Daniel 3:19-30

¹⁹ Nebuchadnezzar was so furious with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that his face became distorted with rage. He commanded that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual. ²⁰ Then he ordered some of the strongest men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. ²¹ So they tied them up and threw them into the furnace, fully dressed in their pants, turbans, robes, and other garments. ²² And because the king, in his anger, had demanded such a hot fire in the furnace, the flames killed the soldiers as they threw the three men in. ²³ So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, securely tied, fell into the roaring flames. ²⁴ But suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisers, “Didn’t we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?” “Yes, Your Majesty, we certainly did,” they replied. ²⁵ “Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!” ²⁶ Then Nebuchadnezzar came as close as he could to the door of the flaming furnace and shouted: “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire. ²⁷ Then the high officers, officials, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn’t even smell of smoke! ²⁸ Then Nebuchadnezzar said, “Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king’s command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. ²⁹ Therefore, I make this decree: If any people, whatever their race or nation or language, speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they will be torn limb from limb, and their houses will be turned into heaps of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue like this!” ³⁰ Then the king promoted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to even higher positions in the province of Babylon.

What if instead of being confident in their convictions they had:

9. COMPROMISED –

What if Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednegohad COMPROMISED their faith and cowered to the culture? It would have been easy to not only do but to try and justify. After all everybody else is doing it. It probably won’t hurt if I do it just this 1 time. I’ll do it in secret … no one will know. I’ll do it now … and ask forgiveness later. I’ll go through the motions, but not really worship the idol in my heart … God knows my heart. Every day we face the pressure to COMPROMISE our faith, to make up EXCUSES for not obeying God and JUSTIFY our disobedience. Everybody was watching these 3 men Hebrews and like it or not Everybody is watching YOU! What kind of a witness are you being to a watching world? They didn’t compromise because they had:

10. CONFORMED – 3:19-23

They didn’t “fall down” because instead of conforming to the culture and following the crowd they conformed to Christ. Romans 8:29 says“For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first born among many brothers and sisters”Romans 12:1-2 tells us that what you conform to will transform you. We live in an information age, but informationwithout application will not equal transformation. James 1:22 says “Do not merely listen to the word … Do what it says.” Are you conforming to Christ or the culture? Are you being transformed by truth, or by trash? The world is trying to shape you into its image, but we are not called to be shaped by an outside force but by the inward working of the Holy Spirit. Which force will win? The force that has the most pressure. The more of Christ you allow to control your life, the greater the force to CONFORM to Him. While those who stood for Christ were conformed those who bowed to the culture were consumed by the fire. The men who threw them into the fire had worshipped the worlds idol and despite being the strongest soldiers they were burned alive. When we bowed to idols in our life we will get burned. It’s here in the midst of their crisis that we see:

11. COMPANIONSHIP – 3:24-25

Jesus was with them in the fiery furnace. God didn’t protect them FROM the fire He protected them IN the fire. God is not always going to protect you from trials, troubles and tribulations. It’s not about a problem free life it’s about the presence of the Lord of life. Today we think peace is the absence of problems but its really the presence of Jesus. Are you trying to pursue a problem free life or the presence of the Lord of life? Look how Christ cares for His kids, “Not a hair on their heads was singed”The only way to fight Fire is with Faith! So, let me ask you are you living by faith or living in fear? It’s here that we see what it really looks like to be:

12. COMFORTABLE – 3:26-28

They didn’t even smell like smoke! They probably didn’t want to leave! Look comfort isn’t based on your circumstances it’s based on being with Christ. Are you more COMFORTABLE walking around in the fires of life WITHOUT Christ or WITH Christ? If you’re more COMFORTABLE without Him, then you better check and see if you are saved. If you’re more COMFORTABLE living in the world and conforming to the culture, then you may not be a Christ One. If you are truly a child of God, then you won’t be very COMFORTABLE living for the world. He’ll convict you, and you will be miserable, until you repent and return to Him. Why were these 3 Hebrews COMFORTABLE in the fire? Because they were walking with Christ. He’s always there to give you comfort, strength, hope, and peace in life’s fiery trials. Lastly, we see who gets the:

13. CREDIT – 3:28-30

NOTICE who Nebuchadnezzar gives CREDIT to, Christ the God of the 3 Hebrew men. When Nebuchadnezzar challenged Christ, who fought the battle, Jesus. Don’t get caught up trying to fight God’s battles just be found faithful. Because when you are faithful God gets the glory. What if we would give God some CREDIT! He’s able! Ephesians 3:20-21 says: “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”The King promoted them because God honored their faithfulness to Him. But it wasn’t about their promotion it was about God getting the praise. Are there any idols in your life? Things that you are trusting in more than Jesus? It’s time to take a stand for Christ but in order to do that we have to step away from the crowd.

⁸ But some of the astrologers^[e] went to the king and informed on the Jews. ⁹ They said to King Nebuchadnezzar, “Long live the king! ¹⁰ You issued a decree requiring all the people to bow down and worship the gold statue when they hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments. ¹¹ That decree also states that those who refuse to obey must be thrown into a blazing furnace. ¹² But there are some Jews—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They refuse to serve your gods and do not worship the gold statue you have set up.”¹³ Then Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and ordered that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought before him. When they were brought in,¹⁴ Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up? ¹⁵ I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments.^[f] But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?”¹⁶ Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. ¹⁷ If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. ¹⁸ But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”

As we continue looking at idols it becomes clear that the goal was:

6. CONTROL – 3:8-12

We need to realize that the real battle is one for control. Nebuchadnezzar wanted complete CONTROL of his subjects. But he was not the only one who cared about control. Those who pointed them out did it because they wanted to be in a place of CONTROL of the kingdom. The spiritual battle we are in, is a battle for CONTROL. Who are you going to let CONTROL your life? Your friends, your boss, your wants and desires, people and their peer-pressure or GOD?  What was happening to these 3 men was out of their CONTROL. They hadn’t done anything wrong, God wasn’t punishing them, SOMETIMES things happen to us which are beyond our CONTROL. What we need to remember is that when things seem out of control Christ’s is still in control. The reason we don’t live like we believe this is because we tend to base things being under control on our circumstances, when our circumstances are good, we feel like God is good. When it all goes bad, we blame Him. But control is not based on your circumstances it’s based on Christ. Scripture tells us that He is seated at the right hand of the Father, why is He seated because everything is under control. He has already conquered sin and death. King Nebuchadnezzar was not in control, but the King of Kings Jesus Christ was and is. Church it’s time to stop looking to government for control and start looking to God. Are you trusting in political policies or the Prince of Peace? Has politics become your idol? Nebuchadnezzar was just a puppet king, Jesus is the true and all-powerful King. Nebuchadnezzar is no longer around, he is no longer making policy, but Jesus is.  Are you listen to the voice of your circumstances or the voice of Christ? It’s here that Nebuchadnezzar because he thinks he is in charge issues the:

7. CHALLENGE – 3:13-15

The King CHALLENGES them to change their mind. He give them a 2nd chance because he thought very highly of them, and didn’t want to lose them. It’s a powerful statement about their character. But we also need to remember that Satan is the of king of second chances. While opportunity may knock only once temptation will knock again and again. Nebuchadnezzar doesn’t just challenge God’s servants he CHALLENGES the power of God. He not only CHALLENGED God when he set up the image for all to worship him, but he CHALLENGED God for His ability to do anything about it. And as he would shortly find out God was up to the challenge. It’s here in the midst of the challenge for control that we see their:

8. CONFIDENCE – 3:16-18

When Nebuchadnezzar challenged them they didn’t even have to think about it! They responded in verse 16, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you.”It wasn’t even debatable in their minds. Because they had already determined who their master was. Who is the ultimate authority in your life? They knew that they answered to a much higher authority than this earthly king. What I want you to take away from this is the confidence that they had in their God. They knew that no matter the outcome, GOD WAS STILL GOD!! It wasn’t based on the outcome it was based on obedience. Too often we base our obedience on the outcome, if things work out the way we want we are all for His Will. As a result, our prayer lives are driven by our agenda instead of the Almighty. They understood a truth we seem to have forgotten, that no matter the outcome if it’s God’s Will it’s a win. Even death because death doesn’t end our life it brings us into the presence of the author of life. They chose the Lord over life, but how do you make those kinds of choices in the heat of the moment? You don’t, you need to prepare ahead of time and decide how you are going to live. A soldier doesn’t wait for war to start sharpening their sword, they prepare in advance. How do we prepare, by spending time in His presence. This is prayer based on His presence not just your problems. We need to be in the Word to discover His Will not confirm our wants. The more you know Christ the more confident you will be in your convictions. Because without confidence we are susceptible to compromise. So what about you, who are you letting control your heart and mind? Are you up to the challenge because your eyes are firmly fixed on Jesus or will you cave to the culture? Who is your confidence in, is it self, society or the Savior?