O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. (Jer.10:23)
Without the Spirit of the Lord at the helm of a man’s life, He will make the wrong choices, be in the wrong places, at the wrong time, with the wrong people, and get the wrong results; that ultimately bring curses and crises into his family in their generations. But Thank God for Jesus Christ, who has the power to transform a man’s life into the image of the only true and Living God, and give to him blessing, honor, and sanctification—thereby causing his seed (words and children) to become mighty in the earth. (Psalm 112:1-3)
Date: December 11, 2022
Sermon Part 2: “The Three Wise Men: A Portrait of True Worship of God.”
Praise the Lord Saints, you ought to shout for joy, that you are God’s property! (I Cor. 3:16) God is in you, and no weapon formed against you shall ever prosper and every tongue that rises up against you in judgment, you shall condemn it. This is the heritage of the righteous! (Is. 54:17)
Furthermore, God is your “life and length of your days”—so you have no need to fear, worry, or stress out about anything in life. (Deut. 30:20) If there is any trouble, care, or burden presently in your thoughts—speak to it right now and say, “Be thou removed and cast into the sea, swallowed up in the sea forever!” And, do not forget while you are standing in faith, to forgive everyone who has wronged you. (Mark 11:23-25)
I say to you, keep your “All” on God’s Altar of Sacrifice, and let the Spirit of the Lord have complete control, no matter the “Pressures” that people and institutions may try to bring on you to conform to this present age of evil in this world. Be strong and of good courage. Stand up and out for God, and His Word, so that Christ may shine bright through you to the world and do great wonders to behold.
I tell you the truth: God wants to work great wonders through you—supernatural things never seen nor heard of before that embarrass and exploit the devil and bring God glory! But, your “All must be on God’s Altar of Sacrifice.
I’m believing 2023, is going to be the year of your coming out party—more and more, and more of the glory of God in you, is going to be revealed through you!
Let’s move into Part 2 of our Sermon Series, entitled, “The Three Wise Men: A Portrait of True Worship of God.”
In my humble opinion, among the greatest stories told in the Bible is that of “The Three Wise Men.” Now, I know it’s the Christmas Season and likely when I said, “The Three Wise Men,” you immediately thought about the wise men (king's/magi) who came traveling thousands of miles from the east, guided by a star, to the house of Joseph and Mary to worship the young child Jesus. Their story is told at Matthew 2:1-13.
By the way, Scripture does not say how many wise men there were who came to the house to worship the young child, King of the Jews, Jesus. (Matt. 2:1) Traditionally people have assumed there were “three wise men,” since the wise men presented to Jesus three types of gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (Matt. 2:11)
However, in this Sermon, when I say, “The Three Wise Men,” I'm talking about the “Three Hebrew Boys” named Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego; and their experience with the fiery furnace of king Nebuchadnezzar. These young men were “Living Sacrifices” unto God. They had a boldness to stand for God no matter what it cost them, and their heroic faith in God—although not mentioned specifically by their names—are among the heroes of faith in the Book of Hebrews. (Heb.11:34)
The Three Wise Men, the Three Hebrew Boys’ story of sacrificial living unto God, presents to us a portrait of unfeigned worship of God. We should study and apply their relationship with God and willingness to sacrifice “All” for the Lord to our own lives, as we press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus, which is to be continually transformed into the image of God in Jesus Christ. (Php. 3:14)
The story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego unfolds in Daniel 3:8-30. I will summarize the story for you. The story takes place approximately 600-years before Jesus Christ was born, when king Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon attacked Jerusalem and took captive many of Israel’s best and brightest citizens.
Among those taken into captivity, were four young men from the tribe of Judah: Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah. Once in Babylonian captivity, the youths were given new names. Daniel was called (Belteshazzar), Hananiah (Shadrach), Mishael (Meshach), and Azariah, (Abednego). (Daniel 1:6-7) These four Hebrew youths soon after proved themselves to be exceptionally wise among the Babylonians, as God gave each one of them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom. In particular, Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. (Daniel 1:17)
As a result of the blessing and favor of God on the lives of the youths, they found favor with king Nebuchadnezzar. When Daniel turned out to be the only person in the kingdom capable of interpreting one of Nebuchadnezzar's troubling dreams, the king promoted him to the position of Chief Governor over the entire province of Babylon, including over all of the wise men in the land.
Also, at Daniel's request, the king appointed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to high positions in government, as Daniel's advisors. Isn't it wonderful to have a mentor in your life—someone willing, after they have made it, to look back, go back, and lift you up to a better place in your career and life?
King Nebuchadnezzar had a huge golden image built as a symbol of his power and glory. He then commanded all of the people of Babylon to bow down and worship this image, whenever they heard the sound of his musical herald. Anyone who dared disobey the order would be thrown into a burning fiery furnace. And, at the sound of the music the people of Babylon obeyed the king’s command—well almost everyone did.
Thereafter, some of the Chaldeans, citizens of Babylon, went before the king and accused the three Hebrew boys of not bowing down and worshipping the golden idol at the sound of the music. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who worshipped the only true and Living God (The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.) thus, were brought before Nebuchadnezzar, and to face their fate if they refused to worship the golden idol. The king insisted that the Hebrew boys take this final chance of being saved from the fiery furnace, to bow down at the sound of the music and worship the image. The king brazenly taunted the young men saying, if they didn’t worship the image, “Who is that God that shall deliver you out of my hands?” (Daniel 3:15)
But, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, remained courageous in the face of the king's demand to bow down before the golden statue. Recorded at Daniel 3:16-18, were the Hebrew Boys saying these words in response to the king. Watch the love, faith, and trust the Hebrew boys displayed in the presence of the king and at the height of “PRESSURE” and adversity.
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, answered and said to the king, O Nebuchadnezzar, we are not careful to answer thee in this matter.
17 If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.
18 But if not, be it known unto thee, O king, that we will not serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image which thou hast set up.
The Hebrew boys did not even think twice in answering the king. There was no need to think and ponder what they should say or do. If thrown in the fiery furnace; Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, had full confidence that God was able to deliver them from the furnace and the king!
If you will, to put the icing and whip cream on their “faith cake,” the boys decreed that even if God did not deliver them, they still would not worship the golden image, or any other of the gods of the king. In other words, the Three Wise Men were saying we don’t care who you are, what you may do to us, what our ultimate fate may be—we will never serve and worship another god, other than the only true and Living God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob!
Consider for a moment, that in the Hebrew Boys’ time of GREAT PRESSURE, with their lives on the line, they could have come up with several excuses and yielded themselves to bow-down and worship the golden image. For example, together they could have compromised—and taken their “All off the Altar of Sacrifice,” by saying:
(1) We will bow-down, but not actually worship the idols.
(2) We will not become idol worshippers, but will worship this one time, and then ask God to forgive us.
(3) The king has absolute power and we must obey him. God will understand.
(4) The king gave us our good-government jobs, we have been living good in Babylon—we owe him this—why rock the boat?
(5) This is a foreign land so God will excuse us for following their customs.
(6) Our ancestors set up idols in God's temple. This isn't as bad as that.
(7) We are not hurting anybody by worshipping the golden idol.
(8) If we get ourselves killed and some pagans get our positions, this will not help us get our people out of exile.
But thank God, the Hebrew boys never considered any of these options, and told the king and anyone else listening, that they would not bow-down and serve the false god, nor any other god. These Three Wise Men’s decision not to worship the image was borne out of their love and relationship with God. They had a love connection with God, and honored the Law of God, as it was given to Moses, to command Israel to have no other God before Him. (Ex. 20:3 & Deut. 6:4, 13-15)
If the Three Wise Men had fallen down and worshipped the image, they would have never seen or known of the power of God to save them. If they didn’t remain as Living Sacrifices unto God, they would never have had the opportunity to experience the Hand of God deliver them out of the king’s hand.
Furious, Nebuchadnezzar ordered the furnace to be heated seven times hotter than average. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego were bound and cast into the flames. The fiery blast was so hot it killed the soldiers who had escorted them to the furnace. As king Nebuchadnezzar looked into the furnace, he was astonished at what he saw. He knew three men had been casted into the fire, but his eyes saw the men had company in the midst of the flames! In Daniel 3:25 the king said,
“…Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”
Then king Nebuchadnezzar called the men to come out of the furnace. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego emerged unharmed, with not even a hair on their heads singed, or the smell of smoke on their clothing. God sent an angel—a heavenly bodyguard—to protect Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego during their intense time of need. This completely changed the heart of king Nebuchadnezzar who declared in Daniel 3:28:
“…Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, who hath sent his angel, and delivered his servants that trusted in him, and have changed the king's word, and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.
Through God's miraculous deliverance of the Hebrew Boys that day, king Nebuchadnezzar declared that the remaining Israelites in captivity were now protected from harm, and were guaranteed freedom of worship. Additionally, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego received a royal promotion in the Babylonian government. Do you see how God was glorified through the sufferings of these Three Wise Men?
We should understand from this story of the Three Wise Man (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) that God’s miraculous power and intervention, in a moment of great crisis and PRESSURE, is not always promised. If it were, believers would not need to exercise faith in God.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego put all their trust in God and were determined to be faithful without any guarantee of deliverance. This is what it truly means to have your “ALL” on God’s Altar of Sacrifice.
Whether in life or death, the young men were determined to worship the only true and Living God. We must understand that the Three Wise Men did not develop great faith and trust in God, while in captivity and threatened with death by immense fire. Rather, they had established a loving relationship with God before Jerusalem was besieged—before hard times of oppression came about—before the great adversities of slavery began. They had a life-style of worshipping God, “wholly.”
The Three Wise Men had no assurance they would survive the flames, but made the wise choice to stand firm any way, knowing that their lives were in the hands of God, and not man. They knew although placed in slavery, their Master was not king Nebuchadnezzar, but that they belonged to God, no matter the outcome.
The Three Wise Men had two very important things in common with each other: A “Love Connection with God, and love for each other.” They were in complete agreement in their love and trust in God. This is what brought the angel of God in their midst to deliver them out of their troubles. Jesus Christ is recorded at Matthew 18:19-20 as saying:
Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, together as One Voice, told the king they knew that God was able to deliver them from the fire and out of the king’s hands. Thus, we see the angel of God joining the fiery furnace party with them. The power of confident agreement cannot be overstated—to see the power of God move in the midst of adversity—there must be agreement among believers that “God is able and God will do!”
In Christianity today, our faith in God may not be challenged and attacked in the same manner as the Three Hebrew Boys. However, we can be certain as followers of Jesus Christ, who strive to live godly in this world, that we will suffer persecutions. Jesus Christ on several occasions warned the disciples that they would suffer in this life-time for following Him and His teachings:
Matthew 5:11-12:
Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
Mark 10:29-30:
And Jesus answered and said, Verily I say unto you, There is no man that hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my sake, and the gospel's,
But he shall receive an hundredfold now in this time, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands, with persecutions; and in the world to come eternal life.
John 15: 18-21:
If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.
If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.
Remember the word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.
But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.
John 16:33:
These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.
The Apostle Paul also wrote about the certainty of sufferings and persecution Christians must endure with the Lord:
II Timothy 2:12:
If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us:
II Timothy 3:12:
Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution.
As we have examined the story of the Three Wise Men, and read and listened to the Scriptures—can you hear the voice of the Holy Ghost asking you—“Are you willing to serve as a Living Sacrifice for Jesus Christ, and if necessary, to die for Him? Will you put your “All” on the Altar of Sacrifice and keep your life there when persecution for righteousness sake comes your way?
The day of adversity will surely come to every born-again Christian who obeys the Lord’s commandments, and with love and courage takes the gospel of Jesus Christ to the streets to win the lost to Christ. Like the Three Wise Men, those Christians who boldly hold up the blood stained banner of the Lord before all men, will also let nothing separate them from the Love of God. They will hold and cling to the same mindset as the Apostle Paul, as written at Romans 8:38-39:
For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
When our lives are totally yielded to God and on the Altar of Sacrifice, it does not matter how we suffer persecution and/or die. We know that whether in life or death, Jesus Christ shall be magnified in our mortal bodies. (Php.1: 20) We know that Jesus Christ is “Lord” over those that are dead and live. The very reason why Jesus Christ died on the cross, and rose again from the dead, was so He would have this authority! (Rom.14:8-9)
What will be your story when you stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ to receive the just rewards for the deeds done in the body, whether good or bad? What do you want the Lord to say about your life’s Sacrifice for Him? (II Cor. 5:10)
Let us all make our election sure that we will serve the Lord Jesus Christ all of our days on earth and live with Him forever. Daily, let us all present our bodies unto the Lord as a “Living Sacrifice unto God—holy and acceptable in His sight. This is our reasonable service. (Rom 12:1)
Thank God for the example of the Three Wise Men (The Hebrew Boys—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego). When confronted in our families, jobs, communities with who and what we believe, we should not even be careful to choose God! “Every time, we should emphatically say “Yes to God,” and “No” to the god of this world, Satan and the love of things in this world. We will not bow-down and worship any “thing” in this world no matter what it cost us! (Not even a soccer ball and Soccer League, as we discussed in our case study last week.)
As the song says, “I’m holding my Savior’s hand and viewing the promised-land. There is nothing on earth that can stop me from holding my Savior’s hand”—because our All is on the Altar of Sacrifice!
The disciples were first called Christians at Antioch, and on December 11, 2022 and forevermore, we are honored to claim the same name! We are born-again, Holy Ghost filled, and faith-full Christians who are possessed with possessing more of Jesus Christ, His teachings, along with persecutions! (Acts 11:26) For God we live, and for God we will die, but through Jesus Christ we also will never see, nor taste, or experience death! Thank God, we are God’s Property—spirit, soul, body, and resources—and live in His eternal blessings!
Amen for the preaching of the Word of the only true and Living God! Next week, will be our final Sermon of the Series in which we will talk about, as a Living Sacrifice, having “Determination” in walking with Jesus Christ.
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Should the Lord tarry, see you next week!