Knockout

Some a church and are different locations in the triangle and those of you who are joining us at home. Welcome to all of you. We are so grateful for the rapid decline of co-vacations, North Carolina, and as most of you know both the CDC and Gov. Cooper have removed the social distancing capacity restrictions amass requirements for vaccinated adults and as sites like we announced on Friday. If you're paying attention or connected us in social media we are removing the request for everyone somewhere ask at our weekend services, except for the time being Summit kids staff and volunteers will continue wearing them as a safety precaution. Of course you are free to wear one if it makes you feel more comfortable that campuses where we regret the space, which some of you are joining us there. Now we don't unfortunately set the rules. The menu owner sets the guidelines are for those you that are at a mobile campus, not a permanent one that your campus pastor will instruct you and what to expect, how we will continue by God's grace to offer Summit online for those you at risk, and are just so not comfortable being in a large group environment like this.

Our goal is to make worship accessible to everybody and that nobody should have to worship alone right so that is your public service announcement for the weekend to say is good to see a lot of your faces for the first time in a while as we all with unveiled faces behold the glory of the Lord together.

Amen. Amen. All right. Daniel chapter 4 if you got your Bible Daniel chapter 4 if you have your Bible take it out will open it up here, Daniel, for this is here on the screen. This is Mike Tyson, Mike Tyson, you're under the age of 30. You may not know this guy don't get computers as you thought it was a picture me of my third offer minute that is not true, but it is hard to describe what an icon. This man was when I was in middle and high school. He was along with Michael Jordan in the 80s. Great sports phenoms. He was a boxer unlike any he would ever come before him. He had this whole string of heavyweight challengers that he defeated between 1985 in 1990, he knocked out in like one minute or less like 10 of them and I'm not exaggerating you had a video game named after him.

Mike Tyson punch out. I was one of my favorite arcade games my parents to drop me off at the mall with two dollars and I can play that game for three hours. Mike Tyson got cigarettes from his wins that there was this infamous story about him running out of gas in his Ferrari and just leave it on the side of the road, never returning to pick it up. He was everything there in the boxing world in the late 80s early 90s at the peak of his career highlight. However, 1990, 1990 iron Mike. I was his nickname, squared off with a no-name fighter Buster Douglas.

Now when I see nobody.

I mean nobody, it wasn't even supposed to be a challenge. Mike Tyson had knocked out his previous opponent in 93 seconds, so the bets in Vegas were not about whether he would win the bets in Vegas were about how long it would take for him to win, but Mike was so heady from his previous successes that he did not even prepare for this fight. He stayed out late partying the night before you can, of course, guess what happened Buster Douglas one by knocked out in the 10th round, and I remember when it happened being bewildered. I was a junior in high school. Being bewildered because this was literally the plot of Rocky three, which it come out just a few years before this fight right Rocky takes himself a granite gets bent out of shape and then loses the Mr. T McDyess like the low point of the 1980s for me. So Mike Tyson should have known. I thought, but Mike Mike thought he was special and Buster Douglas showed him that he was not that fight.

By the way, proved to be a watershed. After this fight Mike Tyson's career went rapidly downhill.

Mike Tyson's life illustrates a very tragic. That some of you may be a less dramatic way. But you know what all the same and that is this defeat is difficult. Defeat is difficult but success can be fatal.

Defeat is difficult but success can be fatal in Daniel chapter 4 Nebuchadnezzar is suffering from a bad case of what will call the success in the Almighty is about to knock him out with a right hook. But unlike the punch that was thrown by Buster Douglas or Mr. T club or laying the hit that God lands is a healing punch. It is truly a crazy story, but you need to see this read this as the final-round in God's battle, Nebuchadnezzar round one.

Round one. If you recall was when God had prospered. Daniel and his friends after they defied the king's order to eat defiled foods that were forbidden by the Jewish law basically and obey God, not you, and at the end of the time of examination, Daniel, Shadrach me shack, Abednego were found to be smarter, healthier and brighter than all the other wise men surround one goes to God. Round two was Daniel to when God gave Daniel the ability to do what not Nebuchadnezzar's wise men could do and that is to reveal a and then interpret a mysterious dream a dream about a gigantic statue that was warning Nebuchadnezzar about setting up a kingdom independent of God in that encounter Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar acknowledged something space and something this special day know about your God, he can do what no other God can do, he said. In fact, I quote chapter 2 verse 47. Surely, your God is the God of gods and Lord of all kings.

In other words, your God is better than higher than my dots.

Nebuchadnezzar was a little dazed after this round, but he would not out yet.

Round three was the skirmish by the furnace as I like to call it were Nebuchadnezzar set up a 90 foot gold statue of himself, and commanded everybody to bow down to Shadrach me shut Abednego. Daniel's friends refused to do it not set up 1/3 confrontation between God and Nebuchadnezzar were Nebuchadnezzar through the three teenagers into a fiery furnace. But instead of dying instantly like everybody expected Nebuchadnezzar sees him up and walking around in the fire with a mysterious fourth man that Nebuchadnezzar calls the son of God, Shadrach me shut Abednego emerge from the fiery furnace without even so much as I hear in their head sends the slightest whiff of smoke underclothing at the end of this round.

Nebuchadnezzar exclaims, Blessed be the God of Shadrach me shut Abednego he sent his angel and delivered his servants you trusted in him. They defile, they defied the king's command, and they yielded up their bodies rather than serve or worship any god, except their own God. There is no other God who is able to rescue in this way. In other words, this God is one-of-a-kind really feels like were getting somewhere like Nebuchadnezzar might be ready to throw in the towel, but is round four opens in Daniel for your in a seated Nebuchadnezzar is still fighting Daniel for is God's knockout blow. Strangely enough, I will tell you that there is no story in the Bible that I identify with personally more than this one. No I did not have a season where I went insane, a grass and didn't cut my fingernails for seven years. Like were about to see Nebuchadnezzar have used in this chapter and have some of your parents like that sound like my middle school. That's a teenager.

Fair enough. But when I was a teenager I felt like God did some dramatic things to humble me. I remember reading this chapter at the end of that season. When I got to the part where Nebuchadnezzar summarizes how God had humbled him and what God had taught him through that and Nebuchadnezzar.

One of the wickedness. Most pagan kings in history, lifts his defeated humbled eyes and worship the God of thought I was reading something out of my own biography was take a look. Chapter 4 verse one to those of every people, nation of language. Nebuchadnezzar says who live in the whole earth. May your prosperity increase. I'm pleased to tell you about the miracles and wonders the most high God has done for me. How great are his miracles how mighty his wonders.

His kingdom is an eternal kingdom. His dominion is from generation to generation. I Nebuchadnezzar was at ease in my house and flourishing in my palace. By the way, this is a chapter in your Bible that's written by pagan King. I had a dream he said, and it frightened me so. As was his custom, he called in all the wise men of Babylon give him an interpretation but none of them could do it. They were probably a little scared because Nebuchadnezzar threatened to have them all killed for making up dream interpretations you might remember that from Daniel to but verse eight. Finally Daniel who was named belt.

The shots are after the name of my God. Nebuchadnezzar said, but the spirit of the holy God is the true God is in him. He came before me. I told him the dream. Here goes. I saw a tree in the middle of the earth, and it was very tall, it's top reach to the sky. It was visible to the ends of the earth, its leaves were beautiful. Its fruit was abundant and on it was food for all wild animals found shelter under the birds of the sky lived in its branches, and every creature on earth was fed from it, but then Nebuchadnezzar said, while I was admiring the street a messenger drop down from heaven and proclaimed a loud voice cut down the tree. Verse 14 and shop off its branches strip off its leaves and scatter its fruit.

Let the animals flee from underneath it and the bird from its branches but leave the stump with its roots, let him be drenched with due from the sky and share the plants of the earth of the animals let his mind be changed from that of the human, let them be given the mind of an animal for seven periods of time. This is so that the living will know that the most high is ruler over human king, human kingdoms, he gives them to anyone he wants and he sets the lowliest of people over them. Now verse 19 tells us that when Nebuchadnezzar told Daniel this dream.

Daniel was deeply troubled, and he asked Nebuchadnezzar to not make him give me interpretation.

He said Nebuchadnezzar please my Lord made the dream not apply to you and apply only to those who hate you, may its interpretation apply to your enemies.

By the way that I just observe that it appears that Daniel by this point have learned to genuinely love King Nebuchadnezzar that pagan King that one who enslaved him that one would killed his parents. They learn to love him not to admire him not to approve all of his practices. Far from it but to love him as a person. Daniel had obeyed God's command that we looked at in Jeremiah 29 a few weeks ago to make his home in Babylon and then to seek the blessing of its inhabitants.

He genuinely love Nebuchadnezzar I might just ask you is that how you feel about the antagonistic Babylonians around you.

The ones in government.

The ones that live beside you, even when they threatened to throw you so to speak, in the fiery furnace are your Babylonian neighbors around you with their offensive signs in their yards and in their offensive Facebook post are they primarily political opponents you'd overcome or are they people that you genuinely love that you weep for them to pray the best for Nebuchadnezzar's love by Danielson Danielson. Please Nebuchadnezzar don't make me interpret this dream Nebuchadnezzar who would also learn genuinely to trust. Daniel evidently responded verse 19 about the Shah's are going to dreamer its interpretation will learn you just tell me just tell me and so Daniel said. Verse 22 Nebuchadnezzar you are the tree like a tree you become great and strong, your greatness is grown and even reaches the sky.

Your dominion extends to the ends of the earth.

But God the goddess issued a decree Nebuchadnezzar about you from heaven because of your pride you like this tree your to be cut down.

Verse 25 to be driven away from people live in the wild animals to feed on grass like cattle be drenched with due from the sky for seven periods of time until you acknowledge that the most high will over human kingdoms and gives them to whomever he wants.

As for the command to leave the tree stump at its root, your kingdom will be restored.

You soon as you acknowledge that heaven rules Daniel pleaded then with King Nebuchadnezzar to repent and turn his life over to God to separate himself from his sins. Verse 27 therefore he said maybe King heed my advice. Separate yourself from your sins by doing what is right. Separate yourself from your injustices by showing mercy to the needy.

Perhaps there will be an extension of your prosperity. Sadly, however, Nebuchadnezzar did not service.

29. At the end of the 12 months as he was walking on the roof of the royal palace in Babylon admiring its power and its beauty is heart feeling with the with a swelling sense of pride, of what he had accomplished. The king exclaims is this not Babylon the great, that I have built to be a royal residence for my vast power amp for my majestic glory or the words are still the king's mouth, a voice came from heaven. King Nebuchadnezzar to you. It is declared that the kingdom has departed from you. You will be driven away from people to live with the wild animals and you will feed on grass like cattle for seven periods of time until you acknowledge that the most high is ruler over human kingdoms and he gives them to whomever he wants. And at that very moment the message gets Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled God and given Nebuchadnezzar 12 months repent. Actually longer than that.

I was only after four chapters full of warnings and signs but the day came when Nebuchadnezzar crossed the line and God said that's it enough. By the way, God knows when that day is for you and it's never what you think it is God says you have walked in disobedience long enough to harden your heart too many times ignored too many pieces of counsel and that very hour he sent something to destroy your foundations to rock you to your core. So what happened the Nebuchadnezzar for seven periods of time a grass like cattle's body was rich with due from the sky. His hair grew like eagles feathers. It is males like birds claws. By the way, not exactly sure what seven periods of time means most famous scholar saving seven years. I think that's right. Probably more important is that seven is the Old Testament number for fullness, so that the Bible's way of saying that Neb suffered from this for the full amount of time. In other words, as long as it took for me to get really simple for you as much time as it took for Neb to realize that God was God and that was now for Neb to abdicate the throne that he had usurped from God during these seven seasons mightiest king in Babylon was reduced to a groveling madman. He lived outside he grass like a cow's hair grew out like eagles, feathers, and is males like the talons of an eagle by the way, that's another reason I think it was seven actual years were not talking about a new shave November or a bad case of split ends from not using conditioner where the same pair underwear for a week were talking so many years that his hair became so Long and matted that it looked like feathers instead of human hair, and during this time he grass like a cow.

It was utterly humiliating experience.

Answer it and believe it or not psychologists actually have a classified name for this culpable entropy is a mental disorder that while rare, the victim believes that he or she is a cow God was using Nebuchadnezzar to give us a picture of what happens to humanity when we rebel against God if you like Nebuchadnezzar. We were created to rule on earth. But when we reject God and we give ourselves the sin we become like these insane. This is not just true of individuals either is true of whole societies that turned their backs on God. The apostle Paul said in Romans that the human race professing themselves to be wise when they become they became fools.

In other words, in all our sophistication in all our advancement and all are much learning we go insane.

We say things like the human race is nothing more than a product of chance plus time, but nothing nothing about equals everything that only hours really slightly evolved beast no different than monkeys except for some reasoning ability and in the and opposable thumbs, insanity.

We say things like you are an advanced parent. You think your 10-year-old boy. It is really a girl trapped in a boy's body.

Then give him hormone therapy and irreversible invasive surgery to make him a girl. And if anybody opposes that call that a hate crime, insanity. This is not just about Nebuchadnezzar. This is about the whole human race. It's about you it's about me. Let's stop here and reflect on human pride because that's what is most at work here in this chapter. That's the source of Nebuchadnezzar's other sins like CS Lewis said it's pride is the mother sin gives birth.

All the others looked at his pride's roots prides fruits and pride secure. Number one prides roots in this chapter in this chapter we see the pride has at least two roots number one it's a failure to see that every good thing comes from God. In verse 30 Nebuchadnezzar says this is not Babylon the great, that I have built as a royal residence by my vast power and for my majestic glory.

I time my mind there's no acknowledgment that it all comes from God. God says, verse 32 you think you get all this Nebuchadnezzar I'm ultimately in charge of it all.

Every talent you have of your breath you take every ounce of strength you exert is a gift for me. I will set up and tear down who it whomever I want when I want. I would say to us that Americans in particular believe in this myth of the self-made man or woman.

Many of us look out what we have and we say I work for everything. I got to see why came from what I've now created by my vast power and for my majestic glory was, and I do not want to take anything away from from human ingenuity or from your hard work. I'm a big believer in a free economy. But even the slightest moment of self reflection will show you that the whole self-made man bit is not entirely true right. Think about it. The biggest factors contributing to your success.

You had no control over. Like where you were born, the education you receive the society you were born into the influences that soon inspired you to succeed. Even the genes that gave rise to your talents were ultimately just from your parents the most fundamentally determining factors in your life, you know, control of you might have worked hard, guess what you were using health and energy supplied you by God.

None of us are truly self-made men. We took gifts that God gave us and we utilize them and did not acknowledge that is cosmic plagiarism. Plagiarism borrow something from somebody else and claim to be the sole author of never been the victim of that okay right for JD Greer is my plagiarism.

Here she is, but they're hard at work at it. Your whole life to have one big footnote right right.

This came from God, not my doing, when you write your name on pool footnote theirs is God, not my doing, prides first route is a failure to see that everything we got is a gift from God. Right is always accompanied by a second route between rate and that is the foolish assumption that the good life is gonna last forever. Nebuchadnezzar assumed that he was safe, relatively speaking, was Nebuchadnezzar was in his time. After all, the most powerful man in the world. Furthermore, this story and say that no more than five people in all of human history would have the kind of power and privilege and wealth that he enjoyed Babylon.

His capital city located in modern-day Iraq was the headquarters of the known world was an architectural wonder.

I was built like a great hanging terrace garden on two different sides of Euphrates River, connected by a tunnel underneath the river's palace had a 400 foot high waterfall.

The city was bedecked with jewels and gold member I told you a few weeks ago about Herodotus who was a contemporary historian who visited Babylon during the days of Nebuchadnezzar and road but never in his life never seen such an abundance of gold everywhere.

Nebuchadnezzar's capital was one of the seven wonders of the ancient world.

It was it was New York City and in San Francisco in Hollywood, London and Dubai all, combined in the in the one furthermore, he had made Babylon virtually impregnable to build a wall around Babylon I told you that stretch for 56 miles in many places most places. In fact, it was about 80 feet wide and in some places, over 300 feet high race chariots on top of the wall.

So why the point is if anybody should have felt secure about the future.

It was Nebuchadnezzar he could not be attacked literally no army in the world. Compared to Babylon he couldn't be fired.

He wasn't unchallenged monarch. You could go bankrupt. He was the World Bank both you and I know God always has a way you might be sitting on top of the world.

You might have enough savings for any contingency.

Maybe you're young and you thought you got so much talent that nobody tells you the world is your oyster.

Just don't get it, but then everything changes with a simple three word diagnosis you got cancer little over a year ago, an invisible virus that none of us had ever heard about shut our entire society down.

Remind me of the builders of the Titanic, famously boasted, not even God could sink the ship within there's iceberg I'm reading the Civil War biography was on the one mighty Civil War general who boasted that he had never lost a battle and it was true then he became violently ill and died from a tick bite music but the picture of that I can oppose the strongest armies and wind but something that just happens to me in my sleep takes me out. Maybe it's happened to you this year. Your spouse telling you that she's done my first ministry assignment down to Fort Lauderdale Florida armor sitting with Amanda was 30 years older than me or the richest man in Fort Lauderdale just weeping and pouring his eyes out to a 22-year-old is wife just informed him that she was done she was leaving she was gone. It's happened to you.

Maybe it's happened to something happening with one of your kids. I know pain like to paint nothing I can reduce the mightiest person to nothing but something happened to one of their kids maybe like Nebuchadnezzar. It's happening to mental illness. Human body is so delicate so fragile so easily thrown off when you watch one of those nature documentaries on Netflix realize how fragile all whole ecosystem is what's one the other day and the scientist was explaining that the right solar flare at the right moment in the right direction to destroy life on earth as we know it so that it could happen at any time. We have about eight minutes per portal destroy this we would know that it was coming or an asteroid or earthquake. The financial markets get disrupted right set of factors creates a Wall Street crash and billionaires jumping out of windows 20 Civil War gas shortage in North Carolinians begin filling a plastic bag for gas. You know you are okay. No crazy. The point is not as impregnable as we think we are folks part of Satan's lie in the garden of Eden was, you will not surely die.

It is a lie that he whispers in our ears today. If not, he convinces us to deny death existence. This is that he makes us forget about it is a reality you still live with that awareness that it's coming. Years ago I was watching one of these faces of death documentaries that are video footage of a guy. What he did for a living with the film people parachuting out airplane to jump out after them. So your couple their honeymoon would you skydiving jump out after them and film it to them as a video on this one. You see him giving his camera jump out of the plane with this couple and he's got some great shots of them.

After about a minute of timber source to go crazy and the commentator comes on and says we think it was at this moment that he realized he jumped out of the plane without his parachute. He jumped out so many times you forgot it just jumps out and so is watching this incredibly morbid video of this cameras go farther and farther and farther down then it just you and I am someways like that. We all know it's coming. We all know the depth is there wall falling toward it.

We have no idea how far we have the full right now, you might walk out on your roof and look out over your empire, your portfolio, your future prospects and you say, by my power for my glory and my enjoyment and with one small flick of the Almighty's finger. Everything changes when I was a teenager. One of the things God used to shake me up was a kid that I grown up with Dina carrack's gruesome you don't want the coolest kids in the school and I remember standing there before his casket thinking Jamie is in eternity. One, if he's in heaven or hell at that moment everything that he and I competed in sports graves girls not matter all that matters was where he stood with the Almighty God prides roots or the failure to recognize everything everything every breath you take as a gift of God, and second the foolish assumption that it will last forever.

These roots give birth to Nebuchadnezzar's fruits and pride roots. Now you see some fruits elitist walking through pretty quickly. Number one competitiveness competitiveness.

Nebuchadnezzar's language still were boasting and that I might not. That's a sure sign written up with pride he always compare yourself to other people. I don't mean a healthy desire to do your best. I mean the drive to show that you are the best. CS Lewis says that the quickest indicator light that indicates you have pride. Let us know what you think it is grace, indicator lights, so your pride is somebody else's pride bothers you about his love is a section of your Christianity you want to find out how proud you are easiest ways to ask yourself how much do I dislike it when other people snub me refusing taking notice of me, patronize me or show off the point. What the point is, each person's pride is in competition with everybody else's pride is because I wanted to be the big noise of the party but I'm so annoyed at somebody else mean the big noise to trade never agreed.

Pride is essentially competitive. It is competitive by its very nature, you have how much the somebody else's pride body much like I just hated but are always bragging, always showing off always run awareness of their big deal driving this trend sure they got all this money. They always think that there's something that they're the best that's a sure sign that you got a bad case of pride to see their pride is competing with yours. You're mad because they're getting the attention when when deep down you really want to be attention if it takes you all that they think there something deep down you wanted to be thought of as something in there something this is get in the way of your something missing your like the irony of this is not even recognize it was obvious thereby around you with my spouse right now service shifting uncomfortably. CS Lewis said the project funny disease because those who suffer from it. Most never know it but they make everybody around him sick. John Calvin said that that that nabs insanity, gives us a picture of the blindness of human private somebody's insane and another insane they think are normal. Nobody else knows their insane number one number two in gratitude. And gratitude.

The apostle Paul in Romans one to the reason for the fall man at its core, was that we did not glorify God as God, thankful.

Gratitude is a sign of humility on thankfulness is assigned pride in your humble you recognize everything you have is a gift, everything you have is a gift and is a sinner. You don't deserve any of it to your constantly giving God glory for your thank you for net lease number three in gratitude's ugly twin brother entitlement entitlement pride says I deserve good things done.

I worked hard. I did some good difficult. I did some special I sacrifice myself nobody else would do I mind my therefore I deserve glory, praise appreciation, more money, a better marriage, better kids a break. Whatever your life is going well.

Pride says well this is how it should be. I deserve this blessing and like I'm this kind of marriage. I mowed these kinds of kids.

I deserve this kind of friend I deserve this kind of job thanked me and when things go poorly. Pride is like within fair, this is not right you live with resentment you're blaming others for how they let you down your husband, your friend, your kids blame God. By contrast, when things go well for humility. Humility, since while this is a gift. This is mercy.

Thank you God things go poorly humility's as well. God is growing me with got a girl in it which is good � are needed. Thank you God. Pride leads to entitlement. Humility leads to gratitude. Number four overconfidence never leaves his kingdom to last forever. In the New Testament James tells us that side of pride is that you take the future for granted that James goes a part say don't be so arrogant as to declare that you do this or that tomorrow you will tomorrow get a hold your life is so fragile like a vapor that can be whisked away with the slightest whiff of God's hand. Rather, James says you should say if the Lord wills.

I'll do this for Wells. I'll do that.

Overconfidence is seen in the bold self-assurance that my future is always good to be right always find a way to get back up on top. I get not down but I get up again. What doesn't kill me makes me stronger. Yes, much of like 90 songs was a little can-do attitude is great I love it. I really do realize that you can only do those things as God supplies the strength I was full say it right. I can do all things through Christ who triggers me overconfidence lease number five self-will.

Ned isn't afraid to go in the future without God as he believes that he has all he needs to make light work God but show how foolish that is, it was another wealthy king. King Solomon who said this ways of the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. The fear of God means in that context recognition how much you need video. I guess I fear God like I fear oxygen. I am terrified of oxygen.

I just know how essential oxygen is for life. So I fear being separated from oxygen and I would never put myself in a situation where I would be without it. Those who go through life without seeking God's will, are those who were foolish enough to think that they can make it in life without him. If you are not surrendered to God seeking his will. Right now your problem is not first rebellion is just flat foolishness.

What's it going to take to wake you up from that insanity print. I am terrified to think about ever being in a place anymore where I do not have God guarding my present giving life and blessing in my relationships were secure in my future. Number six pride fruit, stinginess and exportation. Verse 27 Daniel pleads with Nebuchadnezzar separate suffer since it was right from your injustices by showing mercy to the needy is significant that Daniel puts repentance in terms of a new attitude toward the poor is a sure sign of pride is callousness for the needs of others.

If you thought your responsible for all all the good things in your life you nobody to thank you and you have no natural compassion for those who are poor, but if you realize for even a second, how much you owe to God. Your heart naturally goes out to others in the little phrase showing mercy at this chapter was written in Aramaic Aramaic language Babylon Aramaic. That phrase literally translates as complaint on behalf of complaint on behalf of the poor advocate for the poor. Entitlement is the side of pride advocating for the needs of others is the son of humility so Nebuchadnezzar you see the roots pride she referred to pride number so you pride's cure.

By the way, can I just tell you how frustrating it is. As a pastor to have pride roots pride fruits and I need something that rhymes with that. I spent a lot longer on that and I probably should have, and I was like you come up with some of the great labs and pride salute showing Z�rich unity didn't work. Pride spirits all got this is pretty sure Brad's cure suffering. Failure is happening you right now that you understand that failure by itself is not enough that failure often leads to more bitterness and more resentment.spirit has to wait giving you an understanding of your failure.

John Calvin said Nebuchadnezzar's insanity alone did not wake him up.spirit had to give him eyes to see you here in your soul.

A voice calling you to look upward toward heaven. Verse 34. But at the end of those days I've Nebuchadnezzar looked up to heaven, the Holy Spirit took his finger put under my chin and lifted my my sanity returned to me is that she not have any right now you hear his voice in your soul calling you to look up how much more how much more you have to suffer all Nebuchadnezzar's final statement here might be one of the most stunning declaration of humility anywhere in our Bible like taken King most high God. He says lives forever. Nebuchadnezzar flatterers had always greeted him with okay let forever. Nebuchadnezzar messes that epithet only belongs to God were all temporary. Our lives are like vapors in the winter kingdom like sand castle on the beach. Don't flatter yourself. Nebuchadnezzar tell you the world. And remember you when you're gone quote great.

Mark Twain will lament you for an hour, then forget you forever Rod told you before, at your funeral, your family get together of all your prized possessions that you spent a lifetime accumulating you are so proud of me like what we are doing all this junk and then I got a hold of her clothes make fun of them and then that's it. You're gone.

Verse 34 like God. Nebuchadnezzar continues only God's kingdom is an everlasting dominion, only his kingdom is from generation to generation. That means that she tried to erect a life independent of him like a gnat trying to build a nest on the surface of the soldering kit try to build a sand castle on the beach right before only one kingdom last forever. Jesus is only one life to live will soon be passed only what's done for Christ will last and only things that are done to his power will last you can make the marriage work. You can make those kids are alright so that we can build this church unless the Lord builds all these houses.

Those who build and labor in vain apart for me Jesus said you can do anything.

All the inhabitants. Nebuchadnezzar continues there before him like nothing verse 35 God not impressed.

Babylon is not impressed with America sir. When I wile by the summit jersey in my calendar. Your money is no need of any of us in our greatest achievements are no consequence to him know he does what he wants with the Army of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth is fully in charge of history, armies of angels moving his command after the smallest molecules on our planet, not a sparrow falls from the sky.

Apart from his permission.

Not a hairball from our head without his knowledge.

We are just inhabitants of the earth.

God's in control of. There is nobody. He says he can block his hand.

His powers irresistible. No one ultimately will ever frustrate his purpose is not you, not Nebuchadnezzar, not Hitler, not Hollywood not watching you when not saying not Donald Trump not Joe Biden. Nobody. He does whatever he pleases.

Nobody can state his hander Sadie and what all his works all his works are true in all his ways are just. In the end we see that God was just true in all that he did it with our complaints about about about what he was doing that are going to feel foolish we were when we feel so just about right now knowing you think it you do this, why were you what what what what I don't get that in your eyes are open to see what God is really up to your fullest meet Sue to see my three-year-olds were questioning the wise and loving ways of their parents.

The prophet Isaiah again a contemporary Nebuchadnezzar says that on that final day, the wisdom of the wise will perish the intelligence of the intelligent will vanish. The arrogance of man will be brought low. Human pride will be humbled, the Lord alone is to be exalted on that day Nebuchadnezzar concludes he's able to walk humbled those who walk in pride. The mightiest men and women ever walk the face of the earth on that final day to find himself crumbled in a heap before the king of the universe, unable even to live their heads the name of Jesus.

Paul tells every knees get a bow in heaven and on earth, and every tongue is going to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord of the glory of God the father. That's it. That's the conversion testimony of the richest, most powerful, wicked king in human history.

He is able to humble all those who walk in pride and that included by the grace of God JD Greer always blows my mind. I get to be in heaven with Nebuchadnezzar. I will call him brother Nebuchadnezzar about you as he humbled you differently, ready to listen to the worst thing for you is to enter eternity on humble forgot to wake you up to some tragedy is nothing here defacing the error of his wrath on the day of judgment, not leads us to probably the best part of the story she Jesus was the true King even though Jesus walked his whole life in humility and submission. Unlike Nebuchadnezzar at the end of Jesus's life, God still drove him into the wilderness of suffering Jesus died like a beast on the cross, but because of that you can forgive us of our sins and restore us from our insanity.

Remember the little phrase in verse 26. Leave the stump with its roots, stump roots can grow again yesterday, Veronica and me out of the yard digging up the stump in one of our flowerbeds and the previous owner had cut down a tree below the roots in this sacred tree will start to grow again when Jesus died on the cross is life was pulled up by the roots so that he could forgive and restore you and you could grow to what got it ended for you to be. If you let so now he calls the union your insanity to come to him, to separate yourself from your sins to humble yourself and surrender. Are you ready for neck pain in your life that you're going to punish you not trying to indicate that he hates you. Try to wake you up like we say he's not trying to pay you back. You try to bring you back was to restore you to listen, read, listen much about you you what all the campuses you join us on their undercount by your say this is me right here right now this is me. I'm actually something incredibly bold head now but I want you to acknowledge this and I wanted to be something that you remember you want right here right now I'm lifting my head and surrender and save heaven roles I surrender and I received you Jesus as my Savior. If you haven't Artie done that. Or maybe you have your just repenting and and and recommitting your life is that you right now what you stand up. I'm not having a buddy look for you but I want you to stand up on your feet right here right now this is what I'm doing. I I'm similar Nebuchadnezzar right here right now where you can see everybody obviously just stand your feet for that phrase from everyone who is standing got afraid of this would be a moment of change, but have eternal destination in wisdom and clarity.

I pray to follow this all the way through. In Jesus name. You guys can receive and the ones you standing amen is our campus pastors, worship teams, listen if you made that kind of decision or you need to just text the word ready, 33933. It allows you to browse us to get back with you which we would love to come once worship is gone, but God rules and reigns them to fling