Sermon Recap: Week 5

SERMON RECAP: WEEK 5
PASTOR NATE & KATHY LEVERING

For such a time as this.

When was the moment you realized that God had you exactly where He wanted you? On Sunday morning, after I picked my children up from Promiseland, the Kids Ministry building, I had my crew literally walking out of the building when we stopped to say a quick "hello" to the parents of a prior high school student of mine. Now, if my husband is reading this, he would argue that there is in fact no "quick hello's" in my world. He's not wrong. These parents are graciously and tirelessly raising their grandson. After years of praying for peace in their tormented hearts, this is where God delivered them. As much as we hoped and prayed that choices would be different, this is exactly where God has them and we half-laughed through the pain, reciting "for such a time as this".

I waited to post this blog, hoping that our YouTube live would be something other than mostly blank and muted. We apologize for the technological glitches that we can't control. Grrr.

Pastor Nate Levering and his wife, Kathy, taught through the book of Esther. This Old Testament book is one of a kind. No where is God mentioned. Though He is alluded to through prayer and purpose, we don't hear His name. Early in this book, we see King Xerxes in all of his power and pride, banish Queen Vashti for not attending to him when he called. We see a king, governed by status and ego. We see the people bowing to him in fear and tradition. And we see a vacancy.

In chapter 2, we read that King Xerxes sends out a request for a new queen. Esther was brought in as one of the women: "She pleased him and won his favor. Immediately he provided her with her beauty treatments and special food. He assigned to her seven female attendants selected from the king’s palace and moved her and her attendants into the best place in the harem" (v. 9). Esther's background had not yet been revealed because her cousin, Mordecai, had her vow to keep it hidden. When she was taken to King Xerxes, she was more pleasing than any of the other women and he made her the queen.

As we read on, we learn that Mordecai saved the life of the king by uncovering a death plot against him. We then meet Haman, a royal official who was exalted above the others, craft an edict for the destruction of the jewish people. Mordecai and Esther begin communicating through an official attendant and when Mordecai heard of all that was happening, he said this to Esther:

"Do not think that because you are in the king’s house you alone of all the Jews will escape. For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?" (v. 13-14).

For such a time as this. 

Throughout the story, Haman's decree to kill the jewish people, becomes known, as does Mordecai's act of saving the king's life. In all of this, Esther has the trust of the king and stands up in her position both the queen and a Jew. We see redemption in place of destruction. We see the power of prayer and dependence on God fulfilled by promise and hope. We see purpose in Esther as queen, as a Jew and in this specific time of history.

So what else do we know?
God is on the move.
What do we do about that?  
Find out where God is working and join Him there.

I had the privilege of interviewing a long-time member of the Sierra Bible Church family, Candy Barry (watch here). Candy opens up about God inviting her into the bigger story of her lower story, one that we all have, right? We all walk through this life, enduring seasons or moments of pain, frustration, hurt, or deception to then see God in and through it all, offering hope and redemption and justice because He can. Because His love is that great. That promising. That alive! Esther, I believe, understood this too. She expected God, the one she prayed to and fasted for, to show up- whether in this life or after, she was willing because she knew He was there.
Amen.