XA Night - Esther 4

Introduction

Self and Family

The year I was born…1980. Mt. St. Helens erupted. Ronald Reagan was elected president. The USA hockey team beat the Russians in Lake Placid at the Winter Olympics.

Do you know what happened the year you were born?

The Bible is very clear that there is a beginning and an end to our life here on earth and also to this earth that we live on. Have you ever thought about why God had you born at this very time in history? Why now and not in the past? Why now and not in the future?

So many things I’d be limited on if I were born in the past. If I was in America, I couldn’t vote, I couldn’t own my own bank account. I wouldn’t even be able to be a citizen or marry someone because of my race. I surely wouldn’t be up here speaking to you all bc there’d be multiple factors of gender and race that would prevent me from that.

My parents are from Taiwan and I often wonder what would have happened if they hadn’t have come here.

-17

Tell the story of Esther. Esther was part of the Jewish race, God’s chosen people, who are now the captives of the Persian empire, under King Xerxes, whom historians record as a cruel and unpredictable leader. Through a series of events, Esther is chosen by Xerxes to be his queen. Her uncle, Mordecai, adopted her when she was orphaned as a child and he tells her to keep her background a secret. There’s a nobleman named Haman who hates Mordecai and the Jews, so he convinces and bribes King Xerxes into destroying them all. Xerxes makes a decree that tells everyone to kill every Jew in their province. Whoever kills them will not only (STUDY THIS)

When Mordecai and the Jewish people find out about this, they are of course devastated. They are all going to die.

For such a time as this?

Do you know that God planned the exact year you were born? That in all of history, he placed you in this century, in this decade, in this time? Did you know He knew what country you’d be born in, what state you would live in or move to? Did you know He knew what family you’d be born in? And that you would be sitting here right now, going to this university, at this XA, at this time?

If you came here tonight, I’m assuming you are here because you are trying to follow Jesus or you are interested in learning more about Jesus.

Esther lived in a time when the kingdom that she lived in wasn’t ruled by God, it was ruled by an evil king, but he still was a king with power. And she had access to him.

Jesus talked about a different kingdom. He said, “The Kingdom of God is here.” You see, the Jews believed that the Kingdom of God was are a real thing. Their king, whether it was King David or Solomon, or whoever was the Jewish king, was an extension of God, of God’ rule. But then it got a little confusing, because a lot of times their king didn’t follow what God said, and then their kings were overtaken by other kings, like King Xerxes, who really didn’t follow God. So then they realized, there must be a Kingdom of God that hasn’t come yet. And what they meant by that is that there must be a time when God will have authority over this earth, when the things of Him will be able to rule over us and everyone around us.

So when Jesus said, “The Kingdom of God is here,” that’s what He meant. He meant that through Him, through his death and his resurrection, through him paying for the evil in our own lives and bringing us back into relationship with the Living God, our Creator, He would give us complete access to the King - to God - to our ruler.

And everything that God has in His Kingdom - perfect peace, joy, freedom, love, forgiveness, healing - He gave us access to. Just like Esther had access to the King.

If you have access to God, what things in His Kingdom do you have access to?

This is what Jesus preached when he was here on earth - that the Kingdom of God is here and we have access to it. I’d say that’s pretty good news, right? And if you haven’t understood that, I’m here to tell you that through Jesus, you have access to everything that God has for you, whether you’ve known him a long time or are hearing it for the first time, I’m here to tell you tonight, that if you turn from the life you’re living now and acknowledge that Jesus died for you so that you can have a new life and be in full relationship with God, you have access to everything in His Kingdom.

But there’s another thing. Esther had access to King Xerxes. She lived in the palace, she ate good food, she had beautiful clothes, she had a semi-comfortable life. King Xerxes wasn’t God, though, far from it, so of course she was still a slave, she was still forced to sleep with the King when he wanted and she didn’t have freedom. But her life was much better than that of her people.

And when Mordecai asks her, and she messages back basically, an excuse. He says,

“Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”

Responsibility

We have a responsibility when we have access to the King. And our King isn’t a King like King Xerxes, our King is good and kind and yes, he’s just, but he’s also merciful. And He’s not satisfied with us just living in the Kingdom. He put us in a place and a time surrounded by specific people - His people - that He wants. And all of eternity could change if we take that responsibility.

Tell story of Peter, Mike, and Jakob.

Think of where God has placed you. In your dorm. In your class. In your family.

Why Not?

Why Not?

So if Esther had access to the king, why didn’t she want to do it?

Anyone who appears without being invited is doomed to die unless the King holds out his golden sceptor. Vaild reason. She doesn’t want to die. But you’re not going to die. You might have to die to what people think of you. You might have to die to your reputation. You might have to die to your comfort, tot the time you wanted to spend doing your things in your way. You might have to die to

The King hasn’t called me in 30 days. She was afraid that she was no longer in favor with the king. Sometimes we don’t even know what we have access to. Maybe you’re so broken and worried about your own situation that you don’t know how to give that access to others.

Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. She thought she was safe because she was in the palace. She was used to having all the riches, the food, the attention. She’d grown comfortable in that life in the Kingdom that it was easy to ignore the needs of the people around her.