Is there anyone in the house today who has ever been in a situation the seemed impossible to get out of. I'm talking about a sticky situation. You know the kind where the more you tried to get away form it, the more your tried to shake it off, the more that thing wouldn't let you go. By chance is there anyone here who has found themselves surrounded by circumstance that seemed like they were going to take you out. My brothers and my sisters has anyone ever had a Job experience whereby if it isn't one thing coming at you it's another and another thing invading your life.
I know that there are some of you here today who are living the perfect life. You've never had to go through anything, you've never had to deal with any difficulties or any hardships or pit falls in your life. Well I want you to know on today that if this is you, I want you to know that the preacher isn't being mean on today, the preacher is not excluding you on today. But if you are already living the life of Riley and living in Paradise, then this sermon is not for you today. But I'm talking to those who have had some sleepless nights those who have gone through the storms and the rain. Those who have dealt with loneliness and despair is there anyone here to day who can identify with what I'm saying on today. And truth be told all of us here today have not lived a perfect life, nor are we living a perfect life but we are striving daily to live and to be examples of Christ.
My brothers and my sisters every day of our lives we should have more of our flesh decaying and more of Jesus being applied to our lives. I'm just trying to help somebody on today. We all have had some rotten apples and some lemons come our way in this life. And the only reason why you and I are still here today, the reason why we survived all the trauma and drama in our lives was because of God's grace and his mercy. Oh somebody ought to give God some praise that's a good place right there to open up your mouth and tell God thank you for your grace and your mercy. You know that it wasn't because you were so good and kind, you know it wasn't because you kept every commandment. But it was all because you were covered by the blood of Jesus, you were kept under the almighty shadow of God. The song writer pinned the song " Oh to be kept by Jesus" is there anybody in here who will open your mouth and shout " Oh it was Jesus who kept me".
So here in the text today we see that King Nebuchadnezzar has had a golden statue of himself created and not only did he have it created in the image of himself but he had the nerves, he had the audacity to erect and place it right smack dab in the center of Babylon. But when you think about it, after all my brothers and my sisters he had the right to do this because after all he was the king. So after this statue was erected and set in it's proper place, King Nebuchadnezzar sent out an invitation to celebrate this great occasion. And you know how it is saints when we're planning a gathering we plan what we'll have, what time we'll have it and even who we'll invite. But I have discovered that when we make out our guest list, it can start off very lengthy but then become short in length. Because what we do is, we go through the list and we'll pick and depict the people on the list. In other words saints we pick who we want to come and who we don't want to come.
But here in the text today King Nebuchadnezzar has planned an event to where he wants to invite everyone he doesn't want to leave out anyone. And if you look at verse 2 and 4, you'll discover that he invited everyone. From the rich to the poor, those in authority and those with our authority. He invited Christians as well as non Christians. He did exclude anyone. And even though King Nebuchadnezzar was known as a great king who reigned over Babylon for 43 years, in his personal life he was known as a ruthless individual. And though he may have been a ruthless person, we the believer can learn something good today out of the invitation that he extended. We all know that good can come out of a bad situation amen.
And what we can learn is that we can not leave out or exclude anyone form the word of God. Doesn't matter how bad they are because remember such were some of us. Doesn't matter the lifestyle they live because once again such were some of us. And what we as believers have to learn to do is, we have to learn to look over and beyond all the junk people have in their lives and see Jesus in them and be willing to share the gospel of Jesus the Christ.
And so it was commanded that everyone when they heard the sound of the music playing they were to stop what they were doing and bow down and worship the image. It was also commanded that whosoever did not obey, would be cast into a hot blazing furnace. But notice if you will in verse 8 what it states " Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forth and accused the Jews". They begin to remind Nebuchadnezzar of the decree he had set forth concerning the protocol of worshipping the golden image. And as they begin to remind him, at the same time they begin to inform him of those who did not follow his command. They the Chaldeans begin to tell Nebuchadnezzar that during this time of worship, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego had not followed protocol.
Now this right here had me scratching my head because if during this time, if everyone was suppose to be in worship how did they know what someone was doing if they weren't in worship themselves. You see the Chaldeans instead of following protocol themselves they were up looking around, looking to see who was doing what. And my brothers and my sister it's the same way today in the church. When the spirit is moving throughout the church, you got folks sitting and being spectators instead of participator. I don't know about any of you but when God is in the house I want to receive all that he has for me. I don't have time to try and see what's going on 3 pews ahead of me but I've got to get wrapped up, tied up in the sprit of God so that I don't miss out on my blessing.
So here after their accusers have brought them forward and have told that they will not worship the image, Nebuchadnezzar gets mad flies into a frenzy and asked them is it true that they will not worship the image. And what I like about the three Hebrew boys is that all that they had learned and all that they had been taught they stood on those principles. And that speaks to us today as believers and tells us that we have to stand on the word of God. When the pressures of the world come our way it's not time for us to do as those who have know hope and give up. But it's about us taking God at his word and taking him at his promises. Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego said we will not worship you or your image we are going to stand on the promises of our God.
So the bible says that when the music played again Nebuchadnezzar wanted them to bow down and if they did not bow down, they would be cast into the fiery furnace. The Hebrew boys said to Nebuchadnezzar we don't care what you say and what you do we will not bow down and worship. And I like what they said in verse 17 they told Nebuchadnezzar if this be the case if you see fit to throw us in the fiery furnace I want you to know that the God we serve is able to deliver us. I came to tell somebody it doesn't matter what you are in right now we serve a God who able to save you. The bible says that he's able to do exceedingly and abundantly above all we could ever ask of think. Just when you think that you can't make it God steps in, in the nick of time. The Hebrew boy had so much faith in God that they said even if he doesn't deliver us all is well with our souls.
The bible says that when they were casted into the furnace they fell down bound in the midst of the fiery furnace. I think I ought to stop here long enough to let you know that when your in the midst of the fire, when fire is all around you, you need to fall on your knees and go to God in prayer. Though you may be bound by your situations and your circumstances God is able to deliver you. The bible says " Lift up your heads oh ye gates and be year lifted up ye everlasting doors and the king of glory shall come in". Who is this king it's the Lord strong and mighty, mighty in battle. The bible says that when Nebuchadnezzar got up looked into the furnace he asked the question did we not throw in three men and they answered yes king but Nebuchadnezzar said look I see four me walking in the midst of the fire and the fourth man looks like the Son of God.
All I want to tell you is that when the heat gets to hot don't you move but stay right there and watch God show up and show out and make everything alright. Don't you move stay right there because he's there with you he said in his word that he would be with you even until the end of the world.
