Welcome to the Dying for Devotion Sermon given by Pastor David Shin on Sabbath, 15 September 2019 at Hillside O’Malley Seventh-day Adventist Christian Church in Anchorage, Alaska. David preached about the Prophet Daniel and his devotion to God.
Daniel the Prophet
Jesus Christ studied the Old Testament Scriptures when He was growing up and knew the Book of Daniel well. In Matthew 24:15, Jesus quotes Daniel.
The Great Tribulation
“Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place” (whoever reads, let him understand).
Pastor Shin made Three Observations.
- Jesus declares that Daniel is a prophet.
- Jesus points out that the book of Daniel is relevant to God’s last day people.
- Jesus gives an divine endorsement that we should study the book of Daniel.
Background
1. Prophetic – End Time Emphasis
2. Narrative – 8 Stories
6 Stories – Characteristics to Develop
2 Stories – Characteristics to Avoid
3. Daniel Means God Is My Judge
Testimonies to Ministers
Ellen White wrote: “When the books of Daniel and Revelation are better understood, believers will have an entirely different religious experience. They will be given such glimpses of the open gates of heaven that heart and mind will be impressed with the character that all must develop in order to realize the blessedness which is to be the reward of the pure in heart.”
TM Page 114
Daniel
Daniel Means God Is My Judge
Daniel 6
When you study the chapter, you will see that men conspired against Daniel. No fault or charge could be found because Daniel was faithful. Daniel ended up being thrown into a Lion’s Den.
God protected Daniel from the Lions. King Darius ordered the men that had falsely accused Daniel to be thrown into the Lions Den. King Darius praised the God of Daniel and made a decree for people to reverence the God of Daniel.
Pastor Shin shared these 3 quotes from Ellen White.
“We should choose the right because it is right, and leave consequences with God” GC, Page 460.
“It is better to die than to sin; better to want than to defraud; better to hunger than to lie.” TC, Volume 4, Page 495.
The greatest want of the world is the want of men– men who will not be bought or sold, men who in their inmost souls are true and honest, men who do not fear to call sin by its right name, men whose conscience is as true to duty as the needle to the pole, men who will stand for the right though the heavens fall. Ed. 57
Comparisons In Daniel 6 & Revelation 13
Comparison No. 1:
Daniel was persecuted because he chose to obey God’s law.
Daniel 6:5
The Remnant will be persecuted for keeping God’s law as Christ did.
Revelation 12:17
Comparison No. 2:
The king of Persia made a law which commanded false worship.
Daniel 6:6-9
The Beast Power will lead the world to make a law that commands false worship.
Revelation 13:15
Comparison No. 3:
The Persian law led people to worship a man – Darius the Mede.
Daniel 6:7
The Mark of the Beast issue brings the world to worship a man with the number 666.
Revelation 13:18
Comparison No. 4
The penalty in Daniel 6 involved the death decree.
Daniel 6:7
The penalty in the Mark of the Beast issue involves the death decree.
Revelation 13:15
Comparison No. 5
Daniel was saved by the intervention of God.
Daniel 6:19-23
God’s people are delivered by the coming of Christ.
Revelation 19:11
Daniel would rather die than miss his devotions.
3 Aspects of Devotional Life
1. Relationship
5 Languages of Love
- Acts of Service
- Words of Affirmation
- Physical Touch
- Gifts
- Quality Time
The relations between God and each soul are as distinct and full as though there were not another soul upon the earth to share His watchcare, not another soul for whom He gave His beloved son.
Steps to Christ, p. 100
3 Aspects of the Devotional Life
- Relationship
- Reclusion
“Jesus went out to a solitary place and there prayed.”
Mark 1:35
Consecrate yourself to God in the morning; make this your very first work. Let your prayer be, “Take me, O Lord, as wholly Thine. I lay all my plans at Thy feet. Use me today in Thy service. Abide with me, and let all my work be wrought in Thee.” This is a daily matter. Each morning consecrate yourself to God for that day. Surrender all your plans to Him, to be carried out or given up as His providence shall indicate. Thus day by day you may be giving your life into the hands of God, and thus your life will be molded more and more after the life of Christ.
Steps to Christ, Page 70
Mountain and Multitude
Be still and know that I am God.
Psalms 46:10
By beholding you become changed… 2 Cor. 3:18
3 Aspects of Devotional Life
- Relationship
- Reclusion
- Re-scripting
Re-Scripting
- Everyone has a script.
- The script is written by someone else.
- Scripts are fed by academic education, advertising, media, propaganda, and television.
At this point in the Dying for Devotion Sermon, Pastor Shin shows an image of a large television set and asks:
What Script Are You Following?
As the storm approaches, a large class who have professed faith in the third angel’s message, but have not been sanctified through obedience to the truth, abandon their position, and join the ranks of the opposition. By uniting with the world and partaking of its spirit, they have come to view matters in nearly the same light; and when the test is brought, they are prepared to choose the easy, popular side.
Great Controversy, 608
Pastor Shin ends the Dying for Devotion Sermon by showing a picture of Jesus Christ coming in the clouds accompanied by many angels.