The Thread of Life – Part 21 (God is always there)

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The Thread of Life – 31 Stories that point to Jesus

Part 21

Welcome to Jesus Church: Here and Online

• We are in a series called the thread of life
  • Throughout the Bible there’s a theme spans 1^st page to the last
  • It’s like a thread that you can follow
  • And in every story we see the promise of life
• Even though we fail… we fall short… we are unworthy
  • God would bring us life through Jesus and His ultimate sacrifice
  • And even before Christmas… we see Jesus in the Bible
  • The story of Jesus is on every page – even if his name isn’t

Jn 5:39 (NIV)

You study the scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very scriptures that testify about me.

Last week we looked at Israel returning from exile

• Exile is being forced to live somewhere you don’t belong
  • And exile might seem a foreign word – But even we live in exile
  • Until we are with Jesus… this is not our home
• And God sends his people back to the promised land (Jerusalem)
  • With a command to rebuild His temple – This was their “WHY”
  • And at first they are passionate about God’s plan
  • But over time: Lose focus… work out of guilt… other things 2 do
    • Until they give up on God’s priority – “THEIR WHY”
• And we struggle with the same thing… God speaks – We engage
  • But over time we lose our “WHY”
  • Maybe we continue out of obligation/guilt
  • But God’s call will never last til it’s done not by guilt… but love

God is calling you and I to build His temple… do what He called u to do

• Never forget your “WHY”
  • And protect it and keep it at the forefront of your mind
  • Because it is way to easy to put it off…
  • Maybe I’ll try tomorrow… and tomorrow never comes
    • Because I’m always too busy with today

Today we are going to look at the Book of Esther

This is one of the most interesting story’s in the Bible

• Probably one of the most exciting stories that we see
  • Very dramatic… plot twists… suspense…
  • You have hero’s and villains
  • The bad guys want to kill all of the Jews
    • And in the end – Hero prevails… villain dies
    • And the Jews celebrate their salvation from certain death
    • Through the festival Purim: party/costumes/candy (pic)
• And interestingly – Gods name doesn’t actually appear in this story
  • But that doesn’t mean that God isn’t there
  • And if there’s one think to receive from this story… that’s it
  • God’s name isn’t shown – but he’s all over this story
• Now last week – Jews leave to rebuild the temple…
  • 50k leave… but that’s not even close to all of them
  • And the rest end up staying in Persia to live
• Jews returned in 539 BC… 80 years later is when Esther takes place
  • Cyrus is not longer King (4 others) – and now King is Xerxes
  • This is a story of the people who stayed in Persia

TAG: But this story will relate to your story

[PRAY]

Now this story reads like a novel with key characters

• To help remember the characters… Think of playing cards
  • First you have the King – Xerxes (King of Persia)
  • Second and Third you have two Queens
    • Queen of Diamonds – Vashti
    • Queen of Hearts – Esther
  • Fourth you have the Joker – Haman (not funny – mocking)
  • Last is the Ace – Mordecai (He is the ace in the hole)

Main Plot: God saving his people… but how he does it is thru his people

• And the story shows how God uses His people to fulfill His purpose
  • The story starts with a huge party that the king throws
  • But it’s not just any party… this party lasts 180 days
  • To show his power/authority/raise money for more war
• And then at the end of the party… he adds another 7 days

Es. 1:10-12 (NIV)

On the seventh day, when King Xerxes was in high spirits from wine, he commanded the seven eunuchs who served him, to bring before him Queen Vashti, wearing her royal crown, in order to display her beauty to the people and nobles , for she was lovely to look at. But when the attendants delivered the king’s command, Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the king became furious and burned with anger.

• This queen wasn’t about to be put on display b4 room of men
  • It says before that the queen had her own party for the women
  • But her refusal brought shame to the king
  • And because of this he banishes her
• So he banishes his queen… and after 4 years he regrets his actions
  • After drinking for 180 days
  • Probably a lot of decisions he regretted
• Also during the 4 years – He loses back to back battles to Greece
  • So he’s missing his wife
  • He losing battles
  • He’s very depressed and lonely

So his advisors come up w/ a plan to find a new queen (Beauty pageant)

Es. 2:7 (NIV)

Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This young woman, who was also known as Esther, had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died.

• So Esther is Jewish… and catches the eye of the advisors
  • Goes thru 12 months of beauty treatments b4 she see’s king
  • She never reveals nationality or background
  • King chooses Esther to become queen
• Then around the same time Mordicai is at the gates of the city
  • Here’s two soldiers talking about a plot to kill the king
  • He informs the Kings guard and catch the assassins in the act
  • And for that Mordicai is recorded in the royal history book
    • That he was the one that stopped the kings assassination

So obviously… things are on edge… King Xerxes needs an administrator

• Hires this guy Haman: Put in charge of the entire kingdom
  • He is given power over everyone else in the kings court
  • Call him the joker b/c he will mock the Jews for belief in God
  • And when people are given power – see what true character is
    • And Haman was addicted to power
• Demanded whenever he walked by… everyone would bow to him
  • And everyone did – They were afraid of what he would do
    • But Mordecai wouldn’t bow
    • Haman descendant of Jewish great enemies (Amalakites)
    • Haman finds out Mordecai is a Jew… wants him dead

Es. 3:6 (NIV)

Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes.

• So Haman comes up with plan to kill all the Jews
  • Convinces the king there is a dangerous group living in kingdom
  • Asks permission to wipe them all out… kill this group of people
    • So the plan is going perfectly… everything falling into place
    • He even marks a day in which he is gonna kill all the Jews

Now if ur a Jew… it would be easy to think God abandoned me

• But God never looses sight and never leaves
  • And it might seem like there is no way God could be there
  • You might feel like he has abandoned you
  • The evidence that you see could make it seem pretty clear

Heb. 13:5 (NIV)

Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you

• This is what God is trying to get across about his character
  • I’m always with you
  • This is a theme that threads the entire Bible
• But if you are living in Persia… and the king just made this decree
  • It sure doesn’t seem like God is with you
  • In fact it seems like God could care less

Es. 3:13-15 (NIV)

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, women and little children—on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods. Spurred on by the king’s command, the couriers went out, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was bewildered.

Mordecai is one of the first to hear of this plan

Starts to make this plan for Esther to save their people

• Tells her to go to kings palace and plead your case
  • The problem is Esther hasn’t seen the king in over a month
  • And if she goes to see him & he doesn’t extend his scepter
  • She could be put to death right there

Es. 4:13-14 (NIV)

Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 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?

• Now we know that God isn’t directly mentioned in the story
  • But there is a REASON why Esther is where she is
  • There is a purpose given to everything she’s gone thru
  • And that purpose will save God’s people
• You think God isn’t there… because things seem so hard
  • Yet your neighbor is a Xian and constantly speaks life in ur life
  • Or driving asking 4 sign & pass a church u wanted to check out
  • Or you stop ur scroll right on exact post w/ verse that u needed
• God doesn’t have to write his name on a piece of paper
  • In order to be intricately working on your behalf
  • He is orchestrating everything to walk u thru your life

Mordecai says: This is why you became what you became

• Esther thinks… maybe this is my role
  • Professor mocks your belief in God
  • Boss wants you to do something unethical
  • Co-worker hears about your marital problems and flirts
• In the moment of truth… what will you do
  • Will you push it off and take the easy route
  • Or will you embrace where God put u & make a difference
• And Esther knows that there is no way she can do this alone
  • She is gonna need pray & intercession
  • She needs provision & protection from God
  • This might be her moment of truth… truth must trust God

Es. 4:16 (NIV)

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.

• She makes the right choice… and it’s a big deal – it’s life and death
  • So she decides to not trust herself… but go to God
  • Not to just get a good night sleep… eat of great breakfast
  • No – she does the opposite b/c only God can make a way
• And in this she shows dependence of God… what about us???
  • Is this the first thing we do in tough times go to God
  • Or do we try and fix it on our own

1 Peter 5:7

Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.

So Esther goes to the King uninvited

And luckily King Xerxes is super happy to see her

• He tells her to ask for anything… up to half the kingdom
  • She says: Give me a banquet with you & Haman tonight
  • I will share my request with you then
  • King loves this idea – Says absolutely… see you at dinner
• Now this story is about to get pretty intense
  • So that night at the banquet… she has a plan to save her people
  • But she doesn’t feel like it’s the right timing
  • Asks for 1 more banquet next night (know king loves parties)
    • King says anything you want

That night Haman starts thinking of Mordecai – Wants him dead now

• So that night he started building a 75 ft tall gallows
  • His plan is to kill Mordecai the very next day
  • He can’t stand that he will only bow down to this God (Yahweh)
• But that night the King couldn’t sleep after the banquet
  • Has his attendant read the royal records
  • This is boring and would put him to sleep
• Attendant reads of the plot to kill him and how it was stopped
  • King asks if man was honored… attendant says “NO”
  • So the King says he wants to honor that man the next day
  • Which is also the banquet & when Haman wants 2 kill Mordecai
• Nextday Xerxes asks Haman best way 2 honor someone in kingdom
  • Haman thinks Xerxes wants to honor him – so he says…
    • Place him on royal horse in a royal robe
    • And place ur servant around the kingdom 2 give him praise

So Xerxes says great: Do all that for Mordecai the Jew

• And Haman has to do it… he doesn’t have a choice
  • So he doesn’t get to kill Mordicai – Has to honor him (bad day)
  • Then after that he come to the banquet
  • And the King turns to Esther and asks her request

Es 7:3-7 (NIV)

If I have found favor with you, O king, and if it pleases your majesty, grant me my life—this is my petition. And spare my people—this is my request. For I and my people have been sold for destruction and slaughter and annihilation. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet, because no such distress would justify disturbing the king.” King Xerxes asked Queen Esther, “Who is he? Where is the man who has dared to do such a thing?” Esther said, “The adversary and enemy is this vile Haman.” Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen. The king got up in a rage, left his wine (must be really mad) and went out into the palace garden. But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his fate, stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life.

• Things just keep getting worse for Haman… King left for the garden
  • Haman runs over to Esther to beg for his life
  • Trips and falls on top of Esther
• Right at that moment the king walks back in
  • He thinks Haman is trying to molest his wife
  • And they sentence Haman to death
• Kings servants tell Xerxes that Haman built gallows
  • And not only did him build it… he wants to kill Mordecai on it
  • Ya… the guy you just honored and who saved your life
  • And so Haman is hung on his own gallows

Unbelievable unless you know author of the story

Easy to say – Wow that was so lucky… everything fell into place

• But God isn’t mentioned once in the story
  • Good thing Esther was pretty
  • Good thing Modecai was at that gate to stop assassination
  • Good thing the king couldn’t sleep
• God used all these moments as opportunities to protect his people
  • Look for the moments God can use you for His Kingdom
  • You never know when God will use ur faitfulness for provision
    • Modecai did right thing in saving the king… didn’t have to
    • But he did what was right – And God used it
• It is so easy to forget that God is always there
  • Usually our emotions dictate if we feel God or we don’t
  • But your emotions don’t control God’s reality
  • But God’s reality should control your emotions
    • He is always there… even if they don’t write his name

Footsteps

One night I dreamed a dream.
As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
One belonging to me and one to my Lord.

After the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,
especially at the very lowest and saddest times,
there was only one set of footprints.

This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.
“Lord, you said once I decided to follow you,
You’d walk with me all the way.
But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life, there was only one set of footprints.
I don’t understand why, when I needed You most, You would leave me.”

He whispered, “My precious child, I love you and will never leave you
Never, ever, during your trials and testings.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you.”

Deut. 1:31 (NIV)

… in the wilderness There you saw how the Lord your God carried you, as a father carries his son, all the way you went until you reached this place.

When you think deck is stacked against u, let God play His hand

[PRAY]