Centennial Park Baptist Church – Sunday September 6th, 2009 – 10:30 am

 

RESISTING PRESSURE

 

Scripture:  DANIEL 1

 

Theme of the Book of Daniel – Daniel 1: 1-2

 

            Daniel's Training in Babylon

 1 In the third year of the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. 2 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.

 

GOD IS IN CHARGE!

 

Why did God allow Jerusalem to be captured?

 

Because the children of Israel had persistently D______________________________.

 

God withdrew His hand of blessings and allowed them to come into captivity.  This was prophesied in Habakkuk 1: 5-6.  “ I ( God) am raising up the Babylonians… to seize dwelling places not their own.”

 

Daniel and His 3 Friends – Teenage POW’S

 

Nebuchadnezzar has a 4-part plan

 

1.         ISOLATION - Daniel 1:3

3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring in some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility

 

2.         INDOCTRINATION - Daniel 1:4

4youths in whom was no defect, who were good-looking, showing intelligence in every branch of wisdom, endowed with understanding and discerning knowledge, and who had ability for serving in the king's court; and he ordered him to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans.

 

3.         IN–FOOD -TRATION - Daniel 1:5

5The king appointed for them a daily ration from the king's choice food and from the wine which he drank, and appointed that they should be educated three years, at the end of which they were to enter the king's personal service.

 

Nebuchadnezzar wanted them to be accustomed to the good life that they would never be tempted to return to their old ways.

 

4.         INVALIDATION- Daniel 1: 6-7

6Now among them from the sons of Judah were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.  7Then the commander of the officials assigned new names to them; and to Daniel he assigned the name Belteshazzar, to Hananiah Shadrach, to Mishael Meshach and to Azariah Abed-nego

            In Jewish tradition the name was very, very significant.

            Daniel – God is my judge à Belteshazzar – Keeper of Baal’s treasure

 

Daniel says NO! – Daniel 1:8 – But Daniel Made up His Mind ( Purposed in his Heart) not to defile himself.  How could he do that, under such intensive peer pressure?

 

BIG DECISIONS ARE THE RESULT OF A SERIES OF LITTLE DECISIONS

 

A.        CONVICTIONS

 

B.         COURAGE

 

- Everywhere you see compromise in the Bible you also see a loss

 

C.        COURTESY

 

D.        GODLY CONSISTENCY

 

In Daniel 6, verses 4 and 5, Daniel’s enemies could find “no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy.”

 

Did Daniel influence future generations?

 

Personal Application

 

Major discovery in today’s message for me: ____________________________________

 

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Personal Application of truth about God: ______________________________________

 

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Application to my relationships with:

 

a. Family - ______________________________________________________________

 

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b. Friends - ______________________________________________________________

 

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c. Church Family - ________________________________________________________

 

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d. Society - ______________________________________________________________

 

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