The Worlds Okayest Pastor

Sin Divides, Jesus Reconciles: The Essential Message of Daniel 9

• Jason Cline

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Have you ever found yourself building your own kingdom while claiming to build God's? Daniel chapter 9 confronts us with this challenging question as we witness a man of extraordinary faith grappling with national sin and divine mercy.

Daniel's prayer is nothing short of revolutionary. While he could have distanced himself from Israel's failures, he instead takes ownership of their collective brokenness: "We have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled." There's something profoundly transformative about this approach to prayer - acknowledging corporate responsibility rather than simply pointing fingers at others.

The message cuts straight to the heart of modern Christianity. How many of us pray "Your kingdom come, your will be done" while mentally adding exceptions? Your will be done...unless it costs me too much money. Your kingdom come...unless I have to talk to that difficult neighbor. Daniel shows us what happens when we strip away these qualifiers and truly surrender to God's purposes.

What makes this episode particularly powerful is the contrast between Daniel's request and God's response. Daniel prays for restoration so Israel can resume temple sacrifices, but through the angel Gabriel, God reveals His plan for the ultimate sacrifice - Jesus Christ. This reminds us that our vision is often too limited. We pray for solutions to immediate problems while God works out eternal purposes.

The world doesn't need more religion, better churches, or flashier worship. It needs Jesus - the only one who can truly save us from our brokenness. When we stand in exile, surrounded by the consequences of sin, we have a choice: blame others or embrace humble confession that leads to transformation. Daniel chose the latter. Will you?

Listen now to discover how sin has distorted everything in our world, but Jesus brings us home. This message will challenge you to consider which kingdom you're truly building.

Speaker 1:

So the book of Daniel is a case study in personal character. Daniel is someone who has really found himself in a place that is not his own doing, and I think that that's important to mention, because Daniel didn't do anything necessarily to put himself in exile. Now Jerusalem did Israel messed up the Old Testament. I love the Old Testament and if you ever want to understand how patient God is, just read the Old Testament, because if it was me, I would have wiped this entire people out a long time ago and just started fresh. He actually did that Back in Noah's day. He kind of wiped the earth clean and started over, but with Israel he still kind of protected this remnant. And again, if I was God, I would have just been like nope, we're done, but Israel continues to find themselves worshiping other gods and they keep losing sight of the God who has been for them this entire time. And listen, it's so easy to get distracted. I mean, I have three boys and I can tell you like their level of distractiveness is amazing, like my oldest ever. Like I would ask him. I'm like listen, buddy, pick up this dish and take it to the kitchen. He's like okay, he picks up the dish, he goes to his room and plays with some Legos, then he chases the brothers around the house, then he has to go to the bathroom and then he finally gets to the kitchen and I'm like I don't know what to do with this. Like it's so easy to get distracted, right? And so Daniel, the book of Daniel, it's easy to get distracted, so we're going to actually be in Daniel 9, but we're going to kind of cliff note Daniel 7 and 8.

Speaker 1:

Now, daniel 7 and 8 are two dreams that Daniel has. Daniel, in these dreams, finds himself distracted. So Daniel, chapter 7,. Daniel has a prophetic dream of four great beasts rising from the sea each different Lions with eagle's wings this is often interpreted as Babylon. The bear, raised on one side, which is most likely the Medo-Persia kingdom that's coming. A leopard with four wings and four heads, likely Greece under Alexander the Great, which would later be divided. And then a terrifying beast. So in this dream he has all of these images of a terrifying beast with iron teeth and ten horns, with a little horn rising up, often linked to Rome and in the future it's an Antichrist type figure. The Ancient of Days, which is God, takes his throne, judges the beast and destroys them. The Son of man comes with the clouds and receives everlasting dominion in a kingdom that will not be destroyed. So Daniel has these dreams and they disturb him, right? But again, we've been talking about the sovereignty of God throughout the book of Daniel, and Daniel 7 reemphasizes this that although kingdoms will come at the end, god remains in control. Daniel chapter 8.

Speaker 1:

Daniel has another set of dreams. He sees a ram with two horns, one higher, charging west, north and south, again talking about the Medo-Persia empire that would be coming, a goat with a prominent horn. This represents Greece and the horn represents Alexander the Great. So you realize he's having the same dream but different visions. So the goat's large horn is broken and is replaced by four smaller horns a division of Alexander's empire. This actually happens historically, which is pretty cool. After the fall of Alexander the Great, four generals take over his kingdom historically and it becomes an entire mess. So from one of the four horns a little horn arises. This is traditionally linked to Antiochus. The fourth of Epiphanes said he was a king who desecrated the Jewish temple of Epiphanes, that he was a king who desecrated the Jewish temple. So again we see these imageries and it's two chapters, right, and it's important that we don't get too distracted by this because, when we look towards the future, daniel and the book of Revelation are connected to each other and there's a lot of people historically who have tried to interpret the book of Revelation.

Speaker 1:

I think it was 2014. On my birthday in 2014, the world was supposed to end. Some guy in Florida had predicted God had given him a vision the world was going to end, and he put billboards everywhere. I don't know if you remember this, but there was like billboards all over the place. I was mad because I was like, that's my birthday. Like God, why would you end the world on my birthday? Right? And so this guy spent a ton of money, a ton of resources convincing people the world was going to end. He distracted people. Clearly, the world didn't end.

Speaker 1:

So again, daniel 7, daniel 8, it talks primarily. The dream is focusing on kingdoms that are going to affect the future of Israel. Talk about the Romans and the Greeks and the Persian alliance, and then you had Babylon. But it does look towards the future and it connects itself with Revelation. But again, don't get distracted. The point of these dreams and the point of Revelation is that God wins you and I can get stuck on what the imagery is, who the Antichrist is. When I was in my 20s it was Oprah, which I thought was interesting because I never met the woman, but I didn't really think she was the Antichrist. But what do I know? I'm sure there were people when you were younger that were hailed as the Antichrist. But again, the focus is on the fact that God is sovereign, that no matter what comes of this world, what comes, what kingdoms come, that all kingdoms will fall. So that's Daniel 7 and 8. That's all we're going. We're not going any further than that. Just know he had some crazy dreams, some really interesting imagery, but God is establishing at the end that he's sovereign, that no kingdom will overthrow him.

Speaker 1:

So then we get to Daniel, chapter 9. Daniel, chapter 9, verses 1 through 19, is more more of a confession by daniel. So, starting in verse 1, it says in the first year of darius, son of xerxes, a mead by descent who's made ruler over the babylonian kingdom, in the first year of his reign, I, daniel, understood from the scriptures, according to the word of the lord given to Jeremiah, the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last 70 years. So I turned to the Lord, god and pleaded with him in prayer and petition and fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. And keep in mind that at this point Daniel had been in exile roughly a little more than 60 years. So for him the end is coming.

Speaker 1:

So he starts in verse 4. He says I prayed to the Lord, my God, and confessed Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments. We have sinned and done wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled. We have turned away from your commands and your wrong. We have been wicked and have rebelled. We have turned away from your commands and your laws. We have not listened to your servants, the prophets who spoke in your name, to our kings, our princes, our ancestors and to all the people of the land.

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I said Lord, you are righteous, but this day we are covered with shame. The people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and all Israel, both near and far, and all the countries where you have scattered us because of our unfaithfulness to you. We and our kings, our princes and our ancestors are covered with shame because we have sinned against you. The Lord, our God, is merciful and forgiving, even though we have rebelled against him. We have not obeyed the Lord, our God, or kept the laws he gave us through his servants, the prophets. All Israel had transgressed their law and turned away, refusing to obey you. Therefore, the curses and sworn judgments written in the law of Moses, the servant of God, have been poured out on us because we have sinned against you. You have fulfilled the words spoken against us and against our rulers by bringing on us great disaster. I know the whole heaven. Nothing has ever been done like what has been done to Jerusalem, just as it is written in the law of Moses. All this disaster has come on us. We have not sought the favor of the Lord, our God, by turning from our sins and giving attention to your truth. The Lord did not hesitate to bring the disaster on us. The Lord, our God, is righteous in everything he does, yet we have not obeyed him.

Speaker 1:

So Daniel starts this conversation by addressing the sins of the nation, starts this conversation by addressing the sins of the nation, and it's interesting because he's not blaming Israel. He's taking ownership and saying God, we have sinned against you, we are in this mess, we are in exile, literally because we have failed to live up to your standards Again. Daniel was a case study of a man who's seeking to follow God, but it's also a case study of what happens to a nation when they fail to follow God. Israel is in exile. They failed to repent of their sins and their ways. All of this has been brought on them because of their disobedience. Daniel doesn't blame them, he owns it. This man who has lived a righteous life throughout his time in exile, who has had great faith, who has prayed regularly, he owns the fact that he, being part of this nation, is also responsible for where they are. So, then, he continues in verse 15, says Now, lord, our God, who brought your people out of Egypt, calls back to the Exodus With a mighty hand, and who made for yourself a name and adores to this day.

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We have sinned, we have done wrong. Lord, in keeping with all your righteous acts, turn away your anger and your wrath from Jerusalem, your city, your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors have made Jerusalem and your people an object of scorn to all those around us. Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of your servant. For your sake, lord, look with favor on your desolate sanctuary. Give ear, our God, and hear, open your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears your name. We do not make requests of you because we are righteous, but because of your great mercy. Lord, listen, lord, forgive, lord, hear and act. For your sake, my God, do not delay, because your city and your people bear your name.

Speaker 1:

Daniel is calling out to God and he's saying God, hear our prayer, show us your grace and your mercy, not because we deserve it, god, but because that's who you are, god. Don't forget us, don't forget all that we've done. We know we've messed up, but, god, we're your namesake, we're your children. Come hear us, god. You know there's something about coming to God in prayer, in the state of brokenness. You know, so many times in my life I think about my prayer time and I think about the things that I pray for.

Speaker 1:

When I was younger, my prayers were, needless to say, they were selfish. I'd always pray for a better job. Before I was married, I would always pray for my wife, but I would pray that she looked a certain way. Listen, I'm just being honest. I would pray for things and I thought, if I was really specific, and I would oftentimes pray for God to bless my things. God, I know I'm in this relationship. That's bad for me. This person doesn't even know you, but God bless this relationship. God, I know that I have no idea how to budget my money, but make sure that there's money in my bank account every day when I need it. I know that I need food, but instead I bought a PlayStation 4. God bless me. My prayers were arrogant, but the older I got, the more I walk through life, the closer I get to God, the more I realize that most of my prayer is simple, that most of my prayer is simple.

Speaker 1:

A lot of my prayers nowadays are God, help me. God, allow me to be the father that you want me to be. God, allow me to be transformed into the pastor that you need me to be. God, allow this church to be transformed into the church that you need it to be. God, allow the conversations to be in my life, in my life to be filled with conversations of you. God, help me lead other people to you. God bless my marriage so that it honors you. God, raise my kids up so that, no matter where they go, they are young men who follow you. God bless me with riches so I can give more away, your prayer changes and Daniel comes to God in this repentance, saying God, not because we deserve it, but because we need it.

Speaker 1:

God, forgive us, show us grace, show us grace, show us mercy. Prayer is the most powerful tool we have as believers, but it's often the last one we go to. I know why it's because a lot of times you and I forget our place. You know, those two dreams Daniel had were kind of crazy, but they reminded him that God is ultimately in charge. So our future, where we're headed, the things that are coming next in our life, even though we do have a part in it, ultimately God is the one who's in control of it. So, as NT Wright offers a powerful metaphor to describe this partnership between believers and God, he compares it to a stonemason working on a section of great cathedral.

Speaker 1:

This craftsman is not building a cathedral of their own design. Rather, they're faithfully executing the plans of someone else, focusing intently on their small part. They aren't creating a miniature cathedral for themselves, and Wright explains this. He says they are not themselves building the cathedral, but they are building for the cathedral, and when the cathedral is complete, their work will be enhanced, ennobled, which will mean much more than it could have meant, as they were chiseling it and shaping it down in the stonemason's yard. And so he talks about this. The kind of relationship we have with God is you and I are building the kingdom of God Again.

Speaker 1:

My prayers in my 20s were selfish because all I could think about was my world, my cathedral. But here we see that Daniel is saying God, forgive us, show us mercy for your namesake, show the people around us just who you are, not because we deserve it, but because you do. You deserve people who are following after you. You deserve people who are following after you. You deserve people who are living for you. You deserve to be built that your kingdom will last forever. God hear us, god answer us.

Speaker 1:

I often Let your kingdom come, your will be done. It's probably one of the most popular prayers that people repeat, but I wonder if we really mean that your kingdom come, your will be done, or do we have an asterisk next to it. That your kingdom come, your will be done, or do we have an asterisk next to it? Your will be done unless you call me to give more of my time, my money, my resources. Your kingdom come unless you call me to be a missionary in a country that I want to go to your kingdom. Come, unless you call me to be a missionary in a country that I want to go to your kingdom. Come, your will be done. Unless I can't buy that new car that I just bought. Unless I have to talk to my neighbor who I don't like because he can't agree how to cut the grass correctly. Unless I have to share my faith with my mother-in-law to my neighbor, who I don't like because he can't agree how to cut the grass correctly. Unless I have to share my faith with my mother-in-law or father-in-law I don't know how father-in-laws work. We say that your kingdom come, your will be done. And listen, there's no, unless that's it.

Speaker 1:

When Jesus prays this prayer in Matthew 5,. He says your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. And Daniel is saying to God because of who you are, show us mercy. Your kingdom is eternal. Your kingdom is the only one worth building. I think oftentimes in the church today, we want to have God and we want to have us. We want to have our kingdom as long as it's next to God's kingdom, and sometimes we elevate it. But what if we became a people who really meant when we said God, whatever you need us to do, whatever transformation needs to happen, god allow that to take place. Place in my life.

Speaker 1:

You know, in the very beginning, before he even gets to this prayer of redemption, daniel acknowledges the sin of their life. Sin has distorted everything. You go back to Adam and Eve in the garden. Their sin was they wanted to be like God. That's what they were tempted with. Right, eat of this fruit and you'll be like God. They did, and the consequence of that was eternal they lost. I mean, they literally walked in the garden with God, had everything they ever needed not a single care in the world. There wasn't even birth and childbearing. And then they ate of the apple and all of that came with it the downfall of humanity. I often wonder how that conversation goes A week or two after the fact and one of them stubs their toe is Adam like Eve? Look at what you did. And then we all have to look at Adam and be like, yeah, you were there too, buddy. But I often wonder how often did they reflect back on what they had? Because, see, they were so convinced that building themselves up to being like God was better than being with God. And they learned really quick that doesn't work that way.

Speaker 1:

Daniel and the people of Israel had learned that building the kingdom of God is better than building their own kingdom, because their own kingdom can be snatched away in the blink of an eye. But he acknowledges their sin, their brokenness. He says, god, we have sinned against you. And then the consequences that we are going through, god, these are just. We deserve this, we deserve all of this. But then he says, god, I'm appealing to you, in your mercy and your grace and the fact that you're sovereign, you will restore us. God, that if we could just go back home, if we could just go back to the temple and the sacrifices, god, if we could just go back to the temple and the sacrifices, god, if we could just go back to bringing that forgiveness back into our lives, because, god, we've been missing it. If you can just send us back God, this time we'll do it right. If you know anything about the Old Testament, that's not true. They continue to mess it up.

Speaker 1:

So Daniel 9, verses 20-27, says why Daniel was speaking and praying, confessing my sin and the sin of my people, israel. It says, while I was still in prayer, Gabriel, the man I had seen in an earlier vision, came to me in swift flight about the time of the evening sacrifice. Can you imagine that? Praying? And this angel shows up. He instructed me and said to me Daniel, I have now come to you to give you insight and understanding. As soon as you began to pray, word went out which I have come to tell you, for you are highly esteemed. Can you imagine being told by an angel that you're highly esteemed? I'm like, yeah, thanks, that's cool.

Speaker 1:

Therefore, consider the word and understand the vision. It said 77 are decreed for your people, in your holy city, to finish transgression, to put an end to sin, to atone for wickedness, to bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up vision and prophecy and to anoint the most holy place. It says no one understand this. From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem. Until the anointed one. It's talking about Jesus. It says until Jesus comes, the ruler comes, there will be seven, sevens and 62 sevens and it will be rebuilt with streets and a trench when times of trouble, and after the 62 sevens, the anointed one will be put to death and he will have nothing the people of the ruler who will come and destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood. War will continue until the end and desolation had been decreed. He will confirm a covenant with many for one seven. In the middle of the seven, he will put an end to the sacrifice and offering and at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation until the end of his decree is poured out on him Again.

Speaker 1:

Don't get distracted. The angel is saying Jesus, the anointed one is coming, and the anointed one will put to death with nothing. And once this happens, there will be one who comes after him that will establish his own kingdom and it'll be a failure. It'll be against the God most high, but he will reign in that position until the final end comes. You know, daniel comes to this and says God, if you could just let us go and sacrifice for the forgiveness of our sins.

Speaker 1:

And the angel Gabriel says listen, you don't understand that. There's one coming who will be sacrificed for all sins. You're short-sighted. You're looking to save yourself. God's looking to save the world. Because you're right, daniel, your sin is a problem. The sins of your people are a problem. The sin in our life is a problem? The things that we do that are not of God lying, deceit, adultery, disobeying our parents let's just walk through the Ten Commandments. All of these things that are considered sin have separated us from God, and you and I have to acknowledge that Daniel, in all of his righteousness and all of his faithfulness, could have blamed Israel for their sin, but he doesn't. He says, have blamed Israel for their sin. But he doesn't. He says, god, it's our sin that has caused this problem. It's our brokenness that has led us to this place. We're a nation that's walked away from God. God's not highly revered or favored anymore. If anything, he's mocked. It's almost like under King Darius. People put up with us, they put up with us until a decree comes, but all of that is because of the sin of all of us.

Speaker 1:

Listen, if I've learned one thing in my life, it is really easy to look at someone else and identify their sin. What's hard is when I have to look at myself and realize man, god, I don't have this right either. I still get angry about things I shouldn't get angry about. I still allow things into my life that I shouldn't. There's things that I struggle with that I wish that I didn't.

Speaker 1:

As a nation as a whole, we have to deal with the sins of our nation and I know I know this might hit the wrong way and it's not my intention. But when we look at our country as a whole and we talk about things like racism and sexism and the divide in political parties and the oppression of the poor and not taking care of those who God has called us to take care of, not taking care of the widows and the oppression of the poor and not taking care of those who God has called us to take care of, not taking care of the widows and the orphans when we look collectively as a nation, we have to realize that part of that is our fault, whether we committed it intentionally or whether it's a sin of omission. The Bible talks about this that there are things that we don't do that we know we should do, and when we don't do them, we allow them to continue. Collectively, we have to acknowledge as a whole that we have failed to live up to the way God wants us to live and listen. I realize that the focus tends to be well, everyone outside these walls is sin and they're broken and they did this. But Daniel doesn't do this, he says God, we have failed you, god, we have failed to live up to what you've called us to do and because of that, this punishment that we're in is just. I think true repentance comes from humility, being able to admit that something's not right, being able to look at the world around us and understand that there's a problem.

Speaker 1:

Sin is the problem. Our enemy has never been each other. It's always been Satan. It's always been his lies and his deceptions. It's always been his division and it's always been the sin that he brought into the world. Sin has distorted everything and because of that sin we're broken. Humility acknowledges that brokenness. Humility acknowledges that there's something wrong, but hope. Hope realizes there's something wrong, but hope. Hope realizes there's someone who saved us. Hope realizes that God is merciful and he's gracious and that he's coming to the world to fix the problem.

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Sin is a human problem. Romans 3.23 says, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Ephesians 2.1 says you were dead in your trespasses and sin. Sin is part of the human condition because of the decision that was made thousands of years ago. Sin is part of the problem when you go all the way back to the garden. Even back then they messed it up, and so when daniel is asking for forgiveness, he's asking to go home. So they continue the sacrifices. The angel gabriel says one who is coming, who will sacrifice for all.

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Hebrews 4.15 says he was tempted in every way, just as we are, yet he was without sin. He's talking about Jesus. Jesus sets the standard of perfection. He lived in a sinful, broken world and didn't commit a single one. Jesus would become the ultimate sacrifice. 2 Corinthians 5.21,. It says God made him, who had no sin, to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

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Isaiah 53, verses 5 and 6, he was pierced for our transgressions. The Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Everything Jesus took upon him was because of us. You and I killed him. We can say the Jews did it, but really he died because of you and me. Daniel was in the mess they're in because of the sin of their people, and the only one who can save them is God. You and I are in the mess that we're in because of our sin, and the only one who can save us is Jesus. That's it. That's what the world needs. It doesn't need another church. It doesn't need another cool pastor. It doesn't need another wonderful worship team. The world needs Jesus because Jesus is the only one who can save. That's it. Because Jesus is the only one who can save. That's it.

Speaker 1:

Romans 4.25 said he was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. The final sacrifice had been made. Daniel didn't get to see this, but you and I know this. Jesus came, he died, he dealt with sin, he was raised to life and because of that he justified us. 1 John 1.9 says that we confess our sins. He is faithful and just to forgive us. John 8.9 says that we confess our sins. He is faithful and just to forgive us. John 8.36 says if the Son sets you free, you will be free. Indeed, that's what the world needs. It needs more Jesus, always. I think that's why my prayers have shifted throughout my life, because I realize that the only way that we build God's kingdom is by bringing people to Jesus. That's eternal, that's important.

Speaker 1:

The book of Revelation is scary. If you've ever read it, it's actually quite confusing. The dreams that Daniel had were a little overwhelming. But don't get distracted. Don't try to figure out when the end's coming. It's not a math problem. It can't be figured out. Jesus says that, by the way, himself that even the Son of man, while he was here on earth, had no time. So no offense. But if God didn't tell Jesus, he didn't tell that person on TikTok who stepped on their back porch and had a revelation. There's no revelation. The end is coming. That's inevitable. But what matters is who do you know when the end comes? Because you can build your kingdom, we can even build our church and still miss Jesus. You can go to church every single day of your life, until the very end of your life, and still you can. Still you can have religion and still miss Jesus. What matters is, in the end, who are we serving? Who have we given our life to? The sacrifice has been made, the way has been opened, grace has been extended. Transformation comes because of Jesus. If you have given your life to Jesus, you are no longer your own person. You live for a bigger purpose. And if you haven't, grace is there.

Speaker 1:

Sin keeps us from God, but Jesus brings us home God, but Jesus brings us home. The church, the world you and I live in is still in exile. Sin has shattered what was once whole, leaving behind pain and justice, confusion and loss. Like Daniel, you and I live in the middle of a mess and, like Daniel, we're called not to escape it but to stand faithful in it. Daniel saw the devastation of sin, but he never lost sight of the faithfulness of God and, even though he didn't know how the story would fully end, you and I do. We Nate. We know the name of the one who rescues us. We know the one who stepped into exile to bring us home. His name is Jesus and he's the answer the world is waiting for. So what do we do with this knowledge? We can get caught up in how the world's going to end, trying to predict. We can get caught up in blaming other people for their brokenness and their sin. We can get caught up in playing church but never actually living for the one who it's made for. So you and I should live with the end in mind. Your life comes to an end. Everyone dies. Which kingdom are you building?

Speaker 1:

You and I, not only as a church but as a nation, have to take responsibility for the sins that have broken us. We have sinned, we have brought this upon ourselves, we have been part of the devastation, whether we like it or not. And only through humble prayer and repentance can we find grace. Daniel models that you and I have the responsibility to point people to hope. Listen, we don't exist so we can walk around telling everyone else they're sinners. We exist so we can walk around telling everyone there's a way to be saved from that sin. That's our focus, that's what we have to do. But we still have to call sin sin. You can't ignore that. But you and I should want to talk to people about sin in their lives and our lives, because we have found redemption. And then you and I are called to surrender everything, not just on Sunday morning, but your habits, your life, your job, your pride, all of it, every part of your life is called to be surrendered to the One who is sovereign. So when you say things like your will be done, you're willing to do that, no matter what it takes. You're willing to do that no matter what it takes.

Speaker 1:

Daniel looked at the nation of Israel, acknowledged their sin and said God, we deserve this. You and I deserve death. The Romans 3.23 says that everyone's sin. The consequence of that is the same. But in our brokenness, in our repentance, we come to God and say God, show us the grace and mercy that defines you, and we pray for the country that you continue to show us grace and mercy as we draw people back to you. God, we pray for our families and our friends. We see those around us as an opportunity to bring people to hope, because that's what they need. God, we're broken, but you saved us, and God, we want to be part of that.

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If you ever ask me what the vision is for this church, it's actually really simple and it's not. Listen, I want this place to be full, but not because I want a ton of people to sit here. I don't want to be able to look at us and say, oh man, look how many people attend church on Sunday morning, because Jesus did wonderful things with 12 people, and sometimes there's only 12 people that I want to do stuff with. But I'm not looking to fill this place so I can say, oh, look at what we did. I want this place to be full because I want that many people and more to know Jesus Not only just know Jesus, but to actually be transformed by Jesus. Do you understand that? There's a difference? It's one thing to know him, it's another, to let your life be changed by him. I want to see. I want to see.

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I want to see God use this church to change this whole area, to deliver us out of poverty, to deliver us out of addiction, to deliver us out of brokenness, to deliver us out of broken marriages, out of broken relationships. I want the world to know Jesus. That's our purpose, that's it. Nothing else matters. If we do it here, if we do it on that property, if God calls us to go outside on Sunday mornings, in the middle of the road, wherever he takes us, I'm not worried about where we are, I'm worried about what we're doing with it.

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Are we a church that really believes that God is gracious and merciful and that the world needs Him? When we say things like God, your kingdom come, your will be done, are we ready for that? The world is broken. You and I are broken. The only way to fix that is to humble ourselves, to repent of our sins and to seek grace and mercy from the King of Kings. Daniel didn't have Jesus. We do, no matter what comes next. The only thing I hope that I ever hear of this place is that people found Jesus here. That's great, god. We thank you so much.