コミュニティと弟子訓練

Integrity (Daniel 6:1~7, 9~11, 13~23)

2026.07.05Aaron Chung다니엘 6:1~7, 9~11, 13~23

Followers of Jesus are called to live undivided lives of integrity, where private and public life match. Because we fail at this, Christ went into the lion's den in our place, and he is safe to come to with our brokenness.

Called to live an undivided life

Like a New York pizza cut into slices, we tend to live compartmentalized lives: a work self, an online self, a family self, a secret self, a church self. Followers of Jesus are called to live undivided lives. Integrity shares a root with integer, a whole number and not a fraction. Psalm 86 prays, "Give me an undivided heart that I may fear your name." This matters because you fail in private before you fall in public.

Daniel's enemies found nothing to use against him (vv. 1-7)

Darius appointed 120 satraps with three administrators over them, and Daniel so distinguished himself that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. The other officials did oppo research on him, but they found no corruption, only six decades of faithful service. We are asked what our worst enemies would find in our viewing history, text threads and thoughts. This is especially true for those living far from family and accountability. Glaucon tells Socrates that a perfect man in an imperfect society is either worshiped or killed, and the satraps move against Daniel.

Private prayer is the test of integrity (vv. 10-11)

When Daniel learned of the decree, he went upstairs, opened his window toward Jerusalem and prayed three times a day as he always had. Tim Keller said the infallible test of spiritual integrity is your private prayer life. Aaron's friend Edwin stops for prayer three times a day and once fell asleep listening to the Bible. Prayer is simply wanting to be in the Father's presence. Character is formed by hard choices, and Daniel chose character over compromise because God is looking.

Character outlasts lies and points to Christ (vv. 13-23)

The satraps trapped the king with his own unchangeable law, and Daniel was thrown into the den. A stone sealed it with the king's signet ring, and at dawn Daniel was alive. Your character will outweigh any lie told about you, because cool wins in high school but character wins in life. The story foreshadows the greater Daniel, Jesus, though the lions' mouths were shut for Daniel and opened against Jesus. In Psalm 22 the roaring lions are sin and death, which devoured him on the cross.

Divided people, a God who is safe

Jesus died in our place because we live divided lives, and we are in good company. Peter was a coward, Jacob a liar, David a murderer, Jonah ran from God, and Noah got drunk. Luke 12 says nothing concealed will not be disclosed, and you can fool people but never the Lord. That should bring fear, yet he still went into the lion's den out of love for us. So he is safe to come to with all our brokenness and divisions. Tim Challies' questions help us examine ourselves.

Integrity is a choice, not a default

A pastor friend in Manhattan finished a 40-day fast, lost 70 pounds and said he was too tired even to sin or to be cranky with his four kids. Aaron saw a man living an undivided life. Integrity is not our default mode, and we are not born with it, so it must be chosen. He challenged his church to fast, and people committed to one to five days. He asks how serious we are about following the Lord and calls us to stop playing games.

Apply to Life

  • Let us stop living compartmentalized lives and ask God for an undivided heart in which our private and public lives match.
  • Let us ask what our worst enemies would find if they investigated us, especially when no one is watching, such as while traveling or living abroad.
  • Let us examine our private prayer life and make time to simply be in the Father's presence.
  • Let us bring our hidden sins and brokenness to Jesus, who went into the lion's den for us and is safe to come to.
  • Let us choose integrity on purpose, including through fasting, and take our faith seriously.

This summary was made automatically from the sermon's captions and may differ from the sermon.

← 영어 예배(English Service)一覧へ