Familiar Faces in the Flames
Daniel 3:1-12
Introduction:
~In the times we live in of being “pc”, we find ourselves being lacked and lazy in our
duty to tell those of Jesus and His wonderful salvation.
~Even though we know the outcome of our unwillingness. (HELL)
~Failure to tell someone of the Love of Jesus and to stand by while they perish is
foolishness to the saints of God.
~It is every born again Christians duty to tell those around us, that there is a better way,
and that way is Jesus Christ.
~We sometimes find ourselves ashamed of Jesus.
~We tell our selves the time is not right.
~We tell our selves there is too much going on in there life right now.
~We tell our selves that we can’t speak very well.
~We tell our selves that it’s the pastors or the deacon’s job to tell them.
~We tell our selves they will come around to it.
~We say I’ll just live it in front of them, and they will get saved.
~As we look at are selves we know that all these are lies, lies from the devil.
We know they need to know the Love of Jesus, and we MUST tell them.
~We can look in verse 12 and see that the king Nebuchadnezzar knew these men, and did
nothing to keep them from going into the flames, but stood by as they were thrown in.
~I ask you today, are we willing to allow all the excuses of the world to keep us from
telling those we know and love of the Love of Jesus?
~It’s time to Wake up sleeping giant, our Lord is coming soon.
1. The WHO of the FLAMES
The Saviour’s job
Matthew 18:11 says…
For the Son of man is come to save that which was LOST
Pastor, Church, Saints, and Parent’s job
Luke 15:4 says…
What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is LOST, until he find it?
Our job
II Corinthians 4:3 says…
But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are LOST:
Luke 14:23 says…
And the lord said unto the servant, Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.
~How can they call if we do not tell them?
Matthew 28:19-20 says…
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
>The Bible says there was a certain Rich man in Luke 16:19…
**I’d like to think there was no name given; do to the fact that it could be
anyone, Rich or poor, tall or skinny, black or white, anyone in the flame.
~It’s not even the fact that he was rich that sent him to hell, it’s the fact that he never
accepted Jesus as his Saviour that sent him to hell.
>It’s your kids that you’re unwilling to tell for fear they will not bring the grand kids over
any more, because you churched them to much.
But rather willing to watch them get closer and closer to the flames instead of telling
them of the Love of Jesus
>It is the one that cuts your hair, the one who bags your groceries, the guy at
the gas station, and those that you meet at the stores, who are inching closer
to the flames.
~It’s not just that a certain rich man died, but that he died and went to HELL.
~Are you ok with that? Are you ok with the LOST going to hell?
2. The WHY they were in the FLAMES?
Nebuchadnezzar made the image Vv.1
Nebuchadnezzar set it up Vv.2, 6, 7, 13 SEE RED NOTATIONS
PRIDE: of Nebuchadnezzar
Mark 7:22-23 says…
Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness All these evil things come from within, and defile the man
>It was the pride of this king that had put these Hebrew Children in the flames.
1 John 2:16
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.
Proverbs 16:18 says…
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
>This is Nebuchadnezzar’s vain attempt to have a consolidation of religion, the second
(2nd) in the Bible of three (3) attempts.
>The first (1st) is found in Gen. 11 with the Tower of Babel
>The second (2nd) here, and the third (3rd) found in Rev. 13
PRIDE: of the 3 Hebrew Children
Pride in who they believed:
>>We are not careful (ready) to answer thee in this matter Vv.16
>>Our God is able to deliver us. Vv.17
~We serve Jehovah-Jireh: “the Lord will provide” (Gen 22:8-14)
~We serve Jehovah-Nissi: “the Lord is our banner” (Ex. 17:15)
~We serve Jehovah-Shalom: “the Lord our peace” (Judges 6:24)
**I’d like to think they were thinking about what Job said in
Job 13:15a it says…
Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him:
~We serve Jehovah-Shammah: “the Lord is present” (Ezek. 48:35)
>>Either way, we are prideful in who we serve, and even if He does not, we will still not
bow unto thee or thy image Vv.18
>>We have “peace” in Him that He is “present” with us to “provide” a way out, and we
will wave the blood stained “banner” as through life we go.
3. The Witness of the FLAMES
We must read Jude 22-23 for this final point
And of some have compassion, making a difference And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
~I want you to notice that the word “them” is in italics
>>Who is this “them”? It is all those that we have spoke about in this message
~Some have had compassion, so mich that it makes a difference.
>>Are we willing to make a difference?
>>Are we willing ot pull them out of the flames or the fire?
Bro Stepp
Revival 6/12/08
