Group Notes | August 20
Flannelgraph of Faith: Daniel
August 20, 2017
Pastor Jonathan Falwell
Open:
Last week we talked about a time when you stood alone against a crowd. Perhaps during this past week you’ve remembered other examples. Did any of them cost you something important, perhaps a job, a fiancé, or possibly even threaten your life? Can you share?
This series, using the modern version of a flannelgraph, has taken on new dimensions as we’ve looked at the old stories we learned as children, reframing them with applications for our lives in today’s world. Last week we saw the courage of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and this week we will see their friend, Daniel, who chose to worship only the one true God, even when it seemed certain it would cost him his life.
Focal Passages: Daniel 1:8-20, 6:1-27
Discuss:
Background:
- Read Daniel 1:8-20. These four Hebrew boys of royal blood were taken from their families and homes to Babylon, and put in training to serve Nebuchadnezzar, the king. Why did God bless them so richly?
Being Faithful in the Tough Times Is Vital
- Years passed, and Daniel was now serving under King Darius, who set up a parliament, making it easier to rule over his kingdom. Read Daniel 6:3, and paraphrase what positions his rulers had. (Satraps were like “mayors.”)
- What was the plan they wanted the king to make into a 30-day law, and what was their motive? Why would you expect Daniel to be aware of it?
- When Daniel knew the bill had been officially signed, what did he do? Why did he do this? What do you think he was thanking God for, in this coming situation?
Our Faithfulness Will Be Noticed by Even Those Against Us
- What was going to happen to anyone found breaking the law?
- Read 6:14,16. What happened when the king realized he had been duped? What were some of the differences Darius saw in Daniel that caused him to care so deeply for him? (Do you make that much difference at your work?)
Our Faithfulness Breeds Confidence When We Need It Most
- Read 6:18-20. How did the king spend the night? What can we learn from these verses of action that can be taken before a huge testing?
- Do you think Darius expected Daniel to be alive? Why or why not?
Our Faithfulness Changes Others
- Read 6: 24. What action did the king take when he found Daniel’s God had saved him?
- Read 6:25-26. What was the new law he immediately enacted?
Our Faithfulness is Only Possible When It Comes from the Heart
- Read Dan.1:8 again; what type of lifestyle had Daniel purposed for his life?
- Would any of his authority, promotions, integrity or wisdom have happened if he was not sincere in his love for God? (How about yours?)
Close:
Daniel lived a life we can all wish for, but few choose: he stayed true to God from his youth up! He began at home, surely, before being taken captive to Babylon. There, he made the choice to follow his God and chose to obey what he knew to be right. He never deviated from that decision, and God used him to help rule a kingdom, impacting the lives of at least three kings.
Jesus wants us to take the good news of the kingdom to the world. Had Daniel and his three friends stayed in their little clique, they would possibly have impacted no one. By following God’s principles and loving Him, they allowed themselves to be used by God in a pagan society, where they attained high authority and had much influence. Are you going into the world with the Good News? We find that if we’re not careful, our circle of friends becomes more Christ-centered, and although we can grow, have great fellowship, and love God, we are not moving toward loving our neighbors who are very different from us. Let us strive to learn the lesson that Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego teaches us, to hold onto God in all the good times as well as the bad, and to affect the people with whom we come in contact. We do this through loving them. Pray for opportunities this week to love on someone, getting to know them, in order to earn the right to tell them of Jesus.
Memory Verse: Daniel 6:27: He delivers and rescues, and He works signs and wonders, in heaven and on earth, Who has delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.
Ask Yourself: Would I describe my faith in God as half-hearted? If so, it will never deliver me from the lions’ den.