Uncommonly Rise Up
Notes
Transcript
Handout
1 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.” 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.
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. 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.
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.
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. 39 Another kingdom inferior to you shall arise after you, and yet a third kingdom of bronze, which shall rule over all the earth. 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. 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.”
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.
Series Breakdown
What it means to be “uncommon” (godly) in an common (ungodly) world.
Last week: Christians are uncommon
TRUTH: UNCOMMON PEOPLE RISE UP AND POINT PEOPLE TO GOD
HOOK
HOOK
HOOK
HOOK
Illustration: Teacher, coach, etc. asking for volunteers to answer/demonstrate.
“Please someone besides me rise up.”
“Please someone besides me step up up.”
We’ve all been in situations where we did not want to step up or rise up?
Taking that “step of faith” almost always feels nerve-racking. In a way, when we step up and decide to act, we feel like we are uncommon in an extent. And as a matter of fact, you are. You are no longer the common one but uncommon, sticking out from the crowd.
This is exactly what happened to Daniel as a situation in his life arose and he was left with a choice.
GODS WORD
GODS WORD
Summary of 2:1-23
King Nebuchadnezzar had a dream that troubled him and asked for the his wise men to come and interpret the dream for him. If they could not, everyone of them would be torn limb from limb and their houses be destroyed.
The men responded by saying “This task is too difficult. No one can do this except the gods, whose dwelling is not with flesh.”
The king was furious and put a decree out that all the wise men be destroyed. Daniel heard & rose up.
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.
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.
Daniel 2:
At this moment we see Daniel rise up.
Daniel 1:14-
In the night the mystery of the king’s dream was revealed to Daniel. Therefore, Daniel rose up.
“No one else will. Someone has to do something & that someone is going to be me.”
I wonder if Daniel had been in situations like this before - maybe not as extreme, life or death, but situations that caused him to be uncommon in the midst of common complacency.
I wonder if Daniel had been in situations like this before - maybe not as extreme, life or death, but situations that caused him to be uncommon in the midst of common complacency.
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. Then Daniel blessed the God of heaven.
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.”
Daniel 2:17-
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.”
Daniel 2:24-
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.”
TRUTH: UNCOMMON PEOPLE RISE UP AND POINT PEOPLE TO GOD
> Daniel knew the gravity/weight of the situation. This was a matter of life and death.
> Daniel knew the gravity/weight of the situation. This was a matter of life and death.
> Went to his friends and seek their God of heaven.
Daniel urges that God be sought for needed prayers -
Daniel gives credit to God - in private and public
he was uncommon in private and public
> Daniel did not stay seated, but stood up.
Q - What would have happened if Daniel would have stayed seated?
A - Many men, including himself, would have died.
> Daniel was uncommon. He did not let fear and uncertainty keep him from being uncommon. The need to rise up for Daniel was the fact that others around him needed him.
Q - What made Daniel uncommon in this situation?
A - His God.
> The only choice Daniel had was to step up and ask God to use him.
>> As a result, Daniel was a life-saver for those God had put around him.
> The answer for the situation was obvious to Daniel - lets go to God. Daniel was a difference maker because of it.
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.
King Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged the God of heaven and blessed Daniel and his three friends. All because Daniel pointed everyone to God. Everyone was looking to themselves for the answer. Daniel knew where the solution was - in God.
LOOK
LOOK
There are situations all around us that call us to rise up and lead the good of others. God is seeking those who will rise up, be uncommon, and make an impact on those around them for His glory - even when it’s hard.
God is seeking those who will rise up, be uncommon, and make an impact on those around them for His glory - even when it’s hard.
God
We cannot sit back and hope someone else volunteers to do the job - God wants you to be ONE who rises up.
Here’s what you have to understand students, you cannot rise up and make a difference if you aren’t doing the small things an uncommon Christ follower does.
Maybe for you it’s you need to just start being an uncommon person that seeks and follows the Lord
Daily time with God in the Word & prayer
Prioritizing church on the weekly
Linking arms with Christian friends
Maybe for you it’s you need to start rising up like Daniel:
Be uncommon and forgive
Be uncommon and point people to Jesus instead of yourself
Be uncommon and choose not to be in drama.
Be uncommon and choose not to be in drama.
Be uncommon and have morals that match the faith in Christ you profess.
Be uncommon and have morals
At the end of the day, Daniel knew that God had called him to rise up. And that’s what he did.
And because of that, many men were pointed to the one true living God.