The King’s Servants: full transcript and answers

▶ 0:00 A parable. Is a short allegorical story designed to illustrate or teach truth. And we know that Jesus used parables in the New Testament. And Jesus was the first of creation and he’s always been using parables these stories that we have in the Old Testament are not just stories they’re not just historical events they are examples and illustrations. For us to understand truth. We want to learn more about what Esther’s talking about and we’re going to go through Esther 3:3-7. That part of the scriptures. And we want to understand if you guys have heard of Haman and we want to understand Mordecai his meaning you know we know the story of Esther we know that Haman was put in charge by the king we know that Mordecai was a you know was Esther or Hadassah’s cousin and that.

▶ 1:03 He raised her. And we know that Esther became queen but we want to understand the parable or the illustration that God is trying to show us here amen. Amen. So we have Haman and Mordecai and when I went back to you know all this time I thought that uh Mordecai was a servant or employed by the king every time I read it every time I saw movies you know he’s always you know a servant of the king and I just and I was like okay I’m gonna go find out where it says you know and he’s in the service of the king or the you know and I was like where is it it’s not there. And maybe I missed it but Mordecai wasn’t necessarily employed by the king.

▶ 1:55 Let’s talk about Haman in chapter 3 at the beginning. It says that he was promoted above all the princes. He was second in command he was above all of the princes. And everyone was to show. Reverence to Haman everyone was to bow everybody was supposed to submit to his authority. Because the king had put him in charge. And he loved the attention and the praise and we know that he loved it because when Mordecai didn’t bow he just was so infuriated. He was so upset he loved walking around you guys remember that part where it says who would the king want to honor. More than me.

▶ 2:48 You know Haman was all about himself man he was so prideful. You know you read that story and it’s just this guy has got such a big head that needs to be popped. You know what I’m saying you know you get a big head my my sister would tell me all the time michael you need to cool it okay you’re getting a big head there. And he was employed by the king that means the king was paying him you know he was. Under the king’s command. And Mordecai in Esther 3 he was not employed by the king. And I want us to take a moment to think about Mordecai. Here he is he’s a cousin of this girl. And you know I’m not sure what kind of relationship he had with his uncle but he sacrificed.

▶ 3:43 His money his time for this girl to raise her. To take care of her I mean as a baby probably as a baby I don’t know could have been when she was younger but still that is a sacrifice that Mordecai made it’s very honorable and he wasn’t even brother or sister he was just a cousin. He was guiding I’m sorry in Esther 2:10 it says well I’m summarizing it he was guiding Esther’s behavior and Esther would listen she was used to listening to Mordecai and she would listen and walked every day before the court to know what would become of Esther you see Mordecai was invested in Esther he loved Esther. He wanted to make sure everything was going to be okay you see Esther was taken from him to go before the king that she didn’t have a choice.

▶ 4:42 And Mordecai was he would go to the king [unclear] walk around he’s just waiting uh do you have any news of Esther Esther. You know he’s concerned he loved his cousin. Not in a bad way just in a in a very good honorable way. And he sat at the king’s gate and I call him a servant because. Here he is in Persia. And Persia was overthrown by I’m sorry Babylon was overthrown by Persia. And Mordecai is a captive Mordecai doesn’t belong to the Persian people. He’s a captive amen and here he is he hears news that the king that two men want to plot to kill the king and he.

▶ 5:40 Takes the opportunity and says I’m going to tell Esther to tell the king that he that these two men are after him and he could have left it alone I don’t want to be under his rule anymore I don’t you know I want to get rid of this guy he took me captive but he didn’t do that. So we want to understand the meaning. When we look at the New Testament what is this story talking about what is the story meaning and we learned last. Two weeks ago that vashti was talking about the old covenant and Esther was talking about the new covenant. In Matthew 23. Speaking to the scribes and the Pharisees this is Jesus he says to them. Everything that you do is done for men to see.

▶ 6:35 And you love the uppermost rooms at feasts and the chief seats in the synagogues they love position they love to be boasted of and praised they loved going around the marketplace it says in the next verse seven going around the and people would greet them say rabbi rabbi oh it’s so good to see you and these scribes and the Pharisees they would walk around with such pomp and they would have these big heads. So so. Convinced that their religion was so high above everybody else. And it was really true they were fought they were. They believed in the old covenant which was right they believed in God. But as we know Jesus says that they didn’t follow it.

▶ 7:28 And he goes on to say Jesus goes on to say he that is greatest among you shall be your servant. And he was basically saying here that these guys are not servants they are prideful they’re boastful and Haman was the same way he loved position he loved being in charge he loved the praise. And. I’m just showing you a little tidbit here but this example in Esther is talking about the scribes and Pharisees in the New Testament and we will. We will illuminate that further. Mordecai. Matthew 20 verse 34 now going back to two weeks ago we learned that Esther was the example of the new covenant she was the example of new the new Israel you know no longer is it only the nation of Israel it’s anyone who pleases the king and thank goodness amen because we’ve got a lot of non-israelites here this morning amen.

▶ 8:38 And thank goodness we’re part of the new covenant. Matthew 20 verse 34 so Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes in Mark 6:34 Jesus when he came out saw much people and was moved with compassion toward them because they were a sheep as sheep not having a shepherd and he began to teach them many things so going back to Esther Esther was the example of the new covenant. And Mordecai. Was taking care raising and concerned and sacrificing everything for Esther it’s the same way in the New Testament you find Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the one he’s moved with compassion for the people the people are as a sheep having no shepherd.

▶ 9:37 He’s moved and he’s touching them he’s speaking to them he’s preaching to them because he wants to convince them that he is the king he loves the. People as you know when the five he had a great multitude that was in the desert and he just broke down he and it says he was moved with compassion because he loved them. Esther Esther was an orphan as we have already learned. And we see here that Mordecai is not a person looking for position he’s not looking for. Recognition he just is a servant serving this child Esther and we see that in in the New Testament this Esther is talking about the new covenant and in Luke 2 verse 49.

▶ 10:33 Jesus as a child. He knew what he was there to do why he was there when he was born he was 12 years old he went to the temple and his parents left and his parents thought that Jesus was with them and all of a sudden they look around they say where’s my child where’s Beckham where’s Brooklyn. And they go back to the temple and Jesus is there and he’s asking questions and he’s talking to the priests and he’s conversing with them and the priests are like. You’re 12 years old how do you know all this stuff. You know. Where did you come from are you on the same planet here. And he’s and he says to his parents his parents are like what what are you thinking you know they’re about to correct him and Jesus says don’t you know that I’m supposed to be about my father’s business and his father’s business was to complete the new covenant when Jesus died those those famous three words.

▶ 11:39 When he was on that cross waiting for the last prophecy to be fulfilled waiting for that guy to come up and say here drink. He had to wait waiting and he says he drank that. Vinegar or whatever it was and he says it is. Finished. You see from a child he knew why he was there he was there to complete and fulfill that new covenant that was promised in Ezekiel and Jeremiah and you see he invested all of his life his time everything into fulfilling that prophecy and he also we know that he was a carpenter he lived the daily life he did what was right he loved people he did the normal everyday stuff it wasn’t like he went around you know flying around.

▶ 12:34 I get money from the sky no no he was doing the right things amen. He was living right. In Matthew 5:17 do not think that I have come to destroy the law I have come to I have not come to destroy them but to fulfill them. And when you look at Mordecai and you look at the relation I’m sorry relationship between Esther and Mordecai you see that Mordecai cared so much about Esther his heart was in it he loved her. And Jesus Christ wanted to see that he wants to see this church he wants to see the new covenant through he wants to draw a new people to himself. The new covenant the new Israel the new church he wants to build a new church an assembly that wants to please the king.

▶ 13:34 You see that was his goal here. It says all the king’s servants that were in the king’s gate bowed and reverenced Haman. For the king had so commanded concerning him but Mordecai. Mordecai bowed not did not reverence Haman. You know why is this illustration showing just Mordecai there were a lot of Jews in the city right but this is the one that’s recorded there’s one guy it wasn’t like 10 guys it wasn’t three guys Shadrach Meshach and Abednego. In this story is one guy. Would not bow to Haman Haman’s going through the whole city and the only one not bowing is Mordecai. And then the king’s servants which were in the king’s gate said unto Mordecai why do you disobey the king’s command.

▶ 14:38 And we sing we see the same terminology in the New Testament we see the same kind of behavior in Matthew 21 verse 23 by what authority. Are you doing these things. Who gave you this authority and this is people asking Jesus this question. And you know when you read your Bible Jesus Christ he wasn’t concerned about showing obeisance or showing honor to the scribes and Pharisees when they came to him he would tell them the truth. Amen. When they came to him he would tell them what they needed to do they were trying to trip him up all the time. They came out to Jesus to trip him up to to show him that he was wrong to try to get rid of him to try to show everyone that around Jesus that Jesus was no good that Jesus was stupid.

▶ 15:40 Trying to make a fool of Jesus. When Jesus actually turned around and made a fool of them. And we learn and you know as the story goes the king one night he couldn’t sleep and he rose up and he said. What did we do for Mordecai for for warning me of those two guys that wanted to kill me and. They brought in Haman Haman says you know like we talked about earlier who’d want who would the king want to honor more than me and he ends up saying to Haman go and honor. Mordecai. And you see the king. Had set up this old covenant see God had set up this old covenant. And people had to come to the old covenant.

▶ 16:34 But now he wants to honor Mordecai now he’s lifting up Jesus the one who’s going to bring in the new covenant the new church we’ve got to follow that way that’s what’s going to be honored and Haman when he went home he was so up. He was so mad. Okay again I’m getting ahead of myself sorry. Jesus wasn’t following the norm did Jesus keep the law did Jesus keep the old covenant while he lived yes of course he did he was in the synagogue. You know did he have to did he have to burn a sin offering no because he didn’t have any sin. But he still followed all of those things he offered his offering you know he was a carpenter so he had money he could go and get the meal offering and offering the thank offering to Jesus to God but he was also doing other things to fulfill prophecy and to bring about the new covenant you see Jesus was following everything they never came to him and said how come.

▶ 17:41 You’re not doing this this and this they came to an and said why aren’t you following the Sabbath but he had an answer for that. Amen. And I’ll let you research that I’m sorry chapter 3 verse 6 he sought to destroy all the Jews. You see when Mordecai would refuse to bow. When Mordecai refused to give reverence to Haman he didn’t only want to kill Mordecai he wanted to get rid of all the Jews. All of Mordecai’s people he was so mad. And you see that’s exactly what the scribes and Pharisees wanted to do they wanted to kill Jesus they were so upset I mean we’re talking about words here we’re talking about philosophy and and I’m sorry not philosophy we’re talking about a religion and they are just wanting to kill him over this.

▶ 18:41 And they didn’t just want to kill him they wanted to kill anybody that followed him as we know after Jesus died the apostles the church was persecuted amen. Matthew 12:14 but the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus several times when they went out to Jesus the scribes and Pharisees talking to Jesus Jesus would turn around and make a fool of them because they were trying to make a fool of him so he just said I’ll make a fool of you. And they would go away and the chief priest the high priest these guys are wanting to kill Jesus Christ and they’re plotting they’re plotting in them this is chapter 12 of Matthew. They’ve been plotting for you know Matthew’s like 29 chapters 26 20 I don’t know but this is halfway through the Pharisees have been wanting to kill him halfway through if not earlier.

▶ 19:45 As soon as Jesus started opening his mouth and teaching and drawing people into him they wanted to get rid of him. And Haman going back to this story [unclear] Haman. Tells the king he comes to the king and he comes and he lies to the king. And this is his lie the Jews laws are different that’s not a lie they are different. And they do not keep the king’s laws and he didn’t I’m sorry he didn’t say the Jews laws he said there are a people that live in your kingdom that don’t follow your laws their laws are different he didn’t name the Jews he didn’t say who they were he was just trying to convince the king. That he should get rid of him.

▶ 20:38 And he paid he bribed the king. And was willing to pay ten thousand talents of silver to get rid of all the Jews in Persian this is an actual historical event this is not you know this is history. Back in Persia with king Xerxes. And Haman you know pretty easily convinced the king to kill the people and he says to Haman the king said to Haman okay go ahead I trust you. And the scribes wrote and sealed the law to destroy them now. The the law was written. That they that the Jewish people were going to be killed but a year later it was the date was set for it to happen okay it wasn’t like they’re going to be killed today it was going to be the 12th month and not the it was the first month when they had written the law so so far we’re seeing a good pair a good parallel.

▶ 21:51 In the story of Esther with the scribes and Pharisees the story of the New Testament we have Mordecai as the example of Jesus Christ coming and seeing his church through seeing the new covenant through taking care of it sacrificing his time his life so that he can do it. And he would not submit and Jesus would not submit to the authority I’m sorry he would not. Bow he would not give reverence because you see the scribes and the Pharisees were supposed to give reverence to Jesus Christ. And they had no desire to come to him they had no idea. You know Jesus Christ he finally said I am the messiah and they still.

▶ 22:44 Threw down they started tearing their clothes and they said blasphemy they wouldn’t believe it even when it when they took when he told them plainly they didn’t believe it they were supposed to give him honor they were supposed to bow before him they were supposed to revere him just like when he was born and the the shepherds came out and they bowed before Christ the wise men came and they bowed before him and gave him gifts that’s what they were supposed to do but they wouldn’t do it. Let’s just read the scripture now the chief priests and the whole council sought to get false witnesses. To testify against Jesus. So that they might put him to death and you see Haman had just lied to the king and you see the scribes and Pharisees they didn’t care about doing things right they didn’t care about speaking truth they just we just want to kill this guy and I’ll lie I’ll cheat I’ll steal I’ll bribe I’ll do whatever it takes to get it done and you see that’s exactly what Jesus told him you do your the works of the father you’re I’m sorry you do the works of of the Devil you’re not doing the works of the father.

▶ 23:59 And you know you got it it’s plain right here these scribes and Pharisees they they just broke all the moral law they they said destroying Jesus is higher than me following the old covenant following the moral law they just they just threw it out and you guys we can see their hearts amen. In Matthew 26:15. Judas said. Unto the Pharisees and the scribes he says what will you give me if I betray Christ basically. And they promise to give Judas 30 pieces of silver and you guys all know that story 30 pieces of silver not gold. And Haman he paid what he paid silver not gold not anything else he paid silver you see it’s a great example.

▶ 24:56 You know this this this parable is so good but it’s encouraging to read the Bible. And here you have 500 years before Jesus came he is putting in these examples these parables of him coming and all these things happening and they happen you know it’s just you can’t fabricate this stuff you can’t fabricate these stories you can’t fabricate this consistency you know Esther was written 500 years before Jesus came you can’t fabricate that not just written this is historical events. And of course God is bringing out in this story what he wants to bring out. To illustrate something.

▶ 25:48 But it’s very very encouraging that the Bible is so powerful it’s so consistent it’s true it’s good it’s it’s very good. Mark 15 verse 12. And Pilate asks the scribes and Pharisees what shall I do then with the king of the Jews and Pilate and of course they responded crucify him they shouted crucify him and if you guys know your New Testament you know that the scribes and Pharisees they stirred up the crowd they said the crowd come on raise your voices tell he’s he’s an awful person he’s evil he’s bad he did all this stuff and they just started throwing lies out and they and all the people like kill him crucify him. And you see Haman when you go back to Haman here he is convincing the king and here you find in this story they’re convincing Pilate the ruler to destroy and kill Jesus Christ.

▶ 26:58 So so far me looking at the old covenant me looking at these guys scribes and Pharisees I really don’t want to be a part of their team you know I’m so glad we’re not following the old covenant still I’m so glad Jesus came in and he says I don’t care anymore. About all these ceremonies all these feasts I care about if you want to please the king I care about if you want to your life to please me. And when we come into church we should have that attitude. When we come into church we should have an attitude of honoring and pleasing and living our life when we go out every and live our daily lives we should be living a life that is pleasing to the king.

▶ 27:52 And when you’re around church and you’ve been going to church a long time you’ve heard a lot of messages and you get to a place where sometimes it feels like you’re just following rules I’m just going to church because I got to follow the rules follow the rules. Don’t step up. And you don’t want to get stuck in that mindset that God is just a bunch of rules you got to understand that. You want you should have a desire. To please him you want to honor him it’s not rules and regulations you’re not walking the line because you have to you’re following him because you want to because you want to you love him you want to please him. You know like when you first met your wife you first met your girl you know for your younger ones your girlfriend or boyfriend you know you want what hi what can I get you how can I make you happy what can I do for you.

▶ 28:59 Right. And of course you parents that have children. Ugh when they’re born and they’re growing up we gotta we gotta plea you gotta satisfy their needs amen and as a child these kids that they need they need a father they need a mother. It’s a relationship. So the king wanted to honor Mordecai as we were talking about earlier and Haman had to carry it out and that just burned him up so bad he just wanted it it says that he went home mourning. And he got so mad that he told his wife he said I don’t know what to do you know I am second in command I’ve got all this money I’ve got all this power I’ve got this great estate I’ve got everything that I want but I nothing is making me happy as long as Mordecai is alive.

▶ 30:03 And you see that’s exactly how these scribes and Pharisees were they had the position. They were chief priests they were getting paid. The scribes and the Pharisees that was their occupation. They had the title they had the recognition from people everywhere but. Jesus. So Esther. Of course. The law went out the law was posted in Persia. And Mordecai he put sackcloth on his head and he’s crying and he’s weeping and all of the the palace of Shushan it says they were all upset you know this this command just came out and all of a sudden it on the 12th month all the Jews are going to be killed.

▶ 31:01 And there’s a lot of Jews and the king is kind of unaware because Haman didn’t say who they were gonna be. He just said an evil people like they were bad and some you know. Far away that are just not good but they were living in there in the in the palace they were living in Shushan they were living in the city and the people were upset. So Mordecai says to Esther Esther you need to go before the king and you need to ask him you need to talk to him you need to ask for our lives here we need to you need to go to bat for us amen. And 4:11 we find. The law. It says for any man or woman who approaches the king in the inner court without being summoned.

▶ 31:57 The king has but one law that he be put to death. And you see Esther had to sacrifice she had to put her life on the line she had to and that’s a whole other story. You know she had to come to [unclear] with herself and say okay I’m going to go before the king I’m going to put my life on the line I’m going to go inside and I’m going to sacrifice this is difficult. And as you know. If you read the Old Testament. You know that not just anybody could go in to the inner court not just anybody could go into Moses’s tabernacle not just anybody could go into the holy place in the holy of holies you had to be a priest you had to go through the the burnt uh the burn altar the laver you had to clean it you had to put your the holy garments on you had to be of a certain people you had to be of the sons of Aaron if you wanted to go in to the inner court not just anybody could go in to the inner court to Moses’s tabernacle.

▶ 33:08 Amen you guys all know that right. And of course. When Jesus died I don’t know I’m getting ahead in the story here but when Jesus died in Luke chapter 23 verse 45 the sun was dark darkened and the veil of the temple was rent in two. And we know now the inner court when Jesus died he rent the veil into saying that anybody not just the sons of Aaron not just the priests when you walk through those doors you’re a child of the king you walk through those doors you are a royal priesthood it says in first Peter 2:9 you’re a royal priesthood you’re a chosen people special when you come in here you can come and you can know me for yourself. I mean you just keep going through this story of Esther here and you see all these things.

▶ 34:03 And again just a reminder Esther is an example of the new covenant she’s an example of the new church the bride she’s an example of anyone that wants to please the king can be part of the assembly it can be part of the church so. We go on in Esther 5:2 and she goes and she does it Mordecai says you need to go before the king and she puts on a royal [unclear] she puts on her crown and she goes before the king and says it says in 5 2 when the king saw Esther the queen standing in the court she obtained favor in his sight. And the king held out the golden scepter. That was in his hand and that meant that she was accepted that meant that she wasn’t to be killed and you see she’s the new covenant she’s the new church you can go in to the inner court where the king is you can go in and you can speak to the king yourself.

▶ 35:15 The new covenant says that all shall know me from the least to the greatest. Where is the least the least to the greatest. All of us I will be their God they will be my people amen. It’s a very very encouraging encouraging message here. God has been telling us for 500 years and before that that he wants everyone. Not just a certain group everyone. Not just a certain group that eats certain food wears certain clothing you know all these rules that the Jews had to follow. And people are afraid of God and you don’t have to be afraid. We don’t have to be afraid anymore as the cut as the new covenant we can come in and we should have that desire like like she like she did she’s young she had that desire she she wanted to please the king and we should be coming in with a desire to please the king knowing that we can come in knowing that we have that opportunity.

▶ 36:25 To know Christ for ourselves. Esther chapter 5 verse 4 it says let the king and Haman come this day into the banquet so she comes before the king and the king thank God accepts her and we know what that’s talking about to us we know how that applies to us and so she has she says come this day unto a bank that that I have prepared. Okay remember that she prepared it. And Esther five verse eight. She has another feast so how many feasts are there it’s two and they are back to back they’re one after the other amen amen. And the second one is where she made her request. She was going to tell the king what her petition was what her request was.

▶ 37:21 And when we go to the New Testament. In Luke 22 verse 8 Jesus had sent Peter and John and he said go and prepare. The Passover that we may eat and you know that the lord’s supper was a day before. The Passover. All right the lord’s supper you know we have communion today in recognition of the lord’s supper as a reminder of all of the the blood and the body being part of the body. So here’s the first feast and it’s prepared by who. Peter and. Peter and who John. And in our case it’s talking about the new covenant the new church here.

▶ 38:17 And Leviticus 23 verse 5 we know that the Passover is on the 14th day of the first month at evening you’re supposed to kill the lamb and eat it that night. And it is the Passover. Feast it’s the Passover meal so first you have the lord’s supper on the 13th day and then you have the Passover lamb so she has two banquets why does she have two banquets because this story is talking about the New Testament. You know why does she have to have two [unclear] you know what what in the world is God doing in this story you know why in the world does Esther have to have two banquets I mean isn’t that crazy. You go in the New Testament you see there’s two feasts here.

▶ 39:09 The lord’s supper had never been partaken of okay it was a new thing it was something special that Jesus did and he had to do it that day because the next day he was being hit beat up he was being slaughtered he was being whipped with the cat-o’-nine-tails and he was going to be put on the cross so he could you know. But there were two feasts. And we know that the second one is when Jesus Christ. You know in conjunction with. The death. I’m sorry if you don’t know what the Passover is the Passover is when Egypt was being delivered I’m sorry the Israelites were being delivered from Egypt and God sent the death angel to kill the firstborn it’s it’s it’s a rough story but God delivered Israel from Egypt that night.

▶ 40:04 And he made a new law about the Passover that they had to eat this meal and Jesus Christ was killed on the 14th day of the first month the same day as the Passover. Law the Passover that started 1500 years ago back when Moses was around Jesus Christ died on that day. Amen if you didn’t know that now you know that. Jesus Christ is the Passover lamb the Bible says in Revelations the lamb. You guys remember how it calls Jesus the lamb amen. So here we have the two feasts. And. On the second feast she brings out her petition and says grant me my life this is my petition and spare my people this is my request you see here.

▶ 41:08 I’m sorry verse 4 for I and my people have been sold for destruction and slaughter and annihilation. All right now when we look at this and we look at Esther the new covenant Haman was trying to kill. The Israelites the Jews. And it says here for I and my people have been sold for destruction slaughter and annihilation. And when we look in the New Testament. Jesus was saying to the scribes and the Pharisees he called them hypocrites. And he’s talking about how they go into all the world and they make converts and it says they’re two times the child of hell then yourselves they’re they’re two times the child of hell and yourselves and he’s talking to the Pharisees here and you see following the scribes and the Pharisees following their instructions following their lifestyle was leading people to destruction.

▶ 42:10 And you see that’s exactly what’s going on here. When Esther was requesting this. Now Haman. Haman here when Esther made this request he was in awe because he didn’t know Esther. Was the wife was a Jew he didn’t know the queen was a Jew. And here he thought that he was helping the king here he had some selfish motives because he wanted to get rid of Mordecai and Mordecai’s people but he didn’t realize. That the queen. Was a Jew. And you see in the New Testament in John chapter 8 verse 39 Jesus is talking to the scribes and the Pharisees and the Pharisees and scribes are saying Abraham is our father.

▶ 43:12 And they go on to say we have one father even God God is our father we’re serving God we’re you know all of this is for God us plotting to kill you this is for God. Very ironic. In John verse chapter 8 verse 44 he Jesus says to them you are of your father the Devil I mean that’s rough. That is rough I’m telling you when somebody comes up to me says you’re a child of Satan thank you very much. But these guys were so bad they were so evil in their heart that Jesus just made it plain to them. And you and they didn’t respond they just they just got even madder they just got even more upset.

▶ 44:07 But some of them turned it is true. And you see just like these scribes and Pharisees they didn’t realize that they were killing the son of God. Even all of their lives these scribes and Pharisees they still believe that the messiah hasn’t come yet. They still believe that. You know Jesus Christ is not the son of God. And they think that they’re helping God they think that they’re helping the father. And we don’t want to be that way church amen we don’t want to go around thinking that I’m a Christian when you’re doing exactly the opposite of what Jesus would do now here you have these people that were bribing they were sinning they were.

▶ 45:02 They were doing all these bad things you know they just circumvented the law they just said forget the moral law I’m just going to do what I want so that I can get rid of this man Jesus. They wanted to punch him they wanted to kill him you know Jesus knew her their thoughts. We’ve got to remember that we do not want to be like these people we don’t want to get into a state in our christianity where we become like the scribes and the Pharisees we become and he says it very plainly hypocrites. And Jesus said about the scribes and Pharisees he says listen to what they say but do not do what they do. And you see we do not want to be Christians. That where people cannot follow our example.

▶ 45:54 You see when Christina is part of the youth group and she does something. You know on her mind I know honor her mind because it’s on my mind she thinks to herself how is this going to influence the youth group. You know should I be doing this and and it shouldn’t just be her we’ve all got to be take that responsibility as the church how are my actions influencing. The people around me. You know if if a child in the church saw me doing this would would that be a good example. Amen. You know I want Jesus to say about me that you can follow what he’s saying and you can follow what he does for the most part.

▶ 46:53 Amen. Or you’re getting there you know you can follow his heart that would be a nice statement for God to say about you right you can follow he’s got a good heart well thanks God. I’m glad I got a good heart. In that Esther 7:10 it says they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. And then the king’s wrath was pacified you see here Haman. Was hanged. Haman as you learn in this story is an example of the scribes and Pharisees now in actuality. When Jesus came who died who died. Tell me Jesus Christ died. But in this story in the story of Esther here Haman died.

▶ 47:50 So we got to understand what’s what’s the deal here you you see when Jesus died. The old covenant the old way stopped. The burnt offerings stopped. The ceremonies stopped. Amen. The old covenant the old way stopped. See when Jesus died on the cross the veil was rent in two that the the all those laws about the son of Aaron and all only certain people could go into the temple that all stopped. When Jesus died everyone now can come in everyone now has an opportunity everyone now that has a desire to please the king can come in.

▶ 48:52 You see when Jesus died on the cross all of their pomp all of their pride all of their position that they have thought they had stopped. And you see. They had to come. To God. The new covenant way they had to get a desire for God they had to get a desire for Jesus Christ they had to come to him Jesus said I am the way I am the truth I am the life they had to surrender. Their old way. And come to Jesus Christ come to the cross. Give forgiveness from sin no longer going to the burnt offerings anymore that’s all ended. They had to come to Jesus Christ.

▶ 49:45 And there a lot of there were a lot of religious people there are a lot of scribes and Pharisees that never turn. That never turned to the new way. They never accepted Jesus Christ they never they all they they rejected him. And this morning we do not want to be a people that rejects. Jesus Christ and you see it’s not necessarily the old covenant that we’re following it’s our old our old ways our old life the Bible says that we’re a new creature old things have passed away amen. In our lives there could be old things that are keeping us down old opinions old philosophies that we used to follow you’ve got to surrender it. And we’ve got to come the new way we’ve got to come his way we’ve got to come through Christ.

▶ 50:42 And lastly. There was so much there was so much love and there was so much uh. Desire for for the temple the actual building. They love that temple so much they they love to look at it and go into it and everybody see them go into the temple. I’m awesome. And they love the temple they love doing all the ceremonies and going in and all that and Jesus Christ he reminds us and he says that we. Are the temple of the Holy Spirit see Jesus Christ never wanted to dwell with temples made with hands he always wanted to dwell in our hearts. You.