Introduction – Part 2
One of my favorite characters in Scripture is a handsome young student when we first meet him. Raised to be part of the royal court, he is instead deported to Babylon after his home city of Jerusalem is invaded. But because God has given him the ability to interpret King Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams, Daniel receives a high position within the Babylonian government.
Several times he faces close calls with death because he refuses to worship foreign gods. Once he sees the entire political backdrop change design. What was Babylonian, in an overnight coup, becomes Persian. As we read the account, we hold our breath until Daniel, an experienced survivor, is again made a high ranking official in this new regime.
It’s Daniel who prayed these words (after God revealed to him the substance of King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream): “[Our Lord] changes times and seasons; He sets up kings and deposes them. He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning” (Daniel 2:21). That’s what we need in our day—wisdom and discernment.
You see, in recent years we have witnessed tumultuous changes throughout the world. Few observers would have predicted the speed by which some of these transformations took place. Atheistic Communism was suddenly overthrown in the Soviet Union and the next thing we knew, leaders of the Commonwealth of Independent States were asking the West for moral and spiritual help.
At the same time, in many of the Eastern European countries, worn out old backdrops were done away with and new sets were lowered into place—with scenes the church had a hand in painting. God had deposed rulers and changed times and seasons.
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Sunday’s coming. Do you have your sermon ready? Is it relevant? Will it effectively motivate your congregation to walk more in step with the Master? What about that Sermon Series you’ve been thinking about?
Or, if you’re someone who plans well ahead, have you asked yourself what you will preach for your Easter Sermon, your Advent Sermon, your Christmas Sermon?
David Mains and Mainstay Ministries can help. We offer a wide variety of Sermon Starters and Full Sermons that will give you Sermon Ideas to help you prepare for regular Saturday or Sunday sermons, Mid-week Bible Sermons, and Sermons for special occasions.
We also offer assistance as you create Topical Sermons, Sermons Series, and sermons for special times of the year. We have resources available to help you with Advent Celebrations, Advent Sermons, Christmas Sermons, Easter Sunday Sermons, Patriotic Sermons, and more.
For more information on how to create better Bible Sermons and how to turn Sermon Ideas into Sermon Outlines, and then into effective, meaningful Sunday Sermons, please click here to visit David Mains’ website.
You will also find a variety of resources for pastors and congregations at the Mainstay Ministries website. Just click here.
