You Don't Look Like What You've Been Through

14 NEBUCHADNEZZAR SPOKE, SAYING TO THEM, "[IS IT] TRUE, SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABED-NEGO, [THAT] YOU DO NOT SERVE MY GODS OR WORSHIP THE GOLD IMAGE WHICH I HAVE SET UP? 15 "NOW IF YOU ARE READY AT THE TIME YOU HEAR THE SOUND OF THE HORN, FLUTE, HARP, LYRE, [AND] PSALTERY, IN SYMPHONY WITH ALL KINDS OF MUSIC, AND YOU FALL DOWN AND WORSHIP THE IMAGE WHICH I HAVE MADE, [GOOD]! BUT IF YOU DO NOT WORSHIP, YOU SHALL BE CAST IMMEDIATELY INTO THE MIDST OF A BURNING FIERY FURNACE. AND WHO [IS] THE GOD WHO WILL DELIVER YOU FROM MY HANDS?" 16 SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABED-NEGO ANSWERED AND SAID TO THE KING, "O NEBUCHADNEZZAR, WE HAVE NO NEED TO ANSWER YOU IN THIS MATTER. 17 "IF THAT [IS THE CASE], OUR GOD WHOM WE SERVE IS ABLE TO DELIVER US FROM THE BURNING FIERY FURNACE, AND HE WILL DELIVER [US] FROM YOUR HAND, O KING. 18 "BUT IF NOT, LET IT BE KNOWN TO YOU, O KING, THAT WE DO NOT SERVE YOUR GODS, NOR WILL WE WORSHIP THE GOLD IMAGE WHICH YOU HAVE SET UP." 19 THEN NEBUCHADNEZZAR WAS FULL OF FURY, AND THE EXPRESSION ON HIS FACE CHANGED TOWARD SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABED-NEGO. HE SPOKE AND COMMANDED THAT THEY HEAT THE FURNACE SEVEN TIMES MORE THAN IT WAS USUALLY HEATED. 20 AND HE COMMANDED CERTAIN MIGHTY MEN OF VALOR WHO [WERE] IN HIS ARMY TO BIND SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABED-NEGO, [AND] CAST [THEM] INTO THE BURNING FIERY FURNACE. 21 THEN THESE MEN WERE BOUND IN THEIR COATS, THEIR TROUSERS, THEIR TURBANS, AND THEIR [OTHER] GARMENTS, AND WERE CAST INTO THE MIDST OF THE BURNING FIERY FURNACE. 22 THEREFORE, BECAUSE THE KING'S COMMAND WAS URGENT, AND THE FURNACE EXCEEDINGLY HOT, THE FLAME OF THE FIRE KILLED THOSE MEN WHO TOOK UP SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABED-NEGO. 23 AND THESE THREE MEN, SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABED-NEGO, FELL DOWN BOUND INTO THE MIDST OF THE BURNING FIERY FURNACE. 24 THEN KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR WAS ASTONISHED; AND HE ROSE IN HASTE [AND] SPOKE, SAYING TO HIS COUNSELORS, "DID WE NOT CAST THREE MEN BOUND INTO THE MIDST OF THE FIRE?" THEY ANSWERED AND SAID TO THE KING, "TRUE, O KING." 25 "LOOK!" HE ANSWERED, "I SEE FOUR MEN LOOSE, WALKING IN THE MIDST OF THE FIRE; AND THEY ARE NOT HURT, AND THE FORM OF THE FOURTH IS LIKE THE SON OF GOD." 26 THEN NEBUCHADNEZZAR WENT NEAR THE MOUTH OF THE BURNING FIERY FURNACE [AND] SPOKE, SAYING, "SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABED-NEGO, SERVANTS OF THE MOST HIGH GOD, COME OUT, AND COME [HERE]." THEN SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABED-NEGO CAME FROM THE MIDST OF THE FIRE. 27 AND THE SATRAPS, ADMINISTRATORS, GOVERNORS, AND THE KING'S COUNSELORS GATHERED TOGETHER, AND THEY SAW THESE MEN ON WHOSE BODIES THE FIRE HAD NO POWER; THE HAIR OF THEIR HEAD WAS NOT SINGED NOR WERE THEIR GARMENTS AFFECTED, AND THE SMELL OF FIRE WAS NOT ON THEM. 28 NEBUCHADNEZZAR SPOKE, SAYING, "BLESSED BE THE GOD OF SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABED-NEGO, WHO SENT HIS ANGEL AND DELIVERED HIS SERVANTS WHO TRUSTED IN HIM, AND THEY HAVE FRUSTRATED THE KING'S WORD, AND YIELDED THEIR BODIES, THAT THEY SHOULD NOT SERVE NOR WORSHIP ANY GOD EXCEPT THEIR OWN GOD! [DAN 3:14-28 NKJV]

YOU DON’T LOOK LIKE WHAT YOU’VE BEEN THROUGH....

THE STORY ABOUT SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABED-NEGO IS A FAMILIAR STORY THAT MOST PEOPLE ADMIRE AND LOVE TO TELL BECAUSE IT REVEALS TO US WHAT STEADFASTNESS AND COURAGE CAN DO IN THE LIFE OF A CHILD OF GOD.

THE THREE HEBREW BOYS ARE AN ENCOURAGEMENT TO THOSE OF US WHO TRY OUR BEST TO STAND ON THE WORD OF GOD.

THEY STOOD ON THE WORD OF GOD TOGETHER EVEN IN THE FACE OF DANGER WHEN KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR…

TO SET THE BACKGROUND FOR OUR TEXT THIS MORNING...

….THE KING SENT A DECREE THROUGHOUT THE LAND THAT MANDATED ALL OF THE PEOPLE OF THE LAND TO BOW DOWN AND WORSHIP HIS GOLDEN IMAGE WHEN THE MUSIC IS PLAYED. .....AND WHO EVER DID NOT BOW DOW TO THE GOLDEN IMAGE WOULD BE PUT TO DEATH.

HE COMMANDED THAT ALL OF THE PEOPLE WOULD BOW DOWN TO HIS GOD…….. BECAUSE HE DESIRED THAT....HIS GOD .....WOULD BE THE GOD OF THE LAND.

HOWEVER ……THE THREE HEBREW BOYS STOOD ON THE WORD OF GOD THAT SAID, “THOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER GOD BEFORE ME.”

THEY WOULD NOT SELL OUT TO NEBUCHADNEZZAR EVEN THOUGH THE KING HAD BLESSED THEM WITH STATUS POSITION AND POWER.

THEY WOULD NOT GIVE IN EVEN IF IT MEANT THEIR LIVES WOULD BE LOST.

THEY WOULD NOT BE BOUGHT BY A FEW DOLLARS. (NO, NO!)

THEY HAD ALREADY DETERMINED FOR GOD THEY LIVE AND FOR GOD THEY WOULD DIE.

AND SO WHEN NEBUCHADNEZZAR FINALLY REALIZED THAT THESE BOYS WERE SERIOUS HE DECIDED, “WELL, I GUESS I AM GOING TO HAVE TO SHOW THESE BOYS THAT YOU DON’T BITE THE HAND THAT FEED YOU.

I TELL YOU MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS.... THESE BOYS WERE BRAVE SOLDIERS IN THE ARMY OF THE LORD.

NOT EVEN THE POSSIBILITY OF BEING BURNED TO A CRISP WOULD MAKE THESE BOYS GIVE IN TO THE KING AND STEP OFF OF THE WORD OF GOD.

AND IT AMAZES ME....MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS... HOW SO MANY PEOPLE THESE DAYS WILL FORSAKE THE WORD OF GOD FOR POSITION STATUS AND POWER.

IT AMAZES ME THAT FOR SO MANY PEOPLE…. GOD’S WORD IS TAKEN FOR GRANTED.

IF THE WORD SAYS THAT THOU SHALL HAVE NO OTHER GOD BEFORE ME,

THAT MEANS THE GOD OF MONEY, THE GOD OF STATUS,

THE GOD OF FRIEND,

THE GOD OF PASTOR,

THE GOD OF HUSBAND, THE GOD OF WIFE,

THE GOD OF CHILDREN,

THE GOD OF SELF, AND/OR THE GOD OF CAREER SHOULD NOT EVER COME BEFORE HIM.

THE THREE HEBREW BOYS STOOD FIRM ON GOD’S WORD AND GOD RESCUED THEM FROM THE HURT HARM AND DANGER OF KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR AND THE FIERY FURNACE.

MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS.... I AM IMPRESSED AT THE FACT THAT THESE BOYS STOOD ON GOD’S WORD WITHOUT WAVERING.

EVEN THOUGH THE THREE HEBREW BOYS ARE THE MAIN CHARACTERS IN THIS TEXT…. I AM MOST IMPRESSED WITH THE GOD.

YOU SEE…THE 3 HEBREW BOYS SEEM TO OVERSHADOW THE STORY.......BUT THE MAIN CHARACTER OF THE TEXT IS GOD.

THIS TEXT IS ABOUT WHAT GOD IS WORTHY OF,

WHO GOD IS SUPPOSED TO BE,

HOW GOD SHOULD BE VIEWED,

WHERE GOD IS SUPPOSED TO BE IN OUR LIVES,

AND HOW GOD REWARDED THOSE WHO DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM.

LISTEN…….

I LOVE WHAT SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABED-NEGO DO IN THE FACE OF CONFLICT AND CONTROVERSY BUT I AM MOST IMPRESSED WITH GOD.

CAN YOU COMPREHEND A FIRE SET SEVEN TIMES HOTTER THAN NORMAL NOT DEVOUR ANYTHING PLACED IN IT?

THE TEXT SAYS IN VERSE 19....HE SPOKE AND COMMANDED THAT THEY HEAT THE FURNACE SEVEN TIMES MORE THAN IT WAS USUALLY HEATED.

THE NORMAL TEMPERATURE OF FIRE IS 650 DEGREES CELSIUS.

SO THESE BOYS STOOD WITHIN A FURNACE THAT WAS 4550 DEGREES CELSIUS AND WALKED OUT WITHOUT A HAIR SINGED.

JUST THE HEAT FROM A FIRE THAT HOT COULD DAMAGE SOMETHING, BUT THESE BOYS WERE IN THESE VIOLENT FLAMES AND WALKED OUT WITHOUT A BLISTER.

THEY ARE IN THE FIRE BUT THE FIRE DOES NOT HARM THEM.

THEY ARE IN THE FIRE BUT THE FIRE CANNOT SCORCH THEM.

THEY ARE IN THE FIRE AND THE FIRE IS MUCH WORSE THAN USUAL BUT THEY WALK OUT OF THE FIRE IN GOOD HEALTH,

GOOD SPIRITS,

GOOD ATTITUDES

AND WITH GOOD LOOKS.

THEY DIDN’T EVEN SMELL LIKE SMOKE.....

THEY WALKED OUT OF THE FIERY FURNACE AS A REPRESENTATION OF THE POWER OF GOD.

AND IT’S ALL BECAUSE OF GOD.

GOD PROTECTED THEM.

GOD PROVED HIMSELF TO THEM.

GOD PROVED TO NEBUCHADNEZZAR THAT NO WEAPON FORMED AGAINST A CHILD OF THE TRUE AND LIVING GOD SHALL PROSPER.

AND MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS ……

EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE NOT FACED THE FIERY FURNACE LIKE THE HEBREW BOYS…….

I BELIEVE I CAN SAY THAT YOU HAVE FACED SOME FIRE IN YOUR LIVES……

WE HAVE ALL FACED THE EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC OVER THIS PAST YEAR………

SOME OF US LOST OUR JOBS…….

SOME OF US WERE FURLOWED ……

SOME OF US FACED……EVICTION…….FORECLOSURE……

SOME OF US FACED…….BEING UNHOUSED…..

AND THERE ARE THOSE WHO FACED…..BEING INFECTED WITH COVID…….AND THE LONG TERM EFFECTS OF IT…..

SOME OF US HAVE LOST LOVED ONES AND FRIENDS DUE TO COVID……

SOME OF US HAVE BATTLED DEPRESSION AND LONLINESS DUE TO THE ISOLATION ….THAT WE HAVE HAD TO EXPERIENCE DUE TO COVID…….

AND ALL OF US HAVE HAD TO FACE THE CHANGES OF OUR DAILY ROUTINES AND DAILY LIVES……PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC….

YES MY BROTHER AND SISTERS…..I’M HERE TO TELL YOU…..YOU DON’T LOOK LIKE WHAT YOU’VE BEEN TROUGH…….

BUT WHAT I LIKE MOST ABOUT OUR TEXT THIS MORNING……IS GOD SHOWED EVERYBODY IN THE LAND THAT THERE IS NO OTHER GOD BUT HIM.

AND BECAUSE OF GOD THEY DID NOT LOOK LIKE WHAT THEY HAD BEEN THROUGH.

AND CHURCH IF THE TRUTH BE TOLD CORRECTLY THEIR STORY IS ALSO OUR STORY.

BECAUSE WE ALL HAVE BEEN THROWN INTO THE HOT FLAMES OF LIFE

AND THE GOD OF SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABED-NEGO HAS BEEN THERE TO HELP AND PROTECT US.

AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW …. BECAUSE OF THAT YOU HAVE A TESTIMONY THAT YOU OUGHT TO PRAISE GOD FOR…..

BECAUSE SOME OF US HAVE ENDURED LIFE’S FIRE.

SOME OF US HAVE ENDURED RACISM, CLASSISM, SEXISM, AND EVERY OTHER KIND OF –ISM.

SOME OF US HAVE ENDURED THE DANGERS OF SIN.

AND WATCH THIS…..

WHILE YOU WERE IN IT SOMETIMES IT SEEMED AS IF IT WAS SEVEN TIMES WORSE THAN USUAL.

YOUR TRIALS FELT SEVEN TIMES HARDER.

YOUR SICKNESS FELT SEVEN TIMES WORSE.

YOUR WORRIES SEEMED TO LAST SEVEN TIMES LONGER.

SATAN THOUGHT THE FIRE WOULD HURT YOU.

IT SHOULD HAVE KILLED YOU.

IT SHOULD HAVE STRESSED YOU OUT.

IT SHOULD HAVE HAD YOU IN THE PSYCHE WARD.

BUT BECAUSE OF GOD’S LOVE, HIS CARE, HIS HELP, AND HIS PROTECTION YOU HAVE BEEN IN THE FIRE, BUT YOU HAVE NOT BEEN CONSUMED.

YOU ARE LIVING WELL.

YOU SMELL GOOD.

YOU LOOK GOOD.

AND I HAVE NEWS FOR SOMEBODY TODAY; YOU DON’T LOOK LIKE WHAT YOU’VE THROUGH!!

PAUSE

SO, WHY DID THE FIRE NOT TAKE US OUT..... WHILE WE WERE IN THE MIDST OF FLAMES THAT WERE SEVEN TIMES GREATER THAN NORMAL?

I. LET ME SUGGEST…..AND THIS IS MY ONE POINT FOR TODAY....

THE FIRE WAS NOT MEANT TO TAKE YOU OUT....OR TO END YOU.... BUT TO ENHANCE YOU.

THE FIRE THAT YOU GO THROUGH IN LIFE IS NOT MEANT TO DESTROY YOU.

BUT IT IS MEANT TO ENHANCE YOU.

TO SHAPE YOU TO BE MORE CHRIST LIKE.....

YOU SEE.....

YOU WERE LOST.

YOU WERE HURT.

YOU WERE DISTRESSED.

YOU FELT LIFE’S FIRES LIKE NEVER BEFORE.

BUT I GOT NEWS FOR YOU.

YOU ARE JUST LIKE THE THREE BOYS…. BECAUSE THE FIRE THAT WAS MEANT FOR EVIL ……GOD MEANT IT UNTO GOOD.

THE STRUGGLES REFINED YOUR FAITH.

THE HARD TIME STRENGTHEN YOU HEART.

WHEN YOU WERE IN THE FIRE YOU FOUND OUT ….. MANY ARE THE AFFLICTIONS OF THE RIGHTEOUS, BUT THE LORD DELIVERS HIM OUT OF THEM ALL.

THE FIRE IS WHERE YOU LEARNED, THAT WHEN MY MOTHER AND FATHER FORSAKE ME THE LORD WILL TAKE ME UP.

AND WHEN THE FIRE SEEMED LIKE IT WAS GOING TO LAST FOREVER YOU FOUND OUT, THEY THAT WAIT UPON THE LORD SHALL RENEW THEIR STRENGTH. THEY SHALL MOUNT UP ON WINGS LIKE EAGLES. THEY SHALL RUN AND NOT BE WEARY. THEY SHALL WALK AND NOT FAINT.

THE FIRE DID NOT CONSUME YOU BECAUSE IT WAS MEANT TO REFINE YOU.

I DON’T KNOW ABOUT ANYBODY ELSE TODAY, BUT JESUS SAVED ME WHILE I WAS IN MY MESS.

HE TOUCHED ME WHILE I WAS…… IN MY STUFF.

HE GAVE ME HOPE WHEN I WAS IN A HOPELESS SITUATION.

HE TOUCHED ME WHEN NOBODY ELSE COULD GET TO ME.

AND THAT IS WHY I DON’T LOOK LIKE WHAT I’VE BEEN THROUGH.

THAT IS WHY YOU DON’T LOOK LIKE WHAT YOU’VE BEEN THROUGH.

BECAUSE JESUS REACHED WAY DOWN AND SAVED YOU WHILE YOU WERE IN YOUR MESS.

HE BLESSED YOU WHEN YOU DIDN’T DESERVE IT. AND BECAUSE OF HIS GRACE YOU DON’T LOOK LIKE WHAT YOU’VE BEEN THROUGH.

I HEARD SOMEBODY SAY, “THERE’S A LIGHT IN THE VALLEY OF DEATH FOR ME, SINCE JESUS CAME INTO MY HEART.

FLOODS OF JOY O’ER MY SOUL LIKE THE SEA BILLOWS ROLL, SINCE JESUS CAME INTO MY HEART.”

NOW I’M GLAD ABOUT THE FIRE. …..AND TRUTH BE TOLD…..

IF I NEVER HAD A PROBLEM.

I WOULD NEVER KNOW THAT GOD COULD SOLVE THEM.

AND THROUGH IT ALL, I’VE LEARNED TO DEPEND ON JESUS.

THROUGH IT ALL, I’VE LEARNED TO DEPEND ON GOD.

THROUGH IT ALL, I’VE LEARNED THAT THE LORD IS THE STRENGTH OF MY LIFE; WHOM SHALL I BE AFRAID.

THAT’S WHY WE DON’T LOOK LIKE WHAT WE’VE BEEN THROUGH.

WE’VE BEEN IN THE FIRE, BUT NOT BURNED.

WE’VE BEEN THROUGH THE FLOOD, BUT NOT OVERWHELMED.

WE’VE BEEN WITH THE DOGS, AND HAVE NO FLEAS.

WE WERE HARD PRESSED ON EVERY SIDE, BUT NOT CRUSHED.

WE ARE PERPLEXED BUT NOT IN DESPAIR.

WE ARE FORSAKEN AND STRUCK DOWN BUT NOT DESTROYED.

BECAUSE JESUS FIXED IT ALL ON A HILL CALL CALVARY.

THEY WHIPPED HIM ALL NIGHT LONG. THEY HUNG HIM HIGH AND STRETCHED HIM WIDE.

THEY PUT NAILS IN HIS HANDS.

THEY PUT NAILS IN HIS FEET.

THEY KILLED HIM ON A CRIMINALS CROSS.

THEY BURIED HIM IN JOSEPH’S TOMB.

BUT EARLY ON SUNDAY MORNING WHEN MARY SAW HIM; HE DIDN’T LOOK LIKE WHAT HE BEEN THROUGH.

BECAUSE HE GOT UP WITH ALL POWER IN HIS HANDS.

POWER FOR US TO LIVE.

POWER FOR US TO LOVE.

POWER FOR US TO MAKE IT.

POWER SO YOU WON’T LOOK LIKE WHAT YOU’VE BEEN THROUGH.

AND I DON’T KNOW WHO NEEDS TO HEAR THIS TODAY.....

BUT LET ME TELL YOU.....

YOU CAN MAKE IT THROUGH.....

YOU CAN GET THROUGH.....

HOLD ON THROUGH..... WHAT EVER YOU’RE GOING THROUGH.........

YOU ARE MORE THAN CONQUERERS .......

THE APOSTLE PAUL REMINDS US IN 2ND CORINTHIANS.....

8 WE ARE HARD PRESSED ON EVERY SIDE, BUT NOT CRUSHED; PERPLEXED, BUT NOT IN DESPAIR;

9 PERSECUTED, BUT NOT ABANDONED; STRUCK DOWN, BUT NOT DESTROYED.

YOU DON’T LOOK LIKE WHAT YOU’VE BEEN THROUGH....

YOU’RE A KING…MY BROTHER.....

YOU’RE A QUEEN ....MY SISTER....

YOU ARE A CHOSEN PEOPLE....

GOD’S SPECIAL POSSESSION ....