Lord's Day August 2 2015

A new month arrives and so we began with communion. I am away for the next three Sundays so I just wanted to do one offs today so I went for Daniel 6 and Acts 3, wonderful chapters that are full of good teaching. (I'd decided on Daniel 6 before I knew lions were going to be in the news). I was unusually long am - 42 minutes (I haven't preached over 40 minutes since March. I dropped our second reading again so the service wasn't overlong). Lots of good things in both chapters, some of which I hope I brought out (see here). Although some were away there were visitors present so we were a decent size am and pm. There were people missing I had hoped would be there, however, and so that is always disappointing.

Carson on the three friends

Faithfulness is not dependent upon an escape hatch. They choose faithfulness because it is the right thing to do, even if it costs them their lives.

The courage we need in this anti-Christian age is courteous and steadfast. It never apologises for God. It joyfully believes that God can do anything, but it iscprepared to suffer rather than compromise hearty obedience.

Aber 09 5

Joel Beeke's final message was aimed especially at young people and was on contagious and consistent integrity from Daniel 1. It was one of the best of the messages I thought. He spoke of Daniel's resolution (1:8) trial (1:14) and perseverance (1:21) making several good points regarding what integrity is, how to face temptation, the need not to be Babylonised and witness (you are the Bible they read).

He said that worldliness is the opposite of the Reformed idea of living in coram deo. It is turning your back on God and living without him. It is practical atheism. It is to put profit, pleasure and position first. Worldliness is interested in going forward rather than upward, in the outward rather than the inward.

What a privilege it has been to sit under this godly man's ministry this week. He has now left for Korea where he is speaking at a large ministers conference in Seoul.

In the evening Andrew Davies gave a fine evangelistic address from Romans 10 speaking of the voice of law, of faith (in conviction, confession and the comfort of justification and regeneration) and the Word itself, which urges us to go to Christ. He passed on that statement from J C Ryle that says of Daniel Rowland "He used also often to say, that a self-righteous legal spirit in man was like his shirt, a garment which he puts on first, and puts off last."

So very quickly, it seems, another conference is over for another year. It was good to have fellowship back here with our friends Keith and Janice Hoare and with Owen Milton and his wife Dilys. Lovely meeting so many but no chance to talk to most.

Daniel and Resurrection

On Easter Sunday I preached on the resurrection as I usually do. Unusually I preached morning and evening from the OT. The evening sermon on Jonah was perhaps less unusual but I think the morning one on Daniel 6 was quite unusual and yet justifiable.

Here is an outline.

Out of the lions' mouths - resurrection in Daniel

1. Learn from Daniel and his entrance into the lions' den

and from Jesus and his burial in the graveA. Learn from the popularity and success of Daniel and of Jesus
B. Learn from the jealousy and opposition against Daniel and against Jesus
C. Learn from the plotting and trickery against Daniel and against Jesus
D. Learn from the watching, accusing and arrest of Daniel and of Jesus
E. Learn from the innocence of Daniel and of Jesus and their judges' ineffectiveness
F. Learn from the stone and seal and the restless sleep in the story of Daniel and of Jesus

Cf Dan 6:17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel's situation might not be changed.

Restless sleep - Darius and Pilates' wife as reported Matthew 27

(also note refs in Ps 22 to lions)

2. Learn from Daniel and his escape from the jaws of the lions

and Jesus and his escape from the jaws of deathA. Learn from Daniel's escape and Jesus' resurrection
Cf esp Dan 6:19 At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions' den

B. Learn from God's judgement on those who opposed Daniel and Jesus

ie Dan 6:24 and what happened in AD 70
C. Learn from the proclamation that followed Daniel's escape and Jesus' resurrection

Dan 6:25ff and Acts 2 and all the preaching that has followed

Spot the mistake 02

I was going to try here - what's wrong with the first picture but perhaps it's fairer to say, which of these two pictures is more accurate? (Nothing to do with the styles in which the lions are presented).