Understanding Our Identity as Exiles

• Read Daniel 1:1-2. Where do we find ourselves in the grand story of God's people?
• These verses describe Babylon’s first overthrow of Judah in 604 BC—when Nebuchadnezzar looted the Temple and took many into exile. How does the context of Daniel relate to the church's context today? (see 1 Peter 1:11; 2:11; Hebrews 11:13-16; 13:14; Philippians 3:20; John 17:14-16) 

The Challenges and Responsibilities of Christian Exile

• What are the biggest challenges for Christians living as exiles today? (e.g., pressures to conform, temptation, misunderstanding, social rejection)
• What are ways we seek to relieve this pressure?

Following Jesus: Daniel’s Example in Exile

• Read Daniel 1:3-7. What pressures did Daniel face as a young exile in a foreign land?
• How did his response reflect trust in God's Kingship and a desire to remain faithful to His identity?
• In what ways can Christians today imitate Daniel—remaining faithful to Jesus even amid societal pressures?
• Read Daniel 1:8-21. How did Daniel’s resolve to stay faithful shape his life and witness?
• How does Daniel’s example challenge us to remain different—not out of arrogance, but out of faithfulness and a desire to bear witness—and to invest in our world and communities for God's glory?

Living Out Our Exilic Calling in the Modern World

• In Daniel 9:2, Daniel talks about Jeremiah’s letter to the exiles (Jeremiah 29). Read Jeremiah 29:4-7.
• How did Daniel embody Jeremiah’s instructions to seek the peace and prosperity of the city while remaining faithful to God?
• What would it look like today for Christians to live as faithful exiles—serving our neighbors, praying for our cities, and being witnesses of Jesus’ love—without compromising our distinct faith and coercing others to agree with us?



Being a Faithful Community in a Foreign Land

How can we be “for the world”—bearing witness, showing love, compassion, and service—without being “of the world"?

How can we share the gospel of Jesus Christ compellingly and kindly, bearing witness to His wonder without coercion or manipulation?