01/12/2026
Sermon at Singletary and Purdie Churches on January 11, 2026
UNASHAMED
Luke 9:23-26. 23 Then He said to them all, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross
daily, and follow Me. 24 For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? 26 For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father’s, and of the holy angels.
The Book of Daniel begins by telling how Daniel and three of his friends wound up in Babylon. King Nebuchadnezzar wanted to rule the entire world. And he almost succeeded in his quest. He laid siege to Jerusalem and the kingdom of Judah three different times. He pillaged, burned, and looted the city of Jerusalem. He tore down the Temple of God and Solomon’s palace, and took some of the Holy Vessels.
Daniel was about 15 years old when he was taken into Babylonian captivity. He and a select few of the Judeans would live a much different life compared to others that were relocated and given medial chores such as farming and fishing to survive. You see, Nebuchadnezzar brought some of the young men of Judah’s royal family, and other noble families, to serve in his royal court. Let’s read from Daniel 1:3-5, 3 Then the king instructed Ashpenaz, the master of his eunuchs, to bring some of the children of Israel and some of the king’s descendants and some of the nobles, 4 young men in whom there was no blemish, but good-looking, gifted in all wisdom, possessing knowledge and quick to understand, who had ability to serve in the king’s palace, and whom they might teach the language and literature of the Chaldeans. 5 And the king appointed for them a daily provision of the king’s delicacies and of the wine which he drank, and three years of training for them, so that at the end of that time they might serve before the king. They were to be trained for three years, and then they would enter the royal service.
But I would imagine that this was hard on these select men in ways different from maybe any hard labor that the other exiles might have endured. Sometimes the servants were made eunuchs. And these men were also being asked to learn the Babylonian ways, cultures and beliefs, and were in a way,
being brainwashed to forget their Judean traditions and heritage.
One thing about the Book of Daniel is there is a lot of content in very few words. It isn’t very far into chapter 1 when Daniel steps up and shows his faith to our Almighty God. Let’s continue to read verses 8-16, 8 But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore he requested of the chief of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself. 9 Now God had brought Daniel into the favor and
goodwill of the chief of the eunuchs. 10 And the chief of the eunuchs said to Daniel, “I fear my lord the king, who has appointed your food and drink. For why should he see your faces looking worse than the young men who are your age? Then you would endanger my head before the king.” 11 So Daniel said to
the steward whom the chief of the eunuchs had set over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days, and let them give us vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then let our appearance be examined before you,
and the appearance of the young men who eat the portion of the king’s delicacies; and as you see fit, so deal with your servants.”
14 So he consented with them in this matter, and tested them ten
days. 15 And at the end of ten days their features appeared better and fatter in flesh than all the young men who ate the portion of the king’s delicacies. 16 Thus the steward took away their portion of delicacies and the wine that they were to drink, and gave them vegetables.
Why would Daniel want to skip the high life and eat only some of the barest necessities to survive? Several reasons. At that time, Jewish Law prohibited the eating of certain meats that were considered as unclean. Also, some of the meat that was being given to them could very well have been used as sacrifices to the little g gods that the Babylonians worshipped. Daniel and his friends observed their faith and beliefs in only eating vegetables such as beans, and maybe other things like bread, fruit, and nuts, along with water. And those type foods not only nourished them, but gave them the appearance of being even healthier than the others eating everything else.
We can see several lessons here. Instead of being angry and disobedient toward their captors, Daniel and his friends appeared to be very mild-mannered and not cause any trouble. Daniel respectfully asked for special consideration on their food, and received it. The king could have considered their request as a sign of disobedience and had them punished or even killed. But God’s hand was upon Daniel and his friends, as we will see again and again. All we have to do to see this is to continue on with verses 17-20, 17 As for these four young men, God gave them knowledge and skill in all literature and wisdom; and Daniel had understanding in all visions and dreams. 18 Now at the end of the days, when the king had said that they should be brought in, the chief of the eunuchs brought them in before Nebuchadnezzar. 19 Then the king interviewed them, and among them all none was found like Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah; therefore they served before the king. 20 And in all matters of wisdom and understanding about which the king examined them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and astrologers who were in all his realm.
Fast forward a few years. Nebuchadnezzar has a dream that greatly troubles him. And he calls on a few of his wise men to interpret it. But there’s one little snag. He doesn’t tell them what the dream was about. He asks them to use their wisdom, their insight, their “magical powers”, to tell him what his dream was about and what it meant. They were stumped. And the king was furious, and ordered all these enchanters and wise men to be killed. Well, that order would have also included Daniel and his friends. Daniel asked the king for some time to ask God to reveal and interpret the dream to Daniel and his friends. He did, and God came through again. God revealed the true meaning of the dream to Daniel. And Daniel relayed the meaning to the king. Not only did the king praise Daniel, but he acknowledged our Almighty God as the greatest of gods. He promoted Daniel and his friends to higher positions within his government.
Fast forward in time again. Nebuchadnezzar apparently forgot about proclaiming Almighty God as the God above all gods and built a massive gold statue ninety feet tall and nine feet wide. And we find in chapter 3:4-7 where it says, 4 Then a herald cried aloud: “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; 6 and whoever does not fall down and worship shall be cast immediately into the midst of a burning fiery furnace.” 7 So at that time, when all the people heard the sound of the horn, flute, harp, and lyre, in symphony with all kinds of music, all the people, nations, and languages fell down and worshiped the gold image which King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.
Well, wouldn’t you just know that some people were jealous of some of these “special people” named Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Maybe they didn’t like it because they were not Babylonians, but Jews from a foreign land. Whatever the reason, a group of astrologers ratted them out and told the king that they were not bowing down to the statue. Take in mind that these astrologers might very well been some of the people that they saved when Daniel interpreted the king’s dream.
But this sets the scene up for the second time that these men take a stand on their faith. Nebuchadnezzar has the men brought before them and reminds them of his command to bow to the idol and explains the repercussions of not obeying him. Continuing in chapter 3:16-18, 16 Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand,
O king. 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.”
Such boldness for your faith is admirable. And such boldness in the face of possibly a death sentence is even more admirable. Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego gave ole Nebuchadnezzar the facts, and nothing but the facts. They were loyal to the one true God, not a statue, not an idol, and certainly not a little g god.
Nebuchadnezzar was enraged. He ordered that the fire in the furnace to be stoked up to seven times the regular temperature. He had Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego bound up with ropes. The fire was so hot that the soldiers carrying them to the furnace were overcome by the heat and fell dead. Shadrack, Meshach, and Abednego fell right down into the fire.
Another divine intervention occurs. Let’s continue in chapter 3:24-25, 24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished; and he rose in haste and spoke, saying to his counselors, “Did we not cast three men bound into the midst of the fire?”
They answered and said to the king, “True, O king.” 25 “Look!” he
answered, “I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and they are not hurt, and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”
And when the king called for the men to come out of the furnace, they were astonished to see that the fire had no power upon them. The hair of their head was not singed nor were their garments affected, and the smell of fire was not on them. And Nebuchadnezzar praised the One True God.
We find later where Daniel interpreted another dream for Nebuchadnezzar. And later he told the next king, Belshazzar, about what the handwriting on the wall meant. And even later, Daniel was turned in by other jealous officials for worshipping God instead of king Darius, and was put into a den full of lions overnight, only to be found safe and sound the next morning.
God has provided us with certain writings and Holy Scriptures to guide us through the short time we have here on earth. He gives us history of good times and bad times, and even of things we can expect in the future. And a combination of all these things can be found in the Book of Daniel. We’re studying it now in our Bible Study, and will be starting Chapter 3 this afternoon if you would like to join us. We’ll have drinks, snacks and popcorn.
What did we learn from Daniel? I think the main point is that if we draw near to God, He will draw near to us. Even though Daniel and others were uprooted from their homes and culture and carried off in exile, a select group of them lived pretty well. They were given administrative positions. And in times of danger or distress, God was with them. Daniel and the others did not work against their captors. They made the best of the situation that they found themselves in. And most importantly, they remained true to God and did not waiver in their faith. Which we are also reminded by the Apostle Paul in Romans 12:2, And do
Not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the
renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
In the name of the Father, the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
