Title: “Grace & Truth”
Series: The Daniel Dilemma
What is culture?
The environment, the norm, the vibe, the standard.
Our Faith Will Be Tested
Daniel proved himself to be a better supervisor than any of the others. He did this by his good character and great ability. The king was so impressed with Daniel that he planned to make him ruler over the whole kingdom. But when the other supervisors and the satraps heard about this, they were very jealous. They tried to find reasons to accuse Daniel. So they watched what Daniel did as he went about doing the business of the government. But they could not find anything wrong with him, so they could not accuse him of doing anything wrong. Daniel was a man people could trust. He did not cheat the king, and he worked very hard. Finally, they said, “We will never find any reason to accuse Daniel of doing something wrong. So we must find something to complain about that is connected to the law of his God.” So the two supervisors and the satraps went as a group to the king. They said, “King Darius, live forever! The supervisors, prefects, satraps, advisors, and governors have all agreed on something. We think that the king should make this law and that everyone must obey it: For the next 30 days, whoever prays to any god or man except you, King, will be thrown into the lions’ den. Now, King, make the law and sign the paper it is written on so that it cannot be changed, because the laws of the Medes and Persians cannot be canceled or changed.” So King Darius made the law and signed it. Daniel always prayed to God three times every day. Three times every day, he bowed down on his knees to pray and praise God. Even though Daniel heard about the new law, he still went to his house to pray. He went up to the upper room of his house and opened the windows that faced toward Jerusalem. Then Daniel bowed down on his knees and prayed just as he always had done. —Daniel 6:3-10 (ERV)
Woe to those who call evil good and good evil,
who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! —Isaiah 5:20 (ESV)
Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. —2 Peter 3:3 (NLT)
In the last time there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires. —Jude 1:8
…some will change the truth of God into a lie… —Romans 1:25 (KJV)
Culture Christianity vs. Biblical Christianity
For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. —2 Timothy 4:3 (NIV)
“If you believe what you like in the Bible, and reject what you don’t like, it is not the Bible you believe, but yourself.” —St Augustine
When culture shifts, we must
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. —John 1:14 (NIV)
Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. —John 17:17 (NIV)
God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance… —Romans 2:4 (NIV)
God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. —Ephesians 2:8-9 (NLT)
Without truth: we are
Without grace, we are
Without truth: we become
Without grace, we become
Truth without grace is
Grace without truth is
Truth and grace is
Grace
Truth
…and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. —John 1:14 (ESV)
BIG IDEA:
Jesus always
…Jesus was left in the middle of the crowd with the woman. Then Jesus stood up again and said to the woman, “Where are your accusers? Didn’t even one of them condemn you?” “No, Lord,” she said. And Jesus said, “Neither do I. Go and sin no more.” —John 8:9-11 (NLT)