Daniel
Daniel 1
Accidental Tourists SCRIPTURE: Daniel 1 SPEAKER: Brad Harper Note: This manuscript has been edited, and information has been added, by Mike Andrus. Introduction: A couple of years ago a movie was released entitled “The Accidental Tourist.” The title was in reference to the main character who wrote a book for people forced to travel for their jobs. These people, in contrast to typical tourists, who are excited about their stay in a foreign land, despised the travel forced upon them and had no…
Daniel 2
The Dream That Became a NightmarE Note: This manuscript has been extensively rewritten by Mike Andrus. Introduction: Last week we began a chapter-by-chapter study of the book of Daniel, the story of the life of a godly Jewish man taken captive by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon in the 6th century before Christ. It is a story which highlights the sovereignty of God over human history even in the midst of great disaster. Today we look at Daniel chapter two and the opening account…
Daniel 3
Flame Broiled Faith Note: This manuscript has been edited, and information has been added, by Mike Andrus. Introduction: I do not frequent Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, but I’ve heard a lot about it. It seems that the secret of their steaks, what really makes them a cut above the rest, is their process of quick flame broiling them over an open fire at 1800 degrees. This searing heat seals in the great flavor of truly fine beef. That is, as long as their chef, also…
Daniel 4
God Humbles the Proud Introduction: I heard a dumb joke the other day: “What do Atila the Hun, Catherine the Great, and Jack the Ripper have in common.” Answer: they all have the same middle name. Now don’t groan; I warned you it was dumb. The fact is all these individuals also share a much more important common characteristic: they were all cruel beyond imagination. Had you been alive when they were, these individuals would have been the last people on earth you would have expected to…
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…