September 28 2025

Frankie / General Adult

Esther 4:13-14

1. 1. I want to start by telling you about a time I was in my own locked room. I had just finished seminary in Toronto in 2015. I had the degree, the training, but I had absolutely no hope for the next step. I was facing a completely unseen future, and I was desperate to know what to do. My plans had run out, and I felt trapped by uncertainty. It was in that moment of desperation that God led me here, to Saskatchewan—what some might call the middle of nowhere. It made no logical sense. I couldn't see the full picture, and honestly, I still don't know God's entire plan. But in that step of faith, I found my direction. I learned that I don't need to have the whole map for my life. I just need to know the next step, and I know that God is my direction. My future is still unseen, but I don't fear it anymore, because I've learned that Jesus is the light and the Way. 

2. That feeling of being completely lost, of having all your plans fall apart and hiding from an uncertain future... that's exactly where we find in the story of Esther. We can find what she responded to her unseen and insecure situation. Let us read Esther 4:13-14.

Esther 4:13–14 NASB 2020

Then Mordecai told them to reply to Esther, “Do not imagine that you in the king’s palace can escape any more than all the other Jews. For if you keep silent at this time, liberation and rescue will arise for the Jews from another place, and you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?”

3. The story of Esther takes place in the mighty Persian Empire, during the rule of King Ahasuerus, who is often identified as King Xerxes I. The setting is the capital city of Susa, a center of great wealth and power. At this point in the story, the Jewish people, who were living in exile throughout the empire, were facing a time of great crisis. Their very lives were in danger.

It all started with a high-ranking official named Haman. The king promoted him to be the most powerful leader in the kingdom, right below the king himself. The king commanded everyone to bow down to Haman, but a devout Jewish man named Mordecai, who was Queen Esther's cousin, refused. This refusal enraged Haman. His personal anger quickly grew into a monstrous hatred for all Jewish people. He then manipulated the king with lies, convincing him to issue a royal decree that could not be reversed. This law called for the complete destruction of all Jews—men, women, and children—on a single, appointed day. Now, Queen Esther was a Jewish orphan who had been raised by Mordecai. On his advice, she had kept her Jewish identity a secret from the king. She lived in the safety and luxury of the palace, seemingly unaware of the terrible threat her people were facing. When Mordecai learned of this devastating decree, he was heartbroken. He sent a message to Esther, urging her to go before the king and plead for the lives of her people. Esther’s first reaction was fear, and for good reason. According to Persian law, anyone who approached the king uninvited would be put to death unless the king held out his golden scepter. To make matters worse, she hadn't been summoned by the king in over a month. In response to her fear and hesitation, Mordecai sent her the powerful words we find in our text today. He challenged her to look beyond her own safety, reminding her that even the palace walls would not protect her. He urged her to consider that her royal position was not an accident. He asked her to see that perhaps God had placed her there for this very moment, “for such a time as this.”

4. One of the most striking things about the Book of Esther is that we don't find God giving direct commands to Mordecai or Esther. There are no burning bushes or voices from heaven. Instead, what we see are human plans and a desperate situation. Mordecai and Esther are vulnerable and insecure, caught in a dangerous political crisis. They can't see the next step, and they don't have a clear roadmap for their lives. This raises a powerful question for us: What does this story teach us about God's guidance, especially when we can't see or hear Him clearly?

5. First, it teaches us that God's care is quiet but constant. Think about Mordecai's amazing faith. He said, "liberation and rescue will arise for the Jews from another place." His ultimate hope wasn't in Esther; his hope was in God. He was declaring that even if the person he was counting on didn't step up, God would not abandon His people. Mordecai knew that the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob always keeps His promises. He was standing firmly on the truth that God had promised to protect His people. We see this same pattern of God working behind the scenes all throughout the Bible. Remember the story of Joseph? After being betrayed by his brothers, sold into slavery, and unfairly put in prison for years, he finally understood God’s bigger plan. He said to his brothers, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” Joseph couldn't see God's purpose when he was in the pit or the prison, but God was always working.

Genesis 50:20 ESV

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.

6. This is a really important truth for us to hold onto: just because God is silent doesn't mean He is absent. It's interesting that God’s name is never actually mentioned in the book of Esther, but you can see His handiwork all over the story. It’s like looking at the back of a beautiful tapestry. From our side, all we see is a mess of tangled threads and random knots. But on the other side, the Master Weaver is creating something beautiful. While we are worrying, He is weaving. The Apostle Paul gives us this wonderful promise in Romans 8:28. Even when we can't see His hand, we can always trust His heart. He is always at work.

Romans 8:28 NIV

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

7. If you look closely at the stories in the Bible, you'll notice a pattern. God often does His most powerful work not when things are peaceful and secure, but when people are facing insecure and uncomfortable situations. It is in those moments of uncertainty that God makes His presence known, and people begin to truly experience Him. In fact, God uses these unseen situations to teach us a vital lesson. He wants to show us that He doesn't need our stable plans or our human abilities to accomplish His will. What He desires most is our faith and a heart that is turned toward Him. Think about it: if our own efforts were enough, God would not have needed to send His only Son. The story of salvation shows us that God doesn't depend on human resources. Instead, He calls for our faith and our trust in Him.

Psalm 46:10–11 NLT

“Be still, and know that I am God! I will be honored by every nation. I will be honored throughout the world.” The Lord of Heaven’s Armies is here among us; the God of Israel is our fortress. 

8. Second, God is in complete control, but He invites us to be part of His plan. Think about Mordecai’s challenge to Esther: “And who knows whether you have not come to your royal position for such a time as this?” This wasn’t a threat; it was an invitation. Mordecai was confident that God would save His people one way or another. He knew that if Esther stayed silent, help would still come from somewhere else. So, the real question wasn’t if God would act, but who God would use to do it. God was inviting Esther to play a central role in His amazing rescue story. This shows us a wonderful truth about our faith: God is sovereign, yet He chooses to work through our decisions and our actions. Paul talks about this partnership in Philippians 2:13.

Philippians 2:13 ESV

for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.

God doesn’t just give us a task to do; He also gives us the desire and the strength to carry it out. The invitation to join Him always comes from Him. Esther’s response shows a powerful change from fear to faith. Her first instinct was to protect herself. But her final decision was to trust God completely. When she says, “If I perish, I perish,” she isn’t being reckless; she is showing absolute devotion. That is the sound of a heart fully surrendered to God’s will, no matter the personal cost. She was living out the very principle Jesus would teach centuries later:

Matthew 16:25 NASB 2020

For whoever wants to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

By stepping forward in faith, Esther chose her true identity as a child of God over her temporary safety as a queen. She chose obedience to God’s call over the comfort of her palace. In the same way, God calls each of us. He has placed you in your family, your workplace, and your community “for such a time as this.” He is inviting you, right where you are, to be a part of what He is doing in the world.

9. This past week, I had a conversation that helped me understand even more deeply what Esther was experiencing. The question was about how God's sovereignty and our response work together in faith.

Double Predestination

This view teaches that God reaches out and takes hold of certain people to save them. Who He chooses to save is entirely up to Him. The call, then, is to examine your faith and see if God is holding you. Once God takes hold, He never lets go. Therefore, salvation cannot be taken away. For those who fall away from the faith, it is understood that God's saving grace was never truly with them to begin with.

The Wesleyan View

This view teaches that God extends His hand of saving grace to every person. It is our choice, through our free will, to take hold of that gracious hand. While we could never reach for that hand unless God offered it first, He graciously extends it to everyone. Therefore, the responsibility to respond is ours. We are called to run the race of faith, holding onto His hand, until the very end. From this perspective, salvation isn't something that can be cancelled or taken back; rather, it is a relationship with God that we are called to continue and grow in until the very end.

10. So, this brings us to an important idea we could call "Responsive Free Will." Here’s what it means in simple terms.

First, salvation begins 100% with God's grace. We can't start this journey on our own. Instead, God reaches out first, giving everyone the ability and the opportunity to respond to Him.

Second, God's grace treats us as real people, not as robots. He created us to be responsible individuals who are called to answer His invitation to turn from our sins and believe in Him.

Third, the process of salvation works through God’s gentle persuasion. The Holy Spirit works in our hearts, showing us through the gospel just how good and beautiful Jesus is. This becomes the most compelling reason to follow Him.

Finally, this means our faith is a free response, not a forced one. When we are drawn to this goodness and choose Christ, it is a genuine decision we make freely. It isn't something forced upon us, even though it was God's grace that made it possible in the first place.

This is exactly what we see in Esther's response. When she said 'If I perish, I perish,' she was demonstrating this beautiful partnership between God's grace and our faithful response. She trusted God's sovereignty while taking full responsibility for her decision.

11. Third, when you can’t see the road ahead, follow Esther’s example of how to act faithfully. When she faced an impossible situation, what did she do? She showed us a very practical and powerful way to handle things. First, she started with prayer and community. Before she made a plan, she called for everyone to fast. In Esther 4:16, she says, 

Esther 4:16 NKJV

“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 knew she could not face this crisis alone. She drew strength from her community and found her courage by turning to God. We are not meant to face our fears alone. When we feel lost, the first step is to gather with God’s people and bring our worries to Him together. As the Bible says in Ecclesiastes 4:9-10, 

Ecclesiastes 4:9–10 ESV

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!

12 Second, after hearing the hard truth from Mordecai, she humbly accepted the situation and took the next step in faith. She didn’t know if her plan would work. Mordecai didn’t know either. The phrase ‘Who knows?’ is a way of saying that the outcome is in God’s hands. Our job isn't to control the results; our job is to be obedient right here, right now. You don’t need the whole map for your life; you just need to know the next step. This is the kind of guidance God gives, as described in Psalm 119:105: 

Psalm 119:105 MSG

By your words I can see where I’m going; they throw a beam of light on my dark path.

A lamp doesn't light up the whole road ahead. It just gives enough light for you to see where to put your foot next, so you don’t stumble in the dark. Often, that next step isn’t some big mystery; it's the simple, obedient thing you already know you should do. This brings the story to us, right here and now. Where might God be placing you ‘for such a time as this’? Your moment probably won't be about standing before a king. It will most likely be in your everyday life. It might be at your office, where you have a chance to speak honestly when others are taking shortcuts. It might be at your kitchen table, where you can show patience and love to a family member who is struggling. It might be in your classroom, where you can stand up for a student who is being bullied. It might be in your neighborhood, with the new family that just moved in and needs a friendly face. Perhaps the God we cannot see has placed you exactly where a word of encouragement is needed, where a brave step needs to be taken, or where a neighbor needs to be shown the love of Christ. You may not see the whole picture—Esther certainly didn’t—but you can trust the God who sees it all, and you can take that next step in faith.

13. When I decided to move to Saskatchewan, it wasn't because I heard a clear voice from God, like Abraham did. Instead, I was facing an unknown future, much like Esther was. So, I had to stop and remember why I came to Canada in the first place. It wasn't just about immigrating; my real purpose was to study theology and prepare for God's calling on my life. I knew I wanted to serve in a Canadian church ministry. The problem was, I didn't even know where Saskatchewan was on a map. I had also never lived in a small, rural area before. To be honest, I was scared. But in that moment of uncertainty, I felt God was asking me to show my faith, just as Esther did. So, taking that step of faith, I made the decision to move. And from that day until now, I have experienced God’s guidance every single moment.

14. We often think that God's work is only about giving us blessings and peaceful situations. Of course, peace is a gift from God, and when He gives it, we should thankfully enjoy it. However, God's most profound work in us often doesn't happen when everything is calm and easy. Instead, what God always asks of us is faith. It is through faith that we can see His work and feel His guidance, even when our situation seems hopeless or the future is unclear. So, perhaps instead of only asking God to change our circumstances to be good and peaceful, we should ask for something more. Let's ask God to give us a firm faith in Christ, no matter what we face—especially when we cannot see the way forward. Let us remember that God is always with us in our moments of uncertainty and insecurity, because He is our God, and we are His people.

Podcast: https://notebooklm.google.com/notebook/fc76e2c3-1c55-4e10-9134-6396ded4a157?artifactId=2f2b1cf5-4dab-4e45-972b-a1bf88a21d3e

Quiz: Short-Answer Questions

Answer the following questions in 2-3 sentences each, based on the provided source material.

1. What personal experience does the author share to illustrate the feeling of facing an unseen and uncertain future?

2. According to the text, what was Esther's initial reaction to Mordecai's request to approach the king, and what was the reason for her fear?

3. How does the text explain Mordecai’s faith when he states that "liberation and rescue will arise for the Jews from another place"?

4. Explain the analogy of the tapestry used in the text to describe God's work.

5. What two theological views on salvation are contrasted in the source document?

6. Briefly define the concept of "Responsive Free Will" as outlined in the text.

7. What was the first step Esther took to prepare for her "impossible situation," and what does this demonstrate?

8. How does the source use the image of a lamp from Psalm 119:105 to describe the nature of God's guidance?

9. Who was Haman, and what was the motivation behind his plot to destroy the Jewish people?

10. The text states that God often does His most powerful work in insecure and uncomfortable situations. What does God desire from people in these moments instead of their own stable plans?

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Answer Key

1. The author shares the experience of finishing seminary in Toronto in 2015 with a degree but no hope or plan for the next step. Facing a completely unseen future, the author felt trapped by uncertainty until a step of faith led them to Saskatchewan.

2. Esther's first reaction was fear. According to Persian law, anyone who approached the king uninvited would be put to death unless the king extended his golden scepter, and Esther had not been summoned for over a month.

3. Mordecai's statement reveals that his ultimate hope was not in Esther but in God. He had profound faith that God would not abandon His people and would keep His promises to protect them, even if Esther failed to act.

4. The text likens God's work to the back of a beautiful tapestry, which appears to be a mess of tangled threads and knots. From the other side, however, the Master Weaver is creating something beautiful, illustrating that while we see chaos, God is always weaving a purposeful plan.

5. The text contrasts the "Double Predestination" view and "The Wesleyan View." Double Predestination holds that God chooses specific people to save, and this salvation cannot be lost, while the Wesleyan View holds that God extends saving grace to everyone, and individuals must respond with their free will to accept it.

6. "Responsive Free Will" is the idea that salvation begins 100% with God's grace, which reaches out first and gives everyone the ability to respond. This grace treats people as responsible individuals who are called to make a free, not forced, choice to follow Christ.

7. Esther's first step was to call her community together for prayer and fasting for three days. This demonstrates that she knew she could not face the crisis alone and that strength and courage are found by turning to God with His people.

8. The source explains that a lamp, as described in the psalm, does not light up the entire road ahead. It provides just enough light to see the very next step, illustrating that God's guidance often reveals only what is immediately necessary for obedience, not the whole map.

9. Haman was a high-ranking official in the Persian Empire, promoted to be the most powerful leader under King Ahasuerus. His plot was motivated by his rage when Mordecai, a devout Jew, refused to bow down to him, which turned his personal anger into a hatred for all Jewish people.

10. In insecure moments, God does not need human abilities or stable plans to accomplish His will. What He desires most is our faith and a heart that is turned toward Him, calling for trust in Him rather than reliance on human resources.