We pray that you will help us to have hearts that respond rightly to you.
God, be with me, I pray this morning.
Use me, Lord, to make clear your word.
And through my words, that we might all know you better.
We pray these things in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Well, many of you know that I'm a Lord of the Rings fan.
If you don't, you will by the end of the introduction.
Lord of the Rings is perhaps one of the greatest pieces of literature in the 20th century.
It is one of the most powerfully written pictures of much truth in the world.
And right at the heart of it is the ring.
The ring of power.
Or this little trinket that the enemy so dearly desires that drives the whole plot line of the story.
The ring is, for everyone who comes close to it, a temptation.
Because in it there is power.
And that power that is to be used is a power to control.
Think about the different characters.
Gandalf, the wizard who has come to aid this great rescue or this great battle of light against darkness, of good against evil.
When offered, the ring says, no, don't give it to me.
It would be too much.
The power would be too great and I could not use it only for good.
Boromir, the valiant soldier from Gondor.
Who sees the ring and as the movie.
It is a gift.
Sees it as a weapon.
May we not use the weapon of the enemy against himself.
Not knowing its danger.
And so he seeks to grab the ring and use it for his own power and own control.
The elf lady, Galadriel.
In the land of Lothlorien, Frodo offers the ring to her and says,
I would give it to you.
She says, long have I desired this that you now ask.
And have seen the danger that I would take it by force.
But now you offer it me freely.
And if you gave it to me, I would become a great queen.
I would rule and be mighty and terrible.
And all would bow down and worship me.
And I would do create a great kingdom.
Boromir's brother Faramir later in the story finds out that this little hobbit, Frodo, in his captivity bears the ring of power.
The thing that his father most desires.
Faramir says, no, I could not use it.
Though we stand on the edge of darkness and feel like we will lose this battle,
we could not use this thing to try to win a kingdom for ourselves.
Even Sam Gamgee, the faithful, loyal servant, who in a moment of great heroism takes the ring to try to accomplish the mission for which his master,
whom he thinks has died,
to continue on with that,
he feels the pull.
He sees himself, he envisions himself as this great warrior
to overthrow the kingdoms of the enemy and to build up his great kingdom instead.
In all of these,
in all of these,
the ring holds forth this temptation.
Take hold of this power to build your kingdom on your own terms,
to do your own thing.
You will be the sovereign ruler over all.
And yet,
Tolkien,
in all of his wisdom and steeped deeply in the Christian story and in the Christian theology,
says,
this is a power that is evil.
This is not a good power.
To take control of the world,
to make our own kingdoms.
Even in the characters who are good and would use power for good,
see the danger
and resist it.
Friends,
this morning,
I wonder
if in your life,
you have felt that power
and the pull.
If you felt that pull
to take hold of that power of its temptation
to be the master of your own life,
to build your own life,
to build your own kingdom
where you have sway over it all
and to rule over all.
Maybe you think that's far too grandiose
for your life.
Maybe you think,
no,
I don't really think about those things.
But as I was considering my own life in light of this,
I thought of a few things.
I thought of the frustration that boils up in my heart
when my kids' shoes are again strewn across the kitchen floor
and not in the cubbyhole where they were supposed to go.
And the door,
this green door,
left open again,
again.
And you think,
why can't they just
do what I want them to do
to make our life a little more orderly
and a little more clean?
And I see in myself this desire to control,
this desire to have power
to make this kingdom convenient and easy
for me in the ways that I want it to.
I see it
when I have this impulse
that wells up in my heart
to give someone unsolicited advice.
Oh, you could probably do it this way.
Don't you think this?
My brother and sister-in-law
actually have outlawed,
don't you think,
as a sentence from their marriage.
Because if you think about it,
what it is is saying,
don't you think that I'm right
and you ought to do
what I'm about to suggest you to do?
That's what it means.
And so often I find myself
just welling up in my heart.
Don't you think you could do it this way
so that the world would be a better place
according to me?
I see it in my own heart
when even when I don't say anything
and even when I don't do anything,
in my own mind,
I look at someone
and I look at their actions
and the shape of their life
and their words
and I dismiss them
and I look down on them
and I think to myself,
gosh, I'm glad
that I don't have to deal
with that person
on a more regular basis.
Because I know what's right
and they're wrong.
when I see these impulses
welling up in my heart,
I see that I have a desire
to build a kingdom
where I am the one
who sits on the throne.
I have the power
to determine
what is right and wrong.
I have the power
to control what happens
and doesn't happen
in my little kingdom.
And even if my desires are good,
even if I want my kingdom
to bless the world,
to bless my children
with a happy and neat home,
to bless my friends
with a better way to live,
to bless our city
with a better church,
even if my desires
are those things,
still, if I am at the pinnacle,
I too have felt
the same pull of the ring
that the characters did.
Friends, this is not
a new temptation in the world.
In fact, one of the most
powerful places we see it
is when Jesus Christ
walked the earth.
As he came into his adulthood,
as he came into his ministry,
right after his baptism,
he went out into the wilderness.
And do you remember
what happened there?
The tempter came.
And the tempter came
and said,
don't you think,
don't you think
that you can gain
what you most want
some other way?
If you will just submit to me,
if you will just test God
rather than trusting him,
if you will just
give your power over,
I will give you
everything you want.
I will give you
the kingdoms of the world
is the last part of it.
without the cross,
without the thing
that is yet to come.
This temptation
has been going on
for hundreds
and thousands of years
for us
to want to build
our own kingdoms.
It is in fact
embedded in the very core
of the Bible story
going back to Genesis
when in this garden
where God
in his ruling
and reigning
and caring for his people
had done everything
for them.
And yet when the insidious
words came in,
maybe you can be like him.
Maybe you can be out
from under his rule
and rule on your own.
Make your own decisions.
Make your own choices.
Adam and Eve said,
I will do that.
I will choose that power.
I will make my own kingdom
rather than living in God's.
What does God think of us?
How does he want us
to think of him
and to respond to him
as we think about
the kingdoms of this world
and the kingdoms
of our lives?
Well, this brings us
to our story,
to our passage
in Daniel today.
We're in the book of Daniel.
If you haven't been coming,
we're doing a series
through the book of Daniel.
We've already looked
at chapters one through three.
We're looking at
chapter four today.
And in this story,
we are going to see
how God works
in a particular circumstance
with the king of Babylon.
Has lots of things
to teach us.
I'm going to take
a slightly different approach
rather than reading
the whole chapter.
I'm going to retell
the first half
because it's a long chapter.
There's some repetition.
And I'm going to retell
the first half of the story
with a little bit
of commentary
just to get us into it.
But I encourage you
to turn there.
What's the page number?
I forgot to look.
740.
Yeah, that'll get you
close enough.
740.
Because we're going to look
at a few verses
explicitly
just to get us
through the passage.
But we're going to look
at the first 28 verses.
Rather than reading them,
I'm just going to talk through.
But let's start
and look together
at Daniel 4 verse 1.
Let me read
verses 1 through 3
to set the stage for this.
King Nebuchadnezzar,
who is the king of Babylon,
this new power
that has risen
and now is ruling
over all of Mesopotamia,
King Nebuchadnezzar,
to all peoples,
nations,
and languages
that dwell
in all the earth,
peace be multiplied
to you.
It has seemed good
to me
to show the signs
and wonders
that the Most High God
has done for me.
How great
are His signs,
how mighty
His wonders.
His kingdom
is an everlasting kingdom
and His dominion
endures
from generation
generation
to generation.
We come to this place
and this is how
the chapter begins
and it's an interesting start
because most of the time
stories begin,
if you look back
at chapters 1, 2, and 3,
stories begin
with a little bit
of a setting
and then there's a problem
that builds
and it's building
towards some kind
of resolution
that we get later
in the story.
But interestingly,
here,
the end of the story
is right up front.
Nebuchadnezzar says,
this is what I want
to tell you.
I want to tell you
about this God
and how great
He is.
Which is a striking thing
because what we've already
learned about Nebuchadnezzar
is that
He has
built for Himself
a great kingdom.
In chapters 1, 2, and 3,
what we've seen
is
that this great kingdom
of Babylon
has come
even to Jerusalem,
even to the place
where God's people live
and He has shown
His power
in such a way
that He has taken
Daniel and His friends
off to captivity
in Babylon
and He is in the process
of assimilating them
into His culture.
He shows no sign
of releasing His power
or giving up
any of His sovereignty.
In fact,
what we saw
in chapter 3
is that
as He erected
this huge statue
that people
would bow down
in homage
to Him
to unify
and to strengthen
His rule
and His sovereignty
over His kingdom,
those who didn't
respond to that
would be killed
and would be killed
violently
and demonstrably
in a fire.
And it says
that Nebuchadnezzar,
his response
to those
who didn't
respect His authority
was anger,
deep anger
that He was not
being recognized
as their sovereign.
And so it's
in this context
then you get
to the beginning
of chapter 4
and suddenly,
not suddenly
because you see
a hint of it
at the end
of chapter 3
but you see
a strong,
Nebuchadnezzar
is saying,
look,
the God most high
is a great God
above all gods.
and you just,
and it begs
the question,
Nebuchadnezzar,
how did you
get there?
How is this
the thing
that you most
want to know?
It almost seems
like this is
a royal decree
that's being put forth.
The king puts forth
a decree
to his whole kingdom,
this is what's true
about the most high.
And then it begs
the question,
how did you get there?
And so this is
what the next section
tells us about.
The next section
which we're not
going to read
but I'm going to
summarize for you
is Nebuchadnezzar
basically saying,
I was at ease
and prosperity
in my kingdom.
I was doing great.
It seemed like
we were at the top
of the world
and there was nothing
that could stop us,
nothing that could
spoil our happy kingdom.
But then I had a vision
and this vision
disturbed me
and it disturbed
my sovereign peace
that I was living in
and this contentment
that I had.
And this vision
was of a tree
and the tree grew
and it spread
its branches
until it spread
up to heaven
and covered
all of the earth
and in the tree
all the birds
and animals
came and found refuge
and found provision.
And so it was a picture
of a great flourishing
of this tree
and all who came
under its rule.
but then
into this vision
came a watcher
and the watcher
stepped in
and the watcher said
cut down the tree.
Cut down the tree,
clip off its branches,
scatter those beings
that were finding
provision and safety
under this tree.
Scatter them
to the ends
of the earth.
Take it down
to a stump.
Bind the stump
up
so that it won't
be
so that it won't
be killed
completely.
Look with me
in verse 12
for a minute.
Right?
This is the picture
of the tree.
Its leaves were beautiful
and its fruit abundant
and in it
was food for all.
The beasts
of the field
found shade
under it
and the birds
of the heaven
lived in its branches
and all flesh
was fed from it.
But then the watcher
came
and it says
interestingly
it says
after this tree
is cut down
and it's bound up
do you see
how the
the pronouns
change?
It's fascinating.
This is such
cool language.
Look with me
for a sec.
Verse 14
right?
It's strip off
its branches
scatter its fruit
but then you get
down to verse 15.
Leave the stump
of its roots
and the earth
bound with a band
of iron and bronze
among the tender
grass of the field.
Let him
be wet
with the dew
of heaven.
Let his portion
be with the beasts
and the grass
of the earth.
He goes on
and basically says
let
whatever this tree
was
now it becomes
a him
and let him
not be a person
but let him
experience life
as if he were
a beast.
He's going to
run around
and eat grass.
To experience
the dew of the heaven
means you have
no shelter.
It means you're
sleeping out
on the ground
and when you
wake up in the
morning you are
wet
because you have
no shelter
over your head.
So this is the
vision
that Daniel
has
and as you
might imagine
he's disturbed
by it.
What does this
mean?
What is this
all about?
And so
what he does
is he calls
his magicians
as typically
he does
says hey
what does
this mean?
And typically
as what we've
seen in Daniel
they don't know.
I don't know
what good
they were
but his
magicians
didn't seem
to be able
to come
through in
the pinch
when the
things were
really important
so he called
on Daniel
because Daniel
has been helpful
before
and Daniel
comes in
this is where
we are
in verse 19
and following
Daniel
comes in
to tell him
more about
the dream
before we
keep going
I want to
say one more
thing
verse 17
look with me
again
because it
gives the
purpose
it actually
says there's
a purpose
for this
dream
verse 17
the sentence
is by the
decree of the
watchers
the decision
of the word
of the holy
ones
to the end
that the
living may
know
that the
most high
rules the
kingdoms of
men
and gives
it to whom
he will
and sets
over it
the lowliest
of men
it's kind
of fun
when you get
the punchline
of the story
that clearly
it says
this is
so Nebuchadnezzar
is saying
what is the
meaning of this
it's fascinating
because it says
right here
this is the
meaning of it
here's the
vision
but the
magicians
they don't
know
or maybe
they were
too scared
to say
it
maybe
they actually
knew
exactly
what this
was about
and they
were playing
dumb
because they
weren't going
to be ones
to say
what Daniel
said to him
because Daniel
comes
and Daniel
has great
he hears
it and he
trembles
he knows
what it
means
and his
first response
is he's
fearful
not for
himself
I don't
believe
but he's
fearful
for
Nebuchadnezzar
there's
actually
a kind
of
kindness
that
Daniel
shows
in saying
do you
really want
to know
what this
means
because it's
not a good
message
for you
and then
his second
response
is
actually
can I
just say
that I
wish this
were really
about your
enemies
I really
wish this
were about
someone else
and not
you
but then
in verse
22
it is
you
oh king
who have
grown
and become
strong
your greatness
has grown
and reaches
to heaven
and your
dominion
to the
ends
of the
earth
verse 22
but then
in verse
25
you will
suffer
humiliation
until you
know
that the
most high
rules
the kingdoms
of men
and gives
it to
whom he
will
your
kingdom
shall be
confirmed
for you
from the
time
that you
know
that heaven
rules
Daniel's
final word
in this
story
is in
verse 27
he encourages
Nebuchadnezzar
to respond
to this
vision
therefore
oh king
let my
counsel
be acceptable
to you
break off
your sins
by practicing
righteousness
and your
iniquities
by showing
mercy
to the
oppressed
that there
may
perhaps
be a
lengthening
of your
prosperity
so now
we know
the vision
and now
we know
what its
meaning
is
it's a
proclamation
of judgment
that's going
to come
on
Nebuchadnezzar
with an
offer
to respond
now
with repentance
to rule
his kingdom
in a way
that would
show something
different
that would
show that
he knows
that there
is a king
most high
who rules
over Nebuchadnezzar
and his
kingdom
and so he
would show
mercy
and show
kindness
to the
oppressed
and so
we pick
up the
narrative
in verse
28
as we
find out
how
Nebuchadnezzar
responds
to all
this
all this
came upon
king
Nebuchadnezzar
at the
end of
twelve
months
he was
walking
on the
roof
of the
royal
palace
of
Babylon
and the
king
answered
and says
is not
this
great
Babylon
which
I
have
built
by my
mighty
power
as a
royal
residence
and for
the glory
of my
majesty
you can
see it
coming
can't
you
while
these
words
were
still
in
the
king's
mouth
there
fell
a
voice
from
heaven
oh
king
Nebuchadnezzar
to you
it is
spoken
the
kingdom
has
departed
from
you
and
you
shall
be
driven
from
among
men
and
your
dwelling
shall
be
with
the
beasts
of
the
field
and
you
shall
be
made
to
eat
grass
like
an
ox
and
seven
periods
of
time
shall
pass
over
you
until
you
know
that
the
most
high
rules
the
kingdoms
of
men
and
gives
it
to
whom
he
will
immediately
the
word
was
fulfilled
against
Nebuchadnezzar
he was
driven
from
among
men
and
ate
grass
like
an
ox
and
his
body
was
wet
with
the
dew
of
heaven
till
his
hair
grew
as
long
as
eagles
feathers
and
his
nails
were
like
birds
claws
as
a
storyteller
tells
the
story
he
lays
out
Nebuchadnezzar
had
every
reason
to
know
exactly
what
was
coming
and
how
to
respond
to
it
differently
he
had
all
of
that
information
and
yet
he
didn't
he
looked
at
his
great
kingdom
and
he
said
this
is
the
kingdom
that
I
have
made
and
it
is
my
glory
that
is
displayed
here
he
has
taken
the
ring
and
exerted
its
power
and
he
has
shown
the
pride
of
it
and
God
steps
in
and
says
no
I
won't
allow
this
I
am
going
to
humble
you
and
in
his
humbling
it
is
not
a
kind
humbling
it
is
actually
a
humiliation
he
becomes
beast
like
one
of the
commentators
wrote it
this way
while he
was
full
of his
own
importance
Nebuchadnezzar's
world
revolved
around
himself
it
did
not
strike
him
how
unrealistic
this
was
until
he
was
brought
low
by
illness
one
of
the
things
that's
striking
to
see
is
that
when
God
tried
to
show
Nebuchadnezzar
the
reality
of
his
state
he
humbled
him
so
low
that
he
was
living
like
a
beast
he
was
less
than
fully
human
isn't
this
what
pride
does
to
us
as
we
exalt
ourselves
out
of
the
place
that
we
were
created
to
have
under
God's
rule
when
we
push
ourselves
up
and
magnify
ourselves
and
take
hold
of
that
ring
and
say
this
is
my
kingdom
and
my
power
and
I'm
going
to
do
what
I
want
for
my
glory
and
for
my
greatness
we
actually
become
not
great
humans
but
less
human
in
that
moment
all
God
is
doing
to
Nebuchadnezzar
is
showing
him
the
reality
of
the
foolishness
the
insanity
of
his
pride
God
steps
in
and
says
no
and
so
for
seven
periods
whatever
those
periods
were
we
don't
know
seven
just
means
you
get
to
the
end
of
it
and
it's
complete
I
think
that's
the
best
way
to
read
it
when
those
seven
periods
were
over
the
story
continues
look
with
me
again
verse
24
the
end
of
the
days
that
is
the
end
of
those
seven
periods
whatever
it
was
I
Nebuchadnezzar
lifted
my eyes
to
heaven
let's
just
stop
there
for
a
minute
that's
not
simply
he
looked
up
because
he
wondered
if
there
was
a
cloud
in
the
sky
or
a
bird
was
and
my
reason
returned
to
me
and
I
blessed
the
most
high
and
praised
and
honored
him
who
lives
forever
and he
goes on
to sing
this hymn
of praise
for his
dominion
is an
everlasting
dominion
and his
kingdom
endures
from
generation
to
generation
all
the
inhabitants
of the
earth
are
accounted
as
nothing
and he
does
according
to his
will
among
the
host
of
heaven
and among
the
inhabitants
of the
earth
and none
can stay
his hand
or say
to him
what
have
you
done
and he
repeats
it then
Nebuchadnezzar
at the
same
time
my
reason
returned
to
me
and
for
the
glory
of
my
kingdom
my
majesty
and
splendor
returned
to
me
my
counselors
and
my
lord
sought
me
and I
was
established
in
my
kingdom
still
more
greatness
was
added
to
me
now
I
Nebuchadnezzar
praise
and
extol
and
honor
the
king
of
heaven
for
all
his
works
are
right
and
his
ways
are
just
and
those
who
walk
in
pride
he
is
able
to
humble
so
having
been
exposed
in the
foolishness
of his
pride
now
the
storyteller
comes
and says
and this
is what
happened
when
Nebuchadnezzar
repented
when he
recognized
his need
and he
turned
to
God
restored
him
do
you
see
how
gracious
God
is
in
the
midst
of
this
his
kingdom
was
not
taken
from
him
you
wonder
it's
one of
those
places
in a
movie
where
you
just
wonder
what
in the
world
happened
in his
kingdom
during
these
seven
periods
of
time
who
was
ruling
and
what
were
they
saying
about
the
king
who
had
suddenly
disappeared
but
whatever
did
happen
and however
those
things were
managed
God
kept
his
kingdom
for
him
and
when
Nebuchadnezzar
turned
and lifted
his eyes
and acknowledged
and did
you notice
in his
hymn
what he
said
the
one
that I
am
acknowledging
in
worship
his
dominion
is the
greatest
dominion
his
kingdom
is the
kingdom
that
lasts
forever
and rules
over
all
things
in
heaven
and
on
earth
I
acknowledge
him
as the
one
who
rules
over
all
and
God
not only
restores
him
but
God
blesses
him
still
more
greatness
was
added
to
me
after
he
had
humbled
himself
and
did
you
notice
that
his
reason
returned
pride
if
pride
is a
form
of
insanity
humility
is
the
means
by
which
we
actually
see
things
rightly
we
are
the
most
reasonable
people
when
we
are
humble
not
proud
and
so we
know
how
Nebuchadnezzar
got there
through
this
incredible
experience
Nebuchadnezzar
the king
over
Babylon
the
greatest
power
in
that
part
of
the
world
at least
at that
time
from
the
biblical
standpoint
it
was
the
only
part
of
the
world
so
it
was
the
greatest
kingdom
ever
or the
greatest
kingdom
of that
time
Nebuchadnezzar
was ruling
over it
and yet
he
at the
end
was the
one
saying
there
is a
most
high
God
in
heaven
and
he
is
the
one
who
rules
over
all
he
is
the
one
who
rules
over
the
kingdom
of
men
and
gives
it
to
whom
he
will
and
he
sets
over
them
those
who
humble
themselves
the
lowliest
ones
so
this
is
our
story
what
are we
to do
with
it
how
are we
to
respond
to
this
I
think
there
are
two
things
there
are
two
things
in
this
passage
that
we
are
to
glean
from
it
for
our
own
lives
one
is
that
there
is
a
warning
there
is
a
warning
in
this
to
the
proud
who
would
exalt
themselves
this
is
a
warning
to
the
nations
how
easily
do
we
humans
in
arrogance
think
that
our
kingdom
will
last
forever
and
yet
we
know
from
history
that
the
Romans
thought
that
and
Alexander
the
Great
thought
that
and
Genghis
Khan
thought
that
and
the
sun
never
set
on
the
British
empire
and
if
we
want
to
be
careful
we
would
say
perhaps
we
are
the
most
in
danger
of
this
as
Americans
today
because
we
are
this
kingdom
and
if
we
think
that
this
kingdom
will
reign
forever
let us
recognize
the
danger
and
the
warning
of
those
who
arrogantly
say
my
kingdom
and
my
glory
is
the
greatest
thing
as
we
engage
in our
political
process
this
fall
maybe
this
humility
is
something
we
ought
to
look
for
and
to
pray
for
our
leaders
and
for
the
process
so
this
passage
is
meant
for
us
to
hear
it
as
a
warning
probably
few
of
you
rule
over
nations
maybe
none
I
don't
know
I
don't
know
all
of
you
so
who
knows
maybe
you
rule
over
smaller
kingdoms
though
maybe
you
rule
over
a
department
maybe
you
rule
over
a
company
more
of
you
probably
rule
over
your
family
all
of
you
will
rule
over
your
careers
your
relationships
at least
you will
seek
to do
that
you will
seek
to
take
that
place
of
ruling
over
it
and you
know
that's
not
wrong
back
in the
garden
of
Eden
God
set
Adam
and
Eve
over
the
world
in
an
appropriate
role
we
are
not
meant
to
say
oh
I
should
never
have
any
influence
or
power
shy
away
from
any
place
where
I
might
actually
be
in
charge
of
or
shape
or
be
in
control
of
others
that's
actually
an
abdication
of
responsibility
that's
not
what
we're
called
to
do
but
what we
are
to
recognize
is
that
when
we
have
that
impulse
to
grasp
the
ring
and
to
take
power
for
ourselves
and
to
not
acknowledge
that
we
are
always
under
the
most
high
God
who
rules
over
the
kingdoms
of
men
we
are
in
grave
danger
we
are
in
grave
danger
of
losing
ourselves
of losing
our
reason
of losing
our
sanity
of
oppressing
people
and most
of all
of
robbing
God
of
glory
and
honor
that
he
rightly
has
and
usurping
attempting
to usurp
his
place
in the
world
and he
will not
let us
do it
in the
end
it will
lead us
to ruin
whether
in this
life
or in
eternity
if we
continue
to do
that
one
commentator
says it
this way
we
are a
bunch
of
nebuchadnezzar
clones
wanting
to call
our own
shots
to direct
our own
show
puny
as it
is
and seldom
except in a
rare moment
of sanity
we stop
to consider
how asinine
our passion
for self
deification
is
how silly
we are
to think
that it
really is
about me
when there
is a
God most
high
in heaven
what
might it
look like
in your
life
if you
are in
danger
of this
if you
if this
warning
is for
you
it
might
look like
desperation
I can
remember
times like
this
I remember
a staff
team
that I
served
on
and we
were having
some
conflict
and we
were working
through some
things
and one
day I
kind of
laid down
my chips
I said
this is
where we
stand
and this
is what
I think
we need
to do
and they
responded
with
questions
and maybe
with a little
bit of
insolence
and independence
I'm not
going to say
that it was
all on
me
but
at that
moment
I lost
it
I was
so desperate
for them
to simply
recognize
my leadership
and follow
me
and when
they didn't
I did
not respond
in
patient
strength
of
leadership
I
responded
in
anger
I
responded
in
despair
and I
responded
in
desperation
have you
ever seen
that in
your own
heart
that
desperation
of
if I
and you
know
what
happened
to me
I
said
if I
can't
get
you
to
follow
me
I'm
going
to
take
my
own
marbles
and
go
home
I
walked
out
of
the
meeting
I
said
I'm
done
when
you
guys
aren't
going to
want
to
follow
me
I'm
done
that
was
not
a
godly
response
was
not
my
best
moment
God
used
it
to
show
me
a lot
in
retrospect
have
ever
seen
yourself
get
that
way
with
your
kids
with
your
spouse
maybe
even
in the
internal
world
of your
own
private
life
are you
trying to
be a
rule
are you
trying to
rule
over
some
perfect
kingdom
in your
own
head
can
look like
life
killing
control
this
comes out
in different
ways
the
nag
the
nitpick
the
never
ending
critique
the
critical
spirit
it's
never
good
enough
can't
you do
a little
more
oh did
you see
this
spot
that
can
come
out
of
a
heart
of
just
wanting
to
be
so
desperately
in
control
to
make
it
all
right
that
instead
of
rejoicing
in
those
who
are
with
you
in
your
kingdom
whatever
it
is
and
joining
together
in a
band
of
seeing
what
God
would
have
for
you
end
up
using
them
because
they
just
become
instruments
to
you
trying
to
achieve
some
form
of
perfection
some
form
of
control
friends
when we
in our
pride
grasp
on to
this
desire
for
this
power
to
control
to
be
in
charge
ugliness
comes
out
of
us
I
remember
when I
was a
high
school
soccer
team
we
had
a
cross
town
rivalry
I
was
at
the
private
school
the
public
school
we
were
both
vying
for
the
regional
championship
and
it
was
the
last
game
of
the
season
and
literally
people
were
standing
three
deep
all
the
way
around
our
soccer
field
that
had
no
bleachers
so
standing
three
deep
all
the
way
around
the
whole
town
was
there
and
it
was
ugly
there
were
four
red
cards
given
it
went
to
a
shootout
it
was
the
ugliest
soccer
game
you've
ever
seen
I
remember
one
mom
yelling
her
face
bright
red
kill
him
break
his
leg
I
am
not
kidding
you
and
friends
we
laugh
at
that
but
don't
you
see
how
for
him
for
this
woman
in
that
moment
she
so
longed
to
win
she
so
longed
for
her
child
to
vanquish
the
foes
that
a
mom
was
standing
on
a
sideline
advocating
breaking
another
kid's
leg
friends
when
we
get
to
this
may
we
heed
this
as a
sign
of
warning
that
our
hearts
are
not
right
before
God
and
God
will
not
let
us
continue
in
these
things
but
there's
also
a
comfort
there's
a
great
comfort
in
this
passage
that
there
is
a
God
most
high
who
rules
over
the
kingdoms
of
the
earth
think
about
the
exiles
those
who
had
been
taken
away
from
Jerusalem
with
no
hope
of
ever
returning
necessarily
they
wondered
God
where
are
you
and
where
could
you
be
and
I'm
having
to
live
in
this
country
that's
a
foreign
land
and
with
foreign
gods
and
I'm
serving
a
foreign
king
who
is
arrogantly
exalting
himself
and
God
comes
and
he
says
I
am
still
here
and
I
am
still
reigning
and
there
is
no
power
that
is
over
you
in
this
world
that
is
out
of
my
control
and
friends
that
is
great
comfort
the
worst
situation
the
worst
boss
the
worst
teacher
the
worst
parent
you
have
God
is
still
reigning
in
your
life
and
it
does
not
mean
you
need
to
be
passive
it
does
not
mean
you
have
to
simply
roll
over
and
take
whatever
evil
comes
your
way
but
it
does
mean
that
in
the
midst
of
facing
these
situations
you
can
know
that
there's
a
God
most
high
in
heaven
and
that
is
great
comfort
and
not
only
does
he
rule
over
there
but
God
pursues
us
do
you
see
that
God
is
pursuing
Nebuchadnezzar
this
is the
fourth
chapter
where
we see
Nebuchadnezzar
and God
interacting
and every
time
God
has shown
up
so
greatly
that
at
the
end
of
the
chapter
Nebuchadnezzar
is saying
wow
that God
is pretty
great
and
the next
chapter
is like
wow
he's
really
great
and
the next
chapter
is like
wow
he's
super
great
and
yet
he
still
doesn't
believe
in
him
if
you
look
through
the
details
of
the
story
he
still
thinks
that
Daniel
has
like
some
spirits
from
the
gods
he
can't
acknowledge
that
Daniel's
power
comes
from
God
most
high
but
at
the
end
he
does
God
graciously
pursued
him
even
through
this
great
trial
and
this
humiliation
we
talk
about
humbling
like
that's
a
noble
thing
and
humiliation
like
it's
a
terrible
thing
but
don't
you
see
here
God
humiliates
Nebuchadnezzar
so that
he might
be
restored
so that
he might
be freed
from the
insanity
of his
pride
and
friends
he's
pursuing
you
he won't
let you
take the
ring
and he
won't
let the
ring
rule
you
forever
if you
already
have
he's
pursuing
you
and
calling
you
to
repent
to
repent
of
your
pride
to
humble
yourself
before
him
and
friends
this is
not a
surprise
is it
because
when
God
did
the
greatest
work
in
the
world
to
establish
his
kingdom
how
did
he
do
it
Isaiah
had
predicted
that
the
one
who
would
come
would
be
the
king
of
kings
and
the
lord
of
lords
but
when
he
came
he
came
in
a
humble
estate
he
came
in
a
manger
he
lived
a
life
of
relative
obscurity
and
when
he
took
up
his
ministry
Jesus
he
walked
in
both
humble
obedience
to
his
father
and
with
a
fierce
desire
to
fight
the
battle
against
any
pride
he
did
it
at
the
beginning
in
the
temptations
and
he
did
it
at
the
end
do
you
remember
his
words
in
the
garden
of
Gethsemane
father
is there
any
other
way
if
you
can
let
this
cup
pass
me
by
please
would
you
do
it
but
not
my
will
but
your
will
be
done
and
so
the
words
we
read
earlier
he
did
not
account
equality
with
God
something
to
be
grasped
but
humbled
himself
humbled
himself
to
take
on
human
form
humbled
himself
to
take
on
slave
form
humbled
himself
to
take
on
death
at the
cross
for our
sins
for our
pride
for our
arrogance
self
exaltation
for our
kingdom
building
name
and
death
this is how he pursues us.
And this is how he wins us.
And this is how he establishes his kingdom.
Because by his death and then by his resurrection,
he has defeated the power.
And the call to repent is a call to come.
Call to come and not to forsake any of your kingdoms,
but to take your kingdoms
and to put them under the kingdom of God.
To take your life and to put it under
the rulership of the Most High.
He makes this claim to all the nations of the earth.
Pastor Greg pointed out two weeks ago,
this is right in the middle of the Aramaic section
of this book, which is the trade language
meant to be proclaimed to all nations.
That this God, the God of Daniel,
is the God Most High,
who claims rulership over everything.
He is not a tribal God.
He is not a local God.
He is a global God.
And he calls all people everywhere to repent.
To repent of their pride and to turn to him.
And to see how he has lovingly pursued them
in his son,
who built his kingdom,
not through arrogant self-exaltation,
but in humble self-sacrifice.
Dying on the cross for our sins.
So that he might be the one
exalted to the highest place
and given a name that is greater
than every other name.
So that every knee shall bow
and every tongue will confess
that Jesus is Lord.
Friends, I wonder if you this morning
hear this word as a comfort
that God is with you
as you are humbly walking.
Stand firm.
Hold to him.
I wonder if some of you hear this as a warning.
That you have been building your own kingdom
in your own way.
God calls you
to turn from the foolishness
of that pride.
And to humble yourself before him.
And put yourself in the place of receiving
just like Nebuchadnezzar did.
Receiving all that God gives to you.
Knowing that it will be enough.
Let's pray.
Lord, we thank you for this story
and for your word.
God, I pray you will use it in our lives
to humble us and to see you
more clearly.
Lord, we honor you and worship you
as the God most high.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.