Culture's Greatest Test

In this week’s message Pastor Jay continues the Daniel series, sharing out of chapters 3 and 6 on how Daniel continued to worship and pray to God despite being a part of a culture that commanded him not to. Pastor Jay teaches and helps us see that the battle over worship is one of our greatest tests.

CULTURE SHIFT – DANIEL 3: CULTURE’S GREATEST TEST

CULT: a system of religious devotion (worship) directed toward a particular figure.

CULTURE: is derived from how and what people worship.

COUNTER-CULTURE: a subculture whose values and norms of behavior differ substantially from those of the mainstream society, often in opposition to mainstream cultural mores.

Daniel 3:1-6 – King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, ninety feet high and nine feet wide, and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. He then summoned the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials to come to the dedication of the image he had set up. So the satraps, prefects, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates and all the other provincial officials assembled for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up, and they stood before it. Then the herald loudly proclaimed, “This is what you are commanded to do, O peoples, nations and men of every language: As soon as you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes and all kinds of music, you must fall down and worship the image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. Whoever does not fall down and worship will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace.” 

Daniel 6:5-9 – Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.” So the administrators and the satraps went as a group to the king and said: “O King Darius, live forever! The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or man during the next thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be thrown into the lions’ den. Now, O king, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered–in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” So King Darius put the decree in writing. 

THE BATTLE OVER WORSHIP

2 Thessalonians 2:3-4 – Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God. 

Revelation 13:14-17 – Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. 

1. Exalt man above God. 

Daniel 3:16-18 –Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.” 

2. Stop the worship of God. 

Daniel 6:10-12 – Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or man except to you, O king, would be thrown into the lions’ den?” The king answered, “The decree stands–in accordance with the laws of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” 

Mark 12:30 – Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.

Heart and Soul: Affection or Emotions

What do you love the most?

Mind:Attention

What do I think about the most?

Strength:Abilities

What do I do the most?

CULTURE’S GREATEST TEST

• Who you will not worship?

2 Chronicles 16:9 – For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. 

• Who you will worship?

John 4:23 – Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.