North Main Street Church of God Sermons

Samson and the Lion

(Judges 14)

Yearly Theme:  “Love Is…”

Series Title:  Kind of a “BIG” Deal

July 7th, 2019

Something to think about:

 “A young woman asked for an appointment with her pastor to talk with him about a besetting sin about which she was worried.  When she saw him, she said, ‘Pastor, I have become aware of a sin in my life which I cannot control.  Every time I am at church I begin to look around at the other women, and I realize that I am the prettiest one in the whole congregation.  None of the others can compare with my beauty. What can I do about this sin?’  “The pastor replied, ‘Mary, that's not a sin, why that's just a mistake!’”[1]

We come into a new series this month in our ongoing theme of love this year.  The new series this month will focus on the life of Samson in the Old Testament book of Judges and will further develop the teaching on the aspect of love in 1 Corinthians 13 that states that “…love is not boastful or proud.”

We begin in Judges 14, where Samson has grown into a young man.  He is the son of a man named Manoah and his wife.  Being unable to have children, the LORD heard the cries of Manoah’s wife and granted her prayer to have a child with the caveat being, she must not drink wine or strong drink during the pregnancy or go near any dead body.  The reason:  the child was to be a Nazarite (we will talk more about this later).

Samson eventually became one of the Judges over Israel before the time when kings ruled the nation.  We pick up Samson’s story today as he catches eyes with a woman he wants to make his wife.  However, there are problems surrounding the marriage and the situation leading up to the wedding day.  Let’s take a look…

Open your Bibles to:  Judges 14:1-20 (The NLT Version will be projected on the screen up front today).

Here's the key point this morning…

Key Point:  “Pride leads to deception.”

How does this play out in today’s narrative?  Let’s take a look:

When we veer off the path, we oftentimes find ourselves being ambushed by the enemy.  He waits in the bushes to trap us and devour us with his deceptive tactics.  This is something the Apostle Peter (one of Jesus’ disciples) reminds us of in his letter in the New Testament:

When we get away with something, pride deceives us into gloating over our accomplishment.  Without any direct consequence for our actions we begin to think that we’re invincible and that our actions are undetectable.

In a twist of irony, Samson’s greatest strength is also his weakness.  Samson’s God-given abilities which are supposed to be used for God’s purposes, end up becoming a game and a parlor trick for Samson to boast about his amazing strength and invincibility.  However, Samson’s pride will ultimately be his downfall.  Eventually, Samson’s pride will catch up with him.

Something to take home:

Samson’s great strength caused him to let down his guard.  Samson’s greatest ability caused him to lose sight and focus of what really mattered.  This is what happens when we allow pride to take over in our lives.  When pride takes over, we lose sight of the most important things in life.  When pride takes over, we lose the ability to reason through things with clarity.  When pride takes over, we give in to lies and deceit that will ultimately catch up with us.  When pride takes over, we tell lies and foster deceit that, for a time, keeps us on top of things; but where there is a false foundation built on deceit, eventually the bottom falls out.

Love is not boastful or proud.  If it is, then it’s not love.  Where pride exists, love cannot.  Like Samson, when pride rules in our hearts there is no place for anything else but our own desires and our own interests.  Don’t let pride rule your heart.  Don’t allow lies and deception drive your life.  In humility, allow God to use the abilities He’s gifted you with to make a difference in the world around you rather than for you.

[1] Source unknown.

Crying Out from the Ground

(Genesis 4:10-12)

Yearly Theme: “Love Is…”

Series Title:  Don’t Be Jealous

June 23rd, 2019

Something to think about:

Before we get into today’s message, I want to bring some clarity and distinction to what may seem like a contradiction:  God’s jealousy of us.

The difference between human jealousy and divine jealousy is insecurity.  Human jealousy is rooted in insecurity.  God’s jealousy is rooted in His love for humanity.  Human jealousy drives a person inward, whereas divine jealousy drives God outward.  With this in mind, the inward spiral of jealousy, anger and dejection that Cain experienced led him to do the most horrible thing imaginable: murder.  But murder has consequences.  What are those consequences?  Let’s take a look:

Genesis 4:10-12 (NLT)

10  But the LORD said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground! 11  Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has swallowed your brother’s blood. 12  No longer will the ground yield good crops for you, no matter how hard you work! From now on you will be a homeless wanderer on the earth.”

As we focus on verses 10-12 today, what’s the takeaway?

Key Point: “Jealousy’s punishment is the bitter curse of isolation.”

Jealousy isolates and separates.  Rooted in sin, jealousy takes us away from our created purpose and places us in the territory of the Enemy in order to do his bidding.  Isolation is the consequence and the punishment for allowing jealousy (and sin of any kind) to control your life.  Let’s take a look at Cain’s punishment…

Genesis  4:11-12a (NLT), 11  Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has swallowed your brother’s blood. 12a  No longer will the ground yield good crops for you, no matter how hard you work!

Jealousy takes, but love gives.  Jealousy destroys, but love builds up.  Jealousy isolates and banishes, but love secures and receives.  Like Cain, we all have a choice:  We can control and subdue sin that crouches at our door, or we can open the door do it and allow it to control us and isolate us from God and others.

Genesis 4:12b (NLT), From now on you will be a homeless wanderer on the earth.”

Cain was cursed to be a homeless wanderer, not because of what God had done to him, but because of what Cain had done to himself.  However, those who surrender their lives to Christ and follow after Him know the way home because He is the Way home!

Something to take home:

It’s interesting that jealousy does the exact opposite of what a person really desires.  Jealousy draws a wedge between us and the object of the one we are jealous of.  Instead of drawing us closer together, jealousy banishes us from the person or groups that we desire to be closer to.

In Cain’s case, jealousy separated him from God and the rest of his family.  Jealousy drove Cain to kill what separated him from what he desired from God.  And, instead of doing what was right and being accepted by God, Cain chose to give in to his baser instincts, and the sinful nature that he allowed to control him, and he suffered the consequence of banishment and homelessness.

Today, some of us are in the same boat that Cain was in; we’ve allowed sin to control us, we’ve allowed the bitter root of jealousy to isolate and separate us from the ones we love the most.  However, it’s not too late.  Jealousy and sin can be subdued and put back outside our lives.  Because of what Jesus did on the cross, by taking our sin upon Himself, we now have the great privilege of having the punishment of our sin absolved.  When we surrender our lives to Christ, sin and jealousy are broken in our lives and subdued by the One who gave His life for us.  It’s time.  Let Jesus have His way in your life.  Surrender to Him today.

My Brother’s Keeper

(Genesis 4:9)

Yearly Theme:  “Love Is…”

Series Title:  Don’t Be Jealous

June 16th, 2019

Something to think about:

Have you ever gotten caught?  You know what I’m talking about; you tell a lie to cover your tracks so that others don’t know details of something you you’ve done, only to have the truth revealed because you can’t tell enough lies to cover up the truth?

Cain’s jealousy of Abel in the face of God’s response to both of their offerings led Cain to do the most unimaginable thing; he murdered his brother Abel.  In order to cover-up what he did he lied about it when confronted by God about Abel’s whereabouts.  Let’s take a look:

Genesis 4:8-9 (NLT)

8  One day Cain suggested to his brother, “Let’s go out into the fields.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother, Abel, and killed him.

9  Afterward the LORD asked Cain, “Where is your brother? Where is Abel?”

“I don’t know,” Cain responded. “Am I my brother’s guardian?”

Commentator, Matthew Henry, writes, “Observe the pride, unbelief, and impenitence of Cain.  He denies the crime, as if he could conceal it from God.  He tries to cover a deliberate murder with a deliberate lie.”[1]

This is what sin leads a person to.  This is what the sin of jealousy led Cain to do.  And here’s the point this morning…

Key Point:  “Jealousy avoids admission of wrongs.”

There are three elements to this one verse of Scripture that illustrate this today:

Genesis 4:9a (NLT), Afterward the LORD asked Cain, “Where is your brother? Where is Abel?”

Genesis 4:9b (NLT), “I don’t know,” Cain responded.

Genesis 4:9c (NLT), Cain responded. “Am I my brother’s guardian?”

Something to take home:

Victor Hugo wrote, “Men hate those to whom they have to lie.”

How much must Cain have hated his brother to kill him, and what’s more, how much must Cain have hated God in order to lie to Him about it?

The question of truth’s veracity always looms when evidence is lacking.  In the case of Cain, the truth of Abel’s absence looms heavy on the scene when God calls into question Abel’s whereabouts.  Cain knew, and God knew, but the truth remained hidden, but only for a time.  Truth always brings light to darkness; and, the darkness that penetrated and emanated from the hardened heart of Cain pointed directly to his misdeed toward his brother Abel.  The sin that crouched at Cain’s door was allowed into his heart.  That sin became an action toward his brother Abel in the form of murder.  And, that murder cried out from the ground in condemnation toward Cain and the pitiful lie of the offence he not only committed against Abel, but also against God.

Jealousy avoids admission of wrongs, and sin leads us down paths of deceit and destruction. 

Is there something you’ve hidden from others (and are trying to hide from God) that you need to come clean with?  Are you harboring a dark secret that has poisoned your soul, your relationship, and your faith in God?  Have you allowed lies to perpetuate ongoing denial of the truth? 

You can be set free, but it takes confession!

Psalm 51:17 (NLT), The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.

[1] Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry Concise Bible Commentary.

Out in the Field

(Genesis 4:8)

Yearly Theme:  “Love Is…”

Series Title:  Don’t Be Jealous

June 9th, 2019

Something to think about:

Jealousy is an intoxicating poison that tempts a person to drink of its follies and suffer its consequences.  As we continue the story of Cain and Abel, we see the result of unfettered jealousy.

Cain’s jealousy of Abel in the face of God’s response to their offerings to Him led Cain to do the most hideous thing imaginable.  Let’s take a look:

Genesis 4:1-16 (NLT)

1  Now Adam had sexual relations with his wife, Eve, and she became pregnant. When she gave birth to Cain, she said, “With the LORD’s help, I have produced a man!” 2  Later she gave birth to his brother and named him Abel. When they grew up, Abel became a shepherd, while Cain cultivated the ground.

3  When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the LORD. 4  Abel also brought a gift—the best of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The LORD accepted Abel and his gift, 5  but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected.

6  “Why are you so angry?” the LORD asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? 7  You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”

8  One day Cain suggested to his brother, “Let’s go out into the fields.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother, Abel, and killed him.

9  Afterward the LORD asked Cain, “Where is your brother? Where is Abel?”

“I don’t know,” Cain responded. “Am I my brother’s guardian?”

10  But the LORD said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground! 11  Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has swallowed your brother’s blood. 12  No longer will the ground yield good crops for you, no matter how hard you work! From now on you will be a homeless wanderer on the earth.”

13  Cain replied to the LORD, “My punishment is too great for me to bear! 14  You have banished me from the land and from your presence; you have made me a homeless wanderer. Anyone who finds me will kill me!”

15  The LORD replied, “No, for I will give a sevenfold punishment to anyone who kills you.” Then the LORD put a mark on Cain to warn anyone who might try to kill him. 16  So Cain left the LORD’s presence and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Cain’s unfettered, uncontrolled jealousy caused separation and death.  And, this is the key point this morning…

Key Point:  “Jealousy secludes and kills.”

In this one verse today (verse 8), we can note some important things about Jealousy that secludes and kills.  Let’s break this down:

Genesis 4:8a (NLT), One day Cain suggested to his brother, “Let’s go out into the fields.” …

Genesis 4:8b (NLT), … And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother, Abel, and killed him.

Something to take home:

In The Tragedy of Othello, Shakespeare wrote, “Oh, beware of jealousy; it is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.”

As God had warned Cain, beware, “Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master,” Cain would give into the “green-eyed monster” that crouched there.  Cain opened the door of sin, driven by jealousy, and it caused him to lure his brother away from other people in seclusion in order to kill him in the fields.

Have you allowed sin to enter your life; your home?  Have you allowed it to lead you into seclusion to do things that others aren’t aware of?  Have you opened the door to sin and allowed it to take you out into the killing fields?  Have you allowed jealousy to control you and compare you to others?  Have you allowed the power of jealousy and comparison to drive you to do the unthinkable?  To bully others?...  To slander others?...  To gossip about others?...  To kill other people’s character and reputation?

Key Point:  “Jealousy secludes and kills.”

The Perfect Offering

(Genesis 4:1-7)

Yearly Theme:  “Love Is…”

Series Title:  Don’t Be Jealous

June 2nd, 2019

Something to think about:

We begin a new series today as we go through this year’s theme of love.  In this new series we will focus on the aspect of love that is not jealous.  If love is not jealous, then what does that look like in everyday life?  In order to understand this better, it’s good to have clear definitions of what we’re exploring.  The Random House Unabridged Dictionary explains that to be “jealous” means…

Jealous (adjective): 

The story of Cain and Abel in the Old Testament is a great illustration of this.  Cain’s jealousy of Abel in the face of God’s response to their offerings to Him led Cain to do the most hideous thing imaginable.  Let’s take a look:

Genesis 4:1-16 (NLT)

1  Now Adam had sexual relations with his wife, Eve, and she became pregnant. When she gave birth to Cain, she said, “With the LORD’s help, I have produced a man!” 2  Later she gave birth to his brother and named him Abel. When they grew up, Abel became a shepherd, while Cain cultivated the ground.

3  When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the LORD. 4  Abel also brought a gift—the best of the firstborn lambs from his flock. The LORD accepted Abel and his gift, 5  but he did not accept Cain and his gift. This made Cain very angry, and he looked dejected.

6  “Why are you so angry?” the LORD asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? 7  You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”

8  One day Cain suggested to his brother, “Let’s go out into the fields.” And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother, Abel, and killed him.

9  Afterward the LORD asked Cain, “Where is your brother? Where is Abel?”

“I don’t know,” Cain responded. “Am I my brother’s guardian?”

10  But the LORD said, “What have you done? Listen! Your brother’s blood cries out to me from the ground! 11  Now you are cursed and banished from the ground, which has swallowed your brother’s blood. 12  No longer will the ground yield good crops for you, no matter how hard you work! From now on you will be a homeless wanderer on the earth.”

13  Cain replied to the LORD, “My punishment is too great for me to bear! 14  You have banished me from the land and from your presence; you have made me a homeless wanderer. Anyone who finds me will kill me!”

15  The LORD replied, “No, for I will give a sevenfold punishment to anyone who kills you.” Then the LORD put a mark on Cain to warn anyone who might try to kill him. 16  So Cain left the LORD’s presence and settled in the land of Nod, east of Eden.

Just taking a look at the first seven verses tells us something significant about the character of a man who had become consumed by jealousy and anger.  If unchecked it leads to anger.  And, that’s the key point this morning…

Key Point:  “Jealousy, when unchecked, drives us to anger.”

So, jealousy, when unchecked leads to anger.  And, anger, when unchecked, leads to sin.  But, how does all of this tie together?  Well…

Genesis 4:3 (NLT), When it was time for the harvest, Cain presented some of his crops as a gift to the LORD.

Genesis 4:4b-5a (NLT),  The LORD accepted Abel and his gift, 5a  but he did not accept Cain and his gift.

Genesis 4:6-7 (NLT), 6  “Why are you so angry?” the LORD asked Cain. “Why do you look so dejected? 7  You will be accepted if you do what is right. But if you refuse to do what is right, then watch out! Sin is crouching at the door, eager to control you. But you must subdue it and be its master.”

Something to take home:

We’ve all had our lesser moments in life.  Those moments we’d rather forget and move beyond; moments that left an indelible mark of embarrassment or shame.  And, maybe even moments that left a devastating mark on the life of another (even someone who’s closest to us).

But, life is like that.  It’s a series of choices to do right, or to do wrong, and all-too-often our tendency toward the wrong leaves the ugly residue of sin and death.  Innocently it starts with apathetic tendencies to shirk our responsibilities; to fluff off our priorities for the sake of our selfish desires, and it’s ever so subtle.  This usually leads to correction from God, and oftentimes feels like rejection from Him.  At this place of correction is an opportunity for redemption, but only if a person doesn’t allow their emotions of sorrow to turn into emotions of defeat, anger, and jealousy.  It’s here where sin crouches at our door waiting to pounce and devour us.

1 Peter 2:1-3 (NLT), 1  So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. 2  Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, 3  now that you have had a taste of the Lord’s kindness.

[1] Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

In the Presence of the King (Part 2)

(Esther 8:1-17)

Yearly Theme:  “Love Is…”

Series Title:  Never Give Up

May 26th, 2019

Something to think about:

Last week we learned that Haman’s demise came at the hands of Queen Esther, whom he didn’t know was a Jew herself.  The decree that he requested King Xerxes to make was to destroy all the Jewish people living in the empire.  As the decree was sealed with the king’s signet ring, it became an official edict that must be fulfilled.  However, in the presence of the king, along with Queen Esther, Haman would find the tables turned against him.  King Xerxes would have Haman impaled on a pole for inciting violence against the queen.

It would seem, at this point, the problem was remedied, but there was still the point of the official edict to exterminate the Jewish people throughout the 127 provinces of Persia.  It could not be revoked.  This is where we pick up Esther’s story today, and this is where we find a conclusion to the story of Esther and the people of Jewish descent…

Open your Bible to:  Esther 8:1-17

Queen Esther’s persistence to go the distance for the freedom and protection of her people is inspiring.  Many of us would leave well enough alone with regard to asking too much of the king.  We may feel like we shouldn’t press our luck.  But not Esther.  Esther respectfully and persistently presses further for the love of her people and protection from the king.

Here's the key point this morning:

Key Point:  “Love never gives up even when freedom is on the line.”

Esther’s commitment and persistence for the safety of her people wouldn’t allow her to give up, and there are two specific ways we can see this in this passage today…

Esther 8:5-6 (NLT), 5  Esther said, “If it please the king, and if I have found favor with him, and if he thinks it is right, and if I am pleasing to him, let there be a decree that reverses the orders of Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite, who ordered that Jews throughout all the king’s provinces should be destroyed. 6  For how can I endure to see my people and my family slaughtered and destroyed?”

Esther 8:11-12 (NLT), 11  The king’s decree gave the Jews in every city authority to unite to defend their lives. They were allowed to kill, slaughter, and annihilate anyone of any nationality or province who might attack them or their children and wives, and to take the property of their enemies. 12  The day chosen for this event throughout all the provinces of King Xerxes was March 7 of the next year.

Something to take home:

Esther didn’t give up the fight!  Esther loved deeply and pressed in with persistence and boldness even when the odds were stacked against her.  Esther had nothing to prove, and everything to lose, by stepping into the throne room of Xerxes without permission.  We, on the other hand, have everything to gain, and nothing to lose, if we – who believe in Christ – approach God’s thrown with boldness.  Our King of kings, and Lord of lords, has a seat for us, has a place for us, not only in His palace, but by His side.  We who follow Christ faithfully, are sons and daughters of God.  So, what do we have to fear; what do we have to worry about in this world?  If God is for us, who can be against us?  We have love on our side, and it’s with love, in love, and through love that we conquer.

Key Point:  “Love never gives up even when freedom is on the line.”

The Banquet

(Esther 7:1-10)

Yearly Theme: “Love Is…”

Series Title:  Never Give Up

May 19th, 2019

Something to think about:

Many times, when we are trying to live love we must do it in the face of direct opposition. There are forces in this world that are in direct opposition to love, not just unaligned with it, but actively seeking to destroy it. These forces can be scary and can cause many problems for us.  This week in Esther chapter 7, we see Esther face a man who is in direct opposition to her and her people and we see her speak truth boldly for the love of her people. This situation could have gone any number of ways for Esther, but she chose to never give up. Are we as bold as Esther in our lives?

Esther 7:1-10 (NLT)

1 So the king and Haman went to Queen Esther’s banquet. 2 On this second occasion, while they were drinking wine, the king again said to Esther, “Tell me what you want, Queen Esther. What is your request? I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!”

3 Queen Esther replied, “If I have found favor with the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my request, I ask that my life and the lives of my people will be spared. 4 For my people and I have been sold to those who would kill, slaughter, and annihilate us. If we had merely been sold as slaves, I could remain quiet, for that would be too trivial a matter to warrant disturbing the king.”

5 “Who would do such a thing?” King Xerxes demanded. “Who would be so presumptuous as to touch you?”

6 Esther replied, “This wicked Haman is our adversary and our enemy.” Haman grew pale with fright before the king and queen. 7 Then the king jumped to his feet in a rage and went out into the palace garden.

Haman, however, stayed behind to plead for his life with Queen Esther, for he knew that the king intended to kill him. 8 In despair he fell on the couch where Queen Esther was reclining, just as the king was returning from the palace garden.

The king exclaimed, “Will he even assault the queen right here in the palace, before my very eyes?” And as soon as the king spoke, his attendants covered Haman’s face, signaling his doom.

9 Then Harbona, one of the king’s eunuchs, said, “Haman has set up a sharpened pole that stands seventy-five feet tall in his own courtyard. He intended to use it to impale Mordecai, the man who saved the king from assassination.”
“Then impale Haman on it!” the king ordered. 10 So they impaled Haman on the pole he had set up for Mordecai, and the king’s anger subsided.

Here's the key point this morning:

Key Point: “Love never gives up even when it is facing those who would seek to destroy it.”

We must be willing to face the forces in this world that seek to destroy love. We must seek to face it head on and not behind anything or anyone. We must do this in spite of the harm or problems that might come.

Something to take home:

Are you willing to stand up for Love? Are you willing to use more than words? Are you willing to take action, to change how you’re living, to face those who oppose God (Love), to speak truth into the world? The Bible doesn’t say that doing this will take away our problems, or our hurts, or make this life easy for us, but it does say that Christ who is Love conquered death and because of that we know that love wins and we have salvation.

Key Point: “Love never gives up even when it is facing those who would seek to destroy it.”

In the Presence of the King (Part 1)

(Esther 5:1-14)

Yearly Theme:  “Love Is…”

Series Title:  Never Give Up

May 12th, 2019

Something to think about:

As I mentioned last week, “Our resolved to do the right thing often comes at a price.” 

Our commitment to follow through with our convictions to do the right thing even when it means that we may be risking everything is something that Esther experienced even as the queen of the Persian Empire.  And what was Esther risking?  She was risking her own life to go before her husband (the King of Persia) unannounced.  Her reason for going:  To plead with the king on behalf of all the Jewish people in the empire to save their lives from a decree that he had just made to exterminate them.  After fasting for three days, she resolved to make her request known.  Let’s take a look…

Esther 5:1-14 (NLT)

1  On the third day of the fast, Esther put on her royal robes and entered the inner court of the palace, just across from the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne, facing the entrance. 2  When he saw Queen Esther standing there in the inner court, he welcomed her and held out the gold scepter to her. So Esther approached and touched the end of the scepter.

3  Then the king asked her, “What do you want, Queen Esther? What is your request? I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!”

4  And Esther replied, “If it please the king, let the king and Haman come today to a banquet I have prepared for the king.”

5  The king turned to his attendants and said, “Tell Haman to come quickly to a banquet, as Esther has requested.” So the king and Haman went to Esther’s banquet.

6  And while they were drinking wine, the king said to Esther, “Now tell me what you really want. What is your request? I will give it to you, even if it is half the kingdom!”

7  Esther replied, “This is my request and deepest wish. 8  If I have found favor with the king, and if it pleases the king to grant my request and do what I ask, please come with Haman tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for you. Then I will explain what this is all about.”

9  Haman was a happy man as he left the banquet! But when he saw Mordecai sitting at the palace gate, not standing up or trembling nervously before him, Haman became furious. 10  However, he restrained himself and went on home.

Then Haman gathered together his friends and Zeresh, his wife, 11  and boasted to them about his great wealth and his many children. He bragged about the honors the king had given him and how he had been promoted over all the other nobles and officials.

12  Then Haman added, “And that’s not all! Queen Esther invited only me and the king himself to the banquet she prepared for us. And she has invited me to dine with her and the king again tomorrow!” 13  Then he added, “But this is all worth nothing as long as I see Mordecai the Jew just sitting there at the palace gate.”

14  So Haman’s wife, Zeresh, and all his friends suggested, “Set up a sharpened pole that stands seventy-five feet tall, and in the morning ask the king to impale Mordecai on it. When this is done, you can go on your merry way to the banquet with the king.” This pleased Haman, and he ordered the pole set up.

Here's the key point this morning:

Key Point:  “Love never gives up even when its resolve is tested.”

We can be resolved to many different things.  Some things we can be resolved to will not benefit us in the least, but very well cause us or others great harm.  However, we can be resolved to do good things, that have very beneficial outcomes for others and ourselves.  Both of these examples can be found in this passage of Scripture today.  Let’s take a look…

Esther 5:1 (NLT), On the third day of the fast, Esther put on her royal robes and entered the inner court of the palace, just across from the king’s hall.

Esther 5:14 (NLT), So Haman’s wife, Zeresh, and all his friends suggested, “Set up a sharpened pole that stands seventy-five feet tall, and in the morning ask the king to impale Mordecai on it. When this is done, you can go on your merry way to the banquet with the king.” This pleased Haman, and he ordered the pole set up.

Something to take home:

There’s a story told of the great missionary, David Livingstone, about a, “missionary society wrote to [him] and asked, ‘Have you found a good road to where you are?  If so, we want to know how to send other men to join you.’  [To which] Livingstone wrote back, ‘If you have men who will come only if they know there is a good road, I don't want them.  I want men who will come if there is no road at all.’”[1] 

Are you committed to do the right thing even when your resolve is tested?  Or, are you prone to give up and not do the hard things that are required of those who seek to do the right things?  Do you easily buckle under pressure, or wilt when your back is up against the wall?

The Bible is replete with stories on both ends of the spectrum:  Those who give up, and those who press on.  However, the best example we have of risking it all isn’t found in the story of Esther, but the story of Christ.  He went the distance.  In Him, we see that…

Key Point:  “Love never gives up even when its resolve is tested.”

[1] Good News Broadcaster, April, 1985,  p. 12.

For Such a Time

(Esther 4:1-17)

Yearly Theme:  “Love Is…”

Series Title:  Never Give Up

May 5th, 2019

Something to think about:

The book of Esther in the Old Testament is a small narrative comprised of only 11 chapters describing a time when the Jewish people were no longer a nation, but rather a people under Persian rule. 

Though the Jewish people were under Persian rule, many of them continued to refuse to comply with the pagan worship rituals and bowing before court officials.  One such official by the name of Haman became so incensed by one specific Jewish man’s refusal to bow to him that he made a request of King Xerxes to decree an edict for the extermination all of the Jewish people throughout the Persian kingdom, to which the king agreed.  The man that refused to bow before Haman was called Mordecai. 

However, due to an earlier dismissal of King Xerxes’ wife Vashti for dishonoring his request to come to him during a party, virgin women throughout the kingdom had been brought to the king in order to procure another queen.  The woman chosen, is the woman after which this book of the Bible is named:  Esther.  Coincidentally, Esther was adopted by Mordecai who had raised her as his own.  Now, as the queen of the Persian empire, Esther was in a position to do something about the decree to exterminate the Jews, but would she?  Keeping her own Jewish heritage a secret, would she risk everything to approach the king?  This is where we pick up their story today…

Turn in your Bibles:  Esther 4:1-17

Esther’s love for Mordecai, and more importantly her love for God, caused her to press in rather than give up.  And, here’s the point this morning…

Key Point:  “Love never gives up even when it means honoring God more than honoring the king.”

Like Esther, I believe we can learn how to face difficult circumstances without buckling or caving in to fear.  I believe, like Esther we can learn to never give up even when situations seem impossible to overcome.  This is what we can learn from Esther today…

Esther 4:10-11 (NLT), 10  Then Esther told Hathach to go back and relay this message to Mordecai: 11  “All the king’s officials and even the people in the provinces know that anyone who appears before the king in his inner court without being invited is doomed to die unless the king holds out his gold scepter. And the king has not called for me to come to him for thirty days.”

Esther 4:13-14 (NLT), 13  Mordecai sent this reply to Esther: “Don’t think for a moment that because you’re in the palace you will escape when all other Jews are killed. 14  If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?”

Esther 4:15-16 (NLT), 15  Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16  “Go and gather together all the Jews of Susa and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will do the same. And then, though it is against the law, I will go in to see the king. If I must die, I must die.”

Something to take home:

Esther was fearful, but she didn’t allow that fear to paralyze her.  Esther was willing to do the right thing, no matter the cost.  She understood that God could accomplish His purposes without her, but she was willing to be an active participant in His plans. 

Are you willing to take a risk for God?  Are you willing to be an active participant in His plans and purposes?  Do you give up when the going gets tough, or when the odds seem stacked against you?  Are you willing to pursue what’s right in spite of the consequences? 

Doing the right thing may be difficult at times, and often comes at a price, but it’s always worth it in the end.  Never giving up for the right reasons pays great, eternal dividends.  Loving God and loving others requires sacrifice and endurance.  Remember…

Key Point:  “Love never gives up even when it means honoring God more than honoring the king.”