Courage in Babylon

Today on Summit life with Judy Greer bifurcated Jesus order.

He is not fully surrendered, living in rebellion. You understand that if God is the only God for us to say anything different will nudge as long as life. I'm your host Molly bit of edge our journey today takes us to the fiery furnace of Daniel chapter 3 through the famous story of Shadrach me shack and Abednego we'll see an example of courage that can only come from faith in God. These three young men knew that God was bigger than anything life could throw at them, and more importantly that God was better than anything that could take away some serious courage being displayed. There so what does courage look like in your life right now. Think about it as we turn our Bibles to the book of Daniel chapter 3, you may not recognize the name Desmond Goss but my just a movie about his life. Doesn't Goss was drafted into the U.S. Army in World War II, but he was a pacifist the way you interpreted the Bible led him to believe it because any balance anybody else ever so you can bring himself to carry a gun, but he also loved his country and wanted to service so he accepted a position as a medic in the squadron and as was depicted in the movie is pacifism made him the subject of all kinds of ridicule. Then one evening he was serving the end the midst of a battle in Okinawa when the Japanese pinned his unit down on top of the cliff and cut down nearly every man. Many of the men were only wounded however but DOS knew that if they stayed wounded overnight that the vast majority of them would dive so somehow they're not cliffs. There was a rescue operation will not was not accessible to anybody. Anybody you try to climb up the cliff would be shot down by the Japanese. So DOS rig up a stretcher that can be lowered by a series of ropes and pulleys to the ground and then by himself crawling around the battlefield under withering sniper fire. Retrieved every single wounded soldier in his unit one at a time and lower than the safety below.

Pres. Truman recognized Desmond DOS is one of the bravest warriors of World War II, claiming that more than 75 men owed their lives solely to his courage, and Pres. Truman did something that had never been number four that is awarded DOS the medal of honor, a very prestigious honor to a soldier who would never picked up a gun. Courage.

Courage is something that most of us have to learn to do. It's a process of loading to see in Daniel three is that this courage is an essential quality of any of the those of us who would shine in Babylon Daniel three contains one of the Bible's most famous stories in it, you're gonna see the soul of Christian courage both in substance as well as the fuel that sustains it is the story of Shadrach me shack Abednego.

Or as I prefer rack shack in Bennett. Here's what I'm going to show you is that courage equals confession plus conviction courage Christian courage equals confession right confession plus conviction money show you what I mean.

Daniel three verse one we will give you the story, Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold's height was 60 cubits of its breath, six cubits, thinking Nebuchadnezzar said to gather all the officials of the provinces and to come to the dedication of that image. The King Nebuchadnezzar and set up the Herald proclaimed allowed you are commanded old peoples, nations and languages very very important little phrase library might noted there in your Bible might come back to it that when you hear the sound of the horn, the pot pipe the liar and the trigonometry pronounce that are bagpipe guitar the kazoo, the harmonica him of the three organ the hammer, dulcimer, and every other gun instrument you fall down and worship the golden image Nebuchadnezzar has set up River does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a fiery furnace.

Now we got a notice is that old man is a little hardheaded help. Chapter 2 ended. It ended with Nebuchadnezzar coming to this moment where we recognize God was the only one who could interpret the dream and he had this dream of this gigantic statue in the statute.

You never had a head of gold represented him in a body of silver bronze in a mixture of iron and clay that represented the kingdoms that would come after the Babylonian kingdom and would conquer its kingdom. And that's how can the world kingdoms will go and then in his dream. The stone that was made without hands suddenly came down from heaven and smashed the statue into a billion pieces in the wind blew away the lives not a trace left that stone.

Daniel had explained was Jesus interpretation was that Jesus would abolish all earthly kingdoms that are erected in independence of Jesus and Jesus would establish his own chapter 2 ended like a set with Nebuchadnezzar responding in amazement. Truly, Daniel, your God is the God of God sees the Lord of all things in threes reviewer mysteries. Good evening, will tell me what my wise men have not been able to tell me but here we are separate three opens, Nebuchadnezzar has got a 90 foot statue of himself gold from top to bottom, requiring that everybody bow down to it. In other words, not only has he forgotten the lesson from the dream. He's actually made it worse. The fact that its goal from top to bottom means that in his mind. His kingdoms don't last forever not just a temporary head of gold. It's gold through and through. I'm on the whole thing. The fact that the fact that he's having everybody bow down to it means that he believes his kingdom is the most important thing on a server, Nebuchadnezzar what you're about to see is come around to between him and God. Please note, if you will the little phrase that I directed your attention to in verse four, all the peoples, nations and languages we see why that's so important reason that is important is because it indicates to you that something epic is about to take place. You see, the last time that the peoples, nations and languages were altogether was in Genesis 11. The human race had united in setting up another tower, another statue declaring their independence from God, it was called the Tower of Babel and God had immediately and not moment in mercy, scattered them into different people's nations and languages and then in the next chapter of Genesis 12 God had called a man named Abram and promise to make of him a great nation that would bless all the peoples of the earth all the peoples languages and nations of the earth and bring them back together in unity around the throne of the Messiah, the fulfillment of that is going to happen in the book of Revelation when John the apostle looks and sees a bass throng of people that no man could number people from every tribe and tongue and nation on earth that are gathered around the throne of God proclaiming worthy is the Lamb who was slain. That's how it's coming in, but here in Daniel three you got Nebuchadnezzar who is a usurper attempting to bring the nation back together united around his greatness. And here's the irony. He is doing it on the exact same spot of the Tower of Babel have it a point about man and didn't want it all happen in the same spot. The point is, this is not a little sideshow. This is the epic battle. This is the battle of the Bible. It is the history of the human race.

In one story times ago has over seven.

All this restarted Flavius on her but he bows down not exactly sure how many people were there the day.

Michelle is able to bend them around a million people.

So just imagine for a moment. This scene you got a million people either you see Middle Eastern people bow bow faces to the ground where it ends up in the air yet a million people bow down and homage acceptance of what is that about 200 yards back. It's three men know it's three teenage boys others.

The Hebrew boys there. They are Shadrach, Michelle, Abednego standing there. I'm sure little awkward later 16 years old or center there from a million people ensure little nervous there. They are both upright with everybody else around them on their faces. Now I know some you are right now say where exactly was Daniel is a great question. Some speculated. Maybe he had no lapse in faith that he was bowing down with everybody else, but that is likely based on the rest of the stuff that happens in Daniel others speculated that maybe Daniel was out traveling on some kind of international in a mission, but I don't think it's a great answer either in the best interest on the last verse of Daniel to look whether he gets Bible of data 249 says that Dana was put on the Kings court which means that Daniel would have been exempt from participating in this display and if he were anywhere in the scene, he would been up on the stage with Nebuchadnezzar.

I so these three guys are the only ones out there in the whole crowd of the million that are not bowing down.

Daniel three verse 13 the Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage, commanded that Chad let me shut Abednego be brought to him so they brought these men before the king Nebuchadnezzar answered and said to them, is it true all shattered and he said Abednego that you're not serving my gods or worshiping the golden image that I've set up as a yes.

What I would get another chance. I maybe didn't hear I can like you guys holding the one thing with the you know that in the vegetables I was pretty awesome.

Your buddy Daniel your trip to Madrid I would get another chance.

This time when you hear the sound of every kind of music fall down and worship the image that I've made. If you do that well and good but if you do not do this and worship you will immediately be cast into a burning fire furnace and who is the God whose God, then it will deliver you out of my hands know I love how these three teenage boys answer will Nebuchadnezzar backcheck and babysit right back to the King old Nebuchadnezzar.

We have no need to answer you in this matter and other words, will you talk about it will be the huddle, we don't need to liberate.

We need a few seconds to think about it, you need a committee meeting is only one possible thing for us to do. You see the God that we serve is able to deliver us from the fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of your hands. Okay phone that I love these next words, is this is it. This is every part of courage right here.

For safety, but is not, be it known to you. Okay, that we will never serve your gods and we will never worship the golden image that you have set up what you do to us. Literally everything you know about Christian courage is right and this reverses number one encourages confession is that Jesus is the only Lord encourages confession is a Jesus is the only book I have a theory as to why Nebuchadnezzar was so ticked off. Do you remember when I showed you how chapter 2 ended jumper to end it. Would Nebuchadnezzar stay in your God is legit your God is not just one of the regular God is the God of gods and the Lord of kings Nebuchadnezzar acknowledge their God. So it only seems fair that he that they now recognize his authority here this. It was not their faith in God that cause the problem. It was their refusal to also acknowledge the divine authority of Nebuchadnezzar. That was the problem here this. Nothing is changed.

Today in our Babylon in our Babylon, the triangle of United States of America oral in our Babylon your faith in Jesus is not the problem. It is your insistence that he is the only way of salvation and only source of authority that is the problem you will never get in trouble for saying to Jesus as your personal savior.

But you will get in trouble when you say there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be safe, you will be in trouble when you say that there is no other Lord except for him and that that means that he alone sets the rules about what is right and what is not right about sex or morality or marriage or money or anything else.

He speaks about UCR society says, for example, that you know what you Christians are free to get married in a traditional way that you want. You can even reserve sex for the marriage bed is strange that seems if abstinence is your thing. But how dare how dare you label somebody else's choices assent. How dare you not bow down to my sexual freedom. How dare you not prostrate yourself dramatic pride week, for example, affirming that my way is just as valid as Jesus is way and if you don't do this, our culture will punish you for a minute be throwing you into a fiery furnace right now but businesses will boycott you will take things at the NCAA tournament with All-Star game if you will not conform if the sample spirit Nebuchadnezzar work in Arctic. You can do what you want but you also get about my authority will know small small companies that have been literally sued out of business for refusing to participate in ceremonies and practices they got objection to interview my readings about these things to the person do it rudely or negatively or to the person say like hey I don't think people should be allowed to do this we live in a free country understand that and what they want this person to said look I respect arrives free citizen to do what you can do, but I would also ask you to respect my right to not be involved in a personally since it goes against my convictions because they would not bow where they were supposed to bow. They were students shut down one of Pres. Biden's advisors ident as indicated that this equality act was passed, which mandates societal acceptance of these things. The religious organizations and churches who don't honor it in their own practices could face substantial tax penalties even finds in other words, you have your convictions but you better keep them in the closet because the moment you failed but failed to bow down and homage where you're supposed to wear some kind of fiery furnace that awaits to see you will become to try to pick on the on on the political level recommended from the other side there a lot of people in our society.

You say how dare you criticize America or say that America will be judge for it. Since America special Americans chosen by God and that means a strong man with a history of abusive and misogynistic behavior is good for America. Who are you to question his integrity if he's good for America than God. Gotta be on his side. Another word that you find bow down to Jesus. Just make sure that you bow down to my guide to our society says it were find to say that Jesus is our Savior help dare we say that Jesus is the only way to heaven. I heard Oprah say a little while but hope write you since America's pastor is underway, many more times, a God in Christianity.

She said I'm a Christian I'm a Christian I'm a freethinking Christian who believes sincerely in my way over 6 million people on the planet. It can't possibly be the only way what kind of backwards person would believe that there's only one way to God. A gene couple years ago at Stanford University Forster group of Christian students on the campus to stop his work proselytizing others try to convince others that they should come to faith in Jesus and he said you your your fine to be Christians in the gather together weekly for worship which you are not allowed to try to convince others that they can only be saved to Jesus for, and I quote all faiths are equally valid as religions. In other words, it is fine to worship Jesus, you can have them as your personal savior.

But you still need to bow to the stature of pluralism or our version of the fiery furnace awaits you say she was cited days of when it was a Nebuchadnezzar today there find you following any Christian teachings along just about refers about what you have an edited Bible. Every generation was an edited Bible and the Smithsonian in the Smithsonian Museum of there and in Washington DC they have Thomas Jefferson's Bible is very famously edited because in Thomas Jefferson's day.

It was very unfashionable to believe that that that God actually did miracles and so the Enlightenment thinkers like hey, Jesus is morality is awesome sermon on the mount registry keys. Morally speaking, ever written by this whole stuff about United raising from the dead and multiply lows of it is about the garbage. So Jefferson literally cut out of his New Testament. All the things that were supernatural. But Jesus that we could just have a nice clean addition of Jesus's moral teachings. Interestingly, the other side of the mall on the sea is a new Museum of the Bible Museum which, if you have not seen it, I would highly encourage you to go and that they have with all the slaveowners Bible slaveowners Bible is also edited because it was the Bible the slaveowners would give to their slaves to read and in it they had cut out.

I kid you not.

All the sections in that in the Bible old and New Testament that would lead a slave to think that he was of equal value with his master, or that would lead him to yearn for freedom and so they had an edited Bible that they gave the slaves. The point is every generation has their version of an edited Bible if they were to do this today. We cut out Jesus's teachings on the sanctity of sex and marriage but we keep his miracle stories and putting some of the stuff on generosity and forgiveness. Our culture says it's fine to worship Jesus but you have to edit him to fit your prayer are preferences you still got a bow. We are supposed about what you will hear me, you know that for a follower of Jesus who understands anything about what Jesus says that's not an option. He is Lord of all that we often say that right he's not Lord of all, he's not Lord at all even come as a coach or guru to give you suggestions about your good life coaching ways to live becomes the authority on all things and if you don't recognize his authority. I don't think you understand what the word Lord means coming to Jesus is not like signing one of his rental car on contract for you to leave off certain options, another always try to get you to sign up for a bazillion things you want to note when navigation your prepaid fuel prepaid tolls about a ridiculously overpriced insurance package that will give you a zero deductible.

The space station pulled out of the skies measures your car right you know how I was in Oklahoma few weeks ago at the person was like a joyous insurance with your part $18 a day, but will cover you for anything, literally anything even flood damage as I have a lot in Oklahoma like a lot of flood stuff I got to say no. I don't really want to take on will pay that people think they can do that with Jesus. We can accept the parts of him that we want and postpone the others to later. I'm one college girl twin went on to. She accepted Jesus as Savior but plan to accept him as Lord. After college, that you can't bifurcate Jesus the Lord, he is not beautifully surrendered to him.

Living in rebellion know you understand that if God is the only God meant for us to say anything different is cool that's wrong it's cool because you are obscuring the one way of salvation, I think you understand.

Listen that this generation depends on us telling the truth about it. Just like the generation shutter mission.

Abednego they needed these three guys to stand not just to worship God in private, but they do it in public and say I can't bow because of their courage and entire generation like there including Nebuchadnezzar got to see that there is only one Savior, and by the way scholars say that the faith of the wise men who came to see Jesus can ultimately be traced back to this encounter is because they stood in that moment and said we can't bow these notches, my Savior leads everybody Savior. I'm not talking about not letting people be free of course not. We live in a free country value that I'm just saying that our confession is there is one Lord and one Savior, and there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved and if I don't tell you the truth about that.

I bow along the statue of pluralism like everybody else does my generation parishes.

I didn't have the courage, the substance of Christian courage. Confession is a Jesus is the only Lord the only Savior and I can only bow to here is the second encourages conviction. I believe that God can I expect that he will but I trust him if he encourages conviction on mental lot doubled with the one at a time, but courage is conviction says this I I believe that God can I expect that he will I trust you to be the what's and pack this phrase is one of Islamic and Christian courage believes that God can know the first thing I notice from the three Hebrew teenagers answer is that they were in no doubt about who the biggest that he was a missile drama for 17 our God we serve is bigger than you is bigger than your fiery furnace and so you can Jabra you want. Ultimately he's in charge now you everybody else. All other million people out there on the plane are thinking. Look how small, empathetic, those three teenagers look. Next, Nebuchadnezzar and all his mighty soldiers but there's dinner think and look how puny little man looked next to God. That's where Christian courage for defense is so simple that a child can get it right. God is bigger God is bigger. He's bigger than your problems I will and this is a kid and so did you memo my favorite hymns and I grew up as it did help me help me sleep safely at night and not be afraid God is bigger than the bogeyman bigger than the monitors on the Godzilla and the monsters on TV, legal, nobody else God is bigger than the bogeyman. It is not enough for you and is arguing as a kid and essentially I got some version of that in every situation. I go into the most basic principle of faith got bigger than your problem. All of these bigger then cancer is bigger than a lost job is bigger than a broken marriage is bigger than your friends is bigger than your sin. He's bigger than your safety is bigger than the grave and if you are his child.

There is nothing that happens to you without his permission. Not even a hairball spearhead is that without his knowledge and express permission to live in him writers of why should I be discouraged, why should shadows come. Jesus is my portion, my constant friend to see if his eyes on the sparrow, I know he watches me Christian courage believes that he can. That's all it if I believe any Our God is able and he's bigger than you turn your neighbor right now say I believe that again and bring these courageous young men believed that they stood up to a nation you're listening to Senate life. If you happen to join us late today.

You can hear the entire message by visiting us online at Jamie Greer.so Pastor Janie since our new Bible study resource file as they hear men studying the Bible explain in a little more detail that exactly so. We believe the Bible is God's actual words, which means we want to read them and wanted to know everything that's in them in the here method is is basically an instinct you want to develop that will teaching the principles of inductive Bible study. Is it showing you how to observe things that oppress them to them and how to apply them to your life in them what to do about it here stands for highlight just highlight the things that stand out to you.

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Janie