Sermon Tone Analysis
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Opening
For the past couple of Sundays we’ve looked into the life of Daniel and we learned a number of things on how we shall face difficult situations and impossible looking scenarios… our “Mission Impossible”, so to speak
The biblical principles we learned form Daniel that are applicable to all culture and generations are:
Don’t Panic
Ask Why
Never Rush and Ask for Time
Invite People, your friends in your Life Group to pray with you
Empathize with other People (even with the unbelievers)
Lay our petitions and problems before God
And also to confidently Ask God for Supernatural Help
Praise the God of Heaven
Praise His name (who He is)
Praise His deeds (what He does)
Praise Him with Thanksgiving
To Use what God shows us to save Others
And finally, to always Point People to God
BREATHE!
We saw how Daniel was “promoted” not just once, not just twice, but many times in his lifetime and we will see that in the weeks to come as we continue with this series: “Starting the Year with Daniel”
Without needing to ask those who wants to be promoted to raise their hands, I strongly believe that we all want to be “promoted”, don’t we?
Of course we do, we will be lying to ourselves if we say we don’t
Promoted in various ways and different fields
BREATHE!
Now, we know that Daniel was not alone in his faithful journey
He has a “Life Group”, a set of equally godly friends named Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, whose names was later on changed to Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego when they were brought to Babylon
Today let’s look into how Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, just like Daniel, got promoted in Babylon, a pagan nation, just like the nation we’re living in today
But before we do that, I’d like everyone to give your neighbor a “fist bump” and say, “the heat is on!”
BREATHE!
Do you remember the song entitled “The Heat is On” by Glenn Frey back in 1984 popularized by the movie “Beverly Hills Cop” starred by Eddie Murphy?
Part of the song goes like this...
The heat is on, on the street
Inside your head, on every beat
And the beat's so loud, deep inside
The pressure's high, just to stay alive
'Cause the heat is on
The shadows high on the darker side
Behind the doors, it's a wilder ride
You can make a break, you can win or lose
That's a chance you take, when the heat's on you
When the heat is on
It is a secular song, though what it meant somehow makes sense to our lives as christians living in a pagan country
This culture and generation is putting a lot of heat on us
To the Islam Religion, we are “infidels”
To Radical Islam, we are the most favorite target of terrorism
Though this country was founded in christianity, but our society is changing
In many ways, this country is beginning to look like Babylon
It is a country of different peoples and languages
With various cultures and religions, trying its best to stay “united”
Well, at least its name sounds “united”, “United” States of America
Only deaf ears and blind eyes could say, that the people of this nation are completely okay
The silent majority are groaning quietly
The more vocal sectors of society, are crying loudly
The leaders of the country are divided sharply
BREATHE!
What should you do, when the heat is on you?
When you are pressured to conform
Will you remain passive, or you’ll gonna go active?
Will you retreat in fear? or go forward in faith?
Open your Bible to and keep it there
Text: The Image of Gold and the Blazing Furnace
As you turn the pages of your Bible to Daniel chapter 3, let me take you to
Another prophet after Daniel, his name is Zechariah said these...
The blazing furnace is a test of our faith
God test us with stress, before He trust us with success
God test us with stress before He trust us with success
Story: Test of my Faith (A High School Batch mate recently added me as friend on facebook)
The heat was on me on many occasions of my life
When I was still a government official, many times my faith was put to test
Situations that involves huge sum of money and enormous amount of power
But what I’d like to share today, as testimony to God’s faithfulness to those who trust in Him, is the very recent test of my heart by the Lord
The enemy knows my/our weaknesses, and keep in mind that the enemy will attack our weaknesses, more than our strength
Collectively, our strength is dependent on how much the “weakest link” can hold (game show back in 2001)
BREATHE!
Out of respect to the actual people involved in this story, I will be using fictitious names because I don’t have their permission to reveal their identity
While I was Uber driving early this week, I got a ride request from Rolando
So I picked up Rolando, and while I was driving for him, his name reminded me of a brother, of one of my high school batch mates named Rosalie
Rosalie and I had a brief illicit affair many years ago, it did not last for very long
I’m not sure if she is in the so called “42 List” of my wife
And then afterwards, I got another ride request, this time from a person named Rosalie!!!
What??? you gotta be kidding me!
I mean, what are the odds?
Right?
We believe that things happens for a reason, nothing is coincidental, and everything is ordained by God
But, you’re not gonna believe this
On that same day, I got a “friend request” on facebook from the real “Rosalie”, out of no where, after years of no communication
At that point, I know that my faith is again being put to test
I was in the middle of preparing this Sermon when all these happened
I
BREATHE!
Now let’s go to Daniel Chapter 3
King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold sixty cubits high and six cubits wide in the plain of Dura, 1 cubit is equivalent to 0.5 yards or 1.6 feet
So the image is approximately 90 feet high and 9 feet wide.
Such a disproportionate structure would need some sort of pedestal or base to keep from toppling over
Around 2,500 years ago, this is still true today, though not literally gold images that we are made to bow down and worship, but images such as:
Physical Beauty - this society idolizes actors and actresses
Fame - this culture adores athletes
Wealth - this generation patronizes rich people
Sex - tolerates fornication.
No longer putting value of saving sex for marriage.
Pleasure - letting hobbies rob the time for worship
Influence - to feel that everything, and everybody revolves around oneself
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