Thursday, June 30, 2011

Making Much of Christ

Luke 10:38-42[1]

Today the title of my sermon is making much of Christ. I'm going to read this passage and help us meditate a little on our Lord.

Luke 10:38-42

38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house.

39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord's feet and listened to his teaching.

40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, "Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me."

41 But the Lord answered her, "Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,

42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her."

There are a lot of things we can do to express that we love Jesus Christ. But I want to extract an example from this well-known text and apply it to our lives here at Rolling Hills Church. This is the story of Mary magnifying Christ above all else; by loving Him and listening to Him. Simply as Mary, we can love Christ and listen to Christ. I am convinced that, if and when we are careful to do so, He will be magnified in our lives. I want to encourage us to make much of Christ and then show some apparent contrasts that come in making much of Christ.

So why would we sit and listen to Jesus? Why would we magnify Him this way?

Because He is God. John 1:1, 14 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. Yes, to many He is only a teacher, leader, or religious figure. He is relegated to one in the line of many. But we know different; He is LORD OF ALL, He is CREATOR GOD, He is the RIGHTEOUS JUDGE and the GRACIOUS, FORGIVING GOD. He is He is God. We should sit and listen.

Because, as God, He has something to say. In Matt 17:1-6 Peter, James, and John had the incredible privilege of seeing His glory revealed. Moses and Elijah also showed up, and it was an overwhelming thing for the three disciples. Peter couldn't keep his mouth from babbling in the excitement. I often feel his pain. But God spoke from heaven and said, "This is my beloved Son, with Whom I am well pleased; listen to Him!" Many times in our prayer we're so excited to say to God what we've come to say, what we feel or think is important or significant. We should! He cares for us, we should tell Him how we feel and what we think, need, and want! But there's an element of prayer that brings stability and peace – that is listening to Him. Think of this: Jesus, being God, has all knowledge, all wisdom[2]. Surely it would help if we valued His words, and listened to Him through the Scriptures. His words created the world, His words gave us life – surely we need to hear what He has to say. Besides – the FATHER makes much of the Son, so should we. Often we are starving for wisdom, direction, or comfort. We're running to our friends, Christian radio, or to the world! We seek Oprah, Dr. Phil, or insight from magazines, co-workers, or unchurched neighbors. We don't have to starve! We can stop starving and start listening.

Because He has a compelling kindness. Matt 11:28-30. "Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." It says in Mark 10:21 that He looked on the rich young ruler and loved Him. In Luke 7:12-16 He said to the weeping widow who had lost her son, "Don't weep." Then he raised her only son from the dead. There is that about Jesus that draws us when we take a minute to be with Him. What is that? There is a compelling kindness to Him that we don't experience often in this hard old world. We need His kindness. According to Rom 2:4 it's His kindness that leads us to repentance. Yes we fear God; but yes we must know that God loves us and is kind toward us!

Because He is and He gives life. Jn 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." You see, He is life. He has life in Him, and that life is the light of the world. Our faith is like a rechargeable battery; yes it works and yes it has light, but the world's darkness drains our faith. We must plug in and be recharged. He is life, dear church. Christ is life. Christ gives life. He is the resurrection! Ask the son of the widow! Ask Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead after four days! Ask your believing family and friends who have gone on ahead when you come to see them. He is life, and graciously, He GIVES life to us. He also sustains and brightens and strengthens that life in us. He recharges our life in Him. He renews our minds with His words.

So we make much of Christ because He is God, He has something to say, He has a compelling kindness, and because He is and He gives life. He is worthy of our praise, of our devotion, our sitting at His feet, and of that being the one thing for us. We, by God's gracious work in us, will thrive when making much of Christ.

But let me share some apparent contrasts in making much of Christ Jesus, our Lord…

Making much of Christ is personal, but not private. You cannot have someone love Christ for you or through you. This is a personal relationship, a genuine love for a real person, the God who created You in His image! Its not a love the pastor gives you, it's not a decision the parent makes; it is You who must receive Christ, and yield to love, enjoy, and treasure Christ. The Holy Spirit, if you are born of Him, is wooing, drawing, convicting, and working to help you see and savor Jesus; but it's personal. Yet it's not private; you can't hide this faith, this love for Jesus under a bushel basket. You also can't hide it under pride, job security, or good works! In John 12:42 he writes, "Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue." It will be that love for Jesus exudes from you. Love for Jesus is life-changing; life change isn't private.

Making much of Christ settles and brings conflict. It settles conflict in our hearts to yield and love Jesus. It settles our souls to fully love and trust Jesus, to let go of excuses, bitterness, old hurts, and sin. The inner conflicts are gone when we yield to Christ and treasure Him above all. Sometimes when one comes to faith in Christ it may settle the family and bring unity there as well as in his or her own heart. Yet the outer conflicts may just be beginning! It may divide our families when we truly treasure Jesus Christ. There are those family members who are threatened or confused when we love Jesus supremely. Not always, but sometimes when we begin living by God's Word instead of paying lip service to it only, it brings conflict into our family. It may divide a worldly church when someone just loves Jesus so much they'll listen to Him and love Him. Sometimes those in church get upset when we're too biblical or Christ-centered. They call us goody-goody, self-righteous, or too spiritual. They try to make us worldlier to soothe their nagging conscience. Loving Christ causes problems in a worldly church. And yet, when we persist in loving, listening to, and following Jesus Christ – sometimes the very ones who are attacking us can become our brothers and sisters. Sometimes our genuine, life-altering faith is what they needed to see in order to be open to hear the gospel.

Making much of Christ is church-strengthening and world-reaching. I want us to be clear on this, that loving Jesus and listening to His word above the clatter of the world and even the pseudo-Christian noise of the church deepens our faith immensely. Time alone at the feet of Jesus makes us different people. It makes a Christian family a loving, kind family. It makes a singing church a worshipping church. It makes a working church a worshipping church. It makes a church a powerful witness instead of a good option in the deck of church cards. When those far from Christ come in here and we're truly caught up in Jesus, and His truth has us captivated, changed, and freed up, it's a powerful witness. We're strengthened in our inner man, in our church, and we're deepened. At the same time, we're broadened by this love to reach the world. We're compelled to go because we love Him.

A.W. Tozer wrote, "I cannot speak for you, but I want to be among those who worship. I do not want just to be a part of some great ecclesiastical machine where the pastor turns the crank and the machine runs. You know – the pastor loves everybody and everybody loves him. He has to do it. He is paid to do it. I wish that we might get back to worship again. Then when people come into the church they will instantly sense that they come among holy people. They can testify, "Of a truth God is in this place."[3]

Do we not need the same as Tozer – to worship Christ? Don't we desire, need, and seek TRUE WORSHIP? God is seeking true worshippers, church; those who worship Jesus in spirit and in truth.

So I say to you this morning, church; let's make much of Jesus.

Love Jesus.

Listen to Jesus.

Sit at His feet.

Enjoy the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Pray, praise, sit, listen, feed and be nourished at the table Christ offers us. It is the first and foremost part of our mission to this world.



[1] All Scriptures, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (via E-Sword Software) © 2001 Crossway Publishing. All Rights Reserved. I paste them in red for distinction.

[2] Point made by Wayne Grudem in his excellent Bible Doctrine, © 1999 by Wayne Grudem, Published by Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

[3] From Whatever Happened to Worship? pg 20,  By A.W. Tozer , © Christian Publications, 1985

Wednesday, June 29, 2011

The New Testament on Creation

 John 1:1-3[1]

As preached at Rolling Hills Church on Sunday, June 26th.

The New Testament teaches that God made all things through Jesus Christ.

When I say, 'Creation', what Scripture passage comes to mind? Genesis 1. In fact, let me read Genesis 1:1, and if you know it quote it with me. "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth." What a majestic beginning to the Bible! And church family, friends, and guests, those ten words are absolutely true.

Of course many believe, in light of scientific discoveries in the past two centuries, that this passage must be interpreted metaphorically, not literally. While it is vastly helpful to make a scientific case to support the biblical creation, today I would like to simply show the case for creation from the New Testament. Before I do I would like to define a few different theories of our beginnings.

Evolutionary origin of life. This is the belief system based on atheism; no God. Let me give you the Wikipedia definition of evolution's origin of life theory: "Highly energetic chemistry is believed to have produced a self-replicating molecule around 4 billion years ago and half a billion years later the last common ancestor of all life existed. The current scientific consensus is that the complex biochemistry that makes up life came from simpler chemical reactions. The beginning of life may have included self-replicating molecules such as RNA and the assembly of simple cells." This is essentially a big-bang theory. Things went from very small to very large, and from disorder to order.

Deistic evolution. This is the belief that there is a God or Deity, and He initiated the evolution process and let it go. He is watching His work develop on it's own. Proponents of this theory do not necessarily believe in the God of the Bible or His Son Jesus Christ.

Theistic evolution. This view, held by some Christians, holds that Genesis chapters 1-2 are false, but God initiated and guided the evolutionary process.

Day Age Theories. There are several of these, but the summary is that these people believe that the word 'day' in Genesis 1 is not literal, but represents a much longer time frame. Some believe they happened in sequence, some believe the sequence in Genesis one isn't to be trusted but God still did it, etc.  One view is the Gap Theory; this is the belief that, based on Isaiah 14:12-14, Ezekiel 28:11-17, and Jeremiah 4:23-26, that God created everything in Genesis 1:1, there was this long thriving age, then Satan brought it to ruin, God destroyed everything and started over in verse 2. This is how they explain the old earth belief as well as support the view that God would never make anything formless and void.

There are at least seven day-age theories, and they support somehow re-interpreting the Scriptures to support the general evolutionary belief that the earth is very, very old.

Fiat Creation Theory. This is the belief that Genesis 1-2 are literally true, and that yom (the Hebrew word for day) means a literal 24-hour day, as it would have to when referred to in Exodus 20:11. "For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy."

This is consistent throughout the Scriptures. Most fiat creationists, and that's the school of thought I fit into, believe that God made a mature earth (mature Adam and Eve) and that the flood explains many things we would otherwise struggle to grasp. In light of such views and beliefs, let's survey what the New Testament has to say about Creation.

John 1:1-3 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.

John's language sounds a lot like Genesis 1:1, doesn't it? John is making the case that Jesus is the Messiah. John 20:31 but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. His starting point is that Jesus is eternally pre-existent (He was before anything), eternally with God (Trinity of Father, Son, Holy Ghost), eternally God ('Word' referring to the Christ), and that He is eternally Creator[2] (all things were created through Him). Jesus is God; and yet God created everything through Jesus. Contrary to what some say, God didn't create Jesus in the beginning; Jesus is God, and all things were created through Him. Let's move on…

1 Cor 8:6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.

Here the apostle Paul, while teaching about offering food to idols, weighs in with his belief that there is One God, and Jesus is One with God, and all things are 'through' him. He teaches this more directly in the next passage we'll go to…

Col 1:15-17 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

So here are two of the apostles teaching us that all things were created by Jesus Christ. Through Him and for Him; and in Him all things hold together. Think of the vastness of creation, church family; and think of the miniaturization of the parts of a molecule. This same Jesus Christ, who created all things, still sustains all things. How wonderful our God is! How powerful, how awesome our Lord is! All of creation came from his thoughts!

Henry Ford is known as the creator of the car; but he depended greatly on his friend Charles Steinmetz, who was a mechanical genius. It was said of Charles that he could build a motor in his mind, and if it broke down, he could fix it in his mind! One day the assembly line at the Ford plant broke down; none of the Ford men could fix it, so they called Mr. Steinmetz. He tinkered for a few minutes, threw the switch, and it started running again. A few days later Ford received a bill from Steinmetz for $10,000. Ford wrote back, "Charlie, don't you think your bill is a little high for just a little tinkering!" His friend sent back a revised bill: "Tinkering, $10. Knowing where to tinker, $9,990." The Lord Jesus Christ knows all things; He created and sustains all things; that knowledge lies with Him alone.

Heb 1:1-3a Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.

This writer of Hebrews confirms the same truth; that all things were made through Jesus Christ, and this same Christ sustains all things. God spoke the world into existence through Christ, and by His word all things are upheld. Let's move on to

Hebrews 11:1-6 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible. By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Let's focus on verses three and six. I bring this out because verse six is so strong on believing God exists! To believe this God exists is to, according to verse three, believe that this God created the universe! So this writer of Hebrews believes Genesis 1 literally, holding fast to God's work of creating all things out of nothing, 'ex nihilo'.  This is an issue of faith to believe this God; without faith it is literally impossible to please God.

The 24 elders in Revelation 4:11 sing this song before Him who sits on the throne: "Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created." this song before the throne gives God praise for His creation: he made all things, and He sustains all things.

Church, all of creation gives God praise, and brings Him glory. How could it bring Him glory if he didn't create it? Back to Paul's writings…

Romans 1:20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

The pre-conception of Paul here is that God created everything – 'they have been made'. God reveals Himself to us generally in nature, and specifically in the Holy Bible. Not only does the Old Testament strongly teach that God created the heavens and the earth, and all that there is through Christ, but the New Testament re-affirms and teaches the same truth!

The New Testament teaches that God made all things through Jesus Christ.

Now church, let me pose a few questions for us to consider before we go…

If this Christ created all things, and sustained all things, can He not work in our hearts?
Can He not convict and cleanse us of sin? Answer our prayers?

Can He not change our beliefs, thoughts, worldviews, and our habits?

Can He not easily empower us to worship Him in truth and in spirit?

Can He not, who made all things and who sustains all things, fill us with His Holy Spirit to love and serve one another as the body of Christ?

Can He not, who made all things and who sustains all things, fill us with His Holy Spirit to share His gospel to a godless world?

This power to create life was demonstrated at the tomb when God resurrected Jesus. This power to create life is demonstrated when He regenerates a lost and dying man, woman, or child and brings them to Himself in faith for eternal life.

Consider the greatness of Jesus Christ our Savior: the Creator, and Sustainer of all things.

 



[1] All Scriptures, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (via E-Sword Software) © 2001 Crossway Publishing. All Rights Reserved. I paste them in red for distinction.

[2] From Kent Hughes excellent commentary John, © 1999 by R. Kent Hughes, published by Crossway Books.

Friday, June 17, 2011

Something to Celebrate

Esther 9-10[1]

As preached at Rolling Hills Church on Sunday, June 12th.

Today we come to the exciting end to this wonderful story, and it is one of the best! The setting is an exotic ancient capital; the story flows swiftly downstream with drama, intrigue, romance, danger, fighting, a nasty villain, ordinary people who become heroes, and a happy ending. This is a fantastic story; better yet is that it's a true story!

Esther 9

1 Now in the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar, on the thirteenth day of the same, when the king's command and edict were about to be carried out, on the very day when the enemies of the Jews hoped to gain the mastery over them, the reverse occurred: the Jews gained mastery over those who hated them.

2 The Jews gathered in their cities throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus to lay hands on those who sought their harm. And no one could stand against them, for the fear of them had fallen on all peoples.

3 All the officials of the provinces and the satraps and the governors and the royal agents also helped the Jews, for the fear of Mordecai had fallen on them.

4 For Mordecai was great in the king's house, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces, for the man Mordecai grew more and more powerful.

5 The Jews struck all their enemies with the sword, killing and destroying them, and did as they pleased to those who hated them.

6 In Susa the citadel itself the Jews killed and destroyed 500 men,

7 and also killed Parshandatha and Dalphon and Aspatha

8 and Poratha and Adalia and Aridatha

9 and Parmashta and Arisai and Aridai and Vaizatha,

10 the ten sons of Haman the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of the Jews, but they laid no hand on the plunder.

11 That very day the number of those killed in Susa the citadel was reported to the king.

12 And the king said to Queen Esther, "In Susa the citadel the Jews have killed and destroyed 500 men and also the ten sons of Haman. What then have they done in the rest of the king's provinces! Now what is your wish? It shall be granted you. And what further is your request? It shall be fulfilled."

13 And Esther said, "If it please the king, let the Jews who are in Susa be allowed tomorrow also to do according to this day's edict. And let the ten sons of Haman be hanged on the gallows."

14 So the king commanded this to be done. A decree was issued in Susa, and the ten sons of Haman were hanged.

15 The Jews who were in Susa gathered also on the fourteenth day of the month of Adar and they killed 300 men in Susa, but they laid no hands on the plunder.

16 Now the rest of the Jews who were in the king's provinces also gathered to defend their lives, and got relief from their enemies and killed 75,000 of those who hated them, but they laid no hands on the plunder.

17 This was on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and on the fourteenth day they rested and made that a day of feasting and gladness.

18 But the Jews who were in Susa gathered on the thirteenth day and on the fourteenth, and rested on the fifteenth day, making that a day of feasting and gladness.

19 Therefore the Jews of the villages, who live in the rural towns, hold the fourteenth day of the month of Adar as a day for gladness and feasting, as a holiday, and as a day on which they send gifts of food to one another.

20 And Mordecai recorded these things and sent letters to all the Jews who were in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, both near and far,

21 obliging them to keep the fourteenth day of the month Adar and also the fifteenth day of the same, year by year,

22 as the days on which the Jews got relief from their enemies, and as the month that had been turned for them from sorrow into gladness and from mourning into a holiday; that they should make them days of feasting and gladness, days for sending gifts of food to one another and gifts to the poor.

23 So the Jews accepted what they had started to do, and what Mordecai had written to them.

24 For Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them, and had cast Pur (that is, cast lots), to crush and to destroy them.

25 But when it came before the king, he gave orders in writing that his evil plan that he had devised against the Jews should return on his own head, and that he and his sons should be hanged on the gallows.

26 Therefore they called these days Purim, after the term Pur. Therefore, because of all that was written in this letter, and of what they had faced in this matter, and of what had happened to them,

27 the Jews firmly obligated themselves and their offspring and all who joined them, that without fail they would keep these two days according to what was written and at the time appointed every year,

28 that these days should be remembered and kept throughout every generation, in every clan, province, and city, and that these days of Purim should never fall into disuse among the Jews, nor should the commemoration of these days cease among their descendants.

29 Then Queen Esther, the daughter of Abihail, and Mordecai the Jew gave full written authority, confirming this second letter about Purim.

30 Letters were sent to all the Jews, to the 127 provinces of the kingdom of Ahasuerus, in words of peace and truth,

31 that these days of Purim should be observed at their appointed seasons, as Mordecai the Jew and Queen Esther obligated them, and as they had obligated themselves and their offspring, with regard to their fasts and their lamenting.

32 The command of Queen Esther confirmed these practices of Purim, and it was recorded in writing.

Esther 10

1 King Ahasuerus imposed tax on the land and on the coastlands of the sea.

2 And all the acts of his power and might, and the full account of the high honor of Mordecai, to which the king advanced him, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the kings of Media and Persia?

3 For Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Ahasuerus, and he was great among the Jews and popular with the multitude of his brothers, for he sought the welfare of his people and spoke peace to all his people.

What a beautiful, masterfully written story; and we don't even know who wrote it. We do know who inspired it, and we can be grateful to Him – and I am! Now in finishing up this story, it generally tells itself. Esther and Mordecai grow in favor and influence with the king, and the story of the feast of Purim is brought to the table, showing us what was coming all along – why the Jews celebrate this feast. But that's not all. So in this wrap-up sermon, there are so many themes in this book that we should be careful to acknowledge…

God providentially preserves His people. Even in this book where God's hand is unseen and His words are unspoken, it is painfully clear that He works on behalf of His people. And throughout all of history, we can look back and see God's plan unfolding; in His way, in His time, and to His glory alone. We usually can't see God's work too clearly in our present; sometimes we have to live, to get past today and look back. But having seen God work in YESTERDAY, we can trust Him to work again TODAY. He is faithful to His Word! If God makes a promise you can rest assured – He will keep it. He promised to bring a Savior to this world through Abraham, and He made sure this would happen time and time again! He did so here by saving the Jews from Haman's plot. As I said the week I opened this series:

 No appeal from Queen Esther, no Jews.

No Jews, no Jesus.

No Jesus, no cross.

No cross, then no atonement for sin.

No atonement, no pardon.

No pardon, no eternal life with God forever.

 So let the color of this story soak deep into the fabric of our souls, forever reminding us of God's faithfulness to His Word; God providentially preserves His people.

The law of the harvest; or the rolling stone. In this story Haman was an evil, unforgiving man who was full of pride. He loved to exalt himself, and as for others, he apparently loved to see others suffer and die; at best he used people (wife and advisors) to rub down his bruised ego.  He prospered at first, but it didn't last. His sins were brought to the light, and he was burned in his own fire, or literally hanged on his own gallows. Mordecai, on the other hand, was a humble, honest man. He lived to see others (Esther) honored, and didn't concern himself with his agenda. He saved the king's life and wasn't disturbed at all when no reward came his way.  But God, in His time, lifted Mordecai up, and here at the end, we see that he was more powerful, more respected than Haman ever was. This point is exaggerated here, but it is real; you reap what you sow. When you roll a stone with intention to crush others, it will roll back and crush you; if not before then certainly at the final judgment of God. Wickedness is absurd; God laughs at such foolish, vile men (Ps 2). Wickedness will never pay off; and the wicked will never escape God. The attacks on God's people will never stop the plan of God from advancing; and evil men can never take the lives of God's people, for we are hidden with Christ in God (Col 3:3).  Someone wrote this modern-day proverb of this law…

If you plant honesty, you will reap trust 



If you plant goodness, you will reap friends



If you plant humility, you will reap greatness



If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment



If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective



If you plant hard work, you will reap success



If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation[2]

We do reap what we sow; and if we sow obedience in faith, we will reap a grand harvest to God's glory. It doesn't always work out like a storybook, but we can trust God; it works out eternally. So God providentially preserves His people, and the law of the harvest. Third…

God works through ordinary means to accomplish extraordinary things. One ordinary thing God used in this story was courageous obedience. Esther obeyed Mordecai, and God worked through that. Folks, God works in mysterious ways, but He often uses ordinary means to accomplish His works. Consider it this way; God gave the Jews a reprieve here in this story; but they had to fight. God put Esther in the position to appeal to the king; but she had to make the appeal. God used the story of Mordecai's saving the king to undermine Haman's plan; but only because Mordecai reported the plot.

Folks, the implications for this principle in our lives are huge. We trust God; we believe God; we pray to God. And – we obey God. We pray for healing, and we take medicine. Jesus once spit in the dirt and made mud to rub on a blind man's eyes; then he told him to go wash in the pool of Siloam. He did as he was told, and he was healed. You pray for provision, and you work hard to earn money. You pray for children, and you have sex often. You ask God to save people, and you share the gospel. You pray to mature in faith and obedience, and you read God's Bible. You pray for obedient children, and you train them to obey. God uses ordinary means to do extraordinary things. God works (sometimes invisibly) on our behalf, church; and courageous obedience is used as well. Obedience displays our faith in God's Word. Obedience displays our love for God! Don't apply this principle to salvation; God alone saves us through grace, and not of our works. But doesn't God use the ordinary man or woman to share the gospel from the Scriptures? Yes, He does; we are commanded to go and preach the gospel.

It is good to celebrate God's merciful works! Folks, when God works on our behalf, it's good to remember it. This Purim is the most secular of Jewish holidays, and yet those who believe in God recall His faithfulness to preserve a people for Himself. And today when they celebrate Purim, they remember all the horrible attempts to destroy Jews as a people group. That didn't stopped with Haman; Anti-Semitism is still a danger today. Jews are still consistently accused of being secretively in control of Hollywood, Wall St, global finances, etc.[3] In a survey conducted late in 2008 and early in 2009 in seven European countries, 40 percent of those surveyed indicated that Jews have "too much power in the business world" and 41 percent indicated that Jews have "too much power in international financial markets."  Perhaps most troubling, in the same survey, taken during the height of the global economic crisis, 31 percent of the Europeans surveyed said Jews were to blame at least in part for the crisis[4]. Even the church has persecuted the Jews at times, to our great shame! You can understand why Purim is so vigorously celebrated by the Jewish people.

God has worked on their behalf. Church, God has also worked to bring a church to Himself through the Gentiles! He has worked to save you, to bring you here, to make you a part of this church, or just to have you here today to hear about His grace through Christ His Son. Let us remember; let us celebrate! Don't stop celebrating Christmas and Resurrection Sunday! Don't stop celebrating the Lord's Supper, remembering the cross. Let us commemorate God's good work as well, until He returns.

Esther is a story of providence, courage, and commemoration. What about you; do you trust God? Do you see Him at work? Does your obedience reflect genuine, gritty faith in Christ? Does your obedience display a warm love for Christ? Do you celebrate God's good work in your life, your family, and in your church?



[1] All Scriptures, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (via E-Sword Software) © 2001 Crossway Publishing. All Rights Reserved. I paste them in red for distinction.

[2] Author unknown.

Self-Defense and Joy

Esther 8:1-17[1]

As preached at Rolling Hills Church on Sunday, June 5th.

Let me give you a brief review of the story of Esther up to this point. It is a story of Providence, Courage, and Commemoration. Here today we come to the action of the book; it's actually a small war in Persia, sanctioned by the king – can you even imagine?

Esther 8:1-17

1 On that day King Ahasuerus gave to Queen Esther the house of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told what he was to her.

2 And the king took off his signet ring, which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house of Haman.

3 Then Esther spoke again to the king. She fell at his feet and wept and pleaded with him to avert the evil plan of Haman the Agagite and the plot that he had devised against the Jews.

4 When the king held out the golden scepter to Esther,

5 Esther rose and stood before the king. And she said, "If it please the king, and if I have found favor in his sight, and if the thing seems right before the king, and I am pleasing in his eyes, let an order be written to revoke the letters devised by Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, which he wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the provinces of the king.

6 For how can I bear to see the calamity that is coming to my people? Or how can I bear to see the destruction of my kindred?"

7 Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, "Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman, and they have hanged him on the gallows, because he intended to lay hands on the Jews.

8 But you may write as you please with regard to the Jews, in the name of the king, and seal it with the king's ring, for an edict written in the name of the king and sealed with the king's ring cannot be revoked."

9 The king's scribes were summoned at that time, in the third month, which is the month of Sivan, on the twenty-third day. And an edict was written, according to all that Mordecai commanded concerning the Jews, to the satraps and the governors and the officials of the provinces from India to Ethiopia, 127 provinces, to each province in its own script and to each people in its own language, and also to the Jews in their script and their language.

10 And he wrote in the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed it with the king's signet ring. Then he sent the letters by mounted couriers riding on swift horses that were used in the king's service, bred from the royal stud,

11 saying that the king allowed the Jews who were in every city to gather and defend their lives, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate any armed force of any people or province that might attack them, children and women included, and to plunder their goods,

12 on one day throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar.

13 A copy of what was written was to be issued as a decree in every province, being publicly displayed to all peoples, and the Jews were to be ready on that day to take vengeance on their enemies.

14 So the couriers, mounted on their swift horses that were used in the king's service, rode out hurriedly, urged by the king's command. And the decree was issued in Susa the citadel.

15 Then Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal robes of blue and white, with a great golden crown and a robe of fine linen and purple, and the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced.

16 The Jews had light and gladness and joy and honor.

17 And in every province and in every city, wherever the king's command and his edict reached, there was gladness and joy among the Jews, a feast and a holiday. And many from the peoples of the country declared themselves Jews, for fear of the Jews had fallen on them.

Now I see this text outlined most effectively in three sets of two's. We begin with….

Kings and Influence. Let's observe how the court has changed in just a couple of days. Two days before this Haman was the grand guy, the prime minister, the second in command and influence in the kingdom. He was unquestionably the BMOC, the Grand Poopah of Persia; yup, ol' Hamasn was all that and a bag or Chitos. Even the queen feared to openly tout her heritage for fear of his evil influence. His sway on the king was extremely selfish and vindictive. This was a man who would seek to annihilate a people because one man refused to honor him. When he had the king's signet ring that was a very unsettled day for Persia. "Signet rings [were] rings worn by individuals bearing an initial, monogram, or other image to denote the identity and, long ago, the… noble status of the wearer. [Picture 1] Signet rings… figure prominently in a great deal of well-known artwork and literature. The earliest types of gold signet rings were found in the tombs of the ancient Egyptians, the same society that was first to fully incorporate wedding and engagement rings into their religious ceremonies. [Picture 2] The signet ring's original purposes [were] of indicating rank and imprinting seals on important letters[2]." So because the king had full and final authority over the nation (and each life), whoever wore this ring had great influence in Persia. All the more beautiful that the King took this ring off of Haman's vile hand and put it on Mordecai, the man who had already saved his life once. So quickly does the position of First Seat under the king (like a Prime Minister) change!

And for the second time, Esther boldly approached the throne un-invited! Why this was necessary it's not clear, but she did, and again, the king held out the golden scepter to her. This golden scepter represented life, favor, and acceptance by the king. The king's love and favor for Esther are growing, it seems, and he listens intently to her pleas! And as before, Esther's plea concerns the good and the safety of her people, the Jews. There's a marked distinction between Haman's influence and the influence of Mordecai and Esther.

As in that court the King was approached with humility and fear, so we approach God our Father. You see God has made a decree, all the way from the garden; sin earns death. We are law-breakers, and this Holy God throws all who break His law into judgment! We have no right to even come before Him on our own, having vast amounts of vile thoughts and actions in our hearts and lives; we would perish swiftly were we to enter God's presence as we are! But God has made a way for us to come before Him and not be judged for our sins. Listen…

Hebrews 10:19-23 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.

Christ, brothers and sisters, is our golden scepter! He is our way into God's presence without being shattered for our iniquity! We can come because Christ has paved the way in His own blood; the price for sin has indeed been paid, and all who call upon His name in repentance and faith will be shown mercy, and allowed to come to God in that name, receiving favor through Christ!

The first edict by the king was irreversible; but he allowed another edict to be written that would give the Jews the right of self-defense. This was mercy, and a good way to save the people because once written, His edicts stood irreversible. Neither will God's law of sin and death change; it stands eternally true - law-breakers earn judgment. But as sure as sin brings death, then Christ, through the shedding of His own blood, turns God's wrath away from all who believe in Him. "For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ."  (Romans 5:17) He took our punishment in His own body, and gave us a new and living way to God! This is good news, and it must be told. The second edict, Mordecai's writ of self-defense, had to go out as well. Let's move on.

Scribes and Couriers. How critical was it that the scribes got this edict correct? Their work was background, but like many works, only as long as they did it right. Lives depended on their accuracy, and they apparently did well.  This is the second time they've been called in (3:12), and again they go to work, but they are receiving dictation from a new man wearing the ring. When this proclamation goes out from the palace to all 127 provinces, it will be carrying the message that Jews can fight to defend themselves against their enemies! It will go out because God is faithful, and providentially, quietly worked to preserve His people yet again. He meant it when He told the serpent that the seed of the woman would crush His head, and though He brought a flood against man's multiplying evil, He preserved a handful of people and kept that Word. He meant it when He told Abram that He would bless Him, and bless all nations through Him. God is faithful, and saves all who believe in Him. This word needs to be clear, just as the edict of Persia needed to be clear. It was written, and given to the couriers to take to the provinces.

Couriers. These messengers were also summoned for the second time, to do their work of getting the message out to the nation. They didn't write it; they were simply given all they needed (fast horses and food) to get the message out. Sound familiar at all? God has given us His gospel, preserved it fully for us, and allowed us to be His couriers! We don't make the policy; we don't write truth! God has given us His gospel, and we are told to take it to the nations – just as it was written. We are couriers, and we too have been given all that we need to live and preach this gospel. The provinces need the message, church; from Platteville to Dodgeville, to Dubuque, to Lancaster, to Montfort, to Belmont and to Big Patch, God's gospel messengers must proclaim this gospel message. Church, that's not just pastors/preachers; that's all of us. Scribes and couriers don't receive the glory; that's for the King. But when they do their work right, the King's message get where it needs to be saying what it needs to say. So we've considered Kings and Influence, Scribes and Couriers, now let's give a minute's thought to…

Self-Defense and Joy. Who would have thought that a decree of war would be so wildly exciting to people! "…king allowed the Jews who were in every city to gather and defend their lives, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate any armed force of any people or province that might attack them, children and women included,". Allow me to tell you exactly who rejoices at the rights of self-defense; those who have been given over to death. War is not pretty, and let's not mistake it as such. It's never as clean and kind as we like to make it. But in a sinful world, war is better than being annihilated as a nation. It's not realistic or wise to look at war in the OT from the context of the Geneva Convention, or even from the humanistic philosophy that prevails in western society today. War was terrible then, and to be avoided; but if you couldn't avoid it, you sought to win, and win in such a way as to let the enemy know it's not wise to attack again. They were given self-defense privileges, and   that included the right to attack their enemies. Sometimes the best defense is a good offense. If you know they're coming for you, why keep talking? There is a time for war, and the Jews were given the right to defend themselves. It's sad that it came to this from Haman's machinations, but God used it for His glory and to preserve His people in a foreign land! After this decree, even some Persians wanted to be labeled as Jews, because of the influence of Mordecai. There was joy.

Proverbs 11:10 When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices, and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness.

So the battle is engaged, and God's people are preserved.

Kings and Influence. Good to be right with our King through Christ our Savior.

Scribes and Couriers. Good that God has given His word for us to take to the nations.

Self-Defense and Joy. Good that God is faithful to His Word; He was very intent on bringing a Savior, Redeemer, the Messiah through the offspring of Abraham, and that He did!

Church, it is good for us to be reminded of God's covenant faithfulness and love. It is good to see that, even when they're in a foreign land, He doesn't forget His own. We're in a foreign land, awaiting our homecoming. God sees us and exerts His authority to protect us.



[1] All Scriptures, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (via E-Sword Software) © 2001 Crossway Publishing. All Rights Reserved. I paste them in red for distinction.

That Wicked Haman!

Esther 7:1-14[1] 

As preached at Rolling Hills Church on Sunday, May 22nd, 2011

That Wicked Haman!

The Jews were in a bind: Haman had gained approval from the king to kill, to destroy, and to annihilate (3:13) them all. Of course, he had left out a few details, one being who these 'certain people scattered abroad and dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces' were. But young queen Esther had, at the urging of her good cousin Mordecai, stepped up to intercede for her nation. She did so by inviting the king and Haman to a feast; then another feast the following day. But between the feasts, the king couldn't sleep, Haman couldn't tolerate Mordecai any longer, and the tables were turned on who was to be honored! Then wicked Haman went home to his heathen wife and friends, who prophesied rightly that he would fall before Mordecai. So we come to the last verse of chapter six of the book of Esther. I'm going to read and talk our way through this chapter a bit at the time, drawing our attention to each portion as we read it.

Esther 6:14-7:2 While they were yet talking with him, the king's eunuchs arrived and hurried to bring Haman to the feast that Esther had prepared. So the king and Haman went in to feast with Queen Esther. And on the second day, as they were drinking wine after the feast, the king again said to Esther, "What is your wish, Queen Esther? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled."

1) It is a good thing to have the favor and the ear of the king. What a gathering this was! A king in good humor, a prime minister in dreadful humor, and a determined, humble queen who was a marked foreigner if her king denied her. I'm guessing conversation was a bit stiff before the king implored her to make her request. Now this is the third time the king has stated this incredible offering to his beloved wife Esther; a threefold promise. Surely he is serious about granting her petition. When you're down to the wire and have very few option left, it must be such a relief when an authoritative figure hears your case. After all, the decree of death to the Jews had come from the king's throne – no one else could deal with this situation except the king himself. Even he couldn't reverse an edict once issued; but he could issue other edicts, and he could make something happen, surely. There would have been no one else to help her; when you are out of options, it is a good thing to have the favor and the ear of the king.

Esther 7:3-4 Then Queen Esther answered, "If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be granted me for my wish, and my people for my request. For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. If we had been sold merely as slaves, men and women, I would have been silent, for our affliction is not to be compared with the loss to the king."

2) It is a good thing to appeal wisely and humbly to the king. When I say wisely it is because of her direct approach, the brevity, and the wise wording. Esther appealed straight forwardly for her life and for the life of her people. It wasn't a long diatribe against the decree (which the king signed off on), or a political positioning appeal, etc. It was for her life, and for her nation. By now she knew that the king cared about her, having told her three times to ask fearlessly of and expect generosity from him. It was wisely handled. Notice the wording in her request: "For we have been sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be killed, and to be annihilated. " That should sound familiar. Esther 3:13 "Letters were sent by couriers to all the king's provinces with instruction to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate all Jews, young and old, women and children," She used Haman's wording against him, with him sitting there! And cleverly, she didn't accuse the king, though he was complicit and ultimately responsible. Also it was humble of her to simply ask for her life. Even a criminal had a right to appeal for his life from the courts, how much more the queen? And she appealed for the life of her innocent people. It is a good thing to appeal wisely and humbly to the king.

Esther 7:5-7 When King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther, "Who is he, and where is he, who has dared to do this?" And Esther said, "A foe and enemy! This wicked Haman!" Then Haman was terrified before the king and the queen. And the king arose in his wrath from the wine-drinking and went into the palace garden, but Haman stayed to beg for his life from Queen Esther, for he saw that harm was determined against him by the king.

3) It is a good thing when your enemies become the enemies of your king. With wise humility, she simply asks for her life, and her appalled king certainly grants that (implied) and wants to know who dares to threaten his queen with death! With that question it is obvious that Esther's enemy has become the enemy of Ahasuerus. This is good, to put it mildly! When you were sold to be slaughtered wholesale simply because of your ancestry, your bloodline, it has to be a huge relief to know that the most powerful person in the realm has personally taken on your case, and has committed to your protection.

Now I wonder if this king is walking in the garden to consider how he could have been so completely duped into signing the death warrant for his own queen, and for the man who saved his life – not to mention many other law-abiding, productive citizens in his kingdom. When wise people caution you to read the fine print or get a second opinion before committing to something or someone, remember Ahasuerus' failure to do so; it was almost very costly to his household. Let this man's example spur you to that wisdom. But he was the king; he didn't come ask anyone's forgiveness. He did take action, though. There was no more need to convince him of the justness or the severity of your cause; it has now become his cause. What could be better for Esther!? It is a good thing when your enemies become the enemies of your king. Let's read on…

Esther 7:8-10  And the king returned from the palace garden to the place where they were drinking wine, as Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was. And the king said, "Will he even assault the queen in my presence, in my own house?" As the word left the mouth of the king, they covered Haman's face. Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs in attendance on the king, said, "Moreover, the gallows that Haman has prepared for Mordecai, whose word saved the king, is standing at Haman's house, fifty cubits high." And the king said, "Hang him on that." So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the wrath of the king abated.

3) It is a terrible thing when your sin is exposed and your judgment suddenly arrives.  For Esther there is relief; for Haman there is sudden terror!  Here the wicked Haman had been secure in his position, secure enough to seek kingly honor for 'the man whom the king wants to honor'. Purple robes, a crown, the king's horse – he had aspirations! Haman never would have gotten out of bed if he had known how this day would go. It began with him confidently approaching to have Mordecai hanged on a gallows; it ended with him swinging lifelessly from that very gallows.

Wow, what a story! What a climax to the story!  How awesome to see the invisible hand of God at work on behalf of His people, fulfilling His covenant promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:3, "I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed." All this wicked scheming and conniving had been done without thought to the penalty for such crime. His sin was carried out as if there were no higher authority, as if there was no righteous judgment to fear. How wrong Haman was, and how quickly his fortunes changed. It is a terrible thing when your sin is exposed and your judgment suddenly arrives. 

Now let's think on this story a little bit, and connect it to our story, shall we?

We all face a judgment for our sins. It's natural for us 'to cherish a feeling of contempt and disgust' toward such wicked actions, but have you considered that such vile things are in your heart as well? We all have this same seed of rebellion, selfishness, and death in our souls. Jesus said, "But what comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a person. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false witness, slander." (Matt 15:18-19) So we are guilty as Haman before God who is holy beyond compare, and our judgment day is ahead. It wasn't May 21st, but it can come suddenly: are you prepared? Let's think this through…

You must appeal to God Almighty. Just as Esther made her appeal to her king, you must make your appeal to the One with authority over your life – and death! Pray for your life; pray for your salvation! Repent of your sin! Just as Esther had no hope if the king rejected her, you too have no hope if God rejects you in your sin.  Folks, if you aren't certain of your eternal destiny you should seek God, and ask for His mercy, His pardon. He tells you to seek Him this way: "Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near;" (Isaiah 55:6). He is our only hope for salvation.

It is a wonderful thing to have the King's favor, and for your enemies to become His enemies.

When God sent His Son to earth, it was to provide a way of escape from His wrath. Though we have all gone astray, He has caused the punishment for our sins to fall upon Jesus. On that cross He absorbed our penalty of death. All who repent of sin and believe in Jesus will indeed find the King's favor and mercy. And church, when your enemies become His enemies, you have no more to fear. (Pg 448-449, Ps 3, 4, 5). He hears our prayers, and he grants our requests as they are lined up with His will. It was God's plan to preserve the Jews, and it is God's plan to love and care for His church until He comes for us. Approach the throne, church, and make your requests. There is no better place to seek help and mercy. One day we will see once and for all the salvation of our King.

That Wicked Haman!

That Merciful, Loving God!

Let's pray.

 

 



[1] All Scriptures, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (via E-Sword Software) © 2001 Crossway Publishing. All Rights Reserved. I paste them in red for distinction.

The Rolling Stone

Esther 6:1-13[1] 

As preached at Rolling Hills Church on Sunday, May 15th, 2011

I hope you're enjoying this wonderful book of Esther as much as I am. I pray that you're learning, despite no overt mention of our Creator, about God's work in history, and about God's faithfulness to His people. I pray that seeing God's faithfulness to the Jews in the great Persian Empire centuries ago will strengthen your faith that God is faithful to His people in the United States of America today. Let's review our series focus…

The story of Esther: Providence, Courage, and Commemoration.

The Providence of God.

The Courage of man.

The Commemoration of God's work by God's people.

Let's read Esther 6:1-13

1 On that night the king could not sleep. And he gave orders to bring the book of memorable deeds, the chronicles, and they were read before the king.

2 And it was found written how Mordecai had told about Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king's eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, and who had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus.

3 And the king said, "What honor or distinction has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?" The king's young men who attended him said, "Nothing has been done for him."

4 And the king said, "Who is in the court?" Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king's palace to speak to the king about having Mordecai hanged on the gallows that he had prepared for him.

5 And the king's young men told him, "Haman is there, standing in the court." And the king said, "Let him come in."

6 So Haman came in, and the king said to him, "What should be done to the man whom the king delights to honor?" And Haman said to himself, "Whom would the king delight to honor more than me?"

7 And Haman said to the king, "For the man whom the king delights to honor,

8 let royal robes be brought, which the king has worn, and the horse that the king has ridden, and on whose head a royal crown is set.

9 And let the robes and the horse be handed over to one of the king's most noble officials. Let them dress the man whom the king delights to honor, and let them lead him on the horse through the square of the city, proclaiming before him: 'Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.'"

10 Then the king said to Haman, "Hurry; take the robes and the horse, as you have said, and do so to Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king's gate. Leave out nothing that you have mentioned."

11 So Haman took the robes and the horse, and he dressed Mordecai and led him through the square of the city, proclaiming before him, "Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor."

12 Then Mordecai returned to the king's gate. But Haman hurried to his house, mourning and with his head covered.

13 And Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his wise men and his wife Zeresh said to him, "If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of the Jewish people, you will not overcome him but will surely fall before him."

God's hand is almost visible here!

Last week we saw how God controls the heart of a king (Prov 21:1): he also controls the sleep of the king! Throughout this book I've focused on God's providence, which is God's preserving and governing of all things by means of second causes. God's invisible hand is readily visible to those who believe that He exists, and that He rewards all those who diligently seek Him. This is incredible: God's hand is almost visible here…

In the insomnia of King Ahasuerus.

In the reading choice of this king.

In the timing of Haman's arrival.

In the question of the King.

In the life of Mordecai, the faithful Jew.

I believe, reading this good story, that it's good to remember these three things:

How unstable our position with man is. Fickle is an understatement, but

Joseph from favored son to prisoner; from prison to prince.

Moses from prince of Egypt to fugitive; from palaces to shepherding sheep in the desert.

Bernie Madoff from respected, wealthy investor to hated prisoner.

J.K. Rowling from single-parent welfare recipient to 12th richest woman in Britain.

Brett Favre from greatest QB in Green and Gold to tiresome narcissist in Purple.

One can rise and fall quickly in the hands of men; but God is faithful, and thinks eternally. When Haman walked into that court that morning his day was planned out! He was whistling on his way to get a quick writ to hang Mordecai, smile at his swinging corpse, and then go enjoy a sumptuous feast with the King and Queen of Persia! Not exactly how the day turned out, was it?

When Mordecai woke that morning and went to work in the palace, I'm certain that he had no idea how his day would turn out any more than Haman did! From very burdened person facing a death sentence to 'most honored by the king' being touted by his great enemy around the city square! Our station with man is very unstable. On the other hand…

How stable our position with God is. By 'our' I mean all who have believed God's gospel enough to repent of sin and throw their lives on Him in complete faith. He is faithful to His covenant, to His people, to His children, to His church. While one can't always see the hand of God at work, we must believe that He IS at work on behalf of His great Name, His glory, and His people. God was at work while the king read and Haman plotted: He was busy keeping His covenant with Abraham, Moses, David, and with Jesus His Son – to save all who believe in the Messiah of God, the 2nd Adam, the Son who fulfilled all of God's law that Adam could not! God will not turn His face from His children; He will never forsake His inheritance! He poured out His wrath on His Son so He could pour out His love, mercy, protection, and good grace on His people! We are safe with God. You must hold to this!

How unwise personal vengeance is. God is not mocked; He brings justice. His laws of nature are in action, and His justice never rests. People are prone to say, "What goes around comes around." It's a good observation; but that leaves the work to fate, chance, or some other nebulous force. I prefer to credit God with bringing punishment to the wicked, the abusive strong, and mercy to the weak, the needy. It's the principle of The Rolling Stone.

Proverbs 26:27. Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling.

I wonder if Mordecai was singing this song while he rode around town on the king's horse…

Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by. I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me. He will send from heaven and save me; he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness! My soul is in the midst of lions; I lie down amid fiery beasts-- the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! They set a net for my steps; my soul was bowed down. They dug a pit in my way, but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody! Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn! I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations. For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! (Psalm 57)

Folks, we are wise to let God handle revenge for us; He will repay our enemies.

I'm not saying we should never defend ourselves; I'm not saying we shouldn't be grateful for the fall of our enemy.

I am saying we should seek God's justice and protection, and not let hatred and revenge grow in our heart.

Don't trust in man; your position with man is unstable.

Trust in God; your position with Him is stable.

Make room for God: personal vengeance is unwise.

 

Let's rejoice that God is at work in this story for His people, and let's it take heart that God is still at work on behalf of His people, whether we see it or not!

 



[1] All Scriptures, unless otherwise noted, are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, (via E-Sword Software) © 2001 Crossway Publishing. All Rights Reserved. I paste them in red for distinction.