Hello my brothers and sisters and those who are watching us online. My name is Kristina. I am married and have two sons. I am a leader in Shalom Christian Fellowship Church and I am discipled by Pastors Marcio and Fabiana. I am passionate for Christ, I love justice and righteousness and I love to stand for the weak, and to heal the broken hearted.
I was just wondering how many broken hearted do we have today and how many are weak today and need help, comfort and support these days. It breaks my heart. And it even more breaks my heart when I hear the news about suicide. Today I am going to share with you what God has planted in my own heart and inspire you to face the times we are facing today.
I have no doubt how hard it is. Some of you might have lost a loved one or a close relative or suffer loneliness and isolation. These might have brought a lot of fear and confusion, or maybe even anger and frustration. I guess that to be a Christian at such a time as this may become very difficult.
There is much we can learn from the book of Ester in how we can be the people God has called us to be for such a time as this.
Lets open your Bible and turn to the book of Esther. And just before reading it, I pray God reveals his word to us this day and gives us open hearts (prayer). I am not going to read every verse but only some so I advise you to read this book fully at home.
Story of Esther
Esther’s story begins in 483 B.C., 103 years after Nebuchadnezzar had taken the Jews into captivity (2 Kings 25), 54 years after Zerubbabel led the first group of exiles back to Jerusalem (Ezra 7). Esther lived in the kingdom of Persia, the dominant kingdom in the Middle East after Babylon’s fall in 539 B.C. Esther was raised by her older cousin Mordecai.
Esther 2:5-7 “ Now there was in the citadel of Susa a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin, named Mordecai son of Jair, the son of Shimei, the son of Kish, 6 who had been carried into exile from Jerusalem by Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, among those taken captive with Jehoiachin king of Judah. 7 Mordecai had a cousin named Hadassah, whom he had brought up because she had neither father nor mother. This young woman, who was also known as Esther, had a lovely figure and was beautiful. Mordecai had taken her as his own daughter when her father and mother died”
At those times, Xerxes the Great was Persia’s king, whose order his wife Queen Vashti refused to obey. The King has decided to give her royal position to someone else who is better than her. Therefore, the king gave an order to look for and gather all beautiful young women and Esther was one of them. Esther also had to complete 12 months beauty treatments which were prescribed for the women before seeing a king.
Esther 2:17 “17 Now the king was attracted to Esther more than to any of the other women, and she won his favor and approval more than any of the other virgins. So he set a royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti”
Esther kept a secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai taught her. So, nobody knew that Mordecai related to Esther. This situation turned into favour for Mordecai and Esther, as Mordecai overheard how two king’s officers were planning to assassinate the king and he was able to save king’s life.
However, Mordecai refused to obey the law and kneel down before Haman and by his act acknowledge Haman as a god, who was given a seat of honour higher than any other nobles. This has resulted in Haman’s evil idea.
Esther 3:5-6 “5 When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor, he was enraged. 6 Yet having learned who Mordecai’s people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai’s people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes.
Haman has received king’s approval not to tolerate those people which are different and do not obey king’s laws. Haman sent orders to all king’s provinces to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews including children on one single day.
You can only imagine what a great mourning was among the Jews with fasting and weeping. Mordecai has instructed Esther to go to the king and beg for mercy and plead for her people. Unfortunately, Esther has replied that it is against the law for her to go to the kings if he hasn’t called her.
And here is my favourite part – Esther 4:12-14, 16 “12 When Esther’s words were reported to Mordecai, 13 he sent back this answer: “Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. 14 For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this? 15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 “Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.” Wow, what a sacrifice. This part has touched my heart deeply.
To finish this story, the king was happy to see Esther and her visit brough favour to her in relation to save her people. The king listened to her requests and petitions. Nevertheless, king has remembered how Mordecai has saved his life and he has honoured him for that. Haman’s plans to kill the Jews were not succeeded and in return, it was him who was impaled on the pole which he had set up for Mordecai.
Moreover, Esther and Mordecai were rewarded by God for their faithfulness in unexpected ways.
Who are you- for such a time as this?
Esther has faced difficult times and her people lives were threatened. What are we facing today? We also have very difficult times and many lives have been threatened. Esther’s faithfulness to God to the point of risking her life to save others brought God’s favour in her life so God has rewarded her.
New Testament Matthew 16:25 “For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.”
When Esther made that decision to go to the king to save her people, she didn’t know what was waiting for her and if she was going to die. So she lost her life for people but yet she found it. She has gained more than she ever expected.
We make choices everyday and everyday we risk something when we make these choices. But many people are not aware what are their risking. Some people are risking their friends and family for more money, power, or risking their relationships to protect their pride or status, and some actually do risk their lives for Jesus, and their status which in some countries has been turned into shame just because of being a Christian. There is much more to risk today than just our physical life. There is money, power, pride, status, time, health, belief and opinions, desires and dreams, which may not or may be sacrificed for the sake of others. So, I thought to ask a question – what are you risking with in your decisions at such time as this? What have you sacrificed?
Bible says in John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” I believe everyone need an inspiration these days and remind ourselves of who we are and why we are here. Just like Mordecai has reminded Esther was she not placed in such a high position so she could be used by God. Bible reminds us to search our hearts daily and question our intentions. Here are some questions which I use to help me to question my intentions when making decisions – Who am I used by now or who am I following? For what reason I do what I do right now or then?
I see and understand how powerful fear is today and this is the battle. God is testing each one of us to see what we choose. Are you going to become a slave of fear? We have to remember that the gate is narrow and not many are going to get through it. If you are the one who is going through the narrow gate, than you should remember that it is the hard way and not an easy way. It is not a short cut, it is a way which I believe unwraps me and reveals me who I am, challenges me and my intentions, and at the same time it is a way where God reveals himself to me. It is a path where I walk towards him and he walks towards me and nothing can be hidden there. How difficult is the narrow gate in your own life?
I imagine that at such confusing time, it is difficult to keep focus on Jesus and remain righteous. We can see a clear example in the Bible, where Pharisees, religious leaders, who were considered the most righteous people, denied Jesus, the son of God and only saviour, whom they had been waiting for so long. They even put him on the cross and killed him. Sometimes we can be righteous in our own eyes but not in God’s. The Bible reminds us that Jesus can come to us in many ways, so how do we know we have not pushed Him away just like the Pharisees?
In Matthew 25:35-40 the Bible says “35 For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36 I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 “Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ 40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
We must be careful especially at such a time as this so we don’t deny Jesus by denying to look after and serve those in need. Truly I tell you from my own relationship with God, that God’s heart is for the poor people, not just poor as in the ones with no money, but poor in other ways. They could be poor in their spirit, poor emotionally, poor in the way they look, poor physically as not having a good health, poor socially, single, orphans, abandoned, widows, single parents. It could be people with heavy burdens and struggles in life. Have you ever met them? If you have helped them, you have served Jesus.
Just before we finish, I want to share with you these Bible verses which greatly challenged me from the Gospel of John.
John 21:15-17 “15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” 16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.” 17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep.
Conclusion
So, I encourage you today if you love Jesus, take care of his sheep just like Esther took care of her people. And do not seek to be righteous in your own eyes but rather seek to be righteous in God’s eyes. Jesus wasn’t recognised by those in the world but he was recognised by those who knew his heart and for them he was the Lord. In the same way, we should strive to win our brother’s heart and to be known by who we are in Jesus rather than trying to win the world and gain recognition from the world. There is no greater honour than to serve our heavenly King and be the people God has called us to be for such a time as this.
My brothers and sisters, it was pleasure and honour to stand here today and deliver God’s word at such time in the world. Let’s keep each other in prayer and live with hope of meeting each other one day where we can rejoice together and build each other in Christ Jesus. I pray that God bless you and use you greatly to serve others in need (prayer).
With love to you all in Christ Jesus,