Who was Daniel and his friends?
1. They were teenagers.
2. They were most likely from a Godly home.
3. They came from royalty and privilege.
4. They came from the horrors of war.
5. They were under pressure to leave their God.
6. They were rebels for God in a foreign land.
What does Jesus mean by the world?
7. It is a fallen system of thought that call us to live our life and seek out or needs independent of God. (Gen 3:1-7)
How did Daniel live for God in a foreign land?
8. He wasn’t a wimp. (Dan 1:8)
9. H wasn’t a jerk. (Dan 1:9)
10. He loved first and led second–but he always did both.
Our church prayer for this series:
11. Father give me the wisdom to know the right thing to do and the courage to do it.
Follow up questions from Sunday:
Icebreaker: Who is your favorite rebel character in the movies and why?
1. Read 2 Chron. 36:15-16; Matthew 21: 12-14 What do these verses reveal about God to you? Do you see God as a patient God why or why not? How have you experienced God being patient with you?
2. Read Daniel 1:9: How have you seen God give you favor in the eyes of others in your life journey? Why do you think He does this? In what circumstance, would you like to pray this verse for your life today?
3. We read in Dan. 1 that to be an effective rebel for God in the world we need to love and to lead. Which one of these do you struggle with the most?
4. Read John 17: 13-19; What does Jesus pray for –for us–as we live in this world and why? In what ways, can we live out being in the world and not of it? When was the last time you felt like an alien in this world? Please share. How can you reflect truth in this situation, without being a “wimp or jerk”.
5. Read 2 Cor. 6:16-18. How does thinking of ourselves as children of God help us live morally distinct lives in our culture? (Hint: In Jesus’ time, familes had shared values, and were a shelter against the influences of the world at large. Our families today don’t always work the same way.) In what way is “idols” a good way of thinking about the things that the world uses to influence us?
6. Read Heb. 11:13-16. The writer says that people who live by faith identify themselves as foreigners and strangers in this world. What things distract you from focusing on heaven? Why do we find ourselves so easily influenced?
7. In your faith journey as a follower of Jesus, can you recall a time when God gave you the wisdom to do the right thing and the courage to do it? Please share. Pray for each other that God will continue to answer
this prayer in your life as you follow Him.