Journey Into Esther

Good Morning Church Family, 

I pray you are well and blessed this day. In yesterday's blog post, I mentioned the events that took place regarding my family's announcement. I continue and will always thank God for you and your support during this period of transition. I will be praying for each of us as we continue to respond in faith. 

Some of our Youth this weekend at SPARK! 

This weekend our youth had the great opportunity to attend SPARK in Pittsburgh. It was a time of gathering for our youth and our Director of Youth, Cherie Loomis and her husband, Kevin as they gathered with hundreds of other youth from around Western Pennsylvania. From the reports I received, it was a blast! 

Yesterday, in worship we began our Esther series. I spoke that Esther reads much like a soap opera. Many twists and turns lead this book of the Bible as we see how a life engaged with God can produce great things. Yesterday, we read from Esther 1. Read these words. 


Esther 1
English Standard Version (ESV)
The King's Banquets

1 Now in the days of Ahasuerus, the Ahasuerus who reigned from India to Ethiopia over 127 provinces, 2 in those days when King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne in Susa, the citadel, 3 in the third year of his reign he gave a feast for all his officials and servants. The army of Persia and Media and the nobles and governors of the provinces were before him, 4 while he showed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor and pomp of his greatness for many days, 180 days. 5 And when these days were completed, the king gave for all the people present in Susa the citadel, both great and small, a feast lasting for seven days in the court of the garden of the king's palace. 6 There were white cotton curtains and violet hangings fastened with cords of fine linen and purple to silver rods[a] and marble pillars, and also couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and precious stones. 7 Drinks were served in golden vessels, vessels of different kinds, and the royal wine was lavished according to the bounty of the king. 8 And drinking was according to this edict: “There is no compulsion.” For the king had given orders to all the staff of his palace to do as each man desired. 9 Queen Vashti also gave a feast for the women in the palace that belonged to King Ahasuerus.

Queen Vashti's Refusal

10 On the seventh day, when the heart of the king was merry with wine, he commanded Mehuman, Biztha, Harbona, Bigtha and Abagtha, Zethar and Carkas, the seven eunuchs who served in the presence of King Ahasuerus, 11 to bring Queen Vashti before the king with her royal crown,[b] in order to show the peoples and the princes her beauty, for she was lovely to look at. 12 But Queen Vashti refused to come at the king's command delivered by the eunuchs. At this the king became enraged, and his anger burned within him.

13 Then the king said to the wise men who knew the times (for this was the king's procedure toward all who were versed in law and judgment, 14 the men next to him being Carshena, Shethar, Admatha, Tarshish, Meres, Marsena, and Memucan, the seven princes of Persia and Media, who saw the king's face, and sat first in the kingdom): 15 “According to the law, what is to be done to Queen Vashti, because she has not performed the command of King Ahasuerus delivered by the eunuchs?” 16 Then Memucan said in the presence of the king and the officials, “Not only against the king has Queen Vashti done wrong, but also against all the officials and all the peoples who are in all the provinces of King Ahasuerus. 17 For the queen's behavior will be made known to all women, causing them to look at their husbands with contempt, since they will say, ‘King Ahasuerus commanded Queen Vashti to be brought before him, and she did not come.’ 18 This very day the noble women of Persia and Media who have heard of the queen's behavior will say the same to all the king's officials, and there will be contempt and wrath in plenty. 19 If it please the king, let a royal order go out from him, and let it be written among the laws of the Persians and the Medes so that it may not be repealed, that Vashti is never again to come before King Ahasuerus. And let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she. 20 So when the decree made by the king is proclaimed throughout all his kingdom, for it is vast, all women will give honor to their husbands, high and low alike.” 21 This advice pleased the king and the princes, and the king did as Memucan proposed. 22 He sent letters to all the royal provinces, to every province in its own script and to every people in its own language, that every man be master in his own household and speak according to the language of his people.



Do you know why Queen Vashti was invited in the 1st place? Verse 4 says that the king threw the party to show everyone his stuff. It wasn’t for just one night, he threw this shindig for 180 days! 

Now Queen Vashti said no, she was not going to go. Why? First of all, would you go to a party where everyone is drunk and you are treated like a piece of property? Second, of all, the traditional Hebrew says that the King wanted her to just wear a crown and nothing else, so she refuses. Here we see a King who was so filled with pride. His pride brought discomfort to others. 


The story tells us that her crown and title of queen was taken away and the rabbis teach that she was beheaded for disobeying the king. The King was totally disengaged because the goal of a disengaged person is to collect as much stuff and control as many people as possible. 

Jesus taught that the goal was not to get others to serve you, it was serving others- that is an engaged life, serving the Lord and serving others. You will never find greatness if you are consumed by impressing people. Greatness is found in faithful, humble service to God. 

In order to be the church that God has called us to be, we must continue to live lives fully devoted to God and to each other in service. Too often, we become consumed about what is in it for me, we are dedicated to comfort and ease and not willing to take the risk of leaving the confines of comfort and ease and will never grow in Christ. Nor do we take the opportunity to bring the Light of Christ to others and thus, neglect our call as follows of Jesus. 

Sharing the Story to The People of God in Santiago, DR

I shared that some of the greatest moments of my life was when I preached in the Dominican Republic with a translator. Despite our barriers, we all were one. I will never forget the time when I went with the team into a remote village and distributed rice. 

A mother came up to me and pointed to my Ohio State hat. She wanted it. I gave it to her and in a few moments, walked over to her son under the tree and gave it to her son who did not have a hat. You would have thought I gave her a convertible! 

Now is the time to engage. Take risks for the furthering of the Kingdom of God. God has equipped you, use the gifts to bring the hope and joy of a relationship with Christ for the world to see.  Be blessed Church. It is an honor to serve and lead as your pastor. 

A new found friend!

Children in the Village Chasing Us As We Left!