No Compromise Part 2
Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-nego
June 26, 2022 Morning Service
Immanuel Baptist Church, Wagoner, OK
Rick Boyne
Message Point: We should be willing to die for our convictions about God and His Word.
Focus Passage: Daniel 3:1-30
Introduction: David Hume, 18th century British philosopher who rejected historic Christianity, once met a friend hurrying along a London street and asked where he was going. The friend said he was off to hear George Whitfield preach. "But surely you don't believe what Whitfield preaches do you?" "No, I don't, but he does." J.R.W. Stott, Between Two Worlds, p. 270.
I. Laws Contrary to God’s Law
a. The king’s edict broke two of the Ten Commandments
i. Exo 20:3 "You shall have no other gods before Me.
ii. Exo 20:4 "You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.
b. The locals were jealous of the foreigners who had gained power within the government.
c. The locals turned them into the king.
d. There are already several laws in the USA that go against God’s Law. Most of them that do allow people to do things God said NOT to do.
e. Jesus says that “From now on families will be split apart, three in favor of me, and two against—or two in favor and three against. ‘Father will be divided against son and son against father; mother against daughter and daughter against mother; and mother-in-law against daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law.’” (Luke 12:52-53 NLT)
II. Conviction to Obedience, Despite the Cost
a. They refused to obey the law
b. They were hauled in before the King
c. The king even gave them a chance to obey
d. They stood firm in God’s word and said, “… “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. 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. 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.” (Daniel 3:16-18 NLT)
III. Testimony to God’s Faithfulness
a. Their defiance made the king very, very angry
b. He ordered the furnace to be 7 times hotter than normal
c. It was so hot it killed the guards who threw them in
d. The king saw them untied and walking around in there with a fourth person who was shiny
e. The king called them out and everyone noticed they were not burned, singed, or even smelled like smoke
f. The king gave glory to the God of Heaven and made a decree to honor God
Application/Call to Obedience: that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. (Romans 10:9-10 NASB)
