WEBVTT 00:00:10.019 --> 00:00:12.679 Hey everyone, this is Josh from Encounter Church 00:00:12.679 --> 00:00:15.279 Henley and thanks so much for tuning into our 00:00:15.279 --> 00:00:19.000 podcast. Our prayer is that through this podcast, 00:00:19.019 --> 00:00:20.859 you can have an encounter with Jesus that will 00:00:20.859 --> 00:00:24.359 change your life. And now get ready for an inspiring 00:00:24.359 --> 00:00:28.320 message from our preaching team. Almighty God, 00:00:28.320 --> 00:00:31.260 we just welcome you in this place. This is your 00:00:31.260 --> 00:00:33.240 church, Lord, and we just ask that you would 00:00:33.240 --> 00:00:36.109 speak in this place. Give us ears to hear what 00:00:36.109 --> 00:00:39.770 you're saying to us, Lord. Help our faith to 00:00:39.770 --> 00:00:43.170 rise anew. In your mighty name we pray. Amen. 00:00:44.210 --> 00:00:47.689 Amen. So good to see all you here today. If you 00:00:47.689 --> 00:00:49.109 haven't met me before, my name's Charlie. I'm 00:00:49.109 --> 00:00:51.590 part of the team at Encounter. And I'm gonna 00:00:51.590 --> 00:00:54.609 start off by sharing some drama from year three. 00:00:55.850 --> 00:01:00.049 So, clearly it's stuck with me. But I remember 00:01:00.049 --> 00:01:02.460 back in primary school. There was this girl in 00:01:02.460 --> 00:01:04.560 my class and I'm going to call her Sam for the 00:01:04.560 --> 00:01:07.599 sake of this. And she told me that she was cousins 00:01:07.599 --> 00:01:11.120 with Carly Rae Jepson. Now this was during the 00:01:11.120 --> 00:01:14.640 call me maybe era. So this was a big claim. And 00:01:14.640 --> 00:01:16.540 so I asked a lot of questions. I was like, what's 00:01:16.540 --> 00:01:19.159 it like to know a celebrity? Do you sing as well? 00:01:19.219 --> 00:01:22.819 And like, how often do you see her? And she would 00:01:22.819 --> 00:01:25.260 often go on and respond very positively to this 00:01:25.260 --> 00:01:27.140 and tell me about the big parties that they would 00:01:27.140 --> 00:01:29.319 have and how they would all sing together and 00:01:29.319 --> 00:01:33.140 whatever. And I was pretty amazed. Then the next 00:01:33.140 --> 00:01:35.480 week, as I was getting my lunchbox out of my 00:01:35.480 --> 00:01:38.060 bag, I overheard her talking to another group 00:01:38.060 --> 00:01:40.659 of friends, and she said that she was also cousins 00:01:40.659 --> 00:01:44.680 with Katy Perry. Now, I'm no Katy Perry Stan, 00:01:45.040 --> 00:01:47.319 but I don't think those two people are related. 00:01:48.420 --> 00:01:50.560 And then the week after that, when Sam mentioned 00:01:50.560 --> 00:01:53.819 that she was also cousins with Pink, I was like, 00:01:54.260 --> 00:01:57.909 no, that seal was the deal for me. Now it's true 00:01:57.909 --> 00:02:00.849 that we often like to associate ourselves with 00:02:00.849 --> 00:02:03.829 people of a high standing or who are popular. 00:02:04.430 --> 00:02:07.129 Psychology often labels this as a defense mechanism 00:02:07.129 --> 00:02:10.449 called identification. And that's when we identify 00:02:10.449 --> 00:02:13.550 ourselves with people or causes or whatever it 00:02:13.550 --> 00:02:16.569 might be in hopes that we would be seen as more 00:02:16.569 --> 00:02:19.810 important or more worthwhile or more trustworthy. 00:02:20.530 --> 00:02:24.569 Now, who's to say if Sam was really related to 00:02:24.569 --> 00:02:27.479 those people? And to be honest, it's none of 00:02:27.479 --> 00:02:30.479 my business really. But as it seemed to get more 00:02:30.479 --> 00:02:32.659 and more unlikely that Sam was the cousin of 00:02:32.659 --> 00:02:35.639 multiple celebrities, particularly considering 00:02:35.639 --> 00:02:37.580 Pink and Katy Perry are from opposite sides of 00:02:37.580 --> 00:02:40.599 the world, I decided that I probably shouldn't 00:02:40.599 --> 00:02:43.979 take what she said at face value. I decided it 00:02:43.979 --> 00:02:47.719 was probably best if I didn't trust her. I'm 00:02:47.719 --> 00:02:49.560 sure you have a similar story in your head of 00:02:49.560 --> 00:02:52.360 a similar situation or when someone tells you 00:02:52.360 --> 00:02:54.539 they're a brilliant cook or they have a brilliant 00:02:54.539 --> 00:02:57.539 sense of direction. And then quickly when pressed, 00:02:57.680 --> 00:03:01.879 it's obvious that maybe, maybe they don't. And 00:03:01.879 --> 00:03:04.300 so when someone actually does make a big claim 00:03:04.300 --> 00:03:07.860 and then seems to deliver on it, we're almost 00:03:07.860 --> 00:03:10.680 shocked. It doesn't fit the mental model in our 00:03:10.680 --> 00:03:13.740 heads that we have for a situation. When someone 00:03:13.740 --> 00:03:16.800 who says that they're very good at parking then 00:03:16.800 --> 00:03:19.180 goes for that like tight reverse parallel park, 00:03:19.740 --> 00:03:22.020 I'm like preparing myself to be like, oh, I can 00:03:22.020 --> 00:03:24.960 do another lap around the block, it's fine, or 00:03:24.960 --> 00:03:27.580 let them save face. And then when they do it 00:03:27.580 --> 00:03:32.659 perfectly first go, I'm like, okay, okay, great. 00:03:33.580 --> 00:03:36.740 We're surprised, right? As people, we're willing 00:03:36.740 --> 00:03:39.719 to put faith in someone when we trust they are 00:03:39.719 --> 00:03:42.900 who they say they are. In the scripture that 00:03:42.900 --> 00:03:45.039 Katie just read for us, we see Shadrach, Meshach 00:03:45.039 --> 00:03:48.219 and Abednego. Three bros who defy the King's 00:03:48.219 --> 00:03:50.659 command even when threatened to be killed by 00:03:50.659 --> 00:03:55.340 fire in a furnace. This is a bold move. And it 00:03:55.340 --> 00:03:57.020 makes me think of all the other people in the 00:03:57.020 --> 00:04:00.520 Bible who have made some crazy decisions solely 00:04:00.520 --> 00:04:03.919 based on their faith in God. Based on their belief 00:04:03.919 --> 00:04:07.900 that God is and was exactly who He says He is. 00:04:08.680 --> 00:04:11.599 These are straight from Hebrews 11 by Faith Noah. 00:04:11.960 --> 00:04:15.259 When warned about things not yet seen, in holy 00:04:15.259 --> 00:04:19.319 fear, built an ark to save his family. By his 00:04:19.319 --> 00:04:21.939 faith, he condemned the world and became heir 00:04:21.939 --> 00:04:23.720 of the righteousness that is in with keeping 00:04:23.720 --> 00:04:27.259 with faith. By faith, the Israelites passed through 00:04:27.259 --> 00:04:30.319 the Red Sea as on dry land. But when the Egyptians 00:04:30.319 --> 00:04:34.100 tried to do so, they were drowned. By faith, 00:04:34.220 --> 00:04:36.839 the walls of Jericho fell after an army had marched 00:04:36.839 --> 00:04:39.589 around them for seven days. And by faith, the 00:04:39.589 --> 00:04:42.410 prostitute Rahab, because she welcomed the spies, 00:04:42.949 --> 00:04:45.550 was not killed by those who were disobedient. 00:04:46.470 --> 00:04:49.170 This even then goes to history, right? Polycarp, 00:04:49.230 --> 00:04:51.649 an early church father, when told to renounce 00:04:51.649 --> 00:04:55.269 the gospel, he refused and he said, 86 years 00:04:55.269 --> 00:04:57.529 I've served this Jesus and he has done me no 00:04:57.529 --> 00:05:00.769 wrong. And then proceeded to be killed, accepting 00:05:00.769 --> 00:05:04.050 death as better than sin. Dietrich Bonhoeffer. 00:05:04.170 --> 00:05:06.970 a German pastor and theologian, stood against 00:05:06.970 --> 00:05:10.209 Hitler, was convicted of treason, and then killed 00:05:10.209 --> 00:05:13.949 in pursuit of saving the Jewish people. And then 00:05:13.949 --> 00:05:16.990 even to today, I think of the people working 00:05:16.990 --> 00:05:19.769 with open doors, who smuggled Bibles into North 00:05:19.769 --> 00:05:23.170 Korea and across many other closed nations, and 00:05:23.170 --> 00:05:25.949 who consistently risked their lives to advance 00:05:25.949 --> 00:05:28.610 the Gospel in nations that oppress their people 00:05:28.610 --> 00:05:32.509 for believing in Jesus. And all of that makes 00:05:32.509 --> 00:05:36.639 me wonder. There has got to be something different 00:05:36.639 --> 00:05:40.699 about these people. Psychologically, spiritually, 00:05:41.379 --> 00:05:44.939 emotionally. Because it's hard to fully put your 00:05:44.939 --> 00:05:48.240 trust in God. Particularly when we get very used 00:05:48.240 --> 00:05:51.180 to the way that people will often over claim 00:05:51.180 --> 00:05:54.879 and then under deliver. It's hard to live out 00:05:54.879 --> 00:05:57.420 this high faith that so many people in the Bible 00:05:57.420 --> 00:06:00.779 and history seem to possess. It sometimes feels 00:06:00.779 --> 00:06:04.980 hard. to trust that God is who He says He is. 00:06:06.339 --> 00:06:09.319 We might feel that we trust God enough to label 00:06:09.319 --> 00:06:11.740 ourselves as Christian or to make going to church 00:06:11.740 --> 00:06:14.860 a semi -regular rhythm in our lives, but then 00:06:14.860 --> 00:06:16.860 there is this worry in the back of our heads 00:06:16.860 --> 00:06:20.240 that if we're placed in a situation that requires 00:06:20.240 --> 00:06:24.819 that bit more trust or more faith, will we actually 00:06:24.819 --> 00:06:28.199 be able to hold out? When God's Word goes against 00:06:28.199 --> 00:06:30.800 what I've always known about myself, Is God's 00:06:30.800 --> 00:06:34.000 Word still true? When God says that He's in control 00:06:34.000 --> 00:06:36.759 of my life and wants the best for me, but I don't 00:06:36.759 --> 00:06:39.779 actually see the fruit of that coming, how can 00:06:39.779 --> 00:06:42.680 I be sure? What about when I'm low on money? 00:06:43.079 --> 00:06:45.879 Can I still trust God with 10 % of my income? 00:06:46.740 --> 00:06:51.060 When God says He is merciful and kind, does that 00:06:51.060 --> 00:06:55.699 mean He's merciful and kind to me? I feel like 00:06:55.699 --> 00:06:58.579 all of this really boils down to Can I trust 00:06:58.579 --> 00:07:02.420 God is who He says He is? I know that I want 00:07:02.420 --> 00:07:06.120 to, and you probably want to as well, but without 00:07:06.120 --> 00:07:09.500 intimately knowing God, completely and fully 00:07:09.500 --> 00:07:13.379 trusting Him can feel out of reach. Yet somehow 00:07:13.379 --> 00:07:16.060 there are these people that are 100 % sold out 00:07:16.060 --> 00:07:20.220 for God. I believe that these people have hearts 00:07:20.220 --> 00:07:23.959 on fire for Jesus, and they for sure know who 00:07:23.959 --> 00:07:26.839 the God is that they call upon. And this is the 00:07:26.839 --> 00:07:29.939 type of faith that I want. And you probably do 00:07:29.939 --> 00:07:33.540 too. We're in our third week of our values series 00:07:33.540 --> 00:07:35.899 in Encounter Henley and Hearts on Fire for Jesus 00:07:35.899 --> 00:07:38.839 is the value we're looking at today. Our core 00:07:38.839 --> 00:07:40.959 values are statements of intent. You can see 00:07:40.959 --> 00:07:44.100 them on the walls around you. And they shape 00:07:44.100 --> 00:07:46.439 the type of church that we want to become, but 00:07:46.439 --> 00:07:48.839 more importantly, the type of people we want 00:07:48.839 --> 00:07:53.300 to become too. And I figure. What better way 00:07:53.300 --> 00:07:55.740 to foster a heart on fire for Jesus than to look 00:07:55.740 --> 00:07:58.000 at Daniel 3, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 00:07:58.480 --> 00:08:00.779 the literal fire boys, and how they lived out 00:08:00.779 --> 00:08:05.560 their faith. So, who was even trying to kill 00:08:05.560 --> 00:08:07.800 them anyway and how did they end up in this position? 00:08:08.720 --> 00:08:12.060 King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, Nebi, was the 00:08:12.060 --> 00:08:15.100 most powerful ruler of his era. And earlier in 00:08:15.100 --> 00:08:18.339 the book of Daniel, we see that he and his army 00:08:18.339 --> 00:08:21.100 besieged Jerusalem and now have it under their 00:08:21.100 --> 00:08:24.149 control. Daniel, who is the hero of this book, 00:08:24.189 --> 00:08:26.189 seems to be off on a convenient holiday during 00:08:26.189 --> 00:08:29.350 this chapter. But in chapter two, he appoints 00:08:29.350 --> 00:08:31.610 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to be in charge 00:08:31.610 --> 00:08:34.409 of the affairs of the province of Babylon as 00:08:34.409 --> 00:08:36.710 a reward from Nebbe after interpreting his dream. 00:08:38.210 --> 00:08:41.250 The fire boys were not nobodies. They were people 00:08:41.250 --> 00:08:44.610 of status in Babylon and faced the same tension 00:08:44.610 --> 00:08:48.429 as the rest of the Jews. How do they serve God 00:08:48.429 --> 00:08:51.570 faithfully as strangers in a strange nation? 00:08:52.610 --> 00:08:56.909 Let's pick it up from Daniel 3 verse 1. King 00:08:56.909 --> 00:09:00.009 Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold 60 cubits 00:09:00.009 --> 00:09:03.110 high and six cubits wide. Today's standards, 00:09:03.149 --> 00:09:06.370 that is 27 meters tall and three meters wide. 00:09:06.710 --> 00:09:10.370 It's a very tall skinny statue. And set it up 00:09:10.370 --> 00:09:12.889 on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 00:09:13.710 --> 00:09:16.830 He then summons a heap of officials and important 00:09:16.830 --> 00:09:19.330 people in the land to come to the dedication 00:09:19.330 --> 00:09:22.830 of this image that he has set up. Then the herald 00:09:22.830 --> 00:09:25.730 loudly proclaimed, nations and people of every 00:09:25.730 --> 00:09:28.149 language, this is what you're commanded to do. 00:09:28.529 --> 00:09:30.570 As soon as you hear the sound of the musical 00:09:30.570 --> 00:09:33.710 instruments, you must fall down and worship the 00:09:33.710 --> 00:09:36.250 image of gold that King Nebuchadnezzar has set 00:09:36.250 --> 00:09:40.149 up. Whoever does not fall down and worship will 00:09:40.149 --> 00:09:42.870 immediately be thrown into the blazing furnace. 00:09:44.909 --> 00:09:47.289 Nebi's demand for overwhelming conformity was 00:09:47.289 --> 00:09:51.669 a clear test of faithfulness for the Jews. But 00:09:51.669 --> 00:09:54.870 as the music was played, all the people of all 00:09:54.870 --> 00:09:58.009 the nations fell down and worshipped this gold 00:09:58.009 --> 00:10:01.610 image that Nebi set up. That is everyone except 00:10:01.610 --> 00:10:05.330 Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. Now Nebi himself 00:10:05.330 --> 00:10:07.850 didn't actually see that happen, but some Chaldeans 00:10:07.850 --> 00:10:12.090 snitched on him. These were people deeply ingrained 00:10:12.090 --> 00:10:15.210 in Babylonian culture who didn't like Jews and 00:10:15.210 --> 00:10:18.210 most likely would politically benefit from the 00:10:18.210 --> 00:10:21.360 death of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. The 00:10:21.360 --> 00:10:24.100 Chaldeans said to Nebbe, there are some Jews 00:10:24.100 --> 00:10:26.840 who you've set over the affairs of the province 00:10:26.840 --> 00:10:29.840 of Babylon, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 00:10:30.460 --> 00:10:34.340 who pay no attention to you, your majesty. They 00:10:34.340 --> 00:10:36.899 neither serve your gods, nor worship the image 00:10:36.899 --> 00:10:40.879 of God that you've set up. And again, this is 00:10:40.879 --> 00:10:43.740 back to the key issue. The Jews are trying to 00:10:43.740 --> 00:10:45.960 live out their faith, worship the one true God, 00:10:46.200 --> 00:10:48.360 as they live stuck in a nation that worships 00:10:48.360 --> 00:10:52.620 multiple gods. Worshipping this gold statue or 00:10:52.620 --> 00:10:55.440 anyone or anything other than God would be breaking 00:10:55.440 --> 00:10:58.340 the first of the two of the ten commandments 00:10:58.340 --> 00:11:01.779 in Exodus 20. One, you shall have no other gods 00:11:01.779 --> 00:11:04.720 before me. Two, you shall not make for yourself 00:11:04.720 --> 00:11:08.039 an image to worship for I the Lord your God am 00:11:08.039 --> 00:11:12.600 a jealous God. To obey Nebbe meant forsaking 00:11:12.600 --> 00:11:17.179 their faith and forsaking their God. But of course, 00:11:17.299 --> 00:11:19.259 this made Nebuchadnezzar furious, so he brought 00:11:19.259 --> 00:11:22.480 the boys to him. And Nebuchadnezzar said to them, 00:11:22.840 --> 00:11:25.639 is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 00:11:26.179 --> 00:11:29.159 that you do not serve my gods or worship the 00:11:29.159 --> 00:11:32.039 image of gold that I have set up? If you are 00:11:32.039 --> 00:11:34.919 ready to fall down and worship the image I have 00:11:34.919 --> 00:11:38.639 made, very good. But if you do not worship it, 00:11:38.860 --> 00:11:41.440 you will be thrown immediately into a blazing 00:11:41.440 --> 00:11:44.620 furnace, and then what God will be able to rescue 00:11:44.620 --> 00:11:49.500 you from my hands? Is it true? Nebi is essentially 00:11:49.500 --> 00:11:53.759 saying, who is more powerful than me? The most 00:11:53.759 --> 00:11:58.679 powerful authority of their time. This did not 00:11:58.679 --> 00:12:01.419 stop the fire boys. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego 00:12:01.419 --> 00:12:04.440 replied to him, King Nebuchadnezzar, we do not 00:12:04.440 --> 00:12:06.840 need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. 00:12:07.320 --> 00:12:09.659 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the 00:12:09.659 --> 00:12:13.019 God we serve is able to deliver us from it. And 00:12:13.019 --> 00:12:15.480 he would deliver us from your majesty's hands. 00:12:15.759 --> 00:12:19.919 But even if He does not, we want you to know, 00:12:19.960 --> 00:12:22.820 Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods 00:12:22.820 --> 00:12:25.340 or worship the image of gold that you have set 00:12:25.340 --> 00:12:28.860 up. For the fire boys, this one's not up for 00:12:28.860 --> 00:12:31.559 debate. They will not be bowing down to the idol 00:12:31.559 --> 00:12:34.740 and will not back down from Nevi's threats. Thus 00:12:34.740 --> 00:12:37.220 saying that our God is capable. Our God delivered 00:12:37.220 --> 00:12:40.019 the Israelites out of Egypt. Our God is powerful 00:12:40.019 --> 00:12:43.720 and He can do it again. And even if He does not, 00:12:43.919 --> 00:12:48.200 we will not. serve your gods. And friends, this 00:12:48.200 --> 00:12:50.360 even if statement, I don't think it's a lack 00:12:50.360 --> 00:12:53.700 of faith, not in the slightest. This is an acknowledgement 00:12:53.700 --> 00:12:57.879 that their faith, their fate rests in the hands 00:12:57.879 --> 00:13:01.679 of God. And even if He does not save them, it 00:13:01.679 --> 00:13:04.419 is far better for them to suffer than to sin 00:13:04.419 --> 00:13:07.620 against the one true God. They know who their 00:13:07.620 --> 00:13:13.179 God is, and they trust who He says He is. But 00:13:13.179 --> 00:13:16.399 of course, this made Nevi even more mad. And 00:13:16.399 --> 00:13:19.039 so he ordered the furnace be heated seven times 00:13:19.039 --> 00:13:22.080 hotter than usual and commanded some of the strongest 00:13:22.080 --> 00:13:25.419 soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach, 00:13:25.460 --> 00:13:27.799 and Abednego and threw them into the blazing 00:13:27.799 --> 00:13:35.340 furnace. But then Nevi sees something. He turns 00:13:35.340 --> 00:13:41.399 to his advisors and asks, Hey, weren't there 00:13:41.399 --> 00:13:43.720 three men that we tied up and threw in the fire? 00:13:44.580 --> 00:13:49.279 They replied, certainly, Your Majesty. And he 00:13:49.279 --> 00:13:53.639 said, look, I see four men walking around in 00:13:53.639 --> 00:13:57.759 the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth 00:13:57.759 --> 00:14:01.100 looks like a son of the gods. Nebuchadnezzar 00:14:01.100 --> 00:14:03.399 then approached the opening of the blazing furnace 00:14:03.399 --> 00:14:05.919 and shouted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 00:14:06.320 --> 00:14:08.820 servants of the Most High God, come out, come 00:14:08.820 --> 00:14:12.059 here. And so they came out and everyone saw that 00:14:12.059 --> 00:14:14.720 the fire had not harmed their bodies, where nor 00:14:14.720 --> 00:14:16.940 was a hair on their head singed, their robes 00:14:16.940 --> 00:14:19.519 were not scorched, and there was no smell of 00:14:19.519 --> 00:14:22.620 fire on them. Then Nebuchadnezzar said, praise 00:14:22.620 --> 00:14:25.059 be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, 00:14:25.480 --> 00:14:28.320 who has sent his angel and rescued his servants. 00:14:28.679 --> 00:14:31.799 They trusted in Him, defying the King's command, 00:14:31.960 --> 00:14:34.279 were willing to give up their lives rather than 00:14:34.279 --> 00:14:37.019 to serve or worship any God except their own 00:14:37.019 --> 00:14:40.960 God. Nevi then finishes, decreeing that anyone 00:14:40.960 --> 00:14:43.399 who says anything against the God of Shadrach, 00:14:43.500 --> 00:14:46.399 Meshach and Abednego will be cut in pieces and 00:14:46.399 --> 00:14:49.220 their house be turned into piles of rubble, for 00:14:49.220 --> 00:14:54.370 no other God can save in this way. The fire boys 00:14:54.370 --> 00:14:57.690 were faithful to God, right? With hearts on fire 00:14:57.690 --> 00:15:00.590 for Jesus. And they were delivered from the fire 00:15:00.590 --> 00:15:03.909 unscathed. And this wasn't by avoiding it, as 00:15:03.909 --> 00:15:06.450 we might have hoped. No, it was going literally 00:15:06.450 --> 00:15:09.029 straight through it with God's provision and 00:15:09.029 --> 00:15:12.549 protection. Their faith was refined by fire. 00:15:13.230 --> 00:15:15.389 God performed a miracle as He would continue 00:15:15.389 --> 00:15:18.629 to do and still does today. Now, we don't know 00:15:18.629 --> 00:15:20.649 if the fourth man in the fire was Jesus or one 00:15:20.649 --> 00:15:23.409 of his angels, but regardless, the boys were 00:15:23.409 --> 00:15:26.669 not alone in the fire. They were sent a comforter 00:15:26.669 --> 00:15:30.370 and a protector, and neither are we alone in 00:15:30.370 --> 00:15:32.950 the fire, for we have been sent a comforter, 00:15:33.090 --> 00:15:36.730 savior, and protector, the Holy Spirit. Shadrach, 00:15:36.730 --> 00:15:39.169 Meshach, and Abednego stood faithfully in the 00:15:39.169 --> 00:15:42.789 fire because they trusted God is who He says 00:15:42.789 --> 00:15:45.519 He is. They had faith to stand up against the 00:15:45.519 --> 00:15:48.340 most powerful ruler of their time because they 00:15:48.340 --> 00:15:51.179 knew that no human power is more powerful than 00:15:51.179 --> 00:15:54.500 their God. They trusted that He is the Deliverer, 00:15:54.679 --> 00:15:56.960 and even if they weren't delivered, that eternity 00:15:56.960 --> 00:16:02.120 with Christ is worth the cost. Friends, we must 00:16:02.120 --> 00:16:05.820 be a people that trust God is who He says He 00:16:05.820 --> 00:16:10.029 is. And if we do that, We can stand against the 00:16:10.029 --> 00:16:12.610 burdens of our secular culture and walk through 00:16:12.610 --> 00:16:16.309 fires that rage around us with confidence and 00:16:16.309 --> 00:16:19.710 assurance that God will lead us through them, 00:16:19.889 --> 00:16:22.710 like he did with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. 00:16:23.750 --> 00:16:26.049 When our world is literally burning around us 00:16:26.049 --> 00:16:29.470 and there's no clear way out, we must keep the 00:16:29.470 --> 00:16:32.889 faith. We must trust that the God who delivered 00:16:32.889 --> 00:16:35.350 the Israelites out of Egypt, the God who protected 00:16:35.350 --> 00:16:38.750 the fire boys in the furnace, will deliver and 00:16:38.750 --> 00:16:45.529 be with us too. This is a hard calling. And I 00:16:45.529 --> 00:16:47.870 recognize that me just telling you to trust God 00:16:47.870 --> 00:16:49.889 more doesn't exactly make that any easier to 00:16:49.889 --> 00:16:54.610 do. And I know for me, when I read the text, 00:16:55.250 --> 00:16:57.970 I'm inspired by the bold faith of these boys, 00:16:58.029 --> 00:17:00.950 but I also feel challenged by their unwavering 00:17:00.950 --> 00:17:04.549 obedience. And it brings us back to this whole 00:17:04.549 --> 00:17:09.039 question. What makes these guys different? How 00:17:09.039 --> 00:17:13.759 do they live with hearts on fire for Jesus? I 00:17:13.759 --> 00:17:17.359 believe it's because they are absolutely certain 00:17:17.359 --> 00:17:20.740 that God is who He says He is and importantly 00:17:20.740 --> 00:17:23.460 they have spent the time to get to know God enough 00:17:23.460 --> 00:17:26.559 to have a bold faith that matches their belief. 00:17:27.319 --> 00:17:29.400 They might have even been through a fire a time 00:17:29.400 --> 00:17:31.619 or two to know that God meets them there in the 00:17:31.619 --> 00:17:35.150 mess as well. Faith in the fire comes when we 00:17:35.150 --> 00:17:38.910 trust God is who He says He is. And a heart on 00:17:38.910 --> 00:17:41.589 fire for Jesus is forged when we learn to surrender 00:17:41.589 --> 00:17:45.029 to Him, trust who He is, and accept His plan 00:17:45.029 --> 00:17:48.809 for us. It is Jesus who starts the fire, and 00:17:48.809 --> 00:17:52.049 it's Jesus who keeps it burning. We must choose 00:17:52.049 --> 00:17:55.089 in our weakness to surrender to Him, let go of 00:17:55.089 --> 00:17:58.250 fear, and ask Him to set our hearts on fire for 00:17:58.250 --> 00:18:04.109 Him. We must ask Him to give us faith. I know 00:18:04.109 --> 00:18:07.150 that we are very, very used to humans letting 00:18:07.150 --> 00:18:11.710 us down. In year three, when Sam allegedly lies 00:18:11.710 --> 00:18:15.450 about her life, it taught me not always to believe 00:18:15.450 --> 00:18:17.970 what people say. And in our sinful world, I'm 00:18:17.970 --> 00:18:20.450 sure both you and I have been hurt and let down 00:18:20.450 --> 00:18:23.970 by people more times than we can count. We're 00:18:23.970 --> 00:18:27.849 not quick to trust one another. And I think sometimes 00:18:27.849 --> 00:18:32.059 we can project this onto God as well. Because 00:18:32.059 --> 00:18:34.480 how can I know for sure that God is trustworthy? 00:18:36.400 --> 00:18:39.519 Friends, let me remind you that unlike you and 00:18:39.519 --> 00:18:43.799 I, Jesus is perfect. And his death on the cross 00:18:43.799 --> 00:18:46.859 and resurrection from the dead actually saves 00:18:46.859 --> 00:18:49.660 us. Jackie Hill Perry puts it way better than 00:18:49.660 --> 00:18:53.920 I do. She says, if God is holy, then he can't 00:18:53.920 --> 00:18:57.740 sin. If God can't sin, then he can't sin against 00:18:57.740 --> 00:19:01.529 you. And if he can't sin against you, Shouldn't 00:19:01.529 --> 00:19:03.849 that make Him the most trustworthy being there 00:19:03.849 --> 00:19:09.089 is? God's words and works can be trusted because 00:19:09.089 --> 00:19:11.650 it is impossible for God to sin against you. 00:19:12.250 --> 00:19:16.230 If He could, He wouldn't be God. There is an 00:19:16.230 --> 00:19:20.430 untainted goodness in Jesus, the spotless Saviour, 00:19:20.630 --> 00:19:25.410 the unblemished Lamb. Faith in the fire can feel 00:19:25.410 --> 00:19:28.829 impossible sometimes, but when we trust who God 00:19:28.829 --> 00:19:32.809 says He is, our faith slowly begins to rise up. 00:19:34.150 --> 00:19:36.690 And the more we get to know God, spending time 00:19:36.690 --> 00:19:38.609 with Him in His Word and in His presence, the 00:19:38.609 --> 00:19:43.130 easier it is to fully trust in Him. Faith is 00:19:43.130 --> 00:19:46.789 built slowly, one step at a time, towards God. 00:19:47.529 --> 00:19:50.269 And before you know it, you're walking into your 00:19:50.269 --> 00:19:52.910 world with a heart on fire for Jesus, ready to 00:19:52.910 --> 00:19:54.769 share His good news with all the people you meet, 00:19:54.809 --> 00:19:57.970 care for His people, for His creation, all because 00:19:57.970 --> 00:20:01.670 of this deep, abundant love for Jesus in you, 00:20:01.789 --> 00:20:04.150 because you've received that deep, abundant love 00:20:04.150 --> 00:20:09.589 from Him. Well, hopefully, we're never faced 00:20:09.589 --> 00:20:12.569 with a fiery furnace. We're still faced with 00:20:12.569 --> 00:20:16.390 trials very often in this world. Moments that 00:20:16.390 --> 00:20:19.230 call us to obedience, moments that call for godly 00:20:19.230 --> 00:20:21.690 defiance or even for critical conversations. 00:20:22.349 --> 00:20:26.630 And while we may triumph most of the time, we 00:20:26.630 --> 00:20:30.529 all fall short sometimes too. And then this is 00:20:30.529 --> 00:20:32.490 when it's the hardest to feel like our hearts 00:20:32.490 --> 00:20:35.150 are on fire for Jesus, when we feel that we're 00:20:35.150 --> 00:20:39.769 actually distant from him. But friends, we have 00:20:39.769 --> 00:20:42.670 a God who's not only with us in the fire, but 00:20:42.670 --> 00:20:46.000 who delivers us through it too. And Jesus does 00:20:46.000 --> 00:20:50.019 not wait for us to be perfectly free of our sin 00:20:50.019 --> 00:20:52.779 before He shows us His love, or to be perfectly 00:20:52.779 --> 00:20:55.799 full of this faith beforehand. Romans 5 verse 00:20:55.799 --> 00:20:59.259 8 says, God showed His great love for us by sending 00:20:59.259 --> 00:21:02.240 Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 00:21:02.980 --> 00:21:05.720 Do you believe that? That even when you feel 00:21:05.720 --> 00:21:09.140 like the worst sinner, God's death on the cross 00:21:09.140 --> 00:21:13.259 for you still stands the exact same. Even when 00:21:13.259 --> 00:21:15.420 you're dealing with what feels like a small fire 00:21:15.420 --> 00:21:18.359 or maybe a raging furnace, be encouraged that 00:21:18.359 --> 00:21:20.680 through Jesus, we are made right with God. We 00:21:20.680 --> 00:21:22.559 are delivered from the grips of sin and death. 00:21:22.859 --> 00:21:26.319 We get a second chance and a third and a fourth 00:21:26.319 --> 00:21:29.519 and a fifth and so on. And that's all through 00:21:29.519 --> 00:21:33.859 the love and grace of Jesus. And we needed that 00:21:33.859 --> 00:21:37.720 because being delivered from our sin, being delivered 00:21:37.720 --> 00:21:40.339 from some of the situations that we get put in 00:21:40.339 --> 00:21:44.009 or sometimes put ourselves in, is only possible 00:21:44.009 --> 00:21:46.430 through the grace and power of Jesus Christ. 00:21:47.970 --> 00:21:51.049 And that is abundantly available to you today 00:21:51.049 --> 00:21:55.990 as well, regardless of if you feel worthy, because 00:21:55.990 --> 00:21:59.390 let me tell you, you're not, but neither am I. 00:22:00.509 --> 00:22:03.990 And yet Jesus still loves you and challenges 00:22:03.990 --> 00:22:06.710 you to throw off what hinders you to run the 00:22:06.710 --> 00:22:09.789 race with perseverance marked out for you. And 00:22:09.789 --> 00:22:14.339 I would love if you would come back up. Faith 00:22:14.339 --> 00:22:18.140 in the fire comes when we trust that God is who 00:22:18.140 --> 00:22:24.259 He says He is. Can I encourage you today, friends, 00:22:24.839 --> 00:22:27.940 to take the next step towards a life of trust 00:22:27.940 --> 00:22:32.180 in God? That next step towards a heart on fire 00:22:32.180 --> 00:22:36.200 for Jesus? Maybe for some of you, you feel like 00:22:36.200 --> 00:22:38.299 God has been calling you to a particular job 00:22:38.299 --> 00:22:41.690 or to serve those in your community. but you 00:22:41.690 --> 00:22:44.210 really need help trusting God's call over your 00:22:44.210 --> 00:22:47.730 life. Maybe you feel like your faith is dwindling 00:22:47.730 --> 00:22:50.210 and that doubt's voice is louder than usual. 00:22:51.269 --> 00:22:53.329 Maybe God is inviting you to bring this to Him 00:22:53.329 --> 00:22:57.769 today. Maybe you've messed up and you're holding 00:22:57.769 --> 00:22:59.829 onto shame that God is actually asking you to 00:22:59.829 --> 00:23:03.910 let go of and to trust in His forgiveness and 00:23:03.910 --> 00:23:08.109 saving work on the cross. Or maybe you're new 00:23:08.109 --> 00:23:10.900 to this whole faith thing. and need help trusting 00:23:10.900 --> 00:23:15.019 who God says he is for the very first time. As 00:23:15.019 --> 00:23:16.839 the band leads us to another time of worship, 00:23:17.339 --> 00:23:20.059 can I encourage you to come forward for prayer 00:23:20.059 --> 00:23:22.000 or to ask someone around you to pray with you? 00:23:22.019 --> 00:23:23.660 The coordinators will make themselves available 00:23:23.660 --> 00:23:26.220 and whoever. We are a praying church at Encounter 00:23:26.220 --> 00:23:30.019 and we would love to stand with you in speaking 00:23:30.019 --> 00:23:36.259 with God. Lord Jesus, we just thank you for your 00:23:36.259 --> 00:23:40.380 goodness. Father, we pray, would you help faith 00:23:40.380 --> 00:23:43.539 rise in us, Lord? Help us to trust you more. 00:23:45.400 --> 00:23:48.960 God, may we be a church that trusts you. May 00:23:48.960 --> 00:23:50.920 we be a church that has faith to walk through 00:23:50.920 --> 00:23:56.019 the fires in front of us. Father, we pray, come 00:23:56.019 --> 00:24:02.319 Holy Spirit in this place. Have your way in this 00:24:02.319 --> 00:24:07.140 moment and in our lives forevermore, God. In 00:24:07.140 --> 00:24:14.299 your holy and gracious name, God. Amen. Thanks 00:24:14.299 --> 00:24:16.319 so much for tuning into this week's message. 00:24:17.039 --> 00:24:20.099 If you felt challenged or need prayer, we'd love 00:24:20.099 --> 00:24:22.480 to hear from you on Instagram at encounterhenley. 00:24:23.160 --> 00:24:25.440 Or if you're interested in how you can support 00:24:25.440 --> 00:24:29.299 this ministry, please go to our website encounteradelaide 00:24:29.299 --> 00:24:33.579 .com .au. Thanks again for listening. God bless 00:24:33.579 --> 00:24:33.940 you.