Stand Up(or kneel) for Justice

Fighting Injustice

Introduction

Imagine this if you can: You’re people, who were once enslaved, now free but living in a land foreign from your ancestors. Sure, there are many that chose to return to their native land, but many that chose to stay in this foreign land. Fast forward, and the land you’re in has just seen a political power shift, and the new leader of the most powerful nation in the world is a narcissist, petulant, impulsive, and easily manipulated. You’re a minority in this land that you’ve now called home for quite some time, and while this new leader, at best, is indifferent to the struggles - systemic, culturally, and otherwise – there are those he listens to that can’t stand this other group because they’re different, and convinces this new leader to enact legislation that would cause harm to the minority group.

Can you imagine this? What would that feel like? Better yet, what could you do about it? Should you do anything about it?

This is what we’ll try to figure out today as we get into God’s word. Is there a role for Christians to be activists fighting against injustice?

Because we live in a world where injustice thrives.

· Over 20 million people worldwide are victims of human trafficking

· 1 in 9 people in the world suffer from chronic malnourishment

· Racism abounds on all fronts

It’s easy to wonder where is God in the midst of the injustice we see?

The Book of Esther helps us with this question. That period I described at the very beginning was where the book of Esther picks up. This was a time of great injustice against Jewish people, and it was here where Esther and Mordecai took a stand. It’s a stand that could cost them their lives, but it’s the right stand. Hopefully, as we look at their lives, we’ll be able to see a blueprint for how we too can live for Jesus as we stand up for others.

The same God who worked through them is working in the world today, calling ordinary people to an extraordinary mission – His mission.

Esther 4:8–17 ESV

8 Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her and command her to go to the king to beg his favor and plead with him on behalf of her people. 9 And Hathach went and told Esther what Mordecai had said. 10 Then Esther spoke to Hathach and commanded him to go to Mordecai and say, 11 “All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law—to be put to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live. But as for me, I have not been called to come in to the king these thirty days.” 12 And they told Mordecai what Esther had said. 13 Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not think to yourself that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. 14 For if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” 15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai, 16 “Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young women will also fast as you do. Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law, and if I perish, I perish.” 17 Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.

Historical Background

100 years after the Babylonian exile of the Israelites from their land. Many returned after the Persians defeated the Babylonians, but many stayed. Mordecai and Esther were some of that many. Now before going any further, you must know that all that transpired from here had God actively working behind the scenes. So are like, “duh!”

I say this because:

· God is never mentioned, not once!

· Invitation to read this story looking for God’s activity

· A lot of “coincidences” and ironic plot reversals

This is awesome, because we’ll see God working to keep His promises to His people, using the unlikeliest of people and scenarios in the process.

Chapter 1

· 180 day party

Esther 1:3–5 ESV

3 in the third year of his reign he gave a feast for all his officials and servants. The army of Persia and Media and the nobles and governors of the provinces were before him, 4 while he showed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor and pomp of his greatness for many days, 180 days. 5 And when these days were completed, the king gave for all the people present in Susa the citadel, both great and small, a feast lasting for seven days in the court of the garden of the king’s palace.

Esther 4:3–5 ESV

3 And in every province, wherever the king’s command and his decree reached, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting and weeping and lamenting, and many of them lay in sackcloth and ashes. 4 When Esther’s young women and her eunuchs came and told her, the queen was deeply distressed. She sent garments to clothe Mordecai, so that he might take off his sackcloth, but he would not accept them. 5 Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs, who had been appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what this was and why it was.

o V 3-5

· Queen’s refusal

Esther 4:15 ESV

15 Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai,

Esther 1:15 ESV

15 “According to the law, what is to be done to Queen Vashti, because she has not performed the command of King Ahasuerus delivered by the eunuchs?”

o V15

· Decree

Esther 1:20 ESV

20 So when the decree made by the king is proclaimed throughout all his kingdom, for it is vast, all women will give honor to their husbands, high and low alike.”

Esther 4:20

Chapter 2

· The Bachelor – Persia: Search for a New Queen

o We’re introduced to Esther an Mordecai

o Women were taken to the palace

o Esther hid her identity

o She found favor w/ handler and all she encountered

§ Hegai advised her for her one-on-one interview

o She’s named new queen

· Modecai uncovers plot to kill the king

o Tells Esther to tell the King.

§ The conspirators were killed, and the deed was recorded in the book of chronicles, though Mordecai didn’t get any reward

o This probably helped endear her to the king even more

Chapter 3

· Haman is introduced and is elevated to number 2 in the land

o He’s on a power trip, and wants everyone to bow before him.

o Mordecai doesn’t

§ It’s possible there’s some personal tension here

· Mordecai is from house Benjamin, and Haman is a descendant of the Amalekites (remember Saul and Amelek?)

o Haman’s so mad he hatches a plan to kill Mordecai and all his people

§ Tells the king a half truth and full lie

· Jews were in fact a different people with their own customs

· It’s a lie that they disobeyed the king’s laws, though

§ Offers 10,000 talents to issue a irrevocable decree to kill them all

· Edict goes out throughout the land; people are confused. It’s not necessarily popular, but no one’s doing anything about it.

o It’s here that we should be reminded that man makes plans and God laughs; His ways are beyond ours

Chapter 4

Here are our four points for this lesson:

1. God has a special plan for your life

a. Esther was PLACED in a royal position. This wasn’t by chance/coincidence, but for a purpose.

b. “In their hearts humans plan their course, but the Lord establishes their steps.”

c. God didn’t make a mistake in where you are today. We spend countless time trying to figure out when God is going to get us to where we want to go, or what God’s plans for our tomorrow are, and haven’t figured out that we need to be where we’re at right now. Where we are isn’t by accident. We’re where we’re supposed to be, and our focus should be on how we live that purposeful life right now. God will take care of tomorrow.

2. Soemtimes we’ll have to do things that go against common sense, or the advise of others, and even against what we want in order to follow God’s plans.

a. After the back and forth between Esther and Mordecai, it’s recognized that she’d have to approach the king without his beckoning – this was potentially a death sentence. Talk about doing something against your own common sense…

b. Esther responds in a way that hopefully we’d all respond if for the kingdom.

c. We’re going to be asked to take risks for God

d. The more difficult it is doesn’t indicate He’s less involved. Actually, it’s to the contrary in most cases.

3. The time to follow God’s plan is now

a.

b. “Who knows?” is so key here.

i. They didn’t have a clue whether or not they were chosen. They simply knew God was for His people.

ii. There are going to be times when you’ve gathered all the information you can, you’ve prayed as best you can, reached out to your pastor and elders for godly counsel… You try to sleep on it, even… but at some point, if what we’re thinking we’re called to do isn’t sinful, we have to muster enough courage and faith to move forward. Don’t be afraid to allow God to determine your outcome.

1. There are players who understand that they too can be blackballed from playing in the NFL, yet they persist.

You don’t have to be a queen like Esther, second in command like Joseph, an NFL player or even the president of the united States to be used by God for His purposes.

“When everything seems to be under the control of a godless despot; when God’s people, because of their own sin, have lost all mormory of Him, of their true identity, and of their land; God is still at work to fulfill His promise of ultimate triumph over His enemies.

God laughs at the seemingly invincible power of political parties, great armies, or incredible wealth.

Ephesians 3:10 ESV

10 so that through the church the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places.

God is ruling sovereignly, accomplishing His purposes whether we see Him or not. We may not see Him. He may even be absent from our thoughts, mention or memory. It may even appear that He’s forgotten about us or that our sins have finally driven Him away. But that’s the devil’s lie. The truth is that God is defending His people and building His church, and nothing – not even the gates of hell (as stated in Matthew 16:18)

Matthew 16:18 ESV

18 And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

) – will prevail against Him.

will prevail against Him.

Be where you are, stand up for what’s right, be the light that brings people to Christ. Let’s win the world by Jesus!