Sovereign Grace, Esther 2:15-3:6
- Mini series of Ezra, 7:1 it says “after these things”… Decades pass
- In-between we have the Book of Esther -People who stayed in Babylon after the Persians allowed all them to re-build the temple.
Context- King Ahasuerus, also known as Xerxes. “Ahasuerus” is a title,, “the president”. NIV does some of the work for us and simply replaces it with Xerxes, but original manuscripts say Ahasuerus.
Ahasuerus throws a 180 day long party, at the end, His wife calls him a drunken jerk and won’t be paraded around in from of his drunk friends, makes new law and exiles his queen, bright idea “The Bachelor, Persia”, gathers the most beautiful virgins fo the land, and sleeps with them one by one until he friends “the one”. Drunkness, male pride, Degradation of women, abuse of authority, fornication, yet through it all we see God’s hand
Review
- Is man responsible for his actions? Yes
- Is God in control? Yes
- Wrestling with the tension between the 2 and asking questions like; “how free is my will?”, “Is God the author sin?”
“Let me end with a statement and a question. The statement is that human beings are responsible, accountable, praiseworthy, or blameworthy for what they do. God’s sovereignty does not diminish human accountability. That’s the statement.”
“The question is, which world would you rather live in? One where humans or Satan or chance govern what happens to you? Or one where an infinitely good, infinitely wise, infinitely powerful God works everything together for the good of those who trust him and for his glory?” John Piper
Please turn to Esther 2:15, page 411 in the pew bibles
As we dance between the tension of these truths, we see the Providence of God: His protective care. Like a wind that you can’t see but you can feel.
“Sovereign Grace”
1. Ester becomes Queen (2:15-18)
- a. “winning favor in the eyes of all who saw her”
- b. When Esther sees the King she “won grace & favor in his sight”
- c. Royally crowned and then, of course, another party.
- Main point- Seasons of Grace
2. Mordecai discovers plot and saves the King (2:19-23)
- a. Virgins gathered again (bachelor round 2, loser edition)
- b. Esther’s obedience to Mordecai
- c. At King’s gate he hears a plot, tells Esther, she tells the King in the
- name of Mordecai. No recognition…. Yet.
- d. Written in the Chronicles of the King
- Main point- Opportunities of Grace
3. Haman defied (3:1-6)
- a. Honor not given by Mordecai because he is Jewish
- Important to note “why” he didn’t bow down and “obey the king’s command”
- b. Haman “furious” yet “destained from laying hands on him alone”
- Also important that he didn’t kill him. He could have
- Main Point- Sustaining Grace
- #1. Seasons of Grace
- #2. Opportunities of Grace
- #3. Sustaining Grace
Application
- We have all these things because of God’s “Sovereign Grace”
- What is Sovereignty? God is in control of all things.
“Sovereignty of God: his absolute right to do all things according to his own good pleasure.” Easton’s Bible dictionary.
“The fact that God is free and able to do all that he wills; that he reigns over all creation and that his will is the final cause of all things.” Dictionary of Bible Themes: The Accessible and Comprehensive Tool for Topical Studies.
“God is not subject to any power or any abstract rule or law that could be conceived as superior to or other than himself.” New International Dictionary of the Bible
For he is not a man, as I am, that I might answer him, that we should come to trial together. There is no arbiter between us, who might lay his hand on us both. Job 9:32–33
- GOD CAN DO WHATEVER HE WANTS.
- If God says do this, and we say “no”, then we are disobeying him and then he has every right to open up the ground and swallow us. Who can question make a case against him?
- Or we read how the children of Israel take the promise land and realize the Sunday school version is not how it went down. They killed everyone. And then we read this…
For it was the LORD’s doing to harden their hearts that they should come against Israel in battle, in order that they should be devoted to destruction and should receive no mercy but be destroyed, just as the LORD commanded Moses. Joshua 11:20
Yet so many times we read, hear something, or experience something and find ourselves saying, “I don’t think that’s right. Who do you think you are. I’m calling my lawyer.” Who you gonna call? Ghost busters? Find another God? Create one that fits your standards of morality and lack thereof? Many do…
What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means! For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. Romans 9:14–16
You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? Romans 9:19–21
“God is not subject to any power or any abstract rule or law that could be conceived as superior to or other than himself. Yet scripture is equally emphatic that God’s character is immutably holy and just and good.” New International Dictionary of the Bible
- Grace means unmerited favor. It means he can do whatever he wants but decides to have grace… This should blow our minds a AND utterly decimate all entitlement we could ever have.
- What am I trying to say? That everyday, and every time, and in every way when God shows us grace, it should drive us to worship and utterly decimate all entitlement we could ever have. God is Sovereign, but he’s graceful. And for those who call upon his name it’s grace upon grace…
- #1. Seasons of Grace
- Matt Chandler, in 2002 he accepted the position. The church at that point had an attendance of 160 people. Now known as The Village Church, it has since grown to over 14,000 attendees. Planted multiple churches, through his influence and preaching. Has shaped many mens lives, including my own.
- #2. Opportunities of Grace
- Thanksgiving morning in 2009, Chandler had a seizure at his home and was later diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor. “Why me?” To “why not me” and through surgery and tough times, he continued to worship.
- #3. Sustaining Grace
- In September 2010 he was given a clean bill of health and continues to lead his church as well as the Acts 29 network that now has hundreds of Gospel centered, Jesus glorifying, spirit filled, diverse churches in multiple continents.
- #1. Seasons of Grace
- We have these because of God’s Sovereign Grace!
- How do we know? By what claim can I say these things?
- #4. Saving Grace- The Gospel into communion