Esther 2

Calvary Chapel Fluvanna

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Esther 2

November 12, 2023 • Pastor Steve Feden • Esther 2

"And the Winner Is...." - Esther 2

The stage has been set in chapter 1 of Esther. Xerxes' is powerful but largely incapable. That truth is confirmed through history's recording of his failure in battle and his failed shenanigans in the realm of women. But when you are a king like Xerxes you can do whatever you want!

Feeling the void left by the de-queened Vashti, the servants suggest a beauty pageant reminiscent of the flirty and fleshy reality TV show, "The Bachelor". PS....sorry if you were a fan. "Whoever pleases the king will be the new Queen!" You can't get much more superficial than that in choosing a queen!

Well, some viewer discretion is required as we wrestle with the whole situation. It's impossible not to think and compare Esther to Daniel and even to Joseph. All of them in difficult situations as Jews in Gentile/Pagan settings, having to make moral choices. There is no indication that Esther is wrestling over her situation.

Spoiler Alert: Of all the virgins [possibly more than 100] taken into the harem of Xerxes, one pleases him more than any other, and not by being a sharp intellect or being good at backgammon.

"Esther, what is a fine Jewish girl like yourself doing in a place like this?" What is she doing engaging in this relationship? How can she agree to marry a gentile king? Why is the author silent on matters of morality and purity? Does this reflect the general lapse of Godliness among the Jews who chose not to return to rebuild after the captivity??

Coincidences? Compromise? How can God possibly be at work in this mess? If you want to hash it out......then,

...VIEW and SEE!

Steve

Esther 1

November 5, 2023 • Pastor Steve Feden • Esther 1

What book of the Bible did Martin Luther claim to be an enemy of? What book of the Bible was banned by Hitler from being read in Germany? What book in the bible makes no mention of God, includes no recorded prayer to God, and has no prophet? What book explains why the Jews never be able to be destroyed by Hitler, Hamas, or Hezbollah? Of course you know, it is -- the story of Esther! This is going to be an interesting study, one which is avoided by many pastors. Surrounded by controversy and full of ambiguity, the Story of Esther depicts the potential first Holocaust of the Jewish people. I say potential because the tables get turned and the Jews are preserved, an event still celebrated by the Feast of Purim. Despite the absence of the mention of God, we are confronted with a series of "coincidental" events and decisions that align everything for a specific result. Esther is a portrayal of Romans 8:28 -- an invisible God working through ordinary people in decisive moments. The invisible God is the faithful God. Lacking the miraculous signs and plagues of the Exodus, and a "Moses-like" deliverer, God resists the proud Haman, and gives grace to the humble Mordecai and Esther -- despite.....despite...despite what? Good question. For the answer... ...VIEW and SEE! Steve

Esther 3

November 19, 2023 • Pastor Steve Feden • Esther 3

"Haman: The enemy of the Jews" - Esther 3 Chapter 3 of Esther is crucial. If you don't watch this message, you won't know what is going on in the story of Esther. But even more importantly, you won't understand what is going on in current events! We ended chapter 2 with Mordecai, a Jew in the Persian empire, serving in an official capacity and blowing the whistle on an assassination plot against Xerxes. Way to go, Mordecai! But chapter 3 starts out with some guy named Haman getting a promotion! Wait....what? But the plot thickens. There is tension between Mordecai and Haman. Big time tension. We get some clues in the story that the tension didn't start with these two guys, and we know from watching the news that it didn't end with these two guys! How much should I tip my hand in the teaser? You can always read the chapter and see what is happening. We will put the pieces together on Sunday. So I will say this: The personal tension between Haman and Mordecai escalates to genocidal proportions. To miss the backstory that we will be discussing is to miss even current references as to what is happening in the mind of Netanyahu and the Jewish people as we watch the current events unfold. Yes, Netanyahu made an "Esther connected" biblical reference in a November 3, 2023 speech that really...and I mean really...stirred people up! What was that reference? How does it connect to the history of anti-semitism? Why are the Jews in danger -- then and now? Oh my... .....VIEW and SEE! Steve

Esther 4

December 10, 2023 • Pastor Steve Feden • Esther 4

"The Turning Point" - Esther 4 Esther 4 is the well known, "for such a time as this" chapter. But, trust me when I tell you that even as I have studied I have been encouraged and excited by what I am seeing and pondering in this amazing story. The Jews in the Persian Empire are facing the genocidal edict of King Xerxes. Mordecia's refusal to bow to Haman, and Haman's disproportionate response, lead to a crucial moment in Jewish....and world....history. Watch with me as Esther comes to grips with her own identity and role in human history. Truly, you can't make this stuff up! Watch the transformation as this moment in time becomes a turning point for an "jewish orphan-turned-queen" named Esther. What decision does Esther face? What is at stake? What makes it a turning point for her? Why should I care? Great questions! You have to... ...VIEW and SEE. Steve