Kids - Undefeated
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego - Week 3
October 19-20, 2019 |
In a wild Survivor-like game show, contestants compete for the title of Undefeated. But when impossible challenges lead them to Bible stories about our mighty and powerful God, they quickly learn that he is the only one who is truly undefeated.
WORSHiP
BIBLE VERSE
“Great is our Lord, and mighty in power,” Psalm 147:5.
GROUP Q&A
- What was King Nebuchadnezzar’s law? (All people had to fall to their knees and worship the golden statue.) What would happen if they didn’t follow the rule? (They would be thrown into the fiery furnace.)
- Did Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego bow down? Why or Why not? (No, they only worshiped God, not a statue.)
- When they didn’t burn up in the fiery furnace, how did King Nebuchadnezzar react? (He couldn’t understand how they weren’t getting burned up in the furnace. He was amazed at their courage and began to praise God.)
- God wants us to worship him above all other things. Can you think of some ways we can always put God first? (pray to God every day, sing songs to God, go to church, follow God, etc. Brainstorm more ideas together…)
PARENT BIBLE STUDY
Read: Daniel 3
Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego had earned favor in the eyes of the unpredictable King Nebuchadnezzar. Winning the favor of an emotional, powerful man who gave and revoked his approval on a whim was not an easy accomplishment. Above all else, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego honored the one true God, and so when loyalty to God clashed with obedience to the king, they bravely disobeyed.
Their counter-cultural behavior and resolve to stand firm on God’s truth came at a great cost. The Bible says that when the king heard of their disobedience, he became “furious with rage” and he changed his mind about them (Daniel 3:13). He heated the fiery furnace seven times hotter than usual and made sure that his strongest soldiers were responsible for tying up Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.
To all of this, they replied to the king, “If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and he will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if he does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up,” Daniel 3:16-18.
That is a declaration of confidence in the one true God. That is courage. That is faith.
God chose to glorify himself through saving those three men that day, and King Nebuchadnezzar declared the truth that “there is no other god who is able to rescue in this way,” Daniel 3:29.
It’s a good ending. But we know that isn’t always how the story ends. The question is, “but even if he does not...” are we still able to say what Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego said? When we’re going through the fire, are we willing to remain steady in our faith, even if the fire never slows down, even if the fire gets hotter?
If Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego’s faith had been based on their circumstances, it wouldn’t have been faith at all. Is your faith based on your circumstances or on the one true God?
