Esther 3:1-6 “BOW TO NONE BUT GOD”

Esther 3:1-6 “BOW TO NONE BUT GOD”

Ester, Nehemiah and Ezra are the last of the books of history, and they cover the period of restoration.  The last of these books ester, is centered Persia.  While Ezra and Nehemiah give us a look at what is happening in Jerusalem, back in Persia events are happening that deeply affect them.  Most of the time we focus on Ester, but today I want to focus on her uncle Mordecai.

1. MORDECAI WOULD NOT BOW DOWN

            A. IS IT RESPECT OR WORSHIP?
            B. THE ROYAL OFFICALS STIR UP THE TROUBLE
            C. DANIEL, SHADRACH, MESHACH, AND ABEDNGEO
                        A. WORSHIP THE IDOL
                        B. STOP PRAYING TO GOD
            D. PETER AND JOHN HEALING AND TALKING ABOUT JESUS
            E. REVELATION 6:9-11
            F. REVELATION 13:15-17

2. NO BIG THING

            A. BEND A KNEE, BOW YOUR HEAD IT MEANS NOTHING
            B. PRETEND TO WORSHIP, HIDE YOUR PRAYERS, DON’T TALK ABOUT JESUS
            C. GET THE TAT AND GET TO EAT
            D. GO ALONG IT MEANS NOTHING
            E. IT’S JUST A SMALL LIE AND EVERY ONE DOES IT
            F. GET THE NEW TOY, OR TAKE THE VACATION AND FORGET YOUR TITHE
            G. MORDECAI AND HAMAN KNEW BETTER

3. WHAT HAPPENS

            A. PEOPLE BECOME CONVICTED OF THEIR SIN
            B. HAMAN IT’S PRIDE
            C. GREED, LUST, DECEPTION, THEFT, GOSSIP.
            D. “I FELT JUDGED BECAUSE THEY WANTED TO LEAVE US”
            E. TO STAND UP AND SAY NO, IS TO CONDEMN
            F. TO NOT GO ALONG BRINGS JUDGMENT, GUILT
            G. JOHN 16:5-11

Conclusion: our church took a stand, this is what the bible teaches and we will follow it.  taking that stand cost us in more ways than one.  each and every day we are called to stand for Jesus, often we do not even see it.  Often we fail to stand up as we should.  Yet when we do stand up for our faith, we have a great effect on our world.  Some people will not like it but in the end god will use your uncompromised faith to change someone’s heart, and eternity.

Nehemiah 13:14

Nehemiah 13:14

Nehemiah was not only the one who guided the rebuilding of the wall and the temple.  Nehemiah was also a reformer of the spiritual life of Israel.  None of these reforms were popular but he did them.  As he recounts them, he prays that what he has done has honored God and will be remembered.  He prays that God will also remember those who have not faithfully served God.  This week will be an important week in the life of our Church.  A day of reform that may cost us, and yet like it was for Nehemiah, it is something that must be done.

1. THE NEED FOR REFORM

            A. ALLOWED AMMONITE AND MOABITES IN THE TEMPLE AND THEIR LIVES.

            B. CHIEF PREIST GAVE TOBIAH AN APARTMENT IN THE TEMPLE.

            C. THE LEVITES AND MUSICIANS LEFT THE TEMPLE TO WORK FIELDS TO SURVIVE.

            D. THEY WORKED ON THE SABBATH

            E. THE MEN TOOK WIVES FROM ASHDOD, AMMON, AND MOAB (WHO DID NOT FOLLOW GOD BUT LEAD THE JEWS ASTRAY.)

2. NEHEMIAH’S REFORMS

            A. THE READING OF THE LAW

            B. PURIFING THE TEMPLE

            C. RESTORING THE LEVITES AND PROVIDING FOR THEM

            D. STOPED ALL TRADE ON THE SABBATH

            E. STOPPED INTERMARRAGE

3. NEHEMIAH’S PRAYERS

            A. I PRAY I HAVE DONE WHAT IS RIGHT

            B. I PRAY THAT WHAT I HAVE DONE HONORS YOU GOD

            C. REMEMBER MY LOVE FOR YOU GOD

4. THINGS THAT SHAKE YOUR RESOLVE

            A. POPULAR OPINION

            B. PERSONAL DESIRES

            C. AFECTION FOR OTHERS

CONCLUSION: Like Nehemiah we have been called to live not only the forgiveness of God but in obedience to God.  To show respect and honor to Jesus through our actions.  Some of our actions will not be popular or may cost us.  In the end we must seek God with all our heart, mind and strength.  Then we pray the prayer of Nehemiah.  “Lord I pray I have honored you, I pray I have pleased you.”  “Lord give me peace.”

Point: We do our best to honor God, knowing that will remember it.  God will remember the sacrifices you have made.

Nehemiah 13:14   
¹⁴ Remember me for this, my God, and do not blot out what I have so faithfully done for the house of my God and its services.

Nehemiah 13:22   
²² Remember me for this also, my God, and show mercy to me according to your great love.

Nehemiah 13:29   
²⁹ Remember them, my God, because they defiled the priestly office and the covenant of the priesthood and of the Levites.

Nehemiah 13:31   
³¹ Remember me with favor, my God.

Nehemiah 4:10-15 “Facing Opposition”

Nehemiah 4:10-15  “Facing Opposition”

INTRODUCTION:  I was looking at Nehemiah and I could not help but think it could be our monthly newsletter.  I believe we can find some inspiration in this book for our own lives.  I hope you have been reading along with us on our trip through the Bible, which is now in Nehemiah.  John Lennon imagined a world where people lived only for themselves and only for today, and in a very real sense we live in that world.  “Whatever” “it is what it is”  are the most common and most hated things we say.

1. NEHEMIAH AND THE PEOPLE FACE OPPOSITION

            A. THE TIREDNESS OF THE PEOPLE

            B. THE CLUTTER THAT WAS GETTING IN THE WAY

            C. THE KNOWLEDGE THAT THERE WERE ENEMIES WERE PLANNING AN ATTACK

            D. SOME PEOPLE OPPOSED THEIR WORK

            E. THE OTHER JEWS DISPARAGING REMARKS

2.  THEIR PLAN OF ACTION

            A. STATIONED PEOPLE TO DEFEND THE WORKERS

            B. GIVE THE WORKERS SOME REST

            C. REMINDED THEM THAT GOD WAS ON THEIR SIDE

            D. REMINDED THEM WHAT THEY WERE WORKING FOR

3.  WHAT WE ARE WORKING FOR

            A. WORKING FOR GOD

            B. IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU, THE CHURCH, THE SERMONS, OR THE MUSIC

            C. IT’S ABOUT REACHING THE LOST

            D. WE WORK IN THE CHURCH AND THE WORLD TO REACH THE LOST

            E. OUR CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN

            F. OUR HUSBANDS OR WIVES

            G. FOR THE LOST IN OUR COMMUNITY

            H. FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WILL COME HERE TO FIND JESUS 40 AND 50 YEARS FROM NOW.

CONCLUSION:  We all face opposition.  Fatigue, rubble and clutter in our lives, disorganization in the church.  There are nay Sayers, some openly hostile and others are just discouraging.  People who for whatever reason oppose our living for Jesus.  But if we remember who we are working for and what we are working for and defend and protect each other.  We will finish the work God has assigned us to do, and change the lives of people 40 and 50 years from now.

Ezra 1:1-4

Ezra 1:1-4

Israel has been a sitting empty and without rule, with most of its Jewish population in exile.  Babylon took the people away then when the conquer Israel.  Persia will defeat Babylon and takes over Israel.  Cyrus king of Persia makes the proclamation that the Temple be restored.

The work would start under the rule of Cyrus, then Darius, Xerxes, and Artaxerxes.  Ezra is the priest, Nehemiah is the politician, some others who figure into this time are Daniel, Ester.

Cyrus’s proclamation could have come from his encounters with Daniel.  But in the first year of his reign he honored the one true God.

The people start a rebuilding project that will cover the reign of three Persian kings. 

1.  TO FULFILL THE WORD OF THE LORD

            A. SPOKEN BY JEREMIAH (JER 25:11)

            B. 70 YEARS IN EXILE  (JER 29:10-14)

            C. THE TIME FOR BABYLON  29:10

2.  GOD MOVES THE HEART OF CYRUS

            A. NO MILITARY CAMPAIN, WAR OR REVOLT

            B. THE LORD USES NEHEMIAH OR DANIEL

            C. CYRUS FEELS CALLED BY GOD TO REBUILD THE TEMPLE AND RETURN THE PEOPLE.

            D. THEN THE PEOPLE GET EXCITED

3.  GOD’S PLANS WILL BE FULFILLED

            A. PLANS FOR THE WORLD (its JUDGEMENT AND END)

            B. PLANS FOR OUR NATION (IT’S PART IN HISTORY)

            C. PLANS FOR THIS CHURCH (TO REACH THE PEOPLE IN OUR AREA)

            D. PLANS FOR YOUR LIFE (TO HONOR GOD, BE A WITTNESS TO HIS FORGIVENESS)

            E.  PLANS TO CHANGE THE LIVES OF THE PEOPLE YOU SHARE LIFE WITH.

            F.  NOT BECAUSE OUR STRENGTH, POWER, RIGHTOUSNESS.

            G. NOT BY MIGHT AND NOT BY POWER ( Zec 4:6)

Conclusion :  God has great things to do in the life of this church and in your personal life.  We may not see it today.  Perhaps we feel like exiles, broken and powerless.  But God has a plan for this church and for you personally.  We have been Gow Memorial, Loomis, Middle inlet, Faith Presbyterian, and now Faith EPC.  All through our history of ups and downs and transformations, God has been at work to change our lives and the lives of the world around us.  God has amazing things ahead for you, and for our church.

2 chronicles 32:1-8 “Greater is He Who is With Us”

2 chronicles 32:1-8  “Greater is He Who is With Us”

INTRODUCTION: 

1. We face opposition

A. Hezekiah was facing the most powerful army in the world
B. We face opposition
            a. a disability, loss of our job, or something at work, finances, broken down car
            b. cancer or other health issues, a death in the family
            c. the attitudes of people around us
            d. Tom and his self defeating heart

 2. Build a proper defense

A. Hezekiah got ready for battle
            a. cut off all water and supplies
            b. repaired the wall, gates, towers and terraces
            c. stockpiled weapons
            d. assembled his army
            e. spoke words of encouragement
B. We must get ready for battle
            a. cut off the things the enemy is using to defeat us.  Proverbs 5:7, 1:15&16
            b. Matthew 18:7-9
            c. Psalm 119:11
            d. Eph 6:13-18

 3. trust in God’s power

A.  2 Chronicles 32:7-8
B.  1 John 4:4
C. Romans 8:31
D. Ecclesiastes 4:12

 Conclusion:  We face battles, from within and without.  Life is filled with struggles.  Only the naive think life will always be easy and bright.  Though we face battles and struggles we do not need to be defeated by them, discouraged by them, or let them dominate our life.  For we have the weapons of victory supplied by our Father in heaven.  We have the vast army of God to fight with us.  And greater is He who is within us, than he who is in the world.

2 Chronicles 30:21-27 “Celebrate”

2 Chronicles 30:21-27  “Celebrate”

The King led the Priest and Levites back to God.  The religious leaders had gone along with evil kings and the desires of the people afraid to stand up for what was right, or perhaps they also wanted to do evil.  Hezekiah calls them on their sin and calls the people back to God.  Some probably thought they would lose the support of the people.  I am sure many thought a revolt was coming.  It says the couriers were scorned and ridiculed.   

The American church has gone along with the sin of the people, lies and deceit in business, government and the church.  The church has excused divorce and any and every kind of sex outside of marriage.  It has gone along with the crowd, lost its power and made its self irrelevant.   All around us we see denominations dying. 

PROVERBS 14:12 “There is a way that seems right unto man but it ends in death”

Matthew 7:13 &14 “Wide is the path to destruction, but narrow is the way to eternal life.”

100 years ago the titanic sank and musicians played music as the boat sank and people drowned.  The priest and Levites of Israel were to be life boats but they ended up being the band, playing comforting music and giving comforting words while the people around them drowned.  The American church has also taken up the position of the band, providing entertainment, calming music, and comforting words while the people drown all around them.  But we were meant to be life boats.

A. CALLING PEOPLE BACK TO GOD

a.  A CALL TO REPENT

While Hezekiah called them to repent from their sin he focused on God’s acceptance of their repentance.

While Hezekiah had a heart for doing what was spiritually right before God, He was even more concerned on bring the people back to God.

The church needs to call people back to the Lord, not in a judging way but in an encouraging way.  We DON’T need to tell people how horrible their sin is, we need to tell them how good their life can be. 

b.  A PRAYER FOR FORGIVENESS

            Hezekiah prayed for their forgiveness.

            Hezekiah took a risk going to God for them. 

Dawsman Trotman the founder of the Navigators died when he dove into a lake to try and save the life of someone else.  When Hezekiah prayed for the forgiveness of the people he dove in not knowing how God would respond.

c.  BELIEVED IN THE PEOPLE

            Believed the people could change

            Believed they wanted change

            The people returned to God

            The people rejoiced

Ken grew up with “Christian “ kids in his neighborhood.  He went to VBS and even Sunday school.  But in his Jr. High years he made friends who got him involved in things he knew was wrong.  One by one the Christians stopped spending time with him.  As he was shunned by the Christians he grew up with, he drew farther away from God.  One day a teacher who had known him for a long time sat down with him listened to him and invited him back to Jesus.  Ken with tears in his eyes told the man “I didn’t think anyone cared what happened to me.”

CONCLUSION

The transformation of our world of the lives we touch every day starts with our determination not to go along with the crowd away from God but to lead them back to God.

We cannot change all the churches and communities in America, but we can change ours.  Like Hezekiah we can call the people back to God, not focusing on how bad they are but how good they can be.  When we pray for their forgiveness and tell them of the transforming work God can do in their lives we may find a celebration happening all around us.

“All of heaven rejoices when one person repents”

Will you risk it, to see your friends and family come to Jesus?  Will you believe Jesus can save them, that God can change them and that they are worth the price you pay?  Perhaps they are waiting to see if you care.

2 Chronicles 10:6-11

2 Chronicles 10:6-11

INTRODUCTION: It is election time, and the smear campaigns
are on. You cannot trust even the news
cast. If you read a few history books
you find every president and every representative had lives filled with,
adultery, backroom deals, and deceit, motivated by power, lust, or greed. Even churches suffer these same things. Solomon’s life was filled with it too. In his quest to gain wisdom, knowledge,
wealth and power, he failed in his relationship to God and in parenting. Solomon had laid a heavy burden upon the
people. People needed a show of good
faith. But Solomon’s son Rehoboam who
inherits all of Solomon’s wealth wants even more. Solomon failed to teach his son to lead the
people. This one event starts the spiral
downward that will take Israel and split it then lead both the northern and
southern kingdoms into exile. Rehoboam embodies all of Solomon’s fears and has
learned nothing from his father.

A. Solomon shows some
of his fears in Ecclesiastes

Ecclesiastes 1:17&18 The human condition. Wars, greed, deceit, man’s inhumanity to man.

Ecclesiastes 2:13&14 at the end of the game the king and the pawn
both go back in the same box

Ecclesiastes 2:17-21 Any good we have built will be left in the
hands of another

B. What he should
have taught Rehoboam

Ecclesiastes 3:9-15 God has made everything beautiful in His time

He has put eternity in our hearts, the knowledge of
something greater

Yet while we can know about heaven we never grasp what God
has done or is doing

Be satisfied with the simple joy of today

Everything God does will last and we cannot change that

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14
Fear God,

Keep His commandments

Everything will be judged by God

C. What will the United States be like?

Not wealth, a secure dollar or the lack of debt

Power, military might, weapons and solders, or sanctions

Technology, scientific knowledge

How we live each day

What we teach our children

Most of all our relationship to Jesus passed on to the next generation.