Flying by the Seats of Our Pants
(Esther 4:4-5:14)
Intro
1. A wise person once said, "Life is a continuous process of getting used to things we hadn’t expected."
2. A New York City businessman decided to avoid a $20 service charge by replacing a fluorescent light himself. After he had smuggled a new light into his office and put it in place, he decided to get rid of the old tube by throwing it in the trash can near his subway stop. That night he got on the subway holding the seven-foot light vertically, with one end resting on the floor of the car. As the train became more crowded other passengers took hold of the tube, assuming it was a grab bar. By the time the man reached his stop, he simply removed his hand and exited the car, leaving the other passengers gripping the fluorescent tube! (from www.higherpraise.org)
3. The Bible says a lot about planning – when we can. Yet on the other hand, we also must be flexible and spontaneous (Mary and Martha) because life has many surprises to which we must adjust.
4. The odds are that most of us are stronger in one area or the other. But sometimes we must all "fly by the seat of our pants."
"To fly by the seat of one’s pants" does mean "to do a job the best you can by instinct, training, or experience, without outside aid or instruction," and seems to have been popularized during World War II, though the phrase itself is probably a bit older. It originally meant to fly an airplane either without the aid of instruments (compass, airspeed, altimeter, radio direction finder, etc.) or when instruments were of little or no use in fog or other bad weather. "Flying by the seat of one’s pants" in such a situation would mean that the pilot’s experience and "feel" for the aircraft (including the actual vibrations, etc. sensed in his seat) would have to substitute for instrument data to guide the aircraft safely. /www.word-detective.com/111703.html
I Corinthians 10:13
Main Idea: Sometimes we find ourselves in horrible predicaments without an answer. Yet, with God’s help, we can often find the “way of escape” if we do not give up and keep trusting Him.
I. Act 5: Mordecai Gets the BAD NEWS to Esther (4:4-17)
A. Esther INVESTIGATES (4-8)
1. Esther gets word that Mordecai is fasting and clothes torn in grief
2. Sends clothes so he can enter PALACE area and talk
3. Situation so serious Mordecai refuses good clothes (4)
4. Esther sends servant to bring message (5)
5. Problem serious: Haman so dedicated, offered great money to king (6-7)
6.Gives Esther copy of decree, asks her to intervene (8)
B. Esther’s HELPLESNESS (6- 11)
1. King not asked for her for 30 days
2. She takes her life in her hands if she enters the throne room spontaneously; if king does not hold out the scepter, she will be executed…
C. Mordecai’s RESPONSE (12-14)
1. It is not about YOU
2. It is about God’s PROVIDENCE (14)
D. Esther: A True HEROINE (15-17)
1. Asking for fasting of the people
2. “If I perish, I perish” (16b)
Edward Everett Hale…
I am only one,
But still I am one.
I cannot do everything;
But still I can do something;
And because I cannot do everything
I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.
Main Idea: Sometimes we find ourselves in horrible predicaments without an answer. Yet, with God’s help, we can often find the “way of escape” if we do not give up and keep trusting Him
II. Act 6: Esther Takes UNCERTAIN Initiatives (5:1-4)
A. She was between a ROCK and a Hard Place
1. The Queen was one of hundreds in the harem; not of royal blood, had no rights, was not to interfere with matters of state; only job – to look beautiful, appear at social gatherings, and please the king (unlike European Queens)
2. He had divorced (or possibly even executed) his previous Queen
3. He trusted Haman as head of state and Haman was also his best friend
4. He believed Haman’s lies about the Jews
5. The law to exterminate the Jews was already signed into law and could not be changed, even if the king wanted to do so
6. The king had not been paying much attention to Esther, and so she doubted whether she was still in his favor
7. She could not just burst into the throne
B. She Began An Uncharted COURSE (5:1-8)
1. If she asked for an appointment, things could be delayed and she would have to blurt out the purpose of her visit
2. So, after a couple of days of fasting, she entered the throne room as a walk in
3. The king graciously extended his scepter and offered to grant any reasonable request
4. She asked to hold a banquet late that afternoon with King Xerxes and Haman
5. The King agreed; they held the banquet, but Esther could not find the open door to present her request yet; she was groping, but nothing surfaced; the time and the situation was not right; Haman had to be discredited first – otherwise the king might figure out a way to spare Esther, but not all her people.
6. So she asked that they hold another banquet the next day; the king agreed.
Esther had decided to fly by the seat of her pants:
Esther did not know what she was doing, but she had to do something. So she decided to hang around the seat of power, praying and hoping that God would open up a small carck in some sort of door that she might be able to exploit to deliver her people.
The entire weight of the survival of all the Jews seemed to be upon Esther’s shoulders, but she could come up with no good plan to deliver her people; so she did what many of us have been forced to do: wing it, improvise, think on her feet.
C. Meanwhile, Haman’s RAGE Burns Even Hotter (9-14)
1. He sees Mordecai on the way home, and Mordecai will not bow
2. He goes home pent up with anger
3. He tells his friends and family that he has everything –- 10 sons, wealth, prestige…but it is all meaningless because of Mordecai…
4. Friends, hatred robbed Haman of joy…and, we’ll see, his life!
5. So his friends and wife say, “Have a gallows built 75 feet high so lots of people can see it…and then tomorrow, let Mordecai swing on it! Haman loves the idea and is happy as can be….
Main Idea: Sometimes we find ourselves in horrible predicaments without an answer. Yet, with God’s help, we can often find the “way of escape” if we do not give up and keep trusting Him
III. Intermission: Trusting God in the FOXHOLES of Uncertainty
1. Sometimes we find ourselves in horrible predicaments WITHOUT an answer
· Many problems have no obvious solutions
· We must begin with prayer, Scripture, and even fasting (in grave situations)
Yet, with God’s help, we can often find the “way of escape” if we do not give up and keep trusting Him.
2 But sometimes God calls us to IMPROVISE; we cannot prepare
Everyday life
Unexpected company, up all night with a sick child, boss surprises you with a report required almost immediately, you do special music for someone who took ill, a friend with children has an accident and needs someone to watch the kids…the family dog has puppies on the sofa…you forgot your dentist’s appointment but just have enough time to get there, but you must cancel your plans…you are on your way out the door to come to church and your infant throws up all over you…
Unique situations
You are on vacation in New York outside the twin towers when the terrorists strike…you help carry the wounded…do whatever you can…A relative commits suicide and you must identify the body…A car accident….Caught in a storm and stranded…
3. God’s Will is Not ALWAYS clear
· Early on, Esther did not really know what she was doing
· She was groping, waiting for an open door…for a while, she could find none
· Many of you are struggling with decisions, but there are no clear ones; you want God’s will, but He does not seem to be making it clear; it’s okay
4. We have to WAIT upon God – when possible
· God provided an open door for Esther
· He often does for us….but what do we do when he doesn’t?
· We try to delay until He does (like Esther); if a deadline approaches, and if we have looked at God’s Word and consulted godly advisors, then all we can do is pray about it and do our best…IF WE ARE SEEKING GOD’S WILL AND WAITING ON HIM, IT IS GOD’S PROBLEM TO MAKE HIS WILL KNOWN
· But many times we err because we want to know when WE want to know, not when God wants us to know…God’s frequent answer is WAIT, NOT NOW!!!
· It can be great to be pro-active, but not when we run AHEAD OF GOD
· I know what this is like; I find myself in the middle of many situations that have NO OBVIOUS answers…but running away does not help…sometimes we just have to wait it out and sweat it out…
Sometimes we find ourselves in horrible predicaments without an answer. Yet, with God’s help, we can often find the “way of escape” if we do not give up and keep trusting Him
CONCLUSION
1. What God has done for others, He may or may not do for you.
2. But often He will guide you as you are actively in process….flying by the seat of your pants.
