LIVING FOR GOD IN A GODLESS CULTURE
ESTHER 8:1-17
Introduction - Erik (5 minutes)
Hook: Eddie Mosley story
-Wives got presents for 10 kids
-Dropped all the presents at 1 kids house
-Came home, found out, rewrapped presents in target parking lot
-Talk about injustice.
Review:
• Haman had issued a decree against the Jews.
• All the Jews had fasted and prayed.
• Esther asked for mercy.
• Haman received the fate he had planned for Mordecai.
-In fact, it’s even better than that. We’ll pick up our story in chapter 8.
VS 8:1 On that same day King Xerxes gave the property of Haman, the enemy of the Jews, to Queen Esther. Then Mordecai was brought before the king, for Esther had told the king how they were related.
-Not only was Haman killed. The king gave all of his belongings to Esther, who had been one of the intended victims of his sinister plot.
-And the big secret comes out; up until this point King Xerxes had never known that his wife the Queen and Mordecai were related.
-Because he was completely oblivious. So they explain the connection.
-And look what happens to Mordecai, who had humbled himself.
VS 2 The king took off his signet ring—which he had taken back from Haman (before sticking him on the sharp stick) and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther appointed Mordecai to be in charge of Haman’s property.
-So Mordecai now has Haman’s old job. He is second in command in all of the Kingdom of Persia.
-At this point it seems that the tension in the story has been resolved.
-In fact, if we were writing a story chapter 7 would have been a great place to end.
-Mordecai becomes a hero after a crisis. The bad guy gets it.
-And Xerxes and Esther live happily ever after in the castle of Susa.
-But this isn’t Hollywood, this is a real life story.
-And real life stories don’t always have Hollywood endings.
-Life tends to be a little more messy, a little more complicated.
-For all the good that has happened...
-There still the little matter of the death sentence which has been issued.
Esther 8:3-6 - Dave (7 minutes)
VS 3 Then Esther went again before the king, falling down at his feet and begging him with tears to stop the evil plot devised by Haman the Agagite against the Jews. 4 Again the king held out the gold scepter to Esther. So she rose and stood before him. 5 Esther said, “If it please the king, and if I have found favor with him, and if he thinks it is right, and if I am pleasing to him, let there be a decree that reverses the orders of Haman ... who ordered that Jews throughout all the king’s provinces should be destroyed. 6 For how can I endure to see my people and my family slaughtered and destroyed?” (pause)
-
Esther and Mordecai had just won a major victory but the consequences of Haman’s actions were still in motion , her people are still facing genocide!
-How can I endure this?
-Imagine how Esther felt, she feels desperate, she feels like she is in this awful predicament.
-We’re not talking Desperate Housewife drama. or some hollywood story..this was a national crisis
-In her mind the only way the Jews could be saved was on her shoulders.
-Esther is caught up in a terrible injustice.
Notice in verse 4 of this passage she risks her life to plead for her people.
-Remember, if someone approached the king uninvited they could be killed
-Esther already risked her life in this way once before, now she’s doing it again.
-
Realize that some time has passed since Haman’s execution, but her crisis has not been resolved.
-She is convinced that the reversal of this decree is the only way out of this situation.
-And she’s asking “How can I endure?”
-Maybe you, or I haven't been in a situation to that extreme .
-But we have all witnessed or been a part of some injustice.
-Injustice is a reality in any godless culture.
-It might be several years of abuse
-For others it may have been that you were raised in a family that were alcoholics
-Or what about the parents that lost their children too young,
- or the widow that lost her husband,
or the husband that lost his wife.
It might be that you have lost love ones to a drunk driver.
- For-some kids it might be constant abuse from other kids at school,
- No kid should have to spend the whole school year afraid,
- That is a terrible injustice
-We all have some kind of injustice, something we have to endure.
-We are brainwashed into thinking that somehow we can always win.
-Why do we sue doctors when they can’t cure our sickness?
-Why must there be someone at fault when something bad happens to us?
-Why are we always looking for someone to blame?
-Because in our American culture we cannot except that there are times we simply cannot win. There are some things we cannot control. (pause)
In May of 1994 when I was stationed in Hawaii I had the orders that would make my career. I was Going to the Uss Topeka a attack submarine in Sandiego, the only problem was I was really sick. The Doctor would not let me go until what I was well. A doctor in Sandiego ordered a biopsy. When he told me to set down I knew that I was in trouble. He told me that I had a serious lung condition, that would never go away. Not only that my carrer in the united states Navy was over. I pleaded with him, five more years until retirement
(It seemed so unfair)
I was devastated I remember my oldest son Giuseppe who was nine at the time asking me what we were going to do. “ I said, I don’t know were going to pray and trust God. He looked at me and said, “ does this mean you wont have to go to sea for a year at a time.” I said well,”yeah” Then he said, “I think thats kind of cool.” I think that was the first time I smiled in about four days.
(End the story better)
• -Eugene Peterson once said “Much as we try to get out of it or find a way around it, there is no following Jesus that does not involve suffering and rejection and death. No exceptions.” (The Jesus Way)
-Christians sometimes think that giving our life to Jesus means we’ll be problem free.
-But that’s not what Christ promised us.
• - Paul said in: Ephesians 6-18, “ And pray in the Spirit in all circumstances, with all kinds of prayers and requests.”
-Life throws circumstances at us! And we find ourselves on our knees praying and making requests!
• -It is easy to play the victim when we find ourselves in these situations when we ask ourselves how on earth am I going to endure this?
-That’s the question that Esther was asking in the midst of her injustice.
Esther 8:7-14 - Erik (7 min)
VS 7 Then King Xerxes said to Queen Esther and Mordecai the Jew, “I have given Esther the property of Haman, and he has been impaled on a pole because he tried to destroy the Jews. 8 Now go ahead and send a message to the Jews in the king’s name, telling them whatever you want, and seal it with the king’s signet ring. But remember that whatever has already been written in the king’s name and sealed with his signet ring can never be revoked.”
-For all the good that had happened with regard to Haman, there is still this thing looming out there for them to face.
-As we read this story with an American mind we might wonder “why doesn’t the King just change the edict?”
-In our stories you take the injustice to the man in the big chair, he makes a couple phone calls and everything is sunshine and puppies!
-But the Persian and the Medes had this policy that written edicts, signed by the King were irrevocable.
-Can I just say that a really dumb policy?
-Our founding fathers were probably reading this story when they came up with checks and balances!
-So here is King Xerxes saying, you can have Haman’s stuff, you can have his job, your enemy is dead but...you and your people are still going to be slaughtered.
-And there is nothing I or anyone can do to change that order.
-There are some injustices that we are powerless to change.
-Ever seen a good, honest, clean living, kind-hearted person die way too young?
-We all have and it just doesn’t seem fair.
-Have you ever seen the mean old cuss, who hurts everyone they know, has ruined their life and other people lives, and does all the things they shouldn’t...and lives a good long life? Doesn’t seem fair.
-How many in this room have had a big financial decision go against them? Unfair.
-How many have been given a life changing medical diagnosis w/no cure? Unfair.
-Have you ever been a faithful employee and just got laid off? Unfair.
-How many have been warned that something bad was going to happen and there was nothing you could do about it?
-There are times when bad things just happen.
-Sometimes it’s because of things we’ve done, things coming back to haunt us.
-We talked about that two weeks ago.
-But sometimes it’s just the byproduct of living life here on earth.
-And one of the worst feelings in the world is that feeling of helplessness in the face of overwhelming adversity and injustice.
-There is no other feeling that makes us feel so debilitated and weak.
-That’s how Esther felt. That’s why she risked her life again, that’s why she was begging and pleading with the king.
-But there is an interesting twist here. The edict can’t be overturned.
-But...you can write your own edict. That’s what Xerxes said.
VS 9 So on June 25 the king’s secretaries were summoned, and a decree was written exactly as Mordecai dictated.
-It was sent to the Jews and to the highest officers, the governors, and the nobles of all the 127 provinces stretching from India to Ethiopia. The decree was written in the scripts and languages of all the peoples of the empire, including that of the Jews. 10 The decree was written in the name of King Xerxes and sealed with the king’s signet ring. Mordecai sent the dispatches by swift messengers, who rode fast horses especially bred for the king’s service.
VS 11 The king’s decree gave the Jews in every city authority to unite to defend their lives. They were allowed to kill, slaughter, and annihilate anyone of any nationality or province who might attack them or their children and wives, and to take the property of their enemies. 12 The day chosen for this event throughout all the provinces of King Xerxes was March 7 of the next year. 13 A copy of this decree was to be issued as law in every province and proclaimed to all peoples, so that the Jews would be ready to take revenge on their enemies on the appointed day.
-Mordecai was a pretty crafty dude. We can’t erase the old edict, but you can write a new one and you can make it say whatever you want.
-So Mordecai says, I’m going to write an edict giving the Jews that power to defend themselves.
-And you’ll notice that the date his edict took effect was the same date that the other edict went into effect.
-There is something interesting here. Mordecai could have written an edict that pre-empted Haman’s edict.
-He could have said we’re going to wipe out our enemies before they are officially allowed to wipe us out.
-But he didn’t. Though a great injustice had been done to him and his people, he chose a very even handed approach in his edict.
-He chose to be fair when life was being unfair to him.
-Mordecai was powerless over one thing in his life.
-But he recognized that he wasn’t powerless over everything.
-There is another great truth for us in that!
-There are some injustices that we have the power to address.
-Some people get so overwhelmed by one thing that goes against them, that they completely shut down.
-There will be things that go wrong in your life. Jesus promised that.
-And real life experience proves that he was right.
-A couple of weeks ago I made a fast stop at a stale yellow.
-And I had to hit the brakes pretty hard to make it.
-I look up in my mirror and the delivery truck behind me isn’t slowing down.
-The light was red, but I pulled out into the intersection to avoid being rear ended and he sped on through.
-And what do you suppose happened when I pulled out in that intersection to save my life.
-That flash on the traffic camera snapped and took a picture of me sitting in the intersection.
-I was so mad about that.
-Now I get a ticket because of that guy who almost took me out!
-And there is nothing can do to undo that snapshot being taken.
-But I do have the opportunity to go to traffic court and plead my case.
-Almost every time that we feel completely powerless and helpless…
-Almost every time we feel like the whole world has conspired against us…
-When we feel that overwhelming sense of injustice and unfairness there is a surprising truth...there is usually something we can do.
-Why do we focus on the things we cannot change, instead of focusing on the things we can change?
-You can’t change your spouse's attitude. They may be treating you unfairly! You can’t change other people. But you could change yourself.
-You can’t change every situation at your job. Can’t make your boss promote you, or your co-workers be nice.
-If you feel like they are treating unfairly, you probably can’t do anything about it. But you could apply for a new job.
-You can’t change the fact you grew up in an abusive or dysfunctional home.
-It’s not fair, no one should have to grow up like that.
-But you can’t change it. It’s done.
-You can, however, make sure your kids don’t grow up that way.
-We hear these stats about the number of children dying each day, around the world, from lack of proper nutrition. Talk about injustice!
-But the number is so staggering we don’t know what to do. So we cry at commercials and shake our heads in disgust and then do nothing.
-Well you can’t fix global hunger. You can’t save all those kids. But you could save 1
-You could be a World Vision sponsor or adopt or do something.
-There will always be injustice in life. Always. We all have this innate sense of fairness, and we are really bummed out when life isn’t fair.
-But focusing on what’s wrong, focusing on the injustices of life, only makes us bitter, angry, depressed and discouraged.
-Focusing on what’s wrong lulls us into a inactivity...we do nothing.
-There is a time to mourn what’s wrong, and what is unfair, and what is lost.
-There are times when we cry out to Jesus.
-When we are driven to our knees in prayer.
-Times when all we can do is sit in the stuff and try to survive.
-But every moment you spend decrying and bemoaning life’s unfairness is a moment you could have been doing something.
-The serenity prayer: God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,The courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.
-Mordecai quickly identified what he was powerless over.
-But he also quickly identified what he could do about it.
-He had the wisdom to know the difference!
Esther 8:15-17 - Dave (7 min) notice what Mordecai is wearing
VS 15 Then Mordecai left the king’s presence, wearing the royal robe of blue and white, the great crown of gold, and an outer cloak of fine linen and purple.
(Wait a second: purple, gold and white? Those are the husky’s colors!)
And the people of Susa celebrated the new decree.16 The Jews were filled with joy and gladness and were honored everywhere. 17 In every province and city, wherever the king’s decree arrived, the Jews rejoiced and had a great celebration and declared a public festival and holiday. And many of the people of the land became Jews themselves, for they feared what the Jews might do to them.
-Do you realize what’s just been said? Mordecai is wearing Haman’s stuff!
-Talk about ironic!
-Purple and Gold, unlike green and yellow, signal royalty.
-Mordecai was now royalty. More important than that was the power that comes with the position.
• -Mordecai was second in charge only to the King. The people of Susa recognized the politics of the situation.
-Mordecai, the second most powerful man, had just issued a decree that legalized a war between the Jews and the Persian empire.
-Which side would you choose to be on? On the side of power!
-We can stick with Haman’s decree...and he ain’t around anymore.
-Or we can join up with Mordecai.
-Imagine the contrast of the two emotions for the Jews:
-The Jews were sure they were going to be victims of a civil war.
-In Chapter 4 there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting and weeping and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
-Now find themselves rejoicing and a great party and celebration.
-Many of the Persian and Meads who were planning to raid the Jews now find themselves becoming a Jew, because they are afraid.
they had a religious experience! I wanna be a Jew! Sign me up….
What a turn of events. Do you think in your suffering, or persecution that you ever imagined a happy ending?
This makes me think of Job, another man in the BIble.
-I wonder if he thought that? Job was an extremely righteous man, all of his possessions were taken away from him. Including his family. He endured sickness, including his friends telling him that his suffering was a result of his sin. All this time he never defies God but he had his doubts. The story ends with Job restored to health, with a new family.
We dont always see the big picture in our pain.
• -I certainly didn’t, I had no idea that 15 years after I received that devastating news from the doctor, that I would go to Bible College, and that God would call me into ministry here at Adventure Christian Church.
-Suffering, and rejoicing are a part who Jesus is, in John Chapter 16, Jesus was explaining to his disciples that they would be scattered each to his own home.
-He Said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have troubles, but take heart! I have overcome the world.”
-As a Christian we believe there will be a day of ultimate justice coming. That is the day that Jesus is coming back to judge the world.
In Revelation 21-7-8 tells us, Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. ”
-This passage contrasts both the believer, and the unbeliever.
-God’s children are the victors, the people who endure, and keep the faith until the end, they are the one who will see justice served.
-But the unbelieving will suffer on the day of God’s justice. -
-This is the day of the ultimate justice.
-Haman devised a plan to exterminate a whole race of people because he had a problem with one man not bowing down to him and he did not care how many innocent people were killed in the process. (He was a coward.)
-He planned a great injustice against God’s people, but received justice in the end.
-Unlike Mordecai he did not make it into the hall of faith
-Mordecai did because in his humility he was the one who put on sack clothes and ashes to repent because he recognized what he did wrong, he is the victor, the child of God.
However sometimes we as Christians we will suffer injustices that will never be made right until the DAY of Judgement.
Even though we might have suffered through an abusive situation, or a life changing diagnosis, or rejection from family, or piers, or lost a love one to soon, we shouldn’t lose sight in the fact that we haven’t gone through anything worse than our Lord experienced on this earth- Our hope and belief in Jesus Christ need to be More than enough to endure to the end.
-Heres why, because one of the biggest injustices that ever happened was on the cross.
-Jesus was perfect, he never sinned, he healed the sick, he did so many good things well that the apostle John said there wasn’t enough room for all the books in the whole world to record them. He did this so he could offer himself a perfect lamb that was required for our sin. -It wasn’t fair that he had to take our place on the cross.
-He actually had the power to stop the injustice against him.
-Remember in the Garden, he was in so much distress that he was sweating blood, we read of Jesus prayer to the Father,” If there's any other way take this cup from me. If not, your will be done.
-He allowed injustice to happen to him. He welcomed it.
-And he did that for us...he was killed so we could be saved.
-Don’t ever think that there is an injustice that our Lord can’t deal with.
-Whatever you're going through, know that Jesus has already been through it.
CONCLUSION
-The one who had never sinned was killed for sinners.
-The one who had only did good was killed by those who did bad.
-The one who was innocent…was put to death.
-There is nothing you can ever go through that will rival what Jesus went through.
-When you cry unfair…he says, “I know about unfair”
-When you ask where is justice…he says, “I’ve been there.”
-When you say it’s just not right. He says, there will come a day when I’ll make it right.
-Have I allowed an injustice to keep me stuck in a bad place?
-What are the things I cannot change about my current situation?
-What are the things I can change?
-Do I see any injustices that I can address?
-There was an evil edict written against Esther and the Jews that could not be changed.
-But in our story there was another edict written that brought salvation to the Jews.
-We too are people under the curse of a fallen, sinful, unfair, unjust world.
-But just as God delivered his people in Persian, he has delivered us through another edict that was written.
-This new edict states that anyone can be saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
