Reformed & Expository Preaching

Persia’s Queen or Israeal’s Queen? (Esther 4:1-17)

Introduction Esther chapter 4 places Esther at the crossroads moment. Esthder must choose between self-preservation and trusting the Lord. This book and the heros of this book have been operating "in the gray.” God's providence works subtly beneath the surface through flawed characters (described as God's "B team"). A central tension revolves around whether Esther will act as queen of Persia to protect herself, or as a Jewish woman to save her people from genocide. The real issue is whether the Lord will triumph through the seed of the woman or has the seed of the serpent triumphed? Can God triumph through his B team? Mordecai's Reaction: Public Mourning or Strategic Manipulation When Mordecai learns of Haman's decree to exterminate the Jews, he tears his clothes, puts on sackcloth and ashes, and publicly mourns. This is a universal cultural sign of lament and distress. This follows Haman's manipulation of King Xerxes (who was known to be easily influenced by advisors) to obtain the king's signet ring and issue an edict that would allow anyone to turn in Jewish neighbors, receive their property. This decree will not impact the empire since Haman paid approximately 60% of the tax revenue into the treasury. There are two ways that we can vieww Mordecai's dramatic display. First, Historical precedent shows that Xerxes' father Darius once granted audience to someone carrying on publicly in sackcloth, which suggests Mordecai may be attempting the same strategy. Is Mordacai trying to gain audience by the king’s invitation? Xerxes surrounded himself with guards carrying axes who would immediately dispatch anyone who interrupted the king without permission The other view is that this echoes the prophet Joel 2:12, where mourning leads to repentance and divine intervention. Mordecai knows the exact details of Haman's back-room deal, including the precise sum of money involved, which demonstrates his deep connections but also his detachment because he apparently didn't receive a copy of the edict initially. We can see the bigger story that the conflict between Mordecai (tied to King Saul's line) and Haman (tied to the Amalekite king Agag) may represent either a long historical grudge on an earthly level. However, we know the more significant cosmic battle between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent. The reality is that Mordacai’s motivations are unclear. We know that the Lord is working out his plan despite his B team. Esther's Reaction and Mordecai's Interaction: From Ignorance to Ultimatum Esther's initial response reveals how sheltered and detached she is from both her people and the crisis at hand. When young women from the harem report Mordecai's distress, she doesn't immediately think of a spiritual or political catastrophe. She is so out of touch that she thinks it's a wardrobe problem and sends him new clothes. This humorous yet tragic detail shows a queen who should be defending her people but lacks awareness of their plight, having never received the decree herself. When the eunuch Hathach brings her a copy of the edict and explains everything, Esther's response is equally telling: she explains that she cannot help because the king hasn't called for her in 30 days. This is a big problem because anyone who approaches the king uninvited faces death unless the king extends his golden scepter. Esther is not immune or protected from this threat. Mordecai's response is brutally pragmatic: he tells her not to think she'll escape death just because she's in the king's palace. The young women in the harem know about her connection to Mordecai, and any one of them, desiring the queen's position for herself, could expose Esther's Jewish identity to the king. Once Haman begins executing Jews in eleven months, the connection will be made, and Esther will likely be executed as a dramatic example. Mordecai's crucial statement uses language rich with biblical echoes. He speaks of "relief" (sharing the same Hebrew root as "spirit") and "deliverance" (echoing the Exodus theme), subtly reminding Esther that ultimate salvation comes from the Lord's Spirit, not worldly comfort. His famous question,” Who knows whether you have not come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" Suggests either a genuine recognition of God's providence or a final manipulative appeal, leaving readers in the interpretive gray area that characterizes the entire book. However, his subtle echo assures us that as God protected and delivered his people in a foreign land, so he can protect them again. Esther's Orders: The Fast and the Decision to Act In the most shocking turn of the story, Esther finally takes decisive action. She is no longer advised and instructed. Now she acts as queen. Up to this point, she has been entirely passive. She enters the beauty contest at Mordecai's command. She wins because she followed the eunuch's coaching. She is willing to compromise who she is as the Lord’s child. Now she orders a fast, calling all Jews throughout the empire (from India to Ethiopia) to fast for three days. She is not doing this just for her people, but even the women of the harem. This fast has multiple layers of significance and ambiguity. On one hand, it could be interpreted as Esther wanting to be protected. The fast is not really for the Lord to take notice of their predicament. On the other hand, it can be read as genuine faith. Esther may recognize that she is at the mercy of God, not the king. She desires her people to cry out to God. The inclusion of the harem women in the fast is particularly strategic and risky: the king had ensured the women in the beauty contest were well-fed to project power, wealth, and prestige. If these women do not meet the king’s demands, he will likely deal with the culprit. Esther's public call for all Jews to fast essentially confirms what Haman said in his decree—that the Jews are a self-willed people who won't simply comply with the empire’s orders. These are people who will call out to their God. This act unites both the pious Jews who returned to rebuild the temple and those scattered throughout the empire in a common cause. Esther states, “If I perish, I perish.” This could be read as fatalism or as faith. We take comfort that she moves from being a passive, coached contestant to being a woman who acts on behalf of her people and potentially honors her God. She is willing to do this even at the cost of her own life. The speaker notes this doesn't end well for assertive women in this kingdom (referencing Vashti), leaving the narrative with a cliffhanger about whether the seed of the woman will triumph or the seed of the serpent will prevail. Conclusion Can God triumph through his B team? This is the question. We see that Esther faces a clear choice: protect herself through self-preservation by denying Mordecai and hoping to escape notice, or rise up in her position of authority to prevent genocide and serve God's people. The answer is not clear. Mordecai could be manipulating to gain an audience with the king. He could be manipulating Esther as well to act. Esther could simply be making a desperate final attempt. The reality is, we are reminded that we can lose sight of our heavenly identity. The subtle biblical echoes (references to spirit, deliverance, and the Exodus) suggest something deeper is happening. We, too, are an audience that lives in this present age, and we can lose sight of God. The Lord is a shield and defender for Abraham. He is the same for us today. The ultimate assurance comes through Christ's resurrection. He did not fail as the disciples suspected, but the Gospel promise is beyond our comprehension. We are called to live under the sun for God's honor and glory as His redeemed people, trusting His providence even when circumstances seem hopeless. Let us take comfort that our Lord is working even when he seems so silent. Yes, the Lord can certainly work even with his B team. Let that comfort us to strive in Christ, as we walk by faith in His Spirit.

Prepositions of Grace (Devoted to God Series)

Introduction "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me." — Galatians 2:20 In this sermon, we explore the absolute heart of Christian sanctification through Paul's words in Galatians 2:20. Drawing from Sinclair Ferguson's "Devoted to God," we examine how holiness doesn't happen apart from Christ. Holiness happens IN Christ. Four Life-Changing Truths: 1. The Son of God Gave Himself FOR Me Jesus didn't die near us—He died as us. Our sins were credited to Him, and His perfect life is now credited to us. Both justification and sanctification flow from this substitutionary work. 2. I Live by Faith IN the Son of God Paul uses a unique phrase: we don't just believe in Jesus, we believe into Jesus. Faith transfers our trust and actually unites us to Him—we're IN Christ, not just observers from the outside. 3. I Have Been Crucified WITH Christ When Jesus was crucified, we were crucified with Him—not symbolically, but positionally. The old you, the slave to sin, died on that cross. The claims of the old life are terminated, and the power of sin is broken. 4. Christ Lives IN Me Jesus doesn't just save us and then coach from the sidelines. He walks with us because we're joined to Him. We're united with the Trinitarian God, seated with Christ in heavenly places. Stop Living Like Spiritual Paupers Most Christians live like spiritual beggars, unaware of the riches conferred upon them. You've been given union with the Son of God. Stop striving in your own strength. Stop trying to be holy apart from Him. Instead, meditate daily on these truths: He loved me and gave Himself for me. I live by faith in the Son of God. I have been crucified with Christ. Christ now lives in me. Sanctification isn't just turning away from sin, but is also turning TO Christ, basking in His glory, and moving in His resurrection life as we take hold of Him by faith.

New Creatures in an Old World (2 Corinthians 5:16-21)

Introduction Philosopher Soren Kierkegaard once said, "The greatest form of despair is not being who you are." In our modern times, there is a crisis of the self—people who don't know who they are or whose they are. This crisis is intensified in 2026 America, where people have become identified with their worst moments, strongest opinions, therapeutic categories, or political tribes. Into this context, God's word wonderfully interrupts our contemporary thinking with profound truth: "If anyone is in Christ, they are a new creation." This isn't a label we derive for ourselves, but something God has done for us. The same power that created the universe is the power God uses to create a new heart within us, transforming us completely. We should see ourselves undergoing metamorphosis like a caterpillar emerging as a butterfly from its chrysalis. New Creatures Reorient When we become new creatures in Christ, we undergo a complete reorientation in how we view everything, particularly how we see other people. Paul tells us "we regard no one according to the flesh.” This means we no longer see people through the old worldly categories and paradigms apart from Christ's redemptive work. This doesn't mean rejecting the physical body (Christians aren't Platonists), but rather abandoning the old way of perceiving reality apart from God. Just as people once evaluated Jesus with fleshly categories. They might see him as a revolutionary, mystic, or drunkard. We are reminded that we, too, can label people incorrectly and dismiss them. But when we're in Christ, we're mystically united to Him in body and soul, becoming entirely new and thus totally reoriented to the world. This reorientation doesn't come easily. Our new life is in the context of spiritual warfare. We are new creations, but we still live in the old world. As Paul writes in Galatians, the desires of the flesh war against the Spirit, working to sabotage our new creatureliness and keep us from doing the things we want to do as new creatures. The Holy Spirit must work this transformation in us; it's not a simple three-step program. This is why we need one another. We are new creatures who cannot live in isolation. God created us for community, and we are members of one another, like parts of a body that cannot function independently. The familial language Scripture uses, which is brothers and sisters, fathers and mothers in the faith, is itself part of our reorientation. We need to continually be reminded of the spiritual bonds that transcend worldly categories. New Creatures Reconcile God reconciled us to Himself through Christ. He does not count our trespasses against us. The joy is that we have the ministry of reconciliation. In a world committed to polarization, labeling, and discarding people for their worst moments, reconciliation is a great act of rebellion and resistance. Because we know that none of our sins, which are past, present, or future, can or will stand against us before God. We are freed to reconcile with whomever God puts on our hearts. We can own our part in conflicts and make things right with others without fear of condemnation. The aim of new creatures should be restoration and reconciliation. While reconciliation takes two people and isn't always possible, making it our aim changes us. When we pursue reconciliation, something new emerges—not just a return to how things were before, but an entirely new relationship. This mirrors what happened between God and us: after the Fall and redemption, our relationship with God became even better than it was in the Garden. When churches and families practice reconciliation, healing occurs, and through that healing, new things emerge that have never existed before. Even when reconciliation isn't achieved, the peace that passes understanding floods in when we've genuinely aimed for it. This is allowing us to rest knowing we've done what we could. Conclusion Friends, you do not live for your identity, but you live from it. Your identity is something God has placed on you and called you to, both individually and collectively. We are new creatures living in an old world, and as Romans tells us, we groan with the pains of childbirth, awaiting the day when Jesus returns. Our groaning, our reorientation, and our reconciliation are all testimonies that something different has come on the scene in history: Jesus Christ. He is God in the flesh. He has interrupted the way of the world, the devil, and sin. The great antidote to the despair of not knowing who you are is the gospel. Jesus has reconciled you to Himself and does not count your trespasses against you. Though the world will count everything you do wrong against you, God does not. You are new, you are free, and while you're at war in this world as a new creature in an old world, old things have passed away and no longer rule over you. They may impact and affect you, but they're not the final word. New is what is final. Reconciliation with God is final. Your identity is not found in your addiction, your sin, or the labels the world wants to place on you—it's found in Christ. All things have become new in your heart, and a great day is coming when the heavens and the earth will all be made new as well.

What's With Life and Death?

The Heidelberg Catechism opens with a profound question that cuts to the heart of human existence: What is your only comfort in life and death? This isn't merely an academic exercise or theological formality. It's a question that addresses the deepest hunger of the human heart. We live in a world desperately searching for belonging, trying to discover which tribe is ours, seeking to know not just who we are, but whose we are. The catechism's answer provides something revolutionary: you are not your own, but belong both body and soul, in life and in death, to your faithful Savior, Jesus Christ. This is not your best comfort; it is your only comfort. The catechism refuses to let us scatter our hopes across multiple backup plans. Instead, it anchors us to one unchangeable reality that stands firm when everything else is stripped away. We Belong to Christ, Not to Ourselves: The catechism rejects the Enlightenment idea that humanity is the center of all things. Before we act, succeed, or fail, God has already claimed us as His own. We need to think of this like an arranged marriage or covenant where we are "spoken for." This belonging isn't earned through human striving but is a divine claim that precedes our choices, freeing us from the anxiety of constantly proving our worth or doubting God's love. This Belonging Encompasses Our Whole Being in Life and Death: God doesn't save us in parts. Human beings are not dissected. We are saved both body and soul. Biblical hope isn't Pollyanna optimism but confident expectation grounded in God's faithfulness and past actions. Christ’s death and resurrection ground our future hope. Whether we live or die, we are the Lord's, which means neither success nor failure defines us. It is only God's intimate knowledge of us that defines us. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He has numbered the hairs on our heads. This demonstrates His active, loving rule over every detail of our lives. Assurance Precedes Obedience: The Holy Spirit assures us of eternal life and transforms our desires. It is by the Spirit’s work that we are willing to live for Christ. We don't live for Christ to earn our hope; we live for Him because hope has already been secured. This assurance comes through the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, sealing us for redemption, and it frees us to live boldly rather than cautiously, knowing our identity is secure in God's covenant love. Conclusion: Unlike other comforts the world offers, this hope is eternal and salvific. Our hope is rooted in what God has done. Our hope is not rooted in us. We are not spiritual orphans making it up as we go. We need to see ourselves as beloved children who belong to the faithful Father in heaven. Body and soul, in life and death, we are not our own but belong to our faithful Savior, Jesus Christ, who has purchased, redeemed, and covenanted with us, freeing us to live the rest of our lives for Him. Let that hope orient us through this age.

All of Me (Chapter 2)

In this week’s teaching, we examine Chapter 2 of Devoted to God, titled “All of Me.” Sinclair Ferguson unfolds the gospel logic of sanctification through Romans 12:1–2. Sanctification, Ferguson argues, is not rooted in personal discipline or moral effort, but in the mercies of God. God has acted in Christ, and we are joined to Christ. God’s saving work always precedes our response. His grace is the power that leads to our growth in holiness. The chapter highlights four foundational principles. First, sanctification flows from the gospel, guarding us from a performance-based spirituality that mirrors the errors of the Pharisees. Second, sanctification is embodied—our holiness is expressed through what we do with our bodies, offered daily as living sacrifices to God. Third, sanctification requires the renewal of the mind, as Scripture reshapes our thinking and desires in an ongoing, Spirit-driven process. Finally, sanctification reveals the goodness of God’s will, transforming our perception of obedience from burden to joy as we are conformed to the image of Christ. This gospel-centered vision reminds us that sanctification is the work of the Triune God. The three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, continue to shape believers for glory. As God works in us by His Spirit and through His means he is teaching us what it truly means to be devoted to God with our whole selves.