A Life Worth Living
If you would, open your Bible to Esther 4. Today, we`re going to talk about something a little different than normal. The book of Esther is one of my favorites in the Bible and if I could, I would preach a whole series going through the Book of Esther. Before we begin reading Esther 4, I`m going to give you a little background knowledge about what is happening here, and it is going to come from Esther 3.
In the book of Esther, we see two guys named Mordecai and Haman. In Esther 3, the king promotes Haman to basically second in command only answering to the king and queen. Haman ordered those below him to fall down and worship him. Now, Mordecai is a Jew and he refused to do it and as you can imagine, Haman was not too thrilled about this. Haman then convinces the king to issue an edict to have every Jew destroyed, killed, and annihilated. This included young and old. This included men, women, and children. No Jew was to be saved. Keep in mind that Esther, the queen, is also secretly a Jew. Haman offered to pay the king 10,000 talents if he would sign this edict into law. Think about that. 10,000 talents. I looked it up and 10,000 talents in today's money would equal about $3.48 billion dollars.
Haman offered $3.48 billion dollars to have every Jew slaughtered like animals. All that happened in Esther 3 and so now when we get to Esther 4, keep that in mind as we read.
READ ESTHER 4:1-17
I believe that there is coming a day when we will be persecuted for being a Christian. I do not think we can say “if that day comes” anymore. Instead, we have to say, “when that day comes.” I believe that we will see it in my lifetime. Look at the world today, the stage is already being set for it. Christians today are killed in areas like the Middle East. People in China today, people are arrested for being a Christian. Even in Germany, you aren`t free to be a Biblical Christian. The United States is not too far behind. In the US today, it is not popular to be a Christian anymore. We are mocked, degraded, and looked down upon. We are labeled as extremists. There is even a group in government called the Secular Democrats of America and one of their biggest agendas that they are trying to push is to have Christian nationalist labeled as a terrorist. A Nationalist can be defined as a person who strongly identifies with their own nation and vigorously supports its interests. Basically, if you love God and country, they want you labeled as a terrorist. This country is slowly being warped into a country that is okay with Christians being out of the picture. In California, they are trying to ban the Bible. Persecution for Christians is coming whether we like it or not. In Esther, there was a plot to kill the Jews. Today, there is a plot to kill Christians. I believe we see a few things here in Esther 3 and 4 that we must expect if we are a true Christian.
1. A Walk with Christ Will Be Unpopular
READ ESTHER 3:1-6
Mordecai stood up for what was right and for what he believed in even when everyone else was telling him to fall in line. He knew the cost. He knew what would happen, but he did it anyway. When the situation arises, will you be able to do the same? Do you have enough faith in God to say no matter the consequences and no matter what may happen to me, I will continue to serve Him and make His name known? Being a Jew was not popular back then as you can tell by what Haman wanted the king to do. They were despised. They were mocked. They were outcasts. I want to tell you something… the day is coming where it will be the same for Christians. Today, we see the ball rolling in that direction. Today's society and culture is heading in a direction that no longer wants truth, but instead wants what makes them feel good and in a direction that allows them to do whatever they want to do. It is already becoming unpopular to be a Christian. We are depicted as greedy, narrow-minded hypocrites. In other countries, Christians are already being killed for their faith and believe it or not, that will soon come to the United States. We are headed in that direction. Haman had a plot to kill the Jews because they did not fall in line. There is a plot being orchestrated to kill the Christians that will not fall in line.
A Christian life may not be a popular one, but it is a rewarding one. In 2 Timothy 4, Paul is at the end of his life. 2nd Timothy was actually the last book wrote by Paul so, in 2 Timothy 4, it's the last book, the last chapter, and the last words ever written by Paul. 2 Timothy 4:6-8 says:
“For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.”
Paul’s life was not popular. He was hated and even stoned for his faith, but he never gave it up. Listen, being a Christian will not be popular. You will lose friends and jobs and maybe even your life over it. But as Paul said, it is rewarding. We will be rewarded when we go home with Jesus. As bad as this life may become, if you are a Christian, you have a hope and a promise for something better.
2. A Walk with Christ Will Be Uncomfortable
READ ESTHER 4:1-3; 5:9
A walk with Christ will sometimes be uncomfortable. It will sometimes cause you to do or say some things that are difficult to say or do. Listen, a lot of times preaching is not easy. Most of y`all tell me all the time how I am not afraid to step on anyone`s toes. I guarantee you that if something I say in a sermon steps on your toes, it probably stepped on mine too as I prepare the message during the week. Right here in Esther 4, I`m sure it was uncomfortable for Mordecai to do this, but he knew that it was necessary to save God`s people. If Mordecai doesn`t rip his clothing and wear a sackcloth and mourn at the king`s gate, then Esther would have never got the message that the Jews were in trouble. What Mordecai did was not easy. It was not popular. He was probably mocked for it, but it had to be done in order to fulfill God`s plan. Sometimes we must do what is uncomfortable in order to fulfill God`s plan.
Not only was it uncomfortable to sit at the king's gate in a sackcloth and in ashes while morning, but he also had to encounter the man who was pushing for the extinction of the Jews. I can just imagine Haman passing Mordecai on his way to see the king and I can see Haman looking over towards Mordecai and see what he was wearing and doing and just smiling and laughing. Like Mordecai who was mocked for doing the work of God, we too will be mocked for doing the work of God. John 15:18-21 says:
“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. But all these things they will do to you on account of my name, because they do not know him who sent me.”
Listen, if you are a true Biblical Christian, the world is going to mock, hate, and persecute you. Jesus Himself tells us that, but that is not a bad thing. It is a good thing. If the world hates you, that means you are carrying out the works of Christ like we have been commanded to do. Remember what we said this morning. When you are living in your comfort zone, you are running off your own ability, but once you step out of that zone, then you are living from faith. Mordecai had to live off faith here and if he did not, the Jews would have been slaughtered.
At the time, I`m sure Mordecai didn`t know what was going to happen. I`m sure that Mordecai believed that the Jews were all going to die. Instead of sitting in pity, he did everything he could to save God`s people. There`s going to be times where situations seem desperate and impossible, but like Mordecai we must remain faithful and trust that God can still work. I am going to tell you this true story that happened here recently. There is this coach that I know that had one of his kids rushed to the UAB Children`s Hospital one night. They did a lot of tests, and the results came back that he had stage 4 cancer. His kid is in the 7th grade I believe, and he has been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. His parents put it on Facebook to ask for prayers and for donations to help with the upcoming costs. All of Beulah and Beauregard rallied together and prayed and prayed and prayed over the kid and his family. They went back to the UAB hospital to see exactly what kind of cancer it was before they started any treatment. The doctors said it was guaranteed stage 4 cancer, but they needed to see exactly what kind it was. They did their tests, and the results came back. The results showed that all the stage 4 cancer was no longer there. God preformed a miracle in a situation that seemed desperate and impossible. I don`t know about y`all, but the God that I serve, and the God that I love still preforms miracles. Even when it is uncomfortable and seems impossible, never give up. Someone's life may depend on it.
3. A Walk with Christ Will Be Costly
READ ESTHER 4:4-11
Here, Esther is faced with a dilemma. Her people, the Jews, are facing complete destruction and their backs are against the walls. The only hope they have now, is Esther the Queen of Persia, but Esther knows that if she goes before the king now, she`ll be killed because the king hasn`t called on her. She knows that in order to save the Jews, she must be willing to sacrifice her own life. She`s in a tough situation and in the moment, she decides to save her own life instead the lives of the Jews. Being a Christian is going to be costly. It will cost you something. I mentioned earlier that being a Christian isn`t popular anymore and we`re moving in a direction as a society that hates Christians. It is going to cost you jobs. It is going to cost you money. It is going to cost you opportunities. It is going to cost you friendships and relationships and one day, it may even cost you your life. I want to tell you something and this is where the title of my sermon comes from… there`s a life worth living and a death worth having. There`s a life worth living and a death worth having. A Christian life may be unpopular, uncomfortable, and costly, but it`s so worth it even if it means you must give your life for it. I won`t speak for others, but I`ll gladly give my life if it means someone is pointed towards Jesus because I know that when I die, I`ll live like I`ve never lived before. When I die, I`m going to spend eternity in paradise with the King of Kings where there`s no more pain or suffering. I`m willing to give my life for others because I know where I`m headed. Philippians 1:19-21 says:
“For I know that through your prayers and the help of the Spirit of Jesus Christ this will turn out for my deliverance, as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
When I die, I don`t want any crying because where I`m going is far better than here. A land where I cannot be disappointed by Auburn anymore. Don`t let the costs of being a Christian distract you from God`s plan and purpose for you. Like I said, there`s life worth living and a death worth having. It may cost you everything but guess what… there`s a mansion waiting for you when you get to Heaven. Keep your eyes on Jesus no matter the costs.
4. A Walk with Christ Will Be Hard
READ ESTHER 4:12-17
Here, Mordecai is able to persuade Esther to do the right thing no matter the cost. In a moment where people are depending on you to do the same thing, will you be able to rise to the occasion no matter the cost? Esther still knows that there is a good chance she will not survive, but she does it anyway. I love what Mordecai says to Esther in verses 13 and 14. Let us look at it again.
READ ESTHER 4:13-14
He says to Esther: Hey you`re a Jew too and if we die, you die also. So, either way you die here. These are God`s chosen people and one way or another we will be saved, but you were created for such a time as this.
Like Esther, we are going to face difficult and uncomfortable situations that are going to require and cost us a lot and it'll be easier to back down and shy away from it. Also, like Esther, you were created for such a time as this. Listen, it may not be a situation where you determine whether someone lives or dies but it will be equally important. It may be that difficult conversation you need to have with someone but keep putting it off or avoiding it. It may be correcting someone's actions when you make mistakes yourself. It may be mending relations with someone who has hurt you. It may be sharing the Gospel with someone even if it`s family. God has a plan for everything and you`re put in situations, even the difficult ones, for a purpose. You never know how much you can impact someone's life by your actions and words. No matter the situation. No matter the circumstances. No matter the difficulty. No matter the cost, stand up for Jesus and do what`s right.
I am going to tell you this story and we`re going to end this. The Israelites had been taken over by the Babylonians. When they were conquered, the Babylonians exiled all the Jews and enslaved them and brought back to the city of Babylon away from the Promised Land. A little while later, the Babylonians are taken over by the Persians and in order to keep peace, the Persians allowed the Israelites to travel back home if they wished. When Israel was founded, it was broken up into 12 tribes after the 12 sons of Joseph. They were one nation broken into 12 tribes. Kinda like how the United States is one nation broken up into 50 states. One of the 12 tribes were the Benjaminite’s. Even though they were allowed to return home, the Benjaminite’s decided to stay in the Persian capital, the city of Susa and that`s where the book of Esther is all taking place. If Esther doesn`t step up and save the Jews, then the entire tribe of the Benjaminite’s would`ve been killed. In the New Testament, there`s an extremely popular man who was a Benjaminite. His name was Paul. The same Paul who wrote most of the New Testament. So, if Esther doesn`t step up to save the Jews, then Paul would`ve never been born and without Paul, we don`t have over half of the New Testament.
Esther never knew that one of the future Benjaminite’s would go onto to write a good portion of the Bible. She never knew that, but she stepped up and arose to the occasion anyway and her exact words were “If I die, then I die.” She was willing to do whatever it took to ensure that innocent lives were saved no matter what it may cost her and spoiler alert, God saved her life also. God blesses those who do His will. Are you willing to do whatever it takes to bring Jesus to people? Are you willing to do what God has called you to do no matter how unpopular or, uncomfortable or, costly or, how hard it may be? Are you willing to rise to the occasion? Like I said earlier and I`ll end after this statement, there`s a life worth living and a death worth having.
Let us pray.
