The Fantastic Four
A Sermon by Roosevelt Wright, Jr.
For the Tabernacle Baptist Church
Monroe, La.
Introduction
Do you remember the comic book, the Fantastic Four? There are many super heroes that have fueled the fantasies of children and adults for generations. Many of these super heroes have been in our lives for several generations. Generally, they fight evil and champion the cause of good.
Who is your favorite?
For some, Superman is the best of the super heroes. He came from the Planet Krypton just before it was destroyed. Because of the yellow sun of this galaxy he assumed super powers that allowed him to leap tall buildings with a single bound, become more powerful than a locomotive and run faster than a speeding bullet.
There are others too. Remember the Incredible Hulk? He was the mild mannered man who was exposed to gamma rays which turned him into a green monster when he became angry. Spiderman was able to climb buildings and perform incredible acrobatics with a new found ability to emulate the web tendencies of spiders. There are others including: Batman and Robin, Wonder Woman and the Green Lantern. A new generation was exposed to the Power Rangers and an African-American super-hero, Spawn.
Many of the super heroes of Marvel comics have been presented to a new generation through Hollywood. Nearly every comic book hero has a movie. This year, one of the block busters was the movie, “The Fantastic Four.”
The Fantastic Four became super heroes as a result of a mistaken scrambling of their DNA. One came to possess the ability to stretch like rubber. A female member of the group soon realized she had the ability to become invisible. Another had a very hot temper and when he was pushed turned into a human torch. The fourth could feel no pain. Together the Fantastic Four were able to perform powerful feats, overcoming evil as they championed the cause of good in the world.
The Fantastic Four, like all of the super heroes, were ordinary people. Many of them like Spiderman and Super Boy were just teenagers. Yet, at some point they came to know that they possessed extra abilities, under certain conditions, that could be used for the betterment of mankind.
America cheered as it watched the Fantastic Four on screen and read the comics, but did you know that God has a Fantastic Four relationship with every believer?
Through his presence in the life of a believer God transforms an average student, band member, football player, dancer or cheerleader, from being just an ordinary person, to a spirit driven achiever. This Fantastic Four is not the stuff of comic books or movies. This Fantastic Four is the winning team of The Father, The Son, The Holy Ghost and You!-The Fantastic Four.
As Christians, we are strengthened by the knowledge that God helps us rise about the ordinary to do the extraordinary. Together with our unseen backup team, every believer steps into the world, not as one person, but with the assurance that three others are always present. What a team, the trinity and me!
Exposition
This text focuses on three believers who acknowledge the permissive will of God, the power of God and their acceptance of his will.
The King of Babylon conquered the entire region of Judah and carried most of its craftsmen, scholars and thinkers back to Babylon. He began a three year program to repatriate these Jews so that they would accept Chaldean customs. Among the three, were four men, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah;
commonly known as Daniel, Meshack, Shadrack and Abednego. The four were adamant believers in God’s kingdom. They prayed regularly and even refused the king’s efforts to re-educate them to the Chaldean political viewpoint and life-style.
It wasn’t long before it became obvious to all who observed them, that these four men had a special anointing. They were able to do things that others could not do. The Three Hebrew Boys had great wisdom and knowledge. Daniel had the gift of wisdom and the special ability to interpret dreams.
What they said and did was fantastic. Their deeds and wise acts were fantastic. Their unyielding faith in God was fantastic as well.
Daniel interpreted a dream for the King. In so doing Daniel was given the opportunity to serve as a prime minister or leader of governors in the land. It was a position that he refused. However, he recommended similar positions for the three young men who were with him.
As foreigners and powerful political leaders in the land, the three young men and even Daniel himself, were often the subject of efforts to oust them from power. One such move came when the King erected a statue of himself and sent out a decree that said when certain music was played that everyone should bow and worship his image. Those who refused to do so would be punished by being cast into a fiery furnace the same day. The king’s Chaldean advisors made certain that the resistance of the three was noted. The Chaldeans, who denounced Daniel and his associates to the king, were astrologers who wanted to predict a happier future for the king and his realm.
When the music played, as expected, three of the nation’s highest governmental officers refused to bow. The king addressed them by asking whether they understood the order and the punishment for those who defied the order. They acknowledged that they understood, but they still refused to obey the order.
In a frustrating moment, the king reiterated his command and the punishment. When he saw that the three Hebrew Boys would not bow he asked, "Who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hand?"
In answering the King, the Hebrew Boys made three affirmations: That God may permit it to be so, that he was able to deliver them, and that even if God chose not to answer as they wanted, they still had no plans to disobey him.
The King ordered that the furnace be prepared, but this time that it should be prepared seven times hotter than it had been on other days. The three young men were thrown into the furnace but were not burned by the fire. There was no smell of smoke or fire on their clothes as well. As the people waited for them to scream, there was silence. Instead, the king looked in and called out to them. He then noticed an astonishing revelation. Instead of three men in the fire, he saw four. The fourth one, he said, looked like the Son of God.
Four Gifts
Every believer is given special gifts with which to help build the kingdom of God. Every person does not have the same gift. The purpose of the gifts is to help expand God’s kingdom. Like the Hebrew Boys and Daniel, there will be many who will attempt to entice young believers to use their gifts in ways that will not be pleasing to God. In addition, there will be those who will be “haters” or those who will unfairly criticize believers because of their gifts. Daniel 1:17 lists the four gifts of the Hebrew Boys that made them stand out in their generation.
KNOWLEDGE: The gift of knowledge is a unique gift. It is the unique ability to acquire vast amounts of information, mentally catalog that information, and recall it when it is needed. 1 Corinthians 12:8 list “knowledge” as one of the categories of gifts of the Holy Spirit. There are many who have acquired knowledge through hard work and long hours of study. Others seem to have knowledge without much study at all. We watch contestants on television game shows such as Jeopardy and “Who wants to be a millionaire?” and we wonder how the contestants learn so much information. Afterwards many contestants report that they rarely study at all, it just comes to them. The gift of knowledge is essential to building the kingdom. God needs those with knowledge to help broaden and expand the kingdom of God. Youth who have this unusual gift should decide early in life whether they will use their gift for doing good in the name of the Lord or for personal enrichment or worse, evil purposes.
SKILL: Skill refers to developed proficiency. Skill is developed through training and experience. Whereas knowledge is a gift, skill is a learned attribute that is accentuated when it is supported by an associated gift. A person can become a skilled floral designer, through training and experience. That same training, in the hands of a person born with a natural eye for beauty, can do wonders with simple things. Skill requires practice, many hours of practice. The great musicians play well because they practice regularly. Writers write! Singers, sing! Communicators speak every time they get an opportunity. In addition, skill is obtained from observing and studying the techniques of those who have mastered a skill or a craft. The prophet Elisha studied in the school of prophets. He watched and observed Elijah for many years. Elijah showed him what it took to be a prophet and the young man watched. He too, became skilled in prophetic works, scripture and communion with God.
LEARNING: The Hebrew Boys were young men who took the time to learn. They learned foreign language because they were able to speak with the Chaldeans. They learned math and economics because they were government advisors of Babylon economic policy. They learned nutrition because they refused to eat unhealthy foods. They were considered special because of their learning. Paul told Timothy in 2 Timothy 2:15 to “Study to shew thyself approved, a workman that needeth not be ashamed but rightly dividing the word of truth.” Proverbs 1:5 says, “A wise man will hear and increase learning.” The young would be wise to get all of the learning they can possibly attain while there is time.
A young boy walked along the trail one day and he heard a voice speak to him. The voice said: "Gather as many stones as you can and tomorrow you will be both glad and sad." Seeing no one, the boy kept walking and he heard the voice again, repeating the same message. After hearing the message a third time, the boy decided to pick up a few small stones and put them in his pocket. After doing so the voice stopped. The next day the boy walked along the trail and he heard the voice again, with the same message. He decided he had spent enough time picking up stones and wasn’t going to spend any more. On the third day as he was going through his pockets he found the five stones he picked up the first day and turned to diamonds, rubies and emeralds and were extremely valuable. He jumped up with joy. He was excited over what he had. Then he felt his pocket from the second day and remembered that he didn’t pick up any stones that day. It was then that he heard the voice again: "Gather as many stones as you can and tomorrow you will be both glad and sad. Glad that you picked up some, but sad that you did not pick up more." The same is true about learning. Get all you can now, the day will come when you will wish you had more.
WISDOM: The Hebrew Boys were held in high esteem because they displayed wisdom. Wisdom is related to knowledge, skill and learning, because it refers to the wise use of all three. Wisdom, in the words of Dr. Ava Pierce, is knowing “When to say yes and when to say no. When to hold on and when to let go.” It is the prudent application of skill and learning at the right time and place. There are many people who have knowledge but have no wisdom. There are many who learning and skill, but lack wisdom. Those who reject wisdom are referred to in scripture as fools. Many young people ruin themselves because they act foolishly rather than wisely with their parents, teachers and school mates. They never read the words of Proverbs 10:23, “It is sport to a fool to do mischief, but a man of understanding hath wisdom.” The child that disrespects his parents, teachers and adults, acts foolishly. Those who rebel against authority at school and break every rule act foolishly. Proverb 4:7 sums up the matter, “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.”
Christ Makes Us Fantastic
Finally, brothers and sisters we must consider that in addition to their knowledge, skill, learning and wisdom, the Hebrew Boys had a fourth presence that was always with them; the presence of the Lord.
That’s what makes them Fantastic! The Lord was always with them.
They trusted the Lord and leaned not to their own understanding!
They each had special gifts and talents that they used to glorify God and in their decision making, they chose to put him above all others.
Three men stood high in the kingdom when the king’s trumpet sounded!
Three men remained standing when the rest of the kingdom bowed in submission and reverence to a godlike king.
Three men stood before the judgment seat of the king, on trial for their lives.
Three men heard the king when they were asked, “Will your god deliver thee?”
Three men answered with one resolved, “We don’t know if God will deliver us but we know he is able!”
Three men watched as the heat of the furnace was raised seven times hotter than usual.
Three men were bound and thrown into the fiery furnace and flames of fire enveloped them.
Three men suddenly stood in the fire; they stood like smoky shadows and aberrations.
I heard the king ask, “Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.” Daniel 3:24-25
It was the fourth man in the fire, who made these young men fantastic!
They had knowledge, but when faced with the fiery trials of life, they were saved by the fourth man in the fire!
They had skill, but all of their skill could not save them in a moment of trial, it was only the fourth man in the fire!
They had learning and wisdom, but when things got really hot, they needed the fourth man in the fire!
1 John 5:7 says there are three witness bearers: the father, the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one. That means any time we get in the fire we are not alone. There are four men in the fire, the Father, The Son, The Holy Ghost and you!
What enemy can stand the power of the Fantastic Four?
What obstacle can stand in the way of the Fantastic Four?
What challenge is too great for the Fantastic Four?
The world declares, “we thought we had him down, but behold there is a fourth man in the fire!”
His name is Jesus! The Alpha and the Omega!
Jesus, The Lily of the Valley and the bright and morning star!
Jesus, who died out on Calvary, but Early Sunday morning he arose from the grave!
When God is present, there is nothing that can stand in the way of the Father, the Word, the Holy Ghost and You! The Fantastic Four!
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