When The Bottom Falls Out - Part 1

Bryan Chapell: We are not going it alone. We recognize God meant for us to be together and be supporting one another in a family of faith. That is our calling to be supported and to support others. When we face the bottom falling out, having those that help us part of God's plan and being a help to others is part of God's plan.
Guest (Male): So glad you joined us for today's Unlimited Grace, the audio broadcast ministry of pastor and author Brian Chapel. In today's episode, pastor Brian shares a lesson from Daniel chapter two. Dr. Chapel reminds us that as believers, we are part of a community that is in union with each other. So when the bottom falls out, we can rely on God and our fellow believers. You can find this lesson and many others when you visit unlimitedgrace.com. And while you're there, look for pastor Brian's book the multigenerational church crisis. This compelling book asks the question of the church what could be accomplished in the name of Christ if we could better understand each other. Let's hear now from Dr. Brian Chapel as he shares the lesson when the bottom falls out.
Bryan Chapell: So some young men from some ancient families go into captivity in a land far far away. In a time long long ago. And though the king is cruel and the captivity is hard, they are trying to live faithfully in a very difficult time. Of course, that doesn't have anything to do with our time, right? Unless you watched 60 Minutes last March, and the reporter would say in that report just like the Nazis mark the houses of Jews. Christian homes in Mosul, Iraq are marked with a red letter N for Nazara, Arabic reminder of Jesus of Nazareth, whom those within those homes follow. Those who have the red letter on their homes are required by ISIS to either pay extortion tax, convert to Islam, or face the sword. Issa Al-Karan had to make the choice for his family. He was in a portion of Mosul which had been Christian for generations. But the letter was on his house. And the ISIS fighters came to his house one day, took all his money, took his wife and children, and demanded he convert or be killed. He told the 60 minute reporters they said I had to convert. I told them I'm a Christian. I have my faith. You have yours. But they told me convert or you'll never see your wife and children again and you will die. And so he agreed to convert. He was reunited with his family. But soon the ISIS fighters returned and told him Sharia law, that is traditional Muslim law, says that girls who are 10 years old need to marry. Issa and his wife knew what that would mean for their daughter. And so as soon as the fighters stepped out the door, they began to weep and ask God to help. The bottom had fallen out of their lives. Of course, that's just one family. That that doesn't really have a lot of meaning for Christians in our world today unless you recognize they were one family of 150,000 Christians in Mosul who are all facing the same thing. Of course, that's just one town in the Middle East, but then you begin to recognize there are 2.5 million refugees from Iraq alone. Yezidis, occultic Christianity, truly orthodox Christians and Muslims. Millions being driven out. Well, you know, that's that's just one country. Well, doesn't really deal with our unless you recognize it is one country of people who are fleeing ISIS and you forget all about Al-Qaeda, the Muslim Brotherhood, the Taliban, Boko Haram, civil war, militant Islam in Iraq, Iran, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Syria, Egypt, Nigeria, Nigeria, Sudan, and more. All in our time. Of course, it doesn't have anything to do with us because we're a long way away and and living in circumstances where your faith is challenged if you are true to Jesus Christ. That that that's not really relevant to us unless you're a family of Christian bakers in Oregon. Find this summer 135,000 for not baking the same sex wedding cake even though their decision not to do it was before the Supreme Court decision. Or unless you're a student denied admission to a radiological school of nursing in Baltimore because you put on your application that God is the most important thing in your life. And that was the specific reason put in writing that the student was declined for admission to a radiological school of nursing in Baltimore. Or unless you're a public health official in Georgia who happens to be a lay preacher on the weekends fired from your job because on the weekend preaching you talked about things like creation and sexual purity. And so as a health worker in Georgia, you are fired because of what you said in a church on Sunday. Or unless you're a nation where a leading presidential candidate compares those who believe in saving unborn life in the womb to terrorist who take innocent life in the Middle East. And on this weekend, Labor Day, rejoicing and holiday for many, this section of Daniel has no meaning unless you're a county clerk in Kentucky. And I do recognize all the complexities of the issues, the complications of the legalities, and the inconsistencies of the Christian testimony. I recognize all of those things and freely say I'm not even endorsing the decision. What you should say and recognize is this is the first weekend in the history of the United States of America that somebody has gone to jail for a faith commitment opposing homosexual marriage. So of course, the book of Daniel has no relevance to us at all. Or does it? What if the bottom falls out of your life not merely because of gunmen and governments but because of disease or death of a family member or deep disappointment at some failure in career or relationship that you wonder how in the world are we as an individual family or me as an individual going to make it another day forward? When the bottom falls out, when you cannot see the way forward, when everything seems to be out from under you gone, what do you do? Daniel's actually here to teach us some of those things. The answers initially seem quite simple. In verse 17, Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven. He returns to his friends and turns to his God. As simple as it is, they are important steps. Daniel, a man of faith, turned to other brothers of faith and says we need to get together and pray about the situation. It's the reminder that wherever we are in biblical history, rarely does God call individual believers to a solo game of faith. We we are part of a community. We identify ourselves as the body of Christ. No one here was baptized into nothingness. We were baptized into union with one another. And when we do things like like have community groups that a lot of you were signing up today, when we have divorce recovery, when we have grief share, when we have MOPS programs and Bible studies in your homes and here at the church, when when we have campus organizations that we support so that young people are not alone on the campus as they're seeking to live faithfully for Christ but but join their hearts and their lives and their communion with one another, we are doing something that is biblical and historical. We are not going it alone. We recognize God meant for us to be together and be supporting one another in a family of faith. That is our calling to be supported and to support others. When we face the bottom falling out, having those that help us part of God's plan and being a help to others is part of God's plan. And so when we're part of a body, when we are members of a church, when we are members of a Bible study group, we are doing what God calls us to do for the sake of facing the crisis moments as well as helping each other just through the day to day.
Guest (Male): You're listening to Unlimited Grace, the audio broadcast ministry of pastor and author Brian Chapel.
Guest (Male): It may seem hard for younger Christians to believe but people over 50 were raised during an era when 90% of Americans identified as Christian. These older believers were once part of a majority group that understood the mission of the church was to take control of our culture, to halt its evils. At the same time, Christians under 50 have lived their entire lives perceiving themselves as a minority that needs to make credible their faith to a secular pluralistic culture. These distinct experiences and perceptions have a profound impact on the priorities different generations have for church ministry. It's no wonder that younger and older believers don't always see eye to eye. In his new book The Multigenerational Church Crisis, Dr. Brian Chapel asks the question what could be accomplished in the name of Christ if we could better understand each other? This practical and hopeful book is backed by thorough research revealing how to open the lines of communication, appreciate the experiences that shaped each generation in your church, and unite in one mission to impact your community and the world. You can request your copy of the multigenerational church crisis when you donate online at unlimitedgrace.com or by calling 844-41-GRACE. That's 844-414-7223. And now more from Brian Chapel on today's Unlimited Grace.
Bryan Chapell: What else does he do? Maybe it's obvious. Daniel and his friends pray. They seek the God of heaven. Lord, help us. Now when I say that we should pray, I recognize in one measure I'm just asking you to do a very natural thing. When the bottom has fallen out, when you when you don't see what the alternatives are, what do you do but fall to your knees and say God help? But when I urge you to pray, I wonder if if I can read your mind a little bit. The pastor is telling us that we should pray like Daniel. Well, of course Daniel prayed. He's one of those Bible people. He's supposed to pray. I want you to recognize that while it is a natural thing to pray when the bottom falls out from under you, there were lots of other choices available to Daniel. I mean the unnatural thing for many of us is to remember to pray when we have all kinds of other alternatives. Daniel can figure something out. He is 10 times wiser than all the other wise men of Babylon. I mean just give him a little time, give him a little space, put a legal pad in front of him, he'll figure something out. And and if he can figure it out, then then you know, he also has you know, some political connections. He went to Ashpenaz earlier, remember, the the the head of the king's stewards and worked out a deal when there was threat before. So so maybe what he can do, you know, is he can pull in you know, pull in a few favors, pull a few strings, have lunch with somebody. You know, just just figure this out as he maneuvers a bit. Or if trying to figure it out and trying to fix it won't work. Of course, a third alternative is you can just fret about it. Just worry a lot. Those are all alternatives. In fact, they're the more natural alternatives. It's really a very unnatural thing to remember to pray. And I'm not talking just to you. Had a trip to Chicago this week. Hours on the road, a route I'm very familiar with. And that gave me opportunity to think about some family issues that that we are dealing with. In our extended family, we are dealing with issues of age, issues of adoption, issues of addiction. And on that drive, I was thinking about a very difficult phone conversation that I needed to have. And I began to even write down on the seat beside me words that I might say, approaches I would take. But if I did that, it might have this implication. If I did that, it might be interpreted this way. I tried kind of alternative after alternative thinking about different things to do, things to say. Got there and finally my destination had not figured anything out. On my way home, I began to work at it again. It's just it's just worrying at me, pressing on me, burdening me. I kept thinking of alternatives. Finally at some point I recognized I was getting toward the end of my drive. I needed to review my sermon notes just a little bit. And so I pulled my sermon notes in front of me while I'm driving. I know I'm not supposed to but I did. And there in my sermon notes it says to do what? Guess what I had not done? I was doing all the other things, you know, worrying, trying to fix, trying to come up with the right word, using my wisdom and and recognizing at some point I had not actually bowed my head before the Lord of heaven and said God, would you fix this? And I don't want to tell you it always works out easily but just just praying to God saying Lord, help us in this situation that we are dealing with. And then in in ways that that I can't even explain to you. I don't want to make it weird or mystical to you but just to say as the Holy Spirit begin to put my thoughts into totally new directions. They get home with and have dinner with Kathy and say you know, we haven't thought of this yet. And then to have that conversation and have it turn out so beautifully and say thank you Lord for working beyond my wisdom, beyond beyond if you will for the moment my alternative plans. You know, sometimes we're expecting God to step up but we haven't knelt down yet. And because we haven't knelt down, we are standing up in our own we don't mean it but in our own pride, in our own alternatives and not remembering God is saying to you and me have you prayed about it yet? This is something God calls us to do as he is saying is anything missing in in the list, you know, the positive and the negative, this alternative that, is anything missing in the list yet? Have you sought me yet? The God of heaven, sovereign over the universe, have you turned to me yet? Pray. As we bend the knee, there is another thing that comes to mind that needs to be done when the bottom falls out. The next thing that happens for Daniel is not just prayer but praise. Verse 20, blessed be the name of God forever and ever to whom belong wisdom and might. He changes times and seasons. He removes kings and sets up kings. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding. Daniel begins to praise God. What why does he do that? Well, one reason that he praises God is God has revealed the dream. Right? Do you remember what after all is the dream that God reveals to Daniel? The king has dreamed of a great statue, head of gold, shoulders of silver, belly of bronze, legs of iron, feet of iron and clay. Head and shoulders, knees and toes, knees Well, it's the way I remember it but you the dream has been revealed. So if I could read your mind again, you're thinking well, of course Daniel praises God. God has answered. God has revealed the dream. There's no reason not to praise God. That's a very natural thing to do. But actually it's a very unnatural thing to do because the dream has more to it. Do you remember other things that are in the dream? As the king dreams of this great statue, he also dreams of a rock that is cut without human hands. And the rock comes and it strikes the feet of iron and clay and the statue topples over. And as the statue topples over, it goes into a zillion pieces. And everything that has been established is undone. What does that mean? What is all that about? If you look at verse 44 toward the end of the chapter, Daniel two and verse 44, what does all of that mean about the rock that comes and establishes a new kingdom after all the other things have been destroyed? Verse 44, in those days, that is the days in which this vision will be fulfilled, in those days of those kings, in the days of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end and it shall stand forever just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain and its interpretation is sure. All right. What does the dream mean? Nebuchadnezzar, you dreamed of all these different elements of a great statue and each element represents a succeeding kingdom. You're the head of gold but there are kingdoms that will follow you. Ultimately all to be destroyed by this rock cut without human hands that once it is destroyed, everything else will itself grow into a mountain that he clips as everything else on the earth. What does the dream mean? Okay, spoiler. Okay, if you don't want to hear spoiler alert, right? The rock is Jesus. The coming rock is Jesus who will be greater than all the preceding kingdoms and will destroy them. Now that's the thing you might take some joy in but you be Daniel. Already Nebuchadnezzar has sent out the death certificate for your head, right? Now you're going to go back to Nebuchadnezzar and you are going to say to king Nebuchadnezzar, the most powerful ruler on the earth at that time, king Nebuchadnezzar, you're about as important as sweat on a flea. You are dust. You are history. You don't mean nothing. There is a time in which you will be succeeded by other kingdoms who will be greater than you but none greater than the final king sent from heaven who will rule over all. You be Daniel. How much do you want to take this news to Nebuchadnezzar? And yet he is praising God. How does that make sense? He praises God for the good he can see despite the grace yet unseen. He doesn't not know how it's all going to unfold but he praises God for what he can see. God has revealed the vision. I mean he can see that. That's that's in the present tense. And God has been faithful in another way. Verse 23, to you oh God of my fathers, I give thanks and praise. God has preserved his people, his covenant people for generations, for for millennia up to this point. And Daniel looks back and he says I I recognized that that God preserved us so far by revealing the dream. He actually revealed remember Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego their salvation in the preceding chapter by letting them eat vegetable soup. Remember that? So they wouldn't compromise their faith and yet they were preserved. God has been faithful to them in the immediate but God has been faithful to father's past. Daniel looks in the present and he looks in the past and he says there's good I can see even though I don't know where all this is going yet.
Guest (Male): That's pastor Brian Chapel and you've been listening to Unlimited Grace. Please be sure to join us next time as once again we endeavor to put Christ at the center of our efforts so that lives might be transformed by his Unlimited Grace. This ministry is brought to you by Unlimited Grace Media and continues to be made possible with your generous financial support.