THE STORY OF JESUS: Esther 3:1-6 “Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai’s people, the Jews.” (Esther 1:6) This makes me think of Tevye’s words in The Fiddler on the Roof”. ‘I know, I know. We are Your chosen people. But, once in a while, can’t You choose someone else?’ The Jews seem to…
The other “Good Book”
THE STORY OF JESUS: Esther 2:19-23 “All this was recorded in the book of the annals in the presence of the king.” (Esther 2:23) If we knew everything we did was recorded, would that change our actions? Imagine what you did yesterday – everything – was put in the public record. Actually everything we do is being…
Beautiful on the inside!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Esther 2:12-18 “To complete twelve months of beauty treatments prescribed for the women…” (Esther 2:12) None of these girls had ever seen the king. Invisible to them, this invisible king puts them through intense beauty treatments. The goal is to make them as beautiful as possible… for the king. Esther wins this external…
God’s patient love
THE STORY OF JESUS: Esther 2:8-11 “Esther had not revealed her nationality and family background.” (Esther 2:10) Her nationality and her family background, what about her faith in God? It is possible that they were not living as religious Jews, but cultural Jews. One hint is their names; Esther switches her Jewish name to a name of…
Behold your king!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Esther 2:1-7 “Let a search be made for beautiful young virgins for the king.” (Esther 2:2) This is how a king acts, right? What they want they take, when and how they want it, no argument. They take the best and most beautiful for themselves (see 1 Samuel 8:10-20). Humans were created to live and…
God’s decree trumps ours!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Esther 1:19-22 “Let the king issue a royal decree… that Vashti is never again to enter the presence of King Xerxes.” (Esther 1:19) Where do we find our worth, who gets to decide our value? Queen Vashti was valued by Xerxes until she disobeyed him, now she is trash to be discarded. Now he…
Overcoming the curse of abuse!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Esther 1:9-18 “Queen Vashti refused to come. Then the king became furious and burned with anger.” (Esther 1:12) Pompous king wants to show off his trophy wife, she refuses and he goes into a fit of rage. Part of the context of this story is the abused status of women in the world…
Where true greatness lies!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Esther 1:1-8 “This is what happened during the time of Xerxes, the Xerxes who ruled over 127 provinces stretching from India to Cush.” (Esther 1:1) The Persian king Xerxes the Great (486-465 BC) was known as the King of kings. He ruled from India to Egypt (Cush), and upward into Greece. God isn’t…
Easter 2016
Easter joke!
THE STORY OF JESUS: Mark 16:1-8 “Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen!” (Mark 16:6) And here we have the Easter joke! No, I’m not saying the resurrection is JUST a joke. The joke is on Satan, who thought he had won. Mark seems to end his version of Jesus’ life with a quick ‘punchline’…