Sermon Notes 6/22/25
Protester - 6/22/25
Scripture
Nebuchadnezzar's Golden Image
3 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits[a] and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2 Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 3 Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.” 7 Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
The Fiery Furnace
8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. 9 They declared[b] to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! 10 You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. 11 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace.
3 King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of gold, whose height was sixty cubits[a] and its breadth six cubits. He set it up on the plain of Dura, in the province of Babylon. 2 Then King Nebuchadnezzar sent to gather the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces to come to the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 3 Then the satraps, the prefects, and the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the justices, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces gathered for the dedication of the image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up. And they stood before the image that Nebuchadnezzar had set up. 4 And the herald proclaimed aloud, “You are commanded, O peoples, nations, and languages, 5 that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, you are to fall down and worship the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up. 6 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall immediately be cast into a burning fiery furnace.” 7 Therefore, as soon as all the peoples heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, all the peoples, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the golden image that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
The Fiery Furnace
8 Therefore at that time certain Chaldeans came forward and maliciously accused the Jews. 9 They declared[b] to King Nebuchadnezzar, “O king, live forever! 10 You, O king, have made a decree, that every man who hears the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, bagpipe, and every kind of music, shall fall down and worship the golden image. 11 And whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast into a burning fiery furnace.
Sermon Notes
How to be a voice in the presence
of Babylon’s evil
Protester
God has called many protesters to
resist and cultivate Babylon by
boldly challenging its injustice.
Depending on your temperament (or
ideological bent), you may find these
interruptions heroic or frustrating
Protests are Christian to the extent they
are shaped by Christian virtues.
Since the days of Shiphrah and Puah
Exodus 1:17
But the midwives feared God and did not
do as the king of Egypt commanded them,
but let the male children live.
Protesting against injustices for
causes aligned with God’s values
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2
King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of
gold, whose height was sixty cubits
(90’) and its breadth six cubits (9’).
“I will make the whole statue out of
gold that will last for eternity”
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego
They publicly and nonviolently refused
to bow before the idol
Moral Clarity
They can’t object to everything in Babylon
and hope to have any influence.
God has established governing authorities
(Rom. 13:1–5).
Paul wrote, “Give everyone what you owe
him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue,
then revenue; if respect, then respect; if
honor, then honor” (Rom. 13:7).
God had established Nebuchadnezzar
He had made him to be the head of gold. But
notice: the fact that Nebuchadnezzar had
been established by God did not make
Nebuchadnezzar God.
Discerning wisdom on complicated issues
To know when the stakes are high, and a
protest is necessary, they need a mind trained
by Scripture. God’s Word alone defines good
and evil.
They demonstrated an enormous
amount of courage
The problem is that the most popular form of
protest—social media slacktivism—develops
vanity, not courage.
Biblical courage is to obey, speak and act
faithfully in the face of fear, danger, opposition,
and uncertainty. It’s rooted not in self-
confidence, but trusting in God’s presence,
promises and power.
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered
and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we
have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If this
be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver
us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will
deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 But if not,
be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve
your gods or worship the golden image that you
have set up.”
They hoped in the right things
Same thing Paul’s spoke on about sufferings
For I consider that the sufferings of this present
time or not worth comparing with the glory that is
to be revealed to us
Romans 8:18
A protester doesn’t have their hopes on just
getting their way or changing power, but in
standing against injustices for the sake of
the glory of God
Because of this hope it allows a protester to
protest in the way of Jesus
And Jesus entered the temple and drove out
all he sold and walked in the temple and
overturn the tables of the money changers in
the seat of those who sold pigeons
Matthew 21:12
But I say to you do not resist the one who is
evil, but if anyone slapped you on the right
cheek, turned him the other also
Matthew 5:39
Breakdown the unjust systems
Stand firm against the evil person
Give us courage to speak truth, wisdom
to know when to act and love that never
grows cold. May we protest what breaks
the heart of God and be peacemakers in
a divided world
of Babylon’s evil
Protester
God has called many protesters to
resist and cultivate Babylon by
boldly challenging its injustice.
Depending on your temperament (or
ideological bent), you may find these
interruptions heroic or frustrating
Protests are Christian to the extent they
are shaped by Christian virtues.
Since the days of Shiphrah and Puah
Exodus 1:17
But the midwives feared God and did not
do as the king of Egypt commanded them,
but let the male children live.
Protesting against injustices for
causes aligned with God’s values
Nebuchadnezzar’s dream in Daniel 2
King Nebuchadnezzar made an image of
gold, whose height was sixty cubits
(90’) and its breadth six cubits (9’).
“I will make the whole statue out of
gold that will last for eternity”
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego
They publicly and nonviolently refused
to bow before the idol
Moral Clarity
They can’t object to everything in Babylon
and hope to have any influence.
God has established governing authorities
(Rom. 13:1–5).
Paul wrote, “Give everyone what you owe
him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue,
then revenue; if respect, then respect; if
honor, then honor” (Rom. 13:7).
God had established Nebuchadnezzar
He had made him to be the head of gold. But
notice: the fact that Nebuchadnezzar had
been established by God did not make
Nebuchadnezzar God.
Discerning wisdom on complicated issues
To know when the stakes are high, and a
protest is necessary, they need a mind trained
by Scripture. God’s Word alone defines good
and evil.
They demonstrated an enormous
amount of courage
The problem is that the most popular form of
protest—social media slacktivism—develops
vanity, not courage.
Biblical courage is to obey, speak and act
faithfully in the face of fear, danger, opposition,
and uncertainty. It’s rooted not in self-
confidence, but trusting in God’s presence,
promises and power.
16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered
and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we
have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If this
be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver
us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will
deliver us out of your hand, O king. 18 But if not,
be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve
your gods or worship the golden image that you
have set up.”
They hoped in the right things
Same thing Paul’s spoke on about sufferings
For I consider that the sufferings of this present
time or not worth comparing with the glory that is
to be revealed to us
Romans 8:18
A protester doesn’t have their hopes on just
getting their way or changing power, but in
standing against injustices for the sake of
the glory of God
Because of this hope it allows a protester to
protest in the way of Jesus
And Jesus entered the temple and drove out
all he sold and walked in the temple and
overturn the tables of the money changers in
the seat of those who sold pigeons
Matthew 21:12
But I say to you do not resist the one who is
evil, but if anyone slapped you on the right
cheek, turned him the other also
Matthew 5:39
Breakdown the unjust systems
Stand firm against the evil person
Give us courage to speak truth, wisdom
to know when to act and love that never
grows cold. May we protest what breaks
the heart of God and be peacemakers in
a divided world
Posted in Sermon Notes
No Comments