APRIL 20, 2008 – “DO THE RIGHT THING"
TEXT: Daniel 1:1-16 Page 625 in the pew Bible.
(Read 1:1-10)
I.
(vs.1-2) RESOLVE
TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT IN GOD’S EYES WHEN THINGS SEEM TO GO WRONG, FOR GOD IS AT WORK
(II Chronicles 36:6) “Nebuchadnezzar
king of
(Daniel 1:2) “And the Lord delivered Jehoiakim king
of
(II Kings 24:3) “Surely
these things happened to
(Romans 11:33) “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!”
(I Timothy 1:17) “Now
to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for
ever and ever. Amen.”
(II Chronicles 20:6) “…O
Lord, God of our fathers, are you not the God who is in heaven? You rule over
all the kingdoms of the nations. Power and might are in your hand, and no one
can withstand you.”
(Dietrich Bonheoffer)“We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God. God will be constantly crossing our paths and canceling our plans.”
(Philippians 4:11) “I
am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content
whatever the circumstances.”
(Philippians 4:13) “I
can do everything through him who gives me strength.”
II.
(vs.3-7) RESOLVE
TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT IN GOD’S EYES WHEREVER YOU ARE, FOR GOD IS AT WORK
(Joshua 1:9) “Have I
not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be
discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”
(Genesis 28:15) “I am
with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to
this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”
(Exodus 33:14) “The
Lord replied, ‘My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.’”
(Matthew 28:20b) “…And
surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
(Charles Killian) “I need to be continually sensitive to the surprising places where God can meet me.”
(I Peter 2:11-12) “Dear
friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful
desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that,
though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify
God on the day he visits us.”
III. (vs. 5 & 8) RESOLVE TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT
IN GOD’S EYES REGARDLESS OF THE
TEMPTATION, FOR GOD IS AT WORK
(Daniel 1:8) “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 this
way.”
(Romans 6:13) “Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of
wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought
from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness.”
(Hebrews 11:25) “He chose to be mistreated along with the
people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time.”
(Preacher William Ward) “Temptation can cause us to succumb, sink, sin or stand.”
(Franklin Jones) “What makes
resisting temptation difficult for many people is they don’t want to discourage
it completely.”
(I Corinthians 10:13) “No temptation has seized you except what is
common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what
you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that
you can stand up under it.”
IV.
(vs. 9-16) RESOLVE
TO DO WHAT IS RIGHT IN GOD’S EYES WITHOUT COMPROMISE, FOR GOD IS AT WORK
“The hardest thing to learn in life is which bridge to cross and which to burn.”
(Daniel 1:8) “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 this way.”
(Romans 12:2) “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be
transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and
approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
(Daniel 1:9) “Now God had
caused the official to show favor and sympathy to Daniel.”
(Exodus 33:13a) “…teach me your ways so I may
know you and continue to find favor with you.”
(Psalm 25:4-a) “Show me your ways, O Lord, teach
me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior,
and my hope is in you all day long.”
(James 1:5) “If any of you lacks wisdom, he
should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will
be given to him.”
(Psalm 119:105) “Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light for my path.”
(John 16:13a) “But when he, the Spirit of truth,
comes, he will guide you into all truth.”
(Hebrews 11:33) “…who through faith conquered
kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the
mouths of lions...”
(Hebrews 11:36-37) “Some faced jeers and
flogging, while still others were chained and put in prison. They were stoned;
they were sawed in two; they were put to death by the sword. They went about in
sheepskins and goatskins, destitute, persecuted and mistreated.”
(Deuteronomy 6:5) “Love the Lord your God with
all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”
(II Timothy 4:17) “But the Lord stood at my side
and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed
and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion’s mouth.”