WEBVTT 00:00:00.560 --> 00:00:03.560 If you brought a Bible this morning, I'm going to encourage you to turn to the Book of Esther. 00:00:04.240 --> 00:00:05.060 It's real easy to find. 00:00:05.140 --> 00:00:06.620 It's only 17 books in. 00:00:06.980 --> 00:00:07.480 All right. 00:00:07.780 --> 00:00:09.340 So just count through that real quick. 00:00:09.560 --> 00:00:10.420 the book of Esther. 00:00:11.380 --> 00:00:14.920 It's in an important place in the timeline of your book. 00:00:15.240 --> 00:00:17.700 In chronological sequence there. 00:00:17.700 --> 00:00:19.600 your book isn't written in chronological order. 00:00:19.680 --> 00:00:20.310 The Bible isn't. 00:00:21.180 --> 00:00:28.020 but what happens is the last three books of those, 17 are the last of the historical books of Israel's history. 00:00:28.800 --> 00:00:33.440 And so if you ever want to know about the history of Israel, the first 17 books of your Old Testament, do that. 00:00:33.480 --> 00:00:38.580 And then every book of the Old Testament beyond there kind of fills in the details of what happens within the history of Israel. 00:00:39.340 --> 00:00:42.680 Some of those historical books intertwine with one another. 00:00:42.680 --> 00:00:49.640 If you ever read, Samuel's Kings and Chronicles, you'll notice that some of the same stories are intertwined in between, the historical events. 00:00:50.780 --> 00:00:54.610 But when you get to the end where Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther are, you'll find the last little bit of Israel. 00:00:55.100 --> 00:00:55.520 Esther's. 00:00:55.940 --> 00:00:59.720 Excuse me, Israel's history through Esther, Ezra and Nehemiah. 00:01:00.620 --> 00:01:01.420 Here's a quick tidbit. 00:01:01.560 --> 00:01:08.760 If you're ever in a group where you might win money on this, Esther is one of only two books of the Bible named after a 00:01:08.760 --> 00:01:08.980 woman. 00:01:10.240 --> 00:01:10.580 Yeah, right. 00:01:10.700 --> 00:01:11.180 All the ladies. 00:01:11.660 --> 00:01:11.960 Okay. 00:01:12.980 --> 00:01:14.200 Can you can you remember the first one? 00:01:14.340 --> 00:01:16.480 What was the first book that we talked about together? 00:01:16.480 --> 00:01:17.080 Named after a lady? 00:01:18.300 --> 00:01:18.580 Ruth. 00:01:18.960 --> 00:01:20.800 That's good paying attention. 00:01:21.160 --> 00:01:25.480 Esther's written 500 years before the birth of Christ. 00:01:25.480 --> 00:01:27.640 And historically on the timeline, the way it works. 00:01:27.820 --> 00:01:29.040 We've discussed this together. 00:01:29.060 --> 00:01:36.080 That Israel is a nation is brought forth into the land of Canaan, promised by God, and brought there through Moses, 00:01:36.140 --> 00:01:40.200 and then on to Joshua as he led them across the Jordan River into Israel. 00:01:40.520 --> 00:01:44.040 God gave them a promise during that time that if they follow him, he'll bless them. 00:01:44.040 --> 00:01:46.140 If they turn against him, they will be cursed. 00:01:46.660 --> 00:01:53.230 And so the nation of Israel had three kings shortly after their coming into the land of Israel. 00:01:54.200 --> 00:01:56.880 And right after those three kings there was a split among the nation. 00:01:57.180 --> 00:02:00.060 Ten tribes went to the north, two tribes came to the south. 00:02:01.400 --> 00:02:08.039 And the ten tribes that went to the north never had a godly king eventually carried into captivity and 722 BC by the Assyrians. 00:02:08.240 --> 00:02:15.300 The two tribes of the South, often referred to in the Bible as the tribes of Judah, or talked about as Judah, representing the two of two 00:02:15.300 --> 00:02:22.360 tribes, that those tribes continue to have a reign of godless kings and godly kings eventually led into 00:02:22.360 --> 00:02:27.970 captivity finally in 586 BC, taken there by King Nebuchadnezzar of the Babylonians. 00:02:29.700 --> 00:02:36.590 God told them that for 70 years they would be in captivity at the end of the captivity, God would allow them to go free. 00:02:38.080 --> 00:02:44.120 The medo Persians come in and conquer the land of Babylon, through which the Babylonians had conquered Israel. 00:02:44.120 --> 00:02:51.380 When the medo Persians or the Persians conquer Babylon, the first thing that they do is they release an edict freeing Israelites 00:02:51.380 --> 00:02:55.660 to return back to their homeland under King Cyrus. 00:02:56.360 --> 00:03:00.720 That reign under King Cyrus was then passed on to King Darius and finally on to King Xerxes. 00:03:02.020 --> 00:03:09.080 If you read historically in the timeline Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther, it's somewhat confusing in the way that it's broken down because they're not necessarily 00:03:09.080 --> 00:03:10.020 written chronologically. 00:03:11.100 --> 00:03:18.460 So when you read the Book of Ezra, the first six chapters deal with the time of Serious and Cyrus, Excuse me and 00:03:18.460 --> 00:03:19.360 Darius. 00:03:19.360 --> 00:03:26.600 And then in chapter six and seven, there's this break in the timeline, and the story of Esther fits in the Book of Ezra between 00:03:26.600 --> 00:03:27.900 chapter six and seven. 00:03:29.580 --> 00:03:31.100 After as Esther. 00:03:31.420 --> 00:03:33.840 Her story plays out through her salvation. 00:03:33.840 --> 00:03:36.040 The Jewish people is brought forth. 00:03:36.080 --> 00:03:40.980 Then the rest of the Book of Ezra carries on and the Book of Nehemiah along with it. 00:03:41.760 --> 00:03:44.850 Ezra gives this explanation to the people of Israel. 00:03:44.880 --> 00:03:46.820 Does God still care about us? 00:03:46.880 --> 00:03:49.620 And does God care enough about us to protect us? 00:03:49.940 --> 00:03:52.770 Though we are disobedient to him, and God brought us into captivity. 00:03:54.340 --> 00:03:55.560 And the answer to that question is yes. 00:03:57.560 --> 00:04:03.140 Through Esther, God intervenes in the life of the Jewish people and he spares them. 00:04:04.840 --> 00:04:11.660 Book of Esther is about a lady that God uses when she seeks the Lord to save her people. 00:04:12.860 --> 00:04:19.880 And in this book, you see this challenge between two characters that kind of pit against one another, between 00:04:19.880 --> 00:04:27.280 this man named Hayman and this lady named Esther, there is a battle between pride and humility taking 00:04:27.280 --> 00:04:27.780 place. 00:04:29.140 --> 00:04:34.060 The world gives this thought that life is this dog eat dog kind of world. 00:04:34.060 --> 00:04:39.080 And it's survival of the fittest and the best get to the top. 00:04:41.140 --> 00:04:44.280 Whereas God's Word says, whoever loses his life for my sake. 00:04:45.320 --> 00:04:46.010 Will gain it. 00:04:47.720 --> 00:04:51.250 To get to the top, you've got to go to the bottom. 00:04:52.660 --> 00:04:59.880 And in the book of Esther you see the idea of pride and humility played out beautifully before the Lord 00:04:59.880 --> 00:05:01.540 and what his desire is. 00:05:03.320 --> 00:05:05.090 The story of Esther starts with the king Xerxes. 00:05:06.320 --> 00:05:10.440 Kings during this time were considered gods, and women were often degraded. 00:05:11.800 --> 00:05:19.260 During this Persian Empire, kings were thought to need to have many wives and many children to display the greatness of 00:05:19.520 --> 00:05:19.980 their kingdom. 00:05:21.300 --> 00:05:28.300 Darius has just passed the kingdom on to Xerxes, and the tendency was in this Persian Empire that 00:05:28.300 --> 00:05:35.740 as the king had many wives and many children, that the king wasn't to be bothered with his children until the children became at 00:05:35.780 --> 00:05:37.320 least to the age of five. 00:05:37.760 --> 00:05:44.920 So it's likely that Xerxes was never around Darius until he was five years old, and the Persian Empire, 00:05:45.400 --> 00:05:52.660 for which Xerxes ruled, took over the entire known world from Greece to India, from 00:05:52.660 --> 00:05:58.160 Pakistan to Sudan and Egypt, Persia dominated the world. 00:05:59.940 --> 00:06:03.770 Xerxes was considered the king of all the kings in the Persian Empire. 00:06:03.840 --> 00:06:04.320 If you've. 00:06:04.440 --> 00:06:11.500 I don't want to endorse you watching this, but if you have seen the movie 300, Xerxes is the king who appears in that 00:06:11.500 --> 00:06:11.600 movie. 00:06:13.180 --> 00:06:16.380 He is considered tall, dark and handsome. 00:06:17.040 --> 00:06:20.080 I was thinking I was describing myself as I read about him, right? 00:06:21.220 --> 00:06:23.000 I let my mind wander about that. 00:06:23.020 --> 00:06:27.100 Last night I kept thinking, man, anytime I do anything awesome, I'm going to say hashtag Xerxes after it. 00:06:27.220 --> 00:06:29.520 I was watching the game, watching the basketball games last night. 00:06:29.540 --> 00:06:30.120 They would drain a three. 00:06:30.120 --> 00:06:30.730 I'm like, hashtag Xerxes. 00:06:31.040 --> 00:06:31.320 That was great. 00:06:31.600 --> 00:06:31.700 Yeah. 00:06:32.040 --> 00:06:33.940 My son came in the room after I was thinking about it. 00:06:33.940 --> 00:06:34.760 He goes, daddy, I'm cute. 00:06:34.860 --> 00:06:35.780 I'm hashtag your Xerxes. 00:06:35.980 --> 00:06:36.400 Do a good job. 00:06:36.840 --> 00:06:41.500 You know, say, Xerxes was that kind of guy that everyone wanted to be, and all people were jealous of it. 00:06:43.140 --> 00:06:44.240 Xerxes lived in Susa. 00:06:45.520 --> 00:06:48.700 That's where the capital was for Persia, which was modern day Iran. 00:06:49.860 --> 00:06:57.120 Much of biblical history outside of the nation of Israel takes place in the Iraq region, which is where the capital of Babylon was, 00:06:57.680 --> 00:06:59.960 in the Iran region, where the capital of Susa is. 00:07:00.080 --> 00:07:02.280 Is there writing in the Book of Esther today? 00:07:03.880 --> 00:07:06.000 Xerxes had conquered the known world. 00:07:07.500 --> 00:07:07.960 And through Esther. 00:07:09.280 --> 00:07:14.270 God is showing us how, even in pagan nations, he's at work. 00:07:15.440 --> 00:07:18.740 The story of Esther starts with this giant party. 00:07:18.980 --> 00:07:24.380 I would say if we had anything to compare it to in life, it would be like the frat party of all frat parties. 00:07:25.120 --> 00:07:32.640 The Bible tells us that this thing lasted for six 00:07:32.640 --> 00:07:32.740 months. 00:07:33.240 --> 00:07:33.560 You're going to have to give me a click here because I don't have control. 00:07:33.560 --> 00:07:33.560 For six months. 00:07:33.560 --> 00:07:37.820 Technology falling apart again on me here for a full 180 days. 00:07:38.140 --> 00:07:41.640 He displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty. 00:07:42.740 --> 00:07:48.580 Some people estimate that as many as 15,000 leaders were at this party for six months. 00:07:48.740 --> 00:07:55.190 I don't know how this would go for you at your job, but to take six months off for nothing but a drunken stupor. 00:07:55.300 --> 00:07:57.780 I mean, I don't think you get employed after that, but. 00:07:57.960 --> 00:08:02.060 But for Esther and the story of Xerxes, Xerxes is throwing that kind of party. 00:08:02.360 --> 00:08:07.380 And it says in verse five, when these days were over, the king gave a banquet lasting seven days. 00:08:07.440 --> 00:08:08.580 And so what do we do? 00:08:08.580 --> 00:08:09.310 After a great party? 00:08:09.540 --> 00:08:10.360 We throw another one. 00:08:10.820 --> 00:08:11.810 We try to top it. 00:08:12.080 --> 00:08:13.800 And so he tells us that it lasts for seven days. 00:08:13.880 --> 00:08:20.920 And the enclosed garden of the king's palace, for all the people, from the least to the greatest, who are in were in the citadel of 00:08:20.920 --> 00:08:21.020 Susa. 00:08:22.420 --> 00:08:24.860 And then Xerxes during this party gets this great idea. 00:08:24.860 --> 00:08:29.000 He wants his wife to come and present herself to the people. 00:08:29.060 --> 00:08:36.100 After all, the king of all the kings and the God of the land needs to display the beauty of the women 00:08:36.100 --> 00:08:37.919 and especially his queen. 00:08:37.940 --> 00:08:45.100 And so it says this in verse ten, on the seventh day, when King Xerxes was in high spirits from wine, he commanded the seven eunuchs who served, 00:08:45.300 --> 00:08:52.400 who served him not even given a shot at those names to bring before him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown 00:08:53.240 --> 00:08:57.820 in order to display her beauty to the people and nobles, for she was lovely to look at. 00:08:58.260 --> 00:09:06.270 But when the attendants delivered the king's command, Queen Vashti refused to come, and the king became furious and burned with anger. 00:09:06.730 --> 00:09:11.150 Why would the Queen refuse to do this? 00:09:11.380 --> 00:09:14.860 I don't know what it's like when ladies get older, but I know when they're. 00:09:15.020 --> 00:09:17.280 When little girls are young, they like to press around, right? 00:09:17.960 --> 00:09:19.460 I mean, you think you got all the wealth. 00:09:19.560 --> 00:09:20.710 You get to flaunt this in a moment. 00:09:20.780 --> 00:09:21.260 Do you not want to? 00:09:21.500 --> 00:09:24.140 You don't want to come in that dress and just let people tell you you're beautiful. 00:09:24.300 --> 00:09:24.960 I mean, what's wrong with it? 00:09:25.360 --> 00:09:26.200 What's wrong with that? 00:09:26.200 --> 00:09:33.500 But the context of the history, the way that it's been described through commentaries, is to suggest that when Xerxes asked Queen 00:09:33.500 --> 00:09:40.660 Vashti to come before him and all the people, that what Xerxes was asking is that the queen would only wear her crown. 00:09:42.980 --> 00:09:46.280 Xerxes wanted her to walk around without any clothing. 00:09:48.020 --> 00:09:55.160 And so the Queen responded by rejecting Xerxes request, embarrassing Xerxes in front of his friends, but 00:09:55.160 --> 00:09:56.220 rightly so. 00:09:57.640 --> 00:09:58.780 And so what's Xerxes response? 00:10:00.220 --> 00:10:02.160 Well, he's the god of this world, right? 00:10:02.900 --> 00:10:03.960 Whatever he says goes. 00:10:06.040 --> 00:10:07.780 And so it tells us in the next passage. 00:10:08.060 --> 00:10:08.340 Give me that. 00:10:09.280 --> 00:10:12.200 When the king's see, then the king's personal attendants propose. 00:10:12.560 --> 00:10:15.640 Let a search be made for a beautiful young virgin for the king. 00:10:15.840 --> 00:10:19.540 Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti. 00:10:20.560 --> 00:10:24.320 This advice appealed to the king, and he followed it. 00:10:25.520 --> 00:10:31.460 And so the story tells us that the king looks throughout all of the land for a lady, that he might marry. 00:10:31.820 --> 00:10:32.460 And go on one more time. 00:10:34.080 --> 00:10:37.170 So it says now the king was attracted to Esther more than any of the women. 00:10:37.320 --> 00:10:39.410 They brought in this harem of ladies. 00:10:40.160 --> 00:10:43.080 And she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. 00:10:44.120 --> 00:10:47.210 So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen. 00:10:48.520 --> 00:10:49.640 Instead of Queen Vashti. 00:10:51.740 --> 00:10:52.980 You know when you read the book of Esther? 00:10:54.340 --> 00:11:00.200 My tendency with this book has always caused a little bit of frustration within me. 00:11:01.740 --> 00:11:08.760 and sometimes when we read within Scripture, we, I think we come to it with this expectation that what God needs to use is good people 00:11:08.760 --> 00:11:11.800 and gifted people and charismatic people. 00:11:12.520 --> 00:11:15.560 But what you find when you read the Bible is that not really God. 00:11:15.680 --> 00:11:19.420 God really just uses people, messy, gifted or not. 00:11:20.560 --> 00:11:21.450 Not so attractive. 00:11:21.820 --> 00:11:23.560 Attractive young. 00:11:23.560 --> 00:11:24.280 Not so young. 00:11:25.180 --> 00:11:25.560 God uses people. 00:11:27.300 --> 00:11:32.070 But for sure, when God uses people, none of those people are perfect people. 00:11:33.320 --> 00:11:40.580 But when I when I tell you that I've wrestled with the Book of Esther in my own personal life and the way that God has used it, I found 00:11:40.580 --> 00:11:41.700 out that so did church history. 00:11:43.080 --> 00:11:46.320 The Jewish people loved the Book of Esther because it created a holiday for them. 00:11:46.920 --> 00:11:51.080 But church history basically ignored Esther for the first seven centuries. 00:11:51.120 --> 00:11:58.220 In fact, when you go back and look over the first seven centuries of church history, there's commentaries all over, about the Bible, but 00:11:58.220 --> 00:12:02.020 there is no commentary on the book of Esther for the first seven centuries. 00:12:03.440 --> 00:12:09.920 When you read about the reformers, men like John Calvin and Martin Luther never really had anything positive to say. 00:12:09.960 --> 00:12:12.330 In fact, John Calvin never taught about this book. 00:12:12.440 --> 00:12:18.410 And Luther to say that he strongly disliked this book would be an underestimation. 00:12:20.500 --> 00:12:24.640 And the reason is this the book of Esther never talks about God. 00:12:25.660 --> 00:12:32.700 It never talks about a spiritual life or internal reason related to God as to why God allows these events to 00:12:32.800 --> 00:12:33.280 take place. 00:12:34.340 --> 00:12:41.360 And so when you come to a church on Sunday morning and you begin to preach from the book of Esther looking for how God works into that, it's a difficult text to 00:12:41.360 --> 00:12:41.660 look at. 00:12:42.880 --> 00:12:50.300 And when you read about the life of Esther, you discover that Esther's upbringing wasn't the best. 00:12:50.540 --> 00:12:52.620 She was raised by a relative named Mordecai. 00:12:54.160 --> 00:12:57.920 And Esther's life is the opposite of Daniel, who we examined last week. 00:12:57.920 --> 00:13:05.040 Daniel, as a young boy taken into captivity, determined from the very beginning he's going to live a life in honor of God, regardless of 00:13:05.040 --> 00:13:05.970 the consequences. 00:13:06.200 --> 00:13:12.280 And Esther decides she's going to live a life in honor of whatever she feels like, regardless of what God has to say. 00:13:14.580 --> 00:13:22.260 If you read her story and you try to examine why God would use her, you continue to look at the fact that it's 00:13:22.280 --> 00:13:24.340 for no other reason than by the grace of God. 00:13:25.680 --> 00:13:31.240 When the story tells us Ezra breaks dietary laws, Ezra sleeps with someone who's not her husband. 00:13:31.240 --> 00:13:33.420 Ezra marries someone who isn't a believer. 00:13:33.580 --> 00:13:40.780 Ezra hides her faith from other people, and she doesn't take a biblical stand until she's pressured into it by her relatives. 00:13:41.900 --> 00:13:49.300 As far as following God goes, Ezra's life in the beginning of the Book of Esther gives no indication that she desires 00:13:49.300 --> 00:13:53.720 to know God and grow closer to him. 00:13:53.860 --> 00:13:56.720 Esther's story doesn't fit with godly character. 00:13:58.260 --> 00:13:59.740 But it does fit with God's grace. 00:14:02.520 --> 00:14:03.140 somebody asked me once. 00:14:04.080 --> 00:14:06.020 actually, I think we were talking about it this week, too. 00:14:06.100 --> 00:14:07.360 But what's ministry like? 00:14:07.460 --> 00:14:09.420 What's it like doing ministry for the Lord? 00:14:09.540 --> 00:14:10.470 And this is the way I describe it. 00:14:11.080 --> 00:14:11.640 It's a beautiful mess. 00:14:13.460 --> 00:14:13.740 It is. 00:14:14.620 --> 00:14:15.460 It's a beautiful mess. 00:14:15.600 --> 00:14:18.000 It's beautiful to see what God does within our hearts. 00:14:19.000 --> 00:14:20.900 And we're messy, right? 00:14:20.960 --> 00:14:24.640 The you know, the greatest thing about ministry is people. 00:14:25.180 --> 00:14:25.740 The sin. 00:14:25.740 --> 00:14:32.900 God transformed lives, and to watch God work in hearts and watch God encourage us to pursue him 00:14:32.900 --> 00:14:33.260 with our lives. 00:14:34.020 --> 00:14:37.720 And you know, the greatest difficulty of ministry is people. 00:14:38.020 --> 00:14:38.460 Right. 00:14:38.500 --> 00:14:45.580 And the challenges that come from that and the way I learned about my own sanctification through through the pressure that happens and those 00:14:45.580 --> 00:14:46.040 relationships. 00:14:47.660 --> 00:14:48.380 Grace is messy. 00:14:49.760 --> 00:14:50.900 And with the Book of Esther. 00:14:51.900 --> 00:14:53.140 You see that very beautifully. 00:14:54.420 --> 00:14:59.120 And all you discover as you read scriptures that God uses messy people for his ministry. 00:15:01.020 --> 00:15:03.220 Noah in the Bible wasn't a righteous man, but. 00:15:03.440 --> 00:15:08.600 But God gave his favor to him and called Noah a righteous after he received God's favor. 00:15:09.080 --> 00:15:12.900 Abraham constantly lied about who his wife was. 00:15:12.900 --> 00:15:16.120 Moses was a murderer and David adultery and murder. 00:15:16.180 --> 00:15:20.210 Peter denied Jesus on the cross and he cut off a guy's ear. 00:15:20.340 --> 00:15:24.010 And people look at him as the leader of the early church. 00:15:25.080 --> 00:15:25.800 Paul was a murderer. 00:15:26.960 --> 00:15:30.640 Women, multiple women mentioned in Scripture were a little suspect. 00:15:31.440 --> 00:15:36.420 But what we discover is that God desires to for us to know him despite us. 00:15:36.600 --> 00:15:39.100 And God desires to use us, despite us. 00:15:39.100 --> 00:15:40.220 It's what his grace is about. 00:15:40.620 --> 00:15:42.160 We don't transform ourselves. 00:15:42.580 --> 00:15:48.460 God's grace transforms us, and God often uses circumstances to do that. 00:15:49.840 --> 00:15:55.780 God uses challenges in our lives to awaken our eyes to the need that we really have for him. 00:15:56.500 --> 00:15:58.470 And in that his grace is made known. 00:15:59.480 --> 00:16:00.890 And that's the story of Esther. 00:16:02.440 --> 00:16:10.120 You see the King Xerxes ruling and reigning, and he appoints Esther, who is a Jew, as 00:16:10.120 --> 00:16:11.940 his queen of the kingdom. 00:16:11.940 --> 00:16:15.920 But then we begin to learn in the story of Esther about this man named Haman. 00:16:16.060 --> 00:16:18.040 And this is where pride comes into battle. 00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:19.020 It says this about Haman. 00:16:19.480 --> 00:16:26.120 All the royal officials at the king's gates knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. 00:16:26.180 --> 00:16:29.840 But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor. 00:16:29.920 --> 00:16:31.840 Mordecai was Esther's relative. 00:16:31.900 --> 00:16:32.620 Some believe he was. 00:16:32.920 --> 00:16:36.840 He was Esther's cousin, and Mordecai raised Esther. 00:16:36.860 --> 00:16:41.140 And so when Mordecai sees Haman, he refuses to bow down to him. 00:16:42.700 --> 00:16:49.820 There are people in this world that we meet that we easily give honor to because they bring integrity in the way that they live 00:16:49.820 --> 00:16:50.120 life. 00:16:50.720 --> 00:16:55.200 And there are people in this world that are difficult to bring honor to, but we do so because of position. 00:16:56.660 --> 00:17:03.800 And Mordecai is that individual that commands honor because of his position and demands no honor 00:17:03.800 --> 00:17:05.119 because of lack of integrity. 00:17:06.540 --> 00:17:13.430 And Mordecai in this moment refuses to bow down to Haman, who is a leader in Xerxes kingdom. 00:17:15.700 --> 00:17:22.819 And the response of Harman in these moments is to not only look at his hatred and allow that to build for Mordecai, but to also allow 00:17:22.819 --> 00:17:25.359 that hatred to build towards Mordecai. 00:17:25.560 --> 00:17:26.960 People look at the next part of this passage. 00:17:27.400 --> 00:17:33.250 It says, when Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay honor to him, he was enraged. 00:17:33.860 --> 00:17:40.920 Yet, having learned who Mordecai's people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai instead of Haman, looked for a way to destroy all 00:17:40.920 --> 00:17:41.680 Mordecai's people. 00:17:42.300 --> 00:17:43.920 The Jews throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes. 00:17:44.780 --> 00:17:51.940 Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king's provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews, young and old, 00:17:52.240 --> 00:17:59.480 women and children on a single day, the 13th day of the 12th month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods. 00:18:00.380 --> 00:18:02.760 Mordecai, or excuse me, Haman orders a genocide. 00:18:05.160 --> 00:18:05.740 Can I tell you? 00:18:05.900 --> 00:18:07.820 You know, we look at this passage and we say that. 00:18:08.480 --> 00:18:11.140 Yeah, that's way above and beyond what you need to go. 00:18:11.300 --> 00:18:12.980 This boy is struggling with pride. 00:18:13.280 --> 00:18:20.220 He definitely feels the need to for people to validate him in his position because he is lacking somewhere else. 00:18:22.380 --> 00:18:25.180 When Heyman desires to kill Mordecai and his people. 00:18:27.660 --> 00:18:34.330 Can I tell you that the pressure Heyman felt may be expressed in a way that we may say to ourselves, I wouldn't go that far. 00:18:35.520 --> 00:18:40.570 But pressure in our lives has the tendency to draw the hatefulness that we're seeing in Haimen out. 00:18:41.720 --> 00:18:45.680 Difficult circumstances reveal what's truly in our heart. 00:18:47.680 --> 00:18:54.360 When you experiencing challenging things in your life, it reveals what rests with inside. 00:18:56.420 --> 00:18:57.540 I mean, you could take that relationally. 00:18:58.520 --> 00:19:05.560 Heyman's looking at this with Mordecai, but relationally you could look at that between your relationship with you and your boss or you and your 00:19:05.560 --> 00:19:05.910 spouse. 00:19:06.760 --> 00:19:07.500 Are you and your children. 00:19:09.140 --> 00:19:15.590 When something rubs you the wrong way, do you see that as giving you an excuse to behave with a hatred of Hayman in your life? 00:19:16.620 --> 00:19:18.580 I'm justified in what I'm doing right now. 00:19:18.660 --> 00:19:21.300 And so with vengeance, I charge you right. 00:19:22.040 --> 00:19:23.880 It's not my fault I'm acting this way. 00:19:23.880 --> 00:19:25.220 You've provoked it. 00:19:25.580 --> 00:19:27.620 And so now you deserve every bit of this. 00:19:30.880 --> 00:19:32.920 I would say looking at the story of Hayman. 00:19:33.940 --> 00:19:36.040 And the circumstances taken away. 00:19:38.040 --> 00:19:41.070 That there is no excuse in our pride to behave in such way. 00:19:42.600 --> 00:19:48.970 Regardless of how someone behaves towards us, we have no excuse before the Lord to treat them with ill will and return. 00:19:51.220 --> 00:19:52.680 Heyman struggles that of pride. 00:19:54.100 --> 00:19:56.040 And when the pressure is placed on him. 00:19:57.380 --> 00:19:58.800 It reveals what's in the inside. 00:20:01.020 --> 00:20:03.340 You could even think about this a little bit further with Xerxes. 00:20:05.040 --> 00:20:08.860 The commitment of marriage and what God has created that for. 00:20:10.380 --> 00:20:17.540 And Xerxes looks at the moment and where he is embarrassed and he's faced with this pressure, and the way that 00:20:17.540 --> 00:20:20.860 he responds is not with humility, but with pride. 00:20:21.060 --> 00:20:21.920 And so what does he do? 00:20:23.120 --> 00:20:24.010 He just gets rid of his wife. 00:20:25.680 --> 00:20:26.980 And Heyman in these moments. 00:20:27.060 --> 00:20:34.220 Rather than respond in humility and work through the tension between he and Mordechai, what does 00:20:34.220 --> 00:20:35.020 he do? 00:20:35.020 --> 00:20:38.460 He responds in Pride and Destruction. 00:20:39.700 --> 00:20:46.860 And now, because of the stress that Hayman has created on the nation of Israel, it brings us to a place 00:20:46.860 --> 00:20:51.390 to ask the question but how will Esther respond? 00:20:53.660 --> 00:20:57.560 The two characters so far within the story has just illustrated for us. 00:20:58.800 --> 00:20:59.020 Anger. 00:21:00.160 --> 00:21:00.720 And frustration. 00:21:03.360 --> 00:21:04.450 So how will Esther respond? 00:21:06.280 --> 00:21:09.480 I'll tell you before I read it that Esther's response is one of godliness. 00:21:11.020 --> 00:21:18.360 But the question maybe we ask ourselves as we get ready to look at the way that Esther chose to respond in these moments is how do you respond 00:21:18.360 --> 00:21:19.480 to a challenge? 00:21:20.620 --> 00:21:21.320 When you're under pressure. 00:21:22.840 --> 00:21:27.080 When life isn't going your way or you're in those dark moments. 00:21:29.040 --> 00:21:29.740 Does God care? 00:21:32.600 --> 00:21:34.980 How do you look at those moments that he may get the glory? 00:21:36.740 --> 00:21:41.200 When you look at this next passage, this is the only time within the context of the Scripture. 00:21:41.200 --> 00:21:48.660 I feel that God has truly hinted at, and it says this in chapter four and verse 13, he, talking about Mordecai, 00:21:49.260 --> 00:21:50.360 sent back this answer. 00:21:51.580 --> 00:21:53.140 Do you not think this is coming to Esther? 00:21:53.700 --> 00:21:58.500 Do you not think that because you are in the king's house, you alone of all the Jews will escape? 00:21:59.340 --> 00:22:04.660 For if you remain silent at this time relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place. 00:22:05.060 --> 00:22:07.340 But you and your father's family will perish. 00:22:08.240 --> 00:22:12.540 And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this? 00:22:13.140 --> 00:22:20.800 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai, go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. 00:22:20.900 --> 00:22:23.560 Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. 00:22:24.600 --> 00:22:26.480 I and my attendance will fast as you do. 00:22:27.240 --> 00:22:32.180 When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. 00:22:32.900 --> 00:22:37.200 And if I perish, I perish. 00:22:38.040 --> 00:22:38.500 Can I tell you? 00:22:38.500 --> 00:22:40.950 Based on Esther's response to the circumstance? 00:22:42.020 --> 00:22:44.360 I think that Esther, in these moments are seeking God. 00:22:44.400 --> 00:22:46.450 That's why the Bible is talking about this fasting. 00:22:47.880 --> 00:22:55.080 Oftentimes, when the Jews would fast, it was this time of prayer before the Lord, and it was a time to just rid themselves of everything 00:22:55.080 --> 00:22:56.700 other than focusing on God. 00:22:58.140 --> 00:22:58.540 And begging him. 00:23:00.100 --> 00:23:00.660 To intervene. 00:23:03.640 --> 00:23:10.880 Through this circumstance, what Azhar teaches us in this moment, in order to rise above the challenge and for godliness to be exerted from your heart. 00:23:10.960 --> 00:23:13.480 This is what you do when you find yourself in darkness. 00:23:14.460 --> 00:23:17.130 Draw to God in humility. 00:23:18.360 --> 00:23:22.550 Meaning the first two individuals response were from pride within themselves. 00:23:22.600 --> 00:23:29.680 But when you recognize the tension in a moment, in that moment, the answer to the crisis isn't found within your 00:23:29.680 --> 00:23:34.920 own strength or the encouragement that Esther draws to herself and to her own people is when. 00:23:35.240 --> 00:23:42.980 When you find yourself in darkness, when you find yourself in tension, draw to God in humility. 00:23:43.440 --> 00:23:47.170 All the answers she finds are in humility. 00:23:48.580 --> 00:23:51.540 Maybe in a simplistic way, we'd say this when you feel pressed. 00:23:52.900 --> 00:23:53.480 Seek Jesus. 00:23:55.560 --> 00:24:03.260 God uses these challenges against the Jews and the circumstance to awaken the need for Esther's spiritual life. 00:24:04.900 --> 00:24:09.320 And when we face pressure, God's desires that we draw to him with humility. 00:24:09.380 --> 00:24:12.440 Listen to this Psalm 51 and verse 17. 00:24:13.360 --> 00:24:17.980 A broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. 00:24:19.760 --> 00:24:23.280 Philippians four six be anxious for nothing. 00:24:25.480 --> 00:24:30.680 Can I tell you that the tendency of people who struggle with pride is to live this life dependent upon yourself. 00:24:32.220 --> 00:24:39.540 But the people in this world who live life dependent on God walk in humility because they rest assured that the promises given to them come 00:24:39.540 --> 00:24:41.260 by God's strength and not their own. 00:24:42.700 --> 00:24:50.140 Listen, if you're here this morning and you feel like in your life you're walking in that darkness, you're looking at a position like Ezra 00:24:50.140 --> 00:24:54.860 where you see no escape and you're feeling all alone. 00:24:54.880 --> 00:24:59.640 When you bring that before the Lord, you become powerful in him. 00:25:00.660 --> 00:25:00.920 Here's why. 00:25:02.260 --> 00:25:07.640 You were never designed to live life apart from him. 00:25:07.920 --> 00:25:11.260 You were never designed to live life on your own. 00:25:12.820 --> 00:25:20.080 God created us for him, and God created us in community that we would reflect his glory to each other. 00:25:21.200 --> 00:25:28.380 It's in our humility before God, in the solace of those moments, elevating him above our problems, 00:25:28.520 --> 00:25:32.100 that we find his grace sufficient, as Paul says. 00:25:33.660 --> 00:25:37.760 When you find yourself in darkness, what is your reaction? 00:25:37.760 --> 00:25:40.190 Is it to begin with pride in defending yourself? 00:25:40.920 --> 00:25:44.140 Or is it with humility to come before your king? 00:25:45.300 --> 00:25:52.650 Observation two is this of Esther humility before the Lord draws you to the heart of God, and God to your heart. 00:25:54.500 --> 00:25:56.320 James talks about this in a beautiful way. 00:25:56.360 --> 00:26:01.080 Not only should we seek God in humility, but know when we seek God in humility. 00:26:01.340 --> 00:26:05.270 It's the beauty that God loves in our hearts to be demonstrated. 00:26:06.280 --> 00:26:07.870 It's a beautiful thing to him. 00:26:08.620 --> 00:26:15.640 God looks for that humble heart surrendered to him, because it's in that humble heart that God now has the 00:26:15.840 --> 00:26:18.000 freedom to move as he desires. 00:26:19.500 --> 00:26:26.940 In James chapter four, he starts to express this need for humility before God, because it draws us near to his heart and 00:26:26.940 --> 00:26:28.020 his heart near to us. 00:26:28.100 --> 00:26:33.260 And James says this in verse six, God is opposed to the proud, but he gives grace to the humble. 00:26:33.560 --> 00:26:37.620 Draw near to God in verse eight, and he will draw near to you in verse ten. 00:26:37.920 --> 00:26:44.400 Humble yourselves in the presence of the Lord, and he will exalt you. 00:26:45.120 --> 00:26:52.200 You know, I shared in the beginning the nation of Israel after the first three kings ending with Solomon, that the nation went 00:26:52.200 --> 00:26:54.860 into a split and there was never a godly king in the north. 00:26:57.100 --> 00:26:59.280 And there were a few godly kings in the South. 00:27:00.720 --> 00:27:06.940 But do you know when you read about those ungodly kings, God continues to say the same remark about them. 00:27:08.040 --> 00:27:08.690 And that's this. 00:27:09.680 --> 00:27:14.420 And he never humbled himself before God. 00:27:14.720 --> 00:27:15.260 It's as if. 00:27:15.300 --> 00:27:20.740 Do you want to know the indication of why this individual lived in pride and lived in sin and lived for himself? 00:27:22.180 --> 00:27:23.320 Apart from me. 00:27:24.180 --> 00:27:28.800 He never humbled himself before God. 00:27:29.420 --> 00:27:33.430 Second Chronicles 33 and verse 23 says this about King Ammon. 00:27:33.900 --> 00:27:39.160 King Ammon did not humble himself before the Lord. 00:27:41.140 --> 00:27:46.960 There's a place in all of our lives that Jesus has promised us the opportunity for salvation. 00:27:48.320 --> 00:27:48.810 But he says this. 00:27:49.840 --> 00:27:50.750 It's not found in yourself. 00:27:52.060 --> 00:27:52.380 It's on me. 00:27:54.140 --> 00:27:56.880 Jesus came to the cross to die for you. 00:27:58.220 --> 00:28:01.180 By grace are you saved through faith? 00:28:01.660 --> 00:28:02.900 And that not of yourselves. 00:28:03.660 --> 00:28:08.240 It's the gift of God, not of works, lest no one should boast. 00:28:08.410 --> 00:28:09.390 Ephesians two eight and nine. 00:28:10.720 --> 00:28:18.740 Humbling yourself before Christ and the sacrifice that he has brought you, brings you life in him. 00:28:19.060 --> 00:28:21.380 But do you know that salvation brings us life? 00:28:21.680 --> 00:28:25.250 But the Christian life continues to grow in that same sense. 00:28:26.420 --> 00:28:29.840 The way that you succeed in the Christian life is surrender. 00:28:30.660 --> 00:28:33.960 It's funny, the Bible talks a lot about spiritual warfare and battle. 00:28:33.960 --> 00:28:38.320 And when you go into warfare and battle, the last option is surrender, right? 00:28:38.980 --> 00:28:45.980 But when it comes to the Christian life, in order to thrive in God, the first option and the only option 00:28:45.980 --> 00:28:47.760 is surrendering before him. 00:28:49.640 --> 00:28:57.830 If you desire for godliness to be made known in those moments, Haman and Xerxes humble yourself before him. 00:28:58.180 --> 00:28:59.300 Esther. 00:28:59.500 --> 00:29:03.870 Humble yourself before him, that he may exalt you in due time. 00:29:05.520 --> 00:29:06.660 Observation three is this. 00:29:06.800 --> 00:29:12.580 If you anticipate or desire to be used of the Lord, start with humility before him. 00:29:13.180 --> 00:29:18.280 Not only in this moment has Esther said, God, we need you, and I'm seeking you with all my heart. 00:29:18.560 --> 00:29:21.790 But she's also recognized God, and I want to be used by you. 00:29:22.880 --> 00:29:30.360 Not only do we need humility to seek after the Lord, but humility allows the Lord to move and 00:29:30.360 --> 00:29:31.860 within us and use us. 00:29:31.940 --> 00:29:38.920 In Psalm ten and verse 17 says this, O Lord, you have heard the desire of the humble, you will strengthen their heart. 00:29:40.560 --> 00:29:47.110 In those moments, God uses that opportunity before him to strengthen your heart and service to him. 00:29:48.200 --> 00:29:51.600 But can I tell you as we're talking about humility this morning? 00:29:53.360 --> 00:29:56.700 Humility isn't about thinking less of yourself. 00:29:57.860 --> 00:29:59.300 So we talk about humility. 00:29:59.500 --> 00:30:01.960 We're not we're not saying that you need to look at yourself as worthless. 00:30:03.320 --> 00:30:05.080 We're saying is to think selfless. 00:30:07.340 --> 00:30:09.240 Humility isn't about thinking less of yourself. 00:30:09.700 --> 00:30:11.050 Humility is about thinking selfless. 00:30:12.860 --> 00:30:19.920 In order for God to be able to use you, you've got to consider the needs of the people more important than yourself. 00:30:21.360 --> 00:30:28.400 In order for Hayman to allow God to work in that moment, he has to see the need for the relationship of Mordechai to be more important than his pride 00:30:28.400 --> 00:30:29.190 in that moment. 00:30:31.060 --> 00:30:38.080 In order for Xerxes to allow God to work in his marriage, he has to see the need for that relationship to 00:30:38.140 --> 00:30:40.750 be elevated over his own embarrassment. 00:30:44.120 --> 00:30:50.490 Thinking less of self isn't what humility is about, but thinking selfless is what humility is. 00:30:51.660 --> 00:30:58.800 Humility seeks God's strength in this moment, and Esther lays herself aside that God may use her 00:31:00.280 --> 00:31:03.920 humility before the Lord has opened her eyes to the opportunity to serve. 00:31:05.200 --> 00:31:12.200 Humility in these moments is recognized for Esther that maybe, maybe God has me in these positions of 00:31:12.560 --> 00:31:17.410 being a queen for the very purpose of saving my people. 00:31:18.960 --> 00:31:22.860 And you think about the way it works in your life, right? 00:31:22.980 --> 00:31:25.760 When what position has God put you in? 00:31:25.900 --> 00:31:31.780 What talents and gifts has God given you to serve him? 00:31:32.000 --> 00:31:39.460 And he's got you in that position that in humility you may see how God can magnify that giftedness 00:31:39.460 --> 00:31:41.220 to proclaim his glory. 00:31:43.480 --> 00:31:47.060 I think sometimes in our life we are really anxious to use our gifts for him. 00:31:47.080 --> 00:31:49.520 We want to serve God. 00:31:49.660 --> 00:31:56.920 But then we start looking at the problems that we're facing, and we and we forget how big our God is, don't we? 00:31:57.080 --> 00:32:00.030 I can't be bold in this moment for you, Lord. 00:32:00.520 --> 00:32:02.160 What are they going to say, right? 00:32:03.180 --> 00:32:03.540 Aw, God. 00:32:03.900 --> 00:32:05.520 How are they going to react or what? 00:32:05.760 --> 00:32:07.460 What if they reject me or God? 00:32:07.480 --> 00:32:08.740 What if it costs me? 00:32:08.840 --> 00:32:09.940 Look, look at this moment. 00:32:09.980 --> 00:32:10.520 God, who's even. 00:32:10.720 --> 00:32:11.830 Who's even going to care? 00:32:14.300 --> 00:32:16.020 What can I tell you in those moments? 00:32:18.400 --> 00:32:19.610 The important thing to remember. 00:32:20.940 --> 00:32:24.170 God's got you in a position to use your gifts and talents for him. 00:32:25.520 --> 00:32:32.720 And what needs to be in the forefront of our mind is to not tell our God how big our problems are, but to tell our 00:32:32.720 --> 00:32:34.490 problems, how big our God is. 00:32:37.200 --> 00:32:43.660 Esther, in these moments in her humility, then begins to recognize she had been focusing on the problem. 00:32:43.880 --> 00:32:49.440 And now all of a sudden, she's seeing her position as a divine place that God has used her in. 00:32:49.620 --> 00:32:56.280 First Corinthians 127 it says this God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 00:32:57.760 --> 00:32:58.460 I love that. 00:32:58.460 --> 00:33:05.780 It reminds us that when we feel at our weakest, it's the display that God's glory is going to be infinitely be 00:33:06.060 --> 00:33:08.010 made known in those moments. 00:33:09.300 --> 00:33:13.070 It's in darkness that his light shines through. 00:33:15.040 --> 00:33:20.450 And can I think of a different way and say this what if God's holding you accountable for every gift and talent he gives? 00:33:22.540 --> 00:33:24.590 What is God blessed you with in this world? 00:33:26.560 --> 00:33:28.470 I mean, I look at Astor and I could judge her immediately. 00:33:28.580 --> 00:33:29.220 Of course. 00:33:29.220 --> 00:33:30.940 Astor, I cannot see this. 00:33:30.940 --> 00:33:31.100 Right. 00:33:31.380 --> 00:33:33.370 Doesn't it make sense that all of a sudden you became queen? 00:33:34.700 --> 00:33:36.700 I mean, God's definitely got you in that place. 00:33:36.740 --> 00:33:39.660 And all of a sudden, I find myself, as I'm preaching to Astor, saying it to me. 00:33:39.940 --> 00:33:40.500 Of course. 00:33:40.580 --> 00:33:42.040 Nathaniel, it makes so much sense. 00:33:43.000 --> 00:33:44.140 I mean, you know the Lord. 00:33:44.800 --> 00:33:46.860 Why wouldn't you honor him in that moment? 00:33:47.700 --> 00:33:48.940 To make his goodness known? 00:33:50.240 --> 00:33:54.420 God uses the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 00:33:55.240 --> 00:33:58.900 The fourth is this true humility takes true sacrifice. 00:34:01.560 --> 00:34:02.080 Before you see. 00:34:03.400 --> 00:34:04.200 Serve the need of others. 00:34:04.880 --> 00:34:05.300 Excuse me. 00:34:05.300 --> 00:34:10.600 Before you serve the need of others, you've got to be concerned with the need of others above your own. 00:34:12.159 --> 00:34:15.949 Humility is all about honoring another. 00:34:18.139 --> 00:34:18.400 If. 00:34:18.580 --> 00:34:24.840 If I simply put it like this, it would be say this proud people feel the need to fight for their position. 00:34:26.219 --> 00:34:29.280 Humble people already know Jesus did. 00:34:31.239 --> 00:34:34.920 And Jesus was in the argument with his disciples, and they wanted to be greatest in the kingdom. 00:34:34.980 --> 00:34:36.020 And Jesus was response. 00:34:36.400 --> 00:34:39.860 He who is least that is the greatest in my kingdom. 00:34:41.600 --> 00:34:45.400 Recognizing we understand that Jesus has already accomplished it for us. 00:34:45.639 --> 00:34:52.580 There's no need to fight for a position because there is no position greater than what Christ has already offered to us. 00:34:53.760 --> 00:35:00.400 And proud people are fighting as their own king in this world, scrapping for things of this life that will pass away. 00:35:00.660 --> 00:35:06.060 But the humble before God already know that what Jesus has given you is far greater. 00:35:06.060 --> 00:35:13.120 And so before him we can walk with this idea of serving the well-being of others, that they may be lifted up in him 00:35:13.120 --> 00:35:13.460 to. 00:35:15.260 --> 00:35:18.030 True humility takes true sacrifice. 00:35:19.600 --> 00:35:24.380 And I would say it only is possible, but recognizing your identity in Christ. 00:35:26.680 --> 00:35:33.580 Philippians two eight says this Jesus humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 00:35:36.280 --> 00:35:40.590 Jesus recognized in his humility the need to elevate others. 00:35:43.360 --> 00:35:50.420 Humility brings about sacrifice, and Christ becomes the ultimate sacrifice for us and demonstrating to us 00:35:50.520 --> 00:35:54.460 how we have been called into this world to give of ourselves for one another. 00:35:56.860 --> 00:35:56.940 Next. 00:35:56.940 --> 00:36:01.310 I would say this about Ezra humility as the avenue that God uses to bring life. 00:36:03.460 --> 00:36:11.260 You know, in this moments when you read chapter four and verse 13 that Mordecai had come to Esther previous to this and he told Esther the problem, the 00:36:11.320 --> 00:36:15.220 king has just issued a law, and he's going to take the life of the Jews. 00:36:15.260 --> 00:36:19.180 And Esther's initial response was, go tell somebody else, right? 00:36:19.720 --> 00:36:20.800 Oh that's scary. 00:36:21.820 --> 00:36:22.530 I don't want to do that. 00:36:22.680 --> 00:36:22.820 Right. 00:36:23.220 --> 00:36:24.000 Go tell somebody else. 00:36:25.360 --> 00:36:32.360 And Mordecai comes back to Esther and he says, listen, Esther, you're fooling yourself if you don't think that God has you in this position 00:36:32.360 --> 00:36:33.520 and you're fooling yourself. 00:36:33.520 --> 00:36:37.020 You think because you're queen, you're going to escape this moment? 00:36:37.060 --> 00:36:38.050 They're going to come for your life? 00:36:38.120 --> 00:36:41.000 But God is definitely going to intervene and save his people. 00:36:41.320 --> 00:36:42.380 He's promised that. 00:36:42.500 --> 00:36:45.000 So he can either use you or he can lose you. 00:36:45.180 --> 00:36:48.300 But you need to understand your need to stand for God in these moments. 00:36:49.840 --> 00:36:51.200 He doesn't need you, Esther. 00:36:52.740 --> 00:36:53.280 But humility. 00:36:54.380 --> 00:36:56.890 Because the avenue that God uses to bring life. 00:37:00.200 --> 00:37:01.180 In our world. 00:37:01.440 --> 00:37:02.540 It works like this. 00:37:03.540 --> 00:37:10.680 when you care about people, I feel like if we argue for Jesus or we argue with other people 00:37:10.680 --> 00:37:13.180 about Jesus being confident in him, um. 00:37:13.920 --> 00:37:14.280 We lose. 00:37:15.600 --> 00:37:18.680 But we talk about Jesus for his glory to the benefit of other people. 00:37:19.480 --> 00:37:19.920 We win. 00:37:21.220 --> 00:37:28.240 Meaning this in Christianity, God has called us in this world to watch lives be transformed to him, to proclaim his 00:37:28.240 --> 00:37:32.580 goodness, to watch people be discipled in Christ, or watch people come to salvation in Christ. 00:37:33.200 --> 00:37:34.960 And we proclaim that with each other. 00:37:35.120 --> 00:37:37.730 But on the same token, we recognize Christianity. 00:37:39.880 --> 00:37:40.560 It makes sense. 00:37:42.120 --> 00:37:44.830 It is the most logical belief system. 00:37:46.600 --> 00:37:49.340 That exists because it's true, right? 00:37:50.320 --> 00:37:57.500 I don't want to get into the validations of Jesus and scripture, but when you study those things and proving Jesus to 00:37:57.500 --> 00:38:04.560 be who he says he was, and validating the Bible to be inerrant, and you see God's Word resting in that, and nothing else in this world 00:38:04.580 --> 00:38:12.160 can even compare to what the way that Jesus in Scripture communicates to us and in truth, that 00:38:12.160 --> 00:38:15.240 becomes very easy for us in arrogance to argue people to Jesus. 00:38:17.880 --> 00:38:22.840 But rather in this and humility, we bring people to Jesus by proclaiming his glory to the benefit of all people. 00:38:24.280 --> 00:38:26.520 It's not about I'm right and you're wrong. 00:38:28.120 --> 00:38:31.190 It's about Jesus and his life that he desires to bring to you. 00:38:32.980 --> 00:38:33.160 Yeah. 00:38:33.280 --> 00:38:36.080 I don't care if we walk out this morning and everyone feels like we're right and wrong. 00:38:36.080 --> 00:38:37.920 What I want to walk out this morning, truth is important. 00:38:37.960 --> 00:38:38.940 I want us to walk in truth. 00:38:39.860 --> 00:38:39.880 But. 00:38:40.120 --> 00:38:42.320 But most importantly, it's just to see the significance of Jesus. 00:38:44.200 --> 00:38:45.640 Jesus has come to set you free. 00:38:47.280 --> 00:38:49.780 Humility brings life in Christ's humility. 00:38:49.780 --> 00:38:52.850 He brought life and the humility that you bring to others. 00:38:53.380 --> 00:38:54.140 It brings life. 00:38:54.700 --> 00:39:00.440 In these moments, I can't help but think that Esther maybe is thinking about this passage that God gives in Second Corinthians seven. 00:39:01.000 --> 00:39:08.300 It says this if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray, I will forgive them of their sins 00:39:08.300 --> 00:39:12.220 and heal their land in humility. 00:39:12.760 --> 00:39:13.630 God's bringing life. 00:39:14.960 --> 00:39:19.730 In Esther's humility, God is offering life to the people. 00:39:20.620 --> 00:39:21.080 Last is this. 00:39:23.340 --> 00:39:24.420 Pride dies with a man. 00:39:26.040 --> 00:39:27.660 But humility impacts generations. 00:39:29.900 --> 00:39:37.080 If you were to read the story of Esther, what you discover is that Esther comes before the king eventually and shares with him what Haman has done against her 00:39:37.080 --> 00:39:37.520 people. 00:39:37.740 --> 00:39:44.700 The king doesn't even know Esther is a Jew at this point, and she reveals that she's Jewish, and the Haman's brought this against her people. 00:39:44.700 --> 00:39:48.360 And so the king is outraged, and the king goes out and he hangs Haman. 00:39:50.520 --> 00:39:54.430 Pride dies with a man, but humility impacts generations. 00:39:56.140 --> 00:39:59.590 Proverbs 1618 says this pride goes before destruction. 00:40:02.140 --> 00:40:04.840 But we find in this passage that humility lives on. 00:40:04.940 --> 00:40:05.730 Give me one more click. 00:40:07.840 --> 00:40:08.220 Tells us. 00:40:08.240 --> 00:40:15.280 As a result of what happened, Mordechai left the king's presence wearing royal garments of blue and white, a large 00:40:15.280 --> 00:40:21.070 crown of gold, and a purple robe of fine linen, and the city of Susa held a joyous celebration for the Jews. 00:40:21.420 --> 00:40:28.460 It was a time of happiness and joy and gladness and honor, and every province, and in every city to which the edict of the king came, there 00:40:28.460 --> 00:40:35.620 was joy and gladness among the Jews with feasting and celebration, and many people of other nationalities became Jews because of fear 00:40:35.620 --> 00:40:37.000 of the Jews had seized them. 00:40:38.100 --> 00:40:42.380 What happens after the edict that Haman has released to kill all of the Jews? 00:40:42.740 --> 00:40:48.100 The king then releases an edict saying The Jews may fight for the lives and the Jews are to be spared. 00:40:48.180 --> 00:40:55.440 And so in chapter nine, the Jews began to rejoice over what God has done in giving them life through the humility 00:40:55.440 --> 00:40:56.740 that they brought before God. 00:40:58.700 --> 00:41:06.660 And in fact in chapter ten says that the Jews then create a celebration called pure in honor of that, 00:41:06.900 --> 00:41:11.220 on March 15th of this year, the Jewish people celebrated Purim. 00:41:13.040 --> 00:41:20.260 The humility of Esther in this moment, though she didn't live previous to this, a godly life in this moment, in this circumstance, she 00:41:20.460 --> 00:41:22.720 saw her need for God to intervene. 00:41:22.720 --> 00:41:26.140 And God used that circumstance to turn Esther's heart to the Lord. 00:41:27.820 --> 00:41:28.270 And in fasting. 00:41:28.800 --> 00:41:33.380 Her people sought after him, and in humility they sought after God. 00:41:33.820 --> 00:41:36.830 And the result of that is the nation of Israel was spared. 00:41:36.880 --> 00:41:41.940 And through her humility and through the nation of Israel's humility, life is given. 00:41:41.940 --> 00:41:49.020 And through that humility, generations have been impacted, that here we are, 2500 years later, still celebrating what God 00:41:49.020 --> 00:41:50.960 did in the life of Esther. 00:41:51.020 --> 00:41:54.580 Pride dies with a man, but humility impacts generations. 00:41:56.940 --> 00:41:58.230 This is just an extra touch. 00:41:58.580 --> 00:42:03.050 But the nation of Israel, when they gather to read the Book of Esther, they do that during the time of Purim. 00:42:03.480 --> 00:42:03.910 It's a day. 00:42:04.140 --> 00:42:05.140 It's a it's a holy day. 00:42:05.200 --> 00:42:06.700 They celebrate just for celebrating. 00:42:06.860 --> 00:42:08.960 Have just for celebration and joy. 00:42:09.560 --> 00:42:10.820 It's a festive holiday. 00:42:11.560 --> 00:42:16.120 And when they read the Book of Esther, every time Haman's name is mentioned, they give all the kids rattles. 00:42:17.200 --> 00:42:21.680 And every time his name is mentioned, all the kids shake the rattle so loud that no one can even hear or utter the name Haman. 00:42:24.540 --> 00:42:25.720 Pride leads to destruction. 00:42:27.560 --> 00:42:28.060 But humility cures. 00:42:30.540 --> 00:42:34.230 When we're in, moments where we're pressured, what comes out? 00:42:35.020 --> 00:42:38.580 I'd like to think that we're no different than Haman and Xerxes. 00:42:38.760 --> 00:42:40.060 I don't want to think that way. 00:42:40.900 --> 00:42:41.280 But we are. 00:42:42.960 --> 00:42:43.580 When we're stressed. 00:42:44.360 --> 00:42:44.880 When we're upset. 00:42:45.240 --> 00:42:46.120 When you do me wrong. 00:42:48.080 --> 00:42:49.170 Heyman comes out. 00:42:50.280 --> 00:42:57.300 When you look at this, you look at this story and you say, I'm thinking, how in the world can I relate to my people being attacked, right? 00:42:58.080 --> 00:43:05.100 I mean, the story of Esther, really, when you break it down is how do we relate to a story where this 00:43:05.140 --> 00:43:06.580 nation is going to destroy people? 00:43:06.640 --> 00:43:13.780 I don't feel like we're ever going to be pressured, or maybe in my lifetime to be pressured where this nation is going to be destroyed, or we could 00:43:13.800 --> 00:43:14.150 be destroyed. 00:43:14.220 --> 00:43:17.200 It might happen, but I don't feel any present danger right now. 00:43:19.330 --> 00:43:21.270 How can I relate to this? 00:43:22.720 --> 00:43:23.580 Can I tell you this morning? 00:43:23.640 --> 00:43:26.090 Even though you may not be in a physical battle for life? 00:43:27.380 --> 00:43:28.440 You are in a spiritual battle. 00:43:30.960 --> 00:43:37.560 And sometimes when we are fighting a spiritual battle, we have the tendency to get fed up with people, right? 00:43:37.760 --> 00:43:38.440 I mean, you go in the world. 00:43:39.600 --> 00:43:39.920 Excuse me? 00:43:39.920 --> 00:43:44.270 You go in the world and you represent the Lord, and you talk to people about him. 00:43:44.540 --> 00:43:46.720 And they just wall after wall you're hitting. 00:43:46.720 --> 00:43:53.840 And eventually you get frustrated and all of a sudden this Heyman anger starts building up with inside of you. 00:43:53.860 --> 00:43:55.880 And you just get fed up with the battle. 00:43:58.260 --> 00:43:59.380 With the reminder of Esther. 00:43:59.380 --> 00:44:00.960 Is this. 00:44:02.000 --> 00:44:03.000 When you face those challenges. 00:44:04.920 --> 00:44:06.390 Go to Jesus and humility. 00:44:08.480 --> 00:44:08.580 Fast. 00:44:09.640 --> 00:44:10.540 Pray before him. 00:44:12.100 --> 00:44:19.340 Seek the benefit of that relationship that may be honoring to God and the people that you serve may be lifted 00:44:19.340 --> 00:44:20.040 up in him. 00:44:20.140 --> 00:44:24.140 You may not fight a physical battle, but you do fight a spiritual one. 00:44:25.780 --> 00:44:31.320 We fight a battle every day between pride of trusting and myself, and the humility of trusting in the Lord. 00:44:32.020 --> 00:44:34.540 Needing to elevate my own position by my power. 00:44:34.540 --> 00:44:36.940 Trusting in God to elevate us through his. 00:44:38.760 --> 00:44:39.680 We don't win by our power. 00:44:41.700 --> 00:44:42.870 We win by our king. 00:44:44.800 --> 00:44:51.980 And God has given you opportunities and talents and resources to represent him in this world, and he's holding you accountable for that. 00:44:51.980 --> 00:44:57.520 How can God use you in those moments to make his glory made known? 00:44:59.780 --> 00:45:01.840 The reminder toss as we face those stresses. 00:45:04.380 --> 00:45:05.880 Don't tell God how big your problems are. 00:45:07.820 --> 00:45:08.340 Tell your problem. 00:45:08.500 --> 00:45:10.380 How big your gods are or your god is. 00:45:10.380 --> 00:45:10.660 Excuse me? 00:45:12.000 --> 00:45:14.160 And in humility, seek him.