Daniel 5
Leadership Lite: The Handwriting on the Wall Introduction: Before we examine the fascinating story found in Daniel 5, I think it would help if we had a bit of a history lesson. We noted that there were about 30 years between chapters 3 & 4. But there are also approximately 30 years between chapters 4 & 5. Up through chapter 4 the King we have encountered in the book of Daniel is Nebuchadnezzar, the founder of the Babylonian Empire. He reigned for 42 years,…
Daniel 6, 1 Cor. 6:9-20
Flee Immorality Introduction: In Daniel 6 we were challenged to follow Daniel’s example of exceptional allegiance to duty in the face of temptation. We considered a number of crises facing us today (integrity, marriage, parenting), but time did not permit us to examine the crisis in sexual immorality. We return to that topic this morning. Pastors have been known to make sweeping statements, sometimes overstatements, to wake a congregation up, statements like: “Never before in the history of mankind has sin been darker,”…
Daniel 6
Character, Faith, Duty Introduction: It is my privilege to teach today on one of the best-known and best-loved stories in the Bible. It is also a dilemma. How does one handle an old story in a new way so that it remains fresh and, more importantly, so that we all profit from the powerful spiritual lessons it contains? I have decided to focus on three things that stand out throughout the life of Daniel, but particularly here in chapter 6: he was exceptional in character,…
Daniel 7
From History to Prophecy Introduction: We have completed the narrative portion of the Book of Daniel and for the next six weeks we will be wrestling with the prophetic portion, which takes up the entire last half, chapters 7-12. I use the term “wrestling” advisedly, because this portion of God’s Word contains some very difficult concepts. I thought about just quitting after chapter 6, but my conscience won’t allow that. After all, a vast portion of the Scriptures was prophetic when written, some of…
Daniel 8, 9:24-27
The Final World Dictator Introduction: The visions of Daniel 7-12 offer an incredible collage of Biblical prophecy. Last Lord’s Day we learned from chapter 7 that there would be four great world empires—the Babylonian, the Medo-Persian, the Greek, and the Roman. We also noted that the Roman Empire would not be followed by another world empire, but would be revived in the end times, probably in the form of a confederation of ten western nations, out of which would come a ruler known…
Daniel 9
Repentance: Prerequisite to Spiritual Renewal Introduction: One of the most profitable studies a Christian can do is a study of the great prayers in the Bible—prayers of Moses, Joshua, David, Jeremiah, Isaiah, Paul, Peter, and of course, Jesus Himself. We have before us this morning one of the greatest of all the prayers in the Bible. It is a prayer of repentance and confession—both personal and national. It is a model we desperately need today. I think it would be valuable for us to read…
Daniel 10
Spiritual Warfare, Politics, and Prayer Note: This sermon was preached at First Free in Wichita in 2020, shortly before the national election. I have inserted it here as an update to the earlier series. Introduction: Today we come to a chapter that is unique in the book of Daniel; in fact, it is unique in the Bible. It tells us that Daniel receives a final prophetic vision, but the details of the vision are not revealed until chapter 11. The focus of this chapter is…
Daniel 11, 12
Final Deliverance Introduction: Today we will conclude our study of the book of Daniel. I don’t claim we will finish it, but we will conclude. I know we have two chapters left—11 and 12—and chapter 11 is a verylong chapter. But as I mentioned last week, I believe verses 1-35 are largely a reiteration of wars and rumors of wars involving Persia, Greece, the king of the South, the king of the North, and the Beautiful Land—the Land of Palestine. The bulk of this material is…
Jude 1-4
Defending the Faith SCRIPTURE: Jude 1-4 SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus This morning we start a new four-week study of one of the shortest, more obscure books of the New Testament, written by one of the more obscure disciples–Jude. It’s so short that it has sometimes been called a postcard instead of a letter. But some very significant things come in small packages, and this is one of them. You’re all familiar with the NT book called The Acts of the Apostles. Well, Jude has…
Jude 5-11
You Already Know All This, But . . . SCRIPTURE: Jude 5-11 SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus Last Lord’s Day we began a four-week study of a small but powerful book of the NT, the book of Jude. It’s so short it’s been called a postcard instead of a letter. It’s not easy reading and it’s certainly not pleasant in its tone. It is what is sometimes called a diatribe, which Webster’s defines as “a thunderous verbal attack,” a strong warning about traitors in the…
Jude 12-16
Sorry Shepherds Who Feed Only Themselves SCRIPTURE: Jude 12-16 SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus I have been chided by a few for planning a sermon about sorry shepherds on Mother’s Day. I guess my only excuse is that Mother’s Day is not a biblical holiday, though respect for mothers is certainly biblical–and not just on the 2nd Sunday in May but every day! Mother’s Day originated in 1908 when a spinster named Anna Jarvis started a letter-writing campaign to set aside a special day to…
Jude 17-25
How to Survive in the Last Days SCRIPTURE: Jude 17-25 SPEAKER: Michael P. Andrus We come today to the end of a month-long study of one of the briefest books in the Bible. But however brief it is, I don’t think any of us would now consider it inconsequential or light-weight. Jude has forced us to examine our own hearts as individuals and to ask hard questions about leadership in the Church. I was particularly touched when one of our lay teachers told…