DECISIONS: SERMON NO. 3
ESTHER
TONIGHT WE WILL AGAIN LOOK AT ANOTHER GREAT DECISION OF THE BIBLE.
WE STARTED OUT WITH ABRAHAM, THEN WE WENT ON TO DEMAS, AND I THOUGHT
IT MIGHT BE INTERESTING TO GO TO THE DECISION OF A WOMAN. I KNOW A FEW
FELLOWS THAT SAY THAT THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN ANY DECISION THAT THEIR
WIVES WOULD MAKE QUITE OFTEN. IT IS AS THOUGH THEY ARE ALWAYS CRITI-
CIZING THEIR JUDGEMENT. PERSONALLY, I AM REMINDED OF THE OLD SAYING;
"DON'T CRITICIZE YOUR WIFE'S JUDGEMENT, LOOK WHO SHE MARRIED."
THAT SHOULD GET US TO START THINKING ABOUT OUR WIVES JUDGEMENT. I AM
SURE THAT MANY OF THEM HAVE PROBABLY ASKED THEMSELVES OVER THE YEARS
IF THEY DID THE RIGHT THING.
ANYWAY, WE ARE GOING TO TALK ABOUT A WOMAN IN THE BIBLE THAT DID THE
RIGHT THING, AT GREAT PERIL TO HER OWN LIFE. BUT THE REASON SHE DID IT
WAS TO SAVE HER PEOPLE FROM EXTERMINATION.
MANY OF YOU FOLKS JUST A LITTLE OLDER THAN I AM CAN REMEMBER WHEN
THE WHOLE WORLD WAS AT WAR WITH ADOLF HITLER. HITLER HATED SEVERAL
DIFFERENT TYPES OF PEOPLE, BUT THE ONES THAT HE HATED THE MOST WERE
JEWS. DURING HIS TWELVE YEARS OF HORROR IN GERMANY, OVER SIX MILLION
OF THEM WERE PUT TO DEATH. AND THOUGH HE MAY HAVE BEEN THE BIGGEST
WOULD-BE LIQUIDATOR OF THE JEWS IN HISTORY, HE WAS NOT THE FIRST. THERE
WAS ONE MANY CENTURIES BEFORE HIM THAT HAD THE SAME IDEA.
TURN WITH ME IN YOUR BIBLES THIS EVENING TO THE BOOK OF ESTHER. THE BOOK
OF ESTHER IS THE ONLY BOOK IN THE BIBLE TO MY KNOWLEGE WHERE "GOD" IS
NEVER MENTIONED. OF COURSE THAT IS NOT TO SAY THAT HE ISN'T THERE. YOU
CAN READ THE STORY OF THE EVENTS IN THE BOOK OF ESTHER AND SEE HIS PRES-
ENCE IN THE BACKGROUND.
AHASUERUS IS LISTED HERE AS THE KING OF A VAST EMPIRE THAT REACHED FROM
"INDIA EVEN UNTO ETHIOPIA." MOST ALL BIBLE SCHOLARS WILL TELL YOU THAT
AHASEURUS AND XERXES ARE ONE AND THE SAME. AND LIKE MOST MONARCHS OF
THAT DAY, HE LIKED TO SHOW OFF ALOT. HE WAS LIKE FRANK NOT-SO-HOT-RA
AND HIS FAMOUS SONG, "I DID IT MY WAY." ANYWAY, HE LIKED VERY MUCH TO PUT
ON LAVISH FEASTS AND THREW BIG PARTIES AS ONE MIGHT EXPECT. BUT HE HAD
ONE PROBLEM, AND THAT WAS A WIFE WHO DIDN'T RESPECT HIM. QUEEN VASHTI
WAS A BEAUTIFUL WOMAN, AND THE KING WANTED TO "SHOW HER OFF" TO THE
VISITING LORDS AND NOBLES, BUT SHE WASN'T HAVING ANY OF IT. AND WE READ
IN VERSE 12 OF CHAPTER ONE:
"BUT THE QUEEN VASHTI REFUSED TO COME AT THE KING'S COMMAND
MENT BY HIS CHAMBERLAINS: THEREFORE WAS THE KING VERY WROTH,
AND HIS ANGER BURNED IN HIM."
I'LL GIVE THE OLD GAL CREDIT; SHE HAD HER NERVE, AND IT COST HER HER
CROWN. AND IMMEDIATELY, THERE BECAME AN ORGANIZED EFFORT TO FIND HER
REPLACEMENT. WE COULD HAVE BUILT A SERMON ON HER DECISION, AND THERE
IS NO DOUBT A GREAT LESSON HERE, BUT REALLY SHE IS NOT HE WOMAN I HAD
IN MIND. AND NO DOUBT, YOU HAVE FIGURED IT OUT ALREADY. IT IS HER SUC-
CESSOR, THE JEWISH GIRL WHO BECOMES QUEEN. HER NAME IS ESTHER.
THERE WAS A MAN IN THE KINGS PALACE NAMED MORDECAI. THIS MAN WAS A
JEW, OF THE TRIBE OF BENJAMIN. HE HAD BEEN CARRIED AWAY AS ONE OF THE
JEWISH CAPTIVES BY KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR YEARS BEFORE. HE HAD RAISED
IN HIS HOUSEHOLD HIS UNCLE'S DAUGHTER WHO WAS AN ORPHAN. HER NAME
WAS HADASSAH, BUT SHE IS BETTER KNOWN BY THE NAME "ESTHER." CHAPTER
2, VERSE 7 HAS THIS TO SAY ABOUT HER:
"AND HE BROUGHT UP HADASSAH, THAT IS, ESTHER, HIS UNCLE'S
DAUGH-
TER: FOR SHE HAD NEITHER FATHER NOR MOTHER, AND THE MAID WAS
FAIR AND BEAUTIFUL; WHOM MORDECAI, WHEN HER FATHER AND MOTHER
WERE DEAD, TOOK FOR HIS OWN DAUGHTER."
I KNOW THAT ALL THIS IS STARTING TO SOUND LIKE A "CINDERELLA" STORY, AND
IN REALITY, IT WAS. SHE IS PICKED AS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL OF THE GIRLS PRE-
SENTED, AND SHE BECOMES QUEEN ESTHER. HER PRINCE, HOWEVER, OR RATHER
KING, WAS NO "PRINCE CHARMING" AS TO HIS PERSONALITY. HE WAS A VERY
STERN KING WHO COULD BE COERCED INTO DOING THINGS THAT YOU AND I WOULD
CLASSIFY AS BRUTAL, AND THEY WERE. BUT HE LOVED ESTHER ABOVE ALL THE
OTHER VIRGINS THAT WERE PRESENTED AND HE PLACED THE CROWN UPON HER
HEAD AND MADE HER HIS QUEEN.
IT TURNED OUT TO BE A VERY GOOD CHOICE FOR HIM. FOR SHORTLY THEREAFTER,
THERE WAS A PLOT TO KILL THE KING, WHICH WAS MADE KNOWN TO MORDECAI,
WHO IN TURN INFORMED ESTHER AND SHE IN TURN TOLD THE KING. THE TWO MEN,
BIGTHAN AND TERESH WERE HANGED FROM A TREE FOR THEIR TREASON. BUT,
THERE WOULD BE OTHER INTRIGUES TO COME:
THE KING HAD A MAN WHO WAS MIGHTY IN HIS COURT BY THE NAME OF HAMAN.
HE WAS TO BE "REVERED" BY THE MASSES. IT HAD BEEN DECREED THAT ALL OF
THE KING'S SERVANTS WOULD BOW TO HIM, BUT THERE WAS ONE OBSTINATE
FELLOW WHO WOULDN'T DO IT, AND HIS NAME WAS, YOU GUESS IT, MORDECAI.
HE WAS CUT FROM THE SAME PIECE OF CLOTH AS WAS DANIEL, SHADRACK,
MESHAK, AND ABEDNIGO, IT SEEMS. HAMAN WAS "FULL OF WRATH" AS CHAPTER
3: VERSE 5 TELLS US, AND KNOWING THAT HAMAN WAS A JEW, HE DECIDED TO
SEEK VENGENCE, NOT ONLY ON MORDECAI, BUT THE WHOLE JEWISH RACE.
NOW HAMAN WAS A MAN WHO HAD AN EGO SO BIG, THAT HAD HIS EGO BEEN A
SWIMMING POOL, A HERD OF ELEPHANTS COULD HAVE SWAM IN IT WITH NO
CROWDING WHATSOEVER. AND MORDECAI DIDN'T LIKE THAT SORT OF BEHAVIOUR.
HE HAD SEEN IT BEFORE, YOU REMEMBER HE WAS ONE OF THE JEWISH CAPTIVES
THAT HAD BEEN CARRIED AWAY BY NEBUCHADNEZZAR YEARS BEFORE. AND YOU
REMEMBER NEBUCHADNEZZAR AND HIS STATUE, AND HOW THOSE WHO WOULD
NOT BOW DOWN TO IT WERE PUT TO DEATH. AND YOU RECALL THOSE OBSTINATE
FELLOWS THEN, SHADRACK, MESHACK, AND ABEDNIGO? WELL, MORDECAI HAD
NO INTENTION OF BOWING DOWN TO "THE KINGS FLUNKIE" AND HAMAN WAS VERY
UPSET. SO, HE DECIDES TO GO TO THE KING AND SEE IF NOT ONLY COULD HE
GET MORDECAI KILLED, BUT EVERY JEW IN THE KINGDOM, AND GUESS WHAT, THE
KING ISSUES THE DECREE! THE KING WAS LIKE MOST MODERN DAY POLITICIANS;
HE WAS INTERESTED IN MONEY. OLD WILL ROGERS SAID YEARS AGO, "DON'T
CRITICIZE OUR POLITICIANS, AFTER ALL, WE HAVE GOT THE BEST THAT MONEY
COULD BUY." YOU CAN "BUY" MOST OF THEM IF YOU HAVE ENOUGH MONEY.
KING AHASEURUS WAS NO EXCPTION. HAMAN OFFERED HIM 10,000 TALENTS
OF SILVER TO BE GIVEN OVER TO THE KING'S TREASURY IF HE WOULD PERMIT THE
MURDER OF THE JEWS. IT WAS QUITE LIKELY ONE OF THE LARGEST, AND MOST
EXPENSIVE "CONTRACT KILLINGS" EVER CONCOCTED. THE 10,000 TALENTS ADDS
UP TO APPROXIMATELY $ 5,280,000.00.
THE DECREE IS ORDERED, AND WHEN MORDECAI PERCIEVES ALL THAT WAS DONE,
HE RENT HIS CLOTHES, AND PUT ON SACKCLOTH AND ASHES, AND WENT OUT INTO
THE MIDST OF THE CITY AND CRIED WITH A LOUD AND A BITTER CRY. (CH. 4: VS 1)
WHEN ESTHER RECEIVED WORD OF THE DECREE, SHE WAS DEEPLY DISTRESSED,
AND "EXCEEDINGLY GRIEVED" AND SHE SENT RAIMENT TO MORDECAI TO PUT ON,
BUT HE WOULD NOT DO IT. AND MORDECAI URGES QUEEN ESTHER TO GO INTO
THE COURT TO SEE THE KING AND PLEAD FOR THE LIVES OF HER PEOPLE. BUT
THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THAT REQUEST.
NO ONE COULD ENTER THE COURT AND SEE THE KING UNLESS THEY
WERE SENT FOR, AND ANYONE WHO DID, WITHOUT THE KING' CON-
SENT, WOULD BE PUT TO DEATH, UNLESS HE EXTENDED THE GOLDEN
SCEPTER TO THEM. AND SHE HAD NOT BEEN CALLED FOR FOR OVER
30 DAYS!
NOW HERE IS THE DECISION THAT SHE IS FACED WITH: IF SHE DOESN'T GO AND
TRY TO PLEAD FOR THE LIVES OF THE JEWS, THEY WILL BE KILLED, AND SHE WILL
HAVE TO LIVE WITH THAT, OR, TO DIE WITH THAT.
NOTICE WHAT MORDECAI TELLS QUEEN ESTHER IN CHAPTER 4: VERSE 13:
"THINK NOT WITH THYSELF THAT THOU SHALT ESCAPE IN THE
KING'S
HOUSE, MORE THAN ALL THE JEWS. FOR IF THOU ALTOGETHER HOLD-
EST THY PEACE AT THIS TIME, THEN SHALL THERE ENLARGEMENT AND
DELIVERANCE ARISE TO THE JEWS "FROM ANOTHER PLACE"
BUT THOU
AND THY FATHER'S HOUSE BE DESTROYED:
AND NOTICE THE NEXT PART OF THE VERSE AND THE QUESTION HE ASKS:
"AND WHO KNOWETH WHETHER THOU ART COME TO THE KINGDOM
FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS?"
MORDECAI HELPS HER MAKE HER DECISION WITH HIS WORDS. HE SAYS, "LOOK,
YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO ACT IN THIS MATTER. YOU CAN'T ESCAPE THIS
JUDGEMENT JUST BECAUSE YOU ARE IN THE KING'S HOUSE. NOW SHE COULDN'T
EVEN ALLOW HERSELF THE LUXURY OF THINKING, "WHY THE KING WOULDN'T HURT
ME, AFTER ALL HE LOVES ME." REMEMBER, HE HADN'T SENT FOR HER IN 30 DAYS!
AND THEN SHE IS GIVEN THIS QUESTION TO PONDER OVER. "PERHAPS GOD HAS
PLACED YOU HERE FOR JUST THIS OCCASION." MORDECAI DIDN'T SAY IT IN THOSE
WORDS, AFTERALL, GOD IS NOT MENTIONED IN THE BOOK OF ESTHER, BUT YOU
CAN SEE WHAT WAS ON HIS MIND.
I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH TIME PASSED BETWEEN HIS REMARK AND HER ANSWER,
BUT THERE IS ONE OF THOSE LITTLE MARKS IN MY BIBLE AFTER THE VERSE NO. 15,
WHICH USUALLY MEANS THAT THERE IS A TIME PERIOD INVOLVED, OR A CHANGE
OF TOPIC, OR SOMETHING, BUT AFTER THAT MARK, ESTHER RETURNS HER ANSWER
TO MORDECAI. HE HAS GIVEN SERIOUS CONSIDERATION TO THE CIRCUMSTANCES
AND HAS DECIDED ON A COURSE OF ACTION. NOTICE WHAT HER ANSWER IS IN
VERSE 16:
"GO, GATHER TOGETHER ALL THE JEWS THAT ARE PRESENT IN
SHUSHAN,
AND FAST YE FOR ME, AND NEITHER EAT NOR DRINK THREE DAYS, NIGHT
OR DAY: I ALSO, AND MY MAIDENS WILL FAST LIKEWISE; AND SO WILL
I
GO IN UNTO THE KING, WHICH IS NOT ACCORDING TO THE LAW, AND IF
I
PERISH, I PERISH."
THAT IS WHAT YOU CALL BEING BETWEEN A ROCK AND A HARD PLACE. IT KIND OF
REMINDS ME OF JEPTHA'S DAUGHTER, WHO WAS TO BE OFFERED UP FOR A
SACRIFICE IN THE BOOK OF JUDGES. SHE WENT AWAY FOR A TIME WITH HER
MAIDENS TO PREPARE FOR THE SURRENDER OF HER LIFE. SHE GAVE UP HER LIFE
TO PRESERVE HER FATHER'S HONOR, AND ESTHER IS READY TO GIVE UP HER LIFE IF
NEED BE TO PRESERVE HER PEOPLE.
THE PHYCHOLOGY OF THE WORLD TODAY WOULD HAVE TOLD HER TO "NOT GET
INVOLVED. YOU DIDN'T ASK MORDECAI TO BE RUDE TO HAMAN, AND HE WANTS
YOU THE QUEEN TO JEOPARDIZE YOUR POSITION FOR HIM AND THE REST OF THE
JEWS. YOU'RE CRAZY IF YOU DO IT. YOU NEED TO PLAY IT SAFE."
NOW THAT IS WHAT THE WORLD WOULD HAVE TOLD HER TO DO, AND SO MANY
FOLKS TODAY WOULD HAVE DONE JUST THAT. "LET'S JUST PLAY IT SAFE." OR
"IT'S NOT MY FIGHT, I DON'T WANT TO GET INVOLVED." OR, "I DON'T HAVE A DOG
IN THAT FIGHT." WE WOULD HAVE HAD SOME EXCUSE, AND ANY EXCUSE IS
BETTER THAN NONE.
AND TOO MANY CHRISTIANS TODAY ARE JUST WILLING TO "PLAY IT SAFE" AND
NOT GET INVOLVED IN THE PROBLEMS OF OUR LAND. THEY WOULD RATHER "SIT
DOWN WITH THE GOATS" THAN "STAND UP FOR THE SHEEP."
ONE NEVER KNOWS WHERE A GOOD SERMON ILLUSTRATION WILL POP UP. I
WAS AT WORK THE OTHER MORNING AND TWO FELLOWS WERE TALKING ABOUT
SOMETHING, I DIDN'T ORIGINALLY CATCH ALL OF THE CONVERSATION, BUT I HEARD
ONE OF THEM MENTION "MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB." I FOUND OUT LATER THAT
ONE WAS ASKING THE OTHER WHAT THE FIRST WORDS EVER SPOKEN OVER THE
TELEPHONE WAS, AND THE OTHER ONE SAID "I DON'T KNOW, MARY HAD A LITTLE
LAMB, FOR ALL I KNOW." ANYWAY, I THOUGHT OF THAT PHRASE IN THE CHILD'S
SONG, MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB, AND ALMOST INSTANTLY THE FOLLOWING NEW
VERSE CAME TO MY MIND.
MARY HAD A LITTLE LAMB,
SHE WENT AND SLIT IT'S THROAT,
YOU SEE, SHE WAS UNHAPPY;
WHAT SHE WANTED WAS A GOAT!
THE WAY YOU KILL A LAMB IS JUST THAT WAY, YOU SLIT IT'S THROAT! NOT A
PLEASANT PICTURE, BUT THAT IS THE WAY IT IS DONE, YOU SEE, MARY REPRE-
SENTS THE WORLD IN THIS CONNECTION, AND SHE WAS NOT HAPPY WITH WHAT
GOD HAD GIVEN HER. HE SENT HIS SON, AND SHE WANTED SOMETHING MORE.
SHE WAS MORE INTERESTED IN THE DEVIL'S GOATS THAN THE LORD'S SHEEP.
AND BELOVED, THIS WORLD TODAY IS NOT INTERESTED IN THE SHEEP. THEY ARE
"KILLING THE SHEEP AND KEEPING THE GOATS" THIS WORLD OVER, AND SADLY
ENOUGH, MANY CHURCH MEMBERS WOULD RATHER "RUN WITH THE GOATS THAN
STAY WITH THE SHEEP." I HOPE THAT THERE IS NO ONE HERE LIKE THAT, BUT I
COULDN'T ANSWER THAT QUESTION, ONLY EACH OF US CAN ANSWER THAT FOR OURSELVES.
BUT ESTHER IS READY TO GIVE UP HER LIFE IF NEED BE FOR THE JEWS, GOD'S
SHEEP AT THAT TIME; HIS CHOSEN PEOPLE. AND SHE ADVANCES INTO THE UN'
BIDDEN COURT OF THE KING. YOU CAN IMAGINE THE LOOK OF SHOCK AT ALL
THE SERVANTS, AND PRINCES AND RULERS, WHEN SHE STARTS TOWARD THE
THRONE. AND YOU CAN ALMOST SEE THE SCOWL ON THE FACE OF THE KING AT
THE UNWELCOME INTRUSION OF THE QUEEN. I BET YOU COULD HAVE HEARD A
PIN DROP WHEN SHE ENTERED THE CHAMBER. BUT NOTICE WHAT IS WRITTEN IN
VERSE 2 OF CHAPTER 5:
"AND IT WAS SO WHEN THE KING SAW ESTHER THE QUEEN STANDING
IN THE COURT, THAT SHE OBTAINED FAVOR IN HIS SIGHT; AND THE
KING HELD OUT TO ESTHER THE GOLDEN SCEPTER THAT WAS IN HIS
HAND, SO ESTHER DREW NEAR AND TOUCHED THE TOP OF THE SCEPTER."
AND NOTICE WHAT IS HERE IN THE NEXT VERSE:
"THEN SAID THE KING UNTO HER, WHAT WILT THOU, QUEEN ESTHER?
AND WHAT IS THY REQUEST? IT WILL BE EVEN GIVEN THEE TO THE
HALF OF THE KINGDOM."
ESTHER HAD A PURPOSE, SHE WAS WILLING TO SEE IT THROUGH, AND WAS
JUSTIFIED IN HER ATTEMPT, AND WAS REWARDED FOR HER EFFORT. I CAN SEE
A LESSON HERE FOR US.
ALL TOO OFTEN, WE GET IN A MESS, AND THE ANSWER IS THERE, BUT ARE WE
WILLING TO TAKE IT? THE ANSWER FOR ALL OF LIFE'S PROBLEMS IS TO BE
FOUND IN A TALK WITH THE KING. ESTHER RISKED IT ALL FOR A TALK WITH THE
KING AND WE SHOULD BE WILLING TO RISK OUR POPULARITY AND WORLDLY
GOODS FOR A TALK WITH THE KING OF HEAVEN, JESUS CHRIST. IT DOESN'T
MAKE GOOD SENSE TO KEEP SOMETHING THAT WE WILL LOSE EVENTUALLY AND
PASS UP SOMETHING THAT WE CAN NEVER LOSE. WE OFTEN PUT OUR RESOURCES
IN THE WRONG BANK.
I MAY HAVE MENTIONED THIS TO YOU BEFORE, I DON'T REMEMBER, BUT THERE WAS
A PREACHER WHO WENT TO VISIT ONE OF THE WEALTHY MEN IN TOWN WHO
OWNED A HUGE RANCH, THOUSANDS OF ACRES, AND HE SAID TO THE PREACHER,
AS FAR AS YOU CAN SEE THIS WAY, THIS WAY, THIS WAY, AND THIS WAY, I OWN
IT." THE PREACHER LOOKED HIM IN THE EYE AND POINTED TOWARD HEAVEN AND
SAID, "HOW ARE YOU FIXED THIS WAY?" THAT'S WHERE IT COUNTS? WE MUST
BE WILLING TO GIVE UP WHAT WE CANNOT KEEP TO KEEP THAT WHICH WE CAN-NOT LOSE. IT IS THAT SIMPLE.
YOU REMEMBER THE REST OF THE STORY OF ESTHER, HAMAN THINKS THAT HE
IS TO BE REWARDED AT A BANQUET THAT THE QUEEN INVITES HIM TO, ONLY TO
FIND OUT THAT HIS HATED ENEMY MORDECAI IS TO RECEIVE THE AWARDS, AND
THEN HE FINDS OUT THAT THE VERY GALLOWS THAT HE BUILT FOR MORDECAI
WOULD BE USED TO HANG HIS ROTTEN CARCASS. AND IT REMINDS US OF THE
VERSE THAT SAYS,
"BE NOT DECEIVED, GOD IS NOT MOCKED, FOR WHAT SO EVER
A MAN
SEWITH, THAT SHALL HE ALSO REAP."
HAMAN SEWED TREACHERY AND MURDER, AND HE GOT WHAT HE SEWED.
THE STORY OF ESTHER SOUNDS LIKE AN OLD TIME HOLLYWOOD MOVIE WHERE
THE DAMSEL IS RESCUED BY THE COWBOY IN THE WHITE HAT, AND THE VILLAIN
GETS WHAT WAS COMING TO HIM. AND IT WAS PRETTY MUCH THAT WAY. AND
THOUGH GOD WAS NEVER MENTIONED IN THE WHOLE BOOK, HIS HAND IS IN
EVERYTHING THAT HAPPENED. AND EVEN WITH THE GALLOWS MENTIONED THAT
HAMAN WAS HUNG ON, I CAN'T HELP BUT REMEMBER JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL'S
OLD POEM, WHICH COULD VERY WELL HAVE BEEN INSPIRED BY THIS BIBLICAL
ACCOUNT:
CARELESS SEEMS THE GREAT AVENGER,
HISTORY'S PAGES BUT RECORD,
ONE DOTH GRAPEL WITH THE DARKNESS
TWIST OLD SYSTEMS AND THE WORD.
TRUTH FOREVER ON THE SCAFFOLD
WRONG FOREVER ON THE THRONE,
BUT THAT SCAFFOLD SWAYS THE FUTURE,
AND BEHIND THE DIM UNKNOWN,
STANDETH GOD WITHIN THE SHADOWS,
KEEPING WATCH ABOVE HIS OWN.
IF YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD, HE IS KEEPING WATCH OVER YOU. YOU MAY NOT
ALWAYS BE AWARE OF HIS PRESENCE, AND SOMETIMES THE THINGS WE ENDURE
WILL LEAD US TO BELIEVE THAT HE IS NOWHERE AROUND, BUT AS A CHILD OF GOD,
HE IS THERE, AND ALWAYS WILL BE.
ESTHER MADE A DECISION TO RISK EVERYTHING ON A VISIT TO SEE THE KING.
ARE YOU READY TO RISK EVERYTHING TO SEE THE KING? AHASEURUS WAS READY
TO GIVE HER UP "TO HALF OF THE KINGDOM," YOU RECALL. HE SAID:
"WHAT WILT THOU QUEEN ESTHER AND WHAT IS THY REQUEST?
IT WILL
EVEN BE GIVEN THEE TO THE HALF OF THE KINGDOM."
OUR KING WILL DO BETTER THAN THAT. HE WILL GIVE US THE KINGDOM OF HEA-
VEN AND A PERMANENT LEASE. ARE YOU READY TO SIGN ON THE DOTTED LINE?
IF SO, YOU MUST BE A CHILD OF HIS TO RECEIVE HIS INHERITANCE. ARE YOU A
CHRISTIAN? HAVE YOU REPENTED OF YOUR SINS? HAVE YOU CONFESSED HIS
LORDSHIP BEFORE MEN, AND ACCEPTED HIM AS YOUR LORD AND SAVIOUR, AND
HAVE YOU BEEN BAPTISED FOR THE REMISSION OF YOUR SINS, AND RISEN TO
WALK IN A NEW WAY OF LIFE?
IF NOT, WOULD BE WILLING TO DO THAT THIS EVENING, AS WE STAND AND SING
OUR HYMN OF INVITATION? HYMN NO.______.
© C. R. Carrier