DARE TO BE A DANIEL
God vs god
Daniel 3
Jerry A. Collins
SCC
Does God
have any rivals in the universe?
Under what
kind of circumstances should we stand up for God?
What is
required for me to stay true to God?
Often our faith will conflict with the prevailing wisdom of the world (Evolution, abortion, same-sex marriages, sex outside of marriage). The world will say that you must worship it’s view of God. The world will say and teach and promote a whole lot of things that will conflict with your faith in God and Christ and God’s Word. The god of this world will always conflict with God. We must determine to stay true to God, His Christ, and His Word at all costs and never cave into the prevailing wisdom of the world around us. We will learn about three men who were coerced into compromising their faith in the One true God. Yet, they determined to never cave in and were willing to accept the consequences of their refusal even if it meant death. This event will force us to evaluate the level of commitment we have to God and His Word. How determined are you? Let’s find out.
1. THE WORLD DEVISES SCHEMES PROMOTING IT’S OWN SUPREMACY 1-7
The whole episode is based upon a
golden image to be worshipped devised by
We can count on fact that the wisdom of the world will always be competing for supremacy in your life. Worldly wisdom can be persuasive especially when you pull out the big guns who are all complying. An be in school, or office, or friendships. The world will always be competing for your alligience.
2. DETERMINE TO LIVE WITH CONSEQUENCES OF OBEYING GOD INSTEAD 8-18
8-12 The world’s wisdom will always conflict with God’s. You will have to make choices all of the time. Choices between complying with the world’s wisdom or applying God’s wisdom. And often you may be coerced or threatened or rejected or ostracized or marginalized. Incredibly, here are some Jews who refuse to cave in, in spite of the pressure. Where is Daniel? No one knows.
13-15 You can count on fact that the world
will attempt to squeeze you into its mold—its
way of thinking. To tempt you or force you and persuade you
to accept their position and view of things.
16-18 Everyone
that as but these three fellas. They did not
need to give the king an answer. God would. God would be able to deliver them
out of the furnace. But if not they still will not worship kings image. The Law said you shall have no other gods
before me. They had no direct word from God on the matter so no guarantee He
would deliver them. They did not expect God to do this but believe God will
deliver them from
3. GOD CAN PRESERVE AND PROTECT US WHEN WE DETERMINE TO OBEY HIM 19-30
19-23 Just
because you may determine to obey God does not mean you will avoid the
consequences of that decision. Often the consequences of obedience will be
costly to our friendships, our reputations, our careers, our finances, our
family and even our lives—just like
these three Jews. They went into the furnace!
24-27 A 4th man
appeared with the Jews at bottom of furnace. A divine being
for sure. This is either an angel sent by God or it is a preincarnate appearance of Christ standing with them. After
28-30
(1) There comes a time of testing when God raises the cost of following Christ.
(2) The purpose is to take us to the place where we have an absence of options.
(3) What would it take for the enemy to talk you into exiting the life of discipleship? What is your price? If you have a price it is just a matter of time before you ‘walk no more with him’.
(4) Your only chance of finishing the race well rests in your eliminating all options.
(5) It is harder not to follow
Jesus, than it is to follow Him. The consequences for not following will come
when you have to give an account to Him on that day!