Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
What are the odds that good would triumph over evil and that God’s promise would be fulfilled? In the final message of this series, Pastor Tim Glende reminds us that they're great odds when you remember God
The episodes are the weekly sermons from 922 Ministries (St. Peter and The CORE) of Appleton, Wisconsin.
God's Odds
Wk 6 - The CORE
Pastor Tim Glende
Welcome again, to the final week of God's Odds, study of the Book of Esther. As we've seen the rags-to-riches story of the Jewish orphan girl, raised by her cousin as we've seen them, unexpected rise of a Jewish man who's identified that way over and over again as Mordecai the Jew to a position of prominence and power like no other in the Persian Empire, right? Man of King Xerxes to see the Deliverance of God's people. They went from funerals to festivals last week. The death sentence that was theirs, became a victory that went against the odds. All those things have transpired over the first five weeks. Like, we've heard how it all played out, but there's one more week left to unpack and what I pray today is, is not so much that we stop and pause it and think about what they did but what we can learn from these last few verses in the Book of Esther, some truths that matter which are truths that matter to them and how we can apply them.
So as you think about it and in order to apply it, I want you to think about celebrations. Like, don't things that you celebrate. What is it? If I asked you to take out that pocket calendar, that some of you have in your purse because that's still what you, like, you write it down, you make notes, you don't miss anything. What is it? They would find if I page through January, February, through all the way through December that. If I asked you to produce the calendars that you have written for the last five years, would be the same, like, what events, what items, what things made your calendar because they are
Times to stop and pause and celebrate. Like, if I looked at it, I would find some that repeat every year right? Major holidays may refer major festivals, Christian ones, personal ones, national ones that we as Americans stop and pause, what is it that we celebrate? What is it you celebrate? And I bring it up because we're going to talk about a celebration today in our text. One that the Jews put into practice because they recognized the significance of an event and what transpired
Like her hundreds of years, Americans stop and pause every July 4th to celebrate. Our Independence freedom. And my guess is as long as America stands, as long as this country exists, that day will be celebrated. Now how many of you still stop and pause actually remember? Have a circle on the calendar. The day I went you graduated from high school like do you know the date? I know, you know the year because you probably had some kind of cheer. I mean mine is 90, it's easy to remember but I can't remember outside of the month of May, what day it was literally that I was a graduate of Michigan Lutheran Seminary.
I definitely don't celebrate it.
Your birthdays get circled and probably celebrated. Some of you don't like to acknowledge the number, but we still recognize the blessings of a year gone by as for God's blessings on a year ahead. The amazing thing about Google calendars and online calendars. Guys, as we can actually put it in there and it will repeat for us. So we don't forget our kids' birthdays and our anniversary. Like it is an amazing thing. They're there every year. But you know what is probably not going to happen. Like eventually Pastor Tim will cease to be on the face of planet Earth and my kids, right? Remember for a few years. All that was dad's birthday but Oh, my grandchildren. Stop and pause and remember August 10th. Probably not like some days last some days. Don't some significance of some for us as Christians or Americans or as Citizens or in our personal life blast and some don't. We're going to find one of those in the Jewish calendar that has stood the test of time today. You heard me read about it before, pure ream how many of you have ever celebrated Purim? Raise your hand, I think so, how many of you ever heard of purium before this series? One or two of you, right? You don't count. Pastor in the house.
And so you might say, what does this have to do with me? Why is this significant? What I pray today is not that you go home saying we should celebrate Purim in her house, but but we can learn about why the Jewish people some 2,500 years ago. Believed it was important for them to celebrate it. NY Orthodox Jews. Still today. Celebrate it. And what can we learn from them? Maybe, what mistakes did they make along the way that have changed their celebration? That we don't want to make ours especially spiritual ones and to really understand the reason for the celebration is the name of the holiday. You heard me read it before. But in order to really understand the impact of what Mordecai was writing about why he named it the way he did. It goes back to chapter 3. How many of you remember back in chapter 3, the focus of our attention.
Attention, whether you're a downtowner here at our campus. Pastor Jim, on a Pastor, Mike downtown, we talked about Haman's wicked plan, the genocide of the Jewish Nation. He wanted to eradicate every man, woman and child of Jewish descent from the face of planet Earth. Wipeout King David, wipeout Abraham's family tree and he had this plan. He created this document, he was going to send off this decree in order to figure out what the date would be for for the execution of the Jewish race. Haman cast, lots. I'm not sure exactly what the Lots were, but I'm going to use a visual. We can relate to Haman rolled the dice
One way, shape or fashion, whether he had 12 sticks in a jar and he pulled one out to identify it whether he rolled dice to see what number would land on. Haman. And his plan was determined by the Lots in the 12th year of Xerxes. In the first month, the month of Nisan, the pure was cast in the presence of Haman to select the day and month. The plot was laid out prior to those verses. And in order to find the execution date Haman, cast, lots Now that Persian calendar. I was the calendar of the ancient Babylonians. The one they adopted, it was a 12-month calendar. Just like we have, it was a 360-day calendar. Their calendar wasn't split up like ours nor do they start at the same time as we start, like, January is our first month. Their first month was literally around the end of February, beginning of March, they did it within the seasons. So when spring, a new life came was their New Year's time. So understand what time of year this was done in was around end of February, early March. And Haman says, we're going to leave it to the fates. We're going to leave it to the dice. We're going to roll the Lots. We're going to cast the Lots. You understand that the lots that they were casting had one of 12 options.
Because they were 12 months. And for the sake of my comparison, if it was some kind of device like dice, in casting, the Lots.
The number that it fell on was the 12th month. The least likely of the odds. Like, you know what, the odds are. It's our roll to sixes, you know? I when you go to bars and there's bar dice, I don't know if you guys do that kind of stuff but you give them a couple dollars and you want to hit the jackpot. And when you have to hit like five sixes in two rolls, you know how it is, right? There's a reason why the pot grows to like 500 dollars, it's people can't roll them.
Against the odds.
Like it could have landed on anything.
From 2 to 12, if we're using two dice that are six sided, If are you casting some other former lots of was a 1 in 12 chance but you do understand the significance of it. When, when the lots are cast, it falls on the last possible month. It could have been the one that gave the most time for all the events to transpire and play out for Esther to find out about the plot for Mordecai to encourage her to have the discussion about the plot for Xerxes to make a promise to Esther for us to have a conversation. Like we're three months down the road.
The time it's found out, it's laid out Haman is executed. And there's still enough time to send out a second message and decree from the King to protect the Jewish race from being annihilated.
Which is why the name matters so much?
Like you heard me read it before Mordecai, sends out a letter encouraging God's people to celebrate what happened and transpired their Victory. The funeral to the Festival, the morning to Joy and victory that we talked about last time. The protection that they were afforded and the Victory. They were given, like, look at the Words of Mordecai's, you records, the events. He sends off the letters to tell the people of God to celebrate those two days. Those days of victory in the month of Adar the 12th month of the year, the end of the year is the time when the Jews got relief from their enemies. And as the month, when their sorrow was turned to joy their mourning into a day of Celebration, like Mordecai. Understood how significant this was Mordecai? Understood that this was no ordinary Battle Victory. Like, there's a reason why Americans celebrate certain days. Remember certain historical battles because of their significance more than others. There are a lot of battles. But why do American stop and pause and remember the Battle of Gettysburg over some of the other ones. A shift, a turn, a significant point.
See, Mordecai got it. And he got it in a way that I believe has this ultimate tension in the, in the, in the Book of Esther.
On display because Mordecai says, here's the date. Here's the why behind the what of the date and why the name he chose because, Haman, the enemy of all the Jews, had plotted against the Jews to destroy them at a cast. The pure that is the lot for their ruined destruction. Therefore, these days are called purine from the word pure.
Like the word pure the name for this holiday. That Orthodox Jews. Still celebrate today is literally called lat. The Lots.
Like I think, Haman, understood the God’s Odds of the story, his story the deliverance of his people. And their fate came down to the lot falling. In the best possible way for them.
Before I get to the first trip that I want you to hold onto about how all Celebration, what we can learn from it, take away from it, I want you to wrestle with the tension of the. Why behind the? What of Mordecai's words and is encouragement to celebrate all along throughout the story? You've heard a saying if you haven't been here before, this is the first time you've heard it. But remember who's name? You do not find on the pages of the book of Esther. God, like we
God's we see God's hand throughout all of it. It's not luck, it's not chance. It's not fate that this woman and that Mordecai was at the right place at the right time. Know God's timing is always right and God's plan always works out, we talk about Providence and sovereignty like God's odds are written all over this story but God's name is never once written and recorded in the pages of scripture is inspired by God so he allowed that to be the case. And I don't know who wrote these words. But here is my frustration about this part. Like I can get that 48 + chapters into 9 + chapters. What's being written and recorded is also being written and recorded in the pages of Persian history. It's a historical event to not see God's name on it, but to hear the historical facts of how the story played out without God's name. I think I can be okay with
I think I can understand it. I think we can see throughout all of it. God inspired it and allowed it to be preserved in the pages of scripture. That, that, that God knew this, that his people would understand who was behind it, but there's just a part of me that's frustrated when we get to this point. Because if there's any point, it would have been easy for the author to bring in the name of God. It would have been here. But did you catch it before when I read it?
Like the Jews celebrated. The relief they got from their enemies.
The Jews were joyous. Over the victory, they had from Their enemies.
Like, there's a part of me that just is frustrated that here of all places that have been easy to say,
By the author and God gave relief to his people.
Maybe he did.
Maybe Mordecai, got it.
Like, when you hear the name pureum, named after the pure, the law that was cast. Maybe just, maybe in my heart, believes this, to be the case that Mordecai, Saw that the whole story was against the odds. And had nothing to do at the end of the day with, with Esther and, and him and his fortune by being by the gate at the right time to hear the plot against the king. First of all, to catch whispers of Haman's wicked plot for Esther to get the courage to go and talk for the king. The male chauvinist to be overwhelmed by the his Queen and not make her an offer to do anything and everything up to half the kingdom. Like maybe just maybe Mordecai.
Eight or chance. I'll be in the right place at the right time. Maybe name it the after the “pur” and calling it Purim, he got it because he understood the odds, that none of those things would have happened that their safety and victory. Wouldn't have been possible if it went to fallen on the least. Likely number that was the hand of God in play that a lot fell. The way the lot did was an act of God delivering his people one.
Because you know what? I think Mordecai would have known.
That he would have gotten.
That oftentimes Christians before him understood that Lots can be cast and lots can fall, but the hand of God is in control. The will of God gets carried out.
Like how many of you have ever heard of the urim and the thummim before? Like this is like purim or yoram? Some of them have anyone, they were part of the high priests a gear, and wardrobe that, that God put into place a thousand years before. Then it was something that the high priest would use as a part of their conversations with God at times, when they didn't know Direction, they would cast the urim and the thummim they would use them for guidance to to find out the will of God
When they didn't know what direction the urim and the thummim were used by clots. Not because the juice said it's chance or luck or fate, but we're going to trust God. Christian's New Testament Christians, remember that, what the disciples did, after Jesus had ascended into heaven. After Judas had betrayed Jesus eventually they replace Judas with another person to for to be the 12th disciple, the 12th Apostle, you know, how they determine it. They chose people who had the qualifications and then they left it up to the Lots.
And I don't think that would have. Been too far out of the realm of Mordecai's thought when he gave it that name.
To not think about or name. And after Esther, the Queen's Day, to not named it after himself, that the big great Mordecai. The one who uncovered the plot? No.
The odds of the lat.
We're really what? Defined our lot.
Because at the end of the day, I believe Mordecai, understood this truth. And I think it's a truth. I want you to take away from this story. I want you to remember in the book of of Esther, like the rags to riches story is great, the impaling of the Wicked Man, and him getting Justice. Is something that we see in a good way like God at work, bringing about Justice for his people. We see Mordecai being elevated and rewarded for doing the right thing for, for saving the King's life. But at the end of the day, throughout the pages of this book, this truth.
Is number one. It's the God's reality of what's transpired in Esther and throughout the pages of scripture and in fact throughout all of our history as God's people, Deliverance is a God thing. Like, naming it what? He named it. I think Mordecai understood. That everything that happened when against all the odds, it's God. And the odds turning in our favor. Are his Deliverance.
And Mordecai and Esther would have learned that truth. Like in their homes on an annual basis. You know what, Jews celebrated Passover. For a thousand plus years leading up to that time every year on the calendar, a date that was circled one that they look forward to was the remembrance of God's Deliverance of his people from Egypt. When they put Blood on the door, frames the Egyptians, let them go. They made way to the Red Sea, and they crossed over it through miraculous power and deliverance of God. And then God cave the waters on the Egyptians and save them. No, they knew Deliverance was from God. They celebrated it annually in their religious life. That truth was real.
And what's real in the Book of Esther.
But that annual celebration wasn't the only one. More recent in history were stories about people like Shadrach Meshach and Abednego who were captives in Babylon, who got delivered from the fiery furnace. But there's stories of Daniel in the Lion's Den, who want to bend too far removed from, from this time, I'm sure God's people who lived in that area. Still heard about how he got thrown into the pit but the Lions didn't even take a lick of his cheek or a bite of his flesh.
Like deliverances is a God thing. They would have known stories just like you. And I learned when we were little kids, like, what's one of your favorite bible stories? Like David. The little dude with a sling, and a couple of rocks, kills the giant Against All Odds. Oh, Deliverance David said, was not a me thing. Like I don't need that armor. I'm not scared of that giant. I got God.
Like and that's the story of Esther. Like there is no Victory there. There is no Deliverance in this story, if it wasn't for God. Who was at work?
The course of history to bring about their Deliverance.
See the pages of scripture say this Deliverance comes from the Lord.
Now, our lives are a little bit different but we're no different than Mordecai. And Esther, or David or Moses, or God's people in Egypt.
Especially when it comes to our need for deliverance spiritually.
Like the amazing thing about the victory, God gave the Jews. Was that? It made possible. The victory that God. Brought you and me, and Jesus like the family tree of David did not get annihilated. Jesus came. 500 years later to deliver you and me.
And I think Esther reminds us of that reality about God. Like from Genesis 3 to Revelation chapter 22. The story about God celebration of Grace, the deliverance from sin. Is written all over the pages of scripture. And Esther is an ever-present reminder of the God who saves and delivers. His people.
And I want you to hold on to that truth. As we talked a little bit about purine. Because I really want you to think about the days you have marked on your calendars.
Like the days we celebrate as Christians. Like why we remember them? What we what we celebrate in them, what matters most about them? Because if the truth is that Deliverance comes from the Lord, then what we're going to see the Jews do in these pages is also something that's true for us to do. So the Jews agree to continue the celebration they had begun doing what Mordecai had written to them. So they say, yes, this makes sense our deliverance, our independence, our freedom, our lives, the fact that we were dead, but are now alive as worthy of stopping and remembering annually each and every year to the end of time. So earlier what they said they would do. Remember these days appear regime and we
These days appearance, should never fail to be celebrated by the Jews. Nor should the memory of these days die out among their descendants and Jews, still today? Celebrate Purim. If you've never seen a celebration of it or learn anything about it, like I said before it's it's around the end of the month of February early March because the month of Nisan was a spring month. So this is taking place in the time when in our calendar were just hoping things. Warm up and new life. Actually comes up from the ground and the snow stopped coming from the heavens above.
But once you celebrate Purim and they still celebrate the two days. And you might wonder what is the celebration of pureum, like, I did some research on it, my uncle John wrote a book on. He was a seminary to Professor Seminary, professor of ours. He basically described purium like this. It's a, it's like taking our Halloween and our New Year's and combining together in a celebration.
So picture this Like the kids were painted kids paint their faces, they dress up in costumes, they make cookies that are in the shape of an ear and they call him haman's ear and everyone eats them and enjoy them and mocks Heyman. And you're the adults do for two days. Get hammered.
Like it's a two-day Bender. Like literally the rabbis who don't drink. Go on a two-day, Bender to celebrate, Joy frivolity, life, everything like that. So imagine the kids can costumes with face paint, getting gifts from people and all the adults drinking. Don't try this at home. Purim is probably not a holiday that we should celebrate.
And I should make you sad. Son. You should it.
Like why it was celebrated and what it's turned into.
Even more sad. Should be the fact that the Jews while they recognize this. This celebration was a God's moment. By the time God himself showed up. They weren't looking for deliverance spiritually. They were just looking for worldly savior.
They celebrated this every year they celebrated Passover, every year, they celebrated the day of atonement every year, spiritual holidays, national holidays, and they forgot about the ultimate holiday, the ultimate deliverance, and they miss the arrival of Jesus. In fact, they took the one who came to deliver them and they'll come to a cross.
Because, you know what this day has become for most Orthodox Jews. A worldly party.
A national day of celebration of freedom. And worldly, Deliverance.
But they remove the god. Who had performed these things against all odds.
And I think there's a lot to learn in that for us. I mean, they had the word, we have the word, they saw it first hand. We have the word that tells us about the first hand events of the Deliverance of God, if Deliverance is a God thing, brothers and sisters. I pray that what we never stopped celebrating is his God. And celebrating God as a good thing.
Like Fourth of July, great birthdays. Amazing anniversaries, guys, don't forget them like celebrating when you graduate from school, do it, like there are raises and promotions and things. This world that take place that you should celebrate. But at the end of the day, at the top of the list, what matters more than anything when it comes to celebrating and deliverance, especially spiritually and all the things that we have and all that we have to look forward to brothers and sisters celebrating God Trump's them all and it is a good thing.
Because you know what, God did for you, he delivered you spiritually like look at these words in the New Testament. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. You and I were dead in our sins. The odds were 100% not in our favor but God turn the odds when he turned his son and sent him into Earth to become one of us and he went to a cross so that you and I might have life and have it to the full. He was delivered over to death for our sins raised to life for our Justification. And now God's odds are in our favor. We have life. Look at the words of the Apostle, Paul, he said give joyful. Thanks to the father who has qualified. You share in the inheritance of his holy people, in the Kingdom of Light. He's rescued us from the Dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the son. He loves in whom we have Redemption, the Forgiveness of sins you and I have been delivered from our sins and we are destined for heaven. God is worthy of celebrating. And, you know, we have in our calendars just like Jews had in their calendars. Events and times to celebrate those days.
And I highlight all these things in the story of what the Jews have a Riemann, how they've turned it into anything. But God, so that you and I never forget that celebrating those spiritual day celebrating those events, celebrating the Deliverance of God, and what we celebrate on that day. That is truly good. And most important is him.
The kids presents under trees are great, but the gift of God is what Christmas is all about. Like Pastor Tim when people ask you what you're looking forward to most this Christmas, don't begin with the list of the amazing food, that's always on the menu, begin with the amazing Feast that is in store for for all of us in heaven, because Jesus came to Earth.
Like, when you get to Easter.
When you celebrate Holy Week. There are a lot of amazing things getting together with family, candy and food, and and all of the above, but what makes Easter Easter celebrating God and deliverance from sin.
That we've been rescued.
And that's what makes me sad about the story of Esther. Like, it's so inner woven with God and deliverance.
Yet. God has been forgotten from the story. Like when they read the book of Esther in their Purim celebrations, they have noise makers that they wail and crank up every time haman's name is acknowledged because they just want to mock it.
And as fun as that, probably sounds. It's sad that.
That God isn't front and center in the story.
And I don't want that to be our story. Which is why I want you to remember one thing. Maybe it's an action step for you about your calendar. You know what your calendar does.
Helps you celebrate?
Like, as we get close to December 24th and 25th. I pray that your heart starts to grow in anticipation of that celebration. Not because the decorations and the lights but because it's celebrating God. And his son who came to Earth to deliver, Circle Easter celebration of spring after those six weeks of repentance in Lent, celebrate God. New Life In Jesus Deliverance, through the cross sins. Forgiven relationship, restored, the calendar. Helps us celebrate. And so that we don't forget that, I pray that you remember to use your calendar to help you celebrate. You know, what's amazing about the calendar. What happens every week, Thursday, and Sunday, Like circle them on your calendar. Because, you know, what we do here in church each and every week, Thursdays and Sundays at Saint Peter in the car.
Celebrate God. Reminder self deliverance. And the more we do that regularly, those big celebrations are Front and center focused on him. First and foremost.
The counter helps us celebrate weekly. Annually. And you know what? It does for you and me. It helps us celebrate daily.
Like if you have one of those day calendars, where you turn the scripture verse to the next one. Celebrate God. Celebrate God each and every day in your grow root, to be reminded of forgiveness and find joy in the Deliverance that God has given you. Because each day, his Mercy is new every morning. And because one day, he'll take us home to heaven.
And I pray, that's what we do. Like, we see the story of the Gods odds moments, but we don't have to have amazing odds. Figure out that very clear truth that God delivers. That celebrating God is good.
Let's do that right now. We pray Heavenly Father. The evidence of your goodness is all over the story of Esther and the evidence of your goodness is all over our lives as well. We see on the pages of scripture, your story points us to these story. The Ultimate Act of Deliverance in Jesus, our savior who came, who died, who rose who lived a perfect life, who paid the price we couldn't pay Lord.
We thank you for that evidence because it reminds us that Deliverance is a God thing. Which is. My Lord doesn't. Leave our heads. Disappear from our hearts like it did for your people so long ago. Because Lord we need to celebrate that that Deliverance that is a God thing is a good thing to remember and it's all over our life and help us incorporate into the daily weekly annual routine of our spiritual lives. So that we never forget and that one day a week, to celebrate it with you in heaven. Lord, thank you for your story and how you are a tester and how you are part of our story for eternity.