¤¤
00:00:00.43\00:00:06.30
>> Good morning, good
morning, good morning.
00:00:10.04\00:00:12.24
Nice to see you.
Happy Sabbath to you.
00:00:12.24\00:00:17.08
Did you have any problem
finding the place? [ Laughter ]
00:00:17.11\00:00:20.72
Glad you're here. Folks
are still coming. I've been out
00:00:20.72\00:00:24.79
there greeting the saints as
they been slipping over from
Pioneer. Can you believe this?
00:00:24.79\00:00:30.39
I have one confession I want to
make this morning right now, and
that is God is good.
00:00:30.39\00:00:39.80
Huh? What do you
say? God is good...
00:00:39.80\00:00:43.71
>> All the time. >> All
the time... >> God is good.
00:00:43.71\00:00:47.31
>> God is good. Can you believe
it? We've been t-- How long have
00:00:47.31\00:00:51.18
we been talking about this
Sabbath? For months now. And at
00:00:51.18\00:00:57.19
last, it's here. And thank
the Lord not a drop of rain.
00:00:57.22\00:00:59.72
Can you say amen
to that? >> Amen.
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>> And the next Sabbath, we're
ordering sunshine as well, but
00:01:02.42\00:01:05.09
today, this is fine.
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People coming from all
directions, streaming in.
They're gonna be streaming in.
00:01:07.20\00:01:11.50
It's like first church. They'll
just keep coming all the way
through as people realize,
00:01:11.50\00:01:16.04
whoops, we're over here today.
But I'm glad you came. Thank you
00:01:16.04\00:01:22.14
for being here. The question is,
how are things going back at
home? Do you mean like back at
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the church? Let me show
you how things are going.
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An incredible picture was put
together by our producer, and
it's on the screen.
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You see the top half of that
screen? That is the last service
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ever conducted on the pews of
the Pioneer Memorial Church.
That is graduation Sunday
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afternoon. The church
is full. Looks so good.
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The picture directly beneath it,
taken from the very same spot is
how the church looked Monday
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night. I'm telling you,
keep that picture up, please.
00:01:56.41\00:02:00.38
I'm telling you what -- we had
volunteers here scrambling like
busy bees all day long.
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We had shifts coming in and
volunteers coming in and others
00:02:07.49\00:02:12.76
leaving, and... Today, I want to
say, and I don't know if you're
sitting right here, right now,
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I'm sure you are, those of you
that came, you did a won-- you
gave a wonderful gift to God.
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All of those pews taken out.
[ Applause ] All the pews went
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out, and you can't tell it, but
the pipes went out. We took the
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pipes out. We're gonna get those
-- You know the Logan's pipes,
all specially cleansed and ready
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to go for the new year, and
so it's been an incredible week.
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But here we are. And you know
why we're here? We're here
because Andrews University was
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gracious enough to say, "You
need a place to worship this
summer? Why don't you come over
00:02:51.67\00:02:57.07
here?" I don't know about you,
but look, when I was a kid, my
mother would take me -- when she
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found out I was going to
somebody's house, she'd say,
"Dwight, come here.
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I want to tell you something,
boy." She said, "You're going to
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somebody else's house. I want
you -- Are you listening to me?
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I want you," she said, "I want
you to treat that house as if it
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were your own." Mm! Then she'd
look at me, just piercing eyes,
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she'd look at me, those loving
eyes. She'd say, "No, no, no.
Not as if it were your own,
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Dwight. You need to treat it
better than you treat your own."
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And, folks, we're in a house
that's not ours, but it is a
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beautiful house. And, you know,
I thought, oh, for this opening
Sabbath in the Howard Performing
00:03:35.91\00:03:40.68
Arts Center, it would be
wonderful to have the president
of Andrews University, who is a
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friend of Pioneers -- she's a
friend of this university -- if
she'd be willing to come and
00:03:44.32\00:03:49.42
just -- Andrea Luxton, our
president -- take a few moments
to extend a welcome to us in her
00:03:49.42\00:03:55.93
house. >> Well, good morning,
church, and happy Sabbath.
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It's wonderful to
see you in this place.
00:04:02.17\00:04:04.97
You know, Pioneer Memorial
Church is always so generous to
00:04:04.97\00:04:08.68
us as a university.
00:04:08.68\00:04:10.41
It doesn't matter what the
situation is -- we need a
program, we need something else,
00:04:10.45\00:04:15.15
we need your space -- we call up
and they say, "Of course!" And
of course, that's exactly
00:04:15.15\00:04:20.06
how we feel in this case. We're
really delighted that you can
use this space over the next
00:04:20.06\00:04:25.63
little while. You know, Pioneer
Memorial Church is also a place
00:04:25.63\00:04:31.87
where it gathers people from all
around the world, and it says,
"Hey, you are home."
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That is what you're good --
you're very good about doing
that, and we want you to feel
00:04:36.74\00:04:42.14
the same way today. This is your
home. We're delighted to have
00:04:42.14\00:04:45.98
you here. Please make it your
home, and enjoy yourself in this
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adventure that's going to happen
over the next few weeks. So,
00:04:49.45\00:04:54.02
welcome. >> Thank you, Dr.
Luxton. How about putting your
hands together for Dr. Luxton
00:04:54.02\00:04:57.69
and the Andrews University
team? Yep. [ Applause ]
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While our president is still
standing here, let's do this.
You received when you came in
00:05:03.37\00:05:08.84
today our new summer bulletin. I
hope you like this. This is kind
00:05:08.84\00:05:14.94
of the minimalist approach. And
look at it this way -- the money
we save here goes into a
00:05:14.94\00:05:19.65
building. We don't need
lots of paper this summer.
00:05:19.65\00:05:22.78
You'll get other instructions
about this piece of paper, but
on the backside of the paper is
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a litany. We had a litany on
the last Sabbath, a litany of
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leaving. And on our first
Sabbath in the Howard Performing
Arts Center, we have a litany of
00:05:33.26\00:05:38.10
arriving. The president is gonna
lead our congregation, and we
will responsively respond to
00:05:38.10\00:05:46.84
God's invitation
to meet Him here.
00:05:46.84\00:05:48.68
Let's go.
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Let's stand together
as we sing the doxology.
00:07:03.05\00:07:05.25
[ "Praise God, from Whom
All Blessings Flow" begins ]
00:07:05.25\00:07:08.06
Alleluia indeed, oh, God, for
here we are, at last, in this
new space granted to us for a
00:07:57.97\00:08:04.78
season. We've come to worship
You here because with Jacob we
00:08:04.78\00:08:10.02
recognize this is none other
than Bethel, the House of God,
and this is the gate of heaven.
00:08:10.02\00:08:15.62
Hallelujah. But like Jacob
the exile, we are not home yet.
00:08:15.62\00:08:20.96
Heavenly Father, not yet, for we
are still marching to Zion, that
beautiful, beautiful city of
00:08:20.96\00:08:28.47
God, where with Jacob and our
Lord Jesus, one day we shall be
00:08:28.47\00:08:35.21
exiles no longer. So, please,
keep us marching and marching
until Jesus comes, we humbly
00:08:35.21\00:08:42.32
pray in His mighty name. Let all
the people say "amen." [ "Come,
We That Love the Lord" begins ]
00:08:42.32\00:08:48.86
>> Please remain standing
with us as we sing this song
00:08:48.86\00:08:52.19
together. We're marching to Zion
together. And the third verse of
00:11:54.28\00:11:58.18
that song I love because it says
that the hill of Zion yields
00:11:58.18\00:12:02.98
1,000 sacred treats before
we reach heaven. Before we even
00:12:02.98\00:12:08.12
reach Zion, we're experiencing
blessings on the journey
00:12:08.12\00:12:11.59
together. As we follow Jesus,
He blesses us every step of the
00:12:11.59\00:12:15.60
way. [ "I Will Follow" begins ]
00:12:15.60\00:12:17.60
In You there's life.
00:14:41.54\00:14:43.35
You know, that's a tall order.
That's a pretty big request from
00:16:16.47\00:16:20.98
God to follow Him wherever He
leads us, but I like that song
00:16:20.98\00:16:25.05
because it's --
it's relational in tone.
00:16:25.05\00:16:28.92
It's not just "I will follow
blindly some force into the
00:16:28.92\00:16:32.72
abyss." It's "I
will follow You."
00:16:32.72\00:16:35.59
You get the feeling that -- and
it comes from the story of Ruth.
00:16:35.59\00:16:38.63
Ruth is following Naomi, and
Ruth knows Naomi, and so Ruth is
00:16:38.63\00:16:43.00
willing to follow her.
And we have the privilege of
00:16:43.00\00:16:46.47
knowing the One we follow, and
we have the privilege not just
00:16:46.47\00:16:49.64
of journeying with and
following, but sitting at the
00:16:49.64\00:16:52.61
feet of Jesus and learning from
Him and growing with Him every
00:16:52.61\00:16:56.75
day. That's what
this next song is
00:16:56.75\00:16:58.81
about. [ "Sitting
at the Feet of Jesus"
00:16:58.81\00:17:00.85
begins ]
00:17:00.85\00:17:01.78
Sing it out.
00:17:48.73\00:17:49.86
Amen.
00:18:18.13\00:18:19.16
You know, I just have a thought
as we're singing this song, and
that is that maybe you haven't
00:19:21.42\00:19:26.63
been sitting at the feet of
Jesus enough. Maybe you come
00:19:26.63\00:19:30.57
here and you're actually pretty
tired and you feel like God is
calling you to follow Him, but
00:19:30.57\00:19:35.20
you haven't been connected to
Him. And to be honest, this is a
thought for myself.
00:19:35.20\00:19:40.41
I want to sit at Jesus' feet
more often. I want to start the
00:19:40.41\00:19:45.71
day at His feet. I want
to end the day at His feet.
00:19:45.71\00:19:47.52
I want to walk through the
day by His side. There's nothing
00:19:47.52\00:19:52.39
more that He wants than to have
that connection with you. So, as
we sing this last verse,
00:19:52.39\00:19:58.39
I hope that this song becomes
your experience and that every
day it's your prayer to be
00:19:58.39\00:20:04.27
connected to our
Saviour and friend every day.
00:20:04.27\00:20:08.07
Let's pray this.
00:20:11.41\00:21:31.32
¤¤
00:21:37.46\00:21:46.10
¤¤ ¤¤ ¤¤
00:21:46.13\00:22:09.52
>> ¤ Of harmless innocence ¤ The
thoughtless tongue ¤ That fills
00:22:09.52\00:22:21.84
the world with sadness ¤ ¤ Then
shall be employed in noblest
00:22:21.84\00:22:38.92
praise ¤ ¤¤ >> ¤ Lover and
friend ¤ And all the dearly
00:22:38.92\00:22:51.27
cherished of the heart ¤ ¤ Who
long have rested in the tomb ¤
00:22:51.27\00:23:01.81
¤ Shall come and join
the choral strain ¤ ¤¤
00:23:01.81\00:23:18.13
¤ From earth aroused ¤ The voice
of harmony that flows so sweet
00:23:18.13\00:23:30.24
around the throne ¤ ¤
Their tongues shall ever swell ¤
00:23:30.24\00:23:38.68
¤ Shall ever swell
¤ Shall ever swell ¤¤
00:23:38.68\00:23:59.77
¤¤ ¤ Then there shall be
peace ¤ There shall be peace
00:23:59.77\00:24:23.86
¤ A settled calm ¤ A soft
serenity ¤ There shall be peace
00:24:23.86\00:24:36.30
¤ There shall be peace ¤ A
settled calm ¤ A soft serenity
00:24:36.30\00:24:48.22
¤ More gently mild than Earth ¤
More gently mild than Earth ¤
With all its gorgeous scenes
00:24:48.22\00:25:11.47
can hope to bring ¤
¤ A fit comparison ¤¤
00:25:11.47\00:25:30.76
¤¤ ¤ And all that peace shall
live and reign a long forever
00:25:30.76\00:25:54.65
there ¤ ¤ Forever there ¤ And
this eternity ¤ Shall make that
00:25:54.65\00:26:26.78
heaven ¤ A heaven ¤¤ ¤¤
00:26:26.78\00:26:52.14
>> Let's pray. Oh, God,
here we are. We've been singing,
00:26:56.04\00:27:03.89
worshipping, lifting up our
voices to You. You have
something in the Word. Speak to
00:27:03.89\00:27:10.96
us. We can hear You. Engage
our minds, address our hearts.
00:27:10.96\00:27:15.73
May we not be the same for this
story, we pray in Jesus' name,
00:27:15.73\00:27:22.64
amen. Beginning a new series
right now, In Exile: Cadences of
00:27:22.67\00:27:25.64
Home. Episode number one
-- Bachelorette for a Day.
00:27:25.64\00:27:28.81
You know who I'm talking about.
Open your Bible to the little
00:27:28.81\00:27:31.31
book of Esther.
Let's go. Esther.
00:27:31.31\00:27:33.45
Just before the book of Job,
find the book of Esther, please.
00:27:33.45\00:27:36.89
Just 10 chapters. Not
a breath about God in the
00:27:36.89\00:27:40.29
book. How did it get in Bible?
00:27:40.29\00:27:42.56
Let's find out.
Esther chapter 2.
00:27:42.56\00:27:44.93
Pick up the
story. I'll be in the
00:27:44.93\00:27:46.73
New International Version.
So, this plot is gonna thicken
00:27:46.73\00:27:49.63
as we go. "Now,
there was in the capital
00:27:49.63\00:27:52.07
of Susa" -- the capital of the
Persian empire -- "a Jew of the
00:27:52.07\00:27:55.50
tribe of
Benjamin, named Mordecai."
00:27:55.50\00:27:57.61
Now, lookit. I grew
up as a kid and we called
00:27:57.61\00:27:59.37
him "Mordecay-eye."
Did you do the same?
00:27:59.37\00:28:01.24
"Mordecay-eye"? Yeah,
but we have a Mordecai
00:28:01.24\00:28:03.85
here at the university.
He's one of our beloved workers
00:28:03.85\00:28:06.78
at the university. He's
an active volunteer in the
00:28:06.78\00:28:09.15
Pioneer Memorial Church, so
in honor of him, it's gonna be
00:28:09.15\00:28:11.85
Mordecai today.
There was this Jew "named
00:28:11.85\00:28:14.19
Mordecai son of Jair, son
of Shimei, son of Kish, who had
00:28:14.19\00:28:17.63
been carried into
exile" -- ooh, the exile!
00:28:17.63\00:28:20.30
There's that word -- in
exile. Here's the dictionary
00:28:20.30\00:28:23.57
definition. What's exile?
00:28:23.57\00:28:25.10
The state of being barred from
one's native country typically
00:28:25.10\00:28:28.24
for political or
punitive reasons.
00:28:28.24\00:28:30.21
That makes Mordecai a
fourth-generation exile.
00:28:30.21\00:28:32.94
He never knew home.
He's only heard stories,
00:28:32.94\00:28:36.11
cadences of home. Never
been there and done that.
00:28:36.11\00:28:39.21
So, there's Mordecai. Now,
let's drop down to -- Let's
00:28:39.21\00:28:44.09
drop down to verse 7.
"Mordecai had a cousin named
00:28:44.09\00:28:48.99
Hadassah." Now,
that's a beautiful Hebrew
00:28:48.99\00:28:51.46
name. It means "myrtle."
00:28:51.46\00:28:52.89
So, he has this little cousin
named Hadassah, "whom he had
00:28:52.89\00:28:55.63
brought up because she had
neither father nor mother."
00:28:55.63\00:28:58.23
The poor child. "This
young woman, who was also
00:28:58.23\00:29:01.77
know as Esther" -- so, that's
a Persian name, and it means
00:29:01.77\00:29:04.97
"star," so she's
bilingual, obviously.
00:29:04.97\00:29:07.21
Certainly bicultural.
"This young woman, who was also
00:29:07.21\00:29:10.98
known as Esther, had a
lovely figure and was beautiful.
00:29:10.98\00:29:13.98
Mordecai had taken her as his
own daughter when her father and
00:29:13.98\00:29:16.75
mother had died."
00:29:16.75\00:29:18.35
Now, lookit. When I was a kid
growing up, we only had
black-and-white TV.
00:29:18.39\00:29:21.46
Anybody here remember the days
when it was only black-and-white
00:29:21.46\00:29:25.33
television? There was a program
-- see if you remember this
program. Black-and-white, four
00:29:25.33\00:29:28.70
years on NBC, four years on ABC.
Title of the program, "Queen for
00:29:28.70\00:29:32.83
a Day." Anybody remember "Queen
for a Day"? Don't even admit it,
00:29:32.83\00:29:36.24
but I'm raising my hand
with you. "Queen for a Day" --
00:29:36.24\00:29:40.14
incredible plot. That was one of
the first large prize-giveaway
programs that America's gone
00:29:40.14\00:29:45.65
absolutely bonkers over. "The
Price is Right," "America's Got
00:29:45.65\00:29:49.85
Talent" -- a lot of money given
away. Well, this was a program
devoted, not quite exclusively,
00:29:49.85\00:29:56.09
but the audiences were
dominantly -- according to
Wikipedia, the audiences were
00:29:56.09\00:30:00.70
dominantly women. They would
invite women to come, women who
could -- who would be
00:30:00.70\00:30:06.30
willing to share a particular
need they had. It might be
00:30:06.30\00:30:13.14
medical equipment. It might be
therapeutic care for a
chronically ill child. It could
00:30:13.14\00:30:16.78
they have a house and there's no
washing machine in it or "We've
never had a refrigerator.
00:30:16.78\00:30:20.48
Oh, I'd love to have a
refrigerator." Anyway, they
00:30:20.48\00:30:23.75
would line the women up -- I
forget how many -- and they
would interview each on of them,
00:30:23.75\00:30:28.22
and the women would start
sobbing at some point because
they would say, "What is it you
00:30:28.22\00:30:33.56
really want?" So, it captured
the heart of America. And when
it was all over, here's
00:30:33.56\00:30:37.73
how they chose the queen. I
didn't know this as a kid, but
they had an applause meter in
00:30:37.73\00:30:42.27
the building, and everybody
would applaud. They'd bring them
00:30:42.27\00:30:46.57
out one at a time, and the woman
who got the loudest applause was
coordinated queen for a day.
00:30:46.57\00:30:50.91
And then the -- And, of course,
everybody would erupt and there
are prizes for everybody, and
00:30:50.91\00:30:56.22
then the announcer would -- the
final trademark sign-off was
"This is Jack Bailey wishing
00:30:56.22\00:31:02.06
we could make every woman a
queen for every single day,"
applause, credit roll, the end.
00:31:02.06\00:31:07.76
Do you know what? I'm telling
you, these first two chapters in
00:31:07.76\00:31:13.37
Esther, it is the search for
"Queen for a Day," only they're
not using an applause meter.
00:31:13.37\00:31:18.24
Their method is much more
risque. Alright? Let's go.
00:31:18.24\00:31:23.38
So, the story has been started.
Plot thickens, because the king
is looking for a new queen.
00:31:23.38\00:31:29.58
This will be verse 8.
"When the king's order and edict
00:31:29.62\00:31:32.39
had been proclaimed, many young
women" -- who wanted to be queen
00:31:32.39\00:31:35.96
for a day and for life -- "were
brought to the citadel of Susa
00:31:35.96\00:31:39.46
and put under the care of Hegai.
00:31:39.46\00:31:41.43
Esther was also taken to the
king's palace and entrusted to
00:31:41.43\00:31:45.13
Hegai, who had
charge of the harem."
00:31:45.13\00:31:49.17
Now, one more line. Verse 10.
00:32:06.19\00:32:07.92
The single insertion of that
line hints the bicultural way
that young Esther's having to
00:32:18.57\00:32:25.14
negotiate life as an exile.
Lookit. When young Daniel gets
00:32:25.14\00:32:29.08
there, "Absolutely understand I
am a Jew. I cannot eat that, do
00:32:29.08\00:32:32.68
you understand?" Esther gets
there, "Not a word about being a
00:32:32.68\00:32:38.05
Jew. You're in a harem.
No problem." Bicultural name.
00:32:38.05\00:32:45.03
Bicultural existence as
an exile. And by the way, the
00:32:45.03\00:32:52.70
author will never make a single
peep. No commentary. Just let's
00:32:52.70\00:32:59.54
it go. Okay, keep going. So,
what did the young ladies have
00:32:59.54\00:33:02.11
to do? Verse 12. So,
"Before a young woman's turn
00:33:02.14\00:33:04.91
came to go in" -- that's an
interesting word -- "go in to
00:33:04.91\00:33:07.95
King Xerxes, she had to complete
12 months of beauty treatments
00:33:07.95\00:33:11.65
prescribed for the women, six
months with oil of myrrh and six
00:33:11.65\00:33:15.79
with perfumes and cosmetics.
And this is how she would go to
00:33:15.79\00:33:19.53
the king." By the
way, what would be
00:33:19.53\00:33:21.40
smelling like
after six months of that?
00:33:21.40\00:33:23.30
Please! It'd be
like you live in Macy's
00:33:23.30\00:33:26.27
all your life. [ Laughter ]
00:33:26.27\00:33:27.87
Wow. "And this is
how" -- Verse 13 --
00:33:27.87\00:33:30.51
"this is how she would go into
the king: Anything she wanted
00:33:30.51\00:33:33.14
was given to her to take with
her from the harem to the king's
00:33:33.14\00:33:35.88
palace.
00:33:35.88\00:33:36.85
She went in -- She
went in a single woman.
00:33:48.69\00:33:51.26
She came out a concubine. Hmm.
00:33:51.26\00:33:55.20
And so it went with Esther.
But when she went in to the
00:34:01.70\00:34:06.11
king, she did not
come out a concubine.
00:34:06.11\00:34:09.14
She was not even
queen for a night.
00:34:09.14\00:34:12.11
She was not queen for a
day. Turns out she becomes the
00:34:12.11\00:34:16.72
real-deal Queen of Persia.
And the next words about Esther
00:34:16.72\00:34:22.66
are here in verse 17.
00:34:22.66\00:34:24.13
"So he set a royal crown on her
head and made her queen instead
00:34:32.00\00:34:34.77
of Vashti" -- the deposed queen.
00:34:34.77\00:34:36.50
Listen to -- Listen to this,
folks. A young Jewish woman, are
00:34:47.32\00:34:52.49
we clear about that? A young
Jewish woman marries -- though
00:34:52.49\00:34:58.33
the word is never intentionally
used in the story -- marries an
uncircumcised pagan gentile
00:34:58.33\00:35:05.73
king...
00:35:05.73\00:35:07.07
...and becomes the divine
instrument for the saving of her
00:35:10.47\00:35:14.94
people. And as Karen Jobes put
it, "For the saving of the
nation from which the Messiah
00:35:14.94\00:35:20.85
later comes." Moral ambiguities,
are you kidding? But that's the
00:35:20.85\00:35:29.19
life of an exile. You're caught
in between and you have to
00:35:29.19\00:35:36.97
choose. Wow. Now the plot really
begins to thicken, because now
the antagonist is introduced.
00:35:36.97\00:35:41.34
So, who do we have so far? Well,
we have King Xerxes, we have
Queen Esther, we have
00:35:41.34\00:35:46.31
cousin Mordecai, who obviously
is a royal court official, and
now enters Haman -- Haman.
00:35:46.31\00:35:55.85
Haman the Agagite. Did you ever
hear of King Agag, the king of
the Amalekites, the
00:35:55.85\00:36:02.52
race of people that hated the
children of Israel? We got a
true, live descendent
00:36:02.52\00:36:10.03
who congenitally, congenitally
hates the Jews. Whoa.
00:36:10.03\00:36:18.87
Chapter 3, verse 1.
00:36:18.91\00:36:20.14
Verse 2.
00:36:30.22\00:36:31.15
Mordecai was a Jew. Everybody
knew it. And he was not gonna
00:36:45.47\00:36:53.68
bow down to
anybody. Not even Haman.
00:36:53.68\00:36:56.18
Well, how did
Haman take it? Verse 5.
00:36:58.78\00:37:01.22
Have mercy. And so as an
echo out of the story of Daniel,
00:37:21.37\00:37:26.57
Haman does the same thing. He
goes in to the king and says,
"Oh, king, live forever.
00:37:26.57\00:37:29.88
You know what? I found out
there's a people, a very
dangerous people in this
00:37:29.88\00:37:33.62
empire. They're gonna kill you
one day." And by the way, there
00:37:33.62\00:37:37.39
have been several at this point
in time, several assassination
attempts against Xerxes, so he's
00:37:37.39\00:37:42.02
very sensitive. "There's a
people, and if you would just
give me permission,
00:37:42.02\00:37:46.49
I'll exterminate them. We'll
kill them all. You'll never have
00:37:46.49\00:37:50.33
to fear them again." He's so --
He's so paranoid that he, with
one wave of his hand
00:37:50.33\00:37:56.17
and the giving of his
signet ring okays genocidal
00:37:56.17\00:38:01.58
extermination. "Kill them all,
whoever they are." And that's
exactly what happens.
00:38:01.58\00:38:08.38
Drop down to
verse 13 in chapter 3.
00:38:08.42\00:38:10.15
And Mordecai finally
reads a copy of the edict.
00:38:25.80\00:38:30.77
And how does he respond?
Take a look here in chapter 4,
00:38:30.77\00:38:33.88
verse 1.
00:38:33.88\00:38:34.81
Eventually, the word gets
to Queen Esther about this, the
00:38:46.19\00:38:49.76
consternation and
bizarre behavior of her cousin
00:38:49.76\00:38:52.56
publicly in this city,
and she sends a messenger.
00:38:52.56\00:38:55.56
Said, "Go find out
what's up with this."
00:38:55.56\00:38:58.83
Mordecai reports the
edict. His words right here in
00:38:58.83\00:39:05.21
verse 12. "When
Esther's words were
00:39:05.21\00:39:07.01
reported to Mordecai, he sent
back this answer" -- So, this is
00:39:07.01\00:39:10.25
verse 12, chapter 4 -- "he sent
back this answer: 'Do not think
00:39:10.25\00:39:14.65
that because you are in the
king's house you alone of all
00:39:14.65\00:39:17.69
the Jews will
escape.'" No, no, no, no, no.
00:39:17.69\00:39:20.42
For if you remain silent, girl,
and I'm talking to you, if you
00:39:20.42\00:39:24.59
remain silent at this time, oh,
Queen, "'relief and deliverance
00:39:24.59\00:39:28.60
for the Jews will arise from
another place, but you and your
00:39:28.60\00:39:32.27
father's family will perish.
And who knows but that you have
00:39:32.27\00:39:37.07
come into your royal position
for such a time as this?'"
00:39:37.07\00:39:43.48
Two pinnacle lines that the
world remembers from the story
00:39:43.51\00:39:49.02
of Esther. This is the first
one, only it goes in the old
King James, "Who knows that you
00:39:49.02\00:39:52.19
have come in to the kingdom for
such a time as this?" Don't we
say that to each other?
00:39:52.19\00:39:54.62
Who knows? Maybe
you're here for that reason?
00:39:54.62\00:39:57.06
You know what? Maybe so. Maybe
you are here for this reason.
00:39:57.06\00:40:00.50
Some of you are feeling right
now that you life has no reason
to it, no rhyme, no nothing,
00:40:00.50\00:40:04.47
man. You're saying, "Why am I
living life the way I'm having
00:40:04.47\00:40:08.04
to live it?" Hey, hey,
hey, hey. Slow down, slow down.
00:40:08.04\00:40:11.27
Who knows whether or not God has
destined you, unbeknown to you,
to come into the kingdom at this
00:40:11.27\00:40:22.95
very time? That's why, ladies
and gentlemen, you just can't
00:40:22.95\00:40:27.62
give up. You can't
quit, please. Who knows?
00:40:27.62\00:40:32.76
This may be why you're queen,
girl. Esther shoots a reply
00:40:32.76\00:40:37.33
back. Verse 15. "Then Esther
sent this reply to Mordecai:
'Go, gather together
00:40:37.33\00:40:41.40
all the Jews who are in Susa,'"
and I want you to fast for me.
"'Do not eat or drink for three
00:40:41.40\00:40:46.54
days,'" day or night. "'I and my
attendants will fast as you do.
00:40:46.54\00:40:49.98
When this is done, I will go
to the king, even though it is
00:40:49.98\00:40:53.72
against the law.'" And here
comes that second well-known
line. Let's say it out loud
00:40:53.72\00:40:57.49
together -- "'And if I perish, I
perish.'" If standing up for my
00:40:57.49\00:41:02.22
faith and my people means I
perish, then I perish. I will
not go to the grave
00:41:02.22\00:41:06.29
without having stood up
and confessed my belief and my
00:41:06.29\00:41:15.40
conviction. I cannot keep
silent. If I perish, I perish.
00:41:15.40\00:41:21.71
Whew! Moral ambiguities. Great
moral clarities as well when
00:41:21.71\00:41:28.58
you're an exile. There's nothing
to negotiate. If I have to speak
all alone and stand all alone,
00:41:28.58\00:41:34.22
then I will stand all alone and
I will speak all alone. And I
perish, let me perish.
00:41:34.22\00:41:39.59
Wow! The life of an
exile, nobody said it was
00:41:39.59\00:41:48.14
uncomplicated. Well, you may not
have God showing up by name in
this story, but guess what, His
00:41:48.14\00:41:56.34
fingerprints are all over
the narrative. She's gonna spend
00:41:56.34\00:42:02.05
three days and three nights --
Sometimes -- Listen, sometimes
-- Elders, are you listening to
00:42:02.05\00:42:06.42
me? You're the ones that set
aside first Tuesday of every
month as a day of fasting and
00:42:06.42\00:42:10.69
prayer, right? Sometimes it
takes fasting and prayer to
break through to God.
00:42:10.69\00:42:16.33
Three days and three nights.
First Tuesday, first Wednesday,
00:42:16.33\00:42:24.01
first Thursday. You got to break
through. You can't just sit
there. You have to do something.
00:42:24.01\00:42:29.14
And the first thing you do is go
to Him. Talk and plead with Him.
00:42:29.14\00:42:35.58
Wow. [ Sighs ] And
now they start showing up.
00:42:35.58\00:42:42.66
Little coincidences -- Speaking
of the fingerprints of God,
little coincidences.
00:42:42.66\00:42:46.93
I love the way one person
defines coincidences. "They are
God's way of working a
00:42:46.93\00:42:51.97
miracle anonymously." Isn't that
good? That's what a coincidence
00:42:51.97\00:42:56.17
is. There are no coincidences in
this life. Nothing is happening
00:42:56.17\00:42:59.17
by chance. God is control of
your life from stem to stern.
He's control of your life right
00:42:59.17\00:43:02.91
now while it feels out of
control and spiraling down. He
is smack-dab in the middle of
00:43:02.91\00:43:07.55
what you're going through right
now. It's not coincidental.
00:43:07.55\00:43:11.92
Everything is moving you
to the ending of a story. Mm.
00:43:11.92\00:43:18.89
Well, boy, they start happening.
And, by the way, the book of
00:43:18.93\00:43:22.20
Esther is set up around this
literary organizing principle.
00:43:22.20\00:43:25.03
There are two pairs of banquets
at the beginning, there are two
00:43:25.03\00:43:29.10
pairs of banquets at the end,
and in the smack-dab middle,
00:43:29.10\00:43:32.87
there are two banquets. I
should say there's a pair of
00:43:32.87\00:43:37.61
banquets at the beginning, a
pair at the end, and a pair, two
00:43:37.61\00:43:40.98
of them, right
here in the middle.
00:43:40.98\00:43:43.15
It was Aristotle who coined
the phrase, and that's what the
00:43:47.29\00:43:51.66
narrator -- the writer is
setting us up for this -- I'll
00:43:51.66\00:43:55.20
put the phrase on the --
the word on the screen for you.
00:43:55.20\00:43:58.67
Peripety. Nobody ever
uses that word. Peripety.
00:43:58.70\00:44:02.50
What does peripety mean? It's
the sudden turn of events that
reverses the outcome of a
00:44:02.50\00:44:06.88
story. That's a peripety,
and now they start coming.
00:44:06.88\00:44:09.84
Coincidences? No. Boom, boom.
Reversal, reversal, reversal,
00:44:09.84\00:44:13.08
reversal, reversal.
Watch this. You ready?
00:44:13.08\00:44:15.98
Okay, let's go to
those banquets. Come on.
00:44:15.98\00:44:19.52
The Holy Spirit grants wisdom
during those three days and
nights of fasting to Esther,
00:44:19.52\00:44:23.79
and she comes up with this
strategy. These two consecutive
00:44:23.79\00:44:28.50
banquets, she goes to king and
Haman and says, "Listen, I want
you eat with me today."
00:44:28.50\00:44:35.97
And the king said, "Haman, let's
go!" And they show up, and it's
00:44:35.97\00:44:40.18
just the three of them, and, oh,
my, it's just a wonderful --
having a little tea together
00:44:40.18\00:44:44.48
with the royal couple. And
Haman, his buttons are about to
00:44:44.48\00:44:49.72
burst off. Wow! Look at who I'm
eating with! At the end of the
00:44:49.72\00:44:54.92
meal, sort of just wiping off
the last crumbs, the king looks
at the queen and says, "Hey,
00:44:54.92\00:44:59.09
listen. There's a reason for
this. What is it you want?"
Listen, guys, when you get a
00:44:59.09\00:45:03.93
good meal... [
Laughter ] "What do you want?"
00:45:03.93\00:45:09.47
[ Laughs ] So, Esther says,
"Good question. I'll tell you
00:45:09.47\00:45:13.21
tomorrow." Brilliant, girl!
Brilliant. Now, it just so
happens between today and
00:45:13.21\00:45:20.75
tomorrow, there comes a
peripety, a sudden reversal of
fortune unexpected and utterly
00:45:20.75\00:45:26.59
perfectly timed, because the
king can't sleep that night. He
can't sleep! He finally calls
00:45:26.59\00:45:31.69
the servant, "Bring me the
chronicles of the kings. Let me
just hear some stories.
00:45:31.69\00:45:34.00
I'm just not tired at all." And
the servant starts reading the
stories, and the king is
00:45:34.00\00:45:38.17
reminded about somebody who
foiled an assassination plot,
and he says, "Hey, yo, servant.
00:45:38.17\00:45:42.40
Stop right there. Have we ever
done anything to show gratitude
00:45:42.40\00:45:47.84
to this man who has foiled the
plot and spared my life?" "Not
00:45:47.84\00:45:52.71
that I know, Your
Highness." "Hmm." Just then...
00:45:52.71\00:45:55.22
[ Knocking ] ...it's Haman.
00:45:55.22\00:45:58.89
The king says, "Haman,
you're here awfully early in the
00:46:01.42\00:46:05.99
morning." Oh, yes, he is,
because you know what has just
happened? Yesterday -- so this
00:46:05.99\00:46:10.53
is early morning before the
second banquet -- yesterday,
when Haman went home from the
00:46:10.53\00:46:15.64
first banquet, he walked by
Mordecai again and Mordecai...
00:46:15.64\00:46:21.38
wouldn't budge. He is so
infuriated by the time he gets
home, he says to his wife, "I'll
00:46:21.38\00:46:23.98
tell you what. I'm gonna kill
that man. I'm gonna kill him.
I'm gonna kill him."
00:46:23.98\00:46:26.45
And the wife and the friends
say, "Hey, that's a great idea.
Why don't you do that?
00:46:26.45\00:46:29.48
Why don't you put a big
gallows?" Because they impale
00:46:29.48\00:46:32.29
people in the Persian empire,
just run a stake through them.
"Put a big gallows, a pole for
00:46:32.29\00:46:36.42
impalement, and tomorrow, go ask
the king can you have the life
of Mordecai, this terrible
00:46:36.42\00:46:42.20
enemy, and we'll have him
impaled and then you're forever
00:46:42.20\00:46:47.07
free." So, he knocks at the door
early in the morning. "Haman,
what are you doing here
00:46:47.07\00:46:51.81
so early?" But before Haman
can say a word, he says, "Hey,
00:46:51.81\00:46:55.28
listen, Haman, I've just been
thinking, what would you do for
somebody who has done a great
00:46:55.28\00:47:01.15
favor to the king?" And Haman is
absolutely sure that the king is
00:47:01.15\00:47:05.15
talking about him, so Haman
comes up with this long list of
"I'd do this and this and this
00:47:05.15\00:47:09.99
and this," and the king finally,
when he's through, says, "Well
done. That's very good.
00:47:09.99\00:47:13.23
And, listen, would you please do
that for our friend Mordecai?" [
00:47:13.23\00:47:18.33
Laughter ] Peripety. [ Exhales
sharply ] Sudden reversal of
00:47:18.33\00:47:23.71
fortune. Mortified over
Mordecai. And Haman has to lead
him through the streets -- you
00:47:23.71\00:47:31.65
know the story. Ah.
Okay, so, it's morning.
00:47:31.65\00:47:35.05
Now it's time for the second
banquet. Okay, we're ready to
00:47:35.05\00:47:38.15
go. Second banquet. Chapter
7. So the king and Haman went to
00:47:38.15\00:47:41.62
Queen Esther's second banquet.
00:47:41.62\00:47:43.43
You got that there?
00:47:43.46\00:47:44.59
Look. "'If we had
been merely sold as
00:48:18.76\00:48:20.66
male and female slaves, I would
have kept quiet, because no such
00:48:20.66\00:48:23.26
distress should
justify disturbing the king.'"
00:48:23.26\00:48:25.23
And the king comes unglued.
He jumps up from his couch, "Who
00:48:25.23\00:48:29.30
would dare to destroy
you and your people?!"
00:48:29.30\00:48:32.84
Esther was waiting for
that moment, and she speaks.
00:48:34.81\00:48:39.08
She answers, verse 6.
00:48:39.08\00:48:40.92
The king goes postal. Explodes
and then furies out in the
palatial gardens just
00:48:48.12\00:48:55.06
trying to cool off, and Haman
realizes this is it. If there's
00:48:55.06\00:49:00.30
no help now, it's curtains. And
so he goes over to the couch
where she's reclining,
00:49:00.30\00:49:03.27
Queen Esther, and he throws
himself on that couch, begging
the queen for his life.
00:49:03.27\00:49:07.04
"Give me my life!" And the king
walks in just then. And he's on
00:49:07.04\00:49:10.81
the couch with the queen, and I
want to tell you, that was it. [
00:49:10.81\00:49:15.08
Exhales sharply ] Peripety.
Sudden reversal of fortune. And
now you have verse 10.
00:49:15.08\00:49:21.59
Who says God isn't personally
embedded in this narrative that
never breaths His name once?
00:49:35.44\00:49:43.95
And now you have Xerxes, and now
you have Mordecai, and now you
have Esther, and they are
00:49:46.38\00:49:51.09
frantically, desperately putting
countermeasures together to
counterman the edict that has
00:49:51.09\00:49:56.99
already gone out to all 127
provinces. They scramble. Pow!
00:49:56.99\00:50:01.46
There goes the royal signet just
in time. Talking about peripety,
00:50:01.46\00:50:05.37
a second countermanding order
reaches all 127 provinces of the
empire just in time, and the
00:50:05.37\00:50:11.97
Jewish race is
spared extermination.
00:50:11.97\00:50:14.81
Isn't that something? Peripety.
And, by the way, the pair of
00:50:17.05\00:50:23.52
banquets at the end, that's
the Jews celebrating, and it's
00:50:23.52\00:50:28.49
called Purim. Purim. They still
celebrate it today. What do they
00:50:28.49\00:50:31.86
celebrate? They celebrate the
mighty, Almighty God's mighty
at-the-last-minute reversal of
00:50:31.86\00:50:36.40
fortunes deliverance from their
enemies, and today they still
remember the intrepid exile
00:50:36.40\00:50:42.90
queen named Esther. So, here's
the question before we hurry out
00:50:42.90\00:50:46.68
of here. So what's that story
have to do with you and me? Oh,
listen to this very
00:50:46.68\00:50:50.45
carefully, because it is no
accident that the name of God
has been left out of the story.
00:50:50.45\00:50:55.82
By leaving the name out, the
writer has produced a
provocative and stunning
00:50:55.82\00:51:02.56
theological point. You ready for
this? And that is God does not
00:51:02.56\00:51:08.26
have to personally show up
anywhere, not in your life, not
in my life, to fulfill the
00:51:08.26\00:51:14.17
purpose He has always had for
you. He doesn't have to show up.
It's the great paradox, by the
00:51:14.17\00:51:21.38
way. He never shows
up once to exile Esther.
00:51:21.38\00:51:24.01
She just presses on in fasting.
She just presses on in trusting
that He'll be her guide and she
00:51:24.01\00:51:28.28
just is acting out what's in her
head. She's just following it,
00:51:28.28\00:51:31.52
but she's being given
instructions from the throne of
the universe, and God never
00:51:31.52\00:51:37.86
shows up. It's the great
paradox. God is all-powerfully
present, even where He is
00:51:37.86\00:51:44.57
conspicuously absent. Hang on to
that. As Karen Jobes notes, the
00:51:44.57\00:51:49.64
story of Esther explores the
intriguing interplay between
God's providence and human
00:51:49.64\00:51:53.84
decisions and actions. In other
words, hey, folks, this is it.
00:51:53.84\00:51:56.85
You just got to keep living. You
got to keep going. You got to
00:51:56.85\00:52:00.35
keep on believing. You got to
keep working. You got to keep
trying. You got to keep
00:52:00.35\00:52:03.49
trusting. You have to keep
hoping. Don't you ever let go.
00:52:03.49\00:52:07.59
Do you know why? This is a huge
mistake that I'm always making,
too. The story is still being
00:52:07.59\00:52:15.03
written. I'm always trying to
analyze my story in the middle
00:52:15.03\00:52:19.10
of it, saying, "God, I can't
figure out what's going on. Help
00:52:19.10\00:52:22.44
me out here. Give me a clue."
No, no, no, no. You don't
provide analysis and
00:52:22.44\00:52:26.04
commentary during a game. You
provide analysis and commentary
00:52:26.04\00:52:30.95
when the game is over.
True or false? But of course.
00:52:30.95\00:52:34.15
Our problem is we're trying to
analyze the story while we're
living it, and it makes
00:52:34.15\00:52:38.49
absolutely no sense to us, and
we are convinced -- Some of you
are going through something
00:52:38.49\00:52:44.89
right now, and it feels just as
if the Almighty God were a
billion times a billions miles
00:52:44.89\00:52:51.23
away from you. No sense of His
presence, no whispering in the
00:52:51.23\00:52:57.04
ear, no cavalry sent to rescue
you. You're going through this,
and it looks like it's going to
00:52:57.04\00:53:01.21
be curtains -- professionally,
physically, maritally,
00:53:01.21\00:53:10.55
financially. What you're doing
is you're analyzing the story,
and it is not over yet.
00:53:10.55\00:53:14.49
Do you understand that? They're
still writing your story, and
00:53:14.49\00:53:18.23
one day, when you read God's
backstory to your personal
story, you're gonna say to Him,
00:53:18.23\00:53:24.53
"My Lord and my God, that's what
You were doing to me. I had no
00:53:24.53\00:53:31.24
clue." And He didn't want you
to have a clue because it would
00:53:31.24\00:53:34.64
have frozen you. You would have
leaned back. You wouldn't have
trusted. You would have been
00:53:34.64\00:53:38.61
paralyzed. And He said, "I can't
have that. Make the guy think
he's going through this all
00:53:38.61\00:53:43.72
alone. Make her think she
has been abandoned. But keep her
00:53:43.72\00:53:49.69
going. Keep her going.
Don't let her quit." Wow.
00:53:49.69\00:53:57.10
Yeah. "I will never leave
you. I will never leave you or
00:53:57.10\00:54:02.90
forsake you." Truth is, when God
is nowhere to be seen, He is, in
00:54:02.90\00:54:11.85
fact, behind the scene. Would
you put that on the screen,
00:54:11.85\00:54:14.78
please? That's the take-home
line. No study guide today.
Would you just lock that in the
00:54:14.78\00:54:19.09
gray matter of your bright mind?
When God is nowhere to be seen,
He is, in fact, behind the
00:54:19.09\00:54:26.19
scene. He's at
work. He's at work.
00:54:26.19\00:54:31.10
You haven't seen the end of your
story. One day, high-fiving, you
00:54:31.10\00:54:36.30
will learn He is at work. Esther
never knew. She just kept living
00:54:36.30\00:54:45.05
and hoping and trying
and trusting and praying and
00:54:45.05\00:54:52.85
believing. Wow. Just because
you're in exile does not mean
God is in exile. See, we tend to
00:54:52.85\00:54:57.99
put God in exile with us. Oh,
He's with you, but He's not in
00:54:57.99\00:55:01.70
exile. He's roaming the whole
universe simultaneously. He
said, "I'm in control."
00:55:01.70\00:55:06.90
You got to trust Him. Come on,
what's that line? Romans 8:28.
00:55:06.90\00:55:11.54
In fact, let's do this one out
loud together. Romans 8:28...
00:55:11.54\00:55:15.18
I'm telling you. When God is
nowhere to be seen, He's, in
fact, behind the scene
00:55:26.32\00:55:34.93
working it all out. Don't quit,
please. Don't quit, don't quit.
00:55:34.93\00:55:40.40
Do not quit. He's on your side.
And He'll never leave you or
00:55:40.40\00:55:46.84
forsake you. In fact, I got to
tell you this before I sit down.
00:55:46.84\00:55:49.41
Speaking of peripety, the
greatest peripety in the
universe, the greatest reversal
00:55:49.41\00:55:54.92
of ultimate fortune happened at
Calvary. It looked like it was
00:55:54.92\00:56:03.06
down... the sink.
00:56:03.06\00:56:05.26
Over. "You lost.
00:56:05.29\00:56:08.43
We had hoped it was You.
Obviously it is not You."
00:56:08.43\00:56:13.13
The greatest peripety, the
sudden reversal of fortune, is
00:56:13.13\00:56:17.34
wrapped up in the story
of Jesus' death, burial,
00:56:17.34\00:56:20.98
resurrection, and soon
coming. He's coming again.
00:56:20.98\00:56:25.08
He's gonna reverse every fortune
when he returns the last time.
00:56:25.08\00:56:30.49
And He's coming. He's coming
soon. You're in exile like I am.
00:56:30.52\00:56:35.06
Yep, we're in exile. But,
fellow exiles, don't give up.
00:56:35.06\00:56:43.87
God has not forsaken you. And
the best is yet to come. Amen.
00:56:43.87\00:56:52.64
Amen. >> Before you go, let
me take an extra moment to share
00:56:57.41\00:56:59.75
with you an opportunity to get
into the Bible in a fresh, new
00:56:59.75\00:57:02.75
way. All across the world, more
and more people are hearing the
00:57:02.75\00:57:05.82
call to examine
Scriptures for themselves.
00:57:05.82\00:57:07.76
If you felt drawn to learn more
about God's Word but you don't
00:57:07.76\00:57:10.66
know where to start or you're
just looking for a more in-depth
00:57:10.66\00:57:13.50
examination of Bible truths,
then I have something right here
00:57:13.50\00:57:16.60
that I believe
you're going to enjoy.
00:57:16.60\00:57:18.53
I want to send a series
of guides to get you started.
00:57:18.53\00:57:21.14
This one's entitled "Why
Does God Allow Suffering?"
00:57:21.14\00:57:23.87
Each guide begins with a story,
an introduction of the subject.
00:57:23.87\00:57:26.98
Then, through a
series of focus questions,
00:57:26.98\00:57:28.88
you'll be learning portions
of the Bible you may never
00:57:28.88\00:57:31.01
have known before, and when
you're through, you'll be able
00:57:31.01\00:57:33.25
to share with others some of
these inspiring Bible truths.
00:57:33.25\00:57:36.02
So just call our
toll-free number.
00:57:36.02\00:57:37.69
It's on the screen --
877 -- the two words --
00:57:37.69\00:57:40.49
HIS-WILL. Our friendly operators
00:57:40.49\00:57:42.72
are standing by to send
these study guides to you.
00:57:42.72\00:57:44.69
Once again, that's 877-HIS-WILL.
00:57:44.69\00:57:48.03
Call that number, and
then, again, join me next week
00:57:48.03\00:57:52.47
right here at this same
time. "New Perceptions."
00:57:52.47\00:57:55.47
¤¤ ¤¤
00:57:59.87\00:58:19.26
¤¤
00:58:19.26\00:58:28.80