April 2, 2006
Rev. Rich Knight

Ecclesiasties 3, Esther 4

Esther Agrees to Help the Jews -   When Mordecai learned all that had been done, Mordecai tore his clothes and put on sackcloth and ashes, and went through the city, wailing with a loud and bitter cry; he went up to the entrance of the king’s gate, for no one might enter the king’s gate clothed with sackcloth. In every province, wherever the king’s command and his decree came, there was great mourning among the Jews, with fasting and weeping and lamenting, and most of them lay in sackcloth and ashes. When Esther’s maids and her eunuchs came and told her, the queen was deeply distressed; she sent garments to clothe Mordecai, so that he might take off his sackcloth; but he would not accept them. Then Esther called for Hathach, one of the king’s eunuchs, who had been appointed to attend her, and ordered him to go to Mordecai to learn what was happening and why. Hathach went out to Mordecai in the open square of the city in front of the king’s gate, and Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the exact sum of money that Haman had promised to pay into the king’s treasuries for the destruction of the Jews. Mordecai also gave him a copy of the written decree issued in Susa for their destruction, that he might show it to Esther, explain it to her, and charge her to go to the king to make supplication to him and entreat him for her people. Hathach went and told Esther what Mordecai had said. Then Esther spoke to Hathach and gave him a message for Mordecai, saying, ‘All the king’s servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that if any man or woman goes to the king inside the inner court without being called, there is but one law—all alike are to be put to death. Only if the king holds out the golden sceptre to someone, may that person live. I myself have not been called to come in to the king for thirty days.’ When they told Mordecai what Esther had said, Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, ‘Do not think that in the king’s palace you will escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silence at such a time as this, relief and deliverance will rise for the Jews from another quarter, but you and your father’s family will perish. Who knows? Perhaps you have come to royal dignity for just such a time as this.’ Then Esther said in reply to Mordecai, ‘Go, gather all the Jews to be found in Susa, and hold a fast on my behalf, and neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will also fast as you do. After that I will go to the king, though it is against the law; and if I perish, I perish.’ Mordecai then went away and did everything as Esther had ordered him.

We’ve all had things like that happen to us. That little push, a little nudge, a little tap on the shoulder. Call them “Mordecai Moments.” He was the government official who learned of the plot to kill the Jews. He knows there is one person, who’s in the perfect place, who can help prevent this disaster, cousin Esther. I like Mordecai’s approach - he's persistent but gentle. His first request to Esther doesn’t work. He sends word to her about the plot to kill the Jews. He even sends her a copy of the written decree. Her reply, “I can’t go to the King. No one approaches the King unless he summons you.” Now that’s pretty clear, but Mordecai doesn’t give up. He’s persistent but gentle. He even poses it in a question. “Perhaps, Cousin Esther, you have come to this position of royalty for just such a time as this?” It confronts her gently and it taps into her best self - her identity, her sense of responsibility and her faith. I think we should always challenge people by engaging their goodness - not shaming people or roughing them up, or judging them without mercy in hopes that they’re straighten up and fly right.

In Parenting - “You can do this! You’re a really bright, smart, capable boy. You can pick up the mess/collection you just made.” - different from ‘What’s wrong with you?!” Mordecai knows you catch more flies with honey than vinegar. And you get better results engaging people’s strengths and faith, more than shaming and guilt-ing and “should”-ing. He taps into her best self. “Perhaps you have come to this position of royalty for just such a time as this?”

The biggest thing I’d like you to remember about Mordecai and Esther is the type of faith that they had. We’re looking at Old Testament heroes and characteristics of their faith. Jacob wrestled with God. Joseph was obedient even in a strange land, Egypt. Joshua and Caleb - those two Spies in the Wilderness - had a preserving faith, they trusted God even when the evidence suggested otherwise. Ezekiel never gave up hope, even in a Valley of Dry Bones. Great heroes of faith.

Esther and Mordecai’s faith is a little different. It’s a faith without a clear word from God. God is never mentioned in the book of Esther. Isn’t that something? - a book of the Bible that doesn’t mention God. “And then the Lord said to Esther . . .” Scholars point out that this could not be an accident. It is intentional to make a point. Jewish author and historian Philip Yancy says that the Old Testament is an “Advanced Course on Life with God”. And what this textbook is teaching us is: God’s direction is often subtle and almost imperceptible. And therefore we need to listen to our lives, listen to the events of our lives, the unfolding of our lives and look for the fingerprints of God upon the events that unfold. “Perhaps, Esther, you have come to this position of royalty for just such a time as this?” “Perhaps God is in this, Esther?” “Perhaps God is calling you at this exact moment to take action.” She senses it too. It’s the nudge she needed. Of course she still covers it all in prayer. She asks Mordecai to tell all the Jews he can find to fast and pray for her and her task of speaking to the King. And she has all her servants do the same. She is looking for a word from God - courage and protection. Mordecai is saying - “Look what’s happening - the government is plotting to kill all the Jews, and you’re a Jew and you’re married to the King.” There’s a message in their somewhere Esther! One of the commentaries points out that the name of God - “YHWH” - does appear subtly in this book. Four times the name of God - YHWH - appears in acrostic form at the start of 4 lines, 4 times. God is seen in the book, reading between the lines. And isn’t that how it happens sometimes. “Now, I realize why I ended up here.” “Now, I realize why this happened to me.” “Now, I realize what I’m called to do in life.”

The direction of God is often subtle. The message comes through the events of our lives. For Esther it was who she was and what God needed done. Frederick Beuchner writes - “Your calling is the place where your deepest joy and the world’s greatest needs cross.”

I’ve been the work camp song leader for several of our Youth Mission Trips. One night during the evening program the Power went out. I saw to the program director, “I can lead a few songs with my guitar. The last 20 years of my life prepared me for that moment, because the type of music I love the most, listen to the most and play the most is worship music. And so I lead singing with 400 high school kids for about 20-30 minutes. And it was so worshipful.

Tony Campolo tells the story about hugging a bum on the street. While teaching at the University of Pennsylvania, he was walking down Chestnut Street, a homeless person, dirty, with an ugly beard approached him. The man said to Tony - “Mister, you want some of my coffee?” “What’s gotten into you?” “When God gives . . share!” Tony - “Is there anything I can give you in return?” ($5) “Yeah, you can give me a hug.” Tony hugged the man, and the man wouldn’t let go. People were staring. I was embarrassed. But then I heard the words of Christ. “I was naked and you clothed me. I was hungry and you fed me. I was the bum you met on Chestnut Street and you hugged me. For whatever you did unto the least of these you did it unto me.”

If you read that little book, The Prayer of Jabez, you’re familiar with the idea of praying for Divine Appointments - to ask God to use the events of our lives, the people we meet and encounter - to set up situations where we can be used by God to bless others. Esther had a Divine Appointment. It took Mordecai to help her see it. But she saw it. She went to the King, she made a request on behalf of her people. And Esther saved the Jews from destruction.

2500 years later, Esther's actions still matter. When God uses us, it matters. It makes a difference that lasts.

Amen