For Such a Time as This

INTRODUCTION (Series Slide) Good morning. My name is David Sorn, and I’m the Lead Pastor here at Renovation Church. I don’t know about you, but I find that it’s always easier to look at someone else’s life with a broadened perspective You can look at someone else and say: “Well, the reason you’re working so hard in school now is because it’ll pay off later” “The reason you went through that heartbreak, was to make you more reliant on God for the future” “The reason that… We tend to be able to spot these grand narratives when someone asks us the “WHY” questions about their life. But then, when it comes to our own lives, it’s often a lot harder. We tend to look with tunnel vision. And we say, “God what are you doing?” “Why do you have me here of all places?” “And what do you want me to do in THIS hard place?” And yet, in all things, God has a plan. And He has you where He has you…for a reason. And we’re going to take a look at that as we continue in our summer series on the Book of Esther. Go ahead and grab a Bible at your chair. Esther 4:1 – 5:8 Page 342 As you’re doing that, Let me catch you up to speed, especially if it’s your first time here today (We’re so happy you’re here) The Book of Esther starts in the year 483BC in the city of Susa, in the Kingdom of Persia, which is in modern day Iran. The Persian King Xerxes has gotten rid of his wife, and decided he would pick a young woman from his Kingdom to be his new Queen. And surprisingly, Esther, the Jewish exile, is selected as Queen, but nobody knows she is Jewish at this point. And then, two weeks ago, when we were last in Esther, we read about the villain, Haman, who hated Esther’s cousin Mordecai. In fact, Haman hated Mordecai so much, that he convinced King Xerces to issue a decree to kill (not just Mordecai), but all the Jews in Persia So let’s join the story there. (Esther 4:1 5) – NIV When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly. 2 But he went only as far as the king’s gate, because no one clothed in sackcloth was allowed to enter it. 3 In every province to which the edict and order of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes. 4 When Esther’s eunuchs and female attendants came and told her about Mordecai, she was in great distress. She sent clothes for him to put on instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them. 5 Then Esther summoned Hathak, one of the king’s eunuchs assigned to attend her, and ordered him to find out what was troubling Mordecai and why. (Title slide) And so when Mordecai learns that the Jews are going to be virtually wiped out, he tears his clothes, and puts on sackcloth and ashes. This is the mourning procedure of the Jews in a time of great sorrow. But when Esther hears that Mordecai is acting like this, she’s a little bit embarrassed so she sends him some regular clothes. And so she obviously hasn’t heard about the edict to kill all the Jews yet. Let’s keep reading. TRUST IN GOD’S PLAN (Esther 4:6 11) – NIV 6 So Hathak went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate. 7 Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews. 8 He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to Esther and explain it to her, and he told him to instruct her to go into the king’s presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people. 9 Hathak went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said. 10 Then she instructed him to say to Mordecai, 11 “All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.” (Title slide) And so Esther is saying, “Mordecai, what you’re asking me to do is not an easy thing.” Basically if I go up to the king uninvited, the law says I will be put to death…unless for some reason he chooses to have mercy on me. You can almost hear Esther saying, “Do you not remember what happened to the last Queen, Queen Vashti, when she was bold to the king?!” And she’s saying, “Besides, I haven’t even seen the king in 30 days, so for all I know he’s already mad at me!” “And now you’re asking me to put my life at risk?!” And Mordecai is going to tell her that because she’s a Jew, her life is already at risk. Let’s keep reading. (Esther 4:12 14) – NIV 12 When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, 13 he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” (Title slide) So essentially the question that we see in our passage today is a question that many of us will wrestle with at different times in our lives, and that is this: What should I do in those complex/hard/difficult situations of life? What would God have me do? What should I do in a difficult situation? #1: Trust in God’s plan When Mordecai utters what is now the most famous line of the book… And he says, perhaps “you have come to your royal position for such a time as this” He’s alluding to God’s plan. He’s saying, “Esther, stop and think about it. I know things look so bleak for our people. But how crazy is it that you, an exiled orphan, became Queen of the most powerful nation on earth?!” I don’t know, maybe this was all a part of God’s plan?! And yet, he stills says: “who knows…maybe you’ve come to your royal position for such a time as this.” And Mordecai says “who knows” because we don’t typically get a full picture of God’s plan. I want you to imagine this whole wall is a painting or a storyboard of God’s plan for in and around your life, the truth is this is all we see is this. And that’s why we need to trust God…who sees the whole thing. We need to trust Him that He is good…and that He’s in control. And the truth is you are going to have a moment, or two in your life where you, like Esther, are going to be tested. You’ll be in a difficult situation at work, or with your health, or you’re your family, where you have to make a big decision. And that decision is going to reveal how much you really do or do not trust God. And when you get there…or if, for some of you, you’re in the midst of it…. …my friend, trust in God’s plan. Because if Esther would have said, “No Mordecai, this is all crazy. I can’t do that” …well then I suspect, we wouldn’t know her name. And her story wouldn’t be an inspiration to us because she didn’t trust beyond what she could see with her own eyes. And we need to trust that God has us where he has us for a reason. God is not surprised by what’s happening in your life. REMEMBER YOU HAVE A PURPOSE Let’s look at a 2nd principle. What should I do in a difficult situation? #1: Trust in God’s plan #2: Remember you have a purpose I think this point is deeply important for the time in which we live. God had a very specific purpose in getting Esther into the palace. And this is important because there are so many people today who feel like they have no purpose. Because the secular culture around us doesn’t answer the big questions about purpose anymore. It only speaks to the more trivial things like finding pleasure, or making money, or finding your authentic self. And that all feels good, for a little bit. But you were wired to find answers to deeper questions about life. How did we get here? Why are you here? Is there a purpose to your life? And this is why it’s so good to follow God…because His Word answers all of those deeper questions. He made this universe and this world. And He put you here to have a relationship with Him. And He has a very specific purpose for your life. And we see that truth in Esther. She is on the Queen’s throne of Persia for such a time as this: to save the Jews. And for some of you: God has you retired for such a time as this. He’s got plans for you. Not just to sit around or travel the rest of your life, but He wants to use you in ministry (to lead, to disciple, now) For others of you: God has you where He has you at work or school, for such a time as this. He has you in the neighborhood in which you live, for such a time as this. OBEY NO MATTER WHAT Let’s keep reading now. (Esther 4:15 – 5:8) – NIV 15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” 17 So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther’s instructions. 5 On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance. 2 When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter. 3 Then the king asked, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be given you.” 4 “If it pleases the king,” replied Esther, “let the king, together with Haman, come today to a banquet I have prepared for him.” 5 “Bring Haman at once,” the king said, “so that we may do what Esther asks.” So the king and Haman went to the banquet Esther had prepared. 6 As they were drinking wine, the king again asked Esther, “Now what is your petition? It will be given you. And what is your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.” 7 Esther replied, “My petition and my request is this: 8 If the king regards me with favor and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them. Then I will answer the king’s question.” (Title slide) Now, we don’t for sure why Esther requests that the King and Haman come to a 2nd banquet. Maybe she was too nervous at the first one. Maybe in their culture, it was proper to take relational time together before you make a big ask. But, spoiler alert, Esther IS going to ask the King to save her people the Jews. And from her actions, we learn a 3rd principle about what to do in a difficult situation What should I do in a difficult situation? #1: Trust in God’s plan #2: Remember you have a purpose #3: Obey no matter what And this is Esther, right? At the end of verse 16 of chapter 4, she says:, “I will go to the King, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish” And she’s not being overly dramatic either. She’s risking her life. And maybe you questioned Esther when she first said back to Mordecai, “You know I’m probably going to die if I go in there to talk to the King? It’s against the law!” Maybe it’s because I like to play out scenarios a lot, but I’ve always sympathized with Esther. Sure, there are some people in the Bible that just leap in and do the right thing. But Esther reminds me that…we’re human. Because typically, it’s NOT easy to just obey God no matter the cost. That’s why, at first, she says, “You know I could die if I do this?!” Esther isn’t just a robot obeying. She’s a human who decides to obey despite her fears. One of my favorite books is The Silver Chair… (Silver Chair Cover) …which was the 4th book C.S. Lewis wrote in the Chronicles of Narnia. By the way, you can find the Chronicles of Narnia in our church library down the adult wing hallway. The Silver Chair is amazing for kids, but even better for adults. And in the book, the children are given 4 signs or instructions from Aslan (who is the Jesus figure). And the signs are meant to help them find the lost Prince of Narnia. And the signs are symbolic of God’s word. The children are supposed to memorize the signs, so that when they come upon one of them, they can obey them. And Aslan says, “The fourth and final sign is: You will know that you’ve found the lost prince in that he will be the 1st person you have met in your travels who will ask you to do something in my name, in the name of Aslan” And as the children go on their journey to find the lost prince, they find that the signs often aren’t as clear as they thought they would be. And thus, trust and obedience aren’t as easy as they had hoped. And nowhere is this clearer than the 4th sign. They eventually come upon a man, and he is shackled and bound to a silver chair. But the man seems very dangerous and honestly a bit crazy…but he claims he’s been put under a spell. And then he starts screaming at the children, and he says, “In the name of Aslan, set me free!!” And the kids look at each other and say, “It’s the 4th sign! Is that the lost prince?” And let me read to you what C.S. Lewis writes here. “Oh, if only we knew!” said Jill (one of the children) “I think we do know.” Said Puddleglum (their guide) “Do you mean you think everything will come right if we do untie him?” “I don’t know about that,” said Puddleglum. “You see, Aslan didn’t tell us what would happen. He only told us what to do.” (Title slide) And I think this is so important. Because you may be in a situation at work, or with your family, where something is wrong, and you know that you need to speak up. But you know if you do, it’s going to cost you. But too often we look to God like the girl Jill in the silver chair, and we say, “If I do this, will you make everything right?” But God doesn’t promise us that. He only told us what to do. One of the reasons that American Christians today have such a hard time obeying God when life is hard…is because we have wrongly linked together obedience and earthly blessing. Obedience doesn’t always lead to earthly blessing. I believe it leads to heavenly blessing…but we don’t know what God’s plans are on this earth. We just know we’re called to obey. And listen, if Esther was only interested in making HER life better, she never would’ve went to the King. …and she would’ve been forgotten in the annals of history by now. But for her, obedience doesn’t need to make her life better. That’s why she can say: “If I perish, I perish” But obedience is still right. Because God is King and we are not. And honestly, my friends, we are His servants, and we are living in His story and His creation…for His glory. And it’s easier than you think to accidentally flip that whole thing upside down. And before you know it, you’re living like God is your servant, and He is living in your story, to help bring about your desires and your purposes. But when you live like that…it becomes really hard to obey God. But when you live in Biblical truth. And you remember that you GET to fulfill a mission for The Creator of the Universe. That you have the honor and privilege of serving the purposes of the King of Kings. That Biblical thinking CHANGES how you look at things. And it allows you to look at even some of the hardest moments of your life, and say, “perhaps God has brought me to this moment, for such a time as this” Amen.