Elements City Church
We're in a series in the Book of Esther in the Bible. Esther is a story where God seems silent, yet His sovereignty is incredibly active. It’s a story set against impossible odds. Esther’s story highlights the incredible potential of brave and faithful people and their power to impact society and situations. It’s a story that calls us today to integrate culture and not hide away. A story that calls us to be strong and seek to have influence within the culture around us. All the while we're to stay faithful to following God, his principles and allowing Him to build bravery within us for our moment in history.
If we were describing the setting of Esther in 6 words: “Game of Thrones without the dragons” -- *this is about kings and queens, politics, elaborate wealth, hidden agendas, death (lots of impaling), trickery, good and evil; it involves sex, power, pride, tragedy and triumph == and God’s hand guiding and overseeing it all. It is set in the Persian Empire around 480 BC
Key Take-Away for series:
Hiddenness is a theme that shapes the whole book of Esther.
At times, God may seem silent, but He is never absent.
Esther 6:1 NIV
Talk about the timing of God...
Mordecai was sleeping, not aware of what awaited him in the morning.
Haman was sleeping, probably dreaming of what he was going to do to Mordecai
Esther was sleeping
THE WHOLE city of Susa was sleeping
But not the King.
Why? = God was at work.
What happens next in Esther’s story is a bit like watching a Rube Goldberg machine—one of those elaborate contraptions where one drops a ball down a chute, which spins a wheel, which turns a pulley, which sends a domino falling onto a lever, and on it goes until, at the end, it starts a car, or performs some other task. In this case, each event triggered another. Esther’s risk is the trigger, and what unfolds is the downfall of Haman, the rise of Mordecai, and the redemption of God’s people.
Esther 6:1-3 NIV
Let me challenge us to guard our hearts like Mordecai did – through all that happened to him, Mordecai never becomes a man of vengeance or one who seeks to get back at Haman or others. He doesn’t speak against those who may have slighted him. He maintains his integrity. Letting God be his defender. He keeps on keeping on.
Hebrews 6:10
God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.
Galatians 6:9 NIV
Be faithful to God – keep doing good works.
When no one else notices, mark it down, God notices.
No one else may remember – but God records it.
Esther 6:3-11 NIV
Talk about eating humble pie… this was a full banquet sized serving of humble pie for Haman. He's all distraught on the irony of everything, but the banquet is just about to begin - only to see that moment serve up some more God-designed ironic discipline.
Esther 7:1-10 NIV
Esther steps up for her people – and we watch God step INTO the story and bring about holy & righteous change! Friends, so often, as we step up for God’s best in situations, we’ll watch God step IN and bring about transformation. God can do all things without us, but he so often longs to work alongside us to bring about change.
We’ve watched the difference between 2 key characters in this story: Haman and Mordecai.
One is full of pride
One is full of humility
Throughout all the Scriptures we see the tension between these 2 attributes. They represent the pull that goes on within each human heart.
Jesus models this way of humility & calls us to it. The Scriptures shout for us to see this:
James 4:6
But he (God) gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
James 4:10
Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
Luke 14:11
“For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”” –Jesus said
1 Peter 3:8
Finally, all of you, be like-minded, sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.
Quote:
“Jesus doesn’t separate the world into good people and bad people. He separates the world into proud people and humble people. What’s more, he opposes the proud, and gives grace to the humble.”
—Scott Sauls
The path and heart of humility is to be our pursuit as a follower of Jesus.
When pride tries to worm it’s way into our hearts, we must weed it out.
- every time and all the time. Diligently. We must ruthlessly eliminate pride from our hearts.
When we’re living with humility, we’re actually beginning to live with more and more the heart of Jesus! What he modeled and how he lived…and as his disciple, that’s what we want most: to become more like the one we follow!
NEED PRAYER?
....we've got some of our prayer team and pastors available following service to pray with you. You can also submit your prayer request via our app. We look forward to partnering with you in prayer.
IF YOU'RE NEW:
we throw a 10-minute party immediately following the service in the back corner of the room, if you're new, we'd love to meet you and welcome you! We invite you back next weekend as we conclude this series on Building Bravery (Esther's story).