SERVING GOD GROWS OUR FAITH
Esther 4:6-5-2
Our text is
best understood by looking at the events that led to starting the text.
Esther 3:1-5
PRIDE
WILL DESTROY YOU
3 After
these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite,
elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other
nobles. 2 All the royal officials at the king's gate knelt down and paid honor
to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would
not kneel down or pay him honor.
3 Then the
royal officials at the king's gate asked Mordecai, "Why do you disobey the
king's command?" 4 Day after day they spoke to him but he refused to
comply. Therefore they told Haman about it to see whether Mordecai's behavior
would be tolerated, for he had told them he was a Jew.
A. God hates the proud.
1. Haman was proud of his new position.
2. He demanded that everyone in the king’s
kingdom, bow down to
Him.
3. He had been elevated by the King of
Babylon to a position of
High honor.
4. Haman wanted to be esteemed as a man
of power and authority.
B. Haman let his position go to his
head.
1. He was put in a position to serve the
king and the best interest of the people.
2. Decided that his job was to be
honored by everyone.
3. He bragged about his position and
wealth.
C. Haman had one problem.
1. All the people of the land honored
him except one man,
A Jewish captive from
Jerusalem who refused to bow to
Him.
2. Mordecai, the stubborn Jew from Jerusalem would bow
Only to the one true
living God.
3. Haman was angered and devised a plan
to have all the Jews in the kingdom killed.
D. Haman devised a scheme that he took
to the King to have all Jews in the nation killed, claiming they did not obey the
King’s rules.
1. The edict was signed by the king and
posted throughout the nation.
2. When Mordecai heard the edict, he put
on sack clothes
And mourned outside the
king's palace
Esther
4:6-5:2
WE GOT A
FRIEND IN HIGH PLACES
6 So Hathach
went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king's
gate. 7 Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the
exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the
destruction of the Jews. 8 He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for
their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to Esther and
explain it to her, and he told him to urge her to go into the king's presence
to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people.
A. Those who don’t know the Lord, don’t
understand the power of our connection.
1. God allows trouble in our lives
activate and grow our faith in Him.
2. Be a situation arises in our lives,
God has already put in place a plan to solve
The problem.
B. Mordecai’s niece had been selected by
the king to be his queen.
1. Esther, the queen had been raised by
Her uncle to love the Lord.
2. Never underestimate the power of a
woman’s influence on
The decisions of a man.
3. Those who plan evil don’t know how to
connect all the dots, because God’s
Got some dots that have
not been revealed.
C. The faith of Esther had not been
tested.
1. This opportunity to go against the
edict of Haman was God’s plan to grow the faith in Esther.
2. God presented queen Esther with both
the problem and the solution.
3. Esther had to learn that her role as Queen
of Babylon was to protect
Jews in this foreign
land.
4. Contrast the attitude of Haman
against Queen Esther.
a. Haman was for himself.
b. Esther was for the Jewish nation.
GOD WILL
NOT EXCEPT YOUR EXCUSES
V:9 Hathach
went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said. 10 Then she instructed
him to say to Mordecai, 11 "All the king's officials and the people of the
royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the
inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that he be put to
death. The only exception to this is for the king to extend the gold scepter to
him and spare his life. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to
the king."
A. When faced with a problem the first
thing we consider is what we can or cannot do.
1. The first thing Queen Esther said was
this problem is above my pay grade,
2. Esther knew the rules of the King and
was comfortable staying within
The boundaries she set
for herself.
3. She was satisfied with just being a
figure head, the Queen.
4. There is more to us than position.
5. Our position carries with it the responsibility
to God’s people.
6. God is much bigger than the
boundaries we face.
B. Esther first thought was to consider
her own safety.
1. Our first thought when we boundaries are
to see our God who has
No boundaries.
2. When serving God we have to put aside
any fear and see Him as our
Protector.
3. In Esther’s excuse was the solution.
4. The golden scepter of the king would
be extended to her, because
She served a God who is the king of
kings.
SEEK THE
WISDOM OF EXPERIENCED CHRISTIANS
V:12 When
Esther's words were reported to Mordecai, 13 he sent back this answer: "Do
not think that because you are in the king's house you alone of all the Jews
will escape. 14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance
for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family
will perish. And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a
time as this?"
A. There are times when we need to be
reminded of our responsibility.
1. It is the wisdom of the Word of God
that reminds us that there are consequences
For doing nothing.
2. There is no position we can hide in
that will protect us from the devil.
3. If we don’t stand on the Word, we
open the door for the devil to knock us
Down.
B. Christians cannot remain silent when
wrong is in front of us.
1. God put us in a position to act on
His behalf.
2. If we don’t act, God has someone else
who will.
3. The consequence of not acting in
God’s name is to lose the position He
Placed us in.
C. We must understand that we have been
placed in the position we are in to
Do the will of the Father.
1. It is not for us to determine how to
do something for the Lord, but
Just be willing to serve.
2. Once we make up our minds to serve,
God will tell us what to do.
PREPARE
YOURSELF FOR VICTORY; FAST AND PRAY
V:15 Then
Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 "Go, gather together all the Jews
who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or
day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the
king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish."
A. When you have been placed in charge,
take charge and give leadership.
1. Once Esther made up her mind to
serve, she when from a passive Queen
To a powerful force.
2. We got the power within us to do what
God planned for us.
3. We have to prepare ourselves for
victory.
4. God requires us to clean up our act
before coming to Him.
5. Esther instructed all the Jews in
Babylon to FAST AND PRAY for three days.
6. Our dedication to the Lord in prayer
gets His attention.
7. Esther was no longer looking at
herself but the welfare of her nation.
B. When you get out of self and get into
the Lord, life, and death are in HIS hands.
1. When you put on the full armor of the
Lord you can stand boldly before
The enemy.
2. Esther said, I am going before the
king, and if I die I will die.
3. There is no law above God’s law.
4. We serve a living God who gave His
divine laws and fulfilled them at
The same time.
YOUR
INFLUENCE AFFECTS THE LIVES OF OTHERS
V:17 So
Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther's instructions.
A. When you stand for the Lord, He will ensure
that people listen
And follow your instructions.
1. No one Said, she is a woman, we don’t
have to listen.
2. It was God who gave all the Jews the
same mind to fast
And pray for three days,
3. They did not eat or drink for three
days!! The who nation of Jews,
4. When it is a life and death
situation, people will sacrifice and pray.
B. Esther’s faith in the Lord grew as
she saw the nation acting on her
Instructions.
1. Esther was willing to sacrifice her
life for the sake of her people.
2. Without the situation created by the
enemy, Esther would not
Have taken charge letting
God use her influence.
3. You don’t know what you can do unless
you allow God to use you.
TAKE YOUR
POSITION AS ROYAL PRIEST
V:5:1 On the
third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the
palace, in front of the king's hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne
in the hall, facing the entrance. 2 When he saw Queen Esther standing in the
court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in
his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.
A. When facing problems be strong and
encouraged.
1. You are a royal priesthood and a holy
nation.
2. Esther put on her royal robe and took
her place in the courtyard of the palace.
3. God doesn’t give you a position to
hide in the closet.
4. People need to see you fully clothed
in the armor of God standing in His glory.
B. When we accepted Christ as our personal
Savior we were placed before the throne of God in Jesus's name.
1. By Experience, we are still here on
earth.
2. While we are on earth we have to walk
in the footsteps of Jesus toward
The throne of God.
3. We should never be afraid of claiming
our relationship with the king.
4. When God sees us standing for Him, He
will invite us to His court.
5. All we have to do is reach for Jesus
to be in the safety of His presence.
STAND FOR
JESUS IN THE MIDST OF TROUBLE.
Rev. M.
Mitchell
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