Pride in Daniel Ch 3

Sometimes it’s wise to be thrown into a fiery furnace

Read Daniel 3:1-3

Review: God gave Neb a vision of what was to come. A statue with a golden head.

Nebuchadnezzar took the honor God gave him and tried to use it to magnify himself above God. David took the honor God gave him and used it to magnify God.

Neb took it quite literally and made a golden statue. Possibly and obelisk, maybe a tall base with a normal sized statue on top. Set the scene.

Read Daniel 3:4-12

4 A man on a platform over the crowd.

6 There seems to be an expectation that some won’t bow. Remember Neb is paranoid, the wise men lie to him, and we know from historical accounts that there was revolts popping up around Babylon. He’s testing loyalty.

11 imagine a sea of people, this golden obelisk in the middle and everyone bows except 3 men in the crowd. He repeats the guest list twice, this was an important event.

Read Daniel 3:13-15

14 I’m thinking where have you been all this time?

15 He gives them another chance

What God? You just want to scream, “Daniel’s God” but there isn’t a forsaking of idols in Neb just a recognition of God’s power. You know the one from last chapter. But here's the thing about prideful people. They forget, they deny, they convince themselves of lies of their own power and ability.

Read Daniel 3:16-18

16 This is much more aggressive than the disobedience so far in Daniel. They aren’t even going to explain themselves, they don’t evoke Daniel’s name, they simply say, “you are not our judge so we aren’t going to defend ourselves”

17 Our God will deliver us, that’s who

18 But even if He didn’t

There is an amazing thing happening here in Mc Kees Rocks but it’s not without risk. Taking in the groceries and people running from what I assume was gun shots. Steve having a bullet hole in his truck just feet from where he was standing. A shooting last year in front of our house. Bullets going into Hogan’s garage.

Don’t be fooled into thinking we are ignorant of the risk. That we think we are invincible because we are christian. No… we know the risk. I know my kids or my wife could catch a stray bullet. I know my kids could fall in with the wrong crowd much easier and become addicts.

Then why? Why not move up to moon and do ministry there? Because God is doing something here, He’s called me here, and whether I live or whether I die it not I who live but Christ who lives in me. I’m here because whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, but the one who loses his life for my sake will find it.

People who fear risking their lives for God because of “wisdom” are not wise. They are not taking into account God’s hand. Risk your life, risk your home, risk your bank account, risk it all, put all your eggs in one basket, bet it all on black, if you aren’t willing to give up all things in pursuit of the mission you will fall away.

A call to be radical.

Read Daniel 3:19-23

19 pay close attention to how much detail is in here. Why? Because there should be no question to the validity

Read Daniel 3:24-27

24 who was the figure? Don’t know - maybe an angel, maybe Christ, maybe God himself - what matters is the person behind whoever was there is God!

25 the fire burned the ropes but not the men

26 now the tone shifted

Read Daniel 3:28-30

28 Praise be to God, but he didn’t tear down the statue

The whole point

“They trusted in him and defied the king’s command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God”

Pride is when we trust ourselves - humility is when we trust God

Pride is when we are concerned for ourselves above God’s glory - humility is to put God’s glory above all things

Pride is when we serve the fashionable idol, or ideology - humility is when we believe the God who made all things instead of the “wisdom” of the time

This is a living proclamation of the tenants of humility

bring it to you

Will you “Trust in him and defy the government’s command and be willing to give up your life rather than serve or worship any god except your own?”

Will you “Trust in him and defy the will of your own heart and give up your life rather than serve your own passions?”

Will you “Trust in him and defy the fear and depression satan whispers into your heart and give your life to Christ as a living sacrifice rather than serve the darkness that surrounds this worlds?”

Will you “Trust in him and defy the “wisdom” of the age and be willing to be mocked for serving Christ, the Truth, rather than serve or worship any other ideology?”

Outro

The christian life isn’t security, so if you’re looking for guaranteed comfort, I promise you won’t find it here.

Daniel 1, God is in control, Daniel 2 God telling King Neb that he's in control, Daniel 3 SMA living life as if they believe God is in control.

The christian life is risking it all for the sake of the gospel. Whether God pulls you out of the fire unharmed or lets you burn as a martyr.