The Season of Nothing

The Season of Nothing

Message Outline:

THANK MINISTRY

Intro: Welcome constructive FEEDBACK, trying to IMPROVE as a communicator. Had four people tell me I’m TOO FAST, thank you, listened, holy cow. TURTLES in notes.

Encouraging word, challenge you to be encouraged!

(H) Ever WAITED for a PACKAGE and couldn’t wait?... Ever WAITED for something that DIDN’T COME to pass?... Ever had to WAIT and things worked out, but much LATER/LONGER than you planned? ….Ever WAIT---NOT WORK? ….DISAPPOINTED--GIVE UP HOPE?

(C) I honestly felt at times in my life, “God what are you doing, what am I doing, what is going on with my life?” It takes FAITH to trust his PLAN, because in the NATURAL things often don’t ADD up.

Big Idea: Your season of “nothing” is precious in the eyes of God and he will not leave you without a harvest.

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Background/Context: After the CAPTIVITY in Babylon, Persians took over Babylon. PERSIANS let JEWS go HOME. Now Jews subject to PERSIANS, Mordecai’s cousin Esther is QUEEN in place of the disobedient queen Vashti.

THIS BOOK TAKES PLACE SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE OF EZRA

I want to talk to you tonight about one of my FAVORITE Old Testament characters . . . Mordecai --- FAITHFUL

MORDECAI DISCOVERS PLOT--GOOD DEED

(G) 19 Now when the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate. (20) Esther had not made known her kindred or her people, as Mordecai had commanded her, for Esther obeyed Mordecai just as when she was brought up by him. (21) In those days, as Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthan and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, who guarded the threshold, became angry and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. (22) And this came to the knowledge of Mordecai, and he told it to Queen Esther, and Esther told the king in the name of Mordecai. (23) When the affair was investigated and found to be so, the men were both hanged on the gallows. And it was recorded in the book of the chronicles in the presence of the king. . .

. . . (3:1) After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the Agagite, the son of Hammedatha, and advanced him and set his throne above all the officials who were with him. (2) And all the king’s servants who were at the king’s gate bowed down and paid homage to Haman, for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai did not bow down or pay homage. Esther 2:19-23; 3:1-2 ESV

CH. 2 RECAP, Esther becomes QUEEN, MORDECAI SAVES the KING

Beginning of CH. 3 RECAP, HAMAN is PROMOTED!

3:3-5 MORDECAI is being CRITICIZED for not paying homage to Haman, after he just saved the king’s life, and by the END of CH. 3 there is a PLOT to kill all the JEWS.

HAMAN--AGAGITE--AGAG--AMALEKITES

LOTS OF ACTION (SLOW DOWN):

TWO CH.’S,

ESTHER -- QUEEN

MORDECAI -- saves KING

HAMAN -- PROMOTED

MORDECAI -- CRITICIZED/TROUBLE

JEWS -- DANGER. (INCLUDE JERUSALEM TEMPLE JEWS)

CH. 4, Mordecai convinces Esther to PLEAD with the KING on behalf JEWS

Ch. 5, ESTHER BANQUET 1, HAMAN is still FURIOUS that Mordecai is alive, prepares GALLOWS to HANG Mordecai

SEE YOU. . . DAY GET WORSE??

Ever feel like things are spiraling out of control? Things just get worse every day? There seems to be no hope?

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Esther 6:1-3-- KING = NO SLEEP, BOOK, GOOD DEEDS

(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." Esther 6:3 ESV

“Season of nothing” HEBREW: NO-THING

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→ MORDECAI = PARADE

CH. 7, BANQUET 2, GOD PERFECT PLAN/TIMING, HAMAN is HANGED upon the gallows he built for Mordecai

CH. 8, Esther SAVES the JEWS

The SEASON Of NOTHING in your eyes may be seen as a SEASON of FAITHFULNESS in God’s eyes! Mordecai's reward GREAT, but it was DELAYED (his eyes).

(3) All the officials of the provinces and the satraps and the governors and the royal agents also helped the Jews, for the fear of Mordecai had fallen on them. (4) For Mordecai was great in the king’s house, and his fame spread throughout all the provinces, for the man Mordecai grew more and more powerful. . . . (10:3) For Mordecai the Jew was second in rank to King Ahasuerus, and he was great among the Jews and popular with the multitude of his brothers, for he sought the welfare of his people and spoke peace to all his people. Esther 9:3-4; 10:3 ESV

Big Idea: Your season of “nothing” is precious in the eyes of God and he will not leave you without a harvest.

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All THINGS work together for GOOD? What is good= VAGUE?

(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. Romans 8:27-29 ESV

The Spirit of Jesus Christ is INTERCEDING on your behalf for you to ACCOMPLISH God’s Will for your life, knowing that all things work together for your good and God’s purposes, and what is HIS WILL ultimately? For us to be CONFORMED to the image of JESUS Christ. All these things working for our “good” means they are working to make us more like Jesus!

DON’T SEE?? NAKED MARRIAGE--RED AND BLUE STORY

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In the MEANTIME. . . .TIRED

Becoming WEARY, discouraged, disheartened, etc. can often be from WORK, but it can also be because of bad EXPECTATIONS, expect that God will use this SEASON, event, etc. to make you more LIKE JESUS and remember it’s not the END!

(7) Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. (8) For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. (9) And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. (10) So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith. Galatians 6:7-10 ESV

In due season- due- is translated here from the Greek word “Idios” [ee-dee-yose] meaning one’s own, particular: unique or specific to a person, thing, or category.

Not MY TIMING, but it’s GOD’S TIMING of my time to reap.

It’s my time, but God’s timing.

Jentezen Franklin says, “There are a lot of seasons listed in the book of Ecclesiastes, but the season to quit isn’t one of them.”

Big Idea: Your season of “nothing” is precious in the eyes of God and he will not leave you without a harvest.

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Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58

LITERALLY (Semantic range): Your work, labor, toil, troubles, bothers, will not leave you empty handed. Will not leave you without plunder. . .

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A. TRUST GOD and keep your HEAD UP, that no matter what your season looks like he’s using it to make you more like CHRIST and you will not leave EMPTY HANDED.

Big Idea: Your season of “nothing” is precious in the eyes of God and he will not leave you without a harvest. At your specific, particular, appointed time IT WILL COME.