Community Baptist Church
November 9 2025

      • Psalm 17:6–7NKJV

      • Job 19:25–27HCSB

  • O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing (Azmon)
  • I Will Sing Of My Redeemer

      • 2 Thessalonians 2:13–3:5HCSB

  • In Christ Alone
  • Because He Lives

      • Luke 20:27–38HCSB

  • The Holman Christian Standard Bible Chapter 4

    If I perish, I perish.

    Last week I spoke about a challenge:
    Far too often you and I expect to experience the presence of God in the comfort of our recliners in front of the TV. David knew God’s presence - in the face of bears, lions, and even a nine foot tall giant named Goliath.
    In the most recently read section of Jeff Iorg’s book, Seasons of a Leaders Life he relates the account of Peter from the gospels as Jesus, walking on water invited the disciples to join Him. Only Peter got out of the boat! Yes, he took his eyes off Jesus, but don’t miss this: HE GOT OUT OF THE BOAT while the others stayed put.
    Iorg asks,
    What are you facing in the future that will require a risk to expand God’s kingdom?
    Iorg, Jeff. Seasons of a Leader’s Life: Learning, Leading, and Leaving a Legacy (p. 40). (Function). Kindle Edition.
    Today as we spend a few minutes with Esther we will be given an opportunity again to ask the question:
    What are you facing in the future that will require a risk to expand God’s kingdom?

    SEARCH FOR A NEW QUEEN

    For nearly two years the city of Jersualem was under siege by Nebuchadnezzar. Previous to the surrender and destruction of the city, Nebuchadnezzar had been taking families from the region into Babylon.
    One of those men is from the tribe of Benjamin. His uncle’s daughter, whose parents had died during previous to their arrival in Babylon was with him.
    This orphan girl was caught up in the significant controversy over women’s rights in the reign of Ahasueras (known as Xerxes). His queen, Vashti, had refused a direct order of her king. She was banished from the king’s presence, stripped of her title as ‘queen.’ A search was begun for a successor.
    We meet Eshter, aka as Hadassah, as she is taken, along with an unknown number of other young ladies, and placed in the King’s harem. Each woman would be given an opportunity to be with the king - after one year of beauty treatments, diet, and other training.
    Esther had been told by her caregiver, Mordecai, not to share her background (Esther 2:10).
    Fast forward -
    Esther 2:16–18 HCSB
    She was taken to King Ahasuerus in the royal palace in the tenth month, the month Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. The king loved Esther more than all the other women. She won more favor and approval from him than did any of the other young women. He placed the royal crown on her head and made her queen in place of Vashti. The king held a great banquet for all his officials and staff. It was Esther’s banquet. He freed his provinces from tax payments and gave gifts worthy of the king’s bounty.

    Plotting to exterminate the Jews

    This is a common theme in the OT, and even in modern history! The Jews must go! Haman, one of the king’s most trusted servants, was irritated because Mordecai, who spent his days at the gates of the king’s court watching over his adopted daughter, refused to bow and honor Haman.
    Just previously, Mordecai had overheard a plot to assassinate the king, revealed it to Esther, who was able to share it with the king (see Esther 2:21-23).
    Mordecai’s refusal set Haman in a deadly rage. Discovering that Mordecai was Jewish, Haman hatched a plot to exterminate the Jews (see Esther 3:7-15).

    What about Esther?

    As news of the king’s edict spread throughout the kingdom Jews were heartbroken. They had been ripped away from their homeland by the king’s predecessor, and now were being threatened with extermination.
    Esther 4:3 HCSB
    There was great mourning among the Jewish people in every province where the king’s command and edict came. They fasted, wept, and lamented, and many lay on sackcloth and ashes.
    As Esther learns of the king’s edict, she attempted to persuade Mordecai to change his behavior.
    His response:
    Esther 4:13–14 HCSB
    Mordecai told the messenger to reply to Esther, “Don’t think that you will escape the fate of all the Jews because you are in the king’s palace. If you keep silent at this time, liberation and deliverance will come to the Jewish people from another place, but you and your father’s house will be destroyed. Who knows, perhaps you have come to your royal position for such a time as this.”

    For Such a Time as This

    Was it a coincidence that Xerxes chose Esther, a Jewish woman, a captive of his predecessor, as his new queen?
    Is it coincidental that Mordecai had been elevated to a position of respect for his role in uncovering a conspiracy to murder the king?
    Could it be a simple accident of timing that Haman’s humiliation led to the depth of his hatred of the Jews?
    The question I asked at the beginning of this week’s message, and closed last week’s message with is nagging at me:
    What are you facing in the future that will require a risk to expand God’s kingdom?
    Esther was faced with a very real threat, one that she could not escape.
    Esther 4:15–16 HCSB
    Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: “Go and assemble all the Jews who can be found in Susa and fast for me. Don’t eat or drink for three days, day or night. I and my female servants will also fast in the same way. After that, I will go to the king even if it is against the law. If I perish, I perish.”
    Esther is the only book in the entire Bible in which God is never mentioned by name. Not one time in the ten chapters of Esther do we find a mention of God.
    Yet, God’s presence hovers over every single moment.

    Why were God’s people in exile to begin with?

    It’s a long passage - but important for our purposes:
    2 Chronicles 36:15–21 HCSB
    But Yahweh, the God of their ancestors sent word against them by the hand of His messengers, sending them time and time again, for He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. But they kept ridiculing God’s messengers, despising His words, and scoffing at His prophets, until the Lord’s wrath was so stirred up against His people that there was no remedy. So He brought up against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their choice young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary. He had no pity on young men or young women, elderly or aged; He handed them all over to him. He took everything to Babylon—all the articles of God’s temple, large and small, the treasures of the Lord’s temple, and the treasures of the king and his officials. Then the Chaldeans burned God’s temple. They tore down Jerusalem’s wall, burned down all its palaces, and destroyed all its valuable articles. He deported those who escaped from the sword to Babylon, and they became servants to him and his sons until the rise of the Persian kingdom. This fulfilled the word of the Lord through Jeremiah and the land enjoyed its Sabbath rest all the days of the desolation until 70 years were fulfilled.
    It was God Himself who had orchestrated the exile, it was God Himself who forced His own people into exile for His own purposes.
    The king’s choice of Esther, the rise of Mordecai were also events brought about by God’s providence.

    WHAT SHALL ESTHER DO?

    Esther 4:11 HCSB
    “All the royal officials and the people of the royal provinces know that one law applies to every man or woman who approaches the king in the inner courtyard and who has not been summoned—the death penalty. Only if the king extends the gold scepter will that person live. I have not been summoned to appear before the king for the last 30 days.”
    After three days of fasting (and praying) Esther approaches the king
    Esther 5:1–2 HCSB
    On the third day, Esther dressed up in her royal clothing and stood in the inner courtyard of the palace facing it. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the royal courtroom, facing its entrance. As soon as the king saw Queen Esther standing in the courtyard, she won his approval. The king extended the gold scepter in his hand toward Esther, and she approached and touched the tip of the scepter.
    Risking her life, Esther approaches the king.
    Her approach to the king is explained in Esther 5-7. She invites the king and Haman to two banquets on two consecutive days. In between the banquets we find Haman humiliated - thinking that only he could be honored in the kingdom. Instead, following the king’s command, Haman leads Mordecai through town highlighting Mordecai’s loyalty to the king in revealing the plot to have the king killed.
    Esther 7:1–6 HCSB
    The king and Haman came to feast with Esther the queen. Once again, on the second day while drinking wine, the king asked Esther, “Queen Esther, whatever you ask will be given to you. Whatever you seek, even to half the kingdom, will be done.” Queen Esther answered, “If I have obtained your approval, my king, and if the king is pleased, spare my life—this is my request; and spare my people—this is my desire. For my people and I have been sold out to destruction, death, and extermination. If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept silent. Indeed, the trouble wouldn’t be worth burdening the king.” King Ahasuerus spoke up and asked Queen Esther, “Who is this, and where is the one who would devise such a scheme?” Esther answered, “The adversary and enemy is this evil Haman.” Haman stood terrified before the king and queen.
    Haman’s plot is uncovered. The king, angered by this news leaves the room. As he returns, Haman is draped on the couch where Esther is sitting. The king, assuming Haman is taking advantage of his wife orders Haman’s execution.
    The king revokes the origanal edict. The Jews are given permission to stand up against those who would oppose them. After the Jews experience victory a feast is declared, known in our era as Purim. Mordecai is given Haman’s place as the second in command to the king.

    REFLECT AND RESPOND:

    Only in obedience do we discover the presence and power of God

    It occurs to me that we are waiting for God to do something. I wonder, is God waiting on you to take that step of obedience? Is there a task to which He is calling?
    The Westminster Confession, a document of basic theological convictions shared among many believers states:
    God, in His ordinary providence, makes use of means.
    Mordecai taking in a young orphan - a distant relative - the daughter of his uncle, raising her and watching God place her in crucial postion -
    Esther 4:13–14 HCSB
    Mordecai told the messenger to reply to Esther, “Don’t think that you will escape the fate of all the Jews because you are in the king’s palace. If you keep silent at this time, liberation and deliverance will come to the Jewish people from another place, but you and your father’s house will be destroyed. Who knows, perhaps you have come to your royal position for such a time as this.”
    Who has God placed in your life for you to disciple? What is that nagging sense of I need to do ….? Why are you not doing it?

    God places His people where He can use them

    Where has God placed you? Esther’s background did not prepare her to be a queen, yet God placed her is a position of influence and power. You and I might not grasp the why but we are given an assignment.

    God’s timing is always perfect

    Instead of setting timetables and specific date markers, what if we simply did all God places in front of us? instead of using our understanding of ‘time,’ i.e.I’m too old, I’m too weary, its time for me to just rest…what if we just did what God has given us to do
    As You Go, Make Disciples

      • Esther 2:16–18HCSB

      • Esther 4:3HCSB

      • Esther 4:13–14HCSB

      • Esther 4:15–16HCSB

      • 2 Chronicles 36:15–21HCSB

      • Esther 4:11HCSB

      • Esther 5:1–2HCSB

      • Esther 7:1–6HCSB

      • Esther 4:13–14HCSB

      • 2 Thessalonians 2:16–17HCSB

Community Baptist Church
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5416799569
http://www.winstoncommunitybaptist.com
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