WEBVTT

00:00:00.360 --> 00:00:06.919
 Father, we give you thanks and praise that you have never stopped being king of the whole earth.

00:00:07.759 --> 00:00:14.000
 You are the same God who shaped all the planets and the galaxies with your hand,

00:00:14.259 --> 00:00:17.780
 and you have never let the planets and the galaxies go.

00:00:18.719 --> 00:00:25.640
 You are the same God who shapes and turns history and turns people's lives

00:00:25.640 --> 00:00:29.600
 in the direction that you have already chosen.

00:00:30.000 --> 00:00:33.740
 Father, we thank you so much for Jesus.

00:00:34.500 --> 00:00:36.439
 We thank you that he has redeemed us.

00:00:36.960 --> 00:00:42.000
 We thank you that through faith in him, we do not call out to an unknown God,

00:00:42.000 --> 00:00:49.579
 but that we can call to you, you, our Father in heaven, who is still the Lord of this place.

00:00:50.159 --> 00:00:55.299
 So, Father, we call out to you as your children, and we ask that your Holy Spirit would fall,

00:00:55.299 --> 00:01:00.379
 and we ask that as the Holy Spirit falls, that we would know Jesus,

00:01:01.199 --> 00:01:05.079
 and that your word would speak to us deep in our heart.

00:01:05.560 --> 00:01:09.039
 And we ask all these things in Jesus' name. Amen.

00:01:09.840 --> 00:01:10.799
 Please be seated.

00:01:10.799 --> 00:01:17.759
 If I seem a little bit less energetic than usual, I'm jet-lagged.

00:01:17.840 --> 00:01:25.659
 I was in British Columbia all week, and my internal clock is completely and utterly discombobulated.

00:01:26.439 --> 00:01:32.039
 Hopefully, my brain won't be completely and utterly discombobulated as I talk this morning,

00:01:32.099 --> 00:01:32.900
 as we open the word.

00:01:33.239 --> 00:01:35.799
 If you have your Bibles, turn in them to Esther 5.

00:01:35.799 --> 00:01:40.420
 I know the text will be up there in the screen as well, for those of you who don't have Bibles,

00:01:40.579 --> 00:01:43.899
 but it's just a really great thing to have a Bible with you,

00:01:44.179 --> 00:01:47.979
 and get familiar with your book, or however it is that you read the Bible,

00:01:48.640 --> 00:01:52.400
 and sometimes be able to make notes in it as different things speak to you.

00:01:52.439 --> 00:01:54.299
 I know you can do that electronically as well.

00:01:55.439 --> 00:01:57.319
 So, we're going to be looking at Esther 5.

00:01:57.319 --> 00:02:03.039
 And, you know, this is a very...

00:02:03.039 --> 00:02:07.199
 One of the things that keeps us from being a Christian,

00:02:08.359 --> 00:02:10.579
 or gets in the way of us being a Christian,

00:02:11.180 --> 00:02:15.139
 is we're aware of the fact that often it'll mean that we have to be a bit weaker,

00:02:16.060 --> 00:02:17.759
 and nobody likes to be weak.

00:02:18.799 --> 00:02:24.879
 And this text sort of speaks into that in a very, very interesting way in the context of a story.

00:02:24.879 --> 00:02:26.560
 So, let's just plunge in.

00:02:27.340 --> 00:02:30.639
 If you're just trying to remember where we are in this story,

00:02:30.740 --> 00:02:34.359
 it's a story set in Persia, ancient Persia,

00:02:34.439 --> 00:02:38.199
 when King Xerxes was the king, the emperor of the Persian Empire,

00:02:38.340 --> 00:02:40.699
 the greatest empire in the world at that time.

00:02:41.840 --> 00:02:48.939
 And it's all about how a plan has now developed from this fellow by the name of Haman

00:02:48.939 --> 00:02:52.900
 to kill all of the Jews in the empire, like everyone,

00:02:52.900 --> 00:02:56.680
 whether you're young or whether you're old, male or female,

00:02:57.159 --> 00:03:01.259
 to kill every Jewish person and to steal and plunder their property.

00:03:02.240 --> 00:03:05.500
 And the king has given permission for this.

00:03:06.159 --> 00:03:09.159
 And even as the events in this story transpire,

00:03:09.300 --> 00:03:15.280
 the wheels, so to speak, of the state, the bureaucracy, the military, the police, the judiciary,

00:03:15.280 --> 00:03:20.939
 and even the citizens as individuals are starting to prepare for this great day,

00:03:21.599 --> 00:03:25.520
 about ten, ten and a half months hence, when every Jew will be killed.

00:03:27.180 --> 00:03:32.159
 And central to this whole story have been two Jewish people.

00:03:32.740 --> 00:03:34.719
 One of them is a man by the name of Mordecai,

00:03:34.800 --> 00:03:37.979
 whom I've said week after week, I know it gets a bit boring for some of you,

00:03:37.979 --> 00:03:40.659
 who's lived as a Persian.

00:03:40.840 --> 00:03:46.219
 He's lived as some combination between being a pagan and being a Zoroastrian.

00:03:46.859 --> 00:03:50.839
 He has a name that says, I worship Marduk, the god of Babylon.

00:03:51.519 --> 00:03:54.620
 And he has raised an adopted daughter by the name of Esther.

00:03:55.519 --> 00:03:56.659
 That's her Persian name.

00:03:56.719 --> 00:03:59.539
 She had a Jewish name, but he tells her to use her Persian name,

00:03:59.599 --> 00:04:01.679
 which is she's named after the goddess Ishtar.

00:04:01.680 --> 00:04:05.939
 And Esther, through a series of circumstances,

00:04:05.939 --> 00:04:09.280
 has become one of King Xerxes' queens.

00:04:10.400 --> 00:04:13.140
 But she has lived like a Persian, looks like a Persian,

00:04:13.340 --> 00:04:15.900
 eats like a Persian, worships like a Persian.

00:04:16.019 --> 00:04:17.379
 Nobody knows that she's Jewish.

00:04:18.519 --> 00:04:24.800
 And so we see in the story as it unfolds this conversion moment for Mordecai,

00:04:24.800 --> 00:04:31.280
 where he's just brought to that point where he returns to the Lord of Israel

00:04:31.279 --> 00:04:33.879
 who cares for his covenant people.

00:04:34.779 --> 00:04:36.019
 And he says, I am a Jew.

00:04:36.259 --> 00:04:39.299
 I am one who's going to live under the Lord's hand and under his covenant.

00:04:39.759 --> 00:04:41.119
 But Esther hasn't done that.

00:04:42.099 --> 00:04:47.539
 And after this decree is made to use the power of the state to kill every Jewish person,

00:04:47.899 --> 00:04:54.359
 what we looked at last week is that Mordecai outs his adopted daughter, Esther.

00:04:55.259 --> 00:04:56.339
 He outs her.

00:04:56.339 --> 00:05:01.699
 And he outs her because he's come to confront her and say,

00:05:01.939 --> 00:05:06.759
 you know, through an intermediary that you need to go in and speak to the king

00:05:06.759 --> 00:05:08.639
 and appeal for your people.

00:05:09.439 --> 00:05:14.879
 And Esther gives Mordecai a very, very, very, very, very, very reasonable reason

00:05:14.879 --> 00:05:17.019
 as to why she shouldn't do something like that.

00:05:17.019 --> 00:05:21.399
 Because basically she has a very high likelihood of being put to death

00:05:21.399 --> 00:05:26.799
 because there's a rule, which is also, by the way, reported in other secular historians

00:05:26.799 --> 00:05:29.079
 or pagan historians, I should say,

00:05:29.379 --> 00:05:33.839
 that if you come into the king's inner sanctum to speak to him

00:05:33.839 --> 00:05:36.879
 and he hasn't invited you,

00:05:37.620 --> 00:05:40.019
 unless when he sees you, you come in.

00:05:40.180 --> 00:05:43.779
 And if he doesn't give you, extend his royal scepter to give you permission,

00:05:43.779 --> 00:05:46.000
 the only other option is to have you killed.

00:05:47.859 --> 00:05:51.579
 And Esther says, it's pretty foolish of you, really, Mordecai,

00:05:51.639 --> 00:05:54.739
 to ask me to go and appear before the king.

00:05:54.779 --> 00:05:55.919
 I haven't seen him in 30 days.

00:05:56.019 --> 00:05:57.199
 Who knows how long it'll be.

00:05:58.679 --> 00:06:04.779
 And so there's this, the whole story turns in this last interchange

00:06:05.299 --> 00:06:06.979
 of what we just looked at last week,

00:06:07.059 --> 00:06:11.299
 where Mordecai, his faith in the Lord's providence comes out.

00:06:11.300 --> 00:06:16.860
 He says, listen, the Lord is going to deliver his people

00:06:16.860 --> 00:06:18.759
 because that's what he's promised he does.

00:06:20.300 --> 00:06:24.600
 And don't think that you can hide while Mordecai goes through his,

00:06:24.860 --> 00:06:26.460
 Haman goes through his plan

00:06:26.460 --> 00:06:29.319
 and that you won't come under this judgment

00:06:29.319 --> 00:06:30.960
 and you won't die and suffer.

00:06:31.439 --> 00:06:32.639
 But here's the thing.

00:06:33.180 --> 00:06:35.780
 I know that the Lord is going to deliver.

00:06:35.779 --> 00:06:41.399
 And maybe the Lord has put you in this position for such a time as this,

00:06:41.659 --> 00:06:47.599
 that you are the one here right now to take this message to the king.

00:06:49.139 --> 00:06:52.500
 And if you don't, you'll perish.

00:06:52.839 --> 00:06:54.459
 And as we looked at a little bit last week,

00:06:54.519 --> 00:06:57.519
 it's the language of a type of eternal perishing

00:06:57.519 --> 00:07:00.079
 within the context of the Hebrew.

00:07:00.079 --> 00:07:03.479
 And you'll fall under God's judgment.

00:07:04.300 --> 00:07:07.339
 So this is like a conversion moment for Esther

00:07:07.339 --> 00:07:12.399
 as to whether she's going to trust the Lord or trust herself.

00:07:13.899 --> 00:07:16.620
 And Mordecai's words pierce her heart.

00:07:17.899 --> 00:07:20.439
 And she becomes a reluctant convert.

00:07:21.060 --> 00:07:24.399
 She doesn't start saying yes and jumping up and down

00:07:24.399 --> 00:07:25.500
 because she's all pumped.

00:07:25.500 --> 00:07:27.220
 She says,

00:07:27.720 --> 00:07:29.100
 I will spend the next day,

00:07:29.360 --> 00:07:31.980
 three days fasting without food or water.

00:07:32.600 --> 00:07:35.939
 And I will reveal who I am to my young women.

00:07:37.180 --> 00:07:40.800
 And I will ask them to join me in fasting and prayer

00:07:40.800 --> 00:07:42.379
 for three days to the Lord.

00:07:43.120 --> 00:07:44.920
 And I ask you, Mordecai,

00:07:45.060 --> 00:07:47.759
 if you would gather all of the Jewish people that you know

00:07:47.759 --> 00:07:51.779
 and you would ask them to fast and to pray for me for three days.

00:07:53.040 --> 00:07:54.680
 And at the end of the three days,

00:07:54.680 --> 00:07:56.280
 I will go unto the king.

00:07:57.040 --> 00:07:59.379
 And if I perish, I perish.

00:08:01.780 --> 00:08:04.259
 I mean, when you say, if I perish, I perish,

00:08:04.620 --> 00:08:06.780
 that's not a sign that you're just,

00:08:07.220 --> 00:08:09.960
 that you're filled with the joy of the Lord.

00:08:12.480 --> 00:08:13.740
 It's not despairing.

00:08:13.800 --> 00:08:14.600
 It's not cynical.

00:08:14.759 --> 00:08:15.639
 It's very realistic.

00:08:16.360 --> 00:08:17.920
 And it's very, very courageous.

00:08:18.439 --> 00:08:20.319
 And really, for those,

00:08:20.540 --> 00:08:23.620
 everything that happens in the rest of the book of Esther

00:08:23.620 --> 00:08:26.699
 has to be understood from that perspective

00:08:26.699 --> 00:08:30.780
 that the Lord has going to deliver his people,

00:08:31.340 --> 00:08:34.360
 whether Esther is the one who is there for such a time as this,

00:08:34.580 --> 00:08:36.980
 and whether her faith and obedience to the Lord

00:08:36.980 --> 00:08:39.679
 will lead her to end up being, to perishing,

00:08:39.779 --> 00:08:41.700
 because she might die in this whole process.

00:08:41.700 --> 00:08:46.160
 And so that's where we begin this story today.

00:08:47.160 --> 00:08:48.400
 It's verse one.

00:08:49.060 --> 00:08:50.520
 On the third day,

00:08:51.140 --> 00:08:53.320
 Esther put on her royal robes

00:08:53.320 --> 00:08:55.980
 and stood in the inner court of the king's palace

00:08:55.980 --> 00:08:58.040
 in front of the king's quarters

00:08:58.040 --> 00:09:00.920
 while the king was sitting on his royal throne

00:09:00.920 --> 00:09:04.740
 inside the throne room opposite the entrance to the palace.

00:09:04.840 --> 00:09:05.660
 And just pause.

00:09:05.659 --> 00:09:10.319
 One of the things which is hard for some people

00:09:10.319 --> 00:09:12.399
 as this sermon series has been going on

00:09:12.399 --> 00:09:16.659
 is because I'm sort of bringing out things in the story

00:09:16.659 --> 00:09:18.819
 which make it obvious that

00:09:18.819 --> 00:09:22.299
 the way you've normally heard the story talked about isn't right.

00:09:24.059 --> 00:09:28.079
 Like, I know after I shared where Esther gets introduced

00:09:28.079 --> 00:09:30.699
 and the fact that she's a compromised person

00:09:30.699 --> 00:09:32.039
 who doesn't live like a Jew,

00:09:32.259 --> 00:09:34.819
 who goes under the name of the goddess of Ishtar,

00:09:34.820 --> 00:09:36.180
 and the way she becomes queen,

00:09:36.940 --> 00:09:39.560
 literally the way she becomes queen,

00:09:40.340 --> 00:09:45.920
 is her sexual performance with the emperor

00:09:45.920 --> 00:09:50.680
 and her conversation with him makes him choose her,

00:09:51.040 --> 00:09:53.480
 which doesn't usually get talked about in Sunday school.

00:09:56.540 --> 00:09:58.200
 And here in this story,

00:09:58.600 --> 00:10:01.220
 it's often said that what Esther does

00:10:01.220 --> 00:10:04.420
 is she makes herself beautiful to appear before the king.

00:10:04.820 --> 00:10:06.100
 And that's wrong.

00:10:08.140 --> 00:10:09.580
 The text has made clear

00:10:09.580 --> 00:10:11.440
 that she's just spent the last three days

00:10:11.440 --> 00:10:13.680
 fasting without food or water.

00:10:15.820 --> 00:10:20.300
 One of the things which I'm prey to

00:10:20.300 --> 00:10:22.360
 is I can get so busy with work

00:10:22.360 --> 00:10:24.660
 that I don't drink fluids.

00:10:25.180 --> 00:10:27.680
 I go from one thing to another to another to another

00:10:27.680 --> 00:10:28.880
 and I don't drink enough fluids.

00:10:28.879 --> 00:10:32.019
 And I'll be home and I'll say to my wife,

00:10:32.120 --> 00:10:33.779
 you know, I finally get home and I say to Louise,

00:10:33.899 --> 00:10:36.919
 I say, gosh, I'm really feeling just tired and draggy.

00:10:38.159 --> 00:10:40.860
 And, you know, and then like I'm dumb, right?

00:10:40.899 --> 00:10:44.019
 So it doesn't dawn on me at first that I'm dehydrated.

00:10:44.159 --> 00:10:46.039
 And then I sort of think to myself,

00:10:46.379 --> 00:10:48.139
 maybe I'm just dehydrated.

00:10:48.139 --> 00:10:49.259
 And before I know it,

00:10:49.299 --> 00:10:53.039
 like I've had three glasses or four glasses of something

00:10:53.039 --> 00:10:54.419
 and half an hour later,

00:10:54.559 --> 00:10:56.259
 the world looks better.

00:10:56.460 --> 00:10:57.340
 I have energy.

00:10:57.500 --> 00:10:58.220
 I'm not tired.

00:10:58.539 --> 00:10:59.659
 I was just dehydrated.

00:10:59.740 --> 00:11:01.059
 And that's just after an afternoon.

00:11:03.379 --> 00:11:04.759
 I'm not a doctor.

00:11:04.860 --> 00:11:06.899
 I did a little bit of looking on the Internet

00:11:06.899 --> 00:11:08.039
 to see what happens

00:11:08.039 --> 00:11:10.059
 if you go three days without food and water.

00:11:10.259 --> 00:11:12.580
 But at the end of three days without water,

00:11:12.679 --> 00:11:13.319
 you can still live.

00:11:13.320 --> 00:11:16.080
 By the way, the text isn't recommending you do this.

00:11:17.420 --> 00:11:20.379
 And whether it was a full 72 hours or a little bit less,

00:11:20.480 --> 00:11:21.840
 the text is a bit silent on it,

00:11:21.879 --> 00:11:24.180
 but she's gone a while without food and without water.

00:11:25.080 --> 00:11:27.460
 And after this length of time without water,

00:11:28.220 --> 00:11:32.580
 her brain would feel tired and heavy.

00:11:32.580 --> 00:11:34.040
 She wouldn't have energy.

00:11:35.140 --> 00:11:37.880
 It's very possible that her joints would be aching

00:11:37.880 --> 00:11:40.780
 because regular fluid's important for your joints

00:11:40.780 --> 00:11:41.920
 to be able to work well.

00:11:41.919 --> 00:11:45.659
 And the body's ability to control its temperature

00:11:45.659 --> 00:11:47.419
 would be way out of whack.

00:11:48.059 --> 00:11:49.779
 And she might be going through periods

00:11:49.779 --> 00:11:52.439
 where she's literally shivering with cold.

00:11:53.199 --> 00:11:54.919
 And then within a few moments,

00:11:55.319 --> 00:11:57.139
 she could be heavily sweating.

00:11:58.419 --> 00:12:02.879
 And if one of us was brought into the hospital

00:12:02.879 --> 00:12:04.939
 because we'd gone three days without fluid,

00:12:05.659 --> 00:12:06.519
 they wouldn't say,

00:12:06.679 --> 00:12:08.879
 okay, now you're in the exact right state of affairs

00:12:08.879 --> 00:12:10.699
 to go do an important interview.

00:12:10.700 --> 00:12:14.180
 They'd say, we're putting you in the hospital.

00:12:14.180 --> 00:12:15.379
 We're not letting you out.

00:12:15.820 --> 00:12:17.060
 We're going to give you intravenous.

00:12:17.140 --> 00:12:18.660
 We're going to pump some fluids into you

00:12:18.660 --> 00:12:19.680
 and we're going to fix you.

00:12:19.860 --> 00:12:20.759
 That's what they'd say.

00:12:22.960 --> 00:12:25.840
 And so she would look either sweaty or clammy.

00:12:27.240 --> 00:12:28.800
 She would be maybe shivering,

00:12:29.540 --> 00:12:30.940
 sweating and shivering.

00:12:30.940 --> 00:12:34.760
 And she might be walking with pain.

00:12:36.320 --> 00:12:38.620
 And her lack of energy would be apparent.

00:12:40.000 --> 00:12:41.860
 So now it isn't as if she goes in.

00:12:41.920 --> 00:12:43.760
 It says here she puts on her royal robe

00:12:43.760 --> 00:12:46.760
 and that many people will just jump to the thing

00:12:46.760 --> 00:12:48.780
 that she spent her time working on her makeup.

00:12:49.020 --> 00:12:50.240
 But this is,

00:12:50.420 --> 00:12:52.900
 the whole thing is a very, very interesting thing

00:12:52.900 --> 00:12:54.160
 in this story, you see.

00:12:55.100 --> 00:12:56.939
 And it's a puzzling story, right?

00:12:57.000 --> 00:12:58.079
 Because the fact of the matter is,

00:12:58.100 --> 00:12:58.759
 let's be honest.

00:12:58.899 --> 00:13:01.159
 If one of you came up to me and said,

00:13:01.240 --> 00:13:03.899
 George, I have a really, really, really important meeting

00:13:03.899 --> 00:13:05.459
 in three, you know, next week

00:13:05.459 --> 00:13:07.139
 or in three days,

00:13:07.360 --> 00:13:09.480
 like on Wednesday, George, or Thursday,

00:13:09.539 --> 00:13:11.679
 I have this really, really, really important interview

00:13:11.679 --> 00:13:12.559
 that I have to go through.

00:13:12.600 --> 00:13:13.240
 What should I do?

00:13:13.740 --> 00:13:14.659
 And I have to confess,

00:13:14.759 --> 00:13:16.659
 I probably wouldn't tell you to fast for three days

00:13:16.659 --> 00:13:18.100
 and take no water and pray.

00:13:18.100 --> 00:13:18.800
 I'd probably,

00:13:19.580 --> 00:13:20.940
 I'd tell you you should pray,

00:13:21.100 --> 00:13:21.920
 but I'd probably say,

00:13:21.980 --> 00:13:22.600
 you know what you can do is

00:13:22.600 --> 00:13:23.920
 you can visualize success.

00:13:25.259 --> 00:13:27.480
 You know, send me a copy of your words,

00:13:27.580 --> 00:13:28.240
 your speech,

00:13:28.279 --> 00:13:29.620
 and we can make it punchy.

00:13:29.680 --> 00:13:31.399
 You've got to work on your elevator talk.

00:13:31.960 --> 00:13:34.840
 You know, those first 30 seconds or 90 seconds,

00:13:34.940 --> 00:13:35.460
 it's key.

00:13:35.580 --> 00:13:36.759
 You want to say something at the beginning

00:13:36.759 --> 00:13:38.379
 that's going to really grab the person,

00:13:38.940 --> 00:13:40.480
 hook them and bring them in.

00:13:41.240 --> 00:13:42.340
 And in other words,

00:13:42.440 --> 00:13:43.879
 basically what I would be telling them

00:13:43.879 --> 00:13:44.820
 is I would be telling them

00:13:44.820 --> 00:13:45.879
 all of the different ways.

00:13:45.879 --> 00:13:47.340
 And, you know, maybe I'd be saying,

00:13:48.000 --> 00:13:48.799
 of course, you know,

00:13:48.860 --> 00:13:49.679
 you're going to, you know,

00:13:49.700 --> 00:13:51.080
 don't come to me for fashion advice,

00:13:51.139 --> 00:13:51.840
 which is obvious.

00:13:52.399 --> 00:13:54.360
 Some of you ask me occasionally

00:13:54.360 --> 00:13:56.059
 why it is that I always wear

00:13:56.059 --> 00:13:58.059
 a clergy shirt at church.

00:13:58.100 --> 00:13:59.100
 I don't wear it throughout the week.

00:13:59.419 --> 00:14:00.360
 It's very simple.

00:14:00.500 --> 00:14:02.720
 I am such a non-clothes person

00:14:02.720 --> 00:14:05.779
 that if I actually tried to not dress

00:14:05.779 --> 00:14:07.200
 in a clergy shirt and pants,

00:14:07.259 --> 00:14:07.820
 you'd start to say,

00:14:07.860 --> 00:14:09.799
 he's wearing the same pants like every week.

00:14:11.059 --> 00:14:13.139
 And look at the socks with the sandals.

00:14:13.639 --> 00:14:15.559
 And the socks don't match his shirt

00:14:15.559 --> 00:14:17.500
 or his tie or whatever it's supposed to match.

00:14:17.539 --> 00:14:18.399
 I wouldn't even know

00:14:18.399 --> 00:14:19.519
 what it's supposed to match.

00:14:19.839 --> 00:14:21.379
 Like, I'm the opposite of a clothes person.

00:14:21.500 --> 00:14:22.539
 I can wear black,

00:14:23.019 --> 00:14:24.819
 like, dress, it's like a uniform.

00:14:25.000 --> 00:14:26.319
 I'm allowed to wear it every week

00:14:26.319 --> 00:14:27.519
 and nobody comments on it,

00:14:27.559 --> 00:14:28.439
 which is one of the reasons,

00:14:28.559 --> 00:14:29.719
 the main reason why I do it.

00:14:30.019 --> 00:14:33.899
 I can just get by like this every week.

00:14:33.939 --> 00:14:35.419
 I don't have to think about my clothes.

00:14:35.579 --> 00:14:36.779
 So I would say to you,

00:14:36.859 --> 00:14:39.139
 don't come to me about advice about clothes.

00:14:39.379 --> 00:14:40.279
 You know, go to Victor

00:14:40.279 --> 00:14:42.379
 or, you know, or some other person,

00:14:42.379 --> 00:14:44.399
 and they'll tell you how to be well put together

00:14:44.399 --> 00:14:48.080
 so you look spectacular for your meeting.

00:14:49.019 --> 00:14:49.899
 And, but you know,

00:14:49.919 --> 00:14:50.600
 what I'd be doing is

00:14:50.600 --> 00:14:52.399
 all of my advice would be how to get strong.

00:14:53.779 --> 00:14:54.720
 That's what we'd all do.

00:14:56.519 --> 00:14:58.480
 All of our advice would be how to get strong,

00:14:58.539 --> 00:14:59.200
 how to get pumped,

00:14:59.279 --> 00:15:00.559
 how to visualize your success,

00:15:00.960 --> 00:15:02.120
 work on your talk,

00:15:02.539 --> 00:15:04.320
 you know, work all of these types of,

00:15:04.320 --> 00:15:07.360
 pray and work and work and work.

00:15:07.360 --> 00:15:09.379
 And you come to a text like this

00:15:09.379 --> 00:15:12.159
 and it's a very, very, very counterintuitive text

00:15:12.159 --> 00:15:16.159
 is that she makes herself weak.

00:15:18.519 --> 00:15:22.279
 And when she stands to come into the king's presence

00:15:22.279 --> 00:15:24.460
 to see whether she's going to live and die,

00:15:25.860 --> 00:15:28.419
 maybe she's had some fluid now,

00:15:28.480 --> 00:15:29.500
 but she won't have had enough

00:15:29.500 --> 00:15:30.800
 to have been rehydrated.

00:15:31.399 --> 00:15:33.180
 And she's put on her royal robes

00:15:33.180 --> 00:15:34.279
 to show that she's the queen.

00:15:34.340 --> 00:15:35.460
 And I'm sure she did her hair

00:15:35.460 --> 00:15:37.600
 and whatever makeup her would have been back then.

00:15:37.700 --> 00:15:38.820
 But she comes in a weak,

00:15:38.900 --> 00:15:40.840
 in a weakened state.

00:15:43.240 --> 00:15:44.860
 Now, just to be clear,

00:15:45.400 --> 00:15:47.000
 the Bible here isn't saying

00:15:47.000 --> 00:15:48.280
 that there's something virtuous

00:15:48.280 --> 00:15:50.200
 about weakness per se.

00:15:51.280 --> 00:15:53.080
 And it's not saying

00:15:53.080 --> 00:15:54.040
 that you have to be weak

00:15:54.040 --> 00:15:55.420
 to speak before the king.

00:15:56.120 --> 00:15:57.500
 What you see here

00:15:57.500 --> 00:15:59.180
 is something which is really

00:15:59.180 --> 00:16:01.540
 counterintuitive to our flesh

00:16:01.540 --> 00:16:02.420
 and to the world,

00:16:02.560 --> 00:16:04.120
 but very, very, very, very,

00:16:04.120 --> 00:16:06.039
 very important to understand.

00:16:07.000 --> 00:16:08.659
 She humbles herself

00:16:08.659 --> 00:16:10.139
 not before the king,

00:16:11.080 --> 00:16:14.399
 not before power of the world,

00:16:15.039 --> 00:16:16.539
 not before the people

00:16:16.539 --> 00:16:18.560
 who want to kill her people.

00:16:18.679 --> 00:16:20.060
 She's not humbling herself

00:16:20.060 --> 00:16:21.820
 and making her weak before them.

00:16:22.779 --> 00:16:24.320
 She becomes weak

00:16:24.320 --> 00:16:25.440
 and humbles herself

00:16:25.440 --> 00:16:26.659
 before her God

00:16:26.659 --> 00:16:28.840
 that she can stand

00:16:28.840 --> 00:16:30.639
 before the king.

00:16:30.639 --> 00:16:37.460
 It's not saying

00:16:37.460 --> 00:16:38.559
 that the world would be better

00:16:38.559 --> 00:16:39.679
 if everybody was weaker.

00:16:40.639 --> 00:16:42.059
 It's not saying anything

00:16:42.059 --> 00:16:43.039
 other than the fact

00:16:43.039 --> 00:16:44.899
 that this is a profound story

00:16:44.899 --> 00:16:45.819
 of conversion.

00:16:46.980 --> 00:16:48.220
 And with her conversion,

00:16:49.059 --> 00:16:50.120
 and she knows

00:16:50.120 --> 00:16:51.240
 the power of the court

00:16:51.240 --> 00:16:52.559
 and the power of the empire,

00:16:53.059 --> 00:16:54.279
 and if she is going

00:16:54.279 --> 00:16:55.659
 to trust in the Lord,

00:16:55.779 --> 00:16:56.879
 she's going to have to trust

00:16:56.879 --> 00:16:57.379
 in the Lord

00:16:57.379 --> 00:16:58.360
 all of the way.

00:16:58.360 --> 00:17:00.480
 Unless the Lord does this,

00:17:00.600 --> 00:17:01.620
 she is doomed.

00:17:02.360 --> 00:17:04.980
 And she has this profound sense.

00:17:05.680 --> 00:17:07.160
 The text never explains it.

00:17:07.360 --> 00:17:08.200
 It may be as just

00:17:08.200 --> 00:17:09.299
 the memory she's had

00:17:09.299 --> 00:17:10.539
 of her upbringing

00:17:10.539 --> 00:17:11.500
 and of the stories

00:17:11.500 --> 00:17:12.660
 of God's deliverance,

00:17:12.880 --> 00:17:14.000
 but the fact of the matter

00:17:14.000 --> 00:17:14.940
 is it's going to have to be

00:17:14.940 --> 00:17:16.099
 the Lord who will deliver

00:17:16.099 --> 00:17:16.599
 his people,

00:17:16.680 --> 00:17:17.960
 the Lord who will act

00:17:17.960 --> 00:17:18.900
 in the midst

00:17:18.900 --> 00:17:20.579
 of all these other things.

00:17:21.240 --> 00:17:22.180
 And the way that she

00:17:22.180 --> 00:17:23.160
 is to do this

00:17:23.160 --> 00:17:24.140
 is if she is going to be able

00:17:24.140 --> 00:17:25.799
 to stand before the king

00:17:25.799 --> 00:17:26.880
 and look him in the eye,

00:17:26.880 --> 00:17:27.820
 if she is going to be able

00:17:27.820 --> 00:17:29.520
 to stand before Haman,

00:17:30.300 --> 00:17:32.140
 the one who wants

00:17:32.140 --> 00:17:33.040
 to murder her

00:17:33.040 --> 00:17:34.040
 and all her people,

00:17:34.160 --> 00:17:35.340
 if she is to stand

00:17:35.340 --> 00:17:36.380
 before her enemies

00:17:36.380 --> 00:17:37.140
 and her kings,

00:17:37.220 --> 00:17:38.520
 she needs to humble herself

00:17:38.520 --> 00:17:39.380
 before the Lord

00:17:39.380 --> 00:17:42.200
 so she may stand.

00:17:44.480 --> 00:17:45.840
 And that's what she does.

00:17:48.400 --> 00:17:49.960
 And so we come to see

00:17:49.960 --> 00:17:51.040
 how it is that the king

00:17:51.040 --> 00:17:52.000
 is going to respond.

00:17:52.120 --> 00:17:52.720
 Verse 2.

00:17:53.720 --> 00:17:54.360
 Now remember,

00:17:54.359 --> 00:17:56.779
 when she comes in,

00:17:57.839 --> 00:17:59.479
 she's looking more frail.

00:18:02.199 --> 00:18:03.779
 She's not walking

00:18:03.779 --> 00:18:05.139
 with the usual spring

00:18:05.139 --> 00:18:05.899
 in her step.

00:18:07.779 --> 00:18:09.459
 She doesn't look well.

00:18:11.079 --> 00:18:12.500
 But she's come

00:18:12.500 --> 00:18:14.119
 and stood

00:18:14.119 --> 00:18:15.799
 in the place

00:18:15.799 --> 00:18:18.559
 where within the next few moments,

00:18:19.359 --> 00:18:20.559
 the king will either

00:18:20.559 --> 00:18:22.179
 ignore her,

00:18:22.180 --> 00:18:23.580
 and that means

00:18:23.580 --> 00:18:24.360
 the guards will come

00:18:24.360 --> 00:18:25.539
 and take her away

00:18:25.539 --> 00:18:26.180
 and kill her,

00:18:26.759 --> 00:18:28.279
 or he will look at her

00:18:28.279 --> 00:18:29.220
 and he will beckon her

00:18:29.220 --> 00:18:29.700
 to come

00:18:29.700 --> 00:18:31.460
 and she will live

00:18:31.460 --> 00:18:32.560
 at least for that moment.

00:18:34.360 --> 00:18:35.440
 So in verse 2,

00:18:35.500 --> 00:18:36.100
 and when the king

00:18:36.100 --> 00:18:37.420
 saw Queen Esther

00:18:37.420 --> 00:18:38.539
 standing in the court,

00:18:39.600 --> 00:18:40.539
 she won favor

00:18:40.539 --> 00:18:41.380
 in his sight

00:18:41.380 --> 00:18:43.080
 and he held out

00:18:43.080 --> 00:18:43.600
 to Esther

00:18:43.600 --> 00:18:44.759
 the golden scepter

00:18:44.759 --> 00:18:45.880
 that was in his hand.

00:18:46.880 --> 00:18:48.340
 Then Esther approached

00:18:48.340 --> 00:18:49.440
 and touched

00:18:49.440 --> 00:18:50.840
 the tip of the scepter.

00:18:50.839 --> 00:18:52.399
 That's one of those

00:18:52.399 --> 00:18:53.419
 little aspects

00:18:53.419 --> 00:18:54.199
 of the story

00:18:54.199 --> 00:18:55.759
 for those of you

00:18:55.759 --> 00:18:57.279
 who have visual imaginations

00:18:57.279 --> 00:18:58.000
 that just help you

00:18:58.000 --> 00:18:58.619
 to understand

00:18:58.619 --> 00:18:59.379
 what's happening.

00:18:59.519 --> 00:19:00.259
 It's a sign

00:19:00.259 --> 00:19:01.359
 that she's acknowledged

00:19:01.359 --> 00:19:03.500
 that he's letting her live.

00:19:04.879 --> 00:19:06.179
 And she comes close

00:19:06.179 --> 00:19:06.619
 to him.

00:19:07.240 --> 00:19:07.859
 She touches

00:19:07.859 --> 00:19:08.659
 the symbol

00:19:08.659 --> 00:19:09.519
 of his authority

00:19:09.519 --> 00:19:11.339
 as acknowledgement

00:19:11.339 --> 00:19:12.220
 that she can be

00:19:12.220 --> 00:19:13.339
 in his presence

00:19:13.339 --> 00:19:15.079
 and that she can live.

00:19:15.079 --> 00:19:17.439
 And

00:19:17.439 --> 00:19:23.460
 the king must have noticed

00:19:23.460 --> 00:19:24.419
 how she looks.

00:19:25.519 --> 00:19:26.939
 So he says to her,

00:19:27.480 --> 00:19:28.139
 what is it,

00:19:28.240 --> 00:19:29.079
 Queen Esther?

00:19:29.279 --> 00:19:30.319
 What is your request?

00:19:31.119 --> 00:19:32.059
 Shall be given you

00:19:32.059 --> 00:19:34.039
 even half of my kingdom.

00:19:35.179 --> 00:19:35.859
 Now just sort of

00:19:35.859 --> 00:19:36.799
 pause here again.

00:19:37.839 --> 00:19:39.299
 He doesn't mean this literally.

00:19:39.480 --> 00:19:40.079
 He's just

00:19:40.079 --> 00:19:41.460
 having good manners.

00:19:41.460 --> 00:19:44.200
 If she'd said,

00:19:44.299 --> 00:19:44.740
 well actually,

00:19:45.019 --> 00:19:45.500
 I'd like,

00:19:45.680 --> 00:19:46.440
 I have a map

00:19:46.440 --> 00:19:46.980
 of the kingdom.

00:19:47.460 --> 00:19:48.299
 I've drawn a line

00:19:48.299 --> 00:19:48.880
 right here.

00:19:49.420 --> 00:19:50.200
 I'd like you to have,

00:19:50.319 --> 00:19:51.200
 I'd like to have this half

00:19:51.200 --> 00:19:52.100
 and you can have that half.

00:19:52.180 --> 00:19:52.440
 But you know,

00:19:52.460 --> 00:19:52.900
 at the end of the day,

00:19:52.920 --> 00:19:53.400
 it doesn't matter.

00:19:53.480 --> 00:19:54.160
 You can have the other half

00:19:54.160 --> 00:19:54.920
 and I'll have this half.

00:19:55.660 --> 00:19:56.940
 If she'd said that,

00:19:57.380 --> 00:19:58.200
 she'd be dead.

00:20:00.400 --> 00:20:01.620
 It's just good manners.

00:20:02.740 --> 00:20:03.460
 By the way,

00:20:04.000 --> 00:20:05.440
 here's a really important thing.

00:20:05.440 --> 00:20:09.380
 When you read the Gospels,

00:20:09.559 --> 00:20:10.640
 when you read something like,

00:20:10.840 --> 00:20:11.920
 for God so loved the world

00:20:11.920 --> 00:20:14.080
 that he gave his only begotten son

00:20:14.080 --> 00:20:14.519
 to the end

00:20:14.519 --> 00:20:15.820
 that all who believe in him

00:20:15.820 --> 00:20:16.900
 shall not perish

00:20:16.900 --> 00:20:19.279
 but have eternal life,

00:20:19.559 --> 00:20:21.180
 it's not good manners.

00:20:22.100 --> 00:20:23.059
 It's literal.

00:20:25.480 --> 00:20:26.400
 It's literal.

00:20:28.080 --> 00:20:29.380
 He really will

00:20:29.380 --> 00:20:32.340
 stop you from perishing.

00:20:32.559 --> 00:20:33.539
 He really will give you

00:20:33.539 --> 00:20:34.259
 eternal life.

00:20:34.259 --> 00:20:35.700
 But this

00:20:35.700 --> 00:20:37.180
 is just good manners.

00:20:39.240 --> 00:20:41.059
 And so,

00:20:41.180 --> 00:20:42.000
 how is she going to respond?

00:20:42.079 --> 00:20:42.460
 She says,

00:20:42.619 --> 00:20:43.400
 and Esther said,

00:20:43.500 --> 00:20:44.000
 verse 4,

00:20:44.099 --> 00:20:45.240
 if it please the king,

00:20:45.920 --> 00:20:47.279
 let the king and Haman

00:20:47.279 --> 00:20:49.059
 come today to a feast

00:20:49.059 --> 00:20:50.500
 that I have prepared

00:20:50.500 --> 00:20:51.180
 for the king.

00:20:51.660 --> 00:20:52.379
 And pause again.

00:20:53.480 --> 00:20:53.779
 Now,

00:20:53.819 --> 00:20:54.940
 this would have puzzled the king

00:20:54.940 --> 00:20:57.900
 because he would

00:20:57.900 --> 00:20:59.500
 say to himself,

00:21:00.180 --> 00:21:02.299
 she didn't risk her life

00:21:02.299 --> 00:21:04.299
 just to ask

00:21:04.299 --> 00:21:05.559
 to have some

00:21:05.559 --> 00:21:06.539
 hummus and tabouli

00:21:06.539 --> 00:21:07.599
 and lamb and goat

00:21:07.599 --> 00:21:09.200
 and wine with me.

00:21:11.519 --> 00:21:12.859
 He wouldn't know what it is,

00:21:13.039 --> 00:21:13.859
 but he'd know

00:21:13.859 --> 00:21:14.940
 that there's something else

00:21:14.940 --> 00:21:15.539
 going on.

00:21:16.839 --> 00:21:18.079
 And it's really puzzling.

00:21:18.180 --> 00:21:19.500
 The text never explains

00:21:19.500 --> 00:21:20.079
 why it is

00:21:20.079 --> 00:21:21.379
 that the queen asks

00:21:21.379 --> 00:21:23.039
 not only to see the king

00:21:23.039 --> 00:21:24.359
 but also the king and Haman.

00:21:24.740 --> 00:21:25.419
 Part of the reason

00:21:25.419 --> 00:21:26.440
 that she asked for the meal

00:21:26.440 --> 00:21:28.359
 is maybe clear to all of us

00:21:28.359 --> 00:21:29.259
 if we just sort of picture

00:21:29.259 --> 00:21:29.940
 what happens

00:21:29.940 --> 00:21:32.079
 is that this isn't as if,

00:21:32.420 --> 00:21:33.200
 this isn't like

00:21:33.200 --> 00:21:33.960
 what it's like

00:21:33.960 --> 00:21:35.359
 probably in most offices

00:21:35.359 --> 00:21:37.519
 where if you can make it

00:21:37.519 --> 00:21:39.640
 through all of the security guards

00:21:39.640 --> 00:21:40.519
 and all of the,

00:21:40.539 --> 00:21:42.220
 and the receptionists

00:21:42.220 --> 00:21:43.839
 and the personal assistant,

00:21:44.000 --> 00:21:45.259
 you eventually get into

00:21:45.259 --> 00:21:47.019
 the office of the cabinet minister

00:21:47.019 --> 00:21:48.379
 or the prime minister

00:21:48.379 --> 00:21:49.640
 who's there by himself.

00:21:50.920 --> 00:21:52.799
 What happens in the inner court

00:21:52.799 --> 00:21:54.140
 is the advisors

00:21:54.140 --> 00:21:55.200
 of the king

00:21:55.200 --> 00:21:56.019
 would be around

00:21:56.019 --> 00:21:57.000
 and there's soldiers

00:21:57.000 --> 00:21:57.779
 who are around

00:21:57.779 --> 00:21:58.579
 and there's people

00:21:58.579 --> 00:21:59.740
 with other type of business

00:21:59.740 --> 00:22:01.240
 who'd made the proper appointments

00:22:01.240 --> 00:22:02.440
 and they're all around.

00:22:02.539 --> 00:22:03.420
 There'd be many people

00:22:03.420 --> 00:22:04.299
 who are all around.

00:22:04.980 --> 00:22:06.379
 And so it is sort of,

00:22:06.519 --> 00:22:07.639
 if you sort of understand

00:22:07.639 --> 00:22:08.980
 that that's what it looks like,

00:22:09.000 --> 00:22:10.619
 it's not like our being able

00:22:10.619 --> 00:22:11.879
 to go see the prime minister.

00:22:12.379 --> 00:22:13.879
 It would sort of really be more

00:22:13.879 --> 00:22:14.720
 like you get to see

00:22:14.720 --> 00:22:16.059
 the prime minister of Canada

00:22:16.059 --> 00:22:17.019
 but while he's there,

00:22:17.139 --> 00:22:18.639
 half of his cabinet is there

00:22:18.639 --> 00:22:20.680
 and half of his aides are there

00:22:20.680 --> 00:22:22.440
 and his chief of staff is there

00:22:22.440 --> 00:22:23.759
 and there's security guards

00:22:23.759 --> 00:22:24.559
 and police there

00:22:24.559 --> 00:22:25.519
 and it's a big crowd

00:22:25.519 --> 00:22:26.960
 and you can well imagine

00:22:26.960 --> 00:22:28.039
 that it's going to be

00:22:28.039 --> 00:22:29.139
 a very intimidating thing

00:22:29.139 --> 00:22:30.639
 to try to make your request

00:22:30.639 --> 00:22:32.740
 to the prime minister

00:22:32.740 --> 00:22:34.019
 in front of so many people.

00:22:34.119 --> 00:22:35.039
 It'd be very intimidating.

00:22:36.240 --> 00:22:37.119
 And so you can understand

00:22:37.119 --> 00:22:38.119
 why she asked for the meal

00:22:38.119 --> 00:22:38.940
 but the puzzling thing

00:22:38.940 --> 00:22:40.079
 is that she asked for Haman

00:22:40.079 --> 00:22:43.200
 and the text doesn't tell you

00:22:43.200 --> 00:22:44.139
 why she asked for Haman

00:22:44.139 --> 00:22:44.940
 but she does.

00:22:45.879 --> 00:22:47.400
 So we can be free to differ.

00:22:47.500 --> 00:22:48.240
 I mean, that's one of those things

00:22:48.240 --> 00:22:49.559
 we can talk about over coffee.

00:22:49.680 --> 00:22:51.000
 Why did she ask for Haman

00:22:51.000 --> 00:22:51.680
 to be present?

00:22:51.859 --> 00:22:53.599
 I think it's maybe

00:22:53.599 --> 00:22:54.900
 for at least two reasons.

00:22:54.900 --> 00:22:55.900
 Part of it is I think

00:22:55.900 --> 00:22:56.680
 just the courage

00:22:56.680 --> 00:22:57.600
 that God has given her

00:22:57.600 --> 00:22:59.040
 even in her weakened state

00:22:59.040 --> 00:23:02.340
 because I don't know

00:23:02.340 --> 00:23:02.980
 how many of you

00:23:02.980 --> 00:23:04.800
 have been profoundly wronged

00:23:04.800 --> 00:23:06.780
 but I know that there are

00:23:06.780 --> 00:23:07.580
 some of you here

00:23:07.580 --> 00:23:09.280
 who have been profoundly wronged

00:23:09.280 --> 00:23:09.960
 that maybe have been

00:23:09.960 --> 00:23:10.780
 even beaten

00:23:10.780 --> 00:23:13.300
 or treated very, very unjustly

00:23:13.300 --> 00:23:15.580
 and this is a sign

00:23:15.580 --> 00:23:16.440
 of great courage

00:23:16.440 --> 00:23:17.720
 that when the time comes

00:23:17.720 --> 00:23:18.880
 for her to actually speak

00:23:18.880 --> 00:23:19.519
 about this

00:23:19.519 --> 00:23:21.200
 that she will be able

00:23:21.200 --> 00:23:21.980
 to look

00:23:21.980 --> 00:23:24.840
 the man

00:23:24.840 --> 00:23:26.059
 in the eye

00:23:26.059 --> 00:23:28.299
 be in his presence

00:23:28.299 --> 00:23:29.420
 unintimidated

00:23:29.420 --> 00:23:30.340
 and unashamed

00:23:30.340 --> 00:23:31.539
 and look him in the eye

00:23:31.539 --> 00:23:33.259
 and reveal what he has done

00:23:33.259 --> 00:23:34.779
 and call him out

00:23:34.779 --> 00:23:35.299
 on his evil.

00:23:35.460 --> 00:23:36.840
 This is great courage.

00:23:38.420 --> 00:23:40.140
 She has humbled herself

00:23:40.140 --> 00:23:41.319
 before the Lord

00:23:41.319 --> 00:23:44.080
 so that she might stand

00:23:44.079 --> 00:23:47.220
 in front of the emperor

00:23:47.220 --> 00:23:49.599
 of the empire

00:23:49.599 --> 00:23:52.079
 and stand

00:23:52.079 --> 00:23:53.079
 and speak clearly

00:23:53.599 --> 00:23:55.179
 about the evil

00:23:55.179 --> 00:23:57.019
 of his top advisor

00:23:57.019 --> 00:24:00.559
 and confront him.

00:24:00.559 --> 00:24:04.579
 The other thing

00:24:04.579 --> 00:24:05.919
 might be a little bit practical

00:24:05.919 --> 00:24:06.599
 is that

00:24:06.599 --> 00:24:09.359
 you could well imagine

00:24:09.359 --> 00:24:10.159
 let's say you had

00:24:10.159 --> 00:24:10.899
 a big request

00:24:10.899 --> 00:24:11.720
 of the prime minister

00:24:11.720 --> 00:24:12.700
 and you got him privately

00:24:12.700 --> 00:24:13.799
 and you asked the prime minister

00:24:13.799 --> 00:24:14.539
 to do something

00:24:14.539 --> 00:24:16.259
 and then you leave

00:24:16.259 --> 00:24:16.919
 and the first thing

00:24:16.919 --> 00:24:18.200
 the prime minister does

00:24:18.200 --> 00:24:18.960
 is go and talk

00:24:18.960 --> 00:24:19.740
 to his advisors

00:24:19.740 --> 00:24:20.679
 including the ones

00:24:20.679 --> 00:24:21.200
 who are giving him

00:24:21.200 --> 00:24:22.039
 all the bad advice

00:24:22.039 --> 00:24:23.220
 and you're stuck out there.

00:24:23.299 --> 00:24:24.099
 You can't come back

00:24:24.099 --> 00:24:25.919
 into the king's presence

00:24:25.919 --> 00:24:28.139
 without risking his death again

00:24:28.139 --> 00:24:29.720
 and now all of a sudden

00:24:29.720 --> 00:24:30.640
 you know

00:24:30.640 --> 00:24:31.839
 and the prime minister

00:24:31.839 --> 00:24:32.860
 might be sort of favorable

00:24:32.860 --> 00:24:33.660
 when he sees you

00:24:33.660 --> 00:24:34.420
 but he goes back

00:24:34.420 --> 00:24:35.680
 and he talks to Gerald Butts

00:24:35.680 --> 00:24:36.500
 and he talks to some

00:24:36.500 --> 00:24:37.500
 of his key cabinet ministers

00:24:37.500 --> 00:24:38.039
 and say don't

00:24:38.039 --> 00:24:38.640
 that's crazy

00:24:38.640 --> 00:24:39.339
 don't do that

00:24:39.339 --> 00:24:42.180
 like get another queen

00:24:42.180 --> 00:24:43.360
 like get over it

00:24:43.360 --> 00:24:44.500
 you already have lots

00:24:44.500 --> 00:24:45.380
 so just get another one

00:24:45.380 --> 00:24:47.640
 like so maybe it is

00:24:47.640 --> 00:24:48.680
 that she wants to be able

00:24:48.680 --> 00:24:49.720
 to have it out

00:24:49.720 --> 00:24:50.360
 with Haman

00:24:50.360 --> 00:24:52.200
 and the king

00:24:52.200 --> 00:24:53.059
 in private

00:24:53.059 --> 00:24:54.860
 just the three of them

00:24:54.860 --> 00:24:56.900
 but the text is silent

00:24:56.900 --> 00:24:59.620
 but this is the surprising thing

00:24:59.619 --> 00:25:00.479
 she wants a feast

00:25:00.479 --> 00:25:01.119
 and she wants it

00:25:01.119 --> 00:25:01.599
 with the king

00:25:01.599 --> 00:25:02.279
 and she wants it

00:25:02.279 --> 00:25:02.719
 with Haman

00:25:02.719 --> 00:25:05.279
 so in verse 5

00:25:05.279 --> 00:25:06.899
 the king responds

00:25:06.899 --> 00:25:08.319
 by saying bring Haman quickly

00:25:08.319 --> 00:25:09.799
 so that we may do

00:25:09.799 --> 00:25:11.039
 as Esther has asked

00:25:11.039 --> 00:25:12.599
 so the king

00:25:12.599 --> 00:25:13.219
 and Haman

00:25:13.219 --> 00:25:14.259
 came to the feast

00:25:14.259 --> 00:25:15.539
 that Esther had prepared

00:25:15.539 --> 00:25:18.000
 and as they were drinking wine

00:25:18.000 --> 00:25:19.119
 after the feast

00:25:19.119 --> 00:25:20.459
 the king said to Esther

00:25:20.459 --> 00:25:21.979
 what is your wish

00:25:21.979 --> 00:25:23.739
 it shall be granted you

00:25:23.739 --> 00:25:25.399
 and what is your request

00:25:25.399 --> 00:25:26.439
 even to the half

00:25:26.439 --> 00:25:27.119
 of my kingdom

00:25:27.119 --> 00:25:28.500
 it shall be fulfilled

00:25:28.500 --> 00:25:31.559
 then Esther answered

00:25:31.559 --> 00:25:33.559
 and we expect her to say

00:25:33.559 --> 00:25:35.219
 this terrible Haman

00:25:35.219 --> 00:25:36.219
 wants to kill me

00:25:36.219 --> 00:25:37.419
 you need to protect me

00:25:37.419 --> 00:25:38.179
 I'm Jewish

00:25:38.179 --> 00:25:38.979
 he's evil

00:25:38.979 --> 00:25:40.719
 you think that she's going to say that

00:25:40.719 --> 00:25:41.599
 but she doesn't

00:25:41.599 --> 00:25:45.159
 this is a very helpful feature

00:25:45.159 --> 00:25:45.979
 of the story

00:25:45.979 --> 00:25:52.459
 the thing that's so helpful

00:25:52.460 --> 00:25:53.519
 about this story

00:25:53.519 --> 00:25:56.660
 is

00:25:56.660 --> 00:26:00.860
 because each one of us

00:26:00.860 --> 00:26:01.680
 is fallible

00:26:01.680 --> 00:26:06.340
 none of us is perfect

00:26:06.340 --> 00:26:09.440
 and sometimes we screw up

00:26:09.440 --> 00:26:11.740
 and sometimes when it comes

00:26:11.740 --> 00:26:12.819
 right to the opportunity

00:26:12.819 --> 00:26:13.779
 and the time to do it

00:26:13.779 --> 00:26:15.680
 we lose a bit of our nerve

00:26:15.680 --> 00:26:17.460
 but we don't complete

00:26:17.460 --> 00:26:18.700
 I mean sometimes we completely

00:26:18.700 --> 00:26:19.420
 lose our nerve

00:26:19.420 --> 00:26:20.660
 but sometimes we just like

00:26:20.660 --> 00:26:21.640
 we're in two minds

00:26:21.640 --> 00:26:24.140
 and you want to

00:26:24.140 --> 00:26:25.100
 but you can't

00:26:25.100 --> 00:26:27.160
 and she stumbles here

00:26:27.160 --> 00:26:27.700
 a little bit

00:26:27.700 --> 00:26:32.019
 she has the opportunity

00:26:32.019 --> 00:26:35.160
 but she doesn't

00:26:35.160 --> 00:26:36.900
 just completely

00:26:36.900 --> 00:26:39.080
 walk away from the opportunity

00:26:39.080 --> 00:26:41.360
 but she wants an extra day

00:26:41.360 --> 00:26:42.320
 to work on it

00:26:42.320 --> 00:26:45.100
 and as we're going to see

00:26:45.100 --> 00:26:45.500
 in a moment

00:26:45.500 --> 00:26:46.800
 that waiting a day

00:26:46.800 --> 00:26:48.759
 might have horrific consequences

00:26:48.759 --> 00:26:50.779
 for a man that she loves deeply

00:26:50.779 --> 00:26:53.440
 but when it comes time

00:26:53.440 --> 00:26:54.339
 to do the ask

00:26:54.339 --> 00:26:55.460
 see this is so helpful

00:26:55.460 --> 00:26:56.299
 because this is like

00:26:56.299 --> 00:26:57.019
 how we live

00:26:57.019 --> 00:26:57.480
 isn't it

00:26:57.480 --> 00:27:00.700
 this is how each of us lives

00:27:00.700 --> 00:27:04.500
 not perfect lives

00:27:04.500 --> 00:27:05.319
 that are straightforward

00:27:05.319 --> 00:27:06.279
 in our obedience

00:27:06.279 --> 00:27:06.839
 but

00:27:06.839 --> 00:27:09.379
 with zigs and zags

00:27:09.379 --> 00:27:09.680
 and

00:27:09.680 --> 00:27:11.900
 times when we go home

00:27:11.900 --> 00:27:12.160
 and

00:27:12.160 --> 00:27:13.259
 afterwards

00:27:13.259 --> 00:27:14.519
 and say to our friends

00:27:14.519 --> 00:27:15.440
 and say to our God

00:27:15.440 --> 00:27:15.900
 I just

00:27:15.900 --> 00:27:17.539
 Lord I'm really sorry

00:27:17.539 --> 00:27:18.639
 I messed that one up

00:27:18.639 --> 00:27:19.279
 you gave me this

00:27:19.279 --> 00:27:20.460
 spectacular opportunity

00:27:20.460 --> 00:27:21.639
 and you saved my life

00:27:21.639 --> 00:27:22.480
 and I just didn't do it

00:27:22.480 --> 00:27:23.139
 the way I should

00:27:23.139 --> 00:27:25.639
 because that's what happens

00:27:25.639 --> 00:27:26.079
 verse 7

00:27:26.079 --> 00:27:26.940
 then Esther answered

00:27:26.940 --> 00:27:28.940
 my wish and my request

00:27:28.940 --> 00:27:29.460
 is

00:27:29.460 --> 00:27:31.379
 if I have found favor

00:27:31.379 --> 00:27:32.180
 in the sight of the king

00:27:32.180 --> 00:27:33.059
 and if it please the king

00:27:33.059 --> 00:27:33.799
 to grant my wish

00:27:33.799 --> 00:27:34.920
 and fulfill my request

00:27:34.920 --> 00:27:35.899
 let the king and Haman

00:27:35.899 --> 00:27:36.720
 come to the feast

00:27:36.720 --> 00:27:37.819
 that I will prepare for them

00:27:37.819 --> 00:27:38.420
 and tomorrow

00:27:38.420 --> 00:27:39.559
 tomorrow

00:27:39.559 --> 00:27:41.700
 I will do as the king has said

00:27:41.700 --> 00:27:44.359
 now

00:27:44.359 --> 00:27:45.339
 here's another thing

00:27:45.339 --> 00:27:46.200
 which is so interesting

00:27:46.200 --> 00:27:47.160
 about this story

00:27:47.160 --> 00:27:47.580
 and you know

00:27:47.580 --> 00:27:48.420
 it's one of the reasons

00:27:48.420 --> 00:27:49.120
 that these stories

00:27:49.120 --> 00:27:49.940
 are so important

00:27:49.940 --> 00:27:51.120
 is you can have a doctrine

00:27:51.120 --> 00:27:52.480
 I can tell you about a doctrine

00:27:52.480 --> 00:27:52.819
 but

00:27:52.819 --> 00:27:54.400
 it doesn't necessarily

00:27:54.400 --> 00:27:55.539
 have any place in us

00:27:55.539 --> 00:27:55.759
 but

00:27:55.759 --> 00:27:57.600
 when we actually get the story

00:27:57.600 --> 00:27:59.080
 the story helps us to feel

00:27:59.080 --> 00:28:01.500
 and sort of visualize it

00:28:01.500 --> 00:28:03.420
 and

00:28:03.420 --> 00:28:04.460
 and

00:28:04.460 --> 00:28:04.620
 the

00:28:04.620 --> 00:28:06.519
 the person who writes this book

00:28:06.519 --> 00:28:07.500
 doesn't now say

00:28:07.500 --> 00:28:09.680
 and the Lord was angry with Esther

00:28:09.680 --> 00:28:10.880
 for having screwed up

00:28:10.880 --> 00:28:12.580
 doesn't say anything like that

00:28:12.579 --> 00:28:17.859
 it's going to take a really

00:28:17.859 --> 00:28:19.059
 really bad turn

00:28:19.059 --> 00:28:20.379
 but

00:28:20.379 --> 00:28:22.000
 the reader is to remember

00:28:22.000 --> 00:28:25.939
 the Lord will deliver his people

00:28:25.939 --> 00:28:29.879
 is Esther here for such a time as this

00:28:29.879 --> 00:28:31.859
 and Esther's line

00:28:31.859 --> 00:28:32.939
 if I perish

00:28:32.939 --> 00:28:33.659
 I perish

00:28:33.659 --> 00:28:36.099
 she's willing to put herself

00:28:36.099 --> 00:28:37.359
 available to the Lord

00:28:37.359 --> 00:28:38.939
 even if it means she dies

00:28:38.939 --> 00:28:41.059
 and her greater confidence

00:28:41.059 --> 00:28:42.339
 isn't in her own success

00:28:42.339 --> 00:28:44.039
 she has no particular confidence

00:28:44.039 --> 00:28:44.740
 or view or that

00:28:44.740 --> 00:28:45.799
 her greater confidence

00:28:45.799 --> 00:28:47.819
 is that the Lord is the Lord

00:28:47.819 --> 00:28:50.779
 and that the Lord will keep his promises

00:28:50.779 --> 00:28:53.099
 and the Lord will deliver his people

00:28:53.099 --> 00:28:55.619
 even when they are in exile

00:28:55.619 --> 00:28:57.859
 in the empire of Persia

00:28:57.859 --> 00:29:00.159
 he will keep his promises

00:29:00.159 --> 00:29:01.639
 because he is still the Lord

00:29:01.639 --> 00:29:04.720
 but verse 9

00:29:04.720 --> 00:29:06.480
 she doesn't have her opportunity

00:29:06.480 --> 00:29:07.179
 and verse 9

00:29:07.179 --> 00:29:08.259
 it's really interesting

00:29:08.259 --> 00:29:09.659
 Haman

00:29:09.659 --> 00:29:10.359
 verse 9

00:29:10.359 --> 00:29:11.339
 he went out that day

00:29:11.339 --> 00:29:12.579
 joyful and glad of heart

00:29:12.579 --> 00:29:14.179
 the man who is plotting to kill

00:29:14.179 --> 00:29:15.659
 every Jew in the empire

00:29:15.659 --> 00:29:18.000
 leaves joyful and glad of heart

00:29:18.000 --> 00:29:21.439
 but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate

00:29:21.439 --> 00:29:24.839
 that he neither rose nor trembled before him

00:29:24.839 --> 00:29:29.220
 Haman was filled with wrath against Mordecai

00:29:29.220 --> 00:29:30.639
 nevertheless

00:29:30.639 --> 00:29:33.919
 Haman restrained himself and went home

00:29:33.919 --> 00:29:38.039
 and he sought and brought his friends and his wife Zeresh

00:29:38.039 --> 00:29:41.000
 and Haman recounted to them

00:29:41.000 --> 00:29:42.480
 the splendor of his riches

00:29:42.480 --> 00:29:45.079
 literally the glory of his riches

00:29:45.079 --> 00:29:46.460
 the number of his sons

00:29:46.460 --> 00:29:48.000
 and all of his daughters

00:29:48.000 --> 00:29:49.579
 no the daughters are omitted

00:29:49.579 --> 00:29:50.740
 sucks to be a daughter

00:29:50.740 --> 00:29:52.480
 in this particular family

00:29:52.480 --> 00:29:54.079
 the number of his sons

00:29:54.079 --> 00:29:55.079
 and all the promotions

00:29:55.079 --> 00:29:56.879
 with which the king had honored him

00:29:56.879 --> 00:29:59.079
 and how he advanced him above

00:29:59.079 --> 00:30:01.379
 the officials and the servants of the king

00:30:01.380 --> 00:30:03.680
 then Haman said

00:30:03.680 --> 00:30:04.920
 even Queen Esther

00:30:04.920 --> 00:30:06.120
 let no one but me

00:30:06.120 --> 00:30:06.960
 come with the king

00:30:06.960 --> 00:30:08.180
 to the feast she prepared

00:30:08.180 --> 00:30:09.460
 and tomorrow

00:30:09.460 --> 00:30:10.580
 also

00:30:10.580 --> 00:30:12.020
 I am invited by her

00:30:12.020 --> 00:30:13.080
 together with the king

00:30:13.080 --> 00:30:14.460
 now look at this

00:30:14.460 --> 00:30:15.860
 this next line is so

00:30:15.860 --> 00:30:18.380
 so psychologically true

00:30:18.380 --> 00:30:21.440
 you know

00:30:21.440 --> 00:30:22.360
 it's interesting

00:30:22.360 --> 00:30:23.200
 because in

00:30:23.200 --> 00:30:24.380
 in our flesh

00:30:24.380 --> 00:30:25.920
 and in the world

00:30:25.920 --> 00:30:26.920
 and in our culture

00:30:26.920 --> 00:30:29.180
 what gives us meaning to life

00:30:29.180 --> 00:30:29.680
 what do we

00:30:29.680 --> 00:30:31.180
 like many people

00:30:31.180 --> 00:30:32.600
 will wreck their marriages

00:30:32.600 --> 00:30:33.880
 so they can get promotions

00:30:33.880 --> 00:30:35.920
 many people will wreck their marriages

00:30:35.920 --> 00:30:37.400
 so they can have more money

00:30:37.400 --> 00:30:39.000
 many people think

00:30:39.000 --> 00:30:40.180
 that if they just had

00:30:40.180 --> 00:30:41.519
 this certain number of children

00:30:41.519 --> 00:30:42.860
 that their life would be

00:30:42.860 --> 00:30:44.279
 completely and utterly meaningful

00:30:44.279 --> 00:30:46.039
 or that they could just be married

00:30:46.039 --> 00:30:46.240
 or

00:30:46.240 --> 00:30:46.980
 but it

00:30:46.980 --> 00:30:47.380
 we

00:30:47.380 --> 00:30:48.799
 we can set our

00:30:48.799 --> 00:30:50.880
 the bible isn't saying

00:30:50.880 --> 00:30:52.160
 there's nothing wrong with children

00:30:52.160 --> 00:30:53.220
 it's not saying it's

00:30:53.220 --> 00:30:54.000
 sad to have

00:30:54.000 --> 00:30:55.420
 not be able to have children

00:30:55.420 --> 00:30:56.960
 it's not saying anything like that

00:30:56.960 --> 00:30:57.279
 it's

00:30:57.279 --> 00:30:59.000
 not saying it's bad to have money

00:30:59.000 --> 00:31:00.519
 it's not saying it's bad to have a job

00:31:00.519 --> 00:31:00.960
 but it's

00:31:00.960 --> 00:31:02.160
 we

00:31:02.160 --> 00:31:02.839
 we all know

00:31:02.839 --> 00:31:03.799
 that some of these things

00:31:03.799 --> 00:31:05.420
 can become like an idol to us

00:31:05.420 --> 00:31:06.460
 where we get our meaning

00:31:06.460 --> 00:31:07.660
 where we get our identity

00:31:07.660 --> 00:31:09.339
 where we get our sense of worth

00:31:09.339 --> 00:31:09.759
 where we

00:31:09.759 --> 00:31:11.359
 we feel justified

00:31:11.359 --> 00:31:13.259
 and that somehow or another

00:31:13.259 --> 00:31:15.180
 if I could just have that amount of money

00:31:15.180 --> 00:31:16.700
 if I could just have this promotion

00:31:16.700 --> 00:31:17.720
 if I could just have this

00:31:17.720 --> 00:31:18.920
 if I could just have that

00:31:18.920 --> 00:31:20.579
 then somehow or another

00:31:20.579 --> 00:31:22.160
 my life would be complete

00:31:22.160 --> 00:31:23.500
 my life would be full

00:31:23.500 --> 00:31:24.720
 and yet

00:31:24.720 --> 00:31:26.119
 the fact of the matter is

00:31:26.119 --> 00:31:26.839
 is that those things

00:31:26.839 --> 00:31:28.200
 don't satisfy us

00:31:28.200 --> 00:31:30.640
 and it's so perfectly captured here

00:31:30.640 --> 00:31:32.420
 in verse 13

00:31:32.420 --> 00:31:34.059
 so he's just said

00:31:34.059 --> 00:31:34.940
 he has

00:31:34.940 --> 00:31:37.319
 he has this access to the king

00:31:37.319 --> 00:31:38.779
 he has this access to the queen

00:31:38.779 --> 00:31:39.940
 I have all this wealth

00:31:39.940 --> 00:31:41.640
 I have this spectacular family

00:31:41.640 --> 00:31:42.920
 I have all these promotions

00:31:42.920 --> 00:31:43.960
 yet

00:31:43.960 --> 00:31:47.360
 all this is worth nothing to me

00:31:47.360 --> 00:31:50.460
 so long as I see Mordecai the Jew

00:31:50.460 --> 00:31:51.680
 sitting at the king's gate

00:31:51.680 --> 00:31:57.759
 now I'm going to make a small little political comment here

00:31:57.759 --> 00:31:58.519
 I'm really sorry

00:31:58.519 --> 00:31:59.880
 but I'm still going to do it

00:31:59.880 --> 00:32:02.220
 maybe afterwards I think I shouldn't

00:32:02.220 --> 00:32:06.380
 sometimes

00:32:06.380 --> 00:32:08.700
 the way the discourse goes

00:32:08.700 --> 00:32:10.720
 is

00:32:10.720 --> 00:32:11.580
 by the way

00:32:11.580 --> 00:32:13.259
 I have four daughters

00:32:13.259 --> 00:32:13.620
 I

00:32:13.620 --> 00:32:15.759
 I love my daughters

00:32:15.759 --> 00:32:16.700
 I love my wife

00:32:16.700 --> 00:32:18.960
 and I have nine granddaughters

00:32:18.960 --> 00:32:20.019
 and

00:32:20.019 --> 00:32:21.900
 I'm going to be happy

00:32:21.900 --> 00:32:23.100
 if one of them is prime minister

00:32:23.100 --> 00:32:24.000
 or something like that

00:32:24.000 --> 00:32:25.600
 there's not a negative thing

00:32:25.600 --> 00:32:26.200
 about any of that

00:32:26.200 --> 00:32:28.400
 but sometimes the way the discourse goes

00:32:28.400 --> 00:32:28.880
 is that

00:32:28.880 --> 00:32:31.080
 you need to have a woman present

00:32:31.080 --> 00:32:31.580
 because

00:32:31.580 --> 00:32:32.319
 well you know

00:32:32.319 --> 00:32:33.539
 women are nurturing

00:32:33.539 --> 00:32:36.140
 women are peaceable

00:32:36.140 --> 00:32:38.420
 you know

00:32:38.420 --> 00:32:40.240
 women try to bring people together

00:32:40.240 --> 00:32:41.960
 and you know

00:32:41.960 --> 00:32:42.840
 we never think about it

00:32:42.840 --> 00:32:44.000
 when we have talk like that

00:32:44.000 --> 00:32:45.380
 it actually demeans women

00:32:45.380 --> 00:32:47.160
 as if somehow all women are like that

00:32:47.160 --> 00:32:48.420
 really

00:32:48.420 --> 00:32:50.259
 every single one

00:32:50.259 --> 00:32:52.380
 like they're not individuals

00:32:52.380 --> 00:32:54.900
 and so it's really interesting

00:32:54.900 --> 00:32:55.799
 so his wife says

00:32:55.799 --> 00:32:56.920
 he just confessed all things

00:32:56.920 --> 00:32:58.880
 and so what's the advice his wife gives him

00:32:58.880 --> 00:33:01.339
 is it to be nurturing

00:33:01.339 --> 00:33:02.119
 no

00:33:02.119 --> 00:33:03.079
 verse 14

00:33:03.079 --> 00:33:04.319
 and his wife Zeresh

00:33:04.319 --> 00:33:05.160
 and all his friends

00:33:05.160 --> 00:33:06.220
 but Zeresh is the leader

00:33:06.220 --> 00:33:06.680
 she says

00:33:06.680 --> 00:33:08.519
 let a gallows

00:33:08.519 --> 00:33:10.039
 50 cubits high

00:33:10.039 --> 00:33:11.220
 that's 75 feet

00:33:11.220 --> 00:33:12.039
 be made

00:33:12.039 --> 00:33:12.380
 and

00:33:12.380 --> 00:33:13.559
 and in the morning

00:33:13.559 --> 00:33:14.200
 tell the king

00:33:14.200 --> 00:33:15.079
 to have Mordecai

00:33:15.079 --> 00:33:16.319
 hanged upon it

00:33:16.319 --> 00:33:17.779
 it's sort of neat eh

00:33:17.779 --> 00:33:19.659
 like it's funny

00:33:19.659 --> 00:33:20.440
 the

00:33:20.440 --> 00:33:21.119
 we

00:33:21.119 --> 00:33:22.919
 trade in stereotypes

00:33:22.919 --> 00:33:23.980
 when it helps us

00:33:23.980 --> 00:33:25.240
 but the Bible never trades

00:33:25.240 --> 00:33:26.159
 in stereotypes

00:33:26.159 --> 00:33:27.720
 in fact

00:33:27.720 --> 00:33:28.220
 often

00:33:28.220 --> 00:33:28.859
 part of the problem

00:33:28.859 --> 00:33:29.879
 we have in reading the Bible

00:33:29.879 --> 00:33:30.539
 is that the Bible

00:33:30.539 --> 00:33:31.960
 is too realistic for us

00:33:31.960 --> 00:33:33.079
 we wish it was religious

00:33:33.079 --> 00:33:34.460
 we wish it was spiritual

00:33:34.460 --> 00:33:36.099
 we wish it wasn't

00:33:36.099 --> 00:33:37.319
 just so earthy

00:33:37.319 --> 00:33:38.759
 and it's why

00:33:38.759 --> 00:33:39.539
 it's the great

00:33:39.539 --> 00:33:40.460
 tendency

00:33:40.460 --> 00:33:41.159
 and problem

00:33:41.159 --> 00:33:42.220
 for Bible teachers

00:33:42.220 --> 00:33:42.940
 to want to make

00:33:42.940 --> 00:33:44.299
 to downplay

00:33:44.299 --> 00:33:45.500
 what Esther has done

00:33:45.500 --> 00:33:46.220
 and make it look

00:33:46.220 --> 00:33:47.140
 as if she's made herself

00:33:47.140 --> 00:33:47.660
 beautiful

00:33:47.660 --> 00:33:48.840
 or as if

00:33:48.840 --> 00:33:50.299
 the reason she became

00:33:50.299 --> 00:33:51.080
 queen was because

00:33:51.080 --> 00:33:52.259
 she was so charming

00:33:52.259 --> 00:33:54.740
 rather than

00:33:54.740 --> 00:33:55.620
 the sheer

00:33:55.620 --> 00:33:57.640
 blood and guts

00:33:57.640 --> 00:33:58.320
 earthiness

00:33:58.320 --> 00:33:59.240
 of the text

00:33:59.240 --> 00:34:02.240
 but here we get

00:34:02.240 --> 00:34:03.259
 the blood and guts

00:34:03.259 --> 00:34:04.299
 earthiness

00:34:04.299 --> 00:34:05.160
 of the text

00:34:05.160 --> 00:34:07.400
 look at it again

00:34:07.400 --> 00:34:08.179
 verse 14

00:34:08.179 --> 00:34:09.200
 let a gallows

00:34:09.199 --> 00:34:10.599
 and the literal word

00:34:10.599 --> 00:34:11.139
 as you see

00:34:11.139 --> 00:34:11.960
 in some of your things

00:34:11.960 --> 00:34:12.439
 is it just

00:34:12.439 --> 00:34:13.899
 it literally means

00:34:13.899 --> 00:34:15.500
 a stake

00:34:15.500 --> 00:34:16.739
 okay

00:34:16.739 --> 00:34:18.179
 and if you're wondering

00:34:18.179 --> 00:34:18.759
 how it is

00:34:18.759 --> 00:34:19.339
 that they could make

00:34:19.339 --> 00:34:21.059
 something 75 feet tall

00:34:21.059 --> 00:34:21.659
 in a day

00:34:21.659 --> 00:34:23.460
 the actual language

00:34:23.460 --> 00:34:24.199
 just means

00:34:24.199 --> 00:34:24.899
 that the top

00:34:24.899 --> 00:34:25.579
 of the stake

00:34:25.579 --> 00:34:27.460
 has to be 75 feet high

00:34:27.460 --> 00:34:29.279
 so if Mordecai

00:34:29.279 --> 00:34:30.219
 is already in a house

00:34:30.219 --> 00:34:30.980
 that's

00:34:30.980 --> 00:34:31.439
 50

00:34:31.439 --> 00:34:32.599
 65 feet high

00:34:32.599 --> 00:34:33.139
 he just has to put

00:34:33.139 --> 00:34:34.119
 a 10 foot stake

00:34:34.119 --> 00:34:34.899
 on the top of it

00:34:34.899 --> 00:34:35.719
 the point is

00:34:35.719 --> 00:34:36.859
 that it's going to be

00:34:36.859 --> 00:34:37.799
 very very public

00:34:37.799 --> 00:34:38.480
 and prominent

00:34:38.480 --> 00:34:40.099
 and the odds are

00:34:40.099 --> 00:34:40.679
 that they're not going

00:34:40.679 --> 00:34:41.539
 to hang him on it

00:34:41.539 --> 00:34:42.319
 the odds are

00:34:42.319 --> 00:34:43.000
 that what they're going

00:34:43.000 --> 00:34:43.480
 to do is

00:34:43.480 --> 00:34:43.899
 they're going to

00:34:43.899 --> 00:34:44.379
 they're going to

00:34:44.379 --> 00:34:46.459
 drop Mordecai on it

00:34:46.459 --> 00:34:47.579
 so that he's impaled

00:34:47.579 --> 00:34:50.539
 so that the whole city

00:34:50.539 --> 00:34:52.119
 or that whole neighborhood

00:34:52.119 --> 00:34:52.919
 can look up

00:34:52.919 --> 00:34:53.919
 and see Mordecai

00:34:53.919 --> 00:34:54.819
 impaled

00:34:54.819 --> 00:34:57.099
 dying slowly

00:34:57.099 --> 00:34:59.519
 and gruesomely

00:34:59.519 --> 00:35:00.879
 for all to see

00:35:00.879 --> 00:35:04.099
 that's his wife's advice

00:35:04.099 --> 00:35:09.360
 and

00:35:09.360 --> 00:35:10.819
 so she says

00:35:10.819 --> 00:35:11.579
 let a gallows

00:35:11.579 --> 00:35:12.239
 or a stake

00:35:12.239 --> 00:35:13.239
 50 cubits high

00:35:13.239 --> 00:35:13.619
 be made

00:35:13.619 --> 00:35:14.159
 and in the morning

00:35:14.159 --> 00:35:14.739
 tell the king

00:35:14.739 --> 00:35:15.519
 to have Mordecai

00:35:15.519 --> 00:35:16.719
 hanged upon it

00:35:16.719 --> 00:35:17.719
 then

00:35:17.719 --> 00:35:19.239
 go joyfully

00:35:19.239 --> 00:35:20.599
 with the king

00:35:20.599 --> 00:35:21.699
 to the feast

00:35:21.699 --> 00:35:23.239
 and this idea

00:35:23.239 --> 00:35:24.039
 pleased Haman

00:35:24.039 --> 00:35:25.159
 and he had

00:35:25.159 --> 00:35:25.960
 the gallows made

00:35:25.960 --> 00:35:27.619
 so

00:35:27.619 --> 00:35:28.920
 just a couple

00:35:28.920 --> 00:35:29.360
 of things

00:35:29.360 --> 00:35:29.739
 about

00:35:29.739 --> 00:35:31.219
 about this text

00:35:31.219 --> 00:35:31.900
 sort of

00:35:31.900 --> 00:35:32.239
 to

00:35:32.239 --> 00:35:33.939
 to

00:35:33.939 --> 00:35:35.259
 you know

00:35:35.259 --> 00:35:35.599
 to bring it

00:35:35.599 --> 00:35:35.779
 to collect

00:35:35.779 --> 00:35:36.519
 why is something

00:35:36.519 --> 00:35:37.179
 like this

00:35:37.179 --> 00:35:38.679
 even in the Bible

00:35:38.679 --> 00:35:40.859
 and

00:35:40.859 --> 00:35:42.859
 why is all of this

00:35:42.859 --> 00:35:43.959
 bloodthirstiness

00:35:43.959 --> 00:35:44.419
 and

00:35:44.419 --> 00:35:47.819
 and all this stuff

00:35:47.819 --> 00:35:48.779
 why is it in the Bible

00:35:48.779 --> 00:35:51.019
 well you know

00:35:51.019 --> 00:35:51.439
 part of

00:35:51.439 --> 00:35:52.079
 part of the reason

00:35:52.079 --> 00:35:52.739
 it's in the Bible

00:35:52.739 --> 00:35:53.459
 is because

00:35:53.460 --> 00:35:58.099
 when we just have

00:35:58.099 --> 00:35:59.099
 all of these stuff

00:35:59.099 --> 00:36:00.679
 the spiritual talk

00:36:00.679 --> 00:36:01.920
 and religious talk

00:36:01.920 --> 00:36:05.079
 it ends up

00:36:05.079 --> 00:36:05.800
 very easily

00:36:05.800 --> 00:36:06.539
 becoming like

00:36:06.539 --> 00:36:07.619
 hallmark cards

00:36:07.619 --> 00:36:08.699
 or just platitudes

00:36:08.699 --> 00:36:11.079
 and our own lives

00:36:11.079 --> 00:36:11.599
 are

00:36:11.599 --> 00:36:13.039
 full of

00:36:13.039 --> 00:36:14.019
 of pain

00:36:14.019 --> 00:36:14.679
 and drama

00:36:14.679 --> 00:36:15.480
 and tragedy

00:36:15.480 --> 00:36:15.860
 and

00:36:15.860 --> 00:36:17.480
 hard times

00:36:17.480 --> 00:36:18.559
 and stuff like that

00:36:18.559 --> 00:36:18.940
 and

00:36:18.940 --> 00:36:19.880
 in a very

00:36:19.880 --> 00:36:21.179
 very powerful way

00:36:21.179 --> 00:36:22.019
 when we read

00:36:22.019 --> 00:36:22.860
 texts like this

00:36:22.860 --> 00:36:23.559
 it helps us

00:36:23.559 --> 00:36:25.000
 to understand

00:36:25.000 --> 00:36:25.559
 that the Bible

00:36:25.559 --> 00:36:26.300
 is communicating

00:36:26.300 --> 00:36:27.519
 truths to us

00:36:27.519 --> 00:36:28.420
 that fit with

00:36:28.420 --> 00:36:29.460
 how the world is

00:36:29.460 --> 00:36:31.079
 it's real

00:36:31.079 --> 00:36:32.340
 for how our lives

00:36:32.340 --> 00:36:32.780
 are real

00:36:32.780 --> 00:36:34.340
 and

00:36:34.340 --> 00:36:35.199
 in that way

00:36:35.199 --> 00:36:36.340
 it trains us

00:36:36.340 --> 00:36:38.280
 when our lives

00:36:38.280 --> 00:36:39.579
 are really having

00:36:39.579 --> 00:36:40.539
 very very hard

00:36:40.539 --> 00:36:41.139
 times

00:36:41.139 --> 00:36:42.659
 it trains us

00:36:42.659 --> 00:36:43.219
 to call out

00:36:43.219 --> 00:36:43.679
 to the Lord

00:36:43.679 --> 00:36:44.500
 because the Lord

00:36:44.500 --> 00:36:45.539
 knows about this

00:36:45.539 --> 00:36:46.099
 it's not

00:36:46.099 --> 00:36:47.280
 foreign to him

00:36:47.280 --> 00:36:47.679
 and it's not

00:36:47.679 --> 00:36:49.759
 strange to him

00:36:49.759 --> 00:36:51.219
 we live in a world

00:36:51.219 --> 00:36:51.980
 where somebody

00:36:51.980 --> 00:36:52.779
 can just take

00:36:52.779 --> 00:36:53.439
 a dislike

00:36:53.439 --> 00:36:54.019
 to us

00:36:54.019 --> 00:36:54.559
 and because

00:36:54.559 --> 00:36:55.039
 they take

00:36:55.039 --> 00:36:55.739
 a dislike

00:36:55.739 --> 00:36:56.399
 to us

00:36:56.399 --> 00:36:57.519
 they tell

00:36:57.519 --> 00:36:58.719
 lies about us

00:36:58.719 --> 00:36:59.599
 and because

00:36:59.599 --> 00:37:00.019
 they take

00:37:00.019 --> 00:37:00.480
 a dislike

00:37:00.480 --> 00:37:00.959
 to us

00:37:00.959 --> 00:37:02.159
 they stop

00:37:02.159 --> 00:37:02.539
 us from

00:37:02.539 --> 00:37:03.379
 getting promotions

00:37:03.379 --> 00:37:04.059
 or they get

00:37:04.059 --> 00:37:04.579
 us in trouble

00:37:04.579 --> 00:37:05.379
 with the police

00:37:05.379 --> 00:37:05.879
 or they get

00:37:05.879 --> 00:37:06.419
 us in trouble

00:37:06.419 --> 00:37:07.359
 with our wives

00:37:07.359 --> 00:37:08.179
 or our families

00:37:08.179 --> 00:37:09.639
 or our husbands

00:37:09.639 --> 00:37:10.779
 and we live

00:37:10.779 --> 00:37:11.119
 in a world

00:37:11.119 --> 00:37:11.779
 where that happens

00:37:11.779 --> 00:37:12.480
 we live in a world

00:37:12.480 --> 00:37:12.980
 where somebody

00:37:12.980 --> 00:37:13.939
 can just be mean

00:37:13.939 --> 00:37:14.359
 to us

00:37:14.359 --> 00:37:15.319
 day after day

00:37:15.319 --> 00:37:15.879
 after day

00:37:15.879 --> 00:37:16.719
 some of us

00:37:16.719 --> 00:37:17.259
 have grown up

00:37:17.259 --> 00:37:17.939
 with parents

00:37:17.939 --> 00:37:18.379
 like that

00:37:18.379 --> 00:37:18.879
 some of us

00:37:18.879 --> 00:37:19.559
 have had bosses

00:37:19.559 --> 00:37:20.219
 like that

00:37:20.219 --> 00:37:21.139
 some of us

00:37:21.139 --> 00:37:22.279
 have been

00:37:22.279 --> 00:37:22.940
 in a neighborhood

00:37:22.940 --> 00:37:23.519
 with that

00:37:23.519 --> 00:37:24.779
 and if all

00:37:24.779 --> 00:37:25.420
 of the talk

00:37:25.420 --> 00:37:25.960
 in the Bible

00:37:25.960 --> 00:37:26.460
 is just all

00:37:26.460 --> 00:37:27.199
 about love

00:37:27.199 --> 00:37:28.139
 love love

00:37:28.139 --> 00:37:29.000
 love love

00:37:29.000 --> 00:37:29.360
 love

00:37:29.360 --> 00:37:30.000
 good good

00:37:30.000 --> 00:37:30.460
 good

00:37:30.460 --> 00:37:31.299
 well

00:37:31.299 --> 00:37:32.519
 that might

00:37:32.519 --> 00:37:33.179
 motivate us

00:37:33.179 --> 00:37:33.860
 a little bit

00:37:33.860 --> 00:37:34.860
 but in the blood

00:37:34.860 --> 00:37:35.279
 and guts

00:37:35.279 --> 00:37:35.940
 of our world

00:37:35.940 --> 00:37:36.619
 it just doesn't

00:37:36.619 --> 00:37:37.139
 cut it

00:37:37.139 --> 00:37:39.199
 and so

00:37:39.199 --> 00:37:39.759
 when texts

00:37:39.759 --> 00:37:40.239
 like this

00:37:40.239 --> 00:37:41.019
 just communicate

00:37:41.019 --> 00:37:42.059
 what life

00:37:42.059 --> 00:37:43.000
 is like

00:37:43.000 --> 00:37:44.779
 it helps us

00:37:44.779 --> 00:37:45.159
 to see

00:37:45.159 --> 00:37:45.920
 that this Bible

00:37:45.920 --> 00:37:46.420
 the text

00:37:46.420 --> 00:37:47.039
 doesn't talk

00:37:47.039 --> 00:37:47.559
 about God

00:37:47.559 --> 00:37:48.719
 delivering his people

00:37:48.719 --> 00:37:50.439
 in the abstract

00:37:50.439 --> 00:37:51.539
 but in a life

00:37:51.539 --> 00:37:51.859
 and death

00:37:51.859 --> 00:37:52.439
 situation

00:37:52.439 --> 00:37:53.079
 with a real

00:37:53.079 --> 00:37:53.480
 woman

00:37:53.480 --> 00:37:54.219
 at a real

00:37:54.219 --> 00:37:54.679
 time

00:37:54.679 --> 00:37:56.359
 and so

00:37:56.359 --> 00:37:57.019
 on one hand

00:37:57.019 --> 00:37:57.599
 the reason

00:37:57.599 --> 00:37:58.299
 texts like this

00:37:58.299 --> 00:37:58.799
 are important

00:37:58.799 --> 00:37:59.699
 is it prepares

00:37:59.699 --> 00:38:00.299
 our hearts

00:38:00.299 --> 00:38:00.859
 to pour out

00:38:00.859 --> 00:38:01.339
 our hearts

00:38:01.339 --> 00:38:01.899
 to the Lord

00:38:01.899 --> 00:38:05.699
 but the other

00:38:05.699 --> 00:38:06.399
 thing which is

00:38:06.399 --> 00:38:07.279
 very very important

00:38:07.279 --> 00:38:07.899
 about the text

00:38:07.899 --> 00:38:08.539
 there's a really

00:38:08.539 --> 00:38:09.459
 wonderful line

00:38:09.459 --> 00:38:10.839
 in 2nd Corinthians

00:38:10.839 --> 00:38:12.039
 where it says

00:38:12.039 --> 00:38:13.639
 my grace

00:38:13.639 --> 00:38:14.219
 is sufficient

00:38:14.219 --> 00:38:14.739
 for you

00:38:14.739 --> 00:38:15.500
 my power

00:38:15.500 --> 00:38:16.019
 is made

00:38:16.019 --> 00:38:16.480
 perfect

00:38:16.480 --> 00:38:17.159
 or complete

00:38:17.159 --> 00:38:17.939
 in weakness

00:38:17.940 --> 00:38:20.480
 and

00:38:20.480 --> 00:38:22.059
 texts like this

00:38:22.059 --> 00:38:22.639
 show us

00:38:22.639 --> 00:38:23.039
 this

00:38:23.039 --> 00:38:23.460
 you see

00:38:23.460 --> 00:38:24.639
 the fundamental

00:38:24.639 --> 00:38:25.720
 human problem

00:38:25.720 --> 00:38:26.760
 is the problem

00:38:26.760 --> 00:38:26.940
 of

00:38:26.940 --> 00:38:28.320
 it's identified

00:38:28.320 --> 00:38:28.940
 right in the very

00:38:28.940 --> 00:38:29.860
 beginning of the Bible

00:38:29.860 --> 00:38:31.220
 in Genesis chapter 3

00:38:31.220 --> 00:38:32.940
 where Adam and Eve

00:38:32.940 --> 00:38:34.900
 desire to be like God

00:38:34.900 --> 00:38:37.360
 they want to be like God

00:38:37.360 --> 00:38:39.059
 and

00:38:39.059 --> 00:38:40.079
 because

00:38:40.079 --> 00:38:41.380
 when they choose

00:38:41.380 --> 00:38:42.579
 that they're no longer

00:38:42.579 --> 00:38:43.280
 going to sort of

00:38:43.280 --> 00:38:44.519
 just trust the God

00:38:44.519 --> 00:38:45.559
 who really does exist

00:38:45.559 --> 00:38:46.599
 and they're going to

00:38:46.599 --> 00:38:47.280
 live with him

00:38:47.280 --> 00:38:53.840
 is that the Lord

00:38:53.840 --> 00:38:54.320
 saying amen

00:38:54.320 --> 00:38:55.340
 no it's just

00:38:55.340 --> 00:38:56.260
 planes flying over

00:38:56.260 --> 00:38:57.080
 it's also him

00:38:57.080 --> 00:38:57.680
 saying amen

00:38:57.680 --> 00:38:59.120
 but

00:38:59.120 --> 00:39:00.240
 the fundamental

00:39:00.240 --> 00:39:01.040
 human problem

00:39:01.040 --> 00:39:02.100
 is the human problem

00:39:02.100 --> 00:39:02.800
 of our desire

00:39:02.800 --> 00:39:03.900
 to be like God's

00:39:03.900 --> 00:39:05.080
 to exalt ourselves

00:39:05.080 --> 00:39:05.900
 against God

00:39:05.900 --> 00:39:06.800
 to turn our back

00:39:06.800 --> 00:39:07.440
 on God

00:39:07.440 --> 00:39:09.240
 to be

00:39:09.240 --> 00:39:10.620
 as great as God

00:39:10.620 --> 00:39:11.820
 and that's in a sense

00:39:11.820 --> 00:39:12.420
 the fundamental

00:39:12.420 --> 00:39:13.320
 human problem

00:39:13.320 --> 00:39:14.160
 it's something

00:39:14.160 --> 00:39:15.040
 which is deeply

00:39:15.040 --> 00:39:15.920
 ingrained in every

00:39:15.920 --> 00:39:16.519
 human being

00:39:16.519 --> 00:39:18.000
 and when we can do

00:39:18.000 --> 00:39:18.940
 when we can sort of

00:39:18.940 --> 00:39:19.860
 pretend that we're

00:39:19.860 --> 00:39:20.740
 having all this power

00:39:20.740 --> 00:39:21.480
 and all the success

00:39:21.480 --> 00:39:22.519
 we're filled with pride

00:39:22.519 --> 00:39:23.300
 and

00:39:23.300 --> 00:39:24.860
 at the same time

00:39:24.860 --> 00:39:25.460
 when we're not

00:39:25.460 --> 00:39:26.460
 successful at this

00:39:26.460 --> 00:39:27.200
 we can be filled

00:39:27.200 --> 00:39:28.180
 with despondency

00:39:28.180 --> 00:39:28.900
 and despair

00:39:28.900 --> 00:39:29.380
 because

00:39:29.380 --> 00:39:30.360
 we're still

00:39:30.360 --> 00:39:31.480
 having our hearts

00:39:31.480 --> 00:39:32.240
 sit on this

00:39:32.240 --> 00:39:33.960
 and that's why

00:39:33.960 --> 00:39:34.240
 you see

00:39:34.240 --> 00:39:34.760
 it's so

00:39:34.760 --> 00:39:35.960
 most of us think

00:39:35.960 --> 00:39:36.460
 that if God

00:39:36.460 --> 00:39:37.139
 was going to really

00:39:37.139 --> 00:39:37.760
 deliver us

00:39:37.760 --> 00:39:38.360
 the way that he's

00:39:38.360 --> 00:39:38.840
 going to have to

00:39:38.840 --> 00:39:39.539
 deliver us

00:39:39.539 --> 00:39:41.079
 is by having

00:39:41.079 --> 00:39:41.940
 this profound

00:39:41.940 --> 00:39:42.880
 act of powers

00:39:42.880 --> 00:39:43.539
 if he can just

00:39:43.539 --> 00:39:44.440
 overwhelm us

00:39:44.440 --> 00:39:45.119
 because you see

00:39:45.119 --> 00:39:45.860
 at the end of the day

00:39:45.860 --> 00:39:46.619
 we only want to

00:39:46.619 --> 00:39:47.260
 respect God

00:39:47.260 --> 00:39:47.920
 if he can sort of

00:39:47.920 --> 00:39:48.440
 show himself

00:39:48.440 --> 00:39:48.980
 to be really

00:39:48.980 --> 00:39:49.760
 really powerful

00:39:49.760 --> 00:39:50.980
 and that his power

00:39:50.980 --> 00:39:52.340
 is used in the way

00:39:52.340 --> 00:39:53.059
 that we think

00:39:53.059 --> 00:39:53.720
 it should be used

00:39:53.720 --> 00:39:54.380
 because what we

00:39:54.380 --> 00:39:55.159
 really want to do

00:39:55.159 --> 00:39:56.220
 is to be like God

00:39:56.220 --> 00:39:57.599
 but the fact of the

00:39:57.599 --> 00:39:58.019
 matter is

00:39:58.019 --> 00:39:58.420
 is that our

00:39:58.420 --> 00:39:59.380
 fundamental problem

00:39:59.380 --> 00:40:00.119
 is that we have

00:40:00.119 --> 00:40:01.039
 to be pulled back

00:40:01.039 --> 00:40:01.519
 from that

00:40:01.519 --> 00:40:02.119
 it's as if

00:40:02.119 --> 00:40:03.639
 everything that we

00:40:03.639 --> 00:40:04.220
 are like

00:40:04.220 --> 00:40:05.360
 is straining

00:40:05.360 --> 00:40:05.940
 and bending

00:40:05.940 --> 00:40:06.480
 this way

00:40:06.480 --> 00:40:06.900
 and when we're

00:40:06.900 --> 00:40:07.440
 successful

00:40:07.440 --> 00:40:08.000
 we're proud

00:40:08.000 --> 00:40:08.400
 and when we're

00:40:08.400 --> 00:40:09.240
 not successful

00:40:09.240 --> 00:40:10.920
 we feel despair

00:40:10.920 --> 00:40:12.019
 and so for the

00:40:12.019 --> 00:40:12.940
 Lord to save us

00:40:12.940 --> 00:40:13.460
 in a sense

00:40:13.460 --> 00:40:14.119
 he has to want

00:40:14.119 --> 00:40:15.280
 all of that back

00:40:15.280 --> 00:40:17.940
 because you see

00:40:17.940 --> 00:40:18.539
 part of what

00:40:18.539 --> 00:40:19.659
 the story of

00:40:19.659 --> 00:40:20.380
 Jesus is

00:40:20.380 --> 00:40:21.139
 is that Jesus

00:40:21.139 --> 00:40:22.500
 becomes the man

00:40:22.500 --> 00:40:23.000
 that we

00:40:23.000 --> 00:40:24.019
 the person

00:40:24.019 --> 00:40:24.639
 that we could

00:40:24.639 --> 00:40:25.420
 never be

00:40:25.420 --> 00:40:30.940
 he becomes

00:40:30.940 --> 00:40:31.599
 the person

00:40:31.599 --> 00:40:32.220
 that we could

00:40:32.220 --> 00:40:32.940
 never be

00:40:32.940 --> 00:40:36.179
 so that when we

00:40:36.179 --> 00:40:36.760
 put our faith

00:40:36.760 --> 00:40:37.320
 and trust

00:40:37.320 --> 00:40:37.980
 in him

00:40:37.980 --> 00:40:40.380
 we're not only

00:40:40.380 --> 00:40:41.139
 acknowledging

00:40:41.139 --> 00:40:41.920
 that what he

00:40:41.920 --> 00:40:42.400
 did

00:40:42.400 --> 00:40:43.119
 in a sense

00:40:43.119 --> 00:40:43.759
 to turn away

00:40:43.759 --> 00:40:44.960
 God's judgment

00:40:44.960 --> 00:40:45.739
 on us

00:40:45.739 --> 00:40:46.879
 in a sense

00:40:46.879 --> 00:40:47.400
 to deal with

00:40:47.400 --> 00:40:48.299
 all the karma

00:40:48.299 --> 00:40:49.339
 that we deserve

00:40:49.339 --> 00:40:50.539
 to use modern

00:40:50.539 --> 00:40:51.179
 language

00:40:51.179 --> 00:40:52.759
 but at the same

00:40:52.759 --> 00:40:53.799
 time he stands

00:40:53.799 --> 00:40:54.500
 for us

00:40:54.500 --> 00:40:56.819
 and by standing

00:40:56.819 --> 00:40:57.219
 for us

00:40:57.219 --> 00:40:57.659
 it means that

00:40:57.659 --> 00:40:58.460
 we trust him

00:40:58.460 --> 00:40:59.400
 to that the

00:40:59.400 --> 00:41:00.159
 life that he

00:41:00.159 --> 00:41:00.960
 lives will now

00:41:00.960 --> 00:41:02.119
 stand for us

00:41:02.119 --> 00:41:03.679
 and so

00:41:03.679 --> 00:41:04.500
 the way the

00:41:04.500 --> 00:41:05.519
 Bible describes

00:41:05.519 --> 00:41:06.059
 Jesus'

00:41:06.379 --> 00:41:06.960
 ministry

00:41:06.960 --> 00:41:08.039
 is that he

00:41:08.039 --> 00:41:09.119
 humbles himself

00:41:09.119 --> 00:41:10.139
 he empties

00:41:10.139 --> 00:41:10.659
 himself

00:41:10.659 --> 00:41:11.539
 he humbles

00:41:11.539 --> 00:41:12.079
 himself

00:41:12.079 --> 00:41:13.099
 to be born

00:41:13.099 --> 00:41:13.639
 of a virgin

00:41:13.639 --> 00:41:14.579
 he humbles

00:41:14.579 --> 00:41:15.139
 himself

00:41:15.139 --> 00:41:16.259
 to live a

00:41:16.259 --> 00:41:16.920
 normal human

00:41:16.920 --> 00:41:17.239
 life

00:41:17.239 --> 00:41:18.359
 he humbles

00:41:18.359 --> 00:41:18.920
 himself

00:41:18.920 --> 00:41:20.559
 to only receive

00:41:20.559 --> 00:41:21.179
 the knowledge

00:41:21.179 --> 00:41:21.880
 and the wisdom

00:41:21.880 --> 00:41:22.500
 that he needs

00:41:22.500 --> 00:41:23.219
 when his father

00:41:23.219 --> 00:41:24.199
 chooses to give

00:41:24.199 --> 00:41:24.319
 him

00:41:24.319 --> 00:41:25.119
 he's dependent

00:41:25.119 --> 00:41:26.519
 upon God

00:41:26.519 --> 00:41:27.239
 giving him the

00:41:27.239 --> 00:41:27.880
 wisdom or the

00:41:27.880 --> 00:41:28.219
 knowledge

00:41:28.219 --> 00:41:28.940
 because all of

00:41:28.940 --> 00:41:29.420
 those things

00:41:29.420 --> 00:41:30.059
 his power

00:41:30.059 --> 00:41:30.539
 in a sense

00:41:30.539 --> 00:41:31.159
 is veiled

00:41:31.159 --> 00:41:32.099
 it's curtailed

00:41:32.099 --> 00:41:33.159
 he humbles

00:41:33.159 --> 00:41:33.679
 himself

00:41:33.679 --> 00:41:34.440
 to save us

00:41:34.440 --> 00:41:35.380
 he becomes

00:41:35.380 --> 00:41:35.900
 weak

00:41:35.900 --> 00:41:37.159
 to save us

00:41:37.159 --> 00:41:38.699
 every breath

00:41:38.699 --> 00:41:39.399
 he depends

00:41:39.399 --> 00:41:40.440
 upon God

00:41:40.440 --> 00:41:41.519
 to save us

00:41:41.519 --> 00:41:43.139
 and he even

00:41:43.139 --> 00:41:43.879
 continues to

00:41:43.879 --> 00:41:44.639
 humble himself

00:41:44.639 --> 00:41:45.239
 to the point

00:41:45.239 --> 00:41:45.599
 of death

00:41:45.599 --> 00:41:46.460
 upon the cross

00:41:46.460 --> 00:41:47.799
 and his death

00:41:47.799 --> 00:41:48.480
 upon the cross

00:41:48.480 --> 00:41:49.279
 being a shameful

00:41:49.279 --> 00:41:49.719
 death

00:41:49.719 --> 00:41:50.599
 and tasting

00:41:50.599 --> 00:41:51.199
 all there is

00:41:51.199 --> 00:41:51.599
 to taste

00:41:51.599 --> 00:41:52.039
 of death

00:41:52.039 --> 00:41:53.059
 and it's all

00:41:53.059 --> 00:41:53.659
 a descent

00:41:53.659 --> 00:41:54.319
 it's all

00:41:54.319 --> 00:41:55.079
 a humility

00:41:55.079 --> 00:41:57.059
 and a humility

00:41:57.059 --> 00:41:58.359
 which is completely

00:41:58.359 --> 00:41:59.039
 and utterly

00:41:59.039 --> 00:42:00.099
 dependent upon

00:42:00.099 --> 00:42:00.579
 God

00:42:00.579 --> 00:42:02.799
 and so when it

00:42:02.799 --> 00:42:03.299
 is is that

00:42:03.299 --> 00:42:03.819
 when we put

00:42:03.819 --> 00:42:04.379
 our faith

00:42:04.379 --> 00:42:04.940
 and trust

00:42:04.940 --> 00:42:05.719
 in Jesus

00:42:05.719 --> 00:42:07.599
 not only

00:42:07.599 --> 00:42:08.139
 to deal

00:42:08.139 --> 00:42:08.559
 with our

00:42:08.559 --> 00:42:09.000
 sin

00:42:09.000 --> 00:42:09.439
 which is

00:42:09.439 --> 00:42:09.899
 just one

00:42:09.899 --> 00:42:10.379
 aspect

00:42:10.379 --> 00:42:11.079
 of salvation

00:42:11.079 --> 00:42:11.799
 but also

00:42:11.799 --> 00:42:12.659
 to stand

00:42:12.659 --> 00:42:13.319
 for us

00:42:13.319 --> 00:42:14.539
 to be the

00:42:14.539 --> 00:42:15.399
 one for us

00:42:15.399 --> 00:42:16.039
 on one hand

00:42:16.039 --> 00:42:16.939
 we can trust

00:42:16.939 --> 00:42:17.179
 him

00:42:17.179 --> 00:42:17.599
 he doesn't

00:42:17.599 --> 00:42:17.980
 just go

00:42:17.980 --> 00:42:18.799
 by whims

00:42:18.799 --> 00:42:19.919
 he's not

00:42:19.919 --> 00:42:20.480
 all about

00:42:20.480 --> 00:42:21.319
 his power

00:42:21.319 --> 00:42:22.339
 he's not

00:42:22.339 --> 00:42:22.980
 all about

00:42:22.980 --> 00:42:23.519
 him

00:42:23.519 --> 00:42:24.199
 that he

00:42:24.199 --> 00:42:24.679
 humbles

00:42:24.679 --> 00:42:25.139
 himself

00:42:25.139 --> 00:42:25.539
 out of

00:42:25.539 --> 00:42:25.839
 love and

00:42:25.839 --> 00:42:26.279
 obedience

00:42:26.279 --> 00:42:27.419
 to God

00:42:27.419 --> 00:42:27.859
 and out

00:42:27.859 --> 00:42:28.299
 of love

00:42:28.299 --> 00:42:29.099
 for us

00:42:29.099 --> 00:42:30.459
 he humbles

00:42:30.459 --> 00:42:30.919
 himself

00:42:30.919 --> 00:42:31.879
 and his

00:42:31.879 --> 00:42:33.019
 perfect life

00:42:33.019 --> 00:42:33.699
 of humility

00:42:33.699 --> 00:42:34.639
 is the

00:42:34.639 --> 00:42:35.399
 antidote

00:42:35.400 --> 00:42:36.240
 of our

00:42:36.240 --> 00:42:36.660
 addiction

00:42:36.660 --> 00:42:37.400
 to pride

00:42:37.400 --> 00:42:37.800
 and our

00:42:37.800 --> 00:42:38.160
 desire

00:42:38.160 --> 00:42:38.480
 to be

00:42:38.480 --> 00:42:39.039
 like God

00:42:39.039 --> 00:42:39.519
 and so

00:42:39.519 --> 00:42:40.079
 he can

00:42:40.079 --> 00:42:40.740
 stand

00:42:40.740 --> 00:42:41.400
 for us

00:42:41.400 --> 00:42:44.039
 and at

00:42:44.039 --> 00:42:44.460
 the same

00:42:44.460 --> 00:42:44.980
 time

00:42:44.980 --> 00:42:45.700
 if he

00:42:45.700 --> 00:42:46.320
 humbled

00:42:46.320 --> 00:42:46.920
 himself

00:42:46.920 --> 00:42:48.380
 to save

00:42:48.380 --> 00:42:48.700
 me

00:42:48.700 --> 00:42:51.599
 then that

00:42:51.599 --> 00:42:52.200
 starts to

00:42:52.200 --> 00:42:52.820
 shape me

00:42:52.820 --> 00:42:53.720
 to understand

00:42:53.720 --> 00:42:54.119
 that I

00:42:54.119 --> 00:42:54.619
 need to

00:42:54.619 --> 00:42:54.920
 humble

00:42:54.920 --> 00:42:55.519
 myself

00:42:55.519 --> 00:42:56.500
 before him

00:42:56.500 --> 00:42:57.700
 to live

00:42:57.699 --> 00:43:01.739
 that it's

00:43:01.739 --> 00:43:02.139
 not that

00:43:02.139 --> 00:43:02.480
 the Lord

00:43:02.480 --> 00:43:03.139
 calls me

00:43:03.139 --> 00:43:03.500
 to be

00:43:03.500 --> 00:43:04.000
 weak

00:43:04.000 --> 00:43:06.199
 but the

00:43:06.199 --> 00:43:06.460
 Lord

00:43:06.460 --> 00:43:07.419
 calls me

00:43:07.419 --> 00:43:09.799
 to come

00:43:09.799 --> 00:43:10.359
 to him

00:43:10.359 --> 00:43:11.000
 which is a

00:43:11.000 --> 00:43:11.339
 sign of

00:43:11.339 --> 00:43:11.679
 weakness

00:43:11.679 --> 00:43:12.019
 in the

00:43:12.019 --> 00:43:12.339
 world

00:43:12.339 --> 00:43:14.119
 to humble

00:43:14.119 --> 00:43:14.599
 myself

00:43:14.599 --> 00:43:15.339
 before him

00:43:15.339 --> 00:43:15.879
 which is a

00:43:15.879 --> 00:43:16.239
 sign of

00:43:16.239 --> 00:43:16.719
 insanity

00:43:16.719 --> 00:43:17.319
 and weakness

00:43:17.319 --> 00:43:17.699
 to the

00:43:17.699 --> 00:43:18.019
 world

00:43:18.019 --> 00:43:19.199
 but to

00:43:19.199 --> 00:43:19.439
 humble

00:43:19.439 --> 00:43:19.919
 myself

00:43:19.919 --> 00:43:20.899
 before him

00:43:20.899 --> 00:43:22.399
 knowing that

00:43:22.399 --> 00:43:22.899
 he has

00:43:22.899 --> 00:43:23.759
 called me

00:43:23.760 --> 00:43:24.100
 to do

00:43:24.100 --> 00:43:24.720
 things

00:43:24.720 --> 00:43:25.380
 of

00:43:25.380 --> 00:43:26.040
 courage

00:43:26.040 --> 00:43:27.440
 and bravery

00:43:27.440 --> 00:43:28.000
 today

00:43:28.000 --> 00:43:29.340
 that I

00:43:29.340 --> 00:43:29.880
 can only

00:43:29.880 --> 00:43:30.300
 do in

00:43:30.300 --> 00:43:30.600
 his

00:43:30.600 --> 00:43:31.060
 strength

00:43:31.060 --> 00:43:31.420
 when I

00:43:31.420 --> 00:43:31.760
 humble

00:43:31.760 --> 00:43:32.480
 myself

00:43:32.480 --> 00:43:34.080
 before him

00:43:34.080 --> 00:43:35.740
 he will

00:43:35.740 --> 00:43:36.100
 give me

00:43:36.100 --> 00:43:36.660
 the strength

00:43:36.660 --> 00:43:36.940
 and the

00:43:36.940 --> 00:43:37.420
 confidence

00:43:37.420 --> 00:43:38.940
 to deal

00:43:38.940 --> 00:43:39.260
 with the

00:43:39.260 --> 00:43:39.720
 things I

00:43:39.720 --> 00:43:40.100
 need to

00:43:40.100 --> 00:43:40.660
 deal with

00:43:40.660 --> 00:43:41.240
 today

00:43:41.240 --> 00:43:43.260
 please

00:43:43.260 --> 00:43:43.720
 stand

00:43:43.719 --> 00:43:53.419
 let's

00:43:53.419 --> 00:43:53.679
 bow our

00:43:53.679 --> 00:43:54.039
 heads in

00:43:54.039 --> 00:43:54.339
 prayer

00:43:54.339 --> 00:44:05.239
 father we

00:44:05.239 --> 00:44:05.759
 thank you

00:44:05.759 --> 00:44:06.319
 that Jesus

00:44:06.319 --> 00:44:07.379
 humbled himself

00:44:07.379 --> 00:44:08.079
 to save

00:44:08.079 --> 00:44:08.439
 us

00:44:08.439 --> 00:44:09.799
 we thank

00:44:09.799 --> 00:44:10.359
 you father

00:44:10.359 --> 00:44:10.919
 that

00:44:10.920 --> 00:44:14.059
 we thank

00:44:14.059 --> 00:44:14.619
 you father

00:44:14.619 --> 00:44:15.180
 that you

00:44:15.180 --> 00:44:15.519
 just

00:44:15.519 --> 00:44:17.840
 invite us

00:44:17.840 --> 00:44:18.360
 to humble

00:44:18.360 --> 00:44:19.019
 ourselves

00:44:19.019 --> 00:44:19.740
 and turn

00:44:19.740 --> 00:44:20.200
 from our

00:44:20.200 --> 00:44:20.680
 pride

00:44:20.680 --> 00:44:21.019
 and our

00:44:21.019 --> 00:44:21.579
 sense of

00:44:21.579 --> 00:44:22.440
 self-sufficiency

00:44:22.440 --> 00:44:23.180
 to acknowledge

00:44:23.180 --> 00:44:23.700
 our great

00:44:23.700 --> 00:44:24.320
 need

00:44:24.320 --> 00:44:25.740
 of you

00:44:25.740 --> 00:44:26.240
 to provide

00:44:26.240 --> 00:44:26.840
 the way

00:44:26.840 --> 00:44:27.480
 by which

00:44:27.480 --> 00:44:27.940
 we can be

00:44:27.940 --> 00:44:28.500
 made right

00:44:28.500 --> 00:44:29.420
 again with

00:44:29.420 --> 00:44:29.780
 you and we

00:44:29.780 --> 00:44:30.200
 thank you

00:44:30.200 --> 00:44:30.440
 that you

00:44:30.440 --> 00:44:31.099
 provided that

00:44:31.099 --> 00:44:31.579
 in Jesus

00:44:31.579 --> 00:44:32.180
 we thank

00:44:32.180 --> 00:44:32.420
 you that

00:44:32.420 --> 00:44:32.940
 he humbled

00:44:32.940 --> 00:44:33.460
 himself

00:44:33.460 --> 00:44:34.920
 that he

00:44:34.920 --> 00:44:35.260
 humbled

00:44:35.260 --> 00:44:35.659
 himself

00:44:35.659 --> 00:44:36.280
 to save

00:44:36.280 --> 00:44:36.639
 us

00:44:36.639 --> 00:44:37.880
 and we

00:44:37.880 --> 00:44:38.500
 ask father

00:44:38.500 --> 00:44:39.139
 that this

00:44:39.139 --> 00:44:40.340
 great truth

00:44:40.340 --> 00:44:40.760
 of him

00:44:40.760 --> 00:44:41.200
 humbling

00:44:41.200 --> 00:44:41.660
 himself

00:44:41.660 --> 00:44:42.220
 to save

00:44:42.220 --> 00:44:42.440
 us

00:44:42.440 --> 00:44:42.820
 that that

00:44:42.820 --> 00:44:43.060
 might

00:44:43.060 --> 00:44:43.580
 shape

00:44:43.580 --> 00:44:43.900
 us

00:44:43.900 --> 00:44:44.260
 that that

00:44:44.260 --> 00:44:44.520
 might

00:44:44.520 --> 00:44:45.720
 that that

00:44:45.720 --> 00:44:46.440
 story might

00:44:46.440 --> 00:44:47.200
 captivate

00:44:47.200 --> 00:44:47.960
 our imagination

00:44:47.960 --> 00:44:48.580
 that it

00:44:48.580 --> 00:44:48.780
 might

00:44:48.780 --> 00:44:49.500
 captivate

00:44:49.500 --> 00:44:50.260
 the affections

00:44:50.260 --> 00:44:50.580
 of our

00:44:50.580 --> 00:44:51.000
 hearts

00:44:51.000 --> 00:44:51.320
 that it

00:44:51.320 --> 00:44:51.500
 might

00:44:51.500 --> 00:44:52.240
 captivate

00:44:52.240 --> 00:44:53.060
 how we

00:44:53.060 --> 00:44:53.480
 plan

00:44:53.480 --> 00:44:53.820
 and how

00:44:53.820 --> 00:44:53.960
 we

00:44:53.960 --> 00:44:54.620
 understand

00:44:54.620 --> 00:44:55.120
 who we

00:44:55.120 --> 00:44:55.460
 are

00:44:55.460 --> 00:44:56.600
 and where

00:44:56.600 --> 00:44:56.820
 our

00:44:56.820 --> 00:44:57.300
 confidence

00:44:57.300 --> 00:44:57.800
 comes

00:44:57.800 --> 00:44:58.120
 from

00:44:58.120 --> 00:44:59.780
 we ask

00:44:59.780 --> 00:45:00.200
 father

00:45:00.200 --> 00:45:01.100
 that our

00:45:01.100 --> 00:45:01.760
 confidence

00:45:01.760 --> 00:45:02.180
 in our

00:45:02.180 --> 00:45:02.660
 identity

00:45:02.660 --> 00:45:03.220
 might be

00:45:03.220 --> 00:45:03.500
 in the

00:45:03.500 --> 00:45:03.820
 one

00:45:03.820 --> 00:45:04.700
 who

00:45:04.700 --> 00:45:05.160
 saved

00:45:05.160 --> 00:45:05.580
 us

00:45:05.580 --> 00:45:06.180
 who

00:45:06.180 --> 00:45:06.520
 died

00:45:06.520 --> 00:45:07.100
 to save

00:45:07.100 --> 00:45:07.300
 us

00:45:07.300 --> 00:45:07.940
 who humbled

00:45:07.940 --> 00:45:08.720
 himself

00:45:08.720 --> 00:45:09.700
 to save

00:45:09.700 --> 00:45:10.020
 us

00:45:10.019 --> 00:45:10.940
 that that

00:45:10.940 --> 00:45:11.400
 might be

00:45:11.400 --> 00:45:11.719
 father

00:45:11.719 --> 00:45:12.380
 the source

00:45:12.380 --> 00:45:12.679
 of our

00:45:12.679 --> 00:45:13.219
 identity

00:45:13.219 --> 00:45:13.840
 the source

00:45:13.840 --> 00:45:14.179
 of our

00:45:14.179 --> 00:45:14.559
 hope

00:45:14.559 --> 00:45:15.099
 the source

00:45:15.099 --> 00:45:15.420
 of our

00:45:15.420 --> 00:45:15.840
 joy

00:45:15.840 --> 00:45:16.739
 and the

00:45:16.739 --> 00:45:17.019
 source

00:45:17.019 --> 00:45:17.320
 of the

00:45:17.320 --> 00:45:17.880
 confidence

00:45:17.880 --> 00:45:18.940
 that you

00:45:18.940 --> 00:45:19.420
 give

00:45:19.420 --> 00:45:20.159
 those

00:45:20.159 --> 00:45:20.579
 who

00:45:20.579 --> 00:45:21.039
 humble

00:45:21.039 --> 00:45:21.639
 themselves

00:45:21.639 --> 00:45:22.579
 before you

00:45:22.579 --> 00:45:24.039
 help

00:45:24.039 --> 00:45:28.139
 help us

00:45:28.139 --> 00:45:28.400
 to do

00:45:28.400 --> 00:45:28.619
 that

00:45:28.619 --> 00:45:28.940
 by the

00:45:28.940 --> 00:45:29.239
 power

00:45:29.239 --> 00:45:29.519
 of your

00:45:29.519 --> 00:45:29.779
 Holy

00:45:29.779 --> 00:45:30.239
 Spirit

00:45:30.239 --> 00:45:32.360
 and

00:45:32.360 --> 00:45:32.619
 father

00:45:32.619 --> 00:45:33.159
 help us

00:45:33.159 --> 00:45:34.039
 to see

00:45:34.039 --> 00:45:34.799
 how it

00:45:34.799 --> 00:45:35.119
 is

00:45:35.119 --> 00:45:35.659
 that you

00:45:35.659 --> 00:45:35.900
 are

00:45:35.900 --> 00:45:36.340
 using

00:45:36.340 --> 00:45:36.679
 us

00:45:36.679 --> 00:45:36.900
 and

00:45:36.900 --> 00:45:37.239
 shaping

00:45:37.239 --> 00:45:37.559
 us

00:45:37.559 --> 00:45:37.719
 and

00:45:37.719 --> 00:45:38.119
 preparing

00:45:38.119 --> 00:45:38.539
 us

00:45:38.539 --> 00:45:39.460
 to bring

00:45:39.460 --> 00:45:39.599
 you

00:45:39.599 --> 00:45:40.039
 glory

00:45:40.039 --> 00:45:40.920
 in our

00:45:40.920 --> 00:45:41.279
 day-to-day

00:45:41.279 --> 00:45:41.759
 lives

00:45:41.759 --> 00:45:42.400
 and we

00:45:42.400 --> 00:45:42.880
 ask all

00:45:42.880 --> 00:45:43.259
 of this

00:45:43.259 --> 00:45:43.840
 in the

00:45:43.840 --> 00:45:44.000
 name

00:45:44.000 --> 00:45:44.159
 of

00:45:44.159 --> 00:45:44.519
 Jesus

00:45:44.519 --> 00:45:45.139
 your

00:45:45.139 --> 00:45:45.380
 son

00:45:45.380 --> 00:45:45.519
 and

00:45:45.519 --> 00:45:45.699
 our

00:45:45.699 --> 00:45:46.000
 savior

00:45:46.000 --> 00:45:47.039
 amen

00:45:47.039 --> 00:45:49.420
 for

00:45:49.420 --> 00:46:02.619
 to

00:46:02.619 --> 00:46:12.800
 have

00:46:12.800 --> 00:46:12.960
 an

00:46:12.960 --> 00:46:13.539
 who

00:46:13.539 --> 00:46:13.840
 are