Theme Genuine Faith Is Evidenced by Our Actions

WINTER QUARTER SUNDAY SCHOOL 2017-2018

THEME – GENUINE FAITH IS EVIDENCED BY OUR ACTIONS

UNIT II – A LIVING FAITH IN GOD

“DANIEL’S UNCOMPROMISING COMMITMENT OF FAITH ENCOURAGES HIS FRIENDS”

Sunday School Lesson No. VII ~ January 14, 2018

Presented by Rev. Frank A. Davis, III Pastor-Teacher

Lesson Text: Daniel 3:1-30

Required Reading: Daniel 2 – 3

Motto Texts: Daniel 3:17-18, “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. 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.”

Daniel 3:28, “Then Nebuchadnezzar spake, and said, Blessed be the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, 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.

Reliable Resources: Union Gospel Press Expositor and Illuminator; Standard Lesson Commentary; Word Search 10 Electronic Library; The Outline Bible; Precepts for Living; The Handwriting on the Wall by Dr. David Jeremiah.

INTRODUCTION:

(A scholarly note: In chapters 2:4–7:28, Daniel writes in Aramaic, a popular language that the Gentiles of that region would use for business, trade purposes, etc.)

Now beloved, once Daniel and his companions (Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah) passed the high test of King Nebuchadnezzar in Chapter 1, God begins to move them into greater favor through a dream (nightmare) in Chapter 2. This dream caused the king to demand its interpretation without it being described to the king’s enchanters. Death was the result for all of the king’s advisors (including Daniel) if no one interpreted his dream. But God used Daniel and the three Hebrew boys in prayer and gave Daniel the interpretation. When the king received the interpretation, he elevated Daniel, who asked for his companions to be brought up with him in leadership. (Chapter 2:48-49)

Now Chapter 3 opens with the king making an image of gold similar to what he saw in the dream. But he demanded worship of this image, which was in effect calling for worship of himself. All who were present when a certain musical presentation sounded were to bow down and worship the image at the cost of being executed in the fiery furnace for not complying.

Daniel’s companions take center stage in this week’s lesson entitled “Daniel’s Uncompromising Commitment of Faith Encourages His Friends.” May the Lord strengthen us to stand for Him in spite of the consequences of society!

Anticipated Power Points:

·  Convocation to the Image of a Strange God. Daniel 3:1-3

·  Command to Offer Worship to the Image. Daniel 3:4-7

·  Convictions of Daniel’s Faithful Friends. Daniel 3:8-12

·  Compromise was not Possible. Daniel 3:13-15

·  Commitment of the Hebrew Boys in Spite of. Daniel 3:16-18

·  Call of the King to Execute Daniel’s Friends for their Faith. Daniel 3:19-23

·  Conquering Power of Faith in God. Daniel 3:24-30

LESSON OUTLINE

“Daniel’s Uncompromising Commitment of Faith Encourages His Friends”

I. Convocation to the Image of a Strange God. Daniel 3:1-3

King Nebuchadnezzar had a gigantic image of himself made and set up in the plain of Dura, and brought all of his leaders to behold it and prepare to dedicate it as an idol of worship. (It was about 90’ tall and 9’ wide. WOW!)

II. Command to Offer Worship to the Image. Daniel 3:4-7

Undoubtedly, at the encouragement of his puppet leaders, Nebuchadnezzar commanded that all would come from the entire kingdom to offer allegiance and worship towards him through the idolatrous image. The sign of worship would be at the sounding of a specific musical presentation. Now beloved, the psalmist declares we should “make a joyful noise unto the Lord…come before His presence with singing,” but we see how Satan, a counterfeiter, wants worship by stealing it from God. Exodus 20:3-5 tells us, “Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me.” (Read Psalm 100.)

III. Convictions of Daniel’s Faithful Friends. Daniel 3:8-12

Like Daniel in 1:8, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah had purposed in their hearts not to defame the person of Jehovah, even if it meant their own deaths! They lived under their convictions to not commit idolatry! God help us to have such faithful fortitude towards our God! Psalm 118:8 reminds us, “It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man.” Beloved, like the hymn, they “dared to be a Daniel!”

IV. Compromise was not Possible. Daniel 3:13-15

Though the king raged with fury because of the boys’ refusal to worship his image, he offered them a private opportunity to go along with his plan. But even in the face of privacy, these faithful men knew God saw their hearts. Verse 15 details that Nebuchadnezzar even challenged the authority of God, offering himself as “the last word.” But Daniel’s faithful friends dared not to budge from their position!

V. Commitment of the Hebrew Boys in Spite of. Daniel 3:16-18

Even though they had not heard it, they believed the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 10:28, “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.”

VI. Call of the King to Execute Daniel’s Friends for their Faith! Daniel 3:19-23

In his haste, he had them bound as they were, and the fire was raised above the point of safety. It killed his own men who carried out the order. But God intervened in the activity and delivered Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah!

VII. Conquering Power of Faith in God. Daniel 3:24-30

A. Conquered the power of the oppressor. vss. 24-27

1. It opened the eyes of the king and changed his arithmetic. vs. 24

2. It humbled his high-mindedness. vss. 25-27

(God has the last word on our lives and will, if he wills, send his angels to protect us!)

B. Convinced even a potentate of God’s omnipotence. vss. 28-29

C. Caused a level of promotion in the face of opposition. vs. 30

The other ungodly leaders under the king sought to destroy God’s faithful followers, but because of their faithfulness, God promoted them in spite of! Proverbs 16:7 tells us, “When a man's ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.”

CLOSING:

Who can destroy God’s faithful elect? Romans 8:35-39 says, “Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. 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.”

Let us remember, “If I can help somebody, then my living shall not be in vain.”

Bibleway Missionary Baptist Church, New Orleans & Little Bethel Baptist Church, Amite City, LA

Mailing Address: Post Office Box 19768, New Orleans, LA 70179

Phone: (504) 486-7876 Website: www.thestudyhour.com

TV Broadcast: WHNO TV-20, Sunday, 6:30 a.m.

LOOKING AHEAD: January 21, 2018 Daniel 9:4-18, 15-19

Please join us each Wednesday noon at Bibleway where Pastor Davis teaches the Sunday School lesson.