FBCWest 541 | For Such a Time as This
Recorded On: 02/05/2023
Bulletin
Hymn # 454 “Down at the Cross”
SCRIPTURE READING – 1 Corinthians 1:18
Giving of Selves and Our Offerings
OFFERTORY PRAYER
OFFERTORY MUSIC – Pru Hungate
Praise and Worship
“Raise a Hallelujah”
“How Great Is Your Love”
“Love Is War”
Proclamation of the Word
Message by Pastor Joe
“Resolved to Obey and Worship Only the Lord, God”
“For Such a Time as This"
PRAYER TIME / Time of Reflection
“Another in the Fire”
Acknowledgements and Announcements
Benediction “There Is Freedom”
Sermon Notes
Esther 2:21 – 23 Mordecai through Esther saves the king’s life
Esther3:1 – 6 Haman promoted by the king, but because Mordecai does not bow down and give him homage, Haman seeks to kill all Jews. Haman gets the king to approve and pay for the destruction of the Jews. Mordecai learns of the plot and gets the information to Esther
Esther 4:10 & 11 Esther tells Mordecai that if she goes unsummoned she faces death
Esther 4:12 – 14 Mordecai tells Esther God will deliver Regardless, but she will not be saved if she does not act. “Perhaps she is there for such a time as this”
Esther 4:15 – 17 Esther will act but seeks prayer. Esther goes to the king uninvited. Esther plans a banquet and does not make her requests immediately
Esther 7:1 – 6 Esther makes her petition known. Jews are delivered by allowing them to protect themselves and God put dread of the Jews into their enemies
Esther 9:1 – 5 The Jews have mastery rather than their enemies
Scritpures
Transcript of Service
Know you can't. Can you hear me now? Okay, so going back to where I started the series we've been looking at is to beforehand make a resolution to obey and trust God and not by the need to others. And we've taken a look at different people who in different circumstances were required to do that in keeping faith. There were times when they were told that they had about a need to worship an idol or that they only could pray to the King and not to God and various different ones doing different things in different situations in each of these.
If they did not comply, if they did not bother me that their life would be over. We can take a look at another person in the Book of Esther, someone who had various struggles in her life that never really fully developed in the story. She was an orphan for parents of die. She was protected and raised, if you will, by her cousin Mordecai.
But the story doesn't start with Esther. The story starts with another queen named Vashti. And Vashti had a overemphasized belief in who she was. And so the king irking as well as being queen, was at a get together with his advisors and in his kingdom. And he summoned her and she didn't go. And as want to those who are in authority, they don't want to lose respect from those who they are governed.
Because if you lose respect, then you might lose power. So he was advised to get rid of her. So he did the King Henry the eighth thing. So if he didn't behead her, he divorced her and he became lonely as men have a tendency to do. So it was determined that what they should do, because he had a domain they went from India to Ethiopia that they would do, if you will, a miss United Kingdom, search for the next queen and Esther, which wasn't her name, was told that she should, in essence, because of her beauty, both outward and inward, should participate.
And she participated. And of all the women from all the various provinces, like this universe, if you will, and and the king fell in love with Esther, not knowing that she was a Jew. Any married her and made her queen.
And that was the context of where we are now. And so going out says, in those days for Mordecai, which was Esther's cousin, was sitting at the King's Gate and beg him and perish. Two of the Kings officials from those who guarded the door became angry and sought to lay hands on the king. Ezra But the plot became known to Mordecai, and he told Queen Esther and Esther informed the King and Mordecai his name.
So we have a situation where Mordecai, a Jew, finds out that there is a plot to assassinate the King. Being a person who doesn't have access to the king communicates to Esther, his cousin, let her know that the king is in danger. And Esther informs the king.
Now, when the plot was investigated and found to be so, they were both hanged on a gallows. And it was written in the book of the Chronicles in the King's Presence. And so they made a historical note of that, if you will. They wrote it in their Chronicles of the King and their history that these two men had plotted against the king and that that assassination plot was thwarted.
So there's a period of time that passes and it says while after these events, KING After us WOMAN Ayman, the son of the death of the eagle and advance him and establish his authority over the princes who or with him, all the king's servants were at the king's age, bowed down and paid homage to him and or so the King had demanded concerning him.
But Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid. Haman. You see Ammon being the egomaniac, if you will, that it is he expected everybody to pay him homage and bow down as if he were very, very significant. But Mordecai being a Jew, that I bow down to no one except God. So I'm not participating in your egocentricity. You can do whatever you want.
I'm not participating in the king's servants who were at the King's Gate, said the monarchy. Why are you so transgressing? The King's command? And the King told us we're supposed to pay him in this worship. We're supposed to bow down. We're supposed to pay homage to him. And so they asked him. Now, it was when they had spoken daily to him and he would not listen to them.
You see, he didn't take the opportunity just once. Constantly they were saying, you need to bow down, you need to pay homage. And he said, No, no, no. They told him, and you see whether Mordecai Reason would stand or he had told them that he was a Jew. He goes, I have a reason. My faith prevents me from paying you homage in that way.
For instance, as lawyers, when we go to court, we tell the judge, Your Honor. We pay him in honor of the position. But I don't worship him. I just pay him the honor due to the position. But in essence, they were saying, No, no, you are to almost worship this person as if he was the king. And when Heyman saw that, Mordecai neither bowed down nor paid homage to him, Heyman was filled with rage.
It's interesting. You can get a million people to love you, but if there's one person who doesn't, you want to know why that person doesn't. And it's the same situation. Everybody else is paying homage and bowing down to Heyman. They do it in a democracy. You win. Everybody is participating. Except Mordecai says, My faith doesn't allow me to do that.
I'm a Jew. That's not good enough for him. But he the same. Then they hands upon Mordecai alone what they had told him, who the people Mordecai were. Therefore, Heyman sought to destroy all the Jews, the people of Mordecai who were trapped, who were throughout the whole kingdom of Aspirus. So in essence, Heyman says, I can't just get rid of Mordecai.
I got to get rid of all the Jew.
There are times when we may be assaulted because somebody else in our group, Christians, did something that the opposition opposes and therefore declares all of us enemies. And then there are times when, because of the group, we are then persecuted individual. And that's where we're seeing, in essence, the thing, because we couldn't just take out Mordecai. He was going to take out all the people of the.
But what happens is Heyman comes up with a plan. And that plan is to have the King order an edict that can't be changed to kill all the Jews. And it sounds like what happened and the 20th century in that order was done. And there to be a specific day when this was going to take place. And they sent out notification to all the provinces.
If you got any Jews there, you're going to kill them. No exception. And Mordecai becomes aware of this. So he communicates this plot to Esther. And again, no one knows that Esther is a Jew because they changed their name. And Heyman said, And Mordecai communicates the plot. Then Esther spoke to Arar and ordered him to reply to Mordecai and all the king's servants of justice.
Now the king's servants and the people of the King's provinces know that for any man or woman who comes to the king, to the intercourse, who is not summoned, he has but one law that he be put to death unless the king holds out to him. The golden scepter, so that he may live. And I have not been so summoned to come to the king for these 30 days.
And they related Esther words to Mordecai. So what we have here is a situation where there's this plot all. But Esther knows that if she goes to the king and he has asked, ask her to come, then she could be killed. And she goes. It's been 30 days since he's asked me to come. So I'm going to die if I go.
Gillette's Mordechai know that Mordechai says this, then Mordechai told them to reply to Esther. Do not imagine that you in the King's Palace and escape any more than all the Jews. He goes, Once the decree is starting to be taken place and they start killing Jews. You are not going to be exempt. Or if you remain silent at this time, we leave and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place.
And you and your father's house will perish. He goes. You may die if you go to the king, but. But if you don't go to the king, you're going to die. There's a catch 22. But the situation is this. Notice, Mordechai. They. There's the deliverance. It's going to come. It may not come from your help, but it's going to come.
God is going to deliver God's people. But if you don't participate, you're not going to be safe. Then he says something that is unanimously quoted. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time, as you say. Maybe the reason the king, maybe the reason God gave you that beauty and maybe the reason the king fell in love with you is that he, God placed you in this situation at this time to deliver his people.
Now, before I had ever read this as a very young man, and that was when I was very because I'm still young, but when I was a very young man, I thought that my life would be unique. And I'll tell you why. One is that egocentric into My father was born in 1886, a long time before my brother was born, 15 years before me.
So I always thought that God had called me at this particular time. So not ever knowing about this story, I believe that I was born for such a time as this. And it wasn't because otherwise I should have been born 13 years earlier. 14 because that's the normal family. But my normal family is I had a father who was 65 when I was born.
So I had this belief that that I was going to be a unique person. Well, up until this point, there's nothing obvious that I've done uniquely. Now there'll be something I don't know about. Maybe my uniqueness is that my genetics pass on to my children and grandchildren, and they'll do something tremendous. And so I'd simply be in that line.
Or maybe God has accomplished something that I don't know about in my ministry, and I might find out about it. Whatever.
But I want you to know something. I wasn't wrong, but you are uniquely here to. Well, the word of God says before he ever spoke the universe into existence. He knew, and the Word of God also says that when you were in your mother's womb, he knitted you together. So God appointed this particular time. Now, for you to live.
We all too often, because we want to read the books about we have a purpose driven life and that we're going to be unique and powerful and rich and famous and an influencer. And unless we accomplish all of these things, we're not successful. We're not living our best life. Maybe, just maybe, you are born in such a time as this.
Not to tell people how great you tell people how great thought that he sent his son to die for us. That we might be saved and live in his presence forever. Maybe we, like Esther, ought to decide that even though the culture doesn't want to hear about the Lord. Now, we are going to do it. Because, baby, we have been placed at this time and this location for such a time as this to declare the glory of God.
Because even if I had accomplished all of the wonderful things I thought maybe God had let me accomplish, it would pale significance who God is and his love and his mercy. This power and so many and his kingdom. Some of you may know who Julius Caesar was. I dare say he probably doesn't affect your life at all.
Matter of fact, I tried when I was in Italy to get to the river called the Rubicon, and there's a number of people when I mentioned they go, What's that? That's a famous story. Whatever. But this famous river that Julius Caesar crossed, they changed the name. I couldn't find it. Do you think that you may have some great influence and power that is only going to last a very, very, very, very short.
But his church, his kingdom, will last an eternity. So in my megalomania of thinking that God had put me at this place, at this time was actually correct, but not for the purposes I thought before his purpose, and maybe not for the purposes you think, and maybe you think that you're insignificant, but you're not because God has placed you here at this time in this location to be a witness for Him to know you had not attained royalty.
And we are children of the children of the King for such a time as this. And Esther told them to reply to Monica. So assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa and fast for me. Do not eat, drink for three day and night. And I am my maiden. Also will fast in the same way. And thus I will go to the king, which is not according to the law.
And if I perish, I perish. He goes, okay, I'll go. And I'll participate. And if I die, I die just as the three Hebrew children said, We're not bowing down. Our God is able to deliver. But if it doesn't, we're not participating. Daniel, I'm going to pray. I don't care what the law is. I'm going to pray. And Esther says the law is I'm not to go to him.
If I perish, I perish. I will go. But she requests prayer. She understands. And again, as I shared last time, is seeking divine intervention in divine inspiration. Pray fast. Make it serious. She goes, Not only do I expect you to do it, I and those around me will also do it. Notice she believes not in the power of prayer, but the necessity of who they pray.
So Mordechai went away and did just as Esther had commanded him. So he says, We pray, we'll do it. We will wait for three days between. Esther replied, If I have found favor in your sight, who can? And if it pleases the king, let my life be given to me as petition and at my request. But what? What's happening here is when Esther goes after the three days, she goes to the king who had summoned her just I want to throw you a banquet.
The king goes, Well, what is it that you want to go? I want to throw you a banquet. You're invited to come. And so she prepares. When and this banquet doesn't just last an evening. It's a several day event. She doesn't make a request immediately down, she provides homage, if you will, to the food he provides for his.
Because I want to make this about. Here's a banquet for you.
And after a number of days when I for a number of days of the banquet, the king keeps saying, Well, Esther, what is it that you want? What is it that you want? Well, during this time of the banquet, the king can't sleep. He goes to his archives and sees in the history that Mordechai saved his life. And he noticed that Mordechai was never rewarded for saving.
Who determines that Mordechai should be honored? We asked Heymann what should be done for the man that the King wants to honor. And Heymann thinks it's about him. Because don't we all? We always think it's about us. So Heymann gives him this advice. What he should do, thinking the honor and glory is to come to Heymann. And the king goes, That's a great idea.
You participate and you do it. Or Mordechai, who is Heymann enemy? And he's seeking a murder.
And then Heymann discovers there's a problem. And not only is Mordechai a Jew, investors a Jew, and he's in big trouble. So this is then the king, When asked, replied after the king numerously ask, What is it that you? If I had found favor on your side. And if it pleases the king, let my wife be given me as my petition and my people as my request.
If if we have been so and I and my people to be destroyed, be killed and to be annihilated. Now, if it had only been sold as slaves, then the men and women, I would have remained silent or the trouble would not be commensurate with the annoyance to the king. Now, this is this is an amazing statement. She's saying, you know, if me and my people, as Jews, we're all going to be sold as slaves.
I wouldn't have said a word at that point. I wouldn't have come to.
Now, that's so un-American. This is not fair. Why are you treating us this way? Why would we be sold on slavery? And then she goes, My people aren't even worthy to bother. It's only about making us because we're not at home anywhere. We're here in this thing that we're not in our homeland. So whether we're exiled here or enslaved somewhere else, not that big a deal.
But the problem is the order has been put out benignly. Now I have to make a request for my life and the life of my people. And King Ezra's asked when asked who is he and where is he? Who would presume to do this? And Esther said, A foe and an enemy. This wicked came in him and became terrified before the king and queen.
And so Heymann then tries to beg Queen Esther for forgiveness. And he was on her couch in that. And when the king comes in, he sees her where he sees him and where he's not supposed to be the orders, Hayman to be executed.
So the person who sought the destruction of the Jews and so on, we still have the problem of the edict which can't be rescinded under their law. So what happens is now in the 12 months that is the month of eight, our on the 13th day, the king the man and eat it went. I'm having a little trouble reading that so things come in that need it.
We're about to be executed on the day when the enemies of the Jews hope to gain the mastery over them and turn to the contrary. The Jews themselves gain the mastery over those who hated them. And the Jews assembled throughout the provinces of King Arthur to lay hands on those who thought their harm. And no one could stand before them for the threat of them had fallen on all the people and even all the princes of the provinces, The satraps, the governors and those who were doing the king's business assisted the Jews because the dread of Mordecai had fallen on them.
So God changes the table. And so those were an enemy. The Jews now become a dread to people, and they're afraid of them. And they decide to join the Jews in keeping them safe. And the Jews are allowed to protect themselves. So not only at Aster come and intervened, God himself intervened by giving the Jews the ability to defend themselves and to make it more easily done because their enemies were fearful of did work.I was great in the things how it is same spread throughout all the provinces or the man Mordecai became greater and greater.
Thus the Jews struck all of their enemies with the sword building and destroying, and they did what they pleased to those who had hated.
There's a balancing act where we Christian, we are told to love our enemies and to pray for them. But there is a sense of when we are unjustly treated. We want to adopt the forms and prayers of David and say, God destroy our enemies rine their bombs and let me see it and participate.
But you see, when we have enemies, that's one thought. And that's an entirely different God by his enemies. One is, and you'll see throughout the Scripture four mighty army all into bread and terror and a small group of because God is victorious and the battle belongs to him and he will fight for. And there are times when he may say, I'm going to let you be the instrument of my of your deliverance, which he was.
Or he may say, I want you to stand here on the side, watch me do my work.
But just as Shadrach, Meshach and the Bendigo are God is able to deliver. And he was here. He was in their situation. There may come a time in our lives where he may deliver, or as they had said, but even if he does not, we will not be in worship. And even if he did not deliver here, Mordechai was right in not paying homage to an evil man and not bowed down as everybody else because his faith taught him different.
And our faith teaches us. And the world may hate us. Okay, is let's face it, the world likes you, doesn't. The world will make somebody a hero always in this one person. Wonderful. You say a sports star or a politician or a businessperson, whatever. And it all of a sudden this person is wonderful. Until that person does something they don't like, then that person is terrible.
We ought to cancel them. And whatever Mordecai, his name was written in The Chronicles of the King. I'm much more concerned that my name, written in the Lamb's Book of Life since that place, I am in that place and may not be recognized today like Mordecai wasn't, that there will come a time at the Bema seat of Christ where I am hoping, hoping to hear.
Well done, you good and perfect.
Enter into my is praise lasts eternity. Not just a moment. Yes, we may even sacrifice our lives, our businesses, or how our fame or fortune simply what God does for us is eternal. And so just as if I perish, I perish. But I also know that.