WHEN CHAOS COMES CALLING (7 OF 12)
by Craig Smith
When Chaos Comes Calling (7 of 12)
Series: Thrive
Craig Smith
Daniel 7
Big Idea: We thrive when we refuse to let chaos shake our trust in God's control.
I. Introduction
[entering singing ''It's the end of the world as we know it]
I realize that's a strange way to start a message, but today we start a strange part of the book of Daniel. See, up to this point, the book of Daniel has been mostly stories. But The second half of Daniel is mostly apocalyptic visions. So what does that mean?
Now, when you hear the word ''apocalyptic'' or ''apocalypse'', you might find yourself thinking about movies like Mad Max or World War Z or The Day After. And that's because the way we use the word ''apocalypse'' today, it's often synonymous with huge disasters that lead to the end of the world as we know it.
But that's not what the word ''apocalypse'' really means. In fact, the Greek word, apokalupsis is usually translated in the Bible as ''revelation.'' Because apocalyptic literature reveals what's coming...but why? Why tell us what's coming? The way apocalyptic literature is often taught in our churches, you might think the point is to scare us. But nothing could be further from the truth. Apocalyptic is supposed to help us feel that God is in control in spite of the chaos.
Notice that I said ''feel'', not know. One of the most basic truths about God is that God is in control. If you've spent much time in church, you know that...with your head. But there's a huge difference between knowing a truth in your head and feeling that truth in your heart. It's often only when we feel a truth that it begins to be expressed in our behavior. And apocalyptic writing is meant to bridge the gap between our heads and our hearts. It's meant to help us feel the truth that God is in control.
This is the reason that apocalyptic writing uses vivid imagery. It's speaking to our hearts more than to our heads. And because of this, the more we seek precision, the more likely ...
Series: Thrive
Craig Smith
Daniel 7
Big Idea: We thrive when we refuse to let chaos shake our trust in God's control.
I. Introduction
[entering singing ''It's the end of the world as we know it]
I realize that's a strange way to start a message, but today we start a strange part of the book of Daniel. See, up to this point, the book of Daniel has been mostly stories. But The second half of Daniel is mostly apocalyptic visions. So what does that mean?
Now, when you hear the word ''apocalyptic'' or ''apocalypse'', you might find yourself thinking about movies like Mad Max or World War Z or The Day After. And that's because the way we use the word ''apocalypse'' today, it's often synonymous with huge disasters that lead to the end of the world as we know it.
But that's not what the word ''apocalypse'' really means. In fact, the Greek word, apokalupsis is usually translated in the Bible as ''revelation.'' Because apocalyptic literature reveals what's coming...but why? Why tell us what's coming? The way apocalyptic literature is often taught in our churches, you might think the point is to scare us. But nothing could be further from the truth. Apocalyptic is supposed to help us feel that God is in control in spite of the chaos.
Notice that I said ''feel'', not know. One of the most basic truths about God is that God is in control. If you've spent much time in church, you know that...with your head. But there's a huge difference between knowing a truth in your head and feeling that truth in your heart. It's often only when we feel a truth that it begins to be expressed in our behavior. And apocalyptic writing is meant to bridge the gap between our heads and our hearts. It's meant to help us feel the truth that God is in control.
This is the reason that apocalyptic writing uses vivid imagery. It's speaking to our hearts more than to our heads. And because of this, the more we seek precision, the more likely ...
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