Risking All to Save the People

Good morning. That's kind of half-hearted. Okay, good morning. Oh, that's better. See,

I've been at VBS all week with the kids, so I've had bananas thrown at me. I've had water poured

over me. So this feels a little bit tame now being up here. So Kevin's right on the front row,

maybe with some bananas at hand, but we'll see. My name's Chris. I'm one of the pastors here.

And we've been going through a series looking at Christ in the Old Testament. Sometimes we read

the Old Testament and we think, what's going on there? It seems to be very different from the New

Testament. But we've been seeing how from Abraham all the way through to David and Mephibosheth last

week, we've seen that actually the gospel message of the New Testament is in seed form throughout the

Old Testament. And so we've been looking at these different stories to show us what Christ is like.

And today we're going to kind of fast forward about 500 years from last week to 480 BC to the

Persian Empire. God has taken his people Israel out of Israel into exile into Babylon. Now Babylon has

fallen and a new empire has risen, which is the Persian Empire. Some Jews have gone back to Israel,

but now many of these Jews have settled down in Persia. And that's where the story, the true story

of Esther we're going to look at today comes from. We're going to close our series with this story.

So I'm going to introduce the story and then we're going to have the scripture reading and then I'll share

a little bit more about the scripture reading. But I want to introduce you to this amazing story

because it's a little bit like a Korean, the plot line is kind of like a Korean drama or like a

Brazilian soap opera. So, but the story of Esther is basically a story where the name of God is never

mentioned in the story. It's the only book in scripture because the author wants to show you that

sometimes even when God seems hidden, he's right there behind the scenes working through all the

action. So I want to introduce you to the cast of this story. Okay. We have, first of all, King

Ahasuerus or King Xerxes because Ahasuerus is a bit difficult to pronounce. He is impetuous. That's his

Greek name, by the way. He is impetuous. He's ambitious and he's the most powerful man in the known world.

He's the ruler of the Persian empire and he likes his drink. He, after his wife refuses to come out

at one party to be with his friends, he, the drunk king divorces her and then suddenly realizes,

oh, that was a mistake. And so what happens is his ministers come up with a plan. They come up with a

plan to hold Miss Persia competition. And basically they're going to find all the best looking young

women in the whole of Persia, bring them together for a competition and the winner gets to become

King Xerxes' new bride. And so we have the next character, grumpy, stubborn Jew Mordecai. I don't know if you can see that.

Now, he works as a bouncer at the palace of the king. He's a second or third generation Jewish guy

living as a minority person in this foreign pagan land. And he's a stubborn guy. But he's also got a

much younger cousin called Esther. And Esther was orphaned when she was young and he's brought her up

as his own daughter. Now, the thing you need to know about Esther is she is really good looking.

And she, she's like the, she's the diva. She's, she, but she's not really a very good Jew.

Because when the Miss Persia competition gets announced, she gets dragged in to be one of the

contestants. And do you know what happens? She ends up winning the competition. And, but in order to win

the competition, she has to spend a night with the king. She keeps her identity as a Jew secret.

And she plays this game so well that she goes from a nobody to the queen of the most powerful man in

the world. She's in the palace as the queen. So we have King Xerxes. We have Mordecai. We have Esther,

final character, final character, evil villain, Haman.

Haman, the Agagite, is his family are Canaanites. For centuries, they had been enemies of the Jews.

They'd made war against Moses, against Saul, against David. And now, Haman is going to make war

against the Jews again. You see, he gets promoted to prime minister, and he's got a bit of an ego.

And he wants everyone to know how great he is. So when he walks past in the morning,

he wants everyone to bow as low as possible to him. But Mordecai, the Jew, he will not do it. He's

not going to bow down to this guy's ego. And this really ticks off Haman. So much that Haman

doesn't just want to get back at Mordecai. He wants to get back at the whole Jewish people.

He gets the king, Xerxes, to sign a decree ordering the genocide of all the Jews.

This is like the Holocaust. And he is willing to pay for this out of his own pocket. That's how much

he's an enemy of the Jews. I'd like to invite Pui and Karen to come up and read today's passage for us.

The scripture reading comes from Esther chapter 4. Please follow along in your bulletins or on the

Esther 4 · chapter mention

screen. When Mordecai learned all that had been done, Mordecai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth

and ashes and went out into the midst of the city. And he cried out with a loud and bitter cry.

He went up to the entrance of the king's gate, for no one was allowed to enter the king's gate

clothed in sackcloth. And in every province, wherever the king's command and his decree reached,

there was great mourning among the Jews with fasting and weeping and lamenting. And many of

them lay in sackcloth and ashes. When Esther's young women and her eunuchs came and told her,

the queen was deeply distressed. She sent garments to clothe Mordecai so that he might take off his

sackcloth, but he would not accept them. Then Esther called for Hatik, one of the king's eunuchs who had

been appointed to attend her and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what this was and why it was.

Hatik went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king's gate. And Mordecai told

him all that had happened to him and the exact sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the

king's treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree

issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her and command

her to go to the king to beg his favor and plead with him on behalf of her people.

And Hatik went and told Esther what Mordecai had said. Then Esther spoke to Hatik and commanded him

to go to Mordecai and say, all the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that if

any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law

to be put to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter so that he may live.

But as for me, I have not been called to come into the king these 30 days. And he told Mordecai what

Esther had said. Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, do not think to yourself that in the king's

palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silent at this time, relief and

deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place. But you and your father's house will perish.

And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this. Then Esther told

them to reply to Mordecai, go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa and hold a fast on my behalf.

And do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my young woman will also fast as you do.

Then I will go to the king, though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish. Mordecai then went

away and did everything as Esther had ordered him. This is the word of God. Thank you guys.

Let me just pray for us as we come and think about God's word.

Father, this story from your word is a challenging and a powerful one.

And I pray that you'd speak to us this morning. I pray that we wouldn't just be here wanting to hear

a nice message, but we're here wanting to hear from you and to respond to what you want to say to us.

Lord, I pray for my words that anything that's not from you, just remove it. And I pray that you'd

speak with your spirit's power into our hearts, Lord. In Jesus' name. Amen.

So, Mordecai. We're going to pick up the story. Mordecai has heard this death sentence on his people.

And he tears his clothes and he puts on sackcloth, both of which tearing your clothes is a visible sign of the torn,

broken heart that you have inside. And putting on sackcloth is uncomfortable, coarse material,

is a sign visibly to show everyone, this is the pain that I'm going through.

This is the discomfort in my life that I'm experiencing right now because every Jew from Ethiopia to India is under threat.

And every one of them feels this pain and they follow suit and they put on sackcloth and ashes and they mourn together.

Their identity is under threat.

And yet Esther, who used to hang out with the other Jews, she's now moving in different circles.

She's networking with the elites in the comfortable palace.

And she's kind of cut off from the realities of what's going on with her people.

Now she's got her own issues.

You know, in the harem of the time, you would have lots of competition between the different concubines and wives.

And so they're all trying to get the king's attention.

But in verse 2, it says,

No one was allowed to enter the king's gate into the palace clothed in sackcloth.

Because in these circles, no one wants to be bothered by sad and depressed people.

So if you're like Mordecai wearing sackcloth, you can't come in to the palace.

But she gets a report from her beloved cousin Mordecai that he's in serious mourning and she wants to see him.

She's distressed.

So she sends him an extra set of clothes to help him be able to get into the palace so she can talk to him.

But she doesn't get the pain of what's going on in their lives.

And so he refuses to come.

Finally, Esther takes the initiative to send her PA, Hatak, to learn what this was and why this was.

Do you see?

Her people are about to be wiped out and she's oblivious to the whole thing.

Doesn't see what's going on.

And so Hatak comes back with a terrible report from Mordecai with a flyer advertising the genocide.

Verse 8 says,

Mordecai gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa, it's the capital city, for their destruction.

That he might show it to Esther and explain it to her, because she didn't understand,

and command her to go to the king to beg his favor and plead with him on behalf of her people.

You see what Mordecai is saying?

He's saying, Esther, you're the only one who can stand before the king and plead our cause.

You're the only one who can stop this death sentence.

Help us.

That's kind of passionate appeal.

And Esther, living in the abundance of the palace, destruction of her people, just at hand, goes,

Oh, that's a little bit tricky.

She goes, I'd love to help, but you don't understand how it works in the palace.

Verse 11, she says,

All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces know that if any man or woman enters without being called,

and I'm no exception, I can't pull strings here, there is one law to be put to death,

except there's only one exception, the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter,

so that he may live.

But as for me, I haven't been called to the king for like these 30 days.

Do you see what she's saying?

She's saying, okay, I can send a check for victims of sport.

I could even send a grief counselor to you just to help you.

But what you're asking me to do is to risk everything for the sake of my people.

And that just doesn't sound very appealing at the moment.

Because you can't just enter in the king's court any old how,

because you might die if you go the wrong way about this.

The only exception is if the king puts out the golden scepter saying,

You're accepted, you can come in.

But she says, I'm not the flavor of the month at the moment.

This isn't good timing for me.

Okay?

Listen, if it had been a couple of years ago, we were great, me and the king, good terms.

But now it's not so good.

Timing's not great.

Excuses, excuses, excuses.

Don't you often find like we like being a hero?

We all kind of want to be a hero.

You know, when you daydream, who is the hero in your daydreams?

Me, I am, right?

Well, not in your daydreams, in my daydreams.

But when you face the reality of the real situations which require heroism, that's another issue.

Because there's a cost involved.

And Mordecai's response is, don't think to yourself.

Literally.

Don't imagine in your soul that in the king's palace, you will escape any more than the other Jews.

What he's saying is, don't live in this daydream that the palace is going to protect you.

Because it won't.

He says, for if you keep silent at this time, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another place.

But you and your father's house will perish.

He's saying, God wants to use you.

But if you don't step out into what he's calling you to do, you're going to miss out on what he has for you.

And in fact, it's going to be more serious than that.

The judgment's going to come back to you.

And then he says this famous line.

And who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this.

He's saying, maybe God in his grace has brought you through this journey all the way where you can be in this position in the palace

for precisely this moment where you can do what no one else can do.

And will you turn your back on the very purpose and reason that God has placed you right here in this situation?

And so Esther is persuaded by his appeal.

But she's also scared.

And so she calls for a fast to appeal to God to bring deliverance for them.

And they pray as they fast.

And Esther begins to courageously accept the mission as a mediator, as a representative on behalf of her people.

And she says this.

I will go.

And if I perish, I perish.

Because this is what I'm called to.

Even if I lose everything, this is what I'm here for.

It's a pretty powerful story.

But let's, I want to just pull out a few things, three things from this story.

How does this actually connect with us in our lives?

So I've got three points.

First point.

God calls unworthy people.

This is extraordinary.

Because, you know, Esther has got where she is and Mordecai.

They're these minority in a pagan majority culture.

And she has compromised in many ways.

You know, a hundred years earlier, a guy called Daniel had been in a similar situation in the court of the king of Babylon.

And yet he had refused to compromise his own identity, even at the cost of his life.

You know, the story of Daniel on the lion's den, all of those kind of things.

But Esther, so Daniel is faithful to his God.

Esther is a completely different story.

You see, God's word required sexual purity.

Unmarried, she sleeps with the king to win the competition.

God's word said that Jews shouldn't intermarry with people of different religions.

Esther had married the pagan king.

God's word said that Jewish people should be distinctive in the sight of the nations around them.

Esther had hidden her identity so that no one would really know she was a Jew, just so she could get on in life, blend in, move up the career ladder.

Esther, in many, many ways, has compromised her identity, and she's been unfaithful.

She'd wanted and settled for the comfort of the palace, was content to ignore what God had called her to.

And this is where I find this challenging, because how many of us are sometimes like Esther?

You know, we're a Christian, but in our workplace, we've never told anyone that we're a Christian,

because if we're too out and proud about it, you know, sometimes it might cause more problems.

It's easier to stay quiet, because that can help you to move up the ladder and be liked by everyone.

You know, God calls believers to sex only within marriage relationship of one man and one woman.

And Jesus even says, lust in your heart is like adultery.

And yet, some of us regularly use porn.

We have masturbation to fulfill our own pleasures.

We sleep with our girlfriends or boyfriends.

We even have lustful thoughts about people who are not our spouses.

We compromise in so many ways.

And we could go on in so many areas of our lives.

Many of us, we want to live for God.

We want to live and be on mission for Him.

But our unfaithfulness to Him has destroyed a passion that we had to live for Him and His glory.

The joy that we had seems to have been snatched away by just so many decisions that we've made

where we know we have a guilt and a guilty conscience.

Sometimes you don't feel you can share the gospel with other people,

because frankly, we feel like we're a terrible witness.

Sometimes we feel like we can't pray, or sometimes even come to the church,

because we know we've not been as faithful as we should have been.

Anyone like me?

And just, you know, like a person who's decided to come off a chocolate addiction,

and stupidly they eat one chocolate and they go,

well, I've already failed with one, therefore I might as well eat the whole box.

Like Esther, we settle from the failures that we've made

to then just pursuing the comfort and compromise at the palace,

where we just chase after our career, our studies, our kids' education,

and that is central to everything we do.

But we have denied the calling that God has got on our lives.

And if we go on a long time living like that,

you know what happens?

God's voice can become so dull that we don't even hear Him,

don't even hear what He's calling us to.

And you know, we have a thousand excuses,

just like Esther did, for why we're living that way.

But if you're like that,

what we need is what John Piper calls gutsy guilt.

Because it's precisely Esther the unfaithful,

Esther the compromiser,

that through Mordecai, God is calling her again

to stand up for her people,

to identify herself as a Jew,

and to live out her calling.

She was Jewish in name,

but not in behavior.

But God had not given up on her.

He was calling her again to be who she was.

You know, there's this verse in Micah,

which I've just been just really challenged by

and encouraged by,

which if you know that your own guilt

and unfaithfulness holds you down,

you need to memorize this verse.

Micah 7 verse 8 says this,

Micah 7:8

He's saying,

if you were a Christian

and you have fallen in different ways

and there's that guilt that comes on you,

there's that sense of you just compromised

because you don't know,

you don't hear the call that God has on your life.

God says,

I'm calling you again to rise up again today

to follow me.

Your past compromise doesn't disqualify you

from God's call on your life today.

Yesterday was yesterday.

Today is a new day.

God calls you to rise up with gutsy guilt

because he's got a call on your life.

And he says,

if you turn back in repentance and confession,

you shall rise again

because God is your light.

Because God is your light.

And if you're just religious,

you come to church as fire insurance,

you know,

in case God's real

or because you hope

he'll make you a little bit better

and your kids a little bit better.

God is not interested

in just making you religious.

He's got a call on your life

and he wants you to start

by turning to him in surrender

because he's got something greater for you

than just living for the comforts

of your own life.

God calls unworthy people.

Isn't that amazing?

Secondly,

we are called for the sake of others.

Called for the sake of others.

You know,

the Jews are in mourning.

They're oppressed from the palace

because from the palace

has come this decree of destruction.

And yet Esther has truly flourished

in the palace.

She's received all the benefits

while others are experiencing

the oppression and pain.

And yet Mordecai comes to her

and he calls her to plead

on behalf of her people.

And he says that famous phrase,

maybe you have come to the kingdom,

to royalty,

to the palace

for such a time as this.

What is he saying?

He's saying you are blessed, Esther,

to be a blessing.

Esther,

you may have been disgruntled

because the king seems to have left you

behind for 30 days.

Maybe he's with other women

and he hasn't been a faithful king

because he wasn't.

You focus on all the blessings

that you don't have

but you fail to see

all that you are

and who you are

and where you are

is not an accident.

Do you know that?

Who you are

and where you are

is not an accident.

Because don't think

that you've got

all these blessings, Esther,

in the palace

simply because you made yourself beautiful.

Your beauty is a gift.

Don't think you got to this place

where because you were so smart,

because you were better

than everyone else,

because actually God

has weaved you

to this place.

It's not from you.

Sure, you've worked hard

but all that you have

is a gift from God.

There is purpose

behind your place

in the palace

and that purpose

is bigger than yourself.

God has brought you here

to be a representative

of his representative

on behalf of his people

to use your position

for his purposes,

not just for yours

and for those

who are in pain around you.

That's what he's saying

to Esther.

And I've just been

very challenged by this

because if I'm honest

and I've just been

thinking about it,

I think I

and I think many of us

in this church,

we live in the palace.

You know,

as a white Westerner,

I get respect

just from the color

of my skin.

Isn't that ridiculous?

Like,

people in England

are trying to go brown.

People in Hong Kong

are trying to get white.

It's ridiculous.

But many of us

have good educations.

Our kids go to good schools.

We have good job prospects.

We have opportunities.

We speak English.

We have access

to financial resources.

We have flats.

Some of us.

We have cars.

Some of us.

Even just living

in the peace and security

of Hong Kong

is a place of blessing.

Many places

don't have that.

We live in the palace.

But don't we often

get into comparing

ourselves

just with our other colleagues,

just with our other classmates

in the harem

of our workplace,

in the place

of our schools

or playgrounds,

and it blinds us

to see

the hurting

and the broken people

around us.

Because I know

so well for myself,

I shut myself

in this little bubble.

You know,

we have similar kinds

of friends

who live in similar areas

with similar problems,

right?

Don't we,

if we're honest?

But we don't see

that we're blessed

to be a blessing.

You know,

my dad has a PhD.

If you have doctor

before your name,

that carries weight.

But I've only ever seen

my dad use,

say,

Dr. Thornton

very few times.

Do you know

when I've seen him use it?

It's when he's writing letters

on behalf of asylum seekers.

Because that doctorate

was never meant

to be purely for him.

That doctorate

was for that Iranian

asylum seeker

who was being unfairly treated

and had no voice.

That doctorate

was for the defense

of those who had no power.

Sure,

did he get a job through it?

Yes.

Did he get blessings

through it?

Yes.

But it was never meant

to be solely for him.

There was a purpose

beyond it.

And so we have to look

at all the things

that we have

and say,

if you've got a flat,

is your flat

just for yourself

and your family?

Or are there other people

that you are blessing

through that blessing

God has given you?

Are the hurting

and the needy

and the broken?

Are you using that

for them?

And if we come

and say,

well,

not really,

then we have to come

before God

and seriously ask ourselves,

God,

am I just living

in the palace

for the palace?

And it doesn't matter

whatever it is

that we have.

Have you ever thought

you might be educated

for a greater purpose

than just your own

career advancement?

Have you ever thought

you might have a job

for more than just

paying the bills?

If you're a domestic helper,

you're not just

a domestic helper.

You're God's kingdom representative

to mediate his love

and blessings

to the family

and the people

and your employer

around you.

If you're a businessman,

you're not just

a businessman.

You're God's representative

to mediate

with the resources

and the gifts

and the talents

you have,

God's blessing

to people around you.

If you're a lawyer,

you're not just a lawyer.

You're God's kingdom representative

to mediate his blessings

to the people around you.

If you're a homemaker,

you're not just a homemaker.

You are God's kingdom representative

to mediate his blessings

to your family,

to those at the school gates,

to the helpers,

to the mums,

to the dads,

whoever it is around you.

If you're a student,

you're not just a student.

You're God's kingdom representative

to mediate God's blessing

to the needy,

the people around you

who need to know

that Jesus loves them.

That's what we're called for.

That's what we're called for.

And you know,

if you're like me,

sometimes we come with

a thousand excuses

like Esther.

Well, it's not good timing.

You don't know

what it's like here.

But God says,

do you not know

that maybe I have brought you

to where you are

for such a time as this?

Will you see that God

calls unworthy people,

but he calls us

for something bigger

than just ourselves,

for those who are

outside the palace?

You know,

I think this is,

I've just been praying

about this.

And I think,

you see what Esther does,

because this is actually

really tough.

When you've lived

with a habit

of living in the palace,

like I think many of us,

it's difficult.

It's difficult.

But I think what Esther does,

she realizes

how difficult

her calling is.

And so she starts

at a place

of fasting and prayer.

And that's where

I think all of us,

I don't know

what it means for you,

but if in our CGs,

if as a church,

if as individuals

and as families,

we just start

and get on our knees

and say,

God,

thank you for everything

you've given us,

the blessings

that we have.

Show us how we can use these

for your glory

and for those around us.

God is going to

show you

and he will call us

out of the palace.

Called unworthy people.

Use our positions

to be representatives

for others.

Thirdly,

we have a need

for our own mediator

like Esther.

You know,

the story of Esther

Esther ends up

with Esther saving

the whole of the Jewish people.

The king listens to her.

Her life is spared.

All the Jewish people

are saved and delivered.

And so I can leave you

with a kind of

inspiring story

of just be like Esther.

Live out your call.

But there's a problem.

Because every single character

in this story

is flawed.

Deeply flawed.

And even Esther,

even though I think

she made one right decision,

I think she still struggled

to live out her life

in the palace

after that decision.

I don't think

she was just

suddenly,

miraculously,

everything was suddenly better

and she was perfect.

I don't think so.

Does anyone else

struggle to live out

this sense of call

that God has on us?

Am I the only one?

You see,

sometimes,

you know,

when you listen to talks

which inspire you

and you're like,

okay,

I'm really going to do that.

And then by lunchtime,

it's kind of,

you just got distracted

and you're back thinking

about being in the palace.

And yet,

Mordecai

comes and says,

if you keep silent,

deliverance will come

from somewhere else

but you and your family

will perish.

Just think,

how many times

have I kept silent?

How many times,

how many people

have I actually kept silent

when God had called me

to reach out to them?

I mean,

it's countless people.

How many times

have we hoarded

our blessings

for ourselves?

How many times

have we stolen

the blessings

that God meant

for other people

and just tried

to keep them?

And yet,

God is a king

who also has a law.

He's not like

the other king.

But he has a law

which says thieves

of his blessings

should be judged.

And the judgment

of death

that was upon

all of the Jews,

actually,

he says,

that's what every single

one of us is under.

There's a real reason

why sometimes

we feel guilty

and condemned.

Because when you break

God's holy law,

there is judgment.

But Micah 7

continues like this.

Rejoice not over me,

O my enemy.

When I fall,

I shall rise.

When I sit in darkness,

the Lord will be

a light to me.

I will bear

the indignation

of the Lord

because I have

sinned against him

until he pleads

my cause

and executes

judgment for me.

He will bring me

out to the light.

I shall look upon

his vindication.

God is a holy king

not like King Xerxes.

He's not impetuous.

He's not easily angered

like Xerxes.

But before him,

none of us

can enter in

to that inner room

of the throne room

of his presence.

We are shut out

like Mordecai

and no amount

of tearing our clothes

or religious duty

can ever get you

into the palace.

We bear the indignation,

the righteous anger

that God has.

The sentence is passed.

Our only hope

is if there is one person

who has access

to the king,

who can plead

our cause before him.

We don't need

Esther to save us.

We don't need

a human being

who is flawed

to save us.

We need a greater Esther.

Esther was tempted

in many ways

and sinned.

Hebrews tells us

Jesus was tempted

in every way

yet was without sin.

Esther stayed

in the palace

and brought deliverance

from there.

Jesus left

the palace

of heaven

and came down

to where we were

and brought deliverance

for us

because God the king

desired relationship

with us that much.

Esther risked

her life

and said

if I perish

I perish

and yet she lived.

Jesus risked

his life

and said

if I perish

I perish

and he died.

God's righteous

judgment

has been executed

but not on us

but on him.

There's no condemnation

now

which means

we have a mediator

an advocate

a representative

constantly

before the throne

of God

who intercedes

for us

who's got your name

written on his heart

which is why

God can call

an unworthy person

like you

and me

and say

when I fall

I shall rise

because like the hymn

says

when Satan

tempts me

to despair

tells me

of the guilt

within

upward

I look

and see him

there

who made

an end

of all my sin

because

the sinless

savior died

my sinful soul

is counted free

for God the just

is satisfied

to look on him

and pardon me.

you know you can

spend millions

on getting a good

lawyer to try

and defend you

God spent his

only son

spent his only

son's life

on a cross

that we might

have Jesus

the best lawyer

in the universe

pleading for us

in heaven's courts

and do you know

what

Jesus wins

every single case

so we can

enter in

and see the

golden scepter

of God's

approval

you can come

into the

throne room

of grace

this is the

gospel

this is what

it says

in Hebrews

let us then

draw near

with confidence

to the throne

of grace

not a throne

like Xerxes throne

but a throne

where God is

longing to bring

grace to you

regardless of

what you have

done

that we may

find mercy

and grace

to help

in time of

need

in time of

need

even with the

calling that

God has placed

on us

because we

cannot do it

by ourselves

and if you

see that you

have Jesus

what happens

is this

if your vision

gets captured

by who he

is

the reason

we stay

living for our

palaces

our tiny

little puny

palaces

is because

they capture

our hearts

but ultimately

the palaces

of the world

of our career

of our job

of our reputation

they're fragile

if you want a

bigger flat

you get the

bigger flat

suddenly it

feels like

it's not big

enough

you get a

job

you want a

job

you get the

job

then soon

afterwards

it's like

you want

another job

and whatever

it is

in our

palace

it never

is enough

but if

you realize

that you

can enter

into the

palace

of the

king

of the

whole

universe

and you

have

relationship

with him

and it

will never

be taken

away

because that

scepter is

always coming

down saying

approved

that means

we confidently

enter him

and I can

risk my

own

little palace

because I

have a

greater one

Esther

faced with a

choice

to give up

the palace

to give up

her entire

life

to save

the people

or to hold

on to the

palace

and give up

her entire

people

and she

chooses the

greater calling

Jesus said

if anyone

would come

after me

let him

deny himself

take up his

cross and

follow me

whoever seeks

to save

his life

will lose

it

whoever loses

his life

for my

sake

will find

it

he's saying

there's a

greater palace

so that

means for us

you can take

a risk

to reach out

to those

in your

office

that maybe

are not

like you

that you

feel scared

to reach

out to

to go

and talk

to that

person

who you

may have

like no

idea what

to say

to them

to invite

a student

a single

or someone

else from

a different

background

into your

flat

even though

it seems

scary to

you

to join

sons and

daughters

of young

lives

to reach

out to

risk

whatever it

is that

God calls

us to

and if

I perish

I perish

if I'm

embarrassed

I'm

embarrassed

if it's

awkward

it's

awkward

if it

doesn't

work out

it doesn't

work out

if

people

laugh

at me

they

laugh

at me

and that's

okay

because the

palace of

my puny

reputation

and my

comfort

is nothing

compared to

the palace

that Jesus

has guide

and is

reigning

and is

interceding

for us

that we

may enter

into

that's

what this

series is

all about

the whole

of the

Old

Testament

is

trying to

give you

a glimpse

of a

vision

that a

saviour

Jesus

Christ

is

coming

it's

pointing

us

to the

only

righteous

one

who

can

make

us

righteous

it's

pointing

to the

one

like

Jacob

who

is

willing

to

wrestle

with

us

and be

defeated

so we

may

get

blessing

he's

the

one

who

shows

his

power

in

weakness

like

Gideon

he's

the

one

who

we

come

to

with

nothing

in

our

hands

like

Naaman

he's

the

one

who

welcomes

enemies

to

his

table

like

Mephibosheth

and he's

the

one

who

pleads

for

us

like

Esther

this

is

Jesus

Christ

that's

why

we

worship

him

from

the

beginning

of

the

Bible

to

the

end

it's

all

about

him

Folk

át

he

through