Courage Sermon by Jeffery Anselmi, Esther 4:10-17

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Courage Series

Contributed by Jeffery Anselmi on Aug 8, 2025 (message contributor)

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Scripture: Esther 4:10-17

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ

Summary: Esther had the courage to use her position of power to help others, specifically, to save her people, the Jews, from genocide.

INTRODUCTION

OPENING SLIDE

• Have you ever been in a moment when you knew what the right thing to do was—but fear tried to hold you back?

• Maybe it was speaking up when someone was being mistreated.

• Maybe it was standing for truth when it would’ve been easier to stay quiet.

• Maybe it was saying “yes” to God’s calling when every part of you wanted to say “no.”

• Life is filled with moments when courage is required.

• Today, we turn to Esther 4:10-17 to explore the kind of courage God calls us to have.

• In our passage, Esther faces a life-defining moment.

• Esther didn’t choose her moment—but God chose her for the moment.

• With the fate of her people resting on her response, Esther teaches us what it means to live with courage.

• In chapter four, Mordecai learns that Haman has issued a royal decree in the king’s name, stating that on a certain day the Jews are to be destroyed.

• So Mordecai asks Queen Esther to plead for the Jews before the king.

• The drama of the story is heightened in this episode by the nature of the laws of the Persian court.

• To go before the king without being called is to risk one’s life.

• God places us in specific situations for a reason—jobs, families, churches, and communities.

• When injustice, brokenness, or need appears, do we shrink back—or step up?

• You don’t need a crown to have influence—just a willingness to act.

• This morning, we’re going to talk about courage—not the kind of courage that comes from confidence in ourselves, but the kind that comes from trusting God.

• Esther had the courage to use her position of power to help others, specifically, to save her people, the Jews, from genocide.

• Let’s open to Esther 4:10–17 and draw out three truths about courage that we can live out today.

Esther 4:10–11 NET 2nd ed.

10 Then Esther replied to Hathach with instructions for Mordecai:

11 “All the servants of the king and the people of the king’s provinces know that there is only one law applicable to any man or woman who comes uninvited to the king in the inner court—that person will be put to death, unless the king extends to him the gold scepter, permitting him to be spared. Now I have not been invited to come to the king for some thirty days”

SERMON

POINT 1 SLIDE

I. The courage to face difficult obstacles

• How many times in life have you faced a situation where you knew what you needed to do, but you saw what looked to be insurmountable obstacles in the way of what you knew you needed to do?

• As I said in the introduction, Mordecai was made privy to the plans that Haman had to wipe out the Jews.

• Mordecai was mourning over the situation, and Queen Esther was made aware that something was seriously wrong with Mordecai.

• Verse three tells us that Mordecai and all the Jews throughout the kingdom were fasting and were mourning.

• It is interesting that even though God is not mentioned by name, we can see the Jewish people were reaching out to God.

• Esther wants to know what is troubling Mordecai.

• Esther sent one of the king's eunuchs, HAY THACK (Haythach), to Mordecai, and Mordecai explained the situation to him.

• HAY THACK goes back to Esther with the message from Mordecai.

• Mordecai implores Esther to go to the king so this upcoming slaughter can be stopped.

• Once Esther receives the information from Mordecai, she sends a response back through HAY THACK.

• Verse 11 is her response.

• Verse 11 is something we should not rush past.

Esther 4:11 NET 2nd ed.