Friday, December 7, 2018

3 Queens Who Say No, Yes, and Here I Am!; Dec 9, 2018 Sermon on Esther

Rev. George Miller
Dec 9, 2018
Esther 4:1-17

Once upon a time in a land called Susa, about 600 miles east of Bethlehem, lived a Queen named Vashti.

Queen Vashti was fair to behold and known for her beauty. Her husband, the king, ruled over 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia.

One day, Queen Vashti was hanging with her homegirls, enjoying surf-n-turf, champagne, and Godiva ice-cream when the king sent for her so he could show her off to his drinking buddies.

Queen Vashti said “No.”

We don’t know why she said it, but when given the command to parade around like a prized possession, Queen Vashti declined.

As punishment she was sent packing from the palace lest other women thought they also had the right to say “No.”

After enough time passed, the king grew tired of being the world’s most eligible bachelor. So his cronies gathered the most beautiful, young virgins from throughout the land.

The women were bathed, given make-overs and one by one they were lead to the king’s bed.

There was an absolutely stunning woman named Esther who caught the king’s heart. She was handed the bachelor’s rose and crowned Queen of the Kingdom.

But it was not an easy existence. Although she was now queen, she was kept in the castle, sequestered away from the world.

Under the threat of death, she could only see her husband when he summoned her. She could only speak when he granted her permission.

And it had been a whole month since he even expressed any romantic desire for her.

Esther may have been a beautiful queen who appeared to have it all, but in actuality all she had were her maids and a group of fabulous eunuchs who were quite different from all the other guys.

Oh, and one more thing, in a country in which anti-Semitism run rampant, Esther was Jewish, a secret she kept from her husband for 5 years.

But, something unfortunate has taken place. The spirit of hate has overtaken the land and her husband’s tricked into signing an edict that every Jewish person throughout the 127 provinces is to be put to death by year’s end.

As you can imagine, Queen Esther is faced with a dilemma. What to do?

Stay silent and let her people be put to death? OR dare to speak her truth even if it means she could die?

Queen Vashti was punished for refusing to enter the king’s court.

Queen Esther could be killed for walking in and speaking out…..

…..The other night, while putting up Christmas decorations, I came across my box of Disney ornaments.

While putting up Snow White, Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella, I began to think about the various Disney princesses and wondered if they have really been the best role models for young girls and the understanding of healthy relationships.

One found delight in cleaning up after 7 very messy man-children, one was kissed while asleep, and another was given worth by fitting into the right shoe.

Thankfully Disney has created a new set of princesses.

Moana who sails a boat across the sea to save her people.

Merida who wields a bow and arrow better than anyone else in Scotland.

Elsa and Anna who learn that sisterhood and embracing your inner gifts are far better than any boy you meet.

What Moana, Merida, Elsa and Anna have done is create new archetypes.

Archetypes are examples and symbols of the kind of people and personality types there are.

Archetypes can tell us -
-what kind of people we are and what we are not;
-what kind of people we want to be;
-what kind of people we’re dealing with.

Archetypes appear throughout books, film, and the Bible, some are favorable, some are dubious. Think of Potiphar’s wife, or Sarah and Miriam.

With this being Advent season we get to encounter another kind of archetype, although I think an archetype who has been grossly misunderstood-Mary, the mother of Jesus.

While many people think of Mary as meek and mild, I like to think of her as a Bad Mamma Jamma.

Think about it. Mary is a young, unmarried Jewish woman living during a time in which Rome is crucifying people and engaging in unfair taxation.

One day she is visited by a celestial being and she barely bats an eye.

She’s told she’ll give birth to the Son of God and she responds “Sure- here I am, Servant of the Lord. Have at it!”

As if that’s not enough, she then takes a 6 mile journey alone, while pregnant, to visit her cousin Elizabeth.

Shoot- last week I ate a big meal at Henry and Fe’s and didn’t want to drive the 10 minutes back to my house.

While at her cousin’s house, Mary gives this riot-girl, fist-bumping, motivational monologue in which she praises God, celebrates the powerful being dethroned and talks about the hungry being fed.

And as if that’s not enough, when Mary is 9 months pregnant she travels to Bethlehem with no hotel reservation, gives birth to a child inside a barn and turns a feeding trough into a basinet.

If that’s not a Bad Mamma Jamma, I don’t know who is.

Just how did Mary, this young, unmarried Jewish girl living in a time of political unrest find the ability to be so strong, to accept God’s challenge, and to willingly play a part in the salvation of God’s people?

I wonder…

I wonder- was it possible that young, Jewish Queen Esther who also lived during difficult times was her role model just like Moana and Merida are role models to young girls today?

Did Mary look upon Esther’s story to find her own inner strength?

Did Mary look upon Esther’s story to learn how to accept a challenge and assist in bringing salvation to her people?

Now, notice- we have not told you how Esther’s story unfolds and all that will happen.

The book of Esther is only 8 pages long and we’d really like you to read it yourself to discover all the twists, turns, surprises, and controversies that unfold.

But what we can tell you is that the book of Esther is a very necessary story which reminds us that sometimes all it takes is:

one person, in the right place, at the right time, who is willing to do the right thing, who has the ability to change the world.

Esther is an inspiring tale that teaches all of us, male and female, young and not-so-young, Jew and gentile, that sometimes:

the things that seem the most superficial, like our looks, can be the things that get us in the door.

Sometimes the things we are most ashamed of or keep a secret about can be the very things that God uses to set us and others free.

Sometimes we may even be put in a situation in which we decide “Do I live or do I die?”

Esther is that story, Queen Esther is that archetype that asks:

-What does it mean to be a Child of God?

-What does salvation look like?

-What does it mean to be a part of the greater whole than only focused on #1?

And -Who, except God, truly knows what tomorrow may bring???

…Once upon a time, in a kingdom 600 miles away from Bethlehem, lived one Queen who dared to say “No” when expected to be an object.

Once upon a time, there was another Queen who had the courage to say “Yes!” for the sake of all her people.

And once upon a time, in a tiny town of Nazareth was a different type of Queen who said “Here I am Lord.”

And WE are all the better because of it. Amen and amen.

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