Family Church July 13, 2014 DEFINING MOMENTS
Family Church July 13, 2014 DEFINING MOMENTS – Moments of Decision Esther 3:1-6, 4:1-5:2
Historical Context During Esther’s era: Alexander the Great comes to power in Macedonia, Roman empire is forming, Celts are taking over western Europe, Sun Tzu is writing the Art of War, Socrates is teaching in Greece. 1) DEFINING moments often require DEFIANT moments. • •
Irena Sendler helped smuggle more than 2500 Jewish children out of the Warsaw Ghetto. Point of no return for World War II pilots
2) Defining moments call for DEPENDENT moments. • • •
PERSONAL dependence upon God and others INTERCESSION before God SOLIDARITY with brothers and sisters
Prayer moves GOD to change CIRCUMSTANCES. -‐ Hannah (1 Samuel 1:1-20) | Hezakiah (2 Kings 20:1-10) -‐ Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20:1-23) | Persistent Widow (Luke 18:1-8) -‐ Jonah (Jonah 2:1-10) | Elijah (James 5:17-18) 3) Defining moments may call us to die - “If I perish, I perish.” Two Issues for Defining Moments: 1) what’s the right decision? 2) How do we implement the right decision? “What choices would I make if fear wasn’t an issue?”
Historical Context During Esther’s era: Alexander the Great comes to power in Macedonia, Roman empire is forming, Celts are taking over western Europe, Sun Tzu is writing the Art of War, Socrates is teaching in Greece. 1) DEFINING moments often require DEFIANT moments. • •
Irena Sendler helped smuggle more than 2500 Jewish children out of the Warsaw Ghetto. Point of no return for World War II pilots
2) Defining moments call for DEPENDENT moments. • • •
PERSONAL dependence upon God and others INTERCESSION before God SOLIDARITY with brothers and sisters
Prayer moves GOD to change CIRCUMSTANCES. -‐ Hannah (1 Samuel 1:1-20) | Hezakiah (2 Kings 20:1-10) -‐ Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 20:1-23) | Persistent Widow (Luke 18:1-8) -‐ Jonah (Jonah 2:1-10) | Elijah (James 5:17-18) 3) Defining moments may call us to die - “If I perish, I perish.” Two Issues for Defining Moments: 1) what’s the right decision? 2) How do we implement the right decision? “What choices would I make if fear wasn’t an issue?”
