Is This Your Time?

Text

Esther 4:13–17 “Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the Jews. “For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?” Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, “Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens also will fast in the same way. And thus I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish.” So Mordecai went away and did just as Esther had commanded him.”

Introduction

Esther is an interesting book

The author is unknown

The book is more than a historical narrative - some put into a category by itself with only the story of Joseph resembling it in structure

It’s one of the few times we get insight on the people that did not come back to Jerusalem

God is not mentioned in the book

We don’t see God’s name, but we see God’s hand

A Survey of the Old Testament Purpose and Message

The message comes through clearly: God’s methods may vary, but his purposes do not. His workings may be obscured to skeptics by the disguise of coincidence, but the people of God recognize his sovereign hand in the ebb and flow of history. His name is not mentioned, but his influence is unmistakable.

Hill & Walton

Zech 1:21; Ps. 37:12-15.

Purpose of this sermon

To know if God has more in store for me regarding service in His Kingdom

To gain the motivation and confidence to propel me forward in the ministry of the King

There are some things I need to know that will help me

The story of Esther helps me learn three (3)

I learn from God

I learn from myself

I learn from others

God

Esther 4:14 ““For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?””

God working is not limited to the miraculous - God can work through the supernatural and the natural

We see God work behind the scenes in the text: Vashti’s demotion and Esther’s elevation - Mordecai is positioned to hear the assination plot thus saving the king (2:21-23) - The king has insomnia (6:1)

So many things just “fall into place at the right time”

APPL. Who knows if this is your time - What has been falling in place right now?

It’s never beyond God - Romans 8:28 “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

God could take this and work it with that make the whole thing work out for His good pleasure

God never abandons His people

Esther 4:14 ““For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?””

These people haven’t gone back to Jerusalem yet God is still looking out for them

The assurance we have is that God completes His work

Ourselves

Esther 4:13 “Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the Jews.”

Sometimes I will not see what others are seeing or no the way they see it

Mordecai was seeing destruction for all Jews even those that are in the palace

Esther may have been concerned for her safety - Esther 4:11 ““All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that for any man or woman who comes to the king to the inner court who is not summoned, he has but one law, that he be put to death, unless the king holds out to him the golden scepter so that he may live. And I have not been summoned to come to the king for these thirty days.”” - This can’t work/what can I do? - Maybe she thought “becoming queen was the best God could do”

Then Mordecai says something powerful, “if you remain silent” - If God doesn’t do it through you He will do it through soomeone else

APPL. Don’t think that you can stop the work by refusal/reluctance to be a part of the work - “enlargement and deliverance shall arise from another place” (vs. 14)

Every now and again you will come across people that think it’s all about them, that if they don’t have an input the work would fail or not turn out right - God will get it done with or without you

Psalm 50:12 ““If I were hungry I would not tell you, For the world is Mine, and all it contains.” Job 38:4–5 ““Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding, Who set its measurements? Since you know. Or who stretched the line on it?”

What God desires is a HEART ready to trust Him and He can get that from anyone

God never said the church has to look like you or me…That’s why He made Jesus the head. So we look like HIM.

So “deliverance can come from another palce” - even if God decides to use a hostile person to advance His purpose He will

[Story: woman and the neighbour who was an atheist]

IF you are willing to align yourself with God’s will THIS MIGHT BE YOUR TIME

Your past does not exclude from God’s purpose.....your heart can - Esther 2:6–7 “who had been taken into exile from Jerusalem with the captives who had been exiled with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon had exiled. He was bringing up Hadassah, that is Esther, his uncle’s daughter, for she had no father or mother. Now the young lady was beautiful of form and face, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter.”

She was an exile, orphan far away from her home town

But that was no problem for God

God just needs the right heart - Esther 4:16 ““Go, assemble all the Jews who are found in Susa, and fast for me; do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maidens also will fast in the same way. And thus I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish.””

GOD CAN USE IN SPITE OF WHAT YOU’VE BEEN THROUGH - Many times that very thing can be used as a tool to help someone get to Jesus

The word of God can be used with your walk with God which shows others the work of God and will lead them to the way of God

1 Timothy 1:12–16 “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent aggressor. Yet I was shown mercy because I acted ignorantly in unbelief; and the grace of our Lord was more than abundant, with the faith and love which are found in Christ Jesus. It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life.”

Sharing your story doesn’t diminish the power of the gospel it demonstrates the power of the gospel

Psalm 66:16 “Come and hear, all who fear God, And I will tell of what He has done for my soul.”

People need to see that theologically God Can, but Practically how God Did.

Don’t let the past stop you

THIS MIGHT BE YOUR TIME

Others

Whenever God’s people make a move forward, the enemy is ready to make some moves of his own

What we learn from this enemy is how dangerous pride is

Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before stumbling.”

Pride can everything fall apart

Pride can not only affect you personally, but COLLECTIVELY

Jeremiah 50:32 ““The arrogant one will stumble and fall With no one to raise him up; And I will set fire to his cities And it will devour all his environs.””

Isa 9:8-12. The arrogance of Israel

Esther 6:13 “Haman recounted to Zeresh his wife and all his friends everything that had happened to him. Then his wise men and Zeresh his wife said to him, “If Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of Jewish origin, you will not overcome him, but will surely fall before him.””

This was good advice from his wife.

It was Esther’s time, It was Israel’s time and nothing could stop it

Is This Your Time?

Ephesians 2:10 “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.”

Lest anyone thinks this is someone’s idea - It’s God’s will.

What are you willing to do to advance God’s Kingdom

Now is the time