Daniel: On Being Different

Daniel: On Being Different 4/3/11 Daniel 3 & 6, Matthew 5:13-16 I found a gift this past Wednesday Night, Listening to poetry I found delight. I opened my ears to the power of a word. Listening to Poet Ray Brown, beautiful images I heard. I realized that throughout history Words have allowed the imagination to see. And we have lost some depth to be When only picture images we see On a day when my sermon is about being different We are looking at the life of Daniel the prophet I have taken some time to rhyme. I’m not a poet, and I know it. But it will now become evident, that this sermon, if nothing else, is different. 3 Wise Men Let me tell a tale of three wise men, Who at first I sought to kill. For they did not listen then To follow and obey my will. I had made an idol of myself. It rose 90 feet to the sky. In full sight from the Plain of Dura To all who would pass by. All who stood before my image must bow Especially when the trumpet blare Or else to the furnace they would go I punish without a care. One day my wise men came to me, Ultimately to tattle tale On 3 foolish men who would not bow To my image large in scale. Furious with rage, get these men here To answer for their foolishness My friends is it not better to bow What god can save from furnace We do not need to defend ourselves If God wills, then he will save And if he does not, we still won’t serve An image you have made Upon these words my attitude changed My anger and furnace hotter seven fold Soldiers died taking these men To punishment for not bowing before the mold But wait my eyes play tricks on me. For there are four, and not just three. And the fourth I see looks like a son of the gods As he walks around the fire free Come out! Come here! I call into flames And to these men I demand That they approach me with an answer To my just reprimand The wise satraps gather around To hear the story of these men once warned they speak with hair that is not singed Nor are their robes scorned Praise be to your God You defied me but listened to him And would give your life Rather than bow to a false god on a whim This God be praised and honored By people of every nation And you, O Three Wise Men Have earned yourselves a promotion. Honor In One’s Word I Darius have ruled the land, 120 Satraps before me stand With 3 administrators lending hand. Daniel is one of those three He does his job diligently Without corruption, full of integrity The Satraps seek to accuse They use their power to abuse Through his God’s law, Daniel will lose May unchangeable law throughout the land be sown 30 Days of prayers to King Darius alone Or else to the lions one will be thrown Daniel reads the kings edict and sees Yet to his God he bows his knees And to this God alone offers thanks and pleas While Daniel is praying, his adversaries see O King Darius, did you not publish a decree This Daniel does not follow thee The Decree must be honored, no exceptions it withstands And did you know this Daniel is not from our land Though Darius is sad, the judgment he must hand Now the king had made his choice To let the rules of men be his voice Darius has one long joyless, restless night Because of his choice, his anxiety feels very tight. With the light of dawn Darius raises his voice without calm And asks God if he has played his saving song O King, Live forever, Daniel’s voice shouts without blame Throughout the night, God’s angel to me came O King, those false accusations are quite lame A new law is written to Daniel’s God all praise And to him alone my voice does raise God’s power is strong and from heaven God saves. Daniel prospered throughout the reign of Darius before his God Daniel’s life did bless Continuing on throughout the reign of King Cyrus On Being Different Jesus talked about being different. Different can be good, we come to find When thinking about being different, salt came to mind. What does salt do? In days of old Salt preserved food to eat, strengthening people to their feet That’s one thing salt can do, will you find strength in God’s food for you? In modern days and northern cities Salt melts away the snow so we can get where we need to go. That’s one thing salt can do, will you melt away what’s stopping you? In days of old and modern days, Salt adds flavor to food, delighting our meal and mood That’s one thing salt can do, will you let God’s flavor bring delight to you? Jesus talked about being different. Different can be good, we come to find. When talking about being different, cities came to mind What can cities do? Throughout time, Cities light up the sky for those who find themselves passing by. That’s one thing that cities do, will you be a light for travelers too? Especially in days of old, Cities welcomed those weary, those whose travels made them dreary That’s one thing that cities do, will you make the dreary new? In our days, Cities exude energy and life, calling people beyond their strife That’s one thing that cities do, will you be Christ for people to view? Jesus talked about being different. Different can be good, we come to find. When talking about being different, lamps came to mind What can lamps do? I often walk at dusk throughout our town, The streets are quiet as a mouse, yet light shines out from every house. That’s one thing that lamps do, in darkness they let light shine through In my life one thing I’ve learned And this I know, lamps don’t shine hidden under a bowl That’s one thing that lamps can’t do, I hope you don’t hide your light from view.