Cornerstone Class Outline for 5/12/19
·
Announcements,
praises and prayer requests—Joe or Vicki Kerns, or Dawn Eden
·
Introduction:
o
Continuing
lawn-and-garden adventures
 |
| https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07HNQKB1L |
§ My attempt at burning the big pile thwarted by LRAPA’s
burn ban
·
I’d like to start
by reading 2 Corinthians 12:9, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for
you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the
more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.”
o
God allowed
Paul’s thorn in the flesh so that Paul would stay humble and dependent upon God
o
In my own life,
I’ve found that I don’t experience God’s strength or victory unless I first
experience and recognize my weakness. Basically, apart from him, I can do
nothing.
§ John 15:5 says, “I
am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will
bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
o
Esther had to
first approach Xerxes in complete vulnerability and weakness in order to save
her own life and the lives of the Jewish people. Fortunately, Xerxes extended
the gold scepter and Esther experienced victory.
o
Our greatest
example of weakness turning into victory was Jesus death on the cross. His
seeming defeat was turned to victory when He was raised from the dead.
·
A quick recap of
Esther 2:19-3:4
o
Esther became
Xerxes new queen, having replaced the deposed Queen Vashti.
o
She continued to
keep her Jewish identity secret from Xerxes, as Mordecai had instructed her.
o
Mordecai
uncovered a plot to assassinate Xerxes
o
Xerxes promoted
Haman to the highest government position, second to the king
o
Mordecai repeatedly
refused to bow to Haman
o
Mordecai revealed
his Jewish identity to the royal officials, who would then tell Haman, a hater
of the Jews.
·
Let’s read Esther
3:5-9 NIV
5 When Haman saw that Mordecai would not kneel down or
pay him honor, he was enraged. 6 Yet having learned who Mordecai's people were,
he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to
destroy all Mordecai's people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of
Xerxes. 7 In the twelfth year of King Xerxes, in the first month, the month of
Nisan, the pur (that is, the lot) was cast in the presence of Haman to select a
day and month. And the lot fell on the twelfth month, the month of Adar.
8 Then Haman said to King Xerxes, "There is a
certain people dispersed among the peoples in all the provinces of your kingdom
who keep themselves separate. Their customs are different from those of all
other people, and they do not obey the king's laws; it is not in the king's
best interest to tolerate them. 9 If it pleases the king, let a decree be
issued to destroy them, and I will give ten thousand talents of silver to the
king's administrators for the royal treasury."
·
QUESTIONS on
verses 5-9
o
From childhood, Haman
probably was taught the bloody history between Israel and the Amalekites, and
he was likely raised to hate the Jews, especially those from the tribe of
Benjamin. If you were to dialogue with
an anti-Semite today, how would you persuade them to change?
§ If they were willing, I’d share the Gospel with them
§ If they claimed to be a Christian, I’d ask them if
they knew Jesus was a Jew. Also, most of the early disciples were Jewish.
o
When Haman approached Xerxes about his evil plan, what
information did Haman withhold from the king?
§ He didn’t mention that his anger toward Mordecai was
the motive behind his plan to annihilate the Jews.
§ He didn’t mention that the “certain people” were Jewish.
·
Let’s read Esther
3:10-15 NIV
10 So the king took his signet ring from his finger
and gave it to Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, the enemy of the Jews. 11
"Keep the money," the king said to Haman, "and do with the
people as you please." 12 Then on the thirteenth day of the first month
the royal secretaries were summoned. They wrote out in the script of each
province and in the language of each people all Haman's orders to the king's
satraps, the governors of the various provinces and the nobles of the various
peoples. These were written in the name of King Xerxes himself and sealed with
his own ring. 13 Dispatches were sent by couriers to all the king's provinces
with the order to destroy, kill and annihilate all the Jews—young and old,
women and children—on a single day, the thirteenth day of the twelfth month,
the month of Adar, and to plunder their goods. 14 A copy of the text of the
edict was to be issued as law in every province and made known to the people of
every nationality so they would be ready for that day. 15 The couriers went
out, spurred on by the king's command, and the edict was issued in the citadel
of Susa. The king and Haman sat down to drink, but the city of Susa was
bewildered.
·
QUESTIONS on
verses 10-15
o
Why do you think Xerxes was so apathetic and
unquestioning about Haman’s evil plan?
§ Xerxes believed Haman’s scenario about the troublesome
“certain people.”
§ The king may have believed this was a good way to
prevent a more serious future rebellion
§ The king had a tendency to allow his officials to
dictate policy. For example, officials previously manipulated Xerxes in his
decision concerning Queen Vashti’s insubordination
o
By giving the
signet ring to Haman, Xerxes showed complete trust in Haman. What errors in leadership were reflected in
Xerxes by placing so much power in the hands of Haman?
§ A good leader should never allow a subordinate to have
carte blanche power
§ A good leader should always question his officials
about major policy decisions
o
What leadership lessons can we learn from Xerxes bad
example?
§ A good leader shouldn’t pass laws forcing respect from
the people
§ A leader should care for the people
§ Tyranny results in the oppression of the people
§ A good leader should be aware of the details of major
policy decisions
§ A good leader should be humble
§ A good leader should value honesty and integrity
§ A good leader needs to be a good judge of character
o
In verse 15, what do you think is meant that “the city
of Susa was bewildered.”?
§ I think this meant that many, perhaps the majority of
the population, were sympathetic toward the Jews and were horrified by Haman’s
edict.
·
Application/Conclusion
·
Closing prayer
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