Our reading is Daniel 6:6-23. By the sixth chapter of Daniel, much has already happened. Daniel, who was a Jew exiled in Babylon, had already correctly interpreted a series of dreams for the king, gaining his favor. That made Daniel some powerful enemies in high places. They wanted to eliminate Daniel, so they came up with a sinister plan. According to the plan, praying to anyone, except the king, was unlawful for a period of thirty days. They knew Daniel would break the law because he would only pray to the one true God. The plan worked to perfection and Daniel was found guilty. With no other option, the king ordered Daniel to be thrown into the lion’s den, a cruel form of execution. However, in the end, God protected Daniel.
The story of Daniel in the lion’s den teaches us about faith. Daniel was a man of faith. There is no sign of fear in this story. People of great faith live fearless lives; people who lack faith live fearful lives. If you want to discover the level of your faithfulness, then look at the way you live. Are you living fearlessly? Are you living fearfully? To discover how faithful you are, ask yourself three questions. Each one is rooted in our reading.
In 1997, the airways were filled with the song “MMMBop.” It was sung by a group called Hanson. The group was comprised of three brothers: Isaac, Taylor and Zac. It came from their album, “Middle of Nowhere”. I loved MMMBop because if you knew the title, you knew all the lyrics. Even I could remember the words. I remember Hanson because they sang the national anthem at the first game of the World Series in Cleveland in 1997. At the time, everyone was crazy about Hanson and their song MMMBop. Hanson sold 16 million records worldwide. It is amazing how time changes things. In 1997, we saw Hanson everywhere. Today, Hanson is nowhere. According to the internet, the three brothers are married and have eleven children between them. Together, they brew craft beer called Hanson Brothers Beer. It is hard to go from international attention to nothing. Maybe Hanson can try to jump start their career on America’s Got Talent? This is question number one.
Are you afraid of being unpopular? Daniel was not afraid of unpopularity. The foundation of his life was God. He prayed to God three times a day and nothing was going to change his agenda, not even the law. Daniel was uncompromising, and his enemies used his inflexibility against him. That is a hard thing to do, because popularity is so seductive. Most need to feel important within our own circles of relationships. Our friends hold the same values and opinions as we do, so we feel accepted. That is important because many fear rejection and loneliness. How much are you willing to compromise to keep your friends? It is all a question of faith. Daniel was not afraid of being unpopular.
Years ago, I officiated at a funeral for a man named Dennis D. Buckley (1927-1951). I did not know Dennis; he died in 1951. His story was amazing. As a twenty-three-year-old, he was taken prisoner during the Korean War. He starved to death as a Prisoner of War. For decades, his remains stayed in North Korea, but during the 1990’s our country signed a treaty with the North Koreans. One of the things we received were the remains of fallen soldiers, and one was Dennis. It took our country several decades to identify Corporal Buckley’s remains. He was laid to rest in the national cemetery in Rittman, Ohio. I was humbled to do his service. No one could question Corporal Buckley’s patriotism. No one can say he didn’t sacrifice for his country. No one can say he didn’t love his country. His life spoke volumes about his priorities. This is question number two.
Are you afraid to sacrifice? Daniel was not afraid to sacrifice. He was willing to sacrifice everything, including his own life, for God. Sacrificing is not giving away what is left over. Sacrificing is giving something that you need. Our sacrifices are important, because they reveal what is important to us. How important is God to you? How much time are you willing to sacrifice for God? How much of your talent are you willing to sacrifice to serve God? How much of your money are you willing to sacrifice? The real question is how important is God to you? Our sacrifices reveal our priorities. It is all a question of faith. Daniel was not afraid to sacrifice.
Many consider Dietrick Bonhoeffer (1906-1945) to be one of the bravest men of the twentieth century. Born in 1906, Bonhoeffer was a Lutheran pastor and theologian. He earned his PH.D. from the University of Berlin. Yet, he will always be remembered for his anti-Nazi stance during the Second World War. In 1939, Bonhoeffer accepted an invitation to be part of the faculty at Union Theological Seminary in New York City, but instead he returned to Germany to endure the hardship of war with his people. In 1941, the Nazis tried to silence him. In 1943, he got involved in a failed attempt to assassinate Adolph Hitler (1889-1945). He was arrested and imprisoned. On April 9, 1945, at the age of 39, Detrick Bonhoeffer was executed, a few weeks before the war ended. He could have lived his life out safely in America, but he returned to Germany because his faith wouldn’t let him play it safe. This is question number three.
Are you afraid of death? It is clear Daniel was not afraid to die. Did you know, according to National Geographic, the average male lion weighs 420 pounds? Did you know the average female lion weighs 280? Both male and female lions are approximately six feet long. They are big-time predators. They eat any kind of meat, including humans. When King Darius sent Daniel to the lion’s den, he expected Daniel to die. However, Daniel lived another day. There was no sign he was afraid of the lions, because he wasn’t afraid of death. Are you afraid of death? The mortality rate in the world is 100%. It has been reported that 42% of Americans fear death, another 7% say that don’t know how they feel about death. It is all a question of faith. Daniel wasn’t afraid of death.
Everybody is afraid of something. Did you know nearly 11% of Americans are afraid of zombies? That means, 11% of Americans actually believe in zombies. Let me ask you, what frightens you? Are you afraid of unpopularity? Are you afraid to sacrifice? Are you afraid of death? They are questions about the state of your faith. People of great faith live fearless lives; people who lack faith live fearful lives. It has been said, faith is not belief without proof, but trust without reservation.
Russ Adams 