Devoted (Session 2)

What is up FBC New Braunfels. I am so excited to be part of this weekend. Thank you Justin for allowing me an opportunity to share what the Word of God says.

As I was preparing for this, the Lord reminded me that His Word is powerful and sufficient. I don’t need to make it better because it is already clear, precious and worth diving into. I know you are probably very familiar with the two stories we will cover today but I pray that the Spirit of God will convict and encourage you to become more devoted to Christ

Let me pray for us as we dive into Daniel 3

Before we get to Daniel 3, we need to point out something very important.

Daniel 1:8 “8 But Daniel resolved that he would not defile himself with the king’s food, or with the wine that he drank. Therefore he asked the chief of the eunuchs to allow him not to defile himself.”

These young man (Daniel and his friends) made a decision to be devoted to God even in something small such as food. This is important because as we read chapter 3, we need to remember that the small decisions we made now affect the big decision we make later. For better or worse.

Small decisions compound.

For example, if you want to be a high level athlete or a skilled musician, you need to make many small decisions and sacrifices that will put you in that direction. Unfortunately, the opposite is true- No one says, I am going to become a drug addict today, I am going to end up divorce, or I want to be the worst parent to my future children- therefore many small decisions that you may not think matter will affect your devotion to Christ. Here is something I want you to remember:

Your preparation in private will define your testimony in public.

As we jump into this passage you will see how this holds true.

I know you know the story but I have learned that many times we have hear summaries of Bible stories and fail to see some great details, so we will read most of chapter 3. My hope that you have your Bible and will highlight or take notes, especially if something stands up to you.

Main point: When we respond with devotion in the fire, people’s opinions will be challenged.

Principle #1- Devotion vs Conformity

Daniel 3:1–6 “1 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2 Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 3 Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.”

Immediately, the story presents us with the reality of conformity.

Conformity means “to adjust, to alter or regulate so as to achieve accuracy or conform to a standard.”

This is what was happening, literally everyone and their momma was bowing down to this statue because it was the norm. Culture, at that moment, was saying that worshipping the statue was what everyone was commanded to do. Cultural norm.

Thermometer vs Thermostat.

Often I tell my students the difference between a Thermometer vs a Thermostat. One tells you the temperature in the room, while the other changes the atmosphere. We are call to be thermostat in our schools, in our homes, in our church. We are call to uphold the one true God and not to bow down to whichever idol the culture creates today.

Devotion to God will require us to reject conformity.

A few weeks ago, my pastor preached about reasons why the early church was persecuted, here is what he said:

They would not conform to secular practices.

They would not worship other gods.

The would not continue in perfunctory religion.

While we want to love our neighbor and we are not call to be legalistic, there will be theological truths in our lives that we cannot conform to the culture because the Word of God is clear.

The reality is that is impossible to be a Biblical Christian without breaking the rule of conformity.

Romans 12:2 “2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Principle #2- Devotion vs Peer Pressure.

Daniel 3:8–12 “8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. 9 They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! 10 You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. 11 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace. 12 There are certain Jews whom you have appointed over the affairs of the province of Babylon: Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. These men, O king, pay no attention to you; they do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.””

You see, the moment these guys choose to be devoted and not conform to the world, the world began to put peer pressure.

The problem with peer pressure is that we are all susceptible to it.

Peer Pressure video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqIdm2gssBo

This video is crazy because we all think.. nah I wouldn’t do that until we are put in that situation where everyone around you may tell you that you are wrong in your believe about God. This is what is happening to these 3 boys. There is real peer pressure.

I’ve come to realize that if you have not made a decision ahead of time to be devoted to God, peer pressure will 100% get to you.

While peer pressure is so strong, it is a bait and switch.

The world will entice you to follow the crowd but it will always turn their back on you when it’s convenient for them.

We see it in this story.

Daniel 3:8 “8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews.” The astrologer are the ones who accused this three guys, even after chapter 2 tells us that they were saved from the king because God helped Daniel interpret the King’s dream.

Daniel 2:5 “5 The king answered and said to the Chaldeans, “The word from me is firm: if you do not make known to me the dream and its interpretation, you shall be torn limb from limb, and your houses shall be laid in ruins.”

Make a decision to be devoted before you have the pressure on.

“Decision making is easy when your values are clear.” Roy Disney

Following Christ despite the culture is a decision you need to make before the pressure is on.

Principle #3- Devotion vs Comfort

Daniel 3:13–15 “13 Then Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought. So they brought these men before the king. 14 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up? 15 Now if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace. And who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?””

After the peer pressure, the stakes went to a different level. Now, it was not about conformity or peers but they had to remain devoted before the King- which in this case represents comfort.

Think about this. These three guys were not just slaves. They actually had many benefits in the kingdom. They food, housing, clothing and every physical need was provided by the King.

Daniel 1:3–6 “3 Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility, 4 youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king’s palace, and to teach them the literature and language of the Chaldeans. 5 The king assigned them a daily portion of the food that the king ate, and of the wine that he drank. They were to be educated for three years, and at the end of that time they were to stand before the king. 6 Among these were Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah of the tribe of Judah.”

They had everything they needed.

The King asks the question: Is it true? This questions gave the boys another chance to safe guard their comfort and go back to conforming to the norm.

The reality is that at this stage many of us would fail. When we come to the realization that we could loose everything that we enjoy and suffer the consequences of devotion, we an find ways to explain our lack of devotion.

We can always rationalize and explain away our weakness to bow down to culture.

But these guys remain devoted.

Principle #4- Devotion vs Caution

Daniel 3:16–18 “16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.””

I love this part of the story because now this guys have crossed a line they could not back away from. They have made a decision to remain devoted.

I want you to picture this guys talking to a King- the most powerful man on earth and saying, “we do not need to explain this to you.” We are so secure in our devotion to the God we serve that I don’t even have to waste my breath explaining what it looks like madness to everyone around them.

Two Important thoughts:

Devotion is based on character not emotion.

Don’t presume on what God will do, but learn God’s character.

When you understand the God of Scriptures, and how is has been faithful since humanity begin. How he has kept His promises and how He has shown His divine power, then you don’t have tip-toe around other people. When you are so bold that know that God can save you but He doest have to. Your faith is not dependent on how God will act from no on, your faith hinges on how God has acted for all eternity because of who He is.

Learn Gods character. Learn who we serve. Do not be satisfied with a shallow understanding of God.

That is something I see from the early church and many church Fathers even to major theologian/philosophers today. There are hard questions, but there are also thoughtful answers. There are many unknowns but also clarity on the God of Scripture. Often time, we based God on our experience of life failing to recognize that God is vast and beyond our limited capability, therefore we should have a craving to know God more.

The more you know God, the more devoted you will become.

Principle #5- Devotion vs Uncertainty

Daniel 3:19–24 “19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury, and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace. 21 Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the burning fiery furnace. 22 Because the king’s order was urgent and the furnace overheated, the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. 23 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell bound into the burning fiery furnace. 24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up in haste. He declared to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the fire?” They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.””

What happens if the story ended here?

Principle #6 Devotion emotes Praise

Daniel 3:25–30 “25 He answered and said, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the midst of the fire, and they are not hurt; and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods.” 26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the burning fiery furnace; he declared, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out, and come here!” Then Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. 27 And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men. The hair of their heads was not singed, their cloaks were not harmed, and no smell of fire had come upon them. 28 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who has sent his angel and delivered his servants, who trusted in him, and set aside the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies rather than serve and worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree: Any people, nation, or language that speaks anything against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego shall be torn limb from limb, and their houses laid in ruins, for there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way.” 30 Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the province of Babylon.”

Main point: When we respond with devotion in the fire, people’s opinions will be challenged.