When One Person Uses Her Spiritual Gift
(Esther 4:8-17)
I have set the scene for us already with Esther’s situation. What now is she going to do? Who is Esther? We know she was orphaned at a young age and was raised by her
uncle, Mordecai; we know too that she was very beautiful and that her uncle was a religious man and raised Esther to have religious principles and values. On the surface you could say to the question: who is Esther? She is a beautiful woman either in her late teens or early twenties, who has had the good fortune to win a beauty contest to become the queen of a great empire. But as the queen she is the King’s subject and for all we know, she could simply be the “beautiful dumb broad” who is the rich man’s toy.
We find out more about what kind of woman she is when her uncle Mordecai sends her word that her people by the King’s decree are going to be destroyed. Esther was not aware of this news, so sheltered a life did she lived in the palace. And with the news Mordecai tells her to get herself in to see the King and to stop this upcoming genocide of the Jewish people.
Esther sends a reply back to Mordecai that is typical – no one sees the king uninvited; you risk your own death by doing so. When you’ve got it made, why put your life in jeopardy? But Mordecai will have none of this selfishness; he tells his niece- this is no time to remain silent and hidden away- get in there and do something for your people, wake up girl; you aren’t going to get away with hiding and saying nothing; they will find you out.
Now in answer to the question: who is Esther? We have a young beautiful woman who is in way over her head.
We can identify with Esther here- not in her beauty so much as in her circumstance. Invariably that time comes and more often than we would like when
having seen to have gotten my life on a roll finally, I suddenly find myself in a real jam.
Esther had no idea what she was going to do; and neither did you or I when we got the
bad news. Such overwhelming circumstances often leads people to drinking or taking
drugs just to avoid the fear and anxiety and hopelessness they feel.
And here is where that religious upbringing of Mordecai really paid off for Esther, who instead of rebelling or questioning the faith her uncle had taught her; now embraces that faith more than ever.
If there is any questions about you as a parent or grandparent bringing your children to church and teaching them the ways of God at home, the example of Esther should banish any doubts you have of the importance and value of the Christian faith
taught and lived out for those responsible in your care.
After getting the word from her uncle – to get busy and do something – Esther sends back her message to Mordecai: gather all the Jews you can and hold a fast on my behalf—for three days neither eat nor drink but pray for me and I will do the same.
How many Christian parents would love to hear a response like that from their children when they are having trouble with their marriage or can’t pay their bills or one of
the grandchildren become seriously ill or the son-in-law loses his job to a merger- gather
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the family and neither eat nor drink for three days and pray in our behalf and we will
do the same.
And next we see how God in His greatness and majesty works in a person’s life. In short, when we are serious and earnest in our turning to God, you will find how ready and able He is to supply your need.
The apostle Paul told the Christians in the Philippi church:
And my God will meet all your needs according to His glorious riches in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:19)
Notice when you stop toying around with God and take your Christian faith to heart in deed as well as word, then God begins to work in ways you had not seen before.
What did God do? He gave to this “dumb, beautiful broad” the spiritual gift of wisdom.
As I said before. Esther had no idea what to do with the mess she found herself in,
but when she turned to God in those 3 days of praying and fasting, God turned to her and gave her a plan of action. Out of nowhere it would seem but from the
mind of God came a carefully crafted plan on how and when to approach the King
unannounced, what to wear, and what to say. Included in the plan were instructions
for two dinners that included the King as well as the enemy, Haman.
From reading the rest of the story, we know that Esther followed the plan and executed it to the T and was successful. God worked through the plan to bring the downfall of the
enemy and the restoration of His people. And today the Jewish people still celebrate
annually the feast of Purim, commemorating the victory.
One of the points I want to make this morning is to remind you from this example of Esther of the great and unimaginable work and blessing that can come through just one
ordinary person, like this orphaned girl, who is willing to use her spiritual gift, in this case, wisdom, for the people of God. As I said last week, don’t sell yourself short,
thinking I’m too old or too young; or I’m too poor or too ordinary.
God has given to you and me at least one spiritual gift, that we have already made plans to identify at our New Year’s Eve open house. If we will not remain silent and hidden with our gift, see what great things God can yet accomplish through us.
Again Paul reminds us:
Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived what God has
prepared for those who love Him. (I.Cor. 2:9)
What God has prepared not just in Heaven for all eternity, but even now here on earth
as we live and struggle day by day.
When we think about the gifts we are going to be giving to family members and friends this Christmas; we are likewise reminded in Advent to think about the gifts God has given and continues to give to us today and tomorrow. Most significantly is the gift of His Son and His
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salvation for us, but consider as well the gift of the Holy Spirit given daily to those who are called, chosen, and faithful.
That’s what happened with Esther. She received the call of God through her uncle, Mordecai: “and who knows (said Mordecai to Esther) whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this.”
Called, chosen—now the question is will she remain faithful? Will she get with the program, will she get on the gospel train or hang back for fear of what may lie ahead?
The spiritual gift has been given to Esther, to you, to me; and the Holy Spirit is ever present to work through that gift in you and me for the glory of God. We are going to
find ourselves able to do things-- good things, spiritual things-- that we never dreamed
we could do because of what He will do through us like He did through her.
Faithful, will we remain faithful- that is yet to be seen. We don’t know what happened to
Esther after the victory of her people and the celebrations that followed. We would like to think that she lived happily ever after, but we know from experience that after
“one fire has been put out” there is yet another to come to test us. It would have been
so easy and natural for Esther to fall into the trap of pride- thinking to herself look
what I have done, see how clever I was to handle that problem and come out on top.
One temptation is to keep my spiritual gift hidden and unused, knowingly or unknowingly. Is that our sin this day? If it is, then confess your sin to God, show Him your sincerity by filling out the spiritual gift questionnaire we will have available at
our new year’s eve open house here at the church.
The other temptation is to use my spiritual gift as if it were mine and not God’s. We see the results of such when those in high places of ministry abuse their office. But let us not forget, it is not just the priest or minister that is called to faithfulness but to each adult
believer who accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Most of our ministry takes place
at home and in the workplace and there more than ever God has plans to use the
spiritual gift He has given to you.
As we buy and give our Christmas gifts, let us not overlook or deny the divine gifts
that have been and continue to be given to you and to me who like Esther, the simple, ordinary, orphan girl,found herself called, chosen, and seeking to be ever faithful.
