Where is home for you? How do you live when you don’t feel you fit in? In an election year, this series in the ancient book of Daniel aims to explore themes such as courage, integrity, justice, hope, and purpose, by discovering what it means to be a citizen in today’s world.
WE MIGHT NOT BELONG THE WAY OTHER PEOPLE DO, WITH NORMAL HOMES AND NORMAL FAMILIES AND NORMAL WAYS OF FITTING IN. BUT WE’LL BELONG IN WAY THAT’S A HUNDRED TIMES BETTER, FULLY IN PLACE BECAUSE WE KNOW WE KNOW WE ARE OUT OF PLACE. (Gregory Coles)
Series Outline
5 May
Session 1: Citizen of Where
Daniel 1:1-5; Jeremiah 29
In an election year, how do you live when you feel like you don’t fit in? It can be easy to resist and complain. And yet. In the ancient book of Daniel we find a people who are a long way from home, in Babylon. But, how they live changes everything for them, and for the people they live amongst.
“By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down. Yeah, we wept, when we remembered Zion” (Boney M)
Undeserved kindness changes things. (Heather Holdsworth)
12 May
Session 2: I don’t belong here
At some point in life, we face a choice. A choice that causes us pain. A choice to do the difficult thing, but the right thing. Daniel faced the same choice. He was a long way from home, in a place he didn’t belong. Everything within him would have battled against making a scene. Keep quiet. Fit in. Don’t make a scene.
And yet, he chose the only way he knew – to go God’s way. Whatever the cost. Fitting in would have made sense. But standing out made history. And the consequences were extraordinary.
What about us? How do we live when we don’t belong?
Maybe you’re caught in the same tension as me, wanting to fit somewhere even as you’re permanently out of place. Maybe you’re not quite sure how to belong. Maybe you feel like an alien. (Gregory Coles)
19 May
Session 3: Being an Influencer
Daniel 2:14-23
Do you want to be an influencer? According to indeed.com, there are 5 levels of influencer in our society – from being a ‘nano-influencer’ (under 10k followers) up to being a ‘mega influencer’ (over 1m followers). In a sense, we are all influencers to some degree. But how are we influencing people, and towards what? And what are we influenced by?
“Our legacy isn’t to have people remember us but rather who Jesus is.
If people walk away from us, Church or an event talking about us rather than Jesus we missed the plot. “(Christy Wimber)
26 May
Session 4: Courage Under Fire
Everyone loves a movie with an act of courage. When the world seems against the hero, and they boldly, courageously defy the odds. But what does courage look like in our culture, without the soundtrack and camera crews? What does it take to be courageous even when under attack?
So courage, dear heart. I know you are tired. I know the darkness is thick and the way is longer and harder than you ever expected it to be. But God sees you, he hurts with you, and he welcomes your honesty. Even to the ends of the earth, he will lead you on.
(Rebecca Reynolds)
Without courage we will simply accumulate a collection of good ideas and regrets.
(Andy Stanley)
