BIG IDEA
When was a time you felt stuck? I recently played hide and seek with my niece and nephew and was stuck in my hiding place for a moment. They thought it was hilarious; I was not as amused! While my example is light-hearted, many situations we face are no-laughing matters. Of all the situations we have felt stuck in, none of us have been stuck in the type of situation that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego found themselves in. Stuck between a rock and a hard place, these men had to choose between honoring God and saving their lives. Despite the high stakes of this situation, they remained true to their faith and honored God through it all.
BREAK THE ICE
When was a time you felt stuck?
SMALL GROUP QUESTIONS
Bible Study
1. Read Daniel 3:1-6. How would most people respond to this command from the king in this passage of Scripture?
Daniel 3:1-6
"King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue ninety feet tall and nine feet wide and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 Then he sent messages to the high officers, officials, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the provincial officials to come to the dedication of the statue he had set up. 3 So all these officials came and stood before the statue King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 Then a herald shouted out, "People of all races and nations and languages, listen to the king's command! 5 When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments, bow to the ground to worship King Nebuchadnezzar's gold statue. 6 Anyone who refuses to obey will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace."
"King Nebuchadnezzar made a gold statue ninety feet tall and nine feet wide and set it up on the plain of Dura in the province of Babylon. 2 Then he sent messages to the high officers, officials, governors, advisers, treasurers, judges, magistrates, and all the provincial officials to come to the dedication of the statue he had set up. 3 So all these officials came and stood before the statue King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
4 Then a herald shouted out, "People of all races and nations and languages, listen to the king's command! 5 When you hear the sound of the horn, flute, zither, lyre, harp, pipes, and other musical instruments, bow to the ground to worship King Nebuchadnezzar's gold statue. 6 Anyone who refuses to obey will immediately be thrown into a blazing furnace."
WATCH SERMON RECAP
2. Read Daniel 3:12-15. Compare the response of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to the response that most people around them likely made.
Daniel 3:12-15
"But there are some Jews-Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego-whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They refuse to serve your gods and do not worship the gold statue you have set up." 13 Then Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and ordered that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought before him. When they were brought in, 14 Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up? 15 I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?"
"But there are some Jews-Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego-whom you have put in charge of the province of Babylon. They pay no attention to you, Your Majesty. They refuse to serve your gods and do not worship the gold statue you have set up."
13 Then Nebuchadnezzar flew into a rage and ordered that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought before him. When they were brought in, 14 Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you refuse to serve my gods or to worship the gold statue I have set up? 15 I will give you one more chance to bow down and worship the statue I have made when you hear the sound of the musical instruments. But if you refuse, you will be thrown immediately into the blazing furnace. And then what god will be able to rescue you from my power?"
3. Read Daniel 3:16-18. Where was the faith of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego rooted, God or their circumstance? How do you know?
Daniel 3:16-18
"Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. 17 If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. 18 But even if he doesn't, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up."
4. Read Daniel 3:19-29. What was the result of the obedience of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego?
Daniel 3:19-29
"Nebuchadnezzar was so furious with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that his face became distorted with rage. He commanded that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual. 20 Then he ordered some of the strongest men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So they tied them up and threw them into the furnace, fully dressed in their pants, turbans, robes, and other garments. 22 And because the king, in his anger, had demanded such a hot fire in the furnace, the flames killed the soldiers as they threw the three men in. 23 So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, securely tied, fell into the roaring flames. 24 But suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisers, "Didn't we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?" "Yes, Your Majesty, we certainly did," they replied. 25 "Look!" Nebuchadnezzar shouted. "I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!" 26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came as close as he could to the door of the flaming furnace and shouted: "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!" So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire. 27 Then the high officers, officials, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn't even smell of smoke! 28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king's command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore, I make this decree: If any people, whatever their race or nation or language, speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they will be torn limb from limb, and their houses will be turned into heaps of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue like this!"
"Nebuchadnezzar was so furious with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that his face became distorted with rage. He commanded that the furnace be heated seven times hotter than usual. 20 Then he ordered some of the strongest men of his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace. 21 So they tied them up and threw them into the furnace, fully dressed in their pants, turbans, robes, and other garments. 22 And because the king, in his anger, had demanded such a hot fire in the furnace, the flames killed the soldiers as they threw the three men in. 23 So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, securely tied, fell into the roaring flames.
24 But suddenly, Nebuchadnezzar jumped up in amazement and exclaimed to his advisers, "Didn't we tie up three men and throw them into the furnace?"
"Yes, Your Majesty, we certainly did," they replied.
25 "Look!" Nebuchadnezzar shouted. "I see four men, unbound, walking around in the fire unharmed! And the fourth looks like a god!"
26 Then Nebuchadnezzar came as close as he could to the door of the flaming furnace and shouted: "Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!"
So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego stepped out of the fire. 27 Then the high officers, officials, governors, and advisers crowded around them and saw that the fire had not touched them. Not a hair on their heads was singed, and their clothing was not scorched. They didn't even smell of smoke!
28 Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise to the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego! He sent his angel to rescue his servants who trusted in him. They defied the king's command and were willing to die rather than serve or worship any god except their own God. 29 Therefore, I make this decree: If any people, whatever their race or nation or language, speak a word against the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, they will be torn limb from limb, and their houses will be turned into heaps of rubble. There is no other god who can rescue like this!"
Application
1. How did God prove Himself greater than the circumstances that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego faced?
2. What is the danger of rooting our faith in our circumstances instead of the God who controls our circumstances?
3. What circumstance have you been placing your faith in that you need to give over to God?
Going Deeper
If we root our faith in our circumstances, we will end up disappointed, disillusioned, dissatisfied every time. If we place our faith in God, we will never be disappointed. The Bible never promises that life will always be easy and that our circumstances will always turn out how we want them to. When we place our faith in God in spite of our circumstances, we will never be let down. Let's take a few moments to look to the promises Scripture gives when we place our faith solely in God.
God is with us:When we face difficult times or our circumstances do not turn out how we had hoped, we often feel lonely. The truth is, we are never alone in any of our circumstances. God promises His presence at all times. We are never alone, especially in our heartaches and heartbreaks.
1. Read Isaiah 43:2-3.
Isaiah 43:2-3
"When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown.When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.3 For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.I gave Egypt as a ransom for your freedom; I gave Ethiopia and Seba in your place."
2. What do we learn about God's presence in this passage of Scripture?
3. Look at verse 3a. What do we learn about God in this passage of Scripture?
4. How does the promise of God's presence impact you as you think about the difficulties you are currently facing?
One day God will make everything right:This world brings pain and tragedy. Try as we might, no one can escape the heartache that this world brings. While this world is full of difficulties, we can have the hope that things will not always be this way. One day, Jesus will return and He will redeem and restore everything.
1. Read Revelation 21:1-5.
Read Revelation 21:1-5
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, "Look, God's home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever." 5 And the one sitting on the throne said, "Look, I am making everything new!" And then he said to me, "Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true."
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, "Look, God's home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever."
5 And the one sitting on the throne said, "Look, I am making everything new!" And then he said to me, "Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true."
2. What stands out to you about the new heaven and new earth described in this passage of Scripture?
3. What evidence do you see in this passage of Scripture that one day God will redeem everything?
4. How does this passage of Scripture bring you hope as you think about the difficulties you face in your own life?
When we root our faith in Christ, we have eternal life:As followers of Christ, we know that this world is not our home. We have a far better destination waiting for us that does not include the heartache that his world brings. Our true and better home is eternal life forever with Him.
1. Read John 10:27-29.
John 10:27-29
"My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from me, 29 for my Father has given them to me, and he is more powerful than anyone else. No one can snatch them from the Father's hand."
2. What is the impact of following and placing our faith in Christ?
3. How does focusing on eternity impact the way we face our current difficulties and challenges?
Reflect:Take a few moments to reflect on the truths of Scripture that we studied today.
1. How do the promises we looked at in Scripture give you hope in the middle of difficult times?
2. Which of the truths of Scripture that we studied do you think this world needs to hear the most?
3. Which of these truths of Scripture do you need to hear and cling to right now?
Take a moment to soak in the good news that you studied in Scripture today. God is always with us, He will make everything right, and He offers eternal life to all who place their faith in Him. The proper response to the good news in Scripture that we studied today is worship. Plan to attend one of our weekend services as a group together this weekend as a group and share a meal together after. As you worship, praise God for all He has done and all He is doing to redeem and restore everything and give us hope of eternal life one day.
MOVING FORWARDIn the middle of our difficult circumstances, sometimes we must take our eyes off ourselves. Who do you know who needs the hope of Jesus? How can you reach out to them this week? Share with your group who you will reach out to and how you will reach out to them. After everyone has shared, pray together and ask God to work in each of these people’s lives so that they will experience His hope.
MONTHLY MEMORY VERSE (Available for download on Sagebrush App)
He said, "Praise the name of God forever and ever, for he has all wisdom and power." Daniel 2:20
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