Class Lesson November 15, 2015

GAME CHANGER:  

HOW TO IMPACT YOUR WORLD

You can make an impact. Get in the game.

Because we are followers of Christ, we are to live by a different standard. To use a sports analogy, we play the game differently. Our lives point to Christ and that's a "Game Changer" not everyone is willing to accept. When we step into the culture with our prayers, stand against sin and for righteousness, and live a faithful life committed to Christ, we impact the world and the way "The Game" is played.

How To Impact Your World

1. Develop Conviction - Live your life with uncompromising conviction.
2. Pray Fervently - Our prayers connect us with God's plan.
3. Stand Courageously - Be ready and willing to stand for God.
4. Live Humbly - Pride leads to downfall, but God honors humility.
5. Confront Sin - Call sin what it is and point to what God says about it.
6. Act Faithfully - God is greater than those who oppose you.

If God used Daniel and his friends in such a tremendous way, He will use us the same way to impact and change our world today. As we study the Book of Daniel, I pray that God will speak to us and encourage us to "Get in the Game" and to be "Game Changers."

LIVE HUMBLY

THE BIBLE MEETS LIFE
Abraham Lincoln is recognized as one of America’s greatest leaders—and one of the most humble. In the middle of the Civil War, he wrote about the dangers of sustained success: “We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven; ... we have grown in numbers, wealth, and power as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We ... have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own.”

As a solution, President Lincoln called for a day of humiliation, fasting, and prayer. He knew that pride always leads to downfall.

Today’s study looks at another national leader who came to a place of humiliation. Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar was a man very full of himself, but God taught him a costly yet valuable lesson about what it means to live humbly before Him.

 
WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

 
Daniel 4:28-35 (ESV)

28 All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar.

29 At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon,

30 and the king answered and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?”

31 While the words were still in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you,

32 and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts 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 that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.”

33 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 eagles’ feathers, and his nails were like birds’ claws.

34 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, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation;

35 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 none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”

Babylon (v. 30)—The capital of the region of Babylonia. It was located on the Euphrates River about 50 miles south of modern Baghdad. The city dates at least to the period of the Old Testament patriarchs and reached its zenith under Nebuchadnezzar.

Host of heaven (v. 35)—This term can refer to the heavenly bodies (sun, moon, and stars) or to the angelic forces in heaven.

 
Daniel 4:28-30
 
King Nebuchadnezzar had another dream (see 4:4-17). Once again, the king asked his wise men, mediums, and astrologers to interpret the dream. Once again, they were clueless. And once again, Daniel—in whom the king said was “the spirit of the holy gods” (Dan. 4:8)—told him what the dream meant.

In his dream, the king saw a large, beautiful tree being cut down, leaving only the stump and roots. The vision was a warning from God to Nebuchadnezzar: he was heading down the wrong road. God told Nebuchadnezzar what would happen if he didn’t change. The king had no room for God, because he was full of himself. Or, more accurately, he was full of pride. God’s ultimate purpose was to break Nebuchadnezzar’s pride and lead him to acknowledge God. “Your kingdom shall be confirmed for you from the time that you know that Heaven rules” (v. 26).

Daniel pleaded with Nebuchadnezzar to repent, and to show mercy to the needy (v. 27). And perhaps Nebuchadnezzar did so—for a while. Or perhaps God gave the king an additional year as an act of mercy. Nevertheless, “at the end of twelve months” Nebuchadnezzar gave in to his pride.

As Nebuchadnezzar looked at the great city of Babylon, all he saw was his own “mighty power” and “glory of my majesty” (v. 30). Granted, Babylon was a large and magnificent city. Historians wrote with awe about Nebuchadnezzar’s extensive building projects, particularly the Hanging Gardens—considered one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. Yet as Nebuchadnezzar looked out at this marvelous city, all he saw was himself.

In spite of Daniel’s warning, Nebuchadnezzar still hadn’t learned humility. But he was about to.

Daniel 4:31-33
While King Nebuchadnezzar’s prideful words were still in his mouth, God executed judgment on him. Nebuchadnezzar was instantly driven from his people, became like a wild animal, and lived with the animals for seven years. In all likelihood, he suffered some sort of mental breakdown. Psychologists have identified a rare mental illness, boanthropy, in which a person believes he or she is actually a cow or ox. No matter how we label it, Nebuchadnezzar’s condition came from the hand of God. The Lord humbled the king.

A person full of pride doesn’t think clearly. When Adam and Eve gave in to temptation, hoping they would “be like God” (Gen. 3:5), they were neither thinking clearly nor seeing the truth. Pride can lead you to think you don’t need God. In fact, pride can push you to become your own false god. That’s what happened to Nebuchadnezzar. His unclear thinking led to totally irrational behavior. Ultimately, he experienced God’s judgment.

Up to that point, Nebuchadnezzar thought he was in control. Then God taught him otherwise. God is always in charge, as Solomon knew: “All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the spirit. Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established. The Lord has made everything for its purpose, even the wicked for the day of trouble” (Prov. 16:2-4).

All of us have a choice regarding humility. We can humble ourselves before God, or He will do the humbling for us. “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (Jas. 4:6).

A prideful attitude runs contrary to the will and wisdom of God. Pride brings conflict with others and with God. Pride keeps us from experiencing life to the fullest under the love and grace of God. Again, we can recognize the danger and humble ourselves, or God will break us of our pride so that we can see Him.

Daniel 4:34-35
What brought Nebuchadnezzar back to reality? “I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me” (v. 34). This looking up to heaven was an act of submission to the One who rules heaven and earth. And God responded with grace: He restored Nebuchadnezzar’s sanity.

Nebuchadnezzar returned as a different person. He no longer claimed glory for himself; instead, he gave glory to God. “I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever” (v. 34). He became a man fully and completely humbled, proclaiming and exalting the everlasting God.

What about us? How can we deal with pride? James 4 shows us the way:

1. Submit to God (Jas. 4:7). “Submit” is a military term that means to place under orders. We must make a choice to come under the authority of God. Unconditional surrender to Him is the only way to complete victory.
2. Resist the Devil (v. 7). “Resist” means to stand against an individual—to “draw a line in the sand.” But let’s be clear: we cannot resist the Devil unless we first submit to God. When you place yourself under God’s authority, He will stand with you and for you.
3. Draw near to God (vv. 8-9). The call to submit is followed by a call to commit. We are to renounce sinful attitudes and actions that cause us to be distant from God. 
4. Humble yourself (v. 10). Humility is remembering we have only become who we are and received what we have because of what God and others have poured into our lives. Humility is being grateful and thankful to God and others for investing in our lives.

 

"When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with the humble is wisdom." 

- Proverbs 11:2

 

LIVE IT OUT

What steps will you take this week to adopt a posture of humility before God? Consider the following suggestions:

• Ask for humility. Not everyone is born with a natural stockpile of humility. Pray for humility every day this week. Ask God to not only grant you a proper understanding of your own place, but also a deeper understanding of His glory.

• Display humility. We live in a “toot your own horn” culture in which the temptation to brag can be huge—especially since the rise of social media. This week, be intentional about allowing your life and words to point to Christ, not to yourself.

• Humbly correct a wrong. Living humbly in Christ means living humbly in the body of Christ. If you’ve wronged or hurt someone, or if you’ve acted arrogantly in front of another, swallow your pride. Go to the person, apologize, and seek to make things right.

Pride leads to downfall, but God honors humility (see Prov. 16:18-19). Submit to Jesus Christ and rejoice in the truth that He loves you and has a joyous plan and purpose for your life.



Our Lesson Today:

LIVE HUMBLY

Video: Shenandoah

Click Here to Watch

Who do you know who is great at being humble?




The Bible Meets Life introduces the themes of pride and humility.

• Abraham Lincoln is recognized as one of America’s greatest leaders—and one of the most humble. In the middle of the Civil War, he wrote about the dangers of sustained success: “We have been the recipients of the choicest bounties of heaven; ... we have grown in numbers, wealth, and power as no other nation has ever grown. But we have forgotten God. We ... have vainly imagined, in the deceitfulness of our hearts, that all these blessings were produced by some superior wisdom and virtue of our own.” As a solution, President Lincoln called for a day of humiliation, fasting, and prayer. He knew that pride always leads to downfall.

Brainstorm answers to the following questions:


1) What are some everyday actions and attitudes that demonstrate an abundance of pride?


2) What are some everyday actions and attitudes that demonstrate humility?




Lesson Point: “Pride leads to downfall, but God honors humility.”


The adage “Don’t let success go to your head” reminds us that success has a way of changing a person. We are aware of celebrities and public figures who, sadly, came to believe the press releases about themselves. Any humility they may have had soon faded away. From the Book of Daniel, we can discover the importance God places on living humbly before Him.


Daniel 4 begins and ends with King Nebuchadnezzar praising the Lord God. The verses in between are the story of a warning given to him about his arrogance and pride. The king refused the opportunity to repent; thus, he became subject to the discipline and judgment of God. Through that experience, however, the king not only learned the dangers of pride but came to a greater realization of the sovereignty of God.


It begins with a dream: Twenty-five centuries ago Nebuchadnezzar was the most powerful man in the world, the king of the greatest empire the world had ever known. One night while he was sleeping in his palace, he had a very strange dream. He dreamed of a large tree that stretched to the sky. Its branches were large and strong so that all kinds of birds nested in the tree and all manner of animals were found beneath the limbs. Suddenly the tree was cut down, its branches stripped, its fruit scattered. Nothing was left but a stump bound in iron and bronze. Then somehow the stump became a person who lived among the animals for seven years. Evidently this person lost his mind completely. None of the king’s advisors knew the meaning. The king called for Daniel to interpret the dream. The meaning was all too clear to him. “That tree is you, the king” (Daniel 4:22 HCSB). Nebuchadnezzar had become so great that people from all the earth flocked to him. He had become great in his own eyes, thinking he had created this great empire himself. The king would lose his mind and eat grass like the cattle for seven years until he acknowledged God.

“All this happened to King Nebuchadnezzar” (Daniel 4:28 HCSB). For twelve months the King had opportunity to change his ways. He did not. And the impending results serve as a warning to us. The truth is clear: Be humble or be humbled.





I. Pride is a sin that places self over others. (verses 28-30)


28 All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar. 29 At the end of twelve months he was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, 30 and the king answered and said, “Is not this great Babylon, which I have built by my mighty power as a royal residence and for the glory of my majesty?”


A. Daniel 4:4-26 describes a second dream King Nebuchadnezzar had. He once again called on Daniel to interpret it. God told Nebuchadnezzar through Daniel that He was going to remove him from his throne because of his pride.


B. Nebuchadnezzar walked in humility for about a year. Then, he was out, strolling on the roof of his palace, presumably admiring his own kingdom. A wave of pride came over him and he declared what a wonderful place he had built to declare his own glory.


C. Pride can sneak up on someone who isn’t intentionally suppressing it. We, too, can say some of the most absurdly prideful things that seem to come out of nowhere. We must confess our pride before the Lord and repent.



How would you describe the difference between being proud and being prideful?

• Note: In the context of this question, “being proud” is a positive expression of pride, while “being prideful” is negative.

• But I think the trouble we run into is thinking that the opposite of pride is low self-esteem. The opposite of being prideful is not thinking badly about yourself, and there’s nothing wrong with being proud of the things you’ve accomplished or done. Those words might be related, but the definitions I’m using show that they’re very different.

• pride or prideful :: a high or inordinate opinion of one’s own dignity, importance, merit or superiority, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct, etc.

• proud :: feeling deep pleasure or satisfaction as a result of one’s own achievements or qualities

• At its core, low self-esteem is just pride in the negative. It’s a “low or overly negative opinion of one’s own dignity, importance, merit, or unimportance, whether as cherished in the mind or as displayed in bearing, conduct, etc.” It’s still placing all of your focus on yourself while exaggerating the things you lack instead of your strengths.

• As C.S. Lewis says, “True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less.”

“I” talk will get you into trouble. Note the personal pronouns in verses 29-30: I . . . my . . . my. Note the boastful words: “I have built . . . by my vast power . . . my majestic glory.” Don’t ever talk like that. That’s crazy talk. That is hubris and arrogance vocalized. That kind of speech will get you in trouble with God. The moment you start taking credit for anything, you’re daring God to come and bring you back to reality.



There is a difference between the kind of pride that God hates (Proverbs 8:13) and the kind of pride we feel about a job well done. The kind of pride that stems from self-righteousness is sin, and God hates it because it is a hindrance to seeking Him. Psalm 10:4 explains that the proud are so consumed with themselves that their thoughts are far from God: “In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.” This kind of haughty pride is the opposite of the spirit of humility that God seeks: “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). The “poor in spirit” are those who recognize their utter spiritual bankruptcy and their inability to come to God aside from His divine grace. The proud, on the other hand, are so blinded by their pride that they think they have no need of God or, worse, that God should accept them as they are because they deserve His acceptance.


Throughout Scripture we are told about the consequences of pride. Proverbs 16:18-19 tells us that “pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.” Satan was cast out of heaven because of pride (Isaiah 14:12-15). He had the selfish audacity to attempt to replace God Himself as the rightful ruler of the universe. But Satan will be cast down to hell in the final judgment of God. For those who rise up in defiance against God, there is nothing ahead but disaster (Isaiah 14:22).


Pride has kept many people from accepting Jesus Christ as Savior. Admitting sin and acknowledging that in our own strength we can do nothing to inherit eternal life is a constant stumbling block for prideful people. We are not to boast about ourselves; if we want to boast, then we are to proclaim the glories of God. What we say about ourselves means nothing in God’s work. It is what God says about us that makes the difference (2 Corinthians 10:13).


Why is pride so sinful? Pride is giving ourselves the credit for something that God has accomplished. Pride is taking the glory that belongs to God alone and keeping it for ourselves. Pride is essentially self-worship. Anything we accomplish in this world would not have been possible were it not for God enabling and sustaining us. “What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?” (1 Corinthians 4:7). That is why we give God the glory—He alone deserves it.



Although the apostle Paul speaks of a healthy pride we should have in ourselves and others (2 Cor 5:12; 7:4; 8:24; Gal 6:4), the word pride in Scripture is more frequently used to refer to a very negative character trait that can be described as arrogant, conceited and haughty. Classical Greek and Roman cultures had a particular aversion to it, stigmatizing it as hubris and making virtually all their literary tragedies a variation on the theme of the self-destructive effects of pride and its offensiveness to the gods. In the Bible, likewise, such pride brings disgrace (Prov 11:2), breeds quarrels (Prov 13:10), goes before destruction (Prov 16:18) and brings humiliation (Prov 29:23).



Remember this: We stand on the brink of judgment when we claim that all that we enjoy is the product of our own effort.




II. Humble yourself or God will humble you. (verses 31-33)


31 While the words were still in the king’s mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, “O King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: The kingdom has departed from you, 32 and you shall be driven from among men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts 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 that the Most High rules the kingdom of men and gives it to whom he will.” 33 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 eagles’ feathers, and his nails were like birds’ claws.


A. While the words were still in his mouth, God spoke to him and judged his pride. Even though he had warned of the consequences in a dream, the king displayed a prideful attitude, anyway.


B. We know that God hates pride, yet the very nature of pride makes us not care. The only way to combat it is to get ahead of it and continually remind yourself of who you are in light of Who God is.


C. We have all seen people who are ridiculously full of themselves. We watch their fall from their pedestals like a slow motion train wreck. We might even warn them it’s coming, but pride makes them think they are above reproach.


Where do you see pride’s destructive power at work in today’s culture?





Remember this:

• God hold us accountable for our actions, words, and attitudes.
• God’s discipline is for the purpose that we might repent and acknowledge He is God.
• God is sovereign over all things.

III. God restores us as we humble ourselves before Him. (verses 34-35)


34 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, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; 35 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 none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”


What is your initial reaction to verses 34-35?



A. Previously, Nebuchadnezzar had referred to God as Daniel’s God (2:47) and Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego’s God (3:28-29). In this passage, Nebuchadnezzar personally praised God.


B. Humility forces us to recognize the glory of God, which belongs to Him, not us. When we have the correct attitude, God gets all the glory for what He does in our lives.


C. Jesus gave us the greatest example of humility as described in Philippians chapter 2. Verse 7 says that Jesus “…made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant…” (ESV) He told His Disciples, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.” (Mark 9:35 ESV)



Complete the personal assessment “Pride and Humility”


Are you proud or humble? Use the following assessments to evaluate your level of pride in different areas of life.

• How often do you model humility for the members of your family?
• Do your coworkers think of you as proud or humble?
• How often do you display an abundance of pride in your possessions?

What are some practical ways we can submit to God?



Remember this:

• Pride leads to a fall but humble repentance leads to spiritual restoration.
• Spiritual restoration leads to praise.
• Compared to the glory and majesty of God, we are as nothing.
• We have no grounds to question God’s sovereign action in heaven or on earth.

Conclusion/Application


The central figure in this story is a king with an overinflated opinion of himself, his ability, and his accomplishments. His pride led to his downfall. Eventually, the king came to his senses, which led him to erupt in praise to the eternal greatness, graciousness, and goodness of God.

The story is a warning to any person who begins to think of himself or herself more highly than they should. The proud shall fall. But with repentance and humility come the blessing of a restored relationship with God.


Here are some ways you can keep humble in the Lord’s service:


• Ask God to show you areas of pride in your life. Confess them and determine to repent of them.


• Volunteer to help in the church nursery or with Vacation Bible School.


• Ask your pastor or other church leader for a job that no one else wants to do, and do it with all your heart!

Prayer of Commitment

Father, forgive me for selfish pride that binds me from seeing Your greatness and sovereignty over all things, in heaven and on earth. Open my eyes to see clearly so I may give You the praise and glory only You are due. Amen.


Hope to see you on Sunday!


In His Love,


David & Susan