Smoke or Gold

19 Then Nebuchadnezzar was furious with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and his attitude toward them changed. He ordered the furnace heated seven times hotter than usual

20 and commanded some of the strongest soldiers in his army to tie up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego and throw them into the blazing furnace.

21 So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace.

22 The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego,

23 and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace.

24 Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, “Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?”
They replied, “Certainly, Your Majesty.”

25 He said, “Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.”
- Daniel 3:19-25

1 Do not fear, for I have redeemed you;
I have summoned you by name; you are mine.
2 When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you;
and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you
3 When you walk through the fire,
you will not be burned;
the flames will not set you ablaze.
- Isaiah 43:1-3

26 Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, “Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!”
So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire,

27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.
- Daniel 3:26-27

Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward.
- Job 5:7

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.
- 1 Peter 4:12

6 In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.

7 These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith—of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire—may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.
- 1 Peter 1:6-7

26 So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire,

27 and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.
- Daniel 3:26-27

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Mixer

Mother’s Day is next Sunday! Who is an influential woman in your life - mom, sister, teacher, etc?

‘Neighborly’ - Daily Devotional

To get the Daily Devotionals delivered to you every morning, text ‘dailydevotional’ to 97000.

1. In Pastor Ken’s 4/28/21 entry, Let Your Walk Talk, he shares a song that says King Nebuchanezzer, who did not worship Yahweh, saw Him (the fourth man; Daniel 3:25) in the fire. What is your ‘fiery furnace’ and how is your walk through it showing the world what that ‘fourth man’ looks like?
2. In Pastor Pam’s 5/1/21 entry, Living in Babylon, she reminds us of 1 Peter 3:15 - “But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” Babylon is asking questions and demanding answers. How would you answer in grace and truth?

Sermon Questions

Scripture: Daniel 3:19-25, 26-27; James 1:2-4; Isaiah 43:1-3; Job 5:7; 1 Peter 4:12, 1:6-9

1. In the passage, Meshach, Shadrach and Abednego went through the raging furnace with their God, and they came out without even the smell of smoke on them. As we look back on our fiery furnace of 2020, do you smell like smoke?
2. What is your typical response to trials and troubles?
   • Do you deny it’s happening?
   • Accept it as karma or punishment?
   • Pray that God would remove it?
   • Step into it - knowing there will be pain and suffering?
3. Pastor Jared said we can’t help but have been impacted by these last 13 months. What did God strip away from you in 2020 that you resisted, but that you can now see how He cultivated something better? Are you a better ________ because of it? Is your world better because of it?
4. As a group, read this week’s scriptures in both your favorite Bible version, and also in The Message (Bible Paraphrase). If you don’t have this version, you can pull it up in the YouVersion Bible app.
   • Daniel 3:19-27
   • James 1:2-4
   • Isaiah 43:1-3
   • Job 5:7
   • 1 Peter 4:12
   • 1 Peter 1:6-9

Go Deeper - with Goodbook

Dr. Mark Strauss and Pastor Ken Ingold
Week 15 || Chapter 6 || The Life and Letters of Paul: Part 2

1. What is the underlying theme of all of Paul’s letters?
2. Why is it important for the Bible to contain Paul’s letters? What are some specific life lessons that resonate with you from each of his letters?
3. What is the significance to us of Paul writing letters from prison? What can we learn from his work for the Lord in the midst of his circumstances?
4. How do Paul’s Pastoral letters help us today? Are they helpful only to church leaders, or to all Christ-followers? Why?

*Are you joining the Goodbook Q&A Zoom on Tuesday evenings? Email ken@thechurchrb.org

Serve

There are still opportunities to serve out in our city for Good Neighbor Day, this Saturday, May 8!

Painting Interfaith Housing | Vegetation Widening Trails in Poway | San Diego Food Bank

Registration is open at thechurchrb.org/serve or in the Church Center App! Grab your Table Group and be Good Neighbors out there!

Pray

Pray for the difference that being Good Neighbors will make in our city every day, remembering when it prospers, the people of God will prosper, too.

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