Timing Isn't Everything

Welcome & Announcements

If you are interested in being added to the mowing schedule for the lawn, please contact Mark Pritchett.

Our Annual Business Meeting will be handled via a combination of email and mail. More information to follow in the coming weeks. Board Reports can be emailed to Doug and Marty Nichols, as they will be putting together all the reports, agenda, ballots etc . . . which will be distributed to the congregation.

Thanks to a group of folks, that helped get our parking lot re-stoned.

Thanks to LandPRO in Alexander for donating the use of their tractor

Thanks to the Stewardship Board and others who helped order the stone and worked together, but apart, to spread the stone and make it look really nice.

Men’s Group Zoom Meeting this coming Saturday @ 8:30 (Chapter 2 of Biblical Leadership)

Praise the Lord, Jen’s mother is back at home!!!

Scripture Reading:

Psalm 44:23–26 ESV

23 Awake! Why are you sleeping, O Lord? Rouse yourself! Do not reject us forever! 24 Why do you hide your face? Why do you forget our affliction and oppression? 25 For our soul is bowed down to the dust; our belly clings to the ground. 26 Rise up; come to our help! Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love!

Prayer

Worship in Song

Is He Worthy?

He Will Hold Me Fast

The Stand

Kids’ Corner

Psalm 103:2 ESV

2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,

Hallmark Movie Timing-

The main character and the person they love have a falling out, only to realize that they really love one another and then try to reunite, only to miss each other at their home or they don’t get to the airport in time to catch them before they fly away to another city.

Or drama movies, where there is a deadline given and if the deadline isn’t met then the main character’s life will come crashing down and they will lose everything.

Timing in the Book of Esther

It really starts to get crazy in the middle of this historical narrative.

Esther takes 3 days to fast and pray about going to the king to plead for his mercy.

Esther 5:1–3 ESV

1 On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king’s palace, in front of the king’s quarters, while the king was sitting on his royal throne inside the throne room opposite the entrance to the palace. 2 And when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, she won favor in his sight, and he held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter. 3 And the king said to her, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request? It shall be given you, even to the half of my kingdom.”

Imagine the scene, as she puts on her royal robes, makes her way into the King’s Inner Court, stands before him and waits for his response. She had prepared herself, and may have been at peace about taking such a huge risk, but it may have been a very tense moment. Awaiting to see what her husband, king of the Persian Empire would do.

He sees her, raises his scepter and asks, “What is it, Queen Esther? What is your request?”

Ah, the prayer and fasting has worked. He welcomed her, and she spills her guts, and gets everything out in the open, right? NO!!!!

She says, “My wish and my request is . . .” then simply asks the King and Haman to a feast. What? Is she having second thoughts? Is she chickening out? Why would she invite Haman to the party?

The king and Haman attend the banquet, that Esther prepared.

Esther 5:6 ESV

6 And as they were drinking wine after the feast, the king said to Esther, “What is your wish? It shall be granted you. And what is your request? Even to the half of my kingdom, it shall be fulfilled.”

King Ahasuerus asks a second time, for Esther to request whatever she desires, up to half his kingdom (probably not literally).

What is the deal? Why is she waiting to talk about the real reason she has gone before the king uninvited?

Esther 5:9–10 ESV

9 And Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he neither rose nor trembled before him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai. 10 Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home, and he sent and brought his friends and his wife Zeresh.

Haman returns home, full of himself, but angry about Mordecai (despite the decree that has already gone out that all Jews be killed). Haman is proud and impatient.

Esther 6:1–5 ESV

1 On that night the king could not sleep. And he gave orders to bring the book of memorable deeds, the chronicles, and they were read before the king. 2 And it was found written how Mordecai had told about Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, and who had sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. 3 And the king said, “What honor or distinction has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?” The king’s young men who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.” 4 And the king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had just entered the outer court of the king’s palace to speak to the king about having Mordecai hanged on the gallows that he had prepared for him. 5 And the king’s young men told him, “Haman is there, standing in the court.” And the king said, “Let him come in.”

This King’s Ignorance- King Ahasuerus

King Ahasuerus seems to be ignorant of several important facts, in this section of the book.

First, he does not know whether Mordecai was rewarded for saving his life.

Esther 6:10–11 ESV

10 Then the king said to Haman, “Hurry; take the robes and the horse, as you have said, and do so to Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Leave out nothing that you have mentioned.” 11 So Haman took the robes and the horse, and he dressed Mordecai and led him through the square of the city, proclaiming before him, “Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor.”

Second, he does not appear to be aware of the decree, which Haman made against the Jews. Of course he knew what Haman had told him, but he was ignorant of the details. And now in chapter 6, we see the king, ordering Haman to parade Mordecai around the city, showing him honor for saving the king’s like. What an incredible plot twist from the day before, as Haman and the king enjoyed a banquet with Queen Esther.

This really struck me, as I considered the predicament that Esther and the Jews found themselves in.

Again, I ask you to attempt to imagine yourself in a similar situation as Esther and the Jews find themselves in.

Our timing isn’t everything, God’s timing is everything. We see this all throughout the Scriptures and are seeing it repeatedly throughout the book of Esther.

Two weeks ago, I suggested five lessons that we could learn from Esther’s response.

Persistently love and care for others

Maintain open communication

Commit to do what is right

Ask for help from God and others

Fast and Pray

This morning, I want to help you see the faithfulness of God and the Promise keeping character of God, even in the crazy times of life, such as Esther, Mordecai and the jewish people are facing.

Standing on the Promises of our Faithful God and Promise Keeping Heavenly Father

The King’s Omniscience & Faithfulness

Ro 18:18-39

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. (I don’t know about you but I’ve been noticing a bit of groaning lately,) 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?

25 But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. (Just as Esther patiently waiting for the salvation of her people.) 26 Likewise the Spirit (just as I believe it helped Esther to know exactly when to finally ask the King, the what she has been wanting tho ask him for several days.) helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.

27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. 28 And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

29 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. (Esther and Mordecai, knew that they had been chosen, they were part of God’s chosen, called, people, and therefore He was going to work to spare them, one way or the other, His people would be saved.)

31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

So even in the historical narrative concerning Esther and her people, we are able to see, the providence of God, His provision and His plan, in His timing.

Our timing isn’t everything, God’s is.

Closing Song

Way-maker

Prayer/Benediction