Setting Down Rocks In Babylon

We must pay the most careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.
- Hebrews 2:1

3 Then the king ordered Ashpenaz, chief of his court officials, to bring into the king’s service some of the Israelites from the royal family and the nobility —

4 young men without any physical defect, handsome, showing aptitude for every kind of learning,well informed, quick to understand, and qualified to serve in the king’s palace. He was to teach them the language and literature of the Babylonians.

5 The king assigned them a daily amount of food and wine from the king’s table. They were to be trained for three years, and after that they were to enter the king’s service.

6 Among those who were chosen were some from Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah.

7 The chief official gave them new names: to Daniel, the name Belteshazzar; to Hananiah, Shadrach; to Mishael, Meshach; and to Azariah, Abednego.

8 But Daniel resolved (purposed in his heart) not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.  
- Daniel 1:3-8

1 By the rivers of Babylon,
There we sat down, yea, we wept

2 When we remembered Zion.
There on the poplars
we hung our harps,

3 for there our captors asked us for songs,
our tormentors demanded songs of joy;
they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”

4 How can we sing the songs of the Lord
while in a foreign land?
- Psalm 137:1-4

11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah,

12 “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink.

13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.”

14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.
- Daniel 1:11-14

15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food.

17 To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds.

18 At the end of the time set by the king to bring them into his service, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar.

19 The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king’s service.

20 In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.
- Daniel 1:15,17-20

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Mixer

Without naming the state (or country) where you were born, share something it is known for and the group guesses. Share what is endearing to you about your place of birth?

‘Neighborly’ - Daily Devotional

To get the Daily Devotionals delivered to you every morning, text ‘dailydevotional’ to 97000.

1. In Middle School Director Cristina Schmitter’s 5/6/21 entry, Smoke, she writes to those of us feeling the guilt of not having the kind of faith of Daniel 3 in our 2020 fires. She writes: “I have good news for you, God is still for you.” Sit awhile in His love and grace in your quiet time this week. Think about and make a plan about who you will be in the next fire.
2. In Pastor Harry’s 5/7/21 entry, Favor, he reminds us of how futile our efforts are to change someone. He says though, “But what we cannot do, God’s Spirit can.” Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego did not try to convince the king to change - but the king was drawn to their God. Who is someone you can begin to pray that God gives you favor in their heart?

Sermon Questions

Scripture: Daniel 1:3-8, 15-20; Hebrews 2:1; Psalm 137:1

1. How did you connect with Pastor Jared’s analogy of drifting in the ocean? Are there areas in your life (especially following 2020) where you are doing things that you never would have 5 years ago?
2. Daniel’s rock was God. His faith kept him from floating down the stream of Babylon. What does your rock look like?
3. Like Daniel, you get to determine (resolve) in your heart who you want to be. Who is that, and who will you be as you swim in Babylon? (Purity & Purpose vs Pleasure & Promotion)
4. How does honoring your Rock, no matter what, impact your immediate world - spouse, kids, co-workers, friends, “the kings of this world” and others?

Go Deeper - with Goodbook

Dr. Mark Strauss and Pastor Ken Ingold
Week 16 || Chapter 7 || Letters to Jewish Christians

1. Who wrote the letter to the Hebrews?
2. To whom was Hebrews written and why?
3. What was causing some of the members of this church to turn away from Christ? Can you think of a similar situation today?
4. What are some ways the author tries to convince them not to turn away from Christ? Do these apply to us today?
5. Which James wrote the letter of James? What do we know about him?
6. To whom is James writing and why?
7. What are some characteristics of this letter?
8. Some people say that James and Paul contradict each other. Why is this? How would you answer this charge?
9. James says, “faith without works is dead.” Give an illustration of this truth from your own life or from a situation you have seen.

*Are you joining the Goodbook Q&A Zoom on Tuesday evenings? Email ken@thechurchrb.org

Serve

Mark your calendars for the next Good Neighbor Day, Saturday, June 26.

Pray

Worship Night is Thursday night - let’s honor God with singing and praising wherever we are this week!

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