<p>Free sharing permitted under the Creative Commons <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/">BY-NC-ND 3.0 (US)</a> license.</p>

South Bay SDA Church

Esther

Jeremy Arnall

Behind The Scenes

Coincidence Or Providence

For Such A Time As This

Footsteps of Faith

Out of the Ordinary

Joy in the Promise

A Divine Reversal

I remember after my wife and I had tried and tried, you know, we waited almost 10 years to have kids.

I guess it was 9 years we waited, and then we still waited another almost year, because I wasn't ready.

And when it was time, you know, everything just seemed to work like clockwork in so many ways in our life.

And so we were ready and then we had a little trouble.

But I remember when they told us that we were with child, how excited we were.

It was our first child, of course, and we were about 9 months away from delivery.

We believed the doctor when they told us that we had a child.

We started to see a change over time as we anticipated this with full confidence.

And Tina's belly did begin to swell, but still we didn't see a baby.

We started to see movement and even glimpses.

I mean, you could actually see later on her belly would start to contort and so forth, and that was pretty cool.

Then we went and we saw on TV an ultrasound of our baby.

So we had seen it on the screen, we had seen evidence of it through her skin, so to speak, but the lack of actually seeing him personally and holding him in our arms, I want you to hear me, It did not in any way prevent our joy and anticipation.

I remember the day, I hope I can say this, her water broke.

We were at the doctor's office and told to go over to the hospital.

It was just a walk between the hospital and the office or whatever.

And we had to get in the elevator and we told these total strangers, we're having a baby, you know?

And we went over there and the baby, I say the baby, Jason, was passed due.

He was due on the 13th of May and came out instead on the 17th.

I remember I had packed a blue shirt because we were having a boy, and these things are important you see.

And I had my favorite blue shirt packed in case we should need it because we were told to go to the doctor's office in anticipation that we might have to stay.

And so I remember as we anticipated this, I remember having to pull over.

I think we got in a Walmart parking lot or something And I had to put on this blue shirt, as I recall, and wanted to be ready for the arrival.

It turned out, though, we had plenty of time to do changing and all that, because it took us almost 30, I don't know.

But it took us about 24 hours or more, and it was about 3 hours of intense labor.

But here's what I want you to hear carefully.

All the waiting became immaterial that night when I held in my arms, oh I could go back there in a moment, and I held my newborn baby boy, Our newborn baby boy.

In those months leading up to the delivery, I had joy in spite of any hardships or so-called bad days.

And Tina did too, as she carried in her womb the promise which we believed and witnessed in small little tokens or signs throughout those months.

Today, hear me carefully, we may not see Him, amen?

And yet while the waiting seems long and His coming even delayed, we share in a joy that pervades everything else.

Bad days, bad news pales in comparison to the good news we have in our hearts.

It frames our joy, it frames our days, it's the gospel, it's Jesus.

Title of the message is Joy and the Promise.

Dear Lord, please remind us, awaken in us the reality of the promise.

And Lord, help us to walk away from this place with a greater joy as we anticipate and realize what we've been promised.

You can open your Bibles to Esther chapter 8.

We're in our second to last installment on this series of Esther.

And each time I review with you, don't I?

We review the story of where we've been and then we pick up where we left off.

In this series we have noted how God's providence is evident throughout the book of Esther, even though God's name is never mentioned.

And we noted that this is a good time to consider the book of Esther.

Because as we anticipate 2024 and we leave behind 2023, it would do us well to remember that where we thought it might have been luck or where we thought that it might have just so happened or been a coincidence, that in reality God has been working behind the scenes all along.

That His providence is what it's all about and not mere coincidence.

The story began with the Hesuerus, also known as Xerxes, with his grand banquet.

He invites his wife to display her beauty before his guests, but she refuses.

And so the king, at the suggestion of the guest, of his royal officials I should say, his wise men, tells her that she is no longer allowed in His presence.

And so, after a passage of time, he regrets his rash decision, but a law in Persia is a law in Persia.

And so, after that, the wise men, his counselors, come to him and say, you just need a beauty pageant, King, and we will arrange for that for you.

And this beauty pageant, you can look at each girl and review their beauty, and if it pleases you, oh King, then you can find your new queen that way.

Seemed good to him, and so he allows for that.

And because of her beauty, because of God's working in her life, not coincidence but providence.

Now her cousin Mordecai, who serves at the royal gate, just so happened to learn of a conspiracy to kill the king.

And we read about that early in the story.

And so, the text just simply tells us that this foiling of the plot by Mordecai, and that's reported by Esther to the king, is recorded in the king's book.

But no gift or recognition is given to Mordecai except for the fact that he's in the book.

And then it tells us about how Haman appears on the scene and is made second in command.

When Mordecai refuses to stand or bow to Haman, it so infuriates him that he gains permission from the king to exterminate these so-called troublemakers who have their own law.

And so Haman is granted permission by the king, and is able to carry this out because of the signet ring which he possesses.

Mordecai along with other Jews learn of the order and put on sackcloth and ashes.

Now Esther sees Mordecai at the gate, can't be in the gate because you can't be in the gate and wear such attire because the king is not to be introduced to sadness.

And So Esther though sees him in the distance, she learns about his attire, she gives him a new set of clothes, thinking that this is a wardrobe problem, but nothing could be further from the truth.

Mordecai then tells Hatoch that you need to tell Esther the whole story.

He gives Hathor all the evidence that he needs in saying that indeed your people, Esther, are facing death.

And that you have been called to the kingdom for such a time as this.

He doesn't mention God's name, but we see it all over the place.

We recognize that when he says that perhaps you've been called to the kingdom for such a time as this, that this is his way of saying God's providence is in order here.

Esther responds and says, I would love to, but you know, I'm not, I've not seen a king for 30 days.

And unless you forget, you don't go before the king unless you've been summoned.

And that's when Mordecai then tells her that perhaps you've been called for such a time as this, that don't think it's because of your beauty or your charm.

Don't think it's just something that you now are immune to.

You have been placed here for such a time, and if you neglect this opportunity, God can raise somebody else up, but you will not fare so well.

So Esther responds favorably, she says let's call for a three-day fast.

Everybody is to fast, they're to pray, and move out in faith and carefully listen.

And under that experience is when she approaches the king.

She approaches the king on the third day of the fast, is granted mercy.

King offers her up to half the kingdom and she invites him and Haman to the banquet she has prepared.

Then at the banquet, the king again offers her up to half the kingdom.

And she oddly invites them to just come to another banquet.

Now that just sounds plumb strange to the average onlooker.

Why would you make a meal and he's offered you twice up to half his kingdom.

Back to Menu

Series

Esther

Joy in the Promise

Transcript

Parent Series

Sponsor

Recorded

There is Hope

Coming and Going

52m

Restoration 2023

The Zombie Apocalypse

1h 21m

His Crowning Miracle

41m

A Beginning With No End

Come On In

50m

Unlocking the Mysteries of the Sanctuary

20 The Judgment Continued Phase 2

50m

Jesus: The Last Adam

1h

Everything Depends On

1h

Seedtime and Harvest

28m

The Paradoxical Prescription to Happiness

1h

Blessed Assurance

56m

GYC SE 2012 Plenary Sessions

Why Is There Evil?

1h

Who Then Can Be Saved?

46m

Sound Doctrine