Daniel 3:1-30; Faith Through Fires

Sermon in a sentence: My faith should be stronger than fire.

Introduction

Forrest fires can be a devastating and horrific sight. Growing up, Gatlinburg was the vacation spot to go to. We lived about 2 hours away, making it far away enough to make it a vacation but close enough for us to afford it. We loved going to Dollywood, walking around downtown Gatlinburg, and going to Tanger Outlets. In 2016, there were wildfires that devastated Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and the surrounding area. Some estimate 2 billion dollars worth of damage was caused by these fires. I remember going back a year or two after these fires. I remember seeing the Great Smoky mountains were living up to their name. The mountains were bare and charred. It was a depressing sight.

But, wildfires can also be used for good. Firefighters often used back burning to proactively burn an area to prevent the spread of a wildfire. There are also “prescribed burns” which are used to burn certain areas of land to allow new wildlife to rebuild the ecosystem and promote a healthier wildlife. You can go visit Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge today and see how beautiful the Smoky Mountains are.

My question is, “How will your faith respond to the fires of this life?”

Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah are examples of what our faith should look like under fire.

A Prepared Faith (vs. 1-18)

Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah had prepared themselves by living a life of faithfulness.

Deportation

Defiling Food

Nebuchadnezzar’s dream

Do not expect much of your faith when the trial comes if you have not done any training.

How do I train? Like they did: Preparation (Resolution) , Prayer, and Praise

Jonathan Edwards’ Resolutions

7. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.

8. Resolved, to act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings as others; and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God.They were so prepared that they didn’t even think they had to respond to the kings question. (v. 16)

56. Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.

A Persevering Faith (vs. 19-30)

Despite the outcome on this side of eternity, these men did not lose faith.

If our faith is rooted in only what we can see, we should not expect our faith to last very long. The first time God does not do what we want, we will be willing to walk away.

Kanye was a prime example of a man that claimed Christ was king but then his faith crumbled.

Conclusion

Martyrdom of Polycarp

But the proconsul was insistent and said: "Take the oath, and I shall release you. Curse Christ."

Polycarp said: "Eighty-six years I have served him, and he never did me any wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?"

10 And upon his persisting still and saying, "Swear by the fortune of Caesar," he answered, "If you vainly suppose that I shall swear by the fortune of Caesar, as you say, and pretend that you do not know who I am, listen plainly: I am a 153Christian. But if you desire to learn the teaching of Christianity, appoint a day and give me a hearing."

2The proconsul said, "Try to persuade the people."

But Polycarp said, "You, I should deem worthy of an account; for we have been taught to render honor, as is befitting, to rulers and authorities appointed by God434 so far as it does us no harm; but as for these, I do not consider them worthy that I should make defense to them."

11 But the proconsul said: "I have wild beasts. I shall throw you to them, if you do not change your mind."

But he said: "Call them. For repentance from the better to the worse is not permitted us; but it is noble to change from what is evil to what is righteous."

2And again [he said] to him, "I shall have you consumed with fire, if you despise the wild beasts, unless you change your mind."

But Polycarp said: "The fire you threaten burns but an hour and is quenched after a little; for you do not know the fire of the coming judgment and everlasting punishment that is laid up for the impious. But why do you delay? Come, do what you will."

12 And when he had said these things and many more besides he was inspired with courage and joy, and his face was full of grace, so that not only did it not fall with dismay at the things said to him, but on the contrary, the proconsul was astonished, and sent his own herald into the midst of the arena to proclaim three times: "Polycarp has confessed himself to be a Christian."

2When this was said by the herald, the entire crowd of heathen and Jews who lived in Smyrna435 shouted with uncontrollable anger and a great cry: "This one is the teacher of Asia, the father of the Christians, the destroyer of our gods, who teaches many not to sacrifice nor to worship."436

Such things they shouted and asked the Asiarch Philip437 that he let loose a lion on Polycarp. But he said it was not possible for him to do so, since he had brought the wild-beast sports to a close.  3Then they decided to shout with one accord that he burn Polycarp alive. For it was necessary that the vision which had appeared to him about his pillow should be fulfilled, when he saw it burning while he was praying, and 154turning around had said prophetically to the faithful who were with him, "I must be burned alive."438

13 Then these things happened with such dispatch, quicker than can be told—the crowds in so great a hurry to gather wood and faggots from the workshops and the baths, the Jews being especially zealous, as usual, to assist with this.  2When the fire was ready, and he had divested himself of all his clothes and unfastened his belt, he tried to take off his shoes, though he was not heretofore in the habit of doing this because [each of] the faithful always vied with one another as to which of them would be first to touch his body. For he had always been honored, even before his martyrdom, for his holy life.  3Straightway then, they set about him the material prepared for the pyre. And when they were about to nail him also, he said: "Leave me as I am. For he who grants me to endure the fire will enable me also to remain on the pyre unmoved, without the security you desire from the nails."

These young men are examples of a steadfast faith in God. They should challenge us and encourage us to have this same kind of faith and resolve. However, we cannot miss the truly perfect example of faithfulness: The Lord Jesus Christ. Through his active and passive obedience in life, death, and resurrection we can be saved from the fires of eternal damnation. I implore you, today is the day of salvation.