F-260 Mordecai Persuades Esther to Help - Esther 4:1-17  When have you felt helpless to solve a problem that you faced?  When have the expectations of others overwhelmed or discouraged you?  What do you think makes some people brave and others cowardly?  How did Mordecai and the Jews react to the king’s edict? (4:1-3)  What did Esther do when she heard that Mordecai was in mourning? (4:4)  How did Esther discover the reason behind Mordecai’s grief? (4:5)  What key details did Mordecai know about Haman’s evil plot? (4:7)  How do we know that Mordecai had a significant connection to the palace? (4:7)  What proof did Mordecai send to Esther about the king’s edict? (4:8)  In what specific way did Mordecai want Esther to help the Jews? (4:8)  Why was Mordecai’s advice to Esther dangerous for her to carry out? (4:11)  What was the only exception to the king’s law about a person entering his inner court uninvited? (4:11)  How did Mordecai answer Esther’s fears? (4:12-14)  What finally convinced Esther to follow Mordecai’s advice? (4:12-14)  How does Mordecai’s answer to Esther reveal his belief in God’s sovereignty? (4:14)  What warning did Mordecai give Esther if she did not help her people? (4:14)  In what way did Mordecai believe that God had already worked His sovereign will in Esther’s life? (4:14)  How did Esther prepare for her meeting with the king? (4:15-16)  What risk did Esther take to save her people from annihilation? (4:16)  What kind of relationship did Esther and Mordecai have?  What character traits of Esther would you like to have?  What action did Esther take to prepare herself for the life-and-death challenge she faced?  Where did Esther get her courage?  In what kind of circumstances is it good for Christians to fast and pray?  How can you depend on the Lord and on other mature Christians to help you through difficult times?  What risks are you willing to take for doing what is right?  What does this passage teach us about God’s sovereignty and our responsibility?  What difference does it make that God is sovereign, as Esther acknowledged?  What can you do to prepare yourself to deal with challenges that require courage?  What steps can you take to depend on God and Christian friends to help you?  How could you acknowledge the Lord’s sovereignty in your life?