Pastor Ryan prepares our congregation for our next semester's series (Study of Scripture) by reintroducing our fellow members, young and old, to the value and benefit that small groups has on a child of God's spiritual growth. The intimacy, vulnerability, honesty, accountability and nature the comes from such close contacts aids much in "being transformed by the renewing of your mind." We are NOT better alone-Gos made us to be better together. Romans 12:1, 2 is our Scripture passage for today.

Pastor Ryan concludes our short series on Esther with an impassioned discourse on Chapters 9 and 10. Sorrow, as the Jews knew of their fate at the hands of their enemies, who hated them so much. Joy, as God's providence once again is revealed, through Mordecai's edict for Israel to defend itself, and out of this comes the only festival created as exiles, Purim. We too are exiles, and experience sorrow in our failing world, but inexplicable joy with our Lord Jesus, who also will bring us home one day, as God led Israel back to Jerusalem.

One of Broadway's elders, Sage San Martin, guest preaches for us today, providing a startling exposé on the importance of King Xerxes' signet ring and the power this symbol had for Mordecai, granting him authority to do as the king's will dictates. Elder Sage also compares this as a type to our Lord Jesus, Who grants US His authority to act in His name. What power and privilege is extended to the Body of Christ!

We explore Chaps. 6 and 7 of Esther in today's sermon, a tale so full of God's direction and expressed purpose and Will that His name, though never spoken, is clearly stamped on every incident of this amazing turn-around of events. Pastor Ryan also compares the scaffold, intended for Mordecai, to the cross of Christ. In both cases, what was meant for the enemy's ultimate destruction, God turned it into His amazing, surprising victory of good over evil, vanquishing all malevolent intent that Satan had on His people, and on us! Praise God!

Pastor Symps shares from Esther Chap. 5. We focus on all the expressions of wisdom Esther demonstrated while prayerfully deliberating on how she was to save (i.e., on how GOD was going to save) her people, wisdom clearly given by our Lord God to her. What can we learn about the expression of God's wisdom in our times of tribulation?

In Esther, Chapters 3and 4, we find certain individuals who are close to the king. Many times, we desire to be in that special inner circle, invisible to most, but deeply, many times proudly, counted as one who is important, influential, and has the ear of the "king" in our lives-one of the "In" crowd! We see how our main characters respond to this position in today's sermon. How do you respond? Do you ache for that inner circle? Does it 's desire have an impact on your relation to Gos, and to others? We learn of Christ's deep work that assures us that we already ARE valuable to Him and His "inner circle"!

Pastor Symps explores the virtues of Esther as declared in Chapters 2 and 3 of the Book of Esther. Can we, in our modern world's increasingly hostile culture, stand firm for our Lord Jesus in the way that Queen Esther modeled this unswirving faith in God?

"The hidden providence of God is a wonderful thing!"

So begins our short series on the intriguing story of Esther, beginning today with an overview of Esther, Chap. 1. Here, Pastor Ryan explores some of the historical narrative and Biblical realities that positions Esther and Mordecai into this unique and crucial moment in Israel's past. We learn today that God's sovereignty is over all, even when it's silent. And we learn of this book as a panoply of constant reversals, with the greatest being how the Word compares this arrogant king, experiencing a queen doing a right thing only to be banished from the kingdom, compared to THE King, who, in spite of all of us doing wrong, makes it such that we can come into His Kingdom!

Today is a special day for Broadway, having one of our domestic missions fill our entire service with devotionals, testimonies and song. Our guests come from Inspiration Ministries. Inspiration is a Christ-centered organization with a passion to serve the least, the last, and the lost. They are active in leading many addicted, disenfranchised and broken people towards full healing through the Gospel message of Jesus. For more information on this ministry, please visit "https://www.inspiration-ministries.org"

Pastor Bruce Cochran (father of our Pastor Ryan) guest preaches today, giving a heartfelt and heart-searching study into Psalm 73, where author Asaph, a Levitical priest, knows of God being the eternal answer to all challenges, yet experiences dismay at all the prosperity the evil enjoy. Again, we see examples in Scripture where people, in honest pathos, ask God "Why, God, why!?" He is to be trusted to have, at all times, His answer - will you follow Him and receive it?