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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to the Movement Church Podcast. We want you to

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<v Speaker 1>know that God is for you and so are we.

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<v Speaker 1>You're about to hear a sermon from one of our

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<v Speaker 1>weekend services in the tri-lakes of Southern Colorado. God is

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<v Speaker 1>not a monument. He's a movement. So we're praying that

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<v Speaker 1>this message will move you in a meaningful way. Listen

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<v Speaker 1>closely after the message for ways to get connected with us.

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<v Speaker 1>God bless you. Thanks for tuning in.

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<v Speaker 2>All right. Good morning. Good morning. Good to see you guys.

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<v Speaker 2>Welcome to the Movement Church. I am Richard Fyke. I'm

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<v Speaker 2>pleased to be your pastor. Happy to be with you

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<v Speaker 2>today as we start this new series in the book

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<v Speaker 2>of Esther. Esther. Now, this is a very sort of little-known,

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<v Speaker 2>little-studied book, and so I'm excited that we get to

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<v Speaker 2>go through it together. One of my favorite sort of

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<v Speaker 2>squirmy traditions so far in these three years of the

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<v Speaker 2>Movement Church is what we do at every staff meeting

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<v Speaker 2>and at every wisdom table meeting. We start every meeting

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<v Speaker 2>with the same question. You've probably heard me say this before,

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<v Speaker 2>but the question is, where do you see God at

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<v Speaker 2>work in your life? Not what has he done, but

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<v Speaker 2>what do you feel like he's doing in the moment?

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<v Speaker 2>This is never a surprise. Our people at the wisdom

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<v Speaker 2>table and at staff, they know. And I'm going to

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<v Speaker 2>start every one of our meetings with this question. And

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<v Speaker 2>guess what? There's always just squirm in the room. Just like, oh,

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<v Speaker 2>that's a hard question. And it's not like, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>we sat down for lunch and I asked you, you know,

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<v Speaker 2>where do you see yourself in five to ten years?

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<v Speaker 2>Anybody ever done that to you? Like, check, please. No, thanks. No, thanks.

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<v Speaker 2>what's the dream in your heart that you're not feeding enough?

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<v Speaker 2>Has anybody ever asked you a question like that? And

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<v Speaker 2>you're like, are we on Oprah right now? What's really happening?

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<v Speaker 2>Or when someone says, hey, what's really going on with you?

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<v Speaker 2>Like they know something that you don't, you know? By

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<v Speaker 2>the way, I'm gonna tell you a trick and this

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<v Speaker 2>is bad news because Judah's in the room. I do

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<v Speaker 2>this to him quite a lot. But parents, there is

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<v Speaker 2>this awesome trick that you can pull on your kids. Kids,

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<v Speaker 2>don't listen to this, okay? But if you will say

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<v Speaker 2>to your kid, sort of towards the middle of the

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<v Speaker 2>afternoon after school is over, just look at them with

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<v Speaker 2>no affect in your face. Like, don't smile. Don't look angry.

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<v Speaker 2>Just look at them and say, do you want to

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<v Speaker 2>tell me what happened today? Just ask them that question.

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<v Speaker 2>And then don't say anything because they're going to start

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<v Speaker 2>asking you questions. Who told you? What do you know?

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<v Speaker 2>You know, right? They turn into Chunk from Goonies. This

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<v Speaker 2>one time in third grade? What? They just empty it

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<v Speaker 2>all out. So I'm just saying, my question is not

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<v Speaker 2>a surprise question. Where do you see God at work

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<v Speaker 2>in your life? It is the same question that we

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<v Speaker 2>ask every time we get together. And it's always squirmy.

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<v Speaker 2>And I think the reason why it's so squirmy is

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<v Speaker 2>because it's easier to see God at work through the

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<v Speaker 2>rear view than it is through the windshield. Amen? It's

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<v Speaker 2>easier to see what he's done than what he is doing.

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<v Speaker 2>That's just kind of the reality. When we look back

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<v Speaker 2>on our lives and we see the way that God

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<v Speaker 2>was orchestrating and operating in the ordinary, then we can go, oh, wow,

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<v Speaker 2>look what God did. But to make sense of what

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<v Speaker 2>he's doing in the moment is really, really hard. No

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<v Speaker 2>book in the Bible illustrates that idea better than the

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<v Speaker 2>book of Esther. I'm going to give you a little spoiler.

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<v Speaker 2>Maybe you've heard this before. This is kind of an

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<v Speaker 2>interesting factoid about this book, this book of Esther. In

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<v Speaker 2>this book, God, the God of Israel, The God who

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<v Speaker 2>is in this moment of this book, Esther, working his

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<v Speaker 2>way through a bloodline to bring to us the Messiah.

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<v Speaker 2>The God who is in this moment of the book

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<v Speaker 2>of Esther, working his way towards you and towards me,

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<v Speaker 2>is not mentioned a single time. There's not a single

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<v Speaker 2>mention of the name of God. God doesn't speak. He

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<v Speaker 2>doesn't command. He doesn't perform any miracles. God seems to

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<v Speaker 2>be missing in action from the book. of Esther. And

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<v Speaker 2>this is cool. What's amazing is that all throughout this book,

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<v Speaker 2>God is actually the main character of the book of Esther.

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<v Speaker 2>He's doing and working and operating in the ordinary in

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<v Speaker 2>ways that the people in the story can't see, but

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<v Speaker 2>it is so true and so real. And so even

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<v Speaker 2>though his name isn't mentioned once, God is the main

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<v Speaker 2>character of the book of Esther. The book of Esther

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<v Speaker 2>is God at work. And that's what we're going to

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<v Speaker 2>look at as we look through this series. He's stirring,

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<v Speaker 2>he's prompting, he's providing, he's protecting, he's revealing, he's reaching.

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<v Speaker 2>God is doing a lot to orchestrate, organize, and to

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<v Speaker 2>operate in the ordinary, in extraordinary ways. Your grandmother told

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<v Speaker 2>you that God works in mysterious ways. Didn't she tell

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<v Speaker 2>you that, right? Your grandma was right. God works in

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<v Speaker 2>mysterious ways. And that's interesting and inspiring, but sometimes that

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<v Speaker 2>can be frustrating. Don't you wish he would just work

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<v Speaker 2>in the ways that we understood? Sometimes, God, could you

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<v Speaker 2>just get on my level, please? Sometimes God operates in

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<v Speaker 2>ways that we can't make sense of in the moment.

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<v Speaker 2>Sometimes it's hard to hear him. It's hard to see him.

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<v Speaker 2>It's hard to experience him. And I also know that

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<v Speaker 2>in this room right now, there are people who are

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<v Speaker 2>walking through really hard things, really challenging things, really difficult things,

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<v Speaker 2>things that you don't have answers for right now in

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<v Speaker 2>this moment. And you maybe have come to church today

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<v Speaker 2>with an attitude of show me something, God. I'm here

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<v Speaker 2>so that you can show me something. You ever been

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<v Speaker 2>in a season of show me something, God? Nobody wants

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<v Speaker 2>to be honest in church. Come on, everybody has been

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<v Speaker 2>through a season of God. You're gonna have to show

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<v Speaker 2>me something. Two hands right there. That's right, Barb. Esther

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<v Speaker 2>invites us to ask this question. And this is the

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<v Speaker 2>question we'll wrestle with today. Where is God at work Now,

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<v Speaker 2>just to give you kind of a brief historical perspective

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<v Speaker 2>before we dive into the book, I want to tell

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<v Speaker 2>you a little bit about what is happening on the

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<v Speaker 2>lead-in to the book of Esther. It's the 17th book

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<v Speaker 2>in your Bible, and it was written by, we don't know.

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<v Speaker 2>It's one of those books that has kind of an

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<v Speaker 2>anonymous author. What we do know is that it's a

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<v Speaker 2>Jewish author who lived through the Persian diaspora. which means

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<v Speaker 2>that this author and these characters in the story are

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<v Speaker 2>resident aliens in the land of Persia. Some believe that

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<v Speaker 2>it could have been Mordecai that wrote it or Ezra

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<v Speaker 2>that wrote it, but the fact is we just don't know.

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<v Speaker 2>A lot of Jewish history leads to this moment of

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<v Speaker 2>the book of Esther. After King Solomon's reign, Solomon is

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<v Speaker 2>David's son, right? After Solomon reigns, the Jewish kingdom splits

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<v Speaker 2>into two, north and south. The northern kingdom becomes Israel.

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<v Speaker 2>The southern kingdom becomes Judah. This is how they're known.

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<v Speaker 2>And both of those kingdoms repeatedly rebel against God. Eventually

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<v Speaker 2>judgment comes to both. Assyria destroys the northern kingdom in

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<v Speaker 2>722 BC. And Babylon eventually conquers Judah. That's the southern kingdom.

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<v Speaker 2>Destroying Jerusalem and Solomon's temple in 586. And it carries

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<v Speaker 2>a lot of these Judeans, these people of God into exile.

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<v Speaker 2>That's the world of the book of Daniel, which we're

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<v Speaker 2>going to look at next year. Then the geopolitical chessboard

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<v Speaker 2>changes because Persia conquers Babylon. Babylon had conquered Judah and

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<v Speaker 2>now Persia conquers Babylon. And King Cyrus institutes an imperial

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<v Speaker 2>policy and allows displaced peoples, including the Jews, to return

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<v Speaker 2>to their ancestral lands. In other You don't have to

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<v Speaker 2>be from here to live here. We're going to make

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<v Speaker 2>space for you. Some Jews, however, return to Jerusalem under

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<v Speaker 2>Zerubbabel and rebuild the temple. But there's a lot of

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<v Speaker 2>these displaced Jews that just decide, I'm just going to

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<v Speaker 2>stay put here in Persia. And these Jews stay there.

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<v Speaker 2>And that is kind of the preamble to what happens

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<v Speaker 2>in this story. Instead of making a trek back to

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<v Speaker 2>the motherland, these people decide to stay as resident aliens

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<v Speaker 2>in Persia. And by Esther's generation, Jewish communities exist all

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<v Speaker 2>throughout the Persian Empire. So Esther really isn't a story

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<v Speaker 2>about Israel in Israel. It's really a story that illustrates

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<v Speaker 2>some of God's people surviving as a minority population inside

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<v Speaker 2>a massive pagan empire. That's all the preamble. You with me?

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<v Speaker 2>Is that clear enough? Okay. So now we've got these

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<v Speaker 2>four major characters that you're going to find out about today.

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<v Speaker 2>Here's the first. This guy, King Xerxes. Now, some of

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<v Speaker 2>your biblical translations have the name Ahasuerus, like Dukes Ahasuerus,

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<v Speaker 2>Dukes of Hazzard, right? Ahasuerus. That's how I understand it.

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<v Speaker 2>But the Greek form of his name is Xerxes. So

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<v Speaker 2>that's what we're going to call him. I like Xerxes.

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<v Speaker 2>His mama called him Clay. I'm going to call him Clay.

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<v Speaker 2>That was just for Jeff Rudder. Xerxes is the most

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<v Speaker 2>powerful man in the world at the time. And he's

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<v Speaker 2>not bashful about his power. He's kind of a showman.

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<v Speaker 2>He's loud. He's known for throwing big parties, and there'll

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<v Speaker 2>be more on that in a moment. So that's Xerxes.

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<v Speaker 2>His wife, the queen, Queen Vashti, that's the way I'm

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<v Speaker 2>going to pronounce it. There's a bunch of different ways

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<v Speaker 2>that you could. I'm going to say Vashti, okay? So

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<v Speaker 2>Vashti is this beautiful, gorgeous woman that Xerxes is very

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<v Speaker 2>proud of. She's kind of a show pony for him.

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<v Speaker 2>And she doesn't really like that very much. And you're

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<v Speaker 2>going to see that in a moment. And then there's

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<v Speaker 2>our titular character, Esther. Esther is a young Jewish girl.

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<v Speaker 2>And she has lost her mother and her father. They're dead.

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<v Speaker 2>And she has a cousin named Mordecai. and Mordecai has

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<v Speaker 2>taken her on, and he basically has raised her as

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<v Speaker 2>his own daughter. Those are the four major characters on

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<v Speaker 2>days of our Esther, okay? And so we're going to

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<v Speaker 2>see how these four characters interact with each other, and

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<v Speaker 2>we're going to see God at work in the midst

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<v Speaker 2>of this story. Now, the story starts in Esther 1

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<v Speaker 2>with a big, great, giant party. Look at this in

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<v Speaker 2>Esther 1, verse 3. He, that's Xerxes, held a feast

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<v Speaker 2>in the third year of his reign for all his

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<v Speaker 2>officials and staff, the army of Persia and media, the

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<v Speaker 2>nobles and the officials from the provinces. Check this out.

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<v Speaker 2>He displayed the glorious wealth of his kingdom and the

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<v Speaker 2>magnificent splendor of his greatness for a total of 180 days.

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<v Speaker 2>How long is that? Six months. Where are my gifts

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<v Speaker 2>of hospitality, people? Are you in the room? How would

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<v Speaker 2>you like to host a six-month, never-ending, never-stopping party Anybody

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<v Speaker 2>excited about that? How about my non-gifts of hospitality people?

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<v Speaker 2>How many of you are like, I'm just going to

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<v Speaker 2>divorce you. This party is going to end our marriage, right? No,

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<v Speaker 2>this isn't fun. He's throwing a six-month party to celebrate

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<v Speaker 2>the extravagance and the wealth and the greatness of himself

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<v Speaker 2>as king and of the land of Persia. No, we've

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<v Speaker 2>got to be careful about psychoanalyzing characters in the Bible. But...

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<v Speaker 2>What is this guy telling us about himself, right? That

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<v Speaker 2>he needs you to see his power, his wealth, his strength,

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<v Speaker 2>his extravagance. This is not a part of the sermon.

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<v Speaker 2>It's just a free little nugget of wisdom. Insecurity is

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<v Speaker 2>loud and confidence is quiet. I got two amens on that. Okay,

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<v Speaker 2>that one's for free. Okay, so Xerxes is throwing this

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<v Speaker 2>big party. And then at the end of six months,

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<v Speaker 2>both he and Vashti decide to throw banquets. For another

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<v Speaker 2>seven days, Xerxes invites all of his royal guys, and

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<v Speaker 2>Vashti invites all of the royal ladies. And then things

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<v Speaker 2>get a little sticky on day seven. Look at verse 10.

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<v Speaker 2>On the seventh day, when the king was feeling good

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<v Speaker 2>from the wine, come on somebody, Xerxes commanded all of

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<v Speaker 2>these names that you won't name your children, and the

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<v Speaker 2>seven eunuchs who personally served him, to bring Queen Vashti

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<v Speaker 2>before him with her royal crown. Look at this. He

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<v Speaker 2>wanted to show off her beauty to the people and

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<v Speaker 2>the officials. Why? Because she was very beautiful. The king

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<v Speaker 2>is buzzing. He's got all his homies in the house

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<v Speaker 2>with him. He's like, you know, I've shown you a

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<v Speaker 2>lot of things, but I have this piece de resistance

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<v Speaker 2>that I want to share with you. And it's my

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<v Speaker 2>beautiful wife, Queen Vashti. Go and get her for me. Why? Why?

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<v Speaker 2>Because he wants to hang out with her? He just

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<v Speaker 2>wants to spend some quality time? That's her love language, right?

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<v Speaker 1>No.

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<v Speaker 2>Because he wants her to enjoy all the Persian extravagance? No.

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<v Speaker 2>Because he misses her? No. Because he wants these people

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<v Speaker 2>to be impressed with this woman that he has on

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<v Speaker 2>his arm. This is who our guy is. Again, insecurity

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<v Speaker 2>is loud. Confidence is quiet. And guess what? Queen Vashti

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<v Speaker 2>ain't having it, okay? I mean, listen, okay, period. This

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<v Speaker 2>is what we're about to see. Look at verse 12.

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<v Speaker 2>Queen Vashti refused. Everybody say refused. Refused to come at

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<v Speaker 2>the king's command that was delivered by his eunuchs. I

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<v Speaker 2>wouldn't follow a eunuch either. The king became furious and

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<v Speaker 2>his anger burned within him. And it's not just Xerxes

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<v Speaker 2>that's upset about this. It's all of Xerxes' homies. Because

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<v Speaker 2>if his wife won't obey him, this most powerful man

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<v Speaker 2>in the kingdom, what chance do they have with their wife?

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<v Speaker 2>Look at what happens. In verse 19, one of his

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<v Speaker 2>officials comes to Xerxes and says, we need to talk

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<v Speaker 2>about this. This is a problem. If it meets the

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00:14:30.139 --> 00:14:34.730
<v Speaker 2>king's approval, he should personally issue a royal decree. Let

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<v Speaker 2>it be recorded in the laws of the Persians and

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<v Speaker 2>the Medes so that it cannot be revoked. Are you

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<v Speaker 2>hearing how serious this is? Vashti is not to enter

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<v Speaker 2>King Xerxes' presence. And her royal position is to be

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<v Speaker 2>given to another woman who is more worthy than she.

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<v Speaker 2>The decree, the king issues will be heard throughout his

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<v Speaker 2>vast kingdom. So all women, everybody say all women. All

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<v Speaker 2>women will honor their husbands. from the greatest to the least.

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<v Speaker 2>This is the only hope we have. If Vashti won't

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<v Speaker 2>obey you, then my wife won't obey me, and I

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<v Speaker 2>can't have that. That's what's happening here. So just like that,

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<v Speaker 2>the queen's reign is over. She is no longer known

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<v Speaker 2>as Queen Vashti. She's just Vashti. She's exiled. She's not

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<v Speaker 2>killed or beheaded or anything. It's just over for her.

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<v Speaker 2>And all of a sudden, something that was just a

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<v Speaker 2>small little act of personal agency, the queen saying, I'm

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<v Speaker 2>not coming to see your guys so you can parade

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<v Speaker 2>me in front of them. I'm nobody's show pony. Because

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<v Speaker 2>she resists that, boom, this whole set of actions is

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<v Speaker 2>set into motion. In chapter two, the search begins. This

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<v Speaker 2>search for a new queen. And that's when we're introduced

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<v Speaker 2>to Mordecai and to Esther. Again, we don't get the

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<v Speaker 2>whole family lineage. We don't get like a Batman backstory

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<v Speaker 2>of like who killed her parents or how they died.

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<v Speaker 2>We just know that this is the relationship. Mordecai and

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<v Speaker 2>Esther are cousins, and Mordecai has raised this young lady

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<v Speaker 2>like his own daughter. It's really beautiful. But the Bible

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<v Speaker 2>does want us to know something about Esther, something that's

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<v Speaker 2>very important. Look at this. In 2.7b, it says, the

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<v Speaker 2>young woman had a beautiful figure and was extremely good looking. Listen, husbands,

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<v Speaker 2>this is just a pro tip. Maybe sometime later this week,

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<v Speaker 2>You could just send this scripture to your wife and say,

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<v Speaker 2>you know what, honey, I was thinking about you. The

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<v Speaker 2>Lord prompted me to just tell you that you're just

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<v Speaker 2>like Esther, baby. Yes, ma'am. Okay, just pro tip, just

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<v Speaker 2>here to help. Okay, so anyway, she's very good looking

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<v Speaker 2>and she has a very good figure. And this is

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<v Speaker 2>why she's going to play a major role in how

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<v Speaker 2>God is about to move. They asked to refuse the king.

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<v Speaker 2>The royal court suggested a new queen. They are now

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<v Speaker 2>officially starting out this search. You think ABC invented The Bachelor?

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<v Speaker 2>They didn't. Your Bible invented The Bachelor. Welcome to a

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<v Speaker 2>very special episode of The Persian Bachelor. Will she get

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<v Speaker 2>a rose? Verse 10 tells us something else about Esther,

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<v Speaker 2>something that's really important to the story. Look at verse 10.

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<v Speaker 2>Esther did not reveal her ethnicity, her Jewish heritage. or

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<v Speaker 2>her family background, because Mordecai had ordered her to make

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<v Speaker 2>them known. Now, this tells us a little something about

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<v Speaker 2>the climate of the day. Yes, if you are not Persian,

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00:17:32.660 --> 00:17:35.160
<v Speaker 2>you are still allowed to live here, but it doesn't

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00:17:35.200 --> 00:17:37.500
<v Speaker 2>mean that we're going to like you. It doesn't mean

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00:17:37.519 --> 00:17:39.940
<v Speaker 2>that we're going to love you and accept you. In fact,

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00:17:39.980 --> 00:17:43.470
<v Speaker 2>it's probably best for you to keep your heritage to yourself.

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<v Speaker 2>That's the sort of socio-political reality of their day, and

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<v Speaker 2>that's going to play a major role as we get

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<v Speaker 2>down the road. Mordecai doesn't want Esther to tell people

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<v Speaker 2>where she's from. He doesn't want Esther to make it

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<v Speaker 2>clear that she is Jewish. She has now been dragooned

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<v Speaker 2>into this Persian bachelor, drafted into service, and she gets

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<v Speaker 2>put on a special diet. She was already beautiful, but

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00:18:08.619 --> 00:18:11.349
<v Speaker 2>now they're going to put her on some medication. I

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00:18:11.380 --> 00:18:13.990
<v Speaker 2>had a friend of mine recently tell me he's on GLP-1s,

302
00:18:14.049 --> 00:18:16.450
<v Speaker 2>and he said, I'm on these injectables. That's the way

303
00:18:16.470 --> 00:18:18.759
<v Speaker 2>he said it. I'm on these injectables. And so just

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00:18:18.779 --> 00:18:21.000
<v Speaker 2>so you know, I have been saying that nonstop. Like,

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00:18:21.059 --> 00:18:23.779
<v Speaker 2>are you on these injectables? Anyway, I don't know that

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00:18:23.799 --> 00:18:26.380
<v Speaker 2>they had these injectables back then, but she probably would

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00:18:26.400 --> 00:18:28.730
<v Speaker 2>have been on them, okay? She is getting the Persian

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00:18:28.809 --> 00:18:31.789
<v Speaker 2>glow up of a lifetime, okay? She was already pretty,

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00:18:31.809 --> 00:18:34.269
<v Speaker 2>and now she's about to just be shining. And this

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00:18:34.329 --> 00:18:37.630
<v Speaker 2>is a full year before Xerxes ever sets eyes on her.

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<v Speaker 2>They're preparing her. Now, while this is happening, Mordecai is

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<v Speaker 2>showing up day after day and getting as close as

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<v Speaker 2>he can to his sweet daughter cousin, Esther. They won't

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00:18:49.259 --> 00:18:51.700
<v Speaker 2>let him pass the harem gates, but he comes up

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00:18:51.740 --> 00:18:53.740
<v Speaker 2>close and he just wants to see her. That's who

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00:18:53.779 --> 00:18:57.339
<v Speaker 2>this guy is. He loves Esther like family. He just

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00:18:57.380 --> 00:18:59.500
<v Speaker 2>wants to keep an eye on her while all of

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00:18:59.539 --> 00:19:02.940
<v Speaker 2>this stuff is happening. Now, here's how it all happens.

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<v Speaker 2>Will she get a rose? Will she move on? Let's

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00:19:05.940 --> 00:19:09.859
<v Speaker 2>see what happens. Esther 2.16 says this. Esther was taken.

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<v Speaker 2>to King Xerxes, and that's a key word, guys, taken.

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<v Speaker 2>Esther did not choose this. Esther wasn't like, oh, maybe

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<v Speaker 2>I could be queen. She got drafted into service. This

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00:19:23.910 --> 00:19:27.190
<v Speaker 2>wasn't part of her plan. She's taken to King Xerxes

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<v Speaker 2>in the palace in the 10th month, the month of

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<v Speaker 2>Tebeth in the seventh year of his reign. The king

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<v Speaker 2>loved Esther more than all the other women. She won

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00:19:37.940 --> 00:19:41.220
<v Speaker 2>more favor and approval from him than did any of

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<v Speaker 2>the other virgins. So he placed the royal crown on

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00:19:44.809 --> 00:19:48.369
<v Speaker 2>her and he made her queen in place of Vashti.

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<v Speaker 2>now the word that stands out to me is this

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<v Speaker 2>word favor favor this moment where Xerxes places the crown

333
00:19:55.980 --> 00:19:59.089
<v Speaker 2>on her head is supposed to be we're supposed to

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00:19:59.180 --> 00:20:03.369
<v Speaker 2>understand this as favor it's the favor of the king

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00:20:03.509 --> 00:20:07.970
<v Speaker 2>for sure but again Esther never wanted this she wasn't

336
00:20:08.009 --> 00:20:12.269
<v Speaker 2>dreaming of becoming this man's She wasn't dreaming of becoming

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00:20:12.789 --> 00:20:16.029
<v Speaker 2>the queen. Nowhere in her story do we get any

338
00:20:16.130 --> 00:20:21.930
<v Speaker 2>sense that she wants this. She's been drafted into this experience, taken, plucked,

339
00:20:22.130 --> 00:20:25.910
<v Speaker 2>exorcised from her daily life and placed into this position.

340
00:20:26.630 --> 00:20:29.380
<v Speaker 2>And here, in this deciding moment, she has one more

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00:20:29.450 --> 00:20:33.299
<v Speaker 2>favor than anyone else. He places a royal crown on

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00:20:33.319 --> 00:20:36.799
<v Speaker 2>her head, but it's not the crown of her heritage anymore.

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<v Speaker 2>She will be the queen of a people that she

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00:20:39.619 --> 00:20:44.019
<v Speaker 2>doesn't belong to. That's the story behind the story. And

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<v Speaker 2>as the story unfolds, we're going to look back at

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<v Speaker 2>this moment, this very human moment, this very coincidental moment,

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00:20:52.609 --> 00:20:54.609
<v Speaker 2>and we're going to see that God was working in

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00:20:54.670 --> 00:21:00.029
<v Speaker 2>this moment. Though Xerxes' hands are holding the crown, God

349
00:21:00.170 --> 00:21:03.930
<v Speaker 2>is the one that is granting her this favor. He

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00:21:03.990 --> 00:21:08.440
<v Speaker 2>is very much at work. A year ago, She was nobody.

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<v Speaker 2>Nobody ever heard of her. And now she is Queen Esther.

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<v Speaker 2>This is incredible. So here's what we're going to do.

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<v Speaker 2>We're going to try to answer this question today. Where

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<v Speaker 2>is God at work when I can't see him? And

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<v Speaker 2>here's the first answer to that question. God is working

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<v Speaker 2>in what I didn't plan. Nobody wants to say amen

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00:21:30.819 --> 00:21:35.309
<v Speaker 2>to that. God is working in what you didn't plan.

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<v Speaker 2>And nobody wants to say amen to that. But I

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<v Speaker 2>bet you if you look through the rear view that

360
00:21:41.730 --> 00:21:44.890
<v Speaker 2>you would say, dadgummit, that's how my life has worked

361
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<v Speaker 2>out too. God has worked in things that I didn't plan.

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<v Speaker 2>Is there anyone here today that would say, that would

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<v Speaker 2>be honest and say, my life has not gone according

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<v Speaker 2>to plan. Anybody here want to say that? And how

365
00:21:58.180 --> 00:22:01.299
<v Speaker 2>many of you say, thank God that my life has

366
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<v Speaker 2>not gone according to plan. This is beautiful. This school,

367
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<v Speaker 2>this job, this person, this choice, this trial, this challenge,

368
00:22:10.849 --> 00:22:14.210
<v Speaker 2>this many kids, this much money, this neighborhood. All of

369
00:22:14.269 --> 00:22:17.289
<v Speaker 2>these things that happen in our lives. When we look back,

370
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<v Speaker 2>we go, whoa, I don't think I planned it that way.

371
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<v Speaker 2>But look at how God worked through it. Maybe you

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<v Speaker 2>thought you'd be with someone for the rest of your life.

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<v Speaker 2>And they're not with you anymore. Maybe you're not on

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<v Speaker 2>plan A. Maybe you're like all the way down to

375
00:22:33.400 --> 00:22:38.509
<v Speaker 2>like plan Q. Right? Or maybe, yeah, maybe you went

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00:22:38.529 --> 00:22:40.730
<v Speaker 2>all the way back around to plan A. Plan A

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00:22:40.750 --> 00:22:47.049
<v Speaker 2>with a two. Right? God was positioning Esther for purpose.

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<v Speaker 2>That's what's happening in this moment. And I just want

379
00:22:50.150 --> 00:22:53.369
<v Speaker 2>to tell you something. God may be positioning you for

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00:22:53.430 --> 00:22:55.529
<v Speaker 2>purpose as well. In fact, I would love it if

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<v Speaker 2>you would tell the person next to you, God is

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<v Speaker 2>very much at work in your life. Would you tell

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00:23:00.450 --> 00:23:02.869
<v Speaker 2>them that right now? Just tell them. Encourage them. God

384
00:23:02.930 --> 00:23:05.279
<v Speaker 2>is very much at work in your life. Now, I

385
00:23:05.339 --> 00:23:07.220
<v Speaker 2>want you to tell the person, your second choice, the

386
00:23:07.279 --> 00:23:09.559
<v Speaker 2>one you didn't want to talk to, tell them, I

387
00:23:09.599 --> 00:23:12.640
<v Speaker 2>sure hope God is at work in your life. I

388
00:23:12.720 --> 00:23:19.200
<v Speaker 2>sure hope that's true. Here's the reality. God can use

389
00:23:19.240 --> 00:23:22.630
<v Speaker 2>the very thing that you'd never choose. That's how good

390
00:23:22.670 --> 00:23:25.890
<v Speaker 2>he is. Romans 8.28 tells us that all things work

391
00:23:25.910 --> 00:23:27.650
<v Speaker 2>together for the good of those who love the Lord

392
00:23:27.690 --> 00:23:30.690
<v Speaker 2>and are called according to his purpose. They work together

393
00:23:30.869 --> 00:23:33.849
<v Speaker 2>for good. It may not feel like it's good right now,

394
00:23:33.910 --> 00:23:36.529
<v Speaker 2>but you look back on your life, you're going to see, oh,

395
00:23:36.630 --> 00:23:39.529
<v Speaker 2>I get it now. That's who our God is. You

396
00:23:39.569 --> 00:23:43.980
<v Speaker 2>may not have chosen this. You didn't want it. The breakup,

397
00:23:44.059 --> 00:23:47.920
<v Speaker 2>the job change, the diagnosis, the challenge, the trial, the struggle,

398
00:23:47.960 --> 00:23:51.440
<v Speaker 2>you didn't want it, but God can use it. Amen?

399
00:23:52.700 --> 00:23:54.960
<v Speaker 2>Even if God feels absent, it doesn't mean that God's

400
00:23:54.980 --> 00:23:58.460
<v Speaker 2>not working. And that's not just true in Esther's life,

401
00:23:58.509 --> 00:24:01.940
<v Speaker 2>but also in Mordecai's life. I told you, Mordecai liked

402
00:24:01.980 --> 00:24:04.279
<v Speaker 2>to stand as close as he could get to Esther

403
00:24:04.380 --> 00:24:07.319
<v Speaker 2>every day. Look at what happens because he's doing that.

404
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<v Speaker 2>This is in verse 21 of chapter 2. During those days,

405
00:24:10.839 --> 00:24:14.579
<v Speaker 2>while Mordecai was sitting at the king's gate, Bigthan and Teresh,

406
00:24:14.799 --> 00:24:17.559
<v Speaker 2>two of the king's eunuchs who guarded the entrance, became

407
00:24:17.779 --> 00:24:24.269
<v Speaker 2>infuriated and planned to assassinate King Xerxes. When Mordecai learned

408
00:24:24.369 --> 00:24:27.210
<v Speaker 2>of the plot, he reported it to Queen Esther, and

409
00:24:27.250 --> 00:24:30.940
<v Speaker 2>she told the king on Mordecai's behalf. When the report

410
00:24:30.980 --> 00:24:35.430
<v Speaker 2>was investigated and verified, both men were hanged on the gallows.

411
00:24:35.849 --> 00:24:38.569
<v Speaker 2>This event was recorded in the historical record in the

412
00:24:38.630 --> 00:24:41.670
<v Speaker 2>king's presence. Now, we're not going to turn the page

413
00:24:41.710 --> 00:24:43.789
<v Speaker 2>to chapter 3. If you guys want to read ahead,

414
00:24:43.829 --> 00:24:47.109
<v Speaker 2>you should. It's a great book. But something incredible happens

415
00:24:47.170 --> 00:24:49.430
<v Speaker 2>because of this way later in the story. But what

416
00:24:49.450 --> 00:24:52.450
<v Speaker 2>I want you to see is in this moment, right now,

417
00:24:53.039 --> 00:24:56.299
<v Speaker 2>not a whole lot happens. Mordecai does the right thing.

418
00:24:57.039 --> 00:25:00.069
<v Speaker 2>He stands up. He defends the king. He goes to Esther.

419
00:25:00.390 --> 00:25:02.519
<v Speaker 2>Esther tells the story. These two guys get found out

420
00:25:02.619 --> 00:25:05.160
<v Speaker 2>and murdered, or they get hung because they were going

421
00:25:05.200 --> 00:25:08.240
<v Speaker 2>to murder the king. And if this were a Game

422
00:25:08.279 --> 00:25:11.420
<v Speaker 2>of Thrones, or if this were, you know, a movie

423
00:25:11.460 --> 00:25:14.119
<v Speaker 2>or a television show, you might imagine that the next

424
00:25:14.160 --> 00:25:16.940
<v Speaker 2>scene is that the king calls Mordecai into his royal

425
00:25:16.980 --> 00:25:21.160
<v Speaker 2>courts and goes, bro, I just gotta give you praise

426
00:25:21.240 --> 00:25:23.279
<v Speaker 2>and thanks. And, you know, can I give you some

427
00:25:23.400 --> 00:25:25.059
<v Speaker 2>goats and calves? Or, you know, do you want to

428
00:25:25.119 --> 00:25:27.539
<v Speaker 2>sit on my royal council? Like, who are you? And

429
00:25:28.259 --> 00:25:31.599
<v Speaker 2>I just want to elevate you. None of that happens.

430
00:25:32.349 --> 00:25:37.450
<v Speaker 2>Mordecai's good and noble act is mostly forgotten. About the

431
00:25:37.490 --> 00:25:39.390
<v Speaker 2>only thing that happens in this moment is the king

432
00:25:39.809 --> 00:25:42.069
<v Speaker 2>writes it down or it's written down in the king's presence.

433
00:25:42.589 --> 00:25:44.549
<v Speaker 2>This guy Mordecai spoke up and that's how we found

434
00:25:44.589 --> 00:25:46.990
<v Speaker 2>about these two insurrectionists and now they're dead moving on.

435
00:25:48.710 --> 00:25:52.819
<v Speaker 2>Nothing much happens. Mordecai has done the right thing and

436
00:25:53.440 --> 00:25:56.920
<v Speaker 2>he sees no real benefit from it. No immediate praise.

437
00:25:57.680 --> 00:26:03.920
<v Speaker 2>No immediate elevation, no parade, no promotion, no fanfare, no recognition.

438
00:26:04.720 --> 00:26:06.759
<v Speaker 2>The king makes sure to document it, but that's it.

439
00:26:07.660 --> 00:26:10.490
<v Speaker 2>Life just goes on. And there seems to be no

440
00:26:10.690 --> 00:26:14.250
<v Speaker 2>immediate benefit to Mordecai's life. So let's ask our question again.

441
00:26:14.690 --> 00:26:17.009
<v Speaker 2>Where is God at work when I can't see him?

442
00:26:17.549 --> 00:26:22.210
<v Speaker 2>Number two, God is working when nothing seems to be happening.

443
00:26:23.450 --> 00:26:27.109
<v Speaker 2>And nobody said amen again. You don't like this. I

444
00:26:27.150 --> 00:26:30.710
<v Speaker 2>know you don't like this. But this is true. God

445
00:26:30.789 --> 00:26:33.529
<v Speaker 2>is working when nothing seems to be happening. God, I

446
00:26:33.630 --> 00:26:37.589
<v Speaker 2>did everything right. I obeyed. I read my Bible. I

447
00:26:37.630 --> 00:26:40.609
<v Speaker 2>went to move group. I went to growth group. I'm involved.

448
00:26:40.650 --> 00:26:43.950
<v Speaker 2>I'm engaged. Where are you? When do I get some

449
00:26:43.990 --> 00:26:46.490
<v Speaker 2>benefit out of this? When do I get to see

450
00:26:46.539 --> 00:26:49.380
<v Speaker 2>what you're doing in the immediate moment after I do

451
00:26:49.400 --> 00:26:51.779
<v Speaker 2>the right thing? I'm doing the right thing. Where are

452
00:26:51.799 --> 00:26:55.440
<v Speaker 2>you at? Anybody relate to that? You don't want to

453
00:26:55.480 --> 00:26:57.740
<v Speaker 2>get struck by lightning in church. I get it. I understand.

454
00:26:58.480 --> 00:27:01.569
<v Speaker 2>That's real though, isn't it? This is Christian life for

455
00:27:01.609 --> 00:27:04.089
<v Speaker 2>a lot of us. There are days and weeks and

456
00:27:04.150 --> 00:27:06.769
<v Speaker 2>months where you are doing the right thing over and

457
00:27:06.910 --> 00:27:09.589
<v Speaker 2>over and you're like, where is the benefit? And that's

458
00:27:09.609 --> 00:27:11.710
<v Speaker 2>when the enemy comes along and says, there's no benefit.

459
00:27:11.769 --> 00:27:15.829
<v Speaker 2>Just do the wrong thing. Right? But God is telling

460
00:27:15.930 --> 00:27:19.549
<v Speaker 2>us that he's moving and acting even when nothing seems

461
00:27:19.609 --> 00:27:24.049
<v Speaker 2>to be happening. This book of Esther, it is a

462
00:27:24.150 --> 00:27:27.710
<v Speaker 2>beam of light in a dark season of your life,

463
00:27:28.509 --> 00:27:31.759
<v Speaker 2>whenever you feel like, man, I don't see God anywhere. Hey,

464
00:27:31.819 --> 00:27:35.819
<v Speaker 2>where do you see God at work? I don't, right?

465
00:27:35.940 --> 00:27:39.099
<v Speaker 2>Have you ever had that experience, that feeling? This is

466
00:27:39.140 --> 00:27:41.940
<v Speaker 2>the book for you, man. I'm telling you, it's exciting

467
00:27:42.400 --> 00:27:45.549
<v Speaker 2>because I'm gonna give you a spoiler alert. Though in

468
00:27:45.569 --> 00:27:50.150
<v Speaker 2>the immediate aftermath of what happened there, of Mordecai speaking up,

469
00:27:50.210 --> 00:27:53.150
<v Speaker 2>there seems to be no real benefit. Later in the story,

470
00:27:53.720 --> 00:27:55.779
<v Speaker 2>His willingness to do the right thing is going to

471
00:27:55.839 --> 00:27:59.039
<v Speaker 2>pay off for him in huge ways. God was very

472
00:27:59.099 --> 00:28:01.180
<v Speaker 2>much at work in his life. See, all this stuff

473
00:28:01.880 --> 00:28:05.230
<v Speaker 2>may seem like random historical bullet points. The king's insecurity,

474
00:28:05.569 --> 00:28:10.869
<v Speaker 2>the royal court's convictions, Vasti's royal vacancy leading to Esther

475
00:28:10.910 --> 00:28:16.349
<v Speaker 2>becoming the queen, and Esther having favor, Mordecai's devotion to

476
00:28:16.470 --> 00:28:19.009
<v Speaker 2>Esther put him in a position to overhear an assassination,

477
00:28:19.049 --> 00:28:22.299
<v Speaker 2>and Mordecai's message found an audience with the king because

478
00:28:22.339 --> 00:28:26.000
<v Speaker 2>of the king's fascination with Esther. All of this seems

479
00:28:26.019 --> 00:28:30.650
<v Speaker 2>like it could just be random, convenient, coincidental, but it's

480
00:28:30.710 --> 00:28:33.470
<v Speaker 2>none of those things. It's a big Christian word, like

481
00:28:33.509 --> 00:28:39.250
<v Speaker 2>a big $ 10 Christian word. It's providential. It's providence. It's

482
00:28:39.430 --> 00:28:41.890
<v Speaker 2>all providence. It's God at work. So I'm going to

483
00:28:41.990 --> 00:28:44.230
<v Speaker 2>answer the question one more time, and then we'll talk

484
00:28:44.269 --> 00:28:46.519
<v Speaker 2>about that word. Where is God at work when I

485
00:28:46.559 --> 00:28:49.559
<v Speaker 2>can't see him? Number three, God is working. Providence is

486
00:28:50.369 --> 00:28:55.450
<v Speaker 2>into what seems like coincidence. God is working providence into

487
00:28:55.509 --> 00:28:58.769
<v Speaker 2>what seems like coincidence. So let's talk about this word providence.

488
00:28:58.789 --> 00:29:00.630
<v Speaker 2>What does it mean? It comes from the idea of

489
00:29:00.670 --> 00:29:07.230
<v Speaker 2>God providing, providence, providing, providence, his ongoing governance and care

490
00:29:07.410 --> 00:29:13.660
<v Speaker 2>over his creation. Providence is God is actively working through people, decisions, circumstances,

491
00:29:13.819 --> 00:29:17.700
<v Speaker 2>and timing, even things that appear completely ordinary to accomplish

492
00:29:17.980 --> 00:29:23.210
<v Speaker 2>his work. purposes. That's providence. Providence is God working, orchestrating

493
00:29:23.630 --> 00:29:28.769
<v Speaker 2>the ordinary into something that becomes extraordinary. Now, this is

494
00:29:28.809 --> 00:29:33.190
<v Speaker 2>not the same thing as miraculousness or miracles. Providence is

495
00:29:33.230 --> 00:29:35.690
<v Speaker 2>different than miracles. And I got to tell you a

496
00:29:35.710 --> 00:29:37.630
<v Speaker 2>story about miracles. Can I tell you a story about

497
00:29:37.670 --> 00:29:39.960
<v Speaker 2>miracles real quick? Okay. So a couple of weeks ago,

498
00:29:40.519 --> 00:29:43.099
<v Speaker 2>we had our spiritual gifts assessment. Do you remember this?

499
00:29:43.559 --> 00:29:45.900
<v Speaker 2>We all had tables in the room and you had

500
00:29:45.920 --> 00:29:48.230
<v Speaker 2>an opportunity to figure out what your spiritual gift was.

501
00:29:48.269 --> 00:29:49.910
<v Speaker 2>By the way, if you haven't done that yet, we

502
00:29:49.950 --> 00:29:52.750
<v Speaker 2>still have packets or you can find the link online

503
00:29:53.410 --> 00:29:55.910
<v Speaker 2>with this sermon where you can do it yourself and

504
00:29:55.930 --> 00:29:57.890
<v Speaker 2>figure out what your spiritual gift is. There was a

505
00:29:57.950 --> 00:30:00.509
<v Speaker 2>couple here that day, and it was their first Sunday

506
00:30:00.609 --> 00:30:04.150
<v Speaker 2>at the Movement Church, Lily and Tristan. They're like in

507
00:30:04.190 --> 00:30:08.539
<v Speaker 2>their young 20s. Now, Lily and Tristan both filled out

508
00:30:08.579 --> 00:30:10.799
<v Speaker 2>the spiritual gifts test. It was providence that they were

509
00:30:10.839 --> 00:30:13.279
<v Speaker 2>here that day because I walked up to them, I

510
00:30:13.319 --> 00:30:15.500
<v Speaker 2>talked with them, and I said, tell me about your

511
00:30:15.539 --> 00:30:18.119
<v Speaker 2>spiritual gift. Like, what was your top gift? And Lily

512
00:30:18.180 --> 00:30:22.190
<v Speaker 2>said miracles was her top gift. And I said, I've

513
00:30:22.250 --> 00:30:25.130
<v Speaker 2>never met somebody with the spiritual gift of miracles. I

514
00:30:25.170 --> 00:30:27.390
<v Speaker 2>have arthritis in my knees. Can we pray right now?

515
00:30:30.519 --> 00:30:33.059
<v Speaker 2>We talked a little more. I told her about Justice,

516
00:30:33.119 --> 00:30:39.019
<v Speaker 2>my 21-year-old single son who is at GCU and is

517
00:30:39.980 --> 00:30:42.400
<v Speaker 2>preparing to be a pastor. And she says this to me.

518
00:30:42.819 --> 00:30:45.440
<v Speaker 2>She says, that's interesting. I've got a really good friend

519
00:30:45.940 --> 00:30:48.930
<v Speaker 2>who's 21. She's a senior at GCU, and she wants

520
00:30:49.109 --> 00:30:53.640
<v Speaker 2>to marry a pastor. True story. And I said, well,

521
00:30:53.660 --> 00:30:56.220
<v Speaker 2>do you have a picture of this young lady? She

522
00:30:56.279 --> 00:30:58.140
<v Speaker 2>showed me a picture. And I said, you know what, Lily?

523
00:30:58.599 --> 00:31:02.950
<v Speaker 2>I believe that your spiritual gift is miracles. I officially

524
00:31:03.009 --> 00:31:05.809
<v Speaker 2>believe it. And so we, she and I, have been

525
00:31:05.869 --> 00:31:08.029
<v Speaker 2>working together to try to set up a blind date

526
00:31:08.130 --> 00:31:11.829
<v Speaker 2>for Justice and this young lady. Much to Justice's chagrin

527
00:31:11.930 --> 00:31:14.519
<v Speaker 2>until he went and saw what she looks like on Instagram.

528
00:31:15.119 --> 00:31:17.960
<v Speaker 2>And then he said, I think I'm in. Okay. So

529
00:31:19.140 --> 00:31:21.799
<v Speaker 2>I say all that to say this. A miracle is

530
00:31:21.839 --> 00:31:26.529
<v Speaker 2>when God interrupts the ordinary. Providence is when God uses

531
00:31:26.569 --> 00:31:30.109
<v Speaker 2>the ordinary. You with me? A miracle is the supernatural thing.

532
00:31:30.150 --> 00:31:32.789
<v Speaker 2>And again, I told you earlier, in this book of Esther,

533
00:31:32.890 --> 00:31:36.130
<v Speaker 2>God doesn't command anything. He doesn't perform any miracles. He

534
00:31:36.170 --> 00:31:40.309
<v Speaker 2>just works in the ordinary. That's providence. Now, if you're

535
00:31:40.349 --> 00:31:42.970
<v Speaker 2>an atheist, if you don't believe in God, then you're

536
00:31:42.990 --> 00:31:45.490
<v Speaker 2>probably going to look at all of the providence that

537
00:31:45.529 --> 00:31:48.509
<v Speaker 2>we see as Christians and call it coincidence. I choose,

538
00:31:48.829 --> 00:31:51.079
<v Speaker 2>the Bible tells us, not to see it that way.

539
00:31:51.619 --> 00:31:55.119
<v Speaker 2>That we should see it as God working in the ordinary, okay?

540
00:31:55.599 --> 00:31:57.319
<v Speaker 2>And I just want to tell you something. God is

541
00:31:57.420 --> 00:32:00.920
<v Speaker 2>at work in your life, in the ordinary, in the details,

542
00:32:01.000 --> 00:32:04.259
<v Speaker 2>in ways that are really hard to recognize in the moment.

543
00:32:04.660 --> 00:32:07.720
<v Speaker 2>And that's why my question is so squirmy. That's why

544
00:32:07.769 --> 00:32:11.029
<v Speaker 2>it's so hard to answer. Because in the ordinary, it's

545
00:32:11.069 --> 00:32:12.809
<v Speaker 2>hard for us to see where God is at work.

546
00:32:13.619 --> 00:32:15.759
<v Speaker 2>In some ways, it's kind of an unfair question, and

547
00:32:15.799 --> 00:32:18.720
<v Speaker 2>I'm okay with that because I want us to wrestle

548
00:32:18.759 --> 00:32:20.400
<v Speaker 2>with it. You know what happens every time I ask

549
00:32:20.420 --> 00:32:24.880
<v Speaker 2>this question, either at staff or at wisdom table? Somebody

550
00:32:25.420 --> 00:32:29.289
<v Speaker 2>has a bit of articulation, and they can say, look,

551
00:32:29.329 --> 00:32:32.049
<v Speaker 2>I don't know what it means yet, but here's what

552
00:32:32.089 --> 00:32:35.009
<v Speaker 2>I think God's doing in my life, this thing or

553
00:32:35.049 --> 00:32:38.670
<v Speaker 2>that thing. I remember John Wilson telling stories at wisdom

554
00:32:38.690 --> 00:32:41.109
<v Speaker 2>table about things that are happening for him at work,

555
00:32:41.569 --> 00:32:44.130
<v Speaker 2>that he sees God working and moving. Not sure what

556
00:32:44.150 --> 00:32:45.529
<v Speaker 2>the result of it is going to be, but he

557
00:32:45.569 --> 00:32:47.569
<v Speaker 2>sees it. And you know what happens? As soon as

558
00:32:47.609 --> 00:32:49.210
<v Speaker 2>you start to hear how God is at work in

559
00:32:49.250 --> 00:32:51.579
<v Speaker 2>somebody else's life, you start to see how God's at

560
00:32:51.619 --> 00:32:55.079
<v Speaker 2>work in yours, right? And this is the power of community,

561
00:32:55.539 --> 00:32:57.799
<v Speaker 2>of hearing from one another. So that's why I'm cool

562
00:32:57.839 --> 00:33:01.359
<v Speaker 2>with making people squirm with that question, because the answers

563
00:33:01.400 --> 00:33:05.069
<v Speaker 2>to that question provoke faith in us, faith to see

564
00:33:05.109 --> 00:33:08.920
<v Speaker 2>God operating in the ordinary. The Bible is telling us

565
00:33:08.960 --> 00:33:11.789
<v Speaker 2>that in the seasons where God seems the hardest to find,

566
00:33:12.329 --> 00:33:15.690
<v Speaker 2>he is very much at work. You say, God, I'm

567
00:33:15.730 --> 00:33:19.369
<v Speaker 2>being faithful. Why are you allowing this? I'm being faithful.

568
00:33:19.410 --> 00:33:22.589
<v Speaker 2>Why is this happening? Where are you, God? Do you

569
00:33:22.670 --> 00:33:25.730
<v Speaker 2>see me? Do you hear me? God's like, yes, I

570
00:33:25.789 --> 00:33:29.289
<v Speaker 2>see you. I hear you. I'm operating in the ordinary.

571
00:33:29.609 --> 00:33:32.769
<v Speaker 2>I'm bringing providence. When it might feel like a coincidence,

572
00:33:32.930 --> 00:33:36.809
<v Speaker 2>it's providence. So, And I want to tell you one

573
00:33:36.829 --> 00:33:39.519
<v Speaker 2>more thing, and this is really important. This is important

574
00:33:39.539 --> 00:33:41.740
<v Speaker 2>for Mordecai, and he'll see this later, and it's important

575
00:33:41.759 --> 00:33:48.339
<v Speaker 2>for you. Your faithfulness is never wasted. It's never wasted.

576
00:33:48.640 --> 00:33:53.240
<v Speaker 2>Everything that you do to honor the Lord, everything that

577
00:33:53.269 --> 00:33:56.210
<v Speaker 2>you do to obey the Lord, he sees it. He

578
00:33:56.269 --> 00:34:00.190
<v Speaker 2>sees your heart. He knows you. He loves your acts

579
00:34:00.509 --> 00:34:04.579
<v Speaker 2>of obedience. Faithfulness is never wasted. What may be unheralded

580
00:34:04.619 --> 00:34:06.980
<v Speaker 2>by people is noticed by God. And you ought to say, amen.

581
00:34:07.759 --> 00:34:12.260
<v Speaker 2>That's right. So maybe today you're looking through the windshield

582
00:34:12.300 --> 00:34:15.880
<v Speaker 2>of your life and you can't see God anywhere. You

583
00:34:15.920 --> 00:34:20.420
<v Speaker 2>don't understand why you're here. You didn't plan this. You

584
00:34:20.440 --> 00:34:23.960
<v Speaker 2>didn't choose this. You've been faithful and nothing seems to

585
00:34:24.000 --> 00:34:27.159
<v Speaker 2>be happening. And you're asking God, where are you? What

586
00:34:27.320 --> 00:34:30.530
<v Speaker 2>is going on? And this book, Esther, reminds us that

587
00:34:30.550 --> 00:34:33.710
<v Speaker 2>God's at work even when we can't see it. Because sometimes,

588
00:34:33.789 --> 00:34:37.920
<v Speaker 2>really most times, you don't recognize providence through the windshield,

589
00:34:38.739 --> 00:34:41.199
<v Speaker 2>but you see it in the rear view. You see

590
00:34:41.260 --> 00:34:44.480
<v Speaker 2>it when you look back and realize, oh, that relationship,

591
00:34:45.219 --> 00:34:50.639
<v Speaker 2>that conversation, that closed door, that struggle, that delay, that

592
00:34:50.760 --> 00:34:55.340
<v Speaker 2>completely ordinary ho-hum Tuesday, what was that day all about?

593
00:34:55.889 --> 00:35:00.300
<v Speaker 2>That is where God was working in the ordinary. to

594
00:35:00.340 --> 00:35:04.500
<v Speaker 2>bring about his great plan for your life. And maybe

595
00:35:04.519 --> 00:35:07.019
<v Speaker 2>you're living in one of those moments right now. Maybe

596
00:35:07.059 --> 00:35:10.420
<v Speaker 2>today you can't see what God's doing. And maybe when

597
00:35:10.500 --> 00:35:12.679
<v Speaker 2>I ask you the question, where do you see God

598
00:35:12.699 --> 00:35:16.550
<v Speaker 2>at work? It frustrates you. Because you go, I don't.

599
00:35:18.389 --> 00:35:21.730
<v Speaker 2>I don't know how to. And if I tried, I

600
00:35:21.750 --> 00:35:25.269
<v Speaker 2>think I'd be really frustrated. I just want to tell you,

601
00:35:26.469 --> 00:35:28.809
<v Speaker 2>maybe today is not about having an answer to this question.

602
00:35:29.300 --> 00:35:32.570
<v Speaker 2>Maybe it's about wrestling with it for yourself. And in

603
00:35:32.610 --> 00:35:34.630
<v Speaker 2>the next week, what I want to encourage you to

604
00:35:34.690 --> 00:35:37.510
<v Speaker 2>do is write that question at the top of your

605
00:35:37.550 --> 00:35:41.150
<v Speaker 2>journal every morning, every day. God, today, help me to

606
00:35:41.230 --> 00:35:44.550
<v Speaker 2>see you at work in my life. Even in the hard,

607
00:35:45.489 --> 00:35:48.239
<v Speaker 2>even in the challenging, even in the confusing, help me

608
00:35:48.280 --> 00:35:51.820
<v Speaker 2>to see what you are doing in my life. Because

609
00:35:51.860 --> 00:35:56.860
<v Speaker 2>I promise you, he's moving, he's operating, he's protecting, he's providing,

610
00:35:57.239 --> 00:36:02.139
<v Speaker 2>he's doing what God does because he never changes and

611
00:36:02.159 --> 00:36:05.260
<v Speaker 2>that's who he is we can expect and count on

612
00:36:05.340 --> 00:36:08.750
<v Speaker 2>our God to move and operate and defend and protect

613
00:36:08.809 --> 00:36:12.530
<v Speaker 2>and provide and prepare and to interject and to speak

614
00:36:12.590 --> 00:36:16.170
<v Speaker 2>and to move this is who our God is he

615
00:36:16.190 --> 00:36:18.369
<v Speaker 2>doesn't have to announce what he's doing to be doing

616
00:36:18.409 --> 00:36:21.750
<v Speaker 2>it he's just doing it and it's for us to

617
00:36:21.769 --> 00:36:25.239
<v Speaker 2>kind of get on his frequency to connect to the

618
00:36:25.300 --> 00:36:31.599
<v Speaker 2>rhythm of heaven to understand what he is doing This

619
00:36:31.639 --> 00:36:34.940
<v Speaker 2>book is meant to ignite us, to ignite a faith

620
00:36:35.039 --> 00:36:37.400
<v Speaker 2>that believes that even when God seems absent, he's very

621
00:36:37.440 --> 00:36:40.380
<v Speaker 2>much at work. God is at work in what you

622
00:36:40.420 --> 00:36:43.699
<v Speaker 2>didn't plan. God is at work when nothing seems to

623
00:36:43.739 --> 00:36:46.929
<v Speaker 2>be happening. And God is at work in what feels

624
00:36:47.090 --> 00:36:50.170
<v Speaker 2>like coincidence. I want to assure you today that the

625
00:36:50.210 --> 00:36:52.329
<v Speaker 2>book of Esther wants to assure you today that God

626
00:36:52.389 --> 00:36:55.090
<v Speaker 2>is very much at work in your life. I don't

627
00:36:55.130 --> 00:36:57.050
<v Speaker 2>know every detail of your story, but I can tell

628
00:36:57.070 --> 00:36:59.590
<v Speaker 2>you this. Our God is at work in your life.

629
00:37:00.420 --> 00:37:03.960
<v Speaker 2>He is absolutely at work in your life. And the

630
00:37:04.019 --> 00:37:07.900
<v Speaker 2>great benefit of this side of eternity is to walk

631
00:37:08.000 --> 00:37:12.420
<v Speaker 2>with him as he works on our behalf, to experience

632
00:37:12.500 --> 00:37:15.659
<v Speaker 2>his providence in real ways. And so I just want

633
00:37:15.679 --> 00:37:18.960
<v Speaker 2>to encourage you. Ask the question this week. And you

634
00:37:18.980 --> 00:37:21.219
<v Speaker 2>know what? You might want to ask somebody else that

635
00:37:21.260 --> 00:37:23.519
<v Speaker 2>can see your world a little clearer. Maybe you say

636
00:37:23.539 --> 00:37:25.699
<v Speaker 2>to a friend, hey, where do you see God at

637
00:37:25.739 --> 00:37:29.210
<v Speaker 2>work in my life? That's a good question. Ask someone

638
00:37:29.230 --> 00:37:31.849
<v Speaker 2>who really knows you. Hey, I can't see the forest

639
00:37:31.869 --> 00:37:34.329
<v Speaker 2>for the trees. Maybe you can help me. Where do

640
00:37:34.369 --> 00:37:37.030
<v Speaker 2>you see God moving in my life? Maybe in places

641
00:37:37.070 --> 00:37:41.329
<v Speaker 2>that I don't see it. The question is worth the wrestle. Amen?

642
00:37:41.469 --> 00:37:43.989
<v Speaker 2>You with me? And as we continue in this series,

643
00:37:44.389 --> 00:37:47.550
<v Speaker 2>it's an incredible story to see how God unfolds the

644
00:37:47.590 --> 00:37:50.530
<v Speaker 2>details of these four main characters. And there's one more

645
00:37:50.570 --> 00:37:52.639
<v Speaker 2>character we're going to meet next week that's going to

646
00:37:52.699 --> 00:37:56.059
<v Speaker 2>have a massive role to play in God working through

647
00:37:56.159 --> 00:37:59.030
<v Speaker 2>Esther's life and this is the biggest spoiler of the

648
00:37:59.050 --> 00:38:05.130
<v Speaker 2>whole series, to save all Jewish people. That's amazing. Because

649
00:38:05.349 --> 00:38:08.670
<v Speaker 2>what God did through Esther has ramifications that reach all

650
00:38:08.690 --> 00:38:12.289
<v Speaker 2>the way to you and me. That's amazing. The Bible's awesome.

651
00:38:12.510 --> 00:38:14.389
<v Speaker 2>So keep reading. If you want to read ahead, I

652
00:38:14.409 --> 00:38:16.090
<v Speaker 2>challenge you to read it. It's a good read. It's

653
00:38:16.090 --> 00:38:18.130
<v Speaker 2>10 chapters. You can get through it in a week.

654
00:38:18.929 --> 00:38:20.809
<v Speaker 2>And then you can judge me on the way that

655
00:38:20.829 --> 00:38:23.849
<v Speaker 2>I preach it. That's even better. But I just want

656
00:38:23.869 --> 00:38:26.449
<v Speaker 2>to encourage you, man. If you don't see it, start

657
00:38:26.510 --> 00:38:29.900
<v Speaker 2>asking the questions Maybe ask God the question, God, will

658
00:38:29.920 --> 00:38:31.659
<v Speaker 2>you help me to see where you're at work in

659
00:38:31.679 --> 00:38:34.679
<v Speaker 2>my life? I want to give you praise. I want

660
00:38:34.699 --> 00:38:36.469
<v Speaker 2>to give you honor and glory for the things that,

661
00:38:36.530 --> 00:38:39.349
<v Speaker 2>not just what you've done, but what you're doing right

662
00:38:39.389 --> 00:38:42.150
<v Speaker 2>here and right now. Amen? Amen. Let's pray.

663
00:38:42.829 --> 00:38:45.730
<v Speaker 1>So what's God leading you to do next? And how

664
00:38:45.769 --> 00:38:46.349
<v Speaker 1>can we help?

665
00:38:47.510 --> 00:38:52.000
<v Speaker 3>Send us an email to info at movementchurch.co and.

666
00:38:51.880 --> 00:38:54.079
<v Speaker 1>Tell us how we can pray for you and help

667
00:38:54.119 --> 00:38:56.639
<v Speaker 1>you to take the next step in your spiritual journey.

668
00:38:57.730 --> 00:39:01.030
<v Speaker 3>If you'd like to contribute financially to our ministry, you

669
00:39:01.050 --> 00:39:04.949
<v Speaker 3>can text the amount you'd like to give to this number, 833-725-0132.

670
00:39:05.590 --> 00:39:16.780
<v Speaker 3>That's 833-725-0132. Or just look us up online at movementchurch.co.

671
00:39:17.380 --> 00:39:20.780
<v Speaker 3>You can find the Movement Church on all social media platforms.

672
00:39:21.500 --> 00:39:23.099
<v Speaker 3>And we hope that you'll give us a follow.

673
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<v Speaker 1>God bless you. And remember, God is for you. And

674
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<v Speaker 1>so are we.