Thank you, Jerry, and I appreciate you all attending again. I realize that this hasn't been a focused worldview lesson. Worldview by itself isn't really worth anything. What it is, though, it's a comparative tool. So it helps you as you begin to understand what a worldview is. It helps you to understand what other people are thinking and believing. And in reality, it helps you to just be amazed that there are so many pardon me, weird beliefs out there when you stack them up against each other. It's a tool to help you understand the world we live in. In and of itself, it's nothing great. So what we've done is kind of defined it and we've branched off into other areas. So this final lesson, what we're gonna do, I'm gonna give going to review how Daniel and his friends in Babylon responded to their situation based on their worldview. And I'm sure Pastor Jerry's going to address this in some of his sermons, and he already has in the previous one. Then we're going to give a list of principles that they followed that I think apply to us, too. And depending on how much time we've got left, there's a couple other things I may add in. So let's get started. In week one, we looked at the ways that people gain knowledge about the world without God in their thinking and without the supernatural realm in their thinking. They gain it from other people and from nature. only those kinds of inputs in your thinking. And it's basically two worldviews. I mean, two facets of thinking that yield multiple worldviews. The two facets are philosophy and science, and there's limitations to each one. We then looked at what happens when we add our own internal wants and desires into the mix and found that that yields new age mysticism and relativism. All this is because we don't have God. We then defined a worldview as our way of interpreting everything around us and showed the five main worldviews. Naturalism, which is based pretty much on science. Pantheism, which is everything is out there. I'm not gonna go through them right now. We'll talk about them a little bit more as we get into the lesson. The remaining three were theism, polytheism, and relativism. And each of these had their own view of reality, their own view of man, their own view of truths, and their own view of values. And so we looked at those so we Why are these people thinking the way they're thinking? How did they get captured by the claims of these worldviews? So like I said, it's a tool to help us compare what's out there and understand, okay, this person is saying this, that probably means they have this type of worldview and you can extrapolate it. Now, we also kind of realized that The Christian worldview equals our faith, okay? Not every worldview is a religion, although Jacob and I talked about it a little bit, and he proposed that, well, maybe there's pseudo religions, and I can go along with that. because the worldview is your take on everything. So a pseudo religion says, okay, my take on everything is this. It doesn't include a God. That's why it's a pseudo religion. Okay. So we looked at that and said, you know, it's helpful for us. That's why we want to look at worldviews. The second week, we looked at how the concept of truth has been treated in our current culture and how the impact of relativism has destroyed confidence in a true truth or an objective truth that's true whether we care, whether we agree with it or not. We then looked at how we as humans are created to process truth. Do you remember that? and the impact of the fall on our heart, which we said was our mind, our emotions, and our will. We saw that the primary way that we're to understand truth is through our minds, not our emotions or our will. We saw, however, that in our day, science has confused our minds tremendously. And many have gone around the mind and appealed directly to the emotions or the will with a false gospel. We saw our heart is deceitful, our heart meaning our mind, emotions and will, we're still prone to wrong conclusions. and need the Spirit of God to guide us and to teach us. In week three, we saw that throughout the ages, the church has faced extremely difficult situations and had to rely not on the current wisdom of that age, but on the foundational teaching of the Bible. We saw that conformity to the world will happen unless we are transformed. and that though conformity can happen in many ways, there is only one way for us to be transformed, and that is by the renewing of our minds, by reading and meditating and trusting and obeying the Bible. We saw that saving faith is made of three parts. First, understanding the content of our faith. Second, agreeing with the content. And third, trusting the content. We saw that unless number one is correct, the rest are worse than ineffective. They will lead us to hell, even if we fervently believe and steadfastly act upon them. We saw that Jesus learned the content of the Bible. He agreed with it and memorized it. He trusted and obeyed it. And we should follow the same model. We then began looking at Daniel and his friends in exile and saw that they had threats and temptations to conform to the polytheistic society around them, but trusted the Lord in the middle of that situation to enable them not to fall away and dishonor him. So I think it's very interesting that the Lord providentially brought about the convergence of these lessons, which are based on a series I delivered almost 20 years ago, with the sermon series on Daniel that Pastor Jerry is delivering now. So my hope is that they will complement each other and add to your overall understanding of how to live your life in the world, regardless of your circumstances. So that's our review. Now, the second part is. If you recall, the short and sweet definition we use for worldview is that it's the comprehensive conception of all there is, meaning that your worldview is your mental model of life, the universe and everything. Recall that everyone has a worldview, though most people aren't consciously concerned about what it's called. how it's labeled or whether they live according to all the implications of the primary values they say that they believe. So it was into a nation of polytheism with a king slash God that Daniel and his friends were exiled. They had no real understanding of what that meant, having grown up in at least a culturally theistic kingdom. They were exposed to other cultures and their gods, but to be placed within a polytheistic culture in the service of the king-slash-god as mere teenagers would have meant a drastic challenge to their understanding of the world. I want you to try to picture that for a minute. 14-year-old, taken out of your total caring, nurturing, theistic, God-focused culture into an absolutely godless, except for the king God, culture that had all these other beliefs and requirements. The hope of the Babylonians was that these young men were smart enough and young enough to adjust their thinking and their allegiances over time to enable them to eventually assimilate into the culture of Babylon. And truly, if the God of Israel were nothing more than a necessary fiction that helped their nation differentiate and define themselves from all the other cultures, then they would most certainly have done that very thing. There would have been nothing to prevent these extremely bright and by then well-taught young men from seizing their opportunities to grab all the fame, riches, pleasure, and power that they could in order to maximize their full potential and escape the bondage that their oppressors had them under. If there was nothing special about their God, the pressures of conforming to the culture around them, would likely cause their worldview to change from a theistic to a polytheistic one by the end of their allotted training time. That would be true if their worldview was nothing more than a set of choices they made and tried to live by. And while that is true, worldview is a set of choices that you make. In their case, the God of Israel had claimed their nation, and these young men were aware of His holiness, His majesty, and rightful ownership of their lives. And even though their God had sent their nation into exile, they still loved, trusted, and believed Him. It was not possible for them to merely choose to reorient themselves to a polytheistic worldview and worship Nebuchadnezzar because that would mean denying their most fundamental understanding of themselves and the world. And because of that, they could not even for a moment contemplate dishonoring their God, even in the presence of the most powerful human on the planet at that time. Seen from a purely worldly point of view, they were in an extremely difficult situation. They were trying to maintain obedience to their recently destroyed ancestral nation, with all its civil, religious, and dietary requirements, and at the same time trying to learn the skills necessary to become useful and trusted in the Babylonian government without provoking a death sentence from those they were charged with serving. Now seen from a biblical point of view, however, they were as safe in the palace of the king of Babylon as they were in their own temple. even more so because their temple had been destroyed by that very king. Though I'm sure they had their share of doubts and fears, they wouldn't be human if they didn't have them, there was comfort in their common beliefs with each other and encouragement in their common resolve to obey God. And as the preacher says in Ecclesiastes, toil, for if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up." They found strength in each other's company and faithful example, something that we should remember if we face similar situations. These young men have much to teach us as we witness a dramatic shift in our society to the point that it feels like we've been exiled into a foreign land in an alien, godless culture. But then, as we said earlier, theirs was not just any other worldview, and they didn't just choose a theistic worldview. Their lives were literally based on their knowledge and love for the God whom they trusted and believed, even in a situation that would cause any other worldview to crumble and be replaced by the beliefs of the society around them. Remember, this is sort of tongue in cheek, but I want you to think about it. This was before the advent of scientific naturalism and relativism into the public consciousness. So their lives literally depended on the good graces of the king, Nebuchadnezzar, who did not care whether they had very reliable scientific reasons for not believing that a king could be a god. of that of the king that they believed with all their heart was just as valid and indeed more special than any other point of view because it belonged to them. I'm making fun of the current relativism and scientific naturalism and showing you how silly it sounds up against a monarch who could care less about any of that. This was a monarchy that required absolute obedience regardless of what they thought or their particular internal wishes and desires, or their thoughts or predispositions about the truth of reality. So how do they live? Well, as a foundational principle, we as New Testament believers want to look to Jesus as our example. And though Daniel and his friends did not have the benefit of reading the New Testament, as we do, The Lord led them and guided them by His Spirit, just as He does with us, and He revealed Himself more dramatically to Daniel and his friends through Daniel's visions, in order to strengthen their faith, and ultimately ours as well. The author of Hebrews tells us, when talking about Jesus as our model that we want to look to, Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God's house. And a little later, he says, consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself that you may not grow weary or faint-hearted. In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. These passages encourage us not to look at our circumstances, but to look to Jesus, not only as our example. but primarily as the captain of our salvation, who in spite of all the obstacles placed before him, finished his race, accomplishing his purpose. Something that we can't do, even with him as the perfect model. Daniel and his friends knew that they had to look forward to the coming Messiah, because they couldn't accomplish their own salvation. And we have to look back at the Messiah, for the same reason. So, Now what I want to do is go through a list of principles, recommendations, things that I think are important for anybody really in any culture, but especially as we look at the culture we're trying to wade through right now. So since Daniel and his friends finished their race well, we'll look at several of the principles that they applied during their time in Babylon, along with some others that I've added, and try to understand how we can use them. I'm thankful for Gene Edward Veith, who started me on this line of thinking with his book, Loving God With All Your Mind. where he treats the case of the exiles in Babylon specifically. So we've addressed some of these already, but I hope they will spur you to consideration of how you lived your life going forward in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation. We don't have time to go into each one or to refer back to Daniel and his friends to show how they applied it. I'll just mention each principle and give an example or a verse, and then move on to the next one. First one, understand your responsibilities to God and government and your fellow man. Don't assume that the principles of freedom and individualism that our country was founded upon are biblical when taken to the extreme. Paul says in Romans 13, let every person be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore, whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. Yikes, but Peter says something very similar. Be subject for the Lord's sake to every human institution, whether it be to the emperor as supreme or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do evil and to praise those who do good. For this is the will of God that by doing good, you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. Next principle, don't live in fear. In spite of your circumstances, remember who is in control and act accordingly. Remember in the book of Jeremiah, God called Nebuchadnezzar my servant multiple times, meaning that during the destruction of the nation of the Lord's chosen people, the most powerful ruler on earth was only doing what the Lord commanded him to do. But secondly, under that same heading of don't live in fear, but we should not act with presumption or carelessness, in other words, the opposite of fear, but work with all our skill and might. And some people do this. They say, well, I already know who's going to win. I don't really have to put forth any effort. That's not true. The book of Daniel, and I'm sure Pastor Jerry is going to get to this, reveals that the prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood the messenger that spoke to Daniel for 21 days. And the messenger and the archangel Michael had to do battle with all their might in order to bring the message to Daniel. Now, if any beings in all of heaven and earth who knew who was in control and who ultimately wins the battle, it was them, but they still fought with all their might. Next one, expect the world to think and act like the world. And this is difficult to say, even when it's your family. Jesus says, don't be surprised by it. In Luke, he says, for from now on, in one house, there will be five divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. Next principle. Try to understand other people's worldview in order to connect with their thinking. That's why we've done the worldview study, so you can kind of understand where people are coming from. Beware, however, of getting too close to the world and trying to save it by showing that we're really not so narrow or exclusive. You can get trapped yourself and give up what is your true face. but also understand their motivations so that you can reason with them. Acts says that now while Paul was waiting for them at Athens, his spirit was provoked within him as he saw that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with the Jews and the devout persons and in the marketplace every day with those who happened to be there. Next principle, live as far as it is possible in peace with all men and do good to those that are against you. Even in this culture, Paul says in Romans, bless those who persecute you, bless and do not curse them, rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep, live in harmony but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight. Repay no one evil for evil, but get thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all. If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all. Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, vengeance is mine. I will repay, says the Lord. To the contrary, if your enemy is hungry, feed him. If he is thirsty, give him something to drink. For by so doing, you will heat burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." Next, make sure you are standing on the firm foundation of the historic faith versus a man-created felt faith, and don't be ashamed of it. Jude says, beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that once for all was delivered to the saints. who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord Jesus Christ. Contend for the faith once and for all delivered. Next principle, beware of enemies that look like friends. And I'm gonna say this is, in my mind, points directly at politicians. There are so many that will claim to be the friend of Christians, the friend of conservatives, the friend of this or that movement, the friend of this or that legislation. But I could give you examples that I've got Over the years of these politicians, once it is shown that this or that movement or legislation goes against something that they didn't realize may personally affect them, they will jump ship in a minute. Paul says in 2 Corinthians, for such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds. Next principle. Don't trust the powerful in this world. Now, this isn't necessarily politicians, but let me just read what the psalmist says. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes. And in another Psalm, put not your trust in princes and a son of man in whom there is no salvation. When his breath departs, he returns to the earth. On that very day, his plans perish. So don't put your hopes, your trusts in people, especially those that are powerful. They are still dust of the earth. Number, I'm not gonna do the numbers, cause you'll get intimidated. But the next one, pick your battles. Don't be taken captive in a battle for a worldly principle and leave the church unprotected. Who will then be a witness for the truth? As Jesus told Pilate, My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting that I might not be delivered over to the Jews, but my kingdom is not of this world. And since that's true, Paul tells Timothy, no soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. I say this because it is tempting for all of us to think some of the issues out there we need to get in front of and defy authority and all that. I would say the Bible teaches us you obey the authorities. If you get captured on something that is not directly relating to the church or put in jail, whatever, who will defend the church. Next, study your Bible so you understand the Lord's instructions to his people. Paul says to Timothy, do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth. And then Peter says, And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Next, study the world currently to understand the methods of deception. Remember that this has been the evil one's goal from the beginning, deception. But in our day, it comes in different forms. Think about what we've talked about before, scientific naturalism, denying there's a God. Evolution, which says, yep, don't need a God now, we evolved from slime. What we saw in our Heroes of the Faith study, many of those had to battle something that was called studied ambiguity, which means not really taking a stand on either side, but by doing that, you're not standing for the truth. Remember something that happened several years back, it was called situational ethics. which meant that there's not a for sure right and wrong, you have to evaluate the situation to know. So lies, confusion, threats, disguises, distractions, concealment, relativism, all these are things that's going on in the world. I advise you to study what they are so you can recognize them. Study history. both secular and church history to understand the replay of heresies and persecutions because there is nothing new under the sun. I have several books to recommend. I'm just going to say them. The Fragrance of Oppression by Herbert Schlossberg, Live Not by Lies, I can't remember the felon's name, History of Christian Doctrine by Burkhoff, Sketches from Church History, History of the Jews, History of Christianity. There's so many. It's very helpful because you will see not only the way the world responds, but the way the church responds to give you confidence and know what works. And by works, I don't mean that they avoid persecution. I mean that they endure, that they persevere. Next principle, sanctification or transformation, as the writer of Hebrews calls it, requires the renewing of your mind, not your emotions. Now, this is not to say that we should be emotionless. We are emotional people. We were created that way. But our emotions must be guided and directed by our minds. Finding what message or belief system makes you feel the best or evokes the strongest emotion is not the same thing as determining what is real and true. Paul says to Timothy, so flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Peter says, therefore, preparing your minds for action and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct. Next principle, trust in the middle of trials requires your mind, not your emotions. I know I'm beating this drum, but I think it's important. Train your mind by reading, studying, accepting, trusting, and obeying what is true. Paul says in Philippians, finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. not emote over them, think about them. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things and the God of peace will be with you. And then Peter says again, since therefore Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking. for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, so as to live for the rest of the time in the flesh, no longer for human passions, but for the will of God. Next principle. There's a lot of them, I know, so that's why I'm not keeping count of them. Love and encourage one another. Remember the example of Daniel and his friends. The author of Hebrews says, but exhort, which is actually the same word as encourage, exhort one another every day, as long as it is called today, that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin, for we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. Also in Hebrews, it says, and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another and all the more as you see the day drawing near. And Peter says, the end of all things is at hand, therefore, and sober-minded for the sake of your prayers. Above all, keep loving one another earnestly since love covers a multitude of sins. Next principle, be thankful and content in all situations. Paul says in Philippians, do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your request be made known to God, and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. And later in Philippians, he says, not that I'm speaking of being in need, for I've learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty in hunger, abundance in need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Next principle. This is a hard one. Be prepared to trust your loved ones to the Lord. It's very hard to watch someone else suffer even in the service of the Lord. But trust that it is for their good and God's glory. I'm going to use Paul as an example. He was dear to a lot of people, so he's writing to them to let them know what his suffering is like. He says in Philippians, I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel. so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to all the rest that my imprisonment is for Christ. And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear." And then later he says, "'Yes, and I will rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, This will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage, now as always, Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death, for to me to live is Christ and to die is gain. Next principle, be prepared to suffer yourself in any and all types of trials. Read Foxe's Book of Martyrs to understand how much the world has hated believers and their God in the past. Be prepared, as Jesus says in John 16, 33, I have said these things to you that in me you may have peace. In the world, you will have tribulation, but take heart, I have overcome the world." And Paul says to Timothy, indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. And finally, Peter says, yet if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name. For it is time for judgment to begin at the household of God. And if it begins with us, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? Next principle, remain confident in the Lord in spite of temptations and circumstances that threaten to overwhelm you. As Paul says, And I am confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. And later, only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel and not frightened in anything by your opponents. And the last one, be prepared to work hard at all of this. It is not easy or natural for us as fallen souls in the middle of the fog of war. We tend to walk by sight and not by faith. It takes concentration, thought, discernment, and prayer to overcome our fears and our ungodly reactions by reasoning from the scriptures to our individual situations in order to honor the Lord with our obedience. Jude says, but you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, in the last time there will be scoffers following their own ungodly passions. It is these who cause divisions, worldly people devoid of the Spirit, but you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. And Peter says, be sober-minded and be watchful. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion seeking someone to devour. Resist him. firm in your faith, knowing that the same kinds of suffering are being experienced by your brotherhood throughout the world. And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever, amen. Well, these are the principles that flow from our trust in God and that inform our worldview. They enable Daniel and his friends to live consistent with their faith and to be salt and light to their generation, even in Babylon. I hope the same can be said of us. With these principles in mind, let's look at how the Bible speaks to us as finite creatures about an infinite and all-powerful God, because that's really our foundation. I hope to show you that this is closely related to how Daniel and his friends persevered, and I believe there's a message for us as we contemplate our uncertain future. As we said, our worldview has everything to do with how we understand and live our life. In a biblical worldview, even believers have to be reminded continually what the true truth is and how it relates to our situation. Whether we're in prosperity or persecution, we need to be remembered. But remember that our view of God is what informs our entire worldview. And so now I want to look at how the prophets tried to tell us about God. They were the primary ones that were called to remind the children of Israel of who their God was. And it's very interesting the way that most of their pronouncements started over and over again, and I'm not going to read them all. But trust me, they saw creation as the basis for their understanding of who God was. And God himself pointed to his creation as evidence of why he was within his rights to call mankind to task for their behavior, whether his own people for their heart, their hearts, the other nations for their idolatry. It was as though benefit of their hearers, the prophets were led by hand back to first principles or back to basics, as we call it. And the foundational principle for the most basic argument to start with appeared to be the God who created heaven and earth. In other words, this was the foundation that they could build all their reasoning and exhortations upon. and recall that the words of Isaiah and Jeremiah would have been known to Daniel and his friends. Jeremiah tells us that God says, thus shall you say to them, quote, the gods who did not make the heavens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from under the heavens. It is he who made the earth by his power, who established the world by his wisdom, and by his understanding, stretched out the heavens. And Isaiah says, do you not know? Do you not hear? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood from the foundations of the earth? It is he who sits above the circle of the earth. And its inhabitants are like grasshoppers. like a tent to dwell in, who brings princes to nothing and makes the rulers of the earth as emptiness. For both Isaiah and Jeremiah, the logic and rationale for their argument is perfectly clear. God's saying, look up, look around. Did you make this? No. Well, I did, says God, and I have the right and the power to do with it as I please. This refrain was repeated over and over again throughout the Old Testament, from the creation account through the times of Job, Abraham, Moses, David, and the prophets. In addition to grounding their understanding of God based on the awesomeness of his creation, each confessed, each Job, that this knowledge was a foundation for their faith and for their comfort in times of trouble. Just a couple of examples from Isaiah. I, says the Lord, I am he who comforts you. Who are you that you're afraid of man who dies, of the son of man who is made like grass, and have forgotten the Lord your maker who stretched out the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth, and you fear continually all the day because of the wrath of the oppressor? when he sets himself to destroy. I am the Lord, your God, who stirs up the sea so that its waves roar. The Lord of hosts is his name. And I have put my words in your mouth and covered you in the shadow of my hand, establishing the heavens and laying the foundations of the earth and saying to Zion, you are my people. So he's saying, because I am he who has You can trust me. I am comforting you. I am calling you my own. Jeremiah starts his prayer with, I pray to the Lord saying, Lord God, it is you who has made the heavens and the earth by your great power and by your outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you. You show steadfast love to thousands, but you repay the guilt of fathers to their children Oh, great and mighty God, whose name is the Lord of hosts. It is also a comfort to us as his creatures to know that the same God that creates the vastness of space is also equally at home in the small secret places of this creation. He knows us completely even before we are born. Isaiah says, thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, who formed you from the womb. I am the Lord who made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself. Jeremiah says, now the word of the Lord came to me saying, before I formed you in the womb, I knew you. And before you were born, I consecrated you. I appointed you a prophet to the nations. And the psalmist says, for you formed my inward parts. You knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are all your works. My soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance. In your book were written every one of them, the days that were formed for me. when as yet there were none of them. And then again, the psalmist says, for as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him. As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us. As a father shows compassion to his children, so the Lord shows compassion to those who fear him. For he knows our frame, and you remember I could go on and on, but the point of all this, including Daniel and his friends, should teach us, should get us to the point of saying, how should we respond to this perspective that the Lord keeps reminding us of? God says to us in Isaiah, turn to me and be saved all the ends of the earth. For I am God and there is no other. By myself I have sworn. From my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return. To me, every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear allegiance. God says that the correct response is to realize that there is no other God that could have done all that we see in creation. No other God has the power, the ability, or the wisdom. Basically, there is no other God. So either turn to him and be saved, or continue to rebel and raise your puny fist against the awesome creator and suffer the consequence. I'm spending so much time talking about this because the picture of God using his creation to reinforce his truth is repeated so many times in the Bible that the Holy Spirit must have had the human writers repeatedly put it in there because it's vitally important to us. But I want you to realize also that God continues to speak through his creation. Many believers think that the universe and all that is in it is just the domain of science and has nothing to say regarding our faith. And even if it did, it's inferior to spiritual knowledge. But the reality is that while it is only in the Bible that God reveals his grace and the good news of salvation, all of creation testifies him as well as Paul says in Romans 1. And E.J. Young, who was professor of Old Testament at Westminster Seminary in the 50s, said, the purpose of the Lord in granting revelation is to impart knowledge. It is, of course, true that revelation need not be imparted by means of words. The entire creation, including man himself, is a revelation of the glory and power of God. In accents strong, though not of words, the created universe declares the mighty power and greatness of God the creator. But something we should keep in our minds is the impact that science has had on our 21st century thinking about God's creation. Though I'm sure it's been a temptation throughout the ages and our day, instead of seeing all of creation as a demonstration of God's wisdom and power and might, and as a comfort to his people, it has been turned into evidence of a godless, unplanned, unpurposed existence in the middle of chaos, reinforcing a naturalistic and ultimately nihilistic worldview. Rather than creation being an encouragement in times of trouble, it has become a depressing and frightening experience to be told in the middle of hardships and suffering that you live in an unbelievably large universe of absolute unconcern, that you are insignificant, that you mean nothing in the grand scheme. And worse than that, there is no grand scheme. There is nothing but blind random chance that determines what happens to you. So don't look for any love or pity from anyone or anything. Just learn to live with it or not. But going back to our foundational principle of into Jesus, we should read the Bible to see how he thought and spoke about creation. And when we do, it's obvious that Jesus was an absolutely down-to-earth person, meaning his discussions with people were always about their circumstances and their experiences. He didn't climb up into the heavenly realms, as he certainly could have, by saying, you know, your conversations about fishing are so mundane. I remember when I created the Andromeda Galaxy and all the angels of God were witnesses. No, he didn't reduce his hearer's situations to triviality by comparing them to struggles with powers and principalities in the heavenly places. He spoke to them of what they were experiencing in the here and now and related it to spiritual things by means of parables about the plain old ordinary world they lived in. He was very practical and understood his hearers and the world they lived in very well when he used any sort of example from creation. Now, the point here is that many of you, me included, have probably been unconsciously and subconsciously duped into a way of thinking about Jesus and his parables that is unbiblical. Because of the constant teaching of the world that all of creation is an accident without purpose, even as believers, we may view Jesus as trying to speak spiritual truth to unspiritual people of the flesh, casting about to find the best examples from the natural world that would closely approximate the spiritual points he wanted to convey to us dull, sinful hearers. His parable of a mustard seed may seem to be just a good way to illustrate the point of big things coming from small things that can be seen in the natural realm with only accidental and imperfect similarities to the spiritual realities he's trying to get people to see. But if our study means anything, it means that he is the Lord of all creation. He not only created it, If the world was made by him and through him and for him, and part of his purpose in creation was our redemption, don't you think he would create a world that spoke correctly of himself and his plan for our redemption as far as it is possible to communicate these concepts to finite minds? Don't you think since he knew our frames and everything about the way we listen and learn and how we would fall into sin, that he would design just the right details in his creation to perfectly illustrate the points he wanted to make? Don't you think he knew heaven well enough to create an earth that would point to it correctly? Don't make the mistake of viewing creation as originally having no purpose of pointing centers to God. Are we so dull as to picture the creator of all things facing a particularly stubborn individual and casting about thinking, I wish there were some good example I could use to show this person what his stubbornness is like? But I guess I'll just have to use the example of a stiff neck, though I wish there was something better. How silly of us to think that. Rest assured, if there was a better example for any of his parables, he would have understood it and planned for it before the foundation of the world and then brought it about in creation. So we should correct our thinking and see the universe not as this vast arena where in general it follows certain rules, but mainly it just exists in the background of our lives with no intentional provision for pointing humans and specifically sinful humans to God, other than by showing his power. No, we should see it as specific. purposefully created down to the most minute details by its creator in order to accomplish the purposes of redemption and to glorify the triune God. And one of those minute details is to illustrate eternal spiritual truths to finite, sinful, fleshly people when the spirit of God has opened their eyes and ears. God, through Isaiah and Jeremiah, appointed Daniel and his friends repeatedly to himself as the creator and sustainer of the universe and as their personal God to encourage them. Those same passages should have sobered and frightened the rulers of Judah and caused them to repent, but instead they turned away and closed their ears. To those in exile who trusted the Lord, and to us, they become great messages of hope and encouragement when we listen to them. When we are in our right minds, we realize that it is impossible to think otherwise. His is a creation perfectly suited to point us to Him. Even our sin has not defaced our world enough to change that marvelous truth, and it is perfectly suited to glorify. So consider now his parables and stories with this newfound appreciation for creation and focus on it being created with a purpose, not just a background framework for our existence, and how lovingly and carefully he must have labored of everything in the universe, in our own world specifically, down to the items in these parables and stories to illustrate these truths when he was planning our salvation. It says in Matthew, he put another parable before them saying, The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds? And he said to them, an enemy has done this, So the servant said to him, then do you want us to go and gather them? But he said, no. Lest in gathering the weeds, you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. And at harvest time, I will tell the reapers, gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned. But gather the wheat into my barn. So when you think of this as him planning before the foundation of the world. This is how I'm going to illustrate my care for my people. It takes a whole different meaning in my mind. It says further, he put another parable before them. The kingdom of heaven is like a grain of mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. It is the smallest it is larger than all the garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches. And then further in Luke, for no good tree bears bad fruit, nor again does a bad tree bear good fruit, for each tree is known by its own fruit. For figs are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor are grapes picked from a bramble bush. And in John, I am the true vine, and my father is the vinedresser. Every branch of mine that does not bear fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. This is interesting. It doesn't sound to me like this is a parable. This sounds like he is speaking a truth. But as we understand his care and provision in the creation, it's almost the same thing. When he's telling a parable, he's pointing correctly to himself. And then finally, later on in John, he says, truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies, it remains alone. but if it dies, it bears much fruit. I hope that you can see with the correct understanding that every detail of creation is pointing us to Christ and that now there's lessons all around us. I hope you'll spend some time and think of more parables to see the richness of his love and the design of his world. So I have a few more things to say and then we'll wrap up. I'm gonna end the lesson with a specific example from my own life, this is always dangerous for a teacher to do, that has taught me to meditate more deeply on the connection between creation and spiritual truths. It began when I realized that, as I have seen something of my own heart in response to various trials, I don't really see things the way Peter and James do. James says, count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds. Peter says, in this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials. They both seem to be saying we should rejoice in the midst of trials. And I don't believe they're saying we should enjoy the trials, but we are to rejoice because of the work they were doing for us. It was very difficult for me to understand how and why that was true. So I just took it on faith and accepted it until I finally made the connection through part of God's creation. I used to have a garden. and it grew some pretty delicious things. If you have any familiarity with gardening, you know that to produce the best fruit, you have to be conscious of the soil you plant the seeds in. You and I both know that the best soils are not appetizing in themselves at all. In fact, they're downright disgusting when you think about what type of organic material needs to be in the soil to make it good and effective for growing plants. It is amazing to me that a seed planted in stinking manure and rotting compost can grow and produce something as sweet and juicy as a honeydew melon. But that is the way God designed it. Delicious fruit grows from an unappetizing soil, a soil that bears no resemblance to the fruit that will be produced from the seed it surrounds, a soil that is detestable when considered purely on its own, but designed to be absolutely necessary to the seed in order for it to produce fruit. As I came to realize the truth that Jesus designed the world and the physical details that accurately illustrate spiritual truths, I meditated on the verses above about seeds and fruit, and I asked myself, what kind of soil would I expect to produce good Christian fruit? And when I look at it, grows best in and bears the best fruit in, those situations that are the least desirable according to the flesh, the trials, the tribulations of living in a fallen world, rubbing elbows with sinners that are only concerned with their own happiness. In those situations, we are uncomfortable and we feel ourselves to be out of place and we long for our true home. Reflecting on our struggles, desires, and frustrations in the world, Richard Sibbes, an Anglican theologian, gives another analogy. He says, as children in the womb have eyes and ears, not for that place, but for community life afterwards among men, wherein they shall use all their members, even so, our life here is not for this world only, but for another. We have large capacities, large memories, large affections, large expectations. God does not give us large capacities and large affections for this world. Using this thinking and returning to our example, so it is with the situations and circumstances that make up a Christian's passage through this world that fit us for the next one, where our abilities and expectations will be able to produce the fruit being developed as we abide in the vine and pass through the trials of this life, as a new shoot passes through the soil and breaks through to the surface. And sometimes the soil includes extraordinarily strong additions of materials that seem only capable of harming and eventually destroying the seed, but it actually produces a more lush growth and more abundant crop. Our trials are the equivalent of a good bed of manure in the garden, but quite often it is extremely uncomfortable to us. When the trials cover us just as the soil covers the seed, we sense we are isolated and cut off from life. And our doubts and our fears begin to grow. We hear the whisper that we are permanently buried and our situation begins to suffocate us. We hear the whisper more insistently that we are unknown and unimportant. that we will suffer and die unnoticed, unseen, and forgotten, away from the light of day, eventually rotting into the ground, dissolving into food for the creatures of the earth. But as I meditate on God's word and His purposeful and careful ordering of His creation to point me to Christ, I understand and trust that these very painful trials much like what Daniel and his friends went through, are doing exactly what they are supposed to do, just like well-fertilized soil does for plants, nourishing the seed that dies and turns into a living plant that bears fruit. And I am able to thank him for it, even in the midst of what the world would consider terrible circumstances. Paul says in 1 Corinthians, you foolish person, what you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. He says later, so it is with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable. honor, meaning in the middle of trial. It is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness. It is raised in power. It is sown a natural body. It is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. Thus, it is written, the first man Adam became a living being. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. but it's not the spiritual that is first, but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of the dust. The second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust. And as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of nature. And as Jesus went through his trials, so must we, not to gain our salvation or suffer as payment for our sins, but because that is the way God has ordained that his people become conformed, not to the world, but to the image of Christ. That is the eternal perspective that our worldview gives us that no other worldview provides. And it was this perspective that Daniel and his friends had in Babylon. this perspective of life and glory beyond the grave. The author of Hebrews says, therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin which clings so closely, and let us run with the endurance, the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. God bless you all as you contemplate these things and absorb all the rain He has been graciously pouring over you in the faithful preaching of His word, realizing that you are safe within the soil that He has specifically designed for you, His precious seedlings. Amen.