When We See GOD
SERMON PREP
When we see GOD
“Look!” Nebuchadnezzar shouted. “I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!” – Daniel 3:25
The back story on this verse is powerful. King Nebuchadnezzar is all about his people worshipping him and this 90-foot gold statue beaming in his image. Well, three guys named Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego weren’t into this forced devotion. Fast forward a couple of lines. Yep, you guessed it: they find themselves in trouble, big trouble, because they’re not bowing to the earthly ruler.
Now Nebuchadnezzar gets REALLY bent at this insolence and has his henchmen bind them before they’re tossed into this blazing furnace that is made seven times hotter than usual.
Before Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are sent to the fires, they tell Nebuchadnezzar that the God they serve is able to save them. But even if God doesn’t—even if they get truly marshmallow black scorched—they will not worship him or his big, silly statue.
You know what happens. The three don’t burn up. Not a hair is scorched on these three. Their arms and legs are free though. And then there’s that fourth one in there. The god.
Now fast forward one more time. When do we see God?
We see God when someone is in a blazing furnace of some kind and is not being burned. Maybe you’re that person now. Maybe there’s hell all around you, but the fires aren’t getting you. There may be a lot of smoke and high flames around you, but know this, okay? When people see you in this hot furnace place, they see God with you.
Now, that’s cool.
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