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Call to worship: Romans 10:9-17

Text: Esther 8

Sermon Outline:

1. Esther's winning intercession, 8:1-8.
2. Mordecai's life-giving edict, 8:9-14.
3. The world's initial response to it, 8:15-17.

Prepare

Discussion Questions:

1. Read Esther 8. Initial impressions?
2. The enemy of the Jews has been executed, but has that answered Esther's wish and request of the king? In 8:3-6, what's the sum of Esther's intercession? What does she continue to seek? How does she seek it? Is it 'winning'? How does the king respond in 8:7-8? What's the irony of the king's note, how what's sealed with his signet can't be revoked? What does it teach us about this king? Is he the true sovereign?
3. What is the content of Mordecai's counter-edict in 8:9-14? Has Haman's death-edict actually been revoked? How has it been countered? How ought the world then to be warned by what happened to Haman in his rising up against a Jewish man? How does the author characterize the travel of this edict? Are the Jews to be on the offensive or just the defensive? How are we to think as Christians about the commission to be ready to take vengeance on our enemies? See Romans 12.
4. How have things changed for Mordecai per 8:15? What's the response of the citadel to the sight of him? What does his exaltation bring to the Jews? What comes to the world through the edict of life? How do some Gentiles respond to the good news?
5. How does this relate to the Gospel? How do we see Christ in this text? How might we relate it all to the Great Commission? Are we being urgent with the edict of life from death in Christ? Why ought we to be urgent? Why does this edict go about as urgently as it does? How are we to relate to our enemies as bearers of the cross?