Series A – Tenth Sunday After Pentecost – Sunday, August 17, 2014 | Pr. Chris Rosebrough
| Welcome to the Teaching Ministry of Kongsvinger Lutheran Church. Kongsvinger is a beacon for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and is located on the plains of Northwestern Minnesota. We proclaim Christ and Him crucified for our sins and salvation by grace through faith alone, and now, here’s a message from Pastor Chris Rosebrough: |
| Time Stamp | Transcript |
| 0:27 | This morning I |
| 0:29 | will be preaching from Daniel chapter 3. |
| 0:33 | figure for Heritage days you know let’s |
| 0:35 | pull out an old Good Old Testament story |
| 0:37 | right story of Shadrach Meshach and |
| 0:40 | Abednego |
| 0:41 | so let’s begin in the name of Jesus |
| 0:46 | now the remnant of those who believed in |
| 0:49 | the one true God |
| 0:50 | the god of Abraham the god of Isaac and |
| 0:53 | the god of Jacob |
| 0:54 | this is the god who promised Adam and |
| 0:56 | Eve in the Garden of Eden that he would |
| 0:58 | send a seed of a woman to crush the head |
| 1:00 | of the serpent who had deceived our |
| 1:02 | first parents in the Garden of Eden and |
| 1:04 | in this account in the story of Shadrach |
| 1:06 | Meshach and Abednego in in Daniel |
| 1:08 | chapter 3. |
| 1:09 | well the the remnant of those who |
| 1:11 | believe in the one true God they find |
| 1:13 | themselves in captivity and of all |
| 1:15 | places Babylon now why why were they |
| 1:19 | there well they were there because of |
| 1:20 | Israel’s in penitence they had turned |
| 1:23 | aside from worshiping the one true God |
| 1:25 | to worshiping ba’al ashirah and Molech |
| 1:29 | by the way little historical side note |
| 1:31 | when you’re reading your Bible in the |
| 1:33 | Old Testament you read the word Molech |
| 1:35 | right that really wasn’t that deities |
| 1:39 | name and notice I used air quote okay |
| 1:41 | that deity was known by its followers as |
| 1:45 | Melech Melech is the Hebrew word for |
| 1:47 | King |
| 1:48 | but none of those who believed in the |
| 1:50 | one true God would ever call him Mela |
| 1:52 | because there is only one king right so |
| 1:54 | they called him Molech they changed the |
| 1:56 | vowels and Molech doesn’t mean King it |
| 1:59 | means shame |
| 2:01 | little side note |
| 2:04 | so Israel had turned aside from |
| 2:06 | worshiping the one true God to |
| 2:07 | worshiping but all Ashira Molech these |
| 2:10 | are gods who were figments of men’s |
| 2:12 | imaginations they and they were animated |
| 2:15 | by the power of the devil and his demons |
| 2:17 | so the Lord Yahweh the one true God he |
| 2:19 | sent prophets to Israel calling them to |
| 2:21 | repent and to be forgiven and God’s |
| 2:24 | patience was long-suffering and is |
| 2:27 | pleased to his people to return to him |
| 2:29 | and to be forgiven for their idolatry |
| 2:31 | and iniquities went with few exceptions |
| 2:33 | mostly unheeded |
| 2:36 | finally God God’s patience and mercy |
| 2:39 | they expired and God acted in judgment |
| 2:41 | and he sent Nebuchadnezzar from Babylon |
| 2:44 | to destroy Jerusalem and to take the |
| 2:47 | survivors captive and marched them to |
| 2:49 | Babylon remember they were brought into |
| 2:51 | the promised land Israelites were |
| 2:52 | brought into the promised land the land |
| 2:54 | flowing with milk and honey God so |
| 2:57 | powerfully removed the people who are |
| 3:00 | the inhabitants there but well what |
| 3:02 | happened Israelites returned to |
| 3:04 | worshiping false gods broke the Covenant |
| 3:07 | that they had made with God and God |
| 3:09 | executed the Judgment Clauses of the |
| 3:11 | Mosaic Covenant right sent |
| 3:13 | Nebuchadnezzar now those who survived |
| 3:15 | this is kind of an interesting note they |
| 3:17 | were primarily those who believed the |
| 3:18 | word of the Lord given by the Prophet |
| 3:20 | Jeremiah Jeremiah told the people of |
| 3:22 | Israel that whoever surrendered to |
| 3:24 | Nebuchadnezzar would have their life |
| 3:26 | spared those who wouldn’t surrender |
| 3:29 | would die |
| 3:31 | those who believed the word of the Lord |
| 3:33 | through the Prophet Jeremiah they lived |
| 3:34 | and those who did not believe they |
| 3:37 | perished and only about 10 percent of |
| 3:39 | the population of Judah survived |
| 3:42 | now with the Temple of the Lord |
| 3:43 | destroyed the people of Israel find |
| 3:45 | themselves in Babylon about to face a |
| 3:48 | terrible Choice here’s the choice bowed |
| 3:51 | down in worship a false god or perish in |
| 3:53 | a fiery furnace |
| 3:55 | sounds like fun so let’s turn to our |
| 3:57 | text it’s in Daniel chapter three I’ll |
| 4:00 | begin in verse one here’s what it says |
| 4:02 | King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of |
| 4:04 | gold 90 feet high nine feet wide and |
| 4:08 | he’s set up on the plane of dura in the |
| 4:10 | province of Babylon |
| 4:12 | he then summoned the say traps the |
| 4:15 | prefix the governors the advisors the |
| 4:18 | treasurers the judges the magistrates |
| 4:20 | and all the other provincial officials |
| 4:23 | to come to the dedication of the image |
| 4:25 | that he had set up so the say traps the |
| 4:28 | prefects the governors the advisors the |
| 4:31 | treasurers the judges the magistrates |
| 4:33 | and all the other provincial officers |
| 4:35 | assembled for the dedication of the |
| 4:37 | image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set |
| 4:39 | up and they stood before it |
| 4:41 | now the Church Father John chrysostom in |
| 4:44 | his sermon on this text says this uh the |
| 4:46 | enemy prepares the theater and the King |
| 4:49 | himself collects The Spectators and he |
| 4:51 | prepares the lists a theater too not of |
| 4:54 | chance persons or some private |
| 4:57 | individuals but of all those who were |
| 4:59 | Honorable in in Authority so that their |
| 5:02 | testimony may be worthy of credit with |
| 5:04 | the multitude so if you were to imagine |
| 5:06 | this were taking place today this would |
| 5:08 | be like Obama setting up a huge golden |
| 5:11 | statue you know maybe next to the |
| 5:13 | Washington Monument and out comes |
| 5:16 | all of Congress the Senate the cabinet |
| 5:19 | right the military the all the Chiefs of |
| 5:23 | Staff everybody’s out there to worship |
| 5:25 | this image you know that kind of gives |
| 5:27 | you the idea well with such a group of |
| 5:30 | people the average ordinary citizen |
| 5:33 | would think |
| 5:34 | well this is super duper important if |
| 5:36 | all the highest people in our land are |
| 5:38 | doing this well who am I to not do it |
| 5:40 | right that’s the setup |
| 5:43 | so |
| 5:44 | then the herald loudly proclaimed |
| 5:47 | you can see this guy getting up and this |
| 5:50 | is the days before they had |
| 5:51 | amplification so I have no idea how he |
| 5:53 | would pull this off right okay so he |
| 5:55 | stands up clears his throats and |
| 5:57 | proclaims this is what you what you are |
| 6:00 | commanded to do all peoples and nations |
| 6:02 | of men of every language as soon as you |
| 6:06 | hear the sound of the horn the flute the |
| 6:08 | zither the liar the heart the pipes and |
| 6:11 | all kinds of music You Must Fall Down |
| 6:14 | and Worship the image of God that King |
| 6:16 | Nebuchadnezzar has set up oh and by the |
| 6:20 | way whoever does not fall down in |
| 6:22 | worship will be immediately thrown into |
| 6:24 | a blazing fiery furnace and it’s over |
| 6:27 | there okay and so over there they’ve got |
| 6:29 | the Blazing fiery furnace everyone sees |
| 6:31 | it right |
| 6:34 | quite the bargain right |
| 6:37 | all the most important officials |
| 6:40 | big statue of gold this guy gets up and |
| 6:44 | says what you’re supposed to do and oh |
| 6:45 | if you don’t you’re going to die |
| 6:49 | so as The Story Goes therefore as soon |
| 6:52 | as they heard the sound of the horn the |
| 6:55 | flute the zither the lie or the harp and |
| 6:57 | all kinds of music this is the worst |
| 6:59 | praise band ever okay worst praise band |
| 7:02 | ever you as soon as they start singing |
| 7:05 | you’ve got to bow down to a false deity |
| 7:07 | and if you don’t you’re going to die |
| 7:08 | right |
| 7:09 | so all the nations of men of every |
| 7:11 | language they fell down and worshiped |
| 7:13 | the image of gold the King |
| 7:15 | Nebuchadnezzar had set up |
| 7:18 | except |
| 7:20 | except |
| 7:22 | you see at this time some astrologers |
| 7:24 | came forward and they denounced the Jews |
| 7:26 | they said to King Nebuchadnezzar O King |
| 7:29 | may you live forever you have issued a |
| 7:31 | creole King that everyone who hears the |
| 7:33 | sound of the horn the flute the Sith of |
| 7:35 | the liar the harp the pipes and all |
| 7:36 | kinds of music in other words the praise |
| 7:38 | band from Hell Must Fall Down and |
| 7:41 | Worship the image of gold that whoever |
| 7:43 | does not fall down in worship will be |
| 7:45 | thrown into a blazing fiery furnace but |
| 7:49 | there are some Jews whom you have set |
| 7:53 | over the Affairs the province of Babylon |
| 7:55 | Shadrach Meshach and Abednego they pay |
| 7:57 | no attention to you O King and they |
| 8:00 | neither serve your Gods nor worship the |
| 8:02 | image of gold that you have set up |
| 8:05 | oh boy |
| 8:08 | quiet the story right |
| 8:11 | now |
| 8:12 | let me ask a question |
| 8:14 | If This Were You |
| 8:17 | it would be really tempting to just bow |
| 8:19 | down and live would it not |
| 8:21 | but see that image |
| 8:24 | false god |
| 8:26 | and the first commandment says you shall |
| 8:28 | have no other gods before me right |
| 8:32 | so these astrologers who’ve ratted on |
| 8:35 | the the Jews |
| 8:37 | have given their message and here’s |
| 8:40 | Nebuchadnezzar’s response |
| 8:42 | Furious with rage |
| 8:46 | Nebuchadnezzar summoned Shadrach Meshach |
| 8:49 | and Abednego so everyone’s there right |
| 8:53 | Supreme Courts there Congress there |
| 8:55 | senates there Chief of Staff All of |
| 8:57 | everybody from all the government |
| 8:58 | officials are there and here comes |
| 9:00 | Shadrach Meshach and Abednego |
| 9:02 | everybody’s bowed down except for these |
| 9:04 | three guys they clearly don’t get with |
| 9:06 | the program they don’t understand what’s |
| 9:07 | going on here so Nebuchadnezzar says to |
| 9:10 | them |
| 9:12 | is it true |
| 9:14 | Shadrach Meshach and Abednego that you |
| 9:16 | do not serve my gods or worship the |
| 9:18 | image of gold that I have set up |
| 9:21 | now is it true now they’re about to |
| 9:24 | answer right |
| 9:25 | but he cuts them off yeah now when you |
| 9:28 | hear the sound of the horn the flute the |
| 9:30 | zither the liar the harp the pipes and |
| 9:31 | all kinds of music if you’re ready to |
| 9:33 | fall down and worship the image made |
| 9:35 | well then very good but if you do not |
| 9:38 | worship it you will be thrown |
| 9:40 | immediately into a blazing furnace |
| 9:43 | then what God will be able to rescue you |
| 9:46 | from my hand |
| 9:50 | okay |
| 9:52 | Church Father to tour llian writing on |
| 9:55 | this passage he says this in terms of |
| 9:57 | the honors due to King or Emperor well |
| 10:00 | we have a clear ruling to be subject in |
| 10:02 | all obedience according to the apostles |
| 10:04 | commands and we’re to be obedient to |
| 10:07 | magistrates to princes and those in |
| 10:09 | Authority but this obedience must be |
| 10:13 | within the bounds of Christian |
| 10:14 | discipline that is it is proper to obey |
| 10:17 | our magistrates only in so far as we |
| 10:20 | keep ourselves free from idolatry it was |
| 10:22 | for this reason that the familiar |
| 10:24 | example of the three friends occurred |
| 10:26 | before our time obedient in other |
| 10:28 | respects to King Nebuchadnezzar they |
| 10:30 | most firmly refuse to honor His Image |
| 10:33 | and by this they proved that to extend |
| 10:36 | the honor proper to a mortal being |
| 10:37 | Beyond its due limits until it resembles |
| 10:40 | the Grandeur of God well that’s idolatry |
| 10:42 | Daniel in the same way subjected himself |
| 10:44 | to Darius in all points and performed |
| 10:46 | his duty as long as it did not imperil |
| 10:48 | his religion to avoid that Daniel showed |
| 10:50 | no more fear of the king’s lines than |
| 10:52 | and they had shown to the king’s fires |
| 10:54 | so here’s the idea |
| 10:57 | Christians |
| 10:59 | your king is Jesus |
| 11:01 | your God is Jesus and you are to obey |
| 11:05 | the people who make the laws in our land |
| 11:08 | only if |
| 11:11 | those laws do not conflict |
| 11:13 | with our worship and service of Jesus |
| 11:16 | when a government writes a law that is |
| 11:20 | contrary to the word of God our |
| 11:23 | responses that’s all well and good but I |
| 11:27 | have a higher King than you my king is |
| 11:29 | Jesus right |
| 11:31 | so now we’ve got this story we’ll go |
| 11:33 | back to it here comes Shadrach Meshach |
| 11:36 | and the bendigo’s reply to the question |
| 11:38 | and kind of the ultimatum it was so |
| 11:41 | merciful of King Nebuchadnezzar to give |
| 11:43 | them another opportunity to do the right |
| 11:45 | thing right |
| 11:47 | so Shadrach Meshach and Abednego they |
| 11:49 | replied to the king O King |
| 11:50 | Nebuchadnezzar |
| 11:52 | we do not need to defend ourselves |
| 11:54 | before you in this matter |
| 11:56 | if we are thrown into the Blazing |
| 11:58 | furnace the god that we serve is able to |
| 12:01 | save us from it and he will rescue us |
| 12:03 | from your hand oh King but even if he |
| 12:06 | does not we want you to know O King that |
| 12:08 | we will not serve your Gods we will not |
| 12:11 | worship the image of gold that you have |
| 12:13 | set up |
| 12:15 | wow |
| 12:17 | wow |
| 12:19 | Church Father Jerome says this let us |
| 12:22 | turn our thoughts to these three boys in |
| 12:24 | the fiery furnace in Babylonian listen |
| 12:26 | to what they say when Nebuchadnezzar |
| 12:28 | summons them before him and compels them |
| 12:30 | to worship His false god what is their |
| 12:33 | answer to Nebuchadnezzar King there’s no |
| 12:35 | need to defend ourselves |
| 12:37 | look at their faith |
| 12:39 | we believe it says that he’s able to |
| 12:42 | save us but if it should be that our |
| 12:43 | sins prevent him we still believe in him |
| 12:45 | even if he does not deliver us we do not |
| 12:48 | believe in this life but in the future |
| 12:50 | life nor do we believe in him in order |
| 12:53 | to escape burning here but in order to |
| 12:55 | escape passing from this fire into |
| 12:57 | another so go ahead then prepare your |
| 12:59 | furnace this heat this fire it’s our |
| 13:01 | purgation and happy is he whose help is |
| 13:03 | the god of Jacob |
| 13:05 | now clearly |
| 13:07 | um |
| 13:08 | Nebuchadnezzar was not |
| 13:10 | happy about this and the text says then |
| 13:13 | Nebuchadnezzar was Furious |
| 13:15 | Shadrach Meshach and Abednego and his |
| 13:18 | attitude toward them changed he ordered |
| 13:20 | the furnace to be heated seven times |
| 13:22 | hotter than usual and commanded some of |
| 13:24 | the strongest soldiers in his army to |
| 13:26 | tie up Shadrach Meshach and Abednego and |
| 13:29 | throw them into the Blazing furnace so |
| 13:32 | these men wearing their robes trousers |
| 13:34 | turbans and other clothes they were |
| 13:36 | bound and thrown into the Blazing |
| 13:37 | furnace the King’s Command was so urgent |
| 13:40 | and the furnace so hot that the Flames |
| 13:44 | of the fire killed the soldiers who took |
| 13:45 | up Shadrach Meshach and Abednego and |
| 13:49 | these three men firmly tied fell into |
| 13:51 | the Blazing furnace now this is |
| 13:53 | important the fact that the men who |
| 13:55 | bound them and threw them into the |
| 13:56 | furnace died was proof to everybody that |
| 13:59 | this was no magic trick |
| 14:01 | right it killed the ones who were |
| 14:03 | throwing them into it |
| 14:05 | so then the story takes an interesting |
| 14:08 | turn and here’s where I need to give a |
| 14:10 | little bit of preface |
| 14:12 | back a long time ago when I was skinnier |
| 14:15 | okay |
| 14:17 | my kids were young |
| 14:18 | and my children loved when I would read |
| 14:21 | the Bible stories to them every night at |
| 14:23 | the dinner table and I remember my |
| 14:26 | youngest daughter when she was five when |
| 14:28 | I told the story when I read this tour |
| 14:30 | she literally hung on every word and |
| 14:33 | when we got to this part in the story |
| 14:36 | she went |
| 14:39 | what happened Dad they’re gonna die |
| 14:42 | somebody’s got to save them right she’s |
| 14:45 | very upset about this and I said well do |
| 14:47 | you want me to keep reading the story or |
| 14:49 | not right |
| 14:50 | so here the story builds and think of |
| 14:53 | yourself as a little child hearing the |
| 14:55 | story again |
| 14:56 | because Jesus says unless you have faith |
| 14:58 | like a little child you will not enter |
| 14:59 | the kingdom of heaven so hear these |
| 15:01 | words from the faith of a little child |
| 15:03 | so here they’ve been thrown into the |
| 15:06 | fiery furnace who can save them right |
| 15:11 | and then it says this |
| 15:13 | then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his |
| 15:16 | feet in amazement and he asked his |
| 15:19 | advisors weren’t there three men that we |
| 15:22 | tied up and threw into the fire they |
| 15:24 | replied certainly O King he said look |
| 15:28 | I see four men walking around on the |
| 15:31 | fire Unbound and unharmed and here’s the |
| 15:34 | important part and the fourth looks like |
| 15:37 | a son of the Gods |
| 15:40 | and when I read this to my five-year-old |
| 15:42 | daughter she sprung up and she goes |
| 15:46 | Jesus showed up he came and he saved |
| 15:49 | them |
| 15:51 | and you know what |
| 15:53 | he’s right |
| 15:55 | our savior is not an angel our savior is |
| 15:57 | Jesus himself King of Kings Lord of |
| 16:00 | lords the Alpha and the Omega the |
| 16:02 | beginning and the end he was there with |
| 16:04 | Shadrach Meshach and Abednego and he |
| 16:07 | saved them from the fiery furnace |
| 16:10 | so then Nebuchadnezzar approached the |
| 16:12 | opening of the Blazing furnace and he |
| 16:13 | shouted Shadrach Meshach and abandoned |
| 16:15 | go Servants of the most high God come |
| 16:18 | out come here |
| 16:21 | well now he’s changed his tune hasn’t he |
| 16:23 | right |
| 16:24 | he gets a glimpse of Jesus and he |
| 16:27 | realizes that this image is nothing |
| 16:30 | and he realizes that Shadrach Meshach |
| 16:33 | and Abednego worship now he calls their |
| 16:37 | God the most high God he still has some |
| 16:39 | theological issues there that need to be |
| 16:41 | hammered out because the god of Shadrach |
| 16:44 | Meshach and Abednego is not the most |
| 16:46 | high God he’s not one of many he’s the |
| 16:49 | only God there is right but he |
| 16:52 | recognizes that there’s no God like this |
| 16:54 | so he tells them still kind of in an |
| 16:56 | authoritative manner you you come out |
| 16:58 | here now so Shadrach Meshach and |
| 17:01 | Abednego they came out of the fire and |
| 17:02 | the say traps the prefects the governors |
| 17:04 | and the Royal advisors crowded around |
| 17:07 | them and they saw that the fire had not |
| 17:09 | harmed their bodies nor was a hair of |
| 17:11 | their heads singed and the robes were |
| 17:13 | not scorched and there was no smell of |
| 17:15 | fire on them and then Nebuchadnezzar |
| 17:18 | said this listen to this praise be to |
| 17:20 | the god of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego |
| 17:23 | who has sent his his Angel his messenger |
| 17:26 | and rescued his servants so they trusted |
| 17:29 | in him and defied the King’s Command and |
| 17:32 | were willing to give up their lives |
| 17:34 | rather than serve or worship any God |
| 17:36 | except for their own God therefore I |
| 17:39 | decree that the people of Any Nation are |
| 17:40 | language who say anything against the |
| 17:42 | god of Shadrach Meshach and Abednego |
| 17:44 | shall be cut into pieces and their |
| 17:47 | houses turned into piles of rubber |
| 17:48 | Rubble for no other God can save in this |
| 17:51 | way |
| 17:52 | now that’s I like the sentiment there |
| 17:54 | his theology is a little screwed up we |
| 17:57 | need to work with him on the proper |
| 17:58 | distinction of long gospel and what it |
| 18:00 | is that God really wants for us the |
| 18:02 | christostom the the great church father |
| 18:05 | says this |
| 18:07 | all of these Regal men had had been |
| 18:10 | summoned for one thing but they all |
| 18:12 | departed having beheld another thing |
| 18:14 | they came in order to worship the image |
| 18:16 | and they departed having derided the |
| 18:18 | image and struck with Wonder at the |
| 18:20 | power of God through signs that had |
| 18:22 | taken place with respect to these young |
| 18:24 | men |
| 18:25 | now all of this |
| 18:27 | okay all the scriptures written about |
| 18:29 | Jesus here Jesus shows up and he saves |
| 18:32 | Shadrach Meshach and Abednego think of |
| 18:34 | that as like type and Shadow as somehow |
| 18:37 | you know a symbol pointing us to the |
| 18:40 | reality and the reality is this our |
| 18:43 | Jesus |
| 18:44 | the virgin-born King of Kings who |
| 18:48 | suffered and died for our sins |
| 18:50 | he truly is the one who saves all of us |
| 18:52 | from the fiery furnace in Matthew |
| 18:54 | Chapter 13 Jesus tells a parable here’s |
| 18:57 | what he says he says Jesus told them a |
| 18:59 | parable he says the Kingdom of Heaven is |
| 19:01 | like a man who sowed good seed in his |
| 19:03 | field but while everyone was sleeping |
| 19:04 | his enemy came and sowed seeds among the |
| 19:06 | wheat and then went away when the wheat |
| 19:09 | sprouted and formed heads the weeds also |
| 19:11 | appeared so the owner’s servants came to |
| 19:13 | him and say sir did you not sow good |
| 19:16 | seed in your field where then did the |
| 19:18 | weeds come from |
| 19:19 | said well an enemy did this and servants |
| 19:22 | asked him well do you want us to go and |
| 19:23 | pull them up no no he answered because |
| 19:26 | while you’re pulling the weeds you may |
| 19:27 | root up the wheat with them let bro both |
| 19:30 | grow together until the Harvest and at |
| 19:32 | that time I will tell the Harvesters |
| 19:34 | first collect the weeds and then tie |
| 19:36 | them in bundles to be burned and then |
| 19:37 | gathered the wheat and then bring them |
| 19:38 | into my barn |
| 19:40 | so the Disciples of course they didn’t |
| 19:42 | quite understand what the story was |
| 19:43 | about because it’s kind of cryptic so |
| 19:45 | they asked Jesus to explain it to him so |
| 19:47 | he said here’s what it says he answered |
| 19:49 | the one who sowed The Good Seed well |
| 19:51 | that’s the son of man that’s Jesus the |
| 19:53 | field is the world The Good Seed stands |
| 19:55 | for the sons of the Kingdom the weeds |
| 19:56 | are the sons of the evil one and the |
| 19:59 | enemy who sows them well that’s the |
| 20:01 | devil and the Harvest This is the End of |
| 20:05 | the Age and the Harvesters they’re the |
| 20:07 | Angels so as the weeds are pulled up and |
| 20:09 | burned in the fire so will it be at the |
| 20:11 | End of the Age the son of man will send |
| 20:13 | his angels and they will weed out of his |
| 20:15 | kingdom everything that causes sin and |
| 20:17 | all who do evil and they will throw them |
| 20:19 | into get this the fiery furnace |
| 20:23 | there it is right there in the New |
| 20:25 | Testament so King Nebuchadnezzar’s fiery |
| 20:27 | furnace is kind of a picture of hell |
| 20:29 | but the real thing is Hell itself |
| 20:32 | so |
| 20:33 | says and in the fiery furnace there will |
| 20:35 | be weeping and dashing of teeth but the |
| 20:37 | righteous they will shine like the sun |
| 20:38 | and the kingdom of their father and so |
| 20:40 | he who has ears led him here so there is |
| 20:43 | a fiery furnace and the fiery furnace |
| 20:45 | was prepared for the devil and his |
| 20:46 | demons and unlike Shadrach Meshach and |
| 20:49 | Abednego who had done no wrong in |
| 20:51 | deserving to be thrown into |
| 20:53 | Nebuchadnezzar’s fiery furnace well each |
| 20:55 | and every one of us all of us we’ve |
| 20:57 | rebelled and sinned against the god of |
| 20:59 | Jacob and have through our wickedness |
| 21:01 | earned a spot |
| 21:03 | in the real fiery furnace this is what |
| 21:06 | scripture says have you not loved god |
| 21:08 | with your whole heart |
| 21:10 | have you not perfectly loved your |
| 21:12 | neighbor as yourself |
| 21:13 | well then you’re a sinner |
| 21:16 | and the good news is that you’re in good |
| 21:17 | company so am I we’re all Sinners |
| 21:19 | together and the good news is that |
| 21:21 | Christ came to save Sinners he didn’t |
| 21:23 | come for good people he came for Sinners |
| 21:25 | so if you are one of them there’s good |
| 21:28 | news right |
| 21:30 | so I’m here to Proclaim to you that the |
| 21:32 | Son of God who rescued Shadrach Meshach |
| 21:34 | and Abednego from the fiery furnace he |
| 21:37 | has appeared in human history to save |
| 21:38 | you and to save me he was born of the |
| 21:41 | Virgin Mary he suffered crucifixion |
| 21:43 | under Pontius Pilate and Isaiah |
| 21:45 | describes his crucifixion this and you |
| 21:47 | know over 600 years before Jesus was |
| 21:49 | born the prophet Isaiah says this about |
| 21:51 | Jesus surely he took up our infirmities |
| 21:54 | he carried our sorrows yet we considered |
| 21:57 | him stricken by God and Smitten by him |
| 21:59 | and Afflicted but here’s the important |
| 22:02 | part he was pierced for our |
| 22:04 | transgressions he was crushed for our |
| 22:07 | iniquities and the punishment the |
| 22:10 | chastisement that brought us peace with |
| 22:12 | God was upon him and by his wounds we |
| 22:14 | are healed all we like sheep have gone |
| 22:16 | astray each of us has turned to his own |
| 22:18 | way and the lord has laid on Jesus the |
| 22:21 | iniquity of us all so he Jesus today is |
| 22:25 | calling all men and all women you and me |
| 22:27 | included to repent of our sins our |
| 22:30 | idolatries our adulteries and to be |
| 22:32 | forgiven and pardon on his account |
| 22:34 | because of his shed blood for us on the |
| 22:36 | cross why well because God loves you |
| 22:40 | he does he does not desire your |
| 22:43 | destruction John says this for God so |
| 22:46 | loved the world that he gave he gave his |
| 22:48 | only son that whoever believes in him |
| 22:50 | will not perish but will have eternal |
| 22:53 | life for God did not send his son Jesus |
| 22:56 | into the world to condemn the world |
| 22:57 | instead he sent him to save the world |
| 23:00 | whoever believes in him is not condemned |
| 23:03 | whoever does not believe stands |
| 23:05 | condemned already because he has not |
| 23:06 | believed in the name of God’s one and |
| 23:08 | only son |
| 23:09 | and the chapter ends with this whoever |
| 23:11 | believes in the son has eternal life |
| 23:13 | whoever rejects the son will not see |
| 23:16 | life and the wrath of God remains on him |
| 23:19 | so this morning God is making his appeal |
| 23:21 | to you today and he’s calling you to |
| 23:24 | repent |
| 23:25 | and to be forgiven Jesus is here today |
| 23:28 | to save you from the fiery furnace just |
| 23:31 | like he saved Shadrach Meshach and |
| 23:33 | Abednego |
| 23:34 | so do not Harden your hearts against him |
| 23:36 | repent believe and live |
| 23:40 | he who has ears to hear Let Him hear in |
| 23:43 | the name of Jesus |
| 23:45 | amen |
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