Serendipity or Providential Peripety

Intro:

I want to talk to you this morning about TWO CONCEPTS: Serendipity and Providential Peripety

Serendipity:

Is the occurrence and development of events BY CHANCE in a happy or beneficial way.

Something that just comes together for your good.

Peripety:

Comes from the Greek word PERIPETEIA

It means A SUDDEN OR UNEXPECTED REVERSAL OF A SITUATION.

It is a TURNING-POINT, especially in a story

I think about how we live our lives…

At times, it seems as if we live our own life stories in more of a SERENDIPITOUS way…

We go about each day and see what comes about….

We try to make the best of it…..and we hope for that Happy and Beneficial Outcome.

Serendipity is where you look back and you say….SEE LOOK, IT ALL HAPPENED TO WORKED OUT.

However, I believe we are called to see our lives with more PROVIDENTIAL PERIPETY.

To look back and see How GOD REVERSED OUR STORY!

To know that our STORY HAS CHANGED!

To say, I am so thankful for how God BROUGHT ME TO THIS PLACE!

In the story of Esther, we come to a very interesting place in the Story!

You may be tempted to see it as Serendipity….where things just happened to come about in a certain way.

However, I believe there is more to the story!

And more importantly, I BELIEVE THERE IS MORE TO THE GOD BEHIND THE STORY.

I. The work of God brings about a PROVIDENTIAL PERIPETY. (Esther 6-7)

Remember, where we are in the story….

Esther becomes the new Queen but her JEWISH IDENTITY is concealed

Esther’s cousin MORDECAI heard of a plan to kill the king and saves the KINGS LIFE.

Instead of honoring Mordecai, the King HONORS HAMAN and promotes him to a higher position than all the other officials.

Because Mordecai would NOT BOW TO HAMAN IN THIS POSITION, he makes a PLAN TO KILL THE JEWS

The Edict goes out as Haman has the Kings signet ring FOR THE ANNIHILATION OF THE JEWS.

MORDECAI APPEALS TO ESTHER….saying, “WHO KNOWS, PERHAPS YOU HAVE COME TO YOUR ROYAL POSITION FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS”

ESTHER CALLS FOR HER PEOPLE TO FAST….and she goes before the KING and ask for two Banquets with Him and Haman

HAMAN IS FILLED WITH PRIDE, and leaves the first Banquet joyful but immediately filled with RAGE when HE SEES MORDECAI AND HE DOESNT RISE OR TREMBLE

AND WE LEFT LAST WEEK…..with Haman’s wife and friends advice to BUILD 75 GALLOWS TO HANG MORDECAI ON.

HAMAN BUILDS THE GALLOWS and is PLANNING TO ASK THE KING THAT NEXT MORNING TO HANG MORDECAI

Esther 6 CSB

1 That night sleep escaped the king, so he ordered the book recording daily events to be brought and read to the king. 2 They found the written report of how Mordecai had informed on Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs who guarded the entrance, when they planned to assassinate King Ahasuerus. 3 The king inquired, “What honor and special recognition have been given to Mordecai for this act?” The king’s personal attendants replied, “Nothing has been done for him.” 4 The king asked, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman was just entering the outer court of the palace to ask the king to hang Mordecai on the gallows he had prepared for him. 5 The king’s attendants answered him, “Haman is there, standing in the court.” “Have him enter,” the king ordered. 6 Haman entered, and the king asked him, “What should be done for the man the king wants to honor?” Haman thought to himself, “Who is it the king would want to honor more than me?” 7 Haman told the king, “For the man the king wants to honor: 8 Have them bring a royal garment that the king himself has worn and a horse the king himself has ridden, which has a royal crown on its head. 9 Put the garment and the horse under the charge of one of the king’s most noble officials. Have them clothe the man the king wants to honor, parade him on the horse through the city square, and call out before him, ‘This is what is done for the man the king wants to honor.’ ” 10 The king told Haman, “Hurry, and do just as you proposed. Take a garment and a horse for Mordecai the Jew, who is sitting at the King’s Gate. Do not leave out anything you have suggested.” 11 So Haman took the garment and the horse. He clothed Mordecai and paraded him through the city square, calling out before him, “This is what is done for the man the king wants to honor.” 12 Then Mordecai returned to the King’s Gate, but Haman hurried off for home, mournful and with his head covered. 13 Haman told his wife Zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened. His advisers and his wife Zeresh said to him, “Since Mordecai is Jewish, and you have begun to fall before him, you won’t overcome him, because your downfall is certain.” 14 While they were still speaking with him, the king’s eunuchs arrived and rushed Haman to the banquet Esther had prepared.

Esther 7 CSB

1 The king and Haman came to feast with Esther the queen. 2 Once again, on the second day while drinking wine, the king asked Esther, “Queen Esther, whatever you ask will be given to you. Whatever you seek, even to half the kingdom, will be done.” 3 Queen Esther answered, “If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if the king is pleased, spare my life; this is my request. And spare my people; this is my desire. 4 For my people and I have been sold to destruction, death, and annihilation. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept silent. Indeed, the trouble wouldn’t be worth burdening the king.” 5 King Ahasuerus spoke up and asked Queen Esther, “Who is this, and where is the one who would devise such a scheme?” 6 Esther answered, “The adversary and enemy is this evil Haman.” Haman stood terrified before the king and queen. 7 The king arose in anger and went from where they were drinking wine to the palace garden. Haman remained to beg Queen Esther for his life because he realized the king was planning something terrible for him. 8 Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was falling on the couch where Esther was reclining. The king exclaimed, “Would he actually violate the queen while I am in the house?” As soon as the statement left the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. 9 Harbona, one of the king’s eunuchs, said, “There is a gallows seventy-five feet tall at Haman’s house that he made for Mordecai, who gave the report that saved the king.” The king said, “Hang him on it.” 10 They hanged Haman on the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king’s anger subsided.

Talking about A SUDDEN OR UNEXPECTED REVERSAL OF A SITUATION.

We go FROM Haman about to ask the King to Hang Mordecai….

TO the King ordering Haman to be hung on the gallows prepared for Mordecai.

We go FROM Haman being the one honored above all the officials…

TO Haman having to parade Mordecai through the streets as one HONORED by the King.

We go FROM the friends and family of Haman crafting the idea of killing Mordecai…

TO these same people saying “You wont overcome him, youre downfall is certain!

This is certainly a PERIPETY as we see the sudden REVERSAL in the Story of ESTHER

But this was not just a peripety, THIS WAS A PROVIDENTIAL PERIPETY

This was not a Serendipitous moment that just all fell into place with ESTHER AND MORDECAI!

THIS WAS A PROVIDENTIAL MOMENT THAT THE LORD HAD PLACED TOGETHER!

They had prayed and fasted for this very thing!

They had faith that God would REMEMBER THEM AND DELIVER THEM!

THIS ALL CAME ABOUT AT SUCH A TIME AS THIS!

We see The Providential Hand of God in several ways Here:

Providential INSOMNIA (6:1-4)

Catch This: THAT NIGHT….sleep escaped the King

Which night?

The Night that Gallows were made to Hang Mordecai….

The Night before Haman was going to ask the King to have Mordecai hanged

This was the Night that all of a sudden THE KING COULDN’T SLEEP!

This was the night that the BOOK OF RECORDS would be read to Him.

And in that reading, we COME ACROSS MORDECAI SAVING THE KING

The King wants to know HOW MORDECAI WAS HONORED for this.

The Servant says Nothing has been done for him.

Providential INTERRUPTION (6:5-9)

And in that exact moment, Haman INTERRUPTS by coming into the King’s outer court to suggest that MORDECAI BE HUNG!

And as soon as Haman comes in, the King INTERRUPTS Haman’s line of thought….

BY ASKING “What should be done for a man that the KING WANTS TO HONOR?”

The text tells us that He thought to himself….Who else would the King want to honor than himself.

SO HE REALLY LAYS IT ON!

Give him a Royal Robe that the King had worn

Put him on a horse that the king has ridden and that has a Royal Crown on its head

And let one of the most noble officials give him the horse, place the robe on him.

And let this noble official parade him through town ANNOUNCING, “This is what is done for the man whom the King wants to Honor”

You can almost see him starting to day dream about this experience….

Providential FAVOR (6:10-14)

After sharing all what Haman thought was a SELF-EXALTING SUGGESTION…

The kings says, THATS PERFECT, HURRY, DO JUST AS YOU SAID….

Take the Robe and Horse you Suggested and place them on MORDECAI

LEAVE NOTHING OUT!!!

So then we see the ONE OF GREATEST SLICES OF HUMBLE PIE SERVED in all of the Bible,

Haman places the robe on Mordecai and PARADES HIM THROUGH THE CITY…

Saying “This is what is done for the man that the King wants to Honor!

Providential REQUEST (7:1-4)

We finally come to THE REQUEST…

We have been waiting for this moment…..the moment of SUCH A TIME AS THIS…

Esther 7:3–4 “If I have found favor with you, Your Majesty, and if the king is pleased, spare my life; this is my request. And spare my people; this is my desire. 4 For my people and I have been sold to destruction, death, and annihilation. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept silent. Indeed, the trouble wouldn’t be worth burdening the king.””

Not only was the request itself something that God brought about providentially in ESTHER!

But the TIMING OF THE REQUEST was providential!

AT the moment that it seemed everything was closing in, GOD BRINGS GREAT DELIVERANCE!

Providential DELIVERANCE (7:5-10)

We see the defeat of the ENEMY HERE….

The king says WHO IS HE, WHERE IS the ONE WHO WOULD DO SUCH A THING.

YOU CAN ONLY IMAGINE THIS MOMENT….

ESTHER looks and points to HAMAN and says, “THE ADVERSARY AND ENEMY IS THIS EVIL HAMAN.

Haman’s face was covered and he was taken and hung on the Gallows that were intended for Mordecai!

God’s PROVIDENCE reminds us that GOD DOES REMEMBER HIS PEOPLE….HE REMEMBERS US!

And his HIDDEN HAND OF PROVIDENCE is certainly on our lives…

Will it be through ROYAL ROBES, HORSES….SIGNET RINGS…..SCEPTERS…..and GALLOWS

Probably Not

However, could it be through SLEEPLESS NIGHTS…INTERRUPTIONS….MOMENTS OF FAVOR…..REQUESTS…..and DELIVERANCE

ABSOLUTELY

Watch for HIS HAND OF PROVIDENCE IN YOUR LIFE!

Again, all of this plays out to reveal a PROVIDENTIAL PERIPETY.

II. Let us not forget the PERIPETY in the CROSS

The events of the Cross did not just happen….

The betrayal, the beatings, and the laying down of life…..

Were NOT JUST COINCIDENCES!

We often say that GOD DOES NOT HAVE A PLAN B

We see His providential work in the cross!

And it is certainly a PERIPETY.

The Story of the Cross is a STORY OF DEFEAT.

It first appeared to be the DEFEAT OF THE CHRIST

He was beat, lashed, spit upon, mocked, nailed to a cross, and gave his last breath!

His lifeless, cold body laid in a tomb on the cold rock

Defeat of the Christ appeared to be what was witnessed!

However, Christ was never DEFEATED….

Jesus rose from the grave and came out of the tomb with a resurrected body filled with life!

In fact, it was probably never more clear that He is the WAY, the TRUTH, the LIFE!!

The cross really was the DEFEAT OF DEATH

Jesus who knew no sin laid down his life in DEATH which is the wages of sin…the earnings of sin!

He accepted death HIMSELF undeserved….so WE who deserve death could reject death!

And we now reject eternal Death IN CHRIST….and one day at the RETURN OF CHRIST…..DEATH WILL BE COMPLETELY DEFEATED

The Cross brings about a GREAT REVERSAL!

Esther:

Mordecai was about to be hung on the gallows by the ADVERSARY, the ENEMY.

Yet instead the Enemy parades him through town and he faces the gallows himself instead.

The Cross:

Jesus not only was about to die….HE DID DIE!

And the Adversary, the Enemy thought he was parading him through Jerusalem as Jesus would carry his own cross!

However, it is the CROSS (THAT WAS INTENDED FOR SUFFERING IN CHAME) that JESUS WOULD ENDURE WITH JOY SET BEFORE HIM

HE WOULD DESPISE THE SHAME AND SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF THE THRONE OF GOD

And this would MARK THE REALITY that SATAN WOULD BE BOUND AND THROWN INTO THE LAKE OF FIRE AND BE TORMENTED DAY AND NIGHT FOREVER AND EVER

WHAT A GREAT REVERSAL!

III. God has a GREAT PERIPETY for YOUR STORY as well. (Ephesians 2:1-10)

IF YOU ARE IN CHRIST, Listen to the Great REVERSAL that God has wrote into your STORY.

Ephesians 2:1–10 CSB

1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins 2 in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient. 3 We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and we were by nature children under wrath as the others were also. 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, 5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! 6 He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— 9 not from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.

From:

Dead

Walking in the Ways of this world

Disobedient with Fleshly Desires

By Nature Children of Wrath

TO:

Made Alive

Saved by Grace

Raised Up

Seated with Him

This is the REVERSAL for those in Christ!

However, apart from Christ, you are still…

DEAD….WALKING IN WAYS OF THIS WORLD…..CONTROLLED BY FLESHLY DESIRES…..CHILDREN OF WRATH BY NATURE

CALL ON JESUS!

BUT GOD, RICH IN MERCY, BECAUSE OF HIS GREAT LOVE!

BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH….Not of yourselves

Receive the GIFT OF GOD TODAY!

For those in CHRIST, I want to challenge us to stop living our lives in SERENDIPITOUS way…

Were we go about each day and see what comes about….

Where we try to make the best of it…..and we hope for that Happy and Beneficial Outcome.

Where we look back and say….LOOK, IT ALL HAPPENED TO WORKED OUT ALL RIGHT.

And RATHER, challenge us to see our lives with more PROVIDENTIAL PERIPETY.

To look back and see How GOD REVERSED OUR STORY!

To know that our STORY HAS CHANGED!

To say, I am so thankful for how God BROUGHT ME TO THIS PLACE!