Esther Pt. 4 ‘For Such A time As This’

Esther Chapter 4 NIV

Our story takes place in the Fortress City of Susa, in the heart of the Great Persian Empire circa 478 BC. King Xerxes, at the end of an incredibly elaborate celebration, has a conflict with His Queen which leads to her removal from the throne.With Queen Vasthi gone, Virgins are gathered from across the empire to see which woman will please the king enough for him to make her the new queen. We meet Mordecai and his cousin Esther, both Israelites who were born in exile and live in the Fortress of Susa. Esther: a significantly attractive young woman. Mordecai an enterprising guy who had a position of responsibility. Mordecai’s refusal to bow and honor the kings number 2 man, Haman, the arrogant enemy of God, drives Haman to seek the destruction of the entire Israelite population of Persia. Haman convinces King Xerxes to order the annihilation of all jews in Persia, one year from now, on a single day. The order is posted in Susa…

1 When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly. 2 But he went only as far as the king’s gate, because no one clothed in sackcloth was allowed to enter it. 3 In every province to which the edict and order of the king came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting, weeping and wailing. Many lay in sackcloth and ashes.

  • The decree is posted & Mordecai begins to mourn in the traditional jewish way
  • He mourned publicly, perhaps he wanted the King could see him
  • We are told the response was the same by Jews in all the Persian Empire
  • ‘HAIRCLOTH’ & Ashes
  • Jacob in Gen 37, David in 2 Sam 3, Hezekiah in Isaiah 37, Daniel in Daniel 9

4 When Esther’s eunuchs and female attendants came and told her about Mordecai, she was in great distress. She sent clothes for him to put on instead of his sackcloth, but he would not accept them. 5 Then Esther summoned Hathak, one of the king’s eunuchs assigned to attend her, and ordered him to find out what was troubling Mordecai and why.

  • Seeing Mordecai in such a state upset Esther, she knew something big was up
  • Esther recognized the very Jewish mourning practice [Haircloth & ashes]
  • Clothes sent to make him less conspicuous, she was still unknown as a jew
  • Clothes refused, she sends a servant to get the low down

6 So Hathak went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate. 7 Mordecai told him everything that had happened to him, including the exact amount of money Haman had promised to pay into the royal treasury for the destruction of the Jews. 8 He also gave him a copy of the text of the edict for their annihilation, which had been published in Susa, to show to Esther and explain it to her, and he told him to instruct her to go into the king’s presence to beg for mercy and plead with him for her people.

  • Esther’s servant when to Mordecai in public and got the whole scoop
  • The money is important to show how much Haman wanted this personally
  • Copy of the edict so she had the details: Kill a Jew and you get his stuff!
  • Mordecai instructed her to go to the king [Mordecai instructed Esther on a lot]

9 Hathak went back and reported to Esther what Mordecai had said. 10 Then she instructed him to say to Mordecai, 11 “All the king’s officials and the people of the royal provinces know that for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned, the king has but one law: that they be put to death unless the king extends the gold scepter to them and spares their lives. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king.”

  • Esther hears Mordecai’s instructions & responds with the perceived reality
  • Esther realizes her influence with the king is waning [2nd gathering of Virgins]
  • Totally opposite of our situation with Christ [Go boldly before the throne]

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?”

  • Mordecai’s answer is kinda harsh but absolutely true
  • Great theology: If God wants to do it, He is gonna do it…with or without you
  • Mordecai instructs Esther hat she is where she is to perhaps save her people

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.” 17 So Mordecai went away and carried out all of Esther’s instructions.

  • Esther is moved by Mordecai’s plea…but she wants his help
  • Her plan is based on trust in God. How did she get to that point?
  • She literally surrenders her life into God’s hands…where it is already!
  • Esther is now the driver of the action [she has the vision that Mordecai follows]
  • Jews fast in order to pray to Yahweh / no other purpose to fast from food

Application Principals From Our Text:

If WE live believing God is totally in control, it will cause us to mourn with great grief, knowing that God allows for earthly suffering we can’t understand.

Seeking to comfort those who mourn is how God’s children can become relationally intimate. Trying to reduce someone’s pain is a reflection of God’s influence.

Our surrender to God’s sovereignty is to be paired with acting in ways HE has called us to act. God calls HIS people to act, fully aware of the corruptness of earthly authorities, while knowing we have perfect grace and justice in the end from our creator.

If YOU do not fulfill God’s will… it will not effect HIS will being done! HE wants to use us but HE is never limited by our limits.

If YOU belong to Christ, HE has placed you in positions and around people to glorify HIM. Spend your energy figuring out how to make that happen.

In life or death situations, get hyper intentional in your communication with God. Follow the ways that God’s people have always done that.

COMMUNION:

We must be in the hands of God for God to do exactly what He like with us, and that means disentanglement from every thing that hinder His purpose. If you want to remain a full -orbed grape, you must keep out of God’s hands for He will crush you, wine cannot be made any other way.

The call of God has nothing to do with personal holiness. It’s about being made broken bread and poured-out wine. If we are ever going to be made into wine, we will have to be crushed; you cannot drink whole grapes. But God can never crush those who resist the fingers he uses to do it. Those fingers may belong to someone we dislike, or to some set of circumstances to which we said we would never submit. We think, “If only God would use his own fingers to crush me, and do it in some special, heavenly way!” ~ Oswald Chambers [2 quotes]

/by

Esther Pt. 3: The Absolute Sovereignty Of God

All Scripture Is God Breathed!

Why is this Book important? Why did the Jewish people consider it ‘Scripture’? Why do we consider it ‘God Breathed’? Since it was written, God’s people have recognized important messages contained in this ‘Short Story’,

IMPORTANT MESSAGES OF ESTHER:

The reality of an on going ‘Cosmic Drama’ the battle between Good & Evil.

The tenacity of God’s people to cry out to him and to trust him through awful times.

The divine providence God has for His people, He is faithful to protect them eternally

SO FAR:

We have seen a capricious king, wallowing in sin and debauchery, depose his queen

We have seen a lovely jewish girl, guided by God, ascend to the throne

WHERE IS ALL OF THIS LEADING? Where is God in this story? STAY TUNED!

Esther 2:19—3:15 NIV

19 When the virgins were assembled a second time, Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate. 20 But Esther had kept secret her family background and nationality just as Mordecai had told her to do, for she continued to follow Mordecai’s instructions as she had done when he was bringing her up.

  • The story about to be told, took place at a certain time [2nd gathering of virgins]
  • Virgins assembled 2nd time: Did Xerxes want more young girls? Or still 1st time?
  • Mordecai has ascended to a position of stature: Sitting at the gate [Supervisor]
  • Esther is still not known to be a Jew
  • [Later we learn] Esther was queen when this story happens…[V22]
  • Middle Eastern Narrative Form: Important info 1st; then chronology of events
  • This story will play a BIG role in the events later on [God is setting things up]

21 During the time Mordecai was sitting at the king’s gate, Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, became angry and conspired to assassinate King Xerxes. 22 But Mordecai found out about the plot and told Queen Esther, who in turn reported it to the king, giving credit to Mordecai. 23 And when the report was investigated and found to be true, the two officials were impaled on poles. All this was recorded in the book of the annals in the presence of the king.

  • Two Guys who were part of the next level of security ‘became angry’
  • Clumsily they plotted to kill the king…Mordecai found out told Esther, QUEEN
  • She reported it to the king! How did she go and talk to the king?
  • The guards were busted and executed [impaled not hanged] Persian Practice

Chapter 3

1 After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles. 2 All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this concerning him. But Mordecai would not kneel down or pay him honor.

  • After the king found out he had bad palace staff he most likely cleaned house!
  • The guy who gets promoted to the top of the food chain is named Haman
  • Officials ‘The Gate’ are commanded by the king to kneel & pay honor to Haman
  • But Mordecai would not kneel, bow or do like everyone else, why?

3 Then the royal officials at the king’s gate asked Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the king’s command?” 4 Day after day they spoke to him but he refused to comply. Therefore they told Haman about it to see whether Mordecai’s behavior would be tolerated, for he had told them he was a Jew.

  • Mordecai would not say why he refused to comply
  • What we do know is that at this point Mordecai has identified himself as a jew
  • He probably refused for 2 reasons: Haman was an Amalekite & Exodus. 20

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.

  • Here we begin to see who Haman really is: an egomaniac!
  • He believes he is being so disrespected he decides Mordecai life is not enough
  • The Amalekites were historical enemies of the Jews & enemies of God
  • This moves quickly from revenge for a slight to full out Genocide

7 In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of Nisan, the pur (that is, the lot) was cast in the presence of Haman to select a day and month. And the lot fell on the twelfth month, the month of Adar.

  • Why does Haman cast lots to see when his plan should be carried out?
  • God allows Haman to place his faith in the ‘Pur’ and then manipulates the result

8 Then Haman said to King Xerxes, “There is a certain people dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom who keep themselves separate. Their customs are different from those of all other people, and they do not obey the king’s laws; it is not in the king’s best interest to tolerate them. 9 If it pleases the king, let a decree be issued to destroy them, and I will give ten thousand talents of silver to the king’s administrators for the royal treasury.”

  • Haman doesn’t mention the personal slight, or even the guy who did it
  • Haman accuses the Jews of ‘Separatism’ & ‘Non-Assimilation & ‘Law Breaking’
  • Satan goes after God’s people because they are ‘set apart’ [it’s going on now]
  • He persuades the king that it is in HIS best interest to be rid of these people
  • He give the king a ‘final solution’ to this problem: A decree to destroy them!
  • AND Haman offers to pay for the admin cost of this whole plan

10 So the king took his signet ring from his finger and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. 11 “Keep the money,” the king said to Haman, “and do with the people as you please.”

  • The king seems to ask no questions, he seems to trust Haman explicitly
  • He gives Haman free reign to do with ‘the people’ as he pleases
  • AND the king says, no need to pay anything, we will cover it.
  • Haman is here in the text called ‘The enemy of the Jews’

12 Then on the thirteenth day of the first month the royal secretaries were summoned. They wrote out in the script of each province and in the language of each people all Haman’s orders to the king’s satraps, the governors of the various provinces and the nobles of the various peoples. These were written in the name of King Xerxes himself and sealed with his own ring.

  • The casting of lots and the decree happen the 13th of the 1st month of the year
  • The order was sent to particular people [Satrap= Gov] throughout the empire
  • Haman was able to use the kings full authority, it looks like the king’s decision

13 Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king’s provinces with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews—young and old, women and children—on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods.

  • Decree: The text was explicit as to what was to be done to ALL Jews
  • Decree: This Genocide is contained to ONE day! Persian Army enforced
  • Decree: Every local government was responsible to carry it out [organized evil]
  • Decree: When you kill them, you get all of their stuff!
  • BUT…It will not happen for a whole year / 12 Months [organized Grace]

14 A copy of the text of the edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of every nationality so they would be ready for that day. 15 The couriers went out, spurred on by the king’s command, and the edict was issued in the citadel of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was bewildered.

  • The decree was translated & sent [same system as the Queen being deposed]
  • Hundreds of riders thunder away to deliver the order of the king [control freak?]
  • And as they post the decree in Susa, word spreads and with it confusion
  • The king & his boy are going to have a feast…a banquet
  • The king needs no reason to drink, Haman is celebrating HIS victory

Don’t forget who Haman is really working for: Satan! At this point, Satan thought he had won, he would destroy the people of God! Just like Satan thought He had Jesus defeated when they crucified Him…

THE COSMIC DRAMA IS NOW IN FULL FORCE! But God has HIS PEOPLE exactly where He needs them. He placed Mordecai at the gate to the palace. He placed Esther in the palace as Queen. But what if they find out she is related to Mordecai? Stay Tuned!

Principals 4 Your Life:

Do the right thing whether it benefits you or not. [God is keeping track]

Seek to honor God regardless of short term consequences. [Eternal Focus]

Live as though all superstitions [Like the Pur] are all controlled by GOD!

Live based on the reality that people exist who are owned by & work for Satan.

Live like God is in charge of everything, because you believe HE IS!

/by

Esther Pt. 2: “This Week on The Bachelor”

Esther 2:1-18 (ESV)

The key themes we’ll read about today:
– God is in control, we are not. 
– 450 BC was a long time ago, times are different, culture and the world around us changes. But some things stay the same. God does not change. Our sinful nature does not change.
– Speaking of our sinful nature, we’ll see that the world’s culture is vain and self-serving.

2 After these things, when the anger of King Ahasuerus had abated, he remembered Vashti and what she had done and what had been decreed against her. 2 Then the king’s young men who attended him said, “Let beautiful young virgins be sought out for the king. 3 And let the king appoint officers in all the provinces of his kingdom to gather all the beautiful young virgins to the harem in Susa the citadel, under custody of Hegai, the king’s eunuch, who is in charge of the women. Let their cosmetics be given them. 4 And let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti.” This pleased the king, and he did so.
•       Ancient days version of “The Bachelor”

5 Now there was a Jew in Susa the citadel whose name was Mordecai, the son of Jair, son of Shimei, son of Kish, a Benjaminite, 6 who had been carried away from Jerusalem among the captives carried away with Jeconiah king of Judah, whom Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon had carried away. 7 He was bringing up Hadassah, that is Esther, the daughter of his uncle, for she had neither father nor mother. The young woman had a beautiful figure and was lovely to look at, and when her father and her mother died, Mordecai took her as his own daughter. 

•       By every account we have these people are faithful to their God even in their situation. She has lost her parents. They are living far away from their historic homeland. 
•       Yet we know who these people were: their lineage. We know that Mordecai was responsible and a caretaker for his family member, to a certain extent he was a follower of the mosaic law. The Jewish people had a duty to take care of those who could not take care of themselves and here we see Mordecai is obedient, even in the face of exile.

8 So when the king’s order and his edict were proclaimed, and when many young women were gathered in Susa the citadel in custody of Hegai, Esther also was taken into the king’s palace and put in custody of Hegai, who had charge of the women. 9 And the young woman pleased him and won his favor. And he quickly provided her with her cosmetics and her portion of food, and with seven chosen young women from the king’s palace, and advanced her and her young women to the best place in the harem. 10 Esther had not made known her people or kindred, for Mordecai had commanded her not to make it known. 11 And every day Mordecai walked in front of the court of the harem to learn how Esther was and what was happening to her.

o       Esther’s attitude and posture is evident right away. She is easy going, agreeable, certainly kind and pleasant to be around.

•       vs11 Mordecai has not forgotten her. His responsibility to her and his family does not end because of the circumstances they fall in to. It did not end with the exile, did not end with her forced inclusion into this pagan beauty contest and potentially pagan marriage.

12 Now when the turn came for each young woman to go in to King Ahasuerus, after being twelve months under the regulations for the women, since this was the regular period of their beautifying, six months with oil of myrrh and six months with spices and ointments for women— 13 when the young woman went in to the king in this way, she was given whatever she desired to take with her from the harem to the king’s palace. 14 In the evening she would go in, and in the morning she would return to the second harem in custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch, who was in charge of the concubines. She would not go in to the king again, unless the king delighted in her and she was summoned by name.
•       The stakes are laid out. There are two groups, a group of virgins and a group of concubines. Both belong to the king, and each virgin is initiated in to the “second harem”. Each lady gets one opportunity to make an impression, otherwise she will remain in his harem forever. 

15 When the turn came for Esther the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his own daughter, to go in to the king, she asked for nothing except what Hegai the king’s eunuch, who had charge of the women, advised. Now Esther was winning favor in the eyes of all who saw her. 16 And when Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus, into his royal palace, in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign, 17 the king loved Esther more than all the women, and she won grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins, so that he set the royal crown on her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. 18 Then the king gave a great feast for all his officials and servants; it was Esther’s feast. He also granted a remission of taxes to the provinces and gave gifts with royal generosity.
•       Esther is made queen! 
•       I hope you see what a miracle this is. We have no idea how many women there are for the king to pick from, she was a nobody and yet she finds herself queen.
•       We see resilience in her. She did not choose this situation, didn’t sign up for this contest, she was taken away from her family. We don’t see her complaining or grumbling. Every detail we have implies an attitude of thankfulness, gratitude, obedience.

Takeaways:

God’s people should be faithful even when things aren’t going right for us.

•       Mordecai didn’t look for excuses. He still upheld his end of what it looked like to be righteous.

God’s providence is real. It is woven throughout this book
•       God uses this wretched, messed up situation to show his power, that he is in control.
o       To the uninitiated this looks like God is nowhere to be found. Sometimes it feels the same way in our lives. We look around and think God where are you?  But…
•       As this book shows us, even at his most hidden, God is still there. The Jews are living in a foreign land, the temple has been destroyed. The prophets are few, there is no king. 
•       This is the exile, and if you are expecting the exodus you’ll miss it. God is not displaying wonderous signs or miracles to free his people. There is no Moses telling King Ahasuerus to “let his people go”. It is subtle. He is still working things together for the good of those who love him. 

Divine control does not negate our responsibility to action. 
•       We Christians still have a role to play and a standard to live up to.
•       We want to play our part

This is an important story for us today that details the miraculous ways in which God worked to save his people, the Jewish people, but also how he preserved the line of David to raise a messiah and save all of the earth and mankind through his promise. 

Esther’s life took a drastic turn from her wildest expectations, in part because she was obedient to God’s direction.

Will you be obedient? Are you chasing the life you want, or are you open to the life God has for you?

God has big plans for you, but if you are too locked in to how you want your life to look you may miss it. 

A woman who put aside what she wanted in her life, was obedient to God’s calling and ends up playing a crucial part in the salvation story for the entire human race. Praise God! 

/by

The Book of Esther Pt. 1

For such a time as this…

Major Themes:

Dependency on God like we have no idea of! Exiles!

The illusion of control. The greatest of human Might, Technology and wealth is powerless against God’s will.

Active Waiting [PRAYER & FASTING]

God’s Sovereignty over all events, big and small.

God’s Preservation of HIS People. When God makes YOU one of His People that is not changed by anything YOU do. God has a History of preserving HIS people, who would birth HIS Messiah / SON

God Calls People to Act. God designs each of us for specific tasks [Ester had great beauty, it was her way in]. When God’s children allow God to lead their life HE may call us to action. Mordecai was placed as much as Ester was. God’s Children must recognize that God has them somewhere for a reason.

God wants us to depend on Him

God desires His People to connect with Him in Extremely Intentional ways!

God can completely ‘flip’ a situation…the first become last and the last become first

God’s People must commemorate His great acts of deliverance [Jewish Festivals]. Ebeneezers to what God has done are important [REMEMBER THE LORD]

Pt. 1 Chapter 1 HCSB

1 These events took place during the days of Ahasuerus, who ruled 127 provinces from India to Cush. 2 In those days King Ahasuerus reigned from his royal throne in the fortress at Susa. 3 He held a feast in the third year of his reign for all his officials and staff, the army of Persia and Media, the nobles, and the officials from the provinces. 4 He displayed the glorious wealth of his kingdom and the magnificent splendor of his greatness for a total of 180 days.

  • Written as a form of historical record [it will reference other such records]
  • 486 Darius, the King who lost the Battle of Marathon in 490 BC dies
  • Xerxes ascends to the throne
  • Xerxes was the oldest son of Darius 2nd wife [daughter of Cyrus]
  • Xerxes was a handsome man who had no equal among the Persians in beauty or bodily strength. However, neither as military leader nor as monarch was he a worthy successor of Cyrus or Darius. His character was unstable and vacillating but not basically bad. He put down major revolts in Egypt and Babylon early in his reign but suffered grave defeats from 480 BC until his assassination in 465 BC.
  • 480 BC He attempts to conquer Greece, he is unsuccessful [movie 300]
  • 3 years earlier He holds a 180 day feast / banquet for all his officials & officers
  • An apex of human control…Empire, Ruling Class and Security Forces…

5 At the end of this time, the king held a week-long banquet in the garden courtyard of the royal palace for all the people, from the greatest to the least, who were present in the fortress of Susa. 6 White and violet linen hangings were fastened with fine white and purple linen cords to silver rods on marble columns. Gold and silver couches were arranged on a mosaic pavement of red feldspar, marble, mother-of-pearl, and precious stones.

  • AND a week long party for the ‘Common Folk’ who made the fortress run
  • The rank and file got to live like the ‘Other Half’
  • Wealth beyond comprehension…remind you of anything???
  • The idea of ‘A Show of Wealth’ is an old idea… What a waste!

7 Beverages were served in an array of gold goblets, each with a different design. Royal wine flowed freely, according to the king’s bounty 8 and no restraint was placed on the drinking. The king had ordered every wine steward in his household to serve as much as each person wanted. 9 Queen Vashti also gave a feast for the women of King Ahasuerus’s palace.

  • AND to top it all off the King let the wine flow! OPEN BAR!
  • AND the women got to be included in this one of a kind opportunity [separately]
  • This was not a time and a culture of equality for women [we will see more]

10 On the seventh day, when the king was feeling good from the wine, Ahasuerus commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha, Abagtha, Zethar, and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who personally served him, 11 to bring Queen Vashti before him with her royal crown. He wanted to show off her beauty to the people and the officials, because she was very beautiful. 12 But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king’s command that was delivered by his eunuchs. The king became furious and his anger burned within him.

  • ‘The King was feeling good from the wine’…I bet! He drank for 187 days!
  • Big ceremony with HIS personal seven eunuchs [quite a few eunuchs around]
  • He waited until the last day of the whole thing to acknowledge the Queen
  • He wanted to show her off, perhaps she had expected this earlier???
  • One historian writes Vashti was a Great Grand Daughter of Nebuchadnezzar
  • Was It was beneath her to attend the male only drunk fest? [females served]
  • Was Xerxes trying to show Queen Vashti she had value only for her beauty?
  • If she goes she is made to be a commoner, if she refuses, a disobedient wife

13 The king consulted the wise men who understood the times, for it was his normal procedure to confer with experts in law and justice. 14 The most trusted ones were Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan. They were the seven officials of Persia and Media who had personal access to the king and occupied the highest positions in the kingdom. 15 The king asked, “According to the law, what should be done with Queen Vashti, since she refused to obey King Ahasuerus’s command that was delivered by the eunuchs?”

  • The king is looking for some help / or these guys are part of a intentional plot
  • Bring in the consultants!
  • King calls in His wise men, learned men, science, math, law experts
  • Cabinet Secretaries / Ministers / Senior Staff
  • He wants to know what he ‘could’ do within the confines of the law
  • He did everything by the book, as though it would be scrutinized late…

16 Memucan said in the presence of the king and his officials, “Queen Vashti has wronged not only the king, but all the officials and the peoples who are in every one of King Ahasuerus’s provinces. [Map of Persian Empire] 17 For the queen’s action will become public knowledge to all the women and cause them to despise their husbands and say, ‘King Ahasuerus ordered Queen Vashti brought before him, but she did not come.’ 18 Before this day is over, the noble women of Persia and Media who hear about the queen’s act will say the same thing to all the king’s officials, resulting in more contempt and fury.

  • One particular guy speaks up very quickly [spokesman or driven by something]
  • He articulates the case against the Queen, she has wronged EVERYONE!
  • He contends this one action will destroy the order of their culture [alarmist??]
  • He contends the wealthy women in the country will follow the Queen’s example

19 “If it meets the king’s approval, he should personally issue a royal decree. Let it be recorded in the laws of Persia and Media, so that it cannot be revoked: Vashti is not to enter King Ahasuerus’s presence, and her royal position is to be given to another woman who is more worthy than she. 20 The decree the king issues will be heard throughout his vast kingdom, so all women will honor their husbands, from the least to the greatest.”

  • We cannot let this stand!! Time to issue a royal decree…a permanent solution
  • And Memucan has a decree all locked & loaded [maybe his wife was acting up]
  • Vashti is canceled…she is labeled ‘unworthy’, she is to be replaced [banished?]

21 The king and his counselors approved the proposal, and he followed Memucan’s advice. 22 He sent letters to all the royal provinces, to each province in its own script and to each ethnic group in its own language, that every man should be master of his own house and speak in the language of his own people.

  • It seems like Memucan leads out in the execution of the decree [immediately]
  • Persians were known for writing laws in the middle of the night after drinking
  • Mass Communication of a legal / cultural standard: Men are in charge!
  • The language thing at the end…[Map of Persian Empire]

‘In Persia every man will be master of his own home and speak in the language of his own people, regardless of the language his wife speaks. If he had foreign wives, let them learn his language.’

What have we learned?

Lust of mankind for conquest and power was at it’s peak in this world [pretty ugly]

When ruled by desires for ourselves we manipulate and scheme

God will direct kings and janitors lives to accomplish His will, despite our sin

People are people, we all want control of our lives, and we really don’t have any!

Without eternal security ‘In Christ’ we are all vulnerable to what sin can do

To the powers of this world we are as expendable as Queen Vashti.

But God has made a way for us to overcome the power of this world, the power of sin and eternal death! Christ Jesus!

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FIVE PEOPLE

Christianity / Body of Christ = Transformed People

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. ~ 2 Cor 5:17 NASB 1995

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. ~ Roman 12:2 NLT

What People Do When They Live Based On Biblical Vision & Values

Intentional Discipleship / Familial Shepherding / Healthy Relationships

Rich Body Life / Empowered Prayer / Humble Servanthood / Authentic Worship

Active Witnessing / Sacrificial Giving / Cooperative Ministry / Abundant Living

Intimate Connection / Kingdom Purpose / Biblical Salvation / God Honoring

Christ desires to transform / sanctify HIS BODY into His image! In doing that He accomplishes HIS kingdom purposes! Our Vision & Values summarize this Christ initiated, Spirit enabled transformation.

Values and Vision are lived out by people; making choices, believing things, acting in particular ways, trusting in specific things, investing in particular things, renouncing particular things. For MIDTOWN CHURCH these things are guided by the Holy Bible the Old & New Testaments.

Bottom Line: Christ bought YOU with His life so He could make You like HIM!

There are FIVE people He want to transform all of us into: Lifelong Trainee / Trusted Sibling / Considerate Servant / Intentional Witness / Ardent Worshiper

Scripture will guide us on how to begin, the basics of attitude and action, and how to keep going

Lifelong Trainee:

#1 Priority… if we do this well , everything else flow from it!

Seeing the people, He felt compassion for them,because they were distressed and dispirited like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” ~ Matthew 9 36-38

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” ~ Matthew 28:18-20

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My Word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” ~ John 8:31-32

Trusted Sibling:

Relationships with other disciples are crucial…and Jesus’ standards are high!

“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” ~ John 13:34-35

And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near. ~ Hebrews 10: 24-25

Let love of the brethren continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember the prisoners, as though in prison with them, and those who are ill-treated, since you yourselves also are in the body. ~ Hebrews 13:1-3

Considerate Servant:

My experience in The Philippines

But Jesus called them together and said, “You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must become your slave. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give His life as a ransom for many.” ~ Matthew 20:25-28

No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth.” ~ Luke 16:13

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also; if anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him. ~ John 12:24-26

Intentional Witness:

This is our biggest growth opportunity as a body!

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” ~ Acts 1:8

To whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. We proclaim Him, admonishing every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me. ~ Colossians 1:27-29

So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, “But the righteous man shall live by faith.” ~ Romans 1:15-17

Ardent Worshiper:

‘Ardent‘ = Whole Hearted / Dedicated / Sincere / Committed

‘Worship’ = Exalt / Revere / Glorify / Honor / Adore / Praise / Respect

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. ~ Romans 12:1-2

Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’” ~ Matthew 4:8-10

But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship Him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth.” ~ John 4:23-24 NLT

Application:

What is important to these five people?

What do they experience in their walk with Christ?

What do they do on a regular basis?

What do the people they spend a lot of time with?

Communion:

For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes. ~ 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

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My Father’s House

Luke 2:41-50 (ESV)

Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. (v.41-42)

On the verge of becoming a son of the law (ben-ha-torah), the Lord travels with his family from Nazareth to Jerusalem for the annual feast of Passover and Unleavened Bread. It was an 80 mile journey, covering 3 or 4 days in a caravan of pilgrims.This was a week of emotion and sacred memories for the Hebrew people, pointing back to the night of the Israelite’s exodus from slavery in Egypt.

And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, but supposing him to be in the group they went a day’s journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. And after three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. (v.43-46)

His first and last recorded trips to Jerusalem were at Passover. When the family departs, Jesus stays behind to engage the elders and rabbis in questions and answers concerning God and His Word. After a day’s journey, Joseph and Mary realize their firstborn is not among the caravan, and turn back to Jerusalem to find him.

And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and answers. (v.47)

Imagine the rabbis and leaders who may have been present that day, Gamaliel? Shammai? Annas? Joseph? Nicodemus? Their Messiah was there and they did not know it (him). They did not have the eyes to see him, the ears to hear him, nor the heart to receive him. He could easily detect the shallowness of their doctrines and the trivial things they obsessed over. He knew who he was, but he did not make that known to any of them.

And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your father and I have been searching for you in great distress.” And he said to them, “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father’s house?” And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. (v.48-50)

Imagine Joseph and Mary’s desperation searching for him. They were shocked and grieved to spend a day without him. His Father was not Joseph. His Father’s business was not the work of a carpenter. It would be the cross.

Important Considerations:

-Imagine the Lord at age 12 going to the altar in Jerusalem and understanding why he had come into the world.

-At that age, he set his face firmly to do the work the Father gave him.

-He came to fulfill the Law, and to make complete atonement for the sin of the world; you, me, the nations!

-We should all desire to give him our lives, and be pleased that he would use us however he chooses.

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Advent Pt. 5: The Advent Of Shalom

The Peace Only Christ Can Give

The Lack of Peace / The Advent of Peace / The Victory of Peace / The Stewardship of Peace / The Practice of Peace

THE LACK OF PEACE

The ever present reality of restlessness

Restlessness = Things are not as they are supposed to be…

Because each of us begins this life with things not right between us and our creator

We are: Alienated…Separated…Estranged from God because of Sin

What do I mean by SIN? Sin is our proud self-centered rebellion against God’s ways

Our condition of un-resolved, un-forgiven, un-redeemed sin… lacks Peace

Tension & Stress result from the lack of peace [moments of fleeting peace]

Our enemy is trying to make everyone believe that peace does not exist

He wants you to chase ‘Stuff’: New job, new car, new phone, new house, vacations…

And while you chase what the world values, you will find NO Peace!

The Apostle Paul summed up the condition of mankind quoting O.T texts…

“There is none righteous, not even one; There is none who understands, There is none who seeks for God; All have turned aside, together they have become useless; There is none who does good, There is not even one.” “Their throat is an open grave, With their tongues they keep deceiving,” “The poison of asps is under their lips”; “Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness”; “Their feet are swift to shed blood, Destruction and misery are in their paths, And the path of peace they have not known.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” Romans 3:10b-18

But we can have peace, God given peace

THE ADVENT OF PEACE

The Declaration of God’s Messengers: Luke 2 11-14 NASB

…for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.”

The coming of the Christ Child was the arrival in our world of the source of Peace!

God was going to give those who He bestows His grace upon…Peace!

Peace, Jesus, arrived and then 33 years later He laid down His life for His Church

THE VICTORY OF PEACE

The Essentials of Christ’s Victory of Peace:

  • Prophetic, Miraculous and humble birth
  • Perfect, sinless life: the demonstration of how everything is supposed to be
  • Sacrificial death to pay for all of our rebellion and willful separation
  • His resurrection is the victory over sin, unrest & stress: The Victory of Peace

For God in all His fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through Him God reconciled everything to Himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross. ~ Colossians 1:19-20 NLT

  • He did it as one of us
  • The resurrection of Christ, the won the battle over sin & death
  • He made things as they are supposed to be, between us and God

THE STEWARDSHIP OF PEACE

Temples of the Holy Spirit = Place of Peace

The peace Christ gives to His ‘Blood Bought’ Church is a gift that requires proper use

That peace comes from the indwelling Holy Spirit Who comes to live in all who surrender their lives to Jesus the Christ

“These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful.” ~ Jesus Christ @ John 14:25-27 NASB 1995

The ways of The Spirit are not the ways of this world

You cannot experience the Peace of Christ while living by the rules of this world

You cannot experience the Peace of Christ focused on yourself and your stuff

STEWARDSHIP = Great care & proper use of

Do you not know that you are a temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any man destroys the temple of God, God will destroy him, for the temple of God is holy, and that is what you are. Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. ~ 1 Corinthians 3:16-19a NASB 1995

Grace & Peace are a package deal…a bundle!

17 of the 27 New Testament books proclaim this truth to Body of Christ

If you have been given God’s Grace of Eternal life, you also have been given PEACE

The question is: What are you going to do with God’s peace?

You can Squander it OR You can Steward it

God gives us this opportunity for Peace, but we have to intentionally live for it

The author & perfecter of Shalom CHRIST!

Treat it with respect and value it…fully embrace it and maximize it… it takes practice

THE PRACTICE OF PEACE

Application portion of this message:

Wisdom is the path to peace…Humility is the path to wisdom

Peace begins in humility, just like to baby Jesus in that cave He was born it

In that ‘Spirit Given’ humility we turn over control of our day to day to The Holy Spirit

You cannot chase the things of this world and experience True Peace [Shalom]

There is no middle ground!

For those who live according to the flesh have set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit have set their minds on the things of the Spirit. To set the mind on the flesh leads to death, but to set the mind on the Spirit brings life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to the law of God; in fact, it is not even able to do so. ~ Romans 8:5-7 MOUNCE

How do you do it? YOU HAVE TO CHANGE!! [Discipleship]

Our natural state is not peace,

Intentional, willful choices based on your conviction of what God would have YOU!

He does not want HIS children to live a life unrest, striving, discontent, dissatisfaction, and chasing things… but He will allow you to live in that place

If you always need something new and Different and Better and Extra ZERO PEACE

Change Your definition of success.

  • Christian success is all about relationships, with God and others

Change Your definition of growth

  • Not the growth of your career or bank account or Accolades: Spiritual Growth

Change how You use time

  • Is it Your time or God’s Time?
  • Is time to be used learning God’s ways and helping others?

Change what You value

  • The value you place on people must grow
  • The value you place on things must decrease

Change how You think

  • You need a new source of truth not of this world: SCRIPTURE
  • You must take the principals of God’s Word and apply them to real situations

Change Your definition of how it should be [Contentment]

  • Paul nailed it: ‘I have contentment no matter the current circumstances’
  • Discontent will lead you away from Peace
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Advent Pt. 4: Steadfast Love

Deuteronomy 7:6-9
1 John 4:8-11
12/15/24

What did the birth of Christ have to do with love?

Two thousand years ago, something was on its way that would personify love in a way no one had never seen. God is the same as he’s always been and is unchanging; this isn’t a new kind of love. But on that first Christmas it was expressed in a way never seen in the course of human history.

Deut 7

6 “For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth. 
•       The Israelites were God’s chosen people. 
•       Parental love makes you feel special, treasured

7 It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the Lord set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, 8 but it is because the Lord loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. 
God’s love rescues and redeems.
God’s love is not because of anything you’ve ever done. We did nothing to earn it or to keep it. In fact, it is in the face of our own opposition and hatred.

9 Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations.
•       What is being declared about God is central to who He is. First and foremost, YHWH is God. In the same sentence He is defined by how he keeps his promises and extends to us his steadfast love.
•       The Hebrew word there is a very common one in the Old Testament. HESED. It is very often translated ‘steadfast love’ or ‘lovingkindness’. 
•       It is used all over the place, hundreds of times through scripture.
o       Isaiah 54:10 “For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed,” says the Lord, who has compassion on you.”
o       In Ruth 3 Boaz describes Ruth’s dedication to her mother-in-law as ‘hesed’.
o       1 Sam 20:14, David asks Jonathan to show him the ‘hesed’ of the LORD.
•       It describes the Godly ability to show love and mercy over and over and over again, even in the face of complete opposition and resistance and ignorance. God’s love is a never giving up, always chasing you down type of love.
•       That’s where this passage leaves us today, with the truth that God’s love was always going to chase us down. We could not follow the law; we could not love him first. And so that love, the hesed of the LORD YHWH did something no one had ever seen in the course of human history. Because of the great love that he had for us…

Ultimately the hesed of the LORD culminates in the revelation of the gospel.

1 John 4

8 Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. 9 In this, the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 
•       The central characteristic of God: his mercy, his devotion and his great love is what incarnated Jesus Christ into the world. It was the hesed of YHWH that brought Jesus to take on human flesh and live as a man.
•       God had made a promise to redeem his people, and this never-stopping, always chasing after you love is what sent Jesus in to the world; so that we might live.
•       “Born that man no more may die”
•       He had been promising salvation since the introduction of sin in to our world. 

10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 
•       The hesed of the LORD God is uninitiated. We did not love him, and yet he still sent his son to die and take the punishment of our sins. He came to be the last sacrifice we would ever need for our sins.
•       Love came to take the punishment of our sins

11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us.
•       The closest I’m going to get to application is this verse right here. What does this mean for us? To love one another because God loved us. Yeesh! We have an example of what love looks like and scripture tells us we are to be full of it! Overflowing with that love!

Takeaways
Model love after the steadfast love of God.
•       This is hard. I encourage you to take every opportunity you can to learn more about the love God has for you, celebrate it this Christmas wherever you might be. 

Philippians 2

2 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. 9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

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Advent Pt. 3: The Gift of Faith In Christ

Faith is a complex subject… The Scripture defines it this way:

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the men of old gained approval. By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible. ~ Hebrews 11:1-3

Faith in the context of Advent is very specific…It is not faith in humanity, or science, or politics or even a general idea of a god…For the church Jesus authored, Christmas / Advent is defined by who HE IS!

So faith in regard to Christmas and what we celebrate durning Advent is:

FAITH IN WHO JESUS OF NAZARETH!

FAITH IN THE CHRIST!

FAITH IN THE BIBLICAL MESSIAH!

FAITH IN GOD INCARNATE!

So let’s be clear about what I am talking about…

Believing wholeheartedly that the Biblical person, Jesus of Nazareth, was in fact: The God of the Hebrew Scriptures, personally fulfilling HIS promise of Messiah. He was born in the most unique and fantastic way. He was entirely human physically… YET He was GOD @ the same time. Can you believe that? But wait there is more…HE lived about of 33 years with people and problems and HE NEVER SINNED!!THEN after explaining the deal of salvation though HIM…He is captured, killed, He came back from the dead and lives forever For YOU!

CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT!

Truth is, none of us, on our own, possess the faith required to believe all of this enough for it to change the course of your life…

Thank God for the gift of saving faith, ie: Faith In Christ as God, Savior & Lord!

Our text today shows us some of the first people to received that gift of faith in Christ: 3 Women: Elizabeth, Mary and Anna.

May God’s Word inspire us with how He first gave the gift of faith in Christ…

If you believe Jesus of Nazareth is God, Savior & Lord I encourage you to celebrate that Gift today as you hear God’s Word. UNDESERVED…HUMBLING

If you believe Jesus is anything less than God, Savior & Lord, I encourage you to ask God to give you a full blown faith in Christ Jesus TODAY!

5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zacharias…and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years…9 according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense…11 And an angel of the Lord appeared to him standing to the right of the altar of incense. 12 Zacharias was troubled when he saw the angel, and fear gripped him.

13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John. 14 You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother’s womb. 16 And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. 17 It is he who will go as a forerunner before HIM [Christ] in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord [Christ].”

18 Zacharias said to the angel, “How will I know this for certain? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 The angel answered and said to him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”

21 The people were waiting for Zacharias, and were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22 But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he kept making signs to them, and remained mute. 23 When the days of his priestly service were ended, he went back home.24 After these days Elizabeth his wife became pregnant, and she kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, 25 “This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to take away my disgrace among men.”

26 When Elizabeth was six months pregnant, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a city in Galilee, 27 to a virgin who was engaged to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David’s house. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 When the angel came to her, he said, “Rejoice, favored one! The Lord is with you!” 29 She was confused by these words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 The angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Mary. God is honoring you. 31 Look! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be great and he will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of David his father. 33 He will rule over Jacob’s house forever, and there will be no end to his kingdom.”

34 Then Mary said to the angel, “How will this happen since I haven’t had sexual relations with a man?” 35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come over you and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the one who is to be born will be holy. He will be called God’s Son. 36 Look, even in her old age, your relative Elizabeth has conceived a son. This woman who was labeled ‘unable to conceive’ is now six months pregnant. 37 Nothing is impossible for God.” 38 Then Mary said, “I am the Lord’s servant. Let it be with me just as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

39 Mary got up and hurried to a city in the Judean highlands [Ein Karem]. 40 She entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 With a loud voice she blurted out, “God has blessed you above all women, and he has blessed the child you carry. 43 Why do I have this honor, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. 45 Happy is she who believed that the Lord would fulfill the promises he made to her.”

Luke 2:22-38 NASB 1995

22 And when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “Every firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

25 And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel [Messiah]; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, 28 then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said:

29 “Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, according to Your word; 30 for my eyes have seen Your salvation, 31 which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 A Light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel.” 33 And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him. 34 And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, “Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed— 35 and a sword will pierce even your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.”

36 And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, 37 and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers. 38 At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

FAITH IN CHRIST

Elizabeth: The Gift of Faith In Christ is the work of The Holy Spirit

Mary: The Gift of Faith In Christ is received by Your obedience

Anna: The Gift of Faith in Christ results in You sharing that Gift

Romans 5:1-2 NLT

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
Philippians 3:9b NLT

I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with Himself depends on faith.

2 Corinthians 5:17-20 NASB 1995

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 18 Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

The Gift of Faith In Christ Jesus:

Open Yourself to God’s Grace

  • Repentance / Turn away from You, Turn to God
  • Recognition that Jesus is God dying to save you

Do What Jesus The Christ Says

  • As His You lay down your life
  • Whatever He says goes: ‘Lordship Salvation’

Give Away What You Have Been Given

Sharing Christ results from faith in Christ

Your belief drives attitudes and actions

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Advent Pt 2: Joy to the World

Luke 2:8-18 (ESV)

And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find the baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased.”

When the angels went away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, “Let us go over to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has made known to us.” And they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby lying in a manger. And when they saw it, they made known the saying that had been told them concerning this child. And all who heard it wondered at what the shepherds told them.

Joyful Meditations:

– What is joy? Joy is settled satisfaction and contentment with who the Lord is and what He is doing. It produces a multitude of experiences, emotions, and passions. It is distinct from happiness, which is entirely circumstantial and primarily emotional.

– No one can deprive you of joy, nor take it from you. Remember David? Because of his own sin, he lost the joy of the Lord, and he prayed the Lord would restore it to him. (Psalm 51:12)

– Joy is a gift from God and a fruit of His Spirit, but do not take it for granted.Through His joy, you will finish life on earth well and be carried to victory even when you fail or significant losses come your way.

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