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Daring to say NO!
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- Written by David Hassan
Have you ever had to speak truth to power? Desmond Tutu once said “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.”[1] Nebuchadnezzar was the elephant of world super powers of the time Daniel & Shadrach, Meschah and Adebnego. These men were all captives from Jerusalem put into 3 years of training and now pressed into service as Babylonian wise men, courtiers. They were trained to interpret the stars. Also trained in the languages of Akkadian and Aramaic, and able to read incantations, as well as being story tellers of all the Babylonian myths and legends. Today we are called to recall when Nebuchadnezzar had a dream of a great statue that none of the other astrologers, magicians, enchanters, or sorcerers could tell him. Only Daniel could, and he put it bluntly to King Nebudchadnezzar back in Daniel 2:27-28:
Daniel answered the king, “No mere human can solve the king’s mystery, I don’t care who it is—no wise man, enchanter, magician, diviner. But there is a God in heaven who solves mysteries, and he has solved this one. He is letting King Nebuchadnezzar in on what is going to happen in the days ahead. This is the dream you had when you were lying on your bed, the vision that filled your mind: (The Message)
Nebuchadnezzar today has taken his dream, and making it a reality. He created a gold statue standing at 90 feet tall and 9 feet wide. Today Shadrach, Meschah and Adebnego faced a choice. The heat was being turned up. Thr question is would they dare say NO! We’re not going to bow down to your idol and wear the consequences? Even if that meant death for doing so? Life for them as captives in a foreign land was under the microscope, all their actions were watched. As we read in verse 1
1 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, ninety feet high and nine feet wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 He then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up.
These were all the officials of the empire, the administrators of government. They were the movers and shakers with political clout and influence, and here all gathered around King Nebuchadnezzar’s herald
4 … "This is what you are commanded to do, O peoples, nations and men of every language: 5 As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace."
The empire’s band would strike up, and once the music’s played they were all to bow to the statute. It showed your allegiance to the king. The question is what would it take for you or me to bow down to that?
In that significant situation reveals who we are and what we believe. What will it mean to have hope here? As we can face idols of so many different kinds. They are what rules my motivations and behaviours, not by just what I say I believe but by what I do how I live that out. What we notice is that so often our wants, hopes, fears, expectations, needs crowd our hearts; or our desires sometimes mean we run to false loves as they become life ruling, inordinate desires to want what I want because I want it. Like here the want of Nebuchadnezzar to be worshipped by all, we get an insiders look into how idols counterfeit aspects of God’s identity and character. We are asked to think about the last time you were angry with someone, was it because they didn’t give you what you wanted? If so did we hurt them in some way, either withdrawing our care or shutting them down in some way. What we observe is that our motivations are always relational; just as worship is not far away from anything we do in life. The question is how will we turn from idols to the living God. Be humbled. Do we trust that God really wants us. That he is the generous giver, the fair and final judge. That he loves us and gives us grace and is purposefully sovereign, and turn and see Jesus by repentance and faith?[2] As James 1:2-5 puts it this way:
Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colours. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way. If you don’t know what you’re doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help. You’ll get his help, and won’t be condescended to when you ask for it.
Here despite the present appearance God is in control when King Nebuchadnezzar scanned the plain of Dura he saw large crowds on their knees before this statue. The King’s contentment was soon shattered by a report against some of the Jews who wouldn’t bow down, and even though a foreign power may make you captive it can’t capture your heart if your resolve to be faithful to God. As we read in vs 13-15
So these men were brought before the king, 14 and Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up? 15 Now when you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, if you are ready to fall down and worship the image I made, very good. But if you do not worship it, you will be thrown immediately into a blazing furnace. Then what god will be able to rescue you from my hand?"
Nebuchadnezzar conducts his own personal ceremony, the band strikes up and these 3 friends stand their ground verses 16-18
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered King Nebuchadnezzar, “Your threat means nothing to us. If you throw us in the fire, the God we serve can rescue us from your roaring furnace and anything else you might cook up, O king. But even if he doesn’t, it wouldn’t make a bit of difference, O king. We still wouldn’t serve your gods or worship the gold statue you set up.” (The Message)
They dared to say no! We are not going to bow to your idols. Their decision was about to be met with costly discipleship in what was taking premier place Nebuchadnezzar doubt that any god existed who could challenge him or his decree. Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego trusted God. They also knew that is no guarantee of a life free from suffering
God will rescue them was their hope. Either way their hearts allegiance was for God. As we continue to see in scripture how God opposes the proud and destroys those who stand in his way as our sins lead to death
As James 4:4-10 puts it this way:
You’re cheating on God. If all you want is your own way, flirting with the world every chance you get, you end up enemies of God and his way. And do you suppose God doesn’t care? The proverb has it that “he’s a fiercely jealous lover.” And what he gives in love is far better than anything else you’ll find. It’s common knowledge that “God goes against the willful proud; God gives grace to the willing humble.” So let God work his will in you. Yell a loud no to the Devil and watch him scamper. Say a quiet yes to God and he’ll be there in no time. Quit dabbling in sin. Purify your inner life. Quit playing the field. Hit bottom, and cry your eyes out. The fun and games are over. Get serious, really serious. Get down on your knees before the Master; it’s the only way you’ll get on your feet. (The Message)
We are invited to have an honest reckoning with God. God cares so cast your cares on him. The invitation is to go to him and name your anxieties and cares in the light of his care. King Nebuchadnezzar doubted that there was any God who could challenge his decree. Shadrach Meshach & Abednego were confident God would work out this situation to show his power. They trusted that God’s power transcends even death; just as Jesus gives us life that extends beyond the grave
only God the true and living God is truly all powerful yesterday – today and tomorrow.
Let’s pray
David Hassan @ Tamworth Community Presbyterian Church 25-6-17
- [1] As quoted in Unexpected News : Reading the Bible with Third World Eyes(1984) by Robert McAfee Brown, p. 19
[2] ideas taken here from David Powlinson “Idols of the heart” The Journal of Biblical Counseling Vol.13.No.2.Winter 1995 p.35-47
A Troubled Night’s Sleep
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- Written by David Hassan
Have you had one of those moments recently that was all too real, when that dreadful moment was about to happen you wake up in a cold sweat your heart pounding and realise it was all a dream. We dream all the time, and sometimes we can even recall our dreams, mostly we can’t and so the question is how much stock do you put in your dreams? What if you had dream about the future and you wanted to know what it meant what would we do then? This is where we find ourselves today looking at the vision of the man in King Nebuchadnezzar dream, as we read in verses 1-2 Daniel 2
Captive, to God
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- Written by David Hassan
Babylon was a superpower. A vast and mighty Empire, taking in some of the most fertile land of the middle east. The Babylonian empire at it’s height ran from the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers up to Turkey through to the bottom of the land of Judah near Egypt. The King of this vast Babylonian Superpower was Nebuchadnezzar. Babylon conquered cultures, and so your King was replaced by a Babylonian puppet King; your riches were taken away, they also added your god to their many. In 597BC the Babylonians swept South through the modern-day Palestine and besieged Jerusalem—the city of God’s people, as we read in Daniel 1:1-2. Jerusalem falls to the Babylonians
“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 delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand, along with some of the articles from the temple of God. These he carried off to the temple of his god in Babylonia and put in the treasure house of his god.”
Not only is King Jehoiakim his family, the nobility, court officials removed, some of the finest and fittest sons that Israel were taken away with them, those with the best aptitude for learning, along with all of the gold implements from the temple that Solomon built to God. So now the future looked bleak for Israel without her temple, they were a nation again in captivity. Where were they to worship or pray? For those taken into captivity the question was “How do you remain captive to God when your captive in a foreign land, when your home, family, and land are suddenly taken away?” Daniel and his friends faced that enormous task of being captives for God as they were to be trained for 3 years in the ways of Babylonian wise men, courtiers which involved being trained to interpret the stars; trained in the languages of Akkadian and Aramaic; able to read incantations; story tellers of all the Babylonian myths and legends; as well as know and use all the scientific formulas for making glass, mathematics and astrology. Daniel was now faced with the conflict of kingdoms, the dilemma of where you turn when a crisis hits. The question asked was how do you assimilate as a captive to God when your captor doesn’t fear God, let alone care about what you believe? It is the same question I’m sure we’ve asked so many times
how do we go about ordinary life as Christians in the world in a culture that is toxic for Christians, where God is so squeezed out of life. Babylon was a pagan empire that not only sucked up other cultures it had a policy of trying to inculcate you with theirs. To the Babylonian people Daniel and his mates were a marginal group who worshipped a strange God. This is where we find ourselves this morning as we begin this new series on Daniel. As Daniel and his friends resolve to be captives for God
that loyalty was tested immediately when they get given new Babylonian names:Daniel becomes Belteshazzar, Hananiah becomes Sahdrach, Mishael becomes Meshack and Azariah becomes Abednego
The ones we’re familiar with from our Sunday School days. What isn’t as apparent is their Hebrew names reflected God in them, like Daniel’s name in Hebrew means “God is my judge”. His Babylonian name means “May Marduk protect his life”. What we see is that loyalty for Daniel and his mates was something more radical than Nebuchadnezzar could ever realise. The question is how do we deal with temptation to give into living the way everyone else lives even when we know it’s not what Jesus would want us to be doing? We live in a culture which says do whatever you believe is OK for you as Jesus reminded us in Matthew 7:13-14
“Don’t look for shortcuts to God. The market is flooded with surefire, easygoing formulas for a successful life that can be practiced in your spare time. Don’t fall for that stuff, even though crowds of people do. The way to life—to God!—is vigorous and requires total attention. (The Message)
For Daniel following God meant that he had to defy his new captor
as we read in verse 8
“But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself in this way.
So how could Daniel’s loyalty to God be seen in not eating some food?
how could the simple act of refusing to eat some food be an act of defiance against a King? Are we asking was there something wrong with it? Was it because the food sacrificed to idols? This food was more than just an act of kindness from the king, so to eat the Babylonians King’s food, the food from his table. This was making a statement you were the kings property, like we have a saying “there’s no such thing as free lunch”; so to eat the food meant you were obligated to the king. The food wasn’t the problem. It was a statement about who your King was
for Daniel and his mates as they weren’t prepared to be owned by anyone else except God. It is right here we get an inside look at what’s going on vs. 9 “Now God had caused the official to show favour and sympathy to Daniel” God’s is in control. Now come back up at verse 2 “And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hands” verse 17 “God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning and Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.”
God’s sovereign control in human history is what Daniel trusted in
he would not serve anyone else, his loyalty rested solely on God. The question is “how do you purify your heart? How does a proud heart become a humble heart? Like how do we resolve to be faithful when those tough times don’t make sense? “From God’s side, we escape ourselves by being loved by Jesus Christ through the powerful presence of the Holy Spirit Himself. From our side, we escape ourselves by learning a lifestyle of intelligent repentance, genuine faith, and specific obedience.”[1] We look to Jesus so we might become more like him.
Daniel was a faithful, fearless and courageous servant of God who was forged and strengthened by the tests he endured. This is what we will which see unfold over the coming weeks, as Daniel’s life is a story about God’s reputation on the line. The result of Daniels faithfulness verses 18-20
At the end of the time set by the king for their training, the head of the royal staff brought them in to Nebuchadnezzar. When the king interviewed them, he found them far superior to all the other young men. None were a match for Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. And so they took their place in the king’s service. Whenever the king consulted them on anything, on books or on life, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his kingdom put together. (The Message)
There was none found equal to Daniel with all of the wise men of Babylon that although the glory may go to him. we know who is in control, that despite the pressure to cave in, that is the pressure to be good pagan Babylonian captives, Daniel and his friends resolved themselves to be captive to God
Daniel and his mates were aliens in this strange land. That question is the same for us today as it was then for Daniel as we see waged around us that struggle between our faith and out culture, we are called to hope in the Lord, so we come carrying our sins in our hands. As we know “Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us” (Ephesians 5:2).
The gospel is an action story, not an attitude of acceptance.[2]
How will we resolve ourselves to be captive to God this week
Let’s pray…
David Hassan@ Tamworth Community Presbyterian Church 4/6/17
[1] David Powlinson “Peace be Still p.5. The Journal of Biblical Counseling • Volume 18 • Number 3 • Spring 2000
[2] Q&A p.46. The Journal of Biblical Counseling • Volume XII • Number 3 • Spring 1994
The call to all nations
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- Written by David Hassan
When you go to another city or another country, or a place where you have never been before what do you go to look at or experience? Do you go visit the local river or go out the bush? Do you visit the zoo, or go to the coffee shops, or the best restaurants they have? Do you visit their art gallery or museum? If you travel overseas do you go to that countries sacred sights or temple
do you learn a few words of that country? what words are you keen to learn? When Paul was out and about travelling from country to country stepping through from the rural areas of Asia now into the trading ports and major centres of Europe he intentionally shares the good news about Jesus where ever he goes. As he does he steps into that city first taking time to look around, and then speaking, connecting with those who he shares his hope with. We again see we have Good News that is a call to all nations today as we find ourselves today in Athens. As Athens is a place of grandeur. It is huge and takes credit as the birth place of modern democracy, also holding credit for producing philosophers like Socrates, Plato, Aristotle. In its geography Athens is surrounded by mountains but has a central hill on which the acropolis stands with the Parthenon which is a temple to the city' s patron goddess Athene. The Acropolis was built in 447BC it stands even today with it's columns in place. An intellectual capital, full of philosophers, as Luke gives us his assessment of them
21 (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.)
Jerusalem Council: A gospel for all
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- Written by David Hassan
What is a watershed moment of all time for you? This event in your life that has a lot to do with who you are. Today we come to one of those moments in the life of the Church, where everything hung in the balance. The question was asked “what at the very least do we need to be if we want to be a follower of Jesus?” We have a gospel for all was the answer that came back. A very personal gospel about the very person of Jesus. As Jesus isn’t a distant idea, a philosophy of life. We are forced to wrestle with the reality of the person of Jesus is the one who is interceding for you, working out a living salvation in you as he meets us in real life. As we read in verses 1-2 (The Message)
It wasn’t long before some Jews showed up from Judea insisting that everyone be circumcised: “If you’re not circumcised in the Mosaic fashion, you can’t be saved.” Paul and Barnabas were up on their feet at once in fierce protest. The church decided to resolve the matter by sending Paul, Barnabas, and a few others to put it before the apostles and leaders in Jerusalem.
A Take Away Gospel
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- Written by David Hassan
Recall the last time you had a conversation with someone pouring their heart out to you seeking answers to their life, wanting to know why it is we are here? Do you know how to go deeper with them? Maybe for someone here you’re asking those very questions yourself. How are we at handling those conversations? Sometimes I’ve been asked about what is it like to follow Jesus? Sometimes I’m asked How does being a Christian make sense? How does following Jesus point me to a better world Given the mess our current world is in? Why should Jesus matter for me? Ave you experienced that as well? It is encouraging to come across someone looking for answers. Seeking the truth, trying to make sense of the spiritual reality of life. In his book “Beyond Belief” Hugh Mackay says that globally, religion is on the rise. Hugh himself is not a Christian, he makes this observation.
“in the very countries where the most vigorous attempts have been made to stamp our religion – Russia under Stalin, India under Nehru and China under Mao Zedong - there has been a massive subsequent upswing in religious interest and observance.”[1]
This is where we come face to face with the unstoppable gospel today. It is a gospel we take away with us where ever we go. A gospel that isn’t just a message of hope. Our gospel is an introduction to Jesus himself, who is able to transform lives, forgive sins. This is where we find ourselves this morning in Acts 13 s we read in verse 1-2 of Acts 13
Prison, Prayer and Miracles
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- Written by David Hassan
According to Open Doors North Korea, Somalia, Afghanistan, Pakistan & Sudan are the top 5 places for the persecution of Christians. To openly wear a cross around your neck is an invitation to be attacked, ridiculed and abused or even killed. Just as we saw a few weeks back during a number of bombs were detonated in two Coptic Christian Churches in Egypt during their Palm Sunday services killing 44 fellow followers of Christ and injuring dozens more. The question is what do you do with this? knowing these fellow followers like us were going to Church to worship together and as they gathered were attacked. How do you find reassurance? Just as we find ourselves amongst the chaos and attempted evil how God’s hand is at work in Acts 12, where we find ourselves here is that persecution had again been brought against the followers of Jesus. In Acts 12 we meet a man called Herod a man whose grandfather was Herod the Great who had sought to have Jesus killed, this Herod was a descendant who continued to be a puppet king in the Roman Empire. Herod was a man given to political expedience. He lacked a moral and ethical compass as he soon discovered the way to keep the Jews onside was to begin the persecution of Christians again. He starts by putting James, one of the sons of Zebedee to death and he seizes Peter for the same fate as we read in verse 1-2
Tamworth Community Presbyterian Church
EMAIL: minister@TCPC.org.au
PH: 02 6765 2865