Tips for Teaching This Week’s Session of The Gospel Project for Adults

Listen to this week’s leader training podcast with Y Bonesteele, team leader for The Gospel Project for Adults, for a summary and guidance in leading your group.

This week’s additional resources for study and preparation:

• Sermon: “In the King’s Service” by Steve Willis (sermon) 
• Article: “Where We Draw the Line: How to Live (and Die) in Babylon” by Alistair Begg  
• Article: “Not Just for Kids: Daniel’s Place in the Bible’s Story” by Matt Smethurst

Transcript of Leader Training Podcast:

Hi, this is Y Bonesteele, team leader of the Gospel Project for Adults. Welcome to another Leader Training podcast. Today we are starting the Winter Volume. We are in Unit 16, Session 1, Obedience, with the core passage of Daniel 1:8-21 and the key concept of: Obedience to God leads to greater wisdom from God.

After years of unfaithfulness and idolatry, Israel was taken captive by the Assyrians and Babylonians. They were in exile, but God was not done with them. There were people who still held on to their belief and trust in God. We see this through the example and story of Daniel and his friends.

We see the book of Daniel starting out with King Nebuchadnezzar taking siege of Jerusalem and taking all its plunder in 1, verses 1 and 2. And Daniel reminds us that it was “the Lord” who handed over King Jehoiakim over to Nebuchadnezzar. It sets up the scene and the book that God is always in control. So Nebuchadnezzar grabbed all the goods from Jerusalem including the people. And his plan was smart: taking the strong men of Judah and training them for three years to be of service to him later. So Nebuchadnezzar put his chief eunuch, Ashpenaz, in charge.

But Daniel didn’t want to “defile” himself with the king’s food and wine, so he asked permission of the chief eunuch. The king’s food would be a defilement for various reasons:  portions may be given to idols, foods may not be properly cleansed the way Jewish custom mandated it, the king’s food may be too luxurious when other prisoners may be getting less. Whatever the reason, the main point was that eating it would have been a spiritual compromise of some sort and Daniel knew it and he wanted to be faithful to God. Another thing to note is that, some people may use this example as one to say that we should always ask permission first in defying an authoritative order, but that would fail to see later stories, where God’s people did outrightly defy orders like in not worshiping Nebuchadnezzar’s order to worship his golden statue in chapter 3 which will be a future session. Thus, there is not one right way to be faithful to God here. Sometimes the Lord and His Spirit leads us to ask permission and other times He leads us to outright defy if it is against His will. We must always be attuned to His guidance. In this instance, Daniel asked permission and “God had granted Daniel kindness and compassion from the chief eunuch” in verse 9.

But the eunuch was afraid, thinking if the king saw Daniel and his friends being thinner (because they were eating a different diet), the king might kill him. Daniel in response asked to be tested for 10 days by the guard to see how it would turn out and the guard agreed.

In our present time, how can God get the glory from our obedience, whether the outcome is positive or negative? When we obey God, His leading, His commandment to love Him with everything and love our neighbor, we are seen as God’s people, we are seen as people who are humble and put others first. And in a world that lives by survival of the fittest where power and money get the most value, people will see us and God as loving and will be drawn to Him.

So after the ten days test, the guard saw that these men “looked better and healthier” than the others as seen in verse 15. So he continued to allow them to just eat vegetables. And surely, the guard and chief eunuch would have seen that Daniel’s God was doing something special and miraculous. For it was God who “gave these four young men knowledge and understanding in every kind of literature and wisdom. Daniel also understood visions and dreams of every kind” in verse 17. Because of their faithfulness and obedience, God gave them greater wisdom and insight.

So at the end of the time allotted, 3 years, the chief eunuch presented them to King Nebuchadnezzar. Being interviewed, Daniel and his friends Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (also known as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego), were found as top of their class. No one was found equal to them, so they began to attend the king. And “in every matter of wisdom and understanding that the king consulted them about, they were 10 times better than his usual magician and medium consultants. They were smarter and wiser and better in every way because God made it so. No doubt those around them knew where they came from and knew that their God was doing something special through them.

How does obedience then help cultivate wisdom in the Christian life? As we continue to obey God, we start learning more about Him and about goodness and holiness. The more we obey, the more He leads us down paths of righteousness that develops more wisdom in us.

How can our obedience shine a light on God’s glory for others to see? Like how the eunuch and Nebuchadnezzar learned about God through Daniel and his friends, when we live and express wisdom, there’s something compelling about that. Everyone wants to be wise and live with wisdom but don’t always know how. When we obey God and He gives us wisdom, it can point to who He is and point to His glory for others to see.

And as December is starting and we learn more about Daniel, you can scan the QR code on page 24 to see some bonus content on Daniel and how his story relates to the wise men coming to see baby Jesus. The wise men’s knowledge of a coming king can be possibly traced back to Daniel in Babylon and the knowledge and insights Babylonians, those in the East, learned from him.

Into the Group Experience then, start with the icebreaker about New Year’s resolutions. Transition into the Context realizing we are more resolute when we understand God is in charge and our actions are a reflection of faithfulness to Him.

As you think about the context of Daniel, display Pack Item 2: The Second Exodus, starting with the top right side, “The Southern Kingdom of Judah,” pointing out the kings there and how they fell to the Babylonians. Then point out the top left side, “The Kingdom of Babylon,” mentioning that Daniel was under the kingship of Nebuchanezzar first and through other Babylonian kings up to Cyrus (point to the bottom right side of the poster), as Cyrus of the Medo-Persian empire had conquered the Babylonians and he was mentioned in verse 21. Then point also to Pack Item 4: Babylon and the Exile Map to show the route of the Jews into Babylon and the reigning powers at the time in the bottom map. These kingdoms are known historically, and their art and artifacts can be seen in various museums across the world.

Then Recap asking whether the story is familiar or not and asking what details strike you as most important. Transition into the Group Activity, directing your group to page 22 of the Personal Study Guide. Invite someone to read Daniel 1:8-10. Ask, “Given his context as an exile in Babylon, why do you think Daniel was determined to obey God’s law? From this passage, what is one reason Daniel would have had to fear and obey the Lord? Daniel obeyed because the Lord is sovereign and kind from verse 9. Being sovereign, God was still in charge even as the Israelites were in exile. We can assume Daniel understand that. You can write your answers in the right column. “What was the chief eunuch’s primary fear?” Being executed by the king as seen in verse 10. The eunuch who probably didn’t know the Lord yet only knew that the king of the land had power. Write your answers in the left column. “What does Matthew 10:28 have to say about whom we should fear? It says, “Don’t fear those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul; rather, fear him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Though Nebuchadnezzar can kill the body, only God can kill the body and soul. You can write that though in both columns, in the left, that the king could kill the body, but on the right, that God could kill body and soul.

Have someone read Daniel 1:11-16. Ask, “How did Daniel respond to the chief eunuch’s fear of the king?” He asked the eunuch to test God’s ways for 10 days, to try it out to see what happens. “What might we learn from Daniel’s response?” That we can do the same for ourselves or when sharing the gospel. We can ask others to at least try it out, try praying to God, try reading Scripture and see if it helps their soul, or try obeying God and doing good and see how God honors that. God says seek and we shall find in Matthew 7:7. “From this passage, what is another reason Daniel would have to fear and obey the Lord?” Daniel knew that God would come through for His people, that the Lord can and does bless His people who fear and obey Him, that blessing, of course, can be a variety of things. You can add your response to the right column.

Then have someone read Daniel 1:17-21. Ask, “How had King Nebuchadnezzar already asserted his earthly power over Daniel and his friends?” He had taken them captive and taken them to be a part of his training program. “What consequences from the king could have fallen upon them for their principled obedience to the Lord?” They could have been killed or enslaved in worse conditions. You can add those responses to the left column. “What were the results of the friends’ fear of the Lord and their obedience to Him?” The Lord gave them knowledge, understanding, and wisdom, and the Lord gave Daniel the gift of understanding visions and dreams. Daniel and his friends also excelled in their service to the king. “How does this narrative exemplify the truth of Proverbs 1:7 that states: ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and discipline.’” Daniel and his friends feared the Lord, obeyed Him, and gained knowledge through it.

Debrief with, “How do our decisions dictate our actions?” Our decisions to follow God above all else will lead us to actions that are led by the Holy Spirit and are directed by Scripture. Sometimes it may seem like some decisions are difficult to discern but when we pause and ask the Spirit to direct our steps, He does. “What reasons do we have to fear the Lord and obey His commands?” Because we believe that God is an all-powerful, all-good, all-holy, and all-loving God. He always knows what’s best for us and for the world and for His glory so will lead us toward holiness and closeness with Him. Even when it results in persecution or suffering, God still always knows best and we need to trust Him and His leading.

Summarize and tackle the Hands question if time is limited. First pass out Pack Item 3: Seeing Jesus in the Exile and Return as we see connections between Daniel and Jesus, and tell the group to hold on to the handout as we will continue to see other connections throughout the volume. Then ask, “How will you determine to obey the Lord so He gets the glory through your actions?” Varying answers may include, sharing the gospel with others, caring for a neighbor no one likes, calling an estranged friend or family member to show love and forgiveness. The options are limitless.

Discuss the options in the Next Steps with your group and end with prayer requests and praises. Pray through Psalm 112:4-6 if time permits: Light shines in the darkness for the upright. He is gracious, compassionate, and righteous. 5 Good will come to the one who lends generously and conducts his business fairly. 6 He will never be shaken. The righteous one will be remembered forever.

Hey, thanks again for joining me on another Leader Training podcast. Reach out at [email protected] and hope you have a great group time.