Trust Fall Fail – YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wPOgvzVOQig

SIRANI, Giovanni Andrea, Esther before Ahasuerus, 1630s, Szépmûvészeti Múzeum, Budapest

Haman’s Plot of Genocide

For Such a Time as This:Defining Moments

Esther Chapter 5

Courage Under Fire

Courage under fire

Esther 5:1-21On the third day Esther put on her royal robes

and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance. 2When he saw Queen Esther standing in the

court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the

scepter. 

An invitation

Esther 5:3-5a3Then the king asked, “What is it, Queen Esther?

What is your request? Even up to half the kingdom,

it will be given you.”

4“If it pleases the king,” replied Esther, “let the king, together with Haman, come today to a

banquet I have prepared for him.”

5“Bring Haman at once,” the king said,“so that we may do what Esther asks.”

A mystery…

Esther 5:5b-8So the king and Haman went to the banquet Esther had prepared. 6As they were drinking

wine, the king again asked Esther, “Now what is your petition? It will be given you. And what is

your request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted.”

7Esther replied, “My petition and my request is this: 8If the king regards me with favor and if it pleases the king to grant my petition and fulfill

my request, let the king and Haman come tomorrow to the banquet I will prepare for them.

Then I will answerthe king’s question.”

What’s your high… and low?

Esther 5:9-129Haman went out that day happy and in high

spirits. But when he saw Mordecai at the king’s gate and observed that he neither rose nor

showed fear in his presence, he was filled with rage against Mordecai. 10Nevertheless, Haman

restrained himself and went home. Calling together his friends and Zeresh, his wife, 11Haman boasted to them about his vast wealth, his many sons, and all the ways the king had honored him

and how he had elevated him abovethe other nobles and officials.

What’s your high… and low?

Esther 5:9-1212“And that’s not all,” Haman added. “I’m the

only person Queen Esther invited to accompany the king to the banquet she gave. And she has

invited me along with the king tomorrow. 13But all this gives me no satisfaction as long as I see that

Jew Mordecaisitting at the king’s gate.”

A plot to make things better for Mordecai

Esther 5:10-1414His wife Zeresh and all his friends said to him,

“Have a gallows built, seventy-five feet high, and ask the king in the morning to have Mordecai

hanged on it. Then go with the king to the dinner and be happy.”

This suggestion delighted Haman,and he had the gallows built.

Developing Twists:

Developing Twists:

Courage Under Fire

Developing Twists:

Courage Under Fire

Presumption

Developing Twists:

Courage Under Fire

Presumption

Acts 4:13-3113 When they saw the courage of Peter and John

and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 14But since they could see the man who had been healed

standing there with them, there was nothing they could say. 15So they ordered them to withdraw

from the Sanhedrin and then conferred together. 16“What are we going to do with these men?” they asked. “Everybody living in Jerusalem

knows they have done an outstanding miracle, and we cannot deny it. 17But to stop this thing

from spreading any further among the people, we must warn these men to speak no longer to

anyone in this name.”

Acts 4:13-3118Then they called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19But Peter and John replied, “Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God’s sight to

obey you rather than God. 20For we cannot help speaking about what

we have seen and heard.”

Acts 4:13-3121After further threats they let them go. They

could not decide how to punish them, because all the people were praising God for what had

happened. 22For the man who was miraculously healed was over forty years old.

Acts 4:13-3123On their release, Peter and John went back to their own people and reported all that the chief

priests and elders had said to them. 24When they heard this, they raised their voices together in

prayer to God.

“Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and

everything in them. 25You spoke by the Holy Spirit through the mouth of your servant, our father

David:

Acts 4:13-31“ ‘Why do the nations rage

and the peoples plot in vain?26The kings of the earth take their stand

and the rulers gather togetheragainst the Lord

and against his Anointed One.’[Psalm 2:1-2]

Acts 4:13-31“ ‘Why do the nations rage

and the peoples plot in vain?26The kings of the earth take their stand

and the rulers gather togetheragainst the Lord

and against his Anointed One.’[Psalm 2:1-2]

Acts 4:13-3127“Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus,

whom you anointed. 28They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen.

29Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great

boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through

the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

Acts 4:13-31 31After they prayed, the place where they were

meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly.

Developing Twists:

Presumption

Luke 18:9-149To some who were confident of their own

righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: 10“Two men went up

to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers

—or even like this tax collector. 12I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’

Luke 18:9-1413“But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his

breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’

14“I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone

who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Gospel Application

Is there something I am shrinking back from that God would have

me do?

Am I presumptuous with Godand/or others?