SPEAKER_00: This morning we are in the book of Esther.
SPEAKER_00: We continue the series that Pastor Josh started last week.
SPEAKER_00: A fascinating book about a courageous woman.
SPEAKER_00: And yet a woman that wasn't perfect.
SPEAKER_00: She had her flaws just like we have ours.
SPEAKER_00: And yet how God used her.
SPEAKER_00: Only one of two Bible books named after a woman, the other one after Ruth.
SPEAKER_00: But we see an amazing story and account in this book.
SPEAKER_00: And let me just do a little storytelling before we read the text that's printed this morning.
SPEAKER_00: Mordecai, Esther's cousin, perhaps uncle.
SPEAKER_00: Remember Esther's parents died.
SPEAKER_00: She grew up an orphan.
SPEAKER_00: And Esther ends up in the harem.
SPEAKER_00: You heard me right.
SPEAKER_00: That's what it was.
SPEAKER_00: She ends up in the harem of one of the most powerful kings on the earth.
SPEAKER_00: Some of you know his name as Xerxes.
SPEAKER_00: A little bit easier to pronounce than Hesher with us.
SPEAKER_00: Xerxes and Xerxes, the king of Persia.
SPEAKER_00: And to give you a little historical background, there were things that were going on throughout the time that some of you know you're familiar with, the book of Nehemiah, the book of Ezra.
SPEAKER_00: These were roughly the same time period or close to the same time period.
SPEAKER_00: We're going to talk about that a little bit more, the interrelationship between what was going on in Jerusalem with Ezra, Nehemiah, what was going on in Persia with Esther, because God was working out his story through all these people of his own choosing.
SPEAKER_00: But Mordecai, Esther's uncle, to pick up the story where we left off last week, discovers, because he's hanging around the palace, because Esther, his niece, is in the palace.
SPEAKER_00: She's in the king's harem.
SPEAKER_00: And Mordecai is concerned about her well-being, so it seems that he has a habit of hanging out outside the palace gates as much as he can to know what's going on.
SPEAKER_00: He's concerned about her well-being.
SPEAKER_00: And one day, when he's hanging out, he hears, overhears, a plot by two of the king's attendants, and they're plotting the king's death.
SPEAKER_00: And Mordecai hears it, he reports it, and the plot is averted.
SPEAKER_00: The king is spared.
SPEAKER_00: And that's part of the story.
SPEAKER_00: Haman is another character in the story.
SPEAKER_00: Haman, who is a descendant of the Amalekites, and some of your ears are perking up because you may know that there was a long-standing feud between the Israelites and the Amalekites.
SPEAKER_00: The Amalekites were among Israel's most bitter enemies.
SPEAKER_00: They did everything they could to oppose the Israelites going into the promised land.
SPEAKER_00: They tried everything they could to destroy the Israelites.
SPEAKER_00: They weren't able to do that.
SPEAKER_00: And now, centuries later, here's one of the Amalekites' descendants.
SPEAKER_00: His name is Haman.
SPEAKER_00: He's a bad guy, as we see from reading the story.
SPEAKER_00: Haman and Mordecai's lives intersect because Haman is growing in power under the king.
SPEAKER_00: And Haman notices that Mordecai, this Jew, refuses to bow before him.
SPEAKER_00: And he really takes offense at that slight.
SPEAKER_00: He becomes furious that this Jew, Mordecai, won't bow before him.
SPEAKER_00: I mean, he was just an egomaniac.
SPEAKER_00: And so it gets under his skin so much that Haman, very close to the king, goes to the king and says, you know, King, you've got some really bad people in your kingdom.
SPEAKER_00: And as we learned last week in the sermon, there's 127 provinces that stretch from Pakistan to Sudan.
SPEAKER_00: A large area under the grip of the Persian king.
SPEAKER_00: And the king doesn't know all these people.
SPEAKER_00: Frankly, the king doesn't probably care.
SPEAKER_00: All he knows is that he's gaining power.
SPEAKER_00: It comes to his attention from Haman that, well, King, these Jews, they're not good people, and they're really your enemy, and they're trying to be subversive to you.
SPEAKER_00: I think it would be best if you exterminate them.
SPEAKER_00: All because of one person in his life that he can't stand.
SPEAKER_00: And so the king, not really caring that much, says, fine, take my signet ring, the symbol of my authority, and go ahead and write the edict that you think is necessary.
SPEAKER_00: And so Haman, using the king's authority, writes the edict that goes out all over the provinces.
SPEAKER_00: How does he come about the date of their extermination?
SPEAKER_00: It's called the pure the purr.
SPEAKER_00: It's really like the dice that they would cast, that they would roll the dice.
SPEAKER_00: And he does it on the first month of the year, but it turns out the dice, random, so to speak, he thinks it's random, comes up 11 months later.
SPEAKER_00: They're going to exterminate all the Jews within the kingdom.
SPEAKER_00: By the roll of the dice, as far as Haman's concerned.
SPEAKER_00: And Haman's a shrewd guy.
SPEAKER_00: Haman knows that the king is also going to war with the Greeks.
SPEAKER_00: Some of you may remember this from world history.
SPEAKER_00: At this point, the Greeks and the Persians were at war.
SPEAKER_00: And to go back to last week, remember that lavish party that the king had for all of his leaders in his kingdom?
SPEAKER_00: Remember it was a 180-day party?
SPEAKER_00: Remember how lavish it was?
SPEAKER_00: Well, it wasn't just because of the opulence of the king.
SPEAKER_00: Many scholars believe that what Haman was doing was using the king as a pawn because he says, if you go ahead and exterminate all the Jews, I will give you up to 10,000 talents of silver.
SPEAKER_00: Some scholars think that that would have been half the royal revenue for the year.
SPEAKER_00: He didn't probably have that money.
SPEAKER_00: It would seem like from putting two and two together, it would seem like he thinks, okay, we will exterminate the Jews worldwide as much as we can, and we'll take their plunder.
SPEAKER_00: Likely that's what Haman was thinking.
SPEAKER_00: We'll plunder the exterminated Jews.
SPEAKER_00: I'll gather the plunder, I'll give it to the king.
SPEAKER_00: And Haman thinks everybody wins.
SPEAKER_00: No.
SPEAKER_00: But he takes the ring, he issues the edict with the king's authority.
SPEAKER_00: And by the way, the banquet was probably by King Xerxes.
SPEAKER_00: The banquet was to secure the favor of the leaders of all these 127 provinces.
SPEAKER_00: He wants to wine and dine them, even though he doesn't probably have the revenue to pay for it.
SPEAKER_00: He wants to get them as allies against the Greeks.
SPEAKER_00: Now let's just pause for a moment.
SPEAKER_00: All this plotting, all this scheming, does this sound a little familiar in our day and age?
SPEAKER_00: Sometimes it's political parties.
SPEAKER_00: Sometimes it's office politics.
SPEAKER_00: Sometimes it's family.
SPEAKER_00: I think that's that's some of the most cruel ways I see it operate as a pastor.
SPEAKER_00: Some of you have been schemed against by your family.
SPEAKER_00: You've been harmed by your family, and it's like, what's going on here?
SPEAKER_00: The edict was delivered to all the provinces, and the Bible tells us in their own language, sent by couriers.
SPEAKER_00: Get the word out as quickly as possible, and in 11 months, every Jew within the kingdom is fair game to be exterminated.
SPEAKER_00: Men, women, elderly, children.
SPEAKER_00: The king and Haman, it says the last verse before our text, sat down to drink.
SPEAKER_00: And the city, the capital city of Susa, was thrown into confusion.
SPEAKER_00: That's what's going on when we pick up the story.
SPEAKER_00: When Mordecai learned all that had been done, Mordecai tore his clothes and he put on sackcloth and ashes, and he went out into the midst of the city, and he cried out with a loud and bitter cry.
SPEAKER_00: He went up to the entrance of the king's gate, for no one was allowed to enter the king's gate clothed in sackcloth.
SPEAKER_00: And in every province, wherever the king's command and his decree reached, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting and weeping and lamenting, and many of them lay in sackcloth and ashes.
SPEAKER_00: When Esther's young women and her eunuchs came and told her, the queen was deeply distressed.
SPEAKER_00: She sent garments to clothe Mordecai so that he might take off his sackcloth, but he would not accept them.
SPEAKER_00: Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king's eunuchs, who had been appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what this was and why it was.
SPEAKER_00: Hathach went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king's gate.
SPEAKER_00: And Mordecai told him all that had happened to him and the exact sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king's treasuries for the destruction of the Jews.
SPEAKER_00: Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her, and command her to go to the king to beg his favor and plead with him on behalf of her people.
SPEAKER_00: And Hatach went and told Esther what Mordecai had said.
SPEAKER_00: Then Esther spoke to Hatach and commanded him to go to Mordecai and say, All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law to be put to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, so that he may live.
SPEAKER_00: But as for me, I have not been called to come to the king these thirty days.
SPEAKER_00: And they told Mordecai what Esther had said.
SPEAKER_00: Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, Do you not think to yourself that in the king's palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews?
SPEAKER_00: For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish.
SPEAKER_00: And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this.
SPEAKER_00: Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day.
SPEAKER_00: I and my young women will also fast as you do.
SPEAKER_00: Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.
SPEAKER_00: Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.
SPEAKER_00: This is the reading of God's word.
SPEAKER_00: Let's pray.
SPEAKER_00: Oh King of kings, the only true king, we thank you that you have given us your edicts, not to harm but to bless.
SPEAKER_00: Not to crush, but to deliver.
SPEAKER_00: Oh, free us, Lord Jesus, this morning in new ways as we understand the real purpose of this story in our lives today.
SPEAKER_00: We pray in Jesus' name.
SPEAKER_00: Amen.
SPEAKER_00: Let me give you just a brief outline what this is about this morning.
SPEAKER_00: First of all, the plot to kill the king.
SPEAKER_00: Secondly, the plot to kill the Jews.
SPEAKER_00: And lastly, the plot to kill the king of the Jews.
SPEAKER_00: The plot to kill the king.
SPEAKER_00: We covered that briefly already.
SPEAKER_00: Mordecai discovers the plot by the two attendants of King Xerxes, reports it, the king's life is saved.
SPEAKER_00: You see, the king had his own enemies within the palace.
SPEAKER_00: But that was averted by Mordecai the Jew.
SPEAKER_00: Secondly, the plot to kill the Jews we've already spoken of.
SPEAKER_00: We picked up in chapter four.
SPEAKER_00: And Mordecai is just greatly grieved.
SPEAKER_00: How could this be?
SPEAKER_00: How could this king order the extermination of all the Jews because of Haman's offense, taking offense from me, but not bowing?
SPEAKER_00: Mordecai cried out with a loud and bitter cry when he heard of the edict.
SPEAKER_00: The text tells us, and there was great mourning among the Jews in the city of Susa.
SPEAKER_00: It wasn't fair, it wasn't righteous, it wasn't just.
SPEAKER_00: Come on in here.
SPEAKER_00: He was using her.
SPEAKER_00: And you remember what she said?
SPEAKER_00: No.
SPEAKER_00: I'm not gonna be your toy.
SPEAKER_00: And what does she have to do because of that?
SPEAKER_00: What happened to her?
SPEAKER_00: You're no longer the first lady.
SPEAKER_00: If you can't do as I command you to do, I'll find someone else who can.
SPEAKER_00: That's what happened to Vashti.
SPEAKER_00: That's how she lost her role.
SPEAKER_00: Because she wouldn't just submit herself to the whims of her husband.
SPEAKER_00: And then you remember the king is now really insecure.
SPEAKER_00: Well, wait a minute.
SPEAKER_00: This can't be because, you know, if my own wife won't obey me like this, then what about all the other men in the kingdom?
SPEAKER_00: What were their wives do?
SPEAKER_00: And that's how he ended up getting Esther to come in.
SPEAKER_00: He found Esther exceedingly beautiful, charming.
SPEAKER_00: He wanted Esther to be the queen, this Jewish woman.
SPEAKER_00: But evidently he didn't know that she was Jewish.
SPEAKER_00: Everything in the Bible suggests that she kept that hidden.
SPEAKER_00: Self-preservation, perhaps?
SPEAKER_00: For whatever reason, she didn't think it was necessary to reveal that.
SPEAKER_00: And she's unaware of the edict.
SPEAKER_00: She just doesn't know what's going on until Mordecai finally communicates through a servant.
SPEAKER_00: Would you please let Esther know what's going on?
SPEAKER_00: And then she hears that Mordecai is out in the city gate outside the palace in his torn clothes, and that was that was against the law.
SPEAKER_00: You didn't wear your torn clothes and mourning and fasting in the king's presence on the king's grounds because he wanted everything to be happy.
SPEAKER_00: He was one of those people, maybe you know someone like that, that no matter what's going on, they just they have to keep everything on the upside.
SPEAKER_00: They just can't live with real trauma or drama.
SPEAKER_00: He gets word to Esther, Esther, you need to do something.
SPEAKER_00: You're in a position of authority, you're in a position of prominence, you've got the king's ear.
SPEAKER_00: And what does she say?
SPEAKER_00: No, I don't.
SPEAKER_00: I'm the queen, but he's got a lot of women in his harem.
SPEAKER_00: And as a matter of fact, he hasn't called for me in 30 days.
SPEAKER_00: And oh, by the way, there is the law of the Medes and the Persians.
SPEAKER_00: If I go in unsolicited, I go to death.
SPEAKER_00: Because you just don't do that.
SPEAKER_00: You don't go into the king's palace unless you're summoned.
SPEAKER_00: Esther says, I can't do anything.
SPEAKER_00: Mordecai says, You're our best hope.
SPEAKER_00: If you don't do it, who will?
SPEAKER_00: Although he actually doesn't believe in God's providence.
SPEAKER_00: He believes, apparently he believes that God has promised to protect the Jewish people and he will.
SPEAKER_00: And he says, Esther, if you don't step up, if you don't do this, God is going to deliver his people somehow, somehow, if not through you, but through somebody.
SPEAKER_00: Why not you?
SPEAKER_00: And so we read in the text.
SPEAKER_00: Do you think you're safe?
SPEAKER_00: Esther?
SPEAKER_00: If you keep silent, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place.
SPEAKER_00: And then that famous line from the book of Esther that many people have heard, whether they've read the book or not, who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
SPEAKER_00: What Mordecai is really saying to Esther, the queen, look, neither you nor I understand the providence of God and all the things that God is doing behind the scenes.
SPEAKER_00: God is not mentioned once in this book.
SPEAKER_00: God's fingerprints are all over this book.
SPEAKER_00: Prayer is not mentioned once in this book.
SPEAKER_00: Prayer is integral to the storyline.
SPEAKER_00: So just stop for a moment and think about that.
SPEAKER_00: Because there is application in your life as well.
SPEAKER_00: Who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
SPEAKER_00: You have no idea of what God's purpose is for your life and all the details.
SPEAKER_00: I don't either.
SPEAKER_00: We don't know what God's purpose has been in our background, and that includes where you were born, that includes your education, that includes the gifts that God's given you, the positions God's granted you.
SPEAKER_00: It is all part of his master purpose.
SPEAKER_00: But how easy it is for us to live is though, no, it's just kind of random.
SPEAKER_00: I see no reason why what's going on in my life right now is going on.
SPEAKER_00: It makes no sense to me.
SPEAKER_00: Or there must not make sense to God or anybody else.
SPEAKER_00: I've noticed as a pastor that's oftentimes when people check out.
SPEAKER_00: That's oftentimes when people just step back.
SPEAKER_00: That's oftentimes when people lose their worship.
SPEAKER_00: That's oftentimes when people stop going to church.
SPEAKER_00: There can't be anything good going on in my life when I look around and I see all the things that don't add up.
SPEAKER_00: Have you ever thought that?
SPEAKER_00: Have you ever said that?
SPEAKER_00: Did you come into the sanctuary this morning with that weight?
SPEAKER_00: Who knows whether God has not placed you in this position for this time because God has a purpose that goes far deeper than your understanding?
SPEAKER_00: Ray Bachy, a urban missiologist, has a great book, A Theology as Big as the City I read years ago that I thought was so helpful.
SPEAKER_00: Ray suggests that we, again, we need to see Nehemiah, Ezra, and Esther all as part of God's work.
SPEAKER_00: Ezra, the priest, the clergyman, Nehemiah, the city planner, building the walls, Esther, Esther the politician, helping to make new laws.
SPEAKER_00: You want to get one with that story?
SPEAKER_00: Esther?
SPEAKER_00: Esther, after three days of mourning and fasting and praying, and all the Jews who knew, they sought God.
SPEAKER_00: They said, God, you alone can rescue, you alone can deliver us?
SPEAKER_00: God, would you please change the mind of the king?
SPEAKER_00: Would you please change the heart of the king against all odds?
SPEAKER_00: And you know what God did?
SPEAKER_00: In response to the prayers of his people.
SPEAKER_00: He did work.
SPEAKER_00: In response to the prayers of the people.
SPEAKER_00: Esther mustered up her courage and she went in to the king uninvited, knowing very well, she says, if I perish, the king could have said easily, What are you doing here?
SPEAKER_00: I don't remember inviting you.
SPEAKER_00: Guards, take off her head.
SPEAKER_00: I mean, that's what was going on in those days in that kingdom.
SPEAKER_00: In response to the prayers of God's people, in response to the fasting in the mourning, in response to seeking God with all their hearts, God heard their prayer.
SPEAKER_00: Esther found courage.
SPEAKER_00: And she went to the palace and she said, I would like a word with the king.
SPEAKER_00: And the king extended his scepter to her.
SPEAKER_00: Come.
SPEAKER_00: And she tells the king of this plot to exterminate.
SPEAKER_00: I'm not going to tell the whole story this morning because we're not done with the book.
SPEAKER_00: You got to come back.
SPEAKER_00: The story gets even better.
SPEAKER_00: But you can guess.
SPEAKER_00: God honors her courage.
SPEAKER_00: And you know what?
SPEAKER_00: God is still honoring Christians' courage today.
SPEAKER_00: When they see what's really going on in their world and they stand up against evil.
SPEAKER_00: When they see what's going on in the world, maybe you, I'm looking at you all, right?
SPEAKER_00: We've got some Esther's in this room.
SPEAKER_00: You're an Esther if you are working for political justice.
SPEAKER_00: If you're working for good legislation, and here the city, the city in the world, known for that.
SPEAKER_00: If you're working to bring about justice and righteousness, you're an Esther.
SPEAKER_00: We have Ezra's preachers.
SPEAKER_00: We have city council people.
SPEAKER_00: We have Nehemiahs.
SPEAKER_00: Some of you are Nehemiah.
SPEAKER_00: You're working to rebuild broken cities.
SPEAKER_00: You're working to rebuild a broken world.
SPEAKER_00: You see, building the kingdom of God is not simply about you doing evangelism.
SPEAKER_00: And that might come as news, good news to some of you.
SPEAKER_00: Building the kingdom of God is a holistic project.
SPEAKER_00: It takes all of us in our roles.
SPEAKER_00: Using our gifts, finding our gospel courage.
SPEAKER_00: Some of you are going to do it tomorrow when you go up back to Capitol Hill.
SPEAKER_00: Some of you are going to do it tomorrow when you go to the executive branch.
SPEAKER_00: Some of you are going to do it tomorrow when you work with other people, the Supreme Court.
SPEAKER_00: Do it in your neighborhoods.
SPEAKER_00: That's part of it.
SPEAKER_00: But building God's kingdom comes in different shapes and forms.
SPEAKER_00: Be encouraged.
SPEAKER_00: Encouraged.
SPEAKER_00: You know what that word means.
SPEAKER_00: To put courage into you.
SPEAKER_00: Nothing puts courage into you like King Jesus when you understand that you're part of his kingdom building.
SPEAKER_00: That's going on here.
SPEAKER_00: This is all going on.
SPEAKER_00: A theology.
SPEAKER_00: As big as the city.
SPEAKER_00: None of them were perfect.
SPEAKER_00: Esther had some serious flaws.
SPEAKER_00: She wasn't perfect, neither are we.
SPEAKER_00: But she rose up to the occasion.
SPEAKER_00: She stepped up.
SPEAKER_00: And God used her in a mighty way.
SPEAKER_00: What did we sing a few minutes ago?
SPEAKER_00: Lord, would you give me such a kingdom perspective that I would be okay with you using me any way that you choose?
SPEAKER_00: Even if it's a little space, I'm okay with that, Lord.
SPEAKER_00: Or if it's a big space, I'm okay with that, Lord.
SPEAKER_00: You do the appointments.
SPEAKER_00: Using our position for good.
SPEAKER_00: Are you learning to become a Mordecai?
SPEAKER_00: Are you learning to become an Esther?
SPEAKER_00: Are you finding courage?
SPEAKER_00: God's placements always have a purpose in life.
SPEAKER_00: Or are you stuck?
SPEAKER_00: Are you stuck because of the haymans in your life?
SPEAKER_00: Is there a Haman in your life?
SPEAKER_00: Is there somebody that just got you all wound up tight and you're just kind of paralyzed in your anger or your grief or your despondency?
SPEAKER_00: I can't do anything because there's a Haman in my life.
SPEAKER_00: A lot of Christians do.
SPEAKER_00: Not you.
SPEAKER_00: Not if you're looking to Jesus.
SPEAKER_00: God appoints the hamans in this world, just as he appoints the Esters and the Mordecaies.
SPEAKER_00: And you're part of this story.
SPEAKER_00: What are you going to do?
SPEAKER_00: How are you going to learn how to become a Mordecai?
SPEAKER_00: How are you going to learn how to become an Esther against the Hamans in this world?
SPEAKER_00: And again, some of you are going to do it through legislation.
SPEAKER_00: Some of you are going to do it through fair and ethical practices in your business.
SPEAKER_00: Some of you are going to do it in raising your children to be Esters and Mordecaies.
SPEAKER_00: And there's a thousand ways that this gets worked out.
SPEAKER_00: God's placements always have a purpose.
SPEAKER_00: Don't be one of those Christians.
SPEAKER_00: It seems like there's a lot of them around today that throws your hands up and says, holy smokes, look what's going on in Washington.
SPEAKER_00: There's nothing I can do except complain.
SPEAKER_00: There's nothing I can do but gripe.
SPEAKER_00: Don't get stuck there.
SPEAKER_00: Be part of the solution.
SPEAKER_00: God's placements always have a purpose.
SPEAKER_00: God is orchestrating all things.
SPEAKER_00: God raises people up, and God deposes people.
SPEAKER_00: He is the loving controller of not only your life, he is the loving controller of this world.
SPEAKER_00: But like Esther, sometimes we have to move out of the palace.
SPEAKER_00: We have to be willing to move out of the palace.
SPEAKER_00: If Esther, if it for Esther, it was all about her comfort, if it was all about her convenience, if it was all about her security, she would have never been used by God.
SPEAKER_00: Are you willing to move out of your palace?
SPEAKER_00: You think, well, maybe I don't have a palace.
SPEAKER_00: Well, actually, maybe you do.
SPEAKER_00: Maybe you have more blessings and maybe you have more creaturely comforts than most of the people in this world.
SPEAKER_00: Maybe you have more position than you realize.
SPEAKER_00: Maybe you have more spiritual authority than you know.
SPEAKER_00: Are you willing to move out of your palace?
SPEAKER_00: Why would you?
SPEAKER_00: Because he moved out of his palace.
SPEAKER_00: We're going to come to the table of the Lord in just a few moments.
SPEAKER_00: This is the only, this is the highest appeal I can give.
SPEAKER_00: I'm not here today to tell you to be like Esther.
SPEAKER_00: I'm here today to tell you to look to Esther's God.
SPEAKER_00: This table reminds us.
SPEAKER_00: This table teaches us that the king of glory left his palace.
SPEAKER_00: And he gave up all of his, all the things that he had that reminded him that he was king.
SPEAKER_00: And he came to this earth to deliver, to rescue, to save people who are actually deserving of the edict of extermination.
SPEAKER_00: Tom read earlier in the word in the service, Acts chapter 4.
SPEAKER_00: Those are amazing words.
SPEAKER_00: You know what happened when Jesus was crucified on the cross?
SPEAKER_00: God used the greatest evil that this world has ever known to bring about the greatest good that this world has ever known.
SPEAKER_00: Isn't that about the cross?
SPEAKER_00: Those people did whatever your hand, God, your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.
SPEAKER_00: What kind of God can use the greatest evil to bring about the greatest good?
SPEAKER_00: Your God.
SPEAKER_00: And he can do it in your life too.
SPEAKER_00: But he will do it in your life only as you look to the one.
SPEAKER_00: He will do it in your life only as you look up to what Jesus gave up.
SPEAKER_00: You look to him what he gave up.
SPEAKER_00: And you look at what he rescued you from, and you leave your palace.
SPEAKER_00: And you say, God, use my life as you choose.
SPEAKER_00: May this not be about me living for my comfort.
SPEAKER_00: May this not be about me living for my security.
SPEAKER_00: Are you learning how to be a gospel speaker?
SPEAKER_00: Are you learning how to speak into people's lives?
SPEAKER_00: Listen, you can't be a speaker until you become a listener.
SPEAKER_00: Esther could have never gone into the king's palace if she had not met with God, if she had not fasted and prayed, if she had not laid herself before God, she would never have had the courage to do that, and neither will you.
SPEAKER_00: Are you learning how to sit with God so that God can speak?
SPEAKER_00: Are you learning how to hear?
SPEAKER_00: Is your antenna attuned to him?
SPEAKER_00: You're never going to get that courage if you don't.
SPEAKER_00: That's true for me.
SPEAKER_00: It's true for you.
SPEAKER_00: The more I get to know this story, the more I want to be an Esther, the more I want to be a Mordecai.
SPEAKER_00: God use me.
SPEAKER_00: How about you?
SPEAKER_00: Take your hymn book and turn, if you will, to nine, hymn number 94.
SPEAKER_00: How firm a foundation.
SPEAKER_00: I'm not going to read all the verses, but we're going to sing this in a moment.
SPEAKER_00: When through the deep waters I call you to go, the rivers of sorrow will not overflow.
SPEAKER_00: I will be with you, your troubles to bless, and sanctify to you your deepest distress?
SPEAKER_00: I'm asking you, is it possible for God to sanctify to you your deepest distress?
SPEAKER_00: Do you believe that God can bring good out of the bad news of your life?
SPEAKER_00: And some of you are going through really hard times right now, and you're wondering, Lord, why?
SPEAKER_00: You're saying, Lord, what?
SPEAKER_00: This is the God of Esther, this is the God of Mordecai, this is your God.
SPEAKER_00: Pray with me, please.
SPEAKER_00: Oh, Father, this morning we come and we thank you for the great deliverance.
SPEAKER_00: We thank you that this story was not only about the plot to kill the king, this story is not only about the plot to kill the king of the Jews, excuse me, to kill the Jews, this story is really about the plot to kill the king of the Jews.
SPEAKER_00: Thank you, Father, that the true king actually offered his body to be killed so that we could be freed.
SPEAKER_00: Thank you, Jesus, that you were willing to leave the palace and to offer your life that we might find true life, eternal life, abundant life.
SPEAKER_00: Oh, Jesus, give us faith to look to you this day, to give up whatever small things we must give up.
SPEAKER_00: But Lord, give us grace to stay in difficult situations as well.
SPEAKER_00: We pray in Christ's name.
SPEAKER_00: Amen.