Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around, you might miss it.
To help, we've broken down Pastor Mark's latest sermon, "Jesus Is a Better King," the first sermon in our Esther series, into a handful of social-media-sized bites. You can watch and share the clips at the bottom of the post and share the full sermon with this shortened link: //jesus.to/OUdnuE
Xerxes believed he was the god-man & called himself the king of kings. But above Xerxes, there's another King: Jesus. #betterking
Jesus is a better King. Don't settle for lesser kings or kingdoms. #betterking
Where's God in Esther? He works not through his visible hand of miracle, but through his invisible hand of providence. #betterking
It's easy to look at Xerxes and condemn his overindulgence and desire for glory. But times have changed, hearts have not. #betterking
Xerxes never tasted poverty nor humility, but Jesus tasted both poverty and humility to identify with us. #betterking
Xerxes used his power to abuse women, but Jesus used his power to honor women. #betterking
Xerxes spent his entire life being served, but Jesus spent his entire life serving others. #betterking
Xerxes killed his enemies with an army of millions, but Jesus died for his enemies, saving billions. #betterking
Xerxes sat on a throne in Susa, but Jesus sits on a throne in heaven. #betterking
Xerxes said he would rule wherever the sun set, but only Jesus made the sun and rules over all of creation. #betterking
Xerxes died & today, no one worships Xerxes as god; but Jesus conquered death & today, billions worship Jesus as the only God. #betterking
Xerxes thought he was a man who became god, but only Jesus is God who became a man. #betterking
Xerxes' kingdom had subjects from many nations, but Jesus' kingdom has joyful worshipers from every nation. #betterking
Xerxes threw enormous banquets, but the one Jesus is preparing for us makes his pale in comparison. #betterking
Xerxes' kingdom came to an end, but Jesus' kingdom has no end. #betterking
Xerxes declared himself king of kings, but he died. He stood before and was judged by the King of kings, Lord Jesus Christ. #betterking
Xerxes believed he was the god-man and called himself the king of kings. He abused the power and wealth that God gave him. But here's the good news: above Xerxes, there's another King. Jesus is a better King. Don't settle for lesser kings or kingdoms.
Where's God in the story of Esther? He's silhouetted in the book. God works in Esther not through his visible hand of miracle, but through his invisible hand of providence.
We know that history is not circumstance, happenstance, or chance. It's governed by providence, that God is sovereign and good, that God rules and reigns over all peoples, times, and places, that God is in the details of history, that God is working everything out according to a plan for his glory and our good.
For those of you who have felt like the story of Esther feels, God is at work in your life as well. The voice of God may not thunder down, but God is active, and present, and at work in the lives of his people, even those who are far away.
It's easy to look at Xerxes and condemn his overindulgence and desire for glory. But what we had in reality, some have on their hard drive. The times have changed, but the hearts have not. Be careful about whom you condemn.
Above Xerxes, there's another throne, and seated on it is another King named Jesus. And Jesus is our King, and unlike Xerxes, he got off his throne. He didn't invite us just to come and sit around him. He first came down to dwell among us.
We are citizens of a greater kingdom. We have received a greater gift. We are looking forward to a greater blessing, and we gather in the name, and the presence, and the fame of Jesus Christ. He is our great King. He is a better King than any king and every king.
Esther: A Prologue
The story of Esther describes a dark, mournful period in the history of Israel. The people had rebelled against God, been turned over to the evil King Nebuchadnezzar, and then conquered by the good king Cyrus. In the first year of his reign, Cyrus issued a decree that freed the Jews to return to Zion.
Xerxes had a harem, you have a hard drive
It's easy to look at Xerxes and condemn his overindulgence and desire for glory. But what we had in reality, some have on their hard drive. The times have changed, but the hearts have not. Be careful about whom you condemn.
Where are you, God?
Esther is a "godless" book: God is never mentioned, no one prays, there are no miracles, etc. For some of us, this feels like our lives. We ask questions like, God, do you exist? Are you paying attention? Don't you care? And sometimes there aren't answers and sometimes there isn't a healing. But as we see in Esther, God is silhouetted and he doesn't always work through his visible hand of miracles, but through his invisible hand of providence. God is working everything out according to a plan for his glory and our good.
