Biblical Examples of Worshipping God
Daniel 3
DATE: 1 Oct, 2006 AM
PLACE: BBC Ballincollig
I. Introduction (John 4:23)
A. This is a study series looking at True Worship, and True Worshippers
B. So Far, we have looked at the Wrong Ways to Worship, and then the Right Ways to Worship God
C. Today, we look some more at HOW God’s people worshipped God – today turning to the pages of Daniel, and learning about how Worship can start a big fire! A big fire in the life of the worshipper – and it ain’t good!
II. Principles of Worship
A. Everyone worships some-thing or some-one!
B. But most people miss the target when it comes to worshipping God - People assume they know what worship should be like.
C. Worship means to show someone’s worth! To show someone’s worth-ship! An act of ascribing worth/value to a person. Ascribing great worth to a person
1. To honour – extol, lift-up, praise
2. To please
3. To bless
4. To love with all the heart
5. To glorify – put all the attention on – put the lime-light on
6. To serve gladly and whole-heartedly
7. When a person worship’s God, these things are all active!
D. The test of one’s worship is what happens when everything goes wrong? Can you STILL worship your God? Can you still say, “He is good” and “His mercy endureth forever?”
III. Background (Daniel 1:1,2)
A. The nation of Israel was in trouble with God
B. Sin and pride had divided that once great nation in two
C. First the northern nation of Israel was defeated and conquered
D. Now, the people Judah were being driven 600 miles away into Babylon
E. Among the many tens of thousands were four young men, known as: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah
F. These four boys would change the course of history just by the way they worshipped
G. This morning, we will take a look at the personal, powerful worship of the three young men even in the fiery furnace
H. It’s time we learned the truth, true worship is tough
IV. Preview
A. How They Got Into Trouble (Dan 3:1-18)
B. How They Got Through the Trouble (Dan 3:19-27)
C. How to Do the Same.
V. Message
A. How They Got Into Trouble (Dan 3:1-18)
1. They Rejected False Worship
a. Here was a huge 80 foot high golden image, placed in the centre of a huge flat plain so that everyone coming into Babylon would see it, standing there, gleaming in the sunlight
b. It was simply a gold statue of what Nebuchadnezzar had dreamed about and now thought was worthy of worship!
c. So many people worship their experiences
1) Their dreams
2) Images – idols
3) People
4) Self
5) Money
6) Their success or their potential success
d. Worship the creature (the thing) instead of the Creator
e. These young men, under 20 years of age:
1) Knew the difference between true worship and false worship
2) Were ready to pay the price to worship God
3) Were already worshipping, so they just simply rejected anything that came along and tried to take their attention away from the truth
2. They Resisted Forced Manipulation – oh the pressures of life, and society
a. The hallmark of every religion is intolerance – can’t stand competition. God doesn’t mind it a bit (Jer 23:28)
b. The world uses Music, Majority, and uses Fear and intimidation
c. Notice the power of music
1) To manipulate a whole country – a whole generation, and nowadays, whole churches
2) Satan tried to do the same thing in heaven – was kicked out
d. Nebuchadnezzar was very “gracious” in offering a large variety of music – “all kinds of musick”
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African Alternative Rock Big Band Blues Cajun and Zydeco Celtic Choral Classical Country Dance Disco Easy Listening Electronic Folk Heavy Metal |
Hip Hop Jazz Latin Lounge Marching Middle Eastern Military Bands and Music Opera Polka Pop Progressive Rock Punk Ragtime Rap |
Rave Reggae Regional and Ethnic Religious Rhythm and Blues Rock Salsa Samba Swing Techno Traditional Pop Vocal Worldbeat
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e. But all he was interested in was FORCING people to worship that image of his – and music would help people comply!
f. It’s a bit like it is going to be in the coming tribulation
3. They Remained Standing (Eph 6:13; Dan 3:8-18)
a. So many went ahead and just bowed to the idol
b. There were not many (only three) who did not bow – but enough to catch the attention of the king
c. Thank God that some will not bow, even today
1) To the modern music
2) To the disco scene
3) To the debt pressure
4) To the drug users and pushers
5) To the pub scene
6) To the worry of life
7) To the try before you buy sex scene!!!
8) To the religious pressures put on them by ungodly churches and religions
d. Here were three boys – you could change their address, change their names, change their clothes, change their futures, change their education, but you could not change their faith in God
e. God had become personal and intimate to them as young men, and now, NOTHING was capable of conquering that relationship!
f. Stand…
1) And be counted
2) Out from the crowd – be different, peculiar
3) With some folks – with a bunch of other Bible believing Christians
4) For some things that matter – like your Bible, your family, your life, your testimony
g. They Stood When Accused
1) All eyes turned towards these three boys
2) Men began running towards them
3) In the grandstand, counsellors recognized these three boys, and informed the king of their “rebellion” to his command
4) He was furious at Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego
h. They Stood When Asked/Demanded (Dan 3:14-18)
1) Worship MY image NOW! BOW!
2) But they didn’t
3) Instead, they calmly responded that they would do anything the king asked, except worship a false god – they cannot violate the Second Commandment (Ex 20:1-5)
4) Ready to Explain – turns out an opportunity to PREACH and witness - Your troubles are often opportunities to preach
i. They Stood When Condemned (Dan 3:19)
1) They did not back down when things did not go better
2) They had chosen to stand against the world’s way of worship, and they were going to stay standing!
3) Not worried about the situation (Rom 8:38,39)
4) Valleys are for refining (1Pet 1:6,7; James 1:2,3) and cause great rejoicing because of what the fining pot will produce – purer Gold in us
B. How They Got Through the Trouble (Dan 3:19-27)
1. Faithfully - Didn’t wait until they HAD to take a stand – already were faithful to God (Dan 1:8) – already, faithfully serving God (Dan 3:17) – this was they way of life, not something they just quickly started to do in opposition to Nebuchadnezzar’s tyranny
2. Fervently – able to passionately testify of their faith in their God, and His power, and most importantly, of His will (whatever HE wants will be just fine with us!)
a. See Peter, James and John – men of BACKBONE and right courage
3. Confidently
a. Their strength was not in their faith, not in their creed, or their church, or their pastor, or their parents
b. Their strength was in the power of the almighty God of heaven and earth (Jonah)
c. Most people’s faith rests in their current situation – not in God
4. Worshipfully – no one gets through firestorms like this unless they are able to worship in the midst of it. These boys were:
a. At Rest in their hearts and minds
1) No matter what Nebuchadnezzar did, or said, these young men could not be moved, or discouraged, and would not be defeated
2) They were at perfect rest – great peace
b. At the Throne of God, not of men
1) Physically, these boys were tied-up, and standing before a furious king
2) Spiritually, they were before the throne of God (Heb 4:16; Eph 2:4-6) – live on a different plane than the world around you!
c. Worship works going INTO the fire – stays full of confidence – not screaming or complaining – not bitter or mad!
d. Worship works while IN the fire – not only for the mountain-top
e. Worship testifies to all who are watching (Heb 12:1) that your God is awesome and worthy of all glory (1Pet 4:12-14; 2Tim 3:12)
5. Patiently – there are no short-cuts to the Christian life. The fourth fruit of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer is LONG-suffering. The Christian life is a marathon run, not a dash!
6. Together
a. They were few, but they at least had each other – Thank God for fellow believers! Thank God for Church, and prayer meetings, and Christian fellowship, and Church activities, and family times
b. But there was Someone else who would join them – Jesus!
c. The Fourth Man in Our Worship (Dan 3:24-25; Isa 43:1-3)
1) Oh that our worship was real
2) Jesus will join us when it is real, and true and spiritual (Mt 18:20; Jn 14:21-23)
3) He didn’t promise us no troubles, or fires, or floods, or debts, or health problems…
4) But He DID promise to never leave us, but to go through each with us, carrying us, and giving us enough grace for every step! Guaranteed!
C. How to Do the Same
1. Know True Worship
2. Reject False Worship – of any kind
3. Stand when everyone else is bowing
4. Worship when it is tough to do so
5. Enjoy the presence of Jesus Christ through every trial and trouble – He promises to let you know He is there
VI. Conclusion and Final Applications
A. How easy do you find it to STOP your worship and praise of God?
B. How far will you go for the truth, and for your Lord?
C. Worship is not only for the mountain-tops, but also for the valleys, and even the fiery furnaces
D. Check your heart – is it full of sin and the world, or full of God? It will show itself in times of troubles
E. Starts with the new birth
Craig Ledbetter
Bible Baptist Church, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland