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Esther: Courage and Work Esther 1-10

Esther: Courage and Work 0 Esther 1:1-22: Vashti Is Dethroned 0 “What shall we do to Queen Vashti, according to law, because she did not obey the command of King Ahasuerus brought to her by the eunuchs?” -- Esther 1:15

Esther: Courage and Work 0 Esther 1:1-22: Vashti Is Dethroned 0 “If it pleases the king, let a royal decree go out from him, and let it be recorded in the laws of the Persians and the Medes, so that it will not be altered, that Vashti shall come no more before King Ahasuerus; and let the king give her royal position to another who is better than she...” -- Esther 1:19

Esther: Courage and Work 0 Esther 2:1-18: Esther Is Chosen as Queen 0 “Then the king’s servants who attended him said: “Let beautiful young virgins be sought for the king...” 0 “...Then let the young woman who pleases the king be queen instead of Vashti. This thing pleased the king, and he did so.” -- Esther 2:2,4

Esther: Courage and Work 0 Esther 2:1-18: Esther Is Chosen as Queen 0 “Now when the turn came for Esther the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his daughter, to go in to the king, she requested nothing but what Hegai the king’s eunuch, the custodian of the women, advised. And Esther obtained favor in the sight of all who saw her” “The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins, so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti.” -- Esther 2:15,17

Esther: Courage and Work 0 Esther 2:19-23: Mordecai Discovers a Plot 0 “In those days, while Mordecai sat within the kings gate, two of the kings eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, doorkeepers, became furious and sought to lay hands on King Ahasuerus. So the matter became known to Mordecai, who told Queen Esther, and Esther informed the king in Mordecai’s name. And when an inquiry was made into the matter, it was confirmed, and both were hanged on a gallows, and it was written in the book of the chronicles in the presence of the king.” -- Esther 2:21-23

Esther: Courage and Work 0 Esther 3:1-15: Haaman Plots Against the Jews 0 “ After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haaman, the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him and set his seat above all the princes who were with him. And all the kings servants who were within the king’s gate bowed and paid homage to Haaman, for so the king had commanded concerning him. But Mordecai would not boy or pay homage.” -- Esther 3:1-2

Esther: Courage and Work 0 Esther 3:1-15: Haaman Plots Against the Jews 0 “When Haaman saw that Mordecai did not bow or pay him homage, Haaman was filled with wrath. But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him of the people of Mordecai. Instead, Haaman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus- the people of Mordecai.” -- Esther 3:5-6

Esther: Courage and Work 0 Esther 3:1-15: Haaman Plots Against the Jews 0 “When Haaman saw that Mordecai did not bow or pay him homage, Haaman was filled with wrath. But he disdained to lay hands on Mordecai alone, for they had told him of the people of Mordecai. Instead, Haaman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus- the people of Mordecai.” -- Esther 3:5-6

Esther: Courage and Work 0 Esther 3:1-15: Haaman Plots Against the Jews 0 “Then Haaman said to King Ahasuerus, ‘There is a certain people scattered and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of your kingdom; their laws are different from all other people’s, and they do not keep the king’s laws. Therefore it is not fitting for the king to let them remain. If it pleases the king, let a decree be written that they may be destroyed…” -- Esther 3:8-9

Esther: Courage and Work 0 Esther 4:1-17: Esther Agrees to Help the Jews 0 “And Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the sum of money that Haaman had promised to pay into the king’s treasuries to destroy the Jews. He also gave him a copy of the written decree for their destruction, which was given at Sushan, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her, and that he might command her to go into the king to make supplication to him and plead before him for her people.” -- Esther 4:7-8

Esther: Courage and Work 0 Esther 4:1-17: Esther Agrees to Help the Jews 0 “And Mordecai told him all that had happened to him, and the sum of money that Haaman had promised to pay into the king’s treasuries to destroy the Jews. He also gave him a copy of the written decree for their destruction, which was given at Sushan, that he might show it to Esther and explain it to her, and that he might command her to go into the king to make supplication to him and plead before him for her people.” -- Esther 4:7-8

Esther: Courage and Work 0 Esther 4:1-17: Esther Agrees to Help the Jews 0 “And Mordecai told them to answer Esther: ‘Do not think in your heart that you will escape in the king’s palace any more than all the other Jews. For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. Yet who knows if you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this.” -- Esther 4:13-14

We must have a will to do it We must have a will to do it Esther 4:15-16 Daniel 1:8 To Step Up to Our Work… Esther: Courage and Work

“Then Esther told them to reply to Mordecai: ‘Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!” -- Esther 4:15-16

Esther: Courage and Work “But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s delicacies, nor with the wine which he drank; therefore, he requested of the chief eunuchs that he might not defile himself.” -- Daniel 1:8

We must be unafraid of the consequences of doing right We must be unafraid of the consequences of doing right Esther 4:10-11,16 To Step Up to Our Work… Esther: Courage and Work

“Then Esther spoke to Hathach, and gave him a command for Mordecai: ‘All the kings servants and the people of the king’s provinces know that any may or woman who goes into the inner court to the king, who has not been called, he has but one law: put to death, except the one to whom the king holds out the golden scepter, that he may live. Yet I myself have not been called to go in to the king these thirty days.” -- Esther 4:10-11

Esther: Courage and Work “Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day. My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!” -- Esther 4:16

Trust in the Lord to guide and help us in our work Trust in the Lord to guide and help us in our work Isaiah 41:10 Nehemiah 1:5-11; 2:4,18 To Step Up to Our Work… Esther: Courage and Work

“So it was, when I heard these words, that I sat down and wept, and mourned for many days; I was fasting and praying before the God of Heaven…” “O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name; and let Your servant prosper this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man…” -- Nehemiah 1:4,11

Esther: Courage and Work “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” -- Isaiah 41:10

Our work builds up the whole Our work builds up the whole Ephesians 4:11-16 When We Step Up and Work… Esther: Courage and Work

112 - We Are One - Title

112 - We Are One - 1.1

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112 - We Are One - C.2 End of Verse 1

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112 - We Are One - C.1

112 - We Are One - C.2 End of Song

“And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability…” - Matthew 25:15 There Is Room in the Kingdom Esther: Courage and Work

“Let Your work appear to Your servants, and Your glory to their children. And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us; yes, establish the work of our hands.” - Psalm 90:16-17 There Is Room in the Kingdom Esther: Courage and Work