Visions of Hope: The Kingdom Beyond Empires

Devotional

Day 1: Seeing Through the Eyes of the Oppressed

The Bible often presents a perspective from the oppressed, urging us to recognize power structures for what they truly are—oppressive rather than glorious. Daniel 7, written by exiles, challenges us to see beyond the surface of power structures, recognizing that what may appear as statues of glory to some are, in fact, beasts of oppression to others. This duality is evident in the contrasting visions of Daniel and King Nebuchadnezzar, where the latter sees empires as grand statues, while Daniel perceives them as grotesque beasts. This perspective calls us to amplify the voices of those on the margins and recognize the dual nature of empires. [46:12]

"Thus says the Lord: Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place." (Jeremiah 22:3, ESV)

Reflection: Who in your community is marginalized or oppressed? How can you amplify their voices and advocate for justice today?

Day 2: Identifying Internal and External Empires

Empires are not just external forces; they can also manifest internally as struggles such as anxiety, debt, or toxic relationships. Recognizing these forces helps us seek true liberation, not just for ourselves but for all humanity, breaking cycles of oppression. The message encourages us to identify these empires within and around us, understanding that they impose a false sense of control over our lives. By acknowledging these internal and external empires, we can begin to seek liberation and transformation. [55:42]

"For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds." (2 Corinthians 10:3-4, ESV)

Reflection: What internal "empire" do you struggle with the most? How can you begin to dismantle its power over you today?

Day 3: Embracing the Vision of the Son of Man

Daniel's vision of the "Son of Man" offers hope for a kingdom that transcends earthly empires. This figure, who embodies both humanity and divinity, represents a kingdom that is everlasting and inclusive, offering freedom and transformation for all. Unlike the transient power of worldly empires, the kingdom of the Son of Man is one of justice and peace, challenging us to expand our dreams beyond personal liberation to a broader vision of justice and peace for all people. [01:03:19]

"And behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed." (Daniel 7:13-14, ESV)

Reflection: How can you align your personal dreams with the broader vision of justice and peace that the kingdom of the Son of Man represents?

Day 4: Following Jesus, the Son of Man

Jesus claims the identity of the Son of Man, offering a kingdom that is both stable and transformative. He invites us to follow him, providing a foundation for our lives that moves with us and transforms every aspect of our existence. Jesus comes down to our level, walks with us through life's challenges, and points us toward a better future. By building our lives on his stable foundation, we can experience the transformative power of his kingdom. [01:14:16]

"For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost." (Luke 19:10, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you follow Jesus more closely today, allowing his transformative power to impact every aspect of your life?

Day 5: Building on a Kingdom Worth Following

The kingdom of the Son of Man is unlike any earthly empire. It is a kingdom of love and mercy, offering a vision of hope and transformation that is worth building our lives upon. Jesus invites us to believe in this vision and follow him, providing a foundation that is both stable and transformative. By embracing this kingdom, we can experience true freedom and transformation, not just for ourselves but for all humanity. [01:15:15]

"Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe." (Hebrews 12:28, ESV)

Reflection: What steps can you take today to build your life on the foundation of Jesus' kingdom, embracing its vision of love, mercy, and transformation?

Sermon Summary

In today's message, we explored the profound and often challenging imagery found in Daniel 7, a passage that holds personal significance for me as it is the chapter I am named after. This chapter, filled with visions of beasts and empires, serves as a powerful reminder of the nature of power and oppression throughout history. We began by considering the meaning of our names, a reflection of identity and purpose, and how this ties into the broader narrative of God's people.

The historical context of Daniel 7 is crucial. It was written by exiles, those who had suffered under oppressive regimes, and it offers a perspective not from the victors but from those who have been marginalized. This perspective challenges us to see beyond the surface of power structures, recognizing that what may appear as statues of glory to some are, in fact, beasts of oppression to others. This duality is evident in the contrasting visions of Daniel and King Nebuchadnezzar, where the latter sees empires as grand statues, while Daniel perceives them as grotesque beasts.

We delved into the idea that empires, whether ancient or modern, often impose a false sense of control over our lives. These power structures can manifest as external forces or internal struggles, such as debt, anxiety, or toxic relationships. The message encourages us to recognize these empires within and around us and to seek liberation not just for ourselves but for all humanity.

Daniel's vision of the "Son of Man" offers hope. This figure, who embodies both humanity and divinity, represents a kingdom that transcends earthly empires. Unlike the transient power of worldly empires, the kingdom of the Son of Man is everlasting and inclusive, offering freedom and transformation for all. This vision challenges us to expand our dreams beyond personal liberation to a broader vision of justice and peace for all people.

Ultimately, the message calls us to follow the Son of Man, Jesus, who embodies this vision. He is the one who comes down to our level, walks with us through life's challenges, and points us toward a better future. Jesus invites us to build our lives on his stable foundation, offering a kingdom that moves with us and transforms every aspect of our lives.

Key Takeaways

1. Perspective of the Oppressed: The Bible, particularly Daniel 7, offers a perspective from the oppressed, challenging us to see power structures as they truly are—often oppressive rather than glorious. This calls us to amplify the voices of those on the margins and recognize the dual nature of empires. [46:12]
2. Internal and External Empires: We often face empires not just externally but internally, such as anxiety or toxic relationships. Recognizing these forces helps us seek true liberation, not just for ourselves but for all humanity, breaking cycles of oppression. [55:42]
3. Vision of the Son of Man: Daniel's vision of the Son of Man offers hope for a kingdom that transcends earthly empires. This figure embodies both humanity and divinity, offering a vision of justice and peace that challenges us to dream beyond personal liberation. [63:19]
4. Jesus as the Son of Man: Jesus claims the identity of the Son of Man, offering a kingdom that is both stable and transformative. He invites us to follow him, providing a foundation for our lives that moves with us and transforms every aspect of our existence. [74:16]
5. A Kingdom Worth Following: The kingdom of the Son of Man is unlike any earthly empire. It is a kingdom of love and mercy, offering a vision of hope and transformation that is worth building our lives upon. Jesus invites us to believe in this vision and follow him. [01:15:15]
** [75:15]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[42:02] - Introduction and Personal Connection
[43:02] - The Meaning of Names
[43:41] - Condensing the Old Testament
[45:14] - Exile and Oppression
[46:12] - Perspective of the Oppressed
[47:00] - Symbolism and Power Structures
[48:58] - Empires as Beasts
[50:43] - Statues vs. Beasts
[52:32] - Amplifying Victims' Voices
[55:07] - Internal Empires
[56:20] - Hope in Oppression
[57:36] - Daniel's Vision of Change
[59:11] - Beyond Personal Liberation
[63:19] - Vision of the Son of Man
[74:16] - Jesus as the Son of Man
[75:15] - A Kingdom Worth Following

Sermon Clips

1) "History, my friends, is normally written by winners. If you study history, you're taught to have a little check of the bias. Because when we read the story of history, the people who manage to write down the history are normally the ones flourishing, they're normally the ones on top. Our Bible is not written by the winners. Our Bible is collected and first written down by those exiles, the people on the bottom rung of society. Those who have suffered, those who have lost, those who have got much to lose as they live under power structures that are not theirs." [46:12] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2) "And let's remind ourselves that our Bible was written by the losers. That whereas King Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, sees them as statues, well of course he does, he's the king, that Daniel, our prophet, sees them as a beast. And I need to be careful, and if I'm going to be honoring to Scripture and honor to our Scriptures and honoring to our Bible, then I need to ensure I am amplifying the voices of the victims. If we are Christians taking this seriously, we need to make sure we are hearing the voice of those on the bottom rungs of society." [52:32] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3) "Many of us, even today, we have the voice in the back of our head saying, you can sing your songs. You can pray your prayers. You can come and sit here on a Sunday and lift up your hand. But when you get home, remember who's in charge. My friends, we don't use terms like Assyrians or Medo-Persians nowadays. We have different names for power structures. Terms like debt that really runs your life, yeah? And that voice in the back of your head says, oh, it's all well, you can sing your songs, but when we get home, just remember who calls the shots in your life." [55:07] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4) "And they do it with imagination. And they write poetry. And they do art. And they write songs. And they write stories. And for some of us who are living under that pressure, we need to engage in that art. We need to write some songs and draw some pictures and hear that prophetic artistic voice that says, there is hope even in this shadow of the present scenario. Daniel looks and he has a dream. He has a dream that one day things will change." [56:56] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5) "Daniel realizes that you can replace the Babylonians with the Greeks. You can replace the Greeks with the Romans, but you are just changing one empire for another one. You are changing the name on the door. But Daniel, as we see in this second one, he doesn't just want his present empire to fall. He wants empires planted. He wants the world to fall. Because Daniel realizes that it is not so much the energy out there that is causing him the issues. It's not the empires out there. It's not the mindset out there. It is the heart in here." [01:01:13] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6) "I need a kingdom that moves with me. I need a love and a kingdom that isn't just for me on a Sunday but is just as powerful when I go home to my family. When it's more difficult. Trying to get the kids out the door. Get your shoes on. I need a kingdom that follows me there. I need a kingdom that is just as powerful on a Tuesday morning in work as it is on a Sunday morning when we're singing our songs. I need a kingdom that is going to move with me." [01:07:27] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7) "I need someone who's going to look me in the eye and walk with me as I shuffle through this mortal life. But one who also points me to a better future. I need a son of man who is also clothed with authority and power and might. That's the kind of son of man I need. That's the kind of son of man I want to follow. That's the kind of son of man who I believe can make a difference. And that is the rumor going around in Daniel's day." [01:08:58] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8) "Because we don't just need another empire to replace the last empire. We need a kingdom that does not slumber and does not sleep and does not rest. We need a Son of Man who does not falter in his pursuit of you. We need a Son of Man who, whilst everyone else has their time and their beginning and end, will say, I am always going to chase. The power of love will always prevail. I am the king of mercy and the king of love and my kingdom is not like those empires." [01:14:45] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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