#2
“The Lord Is With You” Series
"THE
LORD IS WITH YOU IN THE FIRE!"
TEXT: Daniel
3:1-30
INTRO: Being a
Christian in this world automatically brings us into conflict! There will be times when we will be
thrown to the "fire" for being a Christian! Our values as Christians are at odds
with those of this world and they always will be. How do we handle those "fire"
moments?
In
1960, the president of Ghana built a larger than life statue of himself and had
it erected in front of the Parliament House. He put the country under his total
control and had inscribed on the base of the statue this: "Seek ye first
the political kingdom and all other things shall be added unto
you." This arrogant
leader obviously mocked the Word of God with this inscription, and demonstrated
the arrogance that mankind without God creates toward anything that is God
directed; yet only about 6 years later, in 1966, a bloodless coup toppled the
president and the statue was destroyed.
While this leader is gone Christians still live and witness throughout
Ghana, they came through the fire with God's help!
PROP.
SENT: The Bible teaches
us that God will ALWAYS be with us in the "fire" even if He doesn't spare us
from the fires, we never go in alone, He is in them with
us!
I. THE RIDICULOUS
3:1-12
A. Ego
3:1-3
1. The President of Ghana like
Nebuchadnezzar had elevated his own status to be greater than God
Himself!
a. This is the heart of sinful man ...
they don't need God because they are good enough and strong enough without
Him!
b. This ego is not just displayed by
men like Nebuchadnezzar; it is displayed by men and women
today!
c. This sinful pride is not from God,
He wants us to feel good about ourselves but not superior to Him or
others!
2. Man's arrogance and pride
ultimately causes pain for themselves and others, God always in time makes a
mockery of such egos.
ILLUS: Like
the minister, Boy Scout, and computer expert who were flying together as
passengers on a small plane. The
plane was having problems and finally the pilot came back and told them it was
going down and that there were only 3 parachutes on board for the 4 of
them! He explained that as the
pilot he would have to use one of them because he had a wife and 3 small
children ... and so he jumped. The
computer wiz was next, he explained that he had to use the 2nd one because he
was so smart the whole world needed him, so he grabbed a bag and jumped. With one parachute left the Minister
turned to the Boy Scout and with a sad smile said to him, "son, you are young
and have a full life ahead of you, I have lived a rich life, so you take the
final parachute and I'll go down with the plane." To his surprise the young boy quickly
answered, "Relax Reverend, the smartest man in the world, the computer wiz, just
picked up my knapsack and jumped out ... there are 2 parachutes here!" So much for arrogance and the smartest
man in the world by his own estimation!
– Source Unknown
3. Nebuchadnezzar's ego set the stage
for 3 godly men to have to experience being thrown into the
fire!
a. We should not be shocked when the
world pokes fun at Christianity ... it is a threat to man's
arrogance!
b. God
never promised to KEEP US FROM FIRE, just to be with us IN THE
FIRE!
B.
Empty 3:4-7
1. It is so ridiculous to realize that
so many would fall before this empty statue of Nebuchadnezzar’s and worship
it! These same people however would
get angry over praying to the real God if asked to do so
freely!
a. This still goes on today, God is
kicked out of the school rooms but meditation and eastern mysticism is taught
and practiced as relaxation exercises and the elevation of self has become a
main part of today’s curriculum!
While this is forced and everyone just goes along with it, mention a
silent prayer in school and see what happens?
b. Nebuchadnezzar’s image may have
looked impressive; it was 90 feet tall and gold plated, but it was empty of real
life!
c. It was just an empty shell of a
human being, devoid of life!
2. And so are all “self-realization”
gods and goddesses embraced by so many today!
3. When they are really examined they
are found empty of power and life!
ILLUS: Remember
the story of the "Emperor’s New Clothes?"
A con man convinces the Emperor that the clothing he makes is so
exquisite and fine and so rare that it is undetectable to the touch and only
those with good character and great abilities can see the fabric ... those who
are ignorant and foolish cannot see the clothes at all! Then he hands the king an empty hanger
claiming it contains the new royal clothes! Not wanting to admit he sees nothing,
since this would make him ignorant and foolish, the king pretends to put them on
and parades through the capital stark naked! The empty reality is ignored because of
his stubborn ego ... and he is a fool to everyone but
himself!
– Source Unknown
4. And so are all the empty attempts
of man to glorify himself and ignore the true God! In the end they will all realize their
nakedness ... but then it will be too late!
a. How much better to be clothed upon
by Christ's Righteousness ... then we are not naked!
b. This was precisely the meaning of
God clothing Adam and Eve after they sinned; only after sin did they realize
their nakedness!
C. Evil
3:8-12
1. Now those who helped feed the
King's ego make plans to trap the unyielding believers who refused to bow at
such an empty idol!
a. When we too refuse to bow our knees
to the empty idols of society we can expect some measure of
resistance!
b. The failure to bow irritates the
enemies of the Kingdom of God!
2. These guys had a good thing going
by flattering the worldly king, they put themselves in a position to benefit
handsomely in this world!
a. Their hearts weren't on worship of
some god ... their hearts were on their pocketbooks and their power
opportunities!
b. They appealed to an inflated ego to
enhance their own lifestyle!
3. This mentality is at the heart of
most of the evil in our world!
a. This evil is practiced everywhere,
not just in the corridors of power!
b. How we need men and women today of
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s character, those who were living for God and
showed that in their lifestyle no matter the
consequences!
4. Evil will not be conquered by
doctrinal statements as much as it will be living examples of
godliness!
II. THE RIGHTEOUS
3:13-23
A. Examination
3:13-15
1. The world will not take very kindly
to real believers ... they threaten a lifestyle of selfishness and
self-glory!
2. When Nebuchadnezzar discovers that
these 3 men wouldn’t bow to the image he was furious!
a. Ironically however, he really liked
these guys! Probably he trusted
them since they were genuine!
b. The law however was clear on this
matter, and so the king states the tough spot they are putting him in by saying,
“If you don’t
worship it, you will be thrown in the fire, then what god will be able to rescue
you?”
c. Like so many in this world they
just don't realize the God we serve and His power to
save!
3. It was "EXAMINATION" time for the 3
men, would they pass the test?
a. We will face many such
"examinations" during our lifetime ... when our faith will be tested even by
this world!
b. The challenge was before them: Take the fire, or take your
life!
4. There will ALWAYS BE PRESSURES TO
COMPROMISE IN THIS WORLD ... TO MAKE LIFE EASIER FOR OURSELVES ... but easier
doesn't mean BETTER!
a. No one likes the tests of
fire!
b. But our faith will come into
conflict with this world and the sparks WILL fly!
ILLUS: The
great preacher C.H. Spurgeon once received a letter to the effect that if he did
not place a certain amount of money in a certain place at a certain time these
people would publish some things in the newspapers that would defame him and
ruin his public ministry. Spurgeon
left at that station a letter in reply:
"you and your like are requested to publish all you know about me across
the heavens." He knew his life was
blameless in the eyes of men, and therefore, they could not touch his character
or press him to compromise his faith!
– Source Unknown
5. How do these men face this
examination?
B. Exclamation! 3:16-18
1. It did not matter if it was the
king or a pauper ... they would not alter their walk with God for anyone, for
any reason!
a. This is the kind
of faith that brings God into the fire with
you!
b. This is the kind
of faith that transforms others!
c. This is the kind
of faith that gives power to the Gospel
story!
2. With no apparent hesitation they
simply exclaim the fact that it did not matter that the king gave them this
threat of fire or not ... they would not change their minds about bowing before
the image! THEY WOULD
NOT!
a. Every time Christians compromise
we give the world a false sense of the idols they serve ... if we bow just to
keep peace we make them think their idols are ok!
b. Christians who ignore worship on
God's Sabbath day to do frivolous things only show the world how unimportant God
is ... and how more important the idols of this world
are!
3. Their FAITH in God is worth looking
at here:
a. Notice they did not claim that God
WOULD spare them from the fire!
They do not presume upon God's grace or their own personal
goodness!
b. Their confidence in God rested not
on whether they escaped painful fire but on their confidence that God is who He
says He is!
c. Their faith statement: "THE GOD WHOM WE
SERVE IS ABLE TO DELIVER US, BUT IF HE DOESN'T, WE STILL WON’T BOW TO YOUR FALSE
IDOL!"
4. Gold meant nothing to these guys
... or at least not as much as God did!
5. Facing fire, even death, didn't
move them to compromise either!
6. For God's people there is something
worse than the fires of this world, and that is the final fire of God’s judgment
that is coming upon all those who reject God as their
Lord!
a. And so they placed themselves at
God's mercy, always a safe place to be!
b. It was apparent immediately that
they weren't going to be spared being thrown into the fire! BUT THAT'S OK; GOD WOULD MEET THEM IN
THE FIRE!
C. Enraged!
3:19-23
1. Predictably, the king flew in a
rage and commanded the furnace be stoked up hotter, 7 times hotter than normal,
as though a hotter fire will teach them a lesson more than one that is only hot
enough to kill them!
a. As is usually the case, the anger
of this world does more harm to sinners than to saints ... the men who were
going to throw them in died from the exposure to this furnace, so the innocent
people die over the rage of an egotistical leader!
b. This can still be seen today all
over the world! (
2. As though the king has to worry, he
has these 3 godly men tied up but calls on the strongest soldiers in his army to
come get them to throw them in, as he heats the furnace up 7 times hotter than
normal!
a. However, the power of faith is
surely stronger than anything on this earth!
b. Nothing is as powerful as a
Christian who will not bend to compromise their faith no matter the
outcome!
c. Satan and all his hordes of demons
in hell are powerless against this kind of witness of
faith!
d. Even though there are those who can
kill our bodies they cannot rob us of our eternal life and
rewards!
3. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
remain firmly committed, no bending, no begging, no
changing!
a. How many today would have come up
with excuses to compromise!
(1. "Well, what about my family, how will this
affect them if I die in the furnace?"
(2. "What would it hurt to bow just this once
... in my heart I will know the difference?"
(3. "I am supposed to obey the laws of the land,
aren't I?"
(4. "If I make a big scene people will think us
believers are a bunch of fanatics."
(5. "Maybe if I bow now I will win the King's
respect and so I'll be able to minister to him
later."
(6. "Wouldn't it be better to live so I can
minister for many more years yet?"
b. There are no excuses however for
disobedience and compromise!
c. Their witness will stand for God no
matter the consequences, these men had so much to live for and they will be
given that gift yet!
4. The truth of the matter is that
fire will not destroy Christians it will only make us more
valuable!
ILLUS: A
customer once asked a shopkeeper, “What makes this one set of china so much more
expensive than that one over there?”
They all looked the same to him?
The reply was instructional for faith: "The costlier set has had more done to
it; you see it was put through the fire twice, once for the yellow background,
and the second time through for the design painted on it. The cheaper set only was fired once
being of only a single color."
– Source Unknown
5. The trials of fire we go through
don't destroy us or take away from us ... they add value to our faith, they give
us a testimony to others of our trust in God in spite of the "fires!" Each fire only establishes yet another
layer of God's designs on our life!
ILLUS: A
Missionary in the A/G Victor Plymire’s and his wife Grace went to a Tibetan town
in
6. Sure enough, they are not spared
being thrown into the fire ... BUT!
III. THE REMARKABLE 3:24-3O
A. Evidence! 3:24-27
1. God vindicates their faith, though
not spared being thrown into the fire they are spared the fires normal
destruction on their bodies!
a. The ropes burn away ... the bondage
of this world is consumed!
b. Yet, neither their clothes nor
bodies are even touched by the fire, they don't even smell like
smoke!
(1. Some Christians survive the fires
of trials too, but then they turn bitter over them, they smell of
fire!
(2. While it is good to survive the
fires ... it is even better to come out clean!
c. Even the king realizes that they
weren't alone in the fire, he asks again how many went in, he sees 4 and the
look of the 4th is no mere mortal!
2. When you walk with God others can
see it!
a. Real faith has real
evidences!
b. Real faith drives people to their
knees to confess the living God!
3. The king wanted to talk to these
guys ... but not by going into the fire himself of course, he invites them to
come out and talk to him!
a. When others see you live for God in
real ways they will approach you about your faith!
b. If they see us take our faith for
granted or it is just another "thing" in our life they are not likely to be
attracted to it!
4. "REAL EVIDENCE" demands a verdict,
and in this case it is that "THE LORD OF SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABEDNEGO IS THE REAL
GOD, THERE IS NONE OTHER LIKE HIM!"
a. It is very hard for the world to
dismiss real Christians!
b. The world will always have poor
excuses of Christianity to point at, let's give them examples however that will
make them be ashamed to attack ... the real thing is a powerful tool in the
hands of God!
c. You don't need a college education
to be an effective tool in God's kingdom, you don't need any of the trappings of
this world's system, you just need a steadfast faith that is consistent and
real!
B. Edict! 3:28-30
1. 3 simple men stood up for God and
their potential resulted in a decree to an entire godless nation about the true
God!
a. You might say, "But who am
I?"
b. Only God knows the real potential
of your standing up for Him!
ILLUS: Like
one man wrote: "Anyone can count
the seeds in an apple, but only God can count the apples in a seed!" For instance, D. L. Moody was uneducated
and untrained yet yielded to God, he led Mordecai Ham to the Lord, who turned
out to become an evangelist, though not a good one, yet a young man name William
Graham got saved under the faithful unknown servant and today Billy Graham has
won thousands to His Lord! –
Source Unknown
2. Not only is it published by King
Nebuchadnezzar, "NO OTHER GOD CAN SAVE IN THIS WAY" but a new
found respect for the Lord was established in an ungodly
country!
a. New laws were passed protecting the
faith of these men, as well as them!
b. While Babylon didn't fully turn to
God, it did recognize the legitimacy of worshipping
God!
c. The whole country heard about God
by decree from an ungodly ruler!
3. As a benefit, Shadrach, Meshach,
and Abednego are promoted – the evildoers were
punished!
CONCLUSION:
God
never promised to keep us from trials of fire but He has promised to be IN them
with us! It is possible for a
Christian to suffer "hot" trials and still come through them without being
"burned!" Even the smell of smoke
was removed! What a great promise
by God ... to be with us in the fire!