Sermon Tone Analysis

Stand With Humility

Good evening!

I’m thankful to be here with my brothers and sisters in Christ, and those who’ll soon be adopted into the family.

I’m also thankful for Dr. Hughes for the opportunity to deliver God’s message.

And I’m thankful for my wife who’s patience is unbelievable.

My schedule serving our student-athletes and coaches around the county sometimes has me gone from 6:30 to 8:30, so I owe her big time!

Speaking of queens, let’s turn to Esther, chapter 5, reading from verses 1 through 8.

Esther 5:1-14

Esther 5:1-

Prayer

So let’s get after it!

For those of you that weren’t here last week, our three-part series focuses on Fighting Injustice the Christian Way.

We covered the first four chapters of the book of Esther.

This video will help catch you up.

Pra

Video

In the first part of our three part series, we learned that the first step in fighting injustice, is the willingness to simply stand.

We Must Be Willing To Stand

While Esther’s position certainly gave her prime real estate to be the catalyst for change, it was by no means a guarantee, nor is it an indicator that one must hold some high-level status, title or prestige to effectuate change.

You don’t have to be a queen, a professional ball player, a CEO, or even reside in 1600 Pennsylvania for God to use you to bring about justice.

But you must be willing to accept the risk that comes with taking a stand.

When we concluded last week, Esther’s last words were “…if I perish, I perish...” Now, I’m not suggesting that everything worth standing up for will require facing these same realities.

You may have to stand up for something that’ll mean the “death” of your relationship, friendships, career, or even donors.

It wasn’t that long ago that we discovered one of God’s names - Jehovah Jirah; our provider.

If we’re standing for something that’s in alignment with God’s will, His purpose, and His word, He’ll do just that.

Make a way.

We also learned that He’s our Jehovah Nissi - our banner (of protection).

Today, we focus on approach.

If we’re to enact change, in addition to being willing to stand, we must

Stand With Humility

This is something that goes against every fiber of our being.

Let’s look at queen Esther to see if standing in Humility will yield results that’ll serve as a blueprint for us.

Remember, Haman, because his feeling are hurt about Mordecai not bowing before him, has decided he wants to kill not just Mordecai, but ALL the Jews!

He kind of bribes the king into issuing a decree to allow for the for the destruction of all the Jews in the land on the 13th day of the 12th month.

Mordecai convinces Esther to use her status as queen to get an audience before the king to put a stop to this.

She’s not really trying to die, but ultimately relents, and this is where we pick up.

“On the third day” references the three day fast Esther asked for before going to the king.

She knew she needed God’s help for this one.

She finally goes before the king, and guess what?

She’s not dead!

He extends his golden scepter, acknowledging that he’s extending his grace upon her.

Verse 3 says:

Esther 5:3

This is an idiom, y’all.

I know Esther was good looking and all, but she wasn’t that bad!!! Lol.

Now, had it been my wife....

It was really an expression signifying that he was in a generous mood.

Either way, what’s Esther’s response?

“Hey, my people are being done wrong, and YOU need to do something about it!”…

No.

Too many of us, when we’ve been aggrieved, feel like we have every reason and right to raise hades over what’s wrong, who wronged us, and how it should be remedied.

How has that worked out for you?

Instead, this was Esther’s approach:

Esther 5:

“If it pleases the king was really protocol, but she still showed respect to the one that allowed the decree to go out.

But the next part is something we should all take notes on.

She offered to serve rather than ask first.

No, she wasn’t the one in kitchen whipping up some collard greens, beans, potatoes..... but the gesture was one that said, let me host you, and show just how important I think you are.

I probably lost a few people on this one.

Hold up!

Why should I serve someone that’s out to get me?!?

I don’t know, maybe because God said so.

Jesus reiterated it in how He lived and in words.

Matthew

Jesus was getting on two of His disciples for allowing their own pride get in their way.

What He’s saying is that the path to greatness isn’t in arrogance and power, but in service and humility.

If that wasn’t clear enough, God explicitly lays it out:

Why do we still show respect to those that disrespect us, and love to those that hate us?

Because God loved us enough to pursue us, even when we abandoned Him, and cheated on Him.

If He can extend that level of grace, who are we that we wouldn’t?

But I hope you also hear that while grace and love abound in the first verse I just read, Hosea ultimately gets down to laying things on the table.

“Hey woman....” No, I’m playing...

Hosea 3:

Esther does the same thing here.

She first extends respect, grace, and honor to the ones that wronged her.

The king asks what she wants - he knew it had to be something important that she’d risk her life coming to him unannounced.

She says let me serve you first.

He asks again, “he baby, what’s up?

What can I do for you?” Again, she’s like, “if it pleases you, I’d like to serve you two again,

Esther 5:7

This stuff works, y’all.

And it’s biblical!

Men, tell your wives, “if it pleases the queen of this house, and I’ve found favor in your sight, please allow me to wash the dishes, rub your feet, and give you a massage, and then I’ll make my petition known to you.”

Women, tell your husbands, “if it pleases the king of this house, and I’ve found favor in your eyes, please allow me to cook your favorite meals and be your desert for the next 180 days, and then I’ll ask for...”

Children, I’m telling you, it works!

“Mom, dad, king and queen of this abode, if it pleases you, and I’ve found favor in your eyes, let us first clean the house, take out the trash, and make straight A’s all the way through grad school, and then I’ll make my request known to you.”

Or how about, “supervisor, sure, I’ll help out and work that shift for you (even though I got passed over for a raise).

Or, even though you did nothing wrong, “hello officer… sure officer… no problem officer… God bless you… be safe out there… etc”

Now let’s juxtapose this with Haman.

Haman loved all the respect and honor he recieved because of his status in the kingdom.

Remember, he’s the number two in the region.

Heck, even without the title, he probably still believed he deserved all the praise.

Now, he’s being invited to a private party by the queen with the king!

He has it going on right now! He’s the number two in the land.

People are bowing to him when he passes by or enters a room, and now he’s invited to a private dinner with the king and queen.

Not once, but twice!!! Can’t get any better than this...

But pride....

See, as he’s leaving the palace after receiving the second invitation, he sees Mordecai at the gates, and once again, Mordecai’s not bowing.

This made him upset, to the highest level of upset-tivity!

Do you not know who I am?!!