Finding God in the Flames 4: The Fiery Furnace

Sunday, July 23, 2023
10:30 AM 11:30 AM 10:30 11:30

Union Presbyterian Church 200 E Main St Endicott, NY, 13760 United States (map)

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The third chapter of Daniel is a narrative treasure in the Bible–a story with a wicked king, three brave amigos, and a miraculous rescue. Although we often aim this story at children, it’s a great chance to talk to adults too about the weapons wielded by the powers of the world–fear, destruction, egoism, and assimilation–and how God is stronger than these. Do we have the courage of Daniel and his companions to stand up to evil in the world?

Join us for worship in our beautiful sanctuary, or right here online. Worship videos are available her or on Youtube following the service. You are invited!

Ordinary Time: Finding God in the Flames 4 

The Fiery Furnace

Psalm 139:1-12; 23-24; Daniel 3:14-27

Union Presbyterian Church   

July 23, 2023   

Sharing the Light of Christ, Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow   

Liturgist: Barbara Ann Dailey Preacher: Rev. Pat Raube    

Prelude         Chris Bartlette  

“Psalm 139,” Larry Olson

Welcome Rev. Pat Raube   

Prayer Concerns Rev. Pat Raube   

Announcements Barbara Ann Dailey    

Prelude Chris Bartlette   

“Psalm 139,” Chris Bartlette

Call to Worship (responsive) Barbara Ann Dailey   

We worship just one God
the God who flung the stars into the sky
and crafted our inmost being.
We worship just one God
who rescues us from danger,
and deserves our every praise.
We worship just one God,
Creator, Christ, and fiery Spirit
now and forevermore!

Hymn #76 W & R "We Are Singing, For the Lord Is Our Light,” Hal H. Hopson

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.  

We are singing, for the Lord is our light.

The Lord is the strength of our lives; of whom should we be afraid?

Though foes may be near to destroy, the Lord will be our light.

We are marching, for the Lord is our light.

One thing have we asked of the Lord, yes, this is the thing we seek:

To dwell in the house of the Lord; to live with God forever.

We are dancing, for the Lord is our light.

When burdens are heavy to bear, our shelter is God alone.

Our feet are lifted high; yes, high upon a rock.

We are praying, for the Lord is our light.

We walk in the strength of the Lord, God’s love is ever sure.

We shout that the world may hear, we sing a joyful song.

We are singing, for the Lord is our light.

Call to New Life Barbara Ann Dailey   

Prayer for Wholeness and Peace    

Gracious God, ruler of all,
we confess we are too willing
to look the other way
when evil rears its head.
We do not want to stand up 
to the tyrants of this world.
We do not want to put our own safety on the line
or to make too big a scene.
And so in our desire to creep by unnoticed,
we harm our neighbors
and fail to give glory to you. 

[silent prayer]

Strengthen us, Lord,
that in ways small and large,
we might stand for your decrees
of justice, truth, and love.
In the name of Christ we pray. 
Amen. 

Words of Assurance     

The Lord is kind and merciful;   

Slow to anger and filled with steadfast love.   

In the name of our brother, our Savior, our Lord Jesus Christ,   

We are forgiven. We are free. Alleluia! Amen.   

Sharing of the Peace   

May the peace of God be with you.    

And also with you.   

Let us share a sign of God’s peace with one another.   

Scripture Psalm 139:1-12; 23-24

O Lord, you have searched me out;

O Lord, you have known me.
You know my sitting down and my rising up;
    you discern my thoughts from afar.
You trace my journeys and my resting places,
    and are acquainted with all my ways.
Indeed, there is not a word on my lips,
    But you, O Lord, know it altogether.
You encompass me, behind and before,
    and lay your hand upon me.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me;
    it is so high that I cannot attain to it.

Where can I go then from your spirit?
    Where can I flee from your presence?
If I climb up to heaven, you are there;
    if I make the grave my bed, you are there also.
If I take the wings of the morning
    and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
even there your hand will lead me,
    and your right hand hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will cover me,
    and the light around me turn to night,”
darkness is not dark to you;
    the night is as bright as the day,
    darkness and light to you are both alike.

Search me out, O God, and know my heart;
    try me and know my restless thoughts.
Look well whether there be any wickedness in me,
    and lead me in the way that is everlasting.

Time for Young Disciples   Rev. Pat Raube  

Music: “I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light,” Kathleen Thomerson

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE,

Scripture Daniel 3:14-27   

Nebuchadnezzar said to them, “Is it true, O Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods and you do not worship the golden statue that I have set up? Now if you are ready, when you hear the sound of the horn, pipe, lyre, trigon, harp, drum, and entire musical ensemble, you should fall down and worship the statue that I have made. But if you do not worship, you shall immediately be thrown into a furnace of blazing fire, and who is the god who will deliver you out of my hands?”

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego answered the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to present a defense to you in this matter. If our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the furnace of blazing fire and out of your hand, O king, let him deliver us. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods and we will not worship the golden statue that you have set up.”

Then Nebuchadnezzar was so filled with rage against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego that his face was distorted. He ordered the furnace heated up seven times more than was customary and ordered some of the strongest guards in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego and to throw them into the furnace of blazing fire. So the men were bound, still wearing their tunics, their trousers, their hats, and their other garments, and they were thrown into the furnace of blazing fire. Because the king’s command was urgent and the furnace was so overheated, the raging flames killed the men who lifted Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. But the three men, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, fell down, bound, into the furnace of blazing fire.

Then King Nebuchadnezzar was astonished and rose up quickly. He said to his counselors, “Was it not three men that we threw bound into the fire?” They answered the king, “True, O king.” He replied, “But I see four men unbound, walking in the middle of the fire, and they are not hurt, and the fourth has the appearance of a god.”

Nebuchadnezzar then approached the door of the furnace of blazing fire and said, “Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!” So Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego came out from the fire. And the satraps, the prefects, the governors, and the king’s counselors gathered together and saw that the fire had not had any power over the bodies of those men; the hair of their heads was not singed, their tunics were not scorched, and not even the smell of fire came from them.

Response Holy Wisdom, Holy Word   

Thanks be to God!   

Sermon “The Fiery Furnace”   

Affirmation of Faith From the Iona Community, Scotland (Ryan: #3A)

We believe in God above us, 

maker and sustainer of all life, 

of sun and moon, of water and earth, of all God’s children. 

We believe in God beside us, 

Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, 

born of a woman’s womb, servant of the poor. 

He was tortured and nailed to a tree. 

A man of sorrows, he died forsaken. 

He descended into the earth to the place of death. 

On the third day he rose from the tomb. 

He ascended into heaven to be everywhere present, 

and his kingdom will come on earth. 

We believe in God within us, 

the Holy Spirit of Pentecostal fire, 

life-giving breath of the church, 

Spirit of healing and forgiveness, 

source of resurrection and of life everlasting.  

Amen.  

Anthem  

“My Lord,” Joyce Eilers

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.  

My Lord’s gonna come in the mornin’,

My Lord’s gonna stay through the night,

My Lord’s gonna watch over me,

A everything’s gonna be all right, all right.

My Lord’s gonna watch over me,

And everything’s gonna be all right, all right.

My Lord’s gonna come in the mornin’,

My Lord’s gonna stay through the night,

My Lord’s gonna watch over me,

And everything’s gonna be all right, all right.

Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego

In the fiery furnace were tossed.

Everybody thought their end was near,

But they had faith that the Lord above

Would come and save the day,

And I could swear I heard those fellows say:

My Lord’s gonna come in the mornin’,

My Lord’s gonna stay through the night,

My Lord’s gonna watch over me,

And everything’s gonna be all right, all right.

Moses led the children of Israel

Down to the Red Sea shore,

Pharoah and his army close behind.

Then the waters parted, let Moses through,

But Pharoah’s army was drowned,

And from the shore came Moses’ thankful sound:

My Lord’s gonna come in the mornin’,

My Lord’s gonna stay through the night,

My Lord’s gonna watch over me,

And everything’s gonna be all right, all right.

Little David flung a stone and

Made Goliath fall.

Man, you should have seen his army run.

Then the children of Israel gave a shout

And followed them away,

And everybody heard their hero say:

My Lord’s gonna come in the mornin’,

My Lord’s gonna stay through the night,

My Lord’s gonna watch over me,

And everything’s gonna be all right, all right.

My Lord’s gonna watch over me,

And everything’s gonna be all right.

My Lord’s gonna come in the mornin’,

My Lord’s gonna stay through the night,

My Lord’s gonna watch over me,

And everything’s gonna be all right, all right.

Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego

In the fiery furnace were tossed.

Everybody thought their end was near,

But they had faith that the Lord above

Would come and save the day,

And I could swear I heard those fellows say:

My Lord’s gonna come in the mornin’,

My Lord’s gonna stay through the night,

My Lord’s gonna watch over me,

And everything’s gonna be all right, all right.

Moses led the children of Israel

Down to the Red Sea shore,

Pharoah and his army close behind.

Then the waters parted, let Moses through,

But Pharoah’s army was drowned,

And from the shore came Moses’ thankful sound:

My Lord’s gonna come in the mornin’,

My Lord’s gonna stay through the night,

My Lord’s gonna watch over me,

And everything’s gonna be all right, all right.

Little David flung a stone and

Made Goliath fall.

Man, you should have seen his army run.

Then the children of Israel gave a shout

And followed them away,

And everybody heard their hero say:

My Lord’s gonna come in the mornin’,

My Lord’s gonna stay through the night,

My Lord’s gonna watch over me,

And everything’s gonna be all right, all right.

My Lord’s gonna watch over me,

And everything’s gonna be all right.

Prayers of the People      

The Lord’s Prayer      

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.    

Prayer Response   #475 W & R        

“Eternal Spirit of the Living Christ,” Frank von Christierson    

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.        

Come with the vision and the strength I need   

To serve my God, and all humanity;   

Fulfillment of my life in love outpoured—   

My life in you, O Christ, your love in me.   

Call for Offering Rev. Pat Raube   

Doxology       

“Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow,” Brian Wren     

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.       

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;    

Praise God, all creatures high and low.    

Praise God, in Jesus fully known:    

Creator, Word, and Spirit one.    

Prayer of Dedication     

Hymn  [verses 1, 3, 5, 6]

“Let All the God of Daniel Praise”

(Public Domain)

https://hymnary.org/text/let_all_the_god_of_daniel_praise#tune

Let all the God of Daniel praise
Almighty to redeem,
Who saves, as in the ancient days,
The men that trust in Him.
He hath the great deliverance wrought,
His angel sent again,
And shut the lions’ mouths, and brought
Us up out of their den.

The God who saved the faithful three
Let every soul admire;
We, too, have seen the Deity,
And walked unburnt in fire:
Called down by faith, from Heaven He came,
The Son of Man we knew:
He kept us in the lambent flame,
And strangely brought us through.

Thou, Lord, beyond their reach didst bear
And sweetly hide above,
The objects of Thy guardian care,
And providential love:
Thou didst the alien host defeat,
And blast their vain design
To slay, or shamefully intreat
A messenger of Thine.

For this with all Thy saints we praise
Thy majesty and power,
And tell the wonders of Thy grace,
’Till time shall be no more.
For this in sounds of glorious joy
We shall our Savior own,
And all eternity employ
In hymns around Thy throne.

Benediction    

Postlude    Chris Bartlette  

"Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel,” Roger Emerson

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.  

Where an * is indicated, please rise in body and/or in spirit.       

“W & R” ~ the red Worship and Rejoice hymnal.      

“PH” ~ the blue Presbyterian Hymnal   

The Call to Worship and the Prayer for Wholeness and Peace were adapted from the resource “Finding God in the Flames” by the Rev. Carol H. Prickett. The Affirmation of Faith was taken from The Iona Community Worship Book, Wild Goose Publications. 