If you've got your Bible and want to follow along with me tonight, I'm going to be reading from the book of Esther. I love the book of Esther. It's, I believe, ten chapters if I remember right. It's like a storyline that just keeps feeding you and feeding you and feeding you as you go. And we don't have time tonight for me to get into the whole story, but there's so many different facets of the book of Esther, in the book of Esther, that we can concentrate on. And there's one that I want to pull out tonight and take a look at. And I'll try to give you a little summary to bring us up to where we're at. I'm going to be reading in the fourth chapter. There's a king here, and his name, if I can say this correctly, is Ahasuerus. Ahasuerus. And he's got a wife, and her name is Vashti. And she is the queen. And in the beginning of the book here, he calls upon Vashti, calls to have her brought unto him. And she refused, and she wouldn't come. And so he put his head together with all those that he looked to, and they had to decide, you know, what are we going to do? She has straight up disobeyed the king. And so they decided to take all, everything away from her. And so they took, it says, the king's decree, and it's in the 20th verse of the first chapter, which he shall make shall be published throughout all the empire for it is great, and all the wives shall give their husbands honor, both great and small. I went one too far. 19th verse if it pleased the king let there go a royal commandment from him and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes that it be not altered that Vashti come no more before the king ahas I Don't know why we couldn't just name him something that's easier to say, you know what I mean a How do you say brother I Like that better it's easier say Xerxes And let the king give her royal estate to another that is better than she. So we find that the king here has made a decree that she can no longer come in before him just for a single act of disobedience. When the king calls for somebody, the king has all the power. And when the king calls for somebody to come unto him, they are to come unto him. And likewise, you're not to come in unto the king unless he calls unto you. And so we find that she directly disobeyed Him and so she had everything taken away from her and it says that it would be given to another. So Esther in the second chapter here we find that Esther whom the book is named after is chosen to be the king. We also find a character by the name of Mordecai, which is her uncle, and they are both Jewish. But they keep this to themselves because there's a reason for that, and we won't get into that this evening. I'm gonna leave the whole book of Esther for you to teach on, one of these fine brothers out here. And then in the third chapter, there's Haman is the king's right-hand man. He's the number one guy right there with the king. And he doesn't like Mordecai. He doesn't like the Jews. He doesn't know that Mordecai is a Jew, but Mordecai overhears Haman talking about these Jews that are scattered around about and comes up with this plan and gets the king to get on board with it, that they will kill all of the Jews and they will pay a great ransom to those that are willing to kill the Jews and take care of business for them. Now, Mordecai in the fourth chapter, we come up to the fourth chapter, it says, Mordecai and the Jews mourn. This is the caption at the top at the beginning of the chapter. And I'm going to go ahead and just start with the first verse here. I wasn't going to read all of this, but I feel like I really need to, to kind of set up where we're at. It says, when Mordecai perceived all that was done, Mordecai rent his clothes and put on sackcloth with ashes and went out into the midst of the city and cried with a loud and a bitter cry. and came even before the king's gate, for none might enter into the king's gate clothed with sackcloth. And in every province, whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came, there was a great mourning among the Jews, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing, and many lay in sackcloth and ashes." So we find that the word of the king is making its way around the countryside, and as it made it through the different communities and stuff, and the Jews heard about it, that it says that there was fasting, and weeping, and wailing, and many lay in sackcloth and ashes. So Esther's maids and her chamberlains came in and told her. Then was the queen exceedingly grieved, and she sent Raymond to clothe Mordecai and to take away his sackcloth from him, but he received it not. Then called Esther for Haytack, one of the king's chamberlains whom he had appointed to attend upon her, and gave him a commandment to Mordecai, to know what it was and why it was. So Hattach went forth to Mordecai, to the street, to the city, which was before the king's gate. And Mordecai told him of all that had happened to him and of the sum of money that Haman had promised to pay to the king's treasuries for the Jews to destroy them. Also, he gave him the copy of the writing of the decree that was given at Shushan to destroy them, to show it unto Esther, to declare it unto her, and to charge her that she should go in unto the king to make supplication unto him, to make requests before him for her people. And Hathor came and told Esther the words of Mordecai. I want to stop right there for just a second. So Esther's just now learning about this plot of Haman to have all the Jews killed. And she was concerned with Mordecai and why that he was so brokenhearted and everything, and he was outside the gate weeping and wailing and so on and so forth. And so she sent word to find out what was going on and why his heart was the way that it was. And so she's got word back now through Haytack and told Esther the words of Mordecai. Again, Esther spake unto Haytack and gave him commandment unto Mordecai. All the king's servants and the people of the king's provinces do know that whatsoever, whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death, except such to whom the king shall hold out the golden scepter that he might live. But I have not been called to come in and to the king these 30 days. So immediately Esther's concern here is she's been asked by Mordecai to go in and speak to the king. She is the queen now. And you would think if anybody's got any right to just walk right in and talk to the king and sit down and have a good one-on-one with him, it would be the queen. But we see what's happened to Vashti there. And she doesn't have, as she said in verse 11, Whosoever, whether man or woman, shall come unto the king into the inner court, who is not called, there is one law of his to put him to death. Except such, there is one way. If she goes into this inner court and she's putting her life in her hands, right here in the king's hands basically, She goes in there knowing that her life is at risk But there's one way out of that and it says except such as to whom the king shall hold out the golden scepter That he may live but I have not been called to come in to the king these 30 days so she's concerned that if she tries to go in there and that the king might not hold this this golden scepter out to her and receive her and allow her and that it might cost her her life and They told to Mordecai Esther's words then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther think not With thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house for more than all the Jews. Let me read that again Then Mordecai commanded to answer Esther, Think not with thyself that thou shalt escape in the king's house more than all the Jews. For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall their enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place." So Mordecai is telling her here, you know, It could be upon you to go in and do this, and if you're not willing to do it, and if you hold your peace right now, and you don't stand up for the Jews, and you don't become the mouthpiece for them, it says, then shall their enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place. You see God is going to make a way he's going to take care of his people and if you're not willing to do it It's going to happen. God's going to take care of it and It says but thou and thy father's house shall be destroyed and who knoweth that? whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this. He's asking her, how do you know that you've not been brought into the king's house? How do you know that you've not been made the queen? How do you know that God's not brought all these things to pass, that you wouldn't be there right now at this very moment, that you could be the mouthpiece for his people, that you could step up to the king, that you could be right there, he says, for such a time as this. I gotta wonder how many times in our life have we been in the right place at the right time. And we've been in the right place at the right time because God has allowed us to be there. It doesn't matter what the circumstance is, but I'm led to believe that in all of our lives, there's times that we've been at the right time, at the right place, at the right time, because that's where God needed us and wanted us to be right at that very moment. Maybe it's to lift somebody up to encourage them. Maybe it's to steer somebody in the right direction. I don't know, but I do know this. I know my God has ways that I don't understand. This was Esther's reply back to Mordecai. Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this answer. Go, gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink three days, day or night, night or day. I also and my maidens will fast likewise, and so will I go in unto the king, which is not according to the law, and if I perish, I perish. She's willing to go, to stand before the king, to take that chance, to go in before the king to be that mouthpiece, and willing to put her life on the line. But she had a request first, and that is that they would fast, no food or no drink, that they would fast for three days and three nights. And she says, likewise, my maidens and I will do it as well. And I will go into the king, which is not according to the law. And if I perish, I perish." So Mordecai went his way and did according to all that Esther had commanded him. So he went out and gathered up all the Jews. And it says, going on in the fifth chapter here, it says, Now it came to pass on the third day that Esther, and this was after they had done their fast, that Esther put on her royal apparel and stood in the inner court of the king's house over against the king's house. And the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house over against the gate of the house. And it was so, when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court, that she obtained favor in his sight. And the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. So Esther drew near and touched the top of the scepter, and then said the king unto her, what wilt thou, Queen Esther, and what is thy request? It shall be given thee to the half of the kingdom. So we find here that she took preparation. They had had their three days of their fasting. And it says then on the third day that she prepared herself. She put on the royal apparel. She put on that that the queen would wear that made her stand out from everyone else, from all the other maidens that were around, the ladies that were in the area. She put on that that made her stand alone as the queen. and she put on that special apparel and she stood in the inner court of the king's house over against the king's house it says and the king sat upon his royal throne in the royal house and i imagine as he looked out when he saw he says he saw Esther the queen standing in the court that she obtained a favor in his sight there was a moment right there that maybe she was wondering You know, this might cost me my life. This is the moment of truth right here, that she stood there waiting to see how the king was going to receive her, and if he was going to give her favor or not. But it says that she obtained favor in his sight, and the king held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. And so Esther drew near and touched the top of the scepter. And then said the king unto her what wilt thou not only did he show her favor But he's he's granting her whatever her request is it says up unto half of the kingdom And she invites him and Haman, his right-hand man, invites them to a feast that she's going to have this evening. And I don't want to read on any further here. There is so much to this story, the story of Haman and his greed and his self-centeredness and everything. There's such an amazing story there to read. But tonight, what stands out to me is the humbleness and the humility with which Esther approached the throne of the king there in the palace. When she went into him, she didn't just go running into him and demanding that he listen to her because I'm the queen and you have to listen to me and this is going to happen and this is what you need to do. She knew the power that the king has. The king had the power of her life in his hand. Folks, let me tell you right now, I think a lot of times when it's time for us to go to the throne in glory, I think we go running in there like he owes us something. And God in glory doesn't owe us a thing. He's already done more for us than he ever needed to. or it was ever required of Him to do when He sent His Son to die on a cross for us, that He gave His life and shed His blood that it would stand as a covering for my sins and give me a home and glory one day when I repented of those sins. And I'm gonna promise you right now, there ain't nobody in this house that's been saved, went running into God demanding that he would save their soul and found that sweet peace. You went humbly, you went with a broken heart and a contrite spirit. Psalms 34 and 18, I believe it is. says that the Lord is nigh unto those that are of a broken heart, and save as such as be of a contrite spirit. I know what that verse is all about because when I was a 12-year-old boy and I went to calling out to God, I had a broken heart and that contrite spirit and I was begging Him to have mercy on me. I was begging the King that held my life in His hands to have mercy on me and to save my soul and to forgive me. I can tell you first hand that your promises of all your talents and your abilities and what you think you can do for God or what you think you had that you could offer Him didn't mean a thing. I can tell you that first hand because I tried them all. I tried them all. I told him what I was going to do for him if he would save me. I told him that I would lead the singing. I told him that I'd do the dismissal prayer. I told him that I would do this and I would do that. I even told him I would preach. And you know what? Everything I promised him, you know what I got for it? I got nothing because that ain't what God wanted for me. He didn't want me to come and tell Him what I was capable of doing or what I thought that I could do to help Him. He wanted me to humbly come before the throne, to humble my heart before Him and to beg Him for what He could do for me. Esther, she knew the seriousness of the dire situation that could be if she went in there unprepared, if she went in there and went straight into the king. And even with all of her preparation, with the three days of fasting and putting on her royal Her garments there and and going into her royal apparel as it says and going in Even doing the things that she knew she needed to do to go into the presence of the king She still was in question whether he might require her life But she found favor in the eyes of the king. I think he knew there was a humbleness there when she came and presented herself before him. She did it in the right way. I believe that he could see a humbleness and a humility. I don't think she stood proud and tall. Look at him in the eye. I believe she stood there probably with her head bowed and looking at the floor, not even looking upward to him. and just waiting for him to acknowledge her and to give her an invitation to come on in. When he held out that scepter that belongs to the king, when he held it out and gave her permission to come, she knew that she had found favor from the king. And folks, let me tell you, when God held out that scepter that morning and gave me, showed me that I had found favor with the King in glory, He saved my soul and I knew that it was going to be okay. The one that held my life in his hands, and he still does, the one that held my life in his hands had taken me in, had held out that scepter and given me permission to come on in. My heart was humbled. After I tried my way and tried offering all that I could, my heart was humbled. And I realized that there wasn't anything I could do, anything that I could give him, that I could offer him. And my whole, everything about me changed. And it turned, and it became humbleness and humility when I realized that nothing I had to say was gonna save me. That if I was gonna be saved, it was gonna be because of the one in glory that was gonna do it for me. He's the one that had something he could do for me. It wasn't about what I could do for him. Fourth chapter of James, the eighth verse, it says, Draw an eye to God and he will draw an eye to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Be afflicted, and mourn and weep. Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up." See, there's a way to approach the throne of God. There's a way to approach the King in glory, and it's with a humble spirit. The Hebrews, in the fourth chapter, Tells us in some very familiar reading here. It says for the Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword piercing even to the Dividing asunder of soul and spirit and the joints and marrow and as a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Neither is there any creature that is not that is not manifest in his sight. See he sees it all He knows it all But all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Seeing then that we have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Now that word right there in that 16th, that last verse we read, it says, let us therefore come boldly. It might seem like that just totally contradicts and goes against everything we've been trying to say about having a humble spirit about approaching the throne of God. But let me tell you right now that it doesn't mean bold like we would think of the word bold and use it today But it means openly without concealment. You can't hide anything from God You're not going to hide anything from him because he already knows when the woman at the well when Jesus was there talking to her, and he asked her about some things about her life and her husband, and she answered him, and he said, well, he said, the things you've said are true. She didn't exactly say all the truth, but she did tell him the truth, and he told her all the truth, because he already knew it. And it says that she went away, and she went into the city and said, come see a man who told me of all things that ever I did. He already knew. When I humbled my heart as a 12 year old boy calling out to God, He already knew my life. Let us therefore come boldly. Let us come before the throne of God. Not concealing anything because He's already seen our life, brother. He's already been back in the dark corners of our life. He's seen it and He already knows what kind of life we live. And for us to even try in any way, shape, or form to try to humble ourselves before the throne of God and not beg Him to forgive us for the sinner that we are. Then I think we need to start out with that. Straight up front. Straight up front. admitting who we are and what we are. God saved my soul, but I'm still just a sinner. I'm a sinner saved by the grace of God, and I'm thankful for that. I love the book of Esther. It's just a wonderful, wonderful story that just goes on and on and on, and it'll just feed you as you go. But that one little nugget in there just stood out to me this week as I pondered coming this way was the humbleness and the humility with which Esther approached the throne of the king. And I hope and pray that we will take from that tonight, that we won't take for granted and take a position that we feel like the king owes us anything because he doesn't. He does not owe us a thing. He can take every one of us out right now. Just let the walls fall in on this place and take every one of us out. He doesn't owe us a thing. I'm thankful, though, that even though he doesn't owe us a thing, he takes care of us. He provides for us. He gives us far above anything we ever deserve. Brother Gary, we are better than we deserve. That's a good answer right there. Old Dave Ramsey, I listened to him years and years back, said, how you doing? I'm better than I deserve. If you know the Lord, you're better than you deserve. If he's on your side, you're on his side. You're better than you deserve. I'm going to go far enough to say this. If you're lost and you're separated from God and you're here this evening, or you're listening to this at home, or you're listening to it at some later date. And God's given you opportunity to hear this message. And He's given you opportunity as a lost person. And He's calling, He's knocking at your heart. Then you're blessed and you are better than you deserve because He's given you another opportunity to hear the truth. Another opportunity to humble yourself to Him. To call out to Him and be saved. I'm thankful that I took advantage of that opportunity when He called out to me. Brother, I'm gonna turn it back over to you now to finish this out however you see fit. I appreciate the opportunity to come this evening. I appreciate the great number of y'all that have come out. I mean it from the depths of my heart when I say it blesses me to see this number on a Wednesday night. So many people got so many other things they'd rather be doing. And y'all chose to come to church this evening. I love all of you. Haven't seen most of you in a good long while. And it's good to see y'all again. And I'm a hugger by nature. I guess I got that from Linda. And because she's hugged everybody. I think she hugs strangers on the street. But this virus thing's been hard on me. Cuz I'm used to just walking in a church house and going around making my lap and giving everybody a hug and a handshake and so Just know that I'm hugging you from in here tonight. I love y'all Thanks again for for your attention and for your prayers this evening