Dan. 3:19-30 Sermon

Do You Have Fireproof Faith Today?

[Introduction Illustration] A couple years ago on my younger brothers’ birthday, we had the majority of the family over, grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, friends you name it they were there. We as accustomed for any birthday set something on fire, whether that enlists putting gas in a coke bottle with a bottle rocket strapped to it and shooting it with a shotgun or setting the large burn pile in the backyard on fire. Well we decided or the men decided we were going to go out back and set the big pile of weeds and just shrubbery that needed to be burned. We go out there with an entire 3 gallon can of gas and start pouring gas all over the giant mounded pile of shrubbery. My dad grabs the lighter and lights this sucker and idk if you’ve ever stood within five feet of a fire when it first gets lit but you can just imagine standing that close to this giant pile that is catching on fire, that mess gets hot real quick, you start sweating and before long you have to back up, you have to leave the scene because its just too hot that you cant take it anymore. The fire is so outrageously hot that there is no way on earth that you think you are able to stand that close to it anymore and you have to get away from the fire. For Christians we have a fire that we have to face that can get so hot at times it scares us to even be a part of it. that fire is called persecution. That fire is pressure. That fire is temptation at one time or another to follow the crowd, to follow the world and od something that goes against their faith.

[Sermon Theme] Do you have fireproof faith?

In order for us to determine how we as Christians are going to respond to the fires that we have to go through we should not wait till it comes but know how to respond now just like Daniel’s friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, turn with me to the book of Daniel chapter 3 as we go through verses 19-30.

[Historical Background] As your turning there ill set the scene for you. We have a real king Nebuchadnezzar and historians can verify he was a real king, a narcissistic king that was the king of the Babylonian empire. He has conquered most of the known world and has moved closer to taking Jerusalem. These events most likely occurred near the beginning of his reign because in the first 8 verses on chapter 3, Nebuchadnezzar is erecting the image of gold in the providence of Babylon in order to consolidate his authority as ruler. Back in Chapter 2 he had a vision about building this great image and now it is coming to fusion about 19 years later. The image was to unite his kingdom. The Hebrew word translated “image” (ṣelem) is a general term but can refer to a human image, a human statue made out of gold. Perhaps it was an image of Nebuchadnezzar but the dimensions of this image were 90 feet high (the height of a present-day eight-story building) and only 9 feet wide. An immaculate gold statue regardless of what the image really was. So, Nebuchadnezzar created this image to unite the kingdom of Babylon and what does he do next? He says hey everyone needs to worship this statue verse 6 the king says, “But whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire.” Kind of like today we are told that we need to accept that abortion is so called culturally acceptable, that we need to roll out the red-carpet anytime someone says they’re gay or transgender. We got to worship at their feet, that’s what the word tolerance is supposed to look like in the eyes of the culture. The king says to worship this idol this golden idol or you will go in the furnace and burn to death. Well we’ve got three very brave brothers that say nahhhh Neb were not worshipping that gaudy gold statue.

[Sermon Point] Point 1: Be Counter-Cultural

[Explanation] Since Neb. Ruled, he ruled the culture of the time which Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego was not going to follow. They stood their ground and became counter-cultural even though in a fit of rage Nebuchadnezzar had the three men brought to him and he says and I love this, he says in verse 15, “But if you do not worship, you will immediately be cast into the midst of a furnace of blazing fire; and what god is there who can deliver you out of my hands?” Nebuchadnezzar clearly does not know the God of creation, the God of the universe that will deliver these men from the fire of persecution. The men respond simply saying that they will not worship the image even if the God they worship delivers them or not, we jump into our passage for today starting in verse 19.

[Passage] 19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with wrath, and his facial expression was altered toward Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. He answered by giving orders to heat the furnace seven times more than it was usually heated. 20 He commanded certain valiant warriors who were in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego in order to cast them into the furnace of blazing fire. 21 Then these men were tied up in their trousers, their coats, their caps and their other clothes, and were cast into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire. 22 For this reason, because the king’s command was urgent and the furnace had been made extremely hot, the flame of the fire slew those men who carried up Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego. 23 But these three men, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, fell into the midst of the furnace of blazing fire still tied up.

[Explanation] Oh snap, that furnace is really hot it burns up the guards that are trying to get Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego in this furnace. When we think of a furnace, we think of something inside the house that older houses would have in order to heat up the house. The kind of furnace Nebuchadnezzar uses here is a furnace that would’ve been something that you could stand up in and well put three people into and they wouldn’t be a cramped in like if you stuffed them all in the trunk of a car. Nebuchadnezzar is going to put these men in there and its going to be heated up sevenfold. Now stay with me here but if you’re mad at someone and crazy you’d want them to suffer right? so wouldn’t turn the furnace down to burn them alive and hear them scream sound more like a way of suffering than imminently being torched in a matter of seconds because the heat furnace is turned up sevenfold. What’s God doing here? God is using the rage of man to show you how powerful He is. Gods like stack the cards against me, I’m God. Watch me flex. That’s what he said sort of. And the rage of man is written all over Nebuchadnezzar’s face.

Nebuchadnezzar gets sooooooo mad at these men that his face literally alters.

[Illustration] Do y’all remember when you would do something really bad when you were a kid and whoever parent or guardian at the time, when they found out or caught you. The way their face would change and you knew OH CRAP I’m about to get it. the king of Babylon here is reacting like they didn’t just say they aren’t going to worship this image did they. Aye guards, did they just say that? Y’all heard this, too right? turn that furnace up and let’s see what they say now, HA.

Verse 24,

[Passage] 24 Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astounded and stood up in haste; he said to his high officials, “Was it not three men we cast bound into the midst of the fire?” They replied to the king, “Certainly, O king.” 25 He said, “Look! I see four men loosed and walking about in the midst of the fire without harm, and the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods!”

[Explanation & Illustration] Nebuchadnezzar was astounded that Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego were not on fire and there was a fourth person in there with them. Many liken this verse to it is Christ in the furnace with them although we cannot be 100% sure, but isn’t it true that as Christian’s when we are true believers of God, we walk the trail that Christ blazed, we exemplify faith in God that when put in a fire? Those who do not believe will be astounded. Isn’t that how we can use our faith, evangelizing is great but some people come to know the Lord by seeing woooooh that kid with the small arms that just had neck surgery, he still pushing through he’s not giving up no matter what is thrown at him. I want what he’s got.

[Passage Comparison] says, “quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight.”

[Illustration] When you’re put through fires that are meant to break a normal person but you stand strong, you stay true to the foundation that Jesus Christ is Lord and that there is a good God and guess what. Since Christ is the Lord of your life, he will walk with you through the fire, He is right beside you no matter how hot the world turns up the heat on us Christians. We were weak without Christ but we are made STRONG through the belief that Christ is our Lord and Savior.

IT MIGHT BE HOT IN THAT KITCHEN BUT IM STAYING IN, IM NOT COMING OUT AND I’VE GOT THE STRENGTH FROM GOD TO KEEP ME THROUGH THE BURNS, THROUGH THE PAIN, THROUGH THE PERSECUTION.

[Sermon Point] Point 2: Jesus Christ will walk with you through the fire and the flames.

Verse 26,

[Passage] 26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came near to the door of the furnace of blazing fire; he responded and said, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, come out, you servants of the Most High God, and come here!”

[Illustration] I can just see Nebuchadnezzar sticking his narcissistic little self, up against the window and looking in there like ayeeee who y’all dancing in the fire with, get over here.

[Passage] Then Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego came out of the midst of the fire. 27 The satraps, the prefects, the governors and the king’s high officials gathered around and saw in regard to these men that the fire had no effect on the bodies of these men nor was the hair of their head singed, nor were their trousers damaged, nor had the smell of fire even come upon them.

[Illustration] Could you imagine for a minute being one of the king’s little henchmen and you’re just staring at these dudes that were bound by their hands and feet, that fell into the furnace, just walked out of a furnace that was so hot their buddies are melted over here outside of the furnace.

Look at what Nebuchadnezzar said in responds to Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego leaving the furnace untouched or better yet un defiled by the fire. Here’s what he says, verse 28

[Passage] 28 Nebuchadnezzar responded and said, “Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego, who has sent His angel and delivered His servants who put their trust in Him, violating the king’s command, and yielded up their bodies so as not to serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore I make a decree that any people, nation or tongue that speaks anything offensive against the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego shall be torn limb from limb and their houses reduced to a rubbish heap, inasmuch as there is no other god who is able to deliver in this way.” 30 Then the king caused Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego to prosper in the province of Babylon.

[Explanation] Nebuchadnezzar witnessed a miracle and because of that miracle the king heightened his view on what God these Jews worshipped. Brought it from a god of many gods to the only most high God. Think of it this way and this is a heightening of the king’s idea of the Jew’s God but still he believes the Most High God is in comparison that the Greeks would call Zeus. [Illustration] Not that this is a good thing but if we are talking about someone that might be crossing the bridge from nonbeliever to acknowledging the God, we worship can do miracles. It’s a step, the witnessing that we can do by living a faithful life through harsh persecution, through being counter-cultural, by living with a faith that stands up for God and does not waver no matter if God is going to save us not, we still keep the faith. This faith can begin a bridge of bringing nonbelievers from their worldview, their false believe and bringing them to Christ.

[Conclusion] The core of this passage brings us all the way back to the question; do you have fireproof faith? If you do then you would recognize that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego knew who they worshipped is real, is the God, the one true God and whether God saved them from the fire or not they would not let their faith stumble. As Christians if we are to change the world there must be a faith in every believer that no matter if God answers my prayers or not that my faith, your faith, will not be burned up with whatever you’re going through. Today we need to have a mind not on this world but a mind on the kingdom of God. As we close this afternoon bow your heads with me and pray with me brothers and sisters. We come before you this afternoon God with humble hearts that we might have the faith in you our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ that no matter what fire we may walk through whether it be a little fire or massive fire we know that no matter if you keep us from that fire or not that you are the one and only true God and through your power we can come to witness to people by having unmovable, unshakeable, fireproof faith that will show nonbelievers how powerful you are and how amazing you are to bring us through the flames of temptation, persecution, any evil that may try to sway us from our faith in you Lord. We thank you and pray for blessings over the rest of this class time and for our brothers and sisters going through finals week which is a flame that we will need help getting through. In Jesus name, Amen.