Community in Exile - Jordan Smith
Daniel 2:10 The Chaldeans answered the king and said, “There is not a man on Earth who can meet the king’s demand, for no great and powerful king has asked such a thing of any magician or enchanter or Chaldean. 11 The thing that the king asks is difficult, and no one can show it to the king except the gods, whose dwelling is not with the flesh.” 12 Because of this the king was angry and very furious, and commanded that all the wise men of Babylon be destroyed. 13 So the decree went out, and the wise men were about to be killed; and they sought Daniel and his companions, to kill them. 14 Then Daniel replied with prudence and discretion to Arioch, the captain of the king’s guard, who had gone out to kill the wise men of Babylon. 15 He declared to Arioch, the king’s captain, “Why is the decree of the king so urgent?” Then Arioch made the matter known to Daniel. 16 And Daniel Went in and requested the king to appoint him a time, that he might show the interpretation to the king.
17 Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter know to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, 18 and told them to seek mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. 19 Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the God of Heaven.
Intro
o Living at home vs Living close
o Babylonian gods
o Israelite God
▪ Built His dwelling among them
▪ Go to the temple to inquire of the Lord
▪ As far as the Israelites know, they do not have access to Yahweh anymore
1. If there is no temple, is God still with us?
o Hotel Event Space
▪ The role the temple played for the Israelites was filled for me by a room of 20 Christians in a hotel room in Miami
1 Corinthians 3:16-17
Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s spirit dwells in you? If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him. For God’s temple is holy, and you are that temple.
1 Peter 2:5
You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ
o If you are looking for the voice of God, it is very likely you will find Him speaking in a community of believers
▪ Maybe you’ve been trying to discern on your own, but God wants to speak through the community
• Is it possible you need to go to the temple of God to discern His will for your life
2. The New Temple
o Daniel 2:17-18
▪ 4 of Many
▪ They distinguished themselves even among the other Hebrew men as people set apart by God for the flourishing of the nation.
o Ekklesia = A Gathering of People
3. The Quality of Community Matters
o The quality of community matters
▪ Find people who don’t just love Jesus, but live for him
• Love
• Joy
• Peace
• Patience
• Kindness
• Goodness
• Faithfulness
• Gentleness
• Self-Control
o Be that community
o Here’s what you need to know:
▪ God does intend for you to be a part of a community of believers. They are going to help shape you and you will encounter God through them, and they will encounter God through you.
4. But maybe you’re here and…
o You’re new to this community and want to be a part
▪ Connect Card
o You’ve been here and it’s time to go deep
▪ Small groups