Intro. God used a wicked king and removed Vashti to put Esther in as the Queen. For that time, just in time. Think about it! God knew exactly what part of history in which Esther needed to be born. And in chapter 2, she became the Queen! To understand the appeal in our text, we must begin further back.
I. The Condemnation of the Decree - (Text vs. 8) Esther 3:8-12
The decree of the condemnation could not be reversed, it had to be replaced!
A. The Calamity they Faced
1. An Eminent Execution
2. The Enemy paid the Bribe (best calc. Over $16 million)
- A Price that could not be matched or met by the enslaved people
- A condemnation was placed upon them with a price they could not pay!
B. The Cries of Sorrow - 4:1-2
1. Before the Kings gates - vs. 2-3 - They could not enter in their rags.
2. Throughout all of the kingdom - vs. 3
C. The Compassionate Reformer - vs. 4 Change the outside - fix the problem
D. The Confounding Situation - vs. 5-9 Her people were going to die!
II. The Call of the Confident- 4:10-13 (Mordacai did not see his doom, but his God)
A. Esther saw the Problems ahead- vs. 10-12 (obstacles keep us from obedience)
1. Danger of going to the king - vs. 11 She could be killed.
2. Disinterest by the king - vs. 11 (king had not seen her in a month)
B. Mordecai saw the Peril Ahead - vs. 13 Curse would reach Esther and family.
C. Mordecai believed the Preservation of God - Faith - Deliverance would come
even if she refused - Israel would not be destroyed. He knew the promises to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses: Ex 6:7 "And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. 8 And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the LORD."
D. Mordecai declared the Providence - "come to the kingdom for such a time as this"
1. God is the source of our Positions (whether great or small)
2. God is the source of our Possessions
3. God is the source of our Purpose
III. The Course for Deliverance
A. The Surrender - If I perish - I perish - 4:16
Her will had to be relinquished for God to use her!
1. To be Saved, you must place total faith in Christ - no reserve,
2. To the Saved, God will only used the surrendered.
B. The Sinner - She approached Him without a right! Esther 5:1-2
1. Our Depravity - Though dressed as the Queen, within she was still a condemned Jewish girl. Just changing the outside did not change the inside.
2. Our Doom - She had no right to approach the throne!
C. The Sceptre - Grace was Extended!
(Genesis 49:10, and Numbers 24:7 prophetically call Jesus the Sceptre!)
1. The Extension of the Sceptre (It came to her!)
2. The Acceptance of the Sinner - She found pardon at the Throne!
D. The Sovereign - The King accepted the Unworthy!
1. She found Grace - She experienced Deliverance - Esther 5:2 "And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre. There is grace still available from the King!
2. She found Giving (drew near) - look at 5:3 The King who could command anything He desired, said, “What can I do for you?”
3. She found Gratitude (her own) - touched the Sceptre! This was meant that she bowed in obeisance and obedience and touched the sceptre as a token of gratitude! Anyone who finds grace will find gratitude!
IV. The Commission of the King - Our Text in Chapter 8:1-14
A. The Calamity of a Doomed People - remember vs. 8
1. The Condemnation could not be reversed without another decree. They had been cursed under the Law!
2. The Condemnation could be REPLACED with a New Covenant - vs. 13
B. The Charge of a Declared Provision - vs. 9-12
1. The Authority
- The King’s Ring - the Announcement in the Palace (first one too)
Our commission is not merely that of an earthly king, but the King of Kings has commissioned us - Mark 16:15 "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature."
2. The Availability
C. The Crisis of a Distracted People - they were just going on with life, and did not realize the enemy was coming against them, and they were not aware!
1. There are many that are not aware of the Crisis of their Sin.
2. There are many that do not know of the Curse of their Sin.
3. All need to hear of the CURE for their Sin!
V. The Compelling of the Message - vs. 14 The POSTS took the Message
A. They were Hastened - They were HURRIED because LIVES were in Danger. It was urgent that all heard the news of deliverance! (Rev 21:5-8)
B. They were Pressed - they were DRIVEN because of the urgency - they were UNIFIED in their COMMISSION! And so must we be the same. 2Co 5:18 "And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him."
Concl. Here is the sermon, and this part of our Theme - WE must be UNIFIED in our Commission - The POSTS went! Will we be Unified in our Commission, we have been sent by our KING, not a mere earthly king, to compel others to come to Him. We must be unified, because it is URGENT.
