Revealer of Mysteries: The Dream of the Kingdom Study Guide

This past weekend, we continued our series, “Revealer of Mysteries: A Study Through Daniel,” as Pastor Doug Sauder broke down Daniel 2:31–45. Picking up where we left off last week with King Nebuchadnezzar’s dream, in this message his dream and its interpretation were revealed. As part of Missions Week, we also got to hear from some of our global missionaries whom the Lord is using to continue building His kingdom and reach the lost!

Watch the video below to see a few highlights from the teaching and share it with your friends via social media. To watch the message in its entirety, click here.

FOR THE NOTE TAKERS

Let’s recap some of the key talking points from Pastor Doug’s message this weekend:

We Belong to a Kingdom That Will Never Be Defeated (Daniel 2:31–45): God dropped a great revelation into the hands of a wicked king. We should take heart that God reveals Himself to us despite our depravity and allows us to exist in His grace.

Nebuchadnezzar’s dream of the statue represented the various empires of the world, from Babylon (gold), the greatest of all world empires, to the Medes and the Persians (silver), the Greeks (bronze), and the Romans (legs of iron with feet of mingled iron and clay). But then comes a stone, not cut with human hands, and shatters this massive statue. The stone represents Jesus and the everlasting kingdom He would come to establish; the kingdom that will never be shaken or destroyed. And that kingdom is the Church! We are part of this kingdom. We are the instruments the Lord uses to build this kingdom up, brick by brick, stone by stone. And even today, His kingdom continues to fill all the earth.

Consider this: Despite their ambitions, despite their military might, despite their influence and power and resources, the Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, the great Roman Empire, and Nazi Germany all fell. Nebuchadnezzar’s dream makes it clear that all the nations will come to dust. But the good news for those who have trusted in the Most High God is that even though nations, world powers, and great companies (e.g., Apple, Disney, Google, etc.) will rise and fall, we belong to a kingdom that will never be defeated! Jesus, our cornerstone, our King, the Lion of Judah, has conquered and is seated at the right hand of power!

Quote to Remember: What are our dreams based on? Our life’s foundation is fragile if it’s built on dreams for our finances, health, popularity, looks, or anything else that is of this world.—Pastor Doug Sauder


QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION

As you think about this weekend’s teaching, here are a few questions to reflect on and consider on your own, with your family, or in your group.

1. What dreams has God given you?

2. How does God want to use you to build His kingdom today? How are you walking in that purpose and calling?

3. What types of things keep you from being used by God to build His kingdom?


A LOOK AHEAD

Join us this Wednesday as we continue our discussion from the weekend as part of the “Revealer of Mysteries” series through the Book of Daniel with a special word from Pastor Geoff Buck from Calvary Chapel Monterey.

Then on the weekend, Pastor Doug Sauder will show us the king’s response to his dream in Daniel 3. Experience one of the most compelling and powerful stories in the Old Testament along with us and discover how the Lord showed up in this moment, how He shows up in our lives today, and how we can stand firm in our faith, even in the face of persecution and the temptations of the world.

About the Author

Danny Saavedra

Danny Saavedra is a licensed minister who has served on staff at Calvary since 2012, managing the Calvary Devotional and digital discipleship resources. He has a Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling and Master of Divinity in Pastoral Ministry from Liberty Theological Seminary. His wife Stephanie, son Jude, and daughter Zoe share a love of Star Wars, good food, having friends over for dinner, and studying the Word together as a family.