ESTHER - An Introduction To Esther // One Church Podcast, 24th April 2023

We Are One church. We love God love.

People love his mission and love his church.

Welcome to the one Church podcast.

Hello, my name is Alice. It's Monday.

The 24th of April and this is the one Church podcast.

It says, in 2 Thessalonians chapter 3 verses 3 to 5, but the

2 Thessalonians 3:3–5

Lord is faithful. He will strengthen you and guard

you from the evil one and we are confident in the Lord that you

are doing and will continue to do the things.

We commanded, you may the Lord lead your hearts into a full

understanding and expression of the love of God.

God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.

We are believing over you that the faithful Lord will

strengthen you and guard you from the evil one that as you

continue to do the things that we have been commanded by God to

do that. God would lead you into full

understanding of his love for you and an expression of that

love as well. This week, we're starting a new

teaching series across the whole of one Church looking at the

Book of Esther. Here's Tom, who spoke to every

site yesterday bringing as a brilliant.

Message, hello, everybody is Tom here.

It's a privilege to be able to speak to you all today.

In January, Pastor David, took us to Ephesians chapter 4 in the

Ephesians 4 · chapter mention

Bible, and unpacked a little bit of what that meant and what we

believe as a church. We should be doing over the

first half of this year alongside Renovations, and

exciting Journeys for all people in different sites and all that

God is doing. Here is what God spoke to us at

the beginning of the year. So Christ himself gave the

apostles, the prophets, the evangelists the pastors and

teachers to equip his people for works of service, so that the

body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the

faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God, and more and

become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of

Christ. So, through our teaching on

Sundays. And in life groups with our

children, our young people we've shaped themes of teaching around

each of these gifts that God has given the church.

So, in January Pastor, David talked to us as an apostle.

He bought us a message about being a Pioneer people, which

led into that month of teaching. We have been equipped in

February. Josh Smith who carries an

anointing as an evangelist. He began our series on

introducing Jesus leading us into A new knowledge of Jesus

and the call to introduce him to the world.

We've been stirred in our faith and knowledge of the son of God.

Pastor Susan, who has a deeply pastoral heart took us into a

month of para clayss, as we were given tools to bring care and

comfort to one another with the care and comfort.

We first received from God, we've been built up and we're

walking in a deeper Unity together and now having been

equipped by the Apostle the Evangelist and the pasta.

It's time to let the gift of the teacher loose.

And throughout this series, coming up, we trust that you

watch, you receive, you learn skills that are going to help

you dig deeper into the Bible for yourself.

This is not just a time where you will be taught.

It's a time where you will learn how to dig deep, how to study

and how to get so much richness from God's word and to just

begin to scratch the surface of What Lies Beneath when we choose

to dig a bit deeper and may this happen.

So that we would all grow in maturity together.

We believe in the power of the Bible, we believe that God still

speaks through his living word. Today, we believe that the Bible

is the inspired word of God. The infallible all-sufficient

rule for Faith and practice. So if this word this Bible that

many of us keep on our shelves, or on our phones, If this word

really is inspired if it's infallible and if it's all

sufficient for every part of our Lives, then we should long to

dig deeper into it and there is always more to dig into when it

comes to the Bible. But are we truly longing for

clamoring for Desiring more from God.

Do we really long to dig deeper into this Living Word?

When I think back over the last year or so, and think about

something that people around our country have longed for

something. Does spring to mind, you might

be aware that there's a drink that's been released in the last

year is called Prime. If you've never heard that,

that's absolutely fine. But many of you will have done,

it's a hydration. Drink that's been endorsed by to

internet personalities but imagine Powerade or lucozade

sport, but with a bit of coconut water and a whole lot of hype,

that's basically what prime is The longing, the clamor the

desire to get a bottle of this. Drink has been so strong that

it's LED people to unprecedented tactics.

People have been hunting for stock hunting in warehouses

tracking shipments communicating with one another online, when

something arrives in a shop. And then rushing there have been

mad rushes in our body. And in our stir, people have

paid thousands of pounds for crates of this drink and up to

100 pounds per bottle. Or oh, Cam people are still

reselling it in Leicester for at least 10 pounds of bottle and

much more online and as the cells out instantly as soon as

it goes on the shelves, and I know this because every time

I've been in ASDA, since this drink was released, I've gone to

the shelf and I've checked and sadly, no Prime for Tom We

should come at our study of the Bible with this same longing.

This clamoring, this Desiring to get our hands on something

great. We should be clamoring far more

than the prime seeking kids and adults around our country.

The difference between a drink that we talk about here and the

Living Word of God, the stock is not scarce.

In fact, all of us with a smart device can download the Bible,

and if you do not have a physical Bible and would like to

hold on and read it yourself, and you don't have one, please

ask. We will get you a Bible and we

will find a way to get one in your hands because within this

pages that we should be longing for clamoring for Desiring to go

deeper into we discover, who God is Who We Are.

Our and we encounter his big story for the whole world.

So when we study the Bible, what are some things to bear in mind

when we teach the Bible? What are some things that we

should be aware of? Well this is not just a book,

The Bible isn't just something with a beginning a middle and an

end. Every part of the Bible is

unique. Every book has a different

function, a different style, every page contains something

different When we hear read and discuss the Bible, we could be

helped by some simple W starting questions.

And those questions are what who, where when and why.

So what what kind of text is it? What does it mean?

Who, who wrote it? Who was the original recipient

of it? Where, where was it, written?

Where was it sent to when? When was it written, when was

it? Meant to be read?

When is it positioned in history and why, why is it in the Bible?

Why is it important and why does it change us today?

The the, what, the, who, the, where the, when and the why?

And if it times in your life and perhaps even now you sometimes

just feel you have the time and the energy to read a simple

passage and ask. The how does this apply to my

life? That's absolutely fine.

And God is gracious and he speaks to To us through his word

even in that kind of Simplicity. But let's long for something

more than just a me centered reading of the Bible.

Let's long to really encounter God to find this inspired word

inspiring us, but not just that inspiring our love our Grace,

towards others. The way we see, who God is the

way we see who we are and so much more.

So we're gonna dig deeper together.

Now, let's put that into practice.

Let's ask some of those questions.

Let's give each of us some tools because we're about to begin

studying and digging deep into the Book of Esther.

You gotta go. The Book of Esther.

What is it? Esther is a book of the Bible.

It's a book of the Bible that's found in the Old Testament.

It's ten chapters long. It doesn't take a long time to

read the chapters are relatively short.

It is one of the historical books of the Bible.

If the Bible is like a library with different books, in

different categories, while this is the last book of the

historical books, or the writings just after the law just

before the, poetry books of the The Old Testament, but this book

was not just written to be history.

Anyone who has read the book of Esther will know, it's written

written to be a story. It's a historic novel, historic

a novella it's an amazing story. It Bridges, this gap between

history, and poetry, that's a bit of the what.

But what about the who, well, who wrote the Book of Esther?

Well, of course, all scripture is inspired by God.

Aunt. But we believed that real

people, sat and wrote or dictated the Bible, it was not

just I hold my hand in the Holy Spirit, guides it, but there's

personality in this book, there's perspective in this

book, it comes to life when we realize that people like you and

I wrote this book inspired by God, but Esther, the author is

not clearly indicated. Some believe, it was Mordecai.

Who wrote it? Some believe.

Esther and Mordecai, penned this story and it was passed on some

believe that people took this orally told story and then

transcribed it and wrote it down but some things we're pretty

certain on. This was a book written by

someone who was Jewish. It was written by someone who

had a personal connection to the events that took place and

likely someone that lived in and amongst the Jewish Community who

are in Exile and it was also intended to be read by other

Jews. Yes.

But of course anyone was welcome to read it too.

But what about the where this book was written in a real place

at a real time and that place was the city of Sousa.

Sousa was one of the capitals of the Persian Empire and at this

time the Jewish people were in Exile.

They've been taken from their land and taken to Babylon and

Sousa and different parts of the Persian Empire.

This is the place where Nehemiah lived, this is a place mentioned

in the Book of Daniel, and this is the place where Esther and

Mordecai lived. And where the events of the Book

of Esther take place, Souza is now known as shushan or

shortened. It's now known as shoosh in Iran

and in Modern Day Iran, if you want to go and explain about how

all of the Book of Esther foreshadows the coming of Jesus,

then perhaps, you two would be asked to shush because Iran is a

very different place. Yes.

What about the When It's always important to consider when

something was written this story takes place, most believe

between 486 and 465. BC, and the history is

important. But remember the stories more

important to the people telling it, it takes place in the midst

of Ezra and Nehemiah returning from Exile.

Because as they went back and rebuilt, the temple in Jerusalem

and rebuild the walls and the gates.

There were many who remained in Exile in Other parts of the

Persian Empire and at the height of their Persian Empires power.

Is when this story is set soon. After this, the Greeks took over

soon, after that, the Romans took over.

And of course, we know the Romans were in power, when Jesus

was born, But what about why, why was this book?

Even written in the first place? One thing's for sure when it was

written the people writing, it didn't think one day this will

be in the Canon of scripture. They would have no concept of

that. They wouldn't be able to

comprehend that this story would go to the ends of the Earth and

inspire people even to this day, this book was written, so that

people would be reminded of God's faithfulness.

It was written to preserve this amazing story for generations to

come and it's a story that can clearly speak to us today.

Now, in the Book of Esther, there are many characters.

So it'd be good to get to know a few of the people that we're

going to hear about in the coming weeks in each of the next

four weeks. We're going to tackle either two

or three chapters of Esther, and we're going to learn this

amazing story together. Who are the main characters?

Well, right at the start of the book, we meet Queen vashti now,

Queen vashti. Her name means beautiful or the

best. She was the wife of King, Xerxes

also known as king. A Has to Aris and an interesting

fact about Queen vashti. She chose to turn down the

King's request to come and be paraded in front of his buddies

and I guess no one could really stand against that or disagree

with her, but some believe the reason she did that is because

at the time she was pregnant. But anyway, LED some big changes

that you'll hear about soon. Next, we meet King Xerxes.

The first a has to Aris a word that means Chief, and he really

was the chief But not the kind of chief that we would imagine.

Nowadays not just in charge, but a brutal ruler in Persia.

There's a tale of when he built some bridges, trying to bridge a

straight over some raging water. And these two Bridges were

knocked down by the tide and by storms and his response was to

furiously whip the C300 X brandish it with a hot iron and

get all his soldiers to shout at it.

This is the kind of man, the King Xerxes, the first Was.

We also meet Heyman. It's funny that haman's name.

Actually, is comes from the verb.

Amen. Which means to affirm or support

and I'm sure all of us have heard that word.

Amen. Many times the good news in

haman's life, is that? God has the final, amen.

But we'll come to that. Another day Haman was made

second-in-command in the town of Souza in the city of Souza

Isaac's, he's the first and he was a descendant of the

amalekites the amalekites and the Israelites.

Historically, they do not get on and maybe now we realize why he

had such a hatred towards the Jewish people.

This was not just simply his thoughts.

This had been passed from generation to generation to

generation a hatred of the Jews. We also meet Mordecai, one of

our heroes in the story. Now Mordecai's name means a

follower of Marduk that's a Persian God, his name and his

identity was so wrapped up in that place of sin Souza in

Persia that, that's the name we know him by.

And yet still he was a leader amongst the Jewish people and

Mordecai is not just mentioned in the bible.

He's mentioned in Persian history, some clay tablets that

were dug up from the ground in the early 1900s.

They ran from the site near where susur's located, they talk

about an official cord mardukas, an official who served in

shushan. This is a person around whom the

whole story of Esther pivots. And this is a man who is

recorded, not just in the Bible, but in real Persian history and

finally, we meet our other hero. Esther Esters, also known as

Hadassah, but the named Esther means star and throughout Her

life. We come to see that she truly

did in her own way shine like a star in the universe.

Esther was an orphan, her mother and father were dead and her

cousin Mordecai looked after her took her in and raised her.

And Esther, you'll hear a lot about her over these coming for

weeks. But after a life of Oppression

and Exile, 12 months of pampering and preparation having

been in a place of immense privilege as Queen, she was

still willing to risk her life for the sake of her people.

So with these 5 characters, and many more, we will go on a

journey through this great story that we find in the Book of

Esther. And it's an exciting Story, and

there's always more to dig deeper into and discover.

So if you'd never heard it, that's absolutely fine.

We're on the same page. It's time to get your Bible

open. Find where Esther is and begin

reading. And if you've heard it before,

don't assume you know, everything this week read

chapters one and two. Because next week we're going to

talk about that together. On Sunday.

Now, as we tackle this book like any book in the Bible it's good

to be equipped with certain bits of knowledge and certain tools

to help us dig deep. Here are four simple things that

are going to help us. As we tackle, the Book of

Esther. First of all, in this book will

notice there's no God, there's no mention of the name of God at

any point, is the only book in the Bible that does this.

This has led many to change the text, to add Garden in different

ways, or to disregard it from the Canon of scripture, however,

God being absent. Just on that first layer of us

seeing it. And seeing the words is

important, because it means we have to dig a little deeper.

And when we do, what do we find? God's fingerprints are all.

Over this book and just like in life, sometimes we have to dig a

Little Deeper to see what God is doing and see where he is.

So there's no god, mentioned in the Book of Esther and that's

important to know. The second thing that's

important to know, is this is a book all about God's Providence

throughout esta. We see that God out works his

purposes. His plans, he keeps his

promises. He is never altered.

He's never sidelined. He's never hindered and a word

for this. That God sustains and keeps all

things going. Is always in control and holds

all things in his hands. A word for that is Providence.

He's a Provident God and God's Providence changes everything.

For all of us, when we become aware of God's Providence, it

changes the way we see our lives, the way we see the world,

certainly the way we see the Book of Esther, but can change

everything right now here. And now in our lives today, if

we were aware of all that God does in every moment to sustain

and in his Providence, keep all things together.

Either I think we'd be blown away.

Sometimes it's easier just to assume that the world Ticks by

on its own, but God is Provident he holds all things together and

he is never out of control. The third thing to be aware of

in Esther is this is not a book where we have morals as the

focus. This is not a book where anyone

says that we should be more like the characters in it.

We should do the things they do and approach things in the way

they approach them. In fact?

Remember this is a people in Exile, a people have turned

their backs on God and in the middle of it, the immorality,

the questionable decisions, the relationship strange moments.

And in the midst of all of All of this, it becomes a backdrop

to show God's incredible faithfulness, because despite

Exile absence and moral compromise, God has not

abandoned his people. So don't get too hung up on the

morals in the Book of Esther because they're just the

backdrop that show us how faithful God really is.

And finally the fourth thing to be aware of is this whole book

is an ironic reversal where we go from one point to the middle

an event. Buttons and everything is

reversed. It's a brilliantly written book.

In this book, we have the greatness of a king, the

elevation of a ma'am, a decree to kill the Jews, a plan to

reverse it and a banquet Throne. There's a moment in the middle

and then the complete reversal of it.

Another banquet thrown another part of the plan to reverse a

decree to save the Jews, another man elevated.

And finally another person called great other than the king

we have this perfect Journey A perfect mirror.

This wonderful reversal and these patterns and structures.

They help us appreciate the Bible for what it is.

It's an amazing literary work, but also it leaves us in order

of God and all that he has done. So, remember those four things,

the absence of God, in the words of Esther God's Providence, we

see throughout the fact that it's not a book where we focus

too much on the morals and also it's a book that is all about

reversal ironic reversal. Let's keep asking, who?

What, when, where and why? And let's enjoy this digging

deep journey together. I cannot wait to see what God

says to all of us through this book of Esther.

But today, I felt God, tell me to finish by looking at what the

Jewish Festival of Purim says, to us today.

This festival and that word, poor means lots and the moment

that Haman cast, lots to decide the date on which the decree

that meant, that the Jews were going to be annihilated, was

going to come in to pass. He cast lots to decide this

date. And so now, what the Jewish

people do? They celebrate in many ways?

They wear masks, they share food.

They give to the poor. Then there's a reading of the

whole of the Book of Esther. Every time the word Haman is

Mentioned people make noise, they have those, they're called

gragas, but we like know him. As those little things you do at

football matches, they make noise, they boo and they hissed

to drown out his name. Whenever it's mentioned these

Traditions, they go with the story that's told every time

Puri, man comes around. But for me, when I think of that

Festival of Purim when I think of the Book of Esther when I

think of the idea of casting lots, and someone's fate being

decided, I'm only lead to one place.

It's a place that many Jewish people have, not yet had a

revelation and been led to. It's a place that many of them

have actually, I'm drawn to the fate of a man, who was a Jew?

Who lived on this Earth. I'm drawn again to focus on the

man who is Jesus because after the Book of Esther was written,

nearly 500 years later, in the midst of the great Silence from

Heaven as people waited with bated breath.

Jesus was born And when I think of Esther, I think of Jesus, she

was a person of great Beauty now he had no beauty or Majesty to

attract others to him naturally, yet he amassed followers and

crowds wherever he went. He was attractive in every sense

of the word, when I think of Haman.

I'm reminded of how different Jesus is Haman, plotted to kill

Mordecai, and many plotted to kill Jesus, too.

A wooden instrument of death was built for Mordecai and a wooden

instrument of death was built for Jesus to.

But unlike Mordecai, Jesus, gave his life, voluntarily freely, to

be killed in the place of Sinners, Like, Heyman and

Sinners. Like Me When I think of

Mordecai, I think of Jesus, too. Mordecai took in an orphan.

He stood up for his people and he was exalted in the end.

Jesus is the lover of the orphan, the Widow, the outcasts,

and the lowly, he stands as an advocate for all people and now

is the Risen and exalted King of Kings.

When I think of Esther, I again, think of Jesus, she approached

the Throne of the king asking for a change in the destiny of

her people. Jesus approaches the Throne of

Father and takes his place. Not just as the exalted King, he

takes his place as the lamb. That was slain, he takes a place

on The Mercy Seat. He doesn't wait for an extended

scepter of gold, but instead, he sheds his own blood.

Only Jesus could have done this when I think of the Festival of

purine, and when I think of This Book of Esther, when I think of

Haman, casting lots, I remember Jesus.

As he hung on the cross, And Roman soldiers, threw Dice and

cast. Lots for his garments.

I remember Jesus who was mocked Jesus, who was crucified and

Jesus who was ridiculed yet. It was not by chance, just like,

in the Book of Esther, dig a Little Deeper, you'll see God's

Providence through all of it. When Jesus died, many couldn't

see God either, they couldn't see where God was like, when we

look at the Book of Esther, but he was still working behind the

scenes, many people. They couldn't see God's plans or

purposes in fruition because he was dead but still God's

Providence was never put aside, even in death morality, it

seemed to fly on that night. As disciples dispersed, they

denied him. They ran scared.

And yet, just like, in Esther morality immorality, becomes the

backdrop for a display of God's amazing faithfulness.

And if Esther is a book of ironic reversal where events are

mirrored, then the greatest ironic reversal of all is what

happened there, at the end of Jesus life, he died on a cross

and we look to that cross. But also we look to an empty

grave. Where Satan thought victory was

his but instead Jesus, rose, Victorious, and reversed.

Everything, death has been swallowed up in Victory.

The greatest ironic reversal, that's Ever been known and

displayed is Jesus. As he conquered death, they

tried to kill him. He rose Victorious.

And now we should be dead, but we can be alive, we should be

lost, but we can be found. We should be abandoned yet.

We've been reconciled all because of what Jesus has done

there in the middle of the story.

And fullness of eternal life is ours to Forever inherit because

of Jesus. And when we dig deeper into this

word, we realize that this is far more than a collection of

quotes. This book tells the big story of

God and his people. It tells us more of who God is

it helps us. It empowers us.

It strengthens us and more than anything it points us towards

Jesus. The one for whom and to whom all

glory belongs. If you want to respond today

than just take a moment and allow the Holy Spirit to

minister to your heart. Let's pray.

Father. God, we thank you, that you are

a Provident God. You're always at work, you hold

all things together and we trust you today, we thank you for the

Book of Esther. We thank you for the truths that

we find within its pages. And when we dig deeper, we,

thank you that your fingerprints are all over that book.

Lord, I pray today that each of us would be changed and

transformed by your Living Word. May we like Mordecai have a

greater Faith to hold on to hope in the midst of trial.

The midst of Exile in the midst of Oppression, and in the midst

of sadness, give us a faithful. I'm Mordecai.

Give us an inner beauty. Like Esther may, we too, like

stars shine in the universe. May, I'll eyes stand out.

Then we light up and like the world around us and your behalf

Lord. Would you give us a renewed

trust in your plans? Lord, I Thank you that you are.

Always have a plan. You never abandon your plans

then ever waylaid or put to the side and Lord may we just

instead. Choose to trust in your perfect

plans, may will be aware of your Providence.

Help us step back and see all that you do sustaining all

things and be amazed that that is the God.

We can know personally law. Would you make us bold like

Esther? We thank you for this amazing

hero in the Bible. This wonderful Queen.

We thank you so much for her boldness, to speak when no one

else could to stand where no one else was permitted to, and to

request. Something that risked her own

life makers. Bold like Esther was bold, Lord.

Reminders of your promises you given to your people and your

promises you've given to us. Well we know that you have never

abandoned us. Never let us down and you've

never forgotten your promises. Lord give us a love for your

precious word. They will be amazed and bowled

over daily by what you say to us through your Living Word.

Finally father, give us a deeper love for your son.

Give us a love for Jesus every day.

Maybe four more in love with him.

May we know him closer and may Our Lives be transformed by the

person. He is by what he has done and by

a personal relationship with him.

And may we know all these things.

So we may live our lives to the full and be all that you made as

to be for such a time as this in Jesus name.

Amen. Thank you Tom for a fantastic

message. Remember Church let's be reading

the book of Esther this week especially chapters 1 and 2 in

preparation for next Sunday. And now here are a few things

that are coming up in the life of one Church.

Here's your family news for this Thursday is our next newcomers

night for anybody wanting to make one Church their home, you

can come along, find out a bit more about what we do at one

church and how you can get involved.

It's at 7 p.m. At the one Center, please get in

touch if you'd like to book a place.

Coming up on Sunday night is our next encounter night.

It's happening at 7:00 at the one Center and it's going to be

a great time of worship and encounter and a chance to draw

closer to God together on Wednesday.

Last week, the Lester deaf Centre had the joy of receiving

a queen's award for their service to the deaf Community,

we rejoice and celebrate with them.

And finally we have weekends coming up in May and June for

children, youth and young adults.

So, please get in touch for more information.

We'd love to Have you joining us?

Thank you for joining us on the podcast today.

If you'd like to share this message with someone, it's also

available to watch on our YouTube channel, be blessed.

The Lord bless you and keep you the Lord.

Make his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you.

The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.

The Lord bless you and keep you the Lord.

Make his face shine upon you, and be gracious to you.

The Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.