Bro Gary Sunday AM 3/6/11
Esther 5:1-9 KJVR
(1) Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house.
(2) And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.
(3) Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom.
(4) And Esther answered, If it seem good unto the king, let the king and Haman come this day unto the banquet that I have prepared for him.
(5) Then the king said, Cause Haman to make haste, that he may do as Esther hath said. So the king and Haman came to the banquet that Esther had prepared.
(6) And the king said unto Esther at the banquet of wine, What is thy petition? and it shall be granted thee: and what is thy request? even to the half of the kingdom it shall be performed.
(7) Then answered Esther, and said, My petition and my request is;
(8) If I have found favour in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition, and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I shall prepare for them, and I will do to morrow as the king hath said.
(9) Then went Haman forth that day joyful and with a glad heart: but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he stood not up, nor moved for him, he was full of indignation against Mordecai.
Esther was an orphan. There may not be one in this audience that would say that they had the perfect childhood, a perfect education, a perfect life. This was also not the case with Esther; she was an orphan and was adopted by her uncle Mordecai.
The conviction of Mordecai was that he would not bow in allegiance to any man. The reason was that he believed it was a form of idolatry. Mordecai was a Jew that loved God and did his best to serve God and would not be disloyal to his true God. Haman was furious.
Esther 3:2-7 KJVR
(2) And all the king's servants, that were in the king's gate, bowed, and reverenced Haman: for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence.
(3) Then the king's servants, which were in the king's gate, said unto Mordecai, Why transgressest thou the king's commandment?
(4) Now it came to pass, when they spake daily unto him, and he hearkened not unto them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai's matters would stand: for he had told them that he was a Jew.
(5) And when Haman saw that Mordecai bowed not, nor did him reverence, then was Haman full of wrath.
(6) And he thought scorn to lay hands on Mordecai alone; for they had shewed him the people of Mordecai: wherefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews that were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even the people of Mordecai.
(7) In the first month, that is, the month Nisan, in the twelfth year of king Ahasuerus, they cast Pur, that is, the lot, before Haman from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month, that is, the month Adar.
We see that Haman devised a plot to destroy Mordecai and all the Jews.
Esther 4:1-3 KJVR
(1) When Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes, and put on sackcloth with ashes, and went out into the midst of the city, and cried with a loud and a bitter cry;
(2) And came even before the king's gate: for none might enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth.
(3) And in every province, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing; and many lay in sackcloth and ashes.
Esther 4:4 KJVR
(4) So Esther's maids and her chamberlains came and told it her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved; and she sent raiment to clothe Mordecai, and to take away his sackcloth from him: but he received it not.
Esther had learned that Mordecai was in sackcloth and it grieved her so she sent him a change of clothes. He was not interested in the change of clothes because he knew that they were in a very grievous situation.
Esther 4:5-7 KJVR
(5) Then called Esther for Hatach, one of the king's chamberlains, whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was, and why it was.
(6) So Hatach went forth to Mordecai unto the street of the city, which was before the king's gate.
(7) And Mordecai told him of all that had happened unto him, and of the sum of the money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews, to destroy them.
Esther 4:12 KJVR
(12) And they told to Mordecai Esther's words.
Esther 4:13-17 KJVR
(13) Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house, more than all the Jews.
(14) For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?
(15) Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer,
(16) Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
(17) So Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that Esther had commanded him.
Mordecai knew, the Jews knew, and now Esther knew. They all took the situation seriously that they needed to seek God.
Esther 5:1-2 KJVR
(1) Now it came to pass on the third day, that Esther put on her royal apparel, and stood in the inner court of the king's house, over against the king's house: and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house, over against the gate of the house.
(2) And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favour in his sight: and the king held out to Esther the golden sceptre that was in his hand. So Esther drew near, and touched the top of the sceptre.
Esther 5:3 KJVR
(3) Then said the king unto her, What wilt thou, queen Esther? and what is thy request? it shall be even given thee to the half of the kingdom.
The big question that I have in this lesson that I want to present this morning is: “Why was Esther in put in this position?”
The king was having a big feast. The queen Vashti was also having a feast. The queen Vashti was a beautiful lady. The king commanded that they bring her in to see him.
Esther 1:10-12 KJVR
(10) On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abagtha, Zethar, and Carcas, the seven chamberlains that served in the presence of Ahasuerus the king,
(11) To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people and the princes her beauty: for she was fair to look on.
(12) But the queen Vashti refused to come at the king's commandment by his chamberlains: therefore was the king very wroth, and his anger burned in him.
Hebrews 10:29 KJVR
(29) Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?
My thought this morning is this: There is no question in my mind that the call of God goes out to all mankind to seek God. There would be those that would say, “I don’t hear God calling.” They would be telling you the truth as far as their understanding is.
Some may say, “I hear the call of the mountains, of the elk bugling, of the streams.” Parents and grandparents hear the call of their children even when they haven’t called. We hear the call of our companion. We get lonely.
If we would go down the line this morning, it would not be just the parents or grandparents this morning that would say, “That one you’re praying for has been on my heart too.” The one you’re burdened for may not have called you, but you’ve heard a call.
There is a voice that goes out from the king of kings: “Unto you oh men I call, and my voice is to the sons of men.” Over and over and over that call goes out. It is really sad when that individual like the queen Vashti says, “I’m not going to answer that call.”
We’ve all been exposed to the lightness that people take in saying, “My devotions are praying as I go over the thresh-hold of the door.” I don’t think that is devotions.
We are so blessed to be visited by the presence of the Holy Spirit of God. I don’t know how many times this week the Holy Spirit of God has come to His servants and visited with them.
There are a lot of thoughts that come to the vestibule of our mind, we wonder if we should go here or there or do this or that and the Holy Spirit of God will speak to our hearts and say, “Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God.”
When we think of what was necessary for us to have salvation: It took the precious blood of Christ.
Paul asked, “How much punishment should a person be worthy of if they do despite to the blood of Christ.”
Esther put on her royal apparel. She went through the doors of the palace and through the hallways. She put in whatever effort was necessary so that she could go into that special place where the king sat on the throne.
The king was there waiting for someone; he had his royal scepter. He expected someone to come. The queen knew that appearing before him when she had not been called for could mean that she would be put to death. She knew this king had authority. I don’t know if Esther thought of herself as beautiful or not, but the other queen had been beautiful and had been put away.
There is nothing sadder than for one to lose their position with God. To have known the blood of Christ and to do despite to it; in the blood there is life. We were forgiven of our sins through the blood of Christ and that blood brought life. Paul knew that there were those that had been forgiven and had received this life and then turned around and did despite to the blood of Christ.
Look diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God. (Heb 12:15)
Esther 4:16 KJVR
(16) Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, night or day: I also and my maidens will fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish.
Esther wanted them to seek God for herself and for themselves. She and her maidens also sought God.
Mordecai humbled himself and did all his orphaned niece asked him to do.
The beauty of Esther did not hinder her. God does such a marvelous thing in beautifying the meek with salvation. Moses said, “Let the beauty of the Lord be upon us.” With all of the beauties and blessings that God has given us: the beauty of God in meeting you in your devotions. What price would be considered in you and me giving up the wonderfulness of meeting and eating with the king?
Perhaps there are saints living in Christ Church New Zealand that have no place to worship. Perhaps there are saints in Haiti and they don’t have good water to drink. We have good water to drink and a nice warm place to worship. We are very blessed. Let us not allow the blessings to hinder us from seeking God.
Esther didn’t allow her beauty to hinder her. The enemy will put a thought in our mind and then accuse us for having it. For all the blessings of the past, God we need you today.
Esther’s position didn’t hinder her. She and her maids sought God.
There is something about every heart that is drawn to God. There is a great desire to put on the garments of salvation. There is no desire to just “be religious”. The desire is to have on the robes of righteousness and the garments of praise.
No one can say that there are no challenges in their life. If you are alive then there will be challenges. God has made a provision in our life that we can always have the garment of praise. There are a lot of hard things, but just to know that the king is on His throne with his scepter waiting for you is reason for us to be encouraged.
There are a lot of preparations that must be gone through to seek Him. The haphazard are not going to find him.
Esther went through the gates: Ask, seek, knock… Straight is the gate. (Matt 7:8, 13, 14)
In order for you to gain audience with this king you cannot be loaded down. People will load you down, your mind will load you down, and you can take on problems that you can do nothing about that will load you down. You can be nobody’s savior. There are those that will let you be a savior for a little bit they’ll take your money and your help. None of us have the attribute of being a divine savior. There is only one divine savior and that is Jesus Christ.
You can put on your divine apparel and go through the gate, but you will not be able to take anybody’s baggage through the gate with you.
She went through the gate; the king sat there on his throne with his royal scepter. The king looked over at Esther and he favored her. He held out the golden scepter. All the promises of God are yours. Every need fully supplied.
We may say, “God, I know I have needs, but I don’t know what my needs are.” I’m talking about hungering for God. I’m talking about having a deep burden for souls, not just a burden for me and mine. We must lengthen our cords and reach out beyond ourself. As much as you love your family, don’t allow the enemy to put blinders on you so that you can only see one direction. You won’t get there being selfish.
This talk of his favor: Mary was favored of God, Nehemiah found favor, Ezra found favor of God…
The king held out his scepter and Esther drew near. It is wonderful when God comes down and we draw near; He holds out His scepter and says, “What is your request.”
Hebrews 4:15-16 KJVR
(15) For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
(16) Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
If you’re pleading with God for someone that is lost, may the God of compassion be moved.
Grace is the divine influence upon the heart. Let’s face it. Our heart, the seat of our affection, comes into His presence and when He reaches forth the scepter reach out and touch it so that you might obtain His divine influence upon the heart.
Our minds will have unanswered questions. Our emotions will have all sorts of ups and downs. There is something wonderful about the grace of God, the divine influence and it’s reflection out into our lives, it is sure. There is no variableness neither shadow of turning with God.
We need the grace of God for this exact season in our lives. I cannot get the grace of God for anyone but myself. I can give counsel; I can talk, but only you can obtain the grace of God from the divine source. Unless you have the grace of God, you will be unacceptable in you speech, in your acts, in your association. The grace of God is a benefit.
Where ever you and I are this morning. In this exact situation and this exact point in time we need the grace of God. There is grace for whatever situation we find ourselves in. Let us come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy.
There is no individual here that doesn’t need grace and there is no source for that grace other than the throne of grace. Without grace we are unfavorable. We’re making demands and acting in ways that God says, “Unacceptable!”
How we come to the house of God, how we sing, our prayer requests, our testimonies, for all this we need grace to be acceptable.
Grace brings thankfulness. It gives us graciousness. It gives us liberality. Spirits will bind you until you can think of nothing but your agenda and yourself, all you will be able to think about is the negative things in this world. It will bind you until all you can think of is hanging crepe.
Grace gives us freedom. It gives us freedom to love one another. It doesn’t matter what you do, evil minds will put an evil twist to it. I’m free to reach out in fellowship to the saints without worry about how anyone will twist my actions.
You can walk around with a chip on both shoulders and a bagful to put more up there if one falls off. The world will leave you unhappy with no good times. The world will leave you saddled down with how things are not and how things have never been and will never be.
God will help you to be happy. God will allow you to walk so that people will be glad to see you coming.
Queen Esther put on her royal apparel and went before the king. We’re blessed to have our own Bible; we’re blessed to have those that went before us and had a testimony that they held audience with God. That generation that sought God prayed for you and me.
The queen put on her royal apparel and stood in the court of the king and he looked upon her with favor. There is a king with a scepter in his hand.
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