Culture Shift

Pastor Jay begins a new series this week out of the book of Daniel with this week’s message, Culture Shift. How do we live in an ever changing culture? This teaching examines Daniel chapter 1, outlining how Daniel responded to the culture shift he experienced. Through this we learn that the culture can change our identity, test us and claim us.

CULTURE SHIFT – DANIEL WEEK 1

Daniel 1:1-6 – 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 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. Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring in some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility–young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning, well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians. The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service. Among these were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. 

When Culture Shifts 

Daniel 1:7 – The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego. 

1. When culture shifts, it will try to rename you. 

• Daniel – God is my judge
• Beltshazzar – Bel or lady, protect the King

• Hananiah – Yahweh has been gracious
• Shadrach – I am fearful of God

• Mishael – Who is like our God
• Meshach – I am despised, contemptible and humiliated

• Azariah – Yahweh has helped me
• Abednego – Servant of Nebo

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. 

2. When culture shifts, you will be tested.

Daniel 1:9-14 – Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel, but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink.Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.” Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.” So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.

3. When culture shifts, it will try to claim you. 

Daniel 1:15-20 – At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead. To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds. At the end of the time set by the king to bring them into his service, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service. In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.

• How do I live when the culture shifts?
• Will I change the culture or will the culture change me?
• Will my identity come from God or from the culture?
• Will I set the culture or reflect the culture?

Three choices when the culture shifts:

1.Separate from the culture: rooted in fear and self-preservation.

2.Assimilate and become like the culture: results in compromise.

3.Remain faithful to a faithful God: live as a committed minority.