WEBVTT 00:00:00.260 --> 00:00:02.820 I'm going to invite you to Esther 3. 00:00:03.100 --> 00:00:05.390 Esther 3 is where we're going to be together today. 00:00:06.140 --> 00:00:13.160 We're going to learn, I think, an important lesson that we're not perfected in our relationship with the Lord, but this is something we grow 00:00:13.160 --> 00:00:17.040 to appreciate and grow to learn to do. 00:00:17.160 --> 00:00:21.580 The sooner you learn this lesson, the better your Christian life goes, I find. 00:00:21.580 --> 00:00:27.090 We're going to talk about waiting on the Lord, which for those of you that are impatient, you just hate the word waiting. 00:00:27.560 --> 00:00:29.990 I'll say, this lesson's for you more than anybody. 00:00:30.240 --> 00:00:30.580 Okay. 00:00:30.740 --> 00:00:33.460 What does it mean to wait on the Lord or wait for the Lord? 00:00:33.500 --> 00:00:35.180 How does that look within our lives? 00:00:35.640 --> 00:00:42.740 We, as people by our own nature, I think we often grow impatient, especially in times of adversity and trying to learn to 00:00:42.740 --> 00:00:49.800 wait on the Lord is not an easy thing to do, but we discover as you go along in your relationship with God, if that relationship is a growing 00:00:49.800 --> 00:00:57.240 relationship, the depth of your trust in God develops and therefore, your reliability on you diminishes 00:00:57.240 --> 00:01:01.300 because you have a greater reliability in him as you grow in your trust. 00:01:01.300 --> 00:01:03.760 And so waiting on the Lord is an important thing. 00:01:03.930 --> 00:01:11.200 I'll let you know, as we look at this together, this is a common area that many of the godly people 00:01:11.200 --> 00:01:16.960 you might think of in the Bible, if you think of just godly characters, this is an area that they often struggled in. 00:01:17.080 --> 00:01:24.400 If you see God's people doing dumb things, it's typically because they grew in their impatience and they escalated their reliability 00:01:24.400 --> 00:01:27.580 on themselves and they stopped listening to the promises that God gave them. 00:01:28.400 --> 00:01:30.160 There are consequences from that. 00:01:30.260 --> 00:01:35.760 In fact, the book of Esther has served really well for us in looking at all the poor choices people make. 00:01:35.940 --> 00:01:41.120 First three chapters of Esther, if you want to know what it's about, it's about here's all the poor choices, don't do that. 00:01:41.140 --> 00:01:45.500 Here's some biblical principles on how to follow after the Lord in light of who he is. 00:01:45.580 --> 00:01:46.600 That's how Esther has worked for us. 00:01:46.820 --> 00:01:48.370 Esther 3 is going to be that. 00:01:48.540 --> 00:01:54.660 We're going to look at three characters in chapter 3 that were poor in their choices and waiting in the Lord. 00:01:54.760 --> 00:02:01.780 And the consequences that relate to that in life, as a reminder to us of how important it is that we learn to wait 00:02:01.780 --> 00:02:03.280 on the Lord in our life. 00:02:03.280 --> 00:02:05.520 So Esther 3 is where we're going to start together. 00:02:06.800 --> 00:02:09.880 2:21 is actually the backdrop that leads into chapter 3. 00:02:10.180 --> 00:02:14.740 We're actually going to start in verse 21 of Esther 2. 00:02:15.040 --> 00:02:18.220 The story begins like this, first four verses, a little background. 00:02:18.760 --> 00:02:25.860 It says, "In those days, while Mordecai was sitting at the King's gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of King's officials from those who guarded the door 00:02:25.860 --> 00:02:32.790 became angry and sought to attack King Ahasuerus." I've told you, King Xerxes is his Greek name. 00:02:32.980 --> 00:02:37.340 And so some translations might translate it as Xerxes, some pronounce Ahasuerus. 00:02:38.640 --> 00:02:39.860 Some say Ahasuerus. 00:02:40.820 --> 00:02:43.290 That's not even how the Hebrew word is spoken. 00:02:44.140 --> 00:02:48.900 Just say it fast and maybe throw in Xerxes if you want, but there's the king. 00:02:48.940 --> 00:02:51.200 And Mordecai's ruling at the gate. 00:02:51.340 --> 00:02:54.280 What they want us to recognize here is Mordecai's in a place of prominence. 00:02:54.740 --> 00:03:01.760 At the King's gate, this is a place of prominence, a place of where the wise in the kingdom will rule 00:03:01.820 --> 00:03:04.060 and reign and make judgements for the kingdom. 00:03:04.480 --> 00:03:10.660 No doubt, Mordecai is likely here because Esther who was his adopted daughter, Esther had risen to prominence. 00:03:10.720 --> 00:03:13.340 She's now the queen to King Xerxes. 00:03:14.040 --> 00:03:19.400 Because of that, now Mordecai finds himself in a place of prominence ruling from the King's gate. 00:03:19.400 --> 00:03:22.010 And so Mordecai has ultimately got what he has desired. 00:03:22.020 --> 00:03:29.420 I said to you last week, that Mordecai in 2:11, when queen Esther was being considered 00:03:29.420 --> 00:03:35.140 to possibly become the next queen in Persia, he would go to the gate to check on her every day. 00:03:35.440 --> 00:03:40.620 And we questioned as to whether or not his motive was actually Esther or his motive was for his own political gain. 00:03:41.040 --> 00:03:48.190 I tend to think that Mordecai wasn't as much interested in Esther as he was in what he might receive because Esther might become queen in Persia. 00:03:48.420 --> 00:03:51.790 You see regardless that Mordecai is now in that position. 00:03:52.000 --> 00:03:58.280 He, through Esther, I think is now in a position of authority and he's ruling outside of the King's gate or at the King's gate. 00:03:58.520 --> 00:04:01.950 And then he gets where of a couple of guys who want to kill Xerxes. 00:04:02.900 --> 00:04:06.240 Eventually, Xerxes is going to be killed by one of his servants. 00:04:06.240 --> 00:04:09.440 It's not in this case because Mordecai finds out. 00:04:09.540 --> 00:04:16.760 And then in verse 22, here it is, "But the plot became known to Mordecai and he informed Queen Esther and Esther told the king in 00:04:16.760 --> 00:04:20.820 Mordecai's name." So Mordecai becomes this hero. 00:04:20.820 --> 00:04:21.880 He finds out about the plot. 00:04:22.160 --> 00:04:24.080 He goes in and he shares this with Esther. 00:04:24.080 --> 00:04:26.480 Esther tells the king and Mordecai saves the day. 00:04:26.480 --> 00:04:28.240 Yay, the kingdom's not being disrupted. 00:04:28.380 --> 00:04:33.450 Xerxes who's this less than incredible guy gets to stay on his throne, thanks to Mordecai. 00:04:33.580 --> 00:04:34.600 Everyone cheer. 00:04:34.600 --> 00:04:41.640 And then in verse 23, "Then when the plot was investigated and found to be so, they were hanged on a 00:04:41.640 --> 00:04:48.700 wooden gallows and it was written in the Book of the Chronicles in the King's presence." The Book of Chronicles is an important note a little 00:04:48.700 --> 00:04:54.960 bit later in the story, but what happens is once this plot is discovered, the king builds these galls. 00:04:55.040 --> 00:04:58.830 When the king builds these galls, he makes a big to-do of the moment. 00:04:59.460 --> 00:05:05.000 Because what he wants to do is strike fear in the heart of anyone who might make an attempt against his life. 00:05:05.400 --> 00:05:09.440 It's his way of saying, "There's nothing you can do in my kingdom that I'm unaware of. 00:05:09.760 --> 00:05:16.780 And if you do anything that sounds like it's out of line and might be directed towards me, here's what's going to happen to you." Their death would've been on a very 00:05:16.780 --> 00:05:21.260 public display to strike fear in the hearts of people that might rise up against the king. 00:05:22.680 --> 00:05:29.900 When this sort of scenario arises and rescues the king, you think 00:05:29.900 --> 00:05:33.780 that the individual responsible would be praised. 00:05:34.150 --> 00:05:34.930 That's kind of the expectation. 00:05:35.380 --> 00:05:42.680 That not only would the king get justice against the villains coming against him, but the king would also turn back to the one who rescued him 00:05:42.680 --> 00:05:48.140 and offer some sort of reward or elevation or a higher position in the kingdom. 00:05:48.180 --> 00:05:50.560 And so in 3:1, that's what you would expect. 00:05:50.880 --> 00:05:59.920 And so when you get to that chapter and you read it, here's what happens, "And after these events, King Xerxes honored Haman." What 00:05:59.920 --> 00:06:00.960 is it talking about? 00:06:01.300 --> 00:06:08.840 You would expect the very next thing to say, "And because of the events, King Xerxes honors Mordecai." But 00:06:08.840 --> 00:06:10.180 that's not what happens at all. 00:06:10.200 --> 00:06:17.500 It says, "The King Xerxes Haman, the son of Hammedatha, the Agagite and promoted him and establish 00:06:17.500 --> 00:06:24.560 his authority over all of the officials who were with him." That's the opposite of what 00:06:24.560 --> 00:06:26.450 you might anticipate in this story. 00:06:26.540 --> 00:06:32.020 It's like there's throwing a curve ball, something strange is happening here that don't look good. 00:06:32.260 --> 00:06:32.700 Who you're going to call? 00:06:34.040 --> 00:06:34.630 Not the Ghostbusters. 00:06:35.240 --> 00:06:36.500 I don't know where that came from. 00:06:36.860 --> 00:06:43.660 But you see that you would expect Mordecai would be the one elevated, but it's Haman. 00:06:43.720 --> 00:06:50.740 For the Jew, when this would be phrased in 3:1, instantly in the 00:06:50.740 --> 00:06:57.400 Jewish mind, there would be over 600 years of history that would come pouring into the content of this verse. 00:06:58.720 --> 00:07:06.200 We don't catch it right away in our day and age, but before the Jews, this would've been very important because the 00:07:06.200 --> 00:07:13.420 Agagite who is Haman represents a lineage that has been in the thorn in the side of the Jewish people for hundreds 00:07:13.420 --> 00:07:14.070 of years. 00:07:14.720 --> 00:07:16.520 In fact, this goes all the way back to King Saul. 00:07:17.660 --> 00:07:24.960 1 Samuel 15, King Saul was told to eliminate a people group because 00:07:24.960 --> 00:07:27.060 of what they were doing to the Israelites. 00:07:28.580 --> 00:07:36.160 King Agag was the representative of the Amalekites and King Saul determines to allow king Agag 00:07:36.160 --> 00:07:37.350 to live. 00:07:38.580 --> 00:07:42.060 Agag, then becoming from Haman, an Agagite. 00:07:42.370 --> 00:07:49.480 There's this connection all the way back to 1 Samuel 15 with King Agag and King Haman, who has been a thorn in 00:07:49.480 --> 00:07:50.230 the side of Israel. 00:07:50.900 --> 00:07:56.060 King Saul disobeyed what the Lord said to do with King Agag and allowed them to live. 00:07:57.020 --> 00:08:01.330 Now, here you have hundreds of years later and this Haman rises to the surface. 00:08:01.660 --> 00:08:03.620 And again is, usurping. 00:08:03.620 --> 00:08:11.100 You'll see later in the Book of Esther, this position over Israel that challenges them and causes great conflict and even will ultimately put 00:08:11.100 --> 00:08:16.940 them in a position of where they're looking at death because of Haman and the position that he's in. 00:08:17.300 --> 00:08:18.080 Not only that. 00:08:18.120 --> 00:08:25.200 Just to add a little extra drama to the circumstance, Mordecai is from the family of Kish, who was 00:08:25.200 --> 00:08:27.120 from the lineage of King Saul. 00:08:28.600 --> 00:08:33.440 Here, you have all the way back into hundreds of years ago, over what? 00:08:33.440 --> 00:08:40.480 1100 BC century, when King Saul is ruling and reigning, and you have King 00:08:40.480 --> 00:08:44.070 Agag and it's not resolved the way the Lord says. 00:08:44.320 --> 00:08:49.400 Now, during the time of Esther, all of it has come back to the surface again. 00:08:51.280 --> 00:08:54.360 Hundreds of years of drama playing out. 00:08:55.540 --> 00:08:58.220 The question then is, how does Mordecai respond? 00:08:59.460 --> 00:09:00.200 He waits on the Lord. 00:09:02.300 --> 00:09:04.360 He sees the situation. 00:09:04.360 --> 00:09:05.260 He recognizes. 00:09:05.260 --> 00:09:06.030 This is different. 00:09:06.100 --> 00:09:10.540 Normally, in most kingdoms, when you save a king, the king would praise you in some way. 00:09:11.180 --> 00:09:12.720 Obviously, the Lord is up to something. 00:09:12.820 --> 00:09:15.060 That's how Mordecai respond, right? 00:09:15.820 --> 00:09:16.120 Well, no. 00:09:16.280 --> 00:09:17.470 In verse 2, here's what happens. 00:09:18.220 --> 00:09:25.660 "All the king's servants who were at the king's gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman; for so, the king had commanded 00:09:25.660 --> 00:09:29.640 regarding him, but Mordecai never bowed down nor paid homage. 00:09:30.840 --> 00:09:38.160 Then the king's servants who were at the king's gate said to Mordecai, 'Why are you violating the King's command?' Now, 00:09:38.400 --> 00:09:45.520 it was when they had spoken daily to him and he would not listen to them, that they told Haman to see whether Mordecai's 00:09:45.580 --> 00:09:52.840 reason would stand for he had told them that he was a Jew." Mordecai 00:09:52.840 --> 00:09:54.480 refuses to bow. 00:09:56.400 --> 00:10:03.480 And he says the reason is, "Because I am a Jew, I can't bow." I want you to know 00:10:03.480 --> 00:10:07.190 that this, at least in the south, is hog wash. 00:10:08.320 --> 00:10:15.320 There is no law in the old Testament that says, "Sorry, because you're a Jew, you can bow to no one." In fact, you can go back and 00:10:15.320 --> 00:10:20.600 see all sorts of instances where individuals are bowing down to other people. 00:10:20.900 --> 00:10:22.160 I wrote down just a few. 00:10:22.160 --> 00:10:29.580 Genesis 33:3, "Jacob bowed down to Esau." 1 Samuel 20:41, "David 00:10:29.580 --> 00:10:36.460 bowed down to Jonathan." Just because Mordecai is a Jew doesn't mean Mordecai can't bow and pay respect. 00:10:36.860 --> 00:10:43.030 I think the Bible actually tells us the opposite, that we're to honor one another, especially those who are in authority. 00:10:43.240 --> 00:10:46.670 It's just Mordecai decides he doesn't like the way things have transpired. 00:10:47.240 --> 00:10:50.100 That should be him who's elevated, that should be him who's praised. 00:10:50.400 --> 00:10:51.380 He doesn't like it. 00:10:51.940 --> 00:10:59.120 When Haman walks by, Mordecai, rather than bow, he decides, "I'm going to stand on my tippy toes just so people see 00:10:59.120 --> 00:11:02.120 that I am not about this." That's Mordecai's decision. 00:11:02.180 --> 00:11:03.820 He's not waiting on the Lord in the circumstance. 00:11:04.520 --> 00:11:12.120 What Mordecai is interested is in himself because Mordecai's pride has been hurt and Mordecai wants people to know that he feels disrespected 00:11:12.140 --> 00:11:13.960 and Mordecai wants to make the moment about him. 00:11:15.640 --> 00:11:16.400 Mordecai doesn't bow. 00:11:16.500 --> 00:11:23.560 Now, there are instances in scripture where the Jewish people I would say are told not to bow, and that is in worship 00:11:23.560 --> 00:11:24.460 to someone else. 00:11:25.440 --> 00:11:32.440 Now, if you go back, this is the Jews right now are in captivity because of their disobedience to God, they were carried away by the 00:11:32.440 --> 00:11:32.890 Babylonians. 00:11:33.580 --> 00:11:36.450 Babylonians are eventually conquered by the Medo Persians. 00:11:36.840 --> 00:11:41.870 King Xerxes is a Persian ruler and he's ruling over the Jews at this moment. 00:11:42.740 --> 00:11:49.740 But when this captivity first started, when the Jews were first taken by the Babylonians, you can read about the story 00:11:49.740 --> 00:11:50.560 in the book of Daniel. 00:11:51.480 --> 00:11:58.600 In Daniel 3, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego are brought before the king and told to bow and told to worship 00:11:58.600 --> 00:11:59.200 the king. 00:12:00.040 --> 00:12:02.700 3:6, they refused. 00:12:02.700 --> 00:12:04.620 So they were thrown into the fiery furnace, if you know this story. 00:12:06.600 --> 00:12:12.040 In that instance, the Jews wouldn't bow because they were to worship that king as if he were God. 00:12:13.540 --> 00:12:15.900 They only worship one God, the true God. 00:12:17.660 --> 00:12:21.160 There is a place in which the Jews should not bow. 00:12:21.160 --> 00:12:23.160 There is a place in which we should not bow. 00:12:23.180 --> 00:12:24.740 But it's not in this instance. 00:12:25.340 --> 00:12:29.140 Mordecai rather uses his identity as a Jew for convenience. 00:12:30.600 --> 00:12:37.200 He's already set the precedent in Esther 2 and now he contradicts his own behavior in Esther 3. 00:12:37.480 --> 00:12:43.470 If you remember, in Esther 2:10 and again, in verse 20, he gave Esther the same instructions twice. 00:12:43.580 --> 00:12:46.080 He said, "Don't tell anyone you're a Jew. 00:12:46.080 --> 00:12:53.140 Keep it covered up." To the point when Esther is taken into before the king, that she is given all the choice food of 00:12:53.140 --> 00:12:58.200 the Persian kingdom, which would've violated her own position as a Jewish lady. 00:12:59.340 --> 00:13:02.700 The things that she was put in front of her to eat, they were not kosher. 00:13:03.960 --> 00:13:11.040 Yet, she was told by Mordecai for their own convenience, to deny her Jewish lineage in order to get ahead in 00:13:11.040 --> 00:13:11.160 life. 00:13:12.480 --> 00:13:15.300 And now you have Mordecai do the same thing in this story. 00:13:15.340 --> 00:13:22.000 He's not using his Jewish practice in order to really honor God, he's using his Jewish practice in order to serve himself. 00:13:23.840 --> 00:13:30.860 He told Esther, "Do this for our convenience." He says, in this moment to 00:13:30.860 --> 00:13:37.980 Haman, "I'm doing this because I'm a Jew, but we recognize this isn't obedience to your law. 00:13:37.980 --> 00:13:45.000 This is really about what you want." You're mad because you didn't get the 00:13:45.000 --> 00:13:46.640 recognition and someone else did. 00:13:48.060 --> 00:13:52.620 You're reacting, point number one in your notes, by the way, Mordecai reacts. 00:13:54.580 --> 00:13:58.260 Mordecai reacts to this circumstance. 00:13:59.700 --> 00:14:07.160 Guys, I want us to recognize when we see how Mordecai interacts in this, he's using his position 00:14:07.160 --> 00:14:09.000 as a Jew for his convenience. 00:14:10.900 --> 00:14:11.850 I want to be honest. 00:14:12.720 --> 00:14:16.700 For us in this world, we're not told to use our Christianity for our convenience. 00:14:17.440 --> 00:14:23.740 They're certainly tact to the way you live as a Christian in this world. 00:14:25.020 --> 00:14:28.900 Why is this serpents harmless as doves, the Bible tells us. 00:14:30.020 --> 00:14:31.660 But the Bible doesn't tell us to hide it. 00:14:33.680 --> 00:14:40.610 In our culture, we tend to promote that sort of an attitude, this idea of separation between church and state. 00:14:40.780 --> 00:14:43.920 We have to have that separation between church and state. 00:14:43.980 --> 00:14:49.020 And I think when people make that phrase, I think I understand the danger in not doing it. 00:14:49.260 --> 00:14:56.140 Historically even when Christianity has held the upper hand and they've combined church and state, it has not looked good for Christianity. 00:14:57.160 --> 00:15:00.410 They have come in like this authoritarian and forced people. 00:15:01.300 --> 00:15:02.570 It's not just Christianity. 00:15:02.780 --> 00:15:07.350 It's lots of religions that seem to think that they can combine church and state. 00:15:07.440 --> 00:15:10.780 I get the hesitation in that and the thoughtfulness of making that statement. 00:15:10.780 --> 00:15:13.840 It is never healthy or good to try to force someone to believe anything. 00:15:16.500 --> 00:15:21.380 But to think that you can completely separate the two is foolish. 00:15:21.520 --> 00:15:22.170 It's a farce. 00:15:23.320 --> 00:15:30.440 What I mean by that is when we talk about the separation of church and state, any position that you hold in life is ultimately driven by a belief. 00:15:31.960 --> 00:15:37.720 There is something about it in which you are promoting, some greater purpose behind that sort of a statement. 00:15:37.720 --> 00:15:44.800 When you try to separate church and state, or you try to completely void the secular world from 00:15:44.800 --> 00:15:50.140 the believing world, you're isolating yourself from the very purpose for which you exist. 00:15:51.180 --> 00:15:56.240 You're going to claim all sorts of truths apart from God and have no basis for those truths that you're making. 00:15:57.600 --> 00:16:04.620 You can't ultimately separate belief from the way that you live your life because the way that you live your life is ultimately 00:16:04.620 --> 00:16:08.700 driven by a belief. 00:16:08.970 --> 00:16:16.340 We, as believers, are called to be wise in 00:16:16.340 --> 00:16:23.720 the way that we live, but not to hide the beliefs that are so important to 00:16:23.720 --> 00:16:25.060 our identity. 00:16:27.020 --> 00:16:34.060 But like Mordecai, when we feel disrespected and our enemy feels respected, it 00:16:34.060 --> 00:16:34.900 may makes us angry. 00:16:36.640 --> 00:16:41.080 Or at least as if some sort of injustice has been done against us, we want to run. 00:16:41.100 --> 00:16:41.660 We want to scream. 00:16:41.660 --> 00:16:48.720 You think, if you ask the question, you come in, you rescue, you rescue the king and you expect the king might give some sort 00:16:48.720 --> 00:16:51.860 of reward to you and all of a sudden he doesn't and he elevates your enemy, how would you feel? 00:16:54.880 --> 00:16:59.460 Would you stop in that moment and think, "God must be up to something. 00:16:59.460 --> 00:17:05.740 Let's see what happens." Would you say to yourself, "God doesn't love me. 00:17:05.740 --> 00:17:07.040 He loves everybody but me. 00:17:07.099 --> 00:17:09.220 I never get anything good. 00:17:09.280 --> 00:17:16.500 It doesn't ever happen to me." I've seen some people go to extreme and they say something like, "God can't exist. 00:17:16.500 --> 00:17:17.800 There's bad things that happen. 00:17:17.819 --> 00:17:19.380 My enemy's been elevated. 00:17:19.420 --> 00:17:24.380 Obviously, there's no loving God in this world if my enemy gets elevated in this situation. 00:17:24.589 --> 00:17:28.460 There's just no God at all." How would you respond to that moment? 00:17:30.920 --> 00:17:36.860 And then in verse 5, we're introduced to Haman. 00:17:39.300 --> 00:17:46.440 We're introduced to how Haman's going to respond to finding out that Mordecai doesn't react the way that he's supposed to 00:17:46.440 --> 00:17:47.840 Haman's presence. 00:17:47.880 --> 00:17:49.540 And what would you expect Haman does? 00:17:49.540 --> 00:17:51.480 Haman comes in and he is like, "You know what? 00:17:51.580 --> 00:17:54.040 There must be something going on at a deeper level with Mordecai. 00:17:54.760 --> 00:17:57.290 Let's find out what's really happening in his heart guys. 00:17:57.640 --> 00:18:01.280 Let's stop and have a counseling session." Is that how you think Haman responds? 00:18:01.460 --> 00:18:05.920 Are you looking in 5, "Haman reacts with hate." That's your next blank. 00:18:05.960 --> 00:18:06.520 Haman hates. 00:18:06.580 --> 00:18:13.900 Look, in verse 5, "When Haman saw at Mordecai, neither bowed down nor paid homage to him, Haman was filled 00:18:13.900 --> 00:18:16.830 with rage." No, one's waiting on the Lord. 00:18:16.980 --> 00:18:20.500 It's the tit for tat, the back and forth here. 00:18:20.980 --> 00:18:28.020 Mordecai, doesn't get what he wants so he responds in the flesh and now Haman doesn't get what he wants, so now he's retaliating him, he's elevating things 00:18:28.020 --> 00:18:29.060 even a step further. 00:18:29.160 --> 00:18:35.740 Verse 6, "But he considered it beneath his dignity to kill Mordecai alone." That's not enough for Haman. 00:18:36.980 --> 00:18:39.980 "For they had told him who the people of Mordecai were. 00:18:40.020 --> 00:18:47.360 So Haman sought to annihilate all the Jews, the people of Mordecai who were found throughout the Kingdom of 00:18:47.460 --> 00:18:53.380 Xerxes or Ahasuerus." Haman decides to go scorched earth. 00:18:54.700 --> 00:18:56.520 This is what happens between two proud people. 00:18:57.580 --> 00:19:02.240 You hurt my feelings, I react and now your feelings are hurt and you react. 00:19:02.720 --> 00:19:10.340 Now, Haman decides to elevate it to a point beyond Mordecai, scorched earth and we find that hurt people, hurt 00:19:10.340 --> 00:19:10.440 people. 00:19:13.480 --> 00:19:21.280 In fact, we could say it like this, "Hurt people, harm people." This is where Haman 00:19:21.280 --> 00:19:24.500 has the rage within him does not have him thinking clearly. 00:19:26.400 --> 00:19:30.580 Not only does he want one person to pay, but everyone around him to suffer. 00:19:33.220 --> 00:19:34.540 Sometimes we feel wronged. 00:19:34.540 --> 00:19:35.200 We get that way. 00:19:35.200 --> 00:19:36.940 We characterize people like that, don't we? 00:19:38.280 --> 00:19:42.660 We sort of write a narrative where the only thing that we can think about is the one thing that they did. 00:19:43.900 --> 00:19:47.000 Nevermind all the other things that their life has been about. 00:19:47.920 --> 00:19:55.100 If Haman could have taken a step back for a moment and thought about this reasonably, you're angry at the guy that just saved the life 00:19:55.100 --> 00:19:55.640 of the king. 00:19:56.880 --> 00:20:03.950 If the king finds out that you want to kill the one who spared him, perhaps this may not go well for you, 00:20:04.880 --> 00:20:08.520 but all that Haman could think about was the injustice done against him. 00:20:08.520 --> 00:20:14.440 And so in verse seven, the first one that gets spiritual in the whole group that we're reading in the Book of Esther is Haman. 00:20:15.380 --> 00:20:22.600 We really haven't had any indication of God mentioned at any degree, whether it's a real God or a false god, until you get to verse 7, 00:20:22.700 --> 00:20:29.780 "In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, the 12th year of King Ahasuerus, Pur, this is the lot was cast before Haman 00:20:29.780 --> 00:20:36.780 from that day to day and from month to month until the 12th month, that is the month of Adar." So here's what 00:20:36.780 --> 00:20:37.270 Haman does. 00:20:37.320 --> 00:20:37.930 He's saying, "You know what? 00:20:38.640 --> 00:20:39.290 I've got to kill somebody. 00:20:39.540 --> 00:20:41.520 The best thing to do is see how the God's align with this. 00:20:41.520 --> 00:20:49.800 Let's cast die to see how they fall to determine, that God's will lead us in the casting of die to determine when we can kill people." And 00:20:49.800 --> 00:20:50.920 so we cast these die. 00:20:51.000 --> 00:20:58.080 And the only reason I really bring up this verse for us is because this is going to play a big part in how the Lord works a little bit later when the Jews celebrate 00:20:58.080 --> 00:21:00.760 the day of Pur, which is the day of casting the die. 00:21:01.940 --> 00:21:04.880 It relates to this event here and how God spares his people. 00:21:04.900 --> 00:21:10.280 But in this moment, Haman casts die to decide when to kill God's people. 00:21:10.300 --> 00:21:17.140 And then he goes on a little further, "And then Haman said to the King Xerxes, 'There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples.'" Let me say this. 00:21:18.520 --> 00:21:22.400 Haman now, when he has cast the dye, he realizes, "Okay, I'm going to eliminate, not just Mordecai. 00:21:22.400 --> 00:21:24.480 My heart is to eliminate all the Jews. 00:21:24.760 --> 00:21:31.840 I've got to get the king on board for this to happen." And in order to get the king on board, what Haman does is he goes to the king and he paints a half 00:21:31.840 --> 00:21:32.290 truth. 00:21:33.840 --> 00:21:37.140 Half truths are some of the most dangerous types of somewhat truths. 00:21:38.900 --> 00:21:43.040 If you think anyone ever goes into error, it's usually on the back of half truth. 00:21:43.060 --> 00:21:45.660 We, as people don't buy into outright lies that easy. 00:21:47.180 --> 00:21:52.220 It's when there's a little bit of truth twisted in that we're often susceptible to be deceived. 00:21:53.860 --> 00:22:01.120 I find in a counseling world, when you talk to people, no one likes to come in front of you when there is a problem and 00:22:01.120 --> 00:22:03.500 really expose to you every part of the problem. 00:22:04.260 --> 00:22:08.580 Everyone likes to talk about the problem in a way that paints themselves looking good. 00:22:09.060 --> 00:22:12.980 Here's the issue, but let me explain what they did to cause this. 00:22:13.120 --> 00:22:15.590 It's not my fault I was a victim of the circumstance. 00:22:16.280 --> 00:22:17.380 Don't think bad about me. 00:22:17.580 --> 00:22:18.500 Think bad about them. 00:22:18.720 --> 00:22:22.930 It's not until you hear both sides of the story that you begin to realize everyone's got a fault to play. 00:22:25.760 --> 00:22:32.760 When you see Haman in this story, he's coming to the king and he's presenting a one-sided half truth to get the king to buy-in to what he is saying. 00:22:33.540 --> 00:22:34.120 And here's how it goes. 00:22:34.640 --> 00:22:39.960 "There's a certain people scattered and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom." That's true. 00:22:40.860 --> 00:22:41.960 Jews are scattered all over the kingdom. 00:22:42.720 --> 00:22:43.080 That's true. 00:22:44.020 --> 00:22:50.440 And he says, "Their laws are different from those of all other people." That's half true. 00:22:50.960 --> 00:22:55.120 They do have some laws that are unique, but it's not totally foreign to what's happening in Persia. 00:22:55.200 --> 00:22:58.040 So he tells the half truth, and then here comes the lie. 00:22:58.340 --> 00:23:02.580 "And they do not comply with the King's laws." That's not entirely true. 00:23:02.860 --> 00:23:06.800 In fact, the only place that we find that that's not been true is just been the one time Mordecai didn't bow. 00:23:08.340 --> 00:23:14.980 There are times when the Jews won't obey the Persian law if they're obedient Jews, because they won't violate their position with God. 00:23:16.020 --> 00:23:17.060 But you see what Mordecai's doing. 00:23:17.120 --> 00:23:21.940 He started on the basis of the truth to get to a half truth, tell an outright lie in order to produce what he wants. 00:23:23.560 --> 00:23:28.140 Their laws are different from those of all the other people and they do not comply with the King's laws. 00:23:28.460 --> 00:23:35.120 And here it goes, "So it is in the King's interest to let them remain." We've got to do something about this king. 00:23:35.960 --> 00:23:37.500 So here's this proposal in verse 9. 00:23:38.500 --> 00:23:45.500 "If it is pleasing to the king, let it be decreed that they be eliminated and I will 00:23:45.500 --> 00:23:52.540 pay 10,000 talents of silver into the hands of those who carry out the King's business to 00:23:52.540 --> 00:23:59.720 put into the King's treasury." When you look at this verse, it's a ridiculous amount of money that Haman says. 00:23:59.800 --> 00:24:06.800 It's just showing that his hatred for getting rid of these Jews is so high that he is going to pay an absurd amount 00:24:06.800 --> 00:24:10.380 of money just to allow the king to let this take place. 00:24:10.640 --> 00:24:16.960 The way that he scratches the King's back is saying this, "Not only are we getting rid of a thorn to you, king, but I'm going to make you rich. 00:24:17.600 --> 00:24:25.880 Can I do it?" Mordecai's hatred fuels in 00:24:25.880 --> 00:24:28.530 this circumstance and his hurt hurts. 00:24:31.000 --> 00:24:32.780 His hurt destroys. 00:24:34.080 --> 00:24:37.500 And then there's King Xerxes, verse 12. 00:24:37.580 --> 00:24:38.360 How does Xerxes respond? 00:24:40.300 --> 00:24:47.620 He certainly has a responsibility as a king to take care of people, but Xerxes, this is your next blank, 00:24:47.620 --> 00:24:48.140 enables. 00:24:49.360 --> 00:24:50.860 Xerxes enables. 00:24:50.860 --> 00:24:56.200 You see in verse 12, "Then the king's scribes were summoned on the 13th day of the first month. 00:24:57.140 --> 00:25:04.660 It was written just as Haman commanded to the king's satraps, to the governor's who were over each province and to the officials 00:25:04.660 --> 00:25:11.740 of each people, each province according to its scripts, each people according to its language, being written in the name 00:25:11.740 --> 00:25:17.080 of the King Xerxes and sealed with the King's signet ring." There's no one at saying that can break this law. 00:25:17.100 --> 00:25:20.250 Once it's sealed with the king's ring, no one can break this law. 00:25:20.440 --> 00:25:27.840 Verse 13, "Letters were sent by couriers to all the King's province to annihilate, kill and destroy all the Jews, 00:25:27.840 --> 00:25:35.160 both young and old, women and children in one day, the 13th day of the 12th month, which is the month of Adar and to seize their possessions as plunder. 00:25:35.480 --> 00:25:42.980 A copy of the edict to do be issued as law and every province was published to all the people so that they would be ready for this 00:25:42.980 --> 00:25:50.080 day." If we had half the zeal to tell people about Jesus, as they do just to pass some 00:25:50.080 --> 00:25:53.600 foolish law, this world would be different. 00:25:54.880 --> 00:25:55.660 But what does a king do? 00:25:56.460 --> 00:25:56.760 He enables. 00:25:57.900 --> 00:25:58.770 He doesn't investigate. 00:25:59.980 --> 00:26:01.620 He doesn't look into the details. 00:26:01.620 --> 00:26:03.600 He doesn't determine what's true, what's not. 00:26:03.700 --> 00:26:08.920 But he enables to the point that he says, "Little babies with cute little baby cheeks, kill them. 00:26:09.920 --> 00:26:10.560 Pregnant moms? 00:26:10.560 --> 00:26:11.920 Who cares. 00:26:12.240 --> 00:26:17.180 Old grandpa rocking in his chair, can't even hear you coming, take him out." That's the rule. 00:26:19.190 --> 00:26:26.240 Xerxes has no concern for life and his desire at 00:26:26.240 --> 00:26:29.050 this moment is just to keep things simple and get rich. 00:26:29.200 --> 00:26:30.940 But then in verse 15, you see the response. 00:26:32.900 --> 00:26:34.960 The last word here describes it for us. 00:26:35.120 --> 00:26:42.160 "The couriers went out and speeded by the king's orders." This is to say, if you don't wait on the Lord, if the Lord doesn't 00:26:42.160 --> 00:26:46.540 lead your life, inevitably, this is where everyone ends up. 00:26:47.140 --> 00:26:52.200 When a culture doesn't walk with God, this is where the culture ends up. 00:26:52.260 --> 00:26:56.320 When you read Esther 3, we're on a fast track to seeing. 00:26:56.320 --> 00:27:03.520 When a people group has no concern for the Lord in their lives as we've seen all the way through with Kings Xerxes, this inevitably is what happens 00:27:03.520 --> 00:27:03.900 to the people. 00:27:04.040 --> 00:27:11.200 "The courier went out, speeded by the King's orders while the decree was issued at the citadel in Susa; and while the king and 00:27:11.200 --> 00:27:14.660 the Haman sat down to drink, the city of Susa was agitated. 00:27:15.960 --> 00:27:17.990 City of Susa was agitated." Some translations say confused. 00:27:18.380 --> 00:27:19.980 You could put either blank in there in the notes. 00:27:20.780 --> 00:27:22.780 Everyone is confused or everyone is agitated. 00:27:25.220 --> 00:27:28.220 When you don't follow the Lord, this is where you end up. 00:27:29.540 --> 00:27:32.020 This is what the people are asking, is what do we believe? 00:27:33.820 --> 00:27:35.480 What in the world are we supposed to follow? 00:27:36.420 --> 00:27:37.060 Who do we follow? 00:27:37.280 --> 00:27:38.370 None of this seems right. 00:27:38.420 --> 00:27:40.980 Everyone's been mad and at each other's throat. 00:27:40.980 --> 00:27:44.080 No one has surrendered to anyone but themselves. 00:27:44.780 --> 00:27:48.420 Now, all of us are confused and a little bit agitated as to what we're supposed to do. 00:27:48.500 --> 00:27:49.560 Where is our next step? 00:27:50.940 --> 00:27:53.530 This is what happens in life when you become your own authority. 00:27:55.080 --> 00:27:58.740 When the actions that you take aren't undergirded by anything other than yourself. 00:27:59.720 --> 00:28:07.040 At the end of the day, when things seem to get misaligned or you're heading down a path that you're not sure where it's going or you don't trust 00:28:07.460 --> 00:28:11.920 who you're following, you're left to wonder what in the world can you follow? 00:28:11.920 --> 00:28:14.260 Because in that moment, all that you followed is people. 00:28:14.260 --> 00:28:15.260 And now that people feel broken. 00:28:17.780 --> 00:28:18.580 Who is the ultimate authority? 00:28:21.800 --> 00:28:22.780 Where do you go? 00:28:25.280 --> 00:28:31.560 I get to this moment, I ask myself, how would I feel as the Jews? 00:28:33.100 --> 00:28:35.700 Or how would I feel more specifically as Mordecai? 00:28:37.980 --> 00:28:45.860 I think most likely the Jews, when they see this law, would've started asked the question, "How in the world did this law 00:28:45.860 --> 00:28:46.460 come about? 00:28:47.920 --> 00:28:51.680 Where did this law come from?" They're going to be thinking, "This was just out of nowhere. 00:28:51.680 --> 00:28:53.100 We're just living in this kingdom. 00:28:53.320 --> 00:28:55.140 Now, all of a sudden, the kingdom decides he hates us? 00:28:55.300 --> 00:29:02.300 What's responsible for this?" And as they start to tell the story, people find out, well, it was Mordecai because Mordecai was upset he didn't get 00:29:02.300 --> 00:29:06.860 acknowledged and Mordecai didn't bow a Haman and Haman, it turns out, really hates you. 00:29:08.780 --> 00:29:10.740 Could you imagine being Mordecai walking around? 00:29:10.980 --> 00:29:12.040 You'd be thinking as a Jew. 00:29:12.040 --> 00:29:14.950 Well, can we just take out Mordecai and get rid of this law? 00:29:15.200 --> 00:29:16.280 Is that a possibility? 00:29:16.500 --> 00:29:23.520 The loneliest person on planet earth and on this day had to have been Mordecai and all of it, all of it could have been 00:29:23.520 --> 00:29:29.460 avoided if Mordecai had just waited on the Lord. 00:29:30.800 --> 00:29:33.700 Psalm 27:14, "Wait for the Lord. 00:29:34.700 --> 00:29:37.100 Be strong and let your heart take courage. 00:29:37.100 --> 00:29:41.080 Yes, wait for the Lord." How do you do that? 00:29:42.220 --> 00:29:43.800 You know how a verse like this exists? 00:29:45.140 --> 00:29:48.390 It exists because this isn't always easy. 00:29:49.620 --> 00:29:50.750 We, as people, get impatient. 00:29:51.740 --> 00:29:55.270 We want to take matters in their own hands and force things to happen and retaliate. 00:29:57.420 --> 00:30:02.360 This type of thought is repeated many times throughout the bible, especially in the Psalms. 00:30:02.360 --> 00:30:06.160 Wait for the Lord. 00:30:07.160 --> 00:30:09.130 How do we do that? 00:30:10.260 --> 00:30:16.360 Important to grow in this lesson because your soul can learn to have peace in chaos. 00:30:17.920 --> 00:30:21.610 So many biblical heroes struggled with this. 00:30:23.700 --> 00:30:30.740 Abraham, given a command and a promise by God that through him, his people would be blessed and 00:30:30.740 --> 00:30:35.960 we find in the life of Abraham, he gives up his wife twice because he gets concerned and doesn't wait for the Lord. 00:30:36.460 --> 00:30:40.760 And knowing that through his lineage, all nations would be blessed. 00:30:40.780 --> 00:30:48.060 He tries to go outside of God's commands for him and have a child outside of Sarah in order to help God fulfill that promise. 00:30:49.000 --> 00:30:50.040 He didn't wait for the Lord. 00:30:50.060 --> 00:30:56.880 Or Moses doesn't go into the promise land because he strikes a rock when God tells him not to. 00:30:56.980 --> 00:31:04.200 Or Moses is promised to deliver his people and one day he grows impatient when he is in Egypt and he kills an 00:31:04.200 --> 00:31:11.200 Egyptian military leader, who's striking the Jewish people and Pharaoh finds out and wants to kill Moses and Moses has to 00:31:11.200 --> 00:31:15.160 run for 40 years and hide because he didn't wait for the Lord. 00:31:17.640 --> 00:31:20.400 God's people struggled with this. 00:31:20.460 --> 00:31:23.100 Peter denies Jesus and Mordecai didn't get recognized. 00:31:23.640 --> 00:31:25.900 They didn't wait for the Lord. 00:31:25.940 --> 00:31:31.760 They were fixated on their problems and couldn't see God moving in a bigger way. 00:31:32.800 --> 00:31:35.240 How do we wait for the Lord? 00:31:36.600 --> 00:31:43.860 Let me give you three answers to end today and we'll go through these quickly, but point number one, the first thing that we should demonstrate while 00:31:43.860 --> 00:31:50.710 we're waiting on the Lord is this, keep your character consistent with Christ's character no matter the circumstance. 00:31:52.060 --> 00:31:55.620 Keep your character consistent with Christ's character, no matter the circumstance. 00:31:57.240 --> 00:32:04.340 It's easy to believe because an injustice has happened to you, that you then should have the position to 00:32:04.340 --> 00:32:05.780 retaliate with hate. 00:32:07.460 --> 00:32:13.100 When we have been treated poorly, we oftentimes feel like it gives us a platform to behave poorly. 00:32:16.480 --> 00:32:23.500 Learning to walk within character and not compromising who we are is an essential part of waiting for the Lord. 00:32:24.040 --> 00:32:28.100 It's never right in any circumstance to degrade another human being. 00:32:29.300 --> 00:32:36.680 To Mordecai, this whole thing could have been stopped in the beginning to remind him, I know you're angry in this moment, but it's never right in any circumstance, even 00:32:36.680 --> 00:32:40.120 to leverage your Jewishness as if it's some sort of special privilege. 00:32:40.400 --> 00:32:44.440 It's never right in any circumstance to degrade another human being. 00:32:45.260 --> 00:32:47.480 God tells you to honor those in authority. 00:32:49.220 --> 00:32:56.890 It's also important to remind us because you never regret or you rarely will regret, I should say, what you don't say. 00:32:58.940 --> 00:33:02.330 It's not common you find someone on Twitter or MySpace. 00:33:02.780 --> 00:33:05.780 Twitter or Facebook, Twitter or Facebook. 00:33:06.060 --> 00:33:07.040 I'm old. 00:33:07.560 --> 00:33:12.790 Twitter or Facebook, apologizing for something they didn't put on social media. 00:33:14.650 --> 00:33:18.200 You rarely regret in life what you don't say. 00:33:19.920 --> 00:33:24.030 But rather, God's people should strive to make it hard for others to hate you. 00:33:26.000 --> 00:33:27.240 Make it hard for others to hate you. 00:33:27.320 --> 00:33:29.020 As Jesus says, "Love your enemies. 00:33:29.200 --> 00:33:36.280 Bless those who curse you." When you think of Christ's ultimate example, he loved the very person that 00:33:36.280 --> 00:33:38.940 was to betray him towards the final moments of his life. 00:33:39.540 --> 00:33:42.100 He washed the feet of Judas. 00:33:44.540 --> 00:33:52.020 If the one that you follow would surrender to his enemies like that, who are we to ever treat people poorly? 00:33:53.880 --> 00:33:58.440 Our responsibility in life is to trust in the Lord, keep our character consistent with Christ's character. 00:33:58.480 --> 00:34:03.840 And Christ's character demonstrated a life of loving servanthood to the end. 00:34:07.120 --> 00:34:11.600 Romans 12:19 says this, "'Vengeance is mine. 00:34:11.719 --> 00:34:18.380 I will repay,' sayeth the Lord." When you see yourself needing to be the hero it's stressful. 00:34:19.460 --> 00:34:26.060 When you feel like you're the only one to fight for you at the end of the day, carrying all that weight, because you are responsible to save yourself. 00:34:26.300 --> 00:34:27.260 It's stressful. 00:34:28.500 --> 00:34:35.620 But when you grow in your trust for a God who loves you, a God who promises that he'll work all things together for good and he gives you a verse 00:34:35.620 --> 00:34:42.960 like, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay." He's saying to you, "Look, you can just spin around in circles and all your little strength to try to make something happen. 00:34:44.179 --> 00:34:50.120 But I promise you," God would say, "I promise you that the way I'm going to work it out is going to be far greater than anything you're going to do anyway. 00:34:50.420 --> 00:34:57.830 So why waste your energy?" God will work it out for his glory, your good. 00:34:58.900 --> 00:35:02.440 Keep your character consistent with Christ's character, when we talk of waiting in the Lord. 00:35:02.760 --> 00:35:08.290 Point number two is this, hold on to truth in the love no matter the costs. 00:35:09.240 --> 00:35:11.260 Hold on to truth in love, no matter the cost. 00:35:11.300 --> 00:35:14.350 And you get three examples of how to do this between these three different characters. 00:35:14.780 --> 00:35:19.080 With Xerxes, sometimes you might find it's easier to sweep things under the rug. 00:35:21.380 --> 00:35:24.300 Xerxes kind of ignores it, doesn't do anything about it. 00:35:24.340 --> 00:35:29.630 He could investigate just a few of questions to find out whether or not what Haman saying's accurate. 00:35:29.720 --> 00:35:30.740 But Xerxes doesn't care. 00:35:30.980 --> 00:35:32.440 He just wants to keep the peace. 00:35:32.440 --> 00:35:33.760 Let's just sweep it under the rug. 00:35:34.180 --> 00:35:38.320 I want to remind you that in scripture, the Bible doesn't call you to be a peacekeeper. 00:35:38.560 --> 00:35:39.540 The Bible calls you to be a peacemaker. 00:35:40.220 --> 00:35:41.500 That's what Jesus said on the Sermon on the Mount. 00:35:41.740 --> 00:35:45.640 "Be a peacemaker, not a peacekeeper." Peacekeeper, let's just sweep it under the rug and ignore it. 00:35:45.640 --> 00:35:46.980 It'll probably go away. 00:35:47.280 --> 00:35:49.430 Forget that there's a mound piling up underneath. 00:35:49.500 --> 00:35:54.400 A peacemaker understands what truth is and they pursue it lovingly for the benefit of everyone. 00:35:58.160 --> 00:35:59.150 God calls us to be peacemakers. 00:35:59.540 --> 00:36:01.520 That means you can approach difficult circumstances. 00:36:02.180 --> 00:36:02.460 You can. 00:36:04.420 --> 00:36:06.410 But to be consistent in your character, when you do it. 00:36:08.360 --> 00:36:10.620 Approach the adversity, but do it in love. 00:36:11.800 --> 00:36:16.660 Be consistent with who Christ is or you could be like Haman or you paint the half truth. 00:36:18.480 --> 00:36:22.160 You just want enough to leverage what you want to accomplish in the moment. 00:36:22.160 --> 00:36:24.120 You don't really care about the wellbeing of everyone else. 00:36:24.540 --> 00:36:27.140 There's just me in this moment because I'm the one that's hurting. 00:36:27.200 --> 00:36:34.320 So you just create this half truth only to make you look good, because what you desire is to elevate you, not you specifically, but we're talking about someone 00:36:34.320 --> 00:36:35.580 arbitrarily here, okay. 00:36:37.300 --> 00:36:38.920 Or maybe you, it could be you. 00:36:38.920 --> 00:36:39.270 I don't know. 00:36:40.460 --> 00:36:41.440 Or three. 00:36:41.680 --> 00:36:49.520 When you look at Mordecai and he simply wants to leverage the injustice for 00:36:49.520 --> 00:36:51.100 his gain solely. 00:36:51.280 --> 00:36:58.100 He knows he hasn't been treated rightly and he wants everyone to know that and he uses Haman as that person to demonstrate this. 00:36:58.160 --> 00:36:59.770 No one acknowledged me. 00:36:59.840 --> 00:37:07.080 Guys, I want you to know, it's a challenge when you have the truth, not to get all emotional about it and over demand. 00:37:07.080 --> 00:37:14.120 And what I mean is God's people especially need to be careful with the truth of God's 00:37:14.120 --> 00:37:19.340 word, to not use it to abuse people, but to help people. 00:37:21.460 --> 00:37:22.300 That's the danger with truth. 00:37:22.960 --> 00:37:29.500 When you know, you're in the right and other people are in the wrong, you make the point about other people seeing that you're right and they're wrong. 00:37:30.280 --> 00:37:32.860 We see the purpose of truth of again, just elevating me. 00:37:32.860 --> 00:37:38.440 So everyone knows that I am the smartest person in the room and that's not the point of truth. 00:37:40.460 --> 00:37:42.700 The truth is intended to set people free. 00:37:44.020 --> 00:37:47.180 That those that embrace it would find themselves in freedom. 00:37:48.040 --> 00:37:52.580 When God calls us to go into this world as a light, it's not to go into this world and just to prove everyone's wrong and we're right. 00:37:52.800 --> 00:37:53.860 That's not what God calls us to. 00:37:54.080 --> 00:37:55.770 God calls us to rescue people. 00:37:56.620 --> 00:37:59.180 God calls us not to fight against people, but to fight for people. 00:38:00.520 --> 00:38:06.510 To find where people are and to love them as Jesus would love them and help them take their next step on their journey with him. 00:38:07.560 --> 00:38:09.300 It's truth and love. 00:38:09.520 --> 00:38:12.280 We keep your character consistent with God's character. 00:38:12.580 --> 00:38:13.720 We hold the truth in love. 00:38:14.240 --> 00:38:19.590 The last is this, we patiently rest in God's promises, no matter the adversity. 00:38:20.900 --> 00:38:24.140 We patiently rest in God's promises, no matter the adversity. 00:38:25.460 --> 00:38:29.180 When you think of God's promises, God's promises are important to remember, especially in adversity. 00:38:29.460 --> 00:38:31.430 We wrestle with truths when we're challenged. 00:38:33.020 --> 00:38:35.330 But those are the great places to see that God is faithful. 00:38:36.240 --> 00:38:38.200 And we ask questions like, "Do I believe God is good? 00:38:39.400 --> 00:38:46.560 Do I really believe?" When you're facing adversity and you want to just lean into your own flesh and react rather than respond and to deliver someone the 00:38:46.560 --> 00:38:48.990 truth, to show them that you're right. 00:38:49.180 --> 00:38:53.640 Rather than do that, we go through this place of reminding ourselves of God's promises, "Do I really trust Lord? 00:38:53.680 --> 00:38:54.620 Do I believe God is good? 00:38:54.640 --> 00:38:56.440 Do I believe God is in control? 00:38:56.780 --> 00:38:58.600 I believe he knows where I am. 00:38:58.860 --> 00:39:01.520 Do I believe he knows what I need? 00:39:01.520 --> 00:39:03.180 Do I believe he cares for me? 00:39:03.440 --> 00:39:11.080 Do I believe he can work all things together for his glory and my good?" Do 00:39:11.080 --> 00:39:12.270 I really believe that? 00:39:14.680 --> 00:39:21.990 Romans 12:12 says this, "Be patient in 00:39:21.990 --> 00:39:22.480 tribulation. 00:39:24.310 --> 00:39:28.530 Be patient in tribulation." You know why it says that? 00:39:30.170 --> 00:39:34.670 Because we're often not patient in tribulation. 00:39:36.510 --> 00:39:43.770 It's to take a step back for a moment recognizing who is ultimately in control, figuring out 00:39:43.770 --> 00:39:51.030 how to stay consistent in our character, how to use the truth, not to beat people up, but to find the circumstance set 00:39:51.030 --> 00:39:59.510 free for those involved and to patiently rest in the promises of God. 00:40:00.550 --> 00:40:03.290 Wait for the Lord. 00:40:04.310 --> 00:40:05.430 Wait for the Lord. 00:40:06.250 --> 00:40:11.370 The beautiful thing when we wait for the Lord is at the end of the day, we get to lay our head down on a pillow. 00:40:12.690 --> 00:40:15.390 You don't have any regrets when you walk with integrity. 00:40:17.010 --> 00:40:24.230 You don't have to churn with your energy when you know you're trusting in the hands of a God who is greater, a God who 00:40:24.270 --> 00:40:27.670 is for you, a God who will ultimately resolve it. 00:40:28.870 --> 00:40:31.150 Almost what Joseph said in Genesis 50:20. 00:40:32.570 --> 00:40:39.690 He says to his brothers, "You intended for what you did to me for evil, but God meant it for good." Or in 00:40:39.690 --> 00:40:47.130 Daniel 3:16-18, when Shadrach Meshach and Abednego when they didn't bow and they're finally brought before the king and 00:40:47.130 --> 00:40:49.710 they say, "Our God has the ability to rescue us. 00:40:49.770 --> 00:40:53.390 Before you throw us in this fire, we wanted you to know that our God has the ability to rescue us. 00:40:53.950 --> 00:41:00.970 But even if he doesn't, we will refuse to bow to anything other than our God." Because they 00:41:00.970 --> 00:41:07.250 ultimately know no matter what happens, God will work it out. 00:41:07.430 --> 00:41:15.030 Here's the reality for us guys, is when we think about waiting for the Lord, this issue at the end of the day, this 00:41:15.030 --> 00:41:19.150 issue is a gospel issue at work within us. 00:41:20.770 --> 00:41:27.790 As waiting for the Lord becomes a gospel issue for us because the question really we ask is, "Do you rest in the gospel or not? 00:41:27.950 --> 00:41:34.970 Do you see Jesus as who he says he is?" One who came and fought for you, one who was a victorious in 00:41:34.970 --> 00:41:42.050 death and sin to offer you life." Based on the power of his resurrection, everything he promises, 00:41:42.550 --> 00:41:47.270 do you believe he will fulfill it? 00:41:48.430 --> 00:41:49.570 It's a gospel issue. 00:41:49.690 --> 00:41:50.790 Here's how we're going to end together. 00:41:51.030 --> 00:41:52.830 I'm going to invite you to stand with me. 00:41:56.090 --> 00:41:58.310 We're going to partake of communion to end our service. 00:42:00.890 --> 00:42:04.330 We're going to turn it over to the band to sing in just a moment. 00:42:06.450 --> 00:42:08.490 Waiting for the Lord is a gospel issue. 00:42:10.830 --> 00:42:17.970 It's a reminder of what Christ has done for you that you could put your trust in him and continue to grow 00:42:17.970 --> 00:42:21.060 in that trust toward him and in him. 00:42:22.150 --> 00:42:29.470 Jesus paid everything for you that you could find your heart resting in his presence no matter 00:42:29.470 --> 00:42:30.790 the chaos around. 00:42:31.270 --> 00:42:33.290 That, God is for you, that God loves you. 00:42:38.510 --> 00:42:38.790 (silence)