“Jesus
and others Did It Anyway” #5
Pastor Mike Barnett
THEME: OPENNESS AND HONESTY MAKE YOU VULNERABLE TO
BEING HURT – BE OPEN AND HONEST ANYWAY WHEN GOD ASKS YOU TO BE!
(pg.
354-356) Refer to Esther 2:1-17, Esther 3:1-14, Esther 4:7-11, Esther 5:1-14
·
I admire the courage of Esther, whose story is told
in this Old Testament passage.
·
Esther knew that being open and honest would put her life
at risk, but she was open and honest anyway.
·
King Xeres banished his queen because she had
disobeyed his command.
·
His personal attendants then launched a search to
find a beautiful young woman who would become the new queen.
·
Esther, a Jewish girl who was “lovely in the form and
features,” was an orphan raised by her uncle Mordecai.
·
She was discovered during the King’s search, and the
king was so attracted to her that he set the royal crown on her head and made
her queen.
·
Esther did not reveal her nationality and family
background to the king because Mordecai told her not to.
·
Some time later, the king elevated a nobleman named
Haman, giving him a seat of honor above the other nobles.
·
The king commanded that the royal officials at the
king’s gate knelt down to Haman, but Mordecai, who sat at the king’s gate,
would not kneel.
·
Haman was enraged.
·
When he learned that Mordecai was Jewish, he
determined to kill all the Jews throughout the kingdom.
·
He obtained the kings permission to issue an edict in
the King’s name, and dispatches were sent out to the provinces ordering the
death of all Jews, young and old, woman and children, several months later.
·
Mordecai sent a message to Esther, urging her to go
to the king to beg for mercy and plead for her people, the Israelites.
·
This was a risky thing to do, because according to
the law, any man or woman who approached the king in the inner court without
his permission would be put to death.
·
The only exception occurred when the king extended
his golden scepter to the intruder, a symbol that the intruder’s life should be
spared.
·
Esther had not been called by the king for thirty
days, and didn’t know when she might be called again in the future.
·
If she went on her own, and the king did not extend
his golden scepter, she would die.
·
Furthermore, Esther could not plead for her people
without revealing her own identity as a Jew.
·
If the King became angered by the revelation, he
could banish her, as he had banished the previous queen, or he could simply
make sure that Esther died with her people when the edict against all Jews was
carried out.
·
Esther knew that being honest and frank would make
her vulnerable.
·
If she went to the king, revealed her identity, and
pleaded for her people, she would be risking her life.
·
But she put on her royal robes and went to the inner
court anyway.
·
Fortunately, the king held out his golden scepter and
welcomed her.
·
Esther invited the king and Haman to a banquet that
day.
·
During the banquet, the king’s curiosity grew…What
did Esther want?
·
She said that if he and Haman would come to share a
banquet with again the next day, she would tell him.
·
After the banquet, Haman was in high spirits.
·
He bragged to his friends and family about how he was
the only person that the queen had invited to accompany the king to the banquet
– and she invited him to accompany the king to another banquet the next day.
·
The only thing that made him unhappy was Mordecai,
sitting at the king’s gate.
·
Haman’s wife and friends suggested that he have a
gallows built, and ask the king the next morning to have Mordecai hanged.
·
Haman was delighted with the idea and had the gallows
built.
·
The following day Esther met with King Xerxes and
Haman.
(Pg. 357) Esther 7:1-10 says:
1
So the king and Haman went to dine with Queen Esther, 2
and as they were drinking wine on that second day, the king again asked,
"Queen Esther, what is your petition? It will be given you. What is your
request? Even up to half the kingdom, it will be granted." 3 Then Queen Esther answered, "If I have found favor with
you, O king, and if it pleases your majesty, grant me my life—this is my
petition. And spare my people—this is my request. 4 For
I and my people have been sold for destruction and slaughter and annihilation.
If we had merely been sold as male and female slaves, I would have kept quiet,
because no such distress would justify disturbing the king. [a] " 5 King Xerxes
asked Queen Esther, "Who is he? Where is the man who has dared to do such
a thing?" 6 Esther said, "The adversary and enemy
is this vile Haman." Then Haman was terrified before the king and queen. 7 The king got up in a rage, left his wine and went out into
the palace garden. But Haman, realizing that the king had already decided his
fate, stayed behind to beg Queen Esther for his life. 8
Just as the king returned from the palace garden to the banquet hall, Haman was
falling on the couch where Esther was reclining. The king exclaimed, "Will
he even molest the queen while she is with me in the house?" As soon as
the word left the king's mouth, they covered Haman's face. 9
Then Harbona, one of the eunuchs attending the king, said, "A gallows
seventy-five feet [b] high stands by Haman's house. He had it
made for Mordecai, who spoke up to help the king." The king said,
"Hang him on it!" 10 So they hanged Haman on
the gallows he had prepared for Mordecai. Then the king's fury subsided.
·
At this second banquet, Esther asked the king for her
life and the life of her people.
·
She told the King that she and her people had been
sold for destruction and slaughter.
·
The King asked who had threatened to kill them all,
and she informed the King that it was Hamen.
·
When the King learned this, he decided to hang Hamen
on the gallows that Hamen had built for Mordecai.
·
The edict against the Jews was overturned, and the
Jews were given the right to assemble and protect themselves against their
enemies.
·
For Esther’s people, it was a time of joy and
gladness.
·
Esther could have been put to death for approaching
the King, without his permission, but she stepped out in faith anyway.
·
By being _________________(open) about her ____________________(identity)
and ____________________(honest) about the impact of Hamen’s edict, Esther made
herself _______________________(vulnerable), but she was open and honest _____________________(anyway).
·
The result was that she saved herself and her people
from death.
·
Jesus was open and honest, and it made him
vulnerable, too.
·
JESUS WAS OPEN AND HONEST EVEN THOUGH IT MADE HIM
MORE VULNERABLE TO BE ATTACKED.
(Pg. 760) John 10:23-31 says:
23and Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon's
Colonnade. 24The Jews gathered around him, saying,
"How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ,[a] tell us plainly." 25Jesus answered, "I did tell you, but you do not
believe. The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me, 26but
you do not believe because you are not my sheep. 27My
sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. 28I
give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out
of my hand. 29My Father, who has given them to me, is
greater than all[b]; no one can snatch them out of my Father's
hand. 30I and the Father are one." 31Again
the Jews picked up stones to stone him.
·
This passage in the gospel of John tells us that when
Jesus was in the temple area walking in Solomon’s Colonade, the Jews came and
asked him: “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Christ, tell
us plainly.”
·
Jesus answered, saying: “ I did tell you, but you did
not believe…I and the Father are one.”
·
JESUS PROCLAIMED TO BE THE CHRIST WHO GIVES ETERNAL
LIFE!
·
And how did the Jews respond to this openness and
honesty?
·
Again the Jews picked up some stones to stone him.”
·
Jesus continued to be very angry towards scribes and
Pharisees, speaking openly about the way they behaved, calling it hypocrisy.
·
Jesus called them hypocrites, blind guides, snakes,
and a brood of vipers.
(pg. 700) Jesus said in Matthew 23:13-33:
13"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees,
you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces. You yourselves
do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.[a] 15"Woe to you,
teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea
to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a
son of hell as you are. 16"Woe to you, blind
guides! You say, 'If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if
anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.' 17You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple
that makes the gold sacred? 18You also say, 'If anyone
swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it,
he is bound by his oath.' 19You blind men! Which is
greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? 20Therefore,
he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. 21And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one
who dwells in it. 22And he who swears by heaven swears
by God's throne and by the one who sits on it. 23"Woe
to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of
your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important
matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced
the latter, without neglecting the former. 24You blind
guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. 25"Woe
to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the
outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and
self-indulgence. 26Blind Pharisee! First clean the
inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. 27"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you
hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside
but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean. 28In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as
righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness. 29"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you
hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the
righteous. 30And you say, 'If we had lived in the days
of our forefathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the
blood of the prophets.' 31So you testify against
yourselves that you are the descendants of those who murdered the prophets. 32Fill up, then, the measure of the sin of your forefathers! 33"You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape
being condemned to hell?
·
The scribes and Pharisees were stung by his words.
·
They plotted to trick Jesus by asking him questions
that would trap him into to saying things that were treasonous or heretical.
·
Before long, the Jewish leaders wanted him dead.
·
They waited for the right time to catch Jesus and
destroy him.
·
Jesus’ openness and honesty made him vulnerable, but
even in the midst of the ____________________(testing) and _________________________(threats),
Jesus continued to be open and honest ___________________(anyway).
8 STEPS TO BEING MORE OPEN AND HONEST:
1) REALIZE
THERE IS A _______________(TIME) TO REMAIN ___________________________(SILENT)
AND THERE IS A TIME TO ________________________(SPEAK).
NOTE: And we should remember that some truths should be
spoken to only a _______________(few); some should be spoken in a _______________________(confidential)
setting; and some truths do not ______________(need) to be spoken at all.
(Pg. 473) Ecclesiastes 3:1-7 says:
1
There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under
heaven:
2 a time to be
born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to
kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to
weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to
scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
6 a time to
search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to
tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
2) DO NOT SPEAK JUST TO ____________________(VENT)
YOUR _______________________(ANGER) OR TO _______________________(VALIDATE)
YOURSELF – IN OTHER WORDS…DON’T BE _______________________(SELFISH).
(Pg. 858) 1 Peter 3:8-9 says:
8Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one
another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. 9Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with
blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing.
·
SPOKEN ANGER ______________________(KILLS)
YOUR BROTHER/SISTER IN CHRIST AND GIVES THE ________________________(DEVIL) A
FOOTHOLD.
(Pg. 684) Matthew 5:21-26 says:
21"You
have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder,[a] and anyone who murders will be subject to
judgment.' 22But I tell you that anyone who is angry
with his brother[b]will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone
who says to his brother, 'Raca,[c]' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone
who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell. 23"Therefore,
if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother
has something against you, 24leave your gift there in
front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and
offer your gift. 25"Settle matters quickly with
your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still with him
on the way, or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you
over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison. 26I
tell you the truth, you will not get out until you have paid the last penny.[d]
(Pg. 829) Ephesians 4:25-30 says:
(pg. 829)
Ephesians
25Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and
speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body. 26"In your anger do not sin"[a]: Do not let the sun go down while you are
still angry, 27and do not give the devil a foothold. 28He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must
work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to
share with those in need. 29Do not let any
unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building
others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were
sealed for the day of redemption.
3) DO NOT REMAIN _________________(SILENT) JUST
BECAUSE THERE IS THE __________________(RISK) THAT YOU MAY GET
__________________(HURT) – PERHAPS GOD IS ASKING YOU TO TAKE THE HIT
ANYWAY….WHEN OTHERS CAN GET HURT IN THE PROCESS HOWEVER, THAT IS ANOTHER STORY.
·
It is impossible to build strong, positive, caring
relationships with my family, friends, and colleagues, or those I serve unless
I am open and honest with them.
·
There are risk in doing this – I could get hurt.
·
When I are open and honest with others, they may ________________________(misunderstand)
me, or become uncomfortable with me or even seek to
________________________(retaliate) against me.
·
Being open and honest makes me vulnerable, but it is
worth the _________________(risk) because it ____________________(opens) the _________________(door)
to deeper, more authentic and longer lasting relationships.
·
It makes it possible for me to better love and help
the people with whom I live and work with.
·
Openness and honesty are the basis of trust.
·
It is hard to build trusting relationships in our
families churches, and organizations if we are not open and honest.
·
How can we help and support one another if we are not
open and honest about our hopes, fears, strengths, and weaknesses?
·
Paul knew this. He said in Ephesians
25Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and
speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body.
·
While it is difficult to do, ________________(caring)
enough to ______________________(confront) can actually ____________________(build)
a relationship.
Proverbs
24:23 – 26 says: 23 These also are sayings of the wise:
To show partiality in judging is not good:
24 Whoever says
to the guilty, "You are innocent"—
peoples will curse him and nations
denounce him.
25 But it will
go well with those who convict the guilty,
and rich blessing will come upon them.
26 An honest
answer
is like a kiss on the lips.
Proverbs 28:23 says: “He who rebukes a man will
be in the end gain more favor than he who has a flattering tongue.”
·
Honesty can help us grow, and connect with others,
and build a depth of fellowship that flattery can never achieve.
·
Sometimes, we need to be honest enough to confront
those we love with the truth about their behavior.
·
Sometimes, they need to confront us about our
behavior as well.
·
Openness and Honesty, even when spoken in love, can
make us vulnerable.
·
When we are open and honest, sometimes, people will
retaliate, but we need to pray and seek guidance before we speak back.
·
We need to be discerning.
·
But there are times we must be open and honest, or we
are no longer authentic disciples of Christ.
·
We must stand and speak the truth in love, no matter
how vulnerable it makes us.
·
Openness and Honesty will make you vulnerable, be
open and honest anyway.
Ephesians
5Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all
things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ. Ephesians
4:15
4) PRAY TO
GOD FOR ________________________(WISDOM) AND
________________________(DISCERNMENT) AS TO WHAT TO SAY AND WHAT NOT TO SAY.
James 1:5-7 says:
5If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who
gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 6But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he
who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That man should not think he will receive anything from the
Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he
does.
5) BEFORE YOU SPEAK, SEEK THE _____________________________(COUNSEL)
OF OTHERS WHO ARE _____________________(WISER) AND MORE
______________________(MATURE) THAN YOU!
(Pg. 459) Proverbs 15:21-33 says:
21 Folly
delights a man who lacks judgment, but a man of understanding keeps a straight
course.
22
Plans fail for lack of counsel,
but with many advisers they succeed.
23 A man finds
joy in giving an apt reply—
and how good is a timely word!
24 The path of
life leads upward for the wise
to keep him from going down to the grave. [a]
28 The heart of
the righteous weighs its answers,
but the mouth of the wicked gushes evil.
31 He who
listens to a life-giving rebuke
will be at home among the wise.
32 He who
ignores discipline despises himself,
but whoever heeds correction gains
understanding.
33 The fear of
the LORD teaches a man wisdom, [b]
and humility comes before honor.
6) SPEAK __________________________(DIRECTLY) ONE ON
ONE, TO THE PERSON YOU NEED TO SPEAK TO IN A SPIRIT OF ______________________(LOVE).
·
Do not speak ___________________(about) the person
you have an issue with to ____________________(other) people, instead go to the
person directly and speak the truth in love!
Ephesians
15Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all
things grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ.
(Pg. 813) 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 says:
4Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it
does not boast, it is not proud. 5It is not rude, it is
not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always
perseveres. 8Love never fails.
·
We should be polite and tactful when we share our
truths.
·
When we are open and honest with others it should be
because we have the best ______________________(interest) of our ______________________(listeners)
in mind and not just our own.
7) DON’T FORGET TO
_________________________(HUMBLE) YOURSELF AND ___________________(LISTEN) AFTER
YOU SPEAK – PERHAPS YOU ARE THE ONE WHO
NEEDS TO ____________________(LEARN) A VALUABLE LESSON.
James
1:19-20 says:
19My
dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to
speak and slow to become angry, 20for man's anger does
not bring about the righteous life that God desires.
·
You can always learn from a critic if you
___________________(choose) to – even the most outlandish accusations carry
some truth, for the person who is __________________(mature) enough to dig for
it, and not take the insult personally.
(Pg. 454)
Proverbs 9:7-12 says:
7 "Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult;
whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse.
8 Do not rebuke
a mocker or he will hate you;
rebuke a wise man and he will love you.
9 Instruct a
wise man and he will be wiser still;
teach a righteous man and he will add to
his learning.
10 "The
fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.
11 For through
me your days will be many,
and years will be added to your life.
12 If
you are wise, your wisdom will reward you;
if you are a mocker, you alone will
suffer."
8) _____________________(TRUST) GOD, HIS _________________(WORD),
THE _________________________(BODY) OF CHRIST AND THE BIBLICAL____________________(PROCESS)
MORE THAN YOU TRUST YOUR OWN WISDOM, EMOTIONS AND FEARS.
(Pg. 695) Matthew 18:15-20 says:
15"If your brother sins against you,[a] go and show him his fault, just between the
two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so
that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three
witnesses.'[b] 17If he refuses to
listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the
church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector. 18"I
tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be[c]bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on
earth will be[d] loosed in heaven. 19"Again,
I tell you that if two of you on earth agree about anything you ask for, it
will be done for you by my Father in heaven. 20For where
two or three come together in my name, there am I with them."
·
Most of the time,
church discipline does not go as far as it needs to, because people are too proud
to submit to the authority of the church! BUT IF YOU TRUST THE PROCESS…..
·
IN THE END,
IF YOU ARE RIGHT, IT WILL BE ________________________(CONFIRMED) BY THE BODY OF
CHRIST!.... IF YOU ARE WRONG, IT WILL BE CONFIRMED BY THE BODY OF CHRIST – SO _______________________(LISTEN) TO THE COLLECTIVE WHOLE BODY OF CHRIST, AND JUST
NOT TO A FEW PIECES OF IT!
THEME: OPENNESS AND HONESTY MAKE YOU VULNERABLE TO
BEING HURT – BE OPEN AND HONEST ANYWAY WHEN GOD ASKS YOU TO BE!