Cultural Engagement — Angelina Linden, 7th July 2024 | LOVECHURCH Bournemouth

Summary

In this inspiring sermon, Angelina Lindon, the Kids Pastor, delves into the Book of Daniel, focusing on cultural engagement and the importance of being courageous witnesses in everyday life. She illustrates the challenges of maintaining faith amidst cultural pressures using the analogy of navigating London's tube system. Angelina emphasizes the need to know one's identity in Christ, to be faithful despite temptations, and to live distinctively, pointing to the everlasting kingdom. She encourages believers to stand out, share the hope of Jesus, and impact the world for Christ, drawing parallels between Daniel's experiences and the believer's mission today.

Takeaways

• 😇 The sermon focuses on cultural engagement as a Christian, drawing lessons from the Book of Daniel and his experiences in Babylon.
• 🌞 The preacher, Angelina Lindon, introduces herself as the kids pastor and shares her personal story of navigating the London tube to illustrate the courage needed to engage with culture.
• 🔑 Daniel is highlighted as a figure who knew his identity as a child of God and maintained it despite the pressures of Babylonian culture, serving as an example for believers today.
• 🙏 Daniel's decision to avoid defilement from the royal food and wine is emphasized as a demonstration of faithfulness to God, even when faced with temptation.
• 💪 The sermon encourages believers to be brave, stand out, and not conform to the world's standards, but to be transformed by the renewing of their minds.
• 📚 The story of Daniel's interpretation of Nebuchadnezzar's dream is used to discuss the temporal nature of worldly kingdoms compared to the everlasting kingdom of God.
• 🏆 The importance of building one's life on the foundation of Jesus Christ is underscored, as any other foundation will ultimately fail.
• 🌟 The sermon calls for Christians to live distinctively, not to fit in with the world, but to reflect the kingdom of God in their daily lives.
• 🤔 The audience is challenged to consider what they are building their lives upon, whether it be success, possessions, or their identity in Christ.
• 👫 The message includes a call to prayer and reliance on the Holy Spirit for empowerment to engage with culture as a witness for Christ.
• 💖 An invitation is extended for those who feel the need for hope, healing, or a renewed sense of confidence in their role in cultural engagement to come forward for prayer.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the sermon based on the script?

The main theme of the sermon is cultural engagement as seen through the life of Daniel, focusing on knowing one's identity in Christ, being faithful to God, and living distinctively to make a difference in the world.

Who is Angelina Lindon in the context of the script?

Angelina Lindon is the kids pastor at the church and is the one delivering the sermon on cultural engagement based on the Book of Daniel.

Why did the chief official give Daniel and his friends new names?

The chief official gave Daniel and his friends new names as part of the process to assimilate them into the Babylonian culture and to erase their Hebrew identity.

What was Daniel's response to the temptation of the royal food and wine?

Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, which he saw as a violation of his faith. He requested permission to eat vegetables and drink water instead.

How did Daniel demonstrate his faithfulness to God?

Daniel demonstrated his faithfulness to God by choosing not to eat the King's food and wine, which he believed would violate the Torah, and by relying on God's wisdom and guidance in all situations.

What was the significance of the dream in Daniel chapter 2?

The dream in Daniel chapter 2, involving a large statue made of different metals and a rock not cut by human hands, symbolizes the rise and fall of human kingdoms and the establishment of God's everlasting kingdom.

What does the sermon suggest about the importance of maintaining one's identity in Christ?

The sermon suggests that maintaining one's identity in Christ is crucial for engaging with culture effectively, as it provides a foundation of confidence and moral guidance.

How does the sermon relate the story of Daniel to modern-day believers?

The sermon relates the story of Daniel to modern-day believers by drawing parallels between the challenges Daniel faced in a foreign culture and the challenges believers face in engaging with their own culture while staying true to their faith.

What is the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer according to the sermon?

According to the sermon, the Holy Spirit plays a vital role in transforming believers from the inside out, empowering them to engage with the world without conforming to its ways, and helping them to live a life of faithfulness to God.

What is the final call to action for the congregation presented in the sermon?

The final call to action is for the congregation to step forward for prayer, to embrace their identity as children of God, to be faithful in their daily lives, and to live distinctively as witnesses for Christ in their culture.

Outlines

00:00

🌤 Welcoming Visitors and Introducing the Service

The speaker begins by welcoming visitors to a church service in Bournemouth, hoping for a sunny afternoon after a rainy morning. They mention the upcoming teaching by Angelina Lindon, the kids' pastor, who is married to David and has two children deeply involved in the church community. Angelina is praised for her preaching abilities and will continue the series on the Book of Daniel. Festus Adad Doan, a trustee, will read the scripture from Daniel chapter 1, verses 3 onwards, detailing the selection and training of young Israelites, including Daniel, for service in the king's palace, and Daniel's resolve to avoid defilement by royal food and wine.

05:00

📚 Cultural Engagement and Personal Witness

Angelina Lindon discusses the theme of being courageous witnesses, focusing on cultural engagement. She uses her personal experience of navigating the London tube system as a metaphor for engaging with everyday life and culture. The story illustrates the challenges of standing out by asking for directions amidst the busy crowd, which parallels the courage needed to share one's faith in a secular environment. The congregation is encouraged to reflect on their own reactions in such a situation, emphasizing the importance of being brave and seeking guidance.

10:02

🔑 Keys to Effective Cultural Engagement

The sermon continues with three key lessons from the life of Daniel for engaging with culture: understanding one's identity, being faithful to God in all situations, and living distinctively. Angelina emphasizes the importance of maintaining one's identity in Christ, resisting cultural pressures to conform, and prioritizing God in decision-making. The story of Daniel's refusal to adopt Babylonian names and practices illustrates the importance of holding onto one's faith and identity, even in the face of cultural assimilation.

15:06

🙏 The Importance of Prayer and Knowing God's Love

Angelina shares the significance of prayer and recognizing God's love in establishing a strong identity as a child of God. She recounts a personal experience with her son, Jacob, who was struggling with his identity amidst peer pressure and bullying. Through prayer and scripture, they reaffirmed their identity as beloved children of God. The sermon encourages the congregation to stand firm in their faith, knowing they are redeemed and chosen by God, which provides a foundation for engaging confidently with the world.

20:06

🛡 Setting Boundaries and Choosing Faithfulness

The sermon delves into Daniel's decision to abstain from the king's food and wine, which symbolizes the importance of setting boundaries and choosing faithfulness to God. Despite the potential consequences, Daniel's conviction led to a successful outcome, demonstrating God's favor. Angelina emphasizes that faithfulness in our lives may come with risks and challenges, but God remains faithful, even when we fail. She calls on the congregation to rely on God's spirit for transformation and to resist conforming to the world's patterns.

25:07

🌟 Living Distinctively and the Power of the Rock

Angelina explores the concept of living distinctively by examining Nebuchadnezzar's dream from Daniel chapter 2. The dream of a statue with various materials represents different kingdoms, which are all destroyed by a rock not made by human hands. This rock symbolizes the everlasting kingdom established by God, which will endure while others crumble. The sermon encourages the congregation to build their lives on the foundation of Jesus Christ, living as distinctive witnesses to the world, reflecting the kingdom values that will ultimately prevail.

30:10

🕊 Embracing Our Mission as Exiles with a Calling

The sermon concludes by highlighting our calling as exiles with a mission, just as Daniel was placed in Babylon. Angelina encourages the congregation to embrace their identity as heirs to the kingdom of God and to live distinctively, pointing people to Jesus. She emphasizes the importance of prayer and the power of the Holy Spirit in guiding us to engage with culture effectively, sharing the hope and transformation that comes from knowing Jesus Christ.

35:12

🤝 Invitation for Prayer and Rediscovering Christ's Love

In the closing moments, Angelina extends an invitation for those who feel drawn to Christ or who seek to make a difference for Him to come forward for prayer. She acknowledges the struggle to fit in with the world and the desire to stand out for Jesus. The prayer team is ready to support individuals in rediscovering their identity in Christ and gaining confidence in their role to engage with culture. The sermon ends with an emphasis on the transformative power of Christ's love and the importance of sharing this love with others.

Keywords

💡Cultural Engagement

Cultural engagement refers to the active participation and interaction within one's cultural environment, often with the aim of influencing or being influenced by it. In the video, the theme of cultural engagement is central, as it discusses how individuals, like Daniel in the Bible, can maintain their faith while interacting with the broader culture. The speaker uses the example of navigating the London tube to illustrate the courage required to engage with a culture that may seem overwhelming or foreign.

💡Identity

Identity in this context is the understanding and recognition of one's own self in relation to one's faith and beliefs. The video emphasizes the importance of knowing and maintaining one's Christian identity amidst cultural pressures to conform. Daniel's story is highlighted, where despite his name being changed by the Babylonians, he remained true to his identity as a servant of God.

💡Faithfulness

Faithfulness is the quality of being loyal and constant in religious observance or in duty. The video discusses how Daniel and his friends remained faithful to God despite the temptations and challenges they faced in a foreign culture. Their refusal to eat the king's food symbolizes their commitment to God's laws over cultural assimilation.

💡Wisdom and Understanding

Wisdom and understanding are the ability to think and act using knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense, and insight. In the script, it is mentioned that God gave Daniel and his friends knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning, which allowed them to excel in the king's service and interpret dreams and visions, showcasing the importance of divine wisdom in navigating life's challenges.

💡Assimilation

Assimilation is the process of integrating or being integrated into a society or culture different from one's own. The Babylonian king's attempt to assimilate Daniel and his friends into their culture by changing their names and teaching them the Babylonian language and literature is an example of cultural assimilation. However, the video contrasts this with the importance of maintaining one's faith identity amidst such pressures.

💡Convictions

Convictions are strong beliefs or opinions that one holds as true or right. In the video, Daniel's convictions about not defiling himself with the royal food and wine are highlighted. His decision to abstain from these on religious grounds demonstrates the strength of his convictions and his willingness to act on them, even in the face of potential consequences.

💡Transformation

Transformation refers to a profound change in form, appearance, or character. The video suggests that through Christ's sacrifice and the Holy Spirit's work, individuals can experience a transformation that enables them to engage with the world in a way that reflects their faith. This transformation is not just personal but also has the power to impact and potentially change the culture around them.

💡Exile

Exile is the state of being expelled from one's country or residence. Daniel was an exile in Babylon, and his story serves as an example for believers today who may feel like exiles in a culture that does not align with their faith. The video uses this concept to encourage viewers to see their position as an opportunity for mission and cultural engagement.

💡Kingdom of God

The Kingdom of God is a central theme in Christianity, referring to the reign of God in the hearts of individuals and the world. The video discusses how believers are called to live for this Kingdom, setting themselves apart from the world's values and systems. The dream of Nebuchadnezzar, interpreted by Daniel, is used to illustrate the ultimate triumph of God's Kingdom over earthly kingdoms.

💡Hope

Hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a particular thing to happen. The video emphasizes the importance of sharing the hope found in Jesus Christ with the world. This hope is presented as a life-changing message that can bring transformation and healing to individuals and culture at large.

💡Prayer

Prayer is the act of communicating with God or a divine being. Throughout the video, the importance of prayer in guiding one's actions and seeking divine wisdom is highlighted. Prayer is presented as a means of accessing the Holy Spirit's power to live a life that is faithful and impactful in the world.

Highlights

Introduction of Angelina Lindon as the kids' pastor and her role in the church.

Angelina's discussion on the importance of cultural engagement in everyday life.

The story of Daniel's resolve not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, demonstrating his commitment to his faith.

Daniel's request for a 10-day trial with a vegetarian diet, resulting in improved health and appearance.

The significance of Daniel's ability to understand visions and dreams, highlighting his spiritual gifts.

Angelina's personal experience navigating the London tube as a metaphor for cultural engagement.

The three key areas for engaging with culture as outlined by Angelina: knowing your identity, being faithful, and being different.

The importance of maintaining one's identity in Christ amidst cultural pressures.

The story of God calling Jacob by name as a reminder of divine identity and love.

Angelina's emphasis on the need for setting parameters in cultural engagement, as demonstrated by Daniel.

The transformative power of the Holy Spirit in enabling faithfulness to God.

The call to live distinctively by building one's life on the foundation of Jesus Christ.

Angelina's illustration of the fragility of human kingdoms compared to the everlasting kingdom of God.

The vision of the rock cut from the mountain as a symbol of the kingdom established by God.

The challenge to not conform to the world but to be transformed by the renewing of one's mind.

The invitation for those who feel a calling to make a difference for Jesus to come forward for prayer and support.

Transcripts

[Music]

you're if you're a visitor with us this

morning um you're visiting Bournemouth I

hope the afternoon is going to be more

Sunny than the morning was for you so uh

you've avoided the rain by coming to

church and then you go go down at the

beach this afternoon enjoy the sun

fantastic so um yeah in a moment we have

uh Angelina Lindon who is our kids

Pastor who will be coming to uh teach uh

preach for us she's married to David

they've got two wonderful children and

uh theyve they're right at the core of

the the church and we've we love it h

Angelina is a gifted preacher as well so

we're looking forward to that she'll be

continuing at on our Daniel series many

of us will be have uh be reading through

uh Daniel and the story uh we've all

been on so that's wonderful before we do

that we've got Festus adad Doan who's

one of our trustees who's going to come

and and read the scripture for us so

let's open our hearts to What the Lord

Has for

us um I'm reading from Daniel chapter

1 from verse

three then the king ordered aspers chief

of his court officials to bring into the

King's Service some of the Israelites

from the royal family and the

nobility young men without any physical

defect handsome sh 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

3 years and after that they were to

enter the King's Service among those who

were chosen were some from Judah Daniel

hananiah Mish and

Azariah the chief official gave them new

names to Daniel the name belazza to

hananiah shedrach to Michelle mesach and

to Azariah

Abednego 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 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 have my head

because of you Daniel then said to the G

whom the chief official had appointed

over Daniel anah Michelle and Azariah

please test your servants for 10 days

give us nothing but vegetables to eat

and water to drink then compare our

appearance with that of the young men

who ate the Royal food and treat your

servants in accordance with what you

see so we agreed to to this and tested

them for 10 days at the end of 10 days

they looked healthier and better

nourished than any of the young men who

ate the Royal food so the God 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 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 Michel and Azariah so they

enter the King's Service in every matter

of wisdom and understanding about which

the king questioned them he found them

10 times better than all the magicians

and enchanters in his whole Kingdom and

Daniel remained there until the the

first year of King Cyrus

amen good morning um welcome everyone so

if we haven't met before I'm Angelina

and I'm the kids Pastor here so I have

the absolute privilege of teaching the

Next Generation about Jesus I'm married

to David who's busy today in kids

ministry and very much supports me in

all that I do here and I have two

children one who many of you will know

Jacob and Jessica and they are wonderful

so over the last few weeks we've been

looking at the Book of Daniel and in

particular that topic of being

courageous

Witnesses so far we have looked at

faithfulness in adversity we've looked

at engaging government prophetic vision

and this week the focus is on cultural

engagement well this topic it speaks

into how we engage in our everyday lives

in our workplace in our homes in our

universities in our use of social media

and our life

decisions I don't know about you but I

feel like sitting in church Church on a

Sunday is far easier than evangelizing

Monday to Saturday in the culture that

we live in in this

day well I was thinking of a good

example of what cultural engagement

looks like feels like for me personally

and hopefully you share that too so if

we can have the slide up here we go

we've got the tube

escalators and and I was reminded of the

day when I had to go to London and I

chose to go to London on my own and to

navigate the tube not something that

I've done before for some of you it's

probably something that you do every day

but for me it put dread in me imagining

trying to navigate where the tubes are

going and I was on my way I was starting

a course at St malius called the Peter

stream and St malius is a Bible College

in London and I had no idea where I was

going but I just said Lord I believe you

called me to do this I'm going to get on

that train this morning and tried to

navigate my way well getting on the

train from pool it was fine got all the

way to watero but then I headed down to

the tube

station and when I headed down there all

I could see is all these escalators of

people all going in different directions

and it's 9:00 a.m. and it's so so

busy and I had no idea which way to go I

was just walking around in circles

wondering I don't know I don't know

which tube I don't know which line I

don't know where I'm getting off Lord

please help me and I knew that I had

three options and the first option that

I was probably the most comfortable with

was one to freak out and head home I

definitely felt overwhelmed and I just

wanted to freak out and just get back on

that tube back to London waterl but I

knew that I would regret that decision

secondly I thought well what if I just

fit in and just follow where the other

people are going and then hopefully

they're all going the same way that I'm

going and I'll find my way there or

thirdly that I was going to be brave I

was going to be courageous and that

somehow I could go forward and find

someone to ask for dire s well I wonder

what would be your response in that

situation hands up if you and me in that

situation with my own experiences never

been on you before on my own hands up if

you would have freaked out and head home

no no one freaking out here wow I feel

alone in this I must be the only one

that's afraid of the tube number two

would you fit in and follow where

everybody else is going on those

escalators maybe ending up in the wrong

place hands up who would fit in

and last of all be courageous and ask

for direction who is courageous in this

place amazing don't think I need to do

this talk today you're very courageous

so well I decided to go for option

number three so I decided to be brave

and

courageous and I'm looking up and

there's still all these people coming

down the escalators coming towards me

they're so focused on their destination

I don't know if you've been on the tube

in like 9 am but everyone's in such a

rush even when a tube comes like they

don't want to miss it even though

there's one one minute later I cannot

understand it and me I'm just like oh

we've got all the time in the world so

basically I kept going up to people

coming down the escalator like excuse me

excuse me but nobody nobody was stopping

it so frustrating and I felt like I was

going to get trampled down or something

but eventually eventually a nice kind

person came over to me gave the

directions made that time but I tell you

what I certainly stood out because I was

the only one there stopping everyone

going in that same

direction and it definitely feels like

that doesn't it it feels like that when

we engage with culture you can feel like

a fish trying to swim in a different

direction for those of you on the school

run I don't know if you experiened this

my kids go to quite a large school

trying to navigate to get through all

the parents going in the other direction

especially when I'm running late from

church trying to pick my child up it's

like that it's like being in a Taylor

Swift concert and trying to get to the

front or trying to get out to go to the

ladi's toilets that's what it feels like

however this morning we have hope

because we have the word of God we have

the truth of God we have Jesus and this

morning we are going to look at what

Daniel teaches us about engaging with

culture

so that we just like me on that tube

that day that we can be courageous

Witnesses in the culture that we find

ourselves in imagine if we were better

able to engage in culture what

difference what difference could we make

for Jesus our faith it wouldn't be

hidden but it would be like that City on

a Hill it would have great impact and we

be more encouraged as we gain confidence

that that is what Daniel teaches us

about let's get into it this morning so

a bit of a context of Daniel a bit of a

background about him so Daniel lived in

Jerusalem and in the third year of the

reign of jeim King Judah Nebuchadnezzar

besieged

Jerusalem the Lord delivered King jeim

into his hand as well as the articles of

the the temple of God Israelites from

the royal family and nobility like

Daniel were brought into the service of

the king of

Babylon what a change for Daniel Daniel

was an exile and now he's expected to

engage in Babylonian culture that was so

so different well we're going to look

this morning at three keys there's so

much much that Daniel talks about and

I'll be honest trying to put it into

those three key areas this morning was

really hard but three things really

stood out to me so that we can engage

effectively with culture first of all be

you be who you are know your

identity number two to be faithful to

put God first in our lives and to be

faithful to him in All situations and

third to be different to live

distinctively so first of all be you

well in the first chapter of Daniel we

see that Nebuchadnezzar the king of

Babylon wanted to assimilate him and his

friends into the Babylonian culture to

seek to AR raisee their Hebrew

identity and one of the ways that they

sought to do this was by changing their

names what better way than changing

someone's names to raise their identity

and in Daniel 1 6-7 it says among those

who were chosen some from Jud Judah

Daniel haniah Michelle and Azariah the

chief official gave them new names to

Daniel the name Bel to shazar to

hananiah Shadrach and to Michelle mesach

and to Azariah Abednego

well the Hebrew name for Daniel was

special to him it's special because it

meant God is my judge and his friends as

well their names they represented the

god that they

worship but they were replaced with

Babylonian names that were about

worshiping the gods of

Babylon Daniel's name that he was given

belisar it means Bale the God Bell will

protect well despite this one thing that

we see about Daniel is that he knew his

identity he was clear he knew who he was

and he knew whose he was do you remember

that song I know who I am I am yours I

am yours and he spent time with his

father God because God was Sovereign in

his life life he really still continued

to live out that name that God is his

judge he knew that changing his name it

would never change his identity it was

just a

word he knew God as his father as he

spent time with him daily three times a

day in prayer and no name no name could

ever change who he was

they not only changed his name but they

also sought to control the way that he

lived in what he was taught in what he

spoke the language that he spoke and

what he ate and it says in Daniel 1: 5-6

he was to teach them the language and

literature of the

Babylonians the king assigned them a

daily amount of food from the king's

table they were to be trained for three

years and after that they were to enter

the King's

Service however Daniel he knew where to

draw the line and his identity as a

child of God helped him to know that he

had the wisdom to know when it's okay to

obey and when to draw the

line and he engaged in that training he

learned the language he learned the

literature but for him he decided not to

eat the King's food and we'll look at

this later why he didn't and the Bible

even says that he excelled he excelled

at his learning at the language and it

said that they found no one greater than

Daniel and his friends no one

equal well in our culture I don't know

if you experience it but we can really

find an attack on our identity

the culture around us seeks to impact us

leaders the workplace not this workplace

because I work here social media TV

education relationships and more to try

and shape the way that we see ourselves

and therefore the way that we live our

lives because we know that the way we

see ourselves will impact the way that

we

live well as a parent raising children

and as many parents in this place

today I see it for my children I see a

culture that is trying to shape their

identity to shape who they are to shape

who they well the way that they live

their lives and through peer pressure

and bullying and social media all those

things it tries to impact the way that

they see themselves but as a parent and

as parents in this place we should seek

to help them to find their identity in

Christ alone to know that they are

children of God and I had a powerful

experience of this and the truth is as a

parent I love my kids I want them to

know their identity I don't want them to

be shaped by the world and by bullying

and by the way people treat them and I

prayed with my son who was experiencing

those kind of challenges and struggling

to know am I saved am I a child of God

who am I but people say other things

about me and I remember that day I just

sat there in the chair and I said oh

Jacob I'm just reminded of that verse

that talks about God calling us by name

and the amazing thing is is I forgot it

had the name Jacob in it and so God said

that day you may care about his identity

but I care about it even more because

I'm his father and let me remind you of

that verse but now this is what the Lord

says he who created you

Jacob he who formed you Israel do not

fear for I have redeemed you I have

summoned You by name you are mine and we

need to hold on to that this morning if

you sit here this morning and you don't

know who you are you hear all the things

that the world says about you be

reminded that God has redeemed you you

are chosen you are a child of the king

so as we engage with

culture know who you

are and who's you are wherever you go

when you step out this door you can walk

out with confidence knowing who you are

I can walk with confidence and when I'm

there at the tube station and there's

hundreds of people coming at me I can

walk in that identity no you are greatly

loved by God and this isn't about works

this isn't about I'm going to try I'm

going to try to see myself as God sees

me I'll be honest I've tried it and I

tried it when I was young and it's just

really hard but the one thing that

helped was just knowing that I'm loved

knowing that I'm loved by God receiving

that love that he has for us stand on

your

identity as loved children of God and

that's what it means to be you because

you are a child of the king secondly be

faithful when engaging with culture

Daniel knows that his identity means

that he needs to set parameters and

that's what we need to do today we need

to set parameters and the one thing the

parameter that he set in in Daniel 1 to8

was Daniel resolved not to defile

himself with the Royal food and wine he

asked the chief official for permission

not to defile himself in this way so

let's make this clear Daniel he had the

opportunity to have the King's food can

you imagine the King's food luxurious

food and wine he had that opportunity

can you imagine how tempting it would

have been to have gone with that to have

enjoyed that food to enjoy that

wine however he knew his

convictions and for him that food it

would been a violation of the Torah and

it may have been offered to the gods and

so he was not willing to eat that

food and he chose he chose to be

faithful to God whatever the cost and he

knew that by doing that there could be a

cost there could be a huge cost so what

He suggests in the story He suggests

that the official test them that they're

given vegetables and water for 10 days

and to act accordingly and so that's

what happens and because of God's

amazing favor to Daniel after those 10

days they look stronger and

well-nourished more even than the others

that eating the King's

food isn't that amazing that Daniel he

was faithful to God and we see other

examples we see other examples in Daniel

when he also chooses to be faithful when

he chooses not to bow down to the Statue

when he chooses to continue to pray to

his God and not pray to the king and

risk

that God was also faithful to

Daniel when we choose faithfulness in

our lives we also take a risk and I'd

love to say that if you're faithful that

it will all turn out really well and

really easy and for Daniel yeah we see

amazing things happen but there can be a

cost that cost can be people that reject

us it might be family that reject us but

we can still say that God is good we can

still say that despite that despite the

outcome that God is faithful and because

of his constant faithfulness to us we

can be faithful to

him well as we engage with culture today

it might not be the Temptations of the

king's amazing luxurious ious food but

there are other Temptations aren't there

to lie to deceive to cheat to commit

sexual

immorality there's so many things that

we can be tempted to do but like Daniel

we can make a choice who we serve that

we serve God a choice to be

faithful and we can stand on those

convictions

despite opposition despite temp

Temptation despite whatever it may

cost and of course we know we're human

aren't we there's times when we fail

let's not pretend that we're all perfect

and this stuff is really really easy we

will fail at times but God is faithful

to forgive

us and it's only by him that we can live

a life of

faithfulness it's not something we try

to must up up like our identity we don't

try to master up this but we instead

rely on

God Daniel we see he prayed he prayed to

God didn't he and he relied on God to

help him to help him make these

decisions and it talks in Daniel 5:1

about him having the spirit in him it

says there is a man in your kingdom who

has the spirit of the Holy gods in him

in the time of your father he was found

to have insight and intelligence and

wisdom like that of the god well the

Bible is clear that it's by the holy

spirit that we're transformed from the

inside

out and so we can engage with culture

and God wants to us to engage in the

world around us but we can resist being

squeezed into its mold and choose to be

faithful first and foremost to God and

in Romans 12:2 it sayso not conform to

the pattern of this world but be

transformed by the renewing of your

mind that you will be able to test and

approve what God's will is his good and

perfect pleasing

will amazing so

thirdly we're called to be

different we're not called to fit in

we're called to live

distinctively so we're now going to look

at the dream Nebuchadnezzar's dream in

Daniel 2 and that will give us some

insight into how to be different and it

will help us know how to engage with

culture so let's have the image up on

the screen there I hope you can all see

that this morning so I'm just going to

read what it says in Daniel 2:

31-35 your majesty looked and there

before you stood a large statue an

enormous dazzling statue awesome in

appearance the head of the statue was

made of pure gold its chest and arms of

silver its belly and thighs of bronze

its legs of iron its feet partly of iron

and

Clay while you were watching a Rock was

cut out but not by human hands it struck

the statue on its feet of iron and clay

and smashed them then the iron the clay

the bronze the silver and the gold were

all broken to pieces and became like

chaff on the freshing floor in summer

the wind swept them away not leaving a

trace but the rock that struck the

statue became a huge mountain and filled

the whole

Earth so Nebuchadnezzar had this dream

and he needed someone to interpret it

and God revealed the dream to Daniel and

he explained that Nebuchadnezzar he is

the head of gold the king of kings that

God had placed him there and he then

goes on to say that after him there'll

be another inferior Kingdom then a third

Kingdom of bronze a fourth Kingdom of

strong iron that will break and Crush um

the others the feet of the statue partly

iron and Clay demonstrating that this

Kingdom would be partly strong and

partly brittle that it would not be

United however Daniel speaks of a future

Everlasting

Kingdom in the time of those kings the

god of heaven will set up a kingdom that

will never be destroyed nor will it be

left to another people people it will

crush all those kingdoms and bring them

to an end but it himself will endure

Forever This is the meaning of the

vision of the rock cut out of the

mountain but not by human hands a rock

that will break the iron the bronze the

clay the silver and the gold to

Pieces well this dream is clear isn't it

that human kingdoms they're

fragile they are built on the wrong

foundations and they will be

overthrown in our lives what kingdom are

we building on and I've just got an

illustration if um de we can just bring

up the blocks what kingdom are we living

for thank

you so maybe we're building our lives on

success

maybe we're building our lives on our

identity the way that we look the way

that the world sees us wanting to fit in

maybe we build our lives on possessions

there's so many things that we could

build our lives upon and yet just like

that Vision it's like having feet of

clay and in that Vision we see we see a

mountain de just holding this we see a

mountain and what happens is there's a

rock cut out of the mountain not by

human

hands and what happens is that rock

comes and it

knocks that Kingdom down because it's

not built on strong thank you

foundations and this rock is the rock of

Jesus

Christ that we can build our lives upon

on that strength of Jesus Christ

everything else any other Kingdom will

come crumbling down it's just like that

story isn't it when we're taught as

children about the Rock and the sand

build your lives upon the

sand so instead we are called to live

for an

everlasting Kingdom the kingdom that

Jesus when he came that he

inaugurated we're called to build on the

foundation of Jesus

Christ he only he the Chief Cornerstone

that the builders

rejected well the incredible thing as I

was reading that we discover in Jeremiah

29

was that it was actually God's plan that

he would go there amazing isn't it that

God God would choose him to go there to

go to Babylon to engage with the

culture how amazing is that maybe God

has placed you right where you are maybe

you're saying Lord I want to work for

the church I I want to reach out to

Christian people but maybe he's placed

you where you are

so that you can reach out it was there

that he was able to live distinctively

and to point people to God just as God

sent Daniel as an exile to Babylon we

too are Exiles with a calling with a

mission he's placed us here on Mission

too let's think back to that escalator

example

that I shared at the beginning feeling

overwhelmed on the tube on the

escalators and everyone going in a

different direction and we too we feel

like we don't fit in we don't fit in

with the culture but the truth is guys

that's because we don't we don't we're

called to be different we're called to

be distinctive people will reject us

because to the world we stand up and you

know why we stand out because we are hes

to the kingdom of God we are hes that is

your identity as an heir to the kingdom

and by living distinctively we can

engage with culture but we can share the

precious lifechanging hope of Jesus and

in this time we're living in the already

and not yet but we're called to point

people to a coming Kingdom when every

knee will bow and like in Isaiah 61

we're called to reach out to the

marginalized The Outsider The Foreigner

to offer them hope and a

future how amazing what we have to

offer sometimes it can seem like we

don't have anything to offer but we do

guys we can raise rise up we can stand

with confidence because we are HS to a

kingdom that this world needs to hear

about they need to hear about the hope

of

Jesus well this morning we have

discovered the incredible way that

Daniel engaged in

culture he knew his identity as a child

of God he chose to be faithful because

he always sought God first

and he choose to live differently

because he knew that he wasn't called to

fit in because he was called to make a

difference I'm just going to call the

worship team forward and the prayer team

just as I wrap

up well the story of Daniel it points to

the greatest ever example of cultural

engagement Jesus

Christ like Daniel he had two names he

had a Heavenly name and he had a human

name but he knew his identity that he

was the son of the Living God he too he

chose he chose to be faithful as he

lived his life in full submission to his

father whilst engaging with

culture finally he lived at as an exile

but with a Heavenly Kingdom he knew he

knew the kingdom he lived for the

kingdom he brought the

kingdom and he was willing to lay down

everything whatever it would cost him he

laid down his life for

you so that we could have a relationship

with him he gave his everything let that

sink deep into your heart today if you

know Jesus as your lord and savior be

reminded that he gave everything for you

because he loved you and if you're here

today and you don't yet know him know

that you are loved that you are precious

that he would give his life just for you

so you can have

hope and today may we allow that

revelation

of what Christ has done for us lead us

as we engage with culture when we wake

up in the morning and I'll be honest

when I wake up in the morning I don't

want to get up I don't feel like I've

got everything that I need but be

reminded as you step up as you stand up

that you stand as a child of God that

can go into the world and impact the

world for Jesus Christ the world needs

to be afraid because you have got one

power ful story to tell that will bring

transformation to many lives in this

culture they need to hear the truth of

Jesus today don't hide don't fit in

Stand Out share the truth be willing to

be rejected why because Jesus loves them

he loves them and he wants to bring

transformation and bring his kingdom in

their lives and I love this

quote as Tim Keller puts it you'll never

be able to get out into the lion dens of

the world unless you realize what the

ultimate Daniel did for you remember

what Jesus Christ did for

you and as we go into the world may we

be engage with culture let's not hide

away from it may we point people to

Jesus Christ and see many many people

discover Jesus as their lord and

savior imagine what difference Jesus

could make in our world and maybe Jesus

has made a difference in your life

wouldn't you want that for the people

that you're reaching out to wouldn't you

want them to discover the greatest thing

that you have

discover so as a church let's be people

of prayer and by the power of the spirit

not relying upon ourselves but asking

always for the Lord to fill us like he

did on that day of Pentecost and let's

be

courageous Witnesses let's stand out for

Jesus in the world by the power of the

Holy Spirit living Our Lives to glorify

him amen

[Applause]

amen so

maybe this morning there may be people

here maybe you've come into this church

today maybe you don't know Christ yet as

your

rock maybe your life currently is built

on other

things well if that's you today he wants

you to know that he welcomes you that he

loves

you and do come forward for prayer and

other people that I was thinking about

as I was

praying maybe people in this place today

and and maybe if you're honest you think

I've just been drawn into the world been

drawn into the culture to try and fit in

because I want to be a nice person I

don't want to stand out

and God wants to help you and he wants

to bring hope he wants to bring healing

he wants to help you as you reach out in

the

world and there's those here today that

want to make a difference for

Jesus you want a new sense of confidence

in your role for engaging with

culture filled with the spirit maybe

that's you today and anyone else this

morning if this talk is impacted you

this morning or if you just want to come

and be prayed for I encourage you this

morning come forward the Lord this

morning he wants you to know your

identity as a child of

God he wants to help you he wants to

help you by the power of the Holy Spirit

to be

faithful and he wants to help you to be

bold and courageous and to live a life

that is

distinctive amen do come forward if you

want prayer this morning for anything

and the prayer team will be happy to

pray for you amen