Cada mes en 2020, estamos regalando un libro electrónico gratuito de un capítulo en español de la nueva versión del libro Doctrina en el blog en markdriscoll.org. Para el capitulo de este mes y los meses previos, haga clic en el enlace.
To help you study the book of Daniel in a men’s group setting, each week we will post notes and small group questions from Real Men men’s ministry based on that week’s sermon on the markdriscoll.org blog.
Find Jesus In Your Fiery Furnace (Kingdom Down) Sermon Notes
To help you study the book of Daniel in a men’s group setting, each week we will post notes and small group questions from Real Men men’s ministry based on that week’s sermon on the markdriscoll.org blog.
LINK TO SERMON
Daniel 1 – 605 BC after 490 years rebellion God allows Babylon/Nebuchadnezzar, invades & enslaves, walk 700 miles, eunuch, vegetarian, teenager
Spirit of Babylon (Rev. 14, 16,17,18) vs Spirit of God
The Problem
Daniel 2:1-3 In the second year of the reign of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his spirit was troubled, and his sleep left him. 2 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. 3 And the king said to them, “I had a dream, and my spirit is troubled to know the dream.”
2nd year – first year was “ascension” so this is year 3 (e.g. Kindergarten)
Vision (awake Daniel) Dream (asleep Nebuchad.)–“seers’ like watching movie
Dreams are from 1). Demonic Counterfeit 2). Imagination 3). God
Charismatic vs Cessationistic
My visions & dreams – past year Gateway, worship hire,
Persuasion & Power – 2 ways people convert
The WH Cabinet
2:4-8:1 in Aramaic
Daniel 2:4 Then the Chaldeans said to the king in Aramaic, “O king, live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will show the interpretation.” 5 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. 6 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.” 7 They answered a second time and said, “Let the king tell his servants the dream, and we will show its interpretation.” 8 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— 9 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.” 10 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. 11 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.” 12 Because of this the king was angry and very furious, and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed. 13 So the decree went out, and the wise men were about to be killed; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them. 14 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. 15 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. 16 And Daniel went in and requested the king to appoint him a time, that he might show the interpretation to the king.
Nebuchadnezzar
People who never under authority or told “no” are impossible
We are all like Nebuchadnezzar and having varying degrees of success
A man who can conquer anyone and anything is easily conquered by God
Everyone needs God’s help
He likely knows what the dream means & is terrified
Counterfeit
A counterfeit spirituality/religion doesn’t work when you need it most like death
The demonic an only interpret the demonic
Demons rule until the Spirit of God shows up
Total failure of human wisdom apart from God, education, spirituality, gov’t
This is why we love religious liberty and separation of Church and State
= God reveals Himself to unbelievers (e.g. dreams Muslim countries & Iran)
The Prayer
Daniel 2:17 Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, 18 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. 19 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night.
A sense of urgency ramps up our prayer life – here up late
6:10 prayed 3X day, 9 big prayer answered by Gabriel
Ist response to crisis panic/prayer. Not intelligence, education, theology system
= Life Group – called his buddies to join him in prayer. Crew before crisis
The Praise
Daniel 2:19 Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven. 20 Daniel answered and said: “Blessed be the name of God forever and ever, to whom belong wisdom and might.
21 He changes times and seasons; he removes kings and sets up kings; he gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding;
22 he reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with him. 23 To you, O God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise,
for you have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of you, for you have made known to us the king’s matter.” 24 Therefore Daniel went in to Arioch, whom the king had appointed to destroy the wise men of Babylon. He went and said thus to him: “Do not destroy the wise men of Babylon; bring me in before the king, and I will show the king the interpretation.” 25 Then Arioch brought in Daniel before the king in haste and said thus to him: “I have found among the exiles from Judah a man who will make known to the king the interpretation.” 26 The king declared to Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, “Are you able to make known to me the dream that I have seen and its interpretation?” 27 Daniel answered the king and said, “No wise men, enchanters, magicians, or astrologers can show to the king the mystery that the king has asked, 28 but there is a God in heaven who reveals mysteries, and he has made known to King Nebuchadnezzar what will be in the latter days. Your dream and the visions of your head as you lay in bed are these: 29 To you, O king, as you lay in bed came thoughts of what would be after this, and he who reveals mysteries made known to you what is to be. 30 But as for me, this mystery has been revealed to me, not because of any wisdom that I have more than all the living, but in order that the interpretation may be made known to the king, and that you may know the thoughts of your mind.
That king not like our King, you could only enter his presence if welcomed
This is in the “throne room” = counterfeit
Proverbs 21:1 “The king’s heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.”
Because Daniel knelt before the King of Kings, he could stand before a king
Glory and gratitude (Daniel gives glory to God so others have gratitude for him)
= Revelation comes in the context of prayer and worship
The Prophecy
Daniel 2:31 “You saw, O king, and behold, a great image. This image, mighty and of exceeding brightness, stood before you, and its appearance was frightening. 32 The head of this image was of fine gold, its chest and arms of silver, its middle and thighs of bronze, 33 its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of clay. 34 As you looked, a stone was cut out by no human hand, and it struck the image on its feet of iron and clay, and broke them in pieces. 35 Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver, and the gold, all together were broken in pieces, and became like the chaff of the summer threshing floors; and the wind carried them away, so that not a trace of them could be found. But the stone that struck the image became a great mountain and filled the whole earth.
How God works
Priests – family, formally educated, assigned a church, peoples needs to god
Prophet – write & speak. Not scripted preachers, Spirit, urgency, authority (20 yrs)
Around 200 “sovereign states” today w/fixed boundaries
In the ancient world win wars is to expand, lose wars is to retract boundaries.
= Open Hand (4 Kingdoms) Closed Hand (Jesus Kingdom)
IMAGE SUMMARIZING THIS NEXT SECTION
Babylon
Daniel 2:36 “This was the dream. Now we will tell the king its interpretation. 37 You, O king, the king of kings, to whom the God of heaven has given the kingdom, the power, and the might, and the glory, 38 and into whose hand he has given, wherever they dwell, the children of man, the beasts of the field, and the birds of the heavens, making you rule over them all—you are the head of gold.
King Nebuchadnezzar II ruled 605-562 BC, most significant pagan King in Bible 90X
“My servant” Jer 25:9, 27:6, 43:10; “the lowest of men”
Saturated with gold, even more after plundering Tempe in Israel
90+ mile wall 375 ft high surrounded by moat you could run and turn 4 horse chariot on
Medo-Persia
Daniel 2:3939 Another kingdom inferior to you shall arise after you,
Conquered Babylonian Empire as Esther describes and ruled from Persia
2 arms in the statue are the divided empire into Medes & Persians
Greece
Daniel 2:39 and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth.
Ruled by Alexander the Great who conquered Persia
Called the Bronze Age – soldiers bronze helmets, breastplates, shields, swords
Rome
Daniel 2:40 And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all these. 41 And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay. 42 And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle. 43 As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay.
60 yrs before Christ succeeded Greece as the world superpower
Overtook many nations, cultures, peoples
Ruled in Jesus day, crucified the King of Kings
Eventually fell apart into 10 toes -scattered nations and cultures (AD 476)
2 legs may refer division Roman Empire AD 395 into Eastern Byzantine headquartered Constantinople & Western Roman empire headquartered Rome
Deteroriating of metals to clay may indicate devolution of human life on the earth
History – focused on Jesus so 1st and 2nd coming collapsed in timeline
Rome conquered the world but could not control itself. The same is true of us.
The point was that God allowed the Roman Empire to exist so that Jesus would be born into that world with peace and free travel to go global
= The God who wrote the Word rules the world
The Promise
Daniel 2:44 And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, 45 just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.”
Stone = Jesus Ps 118:22 The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.
Made without human hands may be 1). virgin birth 2). Kingdom
Jesus Kingdom started small & ends huge
Kingdom of God already/not yet. In Unseen Realm. Coming Seen Realm
= CBC vs Espn Classics. News vs History Channel
The Promotion
Daniel 2:46 Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and paid homage to Daniel, and commanded that an offering and incense be offered up to him. 47 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.” 48 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.49 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.
Nebuchadnezzar
You can revere God in your mind but not receive God in your heart
Big difference between admiring God’s power and experiencing God’s power
People are free. God is the captain of ship.
The king bowed before Daniel like he was a god – people worship people
Daniel
Be a good citizen up to the point that you can no longer be a good Christian
Your faith is to be public not private
Spirit-filled like Jesus = signs and wonders follow those who follow the Lord
Faith is building your life on God’s character and control even when you don’t see what He is doing, don’t like what is happening, & don’t agree w/His timing
He’s in the Jesus seat maybe around 20 years old
Close
Luke 1:32-33 [Gabriel] He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no
Wise Men – descendants magi (magicians) looking for Jesus (600 yrs later)
We live on the threshold of the end
One day Jesus will return as King and set up kingdom
You will raise from death
One day you will get a seat to rule the Kingdom from like Daniel
Until then 1). Surrender to the Spirit of God so you can War against the Spirit of Babylon 2). live Kingdom Down 3). Get Bible teaching out to Babylon and see what God does until we see our King Jesus Christ!
To help you study the book of Daniel in a men’s group setting, each week we will post notes and small group questions from Real Men men’s ministry based on that week’s sermon on the markdriscoll.org blog.
To help you study the book of Daniel in a group setting, each week we will post small group questions based on that week’s sermon on the markdriscoll.org blog.
KINGDOM DOWN: The spirit of Babylon vs The Spirit of God Daniel Chapter 1
Election year will dominate the news and make a lot of noise
Christians will be pulled left & right
I want you to go up & live Kingdom down in Babylon
Babylon – ancient nation, demonic spirit creating counterfeits
Rev.17:5 “mother of prostitutes”, “Babylon the great” falls (Rev. 14,16,17,18)
Sodom & Gomorrah, Nazi Germany, N Korea, Iran, cartels, trafficking, political platforms, media, entertainment, social media – wants to overtake every sphere
The spirit of Babylon wants to topple you
1:1-2 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.
· 605 BC (Ezekiel, Jeremiah, possibly Habakkuk)
· Lev 25:1-4,26:34,42 rest land 7th yr, ignored 490, owe 70 (2 Chr 36:21,Jer 25:1-14)
Is 39:6-7 the days are coming, when all that is in your house, and that which your fathers have stored up…shall be carried to Babylon. Nothing shall be left…your own sons…shall be taken away, and…be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon
Daniel
Teenager – book covers 69 years into 80’s
POW/Trafficking – 700 mi walk – abused, hungry, dehydrated, exhausted, scared
Innocent & suffering (God disciplines His kids)
King Jehoiakim
Only Jewish King in Daniel, godless 17th king burned Scriptures (Jeremiah 36:23)
In taking the vessels, they think their god are stronger (superstitious)
spirit of Babylon (counterfeit)
Shinar Genesis 11:2 is Babel/Babylon, today Iraq (#1 military & economic power)
Slavery – the spirit of Babylon wants to own and control you
God
2 realms (seen/unseen) – “the Lord gave” (1 of 3 times chapter 1)
God is in control of who is in control. God’s Kingdom is over every nation.
The spirit of Babylon wants to train you
Daniel 1:3-5 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.
Daniel & friends – high IQ, high EQ, handsome, royal family
Eunuch – never consummated marriage or conceived a child
spirit of Babylon
Reverse evangelism
Brainwash – schools and curriculum, colleges. 1). Stay away 2). Bring God in
Daniel
No generational rebellion, youthful indiscretion, adolescence
The spirit of Babylon wants to tempt you
Daniel 1:5-7 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.
3 Kinds People in Daniel
1. Godly – tempted w/comfort, food, drink, rebellious identity (teen boys)
2. Godless – doing tempting
3. Ungodly Believer? – lukewarm, backslid, reversible jersey Believer or Babylonian?
Hebrew Name Babylonian Name
Daniel “God is my judge” Belteshazzar “Bel protects his life”
Hananiah “Yahweh is gracious” Shadrach “The command of Aku”
Mishael “Who is what God is?” Meshack “Who is what Aku is?”
Azariah “Yahweh is my helper” Abed-Nego “Servant of Nebo”
They never refer to themselves by their new name.
Daniel “God is my judge” – live for audience of 1
The world can change your name. God can change your nature.
Don’t let what others put on you get in you
The Spirit of God sends you
Daniel 1:8-16 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. And God gave Daniel favor and compassion in the sight of the chief of the eunuchs, 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.” Then Daniel said to the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had assigned over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, “Test your servants for ten days; let us be given vegetables to eat and water to drink. 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.” So he listened to them in this matter, and tested them for ten days. 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. So the steward took away their food and the wine they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.
spirit of Babylon vs Spirit of God – Daniel 4:8, 4:18 spirit of Elohim in Daniel
Witness at work
Counterfeit communion w/Satan (Gen. 3) – offered to pagan demon gods like Marduk
May have violated kosher OT laws
Courteous & respectful in disagreement, gave option
His “boss” liked & sympathized w/them
Faith is giving up control of the future
Do what is right even if everything goes wrong (need miracle, God did not promise)
The Spirit of God strengthens you
Daniel 1:17-20 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. 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. 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. 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.
Naïve vs wise
You need the Spirit in you and godly friends around you
Like Jesus they grew in wisdom, stature, & favor as young men by the Spirit
The Spirit of God sustains you
Daniel 1:21 And Daniel was there until the first year of King Cyrus.
1:21 king of Persia/Iran conquered Babylon/Iraq
Lived 69 years into 80’s & outlived Babylonian empire (13 kings 14 kingdoms)
1:2 “the Lord gave Jehoiakim king of Judah into his hand”
1:9“God gave Daniel favor” (2 of 3X)
1:17 “God gave them learning & skill”
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
Jesus is the greater Daniel. Both went from the glory royalty, to the humility of poverty, and returned to glory in royalty. Both went from their home to enter into a world that was dark and opposed to them and all that they believed. Both were filled with the Holy Spirit. Both travelled with a few faithful friends through adversity and hardship. Both had tremendous wisdom for making ethical decisions under duress. Both were given incredible authority helping rule over the kingdoms of Babylon (Daniel) and Heaven (Jesus). Neither married a woman or fathered children. Both were forced to walk to their doom in chains. Both stopped to pray for wisdom throughout their arduous journey through this world. The Bible has nothing bad to say about either man. Both men were wrongly accused and arrested on false charges, even though the political leaders overseeing the process declared them innocent. Both men were placed in a tomb/pit with a stone covering the entrance from which they were both miraculously delivered alive. Both men had exemplary character, humbly stood against demonic evil, and suffered greatly for their loyalty. Today, both men are together and Daniel is serving King Jesus in the Kingdom of God.
To take a deeper dive into the study of the book of Daniel, click the link below for a 6000+ word document on major themes, characters, and how to study the book.
Find Joy Even When You Feel Stressed: Philippians 3:17-4:7
With holidays over, everyone is dealing with stress
Travel, weight, spending, family, work
What are you anxious about?
What keeps you up at night?
What is the first thing on your mind in the morning?
What signs is your body giving you (fight or flight)
Mood swings, exhaustion, nervous twitch, brain fog, canker sores, weight gain or loss, panic moments feeling overwhelmed, fantasies about dying or running away, bad sleep patterns, high blood pressure, self medicating, grumpiness, aggressive driving, heart or stomach issues
My testimony until recently
3 Solutions
Lose –escalates to panic attacks & isolation (vs solitude)
Win – try to overcome anxiety on my own (self help/self savior)
Worship – inviting God into my anxiety
Are You Living Hell Up or Heaven Down?
Philippians 3:17-4:1 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
Residence – where we are today
Citizenship – where we will be forever
Option 1 – Hell Up
Enemies Jesus, destruction, god belly/pleasure, glory shame, mind blind God/Heaven
Paul has “tears” like God who does not rejoice in death of the wicked
Option 2 – Heaven Down
Follow Jesus until we see Jesus
Which Relationships Are Strained?
Philippians 4:2-3 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
Two good godly women who had some relational strain
Invite in a godly person to help mend the relationships
Not necessarily a sin issue (sin never mentioned in the book)
Much of our stress anxiety is relational w/family and friends
Find Joy Even When You Feel Stressed
Philippians 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
the most popular You Version Bible verse from this year: Philippians 4:6
Grace’s life verse (and annual verse) e.g. Isaiah
Why? Stress, fear, worry, anxiety an epidemic
Paul understands – in jail, uncertain future, no family, far from friends, critics
Make every day Thanksgiving.
Find how you can “Rejoice in the Lord always” “with thanksgiving”
Make your will your rudder.
“Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.” -mental reasoning to make wise, faith-filled decisions that drive you forward into God’s will. This is the opposite of being unreasonable and allowing your emotions and circum-stances to steer you toward rocks that will sink you.
When you start to panic, stop to pray.
Spirit of fear
When you fear what you don’t want, figure out what you do want.
“let your requests be known to God”
Remove the spirit of fear by remembering the presence of God.
#1 command/invitation “Fear not,” – few hundred times, we forget God reminds
“the Lord is at hand”
The peace of God’s presence will guard/soldier your heart (emotions) mind (thoughts)
3 Reasons Fear is a Fraud
1). What you fear may not happen
2). Your fear may be more harmful to you than what you fear
3). Even if what you fear happens, you might be fine
Jesus Gethsemane – fear, anxiety, prayer, “if”, “your will be done”
Jesus endured all of our worst fears
Find Joy Even When You Feel Stressed: Philippians 3:17-4:7
With holidays over, everyone is dealing with stress
Travel, weight, spending, family, work
What are you anxious about?
What keeps you up at night?
What is the first thing on your mind in the morning?
What signs is your body giving you (fight or flight)
Mood swings, exhaustion, nervous twitch, brain fog, canker sores, weight gain or loss, panic moments feeling overwhelmed, fantasies about dying or running away, bad sleep patterns, high blood pressure, self medicating, grumpiness, aggressive driving, heart or stomach issues
My testimony until recently
3 Solutions
Lose –escalates to panic attacks & isolation (vs solitude)
Win – try to overcome anxiety on my own (self help/self savior)
Worship – inviting God into my anxiety
Are You Living Hell Up or Heaven Down?
Philippians 3:17-4:1 Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things. But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself. Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.
Residence – where we are today
Citizenship – where we will be forever
Option 1 – Hell Up
Enemies Jesus, destruction, god belly/pleasure, glory shame, mind blind God/Heaven
Paul has “tears” like God who does not rejoice in death of the wicked
Option 2 – Heaven Down
Follow Jesus until we see Jesus
Which Relationships Are Strained?
Philippians 4:2-3 I entreat Euodia and I entreat Syntyche to agree in the Lord. Yes, I ask you also, true companion, help these women, who have labored side by side with me in the gospel together with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
Two good godly women who had some relational strain
Invite in a godly person to help mend the relationships
Not necessarily a sin issue (sin never mentioned in the book)
Much of our stress anxiety is relational w/family and friends
Find Joy Even When You Feel Stressed
Philippians 4:4-7 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
the most popular You Version Bible verse from this year: Philippians 4:6
Grace’s life verse (and annual verse) e.g. Isaiah
Why? Stress, fear, worry, anxiety an epidemic
Paul understands – in jail, uncertain future, no family, far from friends, critics
Make every day Thanksgiving.
Find how you can “Rejoice in the Lord always” “with thanksgiving”
Make your will your rudder.
“Let your reasonableness be known to everyone.” -mental reasoning to make wise, faith-filled decisions that drive you forward into God’s will. This is the opposite of being unreasonable and allowing your emotions and circum-stances to steer you toward rocks that will sink you.
When you start to panic, stop to pray.
Spirit of fear
When you fear what you don’t want, figure out what you do want.
“let your requests be known to God”
Remove the spirit of fear by remembering the presence of God.
#1 command/invitation “Fear not,” – few hundred times, we forget God reminds
“the Lord is at hand”
The peace of God’s presence will guard/soldier your heart (emotions) mind (thoughts)
3 Reasons Fear is a Fraud
1). What you fear may not happen
2). Your fear may be more harmful to you than what you fear
3). Even if what you fear happens, you might be fine
Jesus Gethsemane – fear, anxiety, prayer, “if”, “your will be done”
Jesus endured all of our worst fears
Find Joy Even When You Feel Low: Philippians 2:1-11
Jesus = Joshua (God is salvation)
Christ = anointed Messiah
2000 yrs ago, mom, dad, brothers, 30 years, 3 yrs ministry
Resume simple
No book, political office, company, wife, kids
No travel more than few hundred miles
Started 11 + 1 & faced constant opposition
More books written about, paintings painted of, song sung to
Measure time BC/AD
Christmas – biggest holiday on planet earth BILLIONS
New Millenium Newsweek cover story “By any secular standard, Jesus is also the dominant figure of Western culture”
Religions – holy place headquarters vs Holy Person Head
Only founder of any religion who claimed to be God
Jesus Makes Selfish People Servants
Philippians 2:1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Culture = selfish
Kingdom = servants
Mark 9 & 10 – “who is greatest” & “right & left”
Mark 10:45 – serve & life as ransom †
Jesus is our servant
Jesus did what was in our best interest at His expense
Jesus wants a relationship with you that is the template for all your relationships
3 Kinds of Relationships
Selfish + Selfish = competitive relationship
Selfish + Servant = cruel relationship
Servant + Servant = close relationship
Jesus Makes Proud People Humble
Philippians 2:5-8 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Pride
Self-esteem, self-improvement, self-actualization
West – Book of Virtues
James 4:6 & 1 Peter 5:5 “Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
Humility
Humility is not thinking less of yourself, but thinking of yourself less
Because of our sinfulness and fallen world pride is like gravity we have to fight
Jesus Christ greatest Person in history because He’s the most Humble.
Jesus Christ is the most beloved Person because He’s the most humble.
Pride Humility
Our greatest enemy Our greatest friend
Compares to others Compares to Jesus
Criticizes others success Celebrates others success
About me About Jesus & others
Arrogance Confidence
Independence Dependence
A destination A direction
We don’t become humble by focusing on our pride
We do become humble by focusing on Jesus’ Humility
Heaven – earth
God – man Humble incarnation “in flesh”
Worked job, lived poor, died
2 Cor. 5:21
God-man mediator Fully God Fully Man to reconcile us & God
Example – Soren Kierkegaard prince parable and peasant
Jesus Makes Dead People Alive
Philippians 2:9-11 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father
Jesus day
Nero was high on a throne as “Lord”
Jesus was low in a manger, homeless, cross, grave
Today
Nero is low
Jesus is high
Today you are low
Tomorrow you will be raised up high with Jesus! = Joy!!!