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Good morning. If you have your Bible, and I hope you do, I want to invite you to open to Daniel
chapter 4. That's where we will be today. I want to echo what Pastor Dave said. If you are a first
time guest, thank you so much for being here and for worshiping with us. At the end of the service,
if you wouldn't mind, I'll be back here at this connect table. Would love for all of our first
time guests to stop by. I would love to meet you. I would love to thank you for worshiping with us
and answer any questions about our church that you may have. Also, as we're opening our Bibles to
study God's Word this morning, if you do not have a copy of God's Word, we have some that are back
there. They are free. We would love to give those to you. We'd love to bless you with one of those
because we would love for you to study God's Word and to work through this with us. Also, I want to
kind of point something out. So you've got this Harvest Hangout flyer that Pastor Dave talked about on
the chairs that's there. We do have these invite cards as well. They're going to be at the back. So when
you stop by, here's going to be the challenge for us as a church, okay? We want to—here's our—we never
run out of candy, all right? And I'm making Dave cringe right now. We never run out of candy. I want
to run out of candy. I want there to be so many people here that we're scrambling and having to
run down to CVS and pay $43 for 12 pieces of candy, all right? All right? So we want you to take these
invite cards. I want you to invite people. When we talk about discipleship, one of the forms of discipleship
that we talk about as well is missional discipleship. So what we want you to do, invite your friends
who go to other churches. That's fine. We want them to continue to be at their church. But invite your
friends. Invite people who you know who don't know the Lord or don't have a church home. What we're going
to be looking to do through this is they're just going to come. They're going to have a great time.
And we're going to be praying for and looking for and inviting them into opportunities to have gospel
conversations. So here's the challenge. The challenge is for you between now and then to grab some of
these and bring one family with you who's lost, disconnected from the church, does not know the
Lord, and to give us an opportunity to share about the hope that we have in Jesus Christ. Now here's what
we're doing to reward you. When you look on here, you'll see that there's going to be some of the
usuals. Candy, popcorn, hot dogs, snow cones, games, and the famous Mike C. Hayride.
And you see what else is on there? Dunkin' Booth.
So a couple weeks ago in a staff meeting, I had this idea. I had the idea. Let's get a Dunkin' Booth.
Let's get a Dunkin' Booth. And then I asked this question to our staff.
Who are some people of our church that people would like to throw things at?
Y'all are saying, don't be that. People are like, I'm hearing it from the front row. We're over here.
But I asked our staff that question. Here's who's going to be in the Dunkin' Booth that night.
Number one, Don Coulter is going to be in the Dunkin' Booth. Now, let me say this. If you want to throw
something at Dawn, there's something wrong with you. All right? When Dawn's in that Dunkin' Booth, you
better miss. But then she's going to be followed by Joel Van Ham.
Then, the one, the only, Brent Hawkins.
Then, Kyle Watts.
I'll get the Dunkin' Booth. But we will end exactly when we're supposed to end. And this will not
continue on. Pray for 90 degree weather that night. But we're going to have a blast. We're going to have
a good time together. You want to be there. I kind of want to be there. But please, please, please leave
these at restaurants. Invite people. This is not about candy. This is not about costumes. This is
not even about Dunkin' Booths. This is about an opportunity to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with
people. All right? And so, I want to encourage you to do that. I want to read out of Daniel chapter 4,
starting in verse 2. And then we'll get started with God's word this morning.
It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me.
How great are His signs. How mighty are His wonders. His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom,
and His dominion endures from generation to generation. Would you pray with me? God,
we thank you for the beauty of your word and for the sufficiency of your word.
God, I pray this morning that as we gather in here together, God, if there's any of this that is of me
and from me, Lord, that you would remove it. And Lord, may what is said and what is done in this place
be of you, be honoring to you, and be from you. God, for anyone who's here who does not know
Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, God, we pray that today would be the day of their salvation.
And it's in Jesus' name we pray. Amen. Amen.
Well, I want to do something a little different this morning, okay? We're going to work all the way
through chapter 4 today. The message part for this, I'm going to try to do two things this morning.
I want to move faithfully through chapter 4, but I also want to move quickly through chapter 4.
And then I want to take some time at the end to bring us together as we wrap up this chapter,
which is a very interesting, powerful chapter as we see. We'll see the ending of King Nebuchadnezzar,
a guy that's kind of been with us, and tie that through. So sometimes, you know, toward the end of
things, our minds begin to wander, our minds begin to go places. So we're going to move quickly. And then
at the end, I'm going to ask you to maybe to move around your seat a little bit and pull through
and refocus with me as we, as we see what God has for us. So let's read the first three verses of
Daniel 4. "King Nebuchadnezzar to all peoples, nations and languages that dwell in all the earth,
peace be multiplied to you. It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the most high
God has done for me. How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders. His kingdom is an everlasting
kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation." What we're going to look at this
morning in Daniel chapter 4 at the very beginning is the power of a testimony. 25 years, 25 to 30 years
after Nebuchadnezzar's first dream, this evil, corrupt, wicked killer of a man
comes to faith in God and shares his story. The beauty of what we see here, what we believe
here in Daniel 4 of what you've just seen is Nebuchadnezzar calls all the people together to
tell him his story of how God has saved him. As we go through this, we are literally going to read a man's
story. It's a powerful story. It's an impacting story. It's a soul-saving story, not because of
Nebuchadnezzar, but because of God. And so I want you to think through, what is your story?
What is your story with God? What's your story of God saving you?
Who are you influencing as a result of your story? Look here at Nebuchadnezzar.
Nebuchadnezzar, when we've seen in these first three chapters, corrupt, evil, wicked, all that he is,
but it's had the beauty of experiencing, witnessing, hearing from, and possibly even being spoken to
about the faithfulness of God from Daniel, from Shadrach, from Meshach, and from Abednego.
And what we see, I know how sometimes we want things to work very quickly, but for 25 to 30 years,
Nebuchadnezzar has seen the faithfulness that these men have for God,
and their willingness not to just serve God, but even in midst of difficulty, serve Nebuchadnezzar.
So Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, calls all people, all nations, all languages,
a worldwide invitation so that he can share what God has done.
So let's see his story, starting in verse 4.
I, Nebuchadnezzar, was at ease in my house and prospering in my palace.
I saw a dream that made me afraid. As I lay in bed, the fancies and the visions of my head
alarmed me. So I made a decree that all the wise men of Babylon should be brought before me,
that they might make known to me the interpretation of the dream. Then the magicians, the enchanters,
the Chaldeans, and the astrologers came in. And if you weren't here early with us in the first dream,
this is all the religious scholars of the day in Babylon. Came in and I told them the dream,
but they could not make known to me its interpretation. At last, Daniel came in before me.
He who was named Belshazzar, after the name of my God, and in whom is the spirit of the holy gods,
and I told him the dream, saying, O Belshazzar, chief of the magicians, because I know the spirit of the
holy gods is in you, and that no mystery is too difficult for you. Tell me the visions of my dream
that I saw and their interpretation. The visions of my head and as I lay in my bed were these.
I saw and behold a tree in the midst of the earth, and its height was great. The tree grew and became
strong, and its top reached to the heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth. Its leaves
are beautiful, and its fruit abundant, and in it was food for all. The beast of the field found shade
under it. The birds of the heavens lived in its branches, and all flesh was fed from it. I saw in
the vision of my head as I lay in bed, and behold, a watcher, a holy one, came down from heaven.
He proclaimed aloud and said thus, Chop down the tree and lop off its branches, strip off its leaves,
scatter its fruit, let the beast flee from under it and the birds from its branches.
But leave the stump of its roots in the earth, bound with a band of iron and bronze amid the tender
grass of the field. Let him be wet with the dew of heaven. Let his portion be with the beast in the
grass of the earth. Let his mind be changed from a man's, and let a beast's mind be given to him,
and let seven periods of time pass over him. The sentence is by the decree of the watchers,
the decision by the word of the holy ones, to the end that the living may know that the most high
rules the kingdom of men, rules the kingdom of men, and gives it to whom he will and sets over it the
lowliest of men. This dream I, King Nebuchadnezzar, saw in you, O Belteshazzar, tell me the interpretation,
because all the wise men of my kingdom are not able to make known to me the interpretation.
But you are able, for the spirit of the holy gods is in you.
So, King Nebuchadnezzar says, I'm going to tell you my testimony.
And testimonies of salvation always begin in lostness. Testimonies of salvation always begin
in lostness. So, he takes back to a time period where he is lost, and he has a dream. And where we
find when it comes to sharing the good news of God, when it comes to interpreting the dreams that God has
set within Nebuchadnezzar, what we see in this is hopelessness needs hope. Hopelessness needs hope.
Who's hopeless? Nebuchadnezzar. Who has hope? Daniel. 25 years after the dream, he has a second
dream. He's afraid. Just like last time, right? Don't overly criticize Nebuchadnezzar, right? He does what
you and I do. He falls oftentimes back to culture. And culture says, bring in all the scholars. Bring
in all the magicians. Bring in all the Chaldeans. And so, that's what he does. And just like last time,
how quickly he and you and I are to forget that he wants them to interpret the dream.
But again, they cannot. And so, Daniel comes in. And you can feel this excitement building within
Nebuchadnezzar, right? It sparks in his memory. That's right. It's Daniel. It's not these knuckleheads.
It's this guy that can do this. Daniel comes in. And here's what Nebuchadnezzar says twice to Daniel.
Two times. He says you're different. He doesn't understand why Daniel's different.
He kind of gets part of it right and gets the rest of it wrong.
He says that there's something different. Here's what he gets right. He says what's different is in you.
What's different is what's in you. You see, it wasn't just about Daniel's character.
He acknowledged that there's even a spiritual work that's happening, that has happened and taken place
in the heart of Daniel. What he gets wrong is, he says, and it comes from gods.
I want you to think through, and I'm going to take some liberty based off of what we believe about,
what we know about Daniel to what I believe has been happening for the last 25 years.
Daniel's a guy who stands firm. Daniel's a guy who gives glory to God. Daniel's a man from everything
that we've seen within this that is not going to succumb to the cultures and the influences of the world.
And all Daniel wants to do is be obedient to his God.
And so I imagine, as Daniel has been elevated to the right hand of the king, the overseer of overseers,
as Daniel has been elevated, what has been happening over the last 25 years
is Daniel in his faithfulness to God and his service to Nebuchadnezzar has been witnessing and witnessing and witnessing and witnessing.
And now what we see is God is starting to do something in the midst of Nebuchadnezzar's lostness,
in the midst of all the brokenness that's there. You see, hopelessness needs hope.
And hope's message will come from God through Daniel.
The king sees Daniel and feels that Daniel is his hope.
But Daniel is simply the one who is going to share the message of hope.
Nebuchadnezzar tells him his dream. It's kind of weird, it's kind of jumbled, and so let's share some of this.
Nebuchadnezzar tells Daniel his dream. There's this beautiful tree that's so big that the entire earth can see it.
It provides shade to all who seek it, and food to all who desire it.
And an angel comes down from heaven and announces that there's going to be the destruction of the tree,
and the tree will be destroyed, but the stump will be left.
The roots will be left alive, and there will be a fence that is built around the tree to protect it.
And that tree is a man, and the man will end up giving his heart over
and begin to not have the heart of a man, but have a heart of a beast.
And begin to think that he is an animal, and act like an animal, and behave like an animal.
And the angel tells Nebuchadnezzar why this must take place.
So that Nebuchadnezzar will know that the Most High God, Daniel's God,
rules over all, and gives to whomever he pleases.
And so Nebuchadnezzar, the crazy, evil, pagan king, is once again scared.
He needs hope.
The only person who can give him more than advice, more than counsel, more than a positive outlook on life, is Daniel.
Because what Daniel's going to bring is the truth of God.
So join me in verse 19.
Then Daniel, whose name was Belteshazzar, was dismayed for a while, and his thoughts alarmed him.
The king answered and said,
Belteshazzar, let not your dream or interpretation alarm you.
Belteshazzar answered and said,
My Lord, may the dream be for those who hate you and its interpretation for your enemies.
The tree you saw which grew and became strong, so that its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth,
whose leaves were beautiful and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all, under which beast of the field found shade,
and whose branches the birds of the heavens lived.
It is you, O king, who have grown and become strong.
Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your dominion to the ends of the earth.
And because the king saw a watcher, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying,
Chop down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump of its roots in the earth,
bound with a band of iron and bronze, and the tender grass of the field,
and let him be wet with the dew of heaven, and let his portion be with the beast of the field,
till seven periods of time pass over him.
This is the interpretation, O king.
It is the decree of the Most High, which has come upon you,
my Lord the king, that you shall be driven from among men,
and your dwelling shall be with the beast of the field.
You shall be made to eat grass like an ox,
and you shall be wet with the dew of heaven,
and seven periods of time shall pass over you,
till you, get this,
till you know,
till you know
that the Most High rules the kingdom of men
and gives it
to whom he will.
And as it was commanded to leave the stump of the roots of the tree,
your kingdom shall be confirmed for you
for the time that you know the heaven rules.
Therefore, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you.
Break off your sins
by practicing righteousness
and your iniquities
by showing mercy to the oppressed
that there may be perhaps
a lengthening
of your prosperity.
Daniel comes
into the courtroom
of a madman
and says,
this dream is you.
It's going to fall apart.
We're going to get specific here
in just a minute.
But in spite of all
that Daniel could have taken on,
what Daniel does
is Daniel shares the truth of God
from the love of God.
We see the truth in love.
That's what it is.
It's the truth of God
through the love of God.
I believe,
I believe
that in this
that Daniel
genuinely
from God
has a heart
for Nebuchadnezzar.
He knows
what he's capable of
but Daniel
knows what
God's capable of
as well.
Look at,
back at the very beginning.
He was dismayed
and his thoughts
alarmed him.
He's anxious.
Daniel is.
The king said,
it's okay, buddy.
Tell me.
And he does.
So Daniel shares.
Here's the interpretation.
Here's the truth in love.
Nebuchadnezzar,
you're the tree.
And this tree
symbolizes your greatness.
Nebuchadnezzar,
you will continue
to be the tree
when the tree
is chopped down
and the roots
will remain.
Nebuchadnezzar,
you will live
like an animal
for a lengthy
period of time.
I want you to get this.
We're going to see this
fulfilled mentally.
A mental disorder
of biblical proportion
that a human being
believes they're an animal
and will function
and act
all the way
to the eating
of grass.
But all of this
will be done
to teach you
a lesson.
The lesson
that Nebuchadnezzar
has gained glimpses
into, right,
when he makes decrees
about the God
of Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego,
but he doesn't
separate them
from the polytheistic
culture of the day.
He says,
but you will come
to a place
through this
that you understand
that the,
that you will know
the most high
God,
Daniel's God,
rules over all
and gives to
whomever he pleases.
Nebuchadnezzar,
this is what you're
going to know
after an extended
period of time.
And when you come
to your senses,
when you come
to your senses,
you will gain
your kingdom back.
Look at verse 27.
Look back
at verse 27.
This is an interpretation
of a dream.
This is the truth
of God.
Of calling
to repentance.
Daniel says,
let me show you
the truth of God
from the dream
and let me show you
the truth of God
that applies
to all of mankind.
Break off your sins
by practicing righteousness.
Repent.
Daniel preaches
the message
of John the Baptist.
Daniel preaches
the message
of Jesus.
Daniel preaches
the message
of Paul and Peter.
And Daniel preaches
the message
that God's word
calls us to repent.
Repent.
Do what's right.
Be a man of justice.
Be a man of God.
Don't do godly things.
Be a man of God.
Join me verse 28.
All this came upon
King Nebuchadnezzar
at the end of 12 months
he was walking
on the roof
of the royal palace
of Babylon
and the king
answered and said
is not this great
Babylon
which I have built
by my mighty power
as a royal resident
and for the glory
of my majesty.
I don't know if there's
ever been a more
prideful verse
in the Bible.
One of the words
were still
in the king's mouth.
There fell a voice
from heaven.
Oh Nebuchadnezzar
to you it is spoken
the kingdom
has departed from you
and you shall be driven
from among men
and your dwelling
shall be with the beast
of the field
and you shall be made
to eat grass
like an ox
and seven periods
of time
shall pass over you
until you know
the most high
rules the kingdom
of men
and gives it
to whom he wills.
Immediately
the word
was fulfilled
against Nebuchadnezzar.
He was driven
from among men
and ate grass
like an ox
and his body
was wet
with the dew
of heaven
till his hair
grew as long
as eagle's feathers
and his nails
were like
birds' claws.
You see
God is patient
and true
God is patient
and true.
Back at verse 29
Daniel
who's been able
to correctly
interpret
the dreams
that God
has given
Nebuchadnezzar
says this is
going to happen.
No one else
can interpret
the dreams
of Nebuchadnezzar
but Daniel can
and Daniel's
showed faithfully
that he can do that.
Nebuchadnezzar
believes
that what
Daniel says
is true
and Daniel
says Nebuchadnezzar
this is what
is going
to happen.
Repent,
repent,
repent.
I think
sometimes
the perception
of the world
that our
God
is an
overly
impulsive
non-gracious
God.
Verse 29
though
at the end
of 12 months
he
being
Nebuchadnezzar
was on the
roof of the
royal palace
of Babylon.
12 months.
God's patient.
God is patient.
God is patient
with Nebuchadnezzar.
God is patient
with you.
God is patient
with me.
How do I know
that God is patient
with you
and God is patient
with me?
Because we're
still breathing.
We're still
breathing.
Every moment
is a moment
of repentance.
Every moment
is a proof
that God
is good
and God
is loving
and God
is patient.
God is patient
but God's
also true
and God
does
exactly
what
he says
he's going
to do.
The most
powerful
man
in the world
becomes
consumed
in his mind
that he's
an animal.
He stops
speaking.
He stops
eating.
He physically
becomes hunched
over.
He feeds
from the ground.
He grows
out his hair.
He moves.
He acts
like a beast.
And God
said
Nebuchadnezzar
this is what
I'm going to do
and this is what
God fulfills.
34
through 37
At the end
of the days
I
Nebuchadnezzar
lifted
my eyes
to heaven
and my
reason
returned
to me
and I
blessed
the most
high
it's
changed
not
God's
the most
high
and praised
and honored
him who
lives forever
for his
dominion
is an
everlasting
dominion
and his
kingdom
endures
from generation
to generation
all the
inhabitants
of the
earth
are
accounted
as
nothing
and he
does
according
to his
will
among
the
host
of
heaven
and
among
the
inhabitants
of the
earth
and no
one
can
stay
his
hand
or say
to him
what
have
you
done
at the
same
time
my
reason
returned
to me
and for
the
glory
of
my
kingdom
my
majesty
my
splendor
returned
to me
my
counselors
and my
lords
sought
me
and I
was
established
in my
kingdom
and still
more
greatness
was added
to me
now
I
Nebuchadnezzar
praise
and extol
and honor
the king
of heaven
for all
his works
are right
and his
ways
are just
and those
who walk
in pride
he
is able
to make
humble
I
don't
care
if
you're
a king
or a
commoner
the
call
of
the
gospel
is to
humble
yourself
before
the
Lord
humble
yourself
before
the
Lord
every
moment
of
witness
every
moment
of
truth
in
his
heart
rings
true
about
who
he
was
and
who
God
is
and
Nebuchadnezzar
an
evil
pagan
killer
of a
man
comes
to
faith
in
God
and
if
Nebuchadnezzar
can
so
can
you
so
can
you
there
was
news
Nebuchadnezzar
needed
and
God
sent
Daniel
to
share
it
with
him
okay
this
is
this
is
the
lock
in
moment
this
is
the
lock
in
set
your
phone
down
close
up
what's
going
to
distract
don't
get up
to go
to the
bathroom
let's
just
lock
in
we
live
in a
world
right
now
that
desperately
seeks
the
answers
to
why
and
why
are
things
the
way
they
are
and
the
world
is
filled
with
opinions
of
what
we
need
but
the
problems
of the
world
from
today
to
Daniel
4
to
Genesis
3
ring
true
ring
true
the
problems
of
this
world
transcend
culture
transcend
language
transcend
political
party
transcend
socioeconomics
transcend
areas of
higher
learning
it
transcends
it all
and so
what I
want to
do this
morning
is I
want to
share
with
you
I
want to
share
with
you
what
our
problem
is
and
what
we
need
whether
this is
your
first
time
here
or
whether
this
is
your
thousandth
time
here
I
want to
share
with
you
the
joy
that
we
find
in
the
hope
that
is
there
in
Christ
Jesus
but
in
order
for
us
to
get
the
good
we
got
to
get
some
of
the
bad
we
got
to
get
some
of
the
bad
I'm
not
crazy
about
news
but
let
me
take
the
time
to
share
with
you
a
little
bit
of
news
first
I
want
to
share
with
you
what
scripture
teaches
us
of
the
bad
news
bad
news
we'll
start
off
with
bad
will
work
to
good
y'all
bad
news
is
this
Romans
3
23
says
this
for
all
have
sinned
and
fall
short
of
the
glory
of
God
that's
bad
news
if
you're
like
well
I'm
not
a
theologian
so
I
don't
understand
why
that's
bad
news
let
me
tell
you
why
that's
bad
news
because
in
Romans
6
23
that
God's
word
teaches
us
that
the
wages
of
sin
is
death
for
all
fall
short
for
all
have
sinned
and
fall
short
of
the
glory
of
God
and
for
the
wage
of
sin
is
death
so
here's
what
that
means
from
me
to
you
to
your
child
to
your
grandmother
to
the
most
moral
of
the
moral
that
our
culture
would
define
to
the
most
immoral
of
the
immoral
that
our
culture
would
define
is
that
there's
a
problem
and
this
problem
is
bad
news
and
it's
that
we're
sinners
and
because
God
is
holy
because
God
is
just
God
cannot
simply
overlook
it
and so
Romans
6
23
tells
us
that
the
wages
of
sin
is
death
and
so
here's
the
bad
news
because
you
and
I
are
sinners
you
and
I
are
condemned
to
an
eternal
punishment
that's
bad
news
that's
bad
that's
worse
than
a
football
game
that's
worse
than
a
bad
week
at
the
office
that's
bad
news
this
will
get
better
right
you
ever
heard
the
saying
sometimes
for it
to get
better
it's
got
to
get
worse
here's
worse
news
Ephesians
2
8
says
for by
grace
you have
been
saved
through
faith
you're
like
well
that's
good
where's
the
bad
and
this
is
not
your
own
doing
it
is
the
gift
of
God
so
here's
the
worst
news
here's
the
worst
news
there's
bad
news
there's
worse
news
that
you
and I
there
is
nothing
that we
can do
to save
ourselves
there's
not a
an
action
of
character
that we
can take
to move
ourself
from
sinner
to
Christian
you know
you can't
just decide
well
I want
to be
a
Christian
so I'm
gonna
start
going to
church
again
that's
not
how
it
works
you
can't
decide
well
I
want
to
be
a
Christian
so I'm
gonna
start
giving
that's
not
how
it
works
you
can't
decide
well
I'm
an
alcoholic
and I
want
to
be
a
Christian
so I'm
just
gonna
stop
drinking
that's
not
how
it
works
there's
no
work
there's
no
deed
that
you
and I
can
do
to
save
ourselves
the
Bible
tells us
that
we're
dead
in our
trespasses
and sins
so we've
gone
from a
standing
to a
condition
that's
worse
that's
worse
take the
minds of
the world
you take
all the
enchanters
all the
Chaldeans
all the
sorcerers
and put
them in a
room
together
and say
what is
the way
that we
can save
ourselves
and there
is no
answer
all right
here's the
good news
here's the
good news
1 John
1 7
but if we
walk
in the
light
as he is
in the
light we
have
fellowship
with one
another
and the
blood
of
Jesus
his
son
cleanses
us
from all
sin
that's
good news
that's
good news
y'all
should be
excited about
that
y'all
should be
excited as
Syracuse
and Missouri
fans this
morning
right
for those
of you
that don't
get that
reference
you didn't
watch college
football yesterday
and your day
was better
because of
it
all right
that's good
news
the good
news even
though we
are sinners
Jesus
wasn't
Jesus is
perfect
and
Jesus
in his
divinity
in his
humanity
came to
do
what you
and I
are incapable
of doing
and he
came
and died
on the cross
the perfect
death
taking away
the potential
of your
punishment
and satisfying
the holy
righteousness
of God
so what you
and I
and your
kid
and your
grandma
and the
Chaldeans
and the
sorcerers
and the
scholars
are incapable
of doing
here's the
good news
Jesus
came
and did
that's good
news
that's good
news
but
there's good
news
so if there's
bad news
there's good
news
if there's
worse news
here's the
best news
here's the
best news
when I
shared
Romans 6
23
with you
earlier
I shared
the first
part
here's the
fullness of
it
for the
wages
of sin
is death
but the
free
gift
of God
is eternal
life
in Christ
Jesus
our Lord
that's the
best news
Jesus not
only came
and did
this
but he
offers it
to you
as a
gift
he says
this is what
I've done
for you
no
religious
work
can earn
it
no
internal
commitment
of man
deserves
it
and so
I've
came
and I've
done
this
for you
here's
what you
do
what do
you do
when someone
gives you
a gift
you receive
it
you receive
it
you receive
the gift
of God
it's got to be
more complicated
than that
it's got to be
more complicated
than that
and I want to tell you
there's a lot of people
who try to make it
more complicated
than that
but it's not
more complicated
than that
the Bible
is so
simple
in the beauty
of the gospel
receive it
here's what Paul
says later
in Romans 10 9
if you confess
with your mouth
that Jesus is Lord
and believe
in your heart
that God
raised him
from the dead
you
will
be
saved
if we can
believe
in the
unrepentant's
heart's
eternal
damnation
may we
believe
in the
repentant's
heart's
salvation
if you
confess
with your
mouth
that Jesus
is Lord
and believe
in your heart
that God
raised him
from the dead
you
will
be
safe
promise
of God
not the
promise
of man
the promise
of God
so this
morning
I want
to ask
you
this
and I
don't care
if this
is your
first time
or your
thousandth
time
I don't
care if
you're
seven
or 77
I don't
care
what color
your skin
is
I don't
what language
is most
comfortable
to you
I don't
care about
how you
vote on
election day
I don't
care about
how much
money is in
your bank
account
I don't
care about
how much
education
that you
have
I don't
care if
you love
me or
you hate
me
I don't
care
this
morning
what I
want you
to know
and this
may be the
first time
you've
heard it
this may
be the
millionth
time
that you've
heard it
that you're
a sinner
that you're
a sinner
and you
deserve
hell
and I
was a
sinner
and I
deserve
hell
but Jesus
came and
he died
and his
payment on
the cross
of Calvary
was the
perfect
payment
from the
only
perfect
individual
and it
covered
the sins
of the
world
if you'll
receive it
and if
you'll
confess
if you'll
confess
Jesus
Christ
would you
bow your
heads with
me for a
second
this is
a you
and God
time
this gift
is yours
would you
confess
to him
he hears
you
he's heard
every word
he's heard
every mumble
he's heard
every thought
he's heard
every intention
of the heart
would you
confess
Jesus Christ
as Lord
and Savior
this morning
you might
not
understand
all
goodness
I don't
understand
all
but would
you believe
believe in
your heart
would you
believe in
your heart
that God
raised him
from the
dead
because in
that
is life
eternal
life
and the
gospel is for
kings and
commoners
it's for men
and women
it's for boys
and girls
it's for every
nation
tribe
and tongue
for you
to receive
if you
confess
with your
mouth
that Jesus
is Lord
and believe
in your
heart
that God
raised him
from the
dead
you
will
be
saved
God
I thank
you
for the
work
that you
did
in the
heart
of
Nebuchadnezzar
I thank
you
for the
work
that you
did
in the
heart
in my
heart
God
I pray
if there's
anyone here
who does
not know
Christ
as their
Lord
and Savior
God
today
they would
respond
to the
best
news
the world
has ever
heard
the beauty
of Jesus
Christ
and it's
his name
I pray
amen
last thing
we're gonna
tie it back
we're gonna
tie it back
do me a
favor
if that's
you today
first time
thousandth time
if that's
you today
and today
is the day
today is the
day that you
put your
faith
hope
trust
in Jesus
Christ
today
is the
day
that you
received
his gift
of salvation
I don't
think you
realize
I don't
think I
realized
I'd say
this
five weeks
ago
six weeks
ago
when we
started
working
through
Daniel
here's
what I'm
asking you
to do
what
Nebuchadnezzar
did
do what
Nebuchadnezzar
did
tell
somebody
tell
somebody
I'm not
gonna ask
you to
come up
on the
stage
and broadcast
it
to everyone
here
I'm not
gonna ask
you to
go and
go rent
a venue
and invite
all of your
friends and
family so that
you can
share
that'd be
great
if you
did
but I'm
gonna ask
you to
tell
somebody
we're
gonna give
you an
opportunity
right now
in this
moment
to tell
somebody
it's
that
first
step
of
faith
of a
person
who's
entrusted
Christ
we've
received
salvation
and now
we're
called
to tell
we got
prayer
encouragers
you can
come tell
them
I'll be
at the
back of
the
auditorium
at the
end of the
service
you can
come tell
me
you can
tell the
person
who's
sitting
beside
you
you can
walk up
to somebody
you don't
know
tell somebody
that today
Jesus Christ
saved you
tell somebody
that today
is the day
that you
gave your
heart
you gave
your life
to the
Lord
tell somebody
and if
you're here
today
and Jesus
Christ
is
and has
been
your
Lord
and Savior
tell
somebody
tell
somebody
it's not
hard
to look
out in
this world
and live
in the
hopelessness
and as
Christians
all too
often
why do
we claim
to be
people of
hope
and when
there's an
opportunity
for us
to point
to Jesus
we just
pull an
Eeyore
and live
in the
circumstances
of this
world
tell
somebody
tell
somebody
God
as we
respond
to you
in
worship
may you
be glorified
by all
that we
sing
by all
that we
pray
by all
that we
do
and God
may we
be people
that simply
go
and tell
somebody
tell
somebody
our
story
tell
somebody
who
you
are
in
your
name
we
pray
amen
that's
for
this
week's
message
be sure
to check
back
next week
for a
new
episode
and in
the
meantime
you can
visit us
online
at
willowridgechurch.org
or by
searching for
Willow Ridge
Church on
Facebook
Instagram
and YouTube
thanks again
for listening
and YouTube