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Oct 04, 2020

God Speaks for the Trees

God Speaks for the Trees

Passage: Daniel

Speaker: Patrick Lafferty

Series: Of Kings and Kingdoms - Daniel

Keywords: test, favor, gave

Human authority and God’s authority: how do they relate? Is God pulling all the strings or hanging back to watch? Or something else? How does any of it apply to our moment--or even to a new pastor among us?

Order of Worship

PRE SERVICE: Daniel 4:25
PRAYER: Humility in Service (The Valley of Vision)
CALL TO WORSHIP: Philippians 2:5-11
NT READING: Mark 4:26-32
MESSAGE TITLE: God Speaks for the Trees
CENTRAL TEXT: Daniel 4:4-37
BENEDICTION: Jude 1:24-25
POST SERVICE: Daniel 4:37

Readings & Scripture

PRE SERVICE: Daniel 4:25
...you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.

PRAYER: Humility in Service (The Valley of Vision)
LEADER: O Mighty God, we humble ourselves for opportunities neglected, and words ill-advised.

ALL: We repent of our folly, inconsiderate ways, and paths of unbelief

LEADER: Fill us with an over-flowing ocean of compassion, Bury our sins in the cleansing blood of Jesus. The reign of love our motive and the law of love our rule.

ALL: O God of all grace, make us more thankful, more humble, and continually work in us our deep need of Your ongoing mercy, rescue, and guidance.

LEADER: That faith may adhere us to Jesus. Thy Spirit drawing and leading; making known the riches found as sons and daughters in His finished work.

ALL: Lord Jesus, give us repentance unto life. And lead us in the way everlasting.

CALL TO WORSHIP: Philippians 2:5-11
LEADER: 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name,

ALL: 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

NT READING: Mark 4:26-32
LEADER: The Bible is one complete story all pointing to the finished work of Christ and the hope of this good news. Our Central Text for today is found in the Old Testament and so our New Testament Reading related to this week's message and themes is found in Mark 4:10-12 &30-32.

10 And when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables. 11 And he said to them, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables, 12 so that “they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand,lest they should turn and be forgiven.”
30 And he said, “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable shall we use for it? 31 It is like a grain of mustard seed, which, when sown on the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth, 32 yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes larger than all the garden plants and puts out large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade.”
This is God’s word.

CENTRAL TEXT: Daniel 4:4-37

4 I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace. 5 I saw a dream that made me afraid. As I lay in bed the fancies and the visions of my head alarmed me. 6 So I made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me, that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. 7 Then the magicians, the enchanters, the Chaldeans, and the astrologers came in, and I told them the dream, but they could not make known to me its interpretation. 8 At last Daniel came in before me—he who was named Belteshazzar after the name of my god, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods—and I told him the dream, saying, 9 “O Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too difficult for you, tell me the visions of my dream that I saw and their interpretation. 10 The visions of my head as I lay in bed were these: I saw, and behold, a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. 11 The tree grew and became strong, and its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. 12 Its leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beasts of the field found shade under it, and the birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it. 13 “I saw in the visions of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven. 14 He proclaimed aloud and said thus: ‘Chop down the tree and lop off its branches, strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit. Let the beasts flee from under it and the birds from its branches. 15 But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, amid the tender grass of the field. Let him be wet with the dew of heaven. Let his portion be with the beasts in the grass of the earth. 16 Let his mind be changed from a man’s, and let a beast’s mind be given to him; and let seven periods of time pass over him. 17 The sentence is by the decree of the watchers, the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the lowliest of men.’ 18 This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw. And you, O Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation, because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation, but you are able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in you.”
19 Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was dismayed for a while, and his thoughts alarmed him. The king answered and said, “Belteshazzar, let not the dream or the interpretation alarm you.” Belteshazzar answered and said, “My lord, may the dream be for those who hate you and its interpretation for your enemies! 20 The tree you saw, which grew and became strong, so that its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth, 21 whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which beasts of the field found shade, and in whose branches the birds of the heavens lived— 22 it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your dominion to the ends of the earth. 23 And because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze, in the tender grass of the field, and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beasts of the field, till seven periods of time pass over him,’ 24 this is the interpretation, O king: It is a decree of the Most High, which has come upon my lord the king, 25 that you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. You shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, till you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will. 26 And as it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree, your kingdom shall be confirmed for you from the time that you know that Heaven rules. 27 Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you: break off your sins by practicing righteousness, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the oppressed, that there may perhaps be a lengthening of your prosperity.”
28 All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 and the king answered and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?” 31 While the words were still in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, 32 and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. And you shall be made to eat grass like an ox, and seven periods of time shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” 33 Immediately the word was fulfilled against Nebuchadnezzar. He was driven from among men and ate grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair grew as long as eagles’ feathers, and his nails were like birds’ claws. 34 At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; 35 all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing,
and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?” 36 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my majesty and splendor returned to me. My counselors and my lords sought me, and I was established in my kingdom, and still more greatness was added to me. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

BENEDICTION: Jude 1:24-25
LEADER: 24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,

ALL: 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

POST SERVICE: Daniel 4:37
37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURES:

  • Psalm 73
  • 1 Kings 21:20-29
  • Isaiah 39
  • Jeremiah 18:7-8
  • Matthew 6:9-10
  • Mark 4:30-32
  • John 19:1-11
  • Philippians 2:5-8

ILLUSTRATIONS:

InView Media 10.4.20 Album

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

  1. Let’s have a debate. If God is in control of all things how can we account for the rise of authorities who perpetrate atrocities? If God has no such control on what basis would we think Him capable of making all things new someday? Yes, the questions are meant to make you scratch your head but they are worth thinking about. 
  2. What are the most obvious ideas this passage is out to teach—about the nature of human authority? What’s your first response to what it claims? 
  3. Focus just on the image of the dream/vision. It tells a story, sure. But what might it suggest about the nature and purpose of authority? Explain your answer. 
  4. Describe Daniel’s apparent attitude toward Nebuchadnezzar. Is he out to thwart his captor’s will? Why or why not? Is he out slavishly  to do all his captor asks? Why or why not? (Look even  more widely from this chapter for more evidence). 
  5. Have you ever had to speak truth to those in authority over you like Daniel did with Nebuchadnezzar? If so, what was it like? What did you have to believe to do that?
  6. What would you say are people with authority most tempted with? Why those do you think?
  7. What would you say are pastors most tempted with in the authority entrusted to them? Why those do you think?

 Quotes

  • You would have no authority over me at all unless it had been given you from above. Therefore he who delivered me over to you has the greater sin. (John 19:11)
  • The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest of all seeds, but when it has grown it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches. (Matthew 13:31-32)
  • I think that I shall never see
    A poem lovely as a tree.

    A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
    Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;

    A tree that looks at God all day,
    And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

    A tree that may in Summer wear
    A nest of robins in her hair;

    Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
    Who intimately lives with rain.

    Poems are made by fools like me,
    But only God can make a tree.
    - Joyce Kilmer, “Trees”