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Tag: 3-18

  • The Nots Of My Life

    Daniel 3:18 “But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”
    Of the Bible’s most familiar stories, the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego ranks as one of the most told. They were contemporaries of Daniel, and their story of conviction and courage is found in the book of Daniel, chapter 3. Most likely you know their story of how they defied King Nebuchadnezzar’s order for everyone to bow down and worship the image of gold. Daniel 3:4 says, “To you it is commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 “that at the time you hear the sound of the horn, flute, harp, lyre, and psaltery, in symphony with all kinds of music, you shall fall down and worship the gold image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up;” While there was no real benefit to worshipping the golden image there were severe consequences if one did not bow down when the music played and worship the idol. Daniel 3:6 says, “And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.”

    These guys in Babylonian are not playing around. They took canceling a person to another level. Instead of firing the non-conformist from say their job they were going to throw them in a fire.

    WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOU ARE ASK, EVEN COMMANDED, TO COMPROMISE YOUR FAITH?

    Working with a group of High School seniors a few years ago we talked about Daniel and then these three Hebrew men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego, and how they ESTABLISHED what their NOTS were. Daniel, in Chapter 1, was NOT going to defile himself. Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego told the king that they do NOT serve his gods and WOULD NOT worship the gold image which you have set up.

    There is no question we should admire the courage of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego. They were put into a fiery furnace to kill them, refusing to back down. We do love this story because God protected them, even walking in the fire with them. I simply want to say let us admire more their CONVICTIONS – their established convictions before ever facing their moment of decision that would define them. It was their NOTS that kept them from compromising.

    Knowing that many of the seniors I was working with would soon be not just leaving our school but also their home and their home church to go to various colleges I assigned them to write down 50 things that they WOULD DO and/or NOT DO to live out their Christianity and represent Christ as they were now on their own.

    What are your convictions? Whether with family or friends, at work or play, in church or with our government, what are your I WILL BE and I WILL NOT BE statements?

    It has been said if you do not STAND for something you will FALL for everything.

    Continue Strong with strong convictions,
    And remember to DATE the Word

  • He Gave His Life To Save Your Life

    1 Peter 3:18 “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,”

    As we move toward Easter one of the most enlightening and illuminating verses for the Easter season is 1 Peter 3:18.  I will seek to unpack this verse so that we might know and remember what Christ did for each of us and for the entire world with the hope you will come away have read this crying worthy is the Lamb!

    As Peter writes he makes it abundantly clear who will be doing all that follows in the verse.  It is Christ who is our Messiah, our Savior, and our Passover lamb.  

    The next word is suffered.  The church I attended growing up would have us recite the Apostle’s Creed, and in it were the words, “He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.”  He suffered are painful words to read, are they not?  To think of Christ dying is difficult enough to comprehend but to wrap one’s thoughts around His suffering is so much more painful, especially in light of the next words in which He suffered for sins that He did not commit. 

    I would ask that you pause and consider just some of His sufferings (yes, plural).  

    He was alone and in agony in the garden. He was arrested after being betrayed. He was beaten and bruised.  He was crucified. (Think excruciating pain).  He was despised.  He was embarrassed as He hung naked on the cross.  He was called an evildoer.  He was falsely accused. He was forsaken by His Father.  He watched as they gambled for His clothing.  They hung Him on a cross beam.  He was insulted as they jeered at Him.  His betrayer kissed Him. They laughed at Him.  Our sins were laid on Him.  They mocked Him.  They nailed Him to the cross.  He was oppressed.  They punched Him in His face and they pierced His side.  He was questioned relentlessly and taunted to prove He was the Son of God, to self-incriminate Himself.  He was ridiculed.  They spit on Him.  He was smitten. He was scourged. (As with the word “crucified” let the word “scourged” grip your soul.) They placed a crown of thorns on His head. They tempted Him to come down from the cross.  He would speak of His agonizing pain with the words “I Thirst.”   Everything done was unjust, but nothing more so than the irreligious unjust trial by the ungodly religious leaders.  He was treated with such contempt, even being offered vinegar to His cry of “I thirst.”   They wagged their heads at Him in rejection of Him.  

    He suffered.  He suffered the shame and indignancy and the pain of a cruel crucifixion.  

    Why? Our verse tells us why He suffered as it was for sins, the just for the just.   In theology, we learn that His death was a vicarious substitutionary death.  He who had done no sin nor had done no wrong will take the place of all the unjust, wicked, sinful, ungodly, etc.  He will die in my place and He would die in your place.  He would die for everyone!  

    Why? We again will ask why and the answer is so that He might bring us to God. Because of His death on our behalf, we can be reconciled to God!  We can have access to God.  Our acceptance of His gift of salvation will cause us to be adopted into the family of God.  Our status goes from a child of the devil to a child of God.  

    Peter concludes this verse with His death and then His resurrection.  He gave His life to save our life.  He was raised again so we could be born again.

    Worthy is the Lamb!

    A March to Remember

    For March 18, let us remember 1 Peter 3:18. 1 Peter 3:18 says, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,” 

    On March 18 we encourage you to read Matthew 18 and John 18 to recall our Lord’s teaching and of His arrest, unjust religious trial. and Peter’s Denial. 

    You can find the Bible reading plan on the Date the Word app.

    Continue Strong this March Remembering our Savior,
    And remember to DATE the Word