God Will Deliver You – If You Choose Him
Daniel 3
February 3, 2008 AM Sermon
“Eye Openers for God”
Theologian Warren Wiersbe makes the following statement:
The Devil Tempts to Destroy our Faith
God tests us to Develop our Faith
Deliverance comes when we are Faithful to God
There are some in this sanctuary this day that are going through the fire in your lives. The fire may be coming from different directions – problems, problems, problems. There may seem to be no solution in sight for your issues – However, I have a solution to offer you this Lord’s Day A solution that has been tried and tested through the years. Authentic Faith in Almighty God.
Last week, we studied the call of God upon Moses’ life at the Burning Bush. God got his attention – Moses finally followed God – God was exalted. Today, we look at the fiery trial of three Jewish men – Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
As we look at Chapter 3 this morning – King Nebuchadnezzar, some 20 years earlier, had praised Daniel and his God for interpreting his dream. Now, he’s forgotten the greatness and goodness of God and is creating a 90 foot high, 9 foot wide image for all to worship. That gets us into the passage this morning.
TEXT
I. God’s Purpose for Man
a. Salvation by Grace through Faith in Jesus Christ
i. Ephesians 2:8-9
1. “By grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God: Not of works lest any man should boast.”
ii. John 12:47 – Words of Christ
1. “I came not to judge the world, but to save the world”
iii. John 3:18
1. “He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God”
• Salvation is a choice – a choice that man must choose between the ways of God or the ways of the world.
• We are predestined to choose – we will choose God or the World.
b. Obedience in Christ by Abiding in His Word
i. John 15:4
“Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me.”
+ Abide = Commune with God
Obedience to God
Look at the text: The King was more concerned with his wants than following God. In turn, the people were as well.
Picture this: a 90X9 structure – wood overlaid with Gold. A massive structure that you’ve been ordered to worship. Here’s the orders:
• When you hear the music – you fall down and worship the great structure
• If you don’t – you’ll suffer the punishment of the fiery furnace
Exodus 20:3-5 (highlights of)
1. No other God’s before me
2. No graven image or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above
3. Thou shalt not bow down to them or serve them.
The King was NOT following the Law of God told to the Children of Israel by Moses, also known as the Big Ten. Thus, there is a problem.
Thus, God’s purpose for man – is not being fulfilled at this point.
Today, our minds are sometimes a million miles away from where they should be. Think of the golden structures that exist in our lives today:
More time in front of the TV than anything else
More time in front of the Computer or Playstation than anything else
Prioritize things above almighty God
Worship our jobs and career more than we worship God.
What do you bow down to? God or everything else but God. Something to think about.
II. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego
a. Three Jewish men, highlighted in Chapter 2 as princes over the province of Babylon.
b. Scripture tells us that they loved the Lord
c. Scripture implies that they obviously followed the Law of God
• The three refused to fall down and worship the image – following the Law of Moses.
• They were turned in – the King pitched a fit and followed his word and threw them into the fiery furnace.
God’s word teaches us that all will not be “peaches and cream” for the believer. There will be tough times.
1 Peter 1:7
7That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
1 Peter 4:12
12Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
These times are used in our lives to help us grow in our dependence on God. If we do not follow faithfully – we will not grow.
You may think – there’s no way out. I’m beyond help – the situation is too large to handle now.
Truthfully – this situation looked hopeless and helpless.
FIRE, FIRE, FIRE – HOT beyond our imagination
Three men bound in their clothes and accessories
Something amazing happens
III. Deliverance
a. The three men were faithful to God – in that they didn’t fall down and worship the statue. They were true to their faith.
b. God was true to them in delivering them from the fiery furnace.
The Fourth Man In The Fire Lyrics
Artist(Band):Johnny Cash
Refrain:
They wouldn’t bend
They held on to the will of God so we are told
They wouldn’t bow
They would not bow their knees to Idols made of gold
They wouldn’t burn
They were protected by the Fourth Man in the fire
They wouldn’t bend
They wouldn’t bow, they wouldn’t burn.
Now the prophet Daniel tells about
Three men who walked with God
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego
Before the wicked king they stood
And the king commanded them bound and thrown
Into the fiery furnace that day
But the fire was so hot that the men were slain
That forced them on their way.
Refrain:
Now when the three were cast in and the king rose up
To witness this awful fate
He began to tremble at what he saw
In astonished tones he spake
Did we not cast three men bound
Into the midst of the fire
Well, Lo, I see four men unhurt
Unbound and walkin’ down there;
There’s Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego
And the fiery coals they trod
But the form of the Fourth Man that I see
Is like the Son of God
The old hymn says the following: “Be not dismayed what’err be tide. God will take care of you.”
True, true, true – but friends – it all boils down to one point this morning. Who is in control of your life today?
Is God or are you teetering with disaster by flirting with the ways of the world.
Going through the fire this morning? I’ve got a sure fire way to help you get through the trial – Try Jesus – He never fails.
When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
My grace all sufficient shall be thy supply;
The flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
Thy dross to consume and thy gold to refine. (Author unknown)
