September 20, 2007 Beauty and The Beast: Sermon Series on Esther

A Special Request (4-5:8)

Just this past week the Feds decided to lower the interest rate. What that exactly means, I am not sure. I do know that as a result the Dow went up. Supposedly people will be able to have home equity loans and refinance their loans at a lower rate because of this - and probably end up going into more debt with the hopes of being more rich. It is interesting to listen to the prognosticators try and figure out what is going to happen with the economy. Many are now preaching gloom and doom - predicting that the dollar is going to lose any value whatsoever. There are many who are predicting that America is doomed to failure and bound to be overtaken by immorality, illegal immigrants, trial lawyers and terrorists. Are these really that great of a threat? Is it really only a matter of time? I don't know for sure. But even if it is, how do we respond?

How do we respond? That's the real key, isn't it. There are two extremes that we could take. One could be to look to the future with a kind of blind resignation. "Oh well, there's not much I can do about it. What will be will be. God's will be done." This sort of response is a reflection of a Reformed type of theology that focuses on God as a God who predestines everything both good and bad - so that man has no control over anything. This theology tends to make people throw their hands up in a blind resignation of faith. The other extreme takes the stand that says, "we can change our future. It is in our hands. But we have to act now! We have choice! We have the power of decision. We can do anything that we put our minds to." This kind of ideal comes from an Arminian theology - one that loves to focus on the power of man who is said to have no limitations except those which he puts on himself. This thought process believes that the future has not yet been written and that it is under our control. It pretty much puts God in the background and treats Him as a hands off type of God who really doesn't like to get involved unless he absolutely has to or is forced to.

There is a middle ground that takes into account both the power of God and the responsibility of man. This theology recognizes that while God is in complete charge - He gives man the responsibility and ability to respond to the situation and position he is placed in- and He holds man accountable for the decisions he makes. A man is given the choice to put white or black socks on. He can vote for Hillary Clinton or Rudy Giuliani. He is expected to perform his duty - and yet God still guides and works it out to get the person that He wanted in office through the actions of man. Christians have an even greater capability. With the power of the Holy Spirit they can make spiritual choices and decisions to make sacrifices and do things that unbelievers would find both foolish and wreckless. Yet in the end we still trust that through our decisions it is God who works His good and gracious will in the end. It is a sort of middle ground which ends up magnifying the GRACE of God working through man instead of the POWER of God forcing Himself on man or the power of man working over God.

Consider for instance Hezekiah. Isaiah 38:1-5 says, "In those days Hezekiah became ill and was at the point of death. The prophet Isaiah son of Amoz went to him and said, 'This is what the LORD says: Put your house in order, because you are going to die; you will not recover.'" There was no stuttering in this speech. Isaiah didn't say "you might die" or "you could die." He clearly said, "you will die." Yet Hezekiah did not simply throw his hands up in the air and say, "what will be will be." Not at all. He exercised his right and privilege and duty as a believer to pray. "Hezekiah turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, 'Remember, O LORD, how I have walked before you faithfully and with wholehearted devotion and have done what is good in your eyes.' And Hezekiah wept bitterly. Then the word of the LORD came to Isaiah: 'Go and tell Hezekiah, 'This is what the LORD, the God of your father David, says: I have heard your prayer and seen your tears; I will add fifteen years to your life.'" In spite of God's clear prediction, Hezekiah prayed anyway. He performed the duty that God gave him the right and the power to do even with his death sentence - and it worked! God extended his life for 15 years.

As today's story of Esther we see a similar thing happen. Xerxes had given a degree that could not be repealed according to the laws of the Medes and the Persians. In the 12^th month the Jews were to be targeted for destruction. Mordecai had incurred the wrath of Haman the Agagite on himself and his people. Nothing could take this back. But Mordecai did not resign himself to the fate of death. This is what he did.

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. But he went only as far as the king's gate, because no one clothed in sackcloth was allowed to enter it.

Like Hezekiah, Mordecai wept. In a sign of sorrow over sins, he tore his clothes and put on itchy sackcloth and ashes on his head - to make it clear to everyone - hopefully with a special concentration on the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob - that he was sorrowful. This behavior was a spiritual sign of repentance for the Jews. The idea was to appear so sorroful, pitiful and rotten before the LORD to perhaps evoke some emotion of sorrow and pity for the suffering person. It was an action of inaction - something done to show to God that nothing could be done without His mercy.

Stop for a minute and consider the time and effort it took to go through such efforts. You had to ruin your clothes - which weren't cheap. You had to find ashes and put them on your head. You had to go out in public and just sit there crying. It takes time to cry. It takes humility to cry. It takes sorrow to cry. It's not natural to an unbeliever to do these things. The natural response is rather, "what am I going to do to get out of this mess? Who should I call? What plan can I make to get out of this debt? How manyh roses should I buy my spouse to make up for what I've done? Where should I apply for my next job? Who should I sue? How can I draw unemployment?" Instead, why not take some serious time to reflect on your own actions and repent? Why not spend some time in your room and cry out to God - confessing the sins you have committed? Instead of taking the time to do this, we automatically pray to God to get us out of the trouble - kind of overlooking how we got in the mess in the first place - just wanting to get out of the mess we got into. Faith recognizes that first and foremost our sins have not only gotten us into trouble - they have offended the holy God - and we need to repent.

When Esther found out that Mordecai was so miserable, she didn't like it. It's rather interesting to see how she tries to remedy the problem. She sends some clothes out to him and tells him to change his clothes. It's such a shallow thought - isn't it - to think that a simple change of clothes will cheer him up - as if all he was unhappy about revolved around his clothes? This is how some people try to remedy their depression and sorrow yet today. "I'm depressed. I'll go on a shopping spree and go buy myself some new clothes", they say. Yet they soon find out that the new clothes that were supposed to make them feel better about themselves didn't quite do the trick. The sorrow of Mordecai revolved around a nearly sure death of millions of his fellow Jews. What good would new clothes do him? What good does a new suit or dress do for someone who is on his or her death bed dieing of cancer? I guess they could be buried in it. Whoopee. Yet this is how people approach guilt and sadness - with these temporary attempts to find happiness through plastic surgery, new clothes, drugs, or simply telling someone, "it will be ok."

Mordecai would have none of it. Esther didn't realize that gravity of the issue. She may have wanted to stay insulated from the problems - but she couldn't. When she sent Hathach to find out what the matter was - she was given a full and detailed account as to what was going to happen to her people. No longer could she remain ignorant. She had to act up now! Like it or not, she had to get involved.

Mordecai was being such a simpleton. Did he not understand the danger that was involved? This is what Esther thought. She replied, "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 he be put to death. The only exception to this is for the king to extend the gold scepter to him and spare his life. But thirty days have passed since I was called to go to the king." Esther was just plain afraid to enter the presence of the king. Ancient kings had to be very cautious with their lives in fear that they would be assassinated. It terrified her to do such a thing.

Do you ever stop and consider or compare the fear and tripidation that Esther and Mordacai or the Jews have in the kingdom of the King with the fear and respect we have in approaching our King? They were worried about being put to death with a sword or a club by people of flesh - a temporary suffering and sorrow which would only last a few moments. It caused them great actions of sorrow and repentance. Think about how much more terrifying it would be to have the angels of heaven suddenly appear in the heavens with the King and Creator of the Universe coming to make a final judgment. Think about the eternal death that the world is facing where they will not go through a suffering at the hands of steel or would but with the likes of fire, darkness, and brimstone. Do you ever stop to consider how offensive your sins are to a holy God? Do you ever think what life would be like if God wouldn't listen to you? Imagine what it would be like if God actually took offense at your sins? If He actually held you accountable? We live among these holy angels every day. We talk to this holy God every day.

Thankfully, we don't need to fear approaching our King, because He tells us to picture Him as a loving Shepherd or a gentle Lamb - one that has been slain for the sins of the world - including ours. The Holy Spirit calls to the sinful members of His kingdom through the words of Matthew 11:28-29. Here we listen to the words of our Savior Jesus and see His blood stained hands gesturing to us, saying "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls." Our King is not quirky. He is not paranoid of being assassinated. He knows who we are and He invites us by name. He knows we belong to Him and He expects us to come. We don't have to worry about approaching Him or asking Him for anything. Psalm 50:15 says, "call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me." This approaching of the King is not a breaking of the law - but a keeping of the law of forgiveness and grace. Nonetheless, Hebrews 12:28-29 still says, "since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe, for our 'God is a consuming fire.'" Remember that our approach to the King still ought to reflect that our God - as forgiving and merciful as He is - still deserves our respect and awe.

Esther wanted to makes excuses. She wanted to find reasons not to approach the king - and she had some good ones. Yet Mordecai would not take no for an answer. His response provides for us perhaps the most spiritual response of the whole story. Chapter 4:13-14 read,

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. 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 royal position for such a time as this?"

There was a threat involved first. Did you see it? While telling her to help, he confidently tells Esther that relief and deliverance will come from another place. This seems to reflect a sure conviction that behind all of this God is in charge and He can work out the situation in spite of her. Yet if she didn't get involved, Mordecai basically said, "If you don't get involved, don't think you won't be effected. You and your father's family will perish. You can't escape the situation." It seemed to be a crass reminder that God doesn't need us.

We need those kinds of reminders from time to time - especially when we do have power and authority and ability to act. When you are given ability to lead or to help and people come to depend on you, your sinful flesh likes to think, "boy, these people should be more thankful to have me. I sure am doing them a favor. If I didn't help out nobody would. As a matter of fact, I might just threated to quit so these people will appreciate me a little more." We treat God as if we were doing Him a favor by singing in the choir or mowing the lawn or feeding the families he has given us. We worry about the future of our kids and grandkids if we die - as if the world couldn't survive without us. What a crass reminder to be told, "hey, God doesn't need you. He can use other people." It's humbling.

But the second part of his reminder called on Esther to reflect on the whole situation. "Who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?" Did you ever stop to consider that God placed you in your position - being married to the King - for this exact time and place? Perhaps this is exactly according to God's design and purpose. You may not think you have the strength or the power to do this - but maybe you are here because you are the perfect person for the job.

It's really an awesome thought. We spend so much time second guessing our decisions and looking back on our lives - and many times we wish that things had gone differently. "If only I had taken that job. If only I had asked her out. If only I hadn't moved to Kansas. If only I hadn't gotten pregnant." So we think about how to get out of situations. We wonder how we can find excuses not to keep in a marriage or a job. We try to find our own remedies - while it seems to clear our conscinece and even to God's law that we ought to make a sacrifice or take a chance. Our children may be depending on us. Our employers may need us - even though we don't want them to. Think for a moment in those situations - that perhaps in spite of your sin and your bad decisions - in spite of the danger and difficulties of the situation you are in - perhaps you are in your situation because God wants you there. You may not think you can handle your job, your marriage, or your parents - but maybe God put you there because you can. If God could work through this rotten marriage of Esther to Xerxes to save millions of Jews - perhaps He can work through your rotten marriage to save your spouse. Perhaps he can work through your rotten job to feed your kids. Perhaps He can give you the courage to call on your evil classmate to repent. God has a design and a purpose for your life - and He can work it out. When it seems the most dangerous or the most miserable, ask yourself, "Who knows that you have come to your position for such a time as this?"

With a courage she had never known before and with three days of prayers and fasting to their holy God for help, Esther approached the King. Risking her life, she went to Xerxes for help. God responded. Instead of decreeing her death, Xerxes extended a golden scepter of life. He gave her an opportunity to talk and even offered her up to half His kingdom.

In mercy and love, God bids us to come to Him in times of trouble. He tells us to approach His throne for courage and strength. No matter what is facing you, no matter how difficult it may be - sometimes we have to act. Do not run from those situations. Do not fear. The King offers us much more than half of the kingdom. In Matthew 6:33 He says, "seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." Jesus not only gives us forgiveness, but He also gives us righteousness, strength, patience, food, clothing, shelter, courage, and so much more. He extends a rod of promises through Word and sacraments that encourage us to ask for anything we need - confident that He will answer.

What am I going to do now? We ask that question when we don't know what to do - usually when we are placed in a situation that seems to have no solution to it. The way of Esther wants to resign - to put your head in the sand - throw your hands up in the air and say, "well there's nothing I can do." According to all circumstances, it may indeed be so. But that doesn't mean you can do nothing. You can repent. You can pray. You can ask God for help. You can trust Him to help. Who knows, you may also find that even though it seems by all rights that you are in an impossible situation - you are the answers to your own prayers - that you have been put in the position you are in at this time because God can work through you. If God could work through a donkey to save Balaam, perhaps God could also work through you. If God could work through Esther taking a great risk, maybe God wants you to take a risk too. With Him, doesn't He say that all things are possible? Amen.