The Queen Who Said "No"

THE QUEEN WHO SAID NO

Esther 1

When she said No: She lost her; Title, Name, Dignity, Status, Popularity and her Power

Why didn’t she come, when the King called?

Maybe she was Tired, Embarrassed, Angry, or even Prideful

I. WHAT WILL YOUR RESPONSE BE WHEN THE KING CALLS?

What happens when we say, “No”

A. We lose our TITLE & NAME : “Christian”

1. Not our “salvation” but rather

2. We lose the “right” to be called a “Christian”

3. Christians are Christ like - “Not my will, but thine be done”

4. Origin of the Title Christianity - Antioch - “They are acting just like Jesus”

B. We lose our DIGNITY & STATUS

1. Movie: Changing Places

2. Movie: Gladiator

3. We lose our DIGNITY when we get out of God’s will

4. So many Bible characters lost their DIGNITY & STATUS when they got out of God’s will:

a. Lot’s wife

b. Samson

c. Moses

d. Peter

e. David’s wife - Mikal

f. King Saul

g. Nebuchanezzer

h. King David

C. We lose our POPULARITY & POWER

1. Can we lose our POPULARITY with God?

God is no respecter of persons, however, it is a fact that some people are chosen by God do GREATER things than others!

2. If every time the King calls you, you are unavailable to Him, sooner or later He’ll invite someone else to take your place! - Esther replaced Vashti!!!

3. Can we lose our POWER from God?

Remember the possessed person whom the pastor tried to deliver? “You have no POWER in that name... You’ve abused it too much!!

II. WHY WOULD WE SAY NO TO OUR KING?

A. Maybe we were Tired, Embarrassed, Angry, or even Prideful when He called... or maybe we were lazy..... or maybe we were foolish and unprepared! Matt 25:1-13

B. Maybe we were caught up in sin! A simple definition of sin is ANYTHING that keeps you from God

C. You’ve got to SMASH everything that gets in the way of your relationship with GOD

D. Am I being too harsh? Jesus said, “If your hand makes you in.... CUT IT OFF!”

“If your eye makes you sin.... PLUCK IT OUT!”

E. Does Jesus really intend for you to cut off your hand, or pluck out your eye?

I don’t think so!!

Instead, He wants you to see the seriousness of SIN keeping you away from God!

F. Do I really want you to go home and SMASH your caller i.d., your computer, and your vcr? No way! Instead, I want you to see the seriousness of saying No to the King!!

G. Sometimes we don’t have to say, NO to God... Sometimes all it takes is NOT SAYING YES! SOMETIMES, ALL IT TAKES FOR THE PHONE TO STOP RINGING IS FOR US TO REFUSE TO ANSWER IT AT ALL!!

III. WHY DID THE KING SUMMON VASHTI?

A. The King wanted to spend time with her!

B. She was beautiful! (Lovely to look at)

C. The King loved her

IV. WHY DOES OUR KING CALL US?

A. He wants to spend some time with you!!