Today on the verdict with Pastor John Monroe. In life's defining moments, Pray to God. for guidance, strength, courage and wisdom. In life's defining moments, Humble yourself before God. In life's defining moments, trust God.
and obey God. Welcome to the verdict, featuring the Bible teaching of Pastor John Monroe. Previously, we began exploring Esther chapter 5, where a young Jewish queen risked everything to save her people from genocide. Today, John draws our attention to the stark contrast between Esther's humble courage and Heyman's destructive pride. We're learning timeless principles for navigating our own critical decisions.
Here's Pastor John Monroe with part two of his message. A defining moment. Right at the center of the book of Esther is this young Jewish woman who is queen. The king doesn't realize that Esther is Jewish. and her relative Mordecai has discovered a plot to annihilate the whole Jewish nation.
headed by Heman. The King's Top Advisor. What is Esther to do? She's in a very dangerous and delicate position. But Mordecai has challenged her that she has been put in her position for such a time as this.
Here is the defining moment of Esther's life. Although God is never mentioned in the book of Esther, God is certainly the in control. Today we have a very inspiring study. As we think of Esther's response, make sure you listen to the end of the broadcast. I present three important lessons on life's defining moments.
So let's learn. From Esther chapter 5, this young queen who's in the middle of the most dramatic, the most defining moment of her life. What's she going to do? First of all, Verses one and two. As we think of Esther's action.
On the third day, Esther puts on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the king's palace, in front of the king's quarters, while the king was sitting on his royal throne inside the throne room. And when the king saw Queen Esther standing in the court, She won favor in his sight. And he held out to Esther the golden scepter that was in his hand. Then Esther approached. and touch the tip.
of the scepter, how dramatic this was. And so risking her own life. She comes before the king. Verse three. And the king said to her, What is it, Queen Esther?
What is your request? It shall be given you even to the half of my kingdom. And Esther said, if it pleased the king. Let the king and Haman come today to a feast that I have prepared for the king. Then the king said, Bring him in quickly, so that we may do as Esther has asked.
So the king and Haman came to the feast that Esther had prepared. And as they were drinking wine after the feast, the king said to Esther, What is your wish? It shall be granted you. What is your request? Even to the half of my kingdom it shall be fulfilled.
Then Esther answered, My wish and my request is: if I have found favor in the side of the king. And if it please the king to grant my wish and fulfill my request, let the king and Haman come to the feast that I will prepare for them, and tomorrow I will do as the king. has said You can feel the tension. and the drama continuing to rise.
So that's Esther's actions. Think of Haman's reactions, verses 9 through 14. And Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart. But when Haman saw Mordecai in the king's gate, that he neither rose nor trembled before him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai. Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home, and he sent and brought his friends and his wife Zarish.
And Haman recounted to them the splendor of his riches. The number of his sons, all the promotions with which the king had honored him, and how he had advanced him above the officials and the servants of the king. Then he said, Even the queen. Let no one but me come with the king to the feast he has prepared. And tomorrow also I'm invited by her together with the king.
Yet All of this is worth nothing to me.
So long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate. Then his wife Zarish and all his friends said to him, Let a gallows fifty cubits high be made. And in the morning tell the king to have Mordecai hanged upon it. Then go joyfully. with the king to the feast.
This idea pleased him and And he had the gallows. made fascinating, isn't it? Initially he's full of joy and pride. He's delighted. He's attended a private feast just with the king and the queen.
And now he's invited to another feast the next day. Haman considers himself the ultimate insider. Ah, but there's one bitter pill. which is sticking in his throat. His joy and satisfaction in life are being spoiled by Mordecai the Jew.
Notice how he refers to him: Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king's gate, verse 13. This man has got so much and he's still not satisfied. Proud people are never satisfied. On the pride. of him and and his family are seen in the height of the gallows.
They just don't want just to hang Mordecai, they want it to be a spectacle. They want to show their superiority. over the Jews. Proverbs. 1618, pride goes before destruction.
and a haughty spirit. before a fall. Pride. Let me give three concluding lessons. Pretty obvious ones.
But in your Christian life, when you stumble, It's usually on the basics. It's usually on the obvious ones. Here it is. In life's defining moments, Humble yourself before God. That's what Esther did.
In the kingdom of God, The way up is always down.
So we can ask you. Not can you think of a proud person that is easy, right? What about yourself? Pride. Pride.
As we studied 1 Peter, we learned 1 Peter 5 that God is opposed to the proud, but gives. Grace for the humble. You want God's grace on you? Of course we do. Want God's grace on your family?
To serve God? Absolutely.
Well God's opposed to the proud. He gives grace to the humble. Humble yourself, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so at the right time, God will exalt you. You think you're overlooked in your business? You think in your work people don't appreciate you.
You think as you serve God people are taking you for granted? That's okay. Humble yourself. Under the mighty hand of God, and at the right time, that is the time of God's choosing, God may exalt you. The way up?
is the way Down. Didn't Jesus teach that to his followers? Think of the quiet humility of Esther as opposed to the wicked pride and the selfish pride of Haman. Haman is all about Haman, his career, his riches, his family, his future, his plans. Do you find yourself being resentful of others?
their possessions, their family, their achievements. their attitudes With resentment. Pride, bitterness. When we're bitter, it's usually an evidence of our pride. Life hasn't gone the way we Expect the way that it should go.
We become judgmental. Uh wanting revenge. What are some of the symptoms of pride? There are many. Always talking about yourself.
You're with people, your achievements, your family, your friends, your life. rather than listening to others. Pray is a deadly sin, isn't it? Because it makes us regard The goodness of God and the grace of God are something which we are entitled to. We were singing of the goodness of God.
God is good. The faithfulness of God. You take that for granted. You think it rightfully belongs to you? Do you really think that you deserve God to make your life successful and comfortable.
and to fulfill all of your plans and your dreams. Is that what you think? Pride. Pride takes the goodness of God. The faithfulness of God.
And the kindness of God to us as rightfully belonging to us. In other words, we have not understood the whole concept of grace. The Christian life is a life of grace, which by definition is undeserved. You don't deserve it. Our pride robs God of His glory.
Hayman had so much. The man was at the very top of his career, as it were. Right under the king over this huge empire. But he bitterly resents Mordecai, who, humanly speaking, had so little. You are a defining moment in life.
Humble yourself before God. Will you do that? Humble yourself. Before Got it. Here's the second one.
In life's defining moments, Pray to God. for guidance, strength, courage and wisdom. In life's defining moments, Pray to God for guidance, strength, courage. and wisdom. Isn't that significant?
Before Esther takes action, She fasts. for three days and nights. She's calmly Waiting. On God. She's sensitive.
to God's timing. She does not act impetuously. She acts with calm with patience, with grace. Why doesn't she make her request at the first banquet? Why did she arrange the second feast for the following day?
She doesn't know how things will turn out, but we do, because between The first thing that we have to do is that the God arranges, as we'll see next week, for King Ahasuerus to have a bit of insomnia. He can't sleep. And the story is going to dramatically change. Fei Singh.
some big decisions in your life. Your career, your family. Wondering if you should marry such a person. Wondering if you should enter this particular Ministry. Do do we Do we really pray to God for His wisdom.
His strength is courage. Are we waiting on God? Are we acting impetuously in our flesh? The flesh is always in a hurry. Do you remember Esau?
He's the man that sold his birthright. He's a man the Bible says despised his birthright. What happened? Oh, he comes in from hunting and he's so hungry, and he sees this wonderful stew, and he says, Oh, give it to me, or I'll die. Really?
And Jacob the deceiver says, okay. But I want your birthright. Esau is a man in a hurry. An example of the flash. That's her flash.
It's impatient, instant gratification. It's difficult to stop. But in defining moments. We need to wait. On guard, have you not known?
Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary. His understanding is. unsearchable.
He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might, he increases strength. Even youth shall faint and be weary. and young men shall fall exhausted But they who wait for the Lord. shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings like eagles.
They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint. You want to be lifted up on eagle's wings? Those who wait. For the Lord.
That's not like waiting in the doctor's waiting room saying, When is it going to be my turn? And waiting in a kind of frustrated, annoying attitude. That's not what it means. It's to wait on the Lord. No.
is coming into the presence of God. and asking God for direction. Asking God for courage, asking God for wisdom to wait for the Lord. In other words, instead of rushing ahead impetuously, Instead of taking control, as it were, in our own lives and say, This is what I've been waiting for all my life, and grabbing it. Yeah.
That's third. For three days and three nights. She fasts. That was not just a meaningless ritual. She was waiting on the Lord.
Your flesh is always in a hurry. Stop. Before You do that deal. before you enter into ministry. before you accept that promotion.
before you decide to relocate. Before you accept that proposal of marriage, wait. For the Lord. And he does a wonderful thing. We're exhausted spiritually.
We renew our strength. mount up with wings like eagles. And we saw walk. Run and not be weary, and walk and not faint.
Now, here's the third one, the last one. In life's defining moments, trust God. And obey God. Esther doesn't know how things will turn out, but she knew that God was greater than the king. that God was greater than Haban.
that God was greater than the irrevocable edict Passed by the law of the Medes and the Persians. She knew God was greater. In life's defining moments, trust God for the impossible and obey God. As we learned last week, do the right thing. and leave the consequences to God.
There's a time to wait, that's true, but there's also a time. of trust, a time of stepping out, a time of taking action. Esther does that. She waits for the Lord. And now I'm sure with the assurance Of God Himself, she puts on her royal robes and she stands in front of the king.
Humanly speaking. It was a silly move. But it was a move. that God used And his purpose is to save his people. You say, well John, sometimes it's difficult.
to step out because I don't know what's going to happen. And if I go into that ministry, how's it going to work out? If I take that action in my business and my family, I'm not sure what's going to happen. Trust God. Step out.
Leave the consequences to God. If you're trying to figure out all of the consequences of your actions, you may be paralyzed into inaction. The Christian life is a life of faith. Yes, we have faith in our Lord Jesus Christ as we enter the kingdom of God, as we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ in that most defining moment of our lives when we're faced with the claims of Christ. When we realize that by ourselves we can never ever enter the kingdom of God, and we must repent of our sins and we must embrace Christ who loved us, who gave himself for us on the cross, who rose again, this living Christ, that I need him.
And I take that step of faith and say, I will believe, I will trust you as my Savior and my Lord. I believe in you. That's the defining moment. And if you've never had that defining moment, You're not truly a follower of Christ. and come to church.
You're going to be involved in ministry. But this is the critical defining moment of your life that each of us must do personally. To come. The Christ who invites us, come. And I'll give you rest.
And they offer of Christ has given to all of us. Magnificent Christ. And we come. Inner brokenness, inner sin. and receive Christ.
as our Saviour. Oh, if you've done that, That's just the beginning of the Christian life. We don't abandon our faith. We say, okay, I did that. I'm saved.
When I was 10 years old, I prayed that little prayer and now I'm just going to live my own life. Absolutely not. You're a follower of Christ. And you follow him. And sometimes it's wonderful following Christ and you're the top of the mountain.
I've been there, life is wonderful, but there's other times. When there's a valley experience. And there's the darkness and there's the loneliness. And we remind ourselves that he is there and that God calls us to do different things. And we, in our flesh, we wonder.
What's it going to be? How will it work out? I want all the answers. This seems as if I'm stepping out into the darkness. No, you're not stepping out into the darkness.
You're stepping out, following the one who's the light of the world, who says that the one who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. And as I follow Christ, as I trust Christ with all of my heart, he leads me. Each day, each step, I leave the consequences to him. Whether it's the mountaintop or whether it's the valley, followers of Christ, we say, I've surrendered my life to you, Lord, and I will follow you wherever I go. That takes faith.
That takes boldness. You have a friend in your life who doesn't know Christ and you're a bit afraid to speak to that person, wait on the Lord. He'll give you the right words, He'll give you the courage, He'll give you the wisdom. Step out, you say, well, he may never speak to me again. as my boss and he may he may fire me.
That may happen. Trust God, obey God. Remember the old hymn: trust and obey, for there's no other way to be happy in Jesus but to trust. And obey. That's what you're to do.
That's what Esther did. She trusted the Lord and then took that action. into the lion's den as it were. And yet God was with her. And God was using this remarkable young woman.
To change. The destiny. Offer people.
So when the divining moments come into your life, don't miss them. Take a stand for God. Pray to God for guidance. and wisdom. He's a heavenly father.
We have many fathers here when your child comes and asks you for advice, you give them the best advice you can because you love them, you want the best for them. And so we have a Perfect Heavenly Father. And we come as children. And we say, I don't know what to do. I'm afraid.
What steps should I take? Do you think God says, well, Ah, come come back again. Of course not. Jesus said, If you then, being evil, know how to give good good gifts to your children, how much more shall your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him? Asking for wisdom, asking for strength, asking for guidance, asking for your faith to be deepened.
These are good requests. Trust God. Step out. Yes, there's a time to wait, but there's a time to take action. And that'd be so.
And see the Lord. at work. We're thankful, aren't we, that we have a Saviour? When he came to the defining moment of his life, In the Garden of Gethsemane, what did he do? He bowed his head.
Not my will. But yours has been done. And through the seeming tragedy of the cross, There comes the magnificent Christ and his resurrection. And says no. If you want to be my disciple, The nice self?
Take up your cross. And follow me. This is the verdict with Pastor John Monroe and the conclusion of a message titled A Defining Moment. John'll be back in a moment, so stay with us. The contrast we've seen to day, between Esther's humble trust and Heyman's destructive pride, offers valuable insights for our own pivotal decisions.
To help you follow along and further apply these principles, we've created our Esther Listening Guide. This printable workbook helps you identify defining moments in your own life. those crossroads where waiting on God's timing and trusting His sovereignty make all the difference. Whether you're facing career decisions, relationship challenges, or ministry opportunities, these biblical principles will strengthen your faith and clarify your path forward. Download your free copy of our Esther Listening Guide today.
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Now, here's Pastor John Monroe with closing remarks.
Well, what's your verdict? Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you must make a difficult decision or live with an uneasy compromise? I challenge you to do what Esther is doing. Take a stand for God. He will help you.
Trust God for the impossible. Leave the consequences to Him. I realize that takes faith. but think of the greatness of the power of God. From the seeming tragedy of the cross, he demonstrates his power in the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
Trust this God in life's defining moments. Thanks for joining us today on The Verdict. I'm Michelle Davies. Today's program with Pastor John Monroe was produced and sponsored by Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.
