Sermons

FILTER BY:

← back to list

Oct 18, 2020

The Writing On The Wall

The Writing On The Wall

Passage: Daniel

Speaker: Andrew Kerhoulas

Series: Of Kings and Kingdoms - Daniel

Keywords: pride, judgment, justice, forgiveness, idolatry

The idiom about the writing on the wall--that something unwelcome is about to happen--stems from Daniel 5. This story of God’s judgment on a prideful and idolatrous king should give us pause to consider the story being written about our own lives. But housing this story in the bigger story of the gospel, we learn how the Author of our salvation flips the script on our lives forever.

10.18.20 GMR Online Service from Grace Mills River on Vimeo.

Order of Worship

PRE SERVICE: Daniel 5:5-7
OPENING PRAYER: Mission of the Church (adapted from The Book of Common Prayer)
CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 149:1,4-6,9
READING: 1 Corinthians 1:27-31
NEW MEMBER RECOGNITION
MESSAGE TITLE: The Writing On The Wall
CENTRAL TEXT: Daniel 5
RESPONSE: Communion
BENEDICTION: 2 Peter 3:18
POST SERVICE: 1 Corinthians 1:30-31

Readings & Scripture

PRE SERVICE: Daniel 5:5-7
5 Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, opposite the lampstand...6 Then the king’s color changed, and his thoughts alarmed him; his limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together. 7...The king declared to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing, and shows me its interpretation, shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”

OPENING PRAYER: Mission of the Church (adapted from The Book of Common Prayer)

ALL: Everliving God, whose will it is that all should come to you through the finished work of your Son. Inspire our witness to Him, that all may know and extend the power of Christ’s forgiveness and the hope of His resurrection; who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen.

CALL TO WORSHIP: Psalm 149:1,4-6,9
LEADER: Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, And His praise in the assembly of saints.

4 For the Lord takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation.

5 Let the saints be joyful in glory;

ALL: 6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth,

READING: 1 Corinthians 1:27-31
LEADER: The Bible is one complete story all pointing to the finished work of Christ and the hope of the gospel. Our Central Text for today is found in the Old Testament and so our New Testament Reading related to this week's message and themes is found 1 Corinthians 1.

LEADER: 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things – and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God – that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: ‘Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.

CENTRAL TEXT: Daniel 5 (excerpts)

1 King Belshazzar made a great feast for a thousand of his lords and drank wine in front of the thousand. 2 Belshazzar, when he tasted the wine, commanded that the vessels of gold and of silver that Nebuchadnezzar his father had taken out of the temple in Jerusalem be brought, that the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines might drink from them. 3 Then they brought in the golden vessels that had been taken out of the temple, the house of God in Jerusalem, and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them. 4 They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze, iron, wood, and stone.
5 Immediately the fingers of a human hand appeared and wrote on the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace, opposite the lampstand...6 Then the king’s color changed, and his thoughts alarmed him; his limbs gave way, and his knees knocked together. 7...The king declared to the wise men of Babylon, “Whoever reads this writing...shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around his neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.” 8 Then all the king’s wise men came in, but they could not read the writing or make known to the king the interpretation. 9 Then King Belshazzar was greatly alarmed, and his color changed, and his lords were perplexed.
10 The queen...declared, 12 “...let Daniel be called, and he will show the interpretation.” 13 Then Daniel was brought in before the king. The king answered and said to Daniel, “You are that Daniel, one of the exiles of Judah, whom the king my father brought from Judah. 14 I have heard of you that the spirit of the gods is in you, and that light and understanding and excellent wisdom are found in you. 15 Now the wise men, the enchanters, have been brought in before me to read this writing and make known to me its interpretation, but they could not show the interpretation of the matter. 16 ...Now if you can read the writing...you shall be clothed with purple and have a chain of gold around your neck and shall be the third ruler in the kingdom.”
17 Then Daniel answered and said before the king, “Let your gifts be for yourself, and give your rewards to another. Nevertheless, I will read the writing to the king and make known to him the interpretation. 18 O king, the Most High God gave Nebuchadnezzar your father kingship and greatness and glory and majesty. 19 And because of the greatness that he gave him, all peoples, nations, and languages trembled and feared before him. Whom he would, he killed, and whom he would, he kept alive; whom he would, he raised up, and whom he would, he humbled. 20 But when his heart was lifted up and his spirit was hardened so that he dealt proudly, he was brought down from his kingly throne, and his glory was taken from him. 21 He was driven from among the children of mankind, and his mind was made like that of a beast, and his dwelling was with the wild donkeys. He was fed grass like an ox, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven, until he knew that the Most High God rules the kingdom of mankind and sets over it whom he will. 22 And you his son, Belshazzar, have not humbled your heart, though you knew all this, 23 but you have lifted up yourself against the Lord of heaven. And the vessels of his house have been brought in before you, and you and your lords, your wives, and your concubines have drunk wine from them. And you have praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone, which do not see or hear or know, but the God in whose hand is your breath, and whose are all your ways, you have not honored.
24 “Then from his presence the hand was sent, and this writing was inscribed. 25 And this is the writing that was inscribed: Mene, Mene, Tekel, and Parsin. 26 This is the interpretation of the matter: Mene, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; 27 Tekel, you have been weighed in the balances and found wanting; 28 Peres, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” 29 Then Belshazzar gave the command, and Daniel was clothed with purple, a chain of gold was put around his neck, and a proclamation was made about him, that he should be the third ruler in the kingdom. 30 That very night Belshazzar the Chaldean king was killed. 31 And Darius the Mede received the kingdom, being about sixty-two years old.

BENEDICTION: 2 Peter 3:18
LEADER: 18 May you grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

POST SERVICE: 1 Corinthians 1:30-31
30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God – that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: ‘Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.

ADDITIONAL SCRIPTURES:

  • Deuteronomy 9:10 - “And the Lord gave me the two tablets of stone written with the finger of God, and on them were all the words that the Lord had spoken with you on the mountain out of the midst of the fire on the day of the assembly.”
  • John 8:1-11
  • Acts 17:29-31- “Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. 30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”
  • Romans 3:26 - “It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”
  • Romans 8:1 - “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

 Related Media

InView Media album 10.18.2020

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. What is one thing that you’re taking away from this sermon? Do you have any lingering questions? If you do, you can email pastor Andrew Kerhoulas ( ). 
  2. The good news of Christianity is not only that our sins are forgiven, but also that this world will one day know the same perfect justice as heaven knows. Meditate on why this is good news.
  3. The heart of the gospel is that God is both the just one and the justifier of those who trust Jesus. How does this shape your understanding of the gospel? 
  4. What would God “write on the wall” about your life? What are some key words or themes that clamor in your mind? 
  5. How should belief in Jesus change the script about yourself? How might it change the way you think and speak about other believers? 

QUOTES:

  • “What comes to mind when you think about God is the most important thing about you.” --A.W. Tozer

BOOKS / DOCS:

 

  • Elizabeth Fox, We Are Going To Be Lucky: The World War II Letters Between a Soldier and His Wife
  • Rankin Wilbourne, Union with Christ: The Way to Know and Enjoy God