WEBVTT

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 I'm going to give you more passages this morning for Daniel chapter 3.

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 I encourage you to turn there with me.

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 Daniel chapter 3 is at page 739.

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 You can get my help from the wall there.

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 Let's do something to do.

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 A little stretch, because I'm going to go for a long time this morning,

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 and you're going to need it.

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 Just kidding.

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 All right, Daniel chapter 3.

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 Let's start, since it's a bit of a longish passage,

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 I'm just going to read the first 23 verses, and we'll pick up from there.

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 Okay?

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 Verse 1.

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 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold whose height was 60 cubits,

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 and its breadth 6 cubits.

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 He set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon.

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 Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent together the satraps, the prefects, and the governors,

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 the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates,

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 and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image

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 that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

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 Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors,

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 the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates,

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 and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image

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 that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

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 And they stood before the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

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 And the herald proclaimed aloud,

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 You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages,

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 that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe,

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 and every kind of music,

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 you are to fall down and worship the golden image

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 that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.

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 And whoever does not fall down and worship

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 shall immediately be cast into a burning, fiery furnace.

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 Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre,

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 trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music,

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 all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down

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 and worshipped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

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 Therefore, at that time, certain Chaldeans came forward

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 and maliciously accused the Jews.

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 They declared to King Nebuchadnezzar,

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 O king, live forever.

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 You, O king, have made a decree that every man who hears the sound of the horn,

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 pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music

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 shall fall down and worship the golden image.

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 And whoever does not fall down and worship

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 shall be cast into the burning, fiery furnace.

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 There are certain Jews whom you have appointed

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 over the affairs of the province of Babylon,

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 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

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 These men, O king, pay no attention to you.

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 They do not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.

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 Then King Nebuchadnezzar, in furious rage,

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 commanded that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought.

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 So they brought these men before the king.

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 Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them,

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 Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,

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 that you do not serve my gods or worship the golden image that I have set up?

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 Now, if you are ready when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe,

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 and every kind of music to fall down and worship the image that I have made, well and good.

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 But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be cast into a burning, fiery furnace.

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 And who is the God who will deliver you out of my hands?

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 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered and said to the king,

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 O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter.

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 If this be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning, fiery furnace,

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 and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king.

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 But if not, be it known to you, O king,

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 that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image that you have set up.

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 Then Nebuchadnezzar was filled with fury,

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 and the expression of his face was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

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 He ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it was usually heated.

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 And he ordered some of the mighty men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

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 and to cast them into the burning, fiery furnace.

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 Then these men were bound in their cloaks, their tunics, their hats, and their other garments,

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 and they were thrown into the burning, fiery furnace.

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 Because the king's order was urgent and the furnace overheated,

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 the flame of the fire killed those men who took up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

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 And these three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,

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 fell bound into the burning, fiery furnace.

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 Go ahead and sit down.

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 God, we do ask for your help now as we come to your word,

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 that you would allow us by your spirit to have an understanding

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 of what you're saying to us and teaching to us about you and about us

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 and about your gracious provision for us.

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 And Lord, what it means to respond faithfully to who you are and what you've done.

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 Be with us now, we pray in Jesus' name.

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 Amen.

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 In 1934, in Barman, Germany, a group of church leaders, theologians, and laymen

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 gathered to consider how they would respond to the greatest crisis they had ever faced.

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 Almost immediately after the Nazi seizure of power in 1933,

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 Protestant Christians faced pressure to arianize the church,

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 expel Jewish Christians from the ordained ministry,

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 and adopt the Nazi Führer principle as the organizing principle of church government.

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 Sadly now, just one year later in 1934,

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 many churches had already bowed to Hitler's ideology.

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 And now, here, how would these church leaders respond?

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 Would they capitulate to the theological claims of the Nazi state,

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 perhaps in the name of German unity,

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 or in the name of church unity,

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 or a great risk to their churches and their lives,

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 would they resist?

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 Well, in great courage, they chose the latter.

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 And they drafted what's become known as the Barman Declaration.

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 We reject, they wrote, the false doctrine that the church could and should recognize as a source

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 of its proclamation beyond and besides this one word of God,

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 yet other events, powers, historic figures, and truths as God's revelation.

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 We reject the false doctrine that there could be areas of our life

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 in which we would not belong to Jesus Christ,

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 but to other lords.

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 The Barman Declaration stated in no uncertain terms,

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 in the face of a totalitarian regime,

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 that the church gives exclusive allegiance to Jesus Christ.

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 No other powers, no matter what their threats,

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 will take the place of Christ as Lord.

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 And our chapter this morning is meant to inspire

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 such unconditional allegiance to God.

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 But you know, it's meant to do so not just for church leaders and theologians,

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 and not just at momentous events and moments in history,

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 but it's meant to do so for all of us.

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 You see, friends, the book of Daniel is a lot about what it means

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 to be the church in the midst of the world.

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 Not separated from the world, not assimilated into the world,

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 but being the church in the midst of the world.

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 What does it look like to live as citizens of the kingdom of God

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 in the midst of the kingdoms of this world,

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 especially when the kingdoms of this world seem to have the upper hand?

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 And we're going to learn three things from this text

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 about living as citizens of the kingdom of God

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 in the midst of the kingdoms of this world.

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 First, the pressure we will face.

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 Second, the confession we should give.

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 And third, the assurance that we can have.

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 So first then, the pressure we will face.

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 When chapter 3 opens, these three young Jewish men,

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 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, are not priests,

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 not religious leaders, not super all-star saints.

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 They're civil servants in the Babylonian Empire.

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 In fact, at this point, they've become high-ranking officials

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 in Nebuchadnezzar's administration.

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 They're out working in the world.

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 And it hadn't been all smooth sailing to this point.

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 In chapter 1, you remember, they had to negotiate ways

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 of maintaining their Jewish identity

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 in the midst of their Babylonian training.

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 In chapter 2, their lives were actually in danger,

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 along with all the other Babylonian wise men and counselors,

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 because of Nebuchadnezzar's dream.

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 But through it all, God had preserved and even promoted them.

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 They flourished in their training, with their prayers.

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 Daniel was able to interpret Nebuchadnezzar's dream.

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 So they had hit some critical bumps along the way,

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 but through it all, God had put them in positions

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 of authority and influence, even though as a people,

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 the Jews were in the midst of exile.

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 So far, so good.

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 But in this chapter, things take a turn.

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 Up to this point, they were able to navigate

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 their allegiance to God and their position in Babylon

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 without much conflict.

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 In fact, they were sort of the rising stars of the empire.

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 Then Nebuchadnezzar builds a 90-foot tall golden image

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 and demands that all the officials of his kingdom

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 bow down and worship.

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 And suddenly, the pressure to conform,

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 the pressure to abandon their exclusive allegiance to God

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 comes barreling down on these three young exiles.

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 Now, you see, Nebuchadnezzar in this chapter had a problem.

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 You see, he had conquered this vast number of nations

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 and people groups and had consolidated them

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 into his empire.

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 But the problem was, how would he keep the whole thing together?

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 What would he do to bring unity and ensure common loyalty

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 from such a diverse group?

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 What would keep his empire from splintering apart?

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 And his answer, of course, is the golden image.

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 The image, by the way, probably didn't represent

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 Nebuchadnezzar himself.

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 It probably represented one of the Babylonian gods.

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 But still, it was the image he had set up,

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 as the narrator emphasizes over and over again.

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 So he was going to take personally

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 any rejection of the image.

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 You see, this image was a test of ultimate loyalty to him

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 and to the power of his state, to the power of Babylon.

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 And of course, Nebuchadnezzar wasn't saying

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 that they had to stop worshiping their own gods.

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 The ancient Near East, much like the modern West,

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 was very pluralistic.

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 You can keep your gods in private, whatever works for you.

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 But here, you better worship this one.

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 You better prove your loyalty.

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 Now, my guess is that few of us have had to confront

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 the pressure to bow before a 90-foot-tall,

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 nine-foot-wide, gold-plated totem pole.

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 But the pressure to worship some other god than God

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 is still alive and well today, isn't it?

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 We just don't make statues of them anymore.

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 You see, friends, what the Bible tells us

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 and what our experience shows us

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 is that the human heart will always worship something.

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 The natural tendency of the fallen human heart,

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 whether individually or corporately as a society,

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 will be to exchange the worship of the Creator,

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 the one true God, for some created thing.

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 To make ultimate something in the place of God.

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 And as Christians living in the midst of the world,

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 as we should be, seeking to be salt and light,

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 seeking the good of our city and our communities

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 like these three young exiles,

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 serving faithfully in the positions God grants us,

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 as we live in the midst of the world

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 as citizens and ambassadors of God's kingdom,

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 we will face pressure to conform

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 to the gods of the world around us.

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 At work,

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 in pursuit of the common goal of profit,

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 will there be challenges to go against your conscience,

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 to let slide your loyalty to God

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 as the pursuit of profit becomes the God of profit?

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 Maybe by fudging just a little bit

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 on those quarterly reports.

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 That's what everyone does after all.

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 Be a good team player, your supervisor says.

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 At school,

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 when your friends are all eagerly talking

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 and agreeing about their views on sex or gender or religion,

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 and then slapping each other on the back,

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 they turn to you and say,

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 you agree, don't you?

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 You're with us on this, right?

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 You're not one of those, are you?

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 Again, that pressure to conform.

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 Or you're in the studio or in the lab,

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 and the God of success or approval

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 means that all your peers are putting in 60,

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 70, 80 hours a week.

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 And you,

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 are you really going to leave this early?

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 Are you really serious about being here?

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 Do you really deserve to be here?

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 Or maybe even in your family.

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 This is the way we've always done things.

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 This is what it means to be a part of this family.

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 The pressure to conform.

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 And look a little more closely at the anatomy

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 of this pressure here in chapter three.

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 First, this idol is very impressive, is it not?

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 90 feet high, covered in gold.

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 Second, it seems to me a real need.

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 Unifying the empire.

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 A well-organized government's a good thing, right?

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 Getting everyone on the same page.

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 Keeping conflicts at a minimum.

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 It's seeking a good goal, right?

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 Third, literally everyone is doing it.

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 The list of officials in verses two through three

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 are representatives of the entire empire.

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 All the people, nations, and languages of the empire

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 have their highest ranking officials present.

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 Talk about peer pressure, right?

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 Even the band is an international ensemble.

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 Instruments of every kind from every place.

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 Wouldn't it be rude?

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 Just a bit culturally insensitive not to just go along?

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 No.

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 But of course, those three things are just the tip of the iceberg, aren't they?

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 Not content to just wow the attendees

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 by the impressive height of the image

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 or the international makeup of the ensemble,

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 Nebuchadnezzar issues a threat.

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 If you don't worship,

00:15:20.759 --> 00:15:23.000
 you'll be thrown into a burning, fiery furnace.

00:15:24.179 --> 00:15:26.179
 So much for freedom of conscience.

00:15:29.340 --> 00:15:31.939
 And suddenly we realize that we're not playing games anymore.

00:15:31.940 --> 00:15:35.920
 Refusal to worship will cost you your life.

00:15:37.080 --> 00:15:39.920
 You know, some of us have encountered this story so often

00:15:39.920 --> 00:15:42.980
 in children's Bibles or in Sunday school

00:15:42.980 --> 00:15:45.920
 that it's become so sanitized in our minds.

00:15:47.180 --> 00:15:50.400
 We've almost become immune to the horrible threat

00:15:50.400 --> 00:15:53.220
 that these men faced.

00:15:54.800 --> 00:15:59.080
 Real and certain death if they did not comply.

00:15:59.080 --> 00:16:04.360
 And you know, at first,

00:16:05.220 --> 00:16:06.520
 when we get to verse 7,

00:16:07.200 --> 00:16:09.440
 it seems like these three young exiles

00:16:09.440 --> 00:16:12.060
 are able somehow to get out of the line of fire.

00:16:14.100 --> 00:16:16.900
 Perhaps as officials in the very province of Babylon,

00:16:17.080 --> 00:16:17.879
 they weren't required,

00:16:18.420 --> 00:16:19.960
 like these dignitaries gathering

00:16:19.960 --> 00:16:21.700
 from all the far-flung corners of the empire,

00:16:21.860 --> 00:16:23.460
 perhaps they weren't sort of required

00:16:23.460 --> 00:16:24.879
 to prove their allegiance in this way.

00:16:24.940 --> 00:16:26.360
 They were already on the team, you see.

00:16:26.360 --> 00:16:30.320
 Maybe the ceremony didn't quite include them at first.

00:16:30.659 --> 00:16:31.860
 And so, wisely,

00:16:32.539 --> 00:16:33.800
 they kept quiet

00:16:33.800 --> 00:16:35.639
 and kept their heads low.

00:16:37.340 --> 00:16:38.340
 We don't know for sure.

00:16:38.440 --> 00:16:39.919
 We're also not sure where Daniel is

00:16:39.919 --> 00:16:41.139
 while all this is taking place.

00:16:42.019 --> 00:16:42.860
 The text is silent,

00:16:42.940 --> 00:16:43.860
 so all we can do is speculate.

00:16:44.039 --> 00:16:45.279
 Was he away on the king's business?

00:16:45.360 --> 00:16:46.019
 We just don't know.

00:16:48.680 --> 00:16:49.800
 But we do know that

00:16:49.800 --> 00:16:51.639
 in addition to the threat of the furnace,

00:16:51.639 --> 00:16:55.980
 these men also face the jealousy of their co-workers,

00:16:56.360 --> 00:16:58.220
 and the pressure mounts even more.

00:16:58.699 --> 00:17:01.100
 Their low profile is suddenly blown.

00:17:01.240 --> 00:17:02.259
 In verses 8 through 12,

00:17:02.379 --> 00:17:03.340
 certain Chaldeans,

00:17:03.519 --> 00:17:05.220
 that is Babylonian officials,

00:17:05.440 --> 00:17:06.519
 counselors, scholars,

00:17:07.339 --> 00:17:09.559
 maliciously accuse these three men.

00:17:10.980 --> 00:17:12.299
 And what's their motivation?

00:17:12.480 --> 00:17:15.680
 Well, we see from their conversation with Nebuchadnezzar

00:17:15.680 --> 00:17:16.660
 that it seems to be

00:17:16.660 --> 00:17:19.560
 wanting to get some professional revenge

00:17:19.560 --> 00:17:21.060
 on these foreigners

00:17:21.060 --> 00:17:23.799
 who've been given such high position

00:17:23.799 --> 00:17:25.259
 in their city,

00:17:25.600 --> 00:17:26.840
 at their game.

00:17:30.120 --> 00:17:31.720
 And all this leads to a confrontation

00:17:31.720 --> 00:17:32.920
 with Nebuchadnezzar himself.

00:17:33.600 --> 00:17:35.519
 The pressures, the threats, the accusations

00:17:35.519 --> 00:17:37.259
 bring everything to a crisis.

00:17:38.840 --> 00:17:40.480
 Nebuchadnezzar surely can't have members

00:17:40.480 --> 00:17:41.900
 of his own administration

00:17:41.900 --> 00:17:43.160
 embarrassing him

00:17:43.160 --> 00:17:44.240
 before the gathered officials

00:17:44.240 --> 00:17:46.000
 of his entire kingdom, right?

00:17:47.740 --> 00:17:50.080
 And so, justly,

00:17:50.480 --> 00:17:52.080
 he gives these three men a chance

00:17:52.080 --> 00:17:53.540
 to come and bow

00:17:53.540 --> 00:17:55.100
 and make things right.

00:17:55.680 --> 00:17:57.500
 Let's brush this under the carpet, fellas.

00:18:00.320 --> 00:18:02.820
 But if they won't prove his authority,

00:18:03.280 --> 00:18:03.800
 he will.

00:18:04.960 --> 00:18:06.360
 He will prove his authority

00:18:06.360 --> 00:18:07.240
 and absolute rule

00:18:07.240 --> 00:18:09.900
 by casting them into the fire.

00:18:09.900 --> 00:18:12.860
 And who, he says,

00:18:13.300 --> 00:18:14.600
 is the God

00:18:14.600 --> 00:18:15.800
 who will deliver you

00:18:15.800 --> 00:18:17.320
 out of my hands?

00:18:21.780 --> 00:18:23.300
 Now, many of us won't face

00:18:23.300 --> 00:18:25.600
 such a literal life-or-death confrontation.

00:18:27.680 --> 00:18:30.140
 Although, for Christians worldwide,

00:18:31.000 --> 00:18:33.280
 this is a reality for many.

00:18:34.920 --> 00:18:36.560
 And we ought to be in prayer

00:18:36.560 --> 00:18:39.060
 for our brothers and sisters globally.

00:18:39.900 --> 00:18:41.720
 But for us,

00:18:42.040 --> 00:18:42.900
 the threat,

00:18:43.060 --> 00:18:43.820
 the accusation,

00:18:43.900 --> 00:18:44.440
 the confrontation

00:18:44.440 --> 00:18:47.580
 still will present us

00:18:47.580 --> 00:18:48.580
 with a cost.

00:18:50.820 --> 00:18:52.920
 Maintaining our loyalty to God

00:18:52.920 --> 00:18:55.380
 will at times be very costly.

00:18:56.800 --> 00:18:57.960
 Our physical lives

00:18:57.960 --> 00:18:59.140
 may not be at stake,

00:18:59.259 --> 00:19:01.400
 but perhaps our reputation will be.

00:19:03.180 --> 00:19:05.360
 Or our professional success,

00:19:06.259 --> 00:19:07.519
 our job security,

00:19:07.720 --> 00:19:08.940
 our family's approval,

00:19:08.940 --> 00:19:10.740
 maybe even a close friendship.

00:19:12.580 --> 00:19:14.120
 The fire will threaten

00:19:14.120 --> 00:19:16.320
 to consume something costly,

00:19:16.980 --> 00:19:18.360
 something dear to us.

00:19:21.700 --> 00:19:23.480
 And as we stand in a position

00:19:23.480 --> 00:19:24.340
 of weakness,

00:19:25.340 --> 00:19:26.160
 outnumbered,

00:19:26.160 --> 00:19:28.039
 at the mercy, it seems,

00:19:28.380 --> 00:19:30.180
 of those in power over us,

00:19:31.059 --> 00:19:33.000
 that taunt will become

00:19:33.000 --> 00:19:34.440
 a doubt in our hearts.

00:19:34.440 --> 00:19:37.500
 who is the God

00:19:37.500 --> 00:19:39.640
 who is able to rescue us?

00:19:43.900 --> 00:19:45.220
 So how should we respond

00:19:45.220 --> 00:19:46.019
 to the pressure?

00:19:47.940 --> 00:19:49.480
 That brings us to the second point,

00:19:50.519 --> 00:19:52.039
 the confession we should give.

00:19:53.039 --> 00:19:54.539
 In verses 16 through 18,

00:19:54.660 --> 00:19:57.380
 we're given the incredibly brave response

00:19:57.380 --> 00:19:58.559
 of the three young exiles.

00:19:58.559 --> 00:20:00.659
 It forms sort of the center

00:20:00.659 --> 00:20:02.179
 of the whole text.

00:20:03.079 --> 00:20:04.960
 And what we see in their confession here

00:20:04.960 --> 00:20:07.179
 is a picture of robust,

00:20:07.819 --> 00:20:09.259
 biblical faith.

00:20:10.779 --> 00:20:11.480
 Dale Ralph Davis,

00:20:11.579 --> 00:20:12.559
 in his commentary on Daniel,

00:20:12.679 --> 00:20:13.579
 summarizes it this way.

00:20:13.639 --> 00:20:15.059
 This sort of faith, he says,

00:20:15.419 --> 00:20:17.159
 knows the power of God,

00:20:17.980 --> 00:20:19.779
 guards the freedom of God,

00:20:19.899 --> 00:20:22.500
 and holds the truth of God.

00:20:22.500 --> 00:20:25.460
 It knows the power of God.

00:20:25.519 --> 00:20:26.559
 In the height of his pride,

00:20:26.680 --> 00:20:27.799
 Nebuchadnezzar declares,

00:20:28.019 --> 00:20:28.660
 who is the God

00:20:28.660 --> 00:20:29.200
 who can deliver you

00:20:29.200 --> 00:20:29.900
 out of my hands?

00:20:29.940 --> 00:20:30.619
 And the men reply,

00:20:31.160 --> 00:20:32.519
 the God whom we serve

00:20:32.519 --> 00:20:34.440
 is able to deliver us

00:20:34.440 --> 00:20:36.019
 from the burning, fiery furnace,

00:20:36.140 --> 00:20:37.000
 and he will deliver us

00:20:37.000 --> 00:20:38.180
 out of your hand, O king.

00:20:39.200 --> 00:20:40.920
 We have no need to answer you

00:20:40.920 --> 00:20:42.180
 in this matter.

00:20:43.859 --> 00:20:45.400
 The men have no doubt

00:20:45.400 --> 00:20:47.859
 that the creator of the universe,

00:20:48.019 --> 00:20:49.779
 the almighty Lord of all,

00:20:49.779 --> 00:20:51.500
 is able to snuff out

00:20:51.500 --> 00:20:52.759
 this flaming furnace

00:20:52.759 --> 00:20:54.960
 as easily as you or I

00:20:54.960 --> 00:20:56.399
 would blow out a birthday candle,

00:20:57.339 --> 00:20:59.879
 whether it be seven times hotter

00:20:59.879 --> 00:21:01.259
 or 70 times hotter.

00:21:02.579 --> 00:21:03.680
 This is the God

00:21:03.680 --> 00:21:04.920
 who created the stars

00:21:04.920 --> 00:21:05.920
 and the planets

00:21:05.920 --> 00:21:07.480
 and every living thing

00:21:07.480 --> 00:21:10.160
 with a simple, sovereign word.

00:21:10.539 --> 00:21:11.899
 He is able.

00:21:12.019 --> 00:21:13.299
 Nebuchadnezzar can't even keep

00:21:13.299 --> 00:21:14.980
 his empire from falling apart.

00:21:16.160 --> 00:21:18.059
 It's his inner insecurity

00:21:18.059 --> 00:21:18.980
 and anxiety

00:21:18.980 --> 00:21:19.860
 that drives him

00:21:19.860 --> 00:21:20.720
 to build this idol

00:21:20.720 --> 00:21:21.779
 and that's also why

00:21:21.779 --> 00:21:22.900
 he bursts into rage

00:21:22.900 --> 00:21:24.079
 when his rule is threatened.

00:21:24.599 --> 00:21:26.599
 He knows deep down,

00:21:26.680 --> 00:21:27.700
 just like all of us,

00:21:27.920 --> 00:21:29.160
 that we aren't in control.

00:21:31.559 --> 00:21:32.500
 But God,

00:21:33.500 --> 00:21:36.440
 God orders and preserves

00:21:36.440 --> 00:21:37.720
 all things

00:21:37.720 --> 00:21:38.860
 according to the counsel

00:21:38.860 --> 00:21:40.360
 of his will.

00:21:40.759 --> 00:21:42.299
 What are the hands

00:21:42.299 --> 00:21:43.200
 of Nebuchadnezzar

00:21:43.200 --> 00:21:44.579
 compared to the hands

00:21:44.579 --> 00:21:46.759
 of almighty God?

00:21:46.759 --> 00:21:46.859
 God.

00:21:49.859 --> 00:21:51.420
 The confession of faith

00:21:51.420 --> 00:21:53.519
 knows the power of God,

00:21:54.019 --> 00:21:55.799
 but it also guards

00:21:55.799 --> 00:21:57.339
 the freedom of God.

00:21:58.279 --> 00:22:00.059
 Perhaps the most powerful moment

00:22:00.059 --> 00:22:01.019
 in the whole chapter

00:22:01.019 --> 00:22:03.200
 are those three words

00:22:03.200 --> 00:22:04.559
 that begin verse 18.

00:22:05.660 --> 00:22:08.319
 But if not.

00:22:09.500 --> 00:22:11.400
 They know God is able

00:22:11.400 --> 00:22:12.119
 to deliver them

00:22:12.119 --> 00:22:14.000
 and still they confess,

00:22:14.659 --> 00:22:15.500
 but if not.

00:22:17.079 --> 00:22:18.359
 God may not choose

00:22:18.359 --> 00:22:18.939
 to do so.

00:22:21.819 --> 00:22:22.399
 You see,

00:22:22.459 --> 00:22:22.939
 these young men

00:22:22.939 --> 00:22:24.039
 don't treat God

00:22:24.039 --> 00:22:25.379
 like we so often do,

00:22:25.919 --> 00:22:27.799
 like a cosmic

00:22:27.799 --> 00:22:28.759
 vending machine

00:22:28.759 --> 00:22:30.679
 that if we just

00:22:30.679 --> 00:22:31.759
 insert the coins

00:22:31.759 --> 00:22:32.319
 of religion,

00:22:33.500 --> 00:22:34.639
 out-clunk the soda

00:22:34.639 --> 00:22:35.939
 bottles of God's blessing.

00:22:36.459 --> 00:22:37.819
 It's an easy exchange,

00:22:37.899 --> 00:22:38.259
 isn't it?

00:22:38.259 --> 00:22:41.400
 But no,

00:22:41.519 --> 00:22:42.319
 they don't presume

00:22:42.319 --> 00:22:42.859
 to know

00:22:42.859 --> 00:22:44.619
 what God's plan is

00:22:44.619 --> 00:22:45.099
 in this moment.

00:22:45.180 --> 00:22:45.900
 They don't presume

00:22:45.900 --> 00:22:46.660
 to tell God

00:22:46.660 --> 00:22:47.660
 what he must do

00:22:47.660 --> 00:22:48.740
 or not do,

00:22:48.839 --> 00:22:50.160
 and they don't think

00:22:50.160 --> 00:22:52.299
 that they deserve

00:22:52.299 --> 00:22:53.720
 to be saved

00:22:53.720 --> 00:22:54.680
 because they've been

00:22:54.680 --> 00:22:55.819
 so faithful to God.

00:22:57.720 --> 00:22:59.299
 They're utterly open

00:22:59.299 --> 00:23:00.160
 to the possibility

00:23:00.160 --> 00:23:01.539
 that God may not

00:23:01.539 --> 00:23:03.180
 choose to deliver them.

00:23:03.599 --> 00:23:04.799
 Faith in God,

00:23:05.079 --> 00:23:06.079
 real robust

00:23:06.079 --> 00:23:07.319
 biblical faith in God

00:23:07.319 --> 00:23:08.639
 means guarding

00:23:08.639 --> 00:23:09.839
 God's freedom

00:23:09.839 --> 00:23:10.899
 and entrusting

00:23:10.899 --> 00:23:11.779
 oneself to him

00:23:11.779 --> 00:23:13.240
 whatever he decides.

00:23:15.859 --> 00:23:16.720
 And third,

00:23:18.339 --> 00:23:19.500
 the confession of faith

00:23:19.500 --> 00:23:21.399
 holds the truth of God.

00:23:22.659 --> 00:23:24.339
 These men may not know

00:23:24.339 --> 00:23:25.980
 what God's sovereign will is,

00:23:26.039 --> 00:23:26.839
 what he's decreed

00:23:26.839 --> 00:23:28.159
 to happen in this moment,

00:23:28.259 --> 00:23:29.359
 whether he will save them

00:23:29.359 --> 00:23:29.899
 or not,

00:23:30.019 --> 00:23:30.919
 but they know

00:23:30.919 --> 00:23:32.500
 what God's revealed will is.

00:23:32.559 --> 00:23:32.939
 That is,

00:23:33.079 --> 00:23:33.960
 they know what God

00:23:33.960 --> 00:23:35.599
 commands them to do.

00:23:35.960 --> 00:23:36.559
 You shall have

00:23:36.559 --> 00:23:37.619
 no other gods

00:23:37.619 --> 00:23:38.299
 before me,

00:23:39.079 --> 00:23:39.740
 God says,

00:23:40.279 --> 00:23:41.980
 and they resolve

00:23:41.980 --> 00:23:43.339
 to obey.

00:23:46.519 --> 00:23:46.919
 Now,

00:23:46.960 --> 00:23:47.619
 imagine how they could

00:23:47.619 --> 00:23:48.220
 have responded

00:23:48.220 --> 00:23:48.859
 in this moment.

00:23:51.379 --> 00:23:51.879
 I mean,

00:23:51.899 --> 00:23:52.299
 it would have been

00:23:52.299 --> 00:23:52.919
 pretty easy

00:23:52.919 --> 00:23:54.299
 to just justify

00:23:54.299 --> 00:23:55.599
 bowing down

00:23:55.599 --> 00:23:56.839
 to this stupid statue,

00:23:56.919 --> 00:23:57.399
 wouldn't it have been?

00:23:59.099 --> 00:23:59.679
 After all,

00:23:59.720 --> 00:24:00.879
 what's a ten-minute bow?

00:24:00.880 --> 00:24:03.420
 We know we don't mean

00:24:03.420 --> 00:24:04.240
 anything by it.

00:24:06.140 --> 00:24:07.240
 The gods of the nations

00:24:07.240 --> 00:24:07.820
 are nothing.

00:24:08.900 --> 00:24:10.280
 We serve the one true God.

00:24:11.260 --> 00:24:12.220
 A simple little act

00:24:12.220 --> 00:24:13.200
 of prostration

00:24:13.200 --> 00:24:14.400
 isn't going to change that.

00:24:16.100 --> 00:24:16.880
 And besides,

00:24:17.000 --> 00:24:18.360
 hadn't God put them

00:24:18.360 --> 00:24:19.740
 in this important position?

00:24:20.140 --> 00:24:21.300
 Didn't God have a purpose

00:24:21.300 --> 00:24:22.060
 for them there?

00:24:23.000 --> 00:24:25.000
 Didn't the other Judean exiles

00:24:25.000 --> 00:24:27.320
 need friends like them

00:24:27.320 --> 00:24:28.200
 in high places?

00:24:29.200 --> 00:24:30.039
 Wouldn't it be better

00:24:30.039 --> 00:24:30.460
 for them

00:24:30.460 --> 00:24:31.940
 to keep their position

00:24:31.940 --> 00:24:33.480
 and remain useful

00:24:33.480 --> 00:24:34.160
 to God?

00:24:37.019 --> 00:24:37.779
 Wouldn't it be much

00:24:37.779 --> 00:24:38.799
 more expedient here?

00:24:39.740 --> 00:24:40.840
 Much more useful

00:24:40.840 --> 00:24:41.580
 for God's kingdom

00:24:41.580 --> 00:24:42.900
 to just take a little bow.

00:24:45.340 --> 00:24:46.559
 What use would they be

00:24:46.559 --> 00:24:47.000
 to God

00:24:47.000 --> 00:24:47.779
 if they were burnt

00:24:47.779 --> 00:24:48.480
 to a crisp?

00:24:48.480 --> 00:24:54.079
 We can often reason

00:24:54.079 --> 00:24:54.720
 the same way,

00:24:54.779 --> 00:24:55.140
 don't we?

00:24:58.039 --> 00:24:58.839
 But listen to what

00:24:58.839 --> 00:25:00.039
 Charles Spurgeon has to say

00:25:00.039 --> 00:25:01.799
 in a sermon

00:25:01.799 --> 00:25:02.720
 on this same text.

00:25:04.960 --> 00:25:05.519
 He says,

00:25:05.620 --> 00:25:06.539
 if an act of sin

00:25:06.539 --> 00:25:08.099
 would increase

00:25:08.099 --> 00:25:09.880
 my usefulness tenfold,

00:25:10.440 --> 00:25:11.940
 I have no right

00:25:11.940 --> 00:25:12.440
 to do it.

00:25:14.779 --> 00:25:15.599
 And if an act

00:25:15.599 --> 00:25:16.259
 of righteousness

00:25:16.259 --> 00:25:18.119
 would appear likely

00:25:18.119 --> 00:25:18.700
 to destroy

00:25:18.700 --> 00:25:20.220
 all my apparent usefulness,

00:25:20.819 --> 00:25:21.839
 I'm still to do it.

00:25:23.379 --> 00:25:24.400
 It is yours

00:25:24.400 --> 00:25:25.059
 and mine

00:25:25.059 --> 00:25:26.799
 to do God's will

00:25:26.799 --> 00:25:27.779
 though the heavens fall

00:25:27.779 --> 00:25:29.779
 and to follow

00:25:29.779 --> 00:25:31.039
 the command of Christ

00:25:31.039 --> 00:25:32.400
 whatever the consequences

00:25:32.400 --> 00:25:33.000
 may be.

00:25:34.680 --> 00:25:36.420
 That is strong meat,

00:25:36.559 --> 00:25:37.079
 you say.

00:25:38.339 --> 00:25:38.579
 Well,

00:25:38.720 --> 00:25:39.660
 be strong men

00:25:39.660 --> 00:25:40.220
 and women

00:25:40.220 --> 00:25:41.640
 and eat it.

00:25:41.640 --> 00:25:46.180
 You could only

00:25:46.180 --> 00:25:46.920
 get away with that

00:25:46.920 --> 00:25:48.460
 in the 19th century

00:25:48.460 --> 00:25:49.320
 in London,

00:25:49.460 --> 00:25:49.800
 I think.

00:25:53.880 --> 00:25:54.780
 And yet so often

00:25:54.780 --> 00:25:55.600
 we don't eat it,

00:25:55.940 --> 00:25:56.220
 do we?

00:25:58.720 --> 00:25:59.720
 In those moments

00:25:59.720 --> 00:26:01.220
 when the pressure

00:26:01.220 --> 00:26:01.720
 mounts

00:26:01.720 --> 00:26:03.380
 and the cost

00:26:03.380 --> 00:26:03.880
 is high,

00:26:04.759 --> 00:26:05.960
 I know my own

00:26:05.960 --> 00:26:06.560
 heart, friends.

00:26:07.460 --> 00:26:08.040
 I waver

00:26:08.040 --> 00:26:09.920
 and I falter.

00:26:09.920 --> 00:26:11.779
 We aren't

00:26:11.779 --> 00:26:12.140
 brave

00:26:12.140 --> 00:26:13.160
 like these three men,

00:26:13.200 --> 00:26:13.880
 we aren't courageous.

00:26:15.720 --> 00:26:16.480
 When our boss

00:26:16.480 --> 00:26:17.240
 tells us to fudge

00:26:17.240 --> 00:26:17.740
 the numbers,

00:26:17.900 --> 00:26:18.600
 we fear losing

00:26:18.600 --> 00:26:19.200
 our jobs

00:26:19.200 --> 00:26:21.620
 and so we go along.

00:26:23.460 --> 00:26:24.060
 And when our friends

00:26:24.060 --> 00:26:24.700
 are all assuming

00:26:24.700 --> 00:26:25.460
 that we'll just agree

00:26:25.460 --> 00:26:26.100
 with their views

00:26:26.100 --> 00:26:26.880
 and their ideas,

00:26:27.880 --> 00:26:28.779
 we fear losing

00:26:28.779 --> 00:26:29.440
 their approval

00:26:29.440 --> 00:26:31.160
 and their friendship

00:26:31.160 --> 00:26:31.960
 or afraid

00:26:31.960 --> 00:26:32.580
 of being alone.

00:26:34.220 --> 00:26:35.120
 And so we laugh

00:26:35.120 --> 00:26:35.680
 along with them

00:26:35.680 --> 00:26:36.140
 in the moment

00:26:36.140 --> 00:26:37.180
 and say and do things

00:26:37.180 --> 00:26:37.960
 we know we shouldn't

00:26:37.960 --> 00:26:38.560
 say or do.

00:26:39.920 --> 00:26:41.740
 So often we aren't

00:26:41.740 --> 00:26:43.480
 Shadrach, Meshach

00:26:43.480 --> 00:26:44.200
 and Abednego.

00:26:47.000 --> 00:26:48.800
 When the band plays

00:26:48.800 --> 00:26:50.560
 and the furnace is lit

00:26:50.560 --> 00:26:51.700
 and everyone

00:26:51.700 --> 00:26:52.720
 is bowing down,

00:26:53.539 --> 00:26:55.120
 down we go too.

00:26:59.320 --> 00:27:00.779
 But thankfully

00:27:00.779 --> 00:27:01.440
 there's more

00:27:01.440 --> 00:27:02.560
 in this passage

00:27:02.560 --> 00:27:03.340
 for us to see.

00:27:04.580 --> 00:27:05.800
 Yes, this text

00:27:05.800 --> 00:27:07.460
 is meant to inspire us

00:27:07.460 --> 00:27:08.660
 with the example

00:27:08.660 --> 00:27:09.460
 of these three

00:27:09.460 --> 00:27:10.240
 young men.

00:27:10.319 --> 00:27:11.480
 It's meant to model

00:27:11.480 --> 00:27:12.720
 the strong,

00:27:12.920 --> 00:27:13.680
 bold confession

00:27:13.680 --> 00:27:14.600
 we should give.

00:27:15.340 --> 00:27:15.600
 But friends,

00:27:15.620 --> 00:27:16.640
 even more than that,

00:27:17.240 --> 00:27:19.480
 it drives us

00:27:19.480 --> 00:27:20.480
 to our third point,

00:27:21.220 --> 00:27:21.900
 the assurance

00:27:21.900 --> 00:27:23.440
 we can have.

00:27:24.620 --> 00:27:25.500
 The assurance

00:27:25.500 --> 00:27:26.460
 that will empower

00:27:27.079 --> 00:27:28.700
 our weak hearts

00:27:28.700 --> 00:27:29.840
 to stand strong

00:27:29.840 --> 00:27:32.340
 when they're weak,

00:27:32.400 --> 00:27:33.420
 to be brave

00:27:33.420 --> 00:27:34.720
 when we're afraid.

00:27:34.720 --> 00:27:37.860
 And what is

00:27:37.860 --> 00:27:38.299
 that assurance?

00:27:40.960 --> 00:27:41.660
 You know,

00:27:41.700 --> 00:27:42.319
 it's not immediately

00:27:42.319 --> 00:27:43.180
 what you might think.

00:27:45.380 --> 00:27:46.259
 The promise

00:27:46.259 --> 00:27:46.880
 of this passage

00:27:46.880 --> 00:27:47.600
 is not

00:27:47.600 --> 00:27:49.720
 that God

00:27:49.720 --> 00:27:50.779
 will rescue us

00:27:50.779 --> 00:27:51.700
 from the furnace.

00:27:53.860 --> 00:27:55.299
 Sometimes we will suffer.

00:27:56.880 --> 00:27:57.980
 Sometimes we will

00:27:57.980 --> 00:27:58.720
 even lose everything.

00:27:58.720 --> 00:27:59.200
 Everything.

00:27:59.200 --> 00:28:03.240
 God doesn't always

00:28:03.240 --> 00:28:03.660
 save us

00:28:03.660 --> 00:28:04.900
 from the furnace,

00:28:05.500 --> 00:28:07.980
 but He meets us

00:28:07.980 --> 00:28:08.500
 in it.

00:28:11.480 --> 00:28:12.220
 Let's pick up

00:28:12.220 --> 00:28:13.080
 in verse 24.

00:28:14.240 --> 00:28:15.340
 Then King Nebuchadnezzar

00:28:15.340 --> 00:28:16.259
 was astonished

00:28:16.259 --> 00:28:17.279
 and rose up

00:28:17.279 --> 00:28:18.080
 in haste.

00:28:18.480 --> 00:28:19.000
 He declared

00:28:19.000 --> 00:28:19.720
 to his counselors,

00:28:19.880 --> 00:28:20.620
 did we not cast

00:28:20.620 --> 00:28:21.360
 three men

00:28:21.360 --> 00:28:22.480
 bound into the fire?

00:28:23.140 --> 00:28:23.600
 They answered

00:28:23.600 --> 00:28:24.220
 and said to the king,

00:28:24.299 --> 00:28:24.860
 true, O king.

00:28:25.819 --> 00:28:26.559
 He answered

00:28:26.559 --> 00:28:26.900
 and said,

00:28:26.940 --> 00:28:27.319
 but I see

00:28:27.319 --> 00:28:28.319
 four men unbound,

00:28:28.319 --> 00:28:29.919
 walking in the midst

00:28:29.919 --> 00:28:30.460
 of the fire

00:28:30.460 --> 00:28:31.279
 and they're not hurt

00:28:31.279 --> 00:28:32.179
 and the appearance

00:28:32.179 --> 00:28:32.779
 of the fourth

00:28:32.779 --> 00:28:33.519
 is like a son

00:28:33.519 --> 00:28:34.240
 of the gods.

00:28:34.700 --> 00:28:35.419
 Then Nebuchadnezzar

00:28:35.419 --> 00:28:36.419
 came near to the door

00:28:36.419 --> 00:28:36.879
 of the burning

00:28:36.879 --> 00:28:37.639
 fiery furnace.

00:28:38.000 --> 00:28:38.359
 He declared,

00:28:38.519 --> 00:28:39.279
 Shadrach, Meshach,

00:28:39.339 --> 00:28:39.740
 and Abednego,

00:28:39.919 --> 00:28:41.139
 servants of the Most High God,

00:28:41.200 --> 00:28:42.139
 come out and come here.

00:28:43.099 --> 00:28:44.019
 Then Shadrach, Meshach,

00:28:44.059 --> 00:28:44.460
 and Abednego

00:28:44.460 --> 00:28:45.639
 came out from the fire

00:28:45.639 --> 00:28:46.919
 and the satraps,

00:28:47.000 --> 00:28:47.700
 the prefects,

00:28:47.740 --> 00:28:48.220
 the governors,

00:28:48.759 --> 00:28:49.779
 and the king's counselors

00:28:49.779 --> 00:28:50.720
 gathered together

00:28:50.720 --> 00:28:52.059
 and saw that the fire

00:28:52.059 --> 00:28:53.220
 had not had any power

00:28:53.220 --> 00:28:53.819
 over the bodies

00:28:53.819 --> 00:28:54.419
 of those men.

00:28:54.819 --> 00:28:55.859
 The hair of their head

00:28:55.859 --> 00:28:56.720
 was not singed,

00:28:56.779 --> 00:28:58.099
 their cloaks were not harmed,

00:28:58.099 --> 00:28:59.119
 and no smell of fire

00:28:59.119 --> 00:28:59.980
 had come upon them.

00:29:01.079 --> 00:29:01.879
 Nebuchadnezzar answered

00:29:01.879 --> 00:29:02.379
 and said,

00:29:02.779 --> 00:29:03.779
 Blessed be the God

00:29:03.779 --> 00:29:04.980
 of Shadrach, Meshach,

00:29:05.019 --> 00:29:05.459
 and Abednego

00:29:05.459 --> 00:29:06.859
 who has sent his angel

00:29:06.859 --> 00:29:08.159
 and delivered his servants

00:29:08.159 --> 00:29:09.079
 who trusted in him

00:29:09.079 --> 00:29:10.119
 and set aside

00:29:10.119 --> 00:29:10.919
 the king's command

00:29:10.919 --> 00:29:12.459
 and yielded up their bodies

00:29:12.459 --> 00:29:13.199
 rather than serve

00:29:13.199 --> 00:29:14.099
 and worship any god

00:29:14.099 --> 00:29:15.059
 except their own god.

00:29:15.939 --> 00:29:16.279
 Therefore,

00:29:16.399 --> 00:29:17.059
 I make a decree,

00:29:17.699 --> 00:29:18.199
 any people,

00:29:18.299 --> 00:29:18.539
 nation,

00:29:18.599 --> 00:29:19.019
 or language

00:29:19.019 --> 00:29:19.839
 that speaks anything

00:29:19.839 --> 00:29:20.539
 against the God

00:29:20.539 --> 00:29:21.459
 of Shadrach, Meshach,

00:29:21.519 --> 00:29:21.899
 and Abednego

00:29:21.899 --> 00:29:23.339
 shall be torn limb from limb

00:29:23.339 --> 00:29:24.240
 and their houses

00:29:24.240 --> 00:29:25.019
 laid in ruins,

00:29:25.019 --> 00:29:26.639
 for there's no other god

00:29:26.639 --> 00:29:28.240
 who is able to rescue

00:29:28.240 --> 00:29:29.940
 in this way.

00:29:31.799 --> 00:29:32.900
 Then the king promoted

00:29:32.900 --> 00:29:33.799
 Shadrach, Meshach,

00:29:33.839 --> 00:29:34.319
 and Abednego

00:29:34.319 --> 00:29:35.759
 in the province

00:29:35.759 --> 00:29:36.920
 of Babylon.

00:29:39.480 --> 00:29:40.519
 Nebuchadnezzar looks

00:29:40.519 --> 00:29:41.440
 into the furnace

00:29:41.440 --> 00:29:43.119
 and to his surprise,

00:29:43.480 --> 00:29:44.900
 he sees a fourth man

00:29:44.900 --> 00:29:45.460
 with them

00:29:45.460 --> 00:29:46.519
 in the midst of the fire.

00:29:46.519 --> 00:29:49.960
 And they are all unbound,

00:29:50.680 --> 00:29:51.480
 walking,

00:29:52.240 --> 00:29:52.960
 unscathed.

00:29:53.980 --> 00:29:55.259
 And this fourth man

00:29:55.259 --> 00:29:56.039
 to Nebuchadnezzar

00:29:56.039 --> 00:29:57.180
 looks like a son

00:29:57.180 --> 00:29:58.039
 of the gods,

00:29:58.099 --> 00:30:00.039
 which for a pagan Babylonian

00:30:00.039 --> 00:30:00.819
 like Nebuchadnezzar

00:30:00.819 --> 00:30:02.420
 means a divine being,

00:30:03.000 --> 00:30:03.500
 or as he says

00:30:03.500 --> 00:30:05.000
 down in verse 28,

00:30:05.259 --> 00:30:05.940
 an angel.

00:30:07.420 --> 00:30:07.819
 And you know,

00:30:07.900 --> 00:30:09.299
 commentators for centuries

00:30:09.299 --> 00:30:10.000
 have wondered

00:30:10.000 --> 00:30:11.180
 about the identity

00:30:11.180 --> 00:30:12.900
 of this fourth man.

00:30:13.000 --> 00:30:14.079
 Was it just an angel

00:30:14.079 --> 00:30:15.399
 or could it be

00:30:15.399 --> 00:30:17.439
 someone even greater?

00:30:20.259 --> 00:30:21.619
 The text doesn't tell us

00:30:21.619 --> 00:30:22.039
 for sure.

00:30:24.679 --> 00:30:25.960
 But we do know one thing.

00:30:27.559 --> 00:30:28.480
 The point

00:30:28.480 --> 00:30:30.599
 is that God was present

00:30:30.599 --> 00:30:31.259
 to them

00:30:31.259 --> 00:30:32.159
 in the fire.

00:30:33.220 --> 00:30:35.439
 God was with them.

00:30:39.220 --> 00:30:39.879
 And you know,

00:30:39.919 --> 00:30:40.579
 the real reason

00:30:40.579 --> 00:30:42.399
 that fire didn't consume them

00:30:42.400 --> 00:30:45.560
 was because centuries later

00:30:45.560 --> 00:30:45.940
 there would be

00:30:45.940 --> 00:30:47.060
 another young Jewish man

00:30:47.060 --> 00:30:49.080
 who also lived

00:30:49.080 --> 00:30:49.580
 in a time

00:30:49.580 --> 00:30:50.380
 when God's people

00:30:50.380 --> 00:30:51.519
 were under foreign rule.

00:30:52.759 --> 00:30:53.840
 And this young man

00:30:53.840 --> 00:30:54.400
 would demonstrate

00:30:54.400 --> 00:30:55.860
 courage and obedience

00:30:55.860 --> 00:30:57.259
 not just in one moment,

00:30:57.340 --> 00:30:58.200
 but he would be

00:30:58.200 --> 00:30:59.500
 perfectly obedient

00:30:59.500 --> 00:31:00.040
 to God

00:31:00.040 --> 00:31:01.200
 his entire life.

00:31:02.620 --> 00:31:03.840
 But when his moment

00:31:03.840 --> 00:31:04.259
 came

00:31:04.259 --> 00:31:06.580
 to face the greatest test,

00:31:07.700 --> 00:31:08.600
 instead of having

00:31:08.600 --> 00:31:09.180
 his friends

00:31:09.180 --> 00:31:09.700
 with him

00:31:09.700 --> 00:31:10.540
 at his side,

00:31:10.539 --> 00:31:12.420
 making the good confession

00:31:12.420 --> 00:31:13.000
 with him,

00:31:13.920 --> 00:31:15.139
 they would deny

00:31:15.139 --> 00:31:16.599
 and desert him.

00:31:17.440 --> 00:31:18.599
 And instead of knowing

00:31:18.599 --> 00:31:20.339
 God's intimate presence

00:31:20.339 --> 00:31:22.039
 in the midst

00:31:22.039 --> 00:31:23.079
 of his torture,

00:31:24.079 --> 00:31:25.639
 the father would

00:31:25.639 --> 00:31:27.180
 turn his face away.

00:31:29.220 --> 00:31:29.859
 Why?

00:31:33.359 --> 00:31:34.240
 Because you see,

00:31:34.319 --> 00:31:34.460
 friends,

00:31:34.500 --> 00:31:35.599
 when Jesus Christ

00:31:35.599 --> 00:31:37.220
 died on the cross,

00:31:37.220 --> 00:31:39.860
 he was taking

00:31:39.860 --> 00:31:41.579
 the only fire

00:31:41.579 --> 00:31:42.660
 that could really

00:31:42.660 --> 00:31:43.539
 destroy us.

00:31:45.200 --> 00:31:46.160
 In complete

00:31:46.160 --> 00:31:47.079
 faithfulness

00:31:47.079 --> 00:31:47.600
 to the father,

00:31:47.700 --> 00:31:48.600
 he was bearing

00:31:48.600 --> 00:31:49.380
 the flames

00:31:49.380 --> 00:31:50.640
 of divine judgment

00:31:50.640 --> 00:31:51.779
 that all of our

00:31:51.779 --> 00:31:52.759
 unfaithfulness

00:31:52.759 --> 00:31:54.059
 deserved.

00:31:55.180 --> 00:31:56.380
 For all of our

00:31:56.380 --> 00:31:56.980
 wavering,

00:31:57.059 --> 00:31:57.720
 for all of our

00:31:57.720 --> 00:31:58.539
 treachery,

00:31:59.140 --> 00:32:00.519
 our king came

00:32:00.519 --> 00:32:01.700
 and he bore it all.

00:32:01.700 --> 00:32:05.819
 And because he

00:32:05.819 --> 00:32:06.660
 quenched that

00:32:06.660 --> 00:32:07.840
 fire for us

00:32:07.840 --> 00:32:09.620
 and rose again

00:32:09.620 --> 00:32:10.180
 in victory,

00:32:11.059 --> 00:32:12.779
 we know that

00:32:12.779 --> 00:32:13.880
 if we're trusting

00:32:13.880 --> 00:32:14.759
 in him,

00:32:16.759 --> 00:32:17.319
 then, friend,

00:32:17.360 --> 00:32:18.340
 there's no fire

00:32:18.340 --> 00:32:18.840
 left

00:32:18.840 --> 00:32:20.180
 that can truly

00:32:20.180 --> 00:32:20.799
 harm us.

00:32:22.580 --> 00:32:23.680
 Even if we

00:32:23.680 --> 00:32:24.259
 lose our

00:32:24.259 --> 00:32:25.740
 very life

00:32:25.740 --> 00:32:26.740
 itself,

00:32:27.700 --> 00:32:28.900
 we cannot

00:32:28.900 --> 00:32:29.960
 ultimately

00:32:29.960 --> 00:32:31.160
 be consumed.

00:32:31.700 --> 00:32:33.779
 because of

00:32:33.779 --> 00:32:34.240
 what he's

00:32:34.240 --> 00:32:34.539
 done.

00:32:37.500 --> 00:32:38.059
 Because of

00:32:38.059 --> 00:32:38.440
 what he's

00:32:38.440 --> 00:32:38.660
 done,

00:32:38.759 --> 00:32:38.880
 friend,

00:32:38.940 --> 00:32:39.519
 there's no

00:32:39.519 --> 00:32:40.600
 fire that

00:32:40.600 --> 00:32:41.100
 this world

00:32:41.100 --> 00:32:41.580
 can throw

00:32:41.580 --> 00:32:41.980
 at you

00:32:41.980 --> 00:32:43.460
 that he

00:32:43.460 --> 00:32:43.840
 will not

00:32:43.840 --> 00:32:44.299
 take

00:32:44.299 --> 00:32:45.620
 and turn

00:32:45.620 --> 00:32:46.340
 into a

00:32:46.340 --> 00:32:47.059
 refining

00:32:47.059 --> 00:32:47.620
 fire

00:32:47.620 --> 00:32:48.440
 for your

00:32:48.440 --> 00:32:48.840
 good.

00:32:52.140 --> 00:32:52.580
 He'll

00:32:52.580 --> 00:32:53.019
 meet you

00:32:53.019 --> 00:32:54.220
 right in

00:32:54.220 --> 00:32:54.500
 the middle

00:32:54.500 --> 00:32:54.900
 of it.

00:32:57.799 --> 00:32:58.279
 Isn't

00:32:58.279 --> 00:32:58.620
 not this

00:32:58.620 --> 00:32:58.980
 the great

00:32:58.980 --> 00:32:59.620
 promise with

00:32:59.620 --> 00:32:59.960
 which the

00:32:59.960 --> 00:33:00.360
 New Testament

00:33:00.360 --> 00:33:00.940
 opens?

00:33:01.700 --> 00:33:02.640
 Emmanuel,

00:33:03.519 --> 00:33:04.120
 God

00:33:04.120 --> 00:33:05.519
 with us.

00:33:07.519 --> 00:33:08.460
 In the

00:33:08.460 --> 00:33:08.759
 midst

00:33:08.759 --> 00:33:09.799
 of the

00:33:09.799 --> 00:33:10.120
 furnace,

00:33:10.240 --> 00:33:10.400
 his

00:33:10.400 --> 00:33:10.860
 fellowship,

00:33:11.620 --> 00:33:11.779
 his

00:33:11.779 --> 00:33:12.400
 friendship,

00:33:12.940 --> 00:33:13.200
 his

00:33:13.200 --> 00:33:13.819
 presence

00:33:13.819 --> 00:33:14.299
 will meet

00:33:14.299 --> 00:33:14.720
 you there.

00:33:18.240 --> 00:33:19.200
 And in

00:33:19.200 --> 00:33:19.680
 the end,

00:33:20.240 --> 00:33:21.580
 it will be

00:33:21.580 --> 00:33:21.940
 for his

00:33:21.940 --> 00:33:22.319
 glory

00:33:22.319 --> 00:33:24.340
 and for

00:33:24.340 --> 00:33:24.779
 yours.

00:33:26.299 --> 00:33:27.160
 When Shadrach,

00:33:27.259 --> 00:33:27.559
 Meshach,

00:33:27.640 --> 00:33:28.000
 and Abednego

00:33:28.000 --> 00:33:28.660
 step out of

00:33:28.660 --> 00:33:29.160
 the furnace,

00:33:29.500 --> 00:33:29.900
 there in

00:33:29.900 --> 00:33:30.540
 verse 27

00:33:30.540 --> 00:33:31.060
 are all

00:33:31.060 --> 00:33:31.620
 the officials

00:33:31.620 --> 00:33:31.980
 of the

00:33:31.980 --> 00:33:32.500
 nations.

00:33:33.880 --> 00:33:34.640
 And there

00:33:34.640 --> 00:33:35.100
 are all

00:33:35.100 --> 00:33:35.680
 the king's

00:33:35.680 --> 00:33:36.160
 counselors.

00:33:37.360 --> 00:33:38.060
 And they

00:33:38.060 --> 00:33:38.620
 all see how

00:33:38.620 --> 00:33:39.259
 great God

00:33:39.259 --> 00:33:39.540
 is.

00:33:42.440 --> 00:33:43.259
 They all

00:33:43.259 --> 00:33:43.880
 witness the

00:33:43.880 --> 00:33:44.120
 great

00:33:44.120 --> 00:33:44.840
 deliverance,

00:33:45.660 --> 00:33:46.019
 the great

00:33:46.019 --> 00:33:46.700
 vindication

00:33:46.700 --> 00:33:48.000
 of God's

00:33:48.000 --> 00:33:48.360
 servants.

00:33:49.480 --> 00:33:50.259
 And even

00:33:50.259 --> 00:33:50.940
 Nebuchadnezzar

00:33:50.940 --> 00:33:51.900
 glorifies God.

00:33:52.620 --> 00:33:53.279
 The one who

00:33:53.279 --> 00:33:54.240
 scorned their

00:33:54.240 --> 00:33:54.720
 God now

00:33:54.720 --> 00:33:55.180
 turns and

00:33:55.180 --> 00:33:55.800
 blesses him.

00:33:55.799 --> 00:33:56.720
 There's no

00:33:56.720 --> 00:33:58.359
 other God

00:33:58.359 --> 00:33:58.779
 who's able

00:33:58.779 --> 00:33:59.519
 to save

00:33:59.519 --> 00:34:00.299
 in this

00:34:00.299 --> 00:34:00.619
 way.

00:34:03.299 --> 00:34:03.839
 Friends,

00:34:03.940 --> 00:34:04.680
 one day,

00:34:05.079 --> 00:34:06.000
 all of

00:34:06.000 --> 00:34:06.399
 God's

00:34:06.399 --> 00:34:06.960
 creation

00:34:06.960 --> 00:34:08.179
 will witness

00:34:08.179 --> 00:34:09.219
 the

00:34:09.219 --> 00:34:10.059
 vindication

00:34:10.059 --> 00:34:11.659
 of God's

00:34:11.659 --> 00:34:12.019
 church.

00:34:13.980 --> 00:34:14.659
 In the

00:34:14.659 --> 00:34:15.139
 new heavens

00:34:15.139 --> 00:34:15.440
 and the

00:34:15.440 --> 00:34:15.900
 new earth,

00:34:16.279 --> 00:34:17.279
 we will be

00:34:17.279 --> 00:34:18.239
 raised with

00:34:18.239 --> 00:34:18.759
 Christ.

00:34:21.179 --> 00:34:21.940
 And God

00:34:21.940 --> 00:34:22.259
 will make

00:34:22.259 --> 00:34:22.800
 all things

00:34:22.800 --> 00:34:23.059
 new.

00:34:25.800 --> 00:34:27.800
 One writer

00:34:27.800 --> 00:34:28.260
 put it this

00:34:28.260 --> 00:34:28.500
 way,

00:34:29.620 --> 00:34:31.000
 Christ did

00:34:31.000 --> 00:34:31.500
 not keep

00:34:31.500 --> 00:34:32.140
 them out

00:34:32.140 --> 00:34:32.500
 of the

00:34:32.500 --> 00:34:32.880
 furnace,

00:34:33.480 --> 00:34:34.100
 but found

00:34:34.100 --> 00:34:34.680
 them in

00:34:34.680 --> 00:34:34.900
 it.

00:34:36.720 --> 00:34:37.320
 He does

00:34:37.320 --> 00:34:37.800
 not always

00:34:37.800 --> 00:34:38.240
 shield you

00:34:38.240 --> 00:34:38.620
 from all

00:34:38.620 --> 00:34:39.260
 distresses

00:34:39.260 --> 00:34:39.860
 and dangers,

00:34:40.700 --> 00:34:41.980
 but it is

00:34:41.980 --> 00:34:42.320
 in the

00:34:42.320 --> 00:34:42.760
 loneliness,

00:34:43.740 --> 00:34:44.140
 in the

00:34:44.140 --> 00:34:44.620
 betrayal,

00:34:45.460 --> 00:34:45.980
 in the

00:34:45.980 --> 00:34:46.480
 loss,

00:34:47.100 --> 00:34:47.480
 that the

00:34:47.480 --> 00:34:48.180
 fourth man

00:34:48.180 --> 00:34:48.920
 comes and

00:34:48.920 --> 00:34:49.500
 walks with

00:34:49.500 --> 00:34:49.700
 you.

00:34:51.039 --> 00:34:51.820
 He has

00:34:51.820 --> 00:34:52.320
 the knack

00:34:52.320 --> 00:34:52.800
 of both

00:34:52.800 --> 00:34:53.820
 exposing you

00:34:53.820 --> 00:34:54.160
 to,

00:34:54.519 --> 00:34:55.320
 yet keeping

00:34:55.320 --> 00:34:56.080
 you through

00:34:56.080 --> 00:34:57.620
 waters and

00:34:57.620 --> 00:34:58.700
 rivers and

00:34:58.700 --> 00:35:00.480
 fire and

00:35:00.480 --> 00:35:01.519
 operating rooms

00:35:01.519 --> 00:35:02.900
 and funeral

00:35:02.900 --> 00:35:04.519
 parlors and

00:35:04.519 --> 00:35:04.940
 an empty

00:35:04.940 --> 00:35:05.480
 house.

00:35:06.519 --> 00:35:07.260
 The fourth

00:35:07.260 --> 00:35:08.500
 man can

00:35:08.500 --> 00:35:09.519
 always find

00:35:09.519 --> 00:35:10.539
 his people.

00:35:13.740 --> 00:35:14.740
 And so,

00:35:14.860 --> 00:35:15.000
 friends,

00:35:15.039 --> 00:35:15.280
 when the

00:35:15.280 --> 00:35:15.760
 pressure is

00:35:15.760 --> 00:35:16.140
 mounting,

00:35:17.220 --> 00:35:17.920
 and when it

00:35:17.920 --> 00:35:18.480
 seems like the

00:35:18.480 --> 00:35:20.080
 whole world

00:35:20.080 --> 00:35:21.140
 is bowing

00:35:21.140 --> 00:35:22.100
 down,

00:35:22.700 --> 00:35:23.220
 stand

00:35:23.220 --> 00:35:23.940
 fast.

00:35:23.940 --> 00:35:24.000
 fast,

00:35:25.000 --> 00:35:26.240
 stay firm,

00:35:26.380 --> 00:35:26.900
 don't give

00:35:26.900 --> 00:35:27.139
 in,

00:35:27.519 --> 00:35:28.220
 don't lose

00:35:28.220 --> 00:35:28.659
 heart.

00:35:30.200 --> 00:35:31.200
 The only

00:35:31.200 --> 00:35:31.960
 flames that

00:35:31.960 --> 00:35:32.800
 can really

00:35:32.800 --> 00:35:33.519
 harm you,

00:35:33.579 --> 00:35:34.260
 the only

00:35:34.260 --> 00:35:34.900
 furnace you

00:35:34.900 --> 00:35:35.659
 really need

00:35:35.659 --> 00:35:36.220
 to fear has

00:35:36.220 --> 00:35:37.159
 been quenched

00:35:37.159 --> 00:35:38.099
 by your

00:35:38.099 --> 00:35:38.900
 faithful Savior.

00:35:40.940 --> 00:35:41.599
 And now

00:35:41.599 --> 00:35:42.139
 these fires

00:35:42.139 --> 00:35:42.780
 you face can

00:35:42.780 --> 00:35:43.480
 only refine

00:35:43.480 --> 00:35:43.700
 you.

00:35:45.500 --> 00:35:46.280
 The fourth

00:35:46.280 --> 00:35:46.579
 man,

00:35:46.659 --> 00:35:46.940
 the Lord

00:35:46.940 --> 00:35:47.599
 Jesus Christ,

00:35:47.639 --> 00:35:48.039
 will meet

00:35:48.039 --> 00:35:48.440
 you in the

00:35:48.440 --> 00:35:48.860
 flames,

00:35:49.139 --> 00:35:49.860
 and you

00:35:49.860 --> 00:35:50.280
 will not

00:35:50.280 --> 00:35:50.800
 be alone.

00:35:53.500 --> 00:35:54.460
 When through

00:35:54.460 --> 00:35:55.380
 fiery trials

00:35:55.380 --> 00:35:56.120
 thy pathways

00:35:56.120 --> 00:35:56.840
 shall lie,

00:35:57.960 --> 00:35:58.700
 my grace

00:35:58.700 --> 00:35:59.500
 all-sufficient

00:35:59.500 --> 00:36:00.220
 shall be

00:36:00.220 --> 00:36:00.960
 thy supply.

00:36:01.980 --> 00:36:02.720
 The flame

00:36:02.720 --> 00:36:03.180
 shall not

00:36:03.180 --> 00:36:03.600
 hurt thee,

00:36:03.640 --> 00:36:04.080
 I only

00:36:04.080 --> 00:36:04.860
 design thy

00:36:04.860 --> 00:36:05.600
 dross to

00:36:05.600 --> 00:36:06.160
 consume,

00:36:06.280 --> 00:36:06.540
 and thy

00:36:06.540 --> 00:36:07.120
 gold to

00:36:07.120 --> 00:36:07.540
 refine.

00:36:08.460 --> 00:36:09.220
 The soul

00:36:09.220 --> 00:36:09.640
 that on

00:36:09.640 --> 00:36:10.280
 Jesus has

00:36:10.280 --> 00:36:10.860
 leaned for

00:36:10.860 --> 00:36:11.560
 repose,

00:36:12.100 --> 00:36:12.620
 I will

00:36:12.620 --> 00:36:13.100
 not,

00:36:13.140 --> 00:36:13.920
 I will

00:36:13.920 --> 00:36:14.620
 not desert

00:36:14.620 --> 00:36:15.080
 to its

00:36:15.080 --> 00:36:15.540
 foes.

00:36:16.100 --> 00:36:16.960
 That soul

00:36:16.960 --> 00:36:17.420
 though all

00:36:17.420 --> 00:36:18.060
 hell should

00:36:18.060 --> 00:36:18.900
 endeavor to

00:36:18.900 --> 00:36:19.320
 shake,

00:36:20.000 --> 00:36:20.320
 I'll

00:36:20.320 --> 00:36:20.780
 never,

00:36:21.460 --> 00:36:22.180
 no never,

00:36:22.700 --> 00:36:23.900
 no never

00:36:23.900 --> 00:36:25.260
 forsake.

00:36:26.880 --> 00:36:27.420
 Let's

00:36:27.420 --> 00:36:27.660
 pray.

00:36:36.360 --> 00:36:37.079
 Oh Lord

00:36:37.079 --> 00:36:37.340
 Jesus,

00:36:37.460 --> 00:36:37.720
 what a

00:36:37.720 --> 00:36:38.340
 promise we

00:36:38.340 --> 00:36:38.700
 need to

00:36:38.700 --> 00:36:38.980
 hear,

00:36:40.119 --> 00:36:41.360
 that you

00:36:41.360 --> 00:36:41.740
 are with

00:36:41.740 --> 00:36:42.019
 us in

00:36:42.019 --> 00:36:42.579
 the flames.

00:36:44.559 --> 00:36:45.340
 Oh God,

00:36:45.400 --> 00:36:45.639
 by your

00:36:45.639 --> 00:36:46.260
 Holy Spirit

00:36:46.260 --> 00:36:46.539
 would you

00:36:46.539 --> 00:36:47.059
 take that

00:36:47.059 --> 00:36:47.559
 truth and

00:36:47.559 --> 00:36:48.160
 bury it

00:36:48.160 --> 00:36:48.539
 deep in

00:36:48.539 --> 00:36:49.139
 our hearts.

00:36:50.139 --> 00:36:50.679
 Make it

00:36:50.679 --> 00:36:51.239
 come alive

00:36:51.239 --> 00:36:51.679
 this week

00:36:51.679 --> 00:36:52.059
 to us

00:36:52.059 --> 00:36:52.320
 God,

00:36:52.360 --> 00:36:52.659
 as we

00:36:52.659 --> 00:36:53.099
 seek to

00:36:53.099 --> 00:36:53.380
 be your

00:36:53.380 --> 00:36:53.900
 ambassadors

00:36:53.900 --> 00:36:54.559
 and servants

00:36:54.559 --> 00:36:54.980
 in this

00:36:54.980 --> 00:36:55.320
 world.

00:36:56.139 --> 00:36:56.400
 God,

00:36:56.440 --> 00:36:56.619
 you've

00:36:56.619 --> 00:36:57.199
 placed us

00:36:57.199 --> 00:36:59.480
 here to

00:36:59.480 --> 00:37:00.259
 love this

00:37:00.259 --> 00:37:00.820
 city and

00:37:00.820 --> 00:37:01.300
 to love

00:37:01.300 --> 00:37:01.980
 our neighbors

00:37:01.980 --> 00:37:02.440
 and to

00:37:02.440 --> 00:37:04.139
 see peace

00:37:04.139 --> 00:37:05.400
 and justice

00:37:05.400 --> 00:37:06.259
 flow like

00:37:06.259 --> 00:37:06.779
 rivers.

00:37:09.679 --> 00:37:10.380
 But God,

00:37:10.440 --> 00:37:11.000
 we know at

00:37:11.000 --> 00:37:11.679
 times we

00:37:11.679 --> 00:37:12.480
 face the

00:37:12.480 --> 00:37:13.039
 pressure and

00:37:13.039 --> 00:37:13.659
 we face

00:37:13.659 --> 00:37:14.179
 the furnace,

00:37:14.340 --> 00:37:14.659
 so God,

00:37:14.739 --> 00:37:15.400
 help us

00:37:15.400 --> 00:37:17.199
 remember in

00:37:17.199 --> 00:37:17.980
 those moments

00:37:17.980 --> 00:37:18.859
 Jesus,

00:37:19.859 --> 00:37:23.439
 who took

00:37:23.439 --> 00:37:23.939
 the flames

00:37:23.939 --> 00:37:24.559
 for us

00:37:24.559 --> 00:37:27.039
 so that we

00:37:27.039 --> 00:37:27.399
 might be

00:37:27.399 --> 00:37:27.879
 refined.

00:37:29.879 --> 00:37:30.439
 Amen.