William H. Willimon - "When Through Fiery Trials" (September 5, 1993) / Duke Chapel Recordings / Duke Digital Repository

(upbeat organ music)

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Good morning, and welcome to this service of worship

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on this the first Sunday of a new school year.

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We're delighted to have our new president

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serving as lector in this service.

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After service, you're invited for lemonade

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on the chapel quad weather permitting

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and for music by the JC Power and Light Company.

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I call to your attention the tear-out sheet

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in your bulletin where you can tell us

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something about yourself and ways that you wish

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to be involved in the chapel's ministry.

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We invite you to tear out that sheet

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and place it in the offering plate today.

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This Thursday we will resume with choral vespers

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in Memorial Chapel at 5:15, and you're invited

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for this unique experience of worship.

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And now, let us stand for the greeting.

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The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

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Congregation

And also with you.

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Leader

The risen Christ is with us.

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Congregation

Praise the Lord.

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(upbeat instrumental music)

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♪ Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, ♪

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♪ The King of creation ♪

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♪ O my soul, praise him ♪

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♪ For he is thy health and salvation ♪

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♪ All ye who hear ♪

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♪ Now to his temple draw near ♪

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♪ Join me in glad adoration. ♪

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♪ Praise to the Lord, ♪

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♪ Who o'er all things so wondrously reigneth ♪

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♪ Sheltering you as on eagle's wings ♪

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♪ And so gently sustaining ♪

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♪ Have you not seen ♪

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♪ All that is needful has been ♪

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♪ Sent by his gracious ordaining ♪

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♪ Praise to the Lord, who doth ♪

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♪ Prosper thy work and defend thee ♪

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♪ Surely His goodness and mercy ♪

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♪ May daily attend thee ♪

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♪ Ponder anew what the Almighty can do ♪

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♪ Who with his love doth befriend thee ♪

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♪ Praise to the Lord ♪

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♪ Who with marvelous wisdom hath made thee ♪

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♪ Decked the with health ♪

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♪ And with loving hand guided and stayed thee ♪

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♪ How oft in grief ♪

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♪ Hath not he brought thee relief ♪

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♪ Spreading his wings to o'er-shade thee ♪

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♪ Praise to the Lord ♪

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♪ O let all that is in me adore him ♪

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♪ All that hath life and breath ♪

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♪ Come now with praises before him ♪

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♪ Let the amen ♪

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♪ Sound from his people again ♪

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♪ Gladly forever adore him ♪

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Let us pray.

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Your trumpets summon us, O God,

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to this time of remembering and renewal.

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We have sensed your presence through fire and storm

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when we have felt threatened and afraid,

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and yet, no matter how difficult the circumstances,

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you have never abandoned us to face them alone.

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In this time of new beginnings,

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fraught with opportunity and challenges,

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we remember your goodness to us

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throughout the days of our lives.

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Help us to walk close beside you

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as we seek to bring the wholeness

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of our being into deeper relationship with you,

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and touch our spirits.

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Fill us with your love as you equip us

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for the life to which you have called us.

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In the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

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Congregation

Amen.

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You may be seated.

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Let us pray together.

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Open our hearts and minds, O God

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by the power of your Holy Spirit

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so that as the Word is read and proclaimed

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we may hear your message with joy this day, amen.

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The first reading is taken from the third chapter

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of the book of Daniel starting with verse one.

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"King Nebuchadnezzar made a golden statue

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"whose height was 60 cubits and whose width was 6 cubits.

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"He set it up on the plain of Dura,

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"in the province of Babylon.

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"Then, King Nebuchadnezzar sent for the satraps,

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"the prefects, and the governors,

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"the counselors, the treasurers, the justices,

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"the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces

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"to assemble and come to the dedication

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"of the statue that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

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"So, the satraps, the prefects, and the governors,

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"the counselors, the treasurers, the justices,

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"the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces

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"assembled for the dedication of the statue

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"that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

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"When they were standing before the statue,

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"the herald proclaimed aloud,

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"'You are commanded, O people, nations, and languages,

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"'that when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe,

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"'lyre, trigon, harp, drum, and entire musical ensemble,

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"'you are to fall down and worship the golden statue

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"'that King Nebuchadnezzar has set up.

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"'Whoever does not fall down and worship shall

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"'immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire.'

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"Therefore, as soon as all the peoples

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"heard the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre,

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"trigon, harp, drum, and the entire musical ensemble,

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"all the peoples, nations, and languages

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"fell down and worshiped the golden statue

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"that King Nebuchadnezzar had set up.

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"Accordingly, at this time, certain Chaldeans

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"came forward and denounced the Jews.

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"They said to King Nebuchadnezzar,

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"'O King, live forever.

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"'You, O King, have made a decree

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"'that everyone who hears the sound of the horn, pipe,

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"'lyre, trigon, harp, drum, and entire musical ensemble

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"'shall fall down before the golden statue.

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"'And whoever does not fall down and worship

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"'shall be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire.

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"'There are certain Jews whom you have appointed

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"'over the affairs of the province of Babylon,

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"'Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

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"'These pay no heed to you, O King.

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"'They do not serve your gods, and they do not

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"'worship the golden statue that you have set up.'

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"Then, Nebuchadnezzar in furious rage commanded

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"that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego be brought in.

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"So, they brought those men before the king.

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"Nebuchadnezzar said to them,

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"'Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,

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"'that you do not serve my gods, and you do not worship

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"'the golden statue that I have set up?

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"'Now, if you are ready, when you hear the sound

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"'of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, drum,

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"'and entire musical ensemble to fall down

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"'and worship the statue that I have made, well and good.

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"'But if you do not worship, you will immediately

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"'be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire.

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"'And who is the god that will deliver you out of my hands?'

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"Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king,

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"'O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need

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"'to present a defense to you in this matter.

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"'If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us

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"'from the furnace of blazing fire

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"'and out of your hand, O king, let him deliver us.

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"'But if not, be known to you, O king,

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"'that we will not serve your gods, and we will not

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"'worship the golden statue that you have set up.'

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"Then, Nebuchadnezzar was so filled with rage

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"against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

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"that his face was distorted.

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"He ordered the furnace heated up

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"seven times more than was customary.

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"And he ordered some of his strongest guards

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"to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,

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"and throw them into the furnace of blazing fire.

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"So, the men were bound still wearing their tunics,

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"their trousers, their hats, and their other garments,

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"and they were thrown into the furnace of blazing fire.

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"Because the king's command was urgent,

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"and the furnace was so overheated,

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"the raging flames killed the men

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"who lifted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

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"But the three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,

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"fell down bound into the furnace of blazing fire.

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"Then, King Nebuchadnezzar was

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"astonished and rose up quickly.

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"He said to his counselors, 'Was it not three men

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"'that we threw bound into the fire?'

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"They answered, 'True, O king.'

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"He replied, 'But I see four men unbound,

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"'walking in the middle of the fire, and they are not hurt.

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"'And the fourth has the appearance of a god.'

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"Nebuchadnezzar then approached the door

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"of the furnace of blazing fire and said,

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"'Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,

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"'servants of the Most High God, come out, come here.'

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"So, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire.

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"And the satraps, the prefects, the governors,

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"and the king's counselors gathered together

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"and saw that the fire had not any power

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"over the bodies of those men.

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"The hair of their heads was not singed.

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"Their tunics were not harmed.

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"Not even the smell of fire came from them.

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"Nebuchadnezzar said, 'Blessed be the God

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"'of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

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"'who has sent his angel and delivered

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"'his servants who trusted in him.

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"'They disobeyed the king's command

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"'and yielded up their bodies rather than serve

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"'and worship any god except their own God.'"

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This is the Word of the Lord.

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Congregation

Thanks be to God.

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Today's Psalm is number 148

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found on pages 861 and 862 in your hymnal.

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Please stand and sing the psalm and Gloria responsively.

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(organ music)

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♪ Praise the Lord ♪

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♪ Praise the Lord from the heavens ♪

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♪ Praise the Lord in the heights ♪

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♪ Praise the Lord, all his angels ♪

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♪ Praise the Lord, all his heavenly hosts ♪

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♪ Praise the Lord, sun and moon ♪

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♪ Praise the Lord, all shining stars ♪

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♪ Praise the Lord, highest heavens ♪

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♪ Praise the Lord, you waters above the heavens ♪

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♪ Let them praise the name of the Lord ♪

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♪ Who commanded, and they were created ♪

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♪ He established them forever and ever ♪

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♪ Let not this law, it shall not be passed. ♪

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♪ Praise the Lord from the earth ♪

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♪ Sea monsters and all deeps ♪

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♪ Lightning, hail, frost, and snow ♪

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♪ Stormy wind that fulfills his command ♪

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♪ Mountains and all hills ♪

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♪ Fruit trees and all cedars ♪

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♪ Creatures and cattle ♪

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♪ Small creatures and flying birds ♪

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♪ Kings of the earth and all people ♪

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♪ Princes and all rulers of the earth ♪

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♪ Young men and women together ♪

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♪ Old men and children ♪

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♪ Let them the praise the name of the Lord ♪

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♪ Whose name alone is exalted ♪

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♪ Whose glory is above earth and heaven ♪

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♪ God has raised up a horn for his people ♪

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♪ The praise of all his faithful servants ♪

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♪ The people of Israel who are close to him ♪

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♪ Praise the Lord ♪

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(organ music)

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♪ All the beings throughout creation ♪

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♪ Praise you, our Redeemer Lord ♪

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♪ Glory be to our Sustainer ♪

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♪ Let your people praise their God ♪

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♪ As it was in the beginning ♪

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♪ Now and evermore shall be ♪

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Psalm Singer

Please be seated.

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The reading from the gospel

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is from the gospel according to Saint Matthew chapter 18

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beginning with the 15th verse.

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"If another member of the church sins against you,

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"go and point out the fault when the two of you are alone.

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"If the member listens to you, you have regained that one.

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"But if you are not listened to,

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"take one or two others along with you

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"so that every word may be confirmed

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"by the evidence of two or three witnesses.

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"If the member refuses to listen

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"to them, tell it to the church.

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"And if the offender refuses to listen even to the church,

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"let such a one be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

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"Truly, I tell you, whatever you bind on earth

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"will be bound in heaven, and whatever

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"you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

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"Again, truly I tell you, if two of you

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"agree on earth about anything you ask,

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"it will be done for you by my Father in heaven.

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"For where two or three are gathered

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"in my name, I am there among them."

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This is the Word of the Lord.

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Congregation

Thanks be to God.

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♪ Didn't ♪

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♪ Didn't ♪

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♪ Didn't ♪

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♪ Didn't ♪

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♪ Didn't ♪

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♪ Didn't ♪

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♪ Didn't ♪

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♪ Didn't ♪

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♪ Didn't ♪

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♪ Didn't ♪

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♪ Didn't ♪

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♪ Didn't ♪

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♪ Didn't ♪

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♪ Didn't ♪

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♪ Didn't ♪

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♪ Didn't ♪

♪ Didn't my Lord ♪

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♪ Didn't my Lord ♪

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♪ Didn't my Lord ♪

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♪ Didn't my Lord ♪

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♪ Didn't my Lord ♪

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♪ Didn't my Lord ♪

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♪ Didn't my Lord, didn't my Lord, didn't my Lord ♪

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♪ Didn't my Lord ♪

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♪ Didn't my Lord ♪

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♪ Didn't my Lord ♪

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♪ Didn't my Lord deliver Daniel ♪

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♪ Deliver Daniel, deliver Daniel ♪

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♪ Didn't my Lord deliver Daniel ♪

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♪ And why not every man ♪

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♪ Why not every man ♪

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♪ And why not every man ♪

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♪ Ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ah ♪

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♪ And why not every man ♪

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♪ Didn't my Lord deliver Daniel ♪

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♪ Deliver Daniel, deliver Daniel ♪

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♪ Didn't my Lord deliver Daniel ♪

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♪ And why not every man ♪

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♪ And why not every man ♪

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♪ And why not every man ♪

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♪ And why not every man ♪

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♪ Every man, every man, every man ♪

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♪ He delivered Daniel from the lion's den ♪

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♪ Jonah from the belly of the whale ♪

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♪ And the Hebrew children from the fiery furnace ♪

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♪ And why ♪

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♪ And why ♪

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♪ And why ♪

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♪ And why ♪

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♪ And why ♪

♪ And why not every man ♪

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♪ Didn't my Lord deliver Daniel ♪

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♪ Deliver Daniel, deliver Daniel ♪

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♪ Didn't my Lord deliver Daniel ♪

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♪ And why not every man ♪

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♪ And why not every man ♪

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♪ And why not every man ♪

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♪ And why not every man ♪

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♪ Every man, every man, every man ♪

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♪ The wind blows east, and the wind blows west ♪

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♪ It blows like the judgment day ♪

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♪ It blows, it blows, it blows like the judgment day ♪

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♪ And every soul that never did pray ♪

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♪ Will be glad to pray that day ♪

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♪ That day ♪

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♪ That day ♪

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♪ That day ♪

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♪ That day ♪

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♪ That day ♪

♪ Didn't my Lord deliver Daniel ♪

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♪ Deliver Daniel, deliver Daniel ♪

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♪ Didn't my Lord deliver Daniel ♪

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♪ Daniel, Daniel, Daniel, Daniel ♪

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♪ And why not every man ♪

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♪ The moon runs down in a purple stream ♪

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♪ The sun forbear to shine ♪

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♪ Forbear to shine ♪

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♪ And every star will disappear ♪

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♪ And freedom, and freedom ♪

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♪ Freedom, freedom, freedom, freedom, freedom, freedom ♪

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♪ And freedom will be mine ♪

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♪ Didn't my Lord deliver Daniel ♪

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♪ Deliver Daniel, deliver Daniel ♪

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♪ Didn't my Lord deliver Daniel ♪

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♪ Why not ♪

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♪ Why not ♪

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♪ Why not ♪

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♪ Why not ♪

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♪ Why not ♪

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♪ Why not ♪

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♪ Why not ♪

♪ And why not every man ♪

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-

I hardly slept a wink last night.

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I was nervous.

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Not because of the results of the football game,

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but knowing that I had to face you

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with this story from the book of Daniel.

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This story of the three young men

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dancing through the furnace of fire

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It's naive.

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It's childlike.

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It's fairytale-like,

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whereas you are mature and sophisticated,

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and analytical.

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And it sounds like a childlike tale.

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Even if you can't remember any stories

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from your childhood and the bible,

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I bet you remember this one.

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Three young men going through

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the furnace of fire without a hair singed.

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But maybe sometimes we return to these

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childhood bible stories

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when we're all grown up and mature,

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And they speak,

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And they beckon us toward a reality

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larger than that for which we have settled.

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Well, anyway, it's a good story.

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King Nebuchadnezzar has a great idea

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for unifying his empire.

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He places a large golden statue on the plain of Dura,

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and then he sends for all his satraps,

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prefects, governors, counselors,

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treasurers, justices, and magistrates.

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And, good bureaucrats that they are,

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these little toadies come slithering in

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eager as they can be to do whatever the king asks.

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And he tells all these satraps, prefects,

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governors, counselors, treasurers,

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and justices, and magistrates

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that he wants them to worship his golden statue.

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Whenever they hear the sound of the horn,

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the pipe, the lyre, the trigon,

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the harp, the drum, and the entire musical ensemble.

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Whenever they hear this musical ruckus,

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they are to fall to their little bureaucratic knees

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or immediately be thrown into a furnace

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of blazing fire.

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And all these satraps, prefects, governors,

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counselors, clerks, treasurers,

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people who work at the North Carolina

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Department of Motor Vehicles.

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(congregation laughing)

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Pentagon generals, the staff of the Registrar's office.

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You supply your own list.

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They're only too happy just to obey the king's command.

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And whenever they hear the sound of the

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horn, the pipe, the lyre, the trigon,

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the harp, the drum,

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played so well by the Department of the Faculty of Music,

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the sound of them falling to their knees

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is like thunder in Babylon.

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See, you thought that maybe we lived in a secular age,

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that maybe this was a secular campus

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where worship had fallen out of fashion,

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that only a minority on this secular place go to worship.

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Well, think again.

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The story suggests that people

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with government research grants,

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people with titles, and in positions just love to worship.

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We just love to bow the knee.

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It's like we're just born to worship something

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if given half a chance to worship anything.

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And I'm going to resist the urge to note

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the role musicians play in this story of pagan idolatry.

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And yet, I must say, there does seem to be

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some kind of connection being made

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here in this story from Daniel between idolatry,

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particularly idolatry to nations, and kings,

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and the musical arts.

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Any totalitarian government must

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always get its artists in tow

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before it can maintain true worship from its citizens.

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Nevertheless, I must work daily with musicians,

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and so we shall move on.

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(congregation laughing)

The horns, pipes, trigons, and drums are making such a fuss.

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And all these satraps, prefects,

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governors, counselors having such a wonderful time

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bowing and scraping before the golden statue.

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And everyone is getting into the act,

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everyone except

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for these three young adult Jews.

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A delegation of toadies and sycophants

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comes in bowing and scraping their knees,

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just rubbed raw with their obeisance.

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"O king, live forever.

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"You have made a decree, have you not?

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"O king, live forever.

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"That whenever we hear the horn, the pipe,

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"the lyre, the trigon, the harp.

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He said, yes, I know, get on with it.

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I made the decree.

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"That whenever we hear this over the school PA system,

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"O king, live forever, we are to fall down and worship

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"and be thrown into a, or be thrown into furnace of fire.

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"Did you not say that?

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"O king, live forever.

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Yes, I did, and everyone seems to be

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having wonderful time at the service

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or the rally in support of my administration.

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And they're all having such a great time

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singing gospel songs and beating drums

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and waving little flags and praying

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that you will notice that nobody

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has enough time to foment any sedition

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or stir up any rebellion in the empire.

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It's all worked out quite wonderfully,

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and it's made everybody proud to be a Babylonian again.

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"Well, not everybody.

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"O king, live forever.

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What?

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"Well, there are these Jews who refuse

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"to get with the program,

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"Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

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"You, O king, live forever, promoted them,

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"gave them good Babylonian names,

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"made them officials in your court,

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"even though they're Jewish.

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"And one might think they might have been grateful, but no.

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"When there is the sound of the horn, the pipe,

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"the lyre, the trigon,

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-

Oh, shut up. Bring these Jews to me

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(congregation laughing)

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And Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,

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what great names and read so well by our president,

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are brought before the king.

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Didn't I make it perfectly clear

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that whenever you people hear

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the horn, the pipe, the lyre, the trigon, harp, et cetera,

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you are supposed to hit the dirt and worship my nice statue.

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Can't you Jews understand plain Babylonian?

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Shadrach was about 19.

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Meshach was nearly 20.

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Abednego was 18.

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In other words,

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they were about the age of Duke sophomores,

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which means that they had absolutely

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no respect for authority.

32:15

(congregation laughing)

32:17

Quake in their little freshmen Jewish boots

32:19

before the Judicial Board and the Dean of Students.

32:22

Forget it.

32:24

O Nebuchadnezzar, they say.

32:26

And I want you to note the contrast

32:28

between the way that they address the king,

32:30

and the way the king has been previously addressed.

32:33

"O king,

32:36

we have no need to defend ourselves to you.

32:39

"If the God whom we serve is able to deliver us

32:43

"from the furnace of blazing fire and out of your hand,

32:47

"then let God deliver us.

32:51

"But if not,

32:55

"be it known to you, O king,

32:58

"we will not

33:02

"serve your gods.

33:05

And Nebuchadnezzar went berserk.

33:10

He not only ordered that Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

33:13

be thrown into the furnace, he ordered

33:15

that the furnace be made seven times hotter than usual.

33:18

It was so hot that the Judicial Board members

33:20

who lifted the three young men into the furnace

33:23

were incinerated instantly by the fire.

33:25

And Nebuchadnezzar peered into that fiery furnace,

33:28

and behold, he saw the three young men

33:32

strolling around in the furnace.

33:35

No, there were four.

33:38

The young men had been joined in the furnace

33:40

by a fourth figure, shadowy, unknown,

33:43

leading them about through the fire.

33:46

Everybody was amazed in Babylon.

33:51

All the satraps, prefects, governors,

33:53

counselors, clerks, deans, generals,

33:55

they saw that not a hair was singed.

33:58

They didn't even smell like smoke when they came out.

34:00

Didn't my Lord deliver Daniel?

34:04

Nebuchadnezzar was amazed.

34:09

It had been so long since anybody had disobeyed

34:12

or even questioned one of his royal decrees,

34:15

particularly in the name of religion.

34:19

But Nebuchadnezzar said, (sighing)

34:23

your God must be some God.

34:25

And in a marvelous show of royal generosity,

34:30

he changed his first decree to read,

34:34

"If anybody says anything against the God

34:37

"of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego,

34:39

"they shall be torn limb from limb

34:40

"and their house be pulled down."

34:42

Which is about as close to generosity

34:44

as Babylonian kings got.

34:48

(congregation laughing)

34:50

And the young Jews lived happily ever after

34:51

until their next confrontation

34:55

with the administration.

34:58

Now,

35:02

I know that part of you thinks that you are above a story,

35:03

a playful, childlike story like this one.

35:09

We are conditioned to believe that such bible stories

35:15

are just a little too good to be true,

35:17

products of overwrought primitive imagination.

35:21

And I think we believe this in part

35:26

because we are more familiar with stories

35:27

of threatened,

35:30

oppressed, young women and men,

35:32

stories which end quite differently.

35:36

Most of our stories of political oppression

35:40

don't end with the condemned dancing

35:43

through the flames untouched,

35:45

with a king dramatically converted to our point of view,

35:48

and those who were once condemned

35:53

being delivered and given a royal promotion.

35:57

Now, we know other stories,

36:02

stories about those Haitian school girls

36:04

who

36:08

when they chanted the name of the ousted Aristide

36:10

were mowed down by the bullets

36:14

of the Haitian military.

36:16

No God entered the fiery furnace

36:20

with those little girls.

36:24

We don't swallow stories of courageous young adults

36:27

who buck the establishment and are vindicated

36:30

because we know stories about other young adults

36:35

like Hans and Sophie Scholl at the University of Munich.

36:37

They were asked to sign a pledge.

36:43

All the faculty signed a pledge to national socialism.

36:44

And when they were told not to do any organizing

36:49

or handing out of leaflets, Hans and Sophie Scholl

36:51

appeared before the university administration

36:54

and said, no, we will not bow down to that altar.

36:57

And they were chastised, and they were released.

37:03

And that afternoon, Sophie Scholl was on the streets

37:05

at the University of Munich handing out her flyers,

37:09

and four days later she was hung by the Nazis.

37:11

So, what if the story of these

37:19

three young men ended differently?

37:21

Three young Jews dared to question the royal edict,

37:26

and for their resistance,

37:31

they were incinerated.

37:34

But you already know that story.

37:38

A crowd of Jews were huddled into the

37:42

so-call camp shower at Auschwitz.

37:44

And the guard, just following orders,

37:47

took some cyanide pellets

37:50

and dropped them down a little hole in the ceiling.

37:52

And a few screaming, horrible moments later,

37:57

it was over.

38:01

The chapel choir

38:04

walked the streets of Auschwitz last January,

38:05

and we heard no story of a fourth figure

38:10

walking in the gas chambers.

38:13

You know that story.

38:18

And the story of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego

38:21

could have ended that way.

38:24

Stories like that usually end that way.

38:27

And what then?

38:31

The power of the empire went head to head

38:36

with the God of Israel, and Nebuchadnezzar,

38:38

or Hitler, or Paul Potter, or Stalin, won.

38:40

What then?

38:44

What then?

38:47

I think the three young men give answer.

38:50

"If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us

38:55

"from the furnace of blazing fire

38:57

"and out of your hand, let him deliver us.

39:00

"But if not, be it known, O king,

39:04

"we shall not serve your gods."

39:08

I want you to think about what they said.

39:14

"If our God whom we serve delivers us,

39:18

"But if not,

39:23

we will not serve your gods."

39:25

I'm amazed by the candor.

39:31

Are you?

39:34

The candor of the honesty of their "if."

39:34

"If our God whom we serve delivers us."

39:39

You will note that the courage of these three young men

39:44

is not based on some facile theological assertion

39:46

that our God always delivers.

39:50

Or that this God is always in the deliverance business,

39:53

particularly for nice, Hebrew boys who obey the rules.

39:57

It doesn't say that our God always will deliver, no sweat.

40:02

Good things always happen to good people.

40:08

That's what you expect it to say.

40:12

But that's not what they say.

40:14

They say, "If our God whom we serve delivers us."

40:15

They leave deliverance in God's hands,

40:20

where, I suppose, it always is

40:24

in such circumstances, if we're honest.

40:26

They have prayed to God to deliver them.

40:30

They hope God will deliver.

40:33

But they don't know that yet.

40:36

Not yet.

40:39

And most surprising of all,

40:43

they still serve God.

40:46

They still do what's right.

40:49

They still say no,

40:52

still stand up to the king and take the consequences.

40:54

If our God delivers us,

40:57

but if not, we will not bow.

41:00

We will not bend the knee.

41:04

We will not contort the back.

41:05

We will not dance to your tune, O king.

41:08

And this little fairytale of a story turns on me

41:15

and asks the question,

41:19

"where do I stand

41:23

"in my obedience to God?

41:26

Why are you here this morning?

41:31

What do you expect for the noble action

41:34

of getting out of bed during the first week

41:36

of classes without your mothers standing

41:38

over you and coming to chapel?

41:40

Who among us can truly say that we serve God for nothing?

41:45

What's the payoff for all of this?

41:51

Oh, we may not be up against a fiery furnace,

41:54

but when and if we are, we call in our markers.

41:59

We cash in our chips.

42:02

We remind God, remember me?

42:03

Third pew from the right, Sunday September 5th, I was there.

42:06

Are we able to pray with those young men, "If God delivers."

42:12

If God delivers me from this cancer

42:18

and out of the hand of evil, let God do so.

42:23

But if not, be it known to you, O sickness, evil, death,

42:26

I will not worship your golden idols.

42:30

If

42:36

God answers my prayers

42:38

and fixes my family,

42:41

but if not, be it known,

42:44

I shall still worship this God.

42:46

It was in Gethsemane that Jesus prayed,

42:51

I don't want to die.

42:54

Take this cup from me.

42:55

But he ended the prayer with, nevertheless,

42:59

not my will but thine be done.

43:01

Do you serve God?

43:08

Do you worship and sing and put your money in the plate

43:11

and pray and do right for nothing?

43:14

I ask that to you because I'm not sure that I do.

43:20

For whenever I am not delivered from my modest furnaces,

43:25

I'm apt to feel terribly betrayed,

43:30

and I clench my fist in rage.

43:34

And I want to know why.

43:36

I kept my part of the bargain, God, what about you?

43:39

The story ends with great, powerful

43:46

Nebuchadnezzar overwhelmed at the courage

43:48

of these three young people in the fiery furnace.

43:51

The great king who would have these three sophomores

43:56

bow to him and his golden image

43:59

bows in awe before a God who is able

44:01

to command such tribute from the young.

44:05

And I think Nebuchadnezzar would have been

44:11

filled with awe even if the three

44:13

young men had not been delivered.

44:16

So amazed was he to find such impudent youthful courage

44:20

running loose in his slave empire.

44:24

What kind of God is able to evoke such

44:29

courageous obedience even from sophomores?

44:32

What kind of youth is able to worship

44:37

without condition this God?

44:40

And so, this playful story of Shadrach,

44:46

Meshach, and Abednego has given light to the oppressed

44:48

and the persecuted all down through the ages.

44:51

It promises that when through fiery trials,

44:55

I call thee to go,

44:58

the waters of death shall not thee overflow.

45:00

But the story leaves me with a question.

45:07

Am I able to serve God?

45:12

to bow only before God's altar,

45:15

and expect nothing in return?

45:19

Would I be able to say before the

45:24

conforming powers of this world,

45:26

if the God whom I serve delivers me,

45:32

let him deliver me, but if not,

45:37

be it known,

45:40

I will not serve other gods?

45:42

(upbeat instrumental music)

45:58

♪ How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord ♪

46:30

♪ Is laid for your faith in His excellent word ♪

46:38

♪ What more can He say than to you He hath said ♪

46:47

♪ To you who for refuge to Jesus have fled ♪

46:55

♪ Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed ♪

47:05

♪ For I am thy God, and will still give thee aid ♪

47:13

♪ I'll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand ♪

47:21

♪ Upheld by My righteous, omnipotent hand ♪

47:29

♪ When through the deep waters I call thee to go ♪

47:39

♪ The rivers of sorrow shall not thee overflow ♪

47:47

♪ For I will be with thee, they troubles to bless ♪

47:56

♪ And sanctify to thee thy deepest distress ♪

48:04

♪ When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie ♪

48:28

♪ My grace, all sufficient, shall by thy supply ♪

48:37

♪ The flame shall not hurt me, I only design ♪

48:45

♪ Thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine ♪

48:53

♪ The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose ♪

49:04

♪ I will not, I will not desert to his foes ♪

49:12

♪ That soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake ♪

49:21

♪ I'll never, no, never, no, never forsake ♪

49:28

Nannerl

Be seated.

49:43

The Lord be with you.

49:52

Congregation

And also with you.

49:53

-

Let us pray in the litany for the year in the university.

49:55

God of Abraham and Isaac, of apostles and prophets,

49:59

in every age you call people to work for you,

50:03

showing justice, doing mercy,

50:06

giving purpose to an aimless humanity.

50:09

By your truth, darkness is dispelled

50:12

and all people set free to mature in wisdom.

50:15

In pursuit of that truth, we now take

50:19

our place at Duke University.

50:22

Receive us unto yourself.

50:25

O God, use us to accomplish your sacred intention.

50:28

Congregation

Amen.

50:33

-

That in this place we will remember

50:35

those parents, teachers, and friends

50:37

who love us and whose hopes follow us here.

50:39

Congregation

Lord, hear our prayer.

50:44

-

That we may accept the responsibility of our freedom

50:46

and the burden of our privilege.

50:50

Congregation

Lord, hear our prayer.

50:53

-

That with courage we may doubt,

50:56

but we will also place our doubts

50:58

in the larger faith of Jesus Christ.

51:01

Congregation

O God, have mercy.

51:04

-

From insulating ourselves with books and words.

51:07

Congregation

Hear us, O Lord.

51:11

-

From ignorance that feeds injustice,

51:13

from indifference that yields to cruelty,

51:16

and from blind loyalty to false values.

51:20

Congregation

Deliver us, O Lord.

51:23

-

From hopelessness that cripples us,

51:26

self-consciousness that paralyzes us,

51:29

and from temptations that destroy us.

51:32

Congregation

Deliver us, O Lord.

51:35

-

Gracious God, in a world where justice

51:38

does not yet roll down as waters

51:40

nor righteousness as a mighty stream,

51:43

where there is much knowledge but little wisdom,

51:46

we pray for this school, its students

51:49

and faculty, staff and administrators,

51:52

and for the task in which we now unite.

51:55

Turn our efforts to good, that as our understanding

51:58

increases, our responsibility will deepen

52:01

for the sake of the future that you give us to create.

52:05

Congregation

Hear us, O God.

52:10

-

Amen.

52:12

Debra

We serve a God whose grace

52:18

is sufficient to every need.

52:20

As a blessed people, God has called us

52:22

to be a community that blesses

52:25

others through the sharing of our love,

52:27

our talents, and our material possessions.

52:29

Let us rejoice now in what we have been given and in what

52:32

is ours to give as we receive the morning offering.

52:36

(upbeat instrumental music)

53:03

♪ Upon this rock ♪

53:18

♪ I will build my church ♪

53:20

♪ And the gates of hell ♪

53:23

♪ Shall not prevail against it ♪

53:26

♪ Upon this rock ♪

53:38

♪ I will build my church ♪

53:41

♪ And the gates of hell ♪

53:43

♪ Shall not prevail against it ♪

53:47

♪ I will give thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven ♪

53:53

♪ And whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth ♪

54:03

♪ Shall be bound in heaven ♪

54:09

♪ And whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth ♪

54:15

♪ Shall be loosed in heaven ♪

54:21

♪ Upon this rock ♪

54:28

♪ I will build my church ♪

54:30

(gentle instrumental music)

54:40

♪ Lo the winter is past ♪

54:44

♪ The rain is over ♪

54:50

♪ The rain is over ♪

54:54

♪ The flowers appear on the earth ♪

54:58

♪ The time for the spring of earth has come ♪

55:06

♪ Arise and come away ♪

55:18

♪ Arise and come away ♪

55:23

♪ Arise, arise, arise ♪

55:27

♪ Upon this rock ♪

55:33

♪ I will build my church ♪

55:35

♪ And the gates of hell ♪

55:38

♪ Shall not prevail against it ♪

55:41

♪ Amen ♪

55:47

(upbeat instrumental music)

55:51

♪ The church's one foundation ♪

56:02

♪ is Jesus Christ our Lord ♪

56:08

♪ She is his new creation ♪

56:14

♪ By water and the Word ♪

56:20

♪ From heav'n he came and sought her ♪

56:26

♪ To be His holy Bride ♪

56:32

♪ With his own blood He bought her ♪

56:38

♪ And for her life He died ♪

56:44

♪ Amen ♪

56:50

♪ Amen ♪

56:53

♪ Amen ♪

56:56

(organ music)

57:12

♪ Praise God from whom all blessings flow ♪

58:26

♪ Praise God, all creatures here below ♪

58:32

♪ Alleluia, alleluia ♪

58:38

♪ Praise God above, ye heavenly host ♪

58:46

♪ Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost ♪

58:53

♪ Alleluia, alleluia ♪

58:59

♪ Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia ♪

59:05

-

Let us pray.

59:25

For every grace, we praise you, O God.

59:28

For every gift received and for each

59:32

gift we are blessed in giving,

59:35

for all your goodness, we give thanks to you.

59:38

The providence which made and nourishes life,

59:42

even in the midst of fiery trials,

59:45

the presence which brings meaning

59:48

in divine and human love,

59:50

and the promise that gives hope for each new moment.

59:53

For these graces and for the mercies we have received

59:58

through Christ our Lord, we give you thanks, amen.

1:00:01

Congregation

Amen.

1:00:05

-

And now let us pray together with confidence

1:00:07

as those who are inheritors with Christ.

1:00:10

Our Father, who art in heaven,

1:00:13

hallowed by thy name.

1:00:16

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done

1:00:18

on earth as it is in heaven.

1:00:22

Give us this day our daily bread

1:00:24

and forgive us our trespasses

1:00:27

as we forgive those who trespass against us.

1:00:29

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

1:00:33

For thine is the kingdom, and the power,

1:00:38

and the glory forever, amen.

1:00:41

(upbeat instrumental music)

1:00:48

♪ Love divine, all love excelling ♪

1:01:44

♪ Joy of heav'n to earth come down ♪

1:01:51

♪ Fix in us thy humble dwelling ♪

1:01:58

♪ All thy faithful mercies crown ♪

1:02:05

♪ Jesus, thou art all compassion ♪

1:02:12

♪ Pure, unbounded love thou art ♪

1:02:19

♪ Visit us with thy salvation ♪

1:02:26

♪ Enter ev'ry trembling heart ♪

1:02:33

♪ Breathe, O breathe thy loving Spirit ♪

1:02:42

♪ Into ev'ry troubled breast ♪

1:02:50

♪ Let us all in thee inherit ♪

1:02:57

♪ Let us find the promised rest ♪

1:03:04

♪ Take away the love of sinning ♪

1:03:11

♪ Alpha and Omega be ♪

1:03:18

♪ End of faith, as its Beginning ♪

1:03:25

♪ Set our hearts at liberty ♪

1:03:32

♪ Come, Almighty to deliver ♪

1:03:42

♪ Let us all thy life receive ♪

1:03:49

♪ Suddenly return and never ♪

1:03:57

♪ Nevermore they temples leave ♪

1:04:04

♪ Thee we would be always blessing ♪

1:04:12

♪ Serve thee as thy hosts above ♪

1:04:19

♪ Pray and praise thee without ceasing ♪

1:04:27

♪ Glory in thy perfect love ♪

1:04:35

♪ Finish, then, thy new creation ♪

1:04:44

♪ Pure and spotless let us be ♪

1:04:52

♪ Let us see thy great salvation ♪

1:04:59

♪ Perfectly restored in thee ♪

1:05:07

♪ Changed from glory into glory ♪

1:05:14

♪ 'Til in heav'n we take our place ♪

1:05:22

♪ 'Til we cast our crowns before thee ♪

1:05:29

♪ Lost in wonder, love, and praise ♪

1:05:37

♪ Love divine, all loves excelling ♪

1:05:47

♪ Joy of heav'n to earth come down ♪

1:05:54

♪ Fix in us thy humble dwelling ♪

1:06:01

♪ All they faithful mercies crown ♪

1:06:08

♪ Jesus, thou art all compassion ♪

1:06:16

♪ Pure, unbounded love thou art ♪

1:06:23

♪ Visit us with they salvation ♪

1:06:30

♪ Enter ev'ry trembling heart ♪

1:06:37

-

May the grace of our Lord and Savior

1:06:50

Jesus Christ be with you now and always.

1:06:52

♪ Lord, be where I am ♪

1:06:59

♪ And lead my understanding ♪

1:07:06

♪ Lord, lead my eyes ♪

1:07:18

♪ And in my heart be ♪

1:07:23

♪ Glory is in thy mountain ♪

1:07:35

♪ And in thy sea ♪

1:07:42

♪ I need thee in my heart ♪

1:07:55

♪ And in my spirit ♪

1:08:02

♪ Lord, lead as I can ♪

1:08:13

♪ And in my deep heart be ♪

1:08:25

(upbeat organ music)

1:08:52

William H. Willimon - "When Through Fiery Trials" (September 5, 1993)

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1. William H. Willimon - "When Through Fiery Trials" (September 5, 1993)

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William H. Willimon - "When Through Fiery Trials" (September 5, 1993)

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