Today on the verdict with Pastor John Monroe. In Esther chapter 8. There is a celebration of the greatness and goodness of God. in accomplishing Brilliant reversals. First of all, in Esther 8, verses 1 and 2, there is a reversal in power.
Welcome to the Verdict, featuring the Bible teaching of Pastor John Monroe. Are you facing a desperate situation that seems hopeless? Perhaps a relationship that seems broken beyond repair. Today on the verdict, we remember that we have a God who can do the impossible. We're seeing the result of our God at work in the lives of his people in the book of Esther.
Now, here's Pastor John Monroe with his message titled, A Brilliant Reversal. One of the exciting aspects of being a follower of Jesus Christ is that our great God over and over again creates brilliant reversals. What seems to be a hopeless situation may turn out to be one of the greatest experiences of your life. and what seems to be the worst thing that could ever happen to you turns out to be the source of the greatest blessing. The great example of this is the cross of Christ.
From a human perspective, the cross of Christ seemed a tragedy. But as Jesus rises from the dead, the shame of the cross is turned to glory. From death, there is life. Never lose the wonder of God's amazing grace and His power. Listen now as we continue to think of brilliant reversals.
Chapter 8, verse 1: On that day, King Ahasuerus gave to Queen Esther. The house of Haman. Notice how he's described the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came before the king, for Esther had told him what he was to her. And the king took off his.
Signet ring which he had taken from Haman, and gave it to Mordecai. And Esther set Mordecai over the house. of Heyman. There is a reversal in power, a dramatic reversal in power. Mordecai is rewarded with Haman's.
Property and his position. Then, in verses 3 through 14, there is a reversal in the law. First of all, verses three through six, Esther's request. Verse three. Then Esther spoke again to the king.
She fell at his feet and wept and pleaded with him to avert the evil plan of him and the agagite and the plot that he had devised against the Jews. Remember it? When the king held out the golden scepter to Esther, Esther rose and stood before the king. And she said, If it please the king, and if I find favour in his sight, and if the thing seems right before the king, and I am pleasing in his eyes, let an order be written to revoke the letters devised by him and the Agogite, the son of Hamad Atha, which he wrote to destroy the Jews who are all in the provinces of the king. For how can I bear?
to see the calamity that is coming to my people. Or how can I bear to see the distraction of my kindred? Queen Esther now has an opportunity. She falls at the king's feet in tears. She implores him to reverse this plot.
This plot which had been hatched. And so skillfully executed, it seemed by Haman, a plot to obliterate, to annihilate all of the Jews in the Persian Empire.
Now we have in verses 7 through 14 the kings Decree.
Now remember who this king is? He's a king. Of the superpower, the vast, powerful Persian Empire. Then King Ahasuerus said to Queen Esther, and to Mordecai. The Jew?
He knows who Mordecai is, he's Jewish. Behold, I have given Esther the house of Haman. and they've hanged him on the gallows. Because he intended to lay his hands on the Jews. But you may write as you please with regard to the Jews.
In the name of the king and seal it with the king's ring. For an edict written in the name of the king and sealed with the king's ring cannot be revoked. The king's scribes were summoned at that time in the third month, which is the month of Savannah on the 23rd day. And an edict was written according to all that Mordecai commanded concerning the Jews, to the satraps and the governors and the officials of the provinces, from India to Ethiopia, 127 provinces, to each province in its own script, and to each people in its own language, and also to the Jews in their script, and their language. And he eroded the name of King Ahasuerus and sealed it with a king's signet ring.
Then he sent the letters by mounted couriers riding on swift horses that were used in the king's service, bred from the royal stud. Saying That the king allowed the Jews who were in every city to gather and defend their lives, to destroy, to kill, and to annihilate any armed force of any people or province that might attack them, children and women included, and to plunder their goods. On one day, throughout all the provinces of King Ahasuerus, on the 13th day of the twelfth month, which is the month of Adar. A copy of what was written. Was to be issued as a decree in every province, being publicly displayed to all peoples, and the Jews were to be ready on that day to take vengeance on their enemies.
So the couriers, mounted on their swift horses that were used in the king's service, rode out hurriedly, urged by the king's command. And the decree was issued in Susa The citadel. A reversal. in law. The king grants Esther's request.
A reversal in power Reversal in law. Finally, in verses fifteen through seventeen, a reversal in emotions. Verse fifteen. Then Mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal robes of blue and white. What colors are on the Israeli flag today?
Blue and white. Not the most difficult of question if you're looking at verse fifteen. Royal robes of blue and white. with a great golden crown and a robe of fine linen and purple. And the city of Susa shouted and rejoiced.
And the Jews, verse sixteen, had light and gladness and joy and honor. And in every province and in every city, wherever the king's command and his edict reached, there was gladness and joy among the Jews, a feast and a holiday. Tuesdays still have a lot of holidays. and many from the peoples of the country declared themselves Jews. Not just for the holiday, for fear of the Jews had fallen.
On them. Isn't that amazing? Should read the book of Esther. A reverso. In emotion.
Gloom is turned to joy and celebration. The sight of Mordecai wearing these beautiful royal robes and crown were visible signs that King Ahasuerus was on the side of the of the Juice. It's true, he couldn't revoke the earlier edict made by Haman, but by appointing a Jew as Prime Minister, The word quickly spread throughout the province. That he was supportive of the second edict to protect the Jewish nation. And when each province and each city and each household.
heard about this new edict, there was great rejoicing. and feasting at a holiday. Many of the pagans themselves throughout the provinces became Jews, verse 17, for the dread of the Jews. Had fallen. On that.
These people realize these people, the Jews, Are different. Remember what Hayman's Wife said to him, with more decay verse Verse thirteen. Of chapter six: if Mordecai, before whom you have begun to fall, is of the Jewish people, you will not overcome him, but will surely fall. before him. They realized that Almighty God was at work.
And the Jewish People. Where once there was darkness, there's no light. Where once there was gloom and despair, There now is gladness and joy and honor. What a reversal of emotions and attitudes. God had been at work in a miraculous way in preserving his ancient people from the wicked anti Semitic Haman.
The Jewish nation are going to survive. There is rejoicing. and celebration. What a reversal. took place.
A reversal in power. A reversal in law. A reversal in emotion. Wonderful examples of God. doing what only he can do.
doing the unexpected and reversing the irreversible. Do you believe gods? Can still do that today. Are you facing some seemingly irreversible situation? Are you in your life?
You're despairing about a situation? Maybe you think your marriage is beyond repair. Perhaps you think some relationship is irretrievably broken down.
Something in your life, a situation that's absolutely hopeless. From a human perspective, the odds against you are huge. There is no way you can deal with this situation. It's too strong, it's too evil, it's too dark. And you're overwhelmed by it.
I want you to be encouraged today. God is with us. And we have a God, and we serve a God, and we love a God, and we trust a God who can do the impossible. We have a God who is able. We could never ever have written such a story ourselves.
People would say it's not possible. It is possible. God took. A young woman asked her, took her cousin Mordecai. And through them His power and his glory.
are magnified. We have a God who can reverse the irreversible. In this chapter, also, we see that God always takes care of his people. God's purposes will not be thwarted. God's purposes are unassailable.
Paul says in Philippians 1, verse 6, that the good work which God began in us, He will perfect until the day of Christ. Jesus. God never gives up on these people. Even though we are faithless, he is faithful. Just think of it, if Haman's edict had been implemented, the Jewish nation would have been annihilated.
This would have ended God's redemptive purposes as the Messiah was going to come from his ancient people, the Jewish nation. Over and over and over again, continuing to this day, Satan attacks the people of God. He still attacks Israel. He still hates the Jew. He certainly hates the church of Jesus Christ.
He tried to destroy the royal seed. He tries to wipe out God's ancient people. He continues to attack the church of Jesus Christ. He continues to harass us and to thwart the people of God. But God is on their side.
God always protects his people. Jesus himself says. I will build my church and the gates of hell will not prevail. against it. But we're in the spiritual battle.
Paul exhorts us, put on the whole armor of God that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. He reminds us that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against these rulers, these powers, these world forces of this darkness, the spiritual forces of. Wickedness. Think of the word. the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Satan is 100% wicked. He's 100% evil. He doesn't fight fairly. And he harasses us and he attacks us, but God. is on our side.
We're not to worry, we're not to fret. Would you keep her trust? in God. And just As Esther was burdened for her people, we should be burdened. for others.
particularly for those in the family. of God. Every day of the week there's some crisis going on. You say, I can't solve it all. No, neither can I.
But in your Life group. In your Bible study, among your friends, you know, situations. And God can use you. to bear one another's burdens and so fulfil the law of Christ. I also thought just as these couriers Quickly communicated in various languages the good news of Jewish deliverance.
So we, as the people of God, are to go throughout the world proclaiming the news that Jesus saves. That salvation is found in Christ, and as we're singing, in Christ alone. We go to people who are living under the sentence of death. The wages of sin is death. And we go bringing the good news of salvation and deliverance.
And church throughout its history Has always put a lot of resources into the translation of the Bible into various languages, whether through Wycliffe, New Tribes, JARS, many different Christian organizations, the Seed Company, because we are committed. To the word of God in people's languages going throughout the world, that we are committed to the spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ. And just as the Jews celebrated with joy, gladness, and thanksgiving, we who have been delivered by our Lord Jesus Christ rejoice. In our deliverance from sin. and Satan.
Jesus says, there's joy in the presence of the angels over one. Sinner Who repents? We rejoice. and the deliverance from darkness to light. The Jews were under the sentence of death.
So every human being Because we're learning from Romans. Whether a pagan, whether a moral person, whether a Jewish person. Every single person is under the sentence of death because all of us have sinned. The wages of sin is death. By ourselves, we cannot stand against death.
By ourselves, we cannot stand against the forces of darkness and wickedness. But yet, in the gospel, the beautiful good news of Jesus Christ, there is this brilliant reversal. This counter-decree, as it were, of salvation and eternal life.
So Jesus says. I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live. And whoever lives and believes in me shall never die. And he asks Mary and Martha, as I would ask you, do you believe that?
Do you believe That Jesus Christ is the resurrection and the life. Jesus never asks us to go anywhere where he has not already gone. And he has gone into death and removed the sting of death and taken it out. And yes. Other than his return, all of us will go into death.
But Jesus has gone there ahead of us. And so he says to us: if you believe in me, Though you die, yet shall you live. That what seems to be tragedy, namely death, is for the believer in Jesus Christ triumph. and glory. and eternal How is that possible?
Because on the cross Our blessed Savior took the wrath. and the judgment which we deserve. As we were born by our Lord, Jesus. Christ. You know, as I was studying for these last few messages and Some of you have said to me they're very convicting.
Well, I'm glad to hear that because They're very, very convicting for me. Who could stand on the street? Under the power of Paul's relentless logic as he presents the case. For the universality and the reality of sin, whoever we are, but how wonderful. is the gospel.
And how powerful is the gospel? That our Lord Jesus Christ takes our sin on Himself. He goes into death, He dies on the cross. For our sins and on the cross. We see the justice of God.
The righteousness of God. But we also see the love. Of God. At Belgotha. Two C's met.
in one contending tide. A tidal wave of righteous wrath and all the love of God. When high upon the tree for sin, the Son of God was raised, the tidal wave of wrath was spent. and love divine. prevailed.
There is a way. One way. The way of the cross, the way of the Savior, for you, whoever you are.
However dark your sin, However deep your wickedness, that in Jesus Christ There is salvation, there is forgiveness, there is a new beginning. And the decrees that were against us, decrees of guilt, of death, of eternal destruction. Because of our sin, we have been gloriously reversed by our Lord Jesus Christ, who conquers death and has delivered us into eternal Life. Satan Like Haben is doomed for destruction. In Jesus.
There is this glorious reversal. of sorrow. To joy. Of shame to glory. Of condemnation to justification, of death to life, triumphant over all of his enemies, and we share in his triumph.
Therefore, rejoice in your salvation. Trust God day by day. in the joys and the sorrows of life. Have hope. God is in the business.
of reversing the irreversible. Our God. is a great god. great in love, great in mercy, great in redemption. Therefore, put your trust in Christ.
And if you've never done it, open your heart and your life to the Savior. He'll come and forgive you.
So that you can have with us this glorious promise. of eternal life. Father. We thank you. for this amazing story.
A wonderful story. One that actually happened. And we see Your powerful hand, your loving hand, your brilliant hand. And we thank you that your power is undiminished. We thank you for the power of the gospel.
A power has reached into our hearts and has Dispel their darkness and their sin. And now, Father, I pray. for each person here. have a heavy burden.
Some are despairing.
Some are wondering if they can go on, and I pray, Father. You will bring them peace. Give their hearts hope. Help them to look to Christ. For those who don't know the Saviour, Father, may they trust him.
For those of us who are following Christ, help us to follow closely each day to look to Him, to look to Jesus, the author and the perfecter of our faith. that their faith will be deepened. That you'll help us to resist the devil so that he will flee from us. And protect us as a church, Father. Protect your people.
Protect Israel. with its many foes and its enemies. And me. Your grace be on us this evening hour. In Christ's name, amen.
This is the verdict, featuring the Bible teaching of Pastor John Monroe. There's still more to hear when John returns in just a moment, so stay with us. From matters of truth and identity, to the subjects of love and grace, our world seems more confused than ever. But to find truth and certainty about who we are, and find peace, we find We must turn our attention away from the world and look to the Word of God. To help you do that, John wrote a booklet titled Eternal Security, Finding Certainty in a Chaotic World.
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Now, here's Pastor John Monroe.
Well What's your verdict? Have you been to the foot of the cross and repented of your sin? Have you been to the empty tomb and confessed that Jesus is God risen from the dead and eternally alive? you may be going through some extremely heartbreaking situation. Don't lose hope.
Don't be discouraged. God is a God who reverses the irreversible. With God, nothing is impossible. He watched over the Jewish nation at the time of Esther, and he still watches over you and me. God is faithful, so trust him with all your heart.
Thanks, John. And now for today's special Q ⁇ A feature. John, you've been a pastor for many years, and you preach and teach the Bible a lot. Do you have any favorite subjects?
Well, my passion in life is to glorify God through the exposition of Holy Scripture. That's my calling. I seek to be true to all of Scripture, Michelle, but of course, like all preachers. I love to preach the good news of Jesus Christ to those who are not yet saved. The Gospels and Paul's epistles are probably my favorite books of the New Testament.
Of course, the four Gospels. Present the life and teaching of Jesus. And the more we know about him, the more we love him. Even if we've been following him, for many years. Most recently at Calvary, I've been preaching through the Gospel of Matthew.
And despite the many years I've been preaching, I continue to be amazed at how relevant the words of Jesus are for the many issues we are facing today. And the brilliant writings of the Apostle Paul challenge us to understand the truths of our faith more deeply. I love the way Paul presents his arguments, his case, as it were. He would have been a great lawyer. But John 3.16 is still my favorite verse, and It's not just because it was one of the first verses I learned as a wee boy.
The themes of the love of God, the gift of his Son, and eternal life through believing in Jesus still give me great joy. I love telling others about Jesus Christ. and God's way of salvation. Thanks, John. And if you have a question that you'd like John to consider for future broadcasts, be sure to email us at the verdict at calvarychurch.com to submit your question.
Well, that's all our time for today. I'm Michelle Davies, and you're listening to The Verdict with Pastor John Monroe. Today's program was produced and distributed by Calvary Church in Charlotte, North Carolina.
