Lawn Baptist Church

These questions relate to the sermon on 15 September 2019, The Lions' Den.  The primary scripture is Daniel 6.  The questions are intended for personal reflection and group discussion.  The sermon may be heard on this website.

1.  You probably know the story of the lions' den well.  What is your favorite part of the story?

2.  Have you ever had to go against government or any other organization you belonged to because the organization was going against God?  What was the result?

3.  In Daniel 6, who is King Darius?

4.  What was the key to Daniel's continued succes in government leadership?

5.  Why did Daniel's peers conspire against him?

6.  How did the conspirators succeed in convincing Darius to sign a new law?  

7.  How did Daniel respond to the new law? (If you have time, see how 1 Kings 8:46-50 relates.)

8.  What was the value of kneeling before a window, toward Jerusalem, three times a day?  How can Daniel's practice inform our disciplines?

9.  What if the lions had killed Daniel?

10.  How will this story help you make decisions at home, work, school, or in regard to government?

Bonus:  Discuss the application of 1 Peter 3:13-17 and how Daniel's story relates.  

The following questions relate to the message on 8 September 2019, Accountable to God.  The primary passage is Daniel 5 which is the famous story of a bodiless hand writing on a wall.

1.  Read Daniel 5 if you have not done so recently.

2.  Define - competent.  What does it mean that we are all competent to stand before God?

3.  Define - accountable.  What does it mean that every person is accountable to God?

4. What evidence and knowledge did Belshazzar have about the real God and his dealings in Babylonia?

5.  Why was Belshazzar's use of the temple goblets from Jerusalem a moral problem?

6.  What was the most literal meaning of the words mysteriously written on the wall?

7.  What was Daniel's interpretation?  (And by the way, what is the meaning of the name, Daniel?)

8.  What lessons or applications can we learn from this story in Daniel 5?

9.  How could you use this story or part of the story in a conversation to help someone consider their accountablility to God?

10.  Please pray for someone who needs to submit themselves to God and be willing to tell the person the good news about Jesus.

The following questions relate to the sermon on 1 September 2019, Renew Your Mind.  The primary passage is Daniel 4.

1.  Review the context and story up to chapter 4.

2.  Who is the author of most of chapter 4?

3.  Who or what does the grand tree represent in Nebuchadnezzar's dream which is told in chapter 4?

4.  How does the provision of this tree represent the purpose of governments today?  Who puts governments in place?

5.  Was this dream a curse or a warning?  How does it apply today?

6.  What type of sin kept Nebuchadnezzar from submitting to God?

7.  Nebuchadnezzar's remedial training included seven years of mental illness.  Was that fair?  Why or why not?

8.  Does mental illness always represent God's judgment?  Can it represent God's judgment today?  How might it happen?

9.  What brought Nebuchadnezzar out of his insanity?

10.  How can we renew our minds?  Present any scripture you can think of that will help.

These questions relate to the sermon from 18 August 2019, How Mighty His Works.  The primary passage is Daniel 4:1-3, and this is from a series of messages on Daniel.  The series was interrupted by an illness in the family, but by God's mercy that family member is restored.  Praise him for his kingdom is eternal!

1. Review the setting of the Book of Daniel: judgment of Israel, rise of Babylonian kingdom and Nebuchadnezzar, capture of four Hebrew young men, God's blessing on those young men, the incredible power of Nebuchadnezzar at the time (for 70+ years).  When did all this occur?  Who is credited as the author of this book?

2.  How much time separates chapter 3 and chapter 4?

3.  What happened to Nebuchadnezzar before the record of chapter 4? (Notice that much of the chapter is written from the perspective of Nebuchadnezzar, indicating that he is the author of at least a portion of it.)

4.  Are the first three verses of chapter 4 the first time Nebuchadnezzar had given praise to God?

5.  What issue kept Nebuchadnezzar from submitting to God for most of his life?

6.  What keeps most people from submitting to God today?

7.  Who was affected by Nebuchadnezzar's decisions, both the bad decisions and the good ones?

8.  Who is affected by your decisions and actions?

9.  For what or whom will you use your influence?

10.  What will you say to neighbor and nation?

The following questions relate to the sermon on 4 August 2019, Find Rest. The primary passage is Mark 4:35-40. Two other scriptures used were Mark 2:23-28 and Matthew 14.

1. Read Exodus 20:8-1 What is the sabbath according to scripture?
2. In Mark 2:27, Jesus said, “Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” What does this mean to you?
3. Do you feel like you have time to rest, like the Bible requires us to? Why or why not?
4. Read Mark 4:35-40. (note this passage is in between Jesus teaching and casting out a demon)  Amid the busyness and chaos of life, do you have faith that God will take care of you and allow you rest? Why or why not?
5. How do you rest in God throughout the week? How could rest in God more?
6. Why is it important to spend time resting and connecting with family and friends? Can you think of anywhere in scripture where Jesus did this?
7. Do you take time for yourself? Read Matthew 14. (Jesus took time for himself, and it is okay for us to do the same thing)
8. End spending some time praying that the lord would give you rest, and God would become resting place.