← ArchiveEstherESTHER - Pace Yourself (Esther 8:1-2)DateMay 12, 2024Speaker—TextEsther 8:1–2Passages in this sermonEsther 11:49Esther 6:1–102:49Esther 85:37Esther 8:1–25:57Luke 1210:00Genesis 320:09Jude 2427:50James 230:11TranscriptClick any line to jump there.0:00*music*0:30*music* Well, good day again. My name is Josh, one of the pastors here at Bethel.0:59And today, I have the joy of bringing the word of the Lord. And again, we are in the book of Esther. In a series we have called "Fractured People and Flawless God". So if you need time to find the book of Esther, then you have that time now. Go to your table of contents. It's near Nehemiah, Ezra, Esther, and Job. It's in that area of the Old Testament. If you are new here, if you're watching online, to everyone that God has invited to hear his word.1:26Church, let's let them know that we have prayed for them, that we have prepared for them, and give God a big hallelujah on the count of three. One, two, three. Hallelujah. Praise be the name of the Lord is what "hallelujah" means. The proceedings in the book of Esther, so Esther 1 through 9, extend over several years.1:49Scholars would argue 8 to 12 years. So between Vashti's disposal as queen and Esther's ascension as queen, that's about five years, give or take. Between the time of the time of Esther's ascension and the judgment or edict against the Jews. That's another four years, and that's nine years, give or take. But then something happens in chapter 8.2:18Really, chapter 6, 7, and 8. Time slows down. It seems like this leisurely pace in the book of Esther speeds up to a rapid crescendo of activity. So all the happenings in chapter 6, 7, and 8 occur within 24 hours. So I'll read those really quick.2:46Esther chapter 6, verses 1 through 10. Again, during the morning hours, the king asked Haman what should be done for the man that the king wants to honor. That was either late night or early a.m. on that day. Chapter 6, verse 11 through 14. Later that morning, Haman begrudgingly honors Mordecai. Because remember, the king says, "What should we do for the man we want to honor?" And Haman thinks, "Oh, that's me."3:16But no, it was Mordecai. That is the same day early morning. In the early afternoon, Esther's second banquet occurs and Haman assaults the queen. Remember, he goes and he pleads for his life against the queen. And the king walks in and says, "How dare he assault my wife, even in my palace?" That's the same day. That afternoon, Haman is executed.3:44Chapter 7, verse 10. In the late afternoon, that's the chapter we will read today. The king gives Esther the estate of Haman. Later that same evening, Esther appeals to the king again on behalf of her people. Take a breath. All of this happens in 24 hours. The biblical history increases from a leisurely stroll to an all-out sprint.4:09Have you ever felt like that's your life? Have you ever felt like your life is on a roller coaster and you're going downhill and you cannot stop it? That's what we call pace. Some of your lives are way out of pace. And we know that to be true and that pace is just a situation we have in life.4:36For instance, the car that regulates the speed of competitors at the front of the line of the Indy race or NASCAR race is called the pace car. Even soccer for someone who their rate of running or the weight or rate that they can recover to the ball is called their pace. Some of you eat salsa called pace picante sauce. Now, I don't eat that because it's from New York City, but some of you do.5:05A medical device that's implanted in our chest or abdomen to help control abnormal heart rhythms is called a pace maker. We live in a world obsessed with pace because, church, most of our paces are out of control. So today's message is simply called pace yourself.5:32Pace yourself because we have a pace of life in Esther 8 that is far beyond our capacity to keep up. And if that's you today, you're not alone. And may the grace of God meet the pace of your life and may you find healing and rest for your soul. Esther 8:1-25:57Esther 8:1-2 The word of the Lord. The same day. So, Esther reminds us all of this is occurring at the same time on the same day. King Ahasuerus awarded Queen Esther the estate of Haman, the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai entered the king's presence because Esther had revealed her relationship to Mordecai. The king removed his signet ring that he had recovered from Haman and he gave it to Mordecai.6:25And Esther put him in charge of Haman's estate. Christ, pace yourself. Let's pray. Father, we live in a world that is out of control. And Father, we confess to you right now that sometimes our lives are out of control. Lord, forgive us when the pace of life exceeds what you desire.6:53Forgive us when we have added too many things to the calendar. Forgive us when we are speeding up and not slowing down and resting in you. Forgive us, Lord, when we have neglected your word, neglected time in prayer. Lord, simply give us rest for our souls when the pace of life does not meet the grace of Christ. Lord, we live in a world obsessed with pace.7:22Father, may we be a people who are obsessed with the glory of our heavenly Father. Father, give us ears to hear, hearts to listen, feet to do your will. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen. Pace yourself. Verse 1. Earlier that same day, Haman was executed on the exact gallows constructed for Mordecai.7:50You can go back and read that in chapter 6 through 7. On that very day, his entire estate was given to Esther. Now, the Bible offers a gigantic caution light to the world of materialism. Many of us, if we are not careful, will live our whole lives that we might have a nest egg or that we might gain an estate.8:14Right? The Bible, though, says clearly that if you exist only to build your estate, that your whole estate can be taken from you in a moment. You say, "Prove it." You say, "Prove it." Okay? I will. Verse 1. The same day, King Ahasuerus awarded Queen Esther the estate of Haman.8:40If you are living your entire life to build your kingdom, your entire kingdom can be taken away in a moment. The Bible reminds us that you brought nothing into this world. And, church, you will take the same out of this world. Nothing. Beware the desire for more. This insatiable appetite to feed the fire of our estate.9:09And sometimes we are running the rat race of doing more and feeding more. We need more insurance to cover more things that we have. And we have to work harder because the things break down. And we keep fighting the battle to feed the fire. And we say, "God, I'm tired." When the truth is, we are the ones who built the fire. We are the ones who are fanning the flame.9:38And we say, "God, where are you? I need rest." And yet, we are building our estates without the presence of Christ in our lives. May we not live our lives to build bigger barns alone. Jesus reminds us. He warns us in Luke 12. Remember the man that was highly successful. And so he builds bigger barns and he rests because he wants to eat and drink and be merry.10:06But God said to him, "You fool. That very night, your life will be demanded from you. And the things that you have prepared, where will they be?" This is how it is for the one who stores up treasure for himself and he is not rich towards God. The one who stores up treasure for himself and not rich towards God. Listen, let Haman be the reminder.10:34If you are living to build bigger barns, the king will give all you have to someone else one day. The answer to an out of control, materialistic pace. A pace that the world says is what you need. A pace that the world says is what will fulfill you. The only answer for this pace is to be rich towards God. Not rich toward yourself.11:01So if you have bigger barns and you say, "Well, pastor, I've already built the barn." Now what? Be rich towards God. And give him thanks that what you already have, he has given you. Not your hands. May we be a people who are rich towards the Lord. Rich in generosity. Rich in the way that we tithe. Rich in the way that we serve. Rich in the way that we pray.11:29Rich in the word at home and in corporate worship. You know what richness in the kingdom sounds like? It sounds like this. Well done, good and faithful servant. Do not live for your estate. Live for the kingdom. But the estate was not enough for Esther. She had a more significant spiritual need.11:57Her people were in need of deliverance and salvation. Now, when does Esther need deliverance? Not tomorrow. And not next week. She needed deliverance today. After years in exile. Years in the palace removed from her home. Years under the king. I wonder, did Esther ever ask God, "God, where are you?" God, where were you when our people were taken from the promised lands?12:25God, where were you when I was living in exile and my parents died? God, where were you when my parents died and my cousin/uncle took care of me and then I was taken from his home? God, where were you? And God, now there's an edict that all the Jews must die. God, where are you? And if you've ever asked that question, you're not alone. But let the reminder be today.12:54If you are asking God, the pace of my life is speeding up and I don't see your presence. I don't hear your word. God, where are you? Listen to what Hebrews says. Therefore, let us approach the throne of God with boldness so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. The Bible doesn't say that God will give you grace when you want, grace when you feel like it.13:19God always gives grace when, when you need, and I am thankful for a heavenly father whose timing is perfect. His time is, he's not on my time, but I am on his. And there's never been a train that left the station of heaven that ran late. The train of grace is always on time.13:49We need the pace of our heavenly father. This is the king's award. And then in verse three, as Esther petitions the king, and we'll come back to this. We see something change and happen in Esther's life. Then Esther addressed the king again. She fell at his feet. She wept. She begged him. And she's asked this question. She said, "King, revoke the evil of Haman, the Agagite.14:17And his plot that he has devised against the Jews." The king extended the gold scepter towards Esther. So she got up and she stood before the king. She said, "If it pleases the king, and if I have found favor before him. If the matter seems right to the king, and if I am pleasing in his eyes, let a royal edict be written. Let it revoke the documents the scheming Haman son of Hamadatha the Agagite wrote to destroy the Jews who are in all the king's provinces.14:42For how could I bear to see the disaster that would come upon my people? How could I bear to see the destruction of my relatives?" "King Ahasuerus said to Esther the Queen and Mordecai the Jew, 'Look, I have given Haman's estate to Esther and he has hanged on the gallows because he attacked the Jews.15:03Write in the king's name whatever pleases you concerning the Jews and seal it with the royal signet ring, a document written in the king's name and sealed with the king's signet ring that cannot be revoked. On the 23rd day of the third month, that is the month of Sivan, if you're asking, the royal scribes were summoned.15:28Everything was written exactly as Mordecai commanded the Jews, to the satraps, the governors, the officials, the 127 provinces from India to Kush. The edict was written for each province in his own script, for each ethnic group in his own language, and to the Jews in their own script and their own language. "Mordecai wrote in King Ahasuerus's name, he sealed the edicts with the royal signet ring.15:57He sent documents by mounted couriers who rode fast horses, bred in the royal stables." These were like the self-driving cars of the Persian Empire. These were... You could not deliver a message faster than it was going now. The king's edict gave the Jews in each and every city the right to assemble and defend themselves, to destroy, kill, and annihilate every ethnic and provincial army hostile to them,16:19including women and children, to take their possessions and spoils of war. This would take place on a single day throughout the provinces of King Ahasuerus on the 13th day of the 12th month, the month of Adar. A copy of the text issued as law throughout each province was distributed to all the peoples so the Jews could be ready to avenge themselves against their enemies in that day.16:45The couriers rode out in haste on their royal horses at the king's urgent command. The law was also issued in the fortress of Susa." We see now the king's rights. We've seen the king's award now his right to do as he pleases.17:14Esther and her people need deliverance. So she addresses the king again. And if you were astute and listened to the scripture, you would know that three times Esther uses similar language. She says, very clear in chapter 8, in verses 3, in verse 5, and again in verse 8, that she desires the king to revoke the iniquity of the evil Haman.17:32Now, it was hinted at, in chapter 1, verse 19, in the removal of Vashti, that edicts written in the king's name could not be undone.17:49So Esther is appealing to an ancient Persian and median media principle that whatever is in the king's book will take place as the book says. This is the king's right to write in the king's book.18:17And so the king does what he sees as right. And he takes his ring and he gives it to Mordecai. And he allows Mordecai to do what? Not to rewrite or write over the law. He doesn't give him the right to scratch out the law. But he gives Mordecai the right to write a new law in the book of the law.18:40The book of the king. And the new royal decree permitted the Jews to defend themselves. So they are not on the attack. They are on the defense. And by the way, God has given his people a right to defend themselves against evil. And if that needs to be said today, because that is still happening, right? That God has given his people a heavenly right to defend themselves when evil and iniquity comes their way.19:09This is not the first time the world has tried to extinguish the light of God in his covenant people. And it is still happening until this very day. And so with identical language to what Haman has written in the book, Mordecai writes a better and a more holy law. According to the Persian law, king could not ignore the previous edicts.19:37Because for a king to ignore what was written in the book of the law would not make him a good king. It would make him an evil king. An unjust monarch, if you will. And why is this important? More significantly, we see this principle unfolded in scripture. Because God is a just God and he is a holy king. He will not ignore his righteous law in our lives.20:04So think about the law that was written in Genesis chapter 3. Because sin entered the world, we now see and know that the wages of sin, God's law says that the consequences of sin is death. Now, Satan would say, well, did God really say that? God just doesn't want you to be like him.20:31You won't surely die right now. And that was the same temptation that the Lord heard Satan offer to Adam and Eve. That's the same temptation today. It doesn't sound like that, but it sounds like this. Well, you have time to come to faith in Jesus Christ. Hey, wait till you're older and then you can get your act together. Right? Faith is for the old people. You have time.20:58Surely the word of God is not speaking to you today. Satan does not want you to understand that God is a righteous king who fulfills his law to the letter of the law. Now, listen to this. Because that law is written in the king's history book, God will not ignore his law.21:18But thanks be to God that we do not live under the edict of death. There is a new law written in the book of the law that we'll get to in a moment. So scholars would say what happens, what Mordecai does, they call it countermandering. I don't know if that's a word, but they made it up. It's counter and command in the same word.21:46So what Mordecai does, he writes a new law, a new covenant that is better than the previous law, the previous covenant, because the new law covers the previous edict. And the new law gives the Jews the right to defend themselves. And in the same way, church, the gospel is Jesus Christ writing a new law in the book of the law for us.22:11Because God will not ignore our sin. If God ignores your sin, he is not a good king. And I don't know about you, but I have a lot of sin. And this is what the gospel says about Jesus Christ. He made the one who knew no sin to become sin that we might become the righteousness of God.22:37So the new law written in the book of the law is that Jesus Christ, the only begotten son of God, died on the cross for guilty sinners. And whoever confesses him as Lord will be saved. Now, Corinthians says that he who knew no sin, because the wages of sin is death.23:02Jesus knew no sin, but he died. He said, well, that's not fair. It's not. And Jesus traded his life for our abundant life. He made him who knew no sin to become sin that what? That you and I might become the righteousness of God. So the question is, which law are you living by?23:27If you're living by the old law and you say, well, God, I'm going to try my hardest and I'm going to make my kingdom. God says, OK, have it your way. But the wage of your sin is death. And we are all lawbreakers by nature. You're not a sinner because you sin. You have sinned because you're a sinner. That's who you are.23:55But the better covenant says he made him who knew no sin to become sin that we by faith might become the righteousness of God. That is the glorious gospel. And Revelation reminds us of what's going on. Revelation uses Esther language. Because Revelation says that at the very end, at the great white throne of judgment, that there will be books opened.24:20There will be multiple books, but there will be a new book, another book called the book of life, the Lamb's book of life. And only the one who has the signet ring of God has the right to write in the King's book. Only the one who is God himself has the right to write in the Lamb's book of life.24:45And let me tell you, there is one who is worthy. His name is Jesus Christ. And when he died on the cross, God the Father gave him the pen and said, "Son, write a new law, a perfect law, a holy law. And son, whoever claims by faith that you are their Lord and Savior, write their name in your blood in the Lamb's book of life."25:09And because God is a just God, whoever's name is written in the Lamb's book of life, that book is written in permanent ink. It will not be undone. This is the gospel. And I ask you today, is your name written in the Lamb's book of life?25:32Written by a better covenant, by faith in the one true God. Church, sin cannot be revoked, but the gospel can rewrite your story. And he will rewrite your story. This is the King's right. May our lives be written in the Lamb's book of life.25:56So let's go to the end now. Mordecai, verse 15, went from the King's presence clothed in royal purple. Now, I don't know if Mordecai was an LSU fan or not, but I do know he was wearing the colors. But it was not purple and gold, it was purple and white, with a great gold crown and a purple robe of fine linen.26:23He's coming from where? The King's presence. The King's presence. Now, go back to verse 1. Mordecai entered the King's presence. So verse 1, he's going into the King's presence. Verse 15, he's coming away from the King's presence. Why is he going into the King's presence?26:51Verse 1. Not because of who he is. Verse 1 says, Mordecai enters the King's presence because Esther. So Mordecai goes into the King's presence because of a relationship he has with Esther. Not because of his own merit. And it's the reminder in our lives, "Friend, you and I enter the presence of a holy king, not based on who we are, but because we have a relationship with Jesus Christ."27:16Look at that again. Verse 1. Mordecai enters the presence not because of who Mordecai is. Why? Because he knows the Queen. We enter the kingdom of God because we know the Son of God. Praise be to the Lord of that truth.27:41We do not enter the holy throne alone. One of my favorite verses in all the scripture is Jude 24. Now to him who is able to protect you and stumbling to make you stand in the presence of his glory without blemish and with great joy. Because of Jesus Christ by faith, you and I stand in the presence of God. You know, this is just how my mind works.28:08Sometimes, sometimes I want to enter the presence of God. And I know I enter the presence because of Jesus, but I, I can't. We're falling on our face or we feel like there's no way we're not worthy to go to God. And I believe there are times where Jesus just grabs us by the scruff of our neck. It says, stand up, boy. Come on. I died on the cross for you.28:36Do you not know who you are by faith? Do you not know your sins are forgiven? Stand up because you do not enter the presence of God because of who you are. You enter the presence of God because of what Jesus did in your place. that is the joy of faith. And not only that, not only worthiness, but we can't enter because of our unworthiness.29:00And we certainly can't enter in these rags. So Mordecai enters with purple robes on. Verse 15. Clothed in royal purple and white with a gold crown and purple robe, not just a linen, but of fine linen. Fine linen. In Persian dynasty, the highest nobility and those with access to the king's court wore purple.29:27So it was a reminder if you wore purple clothes, it was a reminder to those around you that you had access to the king. You had VIP status. And Mordecai was given those clothes. Why? Because of his relationship with the queen.29:54And the history would tell us that those who wore purple and those who had access to the throne, they were called friends of the king. Friends of the king. Does that sound familiar? Listen to what James 2 says about Abraham. Abraham. The scripture was fulfilled saying that Abraham believed God and because he believed it was credited to him as righteousness.30:18And he was called a friend of God. Let me give you Esther language. If you have given your life to Jesus by faith, you wear purple robes. You have access to the throne of God by faith, through prayer. This is who we are. This is what God has done for you.30:45You are God's friend because of the blood of the Savior. Why did Mordecai go into the throne? Not because of who he was, but because he had relationship with Esther. What happens when the pace of life exceeds our ability to keep up?31:12Some of you are there right now, aren't you? You are thinking, if we have one more thing on the schedule. If we have one more item. If someone else is sick. If someone else passes away. I just can't handle life anymore. You know who felt like that? Esther.31:41Esther. But what happens when the pace of our lives meet the grace of Jesus? Everything changes. Look at the very end of chapter 8. The city of Susa shouted and rejoiced. The Jews celebrated with gladness, joy, honor in every province, in every city.32:07Whenever the king's command and his law reached, joy and rejoicing took place among the Jews. There was a celebration. There was a holiday. Which, by the way, this is the only time in all of the Bible that Yom Tov, good day, is mentioned. This is the only holiday in scripture. And many of the ethnic Jews of the land professed themselves to be Jews because of the fear of the Jews had overcome.32:33When the grace of God meets the pace of life, there should be great joy. But did you notice what was missing here? There's horizontal praise. They're shouting, which means they're not Baptist. They're shouting. They're rejoicing, which again tells you they're not Baptist.33:01There's celebration, which again tells you they're probably not Baptist. Because they're enjoying life like they should. But it's horizontally. It's one thing to rejoice when good things happen to us. But don't miss the greater joy. Greater celebration is vertical praise. Horizontal praise does not always lead us vertical. But vertical praise should always lead horizontal.33:30And may we not miss. Most scholars would say that this is not a conversion to Judaism. It really means that many people celebrated with the Jews because they were scared of their life. But they didn't have fear of the Lord. And it is possible to have the same in our lives. It is possible for us to go to church. It's possible for us to sing songs.33:58It's possible for us to make shallow declarations of faith because we don't want to go to hell. But we're not fearful. We're not in awe of Jesus Christ. May our horizontal praise today lead to vertical praise of Jesus. When the grace of Christ meets the pace of life, everything changes. Do you love the salvation of Christ in your life?34:28The danger is sometimes we want the rewards of the gospel more than Jesus himself. Do you love Jesus Christ? The gospel is not fire insurance. The profession of faith in the Lord is a lifetime committed to the way, the truth, and the life.34:52As we read Esther, when was the last time you realized that Jesus rewrote the law in his precious blood? When was the last time you realized that Jesus did that for you? Because if we are able to get over our salvation, I would say that we don't understand fully what Jesus did on our behalf.35:15May I never get over the crucified Messiah. We should wake up every day and say, you did that for me? Lord, thank you. Lord, thank you that you have covered my sin. Thank you for the linen garments of praise that you have given me. Thank you that you have given me access to your throne.35:43Thank you that my name is written in the Lamb's Book of Life Church. I don't know about you, but I never want to get over my salvation. That's what happens when the grace of God meets the pace of life. And may we, like the people of Susa, simply say, oh, my soul, shout and rejoice. Oh, my soul, celebrate with gladness, with joy, with honor.36:10By faith in Jesus, you are a friend of the King. Maybe you hear this and you say, well, pastor, I'm still living under the edict of judgment. I feel like if I were to die today, I would not go to heaven. I would go to hell because I know that I'm a sinner and I've never confessed. I've never reconciled my sin in the sight of a holy God.36:37Would you let Jesus rewrite your story today? You say, well, pastor, that's impossible. You don't know what I've done, but there is one who knows. And while you were still a sinner, God sent his only son to die on the cross for you. I love what scripture says because it doesn't say that God waited for you to get your act together. No, God sent his son while we were still sinners.37:06And if today is the day where you need God to rewrite your story through the blood of Jesus, faith is how we receive the gift of salvation. And faith sounds like this. God, I know I'm a sinner. God, I believe that you sent Jesus to die on the cross for my sins. I believe that he is your only begotten son.37:34I believe by faith that he rose again. I believe that he ascended into heaven. God, I believe that if I put my faith in Jesus, I will be saved. The Bible says the righteous are justified by faith in the son of man. And if you have prayed that prayer, if you need to pray that prayer,38:01you need to come and just bow before God and say, God, I need you to rewrite my story. God, I need you to change my life. God, I'm tired of living under the old law. The law, give me the better law. May you run to Jesus and find that he has permission because of who he is to write in the King's book.38:26And when your name is written in the Lamb's book of life, there is no demon in the pit of hell that can erase what Jesus has written. God, praise be to God for the new law and the better covenant. Father, we thank you.← Previous in EstherESTHER – A Life That Pleases the King (Esther 5:3-4)Next in Esther →ESTHER – Oh, How the Turns Table (Esther 9:1-17)More sermons on Esther →
