“Fourth Man in the Fire”
April 7, 2024
Carine Ndifon
Song: I have a reason to praise the Lord
Song: Bend Low Bend Low
Song: Come to Jesus and be satisfied (Saving a living God are we serving a living God, Amen).
Let us take a few minutes to commit ourselves in prayer before God:
Lord God hear our heart’s cry, as we come before you with our hearts full of heaviness and pain. This day we ask that you will fill our hearts with your undeniable presence and remind us that you are the fourth man in our fire, and you will always come through for us. And even if we make our bed in hell, we will fear no evil for you are with us always now and forever, Amen!
Dear brothers and sisters,
I stand before you today to share a message of hope and encouragement. Life can be filled with difficulties, struggles, and pains. Today we read about three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who had to endure the heat and flames of a blazing furnace of fire. We all face our own fires, whether they come in the form of sickness, failing relationships, loss of loved ones, financial challenges, or any other burden that weighs heavily on our hearts.
Let me remind you, that even in the midst of all these fires, we have a reason to praise the Lord.
In the book of Daniel, we read about Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, three faithful servants of God. They found themselves in a situation where they were asked to bow down and worship a false god, created by the king himself (King Nebuchadnezzar). But they knew that there is only one true living God, who surpasses all human understanding. They refused to compromise their faith and So the king had them were thrown into the fiery furnace of fire.
As they stood in the midst of the blazing fire, something remarkable happened. The fire did not harm them! The king looked into the flames and saw not three, but four men walking around unharmed. The fourth man was none other than our Lord, who stood with them in the fire, protecting them from harm. When we are thrown into the fires of life, I call on you to bend low and see what God will do.
Song: Bend Low Bend Low (2x)
One reason to praise God in the midst of a fire, is the simple fact that you are still standing despite it all, In Psalm 20:7-8, we are reminded that, “Some Trust in chariots and some in horses: But we will remember the name of the Lord our God. They are brought down and fallen but we are risen and stand upright” (Psalm 20:7-8). When we praise God it shows that we have Faith and trust in Him, it shows that we are grateful, that we recognize His salvation power, it shows that we completely surrender and submit our will to Hiss will, it also helps as a testimony and witness to others as we see in the story we just read, when the King called Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, out of the fire he invited everyone to bow down and worship the God of the three men. When we praise God, God’ Peace and assurance is made know to us through the fruits of the spirit.
The prophet Hosea said, “My people perish because of the lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6)
KNOWLEDGE OF THE UNDENIABLE PRESENCE OF GOD IN OUR LIVES
Despite the many different kinds of fires we experience daily, we can recognize the undeniable presence of God through the fruits of the Spirit, which are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23). Although it might be hard to feel the presence of God in difficulties, when we experience these qualities in our lives, even in the midst of challenging circumstances, it can often be an indication of God's presence and work within us.
What fire are you experiencing right now? Can you find a reason to praise God in the fire? I call on you all to do a silent reflection of your reason to praise God, in the fire!
Song: Do you have a reason to praise the Lord?
Response: I have a reason to praise the Lord (2x)
Brothers and sisters, in our own lives, we may find ourselves facing fires that threaten to consume us. I want to remind you today that there is a fourth man in the fire with us. Jesus Christ, our Savior, stands beside us, ready to deliver us from our troubles and to give us the strength to endure.
Sometimes, when it does not feel like it, we may be tempted to create false images and or idols in our lives, things that we worship and rely on, instead of fully trusting in God. Just as King Nebuchadnezzar thought that he could make a god of his own, we may also fall into the trap of idolatry. Some examples of modern-day idols include:
When we put our accumulation of wealth, possessions, and material goods above all else, it can become a form of idolatry, Celebrity Culture, Technology and Social Media, Power and Success, Nationalism and Patriotism, Self-Image and Beauty, Addictions and Substances, Memories of loved ones present or passed on, all these things can become a form of idolatry. Yet today, I invite you to repent and turn away from such practices. Let us all worship the one and only true God, who stands with us in the fire; in hope, believing that He always comes through for us, as Psalm 139:8 says, He has promised He will never leave us and that He will be with us wherever we go, even if we make our bed in hell, he is with us (Psalm 139:8)
As a community, let us come together in prayer, supporting one another. Let us not be like the compromised followers of the corrupt leader king Nebuchadnezzar, who gave in and worshiped a false god, but instead, let us be like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, who stood firm together in their faith and refused to bow down to a false god. Are you creating for yourself false images to worship? Have you been joined to anything that has held you bound and you must pay homage to its existence? For example: images, memories of loved ones, drugs, alcohol, material wealth, social status, social media, beauty, health and accomplishments… Think about these things.
Brothers and sisters, the fire you may be facing right now has not consumed you yet. Can you see the fourth man standing with you? Can you feel His presence and His love? He is there, ready to save you and deliver you from your troubles. Repent! Repentance is near, Forgiveness is sure!
So, let us come forth out of the fire, leaving behind the false gods and idols we have created. Let us worship and praise the one and only true God, who is worthy of all our praises, love and devotion. Let us live in our community, loving one another and reflecting the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ. In Hebrews 10:23-24, it reads, “Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, let’s consider how to encourage one another in love and good deeds,”
let us sing a song of gratitude to our Lord, thanking Him for saving us and being the fourth man in our fires. May His presence continue to guide and protect us as we walk this journey of faith together.
Song: Thank You for Saving Me
Response: Thank you for saving me, thank you my Lord (3x)
The Message of Hope and Encouragement
In closing, the message of hope and encouragement in this sermon today is:
No matter what fires we may face in life, whether they be sickness, relationship challenges, loss of loved ones, or any other burden, we always have a reason to praise the Lord. Just as Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego were thrown into the fire yet were not consumed, we too have a fourth man in the fire with us – Our Lord Jesus Christ. He stands beside us, ready to deliver us from our troubles and give us the strength to endure.
We are now encouraged to repent from any false idols or false images we may be worshiping and to turn to the one and only true God, who is worthy of our love and devotion. I have also emphasized the importance of community and coming together in prayer and supporting one another. This message, assures us that as we trust in God and worship Him, we can find hope and salvation, knowing that He is with us in the midst of our struggles.
Lord, thank you for saving us and being the fourth man in the fire. Amen!
Bible Verses used for this Sermon:
Daniel 3:4-6, 12-13, 16-17, 22-23, 25-26, 29
Galatians 5:22-23
Isaiah 26:5
Isaiah 43:1-2
Hebrews 10:23-24
Psalm 20:7-8
Ps. 135: 1-7, 13, 15-18,
Psalm 139:8