Esther Ch. 6&7 | Vengeance

Sermon Discussion | Esther Ch. 6&7

1. Chapter 6 opens with a sleepless king, his mind keeps turning over the banquet with Haman and the queen. It seems the seed she planted has taken root. Have you experienced sleepless nights? What things cause you to feel anxious? How do you process anxiety or worry? Jeremy had a quote that said, anxiety about an unknown tomorrow can lead us to a known past. Rather look forward to a known God. Share a time when God met you in your anxiety or sleeplessness.

2. (Esther 6:3) While listening to the chronicles the king asks whether Mordecai had been honored for his past actions in foiling an attempt on the king. He hadn't, instead his enemy was elevated. Jeremy said, we have a king that never overlooks doing good!...Do you agree? How do you react when your good works have been overlooked? Have you overlooked the good works of others that need to be recognized? What did you think of the Larry Wright quote, “I would rather suffer obediently than prosper disobediently. Because I know my disobedient prosperity is as temporary as my obedient suffering.” Can you share a time when you obediently suffered?

3. Read the rest of Esther ch 6. Why do you think Haman is in the king's court at that hour? The question posed by the king in verse 6 seems to show his thinking about who Haman really is and who Mordecai is, is finally clicking. What do you think of Haman's response? What attributes of Haman are on display (again)? What can we learn about ourselves through Haman's behavior here? Hamans response is not surprising but is ungodly, read Prov 18:12 in light of this.

4. Read ch 7. We've been talking about coincidence and how God is moving in ways we can't always see; how remarkable is this story!? Spend some time reflecting on all that has just happened. Where is real power found? What does a good king look/act like? What parallels can be drawn to Jesus?