“A Sure Thing” Part 2
Daniel 3
1. People Act Against God:
a. To Be Remembered. (Vs. 1-3, Matt 6:16)
b. To Be Revered. (Vs. 4-6, Matt 20:25-26a)
c. To Be Rebellious. (Vs. 7-23, Rom 1:18-23)
2. God’s People Should:
a. Respond with Respect. (Vs. 16-18, Luke 20:21-25)
i. Luke 20:21-25, “Teacher, we know that you speak and teach correctly, and you don’t show partiality, but teach truthfully the way of God. Is it lawful for us to pay taxes to Caesar or not?” But detecting their craftiness, he [Jesus] said to them, “Show me a denarius. Whose image and inscription does it have?” “Caesar’s,” they said. “Well then,” he told them, “give to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.””
b. Respond with Reverence (Faith). (Vs. 17, Deut 31:6, Isa 41:9b-10)
i. Deuteronomy 31:6, ‘Be strong and courageous; don’t be terrified or afraid of them. For the LORD your God is the one who will go with you; he will not leave you or abandon you.””
ii. Isaiah 41:9b-10, “You are my servant; I have chosen you; I haven’t rejected you. Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you; I will hold on to you with my righteous right hand.”
c. Respond with Resolve (Guts). (Vs. 18)
3. God Always Wins in the End. (Vs. 24-30; 1 Pet 3:16b-17, 2:6; Rev 20:4-6)
a. 1 Peter 3:16b-17, “those who disparage your good conduct in Christ will be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil.”
b. 1 Peter 2:6, “For it stands in Scripture: See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and honored cornerstone, and the one who believes in him will never be put to shame.”
c. Revelation 20:4-6, “Then I saw thrones, and people seated on them who were given authority to judge. I also saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony about Jesus and because of the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and who had not accepted the mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years.”