WEBVTT 00:00:00.400 --> 00:00:07.140 We're thinking about our faithfulness to God as citizens in society. 00:00:08.359 --> 00:00:10.080 What does that mean? 00:00:11.460 --> 00:00:12.759 What does it look like? 00:00:15.500 --> 00:00:22.140 As followers of Jesus individually and collectively as the church, 00:00:23.080 --> 00:00:27.940 we are called to shape society. 00:00:27.940 --> 00:00:31.600 That's our prayer every time we pray, 00:00:31.800 --> 00:00:35.420 Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. 00:00:35.740 --> 00:00:39.780 We're called not just to pray it, but to live it. 00:00:41.500 --> 00:00:45.420 To shape the society in which we live. 00:00:46.900 --> 00:00:54.299 And yet, the danger, perhaps the tragedy, is that it's the other way around. 00:00:54.299 --> 00:00:58.719 That society shapes the church. 00:01:00.159 --> 00:01:02.679 The evangelist Thomas Wow said, 00:01:04.359 --> 00:01:06.819 Instead of the church evangelising the world, 00:01:07.620 --> 00:01:13.159 the world has had considerable success in secularising the church. 00:01:13.159 --> 00:01:25.039 It only takes a sweeping glance at history to see the tension between these two possibilities, 00:01:25.219 --> 00:01:26.399 quite strikingly. 00:01:27.099 --> 00:01:30.879 On the one hand, there have been times throughout the history of the church 00:01:30.879 --> 00:01:34.539 where the church has been complicit with slavery, 00:01:34.540 --> 00:01:41.500 where the church has been complicit with unjust systems of power and unethical investment of money, 00:01:42.500 --> 00:01:46.260 such that it has played a part unwittingly, perhaps at times, 00:01:46.500 --> 00:01:49.440 quite consciously at times, perhaps, 00:01:50.500 --> 00:01:56.480 but of playing its part in simply making the rich richer and the poor poorer. 00:01:56.480 --> 00:02:01.780 There have been times in the history of the church, 00:02:02.100 --> 00:02:04.900 and right now seems to be one of them, 00:02:05.620 --> 00:02:12.980 where the church fails to champion the integrity of biblical orthodoxy 00:02:12.980 --> 00:02:17.219 when it comes to sexual ethics, marriage and relationships. 00:02:18.080 --> 00:02:20.540 And instead of being a voice of challenge, 00:02:20.539 --> 00:02:25.199 the church absorbs the values of the world in which we live. 00:02:27.219 --> 00:02:29.719 On the other hand, there are those times 00:02:29.719 --> 00:02:34.879 when the church has dared to challenge its surrounding culture. 00:02:36.459 --> 00:02:39.719 I'm thinking of Wilberforce and the Clapham sect, 00:02:41.199 --> 00:02:43.500 who dared to stand against slavery. 00:02:44.780 --> 00:02:46.739 I'm thinking of Martin Luther King, 00:02:46.859 --> 00:02:50.519 who dared to challenge all that went on around him. 00:02:50.539 --> 00:02:54.459 to challenge inequality and oppression. 00:02:56.219 --> 00:03:00.439 I'm thinking of those times when the church has played the leading role 00:03:00.439 --> 00:03:03.239 in establishing hospitals, 00:03:04.879 --> 00:03:08.120 education systems, schools, hospices, 00:03:08.799 --> 00:03:10.259 and setting up food banks. 00:03:10.560 --> 00:03:12.919 The list goes on and on and on. 00:03:14.879 --> 00:03:20.299 But we must always, always be mindful of the importance of that challenge. 00:03:20.539 --> 00:03:24.900 That our calling as Christians is not to be shaped by the culture around us, 00:03:24.900 --> 00:03:25.979 but to shape it. 00:03:28.219 --> 00:03:31.479 And today, we're going to think about what we can learn 00:03:31.479 --> 00:03:34.459 from the person of Daniel 00:03:34.459 --> 00:03:39.159 as we go back in time to 605 BC. 00:03:39.159 --> 00:03:43.079 Jerusalem was besieged. 00:03:43.079 --> 00:03:46.139 It was defeated by Babylon. 00:03:47.020 --> 00:03:51.199 The temple was ransacked and articles of worship were taken off 00:03:51.199 --> 00:03:56.460 and put in places of worship where idols were worshipped. 00:03:56.460 --> 00:04:03.939 If we want to begin to get our minds and our hearts around what that must have felt like for God's people, 00:04:04.300 --> 00:04:09.080 imagine that someone just to overhaul this place of worship now 00:04:09.080 --> 00:04:11.560 and to take things such as the communion table, 00:04:12.000 --> 00:04:15.540 perhaps the cross that is up there, 00:04:15.539 --> 00:04:17.719 to take the Bible, 00:04:17.899 --> 00:04:20.420 to take the instruments that we use to worship God, 00:04:20.500 --> 00:04:23.279 to take the things that we associate with worship 00:04:23.279 --> 00:04:24.740 and with God's mission 00:04:24.740 --> 00:04:28.300 and with what we do here in this space 00:04:28.300 --> 00:04:29.920 in the name of Jesus. 00:04:30.300 --> 00:04:33.159 And imagine somebody was to scoop the whole lot up 00:04:33.159 --> 00:04:34.920 and place it into a building 00:04:34.920 --> 00:04:39.639 that was dedicated to worshipping an idol or idols. 00:04:39.639 --> 00:04:46.060 Think that and we're beginning to get into the minds 00:04:46.060 --> 00:04:50.300 of what it must have been like for Daniel and his contemporaries. 00:04:55.159 --> 00:04:58.740 The brightest and the best, including Daniel and his friends, 00:04:59.659 --> 00:05:00.599 were scooped up. 00:05:01.180 --> 00:05:02.839 They were forced into exile. 00:05:03.479 --> 00:05:04.819 They were forced into training 00:05:04.819 --> 00:05:07.860 and then for three years, the other end of that training, 00:05:08.360 --> 00:05:09.599 they were put into service. 00:05:09.639 --> 00:05:11.879 of the king. 00:05:14.060 --> 00:05:15.419 For Daniel and his friends, 00:05:15.539 --> 00:05:18.899 it was as though everything that was sacred and holy 00:05:18.899 --> 00:05:21.360 had been stripped away from them. 00:05:21.379 --> 00:05:21.939 And it had gone. 00:05:22.599 --> 00:05:25.019 And they suddenly found themselves living in exile, 00:05:25.199 --> 00:05:28.899 surrounded by a society and a culture that worshipped idols. 00:05:30.120 --> 00:05:33.159 Let's just highlight two such prominent idols 00:05:33.159 --> 00:05:35.259 because I'm aware that in many ways 00:05:35.259 --> 00:05:38.959 this can seem so removed from our own cultural experience. 00:05:38.959 --> 00:05:41.079 Yet, when we take a deeper look, 00:05:41.199 --> 00:05:45.099 we see that it's not quite so removed from our own experience. 00:05:45.859 --> 00:05:47.419 There were two particular idols 00:05:47.419 --> 00:05:51.919 that at the time within Babylon were worshipped. 00:05:52.979 --> 00:05:54.419 Baal and Asherah. 00:05:55.859 --> 00:05:59.179 Baal was the god of weather and the rain. 00:05:59.180 --> 00:06:07.280 And you would be worshipping Baal because you would want to invoke him 00:06:07.280 --> 00:06:11.540 as the god of rain because in an agricultural society 00:06:11.540 --> 00:06:13.960 that was associated with wealth. 00:06:13.959 --> 00:06:18.419 Baal was on your side. 00:06:18.419 --> 00:06:18.560 Baal was on your side. 00:06:20.419 --> 00:06:21.719 You could make money. 00:06:25.419 --> 00:06:27.120 Then there was Asherah, 00:06:27.919 --> 00:06:29.439 the fertility god, 00:06:29.439 --> 00:06:34.759 who was worshipped in such a way that, 00:06:35.800 --> 00:06:37.180 without going into detail, 00:06:38.180 --> 00:06:43.019 actually involved a complete absence of boundaries 00:06:43.019 --> 00:06:44.860 when it came to sexual expression. 00:06:45.680 --> 00:06:46.980 The god of sex. 00:06:46.980 --> 00:06:53.520 We're told that God actually allowed his people 00:06:53.520 --> 00:06:56.400 to be defeated 00:06:56.400 --> 00:06:59.379 and to be taken into exile. 00:07:00.340 --> 00:07:02.879 The problem was not 00:07:02.879 --> 00:07:07.620 simply a case that people were beginning to worship these idols, 00:07:08.620 --> 00:07:11.280 but they wanted to worship Yahweh 00:07:11.280 --> 00:07:13.520 and worship these idols. 00:07:13.519 --> 00:07:16.799 They didn't want to kind of give up Yahweh. 00:07:16.939 --> 00:07:18.759 After all, Yahweh, the Lord, the god, 00:07:18.819 --> 00:07:21.519 had set them free from slavery. 00:07:23.120 --> 00:07:24.039 God was faithful. 00:07:24.139 --> 00:07:24.719 God was good. 00:07:26.599 --> 00:07:28.699 It's just they also wanted these other gods. 00:07:31.000 --> 00:07:31.819 Alongside Yahweh, 00:07:31.899 --> 00:07:35.139 they also wanted the god that represented wealth and money. 00:07:36.959 --> 00:07:38.719 And they also wanted the god 00:07:38.719 --> 00:07:41.039 that gave the green light 00:07:41.039 --> 00:07:43.240 to do whatever you want sexually. 00:07:43.519 --> 00:07:46.000 the gods, 00:07:46.159 --> 00:07:46.680 the idols 00:07:46.680 --> 00:07:48.979 of wealth 00:07:48.979 --> 00:07:50.859 and sex. 00:07:55.579 --> 00:07:57.199 Not that much has changed 00:07:57.199 --> 00:07:59.419 since 605 BC. 00:08:03.719 --> 00:08:04.279 So, 00:08:04.719 --> 00:08:06.639 with all of this going on, 00:08:07.079 --> 00:08:08.259 Daniel and his friends, 00:08:09.039 --> 00:08:10.979 who clearly are faithful to God, 00:08:10.980 --> 00:08:13.140 as that story unfolds, 00:08:13.140 --> 00:08:15.860 find themselves in exile, 00:08:16.319 --> 00:08:17.340 how do they respond? 00:08:18.439 --> 00:08:21.379 Well, let's consider how they might have responded. 00:08:22.580 --> 00:08:23.120 Firstly, 00:08:23.319 --> 00:08:24.220 they might have responded 00:08:24.220 --> 00:08:26.200 by just deciding to forget 00:08:26.200 --> 00:08:27.060 about the god 00:08:27.060 --> 00:08:28.560 that they had served previously. 00:08:28.560 --> 00:08:32.720 that's a danger facing us. 00:08:33.360 --> 00:08:35.139 We could just decide to, 00:08:35.240 --> 00:08:36.320 well, forget all about him. 00:08:37.779 --> 00:08:39.980 They could have gone on a rant 00:08:39.980 --> 00:08:42.480 about how bad things are now. 00:08:42.620 --> 00:08:43.679 And that's a danger 00:08:43.679 --> 00:08:45.379 that we must be aware of as well. 00:08:45.440 --> 00:08:46.500 The danger as Christians 00:08:46.500 --> 00:08:47.659 that we just go off on a rant 00:08:47.659 --> 00:08:50.159 and go on about how bad everything is 00:08:50.159 --> 00:08:52.820 without actually thinking about how good God is 00:08:52.820 --> 00:08:54.840 and doing something about that. 00:08:57.920 --> 00:08:59.760 They could have easily 00:08:59.760 --> 00:09:02.060 gone into a slump, 00:09:02.180 --> 00:09:03.860 a state of bitterness 00:09:03.860 --> 00:09:04.720 and resentfulness. 00:09:04.900 --> 00:09:06.480 God has just let us down. 00:09:07.600 --> 00:09:08.300 After all, 00:09:08.560 --> 00:09:10.379 they'd given their all for him. 00:09:10.660 --> 00:09:11.780 They had been faithful to God 00:09:11.780 --> 00:09:13.060 and yet they had been scooped up 00:09:13.060 --> 00:09:15.060 and taken to a land 00:09:15.060 --> 00:09:16.379 and put in exile 00:09:16.379 --> 00:09:18.360 and forced to serve the king. 00:09:18.360 --> 00:09:21.480 And they could have carried around 00:09:21.480 --> 00:09:22.120 this resentment, 00:09:22.300 --> 00:09:23.919 well, why in my faithfulness to God 00:09:23.919 --> 00:09:24.899 has God let me down? 00:09:27.720 --> 00:09:30.080 I don't claim to have the gift of prophecy. 00:09:30.320 --> 00:09:30.820 I don't. 00:09:32.259 --> 00:09:33.600 I can pretty well guarantee 00:09:33.600 --> 00:09:35.320 that among us listening now, 00:09:36.300 --> 00:09:37.980 somebody probably at some point 00:09:37.980 --> 00:09:38.940 has had that feeling, 00:09:39.080 --> 00:09:40.519 why God have you let me down? 00:09:42.580 --> 00:09:43.860 Because that's part of life. 00:09:45.220 --> 00:09:46.539 That we can get that feeling 00:09:46.539 --> 00:09:48.279 that God has let us down. 00:09:48.820 --> 00:09:49.800 And if that's you, 00:09:50.139 --> 00:09:50.560 if that, 00:09:50.560 --> 00:09:52.519 if that accords with your experience 00:09:52.519 --> 00:09:54.120 and you feel that 00:09:54.120 --> 00:09:57.279 God has in some way let you down, 00:09:57.399 --> 00:09:58.340 I want to say to you, 00:09:58.399 --> 00:09:58.700 firstly, 00:09:59.240 --> 00:10:01.480 don't sweep that under the carpet, 00:10:01.759 --> 00:10:03.000 don't suppress that, 00:10:03.180 --> 00:10:05.159 don't pretend that that feeling isn't there. 00:10:06.259 --> 00:10:07.779 But rather take that feeling, 00:10:07.960 --> 00:10:08.720 own that feeling 00:10:08.720 --> 00:10:09.879 and bring it before God. 00:10:11.340 --> 00:10:12.420 Lay it before him. 00:10:14.159 --> 00:10:15.700 He's big enough to absorb it. 00:10:15.700 --> 00:10:19.800 And ask God to remind you 00:10:19.800 --> 00:10:21.140 in his own time, 00:10:21.200 --> 00:10:21.920 in his own way, 00:10:22.640 --> 00:10:24.259 by the power of his Holy Spirit, 00:10:25.440 --> 00:10:26.379 that he is there 00:10:26.379 --> 00:10:28.600 because he is. 00:10:30.340 --> 00:10:31.900 Sometimes it may feel like God 00:10:31.900 --> 00:10:32.500 has let us down, 00:10:32.580 --> 00:10:33.480 but in fact he hasn't. 00:10:34.840 --> 00:10:36.280 The important thing is, 00:10:36.540 --> 00:10:38.060 is that we bring those feelings 00:10:38.060 --> 00:10:38.680 before God. 00:10:38.679 --> 00:10:43.059 Another possibility 00:10:43.059 --> 00:10:44.919 is that Daniel and his friends 00:10:44.919 --> 00:10:47.199 could have gone into despair. 00:10:47.200 --> 00:10:53.700 And we can face that same kind of danger 00:10:53.700 --> 00:10:54.240 as Christians. 00:10:54.800 --> 00:10:55.920 We can look around us 00:10:55.920 --> 00:10:56.500 and we can think, 00:10:56.620 --> 00:10:57.700 what's coming to the world? 00:10:57.980 --> 00:10:58.160 You know, 00:10:58.240 --> 00:11:01.340 nobody's interested in faith anymore. 00:11:01.920 --> 00:11:02.520 And you know, 00:11:02.800 --> 00:11:03.660 that old saying, 00:11:03.879 --> 00:11:05.540 the church is just one generation 00:11:05.540 --> 00:11:06.780 away from extinction. 00:11:08.780 --> 00:11:09.020 You know, 00:11:09.440 --> 00:11:11.920 the church is only one generation 00:11:11.920 --> 00:11:13.420 away from extinction. 00:11:13.759 --> 00:11:14.780 But I don't say that 00:11:14.780 --> 00:11:15.840 from a place of despair. 00:11:15.840 --> 00:11:17.780 It's always been the case. 00:11:20.780 --> 00:11:22.580 The church is only ever 00:11:22.580 --> 00:11:24.080 one generation away 00:11:24.080 --> 00:11:25.019 from extinction 00:11:25.019 --> 00:11:27.300 because it is in the hands 00:11:27.300 --> 00:11:28.420 of every generation 00:11:28.420 --> 00:11:29.560 to make the gospel known. 00:11:31.280 --> 00:11:32.980 And we can see that 00:11:32.980 --> 00:11:34.100 from a place of despair 00:11:34.100 --> 00:11:35.399 or we can see that 00:11:35.399 --> 00:11:36.560 from a place of opportunity 00:11:36.560 --> 00:11:37.280 and hope. 00:11:38.740 --> 00:11:39.940 Sometimes people will say, 00:11:40.259 --> 00:11:40.960 well, we live in a, 00:11:41.040 --> 00:11:41.820 in Britain today, 00:11:41.940 --> 00:11:44.080 we live in a post-Christian society. 00:11:44.080 --> 00:11:46.320 I'm not sure that we do. 00:11:48.040 --> 00:11:50.860 I think we live in a pre-Christian society. 00:11:52.460 --> 00:11:54.200 Because I find frequently now, 00:11:54.320 --> 00:11:55.160 more and more and more, 00:11:55.220 --> 00:11:56.540 having conversations with people 00:11:56.540 --> 00:11:58.420 who have had no experience of church 00:11:58.420 --> 00:12:01.520 or extremely limited experience of church. 00:12:02.540 --> 00:12:04.560 And you get into a conversation 00:12:04.560 --> 00:12:05.620 about Jesus 00:12:05.620 --> 00:12:07.000 and about who Jesus is 00:12:07.000 --> 00:12:08.900 and about how amazing Jesus is 00:12:08.900 --> 00:12:10.540 and how he can transform your life. 00:12:10.539 --> 00:12:12.000 and people want to know more. 00:12:15.819 --> 00:12:18.059 So let's see it as an opportunity 00:12:18.059 --> 00:12:20.480 and to get into the mindset 00:12:20.480 --> 00:12:23.579 that we live in a pre-Christian society 00:12:23.579 --> 00:12:25.439 where people are hungry 00:12:25.439 --> 00:12:27.279 and thirsty to know about Jesus. 00:12:27.279 --> 00:12:31.799 But despair 00:12:31.799 --> 00:12:33.480 is not the response 00:12:33.480 --> 00:12:34.480 that we see 00:12:34.480 --> 00:12:35.919 in Daniel 00:12:35.919 --> 00:12:37.259 and his friends. 00:12:38.799 --> 00:12:40.159 So what did Daniel 00:12:40.159 --> 00:12:41.019 and his friends do? 00:12:41.120 --> 00:12:42.579 I want to just highlight two things. 00:12:42.699 --> 00:12:43.699 There are many more things 00:12:43.699 --> 00:12:44.240 that we could say. 00:12:44.480 --> 00:12:45.839 But in this particular passage, 00:12:46.019 --> 00:12:46.919 I want to highlight 00:12:46.919 --> 00:12:48.059 just two things. 00:12:49.939 --> 00:12:50.879 First is this. 00:12:53.079 --> 00:12:54.600 They knew their identity 00:12:54.600 --> 00:12:55.240 in God. 00:12:55.240 --> 00:12:57.460 We're told 00:12:57.460 --> 00:12:58.659 that Nebuchadnezzar 00:12:58.659 --> 00:13:03.519 gave them new names. 00:13:04.539 --> 00:13:04.960 Daniel, 00:13:05.159 --> 00:13:06.060 which means in Hebrew, 00:13:06.419 --> 00:13:07.320 God is my judge, 00:13:07.659 --> 00:13:09.340 was renamed Balthazar, 00:13:09.720 --> 00:13:10.560 which means 00:13:10.560 --> 00:13:11.940 Bel's prince, 00:13:12.180 --> 00:13:12.820 Bel being 00:13:12.820 --> 00:13:14.039 the primary 00:13:14.039 --> 00:13:15.799 Babylonian god. 00:13:17.180 --> 00:13:17.740 Hananiah, 00:13:17.879 --> 00:13:18.419 which means 00:13:18.419 --> 00:13:19.799 the Lord is gracious, 00:13:20.139 --> 00:13:21.600 was renamed Shadrach, 00:13:22.120 --> 00:13:22.620 which means 00:13:22.620 --> 00:13:23.639 under the command 00:13:23.639 --> 00:13:24.299 of Aku, 00:13:24.480 --> 00:13:25.259 the moon god. 00:13:27.319 --> 00:13:27.779 Mishel, 00:13:27.879 --> 00:13:28.199 which means 00:13:28.199 --> 00:13:29.960 who is like the Lord, 00:13:30.059 --> 00:13:31.159 was renamed Mishak, 00:13:31.240 --> 00:13:31.559 which means 00:13:31.559 --> 00:13:32.439 guest of the king. 00:13:33.039 --> 00:13:33.819 And Azariah, 00:13:33.899 --> 00:13:34.199 which means 00:13:34.199 --> 00:13:35.199 God is my helper, 00:13:35.379 --> 00:13:36.519 was renamed Abednego, 00:13:36.699 --> 00:13:37.059 which means 00:13:37.059 --> 00:13:38.620 servant of the god Nabu. 00:13:40.240 --> 00:13:40.659 Now, 00:13:40.899 --> 00:13:42.279 notice in the text, 00:13:42.419 --> 00:13:43.460 they don't actively, 00:13:43.799 --> 00:13:44.699 they don't seem 00:13:44.699 --> 00:13:45.840 to actively resist 00:13:45.840 --> 00:13:47.840 this renaming. 00:13:47.840 --> 00:13:49.379 However, 00:13:49.580 --> 00:13:51.180 as the story continues, 00:13:51.340 --> 00:13:51.800 we find 00:13:51.800 --> 00:13:52.800 that the narrative 00:13:52.800 --> 00:13:53.980 retains 00:13:53.980 --> 00:13:55.120 their Hebrew names. 00:13:57.120 --> 00:13:58.720 The point is this, 00:13:59.360 --> 00:14:01.040 they were secure 00:14:01.040 --> 00:14:02.080 in their identity. 00:14:03.460 --> 00:14:04.300 They didn't need 00:14:04.300 --> 00:14:05.019 to resist it 00:14:05.019 --> 00:14:05.800 because they knew 00:14:05.800 --> 00:14:06.540 who they were 00:14:06.540 --> 00:14:07.160 in God. 00:14:08.519 --> 00:14:09.639 And I want to suggest 00:14:09.639 --> 00:14:10.580 that to be 00:14:10.580 --> 00:14:11.720 a Christian, 00:14:11.860 --> 00:14:12.879 a follower of Jesus, 00:14:13.080 --> 00:14:14.379 in any society, 00:14:14.379 --> 00:14:17.419 knowing who you are 00:14:17.419 --> 00:14:17.980 in Christ 00:14:17.980 --> 00:14:19.299 is the most important thing. 00:14:20.620 --> 00:14:21.519 To know that 00:14:21.519 --> 00:14:22.259 your identity 00:14:22.259 --> 00:14:23.580 is in him, 00:14:24.039 --> 00:14:25.240 that your citizenship 00:14:25.240 --> 00:14:26.899 ultimately is in him, 00:14:27.860 --> 00:14:29.000 that's the most 00:14:29.000 --> 00:14:29.899 important thing. 00:14:30.939 --> 00:14:32.240 And when we know 00:14:32.240 --> 00:14:33.360 that we are in Christ, 00:14:33.659 --> 00:14:34.340 that there is nothing 00:14:34.340 --> 00:14:35.419 that can take that away, 00:14:35.519 --> 00:14:36.179 that's the most 00:14:36.179 --> 00:14:37.080 important thing. 00:14:37.419 --> 00:14:38.860 We live in a world, 00:14:39.179 --> 00:14:41.279 we live in a society 00:14:41.279 --> 00:14:42.120 in the West, 00:14:42.120 --> 00:14:44.519 that has an obsession 00:14:44.519 --> 00:14:46.019 with identity politics, 00:14:46.980 --> 00:14:47.980 where we are told 00:14:47.980 --> 00:14:49.039 that sexuality 00:14:49.039 --> 00:14:50.320 is the most 00:14:50.320 --> 00:14:51.340 important thing 00:14:51.340 --> 00:14:52.000 about you. 00:14:52.960 --> 00:14:54.440 We live in a world 00:14:54.440 --> 00:14:55.519 of council culture, 00:14:55.759 --> 00:14:56.940 where Christian speakers 00:14:56.940 --> 00:14:57.820 are frequently 00:14:57.820 --> 00:14:58.799 deplatformed 00:14:58.799 --> 00:14:59.440 for daring 00:14:59.440 --> 00:15:00.399 to speak out. 00:15:02.480 --> 00:15:03.580 The church 00:15:03.580 --> 00:15:04.299 has, 00:15:04.759 --> 00:15:05.840 for some reason 00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:06.620 which I cannot 00:15:06.620 --> 00:15:07.840 begin to understand, 00:15:08.680 --> 00:15:10.120 taken on a weaponised 00:15:10.120 --> 00:15:11.159 version of inclusion 00:15:11.159 --> 00:15:12.759 that has far more 00:15:12.759 --> 00:15:13.360 to do with 00:15:13.360 --> 00:15:14.339 virtue signalling 00:15:14.339 --> 00:15:14.799 than with the 00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:15.639 gospel of grace. 00:15:18.039 --> 00:15:19.240 But in this world 00:15:19.240 --> 00:15:19.799 gone mad, 00:15:20.019 --> 00:15:20.860 we are called 00:15:20.860 --> 00:15:21.779 to stick 00:15:21.779 --> 00:15:22.740 to the gospel 00:15:22.740 --> 00:15:24.120 which tells us 00:15:24.120 --> 00:15:25.199 that your identity 00:15:25.199 --> 00:15:26.620 lies in one thing 00:15:26.620 --> 00:15:27.740 and one thing alone 00:15:27.740 --> 00:15:29.039 and that is Christ. 00:15:30.459 --> 00:15:31.860 That it is in him, 00:15:32.919 --> 00:15:34.500 that it is by his cross 00:15:34.500 --> 00:15:35.879 and by his resurrection 00:15:35.879 --> 00:15:37.299 that we are saved 00:15:37.299 --> 00:15:37.839 and held 00:15:37.839 --> 00:15:38.899 for all eternity. 00:15:39.220 --> 00:15:40.100 That defines 00:15:40.100 --> 00:15:40.899 who you are 00:15:40.899 --> 00:15:42.240 more than anything 00:15:42.240 --> 00:15:42.879 else, 00:15:43.340 --> 00:15:44.840 first and last. 00:15:46.800 --> 00:15:48.080 Daniel and his friends 00:15:48.080 --> 00:15:49.379 knew that their identity 00:15:49.379 --> 00:15:50.600 was secure in God 00:15:50.600 --> 00:15:51.860 because that is who 00:15:51.860 --> 00:15:53.220 they were defined by. 00:15:54.279 --> 00:15:55.080 And as a follower 00:15:55.080 --> 00:15:55.759 of Jesus, 00:15:56.139 --> 00:15:57.580 you are to be defined 00:15:57.580 --> 00:15:58.399 by nothing 00:15:58.399 --> 00:16:00.879 except Jesus 00:16:00.879 --> 00:16:03.759 in whom you are saved. 00:16:03.759 --> 00:16:07.179 the second thing 00:16:07.179 --> 00:16:08.639 that this story 00:16:08.639 --> 00:16:09.360 tells us 00:16:09.360 --> 00:16:10.600 is that Daniel 00:16:10.600 --> 00:16:11.299 and his friends 00:16:11.299 --> 00:16:12.500 were unafraid 00:16:12.500 --> 00:16:13.840 to take a stand. 00:16:15.039 --> 00:16:16.200 They were unafraid 00:16:16.200 --> 00:16:17.100 to stand out 00:16:17.100 --> 00:16:17.799 from the crowd. 00:16:20.179 --> 00:16:20.519 Now, 00:16:20.620 --> 00:16:21.600 as part of being 00:16:21.600 --> 00:16:23.279 placed into 00:16:23.279 --> 00:16:24.460 exile 00:16:24.460 --> 00:16:25.460 and placed into 00:16:25.460 --> 00:16:26.159 the service 00:16:26.159 --> 00:16:27.080 of the king 00:16:27.080 --> 00:16:28.279 of Babylon, 00:16:28.960 --> 00:16:29.840 they were told 00:16:29.840 --> 00:16:30.759 that they would eat 00:16:30.759 --> 00:16:32.319 of the king's 00:16:32.319 --> 00:16:33.220 food. 00:16:33.899 --> 00:16:34.679 They were given 00:16:34.679 --> 00:16:35.679 a free ticket 00:16:35.679 --> 00:16:37.939 to the king's 00:16:37.939 --> 00:16:38.539 cafeteria. 00:16:40.039 --> 00:16:40.379 Now, 00:16:40.480 --> 00:16:41.679 you might be thinking, 00:16:41.899 --> 00:16:42.080 well, 00:16:42.200 --> 00:16:43.039 of everything else 00:16:43.039 --> 00:16:43.759 that has gone wrong 00:16:43.759 --> 00:16:44.159 for them, 00:16:44.639 --> 00:16:45.319 here's perhaps 00:16:45.319 --> 00:16:45.840 one thing 00:16:45.840 --> 00:16:46.659 that might remotely 00:16:46.659 --> 00:16:47.319 be described 00:16:47.319 --> 00:16:47.960 as a silver 00:16:47.960 --> 00:16:49.000 or rather golden 00:16:49.000 --> 00:16:49.460 lining. 00:16:51.559 --> 00:16:52.819 But they resist it. 00:16:53.960 --> 00:16:54.620 We might think, 00:16:54.740 --> 00:16:55.259 why on earth 00:16:55.259 --> 00:16:55.799 would they not 00:16:55.799 --> 00:16:56.899 eat 00:16:56.899 --> 00:16:57.620 of the king's 00:16:57.620 --> 00:16:57.939 food? 00:16:57.940 --> 00:17:00.760 The text here 00:17:00.760 --> 00:17:01.540 doesn't spell it 00:17:01.540 --> 00:17:02.380 out in detail, 00:17:02.760 --> 00:17:03.840 but it's 00:17:03.840 --> 00:17:04.779 a reasonable, 00:17:04.920 --> 00:17:05.759 reasonable 00:17:05.759 --> 00:17:06.740 assumption 00:17:06.740 --> 00:17:07.600 to draw 00:17:07.600 --> 00:17:08.920 that it was 00:17:08.920 --> 00:17:09.620 for spiritual 00:17:09.620 --> 00:17:10.519 reasons 00:17:10.519 --> 00:17:12.480 and that the 00:17:12.480 --> 00:17:13.220 food itself 00:17:13.220 --> 00:17:14.180 was almost 00:17:14.180 --> 00:17:15.000 certainly not 00:17:15.000 --> 00:17:15.539 kosher, 00:17:17.500 --> 00:17:18.400 that the food 00:17:18.400 --> 00:17:19.019 itself would 00:17:19.019 --> 00:17:19.400 have been, 00:17:19.680 --> 00:17:20.299 as part of 00:17:20.299 --> 00:17:21.080 the Babylonian 00:17:21.080 --> 00:17:21.460 culture, 00:17:21.940 --> 00:17:22.840 sacrificed to 00:17:22.840 --> 00:17:23.240 idols. 00:17:24.820 --> 00:17:25.519 And therefore, 00:17:26.340 --> 00:17:26.860 what they would 00:17:26.860 --> 00:17:27.240 do is they 00:17:27.240 --> 00:17:27.920 would sacrifice 00:17:27.920 --> 00:17:28.680 it to idols, 00:17:28.940 --> 00:17:30.500 but then the 00:17:30.500 --> 00:17:30.960 meat had already 00:17:30.960 --> 00:17:31.600 been sacrificed 00:17:31.600 --> 00:17:32.160 and therefore 00:17:32.160 --> 00:17:32.660 they may as 00:17:32.660 --> 00:17:33.320 well eat it. 00:17:33.940 --> 00:17:34.259 And so, 00:17:34.420 --> 00:17:34.680 therefore, 00:17:34.960 --> 00:17:35.080 to, 00:17:35.759 --> 00:17:36.600 a bit of a 00:17:36.600 --> 00:17:37.120 mixed image 00:17:37.120 --> 00:17:37.300 here, 00:17:37.360 --> 00:17:37.640 but to 00:17:37.640 --> 00:17:38.120 effectively 00:17:38.120 --> 00:17:39.420 kill two 00:17:39.420 --> 00:17:39.860 birds with 00:17:39.860 --> 00:17:40.500 one cow, 00:17:41.500 --> 00:17:42.580 they would 00:17:42.580 --> 00:17:43.440 eat the 00:17:43.440 --> 00:17:43.820 food that 00:17:43.820 --> 00:17:44.039 had been 00:17:44.039 --> 00:17:44.580 sacrificed 00:17:44.580 --> 00:17:45.560 to these 00:17:45.560 --> 00:17:45.900 idols. 00:17:47.720 --> 00:17:48.160 And Dalian 00:17:48.160 --> 00:17:48.420 and his 00:17:48.420 --> 00:17:48.940 contemporaries 00:17:48.940 --> 00:17:49.279 knew that 00:17:49.279 --> 00:17:49.600 were they 00:17:49.600 --> 00:17:50.180 to do that, 00:17:50.279 --> 00:17:51.380 they would 00:17:51.380 --> 00:17:52.259 be forming 00:17:52.259 --> 00:17:52.720 a bond 00:17:52.720 --> 00:17:53.500 spiritually 00:17:53.500 --> 00:17:54.600 with everything 00:17:54.600 --> 00:17:54.960 that was 00:17:54.960 --> 00:17:56.019 against Yahweh 00:17:56.019 --> 00:17:56.879 and everything 00:17:56.879 --> 00:17:57.379 that Yahweh 00:17:57.379 --> 00:17:58.099 represents. 00:17:59.559 --> 00:17:59.839 And so they 00:17:59.839 --> 00:18:00.000 said, 00:18:00.079 --> 00:18:00.259 no, 00:18:01.259 --> 00:18:02.240 we're not 00:18:02.240 --> 00:18:02.539 going to do 00:18:02.539 --> 00:18:02.759 it. 00:18:04.019 --> 00:18:04.700 But notice 00:18:04.700 --> 00:18:05.160 the way they 00:18:05.160 --> 00:18:05.519 do it. 00:18:06.379 --> 00:18:07.200 They do it in a 00:18:07.200 --> 00:18:07.759 way that is 00:18:07.759 --> 00:18:08.379 respectful, 00:18:09.980 --> 00:18:10.859 a way that is 00:18:10.859 --> 00:18:11.319 polite, 00:18:12.279 --> 00:18:14.420 but for all that 00:18:14.420 --> 00:18:15.019 they're unwilling 00:18:15.019 --> 00:18:15.680 to compromise. 00:18:15.680 --> 00:18:15.880 compromise. 00:18:18.580 --> 00:18:19.140 You know, 00:18:19.240 --> 00:18:20.700 I fear 00:18:20.700 --> 00:18:21.220 that we live 00:18:21.220 --> 00:18:21.920 in a society 00:18:21.920 --> 00:18:22.660 in which 00:18:22.660 --> 00:18:23.340 the church 00:18:23.340 --> 00:18:24.019 has lost 00:18:24.019 --> 00:18:24.620 its nerve 00:18:24.620 --> 00:18:28.000 and become 00:18:28.000 --> 00:18:28.660 afraid to 00:18:28.660 --> 00:18:29.320 take a stand 00:18:29.320 --> 00:18:29.640 and to be 00:18:29.640 --> 00:18:30.039 different 00:18:30.039 --> 00:18:30.880 and to 00:18:30.880 --> 00:18:31.180 challenge. 00:18:33.039 --> 00:18:34.019 I fear 00:18:34.019 --> 00:18:35.000 that as a 00:18:35.000 --> 00:18:35.480 church we 00:18:35.480 --> 00:18:36.080 can become 00:18:36.080 --> 00:18:37.200 timid in 00:18:37.200 --> 00:18:38.080 proclaiming the 00:18:38.080 --> 00:18:38.580 message of 00:18:38.580 --> 00:18:39.120 salvation. 00:18:41.060 --> 00:18:42.120 The bold 00:18:42.120 --> 00:18:42.779 and challenging 00:18:42.779 --> 00:18:43.440 claim that 00:18:43.440 --> 00:18:44.140 Jesus alone 00:18:44.140 --> 00:18:44.920 can save you 00:18:44.920 --> 00:18:46.700 has become 00:18:46.700 --> 00:18:47.539 watered down 00:18:47.539 --> 00:18:49.000 to a safe 00:18:49.000 --> 00:18:49.940 and innocuous 00:18:49.940 --> 00:18:50.860 God is love 00:18:50.860 --> 00:18:51.880 and God 00:18:51.880 --> 00:18:52.300 loves you. 00:18:53.700 --> 00:18:54.500 Now that is 00:18:54.500 --> 00:18:54.779 true. 00:18:55.680 --> 00:18:56.400 It is very 00:18:56.400 --> 00:18:57.240 true that God 00:18:57.240 --> 00:18:57.640 is love 00:18:57.640 --> 00:18:58.080 and that God 00:18:58.080 --> 00:18:58.580 loves you. 00:18:59.560 --> 00:19:00.060 And the New 00:19:00.060 --> 00:19:00.820 Testament makes 00:19:00.820 --> 00:19:01.440 it very clear 00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:01.940 that that is 00:19:01.940 --> 00:19:02.320 true. 00:19:03.740 --> 00:19:04.560 But note 00:19:04.560 --> 00:19:05.220 that the term 00:19:05.220 --> 00:19:06.140 God's love 00:19:06.140 --> 00:19:07.820 is not once 00:19:07.820 --> 00:19:08.420 mentioned in 00:19:08.420 --> 00:19:08.820 the book of 00:19:08.820 --> 00:19:09.140 Acts. 00:19:10.620 --> 00:19:11.700 When we see 00:19:11.700 --> 00:19:12.180 that first 00:19:12.180 --> 00:19:12.980 generation of 00:19:12.980 --> 00:19:13.940 believers sharing 00:19:13.940 --> 00:19:14.440 faith, 00:19:14.920 --> 00:19:16.180 sharing the 00:19:16.180 --> 00:19:17.400 gospel with 00:19:17.400 --> 00:19:17.900 those who 00:19:17.900 --> 00:19:18.220 they come 00:19:18.220 --> 00:19:18.640 across, 00:19:18.800 --> 00:19:19.440 not once 00:19:19.440 --> 00:19:19.759 do they 00:19:19.759 --> 00:19:20.900 mention God 00:19:20.900 --> 00:19:21.340 loves you. 00:19:21.500 --> 00:19:21.940 That much 00:19:21.940 --> 00:19:22.480 is assumed. 00:19:25.019 --> 00:19:25.720 The first 00:19:25.720 --> 00:19:26.320 generation of 00:19:26.320 --> 00:19:26.980 disciples had 00:19:26.980 --> 00:19:27.620 a focus. 00:19:29.080 --> 00:19:29.560 To a 00:19:29.560 --> 00:19:29.980 culturally, 00:19:30.240 --> 00:19:30.920 religiously, 00:19:31.140 --> 00:19:31.700 and ethically 00:19:31.700 --> 00:19:32.380 pluralistic 00:19:32.380 --> 00:19:32.880 world, 00:19:33.300 --> 00:19:33.740 they knew 00:19:33.740 --> 00:19:34.060 that that 00:19:34.060 --> 00:19:34.539 focus had 00:19:34.539 --> 00:19:35.140 to be bold 00:19:35.140 --> 00:19:36.279 and uncompromising. 00:19:37.180 --> 00:19:37.720 Jesus is 00:19:37.720 --> 00:19:38.240 Lord and 00:19:38.240 --> 00:19:38.620 you need 00:19:38.620 --> 00:19:38.800 him. 00:19:38.799 --> 00:19:41.279 their 00:19:41.279 --> 00:19:41.740 attention 00:19:41.740 --> 00:19:43.159 was not 00:19:43.159 --> 00:19:43.559 on trying 00:19:43.559 --> 00:19:44.259 to apologise 00:19:44.259 --> 00:19:44.839 for the 00:19:44.839 --> 00:19:45.180 boldness 00:19:45.180 --> 00:19:45.480 of that 00:19:45.480 --> 00:19:45.839 claim. 00:19:47.180 --> 00:19:47.559 Their 00:19:47.559 --> 00:19:47.980 attention 00:19:47.980 --> 00:19:48.259 was 00:19:48.259 --> 00:19:48.619 focused 00:19:48.619 --> 00:19:49.259 on solid 00:19:49.259 --> 00:19:49.859 historic 00:19:49.859 --> 00:19:50.099 and 00:19:50.099 --> 00:19:50.599 eyewitness 00:19:50.599 --> 00:19:51.180 evidence 00:19:51.180 --> 00:19:51.980 that Jesus 00:19:51.980 --> 00:19:52.639 had indeed 00:19:52.639 --> 00:19:53.079 been raised 00:19:53.079 --> 00:19:53.399 from the 00:19:53.399 --> 00:19:53.639 dead. 00:19:55.099 --> 00:19:55.700 So we 00:19:55.700 --> 00:19:56.119 do not 00:19:56.119 --> 00:19:57.119 find Paul 00:19:57.119 --> 00:19:57.859 in Athens 00:19:57.859 --> 00:19:58.759 surrounded 00:19:58.759 --> 00:20:00.159 by a 00:20:00.159 --> 00:20:01.019 religiously 00:20:01.019 --> 00:20:01.399 plurality 00:20:01.400 --> 00:20:04.400 of faiths 00:20:04.400 --> 00:20:07.600 trying to 00:20:07.600 --> 00:20:07.880 avoid 00:20:07.880 --> 00:20:08.180 treading 00:20:08.180 --> 00:20:08.720 on toes 00:20:08.720 --> 00:20:09.320 or upsetting 00:20:09.320 --> 00:20:09.820 anybody. 00:20:11.620 --> 00:20:12.100 Neither 00:20:12.100 --> 00:20:12.740 do we 00:20:12.740 --> 00:20:13.360 find 00:20:13.360 --> 00:20:14.580 Peter 00:20:14.580 --> 00:20:15.780 or Stephen 00:20:15.780 --> 00:20:16.880 or any 00:20:16.880 --> 00:20:17.220 of the 00:20:17.220 --> 00:20:17.600 apostles 00:20:17.600 --> 00:20:18.440 standing 00:20:18.440 --> 00:20:19.040 nervously 00:20:19.040 --> 00:20:19.660 and probably 00:20:19.660 --> 00:20:20.280 were nervous 00:20:20.280 --> 00:20:20.580 probably 00:20:20.580 --> 00:20:21.120 terrified 00:20:21.120 --> 00:20:21.860 but nevertheless 00:20:21.860 --> 00:20:22.440 we do not 00:20:22.440 --> 00:20:22.840 find them 00:20:22.840 --> 00:20:23.200 timid 00:20:23.200 --> 00:20:23.680 before the 00:20:23.680 --> 00:20:24.320 Sanhedrin 00:20:24.320 --> 00:20:25.240 worried 00:20:25.240 --> 00:20:25.600 that they 00:20:25.600 --> 00:20:26.280 might upset. 00:20:29.940 --> 00:20:30.720 The first 00:20:30.720 --> 00:20:31.200 generation 00:20:31.200 --> 00:20:32.000 of Christians 00:20:32.000 --> 00:20:32.940 were 00:20:32.940 --> 00:20:33.980 uncompromisingly 00:20:33.980 --> 00:20:34.600 bold just 00:20:34.600 --> 00:20:35.180 as Daniel 00:20:35.180 --> 00:20:35.539 and his 00:20:35.539 --> 00:20:35.880 friends 00:20:35.880 --> 00:20:36.160 were 00:20:36.160 --> 00:20:37.160 uncompromisingly 00:20:37.160 --> 00:20:37.440 bold. 00:20:38.900 --> 00:20:39.519 Now I 00:20:39.519 --> 00:20:40.080 don't suggest 00:20:40.080 --> 00:20:40.440 for one 00:20:40.440 --> 00:20:41.039 moment that 00:20:41.039 --> 00:20:41.440 you walk 00:20:41.440 --> 00:20:41.799 up Hill 00:20:41.799 --> 00:20:42.039 Road 00:20:42.039 --> 00:20:42.360 tomorrow 00:20:42.360 --> 00:20:42.759 morning 00:20:42.759 --> 00:20:43.180 clutching 00:20:43.180 --> 00:20:43.819 a megaphone 00:20:43.819 --> 00:20:45.420 declaring to 00:20:45.420 --> 00:20:45.980 everybody 00:20:45.980 --> 00:20:46.420 that they're 00:20:46.420 --> 00:20:46.819 going to 00:20:46.819 --> 00:20:47.059 hell. 00:20:48.120 --> 00:20:48.600 Please 00:20:48.600 --> 00:20:49.059 don't do 00:20:49.059 --> 00:20:49.380 that. 00:20:50.500 --> 00:20:51.160 If you 00:20:51.160 --> 00:20:51.380 do, 00:20:51.500 --> 00:20:51.940 don't tell 00:20:51.940 --> 00:20:52.200 them that 00:20:52.200 --> 00:20:52.480 you're from 00:20:52.480 --> 00:20:53.140 Christchurch. 00:20:56.460 --> 00:20:57.160 But what 00:20:57.160 --> 00:20:57.519 is more 00:20:57.519 --> 00:20:58.480 likely is 00:20:58.480 --> 00:20:59.120 that over 00:20:59.120 --> 00:20:59.799 the next 00:20:59.799 --> 00:21:00.360 few days 00:21:00.360 --> 00:21:00.680 you might 00:21:00.680 --> 00:21:01.000 get into 00:21:01.000 --> 00:21:01.640 a conversation 00:21:01.640 --> 00:21:01.940 with a 00:21:01.940 --> 00:21:02.720 friend about 00:21:02.720 --> 00:21:03.259 what did 00:21:03.259 --> 00:21:03.519 you do 00:21:03.519 --> 00:21:03.860 over the 00:21:03.860 --> 00:21:04.279 weekend? 00:21:05.640 --> 00:21:06.100 And you 00:21:06.100 --> 00:21:06.519 might think 00:21:06.519 --> 00:21:06.740 of the 00:21:06.740 --> 00:21:07.160 things that 00:21:07.160 --> 00:21:07.460 you could 00:21:07.460 --> 00:21:08.000 tell them 00:21:08.000 --> 00:21:10.880 one of 00:21:10.880 --> 00:21:11.420 them being 00:21:11.420 --> 00:21:12.820 that you 00:21:12.820 --> 00:21:13.160 came to 00:21:13.160 --> 00:21:13.580 church 00:21:13.580 --> 00:21:15.400 to worship 00:21:15.400 --> 00:21:15.779 God. 00:21:17.240 --> 00:21:17.600 And you 00:21:17.600 --> 00:21:17.880 might be 00:21:17.880 --> 00:21:18.160 tempted to 00:21:18.160 --> 00:21:18.360 think well 00:21:18.360 --> 00:21:18.500 I don't 00:21:18.500 --> 00:21:18.840 want to say 00:21:18.840 --> 00:21:19.180 that because 00:21:19.180 --> 00:21:19.460 they might 00:21:19.460 --> 00:21:19.759 think I'm 00:21:19.759 --> 00:21:19.980 a bit 00:21:19.980 --> 00:21:20.580 strange. 00:21:22.259 --> 00:21:23.100 Or I 00:21:23.100 --> 00:21:23.420 don't want to 00:21:23.420 --> 00:21:23.900 say that because 00:21:23.900 --> 00:21:24.279 that might 00:21:24.279 --> 00:21:24.660 lead to an 00:21:24.660 --> 00:21:25.080 awkward or 00:21:25.080 --> 00:21:25.440 uncomfortable 00:21:25.440 --> 00:21:26.160 conversation. 00:21:26.160 --> 00:21:29.420 I want to 00:21:29.420 --> 00:21:30.080 encourage you 00:21:30.080 --> 00:21:31.580 that if 00:21:31.580 --> 00:21:32.060 those and 00:21:32.060 --> 00:21:32.600 when those 00:21:32.600 --> 00:21:33.180 opportunities 00:21:33.180 --> 00:21:33.920 open up 00:21:33.920 --> 00:21:35.920 to be 00:21:35.920 --> 00:21:36.640 unafraid 00:21:36.640 --> 00:21:38.100 to seize 00:21:38.100 --> 00:21:38.320 those 00:21:38.320 --> 00:21:39.000 opportunities 00:21:39.000 --> 00:21:41.160 to share 00:21:41.160 --> 00:21:41.620 your faith 00:21:41.620 --> 00:21:42.019 in Jesus 00:21:42.019 --> 00:21:42.580 Christ. 00:21:43.540 --> 00:21:44.240 To be 00:21:44.240 --> 00:21:44.980 unafraid to 00:21:44.980 --> 00:21:45.560 stand out 00:21:45.560 --> 00:21:46.000 and to be 00:21:46.000 --> 00:21:46.400 different. 00:21:47.600 --> 00:21:48.120 Remembering 00:21:48.120 --> 00:21:48.480 that we do 00:21:48.480 --> 00:21:49.180 not live in 00:21:49.180 --> 00:21:49.759 a post 00:21:49.759 --> 00:21:50.259 Christian 00:21:50.259 --> 00:21:50.940 society. 00:21:51.140 --> 00:21:51.580 We live in 00:21:51.580 --> 00:21:52.140 a pre 00:21:52.140 --> 00:21:52.600 Christian 00:21:52.600 --> 00:21:53.700 society that 00:21:53.700 --> 00:21:54.279 is hungry 00:21:54.279 --> 00:21:55.339 and thirsty 00:21:55.339 --> 00:21:56.420 ever so 00:21:56.420 --> 00:21:57.960 for everything 00:21:57.960 --> 00:21:58.799 that only 00:21:58.799 --> 00:21:59.319 Jesus can 00:21:59.319 --> 00:21:59.599 offer. 00:22:03.879 --> 00:22:04.559 In 00:22:04.559 --> 00:22:04.940 November 00:22:04.940 --> 00:22:05.859 2004 00:22:05.859 --> 00:22:06.319 you may 00:22:06.319 --> 00:22:06.680 remember 00:22:06.680 --> 00:22:07.059 this. 00:22:09.139 --> 00:22:09.480 Viktor 00:22:09.480 --> 00:22:10.099 Yushchenko 00:22:10.099 --> 00:22:10.720 stood for 00:22:10.720 --> 00:22:11.379 the presidency 00:22:11.379 --> 00:22:12.240 of Ukraine. 00:22:14.319 --> 00:22:15.099 He was 00:22:15.099 --> 00:22:15.599 fiercely 00:22:15.599 --> 00:22:16.259 opposed by 00:22:16.259 --> 00:22:16.720 the then 00:22:16.720 --> 00:22:17.220 ruling 00:22:17.220 --> 00:22:17.740 party. 00:22:18.839 --> 00:22:19.240 He almost 00:22:19.240 --> 00:22:19.639 lost his 00:22:19.639 --> 00:22:20.220 life in 00:22:20.220 --> 00:22:20.819 his campaign. 00:22:21.059 --> 00:22:21.720 They tried 00:22:21.720 --> 00:22:22.160 to poison 00:22:22.160 --> 00:22:22.420 him. 00:22:22.420 --> 00:22:24.360 But he 00:22:24.360 --> 00:22:24.960 went through 00:22:24.960 --> 00:22:25.380 with it 00:22:25.380 --> 00:22:26.019 and on 00:22:26.019 --> 00:22:26.360 election 00:22:26.360 --> 00:22:26.779 day 00:22:26.779 --> 00:22:28.420 Yushchenko 00:22:28.420 --> 00:22:29.220 was comfortably 00:22:29.220 --> 00:22:29.800 in the 00:22:29.800 --> 00:22:30.080 lead. 00:22:31.580 --> 00:22:32.240 But the 00:22:32.240 --> 00:22:32.519 ruling 00:22:32.519 --> 00:22:32.960 party 00:22:32.960 --> 00:22:33.440 tampered 00:22:33.440 --> 00:22:33.779 with the 00:22:33.779 --> 00:22:34.279 results. 00:22:36.500 --> 00:22:36.980 State 00:22:36.980 --> 00:22:37.620 controlled 00:22:37.620 --> 00:22:38.160 TV 00:22:38.160 --> 00:22:38.860 announced 00:22:38.860 --> 00:22:39.920 that day 00:22:39.920 --> 00:22:41.200 that Yushchenko 00:22:41.200 --> 00:22:42.000 had actually 00:22:42.000 --> 00:22:42.920 been defeated. 00:22:44.880 --> 00:22:45.400 However 00:22:45.400 --> 00:22:45.720 in the 00:22:45.720 --> 00:22:46.120 corner of 00:22:46.120 --> 00:22:46.680 the screen 00:22:46.680 --> 00:22:48.200 somebody 00:22:48.200 --> 00:22:48.940 was signing 00:22:48.940 --> 00:22:49.900 to the 00:22:49.900 --> 00:22:50.080 deaf 00:22:50.080 --> 00:22:50.600 community. 00:22:51.800 --> 00:22:52.039 Her name 00:22:52.039 --> 00:22:52.619 was Natalia 00:22:52.619 --> 00:22:53.240 Dimitruk. 00:22:56.220 --> 00:22:56.940 And she 00:22:56.940 --> 00:22:57.759 refused to 00:22:57.759 --> 00:22:58.519 translate what 00:22:58.519 --> 00:22:58.879 she knew 00:22:58.879 --> 00:22:59.139 was a 00:22:59.139 --> 00:22:59.339 false 00:22:59.339 --> 00:22:59.779 message. 00:23:02.119 --> 00:23:02.440 And from 00:23:02.440 --> 00:23:03.700 the corner 00:23:03.700 --> 00:23:04.039 of the 00:23:04.039 --> 00:23:04.420 screen 00:23:04.420 --> 00:23:05.299 as the 00:23:05.299 --> 00:23:05.680 wider 00:23:05.680 --> 00:23:06.299 screen 00:23:06.299 --> 00:23:06.980 gave one 00:23:06.980 --> 00:23:07.379 message 00:23:07.379 --> 00:23:08.680 she signed 00:23:08.680 --> 00:23:10.099 they are 00:23:10.099 --> 00:23:10.619 lying to 00:23:10.619 --> 00:23:10.859 you. 00:23:12.099 --> 00:23:12.559 I am 00:23:12.559 --> 00:23:13.119 ashamed to 00:23:13.119 --> 00:23:13.539 translate 00:23:13.539 --> 00:23:14.299 these lies. 00:23:16.420 --> 00:23:16.899 Yushchenko 00:23:16.899 --> 00:23:17.399 is our 00:23:17.399 --> 00:23:17.779 president. 00:23:17.779 --> 00:23:21.039 so what 00:23:21.039 --> 00:23:21.539 became known 00:23:21.539 --> 00:23:21.799 as the 00:23:21.799 --> 00:23:22.099 Orange 00:23:22.099 --> 00:23:22.599 Revolution 00:23:22.599 --> 00:23:22.879 was 00:23:22.879 --> 00:23:23.220 triggered. 00:23:24.500 --> 00:23:24.700 There was 00:23:24.700 --> 00:23:24.940 a new 00:23:24.940 --> 00:23:25.379 election 00:23:25.379 --> 00:23:26.740 and Yushchenko 00:23:26.740 --> 00:23:27.399 eventually came 00:23:27.399 --> 00:23:27.859 to victory. 00:23:30.500 --> 00:23:31.220 I share 00:23:31.220 --> 00:23:31.740 that with you 00:23:31.740 --> 00:23:32.259 as an image 00:23:32.259 --> 00:23:32.660 for us to 00:23:32.660 --> 00:23:33.220 take away 00:23:33.220 --> 00:23:33.639 as we 00:23:33.639 --> 00:23:34.099 think about 00:23:34.099 --> 00:23:34.519 what does 00:23:34.519 --> 00:23:35.019 it mean 00:23:35.019 --> 00:23:35.859 to be a 00:23:35.859 --> 00:23:36.420 follower of 00:23:36.420 --> 00:23:36.759 Jesus 00:23:36.759 --> 00:23:38.399 in our 00:23:38.399 --> 00:23:38.940 society. 00:23:38.940 --> 00:23:41.400 I want 00:23:41.400 --> 00:23:41.799 to suggest 00:23:41.799 --> 00:23:42.059 to you 00:23:42.059 --> 00:23:42.519 that each 00:23:42.519 --> 00:23:42.820 and every 00:23:42.820 --> 00:23:43.140 one of 00:23:43.140 --> 00:23:43.420 us is 00:23:43.420 --> 00:23:43.940 called 00:23:43.940 --> 00:23:45.360 to occupy 00:23:45.360 --> 00:23:46.240 the corner 00:23:46.240 --> 00:23:46.680 of that 00:23:46.680 --> 00:23:47.240 screen and 00:23:47.240 --> 00:23:47.620 to call 00:23:47.620 --> 00:23:47.960 out the 00:23:47.960 --> 00:23:48.320 lies. 00:23:50.500 --> 00:23:51.220 To say 00:23:51.220 --> 00:23:51.620 don't 00:23:51.620 --> 00:23:52.200 believe the 00:23:52.200 --> 00:23:52.799 big screen. 00:23:54.580 --> 00:23:55.080 Don't 00:23:55.080 --> 00:23:55.680 believe the 00:23:55.680 --> 00:23:56.259 lies of the 00:23:56.259 --> 00:23:56.900 culture in 00:23:56.900 --> 00:23:57.320 which we 00:23:57.320 --> 00:23:57.580 live. 00:24:00.580 --> 00:24:01.140 Jesus 00:24:01.140 --> 00:24:03.019 and only 00:24:03.019 --> 00:24:03.380 Jesus 00:24:03.380 --> 00:24:04.519 can save 00:24:04.519 --> 00:24:04.720 you. 00:24:07.259 --> 00:24:07.779 Let's 00:24:07.779 --> 00:24:08.000 pray. 00:24:08.940 --> 00:24:16.580 Lord, 00:24:16.700 --> 00:24:17.380 thank you 00:24:17.380 --> 00:24:18.500 for the 00:24:18.500 --> 00:24:19.180 story of 00:24:19.180 --> 00:24:19.600 Daniel 00:24:19.600 --> 00:24:22.500 and how 00:24:22.500 --> 00:24:23.080 he was 00:24:23.080 --> 00:24:23.840 unafraid 00:24:23.840 --> 00:24:25.900 to dare 00:24:25.900 --> 00:24:26.160 to be 00:24:26.160 --> 00:24:26.559 different, 00:24:27.680 --> 00:24:29.019 to challenge 00:24:29.019 --> 00:24:30.059 that which 00:24:30.059 --> 00:24:30.519 was going 00:24:30.519 --> 00:24:31.019 on around 00:24:31.019 --> 00:24:31.299 him. 00:24:33.660 --> 00:24:34.500 Thank you 00:24:34.500 --> 00:24:34.779 that he 00:24:34.779 --> 00:24:35.279 did so 00:24:35.279 --> 00:24:36.019 because he 00:24:36.019 --> 00:24:37.080 knew his 00:24:37.080 --> 00:24:37.860 identity was 00:24:37.860 --> 00:24:38.320 in you. 00:24:38.940 --> 00:24:41.460 And Lord, 00:24:41.519 --> 00:24:42.279 we thank you 00:24:42.279 --> 00:24:42.900 for the 00:24:42.900 --> 00:24:43.240 way in 00:24:43.240 --> 00:24:43.620 which that 00:24:43.620 --> 00:24:44.160 story as 00:24:44.160 --> 00:24:45.120 it unfolds 00:24:45.120 --> 00:24:46.019 throughout the 00:24:46.019 --> 00:24:46.259 Hebrew 00:24:46.259 --> 00:24:47.100 scriptures and 00:24:47.100 --> 00:24:47.640 throughout the 00:24:47.640 --> 00:24:48.259 New Testament. 00:24:49.580 --> 00:24:50.539 Not only for 00:24:50.539 --> 00:24:51.200 that first 00:24:51.200 --> 00:24:52.279 generation of 00:24:52.279 --> 00:24:53.279 believers in 00:24:53.279 --> 00:24:53.720 the book of 00:24:53.720 --> 00:24:54.539 Acts who 00:24:54.539 --> 00:24:55.039 knew who 00:24:55.039 --> 00:24:55.580 they were in 00:24:55.580 --> 00:24:56.220 you and 00:24:56.220 --> 00:24:57.220 proclaimed you 00:24:57.220 --> 00:24:58.580 with boldness 00:24:58.579 --> 00:24:59.819 clarity. 00:24:59.819 --> 00:25:01.119 But thank you 00:25:01.119 --> 00:25:01.619 not only for 00:25:01.619 --> 00:25:02.019 them but 00:25:02.019 --> 00:25:02.639 throughout the 00:25:02.639 --> 00:25:03.099 whole of 00:25:03.099 --> 00:25:03.619 history as 00:25:03.619 --> 00:25:03.980 we look 00:25:03.980 --> 00:25:04.439 back and 00:25:04.439 --> 00:25:05.179 for those 00:25:05.179 --> 00:25:06.079 forebears of 00:25:06.079 --> 00:25:08.740 faith who 00:25:08.740 --> 00:25:09.240 have proclaimed 00:25:09.240 --> 00:25:09.819 you with 00:25:09.819 --> 00:25:10.980 faithfulness and 00:25:10.980 --> 00:25:11.599 with truth. 00:25:15.099 --> 00:25:15.659 Lord, 00:25:15.779 --> 00:25:16.399 forgive us 00:25:16.399 --> 00:25:17.179 for when 00:25:17.179 --> 00:25:19.299 we have 00:25:19.299 --> 00:25:20.079 been cowardly 00:25:20.079 --> 00:25:20.480 in our 00:25:20.480 --> 00:25:20.839 faith. 00:25:22.279 --> 00:25:23.099 Forgive us 00:25:23.099 --> 00:25:23.579 when we have 00:25:23.579 --> 00:25:24.359 stepped back 00:25:24.359 --> 00:25:24.980 rather than 00:25:24.980 --> 00:25:25.699 stepped up. 00:25:25.700 --> 00:25:28.240 forgive us 00:25:28.240 --> 00:25:28.759 for when we 00:25:28.759 --> 00:25:29.340 have winced 00:25:29.340 --> 00:25:30.319 with embarrassment 00:25:30.319 --> 00:25:31.920 or nervousness 00:25:31.920 --> 00:25:33.580 or timidity. 00:25:37.140 --> 00:25:37.819 But Lord, 00:25:37.940 --> 00:25:38.440 thank you 00:25:38.440 --> 00:25:38.819 that you 00:25:38.819 --> 00:25:39.360 never give 00:25:39.360 --> 00:25:40.100 up on us. 00:25:41.500 --> 00:25:42.200 Thank you 00:25:42.200 --> 00:25:42.580 that you 00:25:42.580 --> 00:25:43.160 died for 00:25:43.160 --> 00:25:43.680 each and 00:25:43.680 --> 00:25:44.519 every person. 00:25:46.860 --> 00:25:47.740 Thank you 00:25:47.740 --> 00:25:49.299 that you 00:25:49.299 --> 00:25:50.039 even died 00:25:50.039 --> 00:25:50.500 for those 00:25:50.500 --> 00:25:50.779 who would 00:25:50.779 --> 00:25:51.400 deny you. 00:25:51.400 --> 00:25:56.440 So Lord, 00:25:56.560 --> 00:25:57.080 help us 00:25:57.080 --> 00:25:57.840 like Daniel 00:25:57.840 --> 00:25:58.880 to know 00:25:58.880 --> 00:25:59.380 of our 00:25:59.380 --> 00:25:59.880 identity 00:25:59.880 --> 00:26:00.540 in you. 00:26:02.160 --> 00:26:02.900 Help us 00:26:02.900 --> 00:26:03.240 to have 00:26:03.240 --> 00:26:03.880 that renewed 00:26:03.880 --> 00:26:04.620 confidence 00:26:04.620 --> 00:26:05.700 that we 00:26:05.700 --> 00:26:06.259 are in 00:26:06.259 --> 00:26:06.940 you and 00:26:06.940 --> 00:26:07.240 that we 00:26:07.240 --> 00:26:07.920 are saved 00:26:07.920 --> 00:26:08.460 not just 00:26:08.460 --> 00:26:08.860 for this 00:26:08.860 --> 00:26:09.340 life but 00:26:09.340 --> 00:26:09.840 for all 00:26:09.840 --> 00:26:10.380 eternity. 00:26:12.560 --> 00:26:13.160 And from 00:26:13.160 --> 00:26:13.759 that place 00:26:13.759 --> 00:26:14.460 of confidence 00:26:14.460 --> 00:26:16.160 and reassurance 00:26:16.160 --> 00:26:17.160 of knowing 00:26:17.160 --> 00:26:17.780 you and 00:26:17.780 --> 00:26:18.460 your love, 00:26:18.460 --> 00:26:21.980 give us 00:26:21.980 --> 00:26:22.559 that renewed 00:26:22.559 --> 00:26:23.259 strength 00:26:23.259 --> 00:26:25.200 to dare 00:26:25.200 --> 00:26:25.500 to be 00:26:25.500 --> 00:26:25.920 different, 00:26:26.960 --> 00:26:27.480 to dare 00:26:27.480 --> 00:26:28.019 to call 00:26:28.019 --> 00:26:28.380 out the 00:26:28.380 --> 00:26:28.920 lies of 00:26:28.920 --> 00:26:29.120 our 00:26:29.120 --> 00:26:29.500 culture 00:26:29.500 --> 00:26:30.079 and our 00:26:30.079 --> 00:26:30.579 society 00:26:30.579 --> 00:26:33.700 and to 00:26:33.700 --> 00:26:34.100 speak 00:26:34.100 --> 00:26:35.759 and to 00:26:35.759 --> 00:26:36.079 live 00:26:36.079 --> 00:26:37.559 the message 00:26:37.559 --> 00:26:38.480 of Jesus. 00:26:40.240 --> 00:26:40.980 Help us 00:26:40.980 --> 00:26:41.480 to do that 00:26:41.480 --> 00:26:42.100 this day, 00:26:42.259 --> 00:26:42.779 this week 00:26:42.779 --> 00:26:44.700 and always 00:26:44.700 --> 00:26:45.759 until you 00:26:45.759 --> 00:26:46.259 call us 00:26:46.259 --> 00:26:46.559 home. 00:26:47.160 --> 00:26:47.900 In Jesus' 00:26:48.100 --> 00:26:48.319 name. 00:26:48.460 --> 00:26:49.460 Amen.