Oct 22, 2023 Pastor Harlow Esther 5:1-15

E show TR e every for e well good morning church good morning guys it's good seeing you my name is Cody I'm the pastor here and it is good to be together in the house of the Lord amen hey and y'all are looking pretty good this morning I just want to tell you that couple of things before we get started if you are new if you could do me a huge favor and fill out a connection card there should be one in the chair that's in front of you just fill that out drop it in the offering plate that'd be huge and me being able to connect with you but also if you have prayer requests that's a great way for you to share those I take time every week to go over those pray through them and it's my honor and my privilege to do that for you as your pastor here now we've got a lot of different things coming up and really the bigest biggest one that's coming up is Trunk or Treat and we will have about 1,700 people come through our facility they will connect with our church and that means that we need hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of pounds of candy and so be praying about that I know that times are tight I know that it's really hard to spend 25 bucks on like you know some candy but you know what we have like I said we have tons of people that come through and we always have folks that week after that come and they check out our church and we will be very intentional about sharing the Gospel on that Sunday now also we have plenty of room for volunteers and so if you don't get a lot of trick-or-treaters at your house or maybe maybe you just live way out

In the country and you don't have much going on that night please sign up sign up to help we need help with setting up with greeting people making popcorn all that kind of stuff is going to be absolutely fantastic also the fifth Sunday of the month whenever those come up they come up about every three months we are faced with an administrative challenge especially my lovely wife she's handling all the scheduling for Kids Quest and we've got a couple of positions that are open next week to do some teaching and so we do have the check-ins covered but if you feel led to teach and we got background checks and all that kind of stuff done for you please let us know or let Amber know Amber you want to wave your hand just in case people don't know all right there she is by the way you look really good today babe you do just flirting with her so yeah woo hey we got also you're invited to the week here Thanksgiving dinner that's taking place on November 7th at 6 p.m. We've got you know like 150 kids down here every single day and only a couple of times a year do we get a chance as a church family to connect with them intentionally and this is one of those opportunities that you have to come and have a turkey dinner and just get to sit and connect with people and so if you would maybe pray about taking that time just to meet up with folks that maybe don't have a church home or maybe they don't have a personal saving relationship with Jesus Christ also if you have you know a turkey or something that you want to donate or cook and bring please contact Susie her number is in the bulletin and we got a ton of other things that are coming up and they're all found here in this bulletin and so be sure to take a look at that also a little note about membership classes I know some folks weren't

Able to make it this morning and so if you could make plans to come next week that's kind of the last opportunity that you have it's where you come being a part of the membership class doesn't make you a member but whenever you get to that point that you do want to become a member it makes it that much more quick we share testimonies we talk about the Baptist faith and message we talk about the Cooperative program we talk about the history and the vision of our church it's a great time and it's a good thing to participate in church I love you so much why don't you just take a moment find someone maybe around you that you haven't been able to say good morning to shake their hand say welcome to First Baptist Church good job e now say e good morning church it's good to see you all here this morning and it's good to be in the house of the Lord [Music] today think we've got a short video to start us off [Music] here when that shoe box is open they're Overjoyed you can see them shouting jumping look at how much they are excited this is the first time those children are receiving the shoe boxes they are so happy every box is important cuz every box is an opportunity to tell a child about God's love about his son Jesus Christ if you get the heart of the child you will reach the heart of the parents you will reach the heart of the family and then you will touch the community that gift box is the beginning in to their hearts is it incredible how these gifts touch the lives of these children every year we see tens of thousands of children disciples and we

Couldn't do this without you so thank you for packing the boxes thank you for praying for these children Around The World God bless you and keep back in those boxes well I don't know about you but to me Christmas is a dirty word before Thanksgiving but nonetheless it is time for Operation Christmas Child yeah woo Operation Christmas Child so we are collecting donations for shoe boxes even now I don't see the people in charge so you'll just have to talk to them later but we're it is it is the time of year to get into that because they collect the shoe boxes in early November so yeah please prayerfully consider how the Lord might use you in that Ministry reaching children across the world well it's the time of our service where we take a moment and ask the Lord to prepare our hearts and our minds for corporate worship so I'd invite you to Bow your heads and close your eyes if you got if you're sitting near your family or your community group pray with them but just ask the Lord to prepare your hearts and your minds for worship so Lord we pray that you would help us to cast off the distractions the sins that will that would hinder us today Lord if there are people here that we need to reconcile with I ask that you would lead us towards reconciliation Lord there are people here that are hurting that are lost that feel broken God I pray that today you would help us to find our rest in you Lord I pray that you would help us to Worship in spirit and in truth not focused on these worldly things not focused on how we feel about it or what songs we like or whether or not we

Like what the Scripture says today but Lord help us to focus on your greatness your love for your people it's in Jesus name we pray amen I'd invite you now to stand and join us as we sing All Creatures of our God and King [Music] All Creatures of our God and King lift up your voice and with us sing Oh Praise Him Hallelujah th burning Sun with golden be th Silver Moon with SLE Oh Praise Him Oh Praise Him hallelu [Music] Hallelujah let all things their creator bless and worship him in [Music] humbl oh praise him [Music] hallelu praise praise the father praise the and praise the spirit 3 in one oh Praise Him Oh Praise hallelujah [Music] hallelu [Music] hallelujah all the redeemed was by his BL come and rejoice in his great love Praise Him hallelu Christ has defeated every cast all your burdens down him Oh Praise Him Oh Praise Him hallelujah he shall return in power to R Heaven and Earth will join to oh great him hallelu then who shall fall on men and All Creatures Our God and King Oh Praise Him Oh Praise hallelu [Music] hallelu

[Music] hallelujah praise God from all blessings go praise him all creatur here below Oh Praise Him hallelujah praise Him above the Heavenly Host praise Father Son and Holy Ghost Oh Praise Him Oh Praise Him hallelu Hallelujah [Music] Hallelujah and he is worthy of our Praises amen today and every day he's worthy of our praises and by his very nature he is worthy and more than Worthy he is the Creator and we are the creation but in his worthiness he has dained to be a part of our lives he has reached down into our sin and distress and offered comfort and peace let's continue to worship by singing the solid [Music] rock My Hope Is buil nothing Jesus BL and I dare not trust the sweetest PR but holy Le on Jesus name on Christ the solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking s all other ground is ining s [Music] whens his face rest on his unchanging gra in every highest stormy Gale my anchor holds within the veil on Christ the solid rock I dead other ground is sinking sand all s oath his blood support me in theing FL when all around my soul gives way he then is All My Hope and stay on Christ the solid rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand all [Music] sinking when he shall come with trumpet sound oh may I then in him be found dress in his rightousness alone you stand Before the Throne on Christ the solid rock I stand all of the ground is

Sinking all other ground is [Music] ining on Christ the solid rock I Stand All is sinking sand all other ground is [Music] amen you all can be seated as our ushers come forward to prepare to take the offering let's pray you thank you for this day and this opportunity that we have to come together and worship and at this time we give back to you and help us to be aware of not just the monetary things that we can give back but our time and our giftings our talents things like that we can give help us to be aware of those and actually put those to use in Jesus name amen reading from Isaiah 45 veres 7- 25 I form light and create Darkness I make well-being and create Calamity I am the Lord who does all these things shower oh heavens from above and let the clouds rain down righteousness let the Earth open that salvation and righteousness May bear fruit let the Earth cause them to both cause them both to sprout I the Lord have created it woe to him who strives with him who formed him a pot among Earth and pots does the clay say to him who forms it what are you making or your work has no handles woe to him who says to a father what are you be getting or to a woman with what are you in Labor thus says the Lord the Holy One of Israel and the one who formed him ask me of things to come will you command me concerning my children and the work of my hands I made the Earth and created man on it was my hands that stretched out the heavens and I commanded all their host I have stirred him up in righteousness and I will make all his ways level he shall build my city and set my Exiles free not for Price or reward says the Lord of hosts thus says the Lord the wealth of Egypt and the merchandise of kush and the sabians men of stature shall come over to you and be yours they shall

Follow you they shall come over in Chains and bow down to you they will plead with you saying surely God is in you and there is no other no God besides him truly you are a God who hides himself oh God of Israel Savior all of them are put to shame and confounded the makers of Idols go in confusion together but Israel is saved by the Lord with Everlasting salvation you shall not be put to shame or confounded to all eternity for thus says the Lord who created the heavens he is God who formed the Earth and made it he established it he did not create it empty he formed it to be inhabited I am the Lord and there is no other I did not speak in secret in a Land of Darkness I did not say to the Offspring of Jacob seek me in vain I the Lord speak the truth I declare what is Right assemble yourselves and come draw near together you survivors of the Nations they have no knowledge who carry about their wooden idols and keep on praying to a God that cannot save declare and present your case let them take counsel together who told this long ago who declared it of old was it not I the Lord and there is no other God besides me a righteous God and a Savior there is none besides me turn to me and be saved all the ends of the Earth for I am God and there is no other by myself I have sworn from my mouth has gone out in righteousness a word that shall not return to me every knee shall bow every tongue shall swear Allegiance only in the Lord it shall be said of me are righteousness and strength to him shall come and be ashamed all who were incensed against him in the Lord All The Offspring of Israel shall be justified and shall Glory you may know from the past couple of weeks that it's Reformation month we celebrate at the end of the month the historic nailing of the 95 thesis on the door of vitberg Cathedral by Martin Luther and so as part of that we

Decided every week this month just to go over one of the five main t of the reformation and today we're talking about Sola FID which is the rallying cry behind the whole Reformation movement by Luther and all of his contemporaries all the other reformers Sola feay faith alone you see we talked last week about how our Salvation is In Christ Alone he is the only way by which we are saved his substitute tionary death on the cross but faith alone teaches us that the only way that we have access to that atonement is by faith there is no there is no work that you can do to earn the favor of God or the favor of Christ to earn his substitutionary sacrifice the only thing that is required is our faith how radical an idea is that now we talk about this every Sunday so it sometimes seems like Ah that's old hat you know who cares about that but this is phenomenal this should fill us with wonder that we who are still Sinners were sent a Savior in Christ that he should die the death that we deserve bear the punishment reserved for us offer us not only forgiveness but offer us eternal life with him and all that is required is Faith now too many times we Define faith as just coming forward on a Sunday morning and saying yeah I want to be I want to get out of hell free you know I want to get out of that faith is something that is not rooted in works but will show itself in works that's what the Book of James talks about at length in the first couple of chapters faith is something that should shape Our Lives faith alone is what brings us salvation and why we have to ask the question why would God choose this method why this why Faith why isn't it works that see that would make much more

Sense to us wouldn't it and the answer is the same answer to all the other wise that we ask as we talk about these things it is so Deo Gloria to the glory of God Alone he has chosen this method for his own glory and we get to be partners in rejoicing with him in that so I'd invite you now to stand as you're able and to join us as we continue to sing of the unmar favor that we've received in Christ through [Music] faith as morning Dawn and day awakes to you I bring my need oh gracious God my source of strength in you I live and Brea each is yours by wisdom each treed empow my sovereign hands renew my spirit help me stand be glorified [Music] today as day unfold I see SE your will in all of life Dem and the T tries me still I cl to your command let every effort of my life display the matchless worth of Christ make me a Living Sacrifice be glorified [Music] today gives to night your spirit still is here and my streng like the light new mercies [Music] will I rest in you abide with me until our trial and suffering give way toal Victory be glorified to I rest in you abide with me until our trial and

Suffering give way to final Victory be glorified [Music] today [Music] when I fear my faith will f Christ will hold fast when theil he will hold me fast I could never keep my hold through life's fearful path for my love is often cold he must hold me fast F he will hold me fast he will hold me fast for my Savior loves me so he will hold me [Music] fast those he saves are his is the Christ will hold me fast precious in His holy sight he will hold me fast he'll not let my soul be lost his promises shall last but by him at such a cost he will hold me fast he will hold me fast for my Savior loves me so he will hold me [Music] fast for my life he bless LED and died Christ will hold me fast justice has been satisfied he will hold me fast raised with him to endless life he will hold me fast till our faith is turned to sight when he comes at he will hold me fast he will hold me fast for my Savior loves me so he will hold me fast he will hold me fast he will hold me fast for my Savior loves me so he will hold me [Music] fast Lord we believe help our

Unbelief God I pray that you would make our make our faith apparent to us and Lord for those here that maybe don't believe God I we pray that today would be the day Lord that you would make yourself known to them that you would draw them unto you God I pray that you would help us to have faith when we feel alone that when we feel in like we're in darkness when we're hurting God remind us that something better is yet to come it's in Jesus name we pray amen well if you have your Bible and I hope that you do please turn with me to Esther chapter 6 Esther chapter 6 we're going to go through verses 1 through 13 a couple of things really quick is that we have had an extremely busy month over the last several really since August we've been working on putting together a Ministry investment plan for 2024 I like Ministry investment plan rather than budget budget budget can be secular it can be whatever and you just you know it's all very household is and everything but when we talk about Ministry and investing in it helps us to gain a I think a more God-honoring perspective on what we're doing with the funds that are entrusted to this church at each one of the entrances to our church body our church facility there are actually proposed Ministry investment plans on there and so you can you can take a look at that you can ask questions about it you can say hey why is this an increase why is this a decrease all those different things of anyone that's on that admin team or even on ministerial staff if you're on the admin team just kind of wave your hand around real quick properties Finance I know Cindy's over there if you're let's see here

Craig I know that you're on there too yeah you got but you we'll talk about that later he might point you to someone else but anyways we want to be transparent in all of our finances and things like that and so grab those as you guys know things are up about 10 15% from last year and so we want to make sure that we are keeping things balanced as best as we can and the way to do that is either bring in more or make Cuts that's really the only ways to do that and so just kind of bring make you guys aware of some of the Chang that you'll see we're taking a little bit of a step of faith in that in that budget preparation Ministry investment plan preparation but one of the things that kind of give gave us pause is at the end of our year really we see October November December we don't see giving go up like you see with a lot of places we actually see giving go down about a percent and last week it was kind of you know just regular Sunday and things were great we brought in $3,876 yeah and so you know just be praying about your giving you know we preach about about giving not you know hey you need to give your 10% but you know you need to give generously you need to give specifically prayerfully we talk about giving hilariously because God loves a cheerful giver and so just be praying about how the Lord might prompt you to give and kind of help us if you would pray about how we can finish our year stronger than we have in years past anyways if you got questions about the MIP let me know we will be presenting that plan on November 12th and maybe you are not a member here you are more than welcome to always come in and check out how things function in our business meetings you don't get a say you do get to observe you don't get

To speak out because it's it's for our members and so you can become a member though you can come to a new members class so there you go so we are starting this series God reigns God rules and because the story of Esther is about to come to a very rapid conclusion here it is pedal to the metal and there's all sorts of different thought all these different schemes that are being revealed and when we think of deliverance we often times think of Deliverance in the terms of God delivering his people in a pillar of fire or a pillar of smoke there by the Red Sea right you know he just you know puts a staff into the Red Sea and everything just opens up and it's miraculous and it's wonderful we might think of the Prophet Elijah standing there before the prophets of Baal you know this big war of the Gods and this Pillar of Fire coming down and taking out just licking up all of the offerings on the Altar and you might think of Deliverance coming in that way but we don't think of God doing Miracles through the mundane we don't think about that but that's often times how God works in our lives today we are going to look at seven tools that God used okay in this chapter to demonstrate his sovereignty and so if you would stand with me in honor of God's word as we read Esther 6: 1-13 God's word says this on that night the king could not sleep and he gave orders to bring the book of memorable Deeds the Chronicles that'll put you to sleep and they were read before the king and it was found written how Mori had told about Banna and terish two of the king's unit unic who guarded the threshold who had sought to lay hands on King hazus now remember laying hands on means kill right and the King said what honor or distinction has been bestowed on morai for this the king's young men who

Attended him said nothing has been done for him the king said well who's in the court now hmon had just entered the outer Court of the king's Palace to speak to the king about having morai hanged on The Gallows that he had prepared for him and the King's young men told him hmon is there standing in the court and the King said let him come in so hmon came in and the King said to him what should be done to the man whom the king Delights to honor hmon said to himself well who would the king Delight to honor more than me hmon said to the king for the man whom the king Delights to honor let Royal robes be brought which the King has worn and the horse that the King has ridden and on whose head a Royal Crown is set and let the robes and the horse be handed over to one of the king's most noble officials let them dress the man whom the king Delights to honor and let them lead him on the horse through the square of the city proclaiming before him thus shall it be done to the man whom the king Delights to honor then the king said to hmon hurry take the robes and the horse as you have said and do so to Mori the Jew who sits at the king's gate leave out nothing that you have mentioned that's awesome so hmon took the robes and the horse and he dressed Mori and led him through the square of the city proclaiming before him thus shall it be done to the man whom the king Delights to honor then morai returned to the king's gate but hmon hurried to his house mourning and with his head covered hmon told his wife zeresh and all his friends everything that had happened to him then his wise men and his wife zeresh said to him if Mori before whom you have become begun to fall is of the Jewish people excuse me sorry you will not overcome him but will surely fall before him let's pray and so Lord we do thank you for

Your word we thank you that we can chuckle and we can laugh that we can see your good work for people God help us to be intentional about laughing and chuckling about even our own situations in our own life knowing that you are The Sovereign God the one who has all control who has all the glory all the power all the wisdom all the honor and yet you hold us in your hands God thank you that we can entrust ourselves to you and that you have a great love for us and we pray that the Lord Jesus Christ would be lifted up today and that all of us would walk out of here with greater confidence in your word in the hope that you've given to us and in your sovereignty in Jesus name amen all y'all C coughing out there makes me want to cough so all right well last week we left off with hmon he was pretty pleased with himself wasn't he and he didn't ask his wife can I put this massive pole in front of our house you know she's the one that suggested it 75 foot tall pole and what he would do with that pole his plan was to impale Mori on that giant pole put it up for everyone to see where people around the city would see Mori dead up in the sky how appropriate for Halloween now Esther she's been praying she's been fasting she prepared A Feast for the king and for hmon and she is totally unaware of the fact that morai is in Mortal danger she has no clue about this plot she knows that hmon wants to destroy the Jewish people and she's heard about the decree from the King to go out and that towards the end of the year there would be this massive Slaughter of all the Jewish people in one day throughout the Empire and so she is totally focused on that coming disaster

But they have no clue her nor Mori know that Mori is in very grave Peril but none of that matters because you don't do know who does know it's the Lord the Lord knows everything and today we see a lot of the sovereignty of God and sovereignty is a topic that causes people to whisper in the sanctuary they whisper ungodly accusations asserting their free will to be counter to the sovereignty of God sovereignty of God is understood by this in the Holan Bible dictionary it's the Biblical teaching that God possesses all power and is the ruler of all things God rules and he works according to his eternal purpose even through events that seem to contradict or oppose his rule amen we don't have to be a afraid of the things that are happening in the world because God has it under control there is nothing there is not one molecule and all of creation that God doesn't declare mine we could we could look at another definition here the sovereignty of God is his absolute right to do all things according to his own good pleasure the fact is that the sovereignty and the rule of God is something to be celebrated that we as Believers have entrusted ourselves our souls all that we have all that we could ever ask all that we could ever hope to the most capable hands in the entire universe and outside of that Universe he is the Creator God the sovereignty of God is the pillow upon which the child of God rests his head at night giving perfect peace that is what Charles Spurgeon said God he uses the will of man to accomplish his purpose and we see that all throughout this passage here first thing that we're going to look at is how God used insomnia to change The Narrative of the story now many of you anybody ever struggle with sleeplessness you know

Insomnia you're up awake at night all right I don't mean that you're just scrolling on your phone okay I mean that you can't sleep we've all struggled with that we've all been there before the Scripture says that on that night the king he couldn't sleep and why is that well it's simple God wouldn't let him try as he might he would just toss and he would turn he even brought in the most boring thing that he could think of the book of Chronicles the entire course of this situation every everything hinged Upon This Moment all right when we think of like the Old Testament books of like major events major narrative climaxes in the Old Testament we might think of David facing down a giant or we might think of Moses at the burning bush or we could think about Daniel in the Lion's Den we can think about all of those different things we don't think about a sleepless night being the place where God would work the entire course of a situation changed because of sleeplessness and God he uses all of those choices all of those events all of those things to change the course of our lives and we don't even know it after after high school I decided to take off one year between high school and college because I thought you know my poppy I was very close to my poppy I lived with my poppy he's my grandpa in case you couldn't tell you know I spent every summer with him I'd go down visit them for Christmas I'd come to visit them for Easter I lived with them for most of you know after my parents divorce it was a year that I was with him very stable place then I spent most of my high school years with him it was it was a place I L to be and he got cancer and he was on hospice and if I left to go to colge col

Then I wouldn't be able to spend any time with them so I chose you know I'm not I'm not going to go I'm going to stay here and I'm going to be with my grandma I'm gonna be with my poppy and that decision led to me meeting Amber first day of classes first class of the day freshman year I never would have been in that class and met like literally God chose this woman for me right I mean I could not have picked a better spouse y'all probably couldn't have picked a better pastor's wife you know and so we look at that and we just see how God he uses our choices for our good for our benefit we can't see the outcomes of our decisions ahead of time don't we wish that we could but who knows what would have happened if the timing was different but that's not for us to speculate you know why because God he's already brought it to pass he's already decreed for it and perhaps you don't suffer from insomnia maybe you got a different ailment instead of viewing it as a curse or as a punishment maybe you should seek the hand of God in it Scott I'm G to tell on you tonight or today okay all right you good with that all right gave me a thumbs up I was having dinner with Scott and Christie and you guys know he's been on our prayer list he's he's fighting cancer right now and so he's we've been praying for him and he's he said I would not change my cancer diagnosis and I said why he's like man it's brought me closer to the Lord he's in a season of spiritual drought dryness and through this it's caused a reinvigorate seeking of the Lord God he did that amen and we'll keep on praying for you because we love you brother the second tool that God used is he used

A book he used a book to bring attention to an accidental oversight that God would use I mean think about how normal this is where are my readers at before bed you got that book beside your bed right I like to I like to read I am an Avid Reader and it could put me to sleep pretty quickly I want you to think about about the king though why on Earth would he pick a book to read think about his charactera character for a moment what does this guy do he drinks a lot he's got a whole Herm of women that he could call at any moment okay he could have a big old Feast he could eat some really rich food and get really sleepy but he picks a book why would he do that it goes totally against his character God put that thought there I mean he could bring Esther in he could bring any number of women in but he picks a boring book A book of memorable Deeds the Chronicles it's not something that makes for engaging Bedtime Stories and God used that book just so happened as Christians we don't believe in just so happen we don't believe in luck we don't believe in karma we God and God he may he used that book to bring attention to an accidental oversight and you know what God he might bring a book he might bring a sermon or he might use a friend or a coworker or a family member to reveal something that's going on in your own life that maybe you've been overlooking in your life as well it might not be fun to go through when you are made aware of certain situations or attitudes or sinful habits but God is faithful and his plan is to conform us into the image of his son and it just so happens as though God were orchestrating all of this that God he used this third tool he used an act of devotion from years before to deliver

Morai from destruction I mean back in chapter 2 verse 19 Mori he overhears this plot to assassinate the King by people that are guarding the king's threshold okay their whole job is to make sure that bad guys don't come in and yet these are the guys that are planning to kill the king and what is important is that morai he wasn't rewarded it was brought to the intention of officials investigated found out to be true these two guys were executed morai forgotten this is a terrible offense in the MEO Persian culture because if someone was trying to kill the emperor and someone always was you know it was very important to recognize them to publicly say thank you to publicly give them honor to publicly give them rewards so that way the next guy that maybe over here something they go hey that last guy he got riches he got Fame he got Prestige and if I bring this to attention then I might get the same thing but Mori was overlooked you can picture it can't you the night is long the king couldn't sleep and after tossing and turning he gets the most boring book that he can find he finds the Bueller voice he listens to the annals of history and he comes across this assassination plot involving two guards in his household in his household and then he hears morai wasn't awarded well what did we give him and nothing was the answer and so instead of calling morai and becoming bestowing riches or prestige on him like was the custom well this is a very serious offense this event happened years ago at point what should the king do to make up for such an egregious oversight and he hadn't a clue he didn't have any idea and so he asked well who's in the court where are my advisers here's something that you can

Apply to your life is that God he may use your faithfulness in relationships he may use that thankless job that thankless position to protect you like he did with morai here or he could even use it to move you into something better like we see with morai later on in the book we don't know but you know what we do know is that throughout the seasons whether you're you're recognized or you're overlooked we entrust ourselves to the Lord in the meantime because ultimately that's why we work ultimately that's why we serve and we do it to the best of our abilities not for the reward but for the glory of Jesus Christ and let's look at another tool that God used God used hammon's ambition for Destruction as a tool to humiliate him hmon arrived early and why is he there to ask for the king's permission to murder morai and why well morai he worked for the king for hmon he must have thought wow what good fortune it's it's against the rules for him to present himself to the king without being beckoned just like it was illegal for Esther to do so and so he walks in he's waiting not very long mind you he's there early in the morning and then the king calls for hmon my name you must think wow everything is just going so well for me God he may use selfish ambition to bring about destruction in your life too if you're not careful you know everyone dies no one is rich in the grave no one boasts of their accomplishments in their death every single one of us will bow before the Lord Of Glory either as children or as those despised and consigned to Hell one of my favorite hymns and we need to we need to sing this one time

I've referenced it so many times is Jesus I my cross have taken and the lyrics go Jesus I my cross have taken all to leave and follow thee destitute despised forsaken thou from hence you from now my all shall be perish every fond ambition all I've sought or hoped or known yet how rich is my condition God and Heaven are still my own God he loves it when we are not ambitious for our own Glory but he loves it when we are ambitious for his kingdom he loves it when we get excited about Ministry when we're excited about his word when we're excited about missions and evangelism and that's when we see God doing really cool things but when we start seeking our own wants our own needs our own Pleasures desires that's when God humiliates us and he reminds us of what we ought to be prioritizing and you might not really like that point but I don't really care the point is that God he used Hon's ambition against him and we better be careful or else God he can use it in your life as well and mine fifth Tool is that God he used Hon's Pride as punishment when the king asked for advice he left out a very critical piece of information who should the king honor and hmon he thought to himself he must be talking about me but you know what hmon he did the exact same thing to the king back in chapter 3 he left out a very important piece of information he didn't say that was the Jewish people that he wanted to destroy those are the people of Daniel Shadrach meac Abednego his own wife the king's own wife and look at what hmon thinks to himself whom would the king Delight to honor more than me what should be done for someone that the king is to honor well hmon he didn't need like things that would typically be given he didn't need more money he was giving

Money to the treasury hmon didn't need a better position in government because he already had the second only to the king and so he has to come up with something really big something really great because he already has everything that he could hope for and so he ask for Prestige he asked for the coolest thing that he could ever hope or wish for Karen jobes in her commentary she writes that there is some evidence from ancient historians that the Persian Royal robes as well as the king's bed and Throne were believed to have the power to impart the benefits of royalty in an almost magical way however even without the invocation of magic a man permitted to wear the king's robe would be vested with a certain dignity and prestige in the eyes of his peers because of the close Association to the king to put it in modern terms there would be nothing magical about the president of the United States allowing his personal jet Air Force One to transport one of his associates in effect elevating that person's power and prestige in the public eye you know this person ultimately they would be so identified with the King himself that he would be almost Associated as a friend or a son not just as a colleague or coworker and so you can almost hear haymon's heart swelling up really this desire for his request is driving him and God he may use your pride as punishment as well we've all seen the pictures or the videos of the racers who are in first place and they start celebrating before they cross the finish line and they stumble and then someone that just eeks past them and gets first place and beats them out in Proverbs 3: 33-35 it says that the Lord's curse is on the house of the wicked but He blesses the dwelling of the righteous toward the scorners he is scornful but to the humble he gives favor the wise will

Inherit honor but fools get disgrace let's look at the sixth tool that God used God used Hon's position to exalt Mori I mean look at this verse 10 is the gut punch to Hon's plants and I love it look at it then the king said to hmon hurry take the robes and the horse as you have said and so do to morai the Jew who sits at the king's gate leave out nothing that you've mentioned you're absolutely right hmon that's a great idea that's the best idea that you've ever come with you go and you do it to morai that's awesome love it this is just a great slap in the face hymon is he cannot ask to murder morai now there's no way that he can do that to act against morai would be to attack someone who is doubly loyal to the king and best of all the king he told hmon do it yourself because as you said get the most noble official to do it you're the most noble official you do it to bestow this honor and can you imagine Hon's face when mori's name is brought up ah that would have been great to see can you can you imagine being in mori's shoes standing at the king's gate Here Comes morai eyes on you think to yourself This is it I heard about that pull and all of a sudden he takes takes him and puts the king's own robe on him like is this even legal am I allowed to do this puts him on the horse am I allowed to do this puts a crown on his head this is weird it's just it's amazing final tool that God used was just normal circumstances totally normal circumstances to bring hmon to Great shame Mori goes back to work and hmon scurries off home with his head covered he's so humiliated he didn't even want to show his face and how quickly circumstances changed in just a matter of hours he went from thinking to

Himself look at me I've got all this money I got all these Sons I got all this position got all this Prestige nothing really matters unless Mori is dead I'm G to kill that guy and what does God do totally flips it around he's doubly humiliated it's just it's fun I like seeing that he went from boasting about everything to running home like a coward all because God used these very normal things all these normal everyday things to bring about his plan to deliver his people and he wasn't going to let one of them die not one of them would perish in this event and it's interesting all of a sudden haymon's wife and his advisers they all of a sudden become theologians I mean they're not idiots they see how God's all of a sudden change this trajectory they know it's all because of the God of the Jews it's the God of Abraham the God of Isaac the God of Jacob and once he gets involved the outcome is not in doubt and so we learn learn about all these different things and I pray and I pray that you would just see the goodness and the glory of God using and orchestrating all of these different things for the benefit of his people and for his own nam's sake I mean even zeresh and all of ammon's friends they recognize the fact if God is for the Jews who can be against the Jews of course we believe that's true in our own context if God is for us who can be against us Romans chapter 9: 19 it says who can resist his will that's a totally rhetorical question totally rhetorical is there anyone in their right mind that would stand up and say I can resist God you'd be mad we'd write you off as crazy look at what happened to hmon he was brought low and humbled not with Godly humility but with hateful

Humility I should say humiliation are you are you slow to believe the promises of our Sovereign God I mean hasn't Christ saved you hasn't he redeemed you but maybe you doubt his ability to provide for you or protect for or protect you our God he rules over all things remember the passage that brother Tom read right after the offertory prayer and all the things that God said and all the things that he declared and all the things that he has full control over didn't your heart swell with Glory knowing that this is the God that we serve didn't your heart swell at the greatness and the majesty and the wonderfulness of who God is Nebuchadnezzar in the years before the MEO Persian Empire he himself attested in Daniel 4 at the end of the days this is after he was made Crazy by the Lord okay at the end of the days I Nebuchadnezzar lifted my eyes to heaven and my reason returned to me and I blessed the most high and praised and honored him who lives forever for his Dominion is an everlasting dominion and his kingdom endures from generation to Generation all the inhabitants of the Earth are accounted as nothing he and he does according to his will among the hosts of heaven and among the inhabitants of the Earth and none can stay his hand or say to him what have you done do you think that things that happen in our world or even in your own life are outside of God's control do you think that God is just sitting on his throne just totally aloof or apathetic to the plight of humanity right now or do you believe that God is involved that God is orchestrating everything to accomplish his is purpose God is not a God of apathy he's not a Distant Force he's not this indifferent entity that's not my God and that's not the God of the

Bible our God is using everything to accomplish his good person purpose for our benefit and for his glory and yet God also uses our choices doesn't he didn't God use Queen vash's refusal of the com command of the king to bring Esther to the Forefront of the story didn't God use the king's will to pick Esther didn't God use Esther's stealing of her will in decision to help make Hon's plan fail didn't God use Hon's plan to bring about his own destruction let's not get caught up in the whole Free Will sovereignty thing but let's agree on this that God is Sovereign and he uses our decisions to accomplish his will What a Mighty righteous God that we serve he uses the righteous and he uses the sinner to accomplish his good will and no one can overcome our God no one can surprise him no one can redeem like our God can no one rules like our God Head heart hand head I want you to know that God rules and reigns from heaven and is bringing all things to a good conclusion for those who love him and are called according to his purposes God Rules From Heaven now he knows all the stuff that will happen from Ukraine to Israel to the speaker of the house to what's going to happen in our economy to Jeffrey Epstein's death God knows all that and he uses it all for a purpose heart I want you to believe that God works through the miraculous and the mundane but it's all under his control in this story we see a lot of the invisible hand of God and I know that's an oxymoron seeing the Invisible Hand but throughout our lives if we're intentional you know what we can see God's invisible hand in our own lives too moving and orchestrating events and happenings in our lives and wonderful

And often times surprising ways the hand I want you to entrust yourself to God's strong and capable hands in the situations that you're facing why is that because God he cares for you if you are indeed his child you are in the strongest hands and if you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ you are very exposed trust in him today place your faith and trust in Jesus Christ repent of your sins turn to him while salvation is still available to you because he will hold you fast let's pray and then we'll Worship the Lord together we love you God and we thank you for this day and we thank you for each person that's here thank you that you have given Christians a confident hope and Lord I pray for people that either think that they're Christians or they know that they're not Christians Lord I pray that they would be renewed today that they would stop being apathetic in their relationship with you but that you would just call them draw them do a great work in their lives Lord I pray for people to be saved I pray for people to be redeemed I pray for people to get that those those things settled in their own minds and in their own hearts Lord that they would not continue avoiding you but that they would run to you The God Who holds them help them to entrust themselves to you and for us as your people God help us to remain faithful despite despite the circumstances that we face or the events in our lives God we know that you have us so build up our hearts to trust you more in Jesus name amen let's stand and let's worship [Music] together when I fear my faith will fail Christ will hold me fast when the tempter would Prevail he will hold me fast I could never keep my hold through life's fearful

Path for my love is often cold he must hold me fast he will hold me fast for my Savior loves me so he will hold me fast those he saves are his Delight Christ will hold me fast precious in His holy sight he will hold me fast he'll not let my soul be lost his promises shall last but by him at s a cost he will hold me fast he will hold me fast for my Savior loves me so he will hold me fast [Music] for my life he bled and died Christ will hold me fast justice has been satisfied he will hold me fast raised with him to endless life he will hold me fast till our faith is turned to sight when he comes at last he will hold me fast he will hold me fast for my Savior loves me so he will hold me fast he will hold me fast for my Savior loves me so he will hold me [Music] fast let's pray together dear Lord you have promised that you are for your people Lord I pray that you would help us to Proclaim your Works to sing your praises to preach your word as we go from here Lord let us let us shine Your Glory into this dark and dying world it's in Jesus name