Living in Babylon – being centred, grounded and making a difference in Christ
Introduction
Title: Living in Babylon
Being centred, grounded and making a difference in Christ
Quote from the late Michael Moseley
If time is tight – what one thing would you do that might make a difference?
This is true of our physical and spiritual wellbeing
Example
Daniel living in Babylon – chapter 9
Background in Genesis 11, Zech 5
A place where sin and the rejection of God is worshipped
Comparison of Jerusalem and Babylon
Key to understanding Daniel’s prayer
Daniel exiled at the age of 14
Living in a man-centred world
68 years later – at 82 years of age
He has stood for God and his faith is as fresh as ever
A prayer for those living in Babylonian situations
Christians citizenship is of heaven
Yet live in a place that is often anti-God
To be centred, grounded and making a difference for our Lord
Centred
What is the centre of your life and affection?
Example of the Olympics
If we are not centred on God we will drift
Quote/Question from James Smith – "what do you want?"
This is often the most piercing question of Jesus
Is what we think we love and what we actually love the same?
Daniel shows us in 3 ways from his prayer who to remain centred:
Language
Name of God
Attention to God’s personal word
Language
The Book of Daniel is written in 3 languages
But the prayer is in Hebrew
Name of God
Personal name of the Lord – Yahweh
Not Adonai
He will not bow to others
Attention to God’s personal word
This has been his reference
The Scriptures had been exiled in Jerusalem
Yet Daniel could meet God through His word (v2)
We can meet God through His word
Jer 29:10 – He knows that the 70 years is almost up
Are we growing in our knowledge of God through the reading of His word?
Example
The daily reading of God’s word
Grounded
Grounded in God’s Character
Building our lives on the truth of how we are living in relation to God
Example of lawyers
Daniel’s prayer is grounded in the reality of who we are compared to God
Sin
The character of God
A prayer of confession (v4)
The attitude of prayer (v3) – of repentance
The contrast of our sin and God’s grace/mercy
v7
Terms for sin
Falling short of the expected standard – v5, 8, 11, 16
Sinned
Rebelled
Not obeyed
Been disloyal
Broken His law
He does not gloss over his sin
Even though he seems a man of great integrity
After living for 68 years in Babylon – he has seen the seriousness of sin
Do we take our sin lightly?
Trust in Jesus
Live a confessional life
Where the trend of our lives is towards God
Making a Difference
God being in control
He chooses to work in response to our prayers
Daniel knows Jeremiah’s prophecies
He knows that God is in control
He knows that God is about to act – it is nearly 70 years
He also knows that God seeks to act through His people
Jer 29:10
Thus Daniel is seeking God whole heartedly (v3)
Quote from Oswald Chambers – "prayer is where we do our best work"
He prays because he believes God’s word
He is specific, direct and bold (v18/19)
He leans into the purposes and character of God
He knows His people matter to God
How do our prayers compare to Daniel’s prayer?
Examples to help us grow in our prayer life
Did it make a difference? – Yes
Because he was beloved and greatly treasured (v23)
We are beloved and greatly treasured
God answers his prayer for the restoration of Jerusalem (v25)
Daniel did not know all
There was a veiled prophecy of the Messiah (v24)
Closing Remarks
Daniel was centred and ground in Christ
Daniel made a tremendous difference
In his and future times
What one thing will we do that is centred, grounded and makes a difference for Christ?
That we might finish well like Daniel