United, Called to Be One

TEXT: Esther 4:14

TOPIC: United, Called to Be One

Pastor Bobby Earls, Northgate Baptist Church, Florence, SC

March 19, 2023

Take your Bibles this morning and open to one of the most interesting books in the Bible, and doubtless one of the books of the Bible that many Christians have never read, the book called Esther.

Let’s stand in honor of God’s word. (Read the Scripture)

“For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?”

Esther 4:14, NKJV

The Book of Esther was written to record God’s sovereign hand over the people Israel. It is couched in the time period between the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians in 538 B.C., and during the 70 years of captivity in Babylon and Persia. This was also the time of Ezra the Priest and Nehemiah the layman, men God used to rebuild the wall and temple in Jerusalem.

Chapter 1 tells us that Ahasuerus or Xerxes I reigned as King over Persia at this time. (Some believe that Ahasuerus and Esther were the parents of Cyrus, see Isaiah 44:28; 45:1).

Xerxes reigned over a kingdom, a great empire, from India to Ethiopia.

The book tells the beautiful story of how God rescued His people Israel from annihilation by an evil man named Haman, who happened to be the Hitler of his day.

In addition to Queen Esther, King Xerxes and Haman, there is also the story of Mordecai, Esther’s uncle who had taken her in following the captivity of the Jews.

There is one person who is not mentioned in the book of Esther, even though He is the star of the book. Try as you might, you will not find God’s name mentioned in Esther. Although His name is not there, His fingerprints are all over its pages.

Our 2023 North American Missions Emphasis is themed “United, Called to Be One.” Just as Esther and the Jewish nation of that day had to be “united” and recognize their calling as God’s own people, so we too, as a church, are called to be “United, and called to be One people. God’s very own people.

Now look at verses 1 – 9, as I explain to you THE REASON WE MUST BE UNITED AND WHY WE ARE CALLED TO BE ONE.

I. THE REASON WE MUST BE UNITED AND CALLED TO BE ONE, Esther 4:1-9EXP. The Jews had been placed under a death threat. Trusting wicked Haman, King Xerxes had agreed to Haman’s request that Mordecai and all his race of stubborn, and monotheistic worshippers be destroyed. There is an interesting parallel found in the book of Esther. It is a picture of God’s love for his people, of His unchanging mercy and grace, and of His divine protection over the promised seed of Abraham. Notice some of the parallels:1. The people of Israel represent all of humanity who because of sin have the penalty of death upon us. The Bible tells us, “It is appointed unto men once to die.” The wages of sin is death.

2. Haman represents Satan, the enemy of God’s people who would have us bow down and worship him,

3. Esther is like Jesus, our intercessor, our redeemer.

4. King Xerxes is like God who has absolute power and authority over life and death, the Sovereign Ruler of the universe.

5. Mordecai is like the third person of trinity, the Holy Spirit who convicts us and reminds us of our sins.

May I say to you again this morning that all the world lies still under the deadly curse of sin. “There is none righteous, no not one.”

Our sin has left us hopeless and helpless. Without the mercy of God, and His sovereign plan of redemption for us, there is no hope.

So, it is absolutely essential still today that we remain united as one people of God in order to reach others with the saving message of the gospel.

Max Lucado tells the story of John Egglen of London in a way only he can do. He writes, “John Egglen had never preached a sermon in his life.  Never.

Wasn’t that he didn’t want to, just never needed to.  But then one morning he did.  The snow left his town of Colchester, England, buried in white.  When he awoke on that January Sunday in 1850, he thought of staying home.  Who would go to church in such weather?

But he reconsidered.  He was, after all, a deacon.  And if the deacons didn’t go, who would?  So he put on his boots, hat, and coat and walked the six miles to the Methodist Church.

He wasn’t the only member who considered staying home.  In fact, he was one of the few who came.  Only thirteen people were present.  Twelve members and one visitor.  Even the minister was snowed in.  Someone suggested they go home.  Egglen would hear none of that.  They’d come this far; they would have a service.  Besides, they had a visitor.  A thirteen-year-old boy.  But who would preach?  Egglen was the only deacon.  It fell to him.

And so he did.  His sermon lasted only ten minutes.  It drifted and wandered and made no point in an effort to make several.  But at the end, an uncharacteristic courage settled upon the man.  He lifted his eyes and looked straight at the boy and challenged: “Young man, look to Jesus.  Look!  Look!  Look!”

Did the challenge make a difference?  Let the boy, now a man, answer.  “I did look, and then and there the cloud on my heart lifted, the darkness rolled away, and at that moment I saw the sun.”

The boy’s name?  Charles. Charles Haddon Spurgeon.  England’s prince of preachers. (From When God Whispers Your Name by Max Lucado)

The Reason we must be united and called to be one is that the world is hopeless and helpless, dying in sin, and going to a devil’s hell, but we can help. We have the only message of hope and eternal salvation the world desperately needs to hear.

Notice second,II. THE RISK WE TAKE IF WE ARE NOT UNITED AND CALLED TO BE ONE, Esther 4:10 – 17 Esther could have been put to death. We need to remember that there had been another queen once before who disobeyed and ignored the King’s commands and disrespected his position. King Xerxes could have easily put Esther to death.Yet, with the passionate plea and conviction of Mordecai, Esther complied at great risk to her own personal safety.What did she risk?A. Her lifeB. Her position and reputationC. Her safety and securityWhat are you willing to risk for a world at risk? Our world is lost but doesn’t know it. Are you willing to risk walking across the street or down the block to welcome a new neighbor and invite them to church? Are you willing to risk your riches, not everything, but a commitment to give to the AAEO and North American Missions? God is not asking you to die for Him. He wants you to live for Him. Everyday, right where you are, bloom where you’re planted.

T/S—Last of all,

III. THE RESULTS OF STANDING UNITED AND CALLED TO BE ONEThe Deliverance of the Jews, Esther 7-8The Destruction of the enemies of God’s people, Esther 9The Designation of a time of Celebration and Remembrance, 9:18, The Feast of PurimTherefore the Jews of the villages who dwelt in the unwalled towns celebrated the fourteenth day of the month of Adar with gladness and feasting, as a holiday, and for sending presents to one another.Southern Baptist Churches, like ours, standing united throughout North America and called to be one, along with our nearly 5000 North American missionaries can and will produce great results.

That’s what Bill and Arlene Barker are doing throughout America’s Appalachia where more than 13 million unchurched people reside.

That’s what Gary Irby is doing in the great Northwest where less than 4% are Christians.

That’s what the Grozea family from New York are doing, all the way to the Colemans in Anchorage, Alaska.

Standing united, called to be One under God, sharing the gospel with those who need it most.