Greater Things: Faith in the Face of Lions

Sermon Quick Summary
When you are face to face with a lioness, standing firm in spite of your fear is what saves you, not your own strength or speed. In this series of messages on Greater Things we have seen the importance of unwavering faith in God. In this message from Daniel 6, we explore Daniel in the lion’s den, another bible study favorite. Unpacking Daniel 6 teaches lessons from stories of Daniel’s unwavering faith and the transformation in King Darius. Friends and family, when facing our own metaphorical lions, we can learn from Daniel that courageous faith in God is the root and its core is trust in God’s character. As in Daniel’s story faith may not always begin with a motive to protest or resist, but faith in God often results in resistance. Faith shines as light in the darkness to step into the brokenness of the world with God’s love. Faith has the power to change the world. What metaphorical lions are you facing that may not have teeth and claws such as fear, loneliness, uncertainty, or questions about how to respond in disturbing times to bring about social justice and equality?
 

• When you are face to face with a lioness, standing firm in spite of your fear is what saves you, not your own strength or speed.
•      There’s a story of a wildlife photographer who spent days in the African savanna, hoping to capture the perfect shot of a lion pride. One afternoon, while adjusting his lens, he heard a low growl behind him. He turned slowly and found himself face to face with a lioness, her eyes locked on his. His heart pounded. Instinct told him to run, but he remembered the survival rule: Never turn your back on a lion.  He stayed still, heart racing, camera shaking, with eyes steady on the lioness. Slowly, the lioness lowered her head and walked away. Later, the photographer reflected, “It wasn’t my strength or speed that saved me; it was standing firm in the face of fear.” Hold on to that thought as we continue our journey through the book of Daniel.
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• In this series of messages on Greater Things we have seen the importance of unwavering faith in God.    
•      So far, we’ve seen unwavering faith in God in every chapter we’ve explored. In Daniel 1, as a young captive, he resolved not to defile himself with the King’s food, choosing faithfulness to God over compromise. In Daniel 2, Daniel trusted God for wisdom, revealing and interpreting King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. In Daniel 3, Daniel’s friends, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, faced the fiery furnace, showed us faith that stands firm under pressure, and experienced the presence of God. In Daniel 4, Daniel confronted the king with hard truth, reminding us that faith often requires boldness and courage. In Daniel 5, he interpreted the writing on the wall, declaring to a prideful ruler who was to die that very night that God always has the final word. Through every chapter, we’ve seen a pattern: Daniel and his friends stood firm, and God’s presence and power was revealed.
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• In this message from Daniel 6, we explore Daniel in the lion’s den, another bible study favorite.     
•      Though an ancient story, it speaks powerfully to the metaphorical lions we face today. So here’s a question for you as we begin: What lions are you facing today? Perhaps it’s the lion of a health concern that roars with uncertainty, or a lion of family conflict, threatening to tear relationships apart. Perhaps it’s the lion of what’s happening in our country right now. Every day, there’s a new report that can leave you shaking your head at best and leave you shaking with anger, worry or anxiety at worst.
•      These are hard times to be sure. When we face the lions of life, we often react with one of four responses: There’s: (1) Fight: trying to conquer the lion in our own strength, (2) Flight: Retreating, hoping the lions will disappear if we run far and fast enough, (3) Freeze: Becoming paralyzed by fear, unable to move backward or forward because the eyes of the lion appear locked on us. (4) Fawn: Compromising, hoping to appease the threat with some treats we think the lion may like and then leave us alone.
•      Daniel models a different response all together with another word beginning with F that is more powerful than all these.  Faith eats fear for breakfast and eclipses fight, flight, freeze and fawn. Daniel responds with faith that stands firm and looks beyond the lions to the God who is greater still.
•      Faith brings us back to the heart of Greater Things, our theme for this year. Greater things come when we choose faith over fear. Greater things are not about avoiding the lions but about trusting the God who is with us in the den. Just as God revealed His greatness through Daniel’s faith, God desires to show God’s greatness through our faith.
•      To help us enter this powerful story, settle in and engage your holy imagination. We are going to read the entire story through the bible in Daniel 6. If this is an old familiar tale, allow the Holy Spirit to draw your attention to something you may not have noticed before, or simply put yourself in the story.
•      Hear the word of the Lord from Daniel Chapter 6: “1 it pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, 2 with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. 3 Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.
• 4 At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. 5 Finally these men said, ‘We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.’
• 6 So these administrators and satraps went as a group to the king and said: “May King Darius live forever! 7 The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den.
• 8 Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” 9 So King Darius put the decree in writing.
• 10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. 11 Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help.
• 12 So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: ‘Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions’ den?’ The king answered, ‘The decree stands—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.’
• 13 Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, Your Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day.” 14 When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him.
• 15 Then the men went as a group to King Darius and said to him, ‘Remember, Your Majesty, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed.’ 16 So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, ‘May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!’
• 17 A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed. 18 Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep.
• 19 At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. 20 When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, ‘Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?’21 Daniel answered, ‘May the king live forever!
• 22 My God sent his angel and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty. 23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.24 At the king’s command, the men who had falsely accused Daniel were brought in and thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. And before they reached the floor of the den, the lions overpowered them and crushed all their bones.
• 25 Then King Darius wrote to all the nations and peoples of every language in all the earth: ‘May you prosper greatly! 26 I issue a decree that in every part of my kingdom people must fear and reverence the God of Daniel.’
• “For he is the living God and he endures forever. His kingdom will not be destroyed; his dominion will never end. 27 He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”
• 28 So Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

 

• Unpacking Daniel 6 teaches lessons from stories of Daniel’s unwavering faith and the transformation in King Darius.
•      At this point in Daniel’s story, Daniel is in his 80’s. That’s a good Bible trivia fact to remember. Most Sunday school illustrations, even the voice of the audio drama depict Daniel as a young man, but in Daniel 6 he would have been a mature man. Daniel was well known for his wisdom, integrity, and unwavering faith. His consistent character earns him the favor of King Darius but also the jealousy of other officials. With no fault to exploit, the other officials target Daniel’s faith. They appeal to Darius’ ego and persuade him to sign an unchangeable decree: for 30 days, no one may pray to any god or human except the king; the punishment for disobedience is the lion’s den, which was common punishment at that time.
•      Yet Daniel remains steadfast. He could have altered his pattern, closed his windows, or prayed privately. However, Daniel does not do this; his devotion to God remains open and unshaken.
• The other officials seize the moment, catch Daniel in prayer and report him to Darius. This distresses King Darius because of his admiration and affection for Daniel. By now King Darius realizes he has been manipulated, but Darius is bound by his own law.
•      It’s interesting how the focus of the story now shifts to Darius, not Daniel. This suggests that God is up to something with Darius. We never read about Daniel's feelings here; we only see his actions. Daniel stands calm, trusting in God’s deliverance, echoing the spirit of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who in facing the fiery furnace declared, ‘My God will deliver us, But even if He doesn’t...’ (See Daniel 3:17-18).
•      Meanwhile, Darius spends a sleepless night, fasting and hoping for a miracle. Darius is engaging in intercessory prayer without even knowing that is what he is doing! At dawn, Darius rushes to the den, his voice filled with both fear and hope: "Daniel has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you?" (Daniel 6:20).  When Daniel answers, declaring that God has sent an angel to shut the lions' mouths, King Darius is overjoyed. This biblical account is as much about Darius as it is about Daniel. King Darius, though powerful, is powerless to save the one he admires. It is through Daniel’s faith and God’s deliverance that Darius has a God experience that changes Darius. King Darius issues a decree honoring the God of Daniel as the living God whose kingdom will endure forever. Daniel’s courage shows us that faith does not flinch under pressure, and Darius’s anguish reminds us that earthly power cannot bring true peace apart from God. Together, the stories of Daniel and Darius demonstrate that greater things happen when faith remains steadfast, even when facing lions.

 
Friends and family, when facing our own metaphorical lions, we can learn from Daniel that courageous faith in God is the root and its core is trust in God’s character.
     The story of Daniel in the lion’s den is not just about being delivered; it is also about what nurtures and sustains us before the lions ever appear.  Daniel’s deliverance was powerful, but his true testimony was his life of faith leading up to this crisis. What gave Daniel the courage to keep his windows open? What allowed Daniel to face death with such peace?
     For Daniel, courageous faith in God was the root.  Courageous faith is not something we find in the moment of trial. Rather, courageous faith is something we bring into it and cultivate long before the crisis arrives. Colossians 2:7 says, “Let your roots grow down into Christ, and let your lives be built on Christ. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught” (Colossians 2:7).
     Daniel’s response to the crisis was the fruit of a life deeply grounded in trust. We don’t hear what was on Daniel’s mind, but his actions speak clearly. His consistent pattern of prayer, three times a day, reflects a heart anchored in connecting with God regularly.  Daniel’s faith is not reactive; rather it is reflexive formed through years of walking with God in a relationship.
     At its core, faith is trust God’s character, wisdom, and ultimate plan. Daniel’s unaltered prayer life reveals that his trust was not dependent on a particular outcome. He believed that God could deliver him from the lions, but his devotion was not conditional upon deliverance. True faith says, “I trust God—whether in victory or in the valley.” This kind of rooted faith does not happen overnight. It is cultivated in the daily habits of seeking God, knowing God’s Word, and surrendering our lives to God.
     Daniel was not suddenly faithful in the lion’s death; he was faithful because, as Darius noted, Daniel had lived faithfully. The lions did not generate his faith; they revealed his faith.
     The truth is, rooted faith shapes our response to every trial. It reminds us that faith is not merely a belief or wishful thinking. It is trust in God, the One who holds the outcome. When faith is our root, we can face lions with courage and confidence. We may be shaking in our boots, but we press forward. We know that our lives are anchored not in what God will do, but in who God is, because of the assurance that with God all will be well.

As in Daniel’s story faith may not always begin with a motive to protest or resist, but faith in God often results in resistance.
     Although Daniel’s intention was probably not to resist as a form of protest, his unwavering faith became a powerful act of defiance against an ungodly order. Daniel’s story reminds us that faith, when lived fully, often disrupts the status quo. His loyalty to God challenged the authority that sought to silence worship.
     Desmond Tutu said, “To be a Christian is to resist the forces of evil, oppression, and injustice—not by violence, but by steadfastness in truth.” It's been said that Mahatma Gandhi was inspired by Daniel’s steadfastness.  Gandhi saw in Daniel a model of nonviolent resistance by standing firm not with violence, but with conviction. Daniel’s life teaches us that resistance is not always loud. Sometimes, godly resistance is simply the refusal to bow and the choice to remain faithful even under pressure to compromise. Although resistance in protest may not have been Daniel’s intention, it was a byproduct of his action.
     There are times when resistance must be intentional. There are times when faith requires us to confront injustice head-on. It may mean standing alone, refusing to conform, or picking up the phone to voice one’s resistance to the powers that be. Faith-based resistance declares that obedience to God matters more than the approval of the crowds, convenience, or personal gain.
     Desrie Campbell, a member of South Bay Community Church and Vice Mayor of the City of Fremont had to experience resistance this week. Like Daniel, Desrie's resistance was born out of her relationship with God and God’s Kingdom truths. The Fremont City Council voted to allow imprisonment for up to 6 months of any unhoused person living in an encampment in Fremont. Desrie was the lone dissenting vote. Faith may demand resistance to fear, to injustice, and to compromise. Daniel’s story reminds us that standing firm in our convictions, even quietly, can shake kingdoms for greater things.

Faith shines as light in the darkness to step into the brokenness of the world with God’s love.

•      From Daniel we have learned that faith rooted in Christ enables us to face our lions knowing God can be trusted because of whom God is. Also from Daniel we have seen that faith rooted in Christ often becomes a form of resistance to an evil and unjust world.
•      Faith rooted in Christ is also light shining in the darkness displaying God’s power and character for the world to see. Such faith turns an apparent crisis into a testimony about God, and sorrow into solidarity with others transforming human hearts. One author wrote, “If our faith doesn’t work in the darkness, it’s not much good in the light” (D. Jeremiah). That’s worth pondering because light is meant pierce the darkness. In our story, King Darius was deeply moved by Daniel’s steadfast trust in God.  After a dark and sleepless night filled with regret, Darius rushed to the lion’s den at first light. When he heard Daniel’s voice, his response was more than relief; King Darius’ response was awe and amazement. The miracle of Daniel’s survival, combined with Daniel’s unwavering faith, became a testimony that touched Darius’s heart, leading Darius to recognize the power of the living God. Darius wasn’t persuaded by debate or doctrine, but King Darius was transformed by the witness of a life faithfully lived. Daniel’s consistency (before, during, and after the lions’ den) softened the heart of a powerful king.  It was Daniel’s faith, on display under pressure, and shining through the darkness while Darius anguished that turned what was meant to be punitive into a praise party.  Rooted faith shines light in the darkness, extending hope to the hopeless.
•        Another example this week is a small African American church in a community that is predominately Latino. As part of the church’s outreach, they provide food, diapers, and other resources to the neighborhood. Families from the neighborhood had started coming to church. A bible study teacher noticed that students had stopped attending class. She went to their home and learned that the three fathers of the three families living in the home had all been taken by ICE. The family was terrified, hiding from a world that felt unsafe. The church stepped in and brought food, helped with rent, and brought informational resources as they stood alongside the families facing lions. These actions of the church spoke of God’s love and justice louder than any sermon. It was rooted faith in action. The faith of the church shines light by showing up, standing up, and being present in the darkest moments.
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• Faith has the power to change the world.
•      When faith is rooted in God, faith has the power to change the world. Resistance and protest of evil and injustice is light that shines in the darkness. Daniel’s steadfast faith not only saved him by deliverance from the lion’s den, but it also transformed a kingdom. Daniel’s consistent trust in God was noticed. Darius, a pagan king, experienced firsthand the power of Daniel’s God through Daniel’s deliverance. It wasn’t only the miracle that moved Darius: It was Daniel’s life of faithfulness, his courage, and his unwavering devotion that testified to who God truly is.
•      Darius’ response is remarkable. "For he is the living God and he endures forever; his kingdom will not be destroyed, his dominion will never end. He rescues and he saves; he performs signs and wonders in the heavens and on the earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions." (Daniel 6:26-27). For King Darius, it was not a decree of power but a declaration of praise. These words of Darius, those sound reminiscent of a psalm, reveal a heart transformed by witnessing the faith of Daniel. This is the ripple effect of steadfast and rooted faith like Daniel. It changes lives, it shifts perspectives, and it points people to the living God. Faith lived out publicly and courageously can move hearts of the hurting and the powerful. And God is praised!
•      Friends and family, this is the heart of greater things. It is not only about what God does for us but also what God does through us. When we stand firm, when we trust, and when we shine God’s light as a witness, the world around us cannot remain the same.  Just as Daniel’s life became a testimony that led a king to worship, our lives become vessels for God’s kingdom to be seen, known, and celebrated in the world.

 
What metaphorical lions are you facing that may not have teeth and claws such as fear, loneliness, uncertainty, or questions about how to respond in disturbing times to bring about social justice and equality?

•      Perhaps your lion is fear that keeps you up at night questioning if you’ll make it through. Maybe your lion is loneliness or uncertainty, leaving you feeling isolated and unseen. Maybe your lion is this current political season with so many issues to consider for social justice, equality, and how to respond in these disturbing times. The lions we face may not have teeth and claws, but they are no less real.
•      Just like Daniel, we are called to face metaphorical lions with rooted faith, not because we are fearless, but because we trust God. God is the One who stands with us, holds the future, empowers us to stand, and does all things well for God’s glory. We are reminded that Daniel’s story isn’t just about survival—it’s about God’s faithfulness in the fire and in the den. Friends and family, the same God who delivered Daniel walks with us.
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• DISCUSSION QUESTIONS INCLUDING FAMILY GROUPS
• When you are face to face with a lioness, standing firm in spite of your fear is what saves you, not your own strength or speed.
• -In what circumstances have you faced a metaphorical lion without claws and teeth, and you knew that standing firm in faithful trust in God, not your own strength or running away, saved you?
• In this series of messages on Greater Things we have seen the importance of unwavering faith in God.   
• -Like Daniel and his friends, when you stand firm in your faith in God, in what ways has God’s presence and power been revealed?
• In this message from Daniel 6, we explore Daniel in the lion’s den, another bible study favorite.     
• -How does faith in God eclipse fight, flight, freeze, and fawn?
• -As we review the familiar story of Daniel 6, as you imagine yourself in the story, what verses most resonated with you to give you new insights to apply to your life journey?
• Unpacking Daniel 6 teaches lessons from stories of Daniel’s unwavering faith and the transformation in King Darius.
• -In what ways does the pagan King Darius change? Review the response of King Darius to the faithfulness of Daniel in Daniel 6: 25-27. How can your faith, like Daniel’s faith, facilitate a transformation in powerful people away from power and towards the image of God within them?
• Friends and family, when facing our own metaphorical lions, we can learn from Daniel that courageous faith in God is the root and its core is trust in God’s character.
• -In what ways does unwavering faith in God help you to trust God in a crisis?
• -What spiritual practices should we nurture, sustain, and cultivate in our life of faith long before the crisis of metaphorical lion appears? Why?
• As in Daniel’s story faith may not always begin with a motive to protest or resist, but faith in God often results in resistance.
• -What challenges do you face in following faithful resistance to evil and unjust systems of this broken world?
• Faith shines as light in the darkness to step into the brokenness of the world with God’s love.
• -How does faith rooted in Christ shine light in the darkness so that the world can see the power and character of God? How has your faith shined the light in darkness so that others can see God?
• Faith has the power to change the world.
• -How can faithfulness to God in our lives become vessels for God’s kingdom to be seen, known, and celebrated on this earth? Why is this important?
• What metaphorical lions are you facing that may not have teeth and claws such as fear, loneliness, uncertainty, or questions about how to respond in disturbing times to bring about social justice and equality?
• -Which of these metaphorical lions without teeth or claws, like fear, loneliness, uncertainty, or God’s heart for social justice and equality most resonate with you for application in your life?