Morning Message: From Death To Life

Bobservations' Column

Titled - "From Death to Life"
Written by: Pastor Bob Lawrenz

On the third day after His death on the cross, some of Jesus’ female followers reached the tomb, only to find it empty. Sadness hit Mary Magdelene in particular, and she asked the Gardener where Jesus’ body had been taken. She had already spoken to two men inside the tomb, and they just said, “He is not here.”

Among three of the Gospel accounts, there are varying reports of how many women came, and whom they were. But the common theme is that He was not in the tomb any longer. Witness reports can differ according to who is writing it. And interestingly, between Matthew, Mark, and Luke, none of them were even there as eyewitnesses of what the women discovered.

Even by today’s standards in the Middle East, the witness of a woman is worth only half as that of a man. As the ladies went to tell Peter and the other Apostles gathered together, they were not believed. Then we have John’s record of running to the tomb with Peter running close behind him. Then the two of them became witnesses of the empty tomb.

As it is used in the Old Testament, “The Angel of the Lord,” or of God, most always carries the implied presence of Deity. Whether we break it down to Father, or to Son, or to the Holy Spirit individually, it is understood that the fulness of the Trinity is present, for He is on God (John 14:16-26; Deuteronomy. 6:4). And being raised on the third day was surely no problem for Jesus, the physical expression of our God.

As Isaiah 54:5 says, “He was wounded for our transgressions… and with
His stripes we are healed.” The wounds Jesus received, from the crown of thorns, the scourging, the humiliation of being spat upon and paraded through the streets of Jerusalem, and finally being nailed to the cross… well those were all meant for our healing. Imagine! He endured all that for our healing!

“Jesus answered and said unto them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." - John 2:19

Bobservations' Column:  Audio Version

Sunday Morning Message:

Matthew 28:1-10 - "From Death to Life"

Summary/Additional Commentary & Definitions:

Jesus’ death and resurrection is the single most important event in the history of our faith. Without it, we would have no hope. When Jesus rose from the dead, He conquered death forever and completed God’s plan for restoring us to a right relationship with the Father. Praise God! As we look at Christ’s followers, we see two main responses to Christ’s work on the cross and His resurrection: worship and sharing the Good News.

For some, Easter is bereft of all but the secular meaning. For them, Easter is a time to dye eggs, hide them, and send children in search of them. It’s a time to recite the myth of the Easter bunny and allude to his continuing escapades. It’s a time of giving candy, taking pictures, eating Peeps, and feasting around the family table. It’s a day to mark the start of spring and celebrate the rejuvenation of nature and the greening of the grass. Such observances of Easter, if they go no further than this, are a faint and feeble shadow of the real meaning of Easter; they are as empty as a plastic egg, as hollow as a chocolate Easter bunny.

Easter is a Christian holiday, and Christian celebrations focus on the true meaning of Easter: the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Two thousand years ago, a man died on a cross, was buried, and three days later rose to life again. This fact—that a dead man came to life again and lives evermore—is why we celebrate Easter. The meaning of Easter is that the Son of God paid the price for our sins and rose again to reconcile us to God (see Romans 4:25).

After Jesus spent three years in active ministry, bringing the Good News of the Kingdom to both the Jews and the Gentiles, the religious elite finally saw their opportunity to arrest and kill Him. He was tried, beaten, mocked, stripped, nailed to a cross, and died in agony. At His death, the earth shook, the sky darkened, and graves opened. All hope was lost. But that wasn’t the end of the story.

Matthew 28:1-10 depicts the resurrection of Jesus, where Mary Magdalene and the other Mary find an empty tomb, witness an angel, and encounter the risen Christ. The earthquake and angel signify God’s power overruling the crucifixion. Jesus greets the women, transforming their fear into "great joy," and commands them to tell the disciples to meet him in Galilee.

Sunday Morning Audio Message:  Upcoming!

Key Words and Definitions with Reference:

End of the Sabbath, as it Began to Dawn (28:1) - The Jewish Sabbath officially ended with sundown on Saturday. At that time, the women could purchase and prepare spices (Luke 24:1). The event described here occurs the next morning, at dawn on Sunday, the first day of the week.

Other Mary (28:1) - She was the "wife of Clopas" (John 19:25) a variant of Alphaeus.  She the mother of the apostle known as "James the Less" (Mark 15:40). 

A Great Earthquake (28:2) - This earthquake is the second associated with Christ's death (27:51).  This one may have been confined to the immediate area around the grave, when "an angel" supernaturally "rolled back the stone from the door" - not to let Jesus out, for if He could rise from the death, He would need no help escaping an earthly tomb, but to let the women and the apostles in (v. 6).

Angel of the Lord (28:2) - Angels were present at the Lord's birth, strengthened Him in the wilderness temptation and the passion in Gethsemane, and rolled away the stone at His Resurrection (not to release Him from the tomb but to allow the disciples to see that it was empty.  While the angels were present on all these occasions, Christ was all alone on the cross.  

As Dead Men (28:4) - This suggests that they are not merely paralyzed with fear, but completely unconscious, totally traumatized by what they have seen.  The word translated "shook" has the same root as the word for "earthquake" in verse 2.  The sudden appearance of this angel, at the same time the women arrived, is their first clue that something extraordinary is happening. 

As He said (28:6) - The angel would gently remind both the women and the disciples that Jesus had repeatedly promised that He would rise from the dead in the third day.  Why then, were they coming to embalm Him in the tomb?

There Shall Ye See Him (28:7) - See verses 10, 26; 26:32; John 21:1-14.  This does not mean They would not see Jesus until then.  He was seen by the apostles several times before they saw Him in Galilee (Luke 24:15, 34, 36; John 20:19, 26).  But His supreme post-resurrection appearance is in Galilee, where " He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once" (1 Corinthians 15:6).

Jesus Met Them (28:9) - Each of the four Gospel writers has a different account of the resurrection to be somewhat contradictory, but their very differences prove the absence of collusion.  Furthermore, when compared carefully, the contradictions vanish, and their combined testimony becomes an impregnable verification of the reality of Christ's bodily resurrection. Scripture describes at least ten distinct appearances of Christ between the Resurrection and Ascension.  He appeared to: 

1. Mary Magdalene at the tomb (Mark 16:9; John 20:11-18)
2. To the women on the road (Matthew 28:9, 10)
3. To the disciples on the road to Emmaus (vv. 13:32)
4. To Peter (v. 34)
5. To ten of the eleven disciples, Thomas being absent (vv. 36-44; Mark 16:14; John 20:19-25
6. To the eleven disciples (with Thomas present) eight days later (John 20:26-31)
7. To seven disciples by the shore of the Sea of Galilee (1 John 21:1-25)
8. To more than five hundred disciples, probably on a mountain in Galilee (1 Corinthians 15:6
9. To James (1 Corinthians 15:7)
10. To the apostles when He ascended into heaven (Acts 1:3-11)

After His ascension, He appeared to Paul (1 Corinthians 15:8).  Then next time He appears it will be in glory (Matthew 24:30).

My Brethren (28:10) - These are His disciples.

Morning Message: The Perfecting

Bobservations' Column

Titled - "The Perfecting"

Written by:  Pastor Bob Lawrenz

We meet Esther in chapter 2, verse 9 as a maiden. In the Hebrew, the word is “na’ara” which is a young woman of marrying age, but the word is also used to describe a girl from toddler to adolescent age. So as customary in the middle east, her description fits a young girl up to her adolescent years, and who is eligible for marriage. She would be as the Virgin Mary, perhaps 11 or 12 years old.

In chapter 2, we read of beautifying ointments and salves to protect her young skin, and her purification. She lived with other young women, preparing for their presentation before the King.

At the removal of Vashti as Queen, a decree went out from the Palace at Shushan, that a search for a new queen would include all 127 provinces of Persia. No King should be without his Queen! And here is Esther, named after a Goddess of multiple kingdoms, a young Jewish girl, who with her uncle/cousin Mordecai, remained in Persia, even after the Jewish Captives had been told they could return to Jerusalem, after their Babylonian captivity. The Jews were not required to leave Babylon, but many of them did, in order to rebuild their Temple, and its City of Jerusalem.

After 12 months of waiting, the final 6 months being with the oils, salves, and perfumes, Hegai (keeper of the women), Chamberlain of the King, the young Esther needed nothing more before she appeared before the King.

You may recall Christ and His Bride, the Church, prepared to be spotless, blemish-free, glorious, and without sin. Paul writes of the Bride of Christ as having been perfected by her Husbandman, and prepared to be His eternal Bride, His dear possession forever (Ephesians 5: 25-30). The Church is in the process of being perfected by Christ daily, to be His forever bride, and that includes every true Christian member of the Church. Ephesians 5 as a whole describes the relationship between Christ and the Church, and tells us by way of example, that it is our goal as His Church-in-Christ, to be like Him, of one mind with Him, and singleness of purpose.

“Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, But grievious: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness to Them which are excercised thereby.” - Hebrews 12:11

Bobservations' Column:  Audio Version

Sunday Morning Message:

Esther 2:1-23 - "The Perfecting"

Summary/Additional Commentary & Definitions:

As we begin chapter 2 of Esther, we are introduced to the one whom the book obtains its title from, Esther. She arises from humble surroundings, a young Jewish orphan raised by her cousin Mordecai, to be the new Queen of Persia after she gains the favor of King Ahasuerus and his eunuchs. Following Mordecai's advice, she conceals her Jewish heritage. Additionally, Mordecai uncovers a plot to assassinate the king, which is recorded in the royal chronicles.

In this chapter, the Gospel illustration becomes clear. Believers in Jesus Christ are said to be espoused to Jesus Christ, the king of Kings. The marriage takes place in heaven after the rapture of the church and during the seven-year tribulation period. In this age, we find favor with the king through faith and come into a time of preparation and perfecting for the wedding that is to come. Paul wrote it like this:

2 Corinthians 11:2-3 - "For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ. But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ."

Ephesians 5:25-27 - "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."

2 Timothy 2:20-22 - "Now in a large house there are not only gold and silver vessels, but also vessels of wood and of earthenware, and some to honor and some to dishonor. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from these things, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified, useful to the Master, prepared for every good work. Now flee from youthful lusts and pursue righteousness, faith, love and peace, with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart."

Esther, though a foreigner to the Medo-Persian kingdom, rose from complete obscurity to be queen alongside her king. But behind all the preparation and events occurring on the natural level was a God working in providence to arrange all the actors and participants that would grace the stage for the unfolding of a truly historic story.

Sunday Morning Audio Message:  

Key Words and Definitions with Reference:

After These Things (2:1) - The succeeding account was probably at least two years "After these things," for the king and all his officers embarked on their projected invasion of Greece immediately following the great assemblage.  

Remembered Vashti (2:1) - As history shows, however, the great fleet of King Xerxes (Ahasuerus) suffered bitter defeats at the naval battles of Thermophylae and Salmis and returned home sadder and wiser.  According to the Greek historian Herodotus, the king went back to "comfort himself" with his harem.  At this time, he "remembered Vashti." The king was legally unable to restore Vashti, so the counselors proposed a new plan with promise, the search for a new queen. 

Mordecai (2:5) - The name "Mordecai" has been found a a cuneiform tablet, mentioned as a high official at the court of Xerxes.  He may have been the great-grandson of a Benjamite named Kish who had been one of the captives taken from Jerusalem in the days of King Jeconiah.

Kish (2:5) - Mordecai's great grandfather who actually experience the Babylonian deportation.  After Babylon fell to Medo-Persia (c. 539 B.C.) Jews were moved to other parts of the new kingdom.  Kish represents a Benjamite family name that could be traced back (c. 1100 B.C.) to Saul's father (1 Samuel 9:1).

Jeconiah (2:6) - Former king of Judah (also known as Jehoiachin and Coniah) who was deported c. 597 B.C. (cf. 2 Kings 24:14, 15; 2 Chronicles 36:9, 10).  Due to his disobedience, the Lord removed his descendants from the line of David to Christ (Jeremiah 22:24-30).  The family of Mordecai and Esther were part of the good figs in Jeremiah 24:1-7.

Hadassah, that is, Esther (2:7) - "Hadassah," is a Hebrew feminine name meaning "myrtle tree or "myrtle branch," a plant that symbolizes peace, joy and prosperity.   Biblically, it is the original name of Queen Esther, making it a symbol of courage and beauty. It is widely used as a girl's name, often shortened to Haddie or Dassa. The name "Esther" was from the Babylonian goddess "Ishtar."

Esther Was Brought (2:8) - The fact that Esther was brought instead of "came' may suggest that her participation in this "contest" to become queen was not voluntary on her part, but compulsory.  In any event, the Lord used it and her to deliver His people at a time of great crisis.

Pleased Him (2:9) - That she pleased Hegai points to God's providential control.

Her People (2:10) - This was evidently during one of those intermittent periods in history when the Jewish people were looked upon with disfavor (even though Cyrus and Darius had aided them earlier in their desire to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their temple), and it was unwise for Esther to risk her chance of becoming queen by revealing her background.  Jews have often been made scapegoats when trouble befalls a nation, and it is possible that they had been accused of complicity in Xerxes' recent naval defeats.  This probably also accounts for the fact that the Book of Esther, alone among all the Books of the Bible, contains no direct mention of God or of religion.  The author (possibly Mordecai, although the actual author of the book is not known) may have surmised there would be reprisals if he had connected the remarkable deliverance of Israel with their religious faith.

She Should Not Show It (2:10) - Possible because of the hostile letter mentioned in Ezra 4:6 or the anti-Semitic sentiments of Haman and other like-minded people.

The Second House (2:14) - The place of concubines.

Obtained Favor (2:15) - According to the Lord's providential plan.

Tebeth (2:16) - The tenth month corresponding to December/January.

The Seventh Year (2:16) - (c. 479-478 B.C.) Four years had elapsed since Vashti's fall from favor.

Above All the Women (2:17) - Although the Book of Esther contains no mention of God, it abounds with implicit testimonies to providential leading and provision for His people.  Under Persian law, Esther had no choice but to obey the king's decree.  She herself retained her own virginity until she became the king's chosen wife.  She was in a polygamous household, a common and accepted practice in the culture of those times.  Esther found grace and favor with the king because God was working behind the scenes to move the chess pieces into place for the challenging events that were still to come in this story.

A Great Feast (2:18) - depicts King Xerxes holding a "great feast" (or banquet) and declaring a tax holiday/generous gifts to celebrate marrying Esther and making her queen. This event serves to officially honor her, display his lavish power, and crucially marks God’s providential placement of Esther, a Jew, into a key position of influence.

Second Time (2:19) - refers to a second gathering of virgins for King Ahasuerus's harem, marking a time after Esther was crowned queen. This event likely highlights the king's continued self-indulgence and provides the context for Mordecai, now an official at the king’s gate, discovering an assassination plot against the king.

The King's Gate (2:21) - Mordecai is positioned at the "king's gate," a site of official business, allowing him to overhear a conspiracy by eunuchs Bigthan and Teresh to assassinate King Ahasuerus. This pivotal act of vigilance, prompted by Esther’s rising influence, sets up a divine appointment where Mordecai’s loyalty is recorded in the royal chronicles, ensuring future favor.

Were Wroth (2:21) - indicates that the "furious" anger of Bigthan and Teresh was likely born from the volatile nature of court politics, creating a "ticking time bomb" that God used to position Mordecai for future intervention. The word "wroth" (or "became furious"/"angry") in this context refers to an intense rage or discontent that motivated the two eunuchs to conspire to assassinate King Ahasuerus.

Hanged on a Tree (2:23) - (Gallows) The Persian execution consisted of being impaled (cf. Ezra 6:11).  It is likely that they were the originators of crucifixion.

Book of the Chronicles (2:23) - The king would five years later (Ahasuerus's twelfth year) read these Persian records as the turning point in Esther (6:1,2).

Morning Message: Costly Disobedience

Bobservations' Column

Titled - "Costly Disobedience"
Written by: Pastor Bob Lawrenz

Last week’s look at Ancient Elam was due to current events in Iran, which used to be called Persia. But the Persian Empire didn't begin until around 550 BC/BCE. The oldest culture we know of in Iran was the Elamites. They flourished from around 6000 years ago; as old as the world's oldest known civilizations in nearby Sumer (or Sumeria) in southern Iraq today. The main cities of Elam were Anshan in the southwest Zagros mountains, and Susa (Shush) on the plain of what was Khuzestan, Susiana or Ilam.

In Jeremiah 49, the Elamites that God had a burden for were those in the land where the Book of Esther takes place, the Capitol City of Susa. The events that take place in Esther were just after Persia’s ascension to Empire status. Elamite culture was foundational to the Persians. The Elamites had their own language, which was diverse from all other Middle Eastern tongues, probably one of the confused tongues of Ancient Babel (Babylon being just northwest of the Elamite Kingdom). When the Medes conquered the region, which was later conquered by the Persians, Elam never recovered. By the 7th Century BC, the Elamites and Persians were already so intertwined, that some historians interject that the Persian Empire could well be called the Elamite Empire.

As we read in Esther’s first chapter, the Elamite Kingdom controlled 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia in Africa. They controlled the Trade Route from Africa to the Far East. The wealth would have been overwhelming.

Elam also had its own remnant of Jews, left over from the Babylonian Captivity. And as a young Jewess, Esther became the Queen of Elam’s King Ahasuerus. And so, we embark on Esther Chapter 1.

“And (God) changes the times and the seasons; He removes kings and setteth up kings: He giveth wisdom unto the wise, and knowledge to them who know understanding." - Daniel 2:21

Bobservations' Column: Audio Version

Sunday Morning Message:

Esther 1:1-22 - "Costly Disobedience"

Summary/Additional Commentary & Definitions:

We are beginning a new Series from the Book of Esther.  The book is named for the “star” of the story, a young Jewish girl named Hadassah who was taken from her guardian, Mordecai, and forced to compete for the affection of the king. This unlikely contestant for a beauty pageant was crowned queen of Persia and renamed Esther, meaning “star.”

The events in the book of Esther occurred from 483 BC to 473 BC, during the first half of the reign of King Xerxes, who chose Esther as his queen. During this time period, the first remnant of Jews who had returned to Judah were struggling to reestablish temple worship according to the Law of Moses. But Esther and Mordecai, along with many other Jews, had chosen not to make the trek back to Judah. They seemed content to stay in Susa, the capital city of Persia, in which the story is set.

Haman, the king’s evil second-in-command, was a descendant of Agag, king of the Amalekites, who were ancient enemies of God’s people (Numbers 24:7 1 Samuel 15:8). He cast the lot, called “pur,” in order to determine the day that the Jews would be exterminated (Esther 3:7–9). The feast of Purim, still celebrated by Jews today, commemorates the Jews’ deliverance from Haman’s plot (9:24–32).

While the primary purpose of the book of Esther was to relate the dramatic origins of the feast of Purim, a greater theme shines through the story. The sovereignty and faithfulness of God permeate each scene. Nothing is truly coincidental, the book of Esther says to us. God’s sovereignty is best summarized in Mordecai’s exhortation to Esther: “and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?" (Esther 4:14).

When events seemed out of control to Esther and Mordecai, when the king dictated ruin for their people, when evil was poised to triumph . . . God was at work. He worked through their dark days (Esther was taken to the harem [2:1–16), their faithful obedience (Esther risked her life before the king [5:1–3), and their victories (Esther revealed Haman’s plot and the Jews’ destruction of their enemies [7–9). This message is clear: God is sovereign even when life doesn’t make sense.

God is also the great Promise Keeper. Mordecai said to Esther: “For if thou altogether holdest thy peace at this time, then shall there enlargement and deliverance arise to the Jews from another place; but thou and thy father’s house shall be destroyed: and who knoweth whether thou art come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14). Mordecai’s words reflected his faith that God would honor His eternal covenant with Abraham and David.

Chapter 1 Summary:

In Chapter 1, the Book of Esther opens by introducing the reader to King Ahasuerus of Persia and his queen, Vashti. Ahasuerus threw a 6-month celebration in Persia to celebrate the greatness of his kingdom. Towards the end of the feast, the king ordered Vashti to present herself before his friends so they could admire her beauty. Vashti refused! Ahasuerus was so angry that he stripped her of her royal title and banished her from his presence forever. This sets up the storyline of the book, and in Esther 2, we’ll see the King searching for a new queen.

Sunday Morning Audio Message:  

Key Words and Definitions with Reference:

Ahasuerus (1:1) - Ahasuerus is the Hebrew name for the Persian king commonly identified as Xerxes I (ruled 486–465 BC) in the Book of Esther, known for marrying Esther and sparing the Jews from Haman's plot. He is portrayed as a powerful yet temperamental ruler who reigned over a vast empire.

One Hundred and Twenty-Seven Provinces (1:1) - The kingdom comprised twenty regions (3:12; 8:9; 9:3) which were further divided into provinces ruled over by governors (3:12).

India to Ethiopia (1:1) - Ethiopia, not Asia Minor, is mentioned as representing the western edge of the kingdom to avoid any remembrance of the king's previous defeat by the Greeks c. 481-479 B.C. This description also avoided any confusion with the Ahasuerus of Daniel 9:1.

Shushan the Palace (1:2) - The Hebrew rendering of the Greek Susa, the winter residence, was one of four capital cities of the Persians; the other three included Babylon, Ecbatana (Ezra 6:2), and Persepolis.  The Palace refers to the fortified palace complex built above the city for protection.

The Third Year (1:3) - This would be 483 B.C. This probably included the planning phase for Ahasuerus's later campaign against Greece in which the king suffered a humiliating defeat (c. 481-479 B.C.).

Persia and Media (1:3) - Cyrus the Persian inherited Media and, thus, the name Media became just as prominent as Persia (c. 550 B.C.)

Queen Vashti (1:9) - Greek literature records her name as Amestris.  She gave birth (c. 483 B.C.) to Ahasuerus's third son, Artaxerxes, who later succeeded his father Ahasuerus on the throne (Ezra 7:1).

Vashti Refused (1:12) - Her reason is not recorded, although suggestions have included that (1) her appearance would have involved lewd behavior before drunken men, or (2) that she was still pregnant with Artaxerxes.

The Seven Princes (1:14) - These highest-ranking officials (cf. Ezra 7:14) were perhaps equivalent to the magi of Daniel 1:20.

That it be Not Altered (1:19) - The irrevocable nature of Persian law (cf. Daniel 6:8, 12, 15) played an important role in how the rest of Esther concluded (cf. 8:8).

Letters (1:22) - The efficient Persian communication network (a rapid relay by horses) played an important role in speedily publishing kingdom edicts (cf. 3:12-14; 8:9, 10, 14; 9:20, 30).