In It Not Of It - Part 6

Of it, not in it

Jeremiah 29:1-15
29 These are the words of the letter that Jeremiah the prophet sent from Jerusalem to the surviving elders of the exiles, and to the priests, the prophets, and all the people, whom Nebuchadnezzar had taken into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon. 2 This was after King Jeconiah and the queen mother, the eunuchs, the officials of Judah and Jerusalem, the craftsmen, and the metal workers had departed from Jerusalem. 3 The letter was sent by the hand of Elasah the son of Shaphan and Gemariah the son of Hilkiah, whom Zedekiah king of Judah sent to Babylon to Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon. It said: 4 “Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: 5 Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. 6 Take wives and have sons and daughters; take wives for your sons, and give your daughters in marriage, that they may bear sons and daughters; multiply there, and do not decrease. 7 But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare. 8 For thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Do not let your prophets and your diviners who are among you deceive you, and do not listen to the dreams that they dream,[a] 9 for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you in my name; I did not send them, declares the Lord.

10 “For thus says the Lord: When seventy years are completed for Babylon, I will visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. 11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare[b] and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. 12 Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. 14 I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.

Message Summary

As the redeemed of Christ who have been filled with the Holy Spirit. Our spirits have been saved and we are currently seated in heaven at the right hand of God with Jesus (we are ‘Of It’), but our souls and bodies are still on earth (‘not in it’). We must run this earthly race with all endurance having the proper sight of the trials and prize ahead, sobriety to walk through the trials, and the power of the Holy Spirit to endure until Jesus returns.

Three S’s of Christian Endurance

Sight

- We must know God’s will for us if we’re going to endure until Jesus returns.

We must be aware of the enemies schemes Jesus describes in ‘The parable of the sower’ in Mark 4. When we can see the spiritual world and the enemies plans we can take refuge in God, put down roots in Christ’s love shown at the cross, and expect power to overcome and lead a fruitful Christian life.

13 And he said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How then will you understand all the parables? 14 The sower sows the word. 15 And these are the ones along the path, where the word is sown: when they hear, Satan immediately comes and takes away the word that is sown in them. 16 And these are the ones sown on rocky ground: the ones who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy. 17 And they have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.[a] 18 And others are the ones sown among thorns. They are those who hear the word, 19 but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. 20 But those that were sown on the good soil are the ones who hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirtyfold and sixtyfold and a hundredfold.”

We need to see that God’s will is that we prosper while in earth and AND that persecutions will come. Persecutions aide in the formation of Christ in us. - Mark 10

29 Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life. 31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

We need have the sight to understand Jesus is coming back and tribulation will come on the WHOLE world. The Gospel is for all people at all times in all places. God’s will is that we be spiritually awake and not caught off guard. - Luke 21

34 “But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. 35 For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.”

Sobriety

If we’re going to endure we need to have all sobriety, being fully aware of our present time, condition, and situation. The devil is lurking to find someone not spiritually sober to seduce them. - 1 Peter 5:8

Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

We need to be sober because we don’t know when Jesus is returning. Love for Jesus will keep us sober as we don’t want to miss him.. - 1 Thes 5:1-10

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers,[a] you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all children[b] of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

As a church we are excited to appoint deacons and elders. Sobriety is required for deacons and elders who can help the church endure and grown in Christ. - 1 Tim 3:1-5

The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task. 2 Therefore an overseer[a] must be above reproach, the husband of one wife,[b] sober-minded, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own household well, with all dignity keeping his children submissive, 5 for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church?

Vs 13 - For those who serve well as deacons gain a good standing for themselves and also great confidence in the faith that is in Christ Jesus.

Be sober minded and endure sound teaching. Sobriety will help us accept truthful teaching. - 2

Tim 4:3-5
3 For the time is coming when people will not endure sound[a] teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. 5 As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

Sobriety leads to hope which leads to powerful grace to endure - 1 Peter 1:13

Therefore, preparing your minds for action,[a] and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

Spirit

Will power, strength, and smarts won’t get it done, only the Spirit of God. - Zechariah 4:6-7

Then he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts. 7 Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain. And he shall bring forward the top stone amid shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’”

We need a fresh living walk with God by the Spirit of God to endure with joy. - Galatians 5:16-25

16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy,[d] drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do[e] such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 24 And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

25 If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.

Quotes

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain that which he cannot lose.” - Jim Elliot

More scriptures to meditate on

Matt 10
22 and you will be hated by all for my name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved

Matt 13
20 As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, 21 yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away.[a] 22 As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful.

Matt 24
12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

1 Cor 10
13 No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

1 Cor 13
8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away.

2 Cor 1
5 For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.[a] 6 If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer.

2 Tim 2
11 The saying is trustworthy, for:

If we have died with him, we will also live with him;

12 if we endure, we will also reign with him;

if we deny him, he also will deny us;

13 if we are faithless, he remains faithful—

for he cannot deny himself.

Heb 10
32 But recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, 33 sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. 34 For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. 35 Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36 For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. 37 For,

“Yet a little while,

and the coming one will come and will not delay;

38 but my righteous one shall live by faith,

and if he shrinks back,

my soul has no pleasure in him.”

39 But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls.

Second City Church - In It Not Of It - Pastor Rollan Fisher 2018

In It Not Of It - Part 5

Wake Up Call

The Delusion
The Dream
The Doubling of Grace

Engel’s Scale 

Daniel calls Nebuchadnezzar to repentance, speaking the Word of the Lord

The God Test Community Groups and on-Line training

Nebuchadnezzar begins to testify to others

as in the “I Am Second” Video testimonies 

The Delusion

Daniel 4:1-9 
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 to generation. I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace. I saw a dream that made me afraid. As I lay in bed the fancies and the visions of my head alarmed me. So I made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers came in, and I told them the dream, but they could not make known to me its interpretation. At last Daniel came in before me—he who was named Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods —and I told him the dream, saying, “O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too difficult for you, tell me the visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation.

What was Nebuchadnezzar's worldview that would be shattered?

He's invincible.  He is self-made - all of the vastness of his kingdom is the work of his own power, intelligence, acumen, leadership and skill.  He is favored of Deity.

What are the world-views of those who surround you - the things in which they trust?

Their youth.  Their beauty.  Their economic status or earning power.  Their intelligence and sense of progress or enlightenment.  They're invincible. I'll be young and able to live free forever.  Today is all that matters (#YOLO perverted).

“Properly understood, Christianity is by no means the opiate of the people.  It’s more like the smelling salts.”

-Timothy Keller

The Dream

Daniel 4:19-27 
Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was dismayed for a while, and his thoughts alarmed him. The king answered and said, “Belteshazzar, let not the dream or the interpretation alarm you.” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you and its interpretation for your enemies! The tree you saw, which grew and became strong, so that its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth, whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which beasts of the field found shade, and in whose branches the birds of the heavens lived— it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong.Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your dominion to the ends of the earth. And because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven periods of time pass over him,’ this is the interpretation, O king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king, that you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will. And as it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be confirmed for you from the time that you know that Heaven rules. Therefore, O 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.”

God humbles to:

1. Grab our attention

2. Show our limitations

3. Demonstrate His sovereignty and might 

4. Give you compassion for others who are like yourself but fully aware of their own weakness as they are in need or in pain

5. To open our eyes to REALITY and ultimately to usher you into a life of grace.  Through circumstances, we are brought to the cross of Jesus Christ that we might be reoriented in regards to that in which we trust.  

Nebuchadnezzar hadn't listened to the subtler signs (like Pharoah in Egypt). 

Proverbs 29:19 
By mere words a servant is not disciplined, for though he understands, he will not respond.

Nebuchadnezzar's dip into senility was God's megaphone.

“Pain insists upon being attended to. God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.”

C.S. Lewis

Our lesson: We want to have sensitive feet on the beach.  Don't wait to be humbled.

Our role as translator

Daniel was used as the translator to interpret Nebuchadnezzar's circumstances as his worldview began to crumble (we must be sensitive about this as not to turn into Job's friends).  

Be ready when the House of Cards crumbles.

Before you can interpret someone else's worldview, you must have a realistic assessment of your own.  What frames the way that you live?  Is it in accordance with God's priority and design?

Matthew 7:1-5

II Corinthians 13:5-10

The Doubling of Grace

Daniel 4:28-37 
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 said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” While the words were still in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O 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 kingdom 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. At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, 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?” 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 lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and 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.

Second City Church - In It Not Of It - Pastor Rollan Fisher 2018

In It Not Of It - Part 4

Our Tension

God’s Total Allegiance Required

Christ’s Trustworthiness 

Daniel 3:1-18 

King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.” Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.” Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?” Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.”

Our Tension

Obeying the king’s command to attend the dedication and bow before the image was an occasion for officials to reaffirm their loyalty to the king.

Why weren’t they ok with bowing to the image?  What’s the big deal? 

Deuteronomy 6

God’s Total Allegiance Required

Jesus, his cross and resurrection, the gospel of God’s grace and the Kingdom of God must be “your ride or die”.  These will constantly be tested throughout your lifetime.  

Luke 4:1-13

And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing during those days. And when they were ended, he was hungry. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone.’” And the devil took him up and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, and said to him, “To you I will give all this authority and their glory, for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. If you, then, will worship me, it will all be yours.” And Jesus answered him, “It is written, “‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.’” And he took him to Jerusalem and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here, for it is written, “‘He will command his angels concerning you, to guard you,’ and “‘On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.’” And Jesus answered him, “It is said, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time.

“Who stands fast? Only the man whose final standard is not his reason, his principles, his conscience, his freedom, or his virtue, but who is ready to sacrifice all this when he is called to obedient and responsible action in faith and in exclusive allegiance to God- the responsible man, who tries to make his whole life an answer to the question and call of God. Where are these responsible people?”

Dietrich Bonhoeffer

“Calling resists privatization by insisting on the totality of faith. Calling resists politicization by demanding a tension with every human allegiance and association. Calling resists polarization by requiring an attitude toward, and action in, society that is inevitably transforming because it is constantly engaged. Grand Christian movements will rise and fall. Grand campaigns will be mounted and grand coalitions assembled. But all together such coordinated efforts will never match the influence of untold numbers of followers of Christ living out their callings faithfully across the vastness and complexity of modern society.”

Os Guinness, The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life

Things that are highly valued amongst men can be detestable in God’s sight.  

Luke 16:10-15 

10 “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. 11 If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? 12 And if you have not been faithful in that which is another's, who will give you that which is your own? 13 No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.” The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed him. And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is exalted among men is an abomination in the sight of God.

Ultimately, a Kingdom is an administration, a value system with assumptions and goals reflected in the order in which we choose to get things done.  The Kingdom that we serve is demonstrated in that which we prioritize.

When things get busy, put God first.  When you have need, sow your seed and seek the Kingdom first.  When exams or project deadlines come, get the mind of the Lord first.  When kids have sports practices and games, teach them to find themselves in the house of worship first.  When you want to have brunch, dine at the table of the Lord first.  When you have adventures that you want to pursue, find the eternal pleasures in the presence of the Lord first.  Honor Jesus and serve God first.  Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.  This is true religion and true worship.

Christ’s Trustworthiness 

*Each time the Israelites took a stand for the Lord, God showed up, God was honored and the Hebrews were promoted (Daniel 1, Daniel 2 ; Daniel 3). After that, as we would, I’m sure they would have liked the last trial to be the final trial.  However, another persecution would inevitably come.

Daniel 3:19-30 

Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. Because the king's order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace. Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.” Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king's counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king's command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.

*There was also a progression of the king’s acknowledgement of God.  It reflects Engel’s Scale:

1. The Hebrews are 10 times better in all wisdom, learning and appearance after keeping themselves from being defiled with the king’s food (Daniel 1). 

2. Daniel’s God is the only one who can tell and interpret dreams (Daniel 2). 

3. If anyone speaks a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, they’ll be punished (Daniel 3). 

4. By chapter 4, Daniel is calling for Nebuchadnezzar’s repentance and faith. 
   

Second City Church - In It Not Of It - Pastor Rollan Fisher 2018

In It Not Of It - Part 3

Your Gift, God’s Grace to Save

Your Gift

God’s Preparation 

God’s Grace 

Daniel 2:1-19 

In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his spirit was troubled, and his sleep left him. Then the king commanded that the magicians, the enchanters, the sorcerers, and the Chaldeans be summoned to tell the king his dreams. So they came in and stood before the king. And the king said to them, “I had a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.” Then the Chaldeans said to the king in Aramaic,  “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.” The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “The word from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be torn limb from limb, and your houses shall be laid in ruins. But if you show the dream and its interpretation, you shall receive from me gifts and rewards and great honor. Therefore show me the dream and its interpretation.” They answered a second time and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show its interpretation.” The king answered and said, “I know with certainty that you are trying to gain time, because you see that the word from me is firm— if you do not make the dream known to me, there is but one sentence for you. You have agreed to speak lying and corrupt words before me till the times change. Therefore tell me the dream, and I shall know that you can show me its interpretation.” The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “There is not a man on earth who can meet the king's demand, for no great and powerful king has asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. The thing that the king asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.” Because of this the king was angry and very furious, and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed. So the decree went out, and the wise men were about to be killed; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them. Then Daniel replied with prudence and discretion to Arioch, the captain of the king's guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon. He declared to Arioch, the king's captain, “Why is the decree of the king so urgent?” Then Arioch made the matter known to Daniel. And Daniel went in and requested the king to appoint him a time, that he might show the interpretation to the king. Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.

1. Your Gift

*God was speaking to Nebuchadnezzar before Daniel

Purpose of prophetic gifts according to I Corinthians 13.

1 Corinthians 13:2 

And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

You will be positioned by God in your everyday work life, friendship group and community living to interpret dreams leading to the gospel.

1. God’s Preparation

Daniel had to be prepared with his gift.

This means you must have a vibrant Word and prayer life on your own to be prepared for it and confident enough to seek answers when the opportunity comes.

You must, like Daniel, be in a lifestyle rhythm that has your thoughts, faith and activities turned towards heaven and oriented to the purposes of God.  Otherwise, you will miss the eternal, soul saving opportunities that are presented to you and suffer the fate of those who surround you. 

*Daniel cultivated his focus and his gift with his brothers Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah.

Statistically, American church-goers show up 1.5 times/month - Ben Crawshaw of The Rocket Company

It is hard to develop any momentum for winning souls, discipleship, growth, giving or community impact with a lack of commitment.  The church is not meant to be interacted with as you interact with your Amazon, Netflix, Google or Instagram accounts. 

Hebrews 10:19-25 

Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

*Don’t just show up when you are serving.  That is no way to be a disciple or make disciples.  It takes consistency, faithfulness (which is a fruit of the Holy Spirit). 

You must learn to choose God’s blessed life vs. My #best life now.

1. God’s Grace 

The gift was meant for the saving of lives. 

Daniel 2:46-49 

Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and paid homage to Daniel, and commanded that an offering and incense be offered up to him. The king answered and said to Daniel, “Truly, your God is God of gods and Lord of kings, and a revealer of mysteries, for you have been able to reveal this mystery.” Then the king gave Daniel high honors and many great gifts, and made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon and chief prefect over all the wise men of Babylon. Daniel made a request of the king, and he appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego over the affairs of the province of Babylon. But Daniel remained at the king's court.

Tech Team Vision:

• Our vision for tech team is to remove any distractions to help enable the congregation to worship Jesus freely. We also aim to serve the worship team and assist with any technical needs. Our overarching vision is to magnify Christ through behind the scenes service so that our church can experience Christ during our Sunday service, be further knit into community with other believers, and go out into our weeks engaging the culture! 

And this is true of every area of service in the house of God, whether you are on the worship team, in the children’s ministry, a community group leader, hanging curtains, greeting the newcomer to church or bringing the Word on a Sunday.  

“If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.”

“No work is insignificant. All labor that uplifts humanity has dignity and importance and should be undertaken with painstaking excellence.”

 - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Second City Church - In It Not Of It - Pastor Rollan Fisher 2018

In It Not Of It - Part 2

Boundaries In Babylon

Background of the book Of Daniel

The foretold exile had begun and Daniel and his friends were of the first to go. The exile was of

God’s doing because the Israelites had broken the covenant with God. God allowed the

Babylonians to come and discipline the Israelites because of his justice, not because of His

favor on the Babylonians. This was the beginning of 70 years of exile for the Israelites.

Meaning of the exiles names

• Daniel “God is my judge” to Belteshazzar “O lady, (wife of the god Bel) protect the King!”

• Hananiah “Yahweh is gracious” to Shadrach “I am very fearful of god”

• Mishael “Who is what God is?” to Meshach “I am of little account”

• Azariah “Yahweh is a helper” to Abednego “servant of the shining one”

Daniel 1:8-21(ESV)

8 But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with the wine that

he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself. 9 And

God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs, 10 and the chief

of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who assigned your food and your drink;

for why should he see that you were in worse condition than the youths who are of your own

age? So you would endanger my head with the king.” 11 Then Daniel said to the steward whom

the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 “Test

your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our

appearance and the appearance of the youths who eat the king's food be observed by you, and

deal with your servants according to what you see.” 14 So he listened to them in this matter, and

tested them for ten days. 15 At the end of ten days it was seen that they were better in

appearance and fatter in flesh than all the youths who ate the king's food. 16 So the steward took

away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.

17 As for these four youths, God gave them learning and skill in all literature and wisdom, and

Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 18 At the end of the time, when the king had

commanded that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before

Nebuchadnezzar. 19 And the king spoke with them, and among all of them none was found like

Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Therefore they stood before the king. 20 And in every

matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king inquired of them, he found them ten

times better than all the magicians and enchanters that were in all his kingdom. 21 And Daniel

was there until the first year of King Cyrus.

Pray

Though we are in this world we are not of the world. We once were of the world, but after

coming to the cross of Christ, having our sins washed away, and being indwelled by the Holy

Spirit of God through faith in Christ, we are now new creations. Our spirits now sit with Christ

Jesus in Heaven at the right hand of God where we are citizens of Heaven. How should a

citizen of heaven conduct themselves while in a foreign country, the world?

3 supporting points with 1 testimony

1. Resolve Not To Be Defiled By The World

a. 8 But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king's food, or with

the wine that he drank.

i. Make the decision BY FAITH to trust God in the circumstance He has put

you in. Stop blaming God, repent if you brought this discipline on

yourself, and trust God to sustain you.

b. Resolve leads to favor and compassion even in a hostile circumstance

c. Merit does not guarantee acceptance or favor, but God brings it

2. Welcome The Testing Of Your Faith By The World

a.

b. Supporting scripture

3. Promoted and Preserved

a. 21 And Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus.

i. By God’s faithfulness Daniel was promoted and preserved in Babylon the

whole 70 years of the exile.

b. Remain in the circumstance you were in when God called you

i. 17 Only let each person lead the life [ c ] that the Lord has assigned to him,

and to which God has called him. This is my rule in all the churches. 18

Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek

to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call

uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision. 19 For neither circumcision

counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments

of God. 20 Each one should remain in the condition in which he was called.

21 Were you a bondservant [ d ] when called? Do not be concerned about it.

(But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) 22 For

he who was called in the Lord as a bondservant is a freedman of the

Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a bondservant of Christ. 23

You were bought with a price; do not become bondservants of men. 24 So,

brothers, [ e ] in whatever condition each was called, there let him remain

with God.

4. Testimony

“To be in the world, but not of the world, you must be in the light”

We are not of the world just as Jesus is not of the world

15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. [ a ] 16

They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them [ b ] in the truth; your word

is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake

I consecrate myself, [ c ] that they also may be sanctified [ d ] in truth.

Faith overcomes the world

“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has

overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes

that Jesus is the Son of God?”

1 John 5:4-5 ESV

http://bible.com/59/1jn.5.4-5.esv

We are citizens of heaven

18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer

strangers and aliens, [ d ] but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household

of God , 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the

cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in

the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by [ e ] the Spirit. -

Ephesians 2:18-22

Discern the character of those around you

6 “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample

them underfoot and turn to attack you.”- Matthew 7:6 ESV

Don’t love the world

“Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father

is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and

pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along

with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”

1 John 2:15-17 ESV

http://bible.com/59/1jn.2.15-17.esv

How to know when the world is speaking vs God

“By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the

flesh is from God, and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit

of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already. Little children,

you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the

world. They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to

them. We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not

listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.”

1 John 4:2-6 ESV

http://bible.com/59/1jn.4.2-6.esv

We love because He first loved us

Action Points

1. What does it look like for me to be ‘set apart’ by God as salt and light that point to Jesus

in the school, workplace, and community that I am in?

Invitation to follow Jesus

“Then Jesus told his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up

his cross and follow me.”

Matthew 16:24 ESV 

Second City Church - In It Not Of It - Pastor Cole Parleir 2018

In It Not Of It - Part 1

Matthew 5:13-16 
13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.  15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 13:31-33 
He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field.  32 It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.” He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”

We must ask the question, who is influencing whom?

Daniel 1:1-7
In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, with some of the vessels of the house of God. And he brought them to the land of Shinar, to the house of his god, and placed the vessels in the treasury of his god. Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility, youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king's palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. The king assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate, and of the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king. Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah. And the chief of the eunuchs gave them names: Daniel he called Belteshazzar, Hananiah he called Shadrach, Mishael he called Meshach, and Azariah he called Abednego.

“Yale historian Jeroslav Pelikan wrote, “Regardless of what anyone may personally think or believe about him, Jesus of Nazareth has been the dominant figure in the history of Western Culture for almost 20 centuries. If it were possible, with some sort of super magnet, to pull up out of history every scrap of metal bearing at least a trace of his name, how much would be left?”

It turns out that the life of Jesus is a comet with an exceedingly long tale. Here are some shards of his impact that most often surprise people:

Children

In the ancient world children were routinely left to die of exposure — particularly if they were the wrong gender (you can guess which was the wrong one); they were often sold into slavery. Jesus’ treatment of and teachings about children led to the forbidding of such practices, as well as orphanages and godparents. A Norwegian scholar named Bakke wrote a study of this impact, simply titled: When Children Became People: the Birth of Childhood in Early Christianity.

Education 

Love of learning led to monasteries, which became the cradle of academic guilds. Universities such as Cambridge, Oxford, and Harvard all began as Jesus-inspired efforts to love God with all ones’ mind. The first legislation to publicly fund education in the colonies was called The Old Deluder Satan Act, under the notion that God does not want any child ignorant. The ancient world loved education but tended to reserve it for the elite; the notion that every child bore God’s image helped fuel the move for universal literacy.

Compassion 

Jesus had a universal concern for those who suffered that transcended the rules of the ancient world. His compassion for the poor and the sick led to institutions for lepers, the beginning of modern-day hospitals. The Council of Nyssa decreed that wherever a cathedral existed, there must be a hospice, a place of caring for the sick and poor. That’s why even today, hospitals have names like “Good Samaritan,” “Good Shepherd,” or “Saint Anthony.” They were the world’s first voluntary, charitable institutions.

Humility

The ancient world honored many virtues like courage and wisdom, but not humility. People were generally divided into first class and coach. “Rank must be preserved,” said Cicero; each of the original 99 percent was a personis mediocribus. Plutarch wrote a self-help book that might crack best-seller lists in our day: How to Praise Yourself Inoffensively.

Jesus’ life as a foot-washing servant would eventually lead to the adoption of humility as a widely admired virtue. Historian John Dickson writes, “it is unlikely that any of us would aspire to this virtue were it not for the historical impact of his crucifixion...Our culture remains cruciform long after it stopped being Christian.” 

Forgiveness 

In the ancient world, virtue meant rewarding your friends and punishing your enemies. Conan the Barbarian was actually paraphrasing Ghengis Khan in his famous answer to the question “what is best in life?” — To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their women.

An alternative idea came from Galilee: what is best in life is to love your enemies, and see them reconciled to you. Hannah Arendt, the first woman appointed to a full professorship at Princeton, claimed, “the discoverer of the role of forgiveness in the realm of human affairs was Jesus of Nazareth.” This may be debatable, but he certainly gave the idea unique publicity.

Humanitarian Reform: 

Jesus had a way of championing the excluded that was often downright irritating to those in power. His inclusion of women led to a community to which women flocked in disproportionate numbers. Slaves—up to a third of ancient populations—might wander into a church fellowship and have a slave-owner wash their feet rather than beat them. One ancient text instructed bishops to not interrupt worship to greet a wealthy attender, but to sit on the floor to welcome the poor. The apostle Paul said: “Now there is neither Jew nor Gentile, slave or free, male and female, but all are one in Christ Jesus.” Thomas Cahill wrote that this was the first statement of egalitarianism in human literature. 

Perhaps as remarkable as anything else is Jesus’ ability to withstand the failings of his followers, who from the beginning probably got in his way at least as much as they helped.”

-Excerpts from a Blog written by John Ortberg, Pastor of Menlo Park Presbyterian Church on the eve of the 2012 presidential election

John 17:13-19 
13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.

Jesus sanctified himself through the cross so that we could be set apart, set free from and forgiven of sin.  Through Jesus’ resurrection life, God intends us to be the shapers and reformers of a world he looks to reconcile to himself in Christ. 

Second City Church - In It Not Of It - Pastor Rollan Fisher 2018