Sermon Central
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For Such A Time As This
Contributed by Eric Anthony on Jul 21, 2014 (message contributor)
Summary: In the midst of troublesome times, God has a way that can not be mistaken, God has given us a way out of Satan's 'No Way.'
“FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS”
SCRIPTURE: ESTHER 4:13-17
I. INTRODUTION
When we review the book of Esther, we see that Ahasuerus was the king of Persia. God’s people, Israel, wee in the provinces of Persia. Its here that the king had the leaders of 127 provinces come to a feast celebration that lasted 187 days. This feast was a feast of drinking and sin. Its at this feast, the king sends for Queen Vashti to come and display her beauty. But the queen had enough decency for herself that she rejected the king. The king chose another queen in her stead. Esther, a young Jewess, is chosen. Her cousin, Mordecai offended Haman, a high official in the king’s court. Through the use of trickery, Haman gets the king to sign a decree that all Jews should be put to death. Once a decree is issued by a Persian monarch, it could not be altered. But God stepped in, and in His providential way delivered His people from the decree that Christ might come of their seed as promised.
B. ESTHER 4:14
Notice the phrase:
“For such a time as this.”
I raise the question--- “What time was it?”
II. IT WAS A TIME WHERE PLEASURE WAS THE ORDER OF THE DAY
C. ESTHER 1:7-8
Notice:
“The king had appointed to all the officers of his house, that they should do
according to every man’s pleasure.”
These people cared more for pleasure than they did for God.
1. When it was time for them to worship and honor God, they chose to worship and honor pleasure.
2. When it was time for them study the Law of God, they chose to neglect the Law and party all the time.
Now what about us? Do our kids see us:
1. Attending the ladies’ Bible class or getting that extra sleep?
2. Attending the men’s Bible class or skipping class to hustle for that extra dollar?
3. Coming to mid-week Bible class to be taught or standing in the hallway gossiping while the teaching is going on?
4. Worshipping God in Spirit and in Truth or desiring for the worship services to be over?
5. Singing Psalms, hymns, and Spiritual songs making melody in our hearts or sitting, staring and being quiet while the singing is going on?
6. Go ye therefore into all the world and preaching the gospel to every creature or going out into all the world and try to sale our business to every creature?
7. Studying to shew ourselves approved unto God, rightly dividing the word of truth or neglecting the Master’s mandate and creating our own mandate?
Paul wrote that the time would come when men would be lovers of themselves more than lovers of God. In 2 Timothy 3:1, the Bible says:
“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be
lovers of themselves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to
parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce breakers, false
accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady,
highminded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.”
Back to our theme, the Psalmist asks the question:
“What is man, that thou art mindful of him? And the Son of Man, that thou visitest him?”
1. Is this the time that we love pleasure more than we love God?
2. Is this the time that We love God more than we love pleasure?
We must be willing to do what the Bible says in Matthew 6:33:
“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness.”
If we don’t have a burning desired to:
1. Attend the ladies Bible class.
2. Attend the men’s Bible class.
3. Come to mid-week Bible class.
4. Worship God in Spirit and in Truth.
5. Sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs making melody in our hearts unto the Lord.
6. Go ye therefore into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.
7. Study to shew ourselves approved unto God, be a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Then why should expect our children to have a burning desire to do right by the Lord?
Back in our text , Mordecai asked the question:
“Who knoweth whether thou art come to the Kingdom for such a time as this?”
III. IT WAS A TIME FOR STRONG DRINK
Notice, when the king was merry with wine, he tried to embarrass his wife. The Bible says he commanded men:
“To bring Vashti the queen before the king with the crown royal, to shew the people
and the princes her beauty: For she was fair to look on.”
Alcohol influences:
1. Husbands to beat on their wives.
2. Wives to poor mouth their husbands.
