We're so pleased to have you among us in our worship service! If this is your first time here, the Congregational Church family and Pastor Ted Weis welcome the chance to know you. Please call on us if you have either a spiritual or material need. Hearing assisted devices are available at the sound booth, located in the back of the sanctuary.
# 43 "All Hail the Power of Jesus' Name"
# 121 "How Majestic Is Your Name"
# 154 "We Bow Down"
# 431 "Shine, Jesus, Shine"
All songs taken from the Celebration Hymnal
Esther 4:1-17ESV
"The Essential Virtue"
Pastor Ted Weis
Although God is not mentioned by name in the book of Esther (one of two Old Testament books where a woman is the central character), God's fingerprint, his sovereignty, is evident throughout.
There are two key lessons the book of Esther teaches us:
- God is the master storyteller of our lives. He perfectly fits together all the puzzle pieces of our story. Of all the women in the Persian kingdom, God allowed Esther to be chosen queen. When the Jewish people needed rescue, God put Esther in a position of influence within the king's palace. We can't always understand the individual events of our lives, but if we look at the big picture, it's evident that God has been orchestrating our life's circumstances. God works for our good and his glory!
- Without courage, all other virtues are worthless. Persian law stipulated that if anyone came before the king without prior permission, they would be killed. Although it had been over 30 days since the king called for Esther, she bravely risked her life so that she might to plead for the Jewish people's protection from execution. Courage, said Nelson Mandela, is not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. Right now, around the world, governments such as Cuba, France, Canada, and even the United States, are denying essential rights and freedoms to its people. Standing up to tyranny, both in Esther's time and ours, takes courage! If you're facing a personal hardship, you likely already know what you must do. Ask God for the courage to do what's right.
