WE MAY BURN, BUT WE WILL NOT BOW
Text: Daniel 3: 16-18
Tell story to this point.
I. We May Burn, But We Will Not Bow
A. When faced with certain death.
1. Could not be shaken from their faith.
2. They stood strong in the face of death.
B. They could have back down.
1. After all who would care.
2. Others had bowed. Why not?
3. Save the pain.
C. They would not because of their faith in God.
Heb 6:19 Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil;
1. That anchor to God within the veil held strong.
2. They knew who’s side they were on.
Ro 8:31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for
us, who can be against us?
II. Fiery Trial Of Faith.
A. They are bound hand and foot.
1. Helpless against their captors.
2. Led to the brink of the furnace.
B. Here they could have stopped the proceedings.
1. They could have helped themselves.
2. After all isn’t that what God wants.
The Lord helps those that help themselves. -Ben Franklin
The gods help those that help themselves. - Aesop
C. The opposite is true. The Lord helps them that can’t help themselves.
D. In the fire. They had to wait for the fire to be stoked.
1. They were not harmed. The fire could not hurt them.
a. They had a fire burning inside that was hotter.
1. Elijah’s fire.
1 Kings 18:38 Then the fire of the LORD fell, and consumed the
burnt sacrifice, and the wood, and the stones, and the dust, and
licked up the water that was in the trench.
2. Pentecostal Fire.
Ac 2:3 And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire,
and it sat upon each of them.
3. The Fire that Jesus baptizes with.
Mt 3:11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that
cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to
bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
b. They had the Son of God with them.
2. Just as important they were set free from their bonds.
A. Not until they were in the fire.
B. They found freedom in the Lord.
2co 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord
is, there is liberty.
III. They Were Better After the Experience.
A. Their God was glorified by Nebuchadnezzar. vv 28-29
B. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were promoted.
Conclusion:
We have been promised that we will face trials.
James writes to count it all joy when we fall into diverse temptations.
How we face the trial or temptation or trouble determines the ultimate outcome.
Will we cave in to the popular opinion of the day.
Or will we, as the three young men in this passage did, stand up to it.
Last week we heard a question Whom Do You Believe.
The answer to that question will determine how you will face the fiery furnaces of your life.
Will you cave? Or will you say boldly I may burn, but I will not bow.
