Esther has such rich opportunities for preaching and discipleship. During the Time with Young Disciples, I mentioned that Esther almost was left out of the Bible because God's name is not mentioned in the whole book. Yet, it is one of those stories that reveals how a person in the particularity of their life's context serves God's purposes. It was also All-Saints Day when we remember the saints of the church who have died in the last year, which seemed appropriate since we tell Esther's story (like we tell the stories of the saints) to be reminded of how she acted in ways to serve God
“Stepping Up” Esther 3: 7-15; 4: 8-17 SAPC; Denton; November 6, 2022; Richard B. Culp
Esther 4: 8-17 8Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show it to Esther, explain it to her, and charge her to go to the king to make supplication to him and entreat him for her people. 9Hathach went and told Esther what Mordecai had said. 10Then Esther spoke to Hathach and gave him a message for Mordecai, saying, 11“All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law—all alike are to be put to death. Only if the king holds out the golden scepter to someone, may that person live. I myself have not been called to come in to the king for thirty days.” 12When they told Mordecai what Esther had said, 13Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. 14For if you keep silence at such a time as this, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another quarter, but you and your father’s family will perish. Who knows? Perhaps you have come to royal dignity for just such a time as this.” 15Then Esther said in reply to Mordecai, 16“Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will also fast as you do. After that I will go to the king, though it is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.” 17Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.
Introduction: Another week in Esther’s story. Next week, we finish up Esther’s story with our Guest artist sharing with us how visual arts help her explore God’s word.
Then, Esther and Joseph meet up. then, advent.
Back to Esther.
Move 1: God’s people are in dire circumstances.
a. Haman wants to destroy them
1. he has a valid reason - they are different; they come from another country; they pledge their loyalty to their God, so they can’t be loyal to the king.
2. He has the king’s ear.
3. Perhaps most importantly, he has the money - 10K talents of silver to give the king if the king goes along with his plan to destroy the Jews.
b. Mordecai recognizes the threat.
1. He sees one chance to save God’s people.
2. Esther.
3. His cousin who is now queen, perhaps in a position to persuade the king not to kill off God’s people.
4. In Mordecai’s mind, the only chance to save God’s people is Esther, who has been described in the text as both beautiful and obedient, but must now step up and become a woman of action.
Move 2: Esther
a. As this critical moment for God’s people arrives, Esther is not sure if this is her moment or not.
1. She was not expecting this moment.
1. maybe, she saw the conflict on the horizon, but it did seem like her issue. she just has to deal with being queen.
2. But, she has not looking for it.
3. or, maybe not looking forward to it.
4. maybe she thinks she can avoid it.
5. She has been satisfied being queen, hiding her identity as one of God’s people.
6. Going along as the beautiful and obedient queen.
7. But now Mordecai calls her to action.
b. Not all moments are this dramatic.
1. Most of us will not find ourselves in a situation when the fate of God’s people seemingly rests on us.
2. But, we do find ourselves in situations where we are called to step up because our discipleship demands a response.
3. On all saints day, we remember the saints who have gone before us, who have shaped and formed us in the faith, and whose example of discipleship is ever before us.
4. As you remember, I suspect there are lots of warm stories of love being shared,
5. But, I bet we have all been shaped by the faithful disciple we saw step up and act in faith in a particular moment.
c. ’There are moments when you can say more in silence than you can ever say in words. There are others moments, though, when the world requires a voice.” Shattering the Gates of Hell: A Search for Family and Truth in the Wake of the Civil rights Revolution, John Archilbald, Alfred A. Knopp, NY: 2021, 81/606 in electronic book
Move 3: this moment in the life of God’s people needed the voice of Esther.
a. Esther steps up.
1. in the tradition of Puah and Shiphrah, the midwives who refuse to enforce Pharoah’s edict to kill all the newborn baby boys, Esther goes to see the king without being summoned.
2. she knows that doing this can lead to her death.
3. But she also knows she has to step up.
b. Philip Haille wrote Lest Innocent Blood Be Shed about the little French village of Chambon in France, which is noted for its hiding of Jews from the Nazis while France was occupied in World War II. Haille apparently went there expecting to find amazing people who were courageous, ethical people who were heroes for choosing to risk their lives for others. He interviewed many people in the village and was overwhelmed by their ordinariness. they weren't necessarily ethical, thinking people or heroes or all that courageous. Haille finally decided after his interviews that the one thing that united them was their attendance in their little local church. that seemed to be the common denominator and the only explanation. Haille's conclusions were best summed up by one older woman who had faked a heart attack when the Nazis came to search her house to keep them from finding the Jews she was hiding. She said: “We were always taught that there comes a time in every life when a person is asked to do something for Jesus. when our time came, we know what to do.”
conclusion: God sent Esther to a particular place for a particular time, and when the time arrived for Esther to step up, she knew what to do.
God sends each of us to particular places for particular times - when it is time for you to step up, what will you do?
Esther 3: 7-157In the first month, which is the month of Nisan, in the twelfth year of King Ahasuerus, they cast Pur—which means “the lot” —before Haman for the day and for the month, and the lot fell on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar. 8Then Haman said to King Ahasuerus, “There is a certain people scattered and separated among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from those of every other people, and they do not keep the king’s laws, so that it is not appropriate for the king to tolerate them. 9If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued for their destruction, and I will pay ten thousand talents of silver into the hands of those who have charge of the king’s business, so that they may put it into the king’s treasuries.” 10So the king took his signet ring from his hand and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. 11The king said to Haman, “The money is given to you, and the people as well, to do with them as it seems good to you.” 12Then the king’s secretaries were summoned on the thirteenth day of the first month, and an edict, according to all that Haman commanded, was written to the king’s satraps and to the governors over all the provinces and to the officials of all the peoples, to every province in its own script and every people in its own language; it was written in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed with the king’s ring. 13Letters were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces, giving orders to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all Jews, young and old, women and children, in one day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods. 14A copy of the document was to be issued as a decree in every province by proclamation, calling on all the peoples to be ready for that day. 15The couriers went quickly by order of the king, and the decree was issued in the citadel of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink; but the city of Susa was thrown into confusion.
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