Esther
This Moment.
Esther | moment 4
November 3, 2019 • Vince Medrano
There is significance in lament. We lament because our hearts are not callous to tragedy. We’re aware of tragedy and feel the weight of it. This is what Jesus shows us in the incarnation. He is intimately aware of the tragedy we face. So as followers of Jesus, we won’t rush past tragedy but we’ll cry out in it. Our spirit will cry out to God’s Spirit: things are broken, Your people are overwhelmed, the world is not how it should be. The movement of peace needs to embrace mourning. Mourning causes an awareness of a world of suffering that is beyond our own experience. We’re mindful of how others are walking through suffering.
Esther | moment 2
October 20, 2019 • Mark Slomka
In a book where God’s name is never mentioned, no miracle recorded, no prophecy given, or no prayer recited what are we to discover? In a book where Jews have names after the national gods and marry pagans while in morally compromising situations, what are we meant to think?! In fact there is nothing in chapter 2 and that is precisely why we need to learn the lessons God has for us from this chapter…
Esther | moment 1
October 13, 2019 • Vince Medrano
The unique thing observed about the book of Esther is that God’s name is never mentioned yet we see God’s providence in the big picture of the story. We notice that the sum of all actions show a God who is active. But we’ll notice that it’s a little harder to see God in the moments He’s not explicitly mentioned. It’s the same in our lives… we can look back over the course of 10 years and see the goodness of God, it’s harder to stop in the middle of a Thursday afternoon and discern God’s presence in that moment. In this morning’s moment we’ll observe how man’s power, plans and perspective when used for self seeking pleasure will be shown as absurd. Today’s Passage: Esther 1:16-20 [NLT]