Esther A Hero Who Siezed Her Divine Moment

Esther A Hero

Who Seized Her Divine Moment

I want to start off our time together this morning with these words from Erwin McManus Book, ‘Seizing Your Divine Moment.’

WHAT IF - you knew somewhere in front of you was a moment that would change your life forever, a moment rich with potential, a moment filled with endless possibilities? WHAT IF – you knew there was a moment coming, a divine moment, one where God would meet you in such a way that nothing would be the same again? WHAT IF – there was a moment, a defining moment, where the choices you made determined the course and momentum of your future? HOW – would you treat that moment? HOW – would you prepare for it? HOW – would you identify it?

MOMENTS – are as numerous as the stars in the sky and the sands of the sea, any anyone of them could prove to be your most significant divine moment… HOWEVER – mundane a moment may appear, the miraculous may wait to be unwrapped within it. YOU – rarely know the eternal significance of a moment. WHEN - a moment is missed, you have a glimpse at an opportunity lost. WHEN – you dream, you look to a moment still to come. YET – the only moment that you must take responsibility for right now is the one in front of you…

THERE – may well be many moments waiting behind this one, and though the most significant moments of you life may still be moments away, the moment you are in right now WAITS to be seized…

TODAY – as we continue in our message series Heroes we are going to meet a Queen named Esther… who when her moment came, like so many of the Heroes on 911, seized it with GREAT PASSION and with total disregard for her own well being...

NOW – to help us all start out at pretty much the same place this morning I want to do 2 things. FIRST - give you a brief summary of the historical context for the book of Esther and SECOND introduce you to the main players….

This drama from the word of God takes place nearly 2500 years ago in the city of Susa, just north of the Persian Gulf, and East of the Tigris and Euphrates river, (modern day Iran).

IT – has been over 90 years since Jerusalem fell at the hands of the Babylonians.

(because of they refused to repent and leave their life of sin and rebellion)… PERSIA - is the world Empire. NOW – many of the God’s people have returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the city and the Temple, BUT OTHERS - have remained in settlements throughout the Persian Empire. (okay that’s the background)

AND HERE’S – the major characters in this story…

Xerxes; is the 5th king of the Persian Empire and he is in the 3rd year of his reign which began in 486 BC after the death of his father Darius the First. He is a man focused on power, money and sex. He had a pretty violent temper and often acted without thinking.

Vashti; is the Queen of Persia she is a woman of character and conviction, we see her only in the opening scene.

Mordecai; is a Jewish man whose family was exiled when Jerusalem fell. He is a cousin of Esther and has been raising her ever since her parents died. He is a man of integrity and faith.

Esther; is an orphan girl who is being raised by Mordeci, she is a woman of both inner and outer beauty.

Hamon; is the villain of the story, he is dressed in black and is wearing a black hat... He is the second in command of Persian Empire. He is a man consumed with himself and full of hatred.

LOOK UP – I’m convinced that God is going to speak to every single person in this room today and give them something home from Esther’s life… Why? Because God’s word is living and active, shaper then a double edged sword and it WILL NOT come back void today.

THE WAY – I want to approach our time together this morning is to FIRST – tell you the story (one scene at a time; there are seven). THEN – conclude by talking about the lesson God wants each of us to take home today…

The Story…

Scene One; ‘The Party’ [chapter 1]

THIS - scene opens up with King Xerxes in his capital city. AGAIN – he’s been king for just 3 years. AND – according to the Greek historian Herodotus he was planning on invading Greece in 2 years. (His dad had tried 7 years earlier and was defeated at the Battle Of Marathon). AND – to set the stage for this event Xerxes threw a HUGE party to let people know just how great and powerful he was.…