Tell It Like It Is—August 10 Those of you who know me well know this lesson title exemplifies me very well! You never have to worry about what I am thinking or how I feel about an issue…I tell it like it is! As a Christian, I feel that we sometimes skirt around topics and “look the other way” when we know someone is doing something wrong or sinning. Yep, maybe we need to call it what it is. It is important to remember that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Also, Christ is love not condemnation. While we tell others like it is, make sure your words are bathed in prayer and love. So always remember that I love each of you dearly and pray for you daily by name. Novelist and atheist Ayn Rand had just mesmerized an audience at Yale University. After the lecture, a reporter from Time magazine asked her what in her opinion was wrong with the modern world. Without hesitation she replied, “Never before has the world been so desperately seeking answers to crucial questions and never before has the world been so committed to the idea that no answers are possible. To paraphrase the Bible – the modern attitude is, ‘Father forgive us for we know not what we are doing – and please don’t tell us.’” Wow. She hit the nail on the head! And, this applies to any age in history. For the most part, people have chosen to ignore God or they adjust what they may know of God’s principles to fit their life choices. This philosophy of life seems to work for a while…until a crisis comes. At crunch time, their approach is put to a stern test. Such was the case of a king in Daniel’s day – King Belshazzar. (DANIEL 5:1-4) “1 King Belshazzar held a great feast for 1,000 of his nobles and drank wine in their presence. 2 Under the influence of the wine, Belshazzar gave orders to bring in the gold and silver vessels that his predecessor Nebuchadnezzar had taken from the temple in Jerusalem, so that the king and his nobles, wives, and concubines could drink from them. 3 So they brought in the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his nobles, wives, and concubines drank from them. 4 They drank the wine and praised their gods made of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.” The new king was diligently working to distract himself from the impending battle with a party, wine, and vessels from God’s temple. All of his sinful actions rested in human self-centeredness and corrupt behavior. What is the significance of Belshazzar requesting the vessels of gold and silver? Why would this matter? What’s your typical attitude about sin? What are a few ways that you distract yourself or self-medicate in order to forget what’s happening in life? (DANIEL 5:5-6) “5 At that moment the fingers of a man’s hand appeared and began writing on the plaster of the king’s palace wall next to the lampstand. As the king watched the hand that was writing, 6 his face turned pale, and his thoughts so terrified him that his hip joints shook and his knees knocked together.” Do you remember the “Adam’s Family?” - the “thing” is the hand (kinda creepy right?) Do you think the king sobered up when he saw the fingers? God sometimes uses unconventional means, to reach people deep in sin. When someone says that they can see the handwriting on the wall they mean that their fate is sealed; they’ve seen hints that whatever is coming is in the near future, it is going to happen and they can’t stop it. It usually means something negative like, “I could see the handwriting on the wall that I would be fired from my job.” God showed up and proclaimed a judgment on Belshazzar. God made His declaration public, which meant everyone knew and the king couldn’t escape or ignore God. What are your feelings on public judgment, such as when your parents or professor correcting you publicly? What was the benefit of God’s public judgment? Since we have the Holy Spirit to guide and convict, how can we make those convictions public for accountability and encouragement? Have you ever been used by God to confront someone? (DANIEL 5:16-17) “16 “However, I have heard about you that you can give interpretations and solve problems. Therefore, if you can read this inscription and give me its interpretation, you will be clothed in purple, have a gold chain around your neck, and have the third highest position in the kingdom.” 17 Then Daniel answered the king, “You may keep your gifts, and give your rewards to someone else; however, I will read the inscription for the king and make the interpretation known to him.” Daniel was summonsed after the king’s grandmother reminded him of the Holy God that lives within Daniel. He was able to speak the truth of God’s message in a humble way. Likewise, when you speak God’s truth it should be done with humility and the attitude of Christ. In what ways did Daniel show humility? Describe a situation where someone you know didn’t use humility or a Christ-like attitude? Name a few ways you can grow in humility and Christlikeness. (DANIEL 5:23-28) 23c “But you have not glorified the God who holds your life-breath in His hand and who controls the whole course of your life. 24 Therefore, He sent the hand, and this writing was inscribed. 25 “This is the writing that was inscribed: MENE, MENE, TEKEL, PARSIN. 26 “This is the interpretation of the message: “MENE means that God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end. 27 TEKEL means that you have been weighed in the balance and found deficient. 28 PERES means that your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” Belshazzar died that night…not much time to repent, was there? God’s judgment is final and will come to fruition. Our judgment for sin is death but Jesus has paid that price and offers us a new life through His lordship. What was God’s judgment for Belshazzar’s sin? What is God’s judgment for our sin? The idea of substitutionary atonement says that once we have accepted the invitation of salvation, God views Jesus and his sinless life in place of our sinfulness. In essence, Jesus would have died in place of Belshazzar. How do you respond to this theological idea? How does living through Jesus and taking on His attitude resonate with your heart? The first broadcast of ABC’s Monday Night Football took place on September 21, 1970. One of the earliest and most popular announcers on MNF was Don Meredith – “Dandy Don”. Meredith was a star quarterback in college at SMU and later for the Dallas Cowboys. His style was a down home, country boy image – he was from Mt. Vernon, Texas. One of the funniest things he would do took place toward the end of games in which the outcome was obvious – one team was just too far ahead and it was a foregone conclusion that they were going to win the game. In this situation, Meredith would break into the old country western song…”Turn out the lights…the party’s over”. He would actually sing the song on the broadcast! It was hilarious. Had Meredith done the “broadcast” on the night of the banquet in Daniel, when the handwriting appeared on the wall, Dandy Don would no doubt have tuned up and sung, “Turn out the lights…the party’s over”! It was over for Belshazzar – he had been weighed and found wanting – he was done. Don’t let it happen to you. Stay thirsty, my friend…stay thirsty for the Lord and His Word…you will never regret it! In Matthew 7:3-5, Jesus shares about judging others. Let me encourage you to ask the Holy Spirit for conviction in your life before addressing someone else’s sin. Spend time praying and asking the Lord to make clear when and how you should address a warning or judgment for someone and remember to do it in Christian love.
Posted on: Fri, 08 Aug 2014 02:03:42 +0000
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