WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:06.259 Father, sometimes your word shocks us by saying shocking things. 00:00:07.080 --> 00:00:10.820 And Father, we know that everything that you write, you cause to be written in your word. 00:00:11.120 --> 00:00:18.679 You had it written there so that it would reveal our heart in your presence and would draw us to Jesus. 00:00:19.420 --> 00:00:26.100 So Father, we ask that the Holy Spirit would come with gentle but very, very deep power as we open your word. 00:00:26.100 --> 00:00:32.880 Father, write the gospel on our heart and we ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. 00:00:33.600 --> 00:00:34.400 Please be seated. 00:00:35.020 --> 00:00:37.320 Tape's going. It is sounding a bit weird, right? 00:00:40.340 --> 00:00:42.960 It sounds good to you folks? Okay, well, I'm just going to be there. 00:00:43.000 --> 00:00:48.420 It's just, this is like a thorn in the flesh for me because I hear a bit of an echo as I speak. 00:00:49.040 --> 00:00:54.180 So some of you know, maybe all of you know, I was raised in a Christian home. 00:00:54.899 --> 00:01:02.759 And I don't know if what I'm going to say about the churches that I grew up in, if that's a very fair thing about how I was raised. 00:01:03.200 --> 00:01:08.659 But when I was raised, the churches I was raised in and the Sunday schools and the youth groups that I went to, 00:01:09.120 --> 00:01:15.319 when they did talk about what we call the Old Testament, the books in the Bible that were written before the coming of Jesus, 00:01:15.319 --> 00:01:24.879 whenever we read those in the church, it always seemed as if there was a very obvious hero in the story that we should copy 00:01:24.879 --> 00:01:28.939 or some very powerful moral in the story that we should learn. 00:01:28.939 --> 00:01:31.319 And that's how I was raised. 00:01:31.700 --> 00:01:38.439 And then I get ordained and I have to start preaching on the Old Testament, the Tanakh sometimes. 00:01:39.000 --> 00:01:40.319 And it terrified me. 00:01:40.400 --> 00:01:45.019 Time after time, it terrified me because I'd look at it and it didn't make any, like, 00:01:45.140 --> 00:01:48.019 I just couldn't find those lessons that I grew up with. 00:01:48.019 --> 00:01:57.679 Some of you, if you know the story of Samson, when I, it seemed to me, my memory is that when I was growing up, 00:01:57.780 --> 00:02:02.879 that Samson was just like a Baptist deacon, only very strong. 00:02:02.879 --> 00:02:08.919 And then I read the story and he's, sorry, he's screwing around with lots of women. 00:02:09.079 --> 00:02:10.000 He's getting drunk. 00:02:10.919 --> 00:02:13.900 Let me tell you, that's not what Baptist deacons are supposed to do. 00:02:14.400 --> 00:02:18.599 And I wasn't sure how I was going to preach a story like that, but it used to worry me. 00:02:18.919 --> 00:02:24.460 So we're looking at a story, we're beginning a brand new series today called The Hidden God in a Broken World. 00:02:24.879 --> 00:02:27.159 And it's a story of the book of Esther. 00:02:27.159 --> 00:02:35.419 And let me tell you, I mean, this is a story that has terrible things in it. 00:02:36.079 --> 00:02:41.280 And some of you, in fact, as we read the story, as we read this first episode in the story, 00:02:41.340 --> 00:02:44.099 you might even wonder why we would read something like this in church. 00:02:45.099 --> 00:02:48.099 But it's part of, well, let's see what, let's see. 00:02:48.340 --> 00:02:52.620 I'm going to open the story to you because I want to encourage you to read the Old Testament. 00:02:52.620 --> 00:02:56.500 I want to encourage you to try to dive into it, even if it doesn't says things which are very, 00:02:56.500 --> 00:02:57.219 very shocking. 00:02:57.879 --> 00:03:00.099 It really is Jesus told us to read it. 00:03:00.539 --> 00:03:02.960 And so if he told us to read it, we should learn how to do it. 00:03:03.039 --> 00:03:08.199 So we're looking at the book of Esther, chapter one, verse one, and let's get into it. 00:03:08.780 --> 00:03:10.659 And here's how it begins. 00:03:11.500 --> 00:03:13.300 What we're going to do is the text is going to be here. 00:03:13.360 --> 00:03:17.879 I'll pause occasionally just to bring out the significance or a cultural thing so you 00:03:17.879 --> 00:03:19.659 can enter into the story more powerfully. 00:03:19.840 --> 00:03:24.180 And then we'll sort of talk a bit more generally about what's sort of going on and we can take 00:03:24.180 --> 00:03:25.080 away from the text. 00:03:25.080 --> 00:03:34.680 Now, in the days of, and I have a hard time pronouncing this name, Ahusuerus, the Ahusuerus 00:03:34.680 --> 00:03:40.620 who reigned from Ethiopia, India to Ethiopia, over 127 provinces. 00:03:40.620 --> 00:03:46.939 In those days when King Ahusuerus sat on his royal throne in Susa, the citadel, in the 00:03:46.939 --> 00:03:52.159 third year of his reign, he gave a feast for all his officials and servants, the army of 00:03:52.159 --> 00:03:57.000 Persia and Media and the nobles and governors of the provinces who were before him. 00:03:57.259 --> 00:03:58.599 Now, just sort of pause here. 00:03:59.040 --> 00:03:59.759 A couple of things. 00:03:59.860 --> 00:04:03.740 First of all, there's a literary device that begins this story. 00:04:03.740 --> 00:04:09.300 And the literary device is such that the writer is telling you that he's telling you a true 00:04:09.300 --> 00:04:09.760 story. 00:04:10.659 --> 00:04:13.219 That the story that follows is something that happened. 00:04:13.400 --> 00:04:15.100 That's the claim made by the author. 00:04:15.640 --> 00:04:17.920 Now, the second thing is this guy with the weird name. 00:04:18.560 --> 00:04:25.480 So, in Hebrew, in ancient Hebrew, when this name was said out loud, it's a pun. 00:04:25.480 --> 00:04:30.140 Now, it's one of the things which is very interesting about this book. 00:04:30.240 --> 00:04:33.500 This book is going to talk about very, very, very, very dark matters. 00:04:34.280 --> 00:04:38.819 In this book, there is genocide or an attempt at genocide. 00:04:39.400 --> 00:04:41.140 There is sex trafficking. 00:04:41.879 --> 00:04:42.900 There is violence. 00:04:43.300 --> 00:04:44.360 There is impaling. 00:04:45.439 --> 00:04:46.580 Lots of impaling. 00:04:47.060 --> 00:04:48.300 And lots of other things. 00:04:48.379 --> 00:04:50.060 It's a very, very serious story. 00:04:50.060 --> 00:04:56.839 But the Jewish writer of it also puts bits of humor into it. 00:04:57.439 --> 00:05:04.439 So, for the ancient Jews, when they would have heard this story read, the word Ahusserus 00:05:04.439 --> 00:05:06.540 sounds like headache. 00:05:08.980 --> 00:05:15.319 So, basically, all the way through the story, they call him King Headache to make a bit of 00:05:15.319 --> 00:05:15.779 fun of him. 00:05:15.779 --> 00:05:19.879 So, in fact, what I'm going to do, because I can't pronounce it, I'm going to call him 00:05:19.879 --> 00:05:24.799 King Headache, because that actually helps you to understand, and now I've just completely 00:05:24.799 --> 00:05:25.559 vanished. 00:05:25.919 --> 00:05:26.299 Have I? 00:05:28.679 --> 00:05:29.659 He's working on it. 00:05:29.759 --> 00:05:30.079 Okay. 00:05:31.799 --> 00:05:33.279 So, he's called King Headache. 00:05:33.519 --> 00:05:36.319 Now, here's another thing which is really important about this story. 00:05:36.419 --> 00:05:37.359 Very, very important. 00:05:37.479 --> 00:05:38.879 And I didn't know until I looked it up. 00:05:39.139 --> 00:05:43.119 How many of you have watched the movie 300 about the Spartans? 00:05:43.119 --> 00:05:43.859 There you go. 00:05:43.860 --> 00:05:46.420 So, the guy the Spartans fight, this is him. 00:05:47.900 --> 00:05:48.699 This is him. 00:05:48.900 --> 00:05:49.879 This is King Xerxes. 00:05:50.840 --> 00:05:52.060 That's how he's more better known. 00:05:52.100 --> 00:05:53.280 He's known as the King of Kings. 00:05:54.120 --> 00:05:58.060 And so, one of the things that the writer sets right off the bat, when the writer says, 00:05:58.180 --> 00:06:05.319 this is happening three years after King Headache gets made king, the ancient readers would 00:06:05.319 --> 00:06:06.740 go, oh. 00:06:06.740 --> 00:06:06.900 Oh. 00:06:07.900 --> 00:06:10.840 That means this is happening in the year 483 BC. 00:06:11.340 --> 00:06:11.819 Oh. 00:06:12.620 --> 00:06:13.879 Now, why would they say, oh? 00:06:14.240 --> 00:06:20.579 If we were to watch a movie about the Civil War in the United States, and the movie was 00:06:20.579 --> 00:06:26.340 to focus on the Southerns, the Confederates, and we were to see just after war is declared, 00:06:26.339 --> 00:06:30.879 in fact, there's lots of Confederate movies that are like this, and it shows the white 00:06:30.879 --> 00:06:36.199 people with all their wealth and the young guys, and we're going to defeat the North, 00:06:36.299 --> 00:06:39.279 and we're filled with honor, and you'd see all the opulence. 00:06:39.639 --> 00:06:42.239 When we watch that movie, what do we know? 00:06:42.240 --> 00:06:43.300 We know they're going to lose. 00:06:45.579 --> 00:06:46.920 We know they're going to lose. 00:06:48.540 --> 00:06:54.240 Even though they dress well, they're well-spoken, they're all excited, they're very confident 00:06:54.240 --> 00:06:55.720 in their power, we know they're going to lose. 00:06:55.720 --> 00:07:00.579 And that's what the author of this story does for most of the ancient people when he 00:07:00.579 --> 00:07:06.939 begins it by saying it starts third year of being king, 483, because in the year 480, 00:07:06.939 --> 00:07:17.759 he faces the Spartans, and 300 Spartans are able to hold back a Persian army of tens to tens 00:07:17.759 --> 00:07:22.759 to tens of thousands, and then shortly after that, the Greeks kick their butt, and King 00:07:22.759 --> 00:07:30.319 Headache is going to return to Persia, having lost big time. 00:07:31.019 --> 00:07:32.920 So that's how this story begins. 00:07:32.920 --> 00:07:39.180 A bit of a caution, because you're going to see his power and his glory, and in some 00:07:39.180 --> 00:07:43.000 ways, one of the things that goes all the way through the book of Esther is a meditation 00:07:43.000 --> 00:07:43.960 upon power. 00:07:44.500 --> 00:07:49.100 The claims of power, our desires for power, and how power actually works. 00:07:49.780 --> 00:07:51.420 So this is who the story is. 00:07:51.540 --> 00:07:56.700 If you're fans of the movie 300, the Spartans are going to really cause him lots of trouble. 00:07:56.840 --> 00:07:58.520 They're going to lose, they're going to lose. 00:07:58.519 --> 00:08:04.219 And he's King Xerxes, and we're going to call him King Headache. 00:08:04.539 --> 00:08:06.079 So back to what happens next. 00:08:06.199 --> 00:08:12.740 So verse 4, so the King Headache has caused all of the people, it's the biggest empire 00:08:12.740 --> 00:08:19.879 in the world at the time, and he's brought all of his nobles, his army officers, all of 00:08:19.879 --> 00:08:21.919 his wise men, all of the rich people. 00:08:22.039 --> 00:08:23.859 He brought them all together to his capital. 00:08:24.000 --> 00:08:25.659 He's probably, well, let's see what happens. 00:08:25.660 --> 00:08:30.000 Verse 4, he brought them all before him while he showed the riches, verse 4, of his royal 00:08:30.000 --> 00:08:35.960 glory and the splendor and pomp of his greatness for many days, 180 days. 00:08:36.639 --> 00:08:43.019 And when these days were completed, the king gave for all the people present in Susa, the 00:08:43.019 --> 00:08:49.860 capital, both great and small, a feast lasting for seven days in the court of the garden of 00:08:49.860 --> 00:08:51.160 the king's palace. 00:08:51.159 --> 00:08:59.719 And so part of the thing that's going on here in the story is the king is solidifying his 00:08:59.719 --> 00:09:00.159 support. 00:09:00.659 --> 00:09:02.039 And he's building to his support. 00:09:02.159 --> 00:09:05.600 He's saying, listen, I'm rich, I'm powerful, I'm strong. 00:09:05.919 --> 00:09:06.980 Look at my armies. 00:09:07.379 --> 00:09:08.259 Look at my power. 00:09:08.459 --> 00:09:09.439 Look at my wealth. 00:09:09.899 --> 00:09:10.759 Look at my glory. 00:09:11.000 --> 00:09:12.219 I am a winner. 00:09:13.159 --> 00:09:14.639 And you join with me. 00:09:14.959 --> 00:09:16.179 You will be a winner too. 00:09:16.179 --> 00:09:20.219 And we're going to go to Greece and we're going to kick Greek butt and we're going to 00:09:20.219 --> 00:09:23.559 get lots of Greek pillage and you're going to even be richer because I'm a winner. 00:09:24.039 --> 00:09:24.859 I'm powerful. 00:09:25.059 --> 00:09:25.579 I'm mighty. 00:09:25.679 --> 00:09:26.620 I'm the king of kings. 00:09:26.839 --> 00:09:27.620 I'm rich. 00:09:28.019 --> 00:09:28.879 Are you with me? 00:09:29.279 --> 00:09:36.919 And at the end of a half a year of this propaganda and team building, I guess we'd call it nowadays, 00:09:36.919 --> 00:09:43.399 and vision casting, it comes time to celebrate with seven days of partying. 00:09:44.059 --> 00:09:46.279 And that's what sort of described next. 00:09:46.419 --> 00:09:47.639 Verse six. 00:09:48.779 --> 00:09:55.039 There were white cotton curtains and violet hangings fastened with cords of fine linen and 00:09:55.039 --> 00:10:01.399 purple to silver rods and marble pillars and also couches of gold, couches of gold and 00:10:01.399 --> 00:10:07.159 silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother of pearl, and precious stones. 00:10:08.139 --> 00:10:16.899 Drinks were served in golden vessels, vessels of different kinds, and the royal wine was lavished 00:10:16.899 --> 00:10:19.039 according to the bounty of the king. 00:10:19.799 --> 00:10:22.759 And drinking was according to this edict. 00:10:23.379 --> 00:10:24.659 There is no compulsion. 00:10:25.399 --> 00:10:31.199 For the king had given orders to all the staff of his palace to do as each man desired, and 00:10:31.200 --> 00:10:36.580 the queen Vashti also gave a feast for the women in the palace that belonged to king 00:10:36.580 --> 00:10:37.360 headache. 00:10:38.300 --> 00:10:40.420 Now, just pause here for a second. 00:10:40.600 --> 00:10:42.060 What does it mean by no compulsion? 00:10:42.600 --> 00:10:44.900 Well, it doesn't mean that they could drink Perrier water. 00:10:46.560 --> 00:10:49.240 There was actually a custom in Persia. 00:10:50.180 --> 00:10:53.940 Let's say I was the emperor, and you folks, I invited you to a party. 00:10:54.180 --> 00:10:56.040 Whatever I drank, you had to drink. 00:10:56.580 --> 00:11:00.360 So if I drank four bottles of wine, you have to drink four bottles of wine. 00:11:01.200 --> 00:11:03.879 I drank one bottle, you drink one bottle. 00:11:04.500 --> 00:11:06.320 I switched to whiskey, you switched to whiskey. 00:11:06.700 --> 00:11:09.800 So the edict was, you don't have to drink what I'm drinking. 00:11:10.420 --> 00:11:14.879 You just ask the waiter, and if you feel like some port, they'll bring you port. 00:11:15.000 --> 00:11:16.980 You want bourbon, you'll bring you bourbon. 00:11:17.140 --> 00:11:19.940 You want whiskey, they'll bring you that. 00:11:20.400 --> 00:11:24.640 You can drink whatever you want and drink to your heart's desire, and I'm sure they did. 00:11:24.639 --> 00:11:28.879 Now, just sort of pause here for a second. 00:11:30.120 --> 00:11:35.980 What they've done now is they've shown you his, like, I mean, they had furniture made 00:11:35.980 --> 00:11:38.299 out of gold and furniture made out of silver. 00:11:38.740 --> 00:11:44.100 And they had precious, the precious stones were so common, they put them right in the floor 00:11:44.100 --> 00:11:45.740 so that people walked on them. 00:11:45.740 --> 00:11:48.879 And you drank out of vessels that were made out of gold. 00:11:49.039 --> 00:11:57.399 And so you see all this wealth, all this beauty, all this power, and the glory of the city, 00:11:57.500 --> 00:11:58.440 because he was a builder. 00:11:59.139 --> 00:12:03.700 And you think to yourself, who on earth could possibly stand against them? 00:12:03.700 --> 00:12:08.580 Like, who on earth can possibly stand against them? 00:12:10.180 --> 00:12:12.540 And now we meet his wife. 00:12:14.200 --> 00:12:15.420 That's supposed to be a bit of a joke. 00:12:15.560 --> 00:12:16.660 Who can stand against him? 00:12:16.879 --> 00:12:17.800 Now we meet his wife. 00:12:19.180 --> 00:12:21.580 Right off the bat, we're going to see there's a bit of a problem. 00:12:22.560 --> 00:12:23.620 So what happens? 00:12:23.800 --> 00:12:25.020 Verse 10 to 12. 00:12:25.019 --> 00:12:31.259 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehumen, 00:12:31.559 --> 00:12:41.500 Bitstha, Harbona, Bigtha, and Abaktha, Zathar, and Carcas, the seven eunuchs who served in 00:12:41.500 --> 00:12:49.819 the presence of King Headache, to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown, in 00:12:49.819 --> 00:12:54.919 order to show the peoples and the princes her beauty, for she was lovely to look at. 00:12:55.500 --> 00:13:00.740 But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's command delivered by the eunuchs. 00:13:01.519 --> 00:13:07.379 At this, the king became enraged, and his anger burned within him. 00:13:08.240 --> 00:13:09.159 Now, several things. 00:13:09.240 --> 00:13:13.879 If you don't know what a eunuch is, a eunuch is a man who's had his testicles removed. 00:13:15.120 --> 00:13:16.460 That's what a eunuch is. 00:13:16.460 --> 00:13:26.200 So one of the things about this place, there's power, there's glory, and there's beauty, and 00:13:26.200 --> 00:13:27.200 there's great cruelty. 00:13:28.480 --> 00:13:31.280 Great, great cruelty and great suspicion. 00:13:31.279 --> 00:13:38.819 Because if they wanted to trust a man to do anything to do with the women under the king's care, 00:13:39.360 --> 00:13:43.139 the only way you could do that is if you agreed to have your testicles removed. 00:13:43.139 --> 00:13:46.120 And what's a concubine? 00:13:46.460 --> 00:13:47.759 A concubine isn't a lover. 00:13:48.480 --> 00:13:57.220 A concubine is a woman that belongs to a man, not as a slave, but belongs to a man for sex. 00:13:57.220 --> 00:14:00.340 But they have a lower status than a wife. 00:14:01.259 --> 00:14:06.259 And no matter how many children might be produced by the concubine, they will not be considered part of the lineage. 00:14:07.279 --> 00:14:13.340 So it's showing that on top of all of this beauty and all of this glory and all of this power, 00:14:13.560 --> 00:14:15.920 there is a man who will castrate other men. 00:14:15.919 --> 00:14:22.779 And he will not only have several wives, which is what's going on, but he also has many, many concubines, 00:14:22.879 --> 00:14:27.579 different women he feels like having sex with on a regular basis that nobody else can have sex with. 00:14:28.539 --> 00:14:33.179 But they're not going to have the status or the privileges of being a wife. 00:14:34.779 --> 00:14:39.719 And he demands, after seven days of drinking, he demands that she come. 00:14:40.539 --> 00:14:44.379 And it's not clear exactly what it is that he wants her to do, 00:14:44.379 --> 00:14:47.139 but what we do know is that it was something sexual. 00:14:47.740 --> 00:14:50.779 In fact, some commentators think that what he said is literally, 00:14:50.939 --> 00:14:53.439 I want you to come wearing your crown and nothing else, 00:14:53.879 --> 00:14:55.820 to stand naked in front of all of the men. 00:14:56.860 --> 00:14:58.820 It might have been far more demeaning than that. 00:15:00.120 --> 00:15:02.080 But it's something very demeaning. 00:15:02.980 --> 00:15:04.179 And she refuses. 00:15:05.559 --> 00:15:07.080 She says she's not going to come. 00:15:07.559 --> 00:15:11.279 And the king gets very, very, very, very, very, very mad. 00:15:11.279 --> 00:15:19.959 And one of the things as well that's very interesting throughout the rest of this story 00:15:19.959 --> 00:15:25.439 is that we never find out why Queen Vashti said no. 00:15:26.899 --> 00:15:30.639 We don't know if it's because she'd put on four or five pounds 00:15:30.639 --> 00:15:36.639 and she wanted like a week's notice so she could get in good shape for the presentation. 00:15:36.639 --> 00:15:42.240 We don't know if she's a proto-feminist who had been, you know, 00:15:42.319 --> 00:15:45.899 pumping up the women in the other place and calling them girls, 00:15:46.139 --> 00:15:49.120 G-R-R-R-R-R-R-R-L-S, 00:15:49.259 --> 00:15:51.279 and they're saying no man's going to rule us. 00:15:51.620 --> 00:15:52.720 We don't know what's going on. 00:15:53.019 --> 00:15:55.879 But you see, this is part of the fact that the explanation 00:15:55.879 --> 00:15:59.139 for why Queen Vashti never shows up 00:15:59.139 --> 00:16:01.279 is actually a significant part of the story 00:16:01.279 --> 00:16:04.459 because it tells us something about how power works. 00:16:05.740 --> 00:16:10.339 You see, when you have power and you like having power 00:16:10.339 --> 00:16:13.559 and you're dealing with an underling or your wife, 00:16:14.360 --> 00:16:15.879 what excuses matter? 00:16:17.839 --> 00:16:21.120 I show up to work at 8.30, you say to your personal assistant, 00:16:21.259 --> 00:16:23.919 and every day at 10, I have my triple espresso 00:16:23.919 --> 00:16:27.240 right here, hot, at 10. 00:16:27.240 --> 00:16:30.080 If it's not here hot at 10, 00:16:30.820 --> 00:16:33.259 I'm not interested in your explanation. 00:16:33.440 --> 00:16:34.680 I'm not interested in your reasons. 00:16:34.919 --> 00:16:36.259 They don't matter to me. 00:16:37.039 --> 00:16:38.419 I want it at 10. 00:16:38.680 --> 00:16:39.720 It's here at 10. 00:16:40.039 --> 00:16:42.580 If it's not here at 10, you're in trouble. 00:16:43.720 --> 00:16:45.200 Like, that's how power works. 00:16:46.120 --> 00:16:49.759 When you have power, real power, 00:16:50.139 --> 00:16:51.779 and you give yourself the power, 00:16:53.000 --> 00:16:54.799 little people's explanations, 00:16:54.799 --> 00:16:58.939 why would I even bother wasting my time listening to them? 00:16:59.759 --> 00:17:01.959 I want what I want when I want it, 00:17:02.359 --> 00:17:03.799 and it has to be here, 00:17:03.859 --> 00:17:05.359 or you suffer the consequences. 00:17:06.139 --> 00:17:07.240 Sucks to be you. 00:17:07.940 --> 00:17:09.379 That's how power works. 00:17:10.180 --> 00:17:11.680 That's one of the interesting things 00:17:11.680 --> 00:17:13.180 about what the writer does here, 00:17:13.319 --> 00:17:16.339 to not give Queen Vashti's reason. 00:17:16.859 --> 00:17:19.139 So we don't know whether it's a good reason or a bad reason, 00:17:19.139 --> 00:17:21.720 because from King Heddy's point of view, 00:17:21.799 --> 00:17:22.399 it doesn't matter. 00:17:23.339 --> 00:17:24.200 It doesn't matter. 00:17:24.799 --> 00:17:28.659 Now, the next part is very, very odd. 00:17:28.759 --> 00:17:29.839 So he's really, really angry. 00:17:29.960 --> 00:17:30.720 He's drunk. 00:17:31.259 --> 00:17:33.200 He's with a whole pile of drunk men, 00:17:33.559 --> 00:17:34.720 and he's angry. 00:17:35.139 --> 00:17:37.680 So he does what a lot of drunk men do 00:17:37.680 --> 00:17:38.819 when they're angry. 00:17:39.200 --> 00:17:41.460 They ask other drunk men for advice, 00:17:41.940 --> 00:17:46.579 which isn't very smart, 00:17:46.700 --> 00:17:48.000 in case you don't know, right? 00:17:48.039 --> 00:17:49.259 So one of the things you have to understand 00:17:49.259 --> 00:17:50.759 when you read stories like this 00:17:50.759 --> 00:17:52.519 is just because it happens in the Bible 00:17:52.519 --> 00:17:54.200 doesn't mean you're supposed to do it. 00:17:56.680 --> 00:17:57.839 You know, you say, 00:17:57.940 --> 00:17:59.299 dear, I've learned in the Bible 00:17:59.299 --> 00:18:00.079 that when I get drunk, 00:18:00.139 --> 00:18:01.720 I should get advice from other drunk men. 00:18:01.799 --> 00:18:03.539 No, that's not the point of the story. 00:18:03.700 --> 00:18:05.839 Like, sometimes, in fact, often, 00:18:06.480 --> 00:18:08.960 the point of the story is not to do certain things. 00:18:09.119 --> 00:18:10.379 We're going to talk a little bit in a moment 00:18:10.379 --> 00:18:11.940 about why it is that something like this 00:18:11.940 --> 00:18:12.879 would even be in the Bible. 00:18:12.880 --> 00:18:14.800 But he's really, really, really mad, 00:18:15.100 --> 00:18:17.100 and so he says, 00:18:17.180 --> 00:18:19.160 remember at the end of verse 12, 00:18:19.360 --> 00:18:20.920 at this the king's anger became, 00:18:21.060 --> 00:18:22.220 the king became enraged, 00:18:22.300 --> 00:18:23.360 and his anger burned within him. 00:18:23.880 --> 00:18:24.820 So verse 13, 00:18:24.880 --> 00:18:26.700 then the king said to the wise men 00:18:26.700 --> 00:18:28.720 who knew the times, 00:18:29.300 --> 00:18:31.940 for this was the king's procedure 00:18:31.940 --> 00:18:34.420 towards all who were versed in law and judgment, 00:18:35.120 --> 00:18:36.460 the men next to him being 00:18:36.460 --> 00:18:40.920 Karshena, Shithar, Admantha, Tarshish, 00:18:41.160 --> 00:18:43.180 Merez, Marcina, and Memucan, 00:18:43.279 --> 00:18:45.120 the seven princes of Persia and Media, 00:18:45.799 --> 00:18:47.059 who saw the king's face 00:18:47.059 --> 00:18:48.340 and sat first in the kingdom. 00:18:49.140 --> 00:18:50.279 According to the law, 00:18:51.079 --> 00:18:53.420 what is to be done to queen Vashti 00:18:53.420 --> 00:18:55.120 because she has not performed 00:18:55.120 --> 00:18:56.579 the command of king headache 00:18:56.579 --> 00:18:58.480 delivered by the eunuchs? 00:18:59.360 --> 00:19:01.079 Now, just sort of pause here for a second. 00:19:01.840 --> 00:19:03.120 A couple of things are going on. 00:19:03.180 --> 00:19:04.460 First of all, the wise men, 00:19:05.000 --> 00:19:05.960 we meet them, 00:19:05.960 --> 00:19:07.960 not obviously the same guys, 00:19:08.240 --> 00:19:09.579 but they're the magi 00:19:09.579 --> 00:19:11.380 that show up in Matthew chapter 2. 00:19:12.799 --> 00:19:14.960 The magi were Persian astrologers, 00:19:15.880 --> 00:19:17.039 and that's what these guys are. 00:19:17.360 --> 00:19:18.759 They're experts in astrology, 00:19:19.160 --> 00:19:20.799 and they're experts in divination. 00:19:20.980 --> 00:19:22.240 That's what it means in the text 00:19:22.240 --> 00:19:22.880 when it says, 00:19:23.480 --> 00:19:24.180 verse 13, 00:19:24.259 --> 00:19:26.059 then the king said to the wise men, 00:19:26.519 --> 00:19:27.400 the magi, 00:19:27.660 --> 00:19:29.180 who knew the times, 00:19:29.380 --> 00:19:30.740 and that means they understood 00:19:30.740 --> 00:19:32.620 how to use divination, 00:19:32.819 --> 00:19:34.539 how to get in touch with the spirit world, 00:19:34.620 --> 00:19:35.240 they believed, 00:19:35.240 --> 00:19:37.380 so they'd know when the gods 00:19:37.380 --> 00:19:39.240 were calling for something, 00:19:39.279 --> 00:19:41.059 the most chance of success 00:19:41.059 --> 00:19:42.880 would happen according to the gods, 00:19:43.299 --> 00:19:45.000 according to the spiritual powers. 00:19:45.620 --> 00:19:48.700 In the case of the king, 00:19:48.799 --> 00:19:49.440 who was, by the way, 00:19:49.480 --> 00:19:50.079 not a pagan, 00:19:50.240 --> 00:19:52.859 but a Zoroastrian, 00:19:53.859 --> 00:19:55.319 who believed then 00:19:55.319 --> 00:19:56.319 that there was just one god, 00:19:56.380 --> 00:19:57.900 but he believed in spiritual powers 00:19:57.900 --> 00:19:59.180 and spiritual forces. 00:19:59.180 --> 00:20:00.620 And so, 00:20:00.900 --> 00:20:02.360 you might say to yourself, 00:20:02.740 --> 00:20:03.680 so just for instance, 00:20:03.759 --> 00:20:04.480 just so you know, 00:20:05.200 --> 00:20:06.420 if one of you are drunk, 00:20:07.259 --> 00:20:08.539 and you call me up at night, 00:20:09.140 --> 00:20:11.180 and you say with your slurred voice, 00:20:11.519 --> 00:20:12.980 George, I need your advice. 00:20:13.500 --> 00:20:15.080 I'm thinking of doing this. 00:20:16.279 --> 00:20:17.440 Well, let me tell you, 00:20:17.560 --> 00:20:18.820 what I'd say to you is, 00:20:19.120 --> 00:20:20.660 are you driving? 00:20:20.660 --> 00:20:20.860 And, 00:20:21.060 --> 00:20:23.720 you're drunk. 00:20:24.360 --> 00:20:24.860 I'd say, 00:20:24.980 --> 00:20:26.620 don't make any decisions 00:20:26.620 --> 00:20:27.720 when you're drunk. 00:20:29.080 --> 00:20:29.920 Just so you know, 00:20:29.960 --> 00:20:30.560 you don't have to bother 00:20:30.560 --> 00:20:32.080 calling me up at two in the morning. 00:20:32.440 --> 00:20:33.700 That'll be in my advice. 00:20:34.019 --> 00:20:34.820 Make no decisions 00:20:34.820 --> 00:20:35.640 when you're drunk. 00:20:35.980 --> 00:20:36.800 Why do they think 00:20:36.800 --> 00:20:37.740 they can make decisions 00:20:37.740 --> 00:20:38.400 when they're drunk? 00:20:38.519 --> 00:20:38.660 Well, 00:20:38.740 --> 00:20:39.480 I didn't know this 00:20:39.480 --> 00:20:40.640 until I did the research. 00:20:41.160 --> 00:20:42.540 The ancient Persians 00:20:42.540 --> 00:20:45.100 often made decisions twice 00:20:45.100 --> 00:20:46.680 before they'd be final on it. 00:20:46.680 --> 00:20:48.320 They'd first, 00:20:48.660 --> 00:20:49.799 if they were drunk, 00:20:49.980 --> 00:20:50.740 and they were going to be 00:20:50.740 --> 00:20:51.500 making decisions, 00:20:51.680 --> 00:20:53.400 it was one person's job 00:20:53.400 --> 00:20:54.220 to be sober 00:20:54.220 --> 00:20:56.259 and write it down. 00:20:57.560 --> 00:20:59.539 And after they sobered up, 00:20:59.759 --> 00:21:01.320 they'd ask the sober guy, 00:21:01.480 --> 00:21:02.700 what decisions did we make 00:21:02.700 --> 00:21:03.539 while we were drunk? 00:21:04.980 --> 00:21:05.980 And they'd say, 00:21:06.080 --> 00:21:06.200 well, 00:21:06.240 --> 00:21:07.460 these are the decisions you made. 00:21:07.759 --> 00:21:08.940 And they'd look at it, 00:21:08.940 --> 00:21:09.799 and if it made sense 00:21:09.799 --> 00:21:10.700 when they were sober, 00:21:11.320 --> 00:21:12.140 they'd do it. 00:21:12.860 --> 00:21:14.420 And they also did the opposite. 00:21:14.980 --> 00:21:15.980 They would be sober, 00:21:15.980 --> 00:21:16.960 and they'd make a decision, 00:21:17.259 --> 00:21:18.099 but they often 00:21:18.099 --> 00:21:19.039 wouldn't act on it. 00:21:19.099 --> 00:21:19.339 They'd say, 00:21:19.420 --> 00:21:19.460 well, 00:21:19.460 --> 00:21:20.660 now we have to get drunk 00:21:20.660 --> 00:21:22.400 and consider the issue 00:21:22.400 --> 00:21:23.299 while we're drunk. 00:21:23.860 --> 00:21:25.120 And if it makes sense to us 00:21:25.120 --> 00:21:26.019 while we're drunk, 00:21:26.700 --> 00:21:28.339 then we know 00:21:28.339 --> 00:21:29.140 it's the right decision. 00:21:30.420 --> 00:21:31.220 Sometimes they would just, 00:21:31.319 --> 00:21:31.860 like in this case, 00:21:31.920 --> 00:21:32.620 just make a decision 00:21:32.620 --> 00:21:33.299 when they're drunk. 00:21:33.860 --> 00:21:34.059 Now, 00:21:34.120 --> 00:21:34.860 here's one of the things 00:21:34.860 --> 00:21:35.339 about this 00:21:35.339 --> 00:21:36.019 which is very, 00:21:36.099 --> 00:21:36.299 very, 00:21:36.380 --> 00:21:36.599 very, 00:21:36.599 --> 00:21:37.440 very contemporary. 00:21:38.839 --> 00:21:40.240 How many artists 00:21:40.240 --> 00:21:42.339 in North America 00:21:42.339 --> 00:21:43.019 and in the whole 00:21:43.019 --> 00:21:43.599 first world 00:21:43.599 --> 00:21:44.039 believe 00:21:44.039 --> 00:21:45.559 they are more creative 00:21:45.559 --> 00:21:47.000 when they are stoned 00:21:47.000 --> 00:21:47.539 or drunk? 00:21:48.599 --> 00:21:49.319 It's very, 00:21:49.440 --> 00:21:49.700 very, 00:21:49.819 --> 00:21:50.099 very, 00:21:50.200 --> 00:21:50.819 very common. 00:21:51.799 --> 00:21:52.579 I was just reading 00:21:52.579 --> 00:21:53.279 a thing about 00:21:53.279 --> 00:21:54.659 a comedian, 00:21:54.919 --> 00:21:56.079 and whenever she travels, 00:21:56.240 --> 00:21:57.259 she makes sure she has, 00:21:57.319 --> 00:21:58.700 she doesn't like smoking marijuana 00:21:58.700 --> 00:21:59.940 because she can't control 00:21:59.940 --> 00:22:00.879 the amount 00:22:00.879 --> 00:22:01.639 that she's taking, 00:22:01.740 --> 00:22:03.079 so she likes to consume it 00:22:03.079 --> 00:22:03.599 because she knows 00:22:03.599 --> 00:22:04.379 the exact amount, 00:22:04.440 --> 00:22:05.440 and she always has it with her 00:22:05.440 --> 00:22:07.059 because it helps her 00:22:07.059 --> 00:22:07.740 to think better. 00:22:07.839 --> 00:22:09.000 It helps her to be more clear 00:22:09.000 --> 00:22:10.139 and helps her to be more creative. 00:22:10.240 --> 00:22:10.619 It's a very, 00:22:10.700 --> 00:22:11.500 very common thing. 00:22:11.839 --> 00:22:12.099 You see, 00:22:12.099 --> 00:22:13.219 the ancient Persians 00:22:13.219 --> 00:22:14.339 believed they were closer 00:22:14.339 --> 00:22:15.459 to the spiritual world 00:22:15.459 --> 00:22:16.240 when they were drunk, 00:22:17.039 --> 00:22:19.299 just like most of the artists 00:22:19.299 --> 00:22:20.039 of our world, 00:22:20.359 --> 00:22:21.919 and who knows how many politicians 00:22:21.919 --> 00:22:23.000 and even judges 00:22:23.000 --> 00:22:25.740 think that being stoned 00:22:25.740 --> 00:22:26.279 for a while 00:22:26.279 --> 00:22:26.659 or drunk 00:22:26.659 --> 00:22:27.539 will actually help them 00:22:27.539 --> 00:22:28.219 to be wiser, 00:22:28.819 --> 00:22:29.919 get them in touch 00:22:29.919 --> 00:22:30.959 with their creativity 00:22:30.959 --> 00:22:33.000 or whatever. 00:22:33.639 --> 00:22:35.119 So the ancient Persians 00:22:35.119 --> 00:22:36.559 being drunk 00:22:36.559 --> 00:22:39.139 was actually maybe a sign 00:22:39.139 --> 00:22:40.139 that they were closer 00:22:40.140 --> 00:22:41.100 to the spiritual world, 00:22:41.180 --> 00:22:41.720 so their decision 00:22:41.720 --> 00:22:42.100 is going to be 00:22:42.100 --> 00:22:42.860 a better decision. 00:22:44.220 --> 00:22:45.660 And so the king, 00:22:45.780 --> 00:22:46.420 king headache, 00:22:46.540 --> 00:22:47.040 he's drunk, 00:22:47.180 --> 00:22:47.640 he's really, 00:22:47.800 --> 00:22:48.220 really mad, 00:22:48.320 --> 00:22:50.380 he asks his seven drunk friends 00:22:50.380 --> 00:22:51.860 for advice 00:22:51.860 --> 00:22:53.540 about what they should do. 00:22:55.040 --> 00:22:57.960 And here's the great advice 00:22:57.960 --> 00:22:59.180 that they gave him. 00:23:01.160 --> 00:23:02.200 Here's the great advice. 00:23:02.200 --> 00:23:03.580 Actually, let's read 00:23:03.580 --> 00:23:06.360 verse 15 again. 00:23:06.580 --> 00:23:07.680 According to the law, 00:23:08.259 --> 00:23:09.040 king asks, 00:23:09.039 --> 00:23:10.139 what is to be done 00:23:10.139 --> 00:23:11.720 to queen Vashti 00:23:11.720 --> 00:23:12.819 because she has not 00:23:12.819 --> 00:23:13.799 performed the command 00:23:13.799 --> 00:23:14.940 of king headache 00:23:14.940 --> 00:23:16.359 delivered by the eunuchs. 00:23:17.240 --> 00:23:18.319 And here's the advice. 00:23:19.879 --> 00:23:22.539 Then Menukam said 00:23:22.539 --> 00:23:23.099 in the presence 00:23:23.099 --> 00:23:23.619 of the king 00:23:23.619 --> 00:23:24.359 and the officials, 00:23:24.639 --> 00:23:26.440 not only against the king 00:23:26.440 --> 00:23:29.299 has queen Vashti done wrong, 00:23:29.379 --> 00:23:30.279 but also against 00:23:30.279 --> 00:23:31.279 all the officials 00:23:31.279 --> 00:23:32.539 and all the peoples 00:23:32.539 --> 00:23:35.399 who are in all the provinces 00:23:35.399 --> 00:23:36.399 of king headache. 00:23:36.799 --> 00:23:38.159 For the queen's behavior 00:23:38.160 --> 00:23:39.140 will be made known 00:23:39.140 --> 00:23:40.000 to all women, 00:23:40.600 --> 00:23:41.640 causing them to look 00:23:41.640 --> 00:23:42.320 at their husbands 00:23:42.320 --> 00:23:43.200 with contempt 00:23:43.200 --> 00:23:45.360 since they will say 00:23:45.360 --> 00:23:46.420 king headache 00:23:46.420 --> 00:23:48.040 commanded queen Vashti 00:23:48.040 --> 00:23:49.300 to be brought before him 00:23:49.300 --> 00:23:50.420 and she did not come. 00:23:51.080 --> 00:23:52.220 This very day, 00:23:52.320 --> 00:23:53.040 the noble woman 00:23:53.040 --> 00:23:54.279 of Persia and Media 00:23:54.279 --> 00:23:54.980 who have heard 00:23:54.980 --> 00:23:56.060 of the queen's behavior 00:23:56.060 --> 00:23:57.519 will say the same 00:23:57.519 --> 00:23:58.900 to all the king's officials 00:23:58.900 --> 00:24:00.740 and there will be contempt 00:24:00.740 --> 00:24:03.140 and wrath in plenty. 00:24:03.140 --> 00:24:04.360 Now just pause. 00:24:04.940 --> 00:24:05.860 Some of you are saying, 00:24:06.320 --> 00:24:08.640 did I just read that right? 00:24:11.860 --> 00:24:13.780 Are they using this 00:24:13.780 --> 00:24:14.720 as an excuse 00:24:14.720 --> 00:24:15.720 to shut down 00:24:15.720 --> 00:24:16.280 and oppress 00:24:16.280 --> 00:24:16.820 all the women 00:24:16.820 --> 00:24:17.400 in the kingdom? 00:24:19.640 --> 00:24:20.740 You did hear it right. 00:24:22.000 --> 00:24:22.360 You know, 00:24:22.380 --> 00:24:23.320 one of the interesting things, 00:24:23.520 --> 00:24:24.080 and by the way, 00:24:24.300 --> 00:24:24.840 I could go on 00:24:24.840 --> 00:24:26.120 a long aside about this. 00:24:26.259 --> 00:24:27.340 This is very contemporary. 00:24:28.820 --> 00:24:29.680 He asked them 00:24:29.680 --> 00:24:30.900 what does the law say 00:24:30.900 --> 00:24:31.519 and they give them 00:24:31.519 --> 00:24:33.060 a sociological theory 00:24:33.060 --> 00:24:33.680 that he doesn't actually, 00:24:33.700 --> 00:24:34.340 they don't actually say 00:24:34.340 --> 00:24:34.980 what's in the law. 00:24:36.660 --> 00:24:37.300 He gives them 00:24:37.300 --> 00:24:38.560 a sociological theory 00:24:38.560 --> 00:24:38.840 about, 00:24:39.080 --> 00:24:39.700 and it's really 00:24:39.700 --> 00:24:40.600 what they want to do. 00:24:41.980 --> 00:24:42.940 And what they want to do 00:24:42.940 --> 00:24:43.460 is horrible. 00:24:45.980 --> 00:24:47.420 And so some of you 00:24:47.420 --> 00:24:47.660 are saying, 00:24:47.759 --> 00:24:47.940 George, 00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:48.820 I came to church 00:24:48.820 --> 00:24:50.259 on Thanksgiving Sunday 00:24:50.259 --> 00:24:51.460 and I get to hear 00:24:51.460 --> 00:24:52.259 a text about 00:24:52.259 --> 00:24:53.840 a whole pile of drunken men 00:24:53.840 --> 00:24:55.180 making a rule 00:24:55.180 --> 00:24:56.540 that all women 00:24:56.540 --> 00:24:57.660 have to serve them 00:24:57.660 --> 00:24:58.620 and respect them. 00:24:58.740 --> 00:25:00.100 Like I am so disappointed 00:25:00.100 --> 00:25:00.880 I came to church 00:25:00.880 --> 00:25:01.300 some of you 00:25:01.300 --> 00:25:02.280 maybe came with a friend 00:25:02.280 --> 00:25:02.800 and you're thinking 00:25:02.800 --> 00:25:03.960 you're shriveling 00:25:03.960 --> 00:25:05.360 into the seat 00:25:05.360 --> 00:25:08.100 because this is 00:25:08.100 --> 00:25:08.800 in the Bible? 00:25:11.480 --> 00:25:11.860 Well, 00:25:11.880 --> 00:25:12.280 I'm going to say 00:25:12.280 --> 00:25:12.900 a couple of things 00:25:12.900 --> 00:25:13.400 about it, 00:25:13.820 --> 00:25:14.560 but let's get 00:25:14.560 --> 00:25:15.620 all the gory details 00:25:15.620 --> 00:25:16.320 out first. 00:25:17.700 --> 00:25:18.440 I think we were 00:25:18.440 --> 00:25:20.140 at verse 19. 00:25:20.700 --> 00:25:21.820 So here's the advice, 00:25:21.980 --> 00:25:22.560 verse 19. 00:25:22.660 --> 00:25:23.780 If it please the king, 00:25:24.380 --> 00:25:25.360 let a royal order 00:25:25.360 --> 00:25:26.220 go out from him 00:25:26.220 --> 00:25:27.060 and let it be written 00:25:27.060 --> 00:25:27.800 among the laws 00:25:27.800 --> 00:25:28.580 of the Persians 00:25:28.580 --> 00:25:29.220 and the Medes 00:25:29.220 --> 00:25:30.559 so that it may 00:25:30.559 --> 00:25:32.120 not be repealed. 00:25:32.360 --> 00:25:32.839 In other words, 00:25:32.860 --> 00:25:33.740 it will be eternal. 00:25:34.920 --> 00:25:35.940 That Vashti 00:25:35.940 --> 00:25:37.240 is never again 00:25:37.240 --> 00:25:37.819 to enter, 00:25:38.140 --> 00:25:38.819 to come before 00:25:38.819 --> 00:25:40.200 the king headache 00:25:40.200 --> 00:25:41.900 and let the king 00:25:41.900 --> 00:25:44.779 give her royal position 00:25:44.779 --> 00:25:45.480 to another 00:25:45.480 --> 00:25:46.180 who is better 00:25:46.180 --> 00:25:46.779 than she. 00:25:47.740 --> 00:25:48.720 So when the decree 00:25:48.720 --> 00:25:49.660 made by the king 00:25:49.660 --> 00:25:50.299 is proclaimed 00:25:50.299 --> 00:25:51.620 throughout all his kingdom, 00:25:51.819 --> 00:25:52.700 for it is vast, 00:25:52.819 --> 00:25:53.460 all women 00:25:53.460 --> 00:25:54.160 will give honor 00:25:54.160 --> 00:25:55.000 to their husbands, 00:25:55.140 --> 00:25:56.079 high and low alike. 00:25:56.079 --> 00:25:57.619 This advice 00:25:57.619 --> 00:25:58.519 pleased the king 00:25:58.519 --> 00:25:59.119 and the princess 00:25:59.119 --> 00:26:00.539 and the king 00:26:00.539 --> 00:26:01.659 did as Menyakam 00:26:01.659 --> 00:26:02.399 proposed. 00:26:03.079 --> 00:26:03.759 He sent letters 00:26:03.759 --> 00:26:05.059 to all the royal provinces, 00:26:05.240 --> 00:26:06.039 to every province 00:26:06.039 --> 00:26:06.919 in its own script 00:26:06.919 --> 00:26:07.740 and every people 00:26:07.740 --> 00:26:08.639 in its own language 00:26:08.639 --> 00:26:10.500 that every man 00:26:10.500 --> 00:26:11.099 be master 00:26:11.099 --> 00:26:12.000 in his own household 00:26:12.000 --> 00:26:13.079 and speak according 00:26:13.079 --> 00:26:13.659 to the language 00:26:13.659 --> 00:26:14.319 of his people. 00:26:16.079 --> 00:26:17.359 So what's going on here? 00:26:17.480 --> 00:26:18.240 Well, several things. 00:26:18.339 --> 00:26:18.720 First of all, 00:26:18.779 --> 00:26:19.679 some of you might say, 00:26:20.059 --> 00:26:20.359 George, 00:26:20.419 --> 00:26:21.199 do you believe this? 00:26:21.259 --> 00:26:22.079 Is this what the Bible 00:26:22.079 --> 00:26:22.639 is teaching? 00:26:23.480 --> 00:26:23.639 Like, 00:26:23.639 --> 00:26:24.980 is the Bible teaching that? 00:26:24.980 --> 00:26:26.279 So just, 00:26:26.500 --> 00:26:27.980 just pause for a second. 00:26:28.160 --> 00:26:28.700 If you're here 00:26:28.700 --> 00:26:29.480 as a skeptic 00:26:29.480 --> 00:26:30.220 or a scoffer 00:26:30.220 --> 00:26:31.660 or just as a curious friend 00:26:31.660 --> 00:26:33.120 or you came in 00:26:33.120 --> 00:26:33.740 because it's warm 00:26:33.740 --> 00:26:34.180 or we're just, 00:26:34.299 --> 00:26:35.019 we're really glad you're here, 00:26:35.079 --> 00:26:35.740 just time out. 00:26:36.400 --> 00:26:37.720 Just ask yourself, 00:26:37.819 --> 00:26:38.819 do you think Christians 00:26:38.819 --> 00:26:40.000 base their beliefs 00:26:40.000 --> 00:26:41.380 on drunken 00:26:41.380 --> 00:26:43.500 Zoroastrian rulers? 00:26:44.839 --> 00:26:45.360 No. 00:26:47.360 --> 00:26:48.259 They don't. 00:26:49.220 --> 00:26:50.160 Just because 00:26:50.160 --> 00:26:50.980 it's in a story 00:26:50.980 --> 00:26:51.500 like this 00:26:51.500 --> 00:26:52.079 doesn't mean 00:26:52.079 --> 00:26:52.940 that we're to 00:26:52.940 --> 00:26:54.120 say that it's 00:26:54.120 --> 00:26:55.660 it's what we 00:26:55.660 --> 00:26:56.340 should be doing. 00:26:56.660 --> 00:26:57.059 In fact, 00:26:57.980 --> 00:26:58.320 it's, 00:26:58.559 --> 00:26:59.660 the story is showing 00:26:59.660 --> 00:27:00.559 us quite radically 00:27:00.559 --> 00:27:01.440 different things 00:27:01.440 --> 00:27:01.860 than that. 00:27:02.019 --> 00:27:02.400 I don't know why 00:27:02.400 --> 00:27:03.180 my mic keeps 00:27:03.180 --> 00:27:04.200 falling off my head. 00:27:05.259 --> 00:27:05.440 Anyway, 00:27:06.200 --> 00:27:07.380 so it's not, 00:27:07.779 --> 00:27:09.480 so do I believe this? 00:27:10.160 --> 00:27:11.519 I would not use 00:27:11.519 --> 00:27:12.100 this text 00:27:12.100 --> 00:27:12.680 as a basis 00:27:12.680 --> 00:27:13.380 to talk about 00:27:13.380 --> 00:27:14.000 anything to do 00:27:14.000 --> 00:27:14.720 between husbands 00:27:14.720 --> 00:27:15.380 and wives. 00:27:16.460 --> 00:27:16.980 And in fact, 00:27:17.039 --> 00:27:17.299 actually, 00:27:17.380 --> 00:27:17.940 it's interesting. 00:27:18.320 --> 00:27:19.400 It's all the way through. 00:27:19.460 --> 00:27:20.220 He never refers 00:27:20.220 --> 00:27:20.860 to the queen 00:27:20.859 --> 00:27:21.599 as his wife. 00:27:22.039 --> 00:27:23.039 He refers to the queen 00:27:23.039 --> 00:27:23.659 as the queen. 00:27:24.659 --> 00:27:25.219 It has to do 00:27:25.219 --> 00:27:25.879 with power. 00:27:27.459 --> 00:27:27.479 And, 00:27:27.559 --> 00:27:29.959 but some of you 00:27:29.959 --> 00:27:30.179 might say, 00:27:30.259 --> 00:27:30.299 well, 00:27:30.299 --> 00:27:30.439 George, 00:27:30.519 --> 00:27:30.899 why on earth 00:27:30.899 --> 00:27:31.319 would you even 00:27:31.319 --> 00:27:31.919 have something 00:27:31.919 --> 00:27:32.419 like this 00:27:32.419 --> 00:27:33.019 in the Bible? 00:27:34.139 --> 00:27:34.500 And, 00:27:34.599 --> 00:27:36.639 well, 00:27:36.719 --> 00:27:37.179 I'm going to talk 00:27:37.179 --> 00:27:37.519 a little bit 00:27:37.519 --> 00:27:37.859 in a moment 00:27:37.859 --> 00:27:38.359 about why 00:27:38.359 --> 00:27:38.979 Jesus would 00:27:38.979 --> 00:27:39.339 have us 00:27:39.339 --> 00:27:39.919 read texts 00:27:39.919 --> 00:27:40.279 like this 00:27:40.279 --> 00:27:41.000 because as I've 00:27:41.000 --> 00:27:41.839 shared with Ruth, 00:27:41.879 --> 00:27:42.539 and I'll say again, 00:27:43.039 --> 00:27:43.799 if you go back 00:27:43.799 --> 00:27:44.199 and you read 00:27:44.199 --> 00:27:45.279 Luke chapter 24, 00:27:45.599 --> 00:27:46.000 the reason 00:27:46.000 --> 00:27:46.539 that we should 00:27:46.539 --> 00:27:47.519 read Old Testament 00:27:47.519 --> 00:27:48.919 or Tanakh stories 00:27:48.919 --> 00:27:49.319 like this 00:27:49.319 --> 00:27:49.699 is because 00:27:49.699 --> 00:27:50.799 Jesus tells us to. 00:27:51.779 --> 00:27:53.000 And he tells us 00:27:53.000 --> 00:27:53.779 that everything 00:27:53.779 --> 00:27:54.459 that was written 00:27:54.459 --> 00:27:55.399 before him 00:27:55.399 --> 00:27:57.059 in some ways 00:27:57.059 --> 00:27:57.799 prepares us 00:27:57.799 --> 00:27:58.519 to understand 00:27:58.519 --> 00:27:59.859 better who he is 00:27:59.859 --> 00:28:00.639 and what he does 00:28:00.639 --> 00:28:01.599 for us on the cross 00:28:01.599 --> 00:28:02.439 and what it means 00:28:02.439 --> 00:28:03.139 to follow him. 00:28:03.659 --> 00:28:04.679 And because Jesus 00:28:04.679 --> 00:28:05.359 tells us to, 00:28:05.439 --> 00:28:06.240 we should do it. 00:28:06.639 --> 00:28:08.059 But it always means 00:28:08.059 --> 00:28:09.059 that we understand 00:28:09.059 --> 00:28:09.519 that everything 00:28:09.519 --> 00:28:10.459 in these stories, 00:28:10.679 --> 00:28:11.759 it's not telling us 00:28:11.759 --> 00:28:12.879 about how an empire 00:28:12.879 --> 00:28:13.579 should work 00:28:13.579 --> 00:28:14.279 or how a king 00:28:14.279 --> 00:28:14.879 should work. 00:28:15.039 --> 00:28:15.240 It's not, 00:28:15.339 --> 00:28:16.059 you know, 00:28:16.099 --> 00:28:16.979 it's not telling us, 00:28:17.039 --> 00:28:17.679 you know, 00:28:17.680 --> 00:28:19.259 it's not telling us 00:28:19.259 --> 00:28:19.820 that Christians 00:28:19.820 --> 00:28:21.019 should practice astrology 00:28:21.019 --> 00:28:21.740 or they should 00:28:21.740 --> 00:28:22.799 practice divination. 00:28:22.799 --> 00:28:23.680 It's not telling us 00:28:23.680 --> 00:28:24.600 we should make decisions 00:28:24.600 --> 00:28:25.299 when we're drunk 00:28:25.299 --> 00:28:26.320 and it's not telling us 00:28:26.320 --> 00:28:28.039 that we should pass laws 00:28:28.039 --> 00:28:29.100 telling women 00:28:29.100 --> 00:28:30.120 they have to obey 00:28:30.120 --> 00:28:31.600 and honor their husbands 00:28:31.600 --> 00:28:32.600 and be content 00:28:32.600 --> 00:28:33.940 with being a second-class citizen. 00:28:33.940 --> 00:28:34.720 It's not telling us 00:28:34.720 --> 00:28:35.519 any of these things. 00:28:35.960 --> 00:28:36.759 It's telling us 00:28:36.759 --> 00:28:37.759 very important things 00:28:37.759 --> 00:28:38.600 but it's not telling us 00:28:38.600 --> 00:28:39.660 because those things 00:28:39.660 --> 00:28:40.380 don't prepare us 00:28:40.380 --> 00:28:41.560 to understand who Jesus is 00:28:41.560 --> 00:28:41.980 and what he does 00:28:41.980 --> 00:28:42.720 for us on the cross. 00:28:42.720 --> 00:28:43.980 But here's the other thing 00:28:43.980 --> 00:28:44.779 which is so important 00:28:44.779 --> 00:28:45.579 about reading stories 00:28:45.579 --> 00:28:46.180 like this. 00:28:48.700 --> 00:28:50.120 This is real life. 00:28:52.240 --> 00:28:52.720 Like, 00:28:52.799 --> 00:28:53.980 this is real life. 00:28:55.640 --> 00:28:56.980 There's lots of places 00:28:56.980 --> 00:28:57.720 you can go to 00:28:57.720 --> 00:28:58.259 in the world 00:28:58.259 --> 00:28:59.339 where women are treated 00:28:59.339 --> 00:29:00.360 worse than this. 00:29:01.480 --> 00:29:02.480 And there's all sorts 00:29:02.480 --> 00:29:02.799 of things 00:29:02.799 --> 00:29:04.180 and we live in a world 00:29:04.180 --> 00:29:05.339 where people get drunk, 00:29:05.460 --> 00:29:06.100 where artists think 00:29:06.100 --> 00:29:06.819 they're more creative, 00:29:07.059 --> 00:29:07.920 they get stoned, 00:29:08.039 --> 00:29:09.259 where the government 00:29:09.259 --> 00:29:10.660 thinks it's a good thing 00:29:10.660 --> 00:29:11.559 to make being able 00:29:11.559 --> 00:29:12.660 to be stoned illegal 00:29:12.660 --> 00:29:14.100 things so we can do it legally 00:29:14.100 --> 00:29:16.160 and there can be more of it. 00:29:16.960 --> 00:29:18.820 And we live in a real world 00:29:18.820 --> 00:29:19.900 and this is describing 00:29:19.900 --> 00:29:20.680 the real world 00:29:20.680 --> 00:29:22.259 and that's a very important thing 00:29:22.259 --> 00:29:22.860 because you see 00:29:22.860 --> 00:29:23.640 at the end of the day 00:29:23.640 --> 00:29:25.240 the gospel is real. 00:29:26.540 --> 00:29:27.940 Jesus actually enters 00:29:27.940 --> 00:29:28.860 into history 00:29:28.860 --> 00:29:30.259 and he lives 00:29:30.259 --> 00:29:31.680 at a particular point in time 00:29:31.680 --> 00:29:33.519 just like real human beings do 00:29:33.519 --> 00:29:34.980 and he dies a real death 00:29:34.980 --> 00:29:36.460 just outside of Jerusalem 00:29:36.460 --> 00:29:38.240 in the spring of the year 30 00:29:38.240 --> 00:29:39.680 or the spring of the year 33 00:29:39.680 --> 00:29:40.640 depending on how you deal 00:29:40.640 --> 00:29:41.980 with some historical questions 00:29:41.980 --> 00:29:43.220 but one of those two times 00:29:43.220 --> 00:29:44.519 he dies on a cross 00:29:44.519 --> 00:29:45.460 outside of Jerusalem 00:29:45.460 --> 00:29:47.640 and he's buried in a grave 00:29:47.640 --> 00:29:48.720 and on the third day 00:29:48.720 --> 00:29:49.620 the grave is empty 00:29:49.620 --> 00:29:51.019 and he really does 00:29:51.019 --> 00:29:51.799 in history 00:29:51.799 --> 00:29:52.779 appear to people 00:29:52.779 --> 00:29:54.880 to prove that he's alive. 00:29:57.279 --> 00:29:58.380 And the gospel, 00:29:58.640 --> 00:29:59.819 what Jesus does 00:29:59.819 --> 00:30:01.720 is to make us right with God 00:30:01.720 --> 00:30:02.559 and help us to live 00:30:02.559 --> 00:30:03.440 in the real world, 00:30:03.519 --> 00:30:04.360 in your world, 00:30:04.680 --> 00:30:05.680 in my world, 00:30:05.940 --> 00:30:06.620 in a world 00:30:06.620 --> 00:30:07.579 where there might be 00:30:07.579 --> 00:30:08.079 unemployment, 00:30:08.319 --> 00:30:09.360 there might be prosperity, 00:30:09.359 --> 00:30:10.899 there might be tornadoes, 00:30:11.459 --> 00:30:13.039 there might be marital problems, 00:30:13.199 --> 00:30:14.379 there might be a problem 00:30:14.379 --> 00:30:14.979 of not being able 00:30:14.979 --> 00:30:15.579 to be married, 00:30:15.719 --> 00:30:16.899 you have conflicting desires, 00:30:17.019 --> 00:30:18.039 you live in a real world. 00:30:18.679 --> 00:30:19.019 You see, 00:30:19.099 --> 00:30:20.259 all of these stories 00:30:20.259 --> 00:30:20.879 like this 00:30:20.879 --> 00:30:21.639 that communicate 00:30:21.639 --> 00:30:22.419 the real world 00:30:22.419 --> 00:30:23.019 are helping us 00:30:23.019 --> 00:30:23.679 to understand 00:30:23.679 --> 00:30:24.719 that Jesus wants 00:30:24.719 --> 00:30:25.819 to be our Savior 00:30:25.819 --> 00:30:26.379 and our Lord 00:30:26.379 --> 00:30:27.879 in your real world 00:30:27.879 --> 00:30:28.319 and mine. 00:30:28.439 --> 00:30:29.319 It's very important 00:30:29.319 --> 00:30:30.839 that it's not just 00:30:30.839 --> 00:30:31.659 fairy tales 00:30:31.659 --> 00:30:33.740 and magical types of things. 00:30:34.059 --> 00:30:35.099 I think I've told this story 00:30:35.099 --> 00:30:36.899 when I was going 00:30:36.899 --> 00:30:38.099 to do my master's degree 00:30:38.099 --> 00:30:38.719 in counseling, 00:30:38.939 --> 00:30:40.079 I went through, 00:30:40.980 --> 00:30:42.039 there was this one, 00:30:42.939 --> 00:30:44.259 it's called a practicum, 00:30:44.959 --> 00:30:46.279 it was in group therapy 00:30:46.279 --> 00:30:47.579 and by coincidence, 00:30:47.819 --> 00:30:48.439 everybody in it 00:30:48.439 --> 00:30:48.899 except me 00:30:48.899 --> 00:30:49.519 was a nun 00:30:49.519 --> 00:30:50.740 in my group 00:30:50.740 --> 00:30:52.959 and they had to do 00:30:52.959 --> 00:30:54.039 this thing once 00:30:54.039 --> 00:30:55.079 about how 00:30:55.079 --> 00:30:56.839 they're trying to picture 00:30:56.839 --> 00:30:57.899 a parent coming in 00:30:57.899 --> 00:30:58.480 to try to deal 00:30:58.480 --> 00:30:59.219 with two or three 00:30:59.219 --> 00:31:00.319 children fighting 00:31:00.319 --> 00:31:02.119 and they got the nuns 00:31:02.119 --> 00:31:03.000 to act it out 00:31:03.000 --> 00:31:05.279 and I watched it 00:31:05.279 --> 00:31:06.299 and I, 00:31:06.640 --> 00:31:07.099 at the end of it 00:31:07.099 --> 00:31:07.559 I said, 00:31:07.900 --> 00:31:08.799 time out, 00:31:09.359 --> 00:31:10.059 that's not how 00:31:10.059 --> 00:31:10.900 real children 00:31:10.900 --> 00:31:12.220 actually talk 00:31:12.220 --> 00:31:13.000 to each other 00:31:13.000 --> 00:31:13.900 because they were 00:31:13.900 --> 00:31:14.539 all polite, 00:31:14.720 --> 00:31:15.740 they very quickly said, 00:31:15.819 --> 00:31:16.740 oh, I'm wrong, 00:31:16.819 --> 00:31:17.460 I did it. 00:31:17.740 --> 00:31:18.700 No, that's not 00:31:18.700 --> 00:31:19.519 what happens. 00:31:20.180 --> 00:31:21.039 Kids don't just 00:31:21.039 --> 00:31:21.920 naturally say, 00:31:22.039 --> 00:31:23.140 yes, you caught me, 00:31:23.200 --> 00:31:23.740 I'm wrong, 00:31:23.859 --> 00:31:24.579 please, no, no, 00:31:24.740 --> 00:31:26.000 I didn't do it, 00:31:26.079 --> 00:31:26.880 nothing happened, 00:31:27.059 --> 00:31:28.079 it was his fault, 00:31:28.220 --> 00:31:29.240 like that's how it works 00:31:29.240 --> 00:31:30.059 and it's just 00:31:30.059 --> 00:31:30.940 not real life, right? 00:31:30.980 --> 00:31:31.599 But the gospel 00:31:31.599 --> 00:31:32.160 is going to be 00:31:32.160 --> 00:31:32.920 for our real life, 00:31:32.920 --> 00:31:33.240 that's why 00:31:33.240 --> 00:31:34.019 it's very important. 00:31:36.060 --> 00:31:36.420 So, 00:31:36.580 --> 00:31:37.740 if that's the case 00:31:37.740 --> 00:31:38.300 then, George, 00:31:38.400 --> 00:31:38.980 well, why on earth 00:31:38.980 --> 00:31:39.640 would we even read 00:31:39.640 --> 00:31:40.440 a story like this? 00:31:40.519 --> 00:31:41.279 Well, here's the thing, 00:31:41.380 --> 00:31:42.460 let's put up a first point, 00:31:42.539 --> 00:31:43.120 if you could put up 00:31:43.120 --> 00:31:43.740 the first point, 00:31:43.860 --> 00:31:44.019 Daniel, 00:31:44.080 --> 00:31:44.700 that would be great. 00:31:45.440 --> 00:31:45.980 One of the things 00:31:45.980 --> 00:31:47.000 which is so wonderful 00:31:47.000 --> 00:31:48.400 as we enter 00:31:48.400 --> 00:31:49.180 into the story 00:31:49.180 --> 00:31:49.759 of Esther, 00:31:49.900 --> 00:31:50.300 which is going 00:31:50.300 --> 00:31:51.300 to be ten chapters, 00:31:51.420 --> 00:31:51.960 we're going to do it 00:31:51.960 --> 00:31:52.960 over nine weeks, 00:31:53.440 --> 00:31:54.400 is the first thing 00:31:54.400 --> 00:31:55.740 is that power 00:31:55.740 --> 00:31:57.220 is an idol 00:31:57.220 --> 00:31:58.640 you are always 00:31:58.640 --> 00:31:59.600 tempted to worship. 00:31:59.599 --> 00:32:03.480 power is an idol 00:32:03.480 --> 00:32:05.439 that you are always 00:32:05.439 --> 00:32:07.039 tempted to worship. 00:32:07.699 --> 00:32:08.139 In fact, 00:32:08.199 --> 00:32:08.759 if you put up 00:32:08.759 --> 00:32:09.439 the next point, 00:32:09.579 --> 00:32:09.819 Daniel, 00:32:09.919 --> 00:32:11.519 that would be great. 00:32:11.919 --> 00:32:13.240 Without realizing it, 00:32:13.959 --> 00:32:15.379 you and me 00:32:15.379 --> 00:32:16.879 can easily become 00:32:16.879 --> 00:32:18.379 a fully devoted 00:32:18.379 --> 00:32:21.319 worshiper of power. 00:32:21.319 --> 00:32:22.039 In other words, 00:32:22.099 --> 00:32:22.960 what I'm saying is 00:32:22.960 --> 00:32:25.319 that the idol 00:32:25.319 --> 00:32:26.000 of power 00:32:26.000 --> 00:32:26.659 is something 00:32:26.659 --> 00:32:27.740 that we are always 00:32:27.740 --> 00:32:28.339 tempted to. 00:32:28.419 --> 00:32:29.179 Every single one 00:32:29.179 --> 00:32:29.700 of us here 00:32:29.700 --> 00:32:30.439 are tempted 00:32:30.439 --> 00:32:31.139 to the idol 00:32:31.139 --> 00:32:31.679 of power 00:32:31.679 --> 00:32:32.539 to worship it. 00:32:32.980 --> 00:32:33.740 But some of us 00:32:33.740 --> 00:32:34.359 aren't tempted 00:32:34.359 --> 00:32:34.859 to worship 00:32:34.859 --> 00:32:35.779 the idol of power 00:32:35.779 --> 00:32:37.039 because we don't 00:32:37.039 --> 00:32:37.700 resist it. 00:32:38.559 --> 00:32:39.859 We're full-fledged, 00:32:40.019 --> 00:32:40.720 fully devoted, 00:32:42.279 --> 00:32:42.980 proud 00:32:42.980 --> 00:32:44.439 worshippers 00:32:44.439 --> 00:32:45.319 of power. 00:32:46.259 --> 00:32:47.019 And this is 00:32:47.019 --> 00:32:47.799 a human problem. 00:32:47.960 --> 00:32:48.480 It's not just 00:32:48.480 --> 00:32:48.899 a religious 00:32:48.899 --> 00:32:49.899 or a Christian problem, 00:32:49.919 --> 00:32:50.899 it's a human problem. 00:32:52.299 --> 00:32:53.139 And some of you 00:32:53.139 --> 00:32:53.500 might say, 00:32:53.559 --> 00:32:53.799 George, 00:32:53.879 --> 00:32:54.859 I'm a Christian 00:32:54.859 --> 00:32:56.179 or I'm a spiritual person 00:32:56.179 --> 00:32:56.960 or I'm a Canadian. 00:32:57.099 --> 00:32:58.079 I don't worship idols. 00:32:58.200 --> 00:32:58.879 If you could put up 00:32:58.879 --> 00:32:59.539 the next point. 00:33:00.299 --> 00:33:01.079 Here's the thing. 00:33:01.839 --> 00:33:03.079 You worship an idol 00:33:03.079 --> 00:33:04.960 by believing it, 00:33:05.679 --> 00:33:06.419 trusting it, 00:33:07.039 --> 00:33:07.740 serving it, 00:33:08.259 --> 00:33:09.659 being guided by it, 00:33:10.259 --> 00:33:11.519 thinking by it, 00:33:12.299 --> 00:33:14.220 deriving meaning 00:33:14.220 --> 00:33:15.099 from it, 00:33:15.460 --> 00:33:16.200 and getting your 00:33:16.200 --> 00:33:17.599 identification from it. 00:33:18.539 --> 00:33:19.379 So what happens 00:33:19.379 --> 00:33:19.960 in this story, 00:33:20.059 --> 00:33:20.659 for instance? 00:33:21.319 --> 00:33:22.779 All King Headache 00:33:22.779 --> 00:33:23.859 wants is more power. 00:33:24.399 --> 00:33:25.439 The whole point 00:33:25.439 --> 00:33:26.399 of the six months 00:33:26.399 --> 00:33:27.079 of gathering 00:33:27.079 --> 00:33:28.019 is to show 00:33:28.019 --> 00:33:29.179 how powerful he is 00:33:29.179 --> 00:33:29.859 and why they should 00:33:29.859 --> 00:33:30.839 give him more power. 00:33:31.159 --> 00:33:32.119 He gets his identity 00:33:32.119 --> 00:33:32.859 from power. 00:33:33.379 --> 00:33:35.319 He thinks in terms 00:33:35.319 --> 00:33:35.720 of power. 00:33:35.859 --> 00:33:37.099 When Queen Vashti 00:33:37.099 --> 00:33:38.399 doesn't do what he wants, 00:33:38.759 --> 00:33:40.339 he thinks by the dynamics 00:33:40.339 --> 00:33:40.960 of power 00:33:40.960 --> 00:33:41.939 because in the dynamics 00:33:41.939 --> 00:33:42.659 of power, 00:33:43.200 --> 00:33:44.659 it's always a matter of, 00:33:44.740 --> 00:33:46.419 it's always a zero-sum game. 00:33:46.519 --> 00:33:47.639 It's like those old things. 00:33:47.700 --> 00:33:48.259 For those of us 00:33:48.259 --> 00:33:49.019 who are really old, 00:33:49.019 --> 00:33:49.559 then we remember 00:33:49.559 --> 00:33:50.019 when there were 00:33:50.019 --> 00:33:50.819 teeter-totters. 00:33:50.980 --> 00:33:51.940 Young people don't know 00:33:51.940 --> 00:33:52.480 that anymore 00:33:52.480 --> 00:33:53.660 because it can hurt you, 00:33:54.059 --> 00:33:54.960 but there's these 00:33:54.960 --> 00:33:55.680 teeter-totters. 00:33:55.779 --> 00:33:56.200 There used to be 00:33:56.200 --> 00:33:56.900 these things that, 00:33:57.019 --> 00:33:57.139 you know, 00:33:57.160 --> 00:33:57.619 there was a thing 00:33:57.619 --> 00:33:58.039 in the middle 00:33:58.039 --> 00:33:59.559 and a big wooden board 00:33:59.559 --> 00:34:00.259 or a metal board. 00:34:00.359 --> 00:34:01.379 If you sat on one end, 00:34:01.400 --> 00:34:02.059 it would go down, 00:34:02.119 --> 00:34:02.619 and so somebody 00:34:02.619 --> 00:34:03.579 got on the other side, 00:34:03.980 --> 00:34:04.639 and they could make 00:34:04.639 --> 00:34:05.180 it go down, 00:34:05.259 --> 00:34:06.000 and you'd have fun 00:34:06.000 --> 00:34:07.059 going back and forth, 00:34:07.139 --> 00:34:08.000 or else you'd eventually 00:34:08.000 --> 00:34:08.820 have a mean kid 00:34:08.820 --> 00:34:09.360 who was heavier 00:34:09.360 --> 00:34:10.259 who would just sit here 00:34:10.259 --> 00:34:11.440 trapping his younger brother 00:34:11.440 --> 00:34:12.579 or sister up on the top 00:34:12.579 --> 00:34:13.539 while they screamed 00:34:13.539 --> 00:34:14.239 for their mommy, 00:34:14.679 --> 00:34:15.780 and that's probably 00:34:15.780 --> 00:34:16.360 why they stopped 00:34:16.360 --> 00:34:17.360 making teeter-totters. 00:34:19.019 --> 00:34:19.960 Upper one's going down, 00:34:20.019 --> 00:34:20.719 and it's the same thing 00:34:20.719 --> 00:34:21.480 for power. 00:34:21.960 --> 00:34:23.820 In terms of when he, 00:34:23.880 --> 00:34:24.039 you know, 00:34:24.079 --> 00:34:25.179 he's serving power, 00:34:25.340 --> 00:34:26.360 so if he doesn't get 00:34:26.360 --> 00:34:27.099 what he wants, 00:34:27.500 --> 00:34:28.460 if he gives in 00:34:28.460 --> 00:34:29.440 to Queen Vashti, 00:34:29.519 --> 00:34:30.559 that means her power 00:34:30.559 --> 00:34:31.039 is going up 00:34:31.039 --> 00:34:31.900 and his is going down, 00:34:31.980 --> 00:34:33.340 and that is unconscionable. 00:34:33.559 --> 00:34:34.340 How could he ever 00:34:34.340 --> 00:34:35.400 allow that to happen? 00:34:35.920 --> 00:34:36.960 He gets his meaning 00:34:36.960 --> 00:34:37.820 from being the most 00:34:37.820 --> 00:34:38.480 powerful person. 00:34:38.539 --> 00:34:39.400 He gets his identity 00:34:39.400 --> 00:34:39.900 from it, 00:34:40.340 --> 00:34:41.559 and that's what happens 00:34:41.559 --> 00:34:41.940 for us, 00:34:42.320 --> 00:34:43.360 and it's not just 00:34:43.360 --> 00:34:43.679 with power. 00:34:43.759 --> 00:34:44.480 That's how we can 00:34:44.480 --> 00:34:45.519 understand how anything 00:34:45.519 --> 00:34:46.980 can be an idol for us. 00:34:47.619 --> 00:34:48.920 It, you know, 00:34:48.920 --> 00:34:49.760 it can be money, 00:34:49.920 --> 00:34:51.539 it can be our husband, 00:34:51.700 --> 00:34:52.519 it can be our wife, 00:34:52.599 --> 00:34:53.659 it can be our kid, 00:34:54.099 --> 00:34:55.380 it can be our job, 00:34:55.480 --> 00:34:56.680 it can be our reputation, 00:34:56.940 --> 00:34:58.360 it can be our nationality, 00:34:58.420 --> 00:34:59.920 it can be our political party, 00:35:00.079 --> 00:35:01.920 it can be our political leader. 00:35:02.780 --> 00:35:04.720 That we think by it, 00:35:04.800 --> 00:35:06.400 we get our identity by it, 00:35:06.480 --> 00:35:08.780 we seek more of it, 00:35:08.920 --> 00:35:11.920 we organize our time around it, 00:35:11.920 --> 00:35:12.980 that it becomes 00:35:12.980 --> 00:35:13.960 more and more powerful, 00:35:14.079 --> 00:35:15.360 it becomes functionally 00:35:15.360 --> 00:35:16.700 something that we worship. 00:35:20.019 --> 00:35:20.620 And, you know, 00:35:20.700 --> 00:35:21.559 I can give you those 00:35:21.559 --> 00:35:22.059 as ideas. 00:35:22.180 --> 00:35:23.220 This is the powerful thing 00:35:23.220 --> 00:35:24.059 about stories, 00:35:24.320 --> 00:35:25.860 is that stories presents it 00:35:25.860 --> 00:35:27.680 in a way that forms us 00:35:27.680 --> 00:35:28.519 in a deeper level 00:35:28.519 --> 00:35:30.980 to see that this is a man 00:35:30.980 --> 00:35:33.360 who's made an idol of power. 00:35:35.420 --> 00:35:35.940 In fact, 00:35:36.000 --> 00:35:37.380 there's a couple of different 00:35:37.380 --> 00:35:39.140 really important questions 00:35:39.140 --> 00:35:39.700 for us. 00:35:39.699 --> 00:35:41.839 is, 00:35:42.139 --> 00:35:42.439 I mean, 00:35:42.480 --> 00:35:43.079 we can ask, 00:35:43.219 --> 00:35:44.279 is power an idol in your, 00:35:44.379 --> 00:35:46.379 is power an idol in your life? 00:35:50.819 --> 00:35:51.419 You know, 00:35:51.539 --> 00:35:52.799 one of the signs 00:35:52.799 --> 00:35:54.879 of idolatry, 00:35:55.739 --> 00:35:56.519 one of the things 00:35:56.519 --> 00:35:57.239 which indicates 00:35:57.239 --> 00:35:58.199 what we've made an idol 00:35:58.199 --> 00:35:58.759 in our life 00:35:58.759 --> 00:36:00.159 is when we get angry. 00:36:03.939 --> 00:36:06.019 Anger often reveals 00:36:06.019 --> 00:36:07.460 an idol 00:36:07.460 --> 00:36:08.819 that we worship. 00:36:09.699 --> 00:36:13.359 And if you don't 00:36:13.359 --> 00:36:14.359 get more power 00:36:14.359 --> 00:36:16.480 and you get really angry, 00:36:16.859 --> 00:36:18.079 is it possible 00:36:18.079 --> 00:36:18.679 that you've made 00:36:18.679 --> 00:36:20.259 an idol out of power? 00:36:21.379 --> 00:36:22.399 Is your anger 00:36:22.399 --> 00:36:23.519 rooted in an idol? 00:36:23.879 --> 00:36:24.519 And just in general, 00:36:24.579 --> 00:36:25.299 maybe it's not that, 00:36:25.379 --> 00:36:26.259 but maybe your anger 00:36:26.259 --> 00:36:27.179 is rooted in something else. 00:36:27.239 --> 00:36:28.000 And just one other thing 00:36:28.000 --> 00:36:28.659 about idols, 00:36:29.399 --> 00:36:31.199 that most of us 00:36:31.199 --> 00:36:32.460 have more than one idol. 00:36:34.059 --> 00:36:34.359 In fact, 00:36:34.379 --> 00:36:34.779 it makes us 00:36:34.779 --> 00:36:35.579 even more miserable. 00:36:36.219 --> 00:36:36.419 In fact, 00:36:36.439 --> 00:36:37.500 it's very possible 00:36:37.500 --> 00:36:38.539 that in a marriage 00:36:38.539 --> 00:36:40.539 we have at least 00:36:40.539 --> 00:36:41.500 three or four idols 00:36:41.500 --> 00:36:42.039 going on. 00:36:42.119 --> 00:36:42.719 We have an idol 00:36:42.719 --> 00:36:43.420 for power. 00:36:43.980 --> 00:36:45.159 We have an idol 00:36:45.159 --> 00:36:47.219 around our spouse. 00:36:48.639 --> 00:36:49.579 And maybe we have 00:36:49.579 --> 00:36:50.679 an idol around money. 00:36:52.460 --> 00:36:53.380 And they keep 00:36:53.380 --> 00:36:54.599 bumping into each other 00:36:54.599 --> 00:36:56.659 and contradicting 00:36:56.659 --> 00:36:57.259 each other. 00:36:58.039 --> 00:36:59.239 Because on one hand, 00:36:59.300 --> 00:37:00.179 our whole identity 00:37:00.179 --> 00:37:01.840 is around a person 00:37:01.840 --> 00:37:02.480 to love. 00:37:02.480 --> 00:37:04.840 our whole identity 00:37:04.840 --> 00:37:05.699 is around that. 00:37:05.800 --> 00:37:06.599 But at the same time, 00:37:06.659 --> 00:37:07.559 we worship power. 00:37:07.719 --> 00:37:09.139 And if the person 00:37:09.139 --> 00:37:09.740 that we love 00:37:09.740 --> 00:37:10.619 starts to have 00:37:10.619 --> 00:37:11.659 a bit too much power 00:37:11.659 --> 00:37:12.099 over us, 00:37:12.159 --> 00:37:13.420 we get very anxious. 00:37:14.599 --> 00:37:15.760 Very, very anxious. 00:37:17.760 --> 00:37:18.360 And then maybe 00:37:18.360 --> 00:37:19.559 they also do something, 00:37:19.639 --> 00:37:20.260 our loved one 00:37:20.260 --> 00:37:20.980 does something 00:37:20.980 --> 00:37:22.000 that involves 00:37:22.000 --> 00:37:22.719 spending a little bit 00:37:22.719 --> 00:37:23.420 too much money. 00:37:23.519 --> 00:37:24.240 And because money 00:37:24.240 --> 00:37:25.300 is an idol in our lives, 00:37:25.320 --> 00:37:25.840 that makes us 00:37:25.840 --> 00:37:26.440 very anxious. 00:37:26.579 --> 00:37:26.980 And we're just 00:37:26.980 --> 00:37:27.719 very confused 00:37:27.719 --> 00:37:28.599 because we have 00:37:28.599 --> 00:37:30.019 several idols 00:37:30.019 --> 00:37:30.679 that we're trying 00:37:30.679 --> 00:37:31.159 to worship. 00:37:31.299 --> 00:37:31.940 And each of them 00:37:31.940 --> 00:37:32.719 wants our fully 00:37:32.719 --> 00:37:33.719 devoted attention. 00:37:34.219 --> 00:37:35.059 And we can't 00:37:35.059 --> 00:37:36.039 fully devote ourselves 00:37:36.039 --> 00:37:36.859 to three different 00:37:36.859 --> 00:37:37.639 or four or five 00:37:37.639 --> 00:37:38.359 different idols. 00:37:38.599 --> 00:37:39.519 And it causes us 00:37:39.519 --> 00:37:40.679 a lot of anxiety. 00:37:47.759 --> 00:37:48.699 If you could put up 00:37:48.699 --> 00:37:49.299 the next thing, 00:37:49.419 --> 00:37:50.199 and this is what, 00:37:50.319 --> 00:37:50.819 this is like, 00:37:50.879 --> 00:37:51.819 just follows from that. 00:37:51.879 --> 00:37:52.799 Like all idols, 00:37:53.639 --> 00:37:55.059 the idol of power 00:37:55.059 --> 00:37:56.159 deceives you 00:37:56.159 --> 00:37:58.000 and does not deliver 00:37:58.000 --> 00:37:59.339 what it promises. 00:37:59.340 --> 00:38:01.700 Like all idols, 00:38:02.440 --> 00:38:03.100 the power, 00:38:04.300 --> 00:38:05.380 the idol of power 00:38:05.380 --> 00:38:06.460 deceives you 00:38:06.460 --> 00:38:08.539 and does not deliver 00:38:08.539 --> 00:38:09.720 what it promises. 00:38:10.640 --> 00:38:11.280 So you think about 00:38:11.280 --> 00:38:11.980 this for a second. 00:38:12.100 --> 00:38:12.600 In this story 00:38:12.600 --> 00:38:13.460 that we've just read, 00:38:14.300 --> 00:38:16.440 the king passes a law 00:38:16.440 --> 00:38:18.160 and when I pass a law, 00:38:18.620 --> 00:38:21.440 it never changes. 00:38:24.039 --> 00:38:25.200 We should all laugh 00:38:25.200 --> 00:38:25.680 at that. 00:38:25.679 --> 00:38:28.099 He's been dead 00:38:28.099 --> 00:38:29.739 for 2,500 years. 00:38:31.339 --> 00:38:32.579 He got assassinated 00:38:32.579 --> 00:38:33.739 by his bodyguard 00:38:33.739 --> 00:38:35.379 15 years after this. 00:38:37.739 --> 00:38:38.440 And it would be 00:38:38.440 --> 00:38:39.059 very interesting 00:38:39.059 --> 00:38:39.719 that the women's 00:38:39.719 --> 00:38:40.299 study department 00:38:40.299 --> 00:38:40.940 at Ottawa U, 00:38:41.019 --> 00:38:41.619 if they think 00:38:41.619 --> 00:38:42.299 that his rule 00:38:42.299 --> 00:38:42.879 about women 00:38:42.879 --> 00:38:43.679 following men 00:38:43.679 --> 00:38:44.399 and honoring them 00:38:44.399 --> 00:38:45.299 is still eternal 00:38:45.299 --> 00:38:45.919 to the day. 00:38:46.139 --> 00:38:46.419 No. 00:38:49.480 --> 00:38:50.319 This is very, 00:38:50.419 --> 00:38:50.559 very, 00:38:50.659 --> 00:38:51.359 very important 00:38:51.359 --> 00:38:52.179 pause here 00:38:52.179 --> 00:38:53.059 for those of us 00:38:53.059 --> 00:38:53.679 who are Christians. 00:38:53.679 --> 00:38:54.339 there are many, 00:38:54.480 --> 00:38:54.899 many things 00:38:54.899 --> 00:38:55.699 in our culture, 00:38:56.259 --> 00:38:56.940 especially around 00:38:56.940 --> 00:38:57.960 the culture of death, 00:38:58.379 --> 00:38:59.759 that our culture says 00:38:59.759 --> 00:39:01.079 have been finally decided 00:39:01.079 --> 00:39:02.119 and will last forever. 00:39:03.940 --> 00:39:05.359 And just like 00:39:05.359 --> 00:39:07.000 King Headache 00:39:07.000 --> 00:39:08.019 thinking his decision 00:39:08.019 --> 00:39:08.879 lasted forever 00:39:08.879 --> 00:39:09.980 and it doesn't, 00:39:10.719 --> 00:39:11.339 so it is 00:39:11.339 --> 00:39:12.519 when the culture of death 00:39:12.519 --> 00:39:13.659 or any politician 00:39:13.659 --> 00:39:14.899 or any culturally 00:39:14.899 --> 00:39:15.879 powerful person 00:39:15.879 --> 00:39:17.099 says something's decided 00:39:17.099 --> 00:39:18.339 will never change, 00:39:18.940 --> 00:39:19.759 they're wrong. 00:39:22.219 --> 00:39:23.339 They're just wrong. 00:39:23.679 --> 00:39:24.519 They're wrong. 00:39:27.019 --> 00:39:28.139 This is a profound 00:39:28.139 --> 00:39:28.779 encouragement 00:39:28.779 --> 00:39:29.819 for us to pray, 00:39:30.460 --> 00:39:33.119 to not lose heart 00:39:33.119 --> 00:39:34.119 in praying 00:39:34.119 --> 00:39:35.339 that things 00:39:35.339 --> 00:39:36.059 which are evil 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:37.059 in our society, 00:39:38.059 --> 00:39:39.819 that the time 00:39:39.819 --> 00:39:40.239 may come 00:39:40.239 --> 00:39:41.179 when they would change. 00:39:41.719 --> 00:39:41.879 In fact, 00:39:41.899 --> 00:39:42.339 one of the things 00:39:42.339 --> 00:39:42.839 we're going to see 00:39:42.839 --> 00:39:43.639 as the book of Esther 00:39:43.639 --> 00:39:44.659 plays itself out 00:39:44.659 --> 00:39:45.039 is that, 00:39:45.119 --> 00:39:45.299 in fact, 00:39:45.399 --> 00:39:45.859 Esther, 00:39:46.940 --> 00:39:47.980 a Jewish woman, 00:39:48.480 --> 00:39:49.139 ends up 00:39:49.139 --> 00:39:49.899 being the one 00:39:49.899 --> 00:39:50.619 responsible 00:39:50.619 --> 00:39:51.899 for saving her people 00:39:51.899 --> 00:39:52.599 from genocide. 00:39:52.599 --> 00:39:54.440 that's actually 00:39:54.440 --> 00:39:55.400 one of the big messages 00:39:55.400 --> 00:39:56.239 of the whole book. 00:39:57.259 --> 00:39:58.159 So it's a profound 00:39:58.159 --> 00:39:58.739 encouragement 00:39:58.739 --> 00:39:59.440 for you and me 00:39:59.440 --> 00:39:59.900 to pray. 00:40:02.739 --> 00:40:03.960 The culture of death 00:40:03.960 --> 00:40:04.639 does not have 00:40:04.639 --> 00:40:05.500 the final word 00:40:05.500 --> 00:40:06.319 and we should pray 00:40:06.319 --> 00:40:06.980 against it. 00:40:10.480 --> 00:40:11.259 Final point, 00:40:11.319 --> 00:40:12.039 if you could put it up. 00:40:12.980 --> 00:40:13.219 See, 00:40:13.279 --> 00:40:13.900 here's one of the things 00:40:13.900 --> 00:40:14.699 about how idols 00:40:14.699 --> 00:40:15.599 deceive us. 00:40:15.599 --> 00:40:16.940 You see, 00:40:18.019 --> 00:40:21.339 if the idol of power 00:40:21.339 --> 00:40:22.400 is where we're getting, 00:40:22.500 --> 00:40:23.519 we think by the idol 00:40:23.519 --> 00:40:24.059 of power, 00:40:24.219 --> 00:40:25.380 we understand life 00:40:25.380 --> 00:40:26.460 by the idol of power, 00:40:26.559 --> 00:40:27.259 we want to serve 00:40:27.259 --> 00:40:28.039 the idol of power, 00:40:28.099 --> 00:40:28.639 we want to become 00:40:28.639 --> 00:40:29.759 more and more powerful 00:40:29.759 --> 00:40:31.719 and then our wife 00:40:31.719 --> 00:40:32.339 does something 00:40:32.339 --> 00:40:32.719 or, you know, 00:40:32.779 --> 00:40:33.940 if Louise is serving 00:40:33.940 --> 00:40:34.719 the idol of power 00:40:34.719 --> 00:40:35.739 and I do something 00:40:35.739 --> 00:40:37.179 and you start to think 00:40:37.179 --> 00:40:37.960 about, you know, 00:40:37.980 --> 00:40:38.639 she starts to think 00:40:38.639 --> 00:40:39.039 about me 00:40:39.039 --> 00:40:39.880 and I think about her 00:40:39.880 --> 00:40:40.619 and I get anxious 00:40:40.619 --> 00:40:41.299 about this 00:40:41.299 --> 00:40:41.940 and I get worried 00:40:41.940 --> 00:40:42.679 about this 00:40:42.679 --> 00:40:44.500 and, you know, 00:40:44.500 --> 00:40:45.440 from the idol of power 00:40:45.440 --> 00:40:46.339 it either just seems 00:40:46.339 --> 00:40:46.899 like you're winning 00:40:46.899 --> 00:40:47.599 or you're losing, 00:40:47.879 --> 00:40:48.139 you know, 00:40:48.159 --> 00:40:48.779 and it doesn't seem 00:40:48.779 --> 00:40:49.460 like there's any sort 00:40:49.460 --> 00:40:50.179 of other type 00:40:50.179 --> 00:40:50.799 of framework 00:40:50.799 --> 00:40:51.759 to think about it 00:40:51.759 --> 00:40:52.759 but this is where 00:40:52.759 --> 00:40:54.219 the gospel is so powerful 00:40:54.219 --> 00:40:55.980 because, you see, 00:40:56.379 --> 00:40:57.259 only Jesus, 00:40:57.440 --> 00:40:58.699 the crucified Messiah 00:40:58.699 --> 00:40:59.659 who loves you 00:40:59.659 --> 00:41:00.779 and died in your place 00:41:00.779 --> 00:41:01.480 to save you, 00:41:01.599 --> 00:41:03.000 only he reveals 00:41:03.000 --> 00:41:04.259 the true 00:41:04.259 --> 00:41:05.399 and living God. 00:41:05.519 --> 00:41:06.480 Only Jesus, 00:41:07.119 --> 00:41:08.759 the crucified Messiah 00:41:08.759 --> 00:41:10.739 who loves you 00:41:10.739 --> 00:41:11.719 and died in your place 00:41:11.719 --> 00:41:12.359 to save you, 00:41:12.360 --> 00:41:13.579 only he reveals 00:41:13.579 --> 00:41:14.160 the true 00:41:14.160 --> 00:41:15.740 and living God 00:41:15.740 --> 00:41:17.780 and when we receive 00:41:17.780 --> 00:41:18.380 the gospel 00:41:18.380 --> 00:41:19.059 and the gospel 00:41:19.059 --> 00:41:20.160 starts to grip us, 00:41:20.240 --> 00:41:21.380 it begins to give us 00:41:21.380 --> 00:41:22.440 a whole different way 00:41:22.440 --> 00:41:23.539 to start to understand 00:41:23.539 --> 00:41:24.740 how the world works 00:41:24.740 --> 00:41:28.260 and this is, you see, 00:41:28.340 --> 00:41:29.539 part of the huge significance 00:41:29.539 --> 00:41:30.440 of the gospel 00:41:30.440 --> 00:41:31.460 because, you know, 00:41:31.500 --> 00:41:32.579 you read John's gospel 00:41:32.579 --> 00:41:32.960 at the beginning 00:41:32.960 --> 00:41:33.340 and it says, 00:41:33.440 --> 00:41:33.800 in the beginning 00:41:33.800 --> 00:41:34.599 was the Word 00:41:34.599 --> 00:41:35.539 and the Word 00:41:35.539 --> 00:41:36.420 was with God 00:41:36.420 --> 00:41:36.880 and the Word 00:41:36.880 --> 00:41:37.620 was God. 00:41:38.079 --> 00:41:39.039 He was with God 00:41:39.039 --> 00:41:39.640 in the beginning. 00:41:39.880 --> 00:41:41.180 All things were made 00:41:41.180 --> 00:41:41.900 through him 00:41:41.900 --> 00:41:42.639 and without him 00:41:42.639 --> 00:41:43.500 nothing was made 00:41:43.500 --> 00:41:44.220 that was made. 00:41:45.400 --> 00:41:47.320 So when we worship Jesus, 00:41:47.440 --> 00:41:48.160 we're worshiping 00:41:48.160 --> 00:41:48.680 the creator 00:41:48.680 --> 00:41:49.599 of all things. 00:41:49.740 --> 00:41:50.599 He understands 00:41:50.599 --> 00:41:52.119 how the real world works 00:41:52.119 --> 00:41:53.500 and in the story 00:41:53.500 --> 00:41:54.019 of Jesus, 00:41:54.019 --> 00:41:55.200 we see this story 00:41:55.200 --> 00:41:55.840 of God, 00:41:55.920 --> 00:41:56.619 the Son of God, 00:41:56.700 --> 00:41:57.619 looking at ordinary 00:41:57.619 --> 00:41:58.380 human beings, 00:41:58.500 --> 00:41:59.480 not just emperors, 00:41:59.559 --> 00:42:00.400 not just kings, 00:42:00.519 --> 00:42:01.420 not people who think 00:42:01.420 --> 00:42:02.260 they're king of kings 00:42:02.260 --> 00:42:03.119 and lord of lords, 00:42:03.280 --> 00:42:04.500 but ordinary people 00:42:04.500 --> 00:42:05.160 like you and me 00:42:05.160 --> 00:42:05.940 in our real life 00:42:05.940 --> 00:42:06.960 and he looked down 00:42:06.960 --> 00:42:07.400 from heaven 00:42:07.400 --> 00:42:08.000 and he saw 00:42:08.000 --> 00:42:09.139 that we could not 00:42:09.139 --> 00:42:10.019 save ourselves 00:42:10.019 --> 00:42:10.780 from death 00:42:10.780 --> 00:42:12.139 and that we could not 00:42:12.139 --> 00:42:13.019 deliver ourselves 00:42:13.019 --> 00:42:13.800 from idols 00:42:13.800 --> 00:42:15.519 and out of love 00:42:15.519 --> 00:42:17.860 for you and me. 00:42:18.280 --> 00:42:19.099 He sets aside 00:42:19.099 --> 00:42:19.659 his glory, 00:42:19.900 --> 00:42:20.579 he sets aside 00:42:20.579 --> 00:42:21.639 his divine prerogative, 00:42:21.980 --> 00:42:22.880 he sets aside 00:42:22.880 --> 00:42:23.500 his appearance 00:42:23.500 --> 00:42:24.240 of majesty, 00:42:24.240 --> 00:42:25.679 but remaining fully God, 00:42:25.760 --> 00:42:26.840 he takes into himself 00:42:26.840 --> 00:42:27.860 our human nature 00:42:27.860 --> 00:42:29.840 and he actually 00:42:29.840 --> 00:42:31.260 stoops and lowers 00:42:31.260 --> 00:42:32.720 himself to the womb 00:42:32.720 --> 00:42:33.800 of the Virgin Mary 00:42:33.800 --> 00:42:36.220 and lives an ordinary 00:42:36.220 --> 00:42:37.160 human life, 00:42:37.840 --> 00:42:38.700 suffering the trials 00:42:38.700 --> 00:42:39.519 and temptations 00:42:39.519 --> 00:42:40.400 that you and I do 00:42:40.400 --> 00:42:41.460 only without sin 00:42:41.460 --> 00:42:42.260 and teaching 00:42:42.260 --> 00:42:43.500 and ultimately 00:42:43.500 --> 00:42:44.500 his stooping 00:42:44.500 --> 00:42:45.660 to save you and me 00:42:45.660 --> 00:42:46.680 goes to the point 00:42:46.680 --> 00:42:47.579 of dying 00:42:47.579 --> 00:42:49.099 as an innocent man, 00:42:49.200 --> 00:42:50.300 a criminal's death, 00:42:50.940 --> 00:42:51.940 burying in his very 00:42:51.940 --> 00:42:53.140 body and person 00:42:53.140 --> 00:42:54.579 the sins and rebellion 00:42:54.579 --> 00:42:55.380 and the shame 00:42:55.380 --> 00:42:56.460 that you and I 00:42:56.460 --> 00:42:57.160 have accomplished, 00:42:57.159 --> 00:42:58.480 but he willingly 00:42:58.480 --> 00:42:59.659 bears the punishment 00:42:59.659 --> 00:43:00.519 that that deserves 00:43:00.519 --> 00:43:01.259 upon himself 00:43:01.259 --> 00:43:02.139 and he stoops 00:43:02.139 --> 00:43:02.960 even lower 00:43:02.960 --> 00:43:03.839 to save us 00:43:03.839 --> 00:43:04.940 by entering 00:43:04.940 --> 00:43:05.839 into death 00:43:05.839 --> 00:43:06.719 and tasting 00:43:06.719 --> 00:43:07.739 everything there is 00:43:07.739 --> 00:43:08.579 to taste of death 00:43:08.579 --> 00:43:09.899 with nothing left out 00:43:09.899 --> 00:43:11.519 and Jesus 00:43:11.519 --> 00:43:13.199 who is God, 00:43:13.299 --> 00:43:14.039 the Son of God, 00:43:14.159 --> 00:43:15.000 he stoops 00:43:15.000 --> 00:43:15.899 and descends 00:43:15.899 --> 00:43:17.500 to save you and me 00:43:17.500 --> 00:43:19.399 and when we put 00:43:19.399 --> 00:43:20.420 our faith and trust 00:43:20.420 --> 00:43:21.039 in him, 00:43:21.500 --> 00:43:22.839 we receive 00:43:22.839 --> 00:43:23.639 the power 00:43:23.639 --> 00:43:24.539 of God 00:43:24.539 --> 00:43:25.440 for salvation, 00:43:25.659 --> 00:43:26.379 the power 00:43:26.380 --> 00:43:27.579 to give you 00:43:27.579 --> 00:43:28.380 a new life, 00:43:28.460 --> 00:43:29.420 to be born again, 00:43:29.539 --> 00:43:30.440 to be regenerate. 00:43:30.539 --> 00:43:32.119 We receive that power 00:43:32.119 --> 00:43:33.880 effectually from God, 00:43:33.960 --> 00:43:35.260 not because of my power, 00:43:35.400 --> 00:43:36.220 not because of anything 00:43:36.220 --> 00:43:36.519 in me, 00:43:36.579 --> 00:43:37.400 but because God 00:43:37.400 --> 00:43:38.360 acts with power 00:43:38.360 --> 00:43:39.039 in our lives 00:43:39.039 --> 00:43:39.780 to make us right 00:43:39.780 --> 00:43:40.260 with him. 00:43:42.820 --> 00:43:43.980 And so we see 00:43:43.980 --> 00:43:44.720 in the cross 00:43:44.720 --> 00:43:45.579 and in the gospel, 00:43:45.780 --> 00:43:46.420 we see 00:43:46.420 --> 00:43:48.220 perfect love, 00:43:48.440 --> 00:43:49.280 perfect power, 00:43:49.500 --> 00:43:50.340 perfect mercy, 00:43:50.579 --> 00:43:51.700 perfect justice, 00:43:51.699 --> 00:43:54.139 perfect grace, 00:43:54.579 --> 00:43:55.379 all at one, 00:43:55.819 --> 00:43:56.539 not at war 00:43:56.539 --> 00:43:57.339 with each other, 00:43:57.439 --> 00:43:58.119 but at one. 00:43:59.579 --> 00:44:00.939 And as we receive 00:44:00.939 --> 00:44:01.519 the gospel, 00:44:01.639 --> 00:44:02.359 not only do we 00:44:02.359 --> 00:44:03.199 now enter 00:44:03.199 --> 00:44:04.000 into a relationship 00:44:04.000 --> 00:44:04.659 with Jesus 00:44:04.659 --> 00:44:05.359 to start to try 00:44:05.359 --> 00:44:06.739 to deal with idols, 00:44:07.619 --> 00:44:08.739 but as the gospel 00:44:08.739 --> 00:44:09.539 grips us 00:44:09.539 --> 00:44:10.299 and shapes us 00:44:10.299 --> 00:44:11.500 and as we stand by it 00:44:11.500 --> 00:44:12.319 and start to see it 00:44:12.319 --> 00:44:13.219 and understand it 00:44:13.219 --> 00:44:14.719 to unmask idols 00:44:14.719 --> 00:44:15.480 and to think 00:44:15.480 --> 00:44:16.579 differently 00:44:16.579 --> 00:44:17.899 about the world 00:44:17.900 --> 00:44:19.559 and about the options. 00:44:23.720 --> 00:44:24.160 George, 00:44:24.200 --> 00:44:24.740 if you're drunk 00:44:24.740 --> 00:44:25.160 and you're mad 00:44:25.160 --> 00:44:25.700 at your wife, 00:44:25.840 --> 00:44:26.360 maybe you should 00:44:26.360 --> 00:44:27.039 sober up 00:44:27.039 --> 00:44:29.200 and maybe you should 00:44:29.200 --> 00:44:29.539 love her 00:44:29.539 --> 00:44:30.340 and serve her more. 00:44:32.680 --> 00:44:33.400 And maybe it's 00:44:33.400 --> 00:44:34.139 not about power. 00:44:35.059 --> 00:44:36.380 A whole new universe 00:44:36.380 --> 00:44:37.519 of thought and life 00:44:37.519 --> 00:44:38.720 and of business 00:44:38.720 --> 00:44:39.420 and of family 00:44:39.420 --> 00:44:40.240 and of culture 00:44:40.240 --> 00:44:41.519 opens up. 00:44:43.280 --> 00:44:44.139 Please stand. 00:44:47.900 --> 00:44:54.740 It's not just a matter 00:44:54.740 --> 00:44:55.960 that the Lord 00:44:55.960 --> 00:44:57.320 makes you feel guilty 00:44:57.320 --> 00:44:59.579 about our idol worship 00:44:59.579 --> 00:45:00.400 because Christians, 00:45:00.639 --> 00:45:01.639 like other human beings, 00:45:01.740 --> 00:45:03.039 can start to worship idols. 00:45:05.820 --> 00:45:07.260 But that this is a call 00:45:07.260 --> 00:45:08.320 for us to be gripped 00:45:08.320 --> 00:45:09.000 by the gospel 00:45:09.000 --> 00:45:10.119 and to ask the Lord 00:45:10.119 --> 00:45:10.760 to reveal 00:45:10.760 --> 00:45:11.539 whether the roots 00:45:11.539 --> 00:45:12.220 of our anchor 00:45:12.220 --> 00:45:13.880 are coming not out 00:45:13.880 --> 00:45:14.660 of the fact 00:45:14.660 --> 00:45:16.340 that we have a concern 00:45:16.340 --> 00:45:17.019 for holiness 00:45:17.019 --> 00:45:18.920 but that there's in fact 00:45:18.920 --> 00:45:20.019 hidden idols 00:45:20.019 --> 00:45:22.579 which are making us angry 00:45:22.579 --> 00:45:24.940 and hidden idols 00:45:24.940 --> 00:45:26.920 which are making us anxious 00:45:26.920 --> 00:45:28.699 and a call 00:45:28.699 --> 00:45:29.199 to be gripped 00:45:29.199 --> 00:45:30.000 by the gospel. 00:45:33.199 --> 00:45:34.119 To be gripped 00:45:34.119 --> 00:45:34.619 and shaped 00:45:34.619 --> 00:45:35.320 by the gospel 00:45:35.320 --> 00:45:36.539 to call out to God 00:45:36.539 --> 00:45:37.259 that he would 00:45:37.259 --> 00:45:38.800 write the gospel 00:45:38.800 --> 00:45:39.460 on our heart 00:45:39.460 --> 00:45:40.340 and make the gospel 00:45:40.340 --> 00:45:41.059 real to us 00:45:41.059 --> 00:45:41.639 by the power 00:45:41.639 --> 00:45:42.559 of his Holy Spirit. 00:45:43.380 --> 00:45:44.280 And if you are here 00:45:44.280 --> 00:45:44.800 and you've never 00:45:44.800 --> 00:45:45.480 given your life 00:45:45.480 --> 00:45:45.940 to Jesus, 00:45:46.139 --> 00:45:46.739 there is no better 00:45:46.739 --> 00:45:47.799 time than right now. 00:45:48.959 --> 00:45:50.199 Jesus is not 00:45:50.199 --> 00:45:51.579 like the king 00:45:51.579 --> 00:45:52.339 of Persia 00:45:52.339 --> 00:45:54.459 full of anger 00:45:54.459 --> 00:45:55.299 and on a whim 00:45:55.299 --> 00:45:56.199 he would hate you. 00:45:56.599 --> 00:45:57.979 He died to save you. 00:45:58.439 --> 00:45:59.859 He died to save you 00:45:59.859 --> 00:46:01.359 because he loves you 00:46:01.359 --> 00:46:03.119 and he will fit you 00:46:03.119 --> 00:46:03.599 for heaven 00:46:03.599 --> 00:46:04.459 and there is no better 00:46:04.459 --> 00:46:05.459 time than now 00:46:05.459 --> 00:46:06.500 to say I cannot 00:46:06.500 --> 00:46:07.219 free myself 00:46:07.219 --> 00:46:07.739 from idols, 00:46:07.879 --> 00:46:08.859 I cannot free myself 00:46:08.859 --> 00:46:09.459 from death, 00:46:09.819 --> 00:46:10.939 I cannot free myself 00:46:10.939 --> 00:46:11.679 from my sin. 00:46:12.199 --> 00:46:12.819 But Jesus, 00:46:13.079 --> 00:46:13.819 I know that you 00:46:13.819 --> 00:46:14.719 can do that 00:46:14.719 --> 00:46:16.619 and I give myself 00:46:16.619 --> 00:46:17.039 to you 00:46:17.039 --> 00:46:17.679 and I ask 00:46:17.679 --> 00:46:18.399 that you would 00:46:18.399 --> 00:46:19.279 be my savior 00:46:19.279 --> 00:46:20.039 and my lord 00:46:20.039 --> 00:46:20.839 and I know 00:46:20.839 --> 00:46:21.559 you will never 00:46:21.559 --> 00:46:22.319 let me go 00:46:22.319 --> 00:46:23.699 and there is no time 00:46:23.699 --> 00:46:24.819 better than right now 00:46:24.819 --> 00:46:26.000 to call out to Jesus 00:46:26.000 --> 00:46:26.899 and say that. 00:46:27.159 --> 00:46:28.000 No time better 00:46:28.000 --> 00:46:28.659 than right now 00:46:28.659 --> 00:46:29.519 and he will hear. 00:46:31.119 --> 00:46:31.819 Let's bow our heads 00:46:31.819 --> 00:46:32.219 in prayer. 00:46:35.819 --> 00:46:36.299 Father, 00:46:37.299 --> 00:46:38.599 you know the idols 00:46:38.599 --> 00:46:39.459 that we serve 00:46:39.459 --> 00:46:40.739 and we don't even realize 00:46:40.739 --> 00:46:41.559 we serve them. 00:46:42.699 --> 00:46:43.699 You know the idols 00:46:43.699 --> 00:46:44.339 that we're really 00:46:44.339 --> 00:46:45.179 tempted to, 00:46:45.279 --> 00:46:46.319 they really call out 00:46:46.319 --> 00:46:46.859 to us. 00:46:47.439 --> 00:46:48.500 Our flesh wants 00:46:48.500 --> 00:46:49.419 to worship them 00:46:49.419 --> 00:46:51.079 and we ask, 00:46:51.339 --> 00:46:51.419 Father, 00:46:51.519 --> 00:46:52.659 that your Holy Spirit 00:46:52.659 --> 00:46:53.519 would move deeply 00:46:53.519 --> 00:46:54.439 in our lives 00:46:54.439 --> 00:46:55.539 to help us 00:46:55.539 --> 00:46:56.899 to see the idols 00:46:56.899 --> 00:46:57.779 that tempt us 00:46:57.779 --> 00:46:58.559 for what they are 00:46:58.559 --> 00:46:59.179 as idols 00:46:59.179 --> 00:47:01.319 and we ask, 00:47:01.599 --> 00:47:01.659 Father, 00:47:01.739 --> 00:47:02.500 that you make us 00:47:02.500 --> 00:47:03.479 disciples of Jesus 00:47:03.479 --> 00:47:04.199 who are gripped 00:47:04.199 --> 00:47:05.000 by the gospel, 00:47:05.139 --> 00:47:06.500 who stand on the gospel, 00:47:06.619 --> 00:47:07.279 who are shaped 00:47:07.279 --> 00:47:08.139 by the gospel, 00:47:08.279 --> 00:47:09.019 who are drawn 00:47:09.019 --> 00:47:09.859 by the gospel 00:47:09.860 --> 00:47:10.920 and not by idols, 00:47:11.400 --> 00:47:12.519 that you would help us 00:47:12.519 --> 00:47:14.400 to die to all idols 00:47:14.400 --> 00:47:16.059 that we might live free 00:47:16.059 --> 00:47:18.059 to bring you glory 00:47:18.059 --> 00:47:19.079 and for the good 00:47:19.079 --> 00:47:19.660 of others 00:47:19.660 --> 00:47:21.019 and for the good 00:47:21.019 --> 00:47:21.780 of this people 00:47:21.780 --> 00:47:22.780 of Ottawa 00:47:22.780 --> 00:47:23.640 and the good 00:47:23.640 --> 00:47:24.099 of the world. 00:47:24.300 --> 00:47:24.500 Father, 00:47:24.620 --> 00:47:25.519 may your Holy Spirit 00:47:25.519 --> 00:47:26.700 do that mighty work 00:47:26.700 --> 00:47:28.400 and if there are any here 00:47:28.400 --> 00:47:29.180 who have called out 00:47:29.180 --> 00:47:29.500 to you, 00:47:29.599 --> 00:47:29.840 Father, 00:47:30.160 --> 00:47:31.440 or to Jesus 00:47:31.440 --> 00:47:32.500 for the first time 00:47:32.500 --> 00:47:33.579 to be yours, 00:47:33.740 --> 00:47:34.680 may your Holy Spirit 00:47:34.680 --> 00:47:35.500 flood into them 00:47:35.500 --> 00:47:36.519 in a very deep way 00:47:36.519 --> 00:47:37.820 and that they may know 00:47:37.820 --> 00:47:38.460 your presence 00:47:38.460 --> 00:47:39.220 and your power 00:47:39.220 --> 00:47:39.880 and your love 00:47:39.880 --> 00:47:41.119 and all these things 00:47:41.119 --> 00:47:41.920 we ask in the name 00:47:41.920 --> 00:47:42.360 of Jesus, 00:47:42.519 --> 00:47:43.519 your Son and our Savior 00:47:43.519 --> 00:47:45.440 and all God's people said, 00:47:46.059 --> 00:47:46.500 Amen.